THE EARLY CHURCH FATHERS WRITINGS - VOLUME 109
The Contendings of the Apostles
Ethiopic collection of the Middle Ages

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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 ninth 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 Ethiopic Contendings of the Apostles. This volume holds the whole of the
Ethiopic Contendings of the Apostles, in E. A. Wallis Budge’s English: the preaching and
martyrdoms of Peter, Paul, Andrew, Thomas and the other apostles.

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. Budge’s translation
was read by machine from scans of the printed books and has not been proofread against the
pages, so a misreading may remain. Page numbers, footnotes, the Ethiopic text and the
Arabic and Greek words in Budge’s notes are left out; where a footnote was joined to the
text in the scan, it has been removed.

IN THIS VOLUME

The Contendings of the Apostles is a large collection in Ethiopic. It tells in order the
lives and martyrdoms of the twelve apostles and of Paul, with long speeches and prayers of
the saints, and many miracles. The collection is translated here from the edition of E. A.
Wallis Budge, and the volume is made of the two parts of that work.

Its stories were read in the churches and monasteries of Ethiopia. The books were copied
with a note of the copyist and the patron, and these notes are kept at the end of each
work. Much of the matter appears nowhere else in English, and the reader should treat it
as legend that was taken for history.

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 Contendings are a medieval collection of legends in Ethiopic,
made from older Coptic and Arabic texts.


THE CONTENDINGS OF THE APOSTLES, PART 1
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THE CONTENDINGS OF THE APOSTLES, PART 1 Translated by E. A. Wallis Budge

Ethiopic collection of the Middle Ages

The first part of the Ethiopic collection of legends about the apostles: the history and
martyrdom of Peter and Paul, the genealogies of the twelve, a letter of Dionysius the
Areopagite, and the preaching and martyrdoms of James, Bartholomew, Andrew, Matthew, Luke,
Philip, John, Matthias, Mark, Thomas and others. These are late legends, partly from older
acts, and are not Scripture.

THE PREFACE BY THE ETHIOPIAN TRANSLATOR

1 In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Here beginneth the
Book wherein have been gathered together the acts of the chosen disciples, [who were] the
servants of our Lord and God and Redeemer, Jesus Christ, the Voice of the Living God, [and
the accounts] of the Twelve pure and holy Apostles, and of their journeys ings and
wanderings through all the world; and of how the story of them and of their preaching,
among all peoples in every country and in all the ends of the earth, hath come down [to
us]; and of how their teaching was a confession of belief in the Holy Trinity — Father,
and Son, and Holy Spirit, One God — and One of the Three Who took upon Himself flesh of
the Virgin Mary, the holy Godsbearer, for the redemption of Adam and of his progeny. And
in this Book are [the accounts also] of the acts which they wrought, both signs and
wonders, in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by the might of His glorious Cross; and
of how they drove out devils; and of how they raised the dead to life; and of how they
healed the sick of every kind of disease; and of how by the help of the Holy Ghost they
wrought the wondrous deeds which shed light upon the hearts of men; and of what happened
unto them when they made answer unto mighty kings; and of how they endured patiently
scourgings and beatings with many stripes;

2 and of how they suffered long with depraved peoples until they converted them to the
belief of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, Who was of olden time, and Who was before
the world; and of how they died or suffered martyrdom, each in the country [to which he
had gone], by the hands of kings and governors, and of when, and on what day, and in what
months their deaths and martyrdoms took place. May their prayer and blessing, and the
prayer of our Lady Mary, and the blessing and prayer of the company of the saints keep us
always and for ever and ever. Amen.

THE HISTORY OF SAINT PETER

1 With thanks unto God, and with the help of our Lord Jesus Christ, we begin [to write]
the preaching of the blessed Saint Peter, the chief of the Apostles, the chosen one who
was acceptable [unto God], and the story of his life and preaching unto the people who
were in the city of Rome. May their prayers keep us all, always and for ever and ever.
Amen. And it came to pass that when Peter had arrived in the city of Rome, which is the
principal abode of the Roman Emperors, he entered into the TATRĀBĪŌN, that is to say, the
Four Gates, or the great abode wherein there were gathered together the prefects, and all
the nobles of the Roman Emperors, and he cried out forthwith, saying:— "Blessed are the
merciful, for on them shall mercy be shewn." "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they
shall see God."

2 "Blessed are the pure in body, for they shall become the habitation of the Holy Spirit."
"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called and shall become the children of
God." "Blessed are those who give to the poor, for unto them shall God give in return."
"Blessed are those who have wives, and who are as if they had them not, for they shall
become the children of life, and shall inherit everlasting life.". And it came to pass
that when they heard the voice going in among and round about the pillars of the four
sides (or corners) of the habitation (or throne), the pillars cried out and said, "Amen";
and the voice remained in the hearing of those who were assembled there. Now there was
there a certain man in whom Satan had dwelt for [seventy] years, and at that moment he
threw him down upon the ground among those who were gathered together there; and he went
forth from him in the sight of all the people by reason of his hearing the voice which had
come out from the pillars. And the prefects were greatly disturbed by reason of this
thing, and they were afraid with an exceedingly great fear, and they came into their
habitations wondering with a great wonder, and every man of those who had heard [the
voice] told each his wife. And it came to pass that among the nobles there was a certain
prefect called Kewestôs, who had a wife whose name was 'Akrôsyâ. And her husband said unto
her, "Knowest thou not what hath happened this day?" And she answered and said unto him,
"What [hath happened], O my lord?" And he answered and said unto her, "This day we were
gathered together in the Taṭrâbîlôn, I and the assembly of the prefects, and all the
elders of the kingdom, when there came and entered into our midst a man called Peter. And
he spake unto us words, the like of which neither we nor our fathers ever heard, and at
length stone pillars spake in answer unto him. Now there was there a certain man in whom
Satan had dwelt for seventy years, and Satan went forth from him when the stone pillars
said 'Amen'." And his wife, 'Akrōsyā answered and said unto him, "O my lord, tell me
everything which thou didst hear of the words of Peter, that I also may believe thereon."
And Kewesṭōs her husband said unto her, "Peter spake, saying:—

3 'Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. 'Blessed are the merciful, for
on them shall mercy be shewn. 'Blessed are the pure in body, for they shall become the
habitation of the Holy Spirit.' 'Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called and
shall become the children of God'. 'Blessed are those who give to the poor, for unto them
shall God give in return'." But he hid from her and did not tell her of the words which
Peter spake concerning him that had a wife, because he was afraid that his wife would not
receive him. Now because God had opened her mind, and had lightened the eyes of her
understanding, she said unto him, "Of all the words which thou didst hear from Peter is
there not one which thou hast hidden from me?" Then Kewesṭōs said unto her, "There is one
word which I have not told thee; but now, if thou wishest that I should tell thee what
remaineth of the words of Peter, shall I tell thee?". And she said unto him, "Yea, O my
master, tell me everything that thou didst hear from him". Then Kewesṭōs answered and said
unto her, "I heard him say, 'Blessed are those who have wives, and who are as if they had
them not, for they shall inherit the life which is ever-lasting". And his wife answered
and said unto him, "O my brother, what can be better than this saying? And now, I would
look upon his face, and I, even I, entreat thee, O my brother, to grant me the petition
which I make unto thee"; and KewesTŌs said, "Speak thou". Then she said unto him, "We have
dwelt to-gether for a long time, and we have lived in the plea-

4 "sure and delights of the flesh, which is full of pollution, and we have begotten three
male children; one of them is dead, but two of them remain [alive], and through them have
we set aside our grief. Doth it please thee that we should desire to become like unto
those con-cerning whom Peter said, 'They shall inherit the land of life which is
everlasting'?" And her husband answered and said unto her, "I consent"; and he repeated
the saying, and said unto her, "If thou desirest that it shall be so, come thou with me
into the temple, that we may make "a covenant together to keep our bodies pure unto God
and [without] intercourse until our death." So they hastened forth together into the
temple, and they made a covenant according to what they had said, and as they were coming
out from the temple, after they had made their covenant, KewesTŌs said unto his wife, "If
it be that we are to keep this one saying of Peter, it is right that we should observe all
that he spake. For besides this I heard him say, 'Blessed are those who give to the poor,
for God shall give

5 "'unto them in return'!. Dost thou wish us to give all our possessions unto the poor and
the orphans so that God may give unto us gifts in return?" And she said Kewestōs GIVES ALL
HIS GOODS TO THE POOR. 11 unto him, "This saying is a good one". Then Kewestōs called the
steward of his house, and all his overseers, and said unto them, "Go ye and open my
storehouses, and give ye all my possessions unto the poor and needy, and unto the orphans.
And ye shall not seek from them any price or pledge whatsoever in return, and ye shall not
write it against them in [your] books, so that they may be called upon to pay it back; but
it is meet for you to give [the things] unto them in the fear of God. And God, the God of
Peter, shall be witness for you that ye have favoured neither the great nor the man of
lowly estate, and that ye have not accepted the person of any man. And we desire that this
work [be carried out forthwith], for it is good." Then his overseers went straightway, and
opened all his storehouses, and they gave everything which was therein unto the poor, and
unto the orphans, and unto all those who were in distress and difficulty. And Kewestōs and
his wife 'Akrōsyā gave away everything which they had in their houses, gold, and silver,
and apparel, and other things, and they left nothing at all for themselves; and they set
at liberty the best men among their slaves. And they became like people who possessed
nothing at all except their daily bread, and they gave thanks unto God, and laid hold upon
the teaching of Peter.

6 And it came to pass after those days that the Emperor sent messengers unto Kewestōs,
[bidding him] to come to him in order that he might take counsel with him concerning
certain anxious business in connexion with his kingdom, for his speech was wiser and his
understanding was greater than that of any other of his senate; now when Kewesṭṭōs saw the
messengers of the emperor, he was afraid with a great fear. And he came into his house,
and said unto his wife, "What shall I do?" "For behold, the emperor hath sent unto me and
commanded me to come to him, and I have nothing in my hand wherewith to make a gift unto
his mighty majesty and most honourable excellency so that he may not be angry with me."
Then his wife 'Akrōsyā answered and said unto him, "Fear not, O my lord, for God, the God
of Peter, in Whom we have believed,

7 "will prosper thy way, and will give thee grace before the emperor." Then Kewesṭṭōs said
unto her, "Behold; I have found a device which will save me; I will hide myself. Do thou,
this night, go forth with thy ser- "vants, and having caused a lamp to be lit, thou shalt
wander about through the streets of the city seeking me and saying, 'My husband hath
become mad, and I know not whither he hath gone'. And thou shalt shed tears, and shalt
utter cries and say, 'If only I could find his body that I might prepare it for the grave
and bury it, so that wild beasts might not devour it, [I should rejoice']. Then will the
envoys hear [thy cries], and will go back to the emperor and tell him this thing, and he
will cease to seek for me further. Now, I am afraid of him."

8 Then 'Akrōsyā his wife answered and said unto him, "O my lord, act not in this way, [and
carry not out] this device, for it is not a good thing; and thou must not become a
stumblingblock to those of the men of the city of Rome who believe in the God of Peter.
For if thou doest thus the multitude will say of thee, That which he spake unto Peter was
not true, and the desire which he had was not of God in the matter of the thing which he
gave unto the poor and needy, and unto the orphans; and he goeth out of his mind whenever
he remembereth his possessions which have departed from him'; this is the cause of his
madness. And this thing is not a good thing." And she spake unto him saying, "Thou must
not let thy faith suffer diminution, for a thing of this kind tendeth to destroy souls.
But rise up, now, and go to the house of thy brother, and ask him to lend thee a little of
his money until thou shalt return from the emperor and bring back his money; and if he
will not do [this] for thee, take thy servants which are left, and let those whom he
wisheth to have be a pledge unto him [for thy debt]."

9 Then Kewestōs, having hearkened unto the voice of his wife, went unto the house of his
brother; and when his brother saw him afar off, he went into his house and shut his door.
And when Kewestōs drew nigh thereunto, he cried out unto him, saying, "Rise up, O my
brother, and help me, for one brother should help the other, even as the city wherein is a
strong man armed"; but his brother would have none of him. And he made answer to him, and
after many words—now he conversed with Kewestōs from the roof of his house—he looked at
him, and said unto him, "What wouldst thou have, O madman? Thou hast wasted all thine own
possessions among(?) all the people of Rome, and because thou didst hearken unto the voice
of a deluded man thou hast scattered abroad all thy riches, and hast given them unto the
poor and unto the orphans; and now that thou hast destroyed thyself, and hast made an end
of thine own riches, thou hast come to make an end of me, and of the possessions which are
mine. Depart now from me lest thou hear that which will make sad thy heart, for the
emperor hath sent [me] to thee to cut off thy head. Now, I shall shew no compassion upon
thee, for thou hast appointed the poor to be thy children, notwithstanding all the people
who dwell in this city."

10 Then Kewestôs returned to his house being grievously sore at heart, and tears streamed
from his eyes because of the things which he had heard from his brother. And he said unto
his wife 'Akrôsyâ, "Dost thou know what my brother hath done? He would not hearken unto my
request at all, and he hath given me nothing: on the contrary, he hath made my heart sad
by the words which he spake unto me, and by his insults and abuse of me". And his wife
said unto him, "I desire thee, O my brother, not to vex thine heart, for "the God of
Peter, in Whom we have believed, will help us; He is a mighty God, and He will not cast us
off." And she said unto him further, "Wait a little while I go into the house, for I may
find one who will "provide thee with what is necessary for thy journey." Then 'Akrôsyâ
went quickly and lit a lamp, and searched in the window which was in her house and found
two 'astâra, that is to say, two dînôra (or staters) which she had not found previously
when she gave her money to the poor. And she brought them out to her husband, and said
unto him, "O my lord, I have found these in the window; take these with thee to provide
what is necessary for thee on thy journey, and depart in peace. And God, the God of Peter,
in Whom we have placed our confidence, will guide thee, and He will make thy way
prosperous, and He will fulfil thy petition, and will bring thee unto the king. And he
shall give thee gifts to mark his favour to thee, and thou shalt come back speedily unto
us in peace".

11 Then Kewestōs took the two tin 'astāra (staters), and all the goods which he had need
of for his journey; and he took two of his servants, and departed to the king. And as he
was going along upon the road he was thinking anxiously in his heart, and saying, "How is
it possible for me to meet the emperor in this travel-stained apparel? But I have only
these garments in which I am and no change of apparel". Now whilst he was sadly thinking
these things within himself on the road, he saw two men fighting. And he said within
himself, "I hearkened unto everything which Peter said, and I have given everything which
I had unto the poor and needy, and I have accepted his words. Now he said, Blessed are the
peacemakers, for they shall be called and shall become the children of God"; and behold I,
"even I, will go to these two men, and will make them to be friends, each with the other,
so that I also may become a child of God. So Kewestōs turned aside out of the path whereon
he was travelling, and drew nigh unto the two men who were fighting, and said unto them,
"Wherefore do ye fight together? And one of them answered and said, "My lord, judge thou
between us, for it is God Who hath sent thee to us to make us to be at peace each with the
other.

12 Know thou, then, O my lord, that we were journeying together along the road, he and I,
and that I was in front whilst he was behind me. And I saw in front of me this stone, and
I stretched out my hand and seized it before he could do so; now, he is stronger than I
am, and he wisheth to take it away from me by force, and it is for this reason that we are
fighting together. He saith, 'It belongeth to me'; and I say, 'It belongeth to me'. Then
KewesTOs answered and said unto them, "How do ye know what this stone is? And they said,
"We do not know, for the knowledge thereof is hidden from us, and we know not what it is".
And KewesTOs said unto them, "I have two fine 'astāra (staters), take them, and let each
of you have one, and give me this stone; in this manner ye shall put away enmity from
between you, and peace shall be between you both". So they gave him the stone and received
from him the two 'astāra (staters), and then they embraced each other according as he had
commanded them. Then KewesTOs went on his way to the emperor, together with the
messengers. And it came to pass that when he had drawn nigh unto Jerusalem, he answered
and said unto those who were travelling with him, "Come, let us go up into Jerusalem that
we may worship in the temple";

13 and they consented, and went up with him, and they entered into the temple, and
fulfilled (i. e., said) their prayers. 14 And KewesTOs departed and came unto a certain
man who worked in gold, and he shewed him the stone, and said unto him, "O my brother,
look at this stone, for I know not what it is". And when the worker in gold had looked at
the stone he praised God, and said unto Kewestōs, "Where didst thou find this stone? And
Kewestōs said unto him, "I will tell thee, O my brother; and he told him everything which
had happened concerning the stone. Then the worker in gold said, "O my beloved brother,
for many years past Dēmās the priest hath not offered up incense by reason of this stone.
For he [wished] to have found twelve stones, and but for wanting this stone he would have
completed the number of twelve, which is according to the [number of the twelve] tribes of
Israel; and now, I will instruct thee how thou mayest bring this stone to the priest, and
whatsoever thou desirest of all his possessions will he give unto thee". Then Kewestōs
went with the stone to the priest. And it came to pass that when the high priest saw the
stone, he fell down upon the earth, and worshipped, and said, "I give thanks unto God
Almighty; and he commanded that all the people should be gathered together unto him.

15 And he said unto them, "O my brethren, behold, I will make known unto you the number of
the years which have elapsed since I was able to offer up incense in the temple because of
this stone. When Nebuchadnezzar seized all the possessions of the house of God, this stone
was missed, and it hath never been found until this day. And behold, God hath had
compassion upon us, and He hath sent to us both this man and this stone which we have
sought diligently, so that our prayer might come unto God Almighty; and it is meet that we
should make an offering unto God, every man according to his ability, from his own
possessions". So the people rose up and departed from him, and every man came and brought
as much as he was 16 B able [for his offering]; and much possessions were gathered
together, both of gold and of silver. And it came to pass that when these things had been
gathered together, the high priest gave them to Kewestós, and blessed him, and said, "This
is a gift from God Almighty unto thee in return for this stone; may He give thee a reward
according to His good pleasure". And Kewestós received all the blessed things which the
high priest gave him, and it was double the amount of his own riches which he had given to
the poor; and he gave thanks unto God, and became strong in the faith. Then Kewestós set
out with the messengers on the road to the emperor, and in him were fulfilled the words
which [Peter] spake, "Whosoever sheweth compassion upon the poor and needy, unto him shall
God give gifts in return."

17 And it came to pass that as Kewestós was journeying along the road, he heard a Voice
from heaven which cried out, saying, "O Kewestós, Kewestós"; and he answered, "Here am I,
O my Lord". And the Voice answered and said, "Inasmuch as thou hast hearkened unto the
voice of My Apostle Peter, and hast believed the words which he spake, saying, Whosoever
sheweth compassion upon the poor and needy, unto them shall God give gifts in return, this
blessing hath come upon thee; and not this alone but [other] blessings shalt thou have.
For it shall come to pass when thou diest, and dost depart from out of this old world,
that thou shalt attain unto rest, and absence of sorrow, and beautiful things which the
eye hath not seen, nor the ear heard, and which the heart of man hath never been able to
imagine". Then Kewestôs rejoiced in his spirit, and his faith was increased, and his heart
became strong, and he departed to the king, who received him with an honourable reception,
and made him a beautiful habitation with him, and commanded that he should abide with him
for three years.

18 And it came to pass that after Kewestôs had gone away from his own abode, his brother
came unto his wife 'Akrôsyâ with a devilish counsel which Satan had sown in his heart, and
he said unto her, "My brother will never come back again, for the emperor will punish him
because he hath hearkened unto the voice of a sorcerer, and hath scattered his possessions
among the poor and needy, and the orphans, and hath made the poor and needy, who belong
not to his kin, his children. And behold, I wish thee to become my wife. And I will gather
together all the riches which formerly belonged to my brother, and I will make those among
whom he wasted his possessions to bring back whatsoever they have in their hands, for [I
know] that thou art a woman who cannot [endure] a deed like unto this". Then 'Akrôsyâ
answered and said unto him, "O fool, and most abominable man, how can the evil thought of
going up upon thy brother's bed have ever entered into thy heart? Shouldst thou not rather
have been desirous of comforting thy brother's children during their father's absence, and
of driving away their grief by means of thy riches until their father returned to them?"
Now the brother of Kewestôs wished to take her by force, and when 'Akrôsyâ knew that he
was able to do so, and would carry out his evil desire, she answered him with words
according to his wish, and appointed him a time

19 B* three days hence; so he departed from her with this understanding. Then she called
her chosen handmaiden and said unto her, "Thou shalt by no means let any man know where I
have gone." And she called her two children and said unto them, "O my children, hearken
unto my voice, and go forth with me to 'Etnôsyâ (Athens?), that ye may be instructed in
wisdom and learn discipline, until your father shall return unto you;" and she took her
servants with her, and came to the sea-coast, where she found a ship ready to sail, and
she departed [therein]. And it came to pass that, when she had gone a distance of thirty
cubits from the harbour, a mighty wind blew violently on the sea, and the ship was broken
to pieces, but one of 'Akrôsyâ's children climbed up upon one of the timbers of the ship,
and by the good pleasure of God Almighty, the sea washed him ashore at Alexandria. And the
younger child and his mother also clung to a piece of wood belonging to the ship, and God
delivered them from the billows of the sea, which washed them on to a little island in the
sea, and the island had the name of Keprâ (Cyprus). And God called to Peter, and commanded
him to go to the city of Alexandria to seek out the chosen servants of God who were meet
to receive mercy; so Peter went to the city of Alexandria. And it came to pass that when
he was coming [nigh to the city], he first of all went round about it, even as he did in
the city of Rome, saying:— "Blessed are the merciful, for on them will God shew mercy.
"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called and shall become the children of
God. "Blessed are those who give to the poor and needy, for unto them will God give in
return". "Blessed are they who have wives, and who are as if they had them not, for they
shall inherit the land of life which is for ever."

20 And there was no man among all the people of the city of Alexandria who accepted his
words except the young man who had escaped from the waves of the sea, the son of Kewestôs,
and he came to Peter, and fell down before him, and embraced his feet. And Peter said unto
him, "Who art thou? For of all this multitude not one hath hearkened unto my words except
thyself. And the young man answered and said unto him, "O my father, I am from the city of
Rome, and whilst I was there a man like unto thee came to the city of Rome, and discoursed
with words like unto those which thou speakest. And my father and mother believed his
words, and distributed all their possessions among the poor and needy, and the orphans.
Now after they had given away all that they had, the emperor sent [messengers] to seek out
my father, and he departed to him, and he hath tarried there a long time. And Satan sowed
the thought of evil in the heart of my father's brother, and he rose up against my mother
and wished her to be a wife unto him; but she rejected him and refused to do his will.
Then she took me and my brother, wishing to bring us to 'Etñeyâs (Athens?), that we might
be instructed in knowledge and taught discipline until our father should come back to us,
and to keep us at a distance since [her] enemy wished to act thus [unto her].

21 Now when we were leaving the harbour, and were at no great distance therefrom, a mighty
wind rose up against us at sea, and the ship was broken to pieces. But by the will of God
Almighty I was enabled to seize upon a piece of wood belonging to the ship, and the waves
of the sea washed me to this city; but what hath become of my mother and my brother I know
not. And Peter said unto him, "Dost thou wish to become my disciple? And the young man
answered and said, "I do"; so he became a companion unto Peter, and there was no man among
the people of that city who answered him a word. 22 And the Spirit of God sent a message
to Peter to go forth from Sadôm to Egypt, and He commanded him, saying, "In this city the
blood of the saints shall be poured out in the last days, and the days wherein thy voice
shall be heard in this city are not yet fulfilled. Rise up thou, and this thy disciple,
and come to Keprâ (Cyprus), for there are there servants who are ready to enter into
submission unto Me." So Peter made haste to go down [to the sea] with his disciple, and he
came to the sea-coast and found a ship ready to sail; and he embarked therein, wishing to
travel on his way, and to arrive at the city of Keprâ (Cyprus). And it came to pass that
when Peter had arrived at the harbour of the city he saw a large number of people on the
sea-coast, walking to the east and to the west and looking into the sea. And he said unto
all those who were with him in the ship, "O my children, when we arrive in port, wishing
to go down [from the ship], do not hurry to disembark, because I would see what those
people are doing, for I would not that the Enemy should see any obstacle before me; but
after I know [this] let all the people go on their way."

23 Then Peter went down out of the ship and came to those people [on the shore], and
behold, there was a woman weeping, and a number of people were following after her. And
Peter answered and said unto her, "O noble lady, why weepest thou, and what seekest thou
here that thou walkest along the shore of this sea?" Then the woman answered and said, "O
my Lord, I and my two children were journeying together in a ship, and the ship was broken
to pieces at sea; and the waves of the sea washed my younger son and myself to this city,
but I know not what hath become of my elder son. Every day I come to the sea, and call
upon God to hear me, and to shew me the body of my son, that I may take it out of the
water and prepare it for burial and bury it. Now I know that I weary the hearts of the
people of this city both by weeping myself and by making them weep, but I have hope in God
Almighty, and in the prayers of Saint Peter, and He will give them a good reward for that
they have mourned for me. Now I am a woman who have come hither from a foreign country."
Then did Peter know that it was she who had given birth to his disciple, and he said unto
her, "Come thou to this young man, and peradventure thou wilt know if he be thy son." And
she said, "Willingly, O my lord." So Peter went with her to the ship, and he cried out,
saying, "O Clement, rise up and come down out of the ship."

24 and as soon as he saw his mother and his brother he knew them, and because of this they
fell down upon the ground at the feet of Peter and were afraid. Then Peter lifted them up,
and said unto them, "Rise up, O my children, and acknowledge the grace of the gift of God
unto you which hath not permitted your bodies to perish in the sea. And I command you to
return to your city of Rome, for, behold, your father hath arrived before the king who
hath received him graciously, and he will return unto you in peace; and your father's
brother is dead, and ye shall in no wise be sorrowful." And Peter gave them his disciple
and sent them back to their city in peace. And after Peter [had taught the people] the
mysteries of life he dwelt in that city preaching unto them the belief in God, and in His
Only Son, and in His Holy and Life-giving Spirit, until all those who were in that city
believed; and the wife of Kewestós came to the city of Rome, with her two children, in
peace.

25 Now there would have been none who knew what things had happened unto 'Akrósyá, unless
she herself had told her chosen handmaid who ministered unto her everything which had
befallen her, how the ship was dashed to pieces, and how God Almighty restored her and her
sons to each other, after they had been overwhelmed by the sea and cast away destitute,
and how, through the prayers of Saint Peter, after thirteen days they were dwelling in
their own home again, and they remembered the might of God always. 26 And the two sons of
the lady 'Akrósyá drank water out of an uncovered vessel in which there was poison, and
they died straightway; and their mother wept bitter tears over them, saying, "Woe is me, O
my children, that ye were not able to escape from the writing which was written concerning
you; for your death was to be through water, and for this reason did the ship perish the
first time. Now God did not wish to inflict sorrow upon me, and to destroy your lives by
the sea, for I believed in the words of Peter the holy Apostle, and he restored your
bodies unto me alive; but behold, O my children, as soon as ye were restored to your home,
ye died through water. Nevertheless I give thanks unto God for His great glory; for He it
is Who created you, and He it is Who hath taken you." Then she rose up quickly and took
the dead bodies of her sons, and made them ready for burial with her own hands, and her
chosen handmaid brought them into the innermost part of her house, [and placed them] in
the storehouse thereof which was full of sweet odours; then she shut the doors of her
chamber and went forth into her dwelling room, and she abode there and proclaimed the
majesty of God Almighty. And she commanded her handmaid to keep secret the matter of how
her sons had died, so that no man might know it, and also that she should not tell the
children's father when he should come that they were dead, so that his heart might not be
pained; "When God wisheth it, then we shall find a way to tell him without other men
knowing it," [she said].

27 And it came to pass that when three years were ended Kewestôs returned from the
emperor, and all the prefects and nobles of the city of Rome heard [it and said],
"Kewestôs the noble prefect hath arrived in his city alive. Then the people of the city
dressed themselves in their fine apparel, and all those who dwelt in his neighbourhood
took branches of trees in their hands, [and went] outside the city to receive him. Now in
former times the two sons of Kewesṭōs had each a white horse, and whensoever they heard
that their father was coming from the presence of the emperor they used to put on fine
apparel, and mount their horses, which they had decorated with trappings of gold and
silver, and then ride out to meet their father and escort him until he came into the city.
And it came to pass that when Kewesṭōs came into the city to his habitation, and did not
see his two sons who in times past had been wont to go out from the city to meet him, he
questioned his wife 'Akrōsyā, and said unto her, "Where are my sons that I do not see them
with the other people? And what hath happened to them that they have not come to meet me
according to their use and wont? And 'Akrōsyā his wife answered and said unto him, "Fear
not, O my brother, for their absence is not due unto evil intent..

28 Thou knowest that long ago we gave away all our possessions to the poor and needy, and
to the orphans, and that we have nothing left of all our rich things which is fit for them
to adorn themselves with like the rest of the folk. When I knew of thy coming and of thy
drawing nigh to the city, I sent the children to my sister that she might give them fine
apparel, wherewith they might adorn themselves, and which would be of service to make glad
thy habitation, together with these people who are gathered together that they may say
unto thee, Peace, O thou who hast come'. Now when they have returned from my sister's
house they shall come into thy presence". Then those who were gathered together unto
KewesTôs led the discourse on to the matter of the emperor, and of the kind of life which
he lived.

29 And it came to pass that when the sons of KewesTôs tarried long in coming, he spake a
second time and said unto his wife, "Behold, for three years past I have remained without
seeing my sons, and my love for them is exceedingly great." Then Akrôsyâ answered and said
unto him, "They have not been able to come unto thee by reason of the press of the
multitude; but when the people have departed they will come unto thee." 30 And it came to
pass that when the sun had set, and the time for the evening meal had drawn nigh, all the
nobles of the city and all the prefects made ready much food for the supper, and they sent
it to the habitation of KewesTôs, where they would have eaten it together. But 'Akrôsyâ,
the wife of KewesTôs, went forth to them, and restrained them, saying, "Know ye not that I
have not seen my lord for many days—for he was not with me—and that I would be with him
this night, so that I might tell him everything which hath happened unto me since he
departed from me. To-morrow, however, by God Almighty's good pleasure, ye shall gather
together unto him, and everything which ye wish shall be [done]. And it came to pass that
when all the people had come into their houses 'Akrôsyâ his wife shut all the doors of her
house, and she brought nigh unto him a table and said unto him, "Rise up, O my lord, and
eat what hath been brought [unto thee], for the time of the evening meal is past. Then
KewesTôs answered and said unto her, "As God, the God of Peter, liveth, I will eat no
bread whatsoever until I know why my two sons have tarried, and why they have not come to
meet me".

31 And his good wife answered and said unto him, "Make thou a covenant with me that when I
have told thee the matter thou wilt receive my words, and wilt not reject me by reason of
them; and afterwards I will bring thy children unto thee. And he said unto her, "If they
be sufficient [to explain the matter] unto me I will not reject thee: speak on. Then
'Akrósya answered and said unto him, "O my lord, as soon as thou hadst set out on thy
wanderings, there came unto me a certain rich man and he placed with me a jewel, a pearl
most precious, the price of which man knoweth not, and he commanded me to keep watch over
it. So I took the pearl from him into my keeping, and it was of brilliant beauty, for it
shot out rays of light by night as well as by day. And my soul loved it, and my spirit
longed for it, and I thought within my heart, saying, When the owner of the precious jewel
cometh I will deny [that I have received] it'. And behold, he came back from his
journeying and sought from me that which he had given me, but I denied [that I had] the
pearl. Then he said unto me, 'I will not quarrel with thee, lest the people of this city
make a mock of me because I am quarrelling with a noble and honourable, and freeborn lady
whose husband is away from her;

32 but I will wait until thy husband returneth from his journey, for I know that he is a
man who feareth God Almighty, and that when he knoweth of the matter of the pearl he will
restore it unto me'. 33 "Now I know that the man hath knowledge of thy arrival from thy
journeying, and that he will come and seek for that which belongeth unto him; and I ask
thee that when he cometh thou wilt help me, so that I shall not be obliged to give up
anything unto him." 34 And it came to pass that when Kewestôs heard his wife's words he
answered and said unto her, "O abominable woman, how did this evil thought of denying that
which belongeth to the man ever enter into thy heart? But when he cometh I will command
thee to restore to him that which is his; and if I only knew where he was, I would go to
him [and tell him] to come and take from thee that which belongeth unto him before I eat
[my] food. Knowest thou not that those who desire the possessions of others [commit] great
sin? And when 'Akrôsyâ heard these words from him, and knew the firmness of his belief and
faith, she took hold of his hand and brought him into the inner chamber of her house, and
going in front she opened the curtains of the place where her children were. Then she said
unto Kewestôs, "Look at what is in this treasure-chamber and thou shalt see thy sons"; and
straightway when he saw his dead sons he lifted up his voice, and wept aloud. And his wife
answered and said unto him, "Remember, O my lord, what thou didst say unto me, for thou
saidst, 'When the owner of the pearl cometh, and seeketh that which is his, thou shalt not
withhold it from him'. Behold, thou seest their bodies perfect as they were in times of
old, their hands, and their feet, and all their members;

35 and nothing of their bodies whatsoever is wanting, except the souls which dwelt in thy
sons and which are now with God Almighty. These, then, are the pearl, and these are the
things which He gave to be guarded in the flesh, until such time as He [wished] to take
them [again]: no man can restrain Him when He wisheth [to act]. God gave, and God hath
taken; as God wisheth so let it be! May God's name be blessed, now, henceforth, and for
ever. Amen." 36 Then 'Akrōsyā said unto Kewestōs, "Rise up quickly, and let us ask God to
put away grief from us; our sons are dead. So they rose up quickly, and they stretched out
their hands in [prayer in] the inner chamber of their house with unity of will and
lowliness of heart, to God Almighty, the Living One, the Omnipotent, Who doeth whatsoever
He pleaseth. And it came to pass that when they had prayed a long time they heard a Voice
going round about them in a bright cloud which spake, saying, "O Kewestōs, Kewestōs,
inasmuch as ye have hearkened unto and have accepted the voice of Peter, My disciple, ye
shall not be angry at all the sorrow which hath come upon you, and ye shall not grieve by
reason of the death of your sons, for I will deal graciously with you and will give them
back to you alive. Haste ye then, and rise up, and make supplication unto Almighty God,
saying, 'O God of Peter who came to the city of Rome, the man in whom we believed, and
whose power through Jesus Christ, the Nazarene, we knew, in his name we ask Thee to make
our sons Aklamāṭōs (Clement) and Kanāyōs to live again'; and they repeated their petition
even as the Voice commanded them. Then straightway their two sons rose up from the dead
and lived again, because they (i. e., their father and mother) had put their trust in God.

37 And they went round about in the city and in all the country, saying, Blessed be God
Almighty, the God of Peter, the holy Apostle of Jesus Christ the Son of God, the Living
One, Who giveth life to the dead! He it is Who healeth all who are sick, and He is the
Physician of souls and of bodies. Now this story went forth into all lands, and all those
who heard it praised God, to Whom, Father, and Son, and Holy Ghost, be glory and power for
ever and ever! Amen. And 'Akla-mitôs (Clement) prepared himself and became a bishop, and
he appointed his brother a deacon; may their prayers and blessing come to us and preserve
us for ever and ever! Amen.

THE MARTYRDOM OF SAINT PETER

1 In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, One God. Here
beginneth the Martyrdom of Saint Peter, the Chief of the Apostles, the chosen one of our
Lord Jesus Christ, who ended his strife in the city of Rome. May his prayer and blessing
be with his handmaiden Walatta Madhan. And it came to pass that Peter was in the city of
Rome rejoicing in God, together with his brethren, and he was giving thanks by day and by
night, and was praising God because of the multitudes of the people that were coming unto
him the whole day long, and that were believing in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Now
among the crowds of people who came unto Peter were four women who were concubines of
'Aḳrēpōs (Agrippa[?]), the governor of the city, and whose names were Aḳmāba, Aḳrābānyā,
Kariyā, and Dēwerīs. And when they heard the teaching of Peter, and everything which he
commanded therein—for he commanded that they should keep themselves pure, and that they
should not pollute their bodies with sinful acts—they received it with gladness, and they
made a covenant among themselves that they would not go up into the bed of 'Aḳrēpōs, and
that they would keep themselves undefiled. And it came to pass that when this news came
unto 'Aḳrēpōs he was exceedingly sorry, for he loved these women dearly; and he sent his
messengers to follow them, so that he might know whither they went, [and if they went] to
Peter. And he sent a message unto them, saying, "Wherefore hath Peter taught you not to
dwell with me, and to keep away from my bed? Know ye, then, that I will blot you out of
existence, and that I will burn him alive with fire." But the women refused to do for him
that which he wished, and they were not in any way afraid of his words; and none of them
did according to his will, for they were strong in the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ.

2 Now there was an exceedingly beautiful woman whose name was 'Aksentiyān (i. e.,
Xanthippe), the wife of one of the emperor's friends who was called Altā-biyōs, (i. e.,
Albinus), and she came forth continually, along with these four women, to Peter and
listened unto his teaching; and she also withdrew herself from her husband's bed. Then was
Altābiyōs wroth with Peter with a great wrath like unto that of a lion, and he wished to
kill him, for he knew that it was he who taught them to keep themselves undefiled. And
many of the women who heard the teaching of Peter withdrew themselves from their husbands,
and in like manner a great number of men withdrew themselves from their wives, and they
kept themselves pure in humility. And there arose a great tumult in the city of Rome by
reason of this thing, and Altābyōs cried out to Aḳrēpōs and said unto him,

3 C Give me judgment against Peter the Christian who hath been the means of putting me
away from my wife, and if thou wilt not give me judgment I will punish him rightly for
myself." Then 'Akrēpōs answered and said unto him, "My suffering is very much greater than
thine, for he hath made those whom I love to be separated from me." And 'Altābyōs said
unto him, "Why delayest thou to seize him and to slay him as thou desirest? Now, he is a
magician. And let us bring back our women to ourselves, and take mighty vengeance upon him
by reason of those whom he hath seduced. Have we not power over this man, seeing that we
are the prefects of the city?" And it came to pass, whilst they were taking counsel
together over this matter, that 'Aknēstiyān (Xanthippe) learned all their counsel, and she
sent to Peter and made him to know everything which they had counselled concerning him, so
that he might go forth from the city of Rome, he and all his brethren who believed. Then
Markalyōs (Marcellus) the believer and his brethren entracted Peter to go forth from the
city; and Peter hearkened unto their words, and went forth out of the city alone, and he
changed his garb and his apparel, so that no man should know him. And it came to pass that
as he was going out through the gates of the city, he met our Lord coming into the city,
and He was in the form in which he had seen Him aforetime in the flesh. And when Peter saw
Him he worshipped Him, and said unto Him, "Whither goest Thou, O my Lord?" And our Lord
said unto him, "I am going into the city of Rome to be crucified therein." And Peter said
unto Him, "Wilt Thou be crucified a second time, O my Lord?" Then as our Lord went up from
Peter, and all his senses returned to him, he saw our Lord ascending into heaven; and he
sorrowed not in his mind, but went back into the city rejoicing and giving praise unto God
Almighty because our Lord said that they would crucify Him, and because it must needs be
that they would find him (i. e., Peter). Now aforetime when He was in the flesh He spake
unto Peter, saying, "When thou art old, another shall gird thee and shall carry thee
whither thou wishest not to go".

4 And it came to pass that, when he returned to the city, he told his brethren all that he
had seen, and all that he had heard from our Lord Jesus Christ, and everything which He
had spoken unto him. And when the brethren heard [these things] their souls were
sorrowful, and they wept bitter tears, and said, "We entreat thee, O our father Peter, to
teach us, for our knowledge of the knowledge of God is little, and our faith is not
strong." And Peter answered and said unto them, "If God hath willed it so let it be. But
whether we wish it, or whether we wish it not, God Almighty shall strengthen you in His
faith and in His knowledge, and He will strengthen those whose hearts are in fear, so that
they will be able to teach the others among you. And as for me, if God Almighty be pleased
for me to remain in the body, I am powerless to refuse [to do so]; and if He desire to
take me unto Himself, I will rejoice and be glad." And it came to pass that, when Peter
spake and told them these things, the brethren were exceedingly sorrowful, and they were
sad in their hearts.

5 And by reason of these things 'Akrēpōs, the governor of the city, sent four of his
soldiers and commanded them to seize Peter, and to bring him unto him—[now] Peter saw the
strength of their wrath—and he ordered them to crucify him on account of [his] faith and
belief. And it came to pass that, when the company of the believing brethren heard [these
things], they made haste and came together with all the people of the city, and the rich
and the poor, and the widows, and the strong and the infirm, and they wished to take Peter
away from that place. And they cried out, and shouted with a loud voice, saying, "What
offence hath Peter committed, O Akrēpōs? And what work of evil hath gone forth from him?
Now tell us this, and if thou wilt not declare it unto us we will set thy city on fire
before thou shalt crucify this man.' Then Peter beckoned to them to be silent, and he
answered and said unto them, 'O men, who have given yourselves unto the Great King, that
is to say, Jesus Christ, upon Whose faith ye have laid hold, remember the miracles which
ye have seen God Almighty work by my hand. Remember ye that which I have taught you
concerning the suffering of our Lord. Remember ye the miracles which ye have seen
[wrought] in His name, and do ye patiently wait, for He will come to reward each man
according to his deeds.

6 And curse ye not Akrepōs, for he is an emissary of his father Satan; and all this matter
which hath arisen shall be ended in myself. And why should I be perturbed at going up upon
the cross? And he stood up before them, and set [before them these words], saying, "In the
name of the cross, the hidden mystery, the gracious gift which the tongue of the children
of men cannot describe, which is found in the Name of the cross, in the Creation which put
on human form, and which cannot be comprehended—God Almighty. O memorial of the Sublimity
which cannot be understood, and which the children of men cannot describe with [their]
polluted lips! It is meet in this hour, which is the conclusion of my life, that I should
reveal Who Thou art, and that I should relate Thy history and should not keep silent
concerning the cross, which is a glorious mystery, and that I should make mention of its
majesty unto all the people who shall hearken unto my words. O ye men, whose hope is in
Christ, besides Whom no one hath been revealed unto us, it is through the belief which is
His that ye have been able to contend. And behold, this hour is indeed the end of my life;

7 hearken ye unto my words, and make yourselves to be remote from all evil works, and turn
away your eyes from every kind of vanity, O ye my brethren and children, whom I have made
to know Christ and the mystery of His salvation." 8 And it came to pass after these words
that Saint Peter turned his face to the captain of the soldiers, and said unto them,
"Perform ye what they have commanded you [to do]; but I entreat you to crucify me with my
head downwards, and lift ye my feet upwards." So they lifted him up on to the cross, and
they did even as he wished; may his prayer and blessing keep us! Amen. And after they had
hung him upon the cross, even as he had asked, he began to speak in a loud voice, and to
say unto them, "O ye men who have the power to hear, hearken ye diligently unto what I
shall say unto you. And now ye shall know that my being hung upon the cross is the mystery
of every thing which hath been created, and that to everything which hath been made there
must be an end, [even as there was] a beginning. For the old man, which made itself
manifest in me, descended upon me in its person, and shewed forth that the birth which was
aforetime was like unto death; and this moved, and came down, and its power to break was
lost in the earth, and it shewed forth its two forms in me and appeared in power. By this
it came to pass that the right was like unto the left, and the left was like unto the
right, and it changed its nature and the signs thereof, so that a man might imagine that
it was good and excellent, even as God Almighty spake in a mystery, saying, 'Ye shall not
make the right

9 "as the left, nor that which is above as that which is below, nor that which is in front
as that which is below or is behind, so that ye may not know the kingdom of God'. This
thought now hath been upon me and known of me from times of old; and this form in which ye
see me, that is to say my being hung upon the cross, is the manifestation of the man which
was born first of all, that is to say, Adam. And now, O my beloved, ye who are hearkening
unto me at this moment, cast ye away your former error, and flee therefrom, so that ye may
ascend straightly the Cross of Jesus Christ. For He it is of Whom it is written that He
only is the Word, and it is of Him that the Holy Spirit spake, 'Who is Christ but the Word
and the Speech of God Almighty?' He is the Word so that He might become the Being Who
straightly ascended the Wood whereon He was crucified; and He is the Speech, which was of
old time, and which created man, and it was He Who was nailed to the cross …"

10 And the blessed Peter, whilst he was upon the wood of the cross, prayed and spake thus,
"I give thanks unto Thee, O Thou Holy Word, Christ, the Lord of the universe, not with a
tongue of guile and not with the lips wherefrom go forth the words of falsehood and truth,
and out of which proceedeth the speech of folly, but we give thanks wholly unto thee with
that voice, O King, Thou Holy Word, Jesus Christ, which, though it keepeth silent, yet is
heard, and being manifest and heard is yet unheard, which goeth not forth and yet by grace
cometh forth, and the nature of which, although unknown, is beautiful. With this voice we
give thanks unto thee, O Jesus Christ, and Thou hearkenest thereunto and Thou keepest
silence, O Thou Whom the Spirit hath made to be king over us, inasmuch as Thou knowest
[it]. Thou art our Father, and our Mother, and our Friend, and our Brother; Thou art our
Steward, and Thou art He Who giveth [unto us]. In Thee is everything made perfect, Thou
art He Who holdeth [in His hand] the universe, and besides Thee there is none other at
all, O Christ, the holy Word, the Tree of Life. In this Being then have I taken refuge.
And as for you, [if ye do thus] ye shall comprehend that which He spake aforetime, saying,
'Things which the eye hath not seen, nor the ear heard, neither hath it entered into the
heart of man to conceive';

11 for these I entreat Thee, O Lord, because Thou didst declare that Thou wouldst give
[them unto us]. We entreat Thee, and we make supplication unto Thee, and we give praise
unto Thee, and we bless Thee, O Thou Who dost never come to an end, and we give thanks
unto Thee, O Thou Who art holy, and we put our trust in Thee with heart and soul, O Thou
Who slumberest not. We are beings of no account, but Thou only art holy, and art in the
Father, Who is immortal, and the Father is in Thee, and to Thee be glory for ever and
ever! Amen and Amen". And many people made answer, and they all said, "Amen and Amen". 12
Then straightway did the blessed Peter, the chief of the Apostles, the noble man, who was
betrayed, the guide to the kingdom of heaven, yield up his soul to God Almighty, being
crucified upon the wood of the cross. May his prayer and his intercession keep us for ever
and ever. Amen and Amen. Then Marcellus, the disciple of Saint Peter, came and took him
down from the cross and washed his body with one thousand [measures] of milk and wine. And
he brought one hundred and fifty-seven manchs of myrrh, and one hundred and fiftyseven
manchs of spice, and another hundred and fifty-seven manchs of aloes, and with these he
anointed the body of Peter; and next he brought a long coffin, and having filled it full
of honey he laid him therein, and buried him in his own grave.

13 And Peter appeared unto Makélós (Marcellus) in a vision of the night, and said unto
him, "Hast thou not 'heard that our Lord said, Let the dead bury their dead'?" And
Marcellus said unto him, "Yes". And Peter said unto him, "Whatsoever be the amount which
'thou hast just expended upon the dead thou hast lost it, for thou being a living being
hast [spent it] upon thy dead brother.'" And when Marcellus awoke from his sleep he told
the brethren concerning the vision which [ he had seen, so that they might be strong in
the faith of Christ and in Jesus; and he himself awaited anxiously the coming of Paul to
Rome. And it came to pass that after a while Nero the Emperor knew that Peter had
perished, and all people (literally, the world) threw the blame upon 'Akrépós (Agrippa)
the prefect, for it was through his counsel that Nero had slain him. And Nero desired
earnestly to pass a heavy sentence of punishment upon him, and to inflict many pains and
penalties upon him, for many of the people who followed Peter, as well as those who were
remote from the faith, had Agrippa treated in like manner; and for this reason Nero
continued in a state of wrath for many days, and he would not speak unto him. Then Nero
sought out all those who had been instructed by Peter [that he might slay them]. And there
appeared unto him by night a man who tormented him and said unto him, "O Nero, hence-
forward do not slay the servants of Christ, for thy per-secution is killing them; and now
cease thou to harass

14 "them"; and Nero the Emperor, being afraid at these col 1. words, ceased to harass the
servants of Christ in those days. And the blessed Peter, the chosen one, the glorious one,
the chief of the Apostles, departed from this world before the fifteenth day of the
Calends of June, or according to the Ethiopian reckoning, on the fifth day of the month
Hamlé. May his prayer, and his blessing, and his intercession be with us for ever and
ever! Amen, Amen, and Amen. Glory be to the Father Who chose Peter and appointed him [to
be] the chief of the Apostles; and adoration [be] to the Son Who gave him the keys of the
kingdom of heaven; and thanksgiving [be] to the Holy Spirit Who made his tongue to be keen
as a knife which cutteth; and to God Almighty be the praise, and the thanksgiving, and the
majesty, and the honour, and the adoration which are meet for Him for ever and ever! Amen,
and Amen.

THE MARTYRDOM OF SAINT PAUL

1 Here beginneth the Martyrdom of Saint Paul, who was the first to teach the Gentiles,
which took place on the fifth day of the month of Hamsi. In the peace of God, Amen. May
his prayer and his blessing be with his handmaiden (Wakatta Madhan). And first of all he
taught the multitude and said [unto them], "O men in whom there is understanding, hearken
ye, and know, and lay this to your hearts, so that ye all may know the mystery of the
first creation, and every work that belonged to the first man which took place. Now, I am
in bondage to the Emperor, but this my life belongeth not to my Emperor, even though it be
my life which shall have an end; but my life which is for ever shall have no end. And
although thou hast commanded that they cut off my head, I shall again appear unto thee and
shall be alive [again], so that thou mayest know the truth of my words. For I have my life
in my King Jesus Christ, Who shall judge the quick and the dead, and shall reward every
man according to his work, whether it be good or whether it be evil."

2 And it came to pass that, when the Emperor Nero had heard these words from Paul, he made
a sign to his executioner wrathfully, and commanded him to make haste to slay him; and
when Kesitōs (Acestus?) and Likōs (Longinus?), the Emperor's nobles, heard [these words]
they took Paul out so that might cut off his head. And they said unto Paul, "Where is thy
king in whom thou trustest? Hast thou no wish to forsake him, for "whose sake thou bearest
all [these] tortures?" And Paul answered and said unto them, "O men whose ob-ject of
worship is error, and who lack the knowledge of God, turn ye and repent, so that ye may be
saved from the punishment which shall come upon those who deny Him; it is not as ye
imagine, that we shall gather to-gether the army of an earthly king like unto yourselves,
but we shall be rewarded in the palace of the heavenly King. Because of the sins of the
world He Himself will come to judge the world; and unto all those who be-lieve in Him He
will give the life which is everlasting."

3 And it came to pass that, when the Emperor's nobles heard this, they bowed down unto him
and said, "Work thou on our behalf so that we may be of those who are worthy of this King,
and we will set thee free [to go] whithersoever thou wishest." And Paul said unto them, "I
am neither afraid of nor am I terrified at your torturings, that I should flee from God
Almighty, nay, I am the servant of our Lord Jesus "Christ, the Living King. And, since I
know that this [King] Who [liveth] for ever died, I cannot do according to what ye say
unto me. But I shall live with my God, Who [liveth] for ever, and I shall do His will, for
unto Him shall I return, and with Him I shall dwell when He cometh in His glory." And the
Emperor's nobles said unto him, "How is it possible for thee to do this after they have
cut off thy head? Hast thou the power to come alive again?" Now whilst they were
conversing together in this wise the Emperor sent [men] to find out whether Paul's head
had been cut off or not; and it came to pass that they [came and] saw him alive. And Paul
said unto them, "Believe ye in the Living God Who shall deliver all those who believe in
Him from death". And they answered and said unto him, "Behold now, thou must certainly
die, and when we see that thou hast risen from the dead we will believe"; and they
returned to the Emperor. Now Kistôs (Titus) and Lúkás (Luke) besought Paul earnestly,
saying, "Teach us the way of salvation".

4 And Paul said unto them, "To-morrow come ye at daybreak unto the grave wherein they
shall have deposited my body, and there ye shall find two men praying; these shall be Titô
(Titus) and Lúkás (Luke), and they shall teach you the doctrine of salvation, and shall
bring you nigh unto our Lord Jesus Christ, our God in truth." Then Paul, [who was
standing] among all the multitudes that were gathered together to see his martyrdom,
looked towards the East, and he spread out his hand[s], and prayed a long time in the
Hebrew tongue. And it came to pass that, when he had made an end of his prayer, he spake
again unto the multitude of people who tarried [there] with faithful words in our Lord,
and many of them believed by reason of the graciousness of his speech, and the light which
was in his countenance, and the grace which was upon him.

5 And the two messengers returned to Nero the Emperor, and told him how they had found
Paul and Kisṭōs (Titus) and Lūkās (Luke) talking together, and how Paul was teaching them
the faith. Then was the Emperor exceedingly wroth, and he sent a mighty man of valour with
a sword to cut off Paul's head quickly. And it came to pass that, when the swordsman
arrived, the holy man bowed his head, and remained silent and spake no word; and he
continued thus with his head bowed for a long time with the swordsman standing before him;
and when the swordsman had drawn his sword from its sheath his hands shook to such a
degree that he could not bring it down upon Paul. Then finally he strengthened his heart
and smote him, and the head of Saint Paul fell upon the ground; and there went forth from
the body of the saint milk and blood in such quantities that they reached unto the
garments of the swordsman. And those who were gathered together [there] marvelled, and
they glorified God Who had given such a great and gracious gift unto His holy disciple
Paul.

6 And the swordsman returned and told the Emperor everything which had taken place, and
the Emperor Nero marvelled, and all his prefects and governors who were sitting with him
were greatly terrified. And it came to pass that at the ninth hour of the day Paul
appeared unto the Emperor, and said unto him, "I am the disciple of Jesus Christ who came
to thy city, and I have taken therefrom certain of the people thereof for my King; behold
now, I am alive at this present, and I am not dead. And as for thee, behold, much
affliction shall come upon thee because thou hast shed the blood of many righteous people;
and after a few days there shall come upon thee everything which I have said unto thee".
And as Paul was saying these words he disappeared from him. Then Nero the Emperor
commanded that all those who were shut up in prison and who believed in the name of our
Lord Jesus Christ should go forth therefrom, together with Baṭrēk, the servant of the
Emperor, and him who was called Barsēyōs (Justus?), and him who was called Lūkās (Luke),
and Kūstōs (Acestus?), and Kīstōs (Titus).

7 And the chosen friends of the Emperor went early in the morning to the grave of Paul,
and when they drew nigh thereunto they saw two men standing [there] praying, and Paul also
was standing between them in great glory; and they who saw him were terrified, and they
trembled by reason of their great fear at his glorious appearance. And Titō (Titus) and
Lūkās (Luke) were afraid of them, and they took to flight. Now those servants of the
Emperor, whom we have already mentioned, sought to find Titō (Titus) and Lūkās (Luke)
again, and [when] they had found them they said unto them, "We have sought you not to put
you to death, but that ye may give us life everlasting, even as Paul, who was standing
between you at this hour, commanded us". And it came to pass that when Titus and Luke
heard these words from them, they straightway rejoiced exceedingly; and they spake unto
them the words of instruction, and they taught them the truth in our Lord Jesus Christ,
and they gave unto them the doctrine of the life which is for ever and for ever. Amen.

8 Here endeth the Martyrdom of Saint Paul. May his prayer and his blessing keep us! Amen,
Amen, and Amen.

THE GENEALOGIES OF THE TWELVE APOSTLES

1 Here followeth the work which Addâ Dionysius, Bishop of the country of the East,
translated concerning the twelve Apostles, who were of the Twelve Tribes of Israel. 2 The
father of Simon, who was surnamed Peter, and of Andrew his brother, was of the house of
Rôbêl (Reuben), and his mother's mother was of the house of Simon (Simeon); Simon Peter's
mother loved him greatly, and she named him Simon after the name of her father's family,
and because Andrew's father loved him greatly he counted him among the family of his
father Reuben. Zebedee was of the house of Levi and he took to wife a woman of the house
of Judah, who bore [to him] two sons, called James and John. Now because the father of
James loved him greatly he counted him among the family of his father Levi, and similarly,
because the mother of John loved him greatly she counted him among the family of her
father Judah; and for this reason she brought him forth to Jesus, for she herself was of
the house of Judah, and Christ also was of the house of Judah, according to the flesh. And
they were surnamed "Children of thunder", for they were of both the priestly house and of
the royal house. And Philip was of the house of Zebulun. And Bartholomew was of the house
of Naphtali; now his name was formerly John, but our Lord changed his name because of John
the son of Zebedee, His beloved. And Matthew was of the house of Issachar. And Thomas was
of the house of Asher. And James, the son of Alphaeus, was of the house of Gad. And
Thaddaeus was of the house of Joseph. And Simon, the son of Cleopas, who is the same as
Nathaniel, was of the house of Benjamin. And Judas Iscariot was of the house of Dan; now
Dan sold his brother Joseph for twenty pieces of silver, and in like manner Judas sold our
Lord for thirty pieces of silver.

3 Glory [be] to the Father, Who loved Jacob, and Who multiplied his seed upon the earth;
and adoration [be] to the Son Who chose unto Himself Twelve Apostles that they might dwell
with Him in His kingdom; and thanksgiving [be] to the Holy Spirit Who gave them knowledge
and understanding to preach throughout the whole world concerning the Holy Trinity, One
God, to Whom be glory, and majesty, and honour, for ever and ever. Amen, and Amen.


THE CONTENDINGS OF THE APOSTLES, PART 1
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THE CONTENDINGS OF THE APOSTLES, PART 1 continued

THE EPISTLE OF DIONYSIUS THE AREOPAGITE TO TIMOTHY

1 The Homiletic Epistle, which was sent by the holy and blessed Dionysius, the Areopagite,
to Timothy, the apostle and disciple of Paul the elect, concerning the conclusion of the
testimonies of Peter and Paul, the holy Apostles, in the city of Rome on the fifth day of
the month Hamlé, in the peace of God the Father. May his prayer and blessing be with His
handmaiden Wakatta Madhan! Amen. Verily salutation [be] to the divine disciple, and to the
spiritual son, and to the vigilant heart who standeth firm, the shepherd who shepherdeth
the flock, and fulfillet the ordinances of his God, who abideth patiently his trials and
afflictions,, who is over all priests and teachers, who is sincere and careful, the
spiritual father Timothy, from Dionysius. This [man Paul] is [our] joy. O thou who hast
put on God, for he was crucified with Jesus Christ, and he suffered with Him, and he
laboured in His spiritual mission. He was the sea of wisdom, the father of tongues, the
light of the churches, the teacher of the sheep which have been scattered abroad, the axe
wherewith the doors of sin were broken to pieces and dashed to the ground, the diamond
which cut out and destroyed the errors of evil, the loadstone which blotteth out sin, and
destroyeth the foolish, and dissolveth their folly upon them. He was the earthly angel and
man, the heavenly man, the valiant one, the victorious soldier, the divine likeness, the
God-like and Christ-like image, the foe of the Jews, the scatterer of the Jews who were
gathered together, the majesty of the churches, the might of the Spirit, the shield of
righteousness, the messenger of Christ, the preacher of the Gospel, the rooter out of
idolaters, the joy of the churches, the divine mouth and the tongue of the Spirit. He was
the gatherer to- gether of the scattered, the consoler of those who had transgressed, the
father of those who were orphans, the support of the widows, the raiser up of those who
had fallen, the strengthener of those who were standing, the healer of those who were
sick, the vivifier of the bones which were broken, the spotless body, who gathered
together [men in] cities, who made the plains to be inhabited, the ship of salvation, the
skilful sailor, the orderer of the deeds of evil-doers, and he rooted out and ordered the
arrangement of things which are below.

2 Behold, our teacher hath left us in the toil of afflictions, and he hath gone to Christ
Jesus. O my brother Timothy, where then is thy watchful teacher? Where is thy spiritual
father? Where is the disciple who was beloved of his teacher? Whence shall he come unto us
henceforth in peace? Shall he come from out of the sea? or from the desert? or from
Galatia? or from Spain? or from Corinth? or from Asia? O my brother Timothy, behold, from
henceforth thou shalt be an orphan, and one who is alone; behold, thy career hath been cut
off suddenly. Henceforth he will not write unto thee with his holy hands, saying, "O my
beloved son", and he will never again send a message to thee that thou shouldst go to thy
teacher in divers cities. O my brother Timothy, where now hast thou heard that thy father
Paul existeth this day? according to the word of our Lord which saith, "Verily I say unto
you, ye shall desire to see him, that is to say, your teacher, [for] a season, and ye
shall see him not". O my brother Timothy, behold, there have come this day sorrow and joy,
a day of cloud and darkness. Who now will weep with [thee even] as the Prophet saith, "Who
will give me water for my head, and a fountain of tears for mine eyes? And I will continue
to weep both by day and by night by reason of the [extinction of the] light of the Church.

3 O my brother Timothy, gather now together all thy Scriptures, for from henceforth thou
wilt find no man who will be able to interpret for thee the prophecies of the Prophets.
From now and henceforth say, even as the prophet Amos said, "I am a keeper of cattle". And
henceforth thou wilt never desire to minister unto him in his fetters, and thou wilt no
longer read his honourable and blessed messages which were wont to come unto thee. For he
will never again send unto thee an epistle, [saying] that he hath been scourged, or that
he is naked; and thou wilt not be terrified by hearing that he is in the midst of great
tribulations. And he will never write another epistle unto thee, saying, "From 'Paul, a
prisoner for Christ; and he will never again desire thee to preach in the cities, saying,
"Receive 'my beloved son Timothy. O my brother Timothy, bring forth with thee [the Book
of] Jeremiah the prophet, for it is that which saith, "My heart is sad, and bitter, 'and
broken, and it cannot rest.'" Who is there who when he knoweth will not suffer sorrow and
pain, and be in grief and in mourning? Who is there whom the agonies of death will not
compass when he heareth this cry of woe? O ye priests, put on sackcloth! O ye who minister
at the altar of the sanctuary, weep ye and lament!

4 For a voice of wailing hath been heard in Rāmā, and lamentation, and not of lamentation
only, but of lamentation and death, for in one day bitter scourgings have come. In one day
two terrible sorrows [have come upon us], and at one time was heard the news of breakings,
and of sorrow which was more than all [other] sorrows, and of lamentation which was
greater than all [other] lamentations. Now are fulfilled the words of Israel Jacob,
saying, "I have lost Joseph, and Simeon I have not found"; for Paul, the light of the
Church, hath no longer being, and Peter, the foundation of the Church, and the hope of
those who believe, can no longer be found. Behold, now are fulfilled the words of the
prophet, saying, "The stone of holy things hath been rejected and 5 This day have been
fulfilled the words of the prophet David, saying, "They gave the dead bodies of Thy
servants as food for the fowl of the heavens, and the flesh of Thy righteous ones unto the
beasts of the wilderness".

6 Where now is the career which Paul was hastening to run? Behold, it hath ceased! And
behold, his holy feet rest from the toil of the roads; his feet stumbled (literally, fell)
not, but were agile, and swift, and beautiful amid the uproar which was in the house of
darkness. He shall not [again] be shut up in prison, and his pure hands shall never
[again] be bound behind [him]; henceforth he shall neither journey to the city of the
Nations, nor enter into [foreign] countries and islands. He shall not [again] stretch out
his hands in the ropes which cause pain, and he shall not again be imprisoned in the
instruments of torture. Into what country did he not enter? And in what region did he not
travel round about? What labour was too heavy for his holy hands? How many were the godly
Epistles which he wrote? How long, though bound with chains, did he keep the Law of the
Most High, and at the same time teach it and honour it by day and by night, and write [his
Epistles] as he toiled for it and laboured for it? And how many times did the people of
the Jews receive it? [And his hands] were bound and tied behind [him], and yet he
remembered the life-giving sufferings of Christ! Where is that holy body which received
scourgings, and which endured patiently severe afflictions? Where is that mouth which
spake? and the tongue which was fashioned by the Spirit? Where is that master of wisdom
who declaimed the teachings of philosophy? Where is the soul which was clothed with God? O
my brother Timothy, let us celebrate the feast, the feast of feasts, and let us offer up
unto that man an offering, yea, an acceptable offering. And be thou mindful of the
memorial of him, the glory of the saints!

7 And who is there that will not lament over those men who, though being fit for the
honourable estate of heaven, were handed over unto death, even as if they had been workers
of iniquity? O my brother Timothy, hadst thou seen that marvellous conflict, or hadst thou
heard thereof at thy place on the Euphrates the magnitude of thy grief might have been
imagined. But now, let not thy sorrow be multiplied, for thou wast not present at the time
when they brought them out to receive [the stroke of] the sword and to finish their
martyrdom. What man can there be who would not have been in great tribulation in that sad
hour, or who would not have been in despair of soul, and withered in heart? especially
when their hands were fettered with chains like those who were to be slain. And round
about the Emperor were gathered together crowds of venerable men, and aged men, and
honourable men of the Jews, and of the peoples who were accursed idolaters, to see those
marvellous men. And who would not have wept in that hour when they spat in their faces,
and cast filthy spittle upon them, and when they received cruel blows on their bodies from
this side and from that and from round about? Yet Peter and Paul uttered no word and kept
silence, and they bore [everything] in patience, and were even as two simple lambs. And
each of them was exhorting the other to be cheerful in spiritual love, as they were being
handed over to death, and they were brethren of one body [which was about to become] a
pure sacrifice; and one of them they delivered over unto crucifixion, and the other unto
death by the sword. What heart is there that will not lament when it heareth these two
brethren Peter and Paul, who were, in very truth, righteous, and just, and perfect, saying
one to the other, "Go forth in peace, O head of the Church"?

8 The heavens were terrified when these [two] sainted men took their departure; and the
earth quaked when it received the blood of the souls of these pure and righteous men; and
the souls [of the righteous] suffered pain by reason of the death of these spiritual and
sainted men; and the princes of the angels trembled at the strife of the aged and
honourable men. And who could be so destitute of intelligence and understanding that, when
he saw Peter, the chief of the Apostles—unto whom had been given the keys of the kingdom
of heaven, who had power and permission to bind and to loose the bonds of sin for the
righteous, and for the penitent, and for the just souls—hanging upon a cross, with his
head downwards, he would not suffer pain on his behalf? If a man did not thus suffer he
must be one whose heart had withered.

9 O my brother Timothy, I was not nigh unto him when he received the sentence of death in
that hour and on that day, for I had gone away with Paul my master; now the two were not
in one place where they could finish their testimony together. And oh, what cruel and
bitter woe was there to me, my brother Timothy, when the swordsman ordered Saint Paul to
bow his head beneath the sword! now his blessed eyes were filled with tears. And woe be
unto me, O my brother [Timothy], for I saw him at that hour looking towards heaven, and
making over his face the holy sign of the Cross of life, and then holding his peace, he
bowed his head and moved it not beneath [the stroke of] the sword. And woe be unto me, O
my brother Timothy, for in that hour I saw him bathed in his own blood. And woe be unto
me, O Paul my spiritual father, that thou wast prepared for this death. Woe be unto me, O
my pure and shining father. Woe be unto me, O my gracious and honourable master. Woe be
unto me, because he hath left me alone. Where hast thou gone, and [why] hast thou cast me
off? Whither hast thou removed thysself, and [why] hast thou forsaken me? Whither hast
thou removed thyself, thou glory of Christ-like men and of Christians, thou teacher of the
polluted Gentiles? Who can keep silent from proclaiming the grace which magnified the
Church? Who can restrain himself from proclaiming thy understanding whereby thou didst
bring forth the instruction of heavenly and divine words? How can I go to thy disciples, O
just master, and what shall I say unto them when they enquire of me concerning thee? Shall
I tell them that thou art confined in a place of restraint, or shut up in a prison? And
what dost thou desire from those to whom I shall declare thy message? Henceforth we have
no desire towards any one of them. In Jerusalem I received [my] fetters, and after two
years I removed myself from thee into Rome.

10 The prophet David mourned in his lamentation, saying, "Woe be unto me, O my son!" And
like unto him this day I mourn, saying, "Woe be unto me, O my father; woe be unto me, O my
master!". For, for this blow no healing whatsoever can be found, and for this grief there
is no consolation, and for this sickness (or pain) there is no healing. [O Peter and
Paul,] in the days of your lives ye were joined together in your works, but in your deaths
ye were separated, each from the other; and ye were rejected and cast forth like the
carcases of beasts upon the highways. How many churches looked forward to your coming? How
many priests watched for your salutations! How many people awaited eagerly the arrival of
your epistles, and your homilies! But this day the sending of your disciples from Rome
your city hath come to an end, and this day your disciples have become orphans. Henceforth
who shall go up and make peace to exist among those who are at enmity with one another?
Henceforth who shall search out and interpret for us the Divine Scriptures? Henceforth we
shall not hasten to go to the city of Rome, and we shall no longer say, "Come, let us
gather together, and let us go to Saint Paul, our master, that we may hear from him the
interpretation of the Holy Scriptures". And henceforth we shall have no desire for the
Books of the Prophets, for we shall not be able to find any one who can interpret [them]
unto us. Unto whom wilt thou entrust thy disciples, O righteous master? Blessed be the
city of Rome because it was worthy to be the dwelling-place of these martyrs, who were in
very truth heavenly martyrs.

11 Behold now, the holy city of Rome is to be compared unto the holy city of Jerusalem,
[which is] free indeed. Jerusalem received Christ, the King of Glory, and the city of Rome
received His blessed Apostles; Jerusalem is adored by reason of Him that was crucified
therein, and the city of Rome is rich by reason of him that was crucified in her. O my
brother Timothy, I saw a great marvel on the day wherein the two disciples Peter and Paul
were crowned. When the one separated from the other at the time when they finished their
testimony, I saw them entering in before me through a gate, the one holding the hand of
the other, and they were clothed in the apparel of the kingdom [of heaven], and upon their
heads two richly decorated crowns of the kingdom [of heaven] were placed, and their crowns
shone brightly, and lightnings and flames of fire shot forth therefrom over their heads,
even as light and fire shoot forth from the sun when he riseth in heaven in the month of
Marmûdâ. Now, I was not the only one who was worthy of this wonderful sight, for there was
a certain blessed woman, of the family of the unbelieving Emperor Nero, [who also saw it]
and this woman was she whom Paul the Apostle had baptized, and had brought in [among] the
Christians. And it came to pass that, when the wicked men brought him forth that he might
yield up his soul, and finish his testimony, he took her garment from her, and said unto
her, "When I return unto thee I will bring it to thee". And when they came to the place
wherein he was to finish his testimony, with patience, and quietness, and silence, he
bowed down his head beneath the sword, [and he remained] motionless, with his face
shrouded in the [woman's] garment. And it came to pass that, when the soldiers who had
taken Paul away and slain him, returned, the woman from whom he had taken her garment said
unto them, "Where is Paul? And they answered and said unto her, "We left him in the
'armatēn', slain and cast down upon the ground; with him is thy garment, and his face is
wrapped therein".

12 And the woman, who was in very truth a Christian, said unto them, "Verily ye lie, for
Paul and Peter have at this moment passed before me [coming] towards me. They were arrayed
in apparel which was more beautiful than royal raiment, and upon their heads were two
royal and richly ornamented crowns, and their appearance was exceedingly venerable, and
hard for the sight to bear. And as for me, I looked until I was terrified at the sight of
them. And Paul restored to me my garment which he took out of my hand, and behold here it
is; and straightway she took it in her hand, and shewed it unto them, saying, "Behold,
here is my garment which he took from me out of my hand". And when they saw it they were
astonished with a great astonishment, and they gave glory unto God, saying, "Verily, His
power is great, and His Majesty is exceedingly terrible, and His work is marvellous; by
reason of the praise which is ascribed unto Him He is greatly to be feared, and He is
glorified by His saints". And it came to pass that in that hour the Christians believed in
God, the Lord Jesus Christ, by reason of this great miracle.

13 And now, O my brother Timothy, behold, thy master hath departed unto our Lord Jesus
Christ, Whom he loved greatly and exceedingly. As Saul the king and Jonathan his son were
separated neither in the days of their life nor in the day of their death, so shall we not
be separated from them against our will. And in this separation there is no despair, for
the separation wherein there is despair of hope is when the angels of death separate the
one from the other, but not from their kindred; and even if they were remote from the
following (or train) of the blessed, that is, the pure and spiritual disciples of the
Lord, this would not be the cutting off of hope. But the cutting off of hope would be
separation from God, for which there can never be any consolation, and no one among the
friends of a man who could draw nigh unto him would be able to console him in his trouble.
[The souls of the righteous] converse together, and they possess memory, and honour, and
they have understanding of deeds, and they comprehend words. And verily, the two Apostles
and envoys, Peter and Paul, have their habitation in that exalted and heavenly abode, and
their souls are held to be worthy of the immortal life which endureth for ever.

14 And no soul whatsoever of all the souls [which are there] is able to join itself unto
the souls of the two Apostles, for they are surrounded and shrouded by terrible majesty,
and by angels who strike awe into [those who see them]. Now Paul was one who cursed God
through the Law of Moses, but he became one who honoured and glorified Him beyond measure,
and above the Law of Moses. And again Paul was a foe and a calumniator of Christ through
the Law of the Jews, but he became a calumniator, and a persecutor, and an enemy of the
Jews on behalf of Christ; and besides, he became an ally and a friend of Christ, and a
teacher, and a preacher, and a legislator for the peoples of the Gentiles, and a pillar of
the Church. Paul was the region of the sunrise unto those who believed, and he gathered
together the wicked peoples who were scattered abroad. Paul was shut up in prison and
stoned with stones by the people who were evil. Paul was the delight of those who were in
sorrow, and he was the light of Christian folk. O the depth of the riches of the knowledge
[and] wisdom of God! Aforetime Paul laid waste and tore down the churches, but afterwards
he became one who built them up, and an heir of the kingdom of heaven.

15 And do thou, O my brother Timothy, understand how to act, and read thou all the
Scriptures; and God Almighty, the Father of all mercies, shall make rich thy soul speedily
in the heavens. Where is Paul? And where is Peter? Where are these prophets who were
indeed divine? Woe unto the children who have lost their fathers and mothers! Woe unto the
disciples who cannot find their master! Woe unto the sheep when they have not their
shepherd! Woe unto those who are sick when they cannot find the physician to heal them! O
thou Tongue which fashionedst celestial words! O thou foundation of divine rule which
canst [not] be described! Thou Sea which canst not be fathomed! Thou Depth which canst not
be found out! Paul was a fortress which could not be overturned, and he was the enricher
of the poor and needy, and he was the ravisher and the careful searcher out of the
Heavenly Scriptures. If thou hadst told us that thou wouldst remove thyself from us, and
that we should be forsaken men and cast away, and that thou wouldst depart speedily to
Christ, we might have sought out and found some one who would interpret for us thy
homilies, and epistles, and discourses.

16 And what shall we do now that we have lost the opportunity of meditating upon thy
writings which were wont to give us consolation? Woe unto us because of this grief which
hath come upon us! O my brother Timothy, thou shalt not read the ancient Scriptures
[only], but keep in remembrance the spiritual canons which Paul the chosen one commanded
us to observe, and understand that every word which Paul our master spake from God is a
portion which will redeem with power [our] souls, for even thus did the expounder of
divine words command. Now the divine Paul commanded, saying, "Unless there shall be in the
church two interpreters, the Scriptures shall not be read overmuch;" behold now, the
master-workman hath taken away the knowledge of all interpretations. 17 O my brother
Timothy, fast, and pray, and keep watch, and make supplication that Christ may make us
worthy of the salvation of the divine kingdom, together with Paul our master. Now the
disciple of Elijah the prophet enquired of his master with an enquiry which was exalted
above the flesh; do thou then take heed that thou art not kept back from the gift of
grace. And why did he become worthy of all gifts? Because he did the will (or pleasure) of
his master in such a way that the whole 'anāsēr trembled before him; now [the word] anāsēr
meaneth "the four quarters of the world". And Elisha neither removed himself nor departed
from the service of his master, and although all men made a mock at him and shewed enmity
towards him he never left him. And behold, that same Elijah had many disciples, but of
them all there was only one who was nigh unto him, and that was Elisha. And the children
of Israel hated him and said unto him, "This is the disciple of the false prophet, this is
the disciple of him that contendeth against the Law." But Elisha did not answer them a
word concerning this, and for this reason he became worthy of the gift which he asked for
from his master.

18 And again, O my brother Timothy, know thou that Paul had many disciples, yet none of
them except thyself endured patiently all the tribulations [which he endured]. Verily thou
art [worthy] of the gift of grace, and of the good reward, and of the wages of thy toil,
and He will reward thee therewith in return for the hardship, and toil, and labour which
thou didst endure patiently, together with the blessed and honourable Apostles Peter and
Paul, through the prayers of all those who ministered unto them in their imprisonment. And
may God the Father of all, the Stablesher of all, and the Sustainer of all, the Guide and
Light of all through His only Son and His Holy Ghost, open the heart so that thou mayest
celebrate his festivals, and mayest keep his words in E such wise that thou mayest rejoice
with him when he cometh in glory with his Creator.

19 And now, thou shalt write unto all the churches which shall come after us, generation
after generation, that they may pay honour unto this day, and may celebrate the festival
with joy, and with the carefulness which is born of the Spirit, even as [the angels] in
heaven celebrate a festival in honour of Peter and of Paul, and of all their disciples.
But this day of the festival is not the day of the festival of all the Apostles, for the
day of the festival of each of the Apostles is well known, and hath been set apart, and is
recognized and understood, even as it is written in "GADLA ḤAWÂRYÂT", and the day of the
ending of the testimony of each one of the Apostles is well known, and hath been set apart
and recognized. And they shall honour and magnify this day with joy and gladness, because
of the honour and majesty of Peter and Paul who revealed the light, and were the wall, and
the pillar, and the ornament, and the joy of the Church. Now on the twelfth day of the
month Ḥadâr is the festival of the mighty, and holy, and exalted Archangel Michael,
whereon all the heavenly hosts are gathered together to celebrate with joy and gladness
the festival to the honour and majesty of the angel of their mighty one, and the captain
of their army, Michael the angel of powers. And similarly, all the holy Apostles shall on
the fifth day of the month Ḥamlê celebrate a festival both in the heavens and in the
earth, and in all the churches, and wheresoever their memorial abideth, and wheresoever
[the history of] their contendings, and their discourses are read, and all the Apostles
shall celebrate a festival of our gracious and beloved masters, Peter and Paul, with joy.
And do ye likewise, O children of the holy Church, if ye desire the salvation of your
souls, celebrate their festival, and honour their memory with holy care and with spiritual
desire on the day of the festival of the Apostles, so that your souls may be sanctified
and your bodies redeemed. And celebrate ye the festival of the Apostles on this day with
praise, and prayer, and thanksgiving, and glorifying, and sanctification, and vigils by
night and by day unceasingly; in this manner ye shall celebrate a spiritual festival. And
again, celebrate ye the festival of the body with joy; and satisfy with food the hungry,
and clothe ye the naked, and comfort ye those who are in sorrow, so that your festival may
be celebrated to the full. For He saith in the [book of the] prophet of our Lord, "Blessed
is he who hath seed in Zion and houses in Jerusalem"." [Now let your] seed be in the belly
of the poor and needy who hunger, [in the form of] meat, and drink, and good things, that
it may take root, and grow up, and bear fruit, and heap up riches for you in Zion, the
holy city of the king of kings, and that ye may find spiritual houses in Jerusalem, the
holy city and the free, which is in the heavens.

20 And build ye churches in the names of the Apostles, and in the names of all the saints,
and martyrs, and archangels. And ye shall not only build churches, but ye shall ornament
them with all honour and with care, and in the love and fear of God Almighty, with all
your strength, and with all your heart[s], like the bride Compare Zechariah viii. 21 E* of
a king who is about to give his daughter to the son of a king. In this wise shall ye make
beautiful a church A..25b. when ye have built it, so that God Almighty may see the beauty
of your works, and may accept your labour, and may multiply your reward, and may give unto
you His good things so that ye may inherit His kingdom, even as it is written, "He will
reward every man according to his work, whether it be good or whether it be evil". And as
for you, may He do for you according to the multitude of His mercy; and may He help those
of you who do His will; and may He make pure your bodies and sanctify your souls, and heal
the sickness of your souls, and your bodies, and lengthen your days, and multiply His
blessing in the houses of all those of you who are here. And of those who are gathered
together here to celebrate the festival of the blessed Apostles He will enlighten the eyes
of your hearts, through the prayer and petition of the pure Virgin, the mother of God,
MARY the holy woman who brought life unto all creation; and through A..26a. the
supplications of the exalted Archangels Michael and Gabriel; and through the prayer of
Saint John, who is more exalted than all the saints and prophets and than all those who
are born of women; and by the contendings and the blood of the victorious martyrs. And may
He put an end to, and destroy, and keep away from you the works of devils. And now to the
Father be praise, and to the Son be thanksgiving, and to the Holy Spirit be dominion, and
worship, and blessing, as is meet always and at every season, on earth and in heaven, and
at all times, and henceforth, and for ever and ever. Amen, Amen, and Amen.

22 Here endeth the Homiletic Epistle of Abba Dionysius [mhich was written] to be a
consolation to Abba Timothy [at] the time of his sorrow, by the help of Jesus Christ our
Lord, to Whom be glory for ever and ever! Amen.

Colophon.

23 The honourable, and spiritually minded, and blessed, and pure father, Abbūna Mark of
Dabra Sabrā, was concerned in the preparation of this book for the Ethiopian brethren
[and] monks, and our brother Krēstadālū (Christodoulos) was wont to read [it] unto them,
and to bring them consolation thereby. May our good God lengthen his days, and make
beautiful the days of his life, and may his prayer be received according to the greatness
of his love, even as He received the son of the wise man who repented and returned unto
his father, by the intercession of the angels [and] spiritual beings, and by the
contendings of the victorious martyrs, and by the prayers of all the saints who have
pleased God for ever and ever! Amen. O ye my brethren who have gathered yourselves
together to hear the words of this book, may God make your portion to be with the blessed
Apostles! Amen.

THE PREACHING OF SIMON, THE SON OF CLEOPAS

1 In the name of the father, and of the son, and of the holy spirit [one god]. IN THE NAME
OF THE HOLY AND GLORIOUS TRINITY, THE SUSTAINER OF ALL, THE MERCIFUL AND GRACIOUS. The
preaching of the blessed Saint Simon, the son of Cleopas, who was surnamed Judas, which is
interpreted Nathaniel, who became Bishop of Jerusalem after James, the brother of our
Lord. May his prayer and blessing be with his handmaiden Walatta Madhan! In the peace of
God, Amen. 2 And it came to pass that, when the Apostles were gathered together on the
Mount of Olives that they might divide all the countries of the world among them, and as
they were praying and blessing God Almighty, our Lord Jesus Christ came among them and
said unto them, "May the peace of My Father dwell upon you, O My holy disciples." And they
cast lots, and the lot went forth to Judas the Galilean to go to the country of Samaria,
and to preach therein the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. And Simon answered and said
unto our Lord, "Be Thou but with us, O Master, in whatever place we may be, and we will
endure whatsoever cometh; only let our father Peter go with us, so that he may bring me
unto the country of Samaria." And God (or the Lord) said unto him, "Peter's lot is to go
to the country of Rome and to preach therein; but he shall go with thee until he shall
have brought thee [to thy country] in peace. And after thou hast made an end of thy
preaching and of thy tidings which thou shalt proclaim among the people thereof, thou
shalt return to Jerusalem; and after the death of James the Just thou shalt be appointed
Bishop therein; and after him thou shalt finish thy strife; even as James the Just
finished his strife in that same place. Behold now, O My chosen one Simon, go forth in
peace; and may the might of My Father give thee help;" and our Lord blessed him and all
the [other] Apostles, and He went up into heaven with great glory.

3 And it came to pass after our Lord had gone up into heaven that Simon rose up and
prayed; and he came to Jerusalem, and Peter also was with him. And they went first of all
to Samaria and preached unto the people there the story of the Gospel; and Simon the
Apostle went among their assemblies and preached unto them in the Name of our Lord Jesus
Christ. And it came to pass that, when the Jews who dwelt in that place heard [thereof],
they rose up against him, and they beat him sorely and with many stripes, and then they
dragged him outside the city; and Peter laid hold upon him and went forth therefrom. But
Simon returned unto the people, and stood up among those who were gathered together
[there], and he dwelt with them for three days and preached unto them the Name of Christ;
and among them were certain men who would not believe. Now at the end of the three days
the son of the chief of the synagogue, whose name was James, fell sick and died. And a
certain man among those who had believed upon the word of Simon came unto the father of
the young man who was dead, and said unto him, "Behold, there

4 "is an Apostle of Christ here; let him pray over the young "man." And the man went
quickly and called the Apostle of our Lord Jesus Christ, and he came with joy, and stood
over the young man who was dead. And he said unto the father of the young man who was
dead, "Dost thou believe in Him Whom they crucified, and that "He is the Son of God, and
that through Him thou wilt "see the glory of God?" And the father of the young man who was
dead said unto him, "If thou raise up my "son from the dead, and I see him alive "[again],
I will believe in Jesus Christ Who was crucified, "and [will believe] that He is the Son
of the Living God." Then the Apostle turned his face to the East and prayed, saying, "O my
Lord Jesus Christ, Who wast crucified in

5 "the days of Pontius Pilate, Who didst prepare me for "this work that I might preach in
Thy blessed and "Holy Name, Who didst suffer for our sakes that Thou "mightest redeem us
out of the hands of those that hate "us, look now upon this young man who hath died, and
"in Thy good pleasure command that he may be raised "up; and let him praise Thy Name this
day among the "people of this city, so that they may believe in Thy "holy Name." 6 And it
came to pass that when Simon, the blessed Apostle, had said those words he turned his face
towards the place where the young man was, and he said, "In the Name of the Father, and of
the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, rise up, so that all those who are gathered together may
see thee alive, and may believe in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ." Then straightway
the young man opened his eyes and rose up and sat down; and Simon commanded that they
should bring unto him food that he might eat. Now when those who were gathered together
saw this wonderful thing they marvelled; and they all drew nigh and bowed down to the
ground before the Apostle, and they all believed in God, and said, "O God, the God of
Simon, the Apostle of our Lord Jesus Christ, we believe in Jesus Christ, [and we believe]
that He is the son of the Living God." And the father of the young man and all those [who
were gathered together there] bowed down at the feet of the holy man, the Apostle, and
said unto him, "O master, how shall we be saved?" And he said unto them, "Believe ye with
all your hearts, and ye shall be saved." Then he taught them the Holy Scriptures, and he
baptized all those who dwelt in the city in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of
the Holy Spirit; and he administered unto them the Holy Mysteries, and commanded them to
build churches. And he appointed the chief of the synagogue, whose name was Cornelius, to
be their Bishop; and he set over them priests and deacons, and he gave them the Holy
Gospel, and he dwelt with them for thirty days, teaching them the Law of God.

7 And it came to pass after these things that he returned to Jerusalem. And when the Jews
had slain Saint James, his disciples who were in Jerusalem took Simon, and appointed him
to be Bishop in Jerusalem; and he taught them the Word of God, and declared unto them that
which was in the Gospel, and he brought salvation unto their souls. Now the Jews were
exceedingly angry with him; but he continued in Jerusalem, glorifying God our Lord Jesus
Christ at all seasons and every day. Amen, Amen, and Amen.

THE MARTYRDOM OF SIMON, THE SON OF CLEOPAS

In the name of the father, and of the son, and of the holy spirit [one god]. IN THE NAME
OF THE HOLY AND GLORIOUS TRINITY, THE SUSTAINER OF ALL, THE MERCIFUL AND GRACIOUS! Here
beginneth the Martyrdom of Simon, the son of Cleopas, the Apostle of our Lord Jesus
Christ. Now he finished his contending on the tenth day of the month Fami; may his prayer
and blessing be with his handmaiden Walatta Madhan! In the peace of God. Amen. And it came
to pass after the death of Saint James the Just, Simon, the son of Cleopas (now his name
was judas), was appointed Bishop in Jerusalem after him, and his days were one hundred and
twenty years; and at the end of his days he said, "I wish that my blood may be shed in the
Name of our Lord Jesus Christ." And he built churches in Jerusalem, and he appointed
priests and deacons to them, that they might redeem the children of men from the dominion
of Satan, and make them ready for God's kingdom. The first church which he built he called
by the name of MARY, the holy Virgin, the bearer of our Lord; [the second church which he
built he called by the name of …]; the third church he called by the name of Michael, the
Archangel, who intercedeth for the whole race of the sons of men, that [God] may put away
punishment from them and that His blessing and mercy may descend upon them; and the fourth
church he called by the name of the Apostles. And it came to pass that Simon wished to
destroy the faith of the Jews, and their polluted worship, and their evil rule; therefore
he continued to teach all the people the Word of God, [and admonished them] to fill the
church[es] which he had built, [and instructed them] in the knowledge of God, and it was
plain unto all alike, from the greatest even unto the least. Then all their men believed
in the preaching of the Apostle, and at length all the people of the city forsook the
assembly of the people of the Jews and followed after the righteousness which the Apostle
taught them from God Almighty. And when the Jews heard the fair words of the story of the
blessed Apostle, and how he desired to put an end to their Law (or religion) and their
gods, they gathered themselves together, both great and small, and they all came together
against the Apostle that they might kill him. Now the Jews were a people who wrought evil,
and therefore they all gathered themselves together against Simon in anger and
indignation; and they bound him and brought him before Daryánós (i. e. Trajan) the
governor. And they were all testifying against him before the governor, and they said unto
him, "Hear-ken unto us, and we will tell thee what this sorcerer hath been doing." Then
the governor believed all the words which they spake unto him, and he was angry with the
Apostle, and said unto him, "Unto thee I speak, O worker of iniquity. Tell me, art thou
not a magician, and dost thou not work sorceries upon all the people of the city?" And the
Apostle said unto him, "Hearken thou unto what I shall say unto thee, O governor; thou
hast a heart, but it is without understanding. I am not a magician, and I have no
knowledge of the art of sor-cery, but I am a servant of Jesus Christ, the God of all
creation, the King of kings, the mighty God, Who hath power over all the gods of the
nations to destroy them." And it came to pass that when the governor heard these words
from the Apostle he was angry with him with a great anger, and he delivered him over unto
evil men that they might crucify him. Then the Jews gathered themselves together against
him, and they took out the blessed Apostle Simon, the son of Cleopas, that they might
crucify him, even as the wicked governor had commanded; and they hung him upon a cross,
and scourged him with scourgings until he died. Now he finished his testimony [on the
tenth day of] the month Hamlè, by the good pleasure of God Almighty, the Sustainer of all,
to Whom be glory and honour for ever and ever! Amen, Amen, and Amen.

THE PREACHING OF SAINT JAMES THE JUST

1 Here beginneth the Preaching of James the Just, the Apostle of our Lord Jesus Christ,
who was surnamed the brother of our Lord in the flesh. Now the lot which went out to him
was that he should preach in Jerusalem, and after he had preached unto the people thereof,
he became Bishop in Jerusalem, and he died therein in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
In the peace of God, Amen. May his prayer and his blessing be with his handmaiden Walatta
Madhan! And it came to pass that, when the Apostles were gathered together that the
countries of the world might be divided among them, our Lord Jesus Christ sat in their
midst and said unto them, "My peace be upon you, O My holy Apostles! As My Father sent Me
to the world, even so do I send you that ye may preach 2 "throughout the whole world the
knowledge of My heavenly Father." And for this reason they cast lots, and the lot came to
James to preach the Holy Gospel in Jerusalem and in all the districts thereof. Therefore
did he bow down before God and say, "O God, Thou knowest that the Jews will seek to kill
us when we preach Thy resurrection and the Holy Gospel. And are not the command and the
lot which have gone forth to me great? Yet I am only one, and I know that the Jews will
not listen unto the words which I shall speak unto them. I beseech Thee then, O Lord, send
me to the Gentiles, together with my brethren, and I will do everything which Thou shalt
command me to do, and I will bear patiently all the sufferings which shall come upon me
for Thy Name's sake." And our Lord answered and said unto James, "Hearken, and I will,
tell thee; but thou must needs preach [the Gospel] in the place which hath gone forth to
thee by lot. Behold, I have left Peter, [My] chosen one, to toil for your sakes. Thou
shalt, however, be Bishop in Jerusalem, and [the Jews] shall hearken unto thy words, and
thou shalt end thy contending nobly, and thy grave shall be therein. Rise up and finish
that for which I have prepared thee."

3 And James said unto Him, "O Lord, let but my father Peter help me; and I will bear
everything which shall befall me for Thy honourable Name's sake;" and our Lord gave them
the salutation of peace, and went up into heaven with great glory. Now the Apostles were
filled with the power of the Spirit, and they prayed in the Mount of Olives. And Peter
answered and said unto the Apostles, "Let us go with our brother James, so that we may
establish him in his bishopric." Then Peter rose up and all those who were with him, and
they stretched out their hands and prayed, saying, "O God, Who dost sustain all creation,
hearken unto us. We know that Thou wilt not be far from us in whatsoever we require of
Thee. Grant Thou unto our brother "James the power to give consolation unto Thy people
whom Thou hast brought back to him, and may he console them, even as Thou hast consoled
him." And it came to pass that when they had prayed their prayer, and each of them had
given him the salutation of peace, they brought James into Jerusalem, and he preached in
the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ; and many men believed in his story.

4 Now, when the Jews saw James preaching in the Name of Christ, certain of them wished to
slay him, and they were not able to find an opportunity to do this, because of those who
had believed in God through him; and when he knew that they were conspiring together
against him, he went forth to the regions round about the city, and he preached unto them
in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ. And it came to pass that when he had come into those
regions he found a certain aged man [there], and he said unto him, "I desire that thou
wilt let me abide with thee; and the aged man said unto him, "Take thy rest until to-
morrow. And the Apostle departed to come unto him in his house, and on the way [thither]
he found a man who had a devil in him. Now when Satan saw James the Apostle, he cried out
and said, "What hast thou to do with me, O Apostle of Christ? Hast thou come hither to
destroy me? And the Apostle said unto him, "O unclean spirit, make an end of thy speech,
and go forth from this man; therefore Satan went forth from the man in the form of fire.
And it came to pass that when the aged man saw this miracle he fell at the feet of the
Apostle and said, "I am not worthy that thou shouldst come into my house:

5 but tell me what I shall do that I and all the people of my house may be saved.
Therefore the Apostle glorified the name of Jesus Christ, and said, "Master, I give thanks
unto thee that thou hast made fair my way; and he returned to the man and spake unto him
the word which would save him, and he taught him that our Lord Jesus Christ [is God]. So
the aged man brought him into his house; and all the people thereof were gathered together
unto him, and he taught them and made them to know the faith, and he baptized them in the
Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, and he made them to be heirs
in the Holy Mysteries, that is to say, the Body of our Lord and His precious Blood. 6 And
it came to pass that, when the people of the country heard [of James], they brought unto
him all their folk who were sick with sicknesses of every kind, and he healed them; and he
appointed priests and deacons for them, and he made the old man bishop, and he gave him
the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. Then James went forth into all the districts which
were round about Jerusalem, and preached therein; and then he returned to Jerusalem. And
the faithful heard of the coming of James (now he was [surnamed] the Just) into Jerusalem,
and they all came to him, praising God our Lord Jesus Christ, with His Father, and the
Holy Spirit, for ever and ever. Amen and Amen.

THE MARTYRDOM OF SAINT JAMES THE JUST

1 Here beginneth the Martyrdom of Saint James the Just, the blessed Apostle, which took
place on the eighteenth day of the month of Hamli. In the peace of our Lord, Amen. May his
prayer and his blessing be with his handmaiden Walatta Madhan! 2 And it came to pass that
when James returned to Jerusalem he preached unto the people in that city in the Name of
our Lord Jesus Christ; and many believed on him by reason of the signs and wonders which
God made to go forth by the hand of His holy Apostle, and God our Lord made him worthy of
the episcopal throne in Jerusalem. And when he had become Bishop God made manifest the
healing of many folk who were sick of every kind of disease. Now the governor of the city
was a lover of money, and he hated Saint James because Satan stirred him up against him;
and he had no children because God Almighty, Whose Name is great, was rebuk- 115b. ing him
for the multitude of his sins. And meanwhile his wife was entreating God to give her
children, and she was wont to do deeds of kindness unto all those who were in affliction,
and to send gifts and offerings to the sanctuary of the church daily without her husband
having knowledge thereof, because of his great greed, and every day of her life she
sorrowed exceedingly, and made entreaty [to God] for children. And it came to pass that
although her entreaty waxed great the glorious and holy God did not grant her desire,
because He knew that good was about to come upon her.

3 And when the glorious fame of Saint James and of his faith had come [to the city], now
God was with him in all his work, she rose up with joy and gladness, and came to Saint
James in true belief that at the request of the saint God would give her that which she
desired. And it came to pass that when the saint knew that Téryô-bastâ (or Piobsata), the
wife of 'Ammânyôs (Aumanius or Ananus) the governor, wished to come to him to be blessed
by him his wonder increased, and he said, "This is a great matter; now he well knew her
husband's wickedness, and that he had commanded her [not] to come to him. And when she had
come into his presence she bowed her head, and prostrated herself at his feet, and said
unto him, "O holy father, I beseech thee to grant the request of thy handmaiden, and to
hearken unto her words: I have dwelt with my husband for twenty years and I have not
gotten a child, and by reason of this matter I am exceedingly sorrowful."

4 And Saint James said unto her, "Dost thou believe in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ,
and that He is able to give thee children?" And she answered with her whole heart, and
said unto him, "I do believe." And he said unto her, "If thou believest it shall be unto
thee according to thy belief;" and she gave unto him the "blessing" (i. e., alms), which
was with her, that he might give it unto those who were in sorrow and affliction; and she
came unto her house glorifying God. Now what the holy man had said came to pass, for after
this thing God hearkened unto her petition and gave unto her that which she desired, and
she conceived and gave birth unto a son whom she called James, according to the name of
Saint James; then she took her son and much possess- ions, and came to the saint, and he
blessed her. And she said unto him, "O servant of the Good God, behold, God hath hearkened
unto thy petition, and He hath given unto me that I asked for; and this child, this fruit
which thou seest in my arms [hath come] through thy prayer; and I beseech thee, O my
father, to bless him with all thy heart." And the saint took him from her hands, and he
blessed him with all his heart, and he gave him back to his mother and sent them away to
their house in peace.

5 And it came to pass that when Aumanius (or Ananus) heard [of it], he was angry with an
exceedingly great anger because his wife had done [this thing]. And he gathered together
unto him all the nobles of the city, and said unto them, "Are ye going to do nothing in
this matter? Behold, the Bishop is destroying the city and leading astray all the people,
and he wisheth that all those who are in our territories shall be of his opinion, and
[under] his teaching." And they all rose up and came together, and said, "What then can we
do unto him?" And certain men of them said, "Behold, he will come to the feast, and if ye
desire to lay hold upon him we will lie in wait [for him] in the synagogue." 6 Now many
men were called James, but James the Just was not of them. And besides this God Almighty
had chosen him and had sanctified him from his mother's womb, like Jeremiah the prophet,
and he neither drank wine all the days of his life nor ate meat wherefrom the blood had
gone not forth; and a razor had never gone up upon his head, and he never took a bath, and
he put on no clothing except one loose garment all the days of his life. And he continued
in the sanctuary always, and he stood up, and watched, and prayed humbly unto God that He
would forgive the sins of the people, until at length his foot swelled by reason of his
prolonged standing and prostrations; and it was for this reason he was called "James the
Just." Now the Jews knew that he was both just and sincere towards them, and that he was
of the type of the Prophets. And this James was the youngest of the sons of Joseph the
carpenter, who had four male children and two daughters; and all Joseph's children married
except James, and he became an orphan. And it came to pass that, when our Lady MARY became
the bride of Joseph, she found James as a little boy in [his house], and she tended him
and taught him the fear of God, and for this reason they used to call our Lady MARY the
"mother of James."

7 And it came to pass that, when James had been appointed Bishop in Jerusalem, multitudes
believed on our Lord through him, because they became convinced of his sincerity. Then a
great uproar took place among the Jews, and among the Scribes, and among the Pharisees,
because all the people said that Jesus was the Christ; and they came to James that they
might take counsel with him concerning Him. And they said unto him, "We beseech thee to
set thyself at the head of all the multitude, for they will not believe that Jesus is the
Christ Who shall come. Now behold, all the people will come unto Jerusalem at the
Passover, do thou then speak unto them and make their hearts to rejoice, for we know that
thou dost not speak any false thing whatsoever; and besides, thou art unto them as a
prophet. And we will make them to hear concerning thy graciousness, and that there is no
unchastity in thee; accept now our petition, and let them all hear thy voice; and thou
shalt go up unto the upper portion of the synagogue, and we will stand there until all the
people shall hear thy voice."

8 And, behold, of the children of Israel multitudes of the people, of the tribes and of
the Scribes and Pharisees, went up [to the synagogue] wishing that James would tell them
that Jesus was the son of Joseph, and that He was his brother; and they commanded the
deputy of the congregation to order the multitudes to keep silence and to hearken unto the
voice of [James] the Just. And they all cried out, and said, "We have upon us the desire
to hear, and we will not be denied, for the people are made to err by the evilness of the
teaching of the Jews, and they have a love for the belief in Jesus Who was crucified; tell
us now, O just one, Who is Jesus the King?" And James answered and said unto them in a
loud voice, "Why do ye enquire of me concerning Jesus the Lover of men? Behold, He sitteth
on the right hand [of God in] the majesty of the Father, and He shall come upon a cloud of
heaven and shall judge both the living and the dead." And many people believed by reason
of what they had heard from James, and they glorified Christ, saying, "Hosanna to the Son
of David."

9 And it came to pass that when the priests and the Pharisees heard these words, although
they pretended to.32b. be afraid in the presence of the people, yet were they filled with
wrath in their hearts against James the Just; and they went back and cried out to him, and
said unto him, "Tell us now, of whom is Jesus the Son?" Then he said unto them, "He is in
truth the Son of God the Father, Who begot Him before the world, and the Virgin MARY gave
birth to Him after [the appointed number of] days. I believe in Him, and in His Father,
Who is of old, and [in] the Holy Spirit, the glorious Trinity which shall have its being
unto the end of the world, and for ever." 10 And it came to pass that when the chief
priests, and the Scribes, and the Pharisees heard these words from him, they gnashed their
teeth at him, and they stopped their ears, so that they might not hear the voice of God
from the mouth of Saint James. Then they took counsel together each with the other, and
said, "We have done evil, for we have made him to be a witness unto the people that Jesus
is the Son of God Almighty; but let us go up against him, and slay him, so that the
multitude,may not believe in Christ." Then was fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah the
prophet who said, "The righteous man shall be rewarded, for he that is a harsh man shall
not be the anointed one over us; and they shall eat the fruit of their evil work." And the
Jews went up against James in wrath, and they thrust him off from the pinnacle of the
temple and threw him down therefrom, and he fell upon his face, and he knelt down upon his
knees like Stephen Protomartyr, and he made supplication unto God, saying, "O God, Thou
merciful One, be merciful unto them, and shew compassion unto them, for they know not what
they do;" and they cast him down as he was making this petition.

11 Now there was a certain priest of the children of Ahaz who bore witness on his behalf.
And Jeremiah the prophet cried out unto them, saying, "Wait ye a little, What then is this
which ye will do unto the man of God the Good? Behold, he prayeth unto God that He will
forgive you your sins." And there was among the Jews a certain beater of clothes (i. e.,
fuller) who withdrew not at the voice of James, and he seized the piece of wood wherewith
he was wont to beat clothes, and smote James the Just upon his head with it; and James
yielded up his spirit on the eighteenth day of the month Ḥamlê, and he ended his
contending, and they buried him in the synagogue. And it came to pass after the death of
James the Just, the Apostle, and Martyr, and Bishop, who died in the Name of Jesus Christ,
there came great wrath upon all the Jews and upon those who dwelt in Jerusalem, but it was
the greater upon those who had sought to slay James the Just, the Apostle. And 'Esbâsyânôs
(Vespasian) the Emperor besieged them and spoiled their city and country, and carried them
away captives, and every day their disgrace was increased, and they were brought lower by
reason of the evil which they had wrought against our Lord Jesus Christ and against His
saints. And may it be that we and all Christians who call themselves by His new Name may
find mercy and forgiveness at the awful place, when our Lord Jesus Christ cometh to judge
the living and the dead; to Him be glory and honour for ever and ever! Amen, Amen, and
Amen.

12 Here endeth the Martyrdom of Saint James the Just. May his prayer protect us all the
children of this place for ever! Amen.

THE PREACHING OF SAINT BARTHOLOMEW

1 Here beginneth the preaching of the blessed Bartholomew, the Apostle, and the history
[of his life] in the country of 'Elwāḥ.' In the peace of God. May his prayer and blessing
be with his handmaiden Wafatta Madhan! Amen. And it came to pass that, when the Apostles
were gathered together to divide the countries of the world [among them], the lot went
forth to Bartholomew to depart into the country of the Oasis and to preach therein in the
Name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Then he said unto Peter, the chief of the Apostles, "O my
father Peter, I have neither entered into this country, nor do I know the speech of those
who dwell therein; I beseech thee 2 "to go forth with me, and to bring me thereunto; then
shall the will of God Almighty be done." And Peter answered and said unto him, "I may not
go forth with thee alone, for I am commanded by God Almighty to bring each and every one
of you into the country [wherein he shall preach]."

3 Then Peter and Bartholomew arose and went forth to seek out the country of the Oasis.
And it came to pass that, as they were journeying through the desert country, they found a
certain man who was the possessor of [merch. andize]; now he had servants with him, and
ten camels. And when Peter and Bartholomew saw him, they went to him, and said unto him,
"Peace be unto thee, O master of camels; and he said unto them, "Peace be unto you. And
Peter said unto him, "Whither goest thou, O man, with these camels? Then the man said unto
them, "To the country of the Oasis. And Peter said unto him, "Perform unto us an act of
kindness, and take us, and set us down in [that] country. And the master of the camels
said unto them, "What thing seek ye [to do] by entering into this country? for ye have no
merchandize wherewith to traffic therein. And Peter said unto him, "It is not with us as
thou thinkest, for we have no merchandize to sell, and we do not wish to buy [any]. We are
the servants of God the Good, Whose Name is Jesus Christ, and we are His chosen ones. We
are twelve men, and we teach His commandments;

4 and He hath placed in our hands [the power] to heal those who are sick of every kind of
disease, and He hath commanded us to journey through all countries, and to tell the story
[of the Gospel] in His Name, and we command men not to abide in their sins and error, but
to repent through Him so that He may forgive them their transgressions, and may make them
fit for His kingdom. And it is by reason of this command that we have entered into [this]
country, to bring unto those who are therein this command which our Master (or Teacher)
hath taught us, so that they may hear, and may forsake their works of time past, and may
repent, and may receive the life which is for ever." 5 And it came to pass that when the
man had heard these words he said unto them, "Then ye belong to the people of Jesus! We
cannot allow you to come into our country. For we have heard concerning you that ye lead
astray the people, and that ye separate wives from their husbands, and that ye say that a
man cannot have life except he have purity and that without it he is not able to see God
Almighty..." Formerly when I "went forth from my friend and returned unto him, as soon as
he saw me he was wont to rejoice in me; but this time he hath not lifted up his head even
to say unto me, 'Peace be unto thee,' by reason of the greatness of his sorrow. And I
asked him for what reason he was in sorrow, and he said unto me, 'I have been thus
sorrowful in mind for the last ten days by reason of my wife.' Now certain men of your
company came into his country, and commanded all the people thereof according to the words
which ye speak; and his wife received their words and forsook her husband. And I am afraid
for myself lest, when ye have arrived

6 "in my country and ye teach the people [thereof] according to your doctrine, my wife
will hearken unto you, and will believe in you, and will separate herself from me." 7 And
it came to pass that when the Apostles heard the words of this man they wished to go back
[to Jerusalem], being exceedingly sorrowful. And Bartholomew said unto Peter, "How can we
by going back arrive in the country [of the Oasis]?" And Peter said, "I would give thee
counsel on one thing. I am afraid that when suffering shall come upon thee thou wilt say,
'It was Peter who counselled me [to come hither].' This country, however, is thy portion,
and by the will of God Jesus Christ, Who desireth to bring salvation unto all mankind, I
will not separate myself from thee until I have brought thee into the country." And
Bartholomew said unto him, "Rise up, O beloved father, let us change our apparel and
disguise ourselves, and let us gird up our loins, and journey quickly along the road, so
that we may get in front of the master of the camels without his knowing who we are. And
it shall come to pass that when he findeth us (now we will at the same time look for him),
we will ask him to carry us upon his camels and to bring us into the city. And if he make
enquiries of us, and say unto us, 'What is your business in the country?' thou shalt say
unto him, 'I have a desire to sell this slave therein.' And if he shall say unto thee,
What is his trade?' thou shalt say unto him, 'He is a vineyard keeper.' And when I have
entered into the country which God hath given unto me I will perform the work which He
hath commanded me to do therein."

8 And Peter said unto Bartholomew, "The counsel which thou hast spoken is good;" and [they
performed all] concerning which they had taken counsel, and they went on their way in
front of the man [with the camels and waited] until he came up to them. And it came to
pass that when they met together Peter said unto him, "O good man, wilt thou let us ride
with thee on these camels to the country of the Oasis?" And the man said unto them, "What
is thy business in the city?" And Peter said unto him, "I desire to enter therein and to
sell this my slave." Now when the man heard these words he rejoiced with great joy, and he
made his camels to kneel down and said, "This day is a happy (or lucky) one for me. For I,
and those who are with me, and my camels, have been far away from my habitation for many
days looking for a slave whom I could buy, but I have not found one, and now God hath
brought thee unto me." And the man said unto Peter, "Tell me what his trade is, and I will
buy him from thee, and will give thee his price." And Peter said unto him, "He is a
vineyard keeper, and he hath the knowledge and skill how to renew those which have fallen
under a blight." And the man said unto him, "Since it is thus I wish to make him chief of
the keepers of the vineyards, for I have many vines;" and as they agreed with each other
for thirty staters, the man gave the money unto Peter, and Peter gave Bartholomew over
unto the man.

9 Then the man said unto Peter, "Come with me into my house, for, behold, thou hast taken
from me the price of thy slave, and thou hast handed him over unto me; there remaineth one
other thing which I wish to do unto thee, and that is to shew thee kindness and
hospitality in my habitation." And Peter said unto him, "May God Almighty reward thee with
an abundant reward because of the gracious manner in which thou hast acted towards me;
deal [well] now with this thy slave, and sell him not, and vex him not with labour
overmuch, so that thanks may be thine at his end." Then Peter gave unto Bartholomew
secretly the whole of the price which he had received for him, so that the master of the
camels might not see him do it, and he said unto him, "If thou findest any poor man, take
[him] with thee, and give unto him thereof." And he commanded him with all the
commandments of God, and gave him the salutation of peace, and sent him away; and Peter
returned [unto his own country].

10 And Bartholomew departed with the master of the camels, who was wishing [to go] to the
city, and as he was journeying along through the desert with the master of the camels they
wandered out of the path, and the water came to an end; and the men [of the caravan] were
aweary, and the camels strayed hither and thither, and died upon the road. Then the master
of the camels and those who were with him wept, and said, "Woe unto us! What is this which
hath come upon us by reason of this slave? Either he did not do that which was good in his
own country, and therefore his god thrust him out therefrom unto this country, which is
afar off, or else he was altogether useless [there]. And my sorrow is not for [my] camels
[only], but I grieve for myself and for those who are with me, lest we perish from thirst
in this desert." Now Bartholomew was weeping openly, and was praying in his heart, and he
was wishing that they might not know that he was an Apostle of our Lord, lest they should
keep him out of that city. And he laid hold upon the camels, and said, "In the Name of our
Lord Jesus Christ, Who is God indeed, let these camels be raised up, so that these men may
not know who I am, and that they may not think about me except what they please." And in
that hour the camels rose up alive, and they were as they had been aforetime; and [the
men] marvelled, but they answered not a word, and they mounted them and went on their
journey to the city.

11 And it came to pass that, when they drew nigh thereunto, Bartholomew descended [from
his camel] and girded up his loins, and ran in front of his master, on his way. Now when
they had come outside the city there was sitting in the gate a blind man, and the Spirit
of God came down upon him, and he cried out with a loud voice, saying, "Have mercy upon
me, O servant of our Lord, Bartholomew, thou Apostle of our Lord Jesus Christ, and give
light unto mine eyes, for thou hast the power [so to do];" and when Bartholomew heard the
words of the blind man he held his peace. Then the blind man said unto him, "Art thou an
Apostle of the Apostles of Christ? [If thou art] I will bring thee into the city, and no
man shall know thee." And Bartholomew said unto him, "I will not tell thee that I am an
Apostle of Christ until thou hast seen the marvellous things which shall be made manifest
in this city by my hands." Then the blind man cried out with a loud voice, and said, "Have
mercy upon me, O Apostle of Christ, and give light unto mine eyes." And Bartholomew said
unto him, "May He who hath commanded thee to speak [thus] give light unto thine eyes!" And
in that hour his eyes were opened, and the man marvelled greatly, and told [the story]
unto those who were with him.

12 And it came to pass that when the nobleman (i. e., the master of the camels) had come
into his house, he invited his friends the elders of the city and said unto them, "Come
and look at the slave whom I have bought, for [his master] declared that he was a vineyard
keeper, and that he was able to make wine, but many marvellous things have been revealed
unto us by him. On the road, as we were travelling through the desert, we lost our way,
and the camels died; but he raised them up, and made them to live and to become even as
they were formerly. When we arrived at the gate of the city there was a blind man sitting
by the road through the gate, and ye must know that this slave opened his eyes; now what
would ye counsel me to do with this man? His master declared that he was greatly skilled
in the treatment of vineyards which had fallen into decay, and that he knew how to renew
the vines." And his friends said unto him, "If he be indeed skilled, and knoweth how to
treat vineyards in this manner, put him to the work and make trial of his skill; and if he
be not able to do [as he saith], then sell him, and get back his price."

13 Now by reason of this [advice the nobleman] called unto him all the vine-dressers who
tended his vines, and G he sent for Bartholomew, and he set him in the midst of them and
said unto them, "Behold, I have set this man among (i. e., over) you, and unto everything
which he shall say unto you ye shall hearken;" and Bartholomew went forth to his lord's
vineyard and worked therein. And he worked in the vineyard every day, and when the evening
came he used to come into the city and continue to teach for the rest of the night,
according as he was able; and he dwelt [there] forty days, and was teaching in this wise,
but there was no man who listened unto him. And after forty days Bar- 134b. tholomew wept,
and [spake] unto God, saying, "O Jesus Christ, how long shall I abide here in this
[city]?" Then he stood up and prayed with great fervour that strength might be given unto
him, and that marvellous things might be made manifest through him. And it came to pass
that, when he had finished his prayer, he spake unto the blind man, whose eyes he had
opened, who was with Bartholomew, and who had never separated from him during the whole
time in which he had dwelt in the city, even from the time when he first came therein,
[saying, "go into the city]."

14 And the nobleman (i. e., the master of the camels) said unto Bartholomew, "When shall I
invite my friends to come to the vineyard and see the new method by which thou art
treating the grapes this day?" Now the [blind] man departed into the city even as he had
commanded him. And it came to pass that when he had departed, the Apostle took three
branches of a [withered] vine and suspended them upon props of wood forthwith, and
immediately he had suspended them they bore fine fruit. Now when the nobleman came with
his friends, he saw that all the branches of the vine had begun to sprout as soon as they
were suspended upon the wooden props by the slave Bartholomew, and that the vine was
bearing clusters of grapes. Then they fell upon their hands before the slave Bartholomew,
and they prostrated themselves before him, and said unto him, "Thou art our Lord, Art thou
a god who hast revealed thyself upon the earth? Who art thou among the gods? Peradventure
thou art Kûrônôs (Kronos)? Declare unto us what sacrifice thou desirest, and we will offer
it up unto thee." And the Apostle answered and said unto them, "I am not one of these
beings [as] ye imagine, but I am a servant of Jesus."

15 And Bartholomew commanded that they should bring canes (or reeds) unto him so that he
might suspend the rest of the [branches of the] vines upon them, and the nobleman went to
fetch canes for him; and a great snake which was among the canes coiled itself round his
hands and bit him, and he fell down upon the ground in great pain, and his servants wept.
And Bartholomew said unto them, "Why do ye weep? Is there not a physician [here] who can
heal him?" And one of the servants of the nobleman went quickly to his wife and told her,
and a physician came to heal him, but he found him to be dead. Then Bartholomew commanded
that all the people should be gathered together unto him, and he baptized them, saying,
"In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost." And he took a bunch of
grapes from the vine which had sprouted, and had borne fruit through him, and he squeezed
out the juice thereof into a cup; and he brought forth pure bread, and he made a prayer
and gave thanks, and he brake [the bread], and gave unto the multitudes the Body of our
Lord and His precious Blood.

16 And all the friends of the nobleman rent their garments and wept for him. Now meanwhile
the Apostle was working with the canes, and was singing, and those who were seated [there]
said, "Look at this wicked slave, for instead of weeping for his master he rejoiceth
greatly [at his death]; and as for the speech which he uttereth we have no knowledge of
its meaning. Then other men who were among them answered and said, "He is not a wicked
slave, for we have seen marvellous things [wrought] by him, the like of which our fathers
neither heard nor saw. And Bartholomew made haste to finish his work, and when he had done
so, he washed his hands, and said unto them that wept, "Ye have wept tears enough; get ye
away to a distance from the man that ye may see the glory of my God, and His might; and
they did as he had commanded them, and went away some distance from the body of the
nobleman.

17 Then Bartholomew stretched out his hand, saying, "O my God, Thou Sustainer of all
things, Who dwellest in the habitation of Thy glory, Who hast created the heavens, and the
earth, and the sea, and all that therein is, Who through Thy beloved Son Jesus Christ hast
not left us in bondage to our enemy Satan, and hast redeemed us by the precious Blood of
Jesus Christ, the holy Seed which beareth fruit in the bodies of the pure, Who did go
forth into the desert to seek the sheep that was cast away until He did bring him back
into the beautiful fold; unto Thee I pray, O my Lord Jesus Christ, and I make supplication
unto Thee on behalf of this man whom the snake hath bitten, and I beseech Thee that the
snake may come back and remove her poison which she hath cast into the body of this man,
and that the man may come to life [again], and may glorify Thy Name in this city."

18 And it came to pass that whilst Bartholomew was praying, the serpent came forth from
the place wherein she dwelt, and stood up before Bartholomew, and said unto him, "Why dost
thou command me to withdraw the poison from the man? [For if I do] I shall die, and he
will live." Then Bartholomew answered and said unto her, "Why dost thou multiply speech?
since thou knowest who thou art and who is thy father. But in order that [these people]
may know the Father, [do thou even as thou art bidden." Therefore did the snake come forth
to the place where the dead man was, and she withdrew the poison from him]; and thereupon
he came to life again, and rose up, [and became] as he was formerly. And it came to pass
that when they saw this marvellous thing, the people fell down at the feet of the saint,
and said unto him, "Verily, thy God is a great God and a mighty God, since He can raise
the dead." Then the nobleman who had returned to life rose up, and said, "Observe ye these
marvellous things which have been made manifest. The man whom I 136a.

19 "bought, thinking that he was a man, is a god; and he whom I bought and declared to be
a slave is a nobleman!" Then the nobleman went to the Apostle, and said unto him, "O
master, I adjure thee by our Lord Jesus Christ, our God Whom I saw standing by thee at the
moment when thou didst raise me up from the dead: I "adjure thee in His Name not to refuse
me the request which I make unto thee, and to give me an answer thereto." And the Apostle
said unto him, "If that which thou shalt ask of me be a fair request, I will deal with
thee in a fair manner; but tell me now, what is thy request?" And the nobleman said unto
him, "I would that thou didst command me to do away with the vineyard, and to build a fair
church in the place thereof, for in that place I learned to know God, and in that place I
died, and in that place I came to life [again]." And the Apostle said unto him, "It shall
be even as thou sayest." Then straightway the nobleman commanded them to dig up the
vineyard; and they brought dry reeds (or stubble), and he made a trench in the surface of
the ground for the foundations of the church, and he commanded them to bring masons and
workmen of every kind who are employed in building, and a beautiful church was built from
the beginning even unto the completion thereof. And Bartholomew appointed as priest the
nobleman whom he had raised from the dead, and he appointed deacons [for the
congregation]. And he dwelt in the city for [three] months teaching the people, and he
healed all those who were sick therein, and he brought them unto God Almighty; and [when]
he went forth [from] them they sent him away in peace, saying unto him, "There is no God
but Jesus Christ Who hath sent thee unto us to cleanse us from our sins." So Bartholomew
departed from Elwāḥ, and journeyed to the country of N'īndōs (Naidas) to preach therein in
the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to Whom be glory and honour for ever and ever! Amen,
and Amen.


THE CONTENDINGS OF THE APOSTLES, PART 1
=======================================

THE CONTENDINGS OF THE APOSTLES, PART 1 continued

THE MARTYRDOM OF SAINT BARTHOLOMEW IN NAIDAS

1 Here beginneth the Martyrdom of Saint Bartholomew, the Apostle of our Lord Jesus Christ;
now his death took place on the first day of the month Maskarram. In the peace of God,
Amen. May his prayer and blessing be with His handmaiden Walatta Madhan! And it came to
pass that when Bartholomew had journeyed to Nasmêfin and Niêndôs (Naidas), [which were
two] great cities built upon the sea shore, [he found] that the people thereof had no
knowledge of God Almighty, and that they were like unto sheep which had lost themselves
through the greatness of their foolish simplicity. And when Bartholomew, the blessed
Apostle, had come to them he preached unto them the Gospel of God, and when he had entered
into the city he preached unto those who were therein, saying, "Hearken, O ye who dwell in
this city. "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the king-dom of heaven.

2 "Blessed are the merciful, for unto them shall [men] shew mercy. "Blessed are the makers
of peace, for they shall be called the children of God. "Blessed are those who hunger and
thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. "Blessed are those who give unto
the poor, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. These are they who give a pledge unto God.
"Blessed are those who have wives, but are as those who have them not, for they shall
inherit the earth." 3 Now as the people were listening unto this doctrine from Saint
Bartholomew, God Almighty, the Father and the Sustainer of all things, opened their
hearts, and they accepted the commandments of God Almighty the Sustainer of all things,
Who desireth that the sinner shall receive life, and shall return unto Him that He may
forgive him. In this wise He gave unto the people of [that] city the power of the
knowledge of Him, and a right mind, from the greatest of them even unto the least, and
they hearkened and believed in God Almighty and in His Gospel, and in the word of
Bartholomew, which became sweet in the hearts, even as is honey in the belly, of all those
who listened [thereto]. And the people of the cities and of all the countries round about
them forsook the service of idols, and believed in God Almighty Who hath the desire to
save the seed of Adam; and He turned their hearts to receive the faith which is in Him,
that He might save their souls and grant forgiveness unto them, and every man among them
remitted his neighbour's debt to him. Then the people of the city and of the regions round
about it called upon Bartholomew to bless them, and all the inhabitants thereof, both male
and female, and they loved God, and they submitted unto His command, and they forsook all
the works of Satan in this transitory world, and they loved purity.

4 And it came to pass that the story of Saint Bartholomew and of his preaching went forth
into every place, and all those who heard the preaching of the Gospel believed in God
Almighty with all their hearts. And the renown of Bartholomew came unto 'Akrēpās (Acarpus)
the king, and when the wife of the king heard thereof she departed from his bed and from
pollution by the king. And it came to pass that, when the king knew that his wife had left
him because of the words of Bartholomew, who commanded every one in the knowledge of
righteousness in the faith of Jesus Christ [so to do], he sent [orders] that they should
bring him unto him quickly. And when he had come the king said unto him, "Art thou
Bartholomew the sorcerer and the man (i. e., follower) of Jesus Christ?" Then Bartholomew
made answer unto him with great boldness and readiness, and said unto him, "I am not, O
king, a sorcerer as thou sayest, for sorcery cannot be wrought in the Name of Jesus; but
all sorcery, and the evil works of every kind which are wrought perish when the Name of
Jesus is mentioned." Then the king commanded them to take him out of his presence, and he
ordered those who were with him to bring his wife unto him.

5 Then Saint Bartholomew stood up at a little distance from the king, and he stretched out
his hands, and prayed the prayer of the Gospel, and said "Amen." And a certain man, who
was blind in his right eye, (now he could see nothing whatever therewith) and whose hand
and arm had been dried up from the day of his birth, came towards the Apostle, and drew
nigh unto him, and besought him to heal him; and immediately the Apostle had looked upon
the man his eye was opened and it became like unto its fellow. And the Apostle said unto
him, "I say unto thee, Give me thy hand and arm, that the might of Christ may be revealed,
and that all men may see and may believe in His holy Name;" and as the man was putting
them forth from his apparel, he found that the [withered] hand and arm were living and
were like unto the other hand and arm. Thereupon the man went forth among the people
glorifying God, and giving thanks unto Him, and he preached in the blessed name of the
Apostle; and he went about throughout the whole country preaching and making known unto
the people the fair deed which God had done for him, and the power which God had made to
appear at the hands of Saint Bartholomew.

6 Then 'Akripōs (Acarpus) the king said unto the nobles of his kingdom and unto all his
servants, "If [we allow] this disciple to dwell and to live in these districts, he will
lead us all into his fair path [of life]; it is for us to kill him, and we must do away
his body so that it may not be found;" and they answered and said unto him, "Let it be as
the king hath commanded." Now their hearts were sad, and they were unwilling to slay him,
for they were rejoicing because they had seen the multitudes of marvellous things which
God Almighty had revealed at his hands. And they said unto the king, If it please thee, O
king, let us drive him from our "district;" now the people of the city wished to save the
Apostle from the hands of the king. Then was the king angry with a great anger, and he
swore with a mighty oath that he would not hearken unto their words, and that, on the
contrary, he wished to kill him by means of an evil death; and they were unable to answer
him a word.

7 And Bartholomew went round about through the country and preached unto them the
preaching of the Gospel, and he taught the multitudes, and commanded them to learn the
faith of our Lord Jesus Christ. And by reason of this thing a certain evil man came unto
the king and said unto him, "Knowest thou not that Bartholomew is going round about the
whole country disobeying thy commandment and blaspheming thy gods?" And it came to pass
that when the king heard thereof, he was wroth with a great wrath because of this thing,
and he sent certain captains of his host, together with a large number of men, to seek out
Bartholomew. And he commanded them that wheresoever they found him they were to bind his
hands and his feet, and to cast him into the sea, so that he might not again be found [on
the earth]. 8 And it came to pass that, when the messengers had set out on their way, they
found Bartholomew casting out a devil from a man who had been subject unto him for a very
long time past, and he was teaching the multitude and commanding them to believe in God,
our Lord Jesus Christ. And when the messengers had come up to the blessed Apostle, he met
them with the salutation of peace, and said unto them, "Peace! May God be with you, O my
brethren!" And they stood before him talking together and marvelling at his simplicity,
and at the beauty of his appearance. Then they said unto him, "Wilt thou be pleased to
come with us unto the king? Now he calleth for thee. If thou be not pleased so to do we
will not command thee to come with us; against thy will we do not wish thee to come, for
we believe that God is with thee in all thy work." Then the Apostle said within himself
(or in the spirit), "It is not meet for me to transgress the command of God Almighty, Who
saith, 'Ye shall enter into the presence of kings and governors for My Name's sake.'"
Therefore they desired this thing and he went with them into the presence of 'Akrēpōs the
king [who] looked at him, and said unto him, "Art thou he that troubleth the city and all
the districts thereof, and that separateth wives from their husbands?" And Saint
Bartholomew answered and said, "It is not I who trouble the city, and it is not I who
tempt wives from their husbands; but those who believe in God with all their hearts and
with all their souls doth He endow with purity. And moreover, 'Akrēpōs, if thou wilt
hearken unto me, thou shalt deliver thyself, and shalt inherit the kingdom of heaven in
the place of this fleeting kingdom."

9 And it came to pass that when 'Akrēpōs heard these words from him, he was angry with a
great anger, for he had kept in his mind how his wife had separated herself from him. Then
he commanded the officers of See St. Matt. x. 18; St. Mark. xiii. 9; St. Luke xxi. 12. his
guards to fill a sack with sand, and to put Saint Bartholomew therein and to cast him into
the sea; and they did as the king had commanded them. Now he died on the first day of the
month Maskarram, and afterwards the waves of the sea cast him up, and on the day following
certain believing men, who had confessed the faith in God through him, swathed him in
swathings, and laid him in a fair place. 1392. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and
to the Holy Spirit, now, henceforth, and for ever and ever. Amen, and Amen. So be it!

THE ACTS OF SAINT ANDREW AND SAINT MATTHEW IN THE CITY OF KAHÊNÂT

1 Here begin the Acts which Matthew, the Apostle and Evangelist, wrought in the city of
Kahēnât. In the peace of our Lord Jesus Christ. May his prayer and his blessing be with
his handmaiden Wafatta Madḥan! Amen. 2 And it came to pass that Peter and Andrew returned
from the country of Greece [where] they had strengthened [the people] in the faith, and
taught them the Law of belief; now as they were journeying along the road Matthew met them
and they embraced each other in a spiritual embrace. Then Matthew said unto them, "[Whence
have ye come?" And they said unto him, "From Greece]." And Matthew said unto them, "And I
have come from the country of Pērākōmnōs," which is, being interpreted, Those who
rejoice;" and they each described unto the others all the sufferings which had befallen
them. Then Matthew said unto them, "In the city where I have been our Lord Jesus Christ
doth dwell always, and He doth keep the feast with them, and He hath stablished His seat
in their church, in the east thereof, and He teacheth them His commandment. And it came to
pass that when I entered into their city, I preached unto them, and I told them the story
of the Gospel in His Name. And they said unto me, 'We know this Name.' And I said unto
them, 'Who hath told it unto you?' and they said unto me, 'Have patience until to-morrow,
and thou shalt see Him of Whom thou hast told us.' And it came to pass that, when the
morrow had come, our Lord Jesus Christ arrived, and He was seated upon a shining cloud,
and all the powers of heaven were blessing Him. Now when I had seen Him, by reason of the
greatness of [my] gladness—for I rejoiced in the Holy Spirit—I cried out, saying, 'Ascribe
praise and glory unto the king, and exalt ye His Sublimity unto all eternity.' For three
days we blessed [Him] in the church, and when the three days were ended He blessed us, and
then ascended into heaven with great glory.

3 "And I said unto them, 'How did ye make yourselves worthy of the great honour of our
Lord Jesus Christ keeping the festival with you?' And they said unto me, 'Hast thou not
heard the story concerning the nine tribes and the half tribe whom God Almighty brought
into the land of inheritance? We are they! And it came to pass that when it was mid-day
Gabriel, the Angel of God, came unto us, and there came with him the four hundred and
forty thousand and four hundred "children whom Herod had slain, and who had not defiled
"their hearts in the world; and when they were ascribing "praises [unto Him], we also
ascribed praises [unto "Him] with them, and when they said, 'Hallelujah,' we "also said,
'Hallelujah,' with them. As for gold and silver "we desire it not in our country; we eat
not flesh and "we drink not wine in our country, for our food is honey

4 "and our drink is the dew. And we do not look upon "the face of women with sinful
desire, and our firstborn "children do we offer as a gift unto God that they may "minister
in the church and in the sanctuary all the days "of their life until they be thirty years
[of age]. The "water which we drink [floweth] not from cisterns which "have been hewn by
the hand of man, but [we drink] "of the water which floweth from Paradise. We do not
"array ourselves in apparel which hath been made by the "hand of man, but our raiment is
made of the leaves of "trees. No word of lying hear we in our land, and no "man knoweth
another who speaketh that which is false. "No man taketh to wife two women in our country,
and "the son dieth not before his father, and the young man

5 "speaketh not in the presence of the aged, "the lions dwell with us, but they do no harm
unto us, "and we do no harm unto them. When the winds are "lifted up we smell the scent of
Paradise, and in our "country there is neither spring, nor cold, nor ice; but "there are
winds and they are [always] pleasant.' And it came to pass that when I heard [these words]
I wished that my dwelling-place had been with them, until mine eyes were weary [with the
sight of them, and mine ears] with listening unto the sweet sound of their voice." And
after these things Peter and Andrew blessed God Almighty, and they entreated Him to reveal
unto them the place whither they should go. Then our Lord Jesus Christ appeared unto them
standing in their midst, and He said unto them, "Peace be unto you, O My holy disciples,
whom My Father hath chosen out of all creation; be strong and believe that I will be with
you always, and I will never be remote from you whatever may be the place to which ye have
journeyed." And the Apostles bowed low before Him even to the ground, and they said [unto
Him], "We bless Thy Name, O Lord, and we give thanks unto Thee always. Command us and
declare unto us the way wherein we should go." Then our Lord spake unto Peter, and
commanded him to go to the city of Rome, and He commanded Andrew to go to the city of
Mesyâ, and Matthew unto the City of Kâhenât. And Matthew said unto our Lord, "Nay, but I
know not Kâhenât, and I have never entered into the city of its people." And our Lord said
unto him, "Hitherto thou hast been of little faith. But set thou out on the road, and it
shall bring thee unto two roads; of these journey thou upon that which is on thy right
hand, and it shall bring thee unto their city." And as they were talking together in this
wise a cloud made its appearance, and it bore Peter and Andrew away and brought them unto
their places wherein our Lord had commanded them to preach.

6 And Matthew journeyed along a little way, and he lifted up his eyes unto heaven, and he
prayed and said, "O Thou Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who didst converse with Abraham;
and didst make perfect his progeny in Isaac; and didst stablish a testimony in Jacob, and
Thy gift of grace in Joseph, and Thy Law in Moses; and didst keep Thy people in the desert
for forty years, and didst overshadow them by day with a cloud, and didst give them light
by night by a pillar of fire; and didst blot out for them their enemies under their feet;
and didst bring them forth from the Red Sea, and didst lead them out into a land prepared
for them, which Thou didst promise [to give] unto their fathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob;
be Thou unto me a guide on this road." And straightway a cloud came and bore away Matthew
and brought him unto the City of Kâhenât; and it came to pass that when he had seen the
city he rejoiced and desired to enter [therein].

7 And Matthew saw before him a young man who was a keeper of sheep, and when he had come
up with him he said unto him, "I say unto thee, O thou young man, thou keeper of sheep,
Which is the road which will bring me into this city?" And the young man said unto him,
"This road [will take thee into the city], but thou wilt not be able to enter therein
dressed in this apparel, for it is not like unto the apparel of [the men of] our city; now
thy raiment is dirty, and if thou hast the desire to come into the city take off the
apparel which is upon thee, and array thyself in the garb of the priests. And next shave
off the hair of thy head and beard, and gird up thy loins, and take in thy 11* right hand
a palm branch of Hosanna, and make unto thyself sandals of palm leaves and shoe thy feet
therewith; then shall thy apparel be like unto that of the men of the city, and thou
mayest enter therein."

8 And it came to pass that when Matthew heard these words from him (or them) his heart was
sad, and he went back along the road whereon he had travelled, and he did not desire to
enter into the city. Now the young man who had spoken to him was our Lord Jesus Christ,
and when Matthew was going back along the road He followed him for a little way, and
stretched out His hand, and made him to turn round. And Matthew said unto Him, "How
knowest Thou me? Who told Thee my name?" Then the young man said unto him, "I know thee, O
Matthew. Turn back, and travel on to the city, and enter into it. I am Jesus thy God, do
therefore that which I have commanded thee, and let not thine heart be sad; if, however,
thou dost not do as I have said unto thee, thou wilt not be able to enter into the city."
Then Matthew did as our Lord Jesus Christ commanded him, and our Lord Jesus walked with
him, and brought him to the gate of the city, and said unto him, "Be strong, O Matthew, My
Apostle, and hold fast, and endure patiently, for the king of this city shall scourge thee
with many scourgings, and they shall cast thee into prison; and afterwards they shall burn
thy body with fire. Keep thyself firm, and fear not; be not terrified, neither be
dismayed. For the king shall be converted, and shall believe in Me, together with all
those who dwell in the city. Now for this reason the people shall wish to burn thee with
fire, [but the flames of fire] wherewith [they would do so] shall leap up and shall
consume their god Apollo. And as for thee, endure thou patiently and cry out upon My Name,
for I will hearken unto thee, and I [will be] with thee at all times, and I will be remote
neither from thee nor from thy brother Apostles in any place whithersoever thou goest."
And as our Lord was saying these words unto Matthew, He went up from him into heaven in
great glory.

9 Then Matthew rose up and came into the city, and he asked the people of the city,
saying, "Where is the temple?" And they said unto him, "Where is thine own city?" and he
said unto them, "I am a handicraftsman from the country of Egypt." And they said unto him,
"For what purpose hast thou come [hither]? And what seekest thou?" And he said unto them,
"I have come to learn (literally, see) the doctrine of your god, and what he teacheth
you." And they said unto the Apostle, "It is not our god who teacheth us anything, and we
never hear a word from him, and as for the offerings which we offer unto him we know not
who eateth them, for it is the men who minister unto him who receive [our] gifts from us."
Then the Apostle said unto them, "Do ye yourselves not belong to the body of the priests?"
And they said unto him, "Yea, we are of the great ones among the priests who minister unto
the gods." And Matthew said unto them, "Are all your gods of one rank and equality?" And
they said unto him, "Apollo is the greatest." Then the Apostle said unto them, "Apollo
loveth the rich and hateth the poor, this god Apollo is a balance which doth not act
justly.

10 "Now I should like to see the face of your god, and to hold converse with him, and I
would ask him, 'Wherefore lovest thou the rich and hatest the poor? For they all are thy
servants, and it is meet that thou shouldst pay '[equal] honour unto them all.'" And it
came to pass that when the people of the city heard the words of the Apostle, they divided
themselves into two companies; and they spake the one unto the other, saying, "Let us go
with him into the temple that we may hear his words." So they went with Matthew, and they
came into the temple, and brought him unto the priest, and said unto him, "Behold, this
man hath arrived from the country of Egypt; come forth and hold "converse with him." And
when Matthew came unto him, he embraced him with a spiritual embrace, for he desired to
save him. Now when Matthew had embraced 'Armis the priest, the hand (or might) of God
Almighty came down upon him, and he said unto the Apostle, "Whence art thou? Whence comest
thou? And who art thou? For when I had been embraced by thee there came down upon me great
grace; tell me who thou art, O my Lord." And the Apostle said unto him, "I belong to a
noble tribe, and I am a priest of God;" and Matthew rejoiced because of the grace which
had descended upon 'Armis the priest. And Armis the priest said unto him, "I wish to know
how thou didst find the way, and didst come into this city; and Matthew said unto him, "My
God brought me herein. [And 'Armis the priest] said unto him, "How did it happen? [And the
Apostle said unto him], "He took hold of my hand, and set me down at the gate of the city.
And 'Armis said unto him, "I desire to see thy God. And the Apostle said unto him, "If
thou believest in Him, and dost keep His commandment, and dost believe in everything which
I say unto thee, and art certain that He [is], then will I cause my God to hold converse
with thee; for my Lord is a righteous God, and He revealeth not Himself unto the man of
folly, on the contrary, from the man who is impure He is hidden, and [not] manifest. And
'Armis the priest said unto him, "Where dwelleth thy God?"; and the Apostle said unto him,
"In my country. Then 'Armis said unto him, "Where is thy country? And Matthew said unto
him, "My country is in the holy country, and all the ways [of the people] are in
righteousness. And the country is the country of light; and those who dwell therein die
not; in my country there is no darkness, for the whole of it is light, and my God
illumineth all those who are therein; and death [cometh] not upon the people of my
country.

11 The whole of my country is furnished with seats (or habitations), and it is full of
sweet scents, and in it are very many gardens into which the righteous may enter. In my
country there is no one who hath the desire of sin, but all the dwellers therein are
righteous. In my country no man is a slave, but all men are free; my God is both merciful
and compassionate, and He giveth unto the poor and maketh them to have possessions in
abundance. In my country there is no man who hateth another, but all are friends; in my
country there is neither backbiting nor calumny, but all are well-pleasing, each to the
other; in my country there is neither evil nor transgression, but every man is at peace;
in my country there is no oppressor, but all men are lowly; in my country there is no
sound of sorrow, but every man rejoiceth and is glad."

12 And it came to pass that when 'Armis the priest heard [these words] from Matthew he
said unto him, "How can it be that there is no unclean person in thy country?" And Matthew
answered and said unto him, "Because my God Himself is pure." Then 'Armis the priest said
unto him, "I wish to come with thee into thy country." And Matthew said unto him, "Thou
shalt both come into my country, and see my God, if thou wilt become a partner with me in
the faith [of Christ] and in the Holy Mysteries." And when the evening was come Matthew
said unto 'Armis the priest, "Hasten thy work;" and 'Armis said unto him, "Tarry for me
whilst I go and light the lamp of Apollo before I go to my evening meal;" and Matthew said
unto him, "Dost thou light a lamp for thy god?" And 'Armis said unto him, "I not only
light a lamp for him, but I wash him, and I decorate him until he is beautiful [to look
upon], and I carry him about from place to place." And Matthew said unto him, "My God
giveth light unto me, and all those who minister unto Him do shine with His light at all
times, and all

13 "those who minister unto Him doth He surround with light; and all those who glorify Him
array themselves in apparel of light." And 'Armis said unto him, "I will go with thee into
thy city;" and Matthew said unto him, "Seek not to go forth with me into my city, for I
call upon the Name of my God, and when I have called He cometh unto me; and when He hath
come unto me He maketh the temple, (or synagogue) to be bright with light." And 'Armis
said unto him, "I desire to see this wonderful thing." Then Matthew lifted up his eyes to
heaven and spake, saying, "I beseech Thee, O my Lord, Thou Sustainer of all things; Who
dwellest in the habitation of the glory of Thy Father; my Lord and God, Jesus Christ, the
King of glory; Who clothest the naked with raiment; thou King of the righteous, Thou Light
of the blind, Thou Light of the World, Thou Lamp that canst not be extinguished, Thou
Light nigh unto which no darkness can come; Thou Axe that cuttest down every tree that
bringeth not forth good fruit; Thou Fire that consumest every god which is the work of the
hand of man; Thou Tree of Life that givest life unto all the world, my Lord and my God
Jesus Christ; let Thy mercy come unto me; and hearken unto my prayer, and send Thy light
and Thy righteousness upon me; and drive away sorrow from my soul; and make Thy light, and
Thy righteousness, and Thy mercy to rise like the Sun upon me."

14 And it came to pass that, when Matthew had finished his prayer, there rose upon them a
mighty light, and when 'Armis saw it he fell on his face upon the ground. Then a mighty
commotion took place in the city by reason of the exceedingly great light, and the earth
trembled and was moved; and Apollo fell down, and he and all the images [of the gods]
which were in the temple were broken in pieces, and none of them was left whole, and they
were all dashed into small pieces. Then Matthew lifted up Armis from the ground, and said
unto him, "Look now at your god! How can he who is not able to save himself save others?"
And Armis rose up, and came unto the place where Apollo was, and he found him overthrown
and broken in pieces; and he spurned him with his foot, and said unto him, "O Apollo, thou
canst not save thyself, how then canst thou save others? Good is the name which [this man]
hath called thee."

15 Then Matthew said unto him, "Come forth now, and leave this contemptible thing which
hath fallen upon his face;" and 'Armis went forth and took hold of the hand of Matthew,
and said unto him, "Come with me into my habitation, that thou mayest eat bread." And
Matthew said unto him, "Yes, let us eat [but what shall we eat?] "Let us tell Apollo to
make ready for us something that we may eat." Then 'Armis said unto him, "Whilst he was in
his glory and majesty he never.45b. 16 "at any time did the like of this; how, then, after
he hath been broken and dashed into pieces, and hath come into the hand of a man that he
may spurn him with his foot, can he do this thing?" And Matthew said, "My God hath the
power to send unto us that which we may eat;" and 'Armis said unto him, "I entreat thee
[to ask Him to do so], for I believe that which thou sayest unto me concerning the Light
which came down unto us, and I wish that He would send [food] unto us." And Matthew said
unto him, "I will bring unto thee that which thou hast asked of me," and he stretched out
his hands, and he made supplication, saying, "O God of the sinners who repent and turn
away [from their sin]; Who convertest the souls which have been cast away unto the
knowledge of Himself; Who sanctifiest soul and body together; Thou Word that camest down
from heaven; Thou manna that wast made to come down in the desert; Thou Word who art
exalted above all things; Thou Guide of the souls which have been lost; Who didst bring
the celestial food into the desert which the children of Israel did eat when fasting with
gladness; Thou Food of the famishing; Thou Vivifier of the soul and of the body; Thou, my
Lord Jesus Christ, Who hast held me to be worthy of this spiritual service, do Thou send
upon me Thy glory, and Thy blessing, and Thy honour, for ever and ever! Amen."

17 And it came to pass that by reason of this prayer there came unto them a table of
light, whereupon was bread as white as snow, and a leather bottle of wine. And Matthew
said unto 'Armis, "Thou art not worthy to eat of this bread until thou hast become a
partaker with me in the belief (or faith), and in the Holy Mysteries;" and 'Armis said
unto him, "Haste thee, and make me worthy to receive them." Thereupon Matthew taught him
the word of life, and revealed unto him the knowledge of the faith; and he baptized him in
the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, and he gave unto him of
the holy bread and wine. And Matthew prayed a second time, and made the table to ascend
unto its own place. Then Matthew and 'Armis went out and covered over [with earth] the
place where Apollo was, and they closed the doors of the temple and they came to the house
of Armis together; and Matthew taught the people therein the knowledge [of Christ], and he
baptized them in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, and there
was great joy in the house of Armis. 153a.

18 And it came to pass that when the morrow had come the king came forth to go into the
temple, but he found the gates shut; and he commanded them to bring 'Armis the priest
there. And when he stood before him, the king said unto him, "Why hast thou dared to close
the gates of the temple? And why hast thou covered over [with earth] the place of Apollo,
the great god?" And 'Armis said unto him, "He was not able to save A..46b. himself: how
then hath he the power to save others?" And the king said unto him, "Who is able to save
himself?" And 'Armis said unto the king, "Apollo hath not the power to save himself. Only
Jesus, the Son of God, the Living One, the Saviour of souls, the Raiser of the dead, the
Glory of the righteous, Who hath brought to nought all the counsel of the Enemy, Who hath
seized Satan and hath set him under His feet, can do this." Then the king said unto
'Armis, "Where hast thou learned the Name of Jesus?" And 'Armis said unto him, "I heard it
from His disciple Matthew, who found me out and made me worthy to know it; and He hath
made His light to shine upon me, and upon all those who are in my habitation." Now when
the king heard these words from him he was angry with a great anger, and he commanded them
to bind the feet of 'Armis and of Matthew with cords, and to drag them round about A..46b.
through the city until their limbs were cut to pieces, and their blood flowed, and pieces
of their flesh clung to the road, and to beat them with sticks; and when the people had
done this the king commanded them to cast Armis and Matthew into prison.

19 And the king went into the temple, wherein Apollo was, and he found that all the images
which were in the temple had been broken to pieces, and that Apollo himself had been
dashed into small pieces. Then by reason of this thing was the king dismayed, and he and
all those who were with him rent their garments; and he commanded them to bring 'Armis and
Matthew thither that they might burn them in fire. And there was a great tumult in the
city, for an earthquake took place, and all the images fell down upon their faces and were
dashed in pieces; and they (i. e., the people) cried out with a loud voice, saying, "There
is no god but Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God, the First and the Last. Now the
people of the city were divided into two companies, the one believing on Jesus, and the
other on Apollo. And the people who were the followers of Apollo were saying, "Let them
bring these sorcerers forth and burn them in fire; and those who believed in Christ said,
"We will not give these men up [to you]. Then the king commanded them to bring out much
wood, and to kindle a fire that they might burn 'Armis and Matthew alive therein; but
those who believed in our Lord Jesus Christ armed themselves with weapons, and they made
themselves helpers of Armis and Matthew, and delivered them.

20 And they said unto the followers of Apollo, "We will not let the servants of God be
burnt in the fire, for it is not just [so to do]. And the king said unto them, "Why do ye
act thus hostilely against Apollo and all the gods? And they said unto him, "Because
Apollo had not the power to save himself from the destruction which came upon him, and
behold, all the idols that were in our houses have been broken in pieces; how then can he
save others?". Then the king commanded them to burn the bodies of the disciples 'Armis and
Matthew, and [not] to let them remain [alive] for a single hour. And there was great
dissension in the city between the men of Christ and the men of Apollo, and through the
same Matthew cried out with a loud voice, saying, "O brethren, seek ye not to give
pleasure unto men by provoking God Almighty to wrath. Now whilst they were conversing
together messengers came from the house of the king, and told Matthew that the only son of
the king was dead; and he hastened back into his habitation, he and all those who dwelt
therein. And those who believed in Apollo, and those who believed in Christ stood up with
the Apostle, (now they were in number about four thousand souls) and Matthew taught them
and spake unto them, and commanded them, saying, "Your belief shall be [made] perfect, and
ye shall see new wonders." Then Matthew went unto the king and said unto him, "I see that
thy heart is sorrow-stricken because thy son hath died; call now upon Apollo that he may
raise him up [again] for thee." And the king said unto Matthew, "Which of the gods can
make the dead to live again?" And the Apostle said unto him, "My Lord Jesus Christ, the
Son of the Living God, [can do this]; and if thou wilt believe in Him He will raise up thy
son alive from

21 "the dead for thee." Then the king swore a mighty oath unto the Apostle and said unto
him, "If I see this marvellous thing [wrought] by thy God Jesus Christ, and He raise up my
son from the dead, I will never again worship Apollo, nor any other idol whatsoever." 22
And when Matthew had heard [these] words from the king, he became strong in the strength
of the Holy Spirit, and he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and stretching out his hands he
prayed, saying, "I bless Thee, O my Lord Jesus Christ, at all times, O Thou Whose
habitation, which is exalted above the heights, groweth not old. And I give praise unto
Thee because Thou didst not conceal Thyself [but didst give Thyself] for sinners, and
didst make us to be participators [in] the faith; and I give thanks unto Thee because Thou
Thyself alone canst raise up the dead [to life]. And I beseech Thee, O Sustainer of all,
Thou Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to send Thy exalted and sublime power to break the
thorn of death, and to destroy all its power; and may the keepers of the gates of Sheol
fall down; and may the guardians [thereot] be destroyed and put to shame; and may all the
deceits of devils be brought to nought, and may the head of the Serpent be broken! Send
Thou Thy hand from above, O my Lord Jesus Christ, and raise up the young man so that the
king and all those who dwell in this city may believe. And it came to pass 154b.

23 that when Saint Matthew had made an end of his prayer, he rose up and went to the place
wherein was the dead man, and taking him by his hand, he said unto him, "O thou young man,
in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ, rise up and live! And by reason of this the young
man made haste [to rise up], and he took hold of Matthew's hand at that moment, and said
unto him, "I beseech thee, O servant of God Almighty, to baptize me, and I entreat thee, O
good one, to make me a participator in the Holy Mysteries, and not to send me back again
into Sheol." 24 And it came to pass that, when the king saw this wonderful thing which God
had brought forth in the days of the Apostle Saint Matthew, he rose up without delay, and
in that same hour he commanded all those who were in the city to be baptized, together
with all the people who were in his house, by the hands of Matthew, in the Name of the
Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. And there was great rejoicing in the city,
and the king burnt Apollo in the fire which he had made in order to burn Matthew; and the
fire did not separate itself from Apollo until it had turned him into ashes. Now by reason
of this thing the people of the city believed in our Lord Jesus Christ through Matthew,
the blessed Apostle. And after these things our Lord Jesus Christ appeared unto Matthew
the blessed Apostle [and said unto him], "Strengthen and fortify thy faith, and keep thou
in remembrance the words which I have spoken unto thee; and be not dismayed, and fear not,
but abide patiently, for I have in this city certain elect souls who believe on Me through
thy words." And Matthew said unto Him, "Yea, my Lord!" And He said unto Matthew and unto
'Armis, "Baptize ye the people, and strengthen them against their sins;" and then having
finished conversing with them our Lord went up into heaven with great glory, whilst all
the people of the city were looking at Him. Then the king and the people of the city
overthrew the temple of Apollo, and they built a church [which] Matthew consecrated; and
he appointed 'Armis to be their Bishop, and he established priests and deacons over them,
and gave them the Gospel, and he dwelt with them until their faith grew strong, when he
went forth from them in peace. And when he had gone outside the city, he turned his face
to them, and said unto them, "The grace and the peace of God be with you for ever and
ever." Amen, and Amen.

THE MARTYRDOM OF SAINT MATTHEW IN PARTHIA

1 Here beginneth the Martyrdom of Saint Matthew the good Evangelist; now the end of his
testimony took place on the twelfth day of the month Telem. In the peace of God. May his
prayer and his blessing be with his handmaiden Walatta Madhan! Amen. And it came to pass
that, when Matthew the Evangelist had come unto Jerusalem and the country of Judah, he
wrote a Gospel in the Hebrew language. And he went forth unto 'Apâyange, and told the
people thereof concerning Christ, and he confirmed them in the true faith, and when he
knew that the faith of all those who were in the city and in the districts thereof was
sure, he went forth from them in gladness and rejoicing, because God had graciously
granted unto him that they should believe. And he declared and preached unto them the
vivifying Word of God, and how He was born of the holy Virgin MARY, the God-bearer; and he
told them concerning His death which, indeed, maketh [men] to live, and concerning His
resurrection; but first of all he taught all men that God Almighty took up an abode in a
Body which He received from the Virgin without carnal union, and that He became One,
without mingling, without mixture, and without division. And Saint Matthew was wont to go
about in the prison house and to heal all those who were therein, without either payment
or recompense. [And he used to heal all those who were sick], for he gave healing unto
every one by his word in the Name of our Lord Jesus. [And he said], "May ye have
salvation;" and in that same hour wherein he ended his words he made to be delivered (or
saved) all those who believed in God Almighty.

2 Now in that hour Matthew came into the prison house, and he found there a man from whom
certain people demanded much money, and the keeper of the gaol had condemned him to suffer
much. And when Matthew looked at him, and saw that he was suffering great tribulation, the
Saint had compassion upon him, and said unto him, "O man, why do I see thee in such great
sorrow, and in such trouble and tears?" And he said unto Matthew, " Hearken unto me, O my
lord, and "I will tell thee everything which hath befallen me. I was a servant of one
Kēstos, and I was a trusted man before him. And he hearkened unto my voice, and he gave me
much goods and commanded me to depart by sea, and to traffic with the merchandize; and I
did even as he commanded me. And I went forth and went up into a ship, and as it was
sailing on its way, the sea was violently moved by reason of a mighty wind which blew upon
it, and great waves rose up upon it, and the ship went to the bottom of the sea. Then was
I in great tribulation, and I lost all hope of saving my life, until at length God
Almighty shewed compassion upon me, and He sent a little ship, and He brought me up on the
sea-shore, and I returned to my master 'Aykosthos,' and I told him everything which had
taken place. And he said unto me in anger, 'Whence comest thou?' and I told him everything
which had happened, and [all] that had befallen me at sea. And he was exceedingly wroth
with me, for he loved [his] possessions dearly, and it is on this pretext that he hath
cast me into • 156a. prison, and he now asketh me to give back to him some col 2. of his
goods."

3 And it came to pass that, when Matthew heard [these words], he was sorrowful, and he
said unto him, "Weep not, and be not sad, but believe in God Almighty, Who will put
strength into the hearts of all those who believe in Him." Then the man said unto him,
"What dost thou wish me to do for thee? I have been, indeed, in great trouble, and, O
servant of God, for years past I have wanted many times to kill myself by reason of the
frequent scourgings wherewith they have scourged me." And the Apostle said unto him,
"Hearken unto me, and I will tell thee a great mystery; only thou must swear unto me that
when that which I have to say unto thee is ended thou wilt believe in God all the days of
thy life." And the man bowed low to 1 Augustus, or Festus(?). 4 the ground, and said unto
the Apostle, "[I] hear [and obey]; and may God be upon me! If good come unto me through
thee by reason of that which thou hast commanded me, I will believe in Christ Who was
crucified." Then the Apostle said unto him, "On the morrow thy master 'Akûsôs will enquire
for thee, and he will have thee brought out according to his wont, that he may scourge
thee. When he hath seen thee, and hath given orders to the men to scourge thee, speak thou
unto him, saying, I entreat thee, O my lord, to wait and to stay thy hand from me this
day; for, if God should be pleased to shew His mercy upon me and upon the heart[s] of the
men of this city, they will help me and deliver me.' Now, if when thy master cometh into
his habitation, he release thee from prison for two days, go thou to the place where the
ship went down, and thou shalt find all the goods which were swallowed up in the sea: take
them, and pay that which thou owest, and free thyself and all those who are in thy house."

5 And it came to pass that, when the morrow had come, 'Akûsôs sent for the man, and had
him brought out of prison; and when he had seen him he looked upon him with wrath and gave
orders that he should be made to stand up for scourging. Then the man answered and spake
unto him everything which the Apostle had commanded him, and all that the Apostle had told
him came to pass, as he said; and Akûsôs granted his request. Then the man went out unto
the place where the ship had sunk, believing that everything which the Apostle had told
him would be fulfilled; and he looked on his right hand, on the sea-shore, and he found
there a bag filled with gold, and he took [it] and came back into the city blessing God
Almighty, and giving thanks unto the blessed Apostle. 6 And when he came to 'Akûsôs, he
gave him the [bag] which was full of gold, and he opened it and counted [therein] two
thousand dinârs. Then Akûsôs said unto him, "What is this?" And the man said unto him, "It
is the price of the ship which sank, together with all that was in it, in the sea." Then
'Akûsôs said unto him, "Where didst thou find this money?" And the man said unto him,
"When they had cast me into prison I found there a man full of compassion [for me], and he
saw that I was in trouble, and he said unto me, 'Why do I see thee in this trouble?' Then
I told him everything which had befallen me. And all the words which he spake unto me have
come to pass, for he commanded me to go to the place where the ship went down, and I went,
and I found this money; and I testify unto thee, O my lord, that no man like unto him can
be found on all the earth." And 'Akûsôs said unto him, "How canst thou expect me to listen
unto such mad words from thee? How am I to know that thou didst not go to a certain place
[where treasure is hidden], and dig [it] up, and steal the money, and bring it hither to
me?" And the man said unto him, "It is not as thou sayest. I swear unto thee in the Name
of my Lord Jesus Christ, the God of Matthew, that I did not find any place [of hidden
treasure]; nay, everything which I have told thee is true. And if thou wishest to see
Matthew, behold, he is in the prison house healing all those who are sick, and casting out
devils from all who are possessed of them."

7 Now whilst the man was saying these words, there came a certain wicked man who was a
hater of good A works, and who cried out, saying, "Hear, O ye people of Rome, and I will
describe unto you [the cause of] the tumult which hath arisen in this city. It is a
certain man who is a wandering stranger, who preacheth on his journey a God Whose Name is
Jesus the Nazarene; [and if] 'Akōstōs, the governor of this city, alloweth him [to
continue to do this] he will destroy the city and all those who dwell therein." Then
'Aksetōs, the governor of the city, brought this matter before the king, and when the king
heard thereof he was angry with a great anger against the Apostle, and he said unto the
captains of his guard, "Go ye forth quickly to where he is, and when and wheresoever ye
find him cut off his head, and cast his body out upon the ground, so that it may become
food for the birds of heaven." Then the captains of the guard went out and did as the king
had commanded them, and they cut off his head, and left his body lying on the ground, so
that the birds of heaven might eat it. But God, Who loveth mankind, sent unto him two of
the elect, and they took the head of the saint and buried it with his body; and they
swathed it in clean grave-clothes, and laid it in the grave of his fathers. And it came to
pass that when the man whom the Apostle had delivered from Akōstōs heard how he had slain
the Apostle, [he sat down] for three days sorrowing for him; and fifteen days after the
death of Saint Matthew, the man died also.

8 Here endeth the contending of Saint Matthew, the good Evangelist, the Apostle of our
Lord Jesus Christ. Now the consummation of his martyrdom took place on the twelfth day of
the month Tēkīmt; glory, and honour, and majesty, and dominion, as are meet, be to the
Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit the Vivifier, now and always, and for ever
and ever. Amen, Amen. So be it.

THE MARTYRDOM OF SAINT LUKE

1 Here beginneth the Martyrdom of Saint Luke the Evangelist, which took place on the
twenty-second day of the month Tōfēmt. In the peace of our Lord Jesus Christ, Amen. May
his prayer and blessing be with his handmaiden Wafatta Madhan! And it came to pass that,
when the Apostles divided the countries of the world amongst them, the city of Rome became
the portion of Peter; and certain of the Apostles dwelt with him; their names were Titus
of the country of Galilā (Gallia), and Luke of the country of Dalmātyā (Dalmatia). Now
when the blessed Peter died in the city of Rome, in the days of Nero the Emperor, the
Apostles were scattered abroad, and they preached the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ in
all countries. And Nero, the Emperor, who was surnamed Caesar, laid hold upon Paul and cut
off his head in the city of Rome; but Saint Luke fled from before the face of the Emperor
and escaped, and he was preaching in all the countries and in all the cities which were in
those regions. Now he was the scribe of the blessed Peter, and he wrote [the history of]
all the beautiful acts which he did [in the countries] wherein he preached in the Name of
our Lord Jesus Christ; [and he wrought] many marvellous things, and God cast out devils
through him, and he healed the sick, and he opened the eyes of the blind, and the lame
walked, and he cleansed the lepers, and he made the deaf to hear, and he healed those who
were sick, in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

2 And it came to pass that, when the story of him went forth into all lands, believers
were multiplied therein. And he built with his own hands many churches and places [for
prayer] in all the lands wherein the people believed in our Lord Jesus Christ; and the
believers increased daily, and they observed the rule and the teaching of Saint Luke. And
it came to pass that, when the priests of the temple of the gods of the heathen saw the
beauty of the faith of the multitude, Satan entered into their hearts, and they took
counsel with the Jews who dwelt in those regions; and they gathered themselves together in
the temple which was in the great city that was in that region. Now this gathering took
place on the twentieth day of the month Maskarram. And it came to pass that, when they
were gathered together with the Jews in the temple, the priests and their gods were
adorned with rich apparel, and in the temple were draperies (or curtains), and lamps, and
sweet scents of every kind; and all the nobles of the kingdom came and took their seats
upon their thrones.

3 Then the high priest came unto them, and said, "A certain man, a sorcerer, one of the
Twelve men of Galilee, and [some of] the Seventy-two [disciples] whom Jesus, Who is called
Christ, appointed to be Apostles unto Himself, have come into our city, and they have
multiplied marvellous acts, and all [the people] of Rome have turned unto their doctrine
because of their manifold errors and sorceries. Now behold, the Emperor Nero slew many of
them, but this man Luke fled and escaped from the Emperor, and he hath led astray many of
the people of this region." Thereupon rose up a certain Jew, whose name was Isaac (now he
was the chief among the Jewish folk who were in that district), and he said, "Before I
came unto this country I lived in Jerusalem with a good man whose name was Gamaliel; and
Annas, and Caiaphas, and Alexander, and Rayôlēyôs (Aurelius), were the elders of the
people. And they laid hold upon a certain man Whose Name was Jesus, and they passed upon
Him sentence of death, and they crucified Him upon a tree, and they killed Him, and they
laid Him in the grave; but He rose from the dead on the third day, and it is this Man in
Whose Name Luke preacheth." Then all the people answered with one voice, and said unto
him, "How could this [Man], Whose Name was Jesus Christ, rise from the dead?" And it came
to pass that when all the gods that were in the temple heard the Name of Jesus they fell
down and were dashed to pieces. And when the priests saw the destruction of their gods,
they rent their garments, and plucked out the hair of their heads, and went forth into the
city of Rome. And they cried out unto the Emperor, 158b.

4 saying, "Behold, these men whom they call after Jesus work many sorceries." And the
Emperor said unto them, "I have killed all those who believe in this Name, except one man
who is called Luke, and he hath escap- "ed out of my hands." Then the people answered and
said unto him, "Behold, he hath led astray all the people who live in our country by his
teaching, and by making them to believe on Jesus; in our city he healeth those that are
sick, whatsoever be their disease, and he healeth multitudes." And it came to pass that,
when the Emperor heard these words, he was exceedingly angry, and he gnashed his teeth,
and he commanded one of his captains to go with two hundred soldiers to the place where
Saint Luke was, and to bring him before him. Now Saint Luke was sitting and teaching the
multitude the commandments of the Gospel, and when he had finished his discourse the
people dispersed unto their handicrafts. Then the holy man rose up and went forth to the
sea, and he found upon the sea-shore an aged man seated catching fish. And he said unto
him, "I say unto thee, O man who dost catch fish, come unto me, and I will tell thee what
it is necessary for thee to do;" and when the old man had drawn nigh unto him, he saw the
grace of God in his face, and he fell down and bowed himself before him. Then the holy man
lifted him up, and said unto him, "Behold, the Emperor hath sent unto me a captain with
soldiers to bring me unto him, and behold, I know that he hath commanded them to slay me;
and I must fulfil the will of God. Take now this book, and lay it up in thy habitation in
a pure place, and it shall teach thee the way of life." And the old man took the book from
him in faith, and the power of God came down upon him; now his name was Silas, and he was
a bold man, and was chosen of God, and he preached in God's Name throughout all the land.
Now whilst Saint Luke was holding converse [with the old man] the soldiers of the Emperor
came, and they laid hold upon him, and he went with them to Rome, and [came] into the
presence of the Emperor; now he had been put in bonds, but he was blessing the Name of God
Almighty in his heart. Then the Emperor commanded them to cast him into prison until the
morrow.

5 And it came to pass that when the morrow had come he ordered them to bring him into his
presence, and to make him to stand bound before him; but Saint Luke ceased not to ascribe
praise unto God the whole time, saying, "I give thanks unto Thee, O my Lord Jesus Christ,
because Thou hast made me worthy of this honourable position." Now when Saint Luke had
come into the presence of the Emperor, he said unto him, "Art thou Luke who hast destroyed
all the cities of Rome, and who wouldst restrain the worship of the gods by thy sorcery?"
Then Saint Luke answered and said unto him, "Our Lord and Redeemer Jesus Christ saith in
the Gospel, If they drive you out from [one] city go ye unto another. Blessed are ye when
they shall speak against you all manner [of evil] falsely, for My sake. Rejoice and be
glad: for great shall be your reward in heaven. The work of my father Peter is a good
work, and this have I learned from him; as for sorcery I have no knowledge thereof, but I
do know the Name of my Lord Jesus Christ." And the Emperor said unto the men of his
kingdom who were gathered together round about him, "Make ye no mention of the Name of
Jesus before my throne;" whereupon straightway all the graven images and idols, which the
Emperor used to think were gods and which were about the throne, fell down quickly. And it
came to pass that, when the Emperor and all those who were with him saw the mighty deed
which Saint Luke had wrought, they cried out, and said, "Drive out this man from our
country."

6 And in that same hour the Emperor commanded that they should make Saint Luke to stand up
to be scourged, and they beat him with whips of untanned leather until his blood flowed
upon the ground like water. Then the Emperor commanded them to cut off his right hand and
arm; and straightway the swordsman came and smote at his right hand and arm and cut them
off. And the Emperor said unto Saint Luke, "Is this the hand and arm wherewith thou didst
write books and lead into error Rome and the people of my kingdom?" And Saint Luke said
unto him, "Do not imagine that my God is One Who hath no strength, for I will shew thee
His power." And he prayed and said, "O my Lord Jesus Christ, Whom the world hath rejected
and Whom we have followed, Thou art the Saviour of souls; Thou dost not desire that error
should go forth from me knowingly or unknowingly; now, I am of the children of men, do not
Thou therefore perform this mighty act which I beseech Thee to do [for my sake], for I am
a sinner, but for the sake of Thy holy Name, and for the sake of Thine exalted power, so
that the multitudes may not say, 'Where is their God?' Grant now this act of grace unto
Thy servant, and let his arm be healed, and let it become even as it was formerly, for
Thine is the glory, and the power for ever. Amen." Then, having made an end of his prayer,
he stretched out his left hand and laid hold of his right hand, which had been cut off,
and made it to adhere to its [proper] place; and by the power of our Lord Jesus Christ it
became alive again (or healed).

7 And it came to pass that, when the Emperor and all those who were sitting with him saw
this wonderful thing, they marvelled and said, "Observe ye the might of the work of this
sorcerer;" and Saint Luke said unto him, "O my lord, I am not a sorcerer; may my God keep
me from becoming one! But I would that thou mightest know the power of my Lord Jesus
Christ, and that I am not unwilling [to suffer] the death of this world;" then Saint Luke
took hold of his right hand with his left and cut it off again. Now when İnâṭölê,
(Anatolius) a prefect of the Emperor, saw this marvel, he, and his wife, and the men of
his house, and all his servants (now they were in number two hundred and eighty-seven
souls), believed in our Lord Jesus Christ. And the Emperor commanded [his servants] to
write down their names, and he passed an order for them [all] to be executed in one day;
and this order was carried out on the twenty-second day of the month Ṭēḵemt.

8 Then the Emperor commanded them to cut off the head of Saint Luke, and to put it in a
sack made of dark [wool or hair], and to fill the sack with sand and to cast it into the
sea. 9 Now when the blessed man had heard this command the Emperor's servants took him out
to the sea, so that they might cut off his head, and he said unto the captain of the
soldiers, "I entreat you by him that is the greatest, and by him that is the least among
you, to bear patiently with me for a little while, until I have prayed unto my God. Then
he prayed, saying, "O my Lord Jesus Christ, Who didst create everything by Thy wisdom and
according to Thy will; that is to say, the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and
everything which moveth therein, grant unto Thy servant power, and grace, and forgiveness
of sins and offences, and make him to inherit a portion together with my father Peter. And
it came to pass that when the saint had ended his prayer, one of the captains of the
soldiers, who was blind in one of his eyes, drew nigh unto him, and came to the saint to
cut off his head before he had finished his prayer; and because of this thing he saw with
his [blind] eye, and he fell down upon the ground, and said unto the saint, "Forgive me, O
thou servant of the good God, for I have blasphemed thee. And the other swordsman drew his
sword, and smote Saint Luke on the head and cut it off from his body;

10 and he cut off the head of his fellow captain who had believed also, thus the captain
and Saint Luke finished their testimony together. And they placed the body of the saint in
a sack made of hair, and cast it into the sea, but by the commandment of God the waves
washed it up upon an island; and a certain man who believed in God found it, and took it
up out of the water, and buried it, [having swathed it] in fine linen. Now Saint Luke
finished his testimony on the twenty-second day of the month Ṭēḵēmt, in the days of the
Emperor Nero. Glory be unto God, and unto our Lord and God Jesus Christ, and sovereignty,
and power, and honour, and holiness be unto His kingdom, which shall never, never, change;
and unto the Holy Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, be praise for ever and ever!
Amen, Amen, and Amen. So be it. So be it. Hallelujah.

THE PREACHING OF SAINT PHILIP AND SAINT PETER

1 Here beginneth the Book of the Preaching of Philip, the Apostle of our Lord Jesus
Christ, which he preached in the country of Africa (Phrygia?). In the peace of God. May
his prayer and his blessing be with his handmaiden Walatta Madhan! Amen. And it came to
pass that, when the Apostles were gathered together on the Mount of Olives, and as they
were declaring among themselves the praise of God, our Lord and Redeemer Jesus Christ
appeared unto them, and said unto them, "Peace be unto you, O My beloved ones; why dwell
ye here? And why have ye not gone forth into the world to preach unto the people thereof
the Gospel of the Kingdom? And now, cast lots among yourselves, and divide the world into
twelve parts, so that ye may go forth and preach unto the people thereof, and give them
peace." And He ascended into heaven with great glory. Then the Apostles cast lots, and the
lot fell upon Philip to go forth unto the country of Africa (Phrygia?); now he was not
loath [to depart]. And he said unto Peter, "Behold, God hath commanded that thou shalt go
forth with each one of us unto the country where he is to go; now I wish thee to go forth
with me unto my country." And Peter said unto him, "I consent." So Peter and Philip set
out on their journey together, and our Lord appeared unto them, and said unto them, "Peace
be unto you, O ye chosen Apostles, go ye and tell the story of the Gospel unto all
creation, that ye may deliver them from the hand of Satan. Verily I say unto you that ye
shall toil in this world until ye shall have brought the people thereof out from darkness
into the knowledge of righteousness. Verily I say unto you that your reward shall be
great, that ye shall enter into [your] rest, and that ye shall forget your sufferings."
And speaking unto them in this wise He gave them the salutation of peace, and went up from
them into heaven with glory and splendour.

2 Then Peter and Philip, in the strength of their hearts, journeyed together on their way,
and it came to pass that when the two Apostles had drawn nigh unto the city there came in
their path a certain man who was possessed of an unclean spirit, and he cried out, saying,
"O Apostles of Christ, I will not let you enter into the city." And Peter knew that the
spirit was a devil, and in that same hour he adjured him, and Satan went forth from him,
and the man was made whole, and followed the Apostles unto the city. Now there [stood]
upon the top of the gate [of the city] a certain very high pillar, and when Peter and
Philip came to the gate, Peter made supplication unto God, saying, "I entreat thee, O my
Lord Jesus Christ, that this gate and this high pillar, and the things which are upon it,
may be hurled down to the earth as soon as my hand cometh upon it and layeth hold upon
it." Then in that same hour the gate, and the pillar, and the things that were thereon
came down upon the ground, and they lay upon it as flat as (or level with) the surface
thereof. And Peter spake unto the man out of whom the unclean spirit had gone, and
commanded him to go up on the pillar and to declare and to utter with his mouth certain
words whereby awful things might come upon the people of the city; and the man went up on
the pillar which was over the gate, and on the things that were [there]. Then Peter said,
"In the Name of my Lord Jesus Christ, let [this pillar] be raised up even as it was
before;" and in that same hour the gate, and the pillar, and the things which were upon
it, were raised up until they became of the same height as they were formerly. And the man
cried out with a loud voice, and said, "O ye men who are in this city, return ye to the
place wherein are the Apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ, that they may bless you, and may
make supplication for you, that He may forgive you your sins." And it came to pass that,
when the man who was standing on the top of the pillar had said these words, there were
thunders and lightnings; and the people of the city were terrified and afraid exceedingly,
and they went into caverns, and into holes in the earth, and to the islands, but the
lightnings followed hard upon them wherever they went. And many men, and many women
likewise, died through the sound [of the thunders], and the earthquake, and the
lightnings. Now by reason of this multitudes of the people came unto the Apostles, and
they looked upon them, and their hands were stretched out, and they were praying unto God;
and the people fell down upon the ground and prostrated themselves before the Apostles,
weeping and saying unto them, "O servants of God, we beseech you to shew com-passion upon
us, and may the new gods whom we know not have mercy upon us. And tell us what ye desire,
and what offerings ye would have, so that we may offer them unto you, and we entreat you
to remove from us these fearful and terrible things."

3 Then the Apostles besought God Almighty on their behalf, and the earthquake ceased, and
the lightning departed, and the man held his peace, and the gate came down with the
pillar, [and was] even as it had been; and the man came down from the top of the pillar.
And it came to pass that, when those who were assembled there saw that the man was holding
his peace, and that the fearful things had passed away, they said, "This man is God. Then
they cried out with one voice, saying, "Art thou God Al-mighty or not? Let us know who
thou art. And the man said unto them, "I am not God. I should be a man like unto
yourselves were it not for this word which the Spirit of God hath spoken from my mouth,
and for the commandments of the holy Apostles. But come unto the holy disciples, Peter and
Philip, O all ye who dwell [here], and hearken [unto them], and gain knowledge, and ye
shall be saved. Then the people rose up and came unto the Apostles, and embraced their
feet, and said unto them, "Who are ye? And Philip said unto them, "Which of the gods do ye
worship? And they said unto him, We worship the image of an eagle of gold. And Philip said
unto them, "Go ye and bring him unto me; and they did even as he had commanded them.

4 Then the priests cried out, saying, "Do not destroy the gods of the city who bring you
salvation at all times, so that when war riseth up against you ye may cry out unto them,
and they shall help you. And the men of the city said unto them, "It is better for us to
accept the words of the disciples than your words. These gods are the work of the hand of
man, and they see not, and they hear not, and they smell not, and they walk not." 5 And it
came to pass that, when they had brought the gods unto the Apostles, the priests cried out
and said unto the Apostles, "Ye are leading astray men by your enchantments, and ye say
concerning a man the Man to Whom MARY gave birth, and Whom Pilate slew that He is God.
Hath there ever been a god whom a man could scourge? Hath there ever been a god who could
die? And as for these figures of gold and silver which we fashion and call gods, they
cannot suffer pain, and they cannot feel." Then the power of the Holy Spirit descended
upon Philip, and our Lord Jesus Christ strengthened him with His own power, and he made
supplication, and said, "O my Lord Jesus Christ, by Thy will let fire descend from heaven
and consume these evil and unjust priests, so that [the people] may know that they are
deceivers even unto this day." And in that same hour a cloud of fire came down from
heaven, and encircled those wicked and unjust priests, that [the people] might know [them
to be deceivers]; and it smote them without doing any harm to the people. Now the priests
within the fire were weeping by reason of their tribulation and fear. Then Philip said
unto them, "Why weep ye?" And they cried out and said, "[Because] when war riseth up
against you, and ye cry out unto your gods to save you and your cities (or countries)
[they will not do so.]"

6 Then Peter took up the image of gold and cast it into the fire to the place wherein were
the priests. And the image of gold answered and said, "O disciples of Jesus Christ, punish
ye me not, but have compassion upon me, and judge ye between me and these sinful men. I am
of the matter of the earth, but these men have fashioned me, and purified me, and they
have made me by their skill into the form in which ye now see me; and they set me in a
temple, and they used to sacrifice beasts unto me, and to mix their blood with wine, and
they led men astray by telling them that I ate up these sacrifices. Now I neither eat, nor
drink, nor hold converse with anyone, and verily I am not a being who should hold converse
with you; but it is the power which dwelleth in you that maketh me worthy to speak with
this people, and to chide them concerning the wickedness of their works." And when the
figure had spoken these words it held its peace.

7 Then the priests made fervent supplication unto the Apostles that they would cause them
to come forth from the fire so that it might not consume them utterly, and [they promised]
to do all that they commanded them. And Philip said unto them, "If ye forsake your evil
gods, and will say, 'We believe in our Lord Jesus Christ,' we will, in this same hour,
speak the word in His Name whereby this cloud of fire shall go up from you." Then they all
cried out with a loud voice, and said, "We believe in God Almighty thy God, and in Jesus
His Word, and in the Holy Spirit;" and in that same hour the flame of fire was lifted up
from them, and [the place] became like a lake of water, sweet and white like milk, so that
they all marvelled. 1632. And those who were assembled there fervently entreated the
Apostles to command them what it was necessary for them to do that they might make right
their belief; and Philip said unto them, "We command you to build a church in this place
wherein we may teach men, for it is in this place that ye have [first] believed;" and they
consented [to do] even as he had said unto them. Then Philip commanded them to bring unto
him dried grass (or reeds), and he marked out the foundations of the church, and he
ordered them to dig out the foundations; thus Philip founded the church. And it came to
pass that when they had performed his behests and they had finished their work, Philip
came unto the gate of the city whereon stood the pillar. And he said, "In the Name of our
Lord Jesus Christ the Nazarene, I command thee to depart from this place unto the church
which hath been called after the Name of God;" and in that same hour the gate fell down,
and the pillar which stood upon it formerly came down from it, and they moved onwards in
front of the multitudes unto the place where they had built the church, 1632. and no sound
was heard to proceed from them, and no dust rose up. Then the multitudes said, "There is
no god except the God of Peter and Philip, the servants of Jesus Christ."

8 Then Philip turned towards those who were gathered together there, and said unto them,
"Behold, we have already built a church and a house of God, I now desire ye to gather
together young women who are virgins to carry water, and men, both old and young, and all
the people of the city, that each one, according to his power, may work in the house of
God;" and there was no man among the multitudes who refused [to do] that which Philip
commanded him. And the Apostles were dwelling in the house of Kērōn, a nobleman (or
governor) of the city, and they were rejoicing because the multitudes had so speedily
accepted the faith. 9 And our Lord Jesus Christ took the form of a man of shining
appearance, and He appeared unto the Apostles, and said unto them, "My peace be with you,
O My chosen Apostles! Behold, I have seen that the faith of the men of this city is good,
why then do ye remain in the house? Get ye forth to them that ye may teach them the word
of life and the command of righteousness, and be not unmindful of them [i. e., of the
other peoples of the world]. Whatsoever ye shall ask of Me, that will I give unto you."
And when our Lord Jesus Christ had spoken [these words] unto them (now He was in the form
of a man radiant with light), He went up into heaven with great glory. Then the faces of
Peter and Philip were bright with the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ, Who had appeared
unto them in the house. And when they had gone forth unto the multitude and the people saw
the light of their faces, they fell down prostrate before them upon the ground; and the
Apostles blessed them, and lifted them up, and they taught them and confirmed them in the
true faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, and commanded them not to return unto their sins. And
as the people received the blessing from the Apostles the number of the multitudes
increased; and they marvelled at the glory of God which rested upon their faces.

10 Now there was a certain man among them upon whom a devil had laid hold, and he cried
out with a loud voice, saying, "I beseech you, O ye servants of Christ, not to inflict
punishment upon me, and I will go forth from him." And that unclean spirit cast the man
down upon the ground, and then went forth from him; and Peter and Philip commanded the
devil to depart from him and never again to return into him; and the man who had been made
whole bowed down at the feet of the Apostles, and embraced Peter and Philip. Then the
people gathered themselves together unto the lake which had formed in the place, where had
been the cloud of fire that had surrounded the priests, which had now become water, and
they were baptized therein in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy
Spirit. And the Apostles said unto the multitudes, "God hath remitted unto you your sins
which ye committed without knowledge; now therefore press onward towards good works, so
that ye may be worthy of the beautiful kingdom of heaven which abideth [for ever]."

11 Then the people cried out with a loud voice, saying, "We give thanks unto Thee, O Lord
God of Peter and Philip, because Thou hast had compassion upon us, and hast taught us, and
because the Apostles have con-secrated a church [for us], whereto the people gather
themselves together in joy and in gladness." Then Philip read unto them the Books of the
Law and the Prophets, and Peter interpreted them unto them in the Spirit of our Lord Jesus
Christ. Then straightway did the people of the multitudes rejoice in the knowledge of the
faith, and they were prepared to receive the Mysteries, and the Apostles having first of
all prayed the prayer of consecration and brought it to an end, gave unto the people of
the Body of our Lord, and of His precious Blood. And the multitudes came forward and
received the Body and the precious Blood in faith, and he gave them the salutation of
peace; and he dwelt with them for six days, teaching them the commandments of God until
they had learned [them]. Then the Apostles appointed them Bishops, and priests, and
deacons, and they departed from them, glorifying God, and marvelling at the mighty acts
which they had wrought in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to Whom be the glory and
honour which are meet for Him, and for His Father, and for the Holy Spirit, for ever and
ever. Amen.


THE CONTENDINGS OF THE APOSTLES, PART 1
=======================================

THE CONTENDINGS OF THE APOSTLES, PART 1 continued

THE MARTYRDOM OF SAINT PHILIP IN PHRYGIA

1 Here beginneth the Martyrdom of the blessed Apostle Philip who nobly ended his
contending on the eighteenth day of the month Hadar. In the peace of God. Amen. May his
prayer and his blessing be with [his] handmaiden, Walatta Madhan. 2 And it came to pass
that as Philip was entering into the country of Africa (Phrygia?), and was going to the
inhabitants of that country, he preached unto them a new God, Whose Name was not known
unto them, that is to say, Jesus; and they made haste to come unto him so that they might
hear his words. Now when they heard him preaching in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ,
the Son of the Living God, the God of heaven and of earth, the multitudes answered and
said unto him, "Who is Jesus Christ? We have never heard of Him except from thee; and they
were wont to worship the gods [of the heathen] and devils. Then Philip answered and said
unto them, "Hearken unto me, O ye men who are gathered together here, for I see that the
grace of God will be with you. The God Whom I preach unto you is God Almighty. and besides
Him there is no other god; He is the Living God, and He giveth life unto all those who
believe in Him. And there is a Son with the Father, and a Holy Spirit, Who proceeded from
the Father, but the Spirit and the Father and the Son are One, that is to say, One God.
[He existed] before all days, and He shall endure for ever; He is the First, and He is the
Last, and He is invisible. It is He Who created all things by His wisdom;

3 it is He Who created the sea, and the rivers of water, and all that therein is, and they
are in subjection unto Him. It is He Who is the Maker of all things which are visible, as
well as of those which are invisible. And aforetime He took dust from the ground and made
from it a man in His own form and appearance, and called him 'Adám', and He blessed him,
and made him the father of all created things which talk. And He said unto him, 'Increase
and multiply, and fill the face of the earth with thy seed, and rule over all those who
dwell therein." 4 Then the multitudes said unto Philip, "Where is the God Who hath created
all things concerning Whom thou speakest?" And Philip said unto them, "He dwelleth in the
heavens, and in the earth, and in all the men who do His will." And it came to pass that,
when Satan saw how [valiantly] Philip was contending, and how he was turning the people to
the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ, he made haste and sowed the thought of evil in
their hearts and multiplied wickedness within them; and he made them to attack the Apostle
Philip, and they shut him up in the prison house and wished to kill him. Now the eyes of
all those who lifted up their hands against Philip became blind. And when the people saw
this wonderful thing they cried out with a loud voice, saying, "The God of Philip is One
God. Why will ye slay this blessed disciple through whom God hath brought us out from the
darkness into the light of [the [true] faith?" In this wise did the multitude deliver
Philip out of the hands of those who wished to slay him.

5 And Philip went forth and preached the Name of Christ in all that country through which
he travelled round about; and he was preaching the word of God the whole day long. And he
healed all those who were sick, and at length all the people of the city, and of the
regions round about gathered themselves together unto him, and he taught them, and made
them to believe, and he preached unto them the kingdom of heaven. For when the blind drew
nigh unto him he made their eyes to see; and he made straight the legs of the lame by his
word; and when he went round about those who were deaf they heard; and the dumb spake by
the might of our Lord Jesus Christ which dwelt in him; and the [lepers were cleansed when
he stretched out his hands and made supplication unto God on their behalf; and those who
were possessed of devils drew nigh unto him, and he drove them out from them by the [sign
of the most honourable Cross; and he gave thanks unto God for the gift of grace

6 .59b..60a. which He had given him; and he healed all those who were sick through any
disease whatsoever. 7 And it came to pass that when the nobles of the city saw Philip
working all these miracles which God Almighty had made manifest through him, and how [the
people] were relieved from suffering of every kind, and how their beloved ones, and their
sons, and their daughters, and their acquaintances were rejecting their gods and entering
into the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, because Philip had commanded them [so to do],
because of these things, I say, those who did not believe in the preaching of Philip
gathered themselves together, and they held meetings secretly, and certain men among those
who came to those meetings decided to lay hold upon Philip, and to shut him up in prison,
and to kill him secretly, so that the whole country might not be destroyed. And they were
making a boast to the king that they would not allow an alien to enter into their city,
and to destroy their Law (or religion), and they tarried in his presence until this thing
was accomplished; and he sent [men] to slay [the Apostles] who were destroying (or
corrupting) their city. Then the king said unto them, "Why are ye doing nothing whilst
this man is leading astray the people, and paying no heed unto my command?" Then those men
made an agreement together concerning this matter, and they laid hold upon Saint Philip
and shut him up in prison. And they spake words of cursing and blasphemy against him, but
the Apostle laughed in their faces and rejoiced. Then said they unto each other, "See how
he laugheth and jesteth at us, and [how] he wisheth to lead us astray, and to make us to
depart from the right way, even as he did the people whom he made to forsake the imperial
gods, and to separate themselves from their wives!"

8 And it came to pass that when Philip heard their words, he said unto them, "Indeed, [I
speak] my words that I may perfect [my work] upon you, and not that I should offend you,
but that ye may turn unto God, Who will give you remission of your sins, and will make you
worthy of His kingdom which never passeth away." Then one of them answered and said unto
them, "Kill him, for if we let him go he will lead us astray." Therefore was their wrath
kindled, and they laid hold upon him and raised him up on a cross (now they placed his
head downwards and his feet upwards), and they tied him [to it], so that he could not move
his body. Then they scourged him sorely and inflicted severe tortures upon him, and they
ceased not to beat him with cruel blows until he yielded up his spirit on the cross. Then
they took his body down from the cross, and they gathered together in crowds and spake
among themselves, saying, "Let us kindle a great fire and cast his body into it, so that
we may consume him utterly and he may no more be found."

9 Now when they had lit the fire wherein they were going to cast the body of the saint,
our Lord Jesus Christ sent His angel, and he took the holy body out of their hands at
noontide from the city; and all those who dwelt therein saw his body as it ascended with
joy, and with great glory, and honour, until it went up from their sight into heaven, and
the angel brought the body of Philip to Jerusalem, and hid it in a tree (or wood). And it
came to pass that, when all the people saw this wonderful thing, and they remembered the
multitude of wonderful deeds and miracles which God had wrought through him, and all the
sick folk whom he had healed, they lifted up their voices, both men and women, and said,
"The God of Philip, the servant of the Lord Jesus Christ, is One God; He is God, the God
of heaven and of earth, He is the Mighty One, and He is the exalted God, Who is honoured
both by the denizens of heaven, and by the beings of of earth. And the men of the city and
of the regions round about it believed in our Lord Jesus Christ, from the least of them
even unto the greatest; and the God-fearing men of the city sent messengers into the
heights of the mountains, and they continued to go round about in the desert for many days
seeking the body of Saint Philip;

10 and the men of the city fasted and prayed, and made supplication unto God that He would
restore it unto them. Now when God saw their faith and their repentance, and that the
evilness of their works had passed away, He sent unto them the angel that he might tell
them where [the body of] Philip the Apostle was, and that they might take it and deposit
it in the city. And it came to pass that when they saw it they rejoiced with great joy,
and they brought it into the city with glory, and thanksgiving, and honour; and they
swathed it in fine linen and laid it in a new and beautiful sarcophagus. Now the
consummation of the martyrdom of Saint Philip took place on the eighteenth day of the
month Ḥadār. In the peace of God the Father. Amen. Glory and honour be unto our Lord Jesus
Christ, and unto His Father, and unto the Holy Spirit, for ever and ever. Amen.

THE PREACHING OF SAINT ANDREW AND SAINT PHILEMON AMONG THE KURDS

1 Here beginneth the Preaching of the blessed disciple Andrew, the Apostle of our Lord
Jesus Christ, and the story of what happened unto him in the cities of 'Almāḍpā (Almāḍpō,
i. e., the Kurds), and in the city of Eḗḍpā (Eydia). In the peace of God the Father. Amen.
Now when the disciples were about to go forth into the world and to preach the story of
the kingdom of heaven, our Lord appeared unto them, and held converse with them, and spake
unto them, saying, "Peace be unto you, O My beloved brethren, ye heirs of the kingdom!
Know ye that I will never separate Myself from you, and that I will give you strength."
Then He turned unto Matthias, and said unto him, "Go thou unto the City of the Cannibals;
and Andrew thy brother shall go unto the country of Lḗḍyā (Lydia), and shall preach
therein; and Philemon, the son of Philip, shall go down there also, for I have in that
city many people whom I have chosen." And the Apostles answered and said unto our Lord, "O
Lord, be Thou with us in whatsoever place we go to preach;" and our Lord gave them the
salutation of peace, and went up into heaven whilst they were looking at Him.

2 Then straightway Peter went unto the place whereto our Lord had commanded him [to go].
And Matthias asked Andrew to allow the two men Rufus and Alexander to go with him unto the
city of Tīṭārān, and Andrew and Philemon went unto the country of Lydia. Now Philemon had
a beautiful voice, and his speech was soft, and [in respect of these] there was no man
like unto him; and he taught unto all [men] the wisdom and the power of the Holy Spirit
which had come down upon him, and among the disciples there was none like unto him, with
the exceptions of Peter and John. 3 And it came to pass that when the Apostles were
gathered together they chose [these] two [men] to stand up and declare the praise of God
Almighty, so that [when the people] heard the sweetness of their words [they might
believe]. So Andrew went with Philemon unto Lydia, where one half of [the people of] the
city had believed through Peter, and the other half had not. And Andrew came into the
church of the Christians which was in the city of Lydia, and two [men] came and received
him, and they carried branches of trees in their hands for joy. Now when Andrew had come
into the church and had taken his seat upon the bishop's throne, he commanded Philemon to
go up into the pulpit, and to sing praises, and to cry out Hallelujah, so that the people
might receive the word from him. And when the priests of the heathen heard the sound of
the [singing of the] Christians, they said unto each other, "What is happening in the city
this day? And the people said, "A disciple of Jesus Christ is in the church of the
Christians, and he is teaching them, and commanding them to reject the gods [of the
heathen], and not to enter into their temples. Then the priests took their swords and came
unto the church where they heard the sound of the singing, so that if they (i. e., the
disciples of Christ) cursed their gods they (i.

4 e., the heathen priests) might go in and cut off [their heads]. And it came to pass that
they heard the sweet voice of Philemon declaiming and saying thus, "The gods of the
heathen are [made] of gold and silver, [and are] the work of the hand of man. They have
mouths, but speak not; eyes have they, but they see not; ears have they, but they hear
not; noses have they, but they smell not; hands have they, but they feel not; feet have
they, but they walk not; they speak not with their throats, and there is no breath in
their nostrils. Like unto them are all those who made them, and even so are those who put
their trust in them." 5 And it came to pass that, when the priests heard these words from
the voice of Philemon, and the sweetness of his preaching, they wept and came into the
church, and embraced his feet. And when he saw the multitude he said unto Andrew, "O
father, these men are of the priests of the temple." Then Andrew made a sign to the people
to keep silence until the song of praise was ended; now when [the Christians] saw men
having swords they were exceedingly afraid of them, and they held their peace until he had
made an end of his song of praise. And Andrew stood up, and first of all prayed a prayer
on their behalf, and when he had finished his prayer he said unto the priests of the
temple, "Sit down." Then Andrew said unto them, "O my children, whom I would take to my
breast, tell me now, I pray, how is that ye have entered into this church in this wise
this day? For on every other day whenever Christians pass you [in the streets] ye take
good heed that ye do not touch them even with your garments. I desire you to tell me that
which is in your heart." And all the priests answered and said unto him, "O father Andrew,
we will

6 "declare it unto thee truthfully. When we heard of thy coming into this city to teach,
and heard also the sound of many people gathered together, we enquired what was happening
in this city this day, and they told us of thy arrival in the city. Then fifty men of our
number made an agreement together to come and see and hear whether ye were heaping abuse
upon our gods [or not], and, if ye were so doing, to slay every one who was in the church;
and behold, we have arrived according to what we have said. But when we heard the
sweetness of the voice of this youth our hearts were carried away [from our purpose] and
we have come to thee. And now we beseech thee, O disciple, to give unto us this day
[instruction], even as thou hast given it unto this multitude, so that those who have
drawn nigh unto thy God may become worthy of Him, and we hope that we may never be absent
from this youth."

7 And it came to pass that when Andrew heard these words from them, he rose up and kissed
the head of Philemon, saying, "Verily thou art he concerning whom the Holy Spirit spake
aforetime, saying, 'The people shall be gathered together unto him that hath a sweet
voice.' Verily it is meet that thou shouldst be called the 'Saviour of souls;' and as our
Lord changed our names and made others for us, even so shall it be with thee." Now when
the people saw Andrew kissing the head of Philemon, they all came unto him, and embraced
him; and when Andrew saw the people thronging about him and pressing him, he commanded
them to go forth unto an open place, and they went to the sea-shore. Then Andrew answered
and said unto those who believed, "Whosoever among you is wishful to please God, let him
come unto me that he may be washed by my hand;" so all the people came unto him, and he
baptized them all in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Now
the number of those who were baptized was four thousand, four hundred souls; and besides
these the fifty priests also were baptized.

8 Now after these things Satan came into the city and found two young men who were
fighting together and struggling each to overcome the other, and the son of John, the
priest, smote the other young man, and he fell down, and died immediately. Then the father
of the dead man laid hold upon John the priest, and said unto him, "Deliver to me thy son
that I may kill him in the stead of my son whom he hath killed; and if thou dost not, I
will deliver thee unto Rāwēkās, the governor, that he may kill thee in the stead of thy
sén who hath killed mine." Then John wept with a great weeping before the multitude. And
the people answered and said unto him, "What dost thou wish, O father, that we should do
for thee? If they seek money from thee then will we give it for thy sake. Or, do they wish
thee to give thyself up for the murder?" Then John answered and said unto them, "I want
neither gold nor silver from you, but I want the elders of the people to give a pledge for
me', whilst I go unto Andrew [to ask him] to raise the man from the dead."

9 Then the people went with John the priest unto the father of the young man who was dead,
and they said unto him, "We will keep John secure for thee whilst he goeth to the city of
Lydia unto Andrew, the Apostle of our Lord Jesus Christ, [to entreat him] to come and
raise up alive for thee thy son who is dead"; and the father of the dead man did for them
even as they wished," and he sat down and mourned for his son. And John went unto Andrew
the Apostle, and he found him baptizing the people, and he fell down and did homage to
him. Then he said unto him, "Have compassion on my old age, and let me not die this evil
death." And Andrew answered and said unto him, "Believe in God, and be not afraid, and
tell me all that hath befallen thee;" and John told him all that had happened unto him,
and how it had come upon him. And Andrew answered and said unto him, "It is not possible
for me to go with thee at this season because of these people whom I am baptizing, but
take Philemon with thee,

10 * Literally, "to redeem me." * l. e., he accepted the pledge of the elders of the city.
"and he shall raise up for thee him who hath died." And Andrew sent Philemon with him to
raise up the young man from the dead, and they went forth from Andrew into the city. 11
Now as they were journeying along, Satan, having taken upon himself the form of an old
man, came unto the governor of the city, and cried out unto him, saying, "O Rûkôs
(Raukas), dost thou sit here [and do nothing] whilst a man is murdered and cast forth?
Rise up, now, and enquire in this city who it is that hath slain [him]. If thou art
unwilling [to do this], behold, I myself will go unto the king and tell him concerning the
matter. And it came to pass that when Rûkôs (Raukas) heard these words he rose up in great
anger, and he told those who were round about him to bring him an animal whereon he could
ride outside the city; and he departed, being angry with a great anger. Now when the men
of the city heard that the governor had come, no man remained therein except him who had
died. Then John and Philemon came from Andrew, and they found the multitude outside the
city; and the people said unto John the priest, "Thou hast tarried long in thy coming, and
we are afraid, for behold, the governor will make [the men of] the city prisoners. Now
when John heard these words, he wept bitterly, and said, "Woe is me. What shall I do? For
I sorrow very greatly because of the dead man who lieth unburied. And Philemon answered
and said unto him, "Weep not, for I will go and raise him up;

12 but the people said unto him, "Come thou not into the city, that the governor may not
slay thee. And Philemon said unto them, "It is not possible for me to disobey my master,
therefore I will go and raise up the dead man, even as my master hath commanded me; and do
ye sit down here, and when ye hear that the governor hath slain me send ye [word] to my
master that he may come and raise me up, and the young man who is dead with me." 13 And
Philemon went into the city and came unto the place where the governor was, and he cried
out, saying,. "O Rôkôs (Raukas), thou governor, thou hast been appointed unto this city to
destroy it; where are the men of the city who did not [come forth to] receive thee when
thou didst come thereunto?" And it came to pass that when the governor heard his voice, he
commanded the captain of his guard to seize him, and to crucify him in the place where
punishments were inflicted; and the governor said unto them, "It may be that this man slew
him that hath died, and that, in consequence thereof, his blood will not let him hold his
peace." Then Philemon answered and said unto Rôkôs the governor, "Why dost thou inflict
punishment upon me? I am little (i. e., young, or of no account), and I have not
transgressed, and nothing [worthy of] punishment hath been found in me. Now, I was with my
father Adam when he was in Paradise, before Eve went forth from his side. Where is my
teacher Andrew that he may see the things which they are going to do unto his disciple? Is
there no compassion in thy heart, O governor, when thou seest how little (or young) I am?
Hast thou no son, so that [in thinking of him] thou canst shew compassion upon me? Know
thou that however much thou lovest thy son my father loveth me more."

14 Then Philemon turned his face towards the captain and his soldiers, and said unto them,
"Is there not one merciful man among you who will have compassion upon me, and will go
unto the city of Lydia to my master Andrew, and will speak unto him, saying, 'They have
crucified thy disciple and are torturing him?'" And it came to pass that when the captain
and the soldiers heard these words they wept bitterly at the sound of Philemon's [sweet]
voice. Then Philemon spake again unto them, and said, "Is there not even a bird in this
city which I can send unto the city of Lydia, to my master Andrew, [to ask] him to come to
me that I may see him before I die? Now when he had said these words many birds gathered
themselves together, and they spake unto Philemon, even as they used to speak with Noah in
days of old, and said unto him, "Behold, here we are, send whichever one of us thou
pleasest. Then a little bird drew nigh unto him, and said unto him, "I am smaller in body
than all the other birds; let me go unto thy teacher that I may bring him unto thee. And
Philemon said unto her, "As for thee, thou art a whore. Haste not to come back to me, but
if thou canst find one of thy kith and kin abide with him, and haste not to return unto
me.

15 Then a raven drew nigh unto him, and said unto him, "I will go unto him; and Philemon
said unto the raven, "In days of old when thou wast sent forth by Noah thou didst not
return unto him who sent thee forth; therefore I shall not send thee. And Philemon called
unto the dove, and said unto her, "O beautiful wanderer, who by reason of thy sweet
gentleness wast named by God above all [other] birds; who didst bring tidings unto Noah
when he was living in the ark in the days of the Flood; and who wast blessed by our father
Noah, the righteous man; go thou unto the city of Lydia to my master Andrew, and tell him
to come and see his son Philemon, for they have crucified him, and are torturing him. And
the dove answered and said unto him, "Be of good courage, and fear not; behold, Andrew
shall come and shall himself hear thy words."

16 And it came to pass that when Rōkōs (Raukas) heard [these words] he rose up quickly,
and with his own hands he released Philemon from his punishment, and he said unto him,
"Verily, if there were ten dead men in this city I would leave off making enquiries
concerning [who killed] them, for thy sake." Now when Satan heard that Rōkōs had believed,
he cried out unto his devils and evil spirits, and said unto them, "Behold, our beloved
Rōkōs and all the men of the city have rejected (or denied) us. Now I command one of you
to go into the house of Rōkōs and to lay hold upon his wife, and to make her to act like a
mad woman, and cause her to become like one who hath no understanding, and he shall give
her orders to rise up against her own son and to slay him." And in that same hour Satan
did even as Diabolus, the accursed one, had commanded him; and he went into the house of
the governor, and made the woman to become like one who was mad and who had no
understanding, and he ordered her to slay her child. And it came to pass that when her
servants knew what she had done they gathered themselves together, and seized her, and
placed her in a strong place, and they sent messengers unto their lord and told him what
his wife had done, and how she had slain her child. Then Rôkôs the governor said unto
those who were round about him, "Even if the house had fallen upon them, and all those who
were in my abode were dead, I would not separate myself from this young man." And Rôkôs
the governor went back to Philemon, and said unto him, "O my lord, hast thou not heard
what this messenger hath said? I entreat thee to go with me to my dwelling-place, but if
thou wilt not, then I will not go." Then Philemon answered and said unto him, "Let us
finish the matter whereon we are now occupied, and after this we will go to thy house."
And Philemon cried unto the dove and said unto her, "Go thou into the house of Rôkôs, and
say unto those who are therein, Do nothing of any kind whatsoever in my dwellingplace
until I come;" and the dove went as he had commanded her, and brought her message [to the
house]. And it came to pass that when the people heard the dove speaking they were struck
with exceedingly great astonishment.

17 And Philemon asked the governor to send for the men of the city to come, so that he
might raise him that was dead; and the governor sent the captain and his soldiers, and
they brought the people, and when they had come they all went together unto the place
where the dead man was. And Philemon found Andrew in the city, and he said unto him,
"Come, O my master, that thou mayest raise the dead man;" and Andrew said unto him,
"Verily I say unto thee that thou shalt raise him." Then Philemon came into the place
wherein was the man that was dead, and he bowed his knees even upon the ground, and made
supplication unto God Almighty, saying, "Hear Thou me, O Lord my God, Thou Good Shepherd,
Who hast not left us to be possess-ions in the hands of the Adversary, but hast delivered
us by Thy precious Blood; hear Thou me, Thy servant; I entreat Thee, according to the
multitude of Thy mercy, to let this young man be raised from the dead." And saying these
words he lifted himself up, and cried out with a loud voice, "In the Name of our Lord
Jesus Christ the Nazarene, rise up, O young man;" and the young man rose up quickly from
the dead. And when the people saw that the young man had risen up and was alive, their
faith was increased, and they became strong [in their belief] in our Lord Jesus Christ.

18 Then Philemon made known unto Andrew concerning the wife of the governor and concerning
the murder of her son; and Andrew, and Philemon, and all those who were gathered together
there went unto the abode of Rôkôs, and the widows and orphans followed after them asking
them to give them gifts. And it came to pass that when Andrew came into the house of the
governor, he found the child of the governor [lying dead,] and many people were standing
round about him and weeping for him, and the dove was standing by the A side of his head.
Then Andrew said unto the dove, "How many are thy days?" And she said unto him, "Sixty
years [are] the days [of my life]." Then Andrew said unto her, "Since thou hast obeyed the
voice of Philemon my disciple, depart thou into the desert, and thou shalt be free of the
work of the men of this world, and no man shall have power over thee;" so the dove went
forth into the desert, even as Andrew had commanded her.

19 Then Andrew cried unto him that was dead, saying, "In the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ
Who hath sent us into the world to preach His holy Name, rise up and live in this same
hour; and he that was dead rose up, and he bowed himself down between (i. e., beneath) the
hands of Andrew. And Andrew lifted him up, and said unto him, "Believe in our Lord, O my
son; and he who had been made to live [again] answered and said unto him, "Behold, I have
believed. But I entreat thee, O my father Andrew, to give me permission to declare
everything which I have seen". Then Andrew said unto him, "Speak. And the young man
answered and said unto his father, "O father, give thou a portion of thy riches unto the
poor, and to the orphans, and to the widows, and to those who are in want. Wilt thou not
pay back a little of that which it is meet for thee to pay back for the gracious gift of
God which hath come down upon thee? And wilt thou not give unto those who are in
affliction for thy soul's sake? I declare unto thee, O my father, that in that same hour
wherein my mother rose up and killed me, many most pleasant things happened unto me. There
came unto me many men who had wings which were like unto the wings of eagles, and they
took my soul and cast it into a place called 'Gehenna'.

20 And I saw a great house which was a building of sulphur and bitumen, and the number of
those who were building it was forty; and there were with them [men with] lighted (or
brilliant) lamps. And these builders were surrounded by those who were giving them orders
concerning the building, and who said, 'When will this house be finished? for we have been
ordered to burn it with these lamps.' And the builders said unto them, 'What is this? Ye
would not surely burn down the house before it is finished?' And they said unto them, 'By
what time will the building thereof be finished?' And they said, 'By the time the master
of the house shall die, and then they will burn him therein.'" 21 "Then the angel, who had
my soul in his keeping, said unto me, 'Hast thou seen these [beings]?' And I said unto
him, 'Yea.' And I asked him, saying, 'For whom hath this house of sulphur and bitumen been
built?' And he answered and said unto me, 'Dost thou see this great house?' And I said
unto him, 'Yea, my lord.' And he said unto me, 'This is the sin which thy father hath
committed, and this house will continue to be built for him until the time when he shall
die, and then they will cast him into it, and consume him.' 172a. And when I heard these
things concerning thee, I wept exceedingly, and I said, 'Woe is me! Woe is me! How can I
inform my father of these things?' Now as I 'was weeping, he who was with me said unto me,
Weep not.' And as he was conversing with me there came an aged man, and one hundred men
were following after him; and there was with him a young man, the days of whose life were
twelve years, and his aspect was most beautiful, and he conversed with those who were
building in a language which I knew not. And after this he ordered them to pull down the
house, and he also commanded the angel who was going with me to take me forth into an
exceedingly wide and open place.

22 Then two men came, each of whom had in his hands a threefold rod of gold which he laid
upon the great house in thy name; now the breadth and the height of the house were equal,
and the length of each side (literally face) was twelve rods. And the angel said, { 'Fill
[the house]'. And a builder answered and said, 'I cannot fill it now, for the grain hath
not yet come into the granary; when the grain hath come into the granary I shall be able
to fill it a hundred times over.'" 23 And Andrew said unto Rōkōs, "Hearken unto that which
thy son saith. Had any other man spoken these words unto thee thou wouldst not have
believed him; but he is thy son." Then Rōkōs answered and said unto Andrew, "I beseech
thee, O man of God, to take all my possessions and to give them unto those who are in
want, and to those who are poor and in misery." And Andrew answered and said unto him,
"Rise up, and take my disciple into thy house, so that he may heal thy wife;" so Philemon
did even as Andrew had commanded him. And he went unto the habitation of Rōkōs, and found
his wife standing like a pillar and holding in her hands a black hairy [devil] who wished
to escape from her, but she was unwilling to let him go. Then Philemon took hold of her
right hand, and brought her unto the place where Andrew was, and she was holding the black
hairy devil with her left hand. And it came to pass that when the multitude saw the black
[devil] they were greatly moved, and they cried

24 M out, and became like a flock of sheep among which a wolf hath entered. Then Andrew
said unto the multitude, "Fear ye not, but come nigh unto me and make strong your hearts,
so that we learn who he is." And Andrew commanded the woman to let him go, and he made
over her face the sign of the Cross, and laid his hands upon her head, and said, "In the
Name of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Nazarene, in Whose Name we preach, let everything which
moveth in thy body hold its peace, and let thy understanding return unto thee;" then the
woman became quiet, and she sat down close by (literally, between the hands of) the
disciple. Then the disciple turned his face to the black [devil], and said unto him, "With
what "work hast thou laid hold upon this woman?" And the black [devil] said unto him, "I
will tell thee truly. When a strong young man who dwelleth with a feeble king cometh
against him into battle, because the young man is strong he gaineth the victory over the
feeble king in the fight; and it is not to be wished that the king should vanquish the
young man, on the contrary, it is to be wished that the young man should conquer the king.
But although I [like the king] have great power among the fiends and devils, behold, I
have come into thy hand (or power)." And Andrew said unto him, "What shall I say
concerning thee, O thou foul author of evil works? The time for thee to go forth hath
come; but thou shalt be crucified, and thou shalt [not] go forth unto the outside of this
city until tomorrow." And Andrew, having first of all prayed and made an end of his
prayer, administered unto the believing people the Holy Mysteries, and sent them away in
peace.

25 And it came to pass that when the morning had come, the people gathered themselves
together, and Andrew came and cried out unto that black [devil], saying, "O thou foul and
evil being, thou spirit of darkness, I say unto thee, 'Make manifest thy acts in the
presence of this multitude of people, so that they may see thee.'" And the black [devil]
answered and said unto Andrew, "It is not thou who shalt judge me and shalt do unto me
this thing. Nevertheless my deeds are evil, for I have destroyed my glory and have blotted
out mine honour." Then Andrew said unto him, "O thou foul being of darkness, how was it
that thou didst possess honour?" And the black [devil] said unto him, "Thou callest me
'black [devil]', and black indeed I am, but thou knowest well that my nature was not thus
at the time when I was created; but thou wishest to shew this multitude who I am. Woe is
me, for who will deliver me from this plight in which I am?" And he began to call upon the
names of the powers which are in the height. Then Andrew said unto him, "Thou shalt keep
silence and thou shalt not speak, except to declare unto this multitude who thou art." And
the black [devil] answered and said unto him, "I am one of the two hundred angels whom God
Almighty sent to inspect col 2. the earth, and when we had seen it, we loved it, and we
did not return unto Him that sent us; now I am their chief, and my name is Makár." And
Andrew said unto him, "Hold thy peace, lest the abundant trouble [which thou hast caused],
and thine error, and the loss

26 M* [which thou hast inflicted] come back upon thee, and thy pride shall be unto thee
the cause of thy "destruction. What sayest thou, O unclean spirit? In the Name of our Lord
Jesus Christ, depart thou into Gehenna, and never again shalt thou make thy appearance
[upon this earth];" and in that same moment he was no more seen. And Rōkōs the governor
said unto Andrew, "Dost thou command me to give my possessions unto the poor and unto
those who are in want and in misery?" Then he caused all his possessions to be brought
unto Andrew, and he gave them away according to his word. Then a rumour came unto the
king, saying, "Rōkōs the governor hath distributed his riches among the poor, and he hath
"left the office which he held, and he neither overseeth the people of the city nor
judgeth among them, but saith, As far as I am able I will judge [my own self, for in times
past I have erred]." Now when the nobleman Selkiyōs saw that the king was wishing to
remove Rōkōs, and to kill him, he spake unto the king and entreated him to desist from his
desire. And [the king] said unto him, "If it be that he hath turned into a good man, and
hath become one of the servants of the God, Who worketh miracles and marvellous things in
the country of the Hebrews, perhaps thou mayest have power over him. But write unto him
[and ask him] if he desireth [this] faith, [and if he doth] he must give up unto thee all
his possessions, and they must come into the king's treasury."

27 Then straightway Selkiyōs wrote a letter and sent unto Rōkōs by messengers, but when
the messengers arrived with the letter at his house they could not find him in his
dwelling; then they sought for him, and a certain man guided them and told them where he
was, saying, " He is with a certain man whose name is Andrew, and he teacheth a new
doctrine, and it is not the doctrine of Rome." Then they came on to the road of the city,
and they found Rōkōs and Andrew casting devils out of a man who had been possessed of them
for [seventy] years; now when the messengers of the king saw this miracle they also
believed in God, and they gave the letters unto Rōkōs, and he read them. And it came to
pass that when he heard that they were going to take all his possessions and place them
among the treasures of the king, Andrew laughed and said unto Rōkōs, "O Rōkōs, is thine
heart grieved because the king desireth to take all thy possessions?" And Rōkōs answered
and said unto him, "Thou thyself knowest whether I [am grieved or not]. But I will not
separate myself from thee, and I will not leave any place whatsoever into which thou
goest. What need have I of the things which perish, and which turn unto corruption, and
which cause him that gathereth them together to be destroyed?" Then Andrew said unto him,
"All the waters are gathered together again in the sea, and yet the sea is not filled; and
everything which a man putteth into the belly goeth out into the desert place."

28 And as Andrew was holding converse with Rōkōs, he heard a voice near him which
commanded him to send away the people, and it commanded him to go forth and to depart unto
the city which was before him; and he knew that [it was the voice of] a great and
honourable message. Then after these things [he returned unto the city], and they (i. e.,
the people) revealed unto him that there was great fear therein on account of the king,
[who was wroth] because of the messengers who had believed, [for he feared] lest the
believers would be strengthened …in my name, and that they shall know that I am with them,
and that I will be in them. And Andrew blessed the people, saying, "May the Lord God make
you to be strong in the right faith, and may He make you to be strong in His perfection!"
Then the people made answer unto him, saying, " Depart in 'peace, but let not thy
habitation be far from us. And we have heard the voice which cried unto thee, and [seen]
how great fear hath come upon this city through the king, [who is wroth] by reason of the
messengers who have believed." Then Andrew made strong their hearts, and said unto them,
"Fear ye not, for God Almighty in Whom ye have believed is mighty, and He hath the power
to protect you;" and thus saying he went forth from them in peace, giving praise unto God.
May his prayer and his blessing be with us, and may it protect us for ever and ever! Amen.


THE CONTENDINGS OF THE APOSTLES, PART 1
=======================================

THE CONTENDINGS OF THE APOSTLES, PART 1 continued

THE ACTS OF SAINT ANDREW AND SAINT BARTHOLOMEW

1 Here begin the Acts of the two blessed disciples Andrew and Bartholomew the Apostles of
our Lord Jesus Christ, which they wrought in the city of Nārṭōs after their return from
the city (or country) of Dēwā, which is called 'Atwāh. In the peace of our Lord Jesus
Christ. Amen. 2 And it came to pass after the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ from
the dead, that He became King over (literally between) the heavens and the earth, and He
appeared unto Bartholomew in the country of the Gentiles, in the district of Maḳāṭrān,
that is to say, the city (or country) of 'Azrēyānōs. And He spake unto him thus, "Peace be
unto thee, O good Bartholomew, fear thou not, thou shalt be conqueror in every place
whereunto thou shalt go; for he who laboureth for Me is worthy of his hire, and he shall
acquire the life which is everlasting. Ye are faithful labourers who have toiled hard in
the fields of your Lord, and when ye go forth from this world ye shall receive your
reward. Rise up, O good Bartholomew, and go unto the countries of the Greeks, and preach
thou unto them the story of the Gospel, and teach them the place of salvation, so that
they may forsake the evil of their works, and the service of their gods, and may repent in
such wise that they may inherit the life which is everlasting. Behold, I will tell thee
beforehand what shall come upon thee in this city, yea, even before thou shalt enter
therein. They shall burn thy body with fire, until such time as they hang it upon a cross;
and they shall saw it in pieces with a saw for a long time; and they shall cast thee forth
unto the beasts of prey, that they may feed upon thee;

3 and they shall tie a stone to thy feet and shall cast thee into the sea. But take heed
to thyself, and fear thou not, and be strong, for thou shalt be victorious, and no evil or
corrupt person shall get dominion over thee. O good one, endure patiently, and bear thou
in mind what things the people of the Jews did unto Me, and the wicked things which they
wrought upon Me, and how I was suspended upon a wooden cross. Yet I did not reward them
according to their works, for I am a compassionate God, and I will forgive the sins of all
those who turn unto Me, and I will accept their repentance. And behold, I will send Andrew
unto thee, and he shall bring thee into this city, and mighty deeds and wonderful things
shall be made manifest through thee, and many shall believe through thee. And having made
an end of His words unto Bartholomew, our Lord gave him the salutation of peace, and He
went up into heaven with great glory; and Bartholomew departed unto the place whither God
had commanded him to go.

4 And our Lord appeared unto Andrew in the night in the city wherein he was, and He
commanded him to go unto the city of 'Azrēyānōs, to Bartholomew, and He commanded that the
two of them should go unto the city of Bārtōs and should preach therein the story of the
Gospel which He had given unto them, that is to say, that the people should forsake the
evil of their deeds, and the service of their [false] gods, and repent in such wise that
at length they might inherit the life which is for ever. [And He said] "Hurry them not,
but multiply thy patience, and be thou longsuffering, and remember Me, thy Master and thy
God. Thou knowest all the pain and suffering which came upon Me through the Jews, and that
I rewarded them not according to what they did unto Me, on the contrary, I shewed
longsuffering unto them that they might be saved from their sins. And now, O thou good
one, fear not, and let not thy spirit be cast down, but bear patiently with them until
thou hast led them away from their exceedingly great error by thy quiet longsuffering. And
behold, I will send unto you a man of terrible appearance, whose face shall be like unto
the face of a dog, and many shall believe in your words through fear of him, and he shall
follow you and shall be a helper [unto you] all the days of your [preaching] the story [of
the Gospel]. And when the men of Bārtōs have believed, take him forth with you unto the
city of Al-Mēkōs, and the people thereof shall believe also by reason of the multitude of
the miracles and wonderful things which shall take place through you." And the Lord having
thus encouraged Andrew went up into heaven with great glory.

5 70s. And on the morrow Andrew and his two disciples Rōkōs (i. e., Rufus) and Alexander
rose up, and they went forth from the city wherein they dwelt, and they wished to go to
Bartholomew in the city of 'Azrēyānōs, so that they all might depart unto the cities of
Bārtōs and Mēkōs, to preach therein the story of the Holy Gospel, even as God had
commanded them. And it came to pass that, when they had arrived at the sea, they found no
ship wherein they could embark, and Andrew was very sad and greatly disturbed by reason of
this thing, and he sat down upon the sea-shore until the third hour. And at this [time]
Andrew said unto his two disciples, "Rise up, O my brethren, and let us stretch out our
hands unto God, and let us ask Him to prosper our way, for I know that He will not forsake
us." So they rose up together, and they prayed a prayer in the Hebrew language; and when
they had ended their prayer they sat down upon the sea-shore under a tree, and slumber
came upon them and they slept. And God commanded a whale to go forth out of the sea, and
he did so, and opened his mouth and swallowed up Andrew and his two disciples, who knew
nothing whatsoever about it, for they were asleep, and they remained in the belly of the
whale three days and three nights. Then, by the good pleasure of God Almighty, the whale
cast them forth on the sea-shore of the country of Azrēyānōs, on the

6 70s. road which leadeth unto the city, at the break of day, on the fourth day of the
week; and they tarried there. Now the distance of the city of 'Azrēyánôs from where they
had been was forty days' journey. And it came to pass that, when Andrew and his two
disciples awoke, they were on the sea-shore of the country of 'Azrēyánôs, and they knew
nothing whatsoever of what 7ob. had come upon them. Then Andrew said unto his two
disciples, "O my brethren, how long are we going to remain in this country without finding
a ship to bring us unto the country of Azrēyánôs? for my spirit is shut in.' And he said,
Was it not Thou, O God, Who didst appear 'unto me and command me to go unto the city of
Azrē-yánôs?' Then Andrew said unto his disciples, Let us 'now return unto the city until
it please God that we should set out on our journey, and until He bring us a ship;' and
his disciples said unto him, Let it be according to thy will."

7 Now whilst Andrew was conversing in this wise with his disciples, one of the two called
Rufus saw a ship coming to the sea-[shore], and he told Andrew his master; and by reason
of this thing they rejoiced exceedingly, and they rose up together and [went to] meet the
ship. And 7ob. it came to pass that when the ship came into the harbour, they sought out
the captain thereof, and they said unto him, "Whither art thou wishing [to go], O good
man?" Now our Lord Jesus Christ had made for them a spiritual ship, wherein also were a
[spiritual] crew and captain, before it came unto them. And Andrew rose up and met the
ship, and he cried out unto the captain, saying, "The peace of God be with thee, O thou
good 'captain.' And our Lord Jesus Christ, Who had taken the form of the captain of the
ship, answered and said unto him, The peace of God be with thee also, O beloved brother!"
Then Andrew said unto Him, "Unto what country goest Thou?" And our Lord Jesus, that is to
say the captain of the ship, answered and said unto him, "By the good pleasure of God, I
am going unto the city of

8 "Bártós." And Andrew said unto Him, "O good Man, peradventure Thou hast lost Thy way at
sea, for this city in which I am is Bártós." Then the captain of the ship, that is to say,
our Lord, said unto him, "This city is not Bártós, but Azréyánós, and to-day is the third
day since I was at Bártós, whither I went seeking to sell the goods which [God] had given
unto Me. Now if ye are seeking the city of Bártós it is a journey of forty days and forty
nights, for I have been there many times." [Then Andrew said unto him, "O good Man, from
what country comest thou?"] And our Lord answered and said unto Him, "I am from Bethlehem
of Judaea." And Andrew spake with Him, saying, "Dost Thou not think that we might preach
for this day in the city? We would rise up at the earliest dawn and come to the shore, and
would seek a ship which would bring us across to 'Azréyánós."

9 Now whilst they were talking the matter over again among themselves they saw, coming
from the country of Macedonia and seeking for the city of 'Azréyánós, the men whom the
governor of the country of Macedonia had sent unto Bartholomew to bring him with them to
their city, that he might cast out the devil who had seized the wife of the governor of
the country of Macedonia. And they looked at our Lord Jesus Christ [Who was] on the shore,
and He said unto them when they had arrived, Tell us what is the city which is opposite to
us." And the men answered and said unto Him, "This is the city of 'Azrēyānós." And Jesus
said unto them, "For what purpose have ye come hither?" And they said unto Him, "The
governor of the country [of Macedonia] hath sent us unto Bartholomew, that he may come
thither with us and cast out the devil who hath laid hold upon the wife of the governor of
Macedonia." Then Andrew was greatly astonished and said in his heart, "I marvel whether
these men are speaking the truth?"

10 Then the men from Macedonia came into the city, [and when they had dwelt therein] but a
few [days] they brought Bartholomew [out] with them. And when Bartholomew and the men who
were with him came to the ship they saw Jesus sitting therein, and they thought that it
was He who was to bring them over into Macedonia. And Bartholomew said unto Him, "The
peace of God be with Thee, good Master! We desire and entreat Thee to take us over to the
coast of Macedonia." And Jesus, Who was in the form of the captain of the ship, answered
and said unto them, "We [are going] unto the country of Bártós. But go ye unto those men
who are sitting under the tree there, and since they belong to the ship they will take you
across." So Bartholomew went, even as our Lord had commanded him, to the tree, and he saw
Andrew and his two disciples sitting [there]. And when Andrew saw him, he made haste to
receive Bartholomew, and he embraced him, and said unto him, "Whence comest thou? And what
city is this?" And Bartholomew said unto him, "This city is 'Azrēyānós, and it hath fallen
to my lot to preach therein." And Andrew marveiled greatly, and said, "With what words can
my tongue speak and give thanks unto God, the Merciful One, Who hath wrought these
gracious things for me? For He hath brought me unto this city in one night, and we have
been made to meet with thee so that we may go [together] unto the cities of Bártós and
Mélkós, and may preach in them the story of the Holy Gospel."

11 Now whilst Andrew was conversing with Bartholomew, the pilot of the ship went up from
the crew and came unto them. And he said unto Andrew, "O good man, knowest thou of a
certainty that this city is 'Azrēyánós?" And Andrew said unto him, "O master, forgive me,
for I spoke against thy words in ignorance." Then the captain of the ship answered and
[said unto him], "How many days is it since thou didst come from the country of the
Greeks?" And Andrew said unto Him, "As my Lord and Redeemer liveth, (for we are thy
servants!) did we not live in that country? And behold, as Thou seest, we [only] arrived
in this city this day." Then the captain of the ship answered and said unto him, "What god
dost thou worship? And in whom dost thou believe, O man? Now I see a manifestation of thy
God in the majesty which dwelleth upon thee." Then Andrew said unto him, "We are the
servants of the Good God, Whose Name is Jesus." Then the Saviour, that is to say, the
captain of the ship, said unto him, "True, thy God is God Almighty in very truth. But what
is thy purpose in coming into this city, and what seekest thou to do?" And Andrew answered
and said unto Him, "Behold I have found him whom I sought; I found him before I sought
him, and 'when as yet I had not come into the city." And our Lord Jesus answered and said
unto him, "He who hath delivered thee, and hath brought thee unto the city of 'Azrēyānós,
will also bring thee unto the cities of Bártós and Mátyás" (i. e., Mēkós).

12 And it came to pass that when the two disciples heard these words, they rejoiced and
said unto Him, "We desire to go unto the cities of Bártós and Mátyás. Then the master of
the ship answered and said unto them, "Verily a great gift of grace hath descended upon
Me, [seeing] that I have become worthy for disciples of Christ to embark with Me in My
ship; and if your God bringeth you unto these great cities in safety [I shall thank Him].
Now, if ye have any thing to do in this city which must be done, hasten ye to do it, and
meanwhile I will make the ship ready for you by the time ye return unto Me. And
Bartholomew answered and said unto Him, "We desire that Thou wilt set out with us
forthwith on the journey and bring us unto the coast of Macedonia; but there is a matter
which we must first finish before we go unto these cities. And the master of the ship said
unto them, "For what purpose do ye go thereto? Then those men who had been sent from
Macedonia answered and said unto him, "The wife of the governor of the city hath gathered
together unto her the poor folk of the city, among whom were those who were needy and in
misery, that she might give alms unto them;

13 and as she was [standing] among them, and was giving alms unto them, behold, a foul
spirit laid hold upon her, and she became mad, and began to stone all those who were in
her house with stones. Then the governor seized her and placed her in a strong place, and
he sent us unto this city to Bartholomew, the Apostle of our Lord Jesus Christ, that he
might come and cast out Satan from his wife. And the master of the ship answered, and said
unto Andrew, "Whosoever shall forsake this world, and everything which is therein, and
shall follow our Lord Jesus Christ, Christ shall become his helper, and He shall make him
to cast out devils even as ye do. Then Andrew said unto him, "True, for whosoever shall
forsake this world and all that is therein, and shall take up his cross, and follow Him,
he shall say to this mountain, 'Rise up,' and the mountain shall be lifted up. And the
master of the ship said unto him, "Now if I forsake this world and all that therein is,
and take up my cross and follow this Good God, is it possible that I shall be able, like
you, to cast out Satan from the wife of this governor of Macedonia? Then Andrew said unto
him, "This would not be fitting for thee.

14 But bring us [first] unto the city of Bártós, and then sell this ship and give the
price thereof unto the poor and needy and the widows and the orphans, and then come and be
with us in every place whithersoever we go, and Thou shalt do the things which we
ourselves do. At this present Thou hast not the power to do anything, [and Thou wilt not
have] until the help of the Holy Spirit shall descend upon Thee. Then the man, who was
Jesus, made answer, "If it be thus as ye tell Me, may the Spirit of Jesus descend upon Me
also! Rise up now, and let us ask in the Name of Jesus that He will work with His power in
each one of us, and that God Almighty will receive [our] petition, and make the help of
the Holy Spirit to descend upon him. For I perceive that the grace of God may descend upon
Me, and that Jesus Christ will be with every man who loveth Him, and that He will perform
for him everything which he wisheth."

15 And Andrew arose and stood up, and he stretched out his hands, and prayed, saying, "I
command thee, O thou sea, which God created before all other things, and I desire thee to
carry me and to bear me, and all those who are with me in this place, and to bring us over
unto the coast of Macedonia." And in that same hour the sea became full of water, and it
came unto the place wherein the Apostles were, and it surrounded them, and they sat down
in it as if it had been a ship, and it brought them over unto the shore of Macedonia, that
is to say, Andrew, and Bartholomew, and the people who had come [with them], and the
master of the ship, that is to say, Jesus. And they said [unto] Andrew, "Verily thou art a
servant of the good God!" And the "messengers who had been sent from the country of
Macedonia bowed down before Andrew, and said unto him, There is no god but thy God."

16 And after these things Bartholomew rose up and prayed, saying, "O my Lord and God Jesus
Christ, send Thy good messenger unto the house of the governor of Macedonia, that he may
cast out Satan from the wife of the governor of that country, and let him heal her before
we come into the country." And in that same hour Michael the Archangel descended from
heaven and came into the house of the governor, and he took hold of the hands of the wife,
and of her husband, and of the men of the house, and brought them to the sea whereon were
the Apostles. Then when Satan saw the Man, the Master of the ship, that is to say, our
Lord Jesus Christ, he N wanted to cry out and to make known unto the people concerning
Jesus; but our Lord was angry with him, and He commanded him not to say any thing
whatsoever, but to go forth from the woman. Then Bartholomew answered and said unto
Andrew, "O my father Andrew, behold the woman who is possessed of a devil, rise up and
heal her;" and Andrew said unto him, "Do thou thyself heal her." And Bartholomew said unto
him, "Rise up and lay thine hand upon me, and I will do whatsoever thou commandest me."
And Andrew said unto him, "May God, Whose Name is sweet, and in Whom all blessing shall be
made perfect, bless us together!"

17 Then Bartholomew rose up, and drew nigh unto the woman, and said unto the foul spirit
which dwelt in her, "I say unto thee, O thou foul spirit, in the Name of our Lord Jesus
Christ, the Sustainer of all things, Whose Apostle I am, Go out from this woman, and go
down into the depths of the sea until the day wherein God shall pass judgment upon thee,
and upon thy father Satan, and thou shalt never again return unto her." And whilst
Bartholomew was saying these words Satan went forth from the woman and went down into the
depths of the sea. And in that same hour the woman recovered, and she rose up and bowed
down before the Apostles, she and her people, and the people of her house, and they said,
"There is no God besides Thee, O Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God, the God of
heaven and of earth;" and the Apostles blessed her. Then the woman answered and said, "O
my lords, if I have found grace with you, come ye with me into the city and rest
yourselves in the house of thy servants" (literally, masters); and Andrew said unto her,
"If we stay this day in the city we will come unto thy habitation." And Lydia, the wife of
the governor, answered and said unto him, "By the life of that God in Whose Name ye did
this deed, and Who hath performed unto me this act of grace, and hath redeemed me by your
hands, I will not separate myself from you until ye come into the city with me;" and Lydia
sent her servants on before her to her abode that they might make ready and beautify it
for them.

18 And after these things the Man, Who was Jesus, rose up, and He said unto Andrew and
Bartholomew, "Since your God is God indeed, and there is no other god besides Him, I
entreat you to give Me instruction also that I may become like unto you, and that I may do
mighty thing[s] in the Name of your God, and may become a disciple unto Him." And the Man,
Who was Jesus, said, "Bear Thou Me by Thy Name, O Christ, and Andrew, and Bartholomew, and
their disciples, and bring us unto the place whither they wish to go." And in that same
hour the Apostles [obtained] wings of light, and they arrived at the city of Bártós; now
Jesus was going in front of them, but they did not know that He was Jesus. And they stood
on the great tower(?) of the city wherein a multitude of people were gathered together,
for that day was the day in which they were celebrating the festival of their gods; and
the people were gathered together there, and they ate, and they drank, and they rejoiced
on the day of their festival. And it came to pass that when the people saw the Apostles
standing at the top of the theatre they marvelled greatly, for 'Aklabiyôn the governor had
not arrived, and the people were waiting

19 N* for him. Then Andrew answered and said unto the Man, Who was Jesus, "Tell me, O Man,
whence comest thou? Whom and what dost Thou worship? And what is Thy faith which hath
brought Thee [to do] these wonderful things?" And our Lord Jesus smiled at Andrew, and
said unto him, "Why are your hearts thus covered over? Lift up your eyes, and know Me;"
and thereupon our Lord appeared unto them in the form in which they used to know Him. And
He said unto them, "Gird up [your loins] and be strong, O My holy Apostles, for I will be
with you wheresoever ye go. I commanded the whale and it swallowed you up whilst ye were
sleeping, and ye knew nothing whatsoever about it, until I brought you unto the coast of
'Azrēyānós, and then I brought you unto the city of Bártós. Be ye patient and
longsuffering, O My holy Apostles, for I have in this city many people, but they will not
believe quickly; they will only do so by the mighty power of the miracles and wonderful
things which shall take place through you." And when our Lord had said these words He gave
them the salutation of peace, and He went up into heaven with great glory.

20 Now the Apostles were standing at the top of the theatre, and all the people were
looking at them, and saying, "Who made these [men] to go up into that great place? And
some of the people said, "These are the gods of this city, and they wish to perform
marvellous things. And if the priests do not approve of their work, behold, they will
become angry and wish to go forth from the city; but let us hasten and give the king word
concerning them. Now whilst the people were saying these things among themselves, and were
lifting up their eyes and looking at the Apostles, Aikbegos, the governor of the city,
came with all the soldiers of his guard, and took his seat upon his throne. Then the
people cried out unto him, but he was angry with them, for he thought within himself that
they were crying out unto him because a revolt was going to take place in the temple. And
they said unto the governor, "Lift up thine eyes, and look at the gods who are wishing to
depart from the city. It is meet that thou make enquiries into this matter, for
peradventure the priests have diminished somewhat their ministrations unto them. If they
depart from our city, our enemies will conquer us and will make war upon us, and we shall
find no one to help us. Then the governor commanded them to bring the gods.

21 And in that hour the priests arrayed themselves in their finest apparel, and they bore
in their hands [images of] four gods, and brought them into the theatre, whilst men blew
the trumpet before them, and at length they set them down upon thrones. And it came to
pass that when the people saw their gods, they lifted up their voices and gave praise unto
them; for this day was the day of their festival. Now when the Apostles saw that all the
men who were in the city had entered into the theatre, they came down from the top of the
theatre, and when the people saw them, they laid hold of them and brought them into the
governor's presence. And when the governor saw them he asked them questions, and said unto
them, "Whence are ye? And Andrew answered and said unto him, "We are Apostles of the Good
God Whose 'Name is Jesus.' Then certain of the people said, 'These [men] are of the twelve
sorcerers who go round about throughout all countries and make separation between husband
and wife;

22 send them away from us, that they may not lead us astray and separate us from our wives
and children.' And the governor said unto them, 'Wait ye a little, and disturb not
yourselves until I obtain information from them by asking them questions.' Then he turned
his face towards the Apostles, and said unto them, 'Since your God is indeed God, and He
is almighty and doeth that which He willeth, I desire you to perform some miracle or
marvellous thing here before me, so that I may know the truth of your words.' 23 Then
Andrew came unto the place where the gods were, and he commanded the people to hold their
peace [and they held their peace], even as he had ordered them. [And when the people had
become quiet Andrew cried out with a loud voice unto the gods, and said unto them, 'How
can ye be gods as these people imagine concerning you?'] And the gods made answer unto
[his] words, saying, 'We are not gods, but only the work of the hands of the children of
men, and the people are in error concerning us.' And Andrew answered with wrath, and said
unto them, 'By the might of our Lord Jesus, the Son of the Living God, the King of kings,
get ye up on the top of this theatre until I command you to go down into Gehenna; and in
that same hour the gods went up on the top of the building (literally temple), and all the
people were looking at them. Then Andrew said unto the people, "If the gods can hear (i.
e., if they are obedient to) what their priests say they will come back and take their
seats upon their thrones; and when the people saw this act on the part of the Apostles
they marvelled exceedingly. And the governor said unto [the priests], "Cry ye out unto our
gods that they return and take up their seats upon their thrones;

24 and the priests multiplied their entreaties unto their gods to come down from the top
of the temple, but they were unable to make them do so, and they could not be moved by
their priests. Then the Satans who dwelt in the images of the gods spake through their
mouths, saying, "O men of the city, if ye do not lay hold upon these men and burn their
bodies with fire, and if ye refuse to do [what we command] we will depart from this city.
Why do ye hearken unto these wicked and evil-doing men who lead the world into error? If
we depart from you the city will be destroyed; O accept ye not then their words. And it
came to pass that when the people heard these words from the devils they were exceedingly
angry, and they took up stones and cast them at the Apostles; and the governor ordered
them to shut the Apostles up in prison and to bind them with iron fetters, and to suspend
them upon crosses of wood that they might burn them with fire in the presence of their
gods. And in that same hour 181b.

25 the angel of God came down and delivered them out of the hands of the people, and
released them from [their] chains. Then the gods spake a second time and said unto [the
people], "Ye should not burn them in this wise, but should cast them into a burning fiery
furnace until ye have consumed them;" and they did as the devils had commanded them, but
the angel of God came down into the furnace and delivered them from the flaming fire. Then
the people cried out with loud cries, for they were perturbed, and were exceedingly
afraid. Now the angel of God had brought out the Apostles [from the furnace], and had set
them among the people, but they saw them not, for they were talking against the gods, and
were making a mock of them, and deriding both them and the devils who were dwelling in
them. Then the governor said unto the people, "What shall we do unto these men? Behold,
three times have we cast them into the fire, but it hath not consumed them and they are
uninjured. And behold, they have now passed away from our sight, and we are unable to find
them in order to work our will [upon them]."

26 And Andrew answered and said unto them, "We are standing in your midst, and either ye
must conquer us [by the might of your gods], or we must overcome you by the power of our
God. Then the governor answered and said unto them, "It is not meet for us to destroy the
law (or religion) of our gods; and the captain of the guard and the soldiers of the
governor laid hold upon the Apostles and brought them unto the company of the judges, and
all the people were casting stones in great numbers at them. Then Andrew was wroth in his
spirit, and he wished to curse the city and all those who were therein, and to send them
down into Gehenna by reason of their little faith, but he had patience [with them], and he
remembered the commandment of God Who said unto him, "Reward them not according to their
little faith. And the governor commanded the people to hold their peace, and said unto the
Apostles, "What now is this abominable work whereby ye lead men astray? I will strip your
skins from your limbs, and I will cast your bodies unto fierce lions that they may swallow
you up alive. Then Andrew answered and said unto him, "With what excuse (or reason) wilt
thou do this thing unto us? And the governor said unto them, "Because when ye entered into
our city it happened that our gods saw you, and they departed from us.

27 And Andrew answered and said unto them, "Your gods are not gods as ye imagine, but they
are the work of the hands of the children of men; and there is no god except the Father,
and the Son, Who is the Living God. And it came to pass that when the people heard these
words they spake to the governor, and said unto him, "We desire thee to slay these men;
and if thou refusest [to do so] we will burn thee and all the men of thy house. Now when
the governor saw that the nobles of the city and the people were greatly moved, and that
their voices were words increased [in violence], he said unto them, "What wish ye that I
should do unto them? And they said unto him, "Saw them in pieces with a saw, and then lay
them in a brass cauldron [over a fire], until their bodies are melted away, and then we
will cast them into the sea. Then the governor commanded them to bind the holy Apostles
with chains, and to fasten them firmly unto a wooden wheel in that same hour; and men came
to them and brought them a large saw wherewith they might saw the Apostles in pieces. And
it came to pass that when they took hold of the saw their hands withered, and they were
unable to move it; and those whose hands had withered cried out, saying, "Woe unto us, woe
unto us;

28 for the condition of being unable to do anything hath come upon us." 29 And the
governor said unto the people, "What do ye wish me to do unto them? I have no power over
them at all." Nevertheless the governor commanded once again that they should bring wheels
nigh unto the holy men, and that they should place them upon them, and should tie ropes to
them and drag them along the high road of the city, and that after these things they
should cast them into the sea, being still bound to the wheels. And it came to pass that
when the messengers of the governor wished to lay hold upon the cords, their flesh melted,
and their hands were cut off from their arms and fell upon the ground; and there was great
sorrow and very much weeping in the city on that day. Then again the governor said unto
the people, "What do ye wish me to do with these men? Behold, ye see how we have treated
them, and that we are not able to do unto them anything whatsoever which will cause them
suffering. Then the multitudes of people who were gathered together said unto him, "Rise
up, and we also will rise up; and let us ask them to accept our entreaty and to depart
from our city. And the governor went with all the people unto the Apostles, and said unto
them, "O blessed brethren, consider what possessions ye wish for, and we will give [them]
unto you, so that ye depart from our city; [if ye will do this,] peradventure our gods
will return unto us, and if ye will do it not, then we and all the city shall perish. And
the Apostles answered and said, "We have no desire whatsoever either for gold or for
silver; and the people were exceedingly wroth with them, and they drove the Apostles out
of the city, and stoned them with stones, and they were cast out and lay upon the ground
like dead men.

30 Then because of this thing did our Lord Jesus Christ appear unto them, and say, "Rise
up, O My holy Apostles, and endure ye in patience, and fear not; a great tumult because of
you hath indeed taken place in this city to-day, but now depart into the desert, and I
will be with you; and be not afraid, for I will send unto you the man whose face is like
unto that of a dog, and whose appearance is exceedingly terrible, and ye shall take him
with you unto the city. And after our Lord had given this command unto His disciples He
went up from them into heaven with great glory. 31 And the Apostles went forth into the
desert, being exceedingly sorrowful because the men of the city had not believed; and they
had only sat down for a little space to rest themselves when they slumbered and fell
asleep, and the angel of God lifted up the Apostles and brought them unto the City of
Cannibals, and having set them down under a rock he departed from them. Now when they rose
up out of their slumber, they marvelled exceedingly, and gave glory unto God. And whilst
they were talking among themselves beneath a rock, behold, there came from the City of
Cannibals a certain man who was looking for a man to eat, and he had [wandered about all]
that day until the evening, but had found nothing to eat. And the angel of God appeared
and said unto him, "O thou man, whose face is like unto that of a dog, I say unto thee,
Behold, thou shalt find two men sitting under a rock, and with them are their disciples;
and when thou hast arrived at the place where they are let no evil thing befall them
through thee (for they are the servants of God), lest their God be wroth with thee and He
smite thee in twain." And it came to pass that, when the man whose face was like unto that
of a dog heard these things, he trembled exceedingly, and he answered and said unto the
angel, "Who art thou? I know neither thee nor thy God; but tell me who is the God
concerning Whom thou speakest unto me."

32 And the angel answered and said unto him, "He Who hath created the heavens and the
earth is God in very truth. These heavens which are spread abroad like a tabernacle over
thy head, and this earth which thou treadest upon with thy feet did He create, as well as
the Sun, and the Moon and the stars, and all created things; He created the sea, and the
rivers, and all that is therein, and He created the beasts of the field, and the feathered
fowl of the heavens, and all the things which creep, and all green herbs and plants. He
created everything which hath been created, and He hath the power to take away their
breath from them. Then the man with the face of a dog said unto him, "I wish to see [some
sign], so that I may believe in all His miraculous powers concerning which I have heard
from thee. Then in that same hour fire came down from heaven and surrounded the man with a
face like unto that of a dog, and he was unable to withdraw himself therefrom, for he was
standing in the midst of the fire, not being able to go forth therefrom. And he was
exceedingly afraid, and he cried out with a loud voice, saying, "O Thou God, Whom I know
not, have compassion upon me, and save me from this tribulation, and I will believe on
Thee.

33 And the angel answered and said unto him, "If God saveth thee from the affliction of
this fire, wilt thou follow the Apostles into every place whithersoever they may go, and
wilt thou hearken unto everything which they shall command thee? And the man with a face
like unto that of a dog answered and said unto the angel, "O my Lord, I am not like all
other men, for my face is not like that of a man, and I have no knowledge of their speech.
Now, if I go with them, where shall I find food? And if I be hungry, where shall I find
men to eat? I should certainly then fall upon them and devour them. Behold, I have told
thee my habit (literally work), and I would not entreat them evilly, lest their God should
be angry with me." 34 And the angel said unto him, "God will give unto thee the nature of
the children of men, and He will restrain in thee the nature of the beasts;" and in that
same hour the angel stretched out his hands and brought out the man with a face like unto
that of a dog from the fire, and he made over him the sign of the cross, and cried out
unto him in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Then
straightway did the nature of the beast go forth out of him, and he became as gentle as a
lamb. And the angel said unto him, "Rise up and go unto the rock, and thou shalt find
[four] men sitting under the shadow thereof; follow them, and bring thou no evil upon
them, for God hath sent thee to do mighty work[s] in every place whithersoever [they]
shall go;" and the angel of God was no more seen of him. Then the man with a face like
unto that of a dog rose up and went unto the place wherein the Apostles were, and he was
rejoicing and was glad because he had learned to know the right faith. Now his appearance
was exceedingly terrible. He was four cubits in height, and his face was like unto the
face of a great dog, and his eyes were like unto lamps of fire which burnt brightly, and
his teeth were like unto the tusks of a wild boar, or the teeth of a lion, and the nails
of his hands were like unto curved reaping hooks, and the nails of his toes were like unto
the claws of a lion, and the hair of his head came down over his arms like unto the mane
of a lion, and his whole appearance was awful and terrifying.

35 And it came to pass that the Apostles woke up out of their sleep, being sad at heart on
account of the city and the little knowledge [of the faith] which was possessed by the men
that were therein; and as they were sitting down there came unto them the man with a face
like unto that of a dog, and when Alexander, the disciple of Andrew, saw him coming
towards them he became like a dead man by reason of his fear of him. Now the Apostles
thought that he was an unclean spirit which had appeared unto them, and they made the sign
of the cross over him in the Name of God, and they also made the sign of the cross before
his face; and after this Andrew looked at the man who had a face like unto that of a dog,
and he trembled at his appearance, and made a sign unto Bartholomew with his hands. Now
when Bartholomew saw him, both he and Andrew fled together, and they left behind them
their disciples Rufus and Alexander under the rock.

36 And it came to pass that when the man who had a face like unto that of a dog had come
to where they had been, he found there their disciples who had become as it were dead men
through fear of him. Then he laid hold upon them with his hands, and said unto them, "Be
not afraid, O my spiritual fathers," and thereupon God removed fear from their hearts, and
sent upon them the power of the Holy Spirit, and they were not afraid of him. And he did
homage unto them, and entreated them to cry unto their fathers Andrew and Bartholomew, and
to tell them what our Lord Jesus Christ had commanded him [to do]; so they went to seek
them. And it came to pass that when Rufus and Alexander found them they said unto them, "A
man whom God hath sent seeketh you." Then the Apostles came unto the place where was the
man with a face like unto that of a dog, and they were not able to look upon him because
he was exceedingly terrible to look upon. And when he had looked upon them he bowed down
before them on the ground, and said unto them, "Be not afraid of my appearance, O ye
servants of God the Most High, for your God hath sent me unto you that I may go with

37 B you whithersoever ye wish to go, and to hear (or obey) every command which ye shall
give me;" and the Apostles marvelled at the words of the man whose face was like unto that
of a dog. Then Andrew said unto him, "May God bless thee, O my son! I know that through
thee we shall have great respite from grief; but tell me what is thy name." And the man
with a face like unto that of a dog said unto him, "My name is 'Hasûm,' i. e., the
'Abominable'." And Andrew said unto him, "Rightly [thou speakest], for thy name is even as
thyself; but [here] there is a hidden mystery which is both honourable and pleasant, for
from this day onwards thy name shall be 'Christian'." And as he was saying these words
they rose up and prayed, and then departed from that country; and God sent His angel, [who
went] with them and guided [them] on their way.

38 And on the third day they arrived at the city of Bârtôs, and they sat down outside the
city to rest them- 165a. selves. Now Satan had gone before them unto the men of the city,
and having made himself to take the form of one of the rich and honourable nobles of the
city, he came to the governor, unto whom were gathered together the elders of the people,
and said unto him, "Behold, the men on whom thou didst pass sentence of death, and whom
thou didst cast outside the city have come [here] again, and wish to enter into the city.
Now as soon as the gods have knowledge of this, they will immediately depart from our
city, and when all the people hear of it they will rise up against us, and make prisoners
of us and of our children." And it came to pass that when the governor heard these words
he commanded them to shut all the gates of the city, and he set guards over each of them.

39 And when the Apostles were wishing to enter into the city, the man whose face was like
unto that of a dog said unto them, "Cover over my face before ye enter into the city, that
the people may not see me, and may not flee from me;" so they covered over his face. And
Andrew rose up and prayed, saying, "Hearken, O Lord, unto my prayer." Then he drew nigh
unto the gate of the city, and said, "In the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who hath
broken the gates of brass, and hath dashed in pieces the bolts of iron, let all the gates
of this city be opened quickly." And as Andrew spake these words the gates of the city
fell down, and the Apostles and the man who had a face like unto that of a dog entered in,
and the men who were on guard at the gates made haste, and told the governor what had
taken place. And it came to pass that when the men of the city heard [these things], they
were greatly perturbed, and they all came rushing forward carrying their swords, and their
spears, and their shields, and their bows, each man [carrying whatever weapon] he could
[find], and they went out to seek the Apostles to slay them. Then the governor commanded
them to bring the Apostles before the people; and he commanded them to bring [hungry and]
savage beasts to attack them, that is to say, seven lions, and three young lions, and a
lioness which had just brought forth young, and two tigers, and they wished them to throw
themselves upon the Apostles. And the servants of the king laid hold of Andrew to throw
him [and the other men] to the savage animals,

40 O and when he that had a face like unto that of a dog saw all that they were doing, he
said unto Andrew, "O thou good servant of God, wilt thou command me to uncover my face?"
And Andrew said unto him, "Whatsoever God commandeth thee that do." Then he whose face was
like unto that of a dog prayed, saying, "I beseech Thee, O my Lord Jesus Christ, Who didst
take me from my vile nature into the knowledge of Thyself, and hast given me understanding
like unto other men, and hast made me worthy to follow Thy Apostles, I beseech Thee, O my
Lord, to turn me back again into my former nature, so that all the people may see me; and
strengthen Thou me with Thy power, so that they may know that there is no other god
besides Thee." And in that same hour his former nature returned unto him, and he became
exceedingly wroth, and anger filled his heart, and he uncovered his face and looked at the
people with great fury, and he leaped upon all the wild beasts that were among the
multitudes of people who were gathered together, and he slew them forthwith, and tore out
their bowels and devoured their flesh.

41 And it came to pass that when the men of the city saw this act they feared exceedingly,
and they were greatly moved, and they fled, and every man among them sought to escape from
the city, and from the tribulation and outcry which had come upon them; and seven
[hundred] men and three of the nobles of the city died, and those who were left and who
had saved themselves sought out a place where they could hide themselves, and they
departed from the city. And God sent from heaven a great fire which surrounded the city,
and not one of the people was able to flee from it. Then the people, and the governor, and
the elders of the city gathered themselves together, and came unto the Apostles, and they
were in fear and in trembling, and they wept with great weeping, and said, "We believe and
we know that there is no god but your God, our Lord Jesus Christ, above the heavens and
above the earth. And we entreat you to have compassion upon us, and to 8ob. save us from
this death, and from the double affliction of the fire and of him whose face is like unto
that of a dog." Then the Apostles had compassion upon them, and they asked our Lord Jesus
Christ to take up the fire from them. And Bartholomew said unto the governor, "Gather
together unto us all the people of the city, both men and women, and let them bring unto
us all the gods which are in their habitations, that they may know that they are not gods
at all, but the work of the hands of the children of men, and that they are only stones in
which there is no soul."

42 Then the governor commanded that the people should gather together all the gods and
bring them [unto him]. And the Apostles rose up and prayed, and they smote the earth with
their feet, saying, "O God Almighty, Thou Who hast existed throughout all days, and Who
didst command the earth, and it opened [its mouth] and swallowed up Dathan, and buried the
tabernacles of Abiram, and all the people who behaved insolently towards Thy Name; as in
that day so let the earth in this same hour open its mouth, and swallow up these gods and
take them down into Gehenna;" and even whilst the people were looking on this thing came
to 8ob. O* 186b. pass quickly. Then the governor and all the people, both male and female,
lifted up their voices and said, "The Lord God of the Christians, Jesus Christ, the Son of
the Living God, is One, and there is no other god besides Him;" and they entreated the
Apostles to give them the sign of our Lord Jesus Christ. And the Apostles said unto them,
"Let us come together unto the theatre, for in that place ye shall receive the
consummation of the faith." Then the people and the governor made supplication unto the
Apostles, saying, "Masters, have compassion upon us, for we cannot come unto that place
through fear of the man whose face is like unto that of a dog, lest he eat us up, even as
he devoured the wild beasts."

43 And Bartholomew said unto them, "Fear ye not, but follow us, so that ye may see a
mighty miracle in the city this day;" so the multitude followed them unto the theatre. And
the Apostles drew nigh unto the man whose face was like unto that of a dog, and they laid
their hands upon him, and said unto him, "In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ, let the
nature of the wild beast remove itself from thee, and let the nature of the children of
men return unto thee; what thou hast done is sufficient for thee, O my son, for behold,
thou hast completed the purpose wherefor thou wast sent." And in that same hour the nature
of the children of men returned unto him, and he became as gentle as a lamb, and he came
and bowed down before the Apostles. And it came to pass that when the people and the
governor saw this wonderful thing, they took olive branches in their hands, and bowed down
before the Apostles, and said unto them, "Have compassion upon us, [and bless us] with
your blessing, and baptize us." And the Apostles said unto them, "Preserve ye your souls
in patience; behold, the grace of God hath descended upon you."

44 Now there was in the city a theatre wherein was [a statue of] loadstone, and it came to
pass that when Andrew came [there] he lifted up his foot and smote the ground therewith,
and at that moment a cleft appeared in the statue; and sweet water flowed forth therefrom.
Then the Apostles stood up in the midst of the water, and baptized the people in the Name
of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. And when all the people had been
baptized, the man whose face was like unto that of a dog asked Andrew, and said unto him,
"O good father, let thy mercy descend upon those who have died, so that they may come to
life again, and may be baptized, and may rejoice with their brethren, that they may know
that God Almighty hath the power to do this thing and to give the gracious gift of life
unto the dead." Then Andrew rose up and made supplication unto God. And a voice cried from
heaven unto the man whose face was like unto that of a dog, and said unto him, "O beloved
Christian, thou hast received the gracious gift of power to raise up those who are [dead].
Through fear of thee they died, and their coming to life must be through thee." And in
that same hour God Almighty gave the command, and the spirit of life returned unto them,
and they received baptism, together with the [other] men of the city.

45 Now the Apostles wrought many mighty deeds and miracles [in that city]. The blind
opened their eyes, the lame walked, the deaf heard with their ears, the dumb spake, the
devils went forth [from men], and there was no sick person left in the city, for the
Apostles healed them all in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ. And after this they built a
church for them, and appointed for them a Bishop, and priests, and deacons, and servants
for the church; and they taught them the Holy Gospel and all Christian ordinances. And
they offered up the Holy Mysteries, and completed over them the prayer of sanctification,
and [then] they gave to the people of the Offerings and Holy Mysteries. And there was
great rejoicing in that city because the people had been made worthy of baptism and of the
Holy Mysteries, that is to say the Body of our Lord and His precious Blood, and they
became strong in the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ. Then the Apostles departed from them,
blessing and glorifying God, to Whom are meet praise, and thanksgiving, to the Father, and
to the Son, and to the life-giving, Holy Spirit, now, henceforth, always, and for ever and
ever! Amen, Amen, and Amen. So be it.

THE MARTYRDOM OF SAINT ANDREW IN SCYTHIA

1 Here beginneth the Martyrdom of Andrew, the blessed and holy disciple, the Apostle of
our Lord and God Jesus Christ. Now he finished his contending and received his crown of
victory from the Lord Jesus Christ on the fourth day of the month Tâhsâsâs. In the peace
of God the Father. Amen. And the blessed Andrew continued to travel about in the country
of 'Askâtyâ (Scythia), and in the country of Argyânôs (Garanius), and in the country of
Sûkes (Axis). Now these cities were the abodes of iniquitous and evil men who had made a
covenant and a league with each other, and they were situated in that portion [of the
world] wherein it had fallen unto him by lot to preach the story of the Gospel of our Lord
Jesus Christ. And these cities were the last of those unto which he went [to preach], and
his departure from this world was drawing nigh.

2 And it came to pass that, when he had entered into these countries, he cried out with a
loud voice, saying, "Whosoever hath not left his father, and his mother, and his son, and
his daughter, and his brother, and his sister, "and his gold, and his silver, and his
raiment, and his lands, and his estates, and all the gain of this world, whosoever [I say]
hath not left [them] and will not follow after me is not able to be yoked unto me." And he
commanded them to believe in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ with the right faith; and
they enquired of him much concerning what they remembered of their past life; and [he told
them that those] who did not do these things would be unfit for the kingdom of heaven, and
that they would not have life everlasting. Now the men of these cities were exceedingly
wicked, and they were puffed up with pride, and possessed but little under- standing. And
it came to pass that, when they heard the blessed Andrew speaking after this manner, they
were angry with him with a great anger; [but some believed] by reason of the multitudes of
miracles and wonderful things which our Lord Jesus Christ wrought [by his hands], for
Andrew went with all those who asked him, and healed them by his gift of grace. And his
name went forth into all countries, and many believed in him, and he brought nigh unto God
all those who turned unto Him with their whole heart. Now by reason of these things Satan
entered into the heart of the people of that city wherein Andrew was preaching the
knowledge of God, and they gathered themselves together, and sent wicked messengers to
attack him, and they said each to the others, "Come, let us join ourselves together in one
counsel because of the commandment of this perverted man, who hath destroyed our Law, and
who hath brought unto us the name of a new god whom we know not, for neither ourselves nor
our fathers have known his name, and they never spake unto us concerning him." And one of
them answered and said, "Let us send a message unto him and tell him to depart from our
city, that there may not be any tumult in it, for many men of this country have believed
his words. And if we do not make haste and do according to that which we desire, we shall
be destroyed by these people who dwell in this city." And having thus spoken of the matter
in their assemblies, they sent certain trusty men of high and noble rank to Andrew, and
they went unto him joyfully; now this took place by the will of God, that the messengers
whom the people had sent unto Andrew might also believe.

3 And it came to pass that, when the messengers had come unto the blessed Apostle, Andrew
met them, and said unto them, "The peace of God be with you, O brethren;" and those men
who were there said, "May thy peace be with us," and they conversed with him with words of
peace. Then Andrew said unto them, "Sit ye down, O good men, whom God hath called unto His
holy city." And they answered and said unto him, " Forgive thou us, O good man, thou
servant of God, in whom we have found the knowledge of God; thou righteous man against
whom, through the wickedness which Satan sowed in our hearts, we took counsel; "thou man
who art like unto a lamb without blemish, who dost wish to heal those who wish to slay
thee. Now that we see thee do thou put away from us every evil thought, and make our
hearts to rejoice in the fear of God, though we took counsel against thee wickedly, and
have come unto thee to entreat thee to depart from our city. We said in the madness of our
hearts that it was thou who didst lead into error the people of our city, but behold, we
believe that it is thou who shalt deliver us from our enemies, and shalt intercede on our
behalf with God, so that He may pardon us our sins. And now, O holy father, we will not
separate ourselves from thee, and we ask thee to place us among thy disciples." And Andrew
blessed them and sent them away in peace unto their habitations, and he commanded each one
of them to be faithful unto our Lord Jesus Christ; and they departed from him praising
God, and they went about in all the cities and proclaimed the glory of God. Thus they left
the blessed Apostle.

4 And it came to pass that, when the wicked men who had sent the messengers unto Andrew
heard these things, they were exceedingly dismayed, and they conversed together concerning
the matter [and said], "Rise up, and let us go together unto the place where Andrew is,
and let us burn him with fire, so that he may not come back into our city; then shall
every man of the people who have believed in him be afraid of us when they hear about it.
So they went forth unto the place wherein Andrew was, and they surrounded it, and they
said unto him, "We are going to burn thee alive. And when Andrew saw that they were making
haste to do evil, he looked at them and spake unto them with words of peace, and said unto
them, "O perverted men, do not perform the evil deed which ye wish to do, and which Satan
hath counselled you [to do], but turn ye unto God. And if ye will not hearken unto me, and
ye refuse [to do as I say], then I will entreat God Almighty to send, instead of the fire
with which ye wish to burn me, fire from heaven which shall burn up both you and your
city, so that ye may know that there is no God either in the heavens or in the earth,
except our Lord Jesus Christ, our God. Then those men began to utter blasphemies against
our Lord Jesus, and to curse and revile His holy Apostle.

5 And it came to pass that when Andrew heard them blaspheming, he was angry with a great
anger, and he lifted up his eyes to heaven and made supplication unto God, saying, "O
Jesus, my Lord and God, hearken Thou unto my petition, and send fire from heaven to burn
up these wicked men who have blasphemed Thy holy Name; and as Andrew was finishing his
prayer, fire came down from heaven and burnt up those wicked people. 6 And Andrew preached
the story of the holy Gospel in all cities and countries, but those of the wicked who
remained unbelievers again took counsel to work evil against him, and they said, "If this
man dwell in our city he will lead us astray by his sorcery, and he will work strenuously
against us in separating wives from their husbands, and we fear that he will separate us
from our wives. Then they sent cunning [letters] unto him with sweet words, and at length
he came into their midst, and they gathered themselves together against him. And they beat
him with many stripes and dragged him round about on the highway of the city naked, and
then they cast him into prison, until they could take counsel by what means they were to
kill him. Now it was a custom in that city for the people thereof to crucify upon a tree
any man whom they wished to kill, and then to stone him with stones. And it came to pass
that, when they had put Andrew in prison, he rose up and prayed in anger, and made
entreaty unto God that He would make fire to descend from heaven and burn up these three
cities, even as He had done in times of old, because the people thereof had beaten him and
reviled him. Thereupon our Lord appeared into him in the prison-house, and said unto him,
"Peace be unto thee, O Andrew, My beloved Apostle, be not wroth.

7 Behold, thou hast finished thy contend-ing, and thou hast brought thy service [to a
close], and in this place thou shalt end thy contending and thy martyrdom, and thou shalt
inherit the kingdom of heaven, together with the righteous who have pleased Me. And it
came to pass that when Andrew heard these words of our Lord Jesus Christ he rejoiced and
was glad, and he continued to pray the whole night through unto our Lord, the Maker of
all, God Almighty. 8 And it came to pass that when the morrow had come they brought Andrew
out from the prison-house, and they crucified him upon a cross, and stoned him until [his
contending] was accomplished, and he gave back his soul unto his Creator, and after these
things certain believing men took him down and laid his body in a grave. Here endeth his
martyrdom which took place on the fourth day of the month Tâhshaah. Glory be to the
Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, henceforward, and for ever and ever.
Amen.


THE CONTENDINGS OF THE APOSTLES, PART 1
=======================================

THE CONTENDINGS OF THE APOSTLES, PART 1 continued

THE PREACHING OF SAINT JOHN THE EVANGELIST

1 Here beginneth the Book of the Preaching and Travels (literally, road) of Saint John,
the son of Zebedee, the good Evangelist, and of his departure from this world unto God
Almighty. It was written by Saint Prochorus, who was of the family of Stephen, the
Archdeacon and Protomartyr, and who was [one] of the seven messengers whom the Apostles
appointed for service among the newcomers. In the peace of God the Father. Amen. 2 And it
came to pass that after the Ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ unto heaven the Apostles
were gathered together unto the grave of Mary. And Peter said unto them, "Ye know, O
brethren, everything which our Lord Jesus Christ commanded us [to do], and that He ordered
us to teach the Faith unto the Gentiles, and to baptize them in the Name of the Father,
and of the Holy Ghost, and since He hath sent upon us the Holy Spirit there is none [among
us] who can dispute concerning that which our Master hath commanded us. Now great sorrow
[hath come upon us] by reason of the departure of His Mother from the world, for she was
the mother of us all, and the mother of all believers. But now, O beloved brethren, come,
and let us, by the grace of the Trinity, bring unto all peoples the commandments with
which our Teacher commanded us. And remember ye His words which He said, 'I am sending you
[forth] like lambs among wolves; be ye then as wise as the serpent, and as gentle as the
dove.' Now, ye know that when a man wisheth to kill a serpent the serpent maketh all its
body to wriggle and that it hideth its head; in like manner let us, O brethren, give
ourselves unto death and preserve our soul which is the true faith; and let us also be
like unto the dove which, when her masters take away her young, doth not make any
resistance against them. Behold, ye know that our Lord said, Since they persecuted Me, you
also will they persecute." And again He said, "In the world ye shall have much
tribulation, but He for Whose sake they persecute you will be with you."

3 And James, the brother of our Lord, answered and said, "Beautiful is thy striving in
this work, O my father Peter." And Peter answered and said unto him, "Inasmuch as thy lot
hath gone forth to dwell in this city thou shalt not pass a night away therefrom." And
they cast lots, and the lot fell upon John to depart and preach in the country of Asia,
but the lot was exceedingly bitter unto him, and he sighed deeply three times, and his
tears fell upon the ground, and he threw himself down before the Apostles. Then Peter laid
hold upon him, and raised him up, and said unto him, "We have watched thee continually and
have seen that thou art like unto a father, and because of thy patient endurance we have
likened thee [thereto]. Why then hast thou acted in this manner and put us all to shame?"
And John answered with tears and said unto him, "O my father Peter, I have greatly sinned
in this hour. Many tribulations shall befall me in this country, but pray ye for me, O
beloved brethren, that God may give me forgiveness." Then the assembly of the Apostles
made haste and prayed, and in that hour they asked the brother of our Lord to pray over
them. And when he had done this they embraced each other in a spiritual embrace, and they
embraced each and every one of the Seventy-two lesser disciples, among whom fell the lot
upon me to follow my teacher.

4 And it came to pass that when we had departed from Jerusalem we arrived at Joppa, and we
sat down on the shore(?) for a day, and then we embarked in a ship which had arrived from
Egypt, and which was laden with merchandize; and [when] we had embarked in the ship we sat
down therein. Then John began to weep, and he said unto me, "O my son Prochorus, on [this]
sea great tribulation shall come upon me, and my soul shall come into judgment, but
whether it shall be for death or for life hath not been revealed unto me by God. Now if I
be saved, O my son, from the tribulation of the sea, do thou go to Asia, and make thy way
unto the city of the Ephesians, and dwell therein for [two] months, until I return unto
thee; and after two months we will complete our mission. But if two months pass by, and [I
come not unto thee], go back to Jerusalem, O my son, to James, the brother of our Lord,
and do according to what he shall say unto thee."

5 And it came to pass that when John spake these words in conversing with Prochorus it was
the time of the tenth hour of the day, but immediately afterwards a mighty wind rose up on
the sea, and the ship was tossed about with great violence. And we continued in this
tribulation from the tenth hour of that day until the third hour of the night, and the
ship was broken in pieces, and all the crew clung to the planks thereof, and Prochorus
clung with them, and all the merchandize, and everything which was in the ship were
scattered about [on the waves]. But God, Who watcheth everything, and Who comforteth His
creatures, like the good shepherd that goeth about [seeking] after his lambs, saved each
and every one of us who was clinging to the planks (now the waves of the sea had made them
to spring from their places), and at the [seventh] hour of the day the waves of the sea
cast us up at Salawegya (Seleucia), which is situated about seventeen stadia from the
province of Antioch. Now the number of the men who were saved was forty-seven (or, forty-
six). And when we arrived at the sea-shore we were unable to converse with each other by
reason of hunger, and fright, and fatigue; and we cast ourselves down upon the face of

6 P the ground, and lay prostrate there from the seventh until the ninth hour. And it came
to pass that when our spirit returned unto us, those men who had been cast into the sea
with me rose up and spake unto me with every kind of foul and abominable words, saying,
"This man who was with thee is a sorcerer, and inasmuch as he hath done evil deeds the
ship hath been wrecked; and now he hath seized all the possessions which were therein and
hath taken to flight. If thou dost not restore unto "us our possessions we will take thee
to the governor of the city, and he will slay thee; for all those who were in the ship
have come hither, thy companion alone excepted." Then the people of the country sided with
them against me, and believed their words, and they placed me in the prison-house. And on
the morrow they took me out unto a large, open place where the elders of the city were
sitting, and they [all] spake unto me with words of abuse, and they said unto me, "Whence
comest thou? Of what tribe art thou? What is thy handicraft? And by what name art thou
called? Tell us before we inflict punishment upon thee." And I said unto them, "I am a
Christian, and am [one] of those

7 "who live in Judah, and Prochorus is my name. I was wrecked at sea, together with those
who are gathered together here, and behold, I dwelt with them." Then the elders said unto
me, "How is that all in the ship except thy companion were saved? Is it true, even as they
say, that ye are sorcerers and that ye have made the ship to be no more seen by means of
your enchantments, and that ye will not let any man know [where it is]? As for thee, thou
hast been found, but now thy companion hath taken away all the merchandize (i. e., money)
which was in the ship, even as ye made the agreement between you. Indeed ye are workers of
evil, and there is much blood which hath been shed by murder upon your necks. And, behold,
the sea hath swallowed up thy companion, and the evilness of thy works is the greater upon
thee; but since thou hast been saved from the sea thou shalt perish in this city."

8 And those men terrified me, and they made me to be afraid, and they said unto me, "Where
is thy companion?" Thereupon I wept bitter tears, and I said unto them, "I have already
told you that I am the disciple and Apostle of our Lord Jesus Christ. The lot went forth
for my master to go out into the regions of the country of Asia, and it came to pass that
when we had embarked in the ship he told me of everything which hath happened unto me
before it took place. And he commanded me to come unto the city of the Ephesians, and to
wait therein a certain number of days, and if, when these days were ended, he did not come
unto me I was to return unto my own country. My teacher is not a sorcerer, neither am I,
but we are Christians openly and in truth." And there arrived from Antioch a certain
officer, who was one of the king's guards, (now his name was Salawēgyōs [Seleukos]), to
1928.

9 strengthen the works [of the government], and when he heard from me these words he
commanded the elders to drive me away, and they did even as he had commanded them. Then I
travelled on for forty days, and at length I arrived in the country of Asia, and I came
into a broad tract of land upon the sea-coast; now the name of that land is Marmará'án
(Mareon). And I sat down upon a lofty piece of land which jutted out over the sea to rest
myself from [my] tribulation and sorrow, and I laid myself down and I slept a little; and
when I opened my eyes [again] I saw a mighty wave in the sea, and it cast John up from out
of itself. Now when I saw this I rose up quickly that I might lay hold of his hands, and
help to rescue him, but I was not then certain that the man was John. And when I drew nigh
unto him, I stretched out my hands that he might grasp them, but he quickly escaped from
me. And it came to pass that, when I saw [that the man was John], I rejoiced with an
exceedingly great joy, and I embraced him, and we shed tears together, and we gave thanks
unto God for His grace which had brought us together after we had lost all hope [of
meeting again]. And when he had rested a little, his heart returned unto him, and we
conversed together concerning all that had happened unto us. Then he informed me that he
had remained for forty days and forty nights in the depths of the sea; and I told him
everything which had happened unto me. And we continued together and came unto the border
of this land which is called Marmará'án (Mareon), even unto the city thereof; and we
begged food, and [the people] gave us bread and water, and we ate, and our hearts were
made strong. Then we journeyed along on the road until [we arrived at the city of the]
Ephesians, and we entered into the city and dwelt in a place the name of which is the
"Fort of 'Ardâmis (Artemis)," and it is situated in the front of the city. Now there was
in that place a house of washing (i. e., bath), which belonged to the governor of the
city, whose name was Dioscorides. And John said unto me, "O my son, inform not any [man]
in this city who we are, and why we are here, until God wisheth us to find an opportunity
for making ourselves known, and we can preach herein."

10 Now whilst John was saying these words unto me there came unto us a woman of most
terrible appearance, and she was the keeper of the bath; and she was a barren woman and
had never given birth unto a child, and her body was large and round like unto that of a
she-mule. And she had great confidence in her strength, and she used to beat severely with
her hands those who were her servants in the bath-house, and she never let them rest even
for a moment. And they used to say concerning this woman that she used to go out to fight,
and that she picked quarrels with folk and then beat them to death, and that she could
throw stones with great force with her hands; and she was wont to boast and glory in her
deeds, and imagine that she was a woman of understanding, and she used to deck herself out
in fine apparel so as to lead astray those who stayed with her in the bath. And it came to
pass that when she looked, and saw us sitting down in our dirty garments, she meditated
within herself and knew that we were wandering strangers, and she did her utmost to drive
us into the bath. And she said unto John, "O fellow, whence art thou? And he said unto
her, "I am from a far country. And she said unto him, "To what race dost thou belong? And
he said unto her, "I am a Christian.

11 And she said unto him, "Wilt thou come and be a fireman, and heat the bath? I will give
thee both hire and food. And John said unto her, "I consent. Then the woman turned and
said unto me, "And thou, what sayest thou? And John said unto her, "He is my brother; and
she said unto him, "I wish him to be a washer in the bath. Then she brought us together to
the bath, and she appointed John fireman of the bath, and me she made a washer; and she
gave us three loaves of bread, and we tarried there four days. 12 Now John did not heat
the bath well, and the woman laid hold of him and threw him on the ground, and beat him
most unmercifully with many stripes, and said unto him, "O thou wicked man, thou fugitive
who hast fled from thine own country, thou art not fit to live! If thou didst know that
thou wast not able to do the work, why hadst thou the impudence to undertake it? My
opinion of thy doings is that thou hast come hither that thou mayest overcome Rōmnā, whose
fame hath reached even unto the city of Rome; but thou shalt not be able to escape from my
hands. Thou art my slave as long as thou eatest and drinkest [at my expense]; thou art
strong, and yet when it is time for work thou art lazy. Put away from thee this evil
habit, and perform the work of Rômnâ, which is good work." And when I heard these
abominable words which she spake unto John, and saw the beating which she gave him I was
sorry with a great sorrow. And John said unto me, "When thou seest me thus sorrowful, O my
son Prochorus, why dost thou meditate in this wise? Knowest thou not that I was swallowed
up in the sea, and that I remained in the depths thereof for forty days [and forty
nights], and that by the mercy of God I was saved? Wilt thou then be grieved because of
one beating by a foolish woman whose anger is but a small thing? Go back to thy work, and
labour quickly. Our Lord Jesus Christ, our Creator, was beaten, and they spat in His face,
and they scourged Him, and crucified Him, and He redeemed us, His creatures, with His
precious blood, and He was like unto us in everything, sin alone excepted, and He foretold
unto us how all these things should happen unto us; but let us possess our souls in our
patience." And when I heard these things from him I returned unto my work which Rômnâ had
commanded me to do.

13 And on the following day Rômnâ came unto John, and said unto him, "If thou wouldst have
some apparel to put on I will give it unto thee; only do thy work better." And John
answered and said unto her, "What thou hast given me is sufficient for me, and as for my
work I will do it better." And Rômnâ said unto him, "Why do the people, who are gathered
together here, chide thee because thou dost not perform thy work better?" And John
answered and said unto her, "This work is the first of the kind which I have done,
therefore my knowledge thereof is little. When I have continued at the work for some time
thou wilt learn that there is good work in me, but at the beginning every kind of work is
difficult;" and when she heard these words from him she returned unto her abode. Then
Satan, the enemy of all good, forthwith took upon himself the form of Rômnâ, and he
appeared unto John, and said unto him, "Why dost thou not improve in thy work, O thou
foolish and lazy man? Behold, thou art doing thy work badly, and I am not able to endure
thee. Improve thy manner of feeding the furnace, lest I cast thee therein and thou never
again see the light of this world; thou art not worthy to live, and I do not wish to see
thee [again]. Get thee forth, O corrupt one, and take thy man [with thee], and depart unto
thy city, wherefrom they cast thee out by reason of thine evil deeds."

14 And Satan took hold of a rod of iron, wherewith the men stirred up the fire, to smite
John, and he said unto him, "I will kill thee. Get out of this place, for I do not wish
thee to perform service of any kind here." Now when John heard these words he knew within
himself that it was Satan, and he cried out, "In the Name of the Father, and of the Son,
and of the Holy Ghost!" and in that same hour Satan fled out of his hands, and ran away.
And on the morrow Rômnâ met John and said unto him, "A certain man hath spoken unto me
concerning thee, and hath told me many things about thee, that thou art not skilful at thy
work, and that thou art always devising excuses for me to let thee off [thy work]; dost
thou wish me not to leave in thy body one bone which I have not broken?" And whilst she
was saying all these things [to him] he answered her never a word. Now when she saw his
patient endurance and his meekness, she thought that he was a simpleton and a man without
sense, and all the time that she was uttering words of abominable abuse and insults she
was throwing dust in his face. Then she said unto him, "Thou art my slave; dost thou not
believe it "? And John said unto her, "Yea, we are thy servants; I am the fireman of the
bath, and Prochorus is the washer."

15 Now this cursed Rómná had a lover (or friend) among the officers of the governor, and
to him she went and said unto him, "There were two slaves who ran away from me and my
parents a long time ago, and they escaped, but to-day they have come back to me, and they
acknowledge that they are truly my servants. Now I wish thee to write for me a deed"
declaring that "they are my slaves." Then the officer said unto her, "If these men
acknowledge that they are indeed the slaves of thy father, make thou three faithful
witnesses to bear testimony concerning them, and then let them write for thee a deed
declaring that they are thy slaves." And John knew through the Holy Ghost all that the
woman did, and he said unto me, "O my son, although this woman wisheth that we should be
in actual servitude unto her, let not thine heart be grieved, O my son, by reason of this
thing. Nay, rejoice greatly, and do for her whatsoever she pleaseth. For behold, our Lord
Jesus Christ is almighty, and behold,

16 Literally, "a writing of servitude." "He knoweth who and what we are." And before John
had finished that which he had been commanded to do, Rómnà came with great violence, and
laying hold of John she said unto him, "O thou wicked slave, when thy mistress cometh why
dost thou not hasten to come to meet her, and to bow down before her even unto the ground?
Art thou not my slave, O thou wicked fugitive?" Then she beat him and said unto him, "Tell
me [, is it not so?]" And John said unto her, "Did I not tell thee that we were thy
slaves? I am the fireman of the bath, and Prochorus is the washer." And she 1942. spoke
unto him a second time and said, "Tell me, of whom are ye the slaves?" And John said unto
her, "Behold, three times already have I acknowledged unto thee that we both are thy
slaves;" and the woman brought us unto the temple of the city unto three witnesses, and
they wrote a deed of servitude concerning us.

17 Now there was in that bath-house a company of devils, and they had remained there from
the beginning, even from the time when it had been built. For when the builders were
making the foundations thereof they placed a girl beneath them, and they built up the
walls over her whilst she was alive; and because of this deed the company of devils dwelt
in the bath-house, and three times each year Satan strangled a living soul therein, and
Dioscorides, the master of the bath-house, knew those days whereon these things took place
in it. Now Dioscorides had a son who was exceedingly handsome in stature and appearance,
and his father used to prevent him from entering into the bath-house on the day whereon
the work of Satan was performed therein. And after we had dwelt in the bath-house three
months, the son of Dioscorides came to the bath-house by himself to bathe there; and I
went in with him according to my custom to minister unto him. Now he went into the bath
before me, and Satan forthwith laid hold upon him, and strangled him, and killed him. And
when his servants knew this they came forth, saying, "Woe unto us! Woe unto us!" (and thus
also said all the enemies of our father Gabra Mar'āwī) "Woe unto us! Woe unto us, for our
master is dead."

18 And it came to pass that when Rōmnā heard this, she rent her garments and plucked out
the hair of her head, and she said, "Woe is me! Woe is me, O miserable woman that I am!"
(and thus also said those who were the enemies of the soul of our father Gabra Mar'āwī)
"What shall I do? And what manner of face shall I lift up unto that of Dioscorides? And
what shall I say unto him concerning the death of his son? For he himself, when he heareth
that his son whom he loveth is dead, will die of grief." And Rōmnā was crying out unto the
idols who were in the temple, and saying, "O Artemis, help me, and hearken thou unto my
petition, and bring back to life for me my master Dōmōs, for all we who are Ephesians know
that thou art the consoler of the whole world." And thus saying she plucked out the hair
of her head from the third even unto the ninth hour,

19 In the Latin text he is called "Domnos." and she wept; and many people gathered
themselves together, and some of them sorrowed for the boy, and some for the great grief
of Rōmnā. Then John went forth from the place where he heated the bath, and he said unto
me, "O my son Prochorus, what now is the cause of sorrow, and of the outcry which this
woman is making in the city?" And it came to pass that when Rōmnā saw John conversing with
me, she made haste and laid hold upon him, and said unto him, "O thou sorcerer, my gods
have gone afar off from me, and there is none who will hearken unto my supplication." And
she buffeted John and said unto him, "O wicked slave, hast thou come hither to make signs
of joy with thine eyes at me, and to rejoice because of what hath overtaken my master?

20 "What hast thou to say, O wicked slave?" And when John heard these words from Rōmnā he
entered into the bath-house, and stood at the head of the boy who was dead, and he laid
his hands upon the unclean spirit, for he had found him, and he rebuked him and cast him
out from the boy. Then he made the sign of the cross over his face, and he took him by the
hand and lifted him up, and brought him forth alive out of the bath- house, and [gave him]
into the hands of those who were gathered together there. Then he said unto Rōmnā, "Take
thy master, for he is whole and alive, and there is no injury whatever upon him. Behold,
he hath come to life through the might of my God Jesus Christ." 21 And when Rōmnā saw what
had happened, she was utterly dismayed, and her senses departed from her, and fear and
trembling laid hold upon her, and upon all the men of the city who were there, and who had
seen the marvellous things which John had wrought; and Rômna was not able to lift up her
face to that of John by reason of shame and fear. And she remained in this state, saying,
"Woe is me by reason of what I have done unto this man, whom I treated as a slave,
although he was not my slave, and by reason of all the abuse which I heaped upon him
continually. I have acted very wrongly concerning him, and I am suffering great
tribulation because of the buffetings and blows which I inflicted upon him;" and she was
so exceedingly sorrowful that she wished to die rather than live. And when John looked
into the face of the woman and saw that sorrow, and shame, and penitence had come upon
her, he took hold of her hands, and made the sign of the glorious cross over her face in
the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Then straightway her limbs
became quiet, and she threw herself into the hands of Saint John, and said unto him, "I
entreat thee to make me to know who thou art. Art thou God, or art thou the Son of God,
that thou art able to do this thing?" And John said unto her, I am "neither God, nor the
Son of God, as thou sayest, but I am the servant of the Son of God; and if thou wilt
believe upon Him thou shalt become His handmaiden."

22 And Rômna answered and said unto him with fear and trembling, "O servant of the Good
God, forgive me all the evil which I have done unto thee, and the abuse, and the
revilings, and the lies." And John said unto her, "Believe in the Name of the Father, and
of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, that all these things, of which thou hast spoken, may
be forgiven thee." Then the woman answered and said unto him, "O servant of the A..90a."
"Good God, I believe everything which I have heard from thee." Now one of the servants of
Dioscorides had made haste and told him that his son was dead, for John had not brought
him to life until the time that the people who had gathered together were with him. And
when Dioscorides heard that he was dead, he fell down on the ground and became like a dead
person. Then that same servant went back to the bath-house where John and Dómós were
teaching Rómnà, and he said unto Dómós, "O my lord, thy father Dioscorides is dead;" and
when he heard that his father was dead he went forth from John unto the place where his
father was, and he found him lying there dead.

23 And Dómós went back to John and said unto him, "O thou servant of the Good God who
didst bring me to life after I had died, behold, when my father heard that I was dead he
also died; I entreat thee to have compassion upon him. Then John answered and said unto
him, "Fear not, for thy father hath not died the A..90a. "death, but is alive. And John
went with him unto the place where his father was, and Rómnà and great multitudes of
people were following after them. And when he had drawn nigh unto him, he took him by the
hand, and said unto him, "Dioscorides, Dioscorides, in the Name of the Father, and of the
Son, and of the Holy Spirit, rise up and stand upon thy feet; and in that same hour he
rose up, being whole and without any injury whatsoever. And they all marvelled at the
mighty deeds and wonderful things which John wrought. Now among the people who were
gathered together were some who said, "He is a god; and others said, "He is a sorcerer;
and others said, "A sorcerer cannot raise the dead. And the limbs of Dioscorides became
still, and he cast himself down at the feet of John, and said unto him, "Thou art God who
didst bring to life my son, and myself also.

24 And John said unto him, "I am not what thou thinkest I am, for I am only His servant
and disciple, and I had no power to bring thee to life except by that of my Lord Jesus
Christ the Son of the Living God. Then Dioscorides turned and bowed down before the
Apostle, and said unto him, "Command me what to do that I may live; and John said unto
him, "Believe in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, and be
baptized; and thou shalt find everlasting life. Then Dioscorides said unto him, "Behold, I
am in thy hand; command thou the men of my house according to thy will. And he brought
Saint John into his house and shewed him all his possessions, and said unto him, "Take all
these things and make me and all the men of my house Christians. And John answered and
said unto him, "Neither my God nor myself desire thy possessions, for we have already
forsaken everything which we had and followed our God; and he declared unto him many words
out of the Holy Scriptures. Then Dioscorides bowed down before Saint John, and said unto
him, "O servant of the Good God, have compassion upon us, and baptize us in the Name of
the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. And John said unto him, "Bring hither
unto me all those who are in thy house, and I will admonish them and teach them the True
Law (i.

25 e., Religion), and then I will baptize them in the Name of the Father, and of the Son,
and of the Holy Spirit; and they shall receive the Law of Life." 26 And after these things
Rômna came bearing in her hands the deed of servitude of John, wherein she had caused it
to be written that John was her slave, and she fell down at his feet with weeping, and she
repented with bitter tears, and said unto him, "O servant of the Good God, I entreat thee
to give me the sign of the faith of Christ, and to receive from me the writing of sin."
Then John took from her the writing, and tore it in pieces, and baptized her in the Name
of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. And after these things John
departed from the house of Dioscorides and went into the bath-house, and he drove out
therefrom the unclean spirit which strangled the people, and then went back into the house
of Dioscorides; now very many men had gathered together unto us, but when we had entered
into the house the multitudes dispersed. And Dioscorides made ready for us a table [of
food], and we gave thanks unto God and took our food, and we dwelt in that place until the
second day. And the men of that city were celebrating a great festival [in honour of]
their goddess whom they call 'Ardâmis (Artemis). Now John was sitting by that place, and
he stood up opposite the idol which they call Artemis, and all the men of the Ephesians
were sitting [there], and they were arrayed in fine apparel because it was the day of the
festival, and John also was sitting there. Now the apparel which he had on him was that
which he wore when he used to feed the furnace fire in the bath-house. And it came to pass
that when the followers of the heathen goddess saw him, they threw stones at him, but not
a stone touched him; and the stones fell upon the idol until it was broken in pieces. Then
John answered and said unto them, "O men of the Ephesians, why do ye commit such folly as
to celebrate a festival [in honour] of unclean devils? Why do ye forsake God, the Maker of
all created things, the great and honourable God?" And wrath laid hold upon the people by
reason of [the words of] John. Then John said unto them, "Behold, your goddess hath been
broken in pieces by the great number of the stones which ye have thrown at me; but if ye
wish to see the power of my God, get understanding, and awake, and hasten to receive Him
Whom ye shall see."

27 Then John stood up, and prayed and made supplication, and said, "O my Lord Jesus
Christ, set Thou Thy fear in the hearts of these men, that they may know there is no other
god besides Thee." And in that same hour the people heard a voice which went round about
over the ground, and the voice struck terror into the people, and two hundred of them fell
upon the ground and became like dead men. And those who were left came back and bowed down
before John, and said unto him, "We entreat thee to raise up those who are dead, for we
believe in God." Then John answered and said unto them, "O men of the Ephesians, that ye
are stubborn (literally thick) of heart I know, but if the dead be raised up will ye not
believe in the Living God? For ye are stubborn of heart, and your

28 Q hearts are like unto that of Pharaoh." Then John lifted up his eyes to heaven and
said, "I entreat Thee, O my Lord Jesus Christ, thou Son of the Living God, that these dead
men may be raised up by Thy power, and may believe in Thy Name." And in that same hour a
mighty earthquake took place, and fear and trembling were in the land; and the two hundred
men who were dead rose up, and fell upon the ground, and bowed down before John, and said
unto him, "What dost thou command us [to do], O good man?" Then John admonished them, and
taught them the Law of Faith, and he baptized them in the Name of the Father, and of the
Son, and of the Holy Spirit. 29 And after these things we dwelt in an open place in the
midst of the city, and a multitude of people were gathered together unto John. And a
certain woman came and bowed down before him, and said unto him, "O servant of the Good
God, I have a son, upon whom an unclean Satan laid hold eight days ago, and he hath fallen
into tribulation by reason of this Satan, and he suffereth exceedingly; I beseech and
entreat thee to have compassion upon my son, and to deliver him, for I and his father
believe in thy God." Then John and Dioscorides rose up together, and they came unto the
house of that woman, and they saw the youth lying upon his couch, and he was speechless;
and the mother of the youth bowed down before John, and said unto him, "I adjure thee by
the Name of God, Whom thou servest, to have mercy on my son." Then John took hold of his
right hand, and said unto him, "In the Name of my Lord Jesus Christ I command thee, O
young man, to rise up from this place;" [and straightway] he rose up, and bowing low he
gave praise unto God. And John admonished them, and baptized them in the Name of the
Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.

30 Then the Jews rose up against John like savage dogs, wishing to kill him, but
Dioscorides delivered him out of their hands. So we went forth from that place, and we
arrived at another which was called the "Luck" of the city, and there was there a certain
man who had been bedridden for twelve years, and he was not able to stand upon his feet.
And when he saw John he cried out with a loud voice, saying, "O Apostle of our Lord, have
mercy upon me;" and when John saw the steadfast faith of this man he said unto him, "In
the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ, rise up," and immediately the man rose up quickly and
gave praise unto God. Now when Satan, together with those who dwelt in the temple of
Artemis, saw the wonderful works which God had wrought, he transformed himself and became
like unto one of the officers of the king, and he had a written paper with him. Then he
sat down in a certain public place and wept, and as he was weeping two men who belonged to
those who were in the king's service passed by, and when they saw him in that place they
drew nigh unto him, and said unto him, "Peace be upon thee." And they said unto him,
"Friend, what is it that maketh thee weep?" and then he shewed them the written paper,
that is to say, that which they imagined 1982.

31 to be such, for it was not a written paper at all, but it was some written thing of
Satan's own handiwork. And the men said unto him, "What is this? What is in it? Wherefore
dost thou weep? Who is it that hath wronged thee?" Then Satan wept with much groaning and
moaning, and said unto them, "I have fallen into great tribulation, and no one hath the
power to relieve me; but if ye have the power when I have made known unto you what my
business is, then help me." And they said unto him, "We will help thee." Then Satan said
unto them, "Swear ye unto me by the great [goddess] Artemis, that whether it be for life
or whether it be for death, ye will devote yourselves to service on my behalf, and then I
will tell you my busi- "ness;" and they swore unto him that they would be with him in all
his business. Then Satan, even as he had at first made them [to see] a written paper, now
also made them [to see] something which was like unto a large purse filled with gold, and
he said unto them, "I will give unto you this gold as a reward for that which ye are going
to do for me." And they said unto him, "Reveal unto us thy business, and we will make thee
to be satisfied [with us]." And Satan said unto them, "I am a poor man from the city of
Caesarea which is in the country of Palestine, and I am one of the children (or servants)
of the king's palace. Now the king gave into my keeping two sorcerers from Jeru-

32 1982. "salem, the name of the one being John and that of the other Prochorus, and I
took them and put them in the prison-house. And on the fourth day the judges of the city
made enquiries concerning them, and I brought them before them, and [when] they had made
certain of the wickedness of their deeds, which was very great, they commanded me to take
them back to the prisonhouse until the time when the judges of the city should assemble to
pass upon them their sentence of death. And it came to pass that when I was taking them
back to the prison-house, according as the judges had commanded me, they slipped through
my hands by means of their enchantments, and escaped. Now when I told the judges what they
had done, they had compassion upon me, and said unto me, Go, O wretched man, and seek for
them, and know that if thou find them not thou shalt die a terrible death; and if thou
canst not find them here, come not back to us until thou hast gone round about through the
whole country." Then Satan brought out the gold before them, and he said unto them,
"Behold, the king hath set [people] to lie in wait for them on the roads, and several men
have told me that they are in this city, and therefore have I sought for them [here]." And
he continued to weep, and said, "I myself have left my children and my house for their
sake, and behold, I am a stranger in a foreign land; I entreat you, O my beloved ones, to
have compassion upon my condition as a stranger."

33 Then the servants of the king said unto him, "Grieve not, O man; are [these] sorcerers
in this city?" And Satan said unto him, "Yea, and I am afraid that they will escape from
the place by means of their sorcery. But I entreat you that when ye find them ye will put
them in some hidden place of which no man knoweth anything, and will slay them there; and
ye shall accept this gold." And the men said unto Satan, "If we kill them now, how will ye
be able to return unto the city? It would be better for thee if we were to lay hold upon
them and for thee to take them with thee to thy house." And Satan said unto them, "Kill
them, for I am sorrowing to return to my city and to go back to my family;" so they
covenanted with him to slay them secretly, and they took the gold.

34 Now Saint John knew through the Spirit the things which Satan wished to do, and he said
unto me, "O my son Prochorus, strengthen thy soul and endure patiently, for Satan is in
the temple of Artemis. And behold, he hath raised up a great tumult against us, and two
men who are of the principal officers in the army have risen up, and are uttering
calumnies and lies against us. And behold, my Lord Jesus Christ hath revealed unto me
everything which Satan is saying unto them; but make strong thy heart, and fear not." Now
whilst John was saying these things unto me, the two men came and gave us orders [to go
with them] at the moment when Dioscorides was not sitting with us; and John said unto
them, "Why do ye lay hold upon us?" And they said unto him, "Because of thy sorcery." And
John said unto them, "Who hath borne testimony against us to this effect?" And they said
unto him, "We are going to put thee in the prison-house until those who are seeking thee
shall arrive." Then John said unto them, "Ye have no power to treat me thus wrongfully
unless a trustworthy witness come with you." And they beat John, and they seized us, and
put us into the prisonhouse, and they brought us into a waste and desolate place wherein
no man lived, that they might kill us, even as they had covenanted with Satan to do.

35 Then Rômnâ made haste to go unto Dioscorides, and she told him what had befallen us,
and when he heard these words he rose up quickly, and sought for us until he found us, and
he delivered us out of their hands; and he spake harsh words unto the two men, and said
unto them, "Why do ye proceed against innocent men with cunning plots [like these], when
as yet no accusers have appeared to make accusations against them? And why have ye brought
them into a desert place instead of into the governor's prison? that ye might kill them in
secret? Behold, these two men [shall remain] in my house until their accusers come and
accuse them, and then let them argue the matter, even as the law ordereth us [to do]." And
the two men said each within himself, and each unto the other, "It will be better for us
to bring their accusers, so that we may be strong against each of them, and then we can
seize them as may be necessary, for they may run away from us." And they came to the place
where Satan had been sitting, but they found him not, [and although] they went round about
the whole city they could hear (literally find) no rumour of him; and they were afraid to
return unto Dioscorides because he was the lord of the city, and they sat down in great
sorrow. And after these things Satan appeared unto them, and said unto them, "O beloved,
why are ye disturbed? Tell ye me everything which hath happened unto you." And they said
unto him, "Dioscorides hath delivered them out of our hands, but if thou wilt dwell with
us we shall be able

36 .93b. "[to prevail over] each of them." Then Satan went about with them weeping, and he
was exceedingly sorrowful, and many people gathered themselves together [unto him], and he
told them the same story which he had already told the two men. And the people were
exceedingly wroth with John, and many of them, that is to say the Jews, who came unto the
house of Dioscorides, broke down the gates and came into [the courtyard] in anger, and
they said unto 37 Dioscorides, "Thou art the governor of the city, and it is unseemly for
thee to allow sorcerers to dwell in thy house. If thou wilt not send them back to us, we
will burn down thy house, and will plunder all thy possessions, and will slay thyself and
thy children, and will take them prisoners against thy will, and the people shall declare
the story thereof in the city." And many people were gathered together in the house of
Dioscorides, seeking for John and his disciple. And when John saw the multitudes of people
who had gathered themselves together and come there, he said unto Dioscorides, "We neither
wish for possessions, nor are we afraid of punishment in our bodies, but thou art
sorrowful for the destruction of thy goods. As for us, our Teacher taught us to bear the
cross of our death and to follow Him." Then Dioscorides said unto John, "Behold, they will
burn my house and plunder my possessions, and they will slay both me and my children for
thy sake." And John said unto him, "Neither thou, nor thy children [shall be slain], nor
anything which is thine [shall be plundered], nor one hair of thy head shall fall [to the
ground], and as for us, take us back to these men who are seeking us, for these people who
are gathered together are well disposed towards us; and do thou and thy children take
refuge in your habitations until ye see the power of God." Then Dioscorides took us unto
the [two] men, and they placed us in the temple of Artemis.

38 And it came to pass that when John had drawn nigh unto the temple, he said unto those
who were holding him, "O men of the Ephesians, what is this temple?" And they said unto
him, "This is the temple of Artemis." And John said unto them, "Let us stand here for a
little space;" so they stood [there] as John had said unto them. Then John lifted up his
eyes to heaven and said, "O my Lord Jesus Christ, through Thy power let this temple fall
down, but let not one of these people die;" and according as he said even so did it come
to pass, for the temple fell down straightway. Then John said unto Satan, who was in the
temple, "O thou unclean Satan!" And Satan answered and said unto him, "What dost thou
desire?" And John said unto him, "How many years hast thou been in this temple?" And Satan
said unto him, "Nine and forty years." And John said unto him, "Art thou he who did raise
up the servants of the king against us?" and Satan said unto him, "Yea, I am." And John
said unto him, "I command thee in the Name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene to depart from
this city, and never to return unto it again;" and Satan went forth quickly. And because
of this thing which they had seen the multitudes were dismayed, and they all gathered
themselves together in a certain place, and said among themselves each to each, "We have
never seen things like unto those which these men

39 ] "have done. Come, let us seize them, and let us hand them over to the governor of the
city, and let us punish them according to the Law of the Books of Moses." Now there was
with them a certain Jew whose name was Marāwan, and he said unto the people, "Both of
these men are sorcerers, and they know all manner of evil arts; it is better that we
should kill them and that we should not make enquiries concerning them." And the people
said unto him, "Thou sayest well;" but [although] Marāwan stirred up all the multitudes
[to do this] they did not accept his words, but took us to the governor of the city, and
they delivered us over into his hands. 40 And the judges (or magistrates) said unto the
people, "Under what pretext have ye brought these two men unto us? and the people said
unto them, "They are sorcerers. And the judges said unto them, "What work of sorcery have
they done? and the people said unto them, "The man Marāwan [said that one] of the officers
of the king hath come from their city seeking for them, and he hath given us information
concerning the wickedness of their deeds. And the judges said unto Marā- 200b. wan, "Let
the man who hath spoken concerning these men come hither to us, and let him declare the
words of truth; and, as for these men, let them put them in the prison-house until their
accusers come. So they brought us into the prison-house, and they shut us up there and
bound us in fetters. And the multitudes went forth into every road of the city and made
enquiries for the servants of the king, but they found them not in the city; and then a
herald went through the city and in the districts round about for three days, but they
found not the man whom they sought. Then they returned unto the judges and said unto them,
"We have not found the man. And the elders of the city answered and said unto them, "It is
not necessary for us that these men who are strangers should dwell in the prison-house,
for we have not found any true witness or any accusers who can put them to the test.

41 Then the judges sent messengers unto us and brought us [unto them] secretly, and they
threatened us, and commanded us neither to dwell in the city, nor to teach therein
anything whatsoever of our doctrine. And they made us to depart from the city, and they
sent with us soldiers of the guard to make us to depart from all the districts thereof,
and we arrived at a place which is called Marmar'án (Marmareon), whither John went up when
he came forth from the sea, and we dwelt there three days. 42 And our Lord Jesus Christ
spake unto John in a dream, and said unto him, "Behold, John, I am thy Lord." And our Lord
said unto him, "Rise up, and go unto the city of the Ephesians, and after three days [the
sailors shall bring thee] unto an island which hath need of thee; and behold, much
tribulation shall come upon thee, and thou shalt dwell [there] many days." And for this
reason we rose up quickly, and we went back to the Ephesians; and as soon as we had come
there, all the temples in that place fell down, and not one of them 2013. remained
[standing]. Now all these things did John do in the city of the Ephesians before they
carried him [to the island]. And the false accusations which came upon him from the Jews,
and the written paper concerning him which Satan made people to be certain [they had
seen], and all the wonderful things which were made manifest by him, and the beatings
which fell upon him in the Island of Patmos, are written in an exceedingly large book, the
name of which is "Kâmâdagî". Therefore praise be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the
Holy Spirit now, henceforth, and for ever. Amen, Amen, and Amen.

THE HISTORY OF THE DEATH OF SAINT JOHN THE EVANGELIST

1 Here beginneth the Book of the Death of John, the son of Zebedee, the disciple and
friend of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Virgin and Evangelist, wherein are described his
divinity and his departure from this world, which took place in the Island of Patmos on
the fourth day of the month Ter. May his peace protect his handmaiden Walatta Madhan for
ever and ever. Amen. 2 Now the going forth of each of the holy Apostles unto the country
which had come unto him as his portion from God took place after the [giving of] the
commandments by God, the Redeemer of the whole world, and after His Ascension into heaven
with great glory. And the portion which came unto John, the son of Zebedee, was Asia. And
when he had come unto Epheson (Ephesus), which is the mother-city of the Ephesians, he
preached unto them, and told them the story [of the Gospel] in the Name of our Lord Jesus
Christ, the Son of the Living God, amid great striving, and privation, and fatigue, and
[did] wonderful things without number. And even after his patient endurance, and the
tribulations, and the trials (or plots) which came upon him from the men of this city,
they multiplied their worship of false gods, more than the men of every [other] country,
even as saith the scribe who is one of us. And the city of Ephesus, the story of which is
told in the "Acts of the Apostles," [continued thus to do] until at length the people
thereof would take oaths by things which were lies, and [until] there was nothing true [in
it], even as [the book] saith, "The men of the Ephesians perform worship unto the goddess
of the temple, Artemis the great. And afterwards John overthrew that unclean temple and
destroyed it by his preaching, and he wrought miracles and wonderful things innumerable in
the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

3 And he cleansed the country from the uncleanness of idols, and he delivered the people
from a bitter worship wherein there was no profit, and he brought them to the knowledge of
God our Lord Jesus Christ, and of His glorious Father, and of the Holy and Life-giving
Spirit. And he built churches everywhere in the country in the Name of our Lord Jesus
Christ, and appointed unto them bishops, and priests, and deacons; and the faith in and
the knowledge of the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ increased among them, and righteousness
multiplied in the land. 4 And after all the Apostles had finished their work, and had gone
forth from this world—now Peter had been crucified in the city of Rome, and they had cut
off the head of Paul in the same city, and Mark they had flayed alive in the city of
Alexandria and it was two days before he died, and in this wise each of the Apostles
[suffered] in the country which he had gone to convert, and they all had contended with
tribulations and with abundant punishments, each according to his own way—the blessed John
still continued to live in the world for many years, and he lived until the reign of
Dōmāti'anōs (Domitian), and he lived seventy years after the Recorrection of our Lord. And
he became an exceedingly old man, and he tasted death neither by the sword nor by any
violence whatsoever, for God loved him exceedingly because of his purity, even as it is
written in his Gospel that he was the friend of the Lord who was worthy to rest upon the
breast of the Son, the One Who sitteth in the bosom of His Father in the heavens, by
reason of the purity of his soul and body.

5 And after he had written [his] divine Gospel which exalteth all hearts, and the
Apocalypse which he saw in Patmos, and which is full of the mysteries of God, God
Almighty—may His Name be blessed!—wished to deliver him from the fatigue of this world
which he had endured patiently for His Name's sake, for the blessed John was rejoicing
exceedingly in God. Now there were multitudes of the brethren who were dwelling with him
in Ephesus, and they were glad and rejoiced in the sight of him even as if they had seen
God, our Lord Jesus Christ. And on each Sabbath day all [these] people would come
together, and would rejoice in the Spirit, and would sing psalms and spiritual hymns, even
as they were sung in the churches by the children of the Jerusalem which is in the
heavens. Then would John the Evangelist begin to address the people with words of the
spirit, and to say unto them, "Behold, O my beloved brethren in the spirit, ye heirs unto
me in the service of the King-dom of God our Lord Jesus Christ, behold, ye have seen how
many mighty deeds our Lord Jesus Christ hath wrought by my hand among you, and what great
gifts of spiritual grace, and how many miracles, and what exalted doctrine, and what great
knowledge, and what abundant admonitions, and comfort, and honour, and greatness, [have
come] from Him, and how great is the multitude of His mercies towards you, even as your
eyes have seen, and your ears have heard.

6 And be not open in respect of your eyes [only], through fear, but be ye also open in
respect of your hearts. And be ye watchful to complete [your] work so that ye may be meet
to be called 'blessed', concerning whom the Book saith, 'Blessed are ye when ye labour,
and when ye become strong in God, and ye shall become workers unto Him at all times
without trepidation.' And ye know the consolation which is the foundation of the Great
Mystery which our Lord Jesus Christ wrought to effect your salvation. And He entreateth
you, O brethren, by my tongue, to become learned in His judgment, holding Him in fear, and
neither to grieve His spirit, nor to sin against Him, nor to provoke Him to anger, nor to
reject Him with contumely. For He knoweth the mysteries (or hidden things) of your hearts,
and the things which proceed from you, and all your works, and all your transgressions of
His commandments. And grieve ye not God the Merciful, the Compassionate, the Patient, the
Most Holy of those who are holy, Who maketh holy, in Whom there is neither blemish, nor
impurity, nor malice, nor wrath. He alone is, and He loveth and regardeth with pleasure
him that rejecteth Him not. God is His Name, a Name which is to be named above all names,
and He doth not exist for time only but for eternity.

7 This is the Name upon which it is necessary for you to lay hold, so that He may rejoice
in your acceptance thereof, and in the integrity of your paths; He is well pleased with
your lives, for He loveth gentleness and patience, and He accepteth these; He rejoiceth in
your good works and in your patient endurance of many tribulations; He taketh pleasure in
your purity, and in your love for Him; He putteth your compassion to the test, and He
accepteth your repentance; be ye not then moved from following His commandments. And
although ye commit tens of thousands of wickednesses, if ye turn unto Him with a pure (or
sincere) mind, He will accept your petition, for He grieveth for the wickedness of the
children of men. If a fornicator turn to Him in truth He will receive him as if he were a
virgin. And although the man shall turn again to his evil deeds, and go back unto
wickedness, yet if once again he be converted, and repent, and make straight his ways, God
through His abundant mercy will have compassion upon him, and will receive him. But if a
man continue in the wickedness of his works, and nevertheless put his trust in the mercy
of God [to save him], God will know thereof, for He will lay hold upon the man in whom He
findeth iniquity, and He will never, never, shew mercy upon him.

8 These things I speak unto you, O brethren, but I myself endeavour to fulfil the
commandments wherewith God hath commanded me." 9 And as Saint John was giving commandments
unto the brethren, he rose up and stood [on his feet], and stretched out his hand[s] to
heaven, and he gave thanks and made supplication, saying, "O my Lord Jesus Christ, Who
hast mingled the crown which is fleeting with that which is abiding, Who art the one
sweet-smelling Flower wherein are mingled all [other] flowers, Who hast sown in our hearts
Thy life-giving Word which alone maketh beautiful with sweet odour the souls and the
bodies of those who are gentle and lowly of heart, Who art compassionate, and Who shewest
love unto man, Who art alone the righteous Judge, Who hast existed always, Whom no place
can contain; O my Lord Jesus Christ, do Thou in the multitude of Thy mercy preserve all
those who put their hope in Thy Name, for Thou knowest the cunning and the crafty devices
of him that leadeth [men] into error which are spread abroad in every place, and we
beseech Thee by Thy power to put an end to them."

10 And it came to pass that when he had ended his prayer he took bread, and gave thanks,
saying thus:—"What blessing, and what speech [which] ascribeth praise, and what word, and
what speech of gratitude, and what thanksgiving, and what Name shall be pronounced over
this bread which is now broken except Thy Name, O Jesus Christ, Whose Name giveth life and
salvation? 2032. "This is the bread of life which came down from heaven for the salvation
of the world. We bless Thee, O Thou Who hast become for us a way unto the place of life.
We give thanks unto Thee, O Thou Who by Thy word hast created all things, Thou art the
Guide, Thou art the Gate of grace, Thou art the Salt, Thou art the Treasury of the Pearl,
Thou art the Net of the life of righteousness, Thou art the Power of wisdom, Thou art the
Refuge of Rest, Thou art the Prop of life; and Thou permittest Thyself to be called by
these names for the sake of men, so that they may be saved and become new [men] from out
of the wickedness of their former works into the sin of which they had fallen; and to Thee
be glory for ever and ever. Amen."

11 And it came to pass that when Saint John had finished breaking the blessed bread, he
first partook thereof himself, and [then] gave it to those who were gathered together
there, and he entreated them to become worthy thereof, and he gave them the salutation of
peace, and sent them to their habitations. And after these things he told Prochorus his
disciple to take with him two of the brethren, and picks and spades, and Prochorus did as
he had commanded him. Then John went out with them from the city in secret and walked
outside it, and he said unto us, "Dig here"; and we received his commands, and dug a hole
even as he had commanded us. And he put off his apparel and laid [it] in the grave, and he
stood above it; and he put on a linen garment, and stretched out his hands upwards, and he
looked towards the east, and prayed, saying, "O my Lord Jesus Christ, Who hast chosen my
poor person to

12 R* 2042. "be Thy disciple and to preach in Thy holy Name those things which Thou didst
[declare] aforetime by the tongue[s] of Thy holy Prophets, whom Thou didst deliver at all
times; Who desirest the salvation of all those [who believe on Thee] with all their
hearts; Who first gavest unto all created beings their souls that they might know that
Thou art the Comforter of all Thy people, and that Thou dost not reject either great or
small; Who didst give unto [my] soul understanding and meekness; Who didst appear
thereunto when it was dead; Who didst receive it when it was besmirched with the pollution
of sin; Who didst make it Thy pure bride, after it had been defiled with the wickedness of
sin, and brought low by Satan; Who didst take it into Thy hand, and didst raise it up from
the fallen estate [into which] the Enemy [had cast it]; and didst deliver it from [the
hands of] its Enemy, and didst make him to be a feeble thing beneath its feet; Who alone

13 "art holy among the saints, O Jesus Christ my Lord, Whose Name is sweet; Who rejectest
not from His memory the joy of heaven[ly beings]; Who art the Protector of those who fear
Him upon the earth, and of those who are beneath it; Who art the Joy of those who are
good; Who art the Protector of those whose hearts are true; Who receivest those who are
worthy and who praise [Thy Name] together according to Thy word and commandment; O Lord,
it is necessary that Thou shouldst deliver me from the fatigue of this fleeting world. I
give thanks unto Thee, O my Lord, that Thou hast preserved me in purity from all the
contaminations of the world, and that Thou hast set the fear of Thee deep down in my
heart. Thou hast made to be remote from me all the lusts of sin, and I have had dominion
over them; I have destroyed the motions of the flesh, and Thou hast driven out the
temptations of sin from my body. Thou hast made my soul to refuse to perform outwardly the
evil which is in my flesh, and the sin which encompasseth the members of my body. Thou
hast made my path straight, and free from turning aside; and Thou hast given me of old a
faith which is straight and is free from error; and Thou hast written Thy Law within me;
and Thou hast not permitted me to desire any other [god] save Thyself.

14 And what is there greater, or more honourable, or sweeter, or more to be desired than
Thyself? And who is [there that can be compared] with Thee? Turn, O Lord, unto that which
is Thine, and accept the soul of John, Thy servant, who putteth his hope in Thee. Behold,
I have ended the service which Thou didst give unto me to perform. And behold, I have come
unto Thee, having put away grief, and unto the rest which is nigh unto Thee, for I know, O
my Lord, that Thou wilt order in peace my way into the habitation of Thy glory. And when
the blessed John had spoken all these words he fell upon his face on the ground, and he
worshipped and said, "I bow down before Thee, O Thou unto Whom every knee boweth, and unto
Whom all glory belongeth, Thou the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, for ever and
ever. Amen."

15 Then John said unto us, "My children, may the peace of God be with you! Go ye into the
city, and tell the brethren [therein] to keep all the words which I have commanded them,
for concerning these we shall "be obliged to justify ourselves; and of the will of God I
have hidden nothing whatsoever from you. Ye shall be rewarded [according to your works],
and I am innocent of your blood. I have concealed naught of doctrine [of Christ] from you,
and there is naught of the knowledge of Him which I have not declared unto you; ye have
hearkened thereunto from me, and I have informed you concerning Him. Take good care that
ye be not cast away, and that ye suffer not condemnation in the judgment, and that ye be
not obliged to endure a twofold penalty, for from those unto whom He hath given much [He
will require much], even as our Lord said. And may our Lord Jesus Christ be with your
spirits for ever, and may He strengthen you, and may He fulfil all your desires in His
sinless judgment."

16 Now from this time forward John dwelt not with them in the flesh. And when we had heard
these words from him, we embraced his hands, and feet, and wept bitterly; and we left him
in the grave and departed to the city, and we told the brethren everything that had
happened. Then they went forth quickly with us unto the place [where we left] Saint John,
and we could not find him, but we did find in the earth his apparel, and also his sandals
filled with dust. Now the grave which we had dug was not visible, and we were unable to
make certain where its place had been, because of the dust which had filled it up and
which lay about over it in abundance. And we came back to the city and were giving thanks
unto God Who had bestowed the gifts of grace upon those who were worthy thereof, and
especially because He had shewn honour unto His beloved John, the Evangelist, and had
delivered him by his wonderful death. Therefore let us ascribe the praise which is meet to
the Lord, and to His Father, and to the Holy Spirit for ever and ever. Amen, Amen, and
Amen.

THE MARTYRDOM OF SAINT JAMES, THE SON OF ZEBEDEE

1 Here beginneth the Martyrdom of Saint James, the son of Alphaeus, the Apostle of our
Lord Jesus Christ, who finished his contending on the tenth day of the month Dakotit. In
the peace of our Lord. Amen. And it came to pass that, when James the Apostle was coming
into Jerusalem to preach therein the Holy Gospel, and all the wonderful things of the
Divinity [of Christ], so that all those who heard thereof from him might believe in God
with a pure heart, and obtain salvation, he meditated within himself, and said, "How shall
these people hearken unto [these words] from me and believe?" Then he came into the
synagogue wherein the multitudes were gathered together, and there were very many Jews
sitting there, and he began to tell the story [of the Gospel] among them all, with great
joy and gladness, and he multiplied his words and revealed the faith without fear. And he
testified concerning the Only Son of God, the Word of Life, the Lord of all the 1 L. c.,
February 4. world, Jesus Christ, Who is the Son of God in very truth, for He existed with
the Father before all the world, and He was with the Father and the Father was in Him, and
He was the Word, even as it saith, "Let us make 'man in Our own image and likeness.'" It
is He Who dwelleth in heaven, and it is He Who existeth with His Father, and He sitteth
upon the chariots of the Cherubim and of the Seraphim who praise Him. It is He Who
[sitteth] at the right hand of the Majesty in the heights of heaven. It is He Who was
carried in the womb of the Virgin MARY. It is He Who is the God Jesus Christ, to Whom the
Virgin MARY gave birth. It is He Who is the Lord, Who rose from the dead.

2 These are the words which the Apostle spake in the midst of the multitudes who were
gathered together, and he was afraid of no man. And he was testifying concerning the birth
of the only Son of God, and His Death, and His Resurrection, and His Ascension to His
Father in heaven, and he taught all the people who were together there the faith [which]
is in Christ. And it came to pass that, when the multitudes heard the words of the
Apostle, they became exceedingly angry with the anger which is of Satan, who was with them
against the Apostle of God Jesus Christ, and all the people were seeking after his blood.
Then those who had heard his speech laid hold upon the blessed Apostle, and they brought
him before Claudius the king, and they set up against him lying witnesses who said unto
the king, "This is the 'man who corrupteth [men], and who goeth round about 100a.

3 "in the provinces and in the cities and saith unto the people [thereof], 'I am a servant
of Jesus Christ,' and he preventeth them from being subject unto the king." And when the
king heard these things concerning the blessed Apostle he commanded them to stone him with
stones until he died, and the Jews (may God curse them!) stoned him with stones, even as
the king had commanded them. In this wise did the martyrdom of the blessed Apostle, James
the son of Alphaeus, take place, on the tenth day of the month Yakâtît; and he was buried
by the sanctuary in Jerusalem. Glory and honour be to the Father, and to the Son, and to
the Holy Spirit for ever and ever. Amen, Amen, and Amen.


THE CONTENDINGS OF THE APOSTLES, PART 1
=======================================

THE CONTENDINGS OF THE APOSTLES, PART 1 continued

THE PREACHING OF SAINT MATTHIAS IN THE CITY OF THE CANNIBALS

1 Here beginneth the Preaching of Saint Matthias, the Apostle of our Lord Jesus Christ,
which he preached in the City of the Cannibals; who finished his contending on the eighth
day of the month Magâsit. In the peace of God the Father. Amen. And it came to pass that,
when the Apostles were dividing the countries of the world [among them], and they were
casting lots concerning them, the lot of Matthias went forth that he should go unto the
City of the Cannibals. Now in that city they neither eat bread nor drink water, nor any
other kind of food, but they feed upon the flesh and blood of men. And every traveller who
cometh into that city they seize and put out his eyes, and then they bind him in fetters
until he hath lost his senses, and then they put him in a dark place and feed him upon
grass like an animal for forty days, and after this period they bring him out and devour
him.

2 And when the blessed Matthias had come unto this city, they seized him and blinded his
eyes by means of a certain drug with which they were acquainted, and they gave him grass
to eat, (now he would not eat thereof because the power of God was in him), and they cast
him into prison. Then he prayed and made supplication unto the Lord Jesus Christ, and
said, "O my Lord, "for Whose sake we have rejected the world and followed Thee so that we
might know Thee, besides Whom we have no helper, look and see what they have done to Thy
servant, and how they have treated him like the beast of the field. Thou, O Lord, knowest
what hath been, and what shall be; if it be Thy will that I shall die in this city, let
Thy good pleasure be done. But if this be not Thy will, then grant graciously light unto
my eyes, and let not [these men] gain the victory over me in such wise that they may be
able to eat my flesh like that of the beast of the field." And when he had ended his
prayer his eyes were opened, and he could look about everywhere, and he could see even as
he did before. Then a voice came unto him, and said unto him, "Be strong, O Matthias, and
fear thou not, for I will not forsake thee; nay, I

3 "will be with thee in every place whithersoever thou goest. Bear patiently until ten
days be ended, and then I will send unto thee Andrew, and he shall bring thee out from
this prison." 4 Then Matthias gave thanks unto God and ascribed praise unto Him, and his
soul rejoiced and was glad; and he remained in the prison even as our Lord had commanded
Him. And it came to pass that, when the men of the city came into the prison-house to take
out a man to kill, Matthias shut (or covered up) his eyes so that they might not see [that
they had been opened]. Now the people had the custom, when they placed a man in the
prison-house, of writing on the first day when they brought him there a tablet which they
hung round his neck; and when thirty (sic) days were ended they brought him out according
to their habit [and ate him]. In this wise did they treat Matthias also. And when Matthias
had been in the prison-house for seven and twenty days, our Lord revealed Himself unto
Andrew when he was in the country of the Greeks, and said unto him, "Rise up and go unto
Matthias in the City of the Cannibals that thou mayest bring him out from the prison-
house, for the people of that city will in three days' time lead him out therefrom and eat
him." And Andrew said unto Him, "If it be only three days [before they eat him] I cannot
come unto him; but send Thine angel and let him bring him out quickly from the
prisonhouse, for how can I get there in the next three days?" And our Lord answered and
said unto Andrew, "Hearken, O thou who art one of those whom I have chosen. If I were to
say unto this city, 'Come unto Me forthwith', it would come, together with all those who
dwell therein. When the morrow hath come,

5 1012. 2112. "do thou and thy two disciples rise up, and thou shalt find a ship ready to
sail; embark therein, and it shall bring thee [unto the place where Matthias is]." Then He
gave Andrew the salutation of peace, and ascended into heaven with great glory. 6 And
Andrew rose up even as our Lord had commanded him, and came unto the sea-coast; and our
Lord had made for him a beautiful ship, and He Himself was sitting there as the captain of
it, and two angels were with Him in the forms of sailors. And Andrew went to the ship and
found our Lord sitting therein, and although he looked at Him he did not know Him to be
our Lord. And he said unto Him, "Peace be unto Thee, O captain of the ship; and our Lord
said unto him, "Peace! Our Lord be with thee. Then Andrew said unto Him, "Whither goest
thou in this ship? And our Lord said unto him, "To the City of the Cannibals. And Andrew
said unto Him, "Everyone fleeth from this city, and will ye go thither? And the captain of
the ship said unto him, "We have business in that city, and we must needs go thither. Then
Andrew said unto Him, "I entreat thee, O beloved brother, to carry us to that city; and He
said, "Come [up into the ship]. And Andrew said unto Him, "[Know Thou] before Thou dost
take us that we have no money wherewith to pay Thee Thy fare; nay, we must eat of Thy food
with Thee.

7 And our Lord, Who was in the form of the captain of the ship, said unto him, "Since ye
must eat of our bread and ye cannot give us the hire of the ship, tell us how it happeneth
that ye have no bread with you, and why ye have no money wherewith to pay your fare. And
Andrew said unto Him, "We are not men of high estate, neither are we drunkards or
gluttons, but we are the servants of the Good God Whose Name is Jesus: He hath chosen us
Twelve Apostles, and He hath given us commandments, and hath sent us to preach in His Name
in the world. He hath commanded us to possess neither gold, nor silver, nor any of the
goods of this world, nor food, and he hath commanded us not to labour therefor; it is for
this reason that we are even as Thou seest us. Now if Thou art pleased to allow us to
embark Thou wilt do good (or a kindness) unto us, but if Thou wilt not do this thing then
tell us, so that we may seek out another ship. And He said unto them, "Had ye been able to
pay your fare I should have wished you to embark in another ship, [but as ye cannot] ye
are better with Me, for it is a great joy for Me [to know] that I am worthy that the
Apostles of Jesus Christ should embark with Me.

8 Then Andrew said unto Him, "May God bless Thee with a spiritual bless-ing; and Andrew
and his two disciples embarked in the ship. 9 And our Lord said unto one of the angels who
were in the form of sailors, "Bring bread and let these brethren eat, for they have come
from a place which is afar off;" and he did as our Lord had commanded him. Then our Lord
said unto Andrew, "Stand up, O My brethren, ye disciples of Christ, and eat bread before
we put out to sea in the ship;" so Andrew said unto his disciples, "Rise up, and let us
eat," but they were not able to speak unto him through fear of the sea. Then Andrew
returned to the captain and said unto Him, "May Jesus Christ give Thee a good reward in
the kingdom of heaven! Bear with me a little in that I do not eat, and in that my
disciples do not eat with me, for they are afraid of the sea, and they have never before
embarked in a ship." And our Lord said unto Andrew, "Rise up and journey unto the place to
which thou hast been sent, and make thy way thither by thyself." And Andrew said unto his
two disciples, "Get ye up to the sea-shore, and abide there, until I go to the place
whither I have been sent and come back to you;" and they said unto him, "We will not
separate ourselves from thee, that we transgress not the commandment of God." And our Lord
said unto Andrew, "If thou art a disciple of Christ, command them not to be afraid of the
sea, for we wish to set out." Whereupon our Lord said unto one of the angels who were in
the form of sailors, "Unfurl (literally, let down) the sails of the ship," and our Lord
Himself went and took hold of the rudder of the ship as if He had been the captain
thereof, and the two angels stood one on each side of Him. Now Andrew and his disciples
were sitting in the ship, and he was trying to still their grief, and he said unto them,
"O my children, fear ye not, for our Lord will not forsake us. He hath stablished the
heavens, and hath gathered together the waters of the sea, and He is the Creator of them
all. Fear ye not, for He will abide with us in every place whithersoever we may go, even
as He hath commanded us."

10 And it came to pass that when Andrew had spoken in this wise he prayed unto God, and
asked that his disciples might sleep, and that they might not be afraid of the sea; and
they fell asleep quickly; and while they were sleeping He made their souls to ascend into
Paradise, and they ate of the fruit thereof. Then when Andrew knew that his disciples were
asleep, he said unto our Lord—now he knew not that the Captain was our Lord—"I beseech
thee, O good Man, to tell me what manner of ship Thine is, for I have never seen the like
thereof. I have embarked in a ship many times, but never before have I embarked in a ship
like unto this. Verily, I am sitting in it as if I were on land, for the ship rolleth not,
even though we have come out on the open sea; there can be no sailors who are better than
Thine in working the ship out on its course and in bringing it back. And our Lord Jesus
Christ said unto him, "We have sailed often and often in this ship on the sea, but we
never before saw it behave in this manner; since it knoweth that an Apostle of Christ is
in it it doth not roll as formerly. And Andrew said, "May the Name of Jesus Christ be
blessed, Whose abundant mercy hath made it possible for me to sail with a man who knoweth
His Name.

11 Then our Lord said unto him, "If thou art an Apostle of Christ, tell me why the
children of Israel did not believe in Him, and why they did not call him Lord? I have
heard concerning Him that He made manifest marvellous things unto His disciples in the
Mount of Olives. And Andrew said unto Him, "Hearken unto me and I will tell you of His
work. He opened the eyes of the blind, the dumb spake, He made the deaf to hear, He cast
out devils, 213a. 12 "He raised the dead, He placed a few loaves of bread upon the grass,
and the grass became bread, and He satisfied five thousand [men with food], besides women
and children, and He filled twelve baskets with what remained of the bread; all these
things did the children of Israel see, and yet they did not believe upon Him." And our
Lord said unto him, "Perhaps He did not do all these wonderful things before the chief
priests, and on that account they would not believe on Him, but rose up against Him, and
slew Him?" Then Andrew said unto Him, "It was in their own assemblies that He worked
[these miracles for them], and not only openly did He work miracles, but also in secret."
And our Lord Jesus said unto him, "What now is it that [He did] in secret?" And Andrew
said unto Him, "Tell me, O Thou that askest: wishest Thou to know for truth's sake, or
that Thou mayest scoff?" And our Lord Jesus said unto him, "If thou didst know the joy
which was in My heart [thou wouldst not speak thus]; but if thou dost not tell Me I shall
laugh at thee, for I am glad and I rejoice with all those who remember the Name of Jesus."
And Andrew said, "May God bless Thee! hearken unto me, and I will tell Thee;" and whilst
Andrew was conversing with our Lord they arrived at the city. Then our Lord Jesus laid
Himself down as if He were about to sleep, and when Andrew looked at Him and saw that He
was asleep, he returned unto one of his disciples, and they slept. And in that same hour
our Lord commanded His angels to lift up Andrew and his two disciples, and to lay them
down upon the sea shore; and He went up to heaven in great glory with His angels.

13 And when Andrew woke up from his sleep and looked towards the sea shore, and found no
ship [there] his heart beat fast, and he said, "I must have been sitting with our Lord,
but I knew it not, although I was look-ing at our Lord whilst He was talking unto me, His
servant; verily this is a blessed day for me. When I embark on my ship, I will look at the
place where He humbled himself to His servant." And thus saying Andrew roused up [his]
disciples from their sleep, and said unto them, "Rise up, O my servants. We have been in
the ship with our Lord, and we knew Him not." Then his disciples said unto him, "At the
time when thou didst pray we saw [two] shining eagles which overshadowed us, and they took
our souls up into Paradise, and we saw our Lord sitting (literally speaking) upon His
throne, and the angels surrounding it. And we saw the Twelve Apostles and the Seventy-two
Disciples, and angels round about you, and from that time until this moment when we rose
up from our slumber we have seen many wonderful things.

14 And Andrew rejoiced when [he knew] that his disciples had seen this spiritual vision,
and he rose up and bowed low on the ground and said, "O my Lord Jesus Christ, I will not
move from this place until Thou comest unto me, for I know that Thou art not far from me;
forgive Thou that which I have spoken in my folly, and I beseech Thee, O my Lord, to
reveal Thyself unto Thy servant." And when he had said these words our Lord Jesus Christ
appeared unto him in the form of a young Man of beautiful appearance Who was coming out of
the city, and He said unto Andrew, "O My S* 214a. 15 "beloved one." And Andrew fell upon
his face on the ground, and said unto Him, "I give thanks unto Thee, O my Lord Jesus
Christ, for what have I done that Thou shouldst appear unto me on the sea?" And our Lord
said unto him, "Fear not. This hast thou done. Thou didst say, 'We cannot come unto the
city in three days'; therefore did I wish thee to know that I am mighty [to do] all
things, and that there is nothing which is too hard for Me. Rise up, and come into the
city, and bring Matthias and all those who are with him out of the prison-house. In [this
city] there shall come upon you much suffering, but bear it patiently, for I will be with
you. Remember ye the mercy [which] My Father [sheweth] unto His creatures, and make
yourselves like unto Him, and remember how they said of Me, 'He casteth out devils by
Beelzebub'." I had the "power to command the earth to rend itself asunder and to carry
them down into its depths quickly, as it were in the twinkling of an eye, but I bore with
them, for I knew that evil should be with you upon the earth, and I knew that by means of
your patient endurance of suffering in this city, many should believe therein." And Andrew
said unto Him, "Only be Thou with me, my Lord, and I will do even as Thou shalt command
me"; and our Lord gave him the salutation of peace, and went up into heaven with great
glory.

16 Then Andrew and his two disciples entered into the city, and there was none who saw
them, and they came unto the gate of the prison-house wherein was Matthias. 1 St. Matthew
xii. 24; St Mark iii. 22; St. Luke xi. 15. And when they had laid hold upon the gate it
opened unto them, and they went inside and found Matthias sitting down and singing psalms,
and they embraced him. And Andrew said unto him, "Dost thou say, O Matthias, that, 'After
the second day (i. e., on the third day) they will take me out, and slay me, and devour my
flesh like [that of] a beast?' Hast thou forgotten the mystery which we saw from our Lord
wherein I spake [unto Him], and wherein the heavens quaked?" Then Matthias said unto him,
"Behold, I know thereof, O my brother; but I say that if it be the will of God that I come
to an end in this city [it shall come to pass]. Hast thou not heard His voice in the Holy
Gospel, saying, 'I send you forth like lambs among wolves?' As for me, when they threw me
into the prison-house I cried out unto our Lord, and revealed my heart unto Him, and He
said unto me, 'Fear not. At the end of [certain] days I will send Andrew unto thee, and he
shall bring thee, and all those who are with Thee, out of the prison-house;" "and behold
thou hast come to do this."

17 Then Andrew looked at the men who were in the prison-house, and saw that they were
bound like animals; and he straightway anathematized Satan, and all his host; and he and
Matthias began to make supplication unto God, Who hearkened unto their petition. And they
laid their hands upon the men who were in the prison-house, and their eyes were opened,
and their minds returned unto them. And Andrew commanded them to go out from the city, and
he told them that they St. Matthew x. 16. would find on their road a certain fig-tree, and
that they were to sit down under it until the Apostles came to them; now the fruit which
was on the tree could not be counted. And the men who were in the prison-house said unto
them, "Come ye also out with us, lest the people of the city find us, and bring us back
again here." Then the Apostles said unto them, "Go ye forth in peace, for ye shall not be
evilly entreated." So they departed from the city, and they found the fig-tree even as the
Apostles had told them; now the number of the men who went forth from the prison-house was
one hundred and twenty and three. And Andrew and Matthias told the two disciples Rufus and
Alexander to go forth from the city. Then the two Apostles Andrew and Matthias, and their
two disciples with them rose up, and prayed and entreated God to send a cloud to carry
away Rufus and Alexander, and to bring them unto the place where Peter was; and God heard
their entreaty, and sent a cloud, and it bore them away. And Andrew and Matthias went out
into the highway of the city, [and waited there] until they knew what would take place.

18 Now meanwhile the soldiers of the guard had been sent to take men into the prison-house
to slay [those who were therein], according to their rule daily, and they found the doors
of the prison-house wide open, and the keepers, who were seven in number, were dead, and
there was no one left in the prison-house. And they went back and told the magistrates,
and the magistrates said, "What shall we live upon? How can we live this day without food?
And they took counsel among themselves, and they said, "Shall we be obliged to eat the
dead? Or shall we gather together the aged men in the city, and let lots be cast, and
according as the lot shall fall upon each of them let him be killed on his day? We shall
then have food to eat until the messengers return. Now they had certain men whom they used
to send away in a ship to gather together men from every region unto their city, that they
might eat them; but meanwhile they took the people who were dead to eat for food. And they
had in their city a certain place which was full of water, and whensoever they wished they
used to kill a man, or a woman, in the water and pour their blood into a stone bowl in the
water, and when they had brought the bodies into that place they took a knife to cut them
in pieces.

19 And Andrew saw them [doing thus], and he made supplication, and said, "O my Lord Jesus
Christ, Thou Lover of men, let these knives be broken in their hands; and in that same
hour their hands dried up and they were unable to move [them]. And when the magistrates
saw what had happened, they wept and said, "The men who have come forth from the prison-
house are sorcerers, and they have escaped by means of their sorceries, and we are unable
to do them any harm. Then the old men of the city, who were twelve in number, were
gathered together, and they cast lots, and the lot fell upon seven of them to be killed
and eaten. And one of the seven upon whom the lot had fallen said, "I have a son, take
him, and let me go free; and the soldiers of the guard said unto him, "We cannot take thy
son until we have spoken to the magistrates. [And when they had spoken to the magistrates]
they said unto them, "Since he hath given you his son instead of himself, take him, and
let the old man go; so the old man delivered unto them his son. And when they laid hold
upon the boy to kill him, he wept before the face of his father, and said unto him, "I
beseech thee, O my father, let them not slay me, for I am only a child;

20 but let me live until I become as old as thou art, and when I have become an old man,
let them eat me. And the boy cried out and said to the soldiers of the guard, "Why are ye
so hard of heart? But, alas, it is my father who hath delivered me over unto death. Now
the custom of the people of the city was to cut in pieces every one who died, and to eat
him, and they brought those upon whom the lot had fallen [to do thus unto them]. And
Andrew prayed unto our Lord, and said, "I praise Thee, and I beseech Thee, O my Lord Jesus
Christ, that, inasmuch as Thou didst hearken unto me in respect of the dead, Thou hear me
also in respect of these living ones, and let them not be delivered over to be slain; and
through these words the swords [of the soldiers] became like wax before the fire. Now when
the magistrates saw this they wept bitterly, and said, "Woe unto us by reason of that
which hath come upon us."

21 Then Satan appeared unto them in the form of a wise and aged man, and he cried out, and
said, "Woe be unto you! Ye shall die of hunger, for ye shall not be able to eat anything
after to-day, and your dead shall be cast abroad in your streets, and shall remain there
until they become rotten, and ye shall not be able to eat them. Rise up, and seek ye this
man whose name is Matthias, and kill him, for if ye do not kill him ye will not be able to
do as ye desire. It was he who brought the men who believe [in Christ] out of the prison-
house; he is in the city, therefore seek ye him, and slay him, so that your works may
prosper. And when Andrew saw Satan conversing with them in this wise he said unto him, "O
thou Enemy of our Lord, O thou Enemy of His creatures, God the Most High shall bring thee
down under our feet. Now when Satan heard these words from him, he said, "I hear his
voice, but I do not see his body. And Andrew appeared unto him and said, "O blind one, for
indeed thou art blind if thou art not able to see the servants of Christ and the
messengers of God! And Satan cried out with a loud voice, saying, "Behold, these [are] the
men, seize them.

22 Then the multitudes of the people scattered themselves about the city, and they shut
the gates thereof, and began to make a search, saying, "Where are Matthias and Andrew?
Seize them for us, so that we may work our will upon them. And our Lord commanded the
Apostles, and said unto them, "Rise up and shew yourselves unto them, so that they may
know the littleness of their power; and they went forth from under the roof [where they
were], and said unto the people, "Behold, we are those whom ye seek. Then the people rose
up against them, and seized them, and they said unto the Apostles, "We will deal with you
as ye have dealt with us. And certain men among them said, "Let us cut off their heads and
give them unto the elders of the city; but others said, "Nay, do not do thus, but let us
cut them up into very small pieces, and distribute their bodies among the people of the
city. Thereupon they dragged the Apostles along the highways of the city until their blood
dropped from them in the streets, and after this they cast them into the prison-house and
bound them in fetters, and they put them in a dark place, and set a large number of strong
men to keep guard over them.

23 And it came to pass that when the Apostles had entered into the prison-house they
prayed, and said, "O Lord Jesus Christ, be not Thou far from us. We are Thy disciples, and
Thou hast commanded us not to make haste; do not Thou let the Enemy rejoice over us."
Thereupon our Lord appeared unto them, and said unto them, "I will be with you; fear not."
And whilst they were in the prison-house Satan, having taken with him seven of his
servants, appeared unto the Apostles and spake unto them words of violence, and heaped
curses upon them, and said unto them, "Behold, I have brought you into my hand. Who can
deliver you from me? Where [now] is the power wherewith ye overcame me in all the cities
and destroyed [my] temples? I will let them kill you, even as they killed your Master."
And Satan said unto his servants, "Rise up, and slay these men who have fought against
you, that ye may have rest from them, and that the whole neighbourhood may be your own."
Then the devils rose up against the Apostles, and wished to slay them, but the Apostles
waited patiently, and then made the sign of the honourable cross over them, and blew in
their faces, when they fell upon their backs. And their father Satan said unto them, "What
hath happened to you?" And they said unto him, "We saw in their hands a sign, and we were
afraid of them. Act thou, if thou art able, against them, for we are afraid; act thou, for
we are afraid;" and they departed, having been put to shame.

24 And it came to pass that when the men of the city had arrived [at the prison-house]
they took out the Apostles, and dragged them through the city, and Andrew and Matthias
cried out to God, saying, "Have mercy upon us, O Lord, for we are [only] flesh and blood,
and we know that Thou art not far from us. And when Andrew and Matthias had said these
words they heard a voice near them speaking in the Hebrew tongue, and saying unto them, "O
Andrew and Matthias, heaven and earth shall pass away, but My word shall not pass away.
Then the men of the city cast the Apostles into the prison-house, saying. "They shall die
immediately. And the Apostles said, whilst their blood was dripping upon the ground, "O
Lord Jesus Christ, help us, and deliver this city and all those who are there-in. And at
that moment the Apostles looked upon a stone image (or statue) which was upon a pillar in
the prison-house, and they made the sign of the cross over it, and stretched out their
hands and prayed, and when they had ended their prayer they drew nigh unto the pillar
whereon was the image, and said unto it, "Be thou afraid at the sign of the cross which we
have made over thee, and send out from thy lowermost part water as abundant as the waters
of the Flood upon this city and upon all those who dwell therein.

25 Thereupon [the pillar] was rent asunder in its lowermost part, and water poured out in
abundance, and it was exceedingly bitter, and like gall, and it at once flooded the city,
and all those who were therein. And the men of the city took their sons and their
daughters, and wished to depart therefrom. And Matthias said, "O my Lord Jesus Christ,
accept the petition of Thy servants, and send Michael the Archangel upon a cloud of
darkness wherewith [to cover] over this city, so that no one may escape therefrom." 26 And
it came to pass that, when Matthias knew God had received his petition, he smote the
pillar, and said, "Fulfil now the command with which I commanded thee." Then the pillar
poured forth more water until it came up to the necks of the people, and it was about to
drown them. And the people wept and said, "Woe unto us! This wrath hath come upon us
through the two men who are chosen servants of God, whom we have thrown into the prison-
house, and because of our evil acts towards them. Behold, we shall die a terrible death in
this water; make haste then and let us cry out unto their God, and say, 'We believe in
Thee, O Thou Lord God of these two strangers; deliver Thou us from this water.'" Thereupon
Andrew answered and said unto the pillar, "It shall suffice for thee, and behold, the time
for the flood hath passed, and the season for sowing in the hearts of the men of this city
the right [faith] hath arrived. I declare unto thee that, when I have built a church in
this city, I will place thee therein, and they shall put a roof over thee;" and because of
these words the water which was flowing out from under the pillar ceased to flow. And when
the men of the city saw that the water had ceased to flow, some of the elders of the city,
together with a number of the young men thereof, rose up and went unto the prison-house
(now the water [reached] up to their necks), and they saw the Apostles with their hands
stretched out, and they were making supplication unto God. And Andrew and Matthias went
out to them, and the water was divided before them; and when the elders saw this they were
afraid, and they cried out, saying, "Have compassion upon us, O servants of God."

27 Now among the elders was the old man upon whom the lot to be slain had fallen, who had
given his son over [unto death] instead of himself and had saved himself thereby; and he
came with them, saying, "Have compassion upon me, O servants of God." And Matthias said
unto him, "I marvel that thou canst say unto me, Have pity upon me, seeing that thou hadst
no mercy on thy son. I say unto thee that, on that day when the water shall return into
the depths of the earth, thou and the seven men who slay men shall go down [therewith];
and ye shall be in the depths of the earth, until thou hast seen what befalleth him that
hateth his own son, and the seven men also [shall be there], until they have seen what
befalleth those who slay men." And Andrew said unto the young men who were holding the old
man, "Go ye unto the place where they slay men, until the water shall return unto its
place;" and they went with the Apostles, and the water fled from before them. And when
they had come unto the place 108a.

28 which was full of water, they stood up and prayed, and because of their prayer the
earth was rent asunder, and it swallowed up the men who slew men and the old man who had
delivered over his son unto death. And all the people were looking at the water which was
in the city, and they feared greatly, and said, "Let fire come down and consume us for the
evil which we have done unto them" (i. e., the Apostles). Then the Apostles said unto
them, "Fear ye not, but confess the true faith and ye shall see the glory of God, for we
will not leave in the earth those whom it hath swallowed up, but will bring them forth
therefrom." Then Matthias and Andrew commanded them to bring unto them all the people who
were dead in the water, that they might pray over them and raise them up, but they were
not able to gather them together there because of their great number; so the Apostles
entreated our Lord to send a cloud and rain from Himself over the dead, and they all rose
up. And after this Andrew placed the sick folk in the church which he had built, and he
gave them the commandments of the Law and of the Gospel, and he baptized them in the Name
of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit; and he administered unto them the
Holy Mysteries, and he healed all the sick folk. And he said unto them, "Keep ye all the
commandments which we have given unto you until the end of your days, and teach [them]
unto your children who shall come after you. And make supplication unto God that He will
take away from you the custom which ye have had of eating human flesh;" and he made them
to know how to eat the [common] food of man.

29 And after these things the Apostles departed from them, and as the people were sending
them away they said unto them, "O servants of the Good God, abide ye with us for a little
space that we may rejoice in you, for we are but new plants. Then the Apostles said unto
them, "Fear ye not, and be not grieved, for by the good pleasure of God we shall not be
far from you. And as the Apostles were going forth from the city our Lord appeared unto
them in the form of a young man of beautiful appearance, and said unto them, "Have
compassion upon those who dwell in this [city], and accept their petition, and tarry with
them some days, for I have heard their supplications unto you, and the words which they
have spoken, saying, 'We are new plants.' Why have ye given unto the men the commandments
of the Law and sent them forth into the deep? Then the Apostles said unto Him, "O Master,
forgive us. We will return to the city, and will bring them forth in Thy Name from the
deep. And our Lord said unto them, "Go back into the city and dwell therein for seven
days, and then depart therefrom. And Andrew, together with his disciples, went to the
country of the Greeks, and he said unto our Lord, "Bless me, O Lord; and our Lord blessed
them, and then went up into heaven with great glory.

30 Then the Apostles entered into the city, even as our Lord had commanded them, and they
dwelt therein for seven days; and the men whom the earth had swallowed up came up
[therefrom], and they made their faith to prosper, and they strengthened their knowledge
in the commandments of God. And the Apostles departed from them glorifying God, Who had
not left the people in error. And a number of men went forth with them to set them on
their way, and they were saying, "One is the Lord God of Andrew and Matthias, [that is to
say] Jesus Christ, to Whom, and to the Father, the Sustainer of all things, and to the
Holy and Vivifying Spirit, be glory and honour for ever and ever. Amen, Amen, and Amen. So
be it! So be it."

THE MARTYRDOM OF SAINT MATTHIAS

1 Here beginneth the Martyrdom of Matthias, the Apostle of our Lord Jesus Christ; now he
finished his contending on the eighth day of the month Magâbit in the peace of our Lord.
Amen. And it came to pass that when Judas Iscariot had betrayed our Lord Jesus Christ [to
the Jews] that they might crucify Him, Satan and his host were put to shame by reason of
the sufferings of our Lord Jesus Christ, the King of the heavens and of the earth. And
when Judas, the most miserable and shameful being in all creation, had betrayed his Lord
to the wicked Jews, he went and killed himself and destroyed his own honour. And he was
driven forth from the company of the Apostles, who elected (literally, placed) Matthias in
his stead; and Matthias went forth and preached in the city of Damascus, for the lot had
fallen to him to go and preach in that city; and he preached to them the story of the Holy
Gospel.

2 And it came to pass that when Matthias had entered into the city, he preached unto the
people and said, "O sinful men, who are cast away (or, lost) in your sins, and who know
not God your Creator, why have ye forsaken the Lord Who is God indeed, [and why do ye
worship] your gods of stone which are the work of the hand of man? And why do ye desire
that all men should be even as ye are, that is to say, cast away in sin? Hearken ye unto
my words, O ye men who dwell in the city of Damascus, and forsake ye the worship of
[false] gods, and put away from you your error, and your evil deeds, and turn ye unto God
your Creator. Receive ye from me my words, and I will bring you nigh unto the Lord your
God, and He shall make you worthy of His kingdom. Turn ye unto me, and I will teach you
the laws of the angels. Turn ye unto me, and I will give you the Bread of Life, that ye
may live for ever.

3 Refuse ye [to worship] the gods which are the work of the hand of man, and break through
the wiles [of Satan], that ye may become the servants of God, Who is the Lord in truth,
Jesus Christ, the Lord of heaven and of earth, the Word, Who was in the beginning, the
Word of God Who came down into the womb of MARY the Virgin, who was not united unto man.
He bore suffering until He had delivered the race of Adam from the dominion of Satan, and
He did not appear in His glory and majesty. He had no father upon earth like the children
of the flesh, for He existed with His Father in heaven, and He was inseparable from Him.
He comforteth all by His wisdom, and it was He Who took the dust from the earth and
created therefrom our father Adam, the first father. He is the God in Whose hands are the
spirits of all created beings, and He it is Who loveth them, and Who maketh them meet to
turn unto Him, and He bringeth them back into the true faith, and into the condition of
mind which is good; and He, and His Father, and the Holy Spirit are one honourable
Trinity, Whose Godhead is One, and Whose Power is One.

4 Now first of all I command you to make yourselves to be remote from all uncleanness, and
not to multiply your intercourse with women, so that God may look upon your purity, and
may bless you with a spiritual blessing, and may shew compassion upon you in the day of
judgment." 5 And it came to pass that when the men of the city had heard these words from
him Satan entered into their hearts with his wiles and evil deeds, and they said among
themselves, "Verily this man is one of these Twelve men who are sorcerers, and who go
about throughout the world and in all the countries [thereof], and separate wives from
their husbands; consider ye now how ye shall treat him." Then the men of the city were
gathered together [against him], and they seized the Apostle and put him in prison, and
they fastened him firmly upon a bed of iron, and kindled a fire beneath him, [and kept him
there] until the smell of his [burnt] flesh issued therefrom. And all the people looked on
and wondered when they saw the flames of fire rise to I. e., a large gridiron with legs.
T\* 220a. the height of twelve cubits above the bed, and those who were gathered together
and were standing there said, "If this man be a sorcerer, behold, he will be destroyed;"
but after three days their evil acts became known and made manifest.

6 And it came to pass that when the three days had gone by, the people came to the place
where was the bed of iron on which they had set the holy man and burnt him with fire, and
they found him alive and with his eyes open, [and the fire had not] touched his body; and
they found him safe and sound, and harm had not in any way touched him, and there was no
smell of fire upon him, and his garments had not been burnt. And when the men of the city
had seen this wonderful thing, and how God had shewn compassion upon His Apostle, many of
them believed upon God, and they said, "This man is a god. And the holy man continued to
lie upon the bed until seven or eight days had passed, and all the men of the city who
were of the true faith believed in the words of the Apostle Matthias, but there remained
some who did not believe in his words. Now for twenty-four whole days the fire continued
to blaze under the bed, both by day and by night, and our Lord Jesus Christ, upon Whose
Name His Apostle called, did not permit any injury whatsoever to come to him, for he was
suffering for His Name's sake. And after these things He brought him out of the fire, and
the people saw that his body was unharmed, and that his face was like the face of a child.

7 Then all those who looked upon him said, "This [man] who was in the fire [is not a
sorcerer], for his whole body is unharmed, from the hair of his head even unto the nails
of his feet. And in that same hour all the men of the city and of the districts round
[about] believed, and they cried out and said, "There is no god in heaven or in earth
except the Lord God of Matthias, the Apostle of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who delivereth all
those who trust in Him, and those who believe in His holy Name." 8 And [after] these
things Matthias, the blessed Apostle, commanded [the people] to destroy all the temples of
the gods, and to throw [the gods] into the sea; and no remnant whatsoever of them could be
found by reason of the evil which the people wrought upon them. Then Matthias built them a
church in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, and he baptized
the people of the city, men, women, and children, in the Name of the Father, and of the
Son, and of the Holy Spirit, the Holy Trinity, consubstantial, indivisible, and
unchangeable. And after he had baptized them he consecrated a church for them, and he
admonished them and gave them the commandments of life, and he taught them the Law and the
Gospel; then he departed from them, and they all set him upon his way in peace. For he had
taught them the knowledge of the truth, and he had taught them the path of righteousness,
and he had brought them forth out of error into the knowledge of the faith of Jesus Christ
our Lord; and after he had preached and told the story of the Gospel, he slept the good
sleep. And he died in one of the cities of Judaca which was called Pelwôn, on the eighth
day of the month Magâbit, in the grace of God and of the Lover of men, our Lord and God
Jesus Christ, to Whom be praise and honour for ever and ever! Amen, Amen, and Amen.

THE ACTS OF SAINT JAMES IN INDIA

1 Here beginneth the Book of the Acts of Saint James, the son of Iskeder, the brother of
John the Evangelist, and of what took place through his preaching of the story of the
Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ in the country of Hendaelē (India). In the peace of our
Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. And it came to pass that, when the Apostles divided [among them]
the countries of the world, each one of them knew that the portion which had fallen unto
him was from God (may His Name be blessed exceedingly!); and the lot fell upon James to go
to the country of India, and John his brother was to go to the country of Dasyā (Dacia).
And James said unto Peter, "O my father Peter, go forth with me until thou hast brought me
into my country;" and Peter said unto him, "Not thyself only, but each of you will I bring
unto his country, even as God hath commanded me." So Peter 224a.

2 and James set out for that country (i. e., India), and as they were going on their way
they were speaking of the glory of God, and their souls were rejoicing because our Lord
had told them of the great reward which they should have in the kingdom of heaven. And
they said, "It is meet for us not to be slothful, but to hasten to continue our journey,
and to declare Him and to preach Him in the world, that we may be worthy to find our hope
and our deliverance from the tribulation of fire;" and Peter and James spake thus [as they
were going] on their way, and they were strengthening each other for [the] strife. And as
they were conversing in this wise, our Lord appeared unto them in the form of a young man
of beautiful appearance, and He was rejoicing in their words, and He laughed before their
faces, and said unto them, "Come unto Me, O ye devoted and chosen ones, and I will teach
you, and will give you your reward. Know, O ye My disciples, that all the sufferings which
ye endure in this world are not to be compared with one hour of the rest which ye shall
enjoy in the kingdom of heaven;" and our Lord made bright the eyes of their understanding,
and He made to appear unto them all the righteous who have gone to their rest, from Adam
until John, and from John until the advent of our Lord Jesus Christ. And being radiant and
brilliant with light [and arrayed] in the apparel of bright light, He drew nigh unto them,
and embraced them with a spiritual embrace; and then He disappeared from them in peace.

3 And when His two blessed disciples had seen this spiritual vision, their hearts were
strengthened, and they rejoiced and were glad, and they cast themselves upon the ground,
and worshipped, saying, "We give thanks unto Thee, O God, our Lord Jesus Christ, [because]
Thou hast dealt graciously with us." Then our Lord lifted them up and gave them the
salutation of peace, and said unto James, "Be strong and fulfil thy ministration with an
upright heart, and preach thou in the world in the Name of our Lord, [Who hath created
men] in His image and in His likeness, for thereby shalt thou gain great reward." And the
Apostles rose up, and their faces were shining like the sun, and our Lord departed from
their presence, and went up into heaven with great glory. Then Peter said unto James, "It
is meet for us to contend in this glorious matter so that we may gather together all the
sheep of the race of Israel which are scattered abroad, and also that this great reward
may be ours;" then they set out together. And it came to pass that when they had come into
the city they found on the highway a blind man who was begging for bread, and when he knew
that the Apostles had arrived the grace of God came down upon him, and he cried out with a
loud voice, and said, "O ye Apostles of Jesus Christ, grant unto me light for mine eyes."
And James said unto Peter, "O my father, have compassion upon him, for he crieth out after
us;" and Peter said unto him, "Thou thyself shalt give healing unto him in this [thy]
city." And James said unto Peter, "If the command be according as thou sayest, bless me, O
my father;" and Peter said unto him, "May our Lord Jesus Christ effect a healing by thy
hands."

4 Then James cried out unto the blind man, and said unto him, "If thine eyes shall be
opened, and thou shalt see [the light], wilt thou believe on our Lord Jesus Christ, Who
was crucified?" And the blind man said unto him, "I will confess Him with a perfect
faith." Then James said unto him, "In the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who is God in
truth, on Whom thou hast believed, let thine eyes be opened, and thou shalt see clearly
and openly;" and this thing came to pass according to his word. And when the people who
were gathered together came and saw him, they glorified God. Now there were some of them
who believed, but some said, "[They are] sorcerers," and these went to the elders of the
city and told them what they had heard and seen. Then the magistrates ordered them to
bring the Apostles to them, and they stood up in their midst. And one of the magistrates
enquired of them, saying, "From what country are ye? Whence are ye come? And what do ye
want?" And Peter answered and said, "We are the servants of the Good God Whose Name is
Jesus." And it came to pass that when the magistrates heard the Name of Jesus, they rent
their garments, and cried out with a loud voice, saying, "O men who dwell in this city,
guard ye these men, for they are sorcerers of whom we have heard the report for many days
past. For behold, there went forth from Jerusalem twelve men who were the servants of the
sorcerer whose name is Jesus, for thus they call His Name." Then the magistrates commanded
them to put cords round their necks and to drag them through all the highways of the city;
but when the guards went to them and wished to place the ropes round their necks, their
hands dried up, and they remained [standing]

5 upon their feet. Then the magistrates were angry with them, and they said unto them,
"Why do ye not do as we commanded you?" And the guards said unto them, "We have not the
power to move, for behold, we have become like unto stones." Then the magistrates said
unto them, "Did we not tell you that they were sorcerers?" And the Apostles said unto
them, "We are not sorcerers, but the servants of the Good God." Then the men whose hands
had dried up entreated the Apostles, saying, "O servants of God, have compassion upon us."
And the Apostles said unto them, "The Lord our God hath commanded us not to reward evil
for evil, but good for evil;" then they drew nigh unto the men, and said unto them, "In
the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ, Whose servants we are and Whose Name we preach, we
command you to become sound and well, even as ye were formerly." And in that same hour the
guards rose up sound and well, and they bowed down before the Apostles, and were crying
out and saying, "There is no god but Jesus Christ, the God of these chosen men."

6 And it came to pass that when the people saw what had happened, they were dismayed, and
they repeated the words of the soldiers of the guard, saying, "One is the God Whom these
blessed men preach; but the magistrates did not believe, for their hearts were hard. Now
there was among the magistrates a certain man [called Theophilus], who had a son whose two
feet were withered, and he was unable to walk. And the magistrate said in his heart, "I
will bring my son unto them, and if they have the power to make my son whole I will
believe in their God. So he commanded one of his servants to bring his son unto them, and
he made haste, and brought him unto them, and set him down in front of the Apostles. Then
the Apostles rose up together, and stretched out their hands and prayed, saying, "O Lord
Jesus Christ, Who art the Resurrection of souls and of bodies, Thou Good Shepherd, Who
bringest back the souls which have been cast away wholly, I beseech Thee, O Lord, Who art
nigh unto him that calleth upon Thee, to hear us Thy servants (inasmuch as Thou hast been
graciously pleased not to separate Thyself from us), that Thy glory may be revealed this
day in this city, and that [the people] may know that Thou art God, and that there is no
god besides Thee.

7 And it came to pass that, when the Apostles had finished their prayer, James said unto
the young man who was helpless, "In the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ the Nazarene, in
Whose holy Name we preach, rise up [and become] like unto all [other] men. Thereupon the
young man hastened and rose up, having been made whole, and he made haste and walked. And
when the multitude saw the wonderful things which the Apostles had wrought, they cried
out, saying, "One is the Lord God of these men. Then the magistrate, who was the father of
the young man, bowed down at the feet of the Apostles, and said unto them, "I entreat you
to come unto my habitation that ye may eat food; and he sent his son back to his wife
sound and whole. Now when the mother of the young man saw her son walking along the road
she cried out, saying, "One is the Lord God of these men Who hath made whole my son; and
she wished the Apostles to come into her habitation. And she sent her son to his father
and commanded him to bring them with him, and the magistrate sent two of his servants to
make ready their abode, and thus it came to pass even as he had desired.

8 And it came to pass that, when the Apostles had entered into the abode of the
magistrate, in that same hour the gods which were in his house fell down and were broken
in pieces. Now when the judge and his wife saw these wonderful things their faith was
strengthened, and they brought many possessions unto the Apostles, and said unto them,
"Take ye these goods from us and give [them] unto the poor and needy;" and James said,
"Give [them] thyself with thine own hand;" and the magistrate did as James had commanded
him; and he made ready a table for the Apostles, and they ate. Now the name of the
magistrate was Theophilus, and he asked the Apostles to baptize him, and his children, and
his wife, and when the Apostles saw the strength of his faith, they gave him the
commandment of life, and they baptized him, and his children and his wife, and all those
who were in his house, in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Now the number of those who were baptized was thirty souls.

9 And after these things James said unto Peter, "Rise up, O my father Peter, and let us go
forth from this city and journey round about in the other cities, and let us tell those
who dwell therein the story of the Holy Gospel, and let us preach unto them, that
peradventure "they may hear and repent." Then the Apostles went out from that city unto an
open space (or hall), where the magistrates were wont to gather together, and they began
to teach the multitude the commandments of the Holy Spirit, and they taught the people
concerning the Passion of our Lord, and His Resurrection and Ascension, and His second
Coming to judge the living and the dead. Then the people who heard their words, and also
the remainder of the magistrates of the city when they saw that their companions had
believed, drew nigh and bowed down at the feet of the Apostles, and said unto them, "O ye
chosen servants of God, we beseech you to give unto us of that grace which ye have
bestowed upon our companions." And when the story was proclaimed abroad that the
magistrates of the city had believed through the preaching of the Apostles, all the people
cried out with a loud voice, saying, "We beseech you, O disciples of Christ, to give us
the grace of Christ, and to bestow upon us the signs of the belief which is in Him."

10 And it came to pass that when the Apostles saw the strength of their faith they said
unto them, "Whosoever hath in him the true faith let him follow us." Then the Apostles
walked on in front of the people until they came to a great stream (or watercourse) which
was in the city, and they offered up a prayer; and after the prayer they gave them the
gracious gift of faith, and baptized them in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and
of the Holy Spirit. And when the people had received baptism they rejoiced with great joy
and were exceedingly glad, and straightway the Apostles commanded them to build a church.
And the Apostles dwelt with them until their faith had become strong, and they appointed
priests over them, and administered unto them the Holy Mysteries. Then James read unto
them the Book of the Law and the Book of the Prophets, and Peter translated them for them
into the language which they knew; and they dwelt with them many days, that is to say,
until their faith had become strong, and they appointed a bishop over them [and priests
and deacons], and they became ministers of the church. And James and Peter went forth from
them ascribing praise unto the God Who is One, and Who is a Trinity of Three [Persons], to
Whom praise, and thanksgiving, and honour are meet for ever and ever. Amen, Amen, and
Amen.

THE MARTYRDOM OF SAINT JAMES

1 114b.

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

2 Here beginneth the Martyrdom of James the son of Zebedee, the Apostle of our Lord Jesus
Christ. Now his martyrdom was finished on the seventeenth day of the month Minarcho. In
the peace of God. Amen. And it came to pass that when James, the son of Zebedee, had gone
forth unto the Twelve Tribes which were scattered abroad, he preached unto them in the
Name of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who is God in truth. Now all these tribes did not worship
the One God, but belonging unto every tribe were idols which they had chosen for
themselves as gods, and each tribe had graven images of false gods which led them into
error. And these tribes were under the dominion of Herod, and they were wont to render
service unto him such as he found [it needful to demand], and the possessions which they
brought to him as tribute were so many, that at length his rank was magnified and his
kingdom became exceedingly great. Now when James came unto them he preached unto the
people of each tribe in the tongue of their native land, for our Lord had given unto the
Apostle the knowledge of every tongue, and by the help of the Holy Spirit the Apostle
[James] understood the languages not only of men, but also those of the beasts, and of the
animals of the wilderness, and of the birds of heaven when they conversed in their own
speech. And James preached among them and admonished them to forsake their evil works, and
to believe in the Living God, and in His Only Son Jesus Christ, and in the Holy and
Vivifying Spirit, Who giveth life unto all created beings, and in Whose hands are the
spirits of them all, and Who judgeth both the living and the dead. And he said unto them,
"Give not all your possessions unto the kings of the earth, but give [some of them] unto
the poor and needy for the salvation of your souls;" and in that same hour the gracious
gift of the Holy Spirit dwelt in them, and the fear of God entered into their hearts.

3 And the story of the Gospel was preached in all their countries, and at the word of
James the Apostle the people believed in God, and their faith was strengthened in our Lord
Jesus Christ, the King of heaven and of earth, Who rejecteth not those who seek Him and
who turn unto Him with a right mind. Then they cast aside all those idols which they had
worshipped, and their evil deeds which they were wont to do, and they turned unto God with
a true mind, and received the words which James had declared unto them. And James loved
them exceedingly because they had hastened to receive his preaching, and because they had
forsaken the evil deeds U. 115a. 4 which they had done in their error. Then James the
Apostle made haste and built churches for them in all their countries; and when he saw the
beauty of their faith he baptized them in the Name of the Holy Trinity, Father, Son, and
Holy Spirit; and they rejoiced and were glad together. And he gave unto them the
commandments of the Gospel and of the Law of faith, and he said unto them, "Hearken, O ye
my blessed children, who have turned from error unto the knowledge of righteousness, who
have chosen [as your God] God Almighty, Who hath made you worthy to receive His Body and
Blood, behold, I give unto you the righteousness of God which God hath entrusted to me,
and He hath commanded me to give it unto all the peoples who will receive it with joy, so
that at His second Coming they may be prepared for the Garden (i. e., Paradise) of God,
which He hath made ready for you and for each tribe of the Church. I beseech you, O each
tribe, to give of your income unto the church, of the firstfruits of your crops, and of
your vineyards, and of your fields, and of your cattle, so that through God they may
become the food of the poor and needy among you." And the people answered and said unto
him, "We wish to do whatsoever thou commandest us to do, for we believe on the Name of the
Lord thy God with all our hearts, both those who are the greatest among us and those who
are the least;" and each tribe brought of the firstfruits of their riches unto the church.

5 And it came to pass that when Herod heard of everything which James had done he
marvelled, both as concerning the faith of the people and their offerings unto the church,
and he knew that there had come unto them a disciple of Jesus Christ who had commanded
them not to pay tribute unto the kings of the earth, and to serve neither Nero the Emperor
nor the Imperial governor Herod, but to give their gifts unto our Lord Jesus Christ the
King of heaven and of earth. And when the king heard these things he commanded [his
soldiers] to bring James the Apostle unto him. 6 And when Herod saw him, he said unto him,
"Of what race art thou? and in Whom dost thou believe, O man?" Then the blessed Apostle
answered and said unto him, "I believe in the Lord God of the Christians, Jesus Christ,
the Son of the Living God, Who is the God of all who are in the heavens and of all who are
on the earth, and in Whose hands are their souls, and Who hath sovereign dominion over
your kingdoms, O thou Herod and thou Emperor Nero." And when Herod heard these words he
was exceedingly wroth with James the Apostle, and he said unto him, "I will not wait for
thee to utter a word against me a second time;" and the Emperor Nero and Herod heard
concerning James the Apostle, and how he spake words of contempt against their kingdom,
and blasphemed their gods, and a certain man rose up quickly and smote Saint James with a
sword and cut off his head; and in that same hour his spirit departed. Thus James the son
of Zebedee finished his martyrdom on the seventeenth day of the month Miyāzyā; and they
buried him in Kōṭ of Māmrēkē. May his prayer and blessing preserve all of us children of
baptism for ever and ever! Amen, and Amen.

7 Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost, now and for ever and
ever. Amen, Amen, and Amen.

THE MARTYRDOM OF SAINT MARK THE EVANGELIST IN ALEXANDRIA

1 Here beginneth the Martyrdom of Mark, the Evangelist of Alexandria. May his prayer
preserve us all! Amen. Now the end of his martyrdom took place in the thirtieth year after
the suffering of our Lord and Redeemer Jesus Christ. In the peace of God. Amen. And it
came to pass that, when the countries of the world were divided [among the Apostles], the
lot came to Saint Mark to go unto the countries of Egypt, and the Evangelist, by the good
pleasure of God, dwelt therein for the stablishing of the Church in peace. Now he was the
first who preached in all the cities of the Land of Egypt, and in Lonyá (Libya), and in
Markiyá (Marmarika), and he preached the Gospel unto the people therein, and declared unto
them the faith of Jesus Christ, the Redeemer. And the people of all those countries were
hard (or dense) of heart, and they used to worship with impurity the gods which could be
felt with the hands in the dominion of Satan, and in every place, and in every highway,
they built temples, and houses of gods, and images of magicians and adulterers; and they
used to slay children and work magic by means of their blood.

2 And it came to pass that when Mark left the Apostles he set out and came unto the Bālkā,
for his kinsmen belonged unto that tribe; and he preached unto them the knowledge of God,
and he wrought in their midst miracles and wonderful deeds in abundance, for he healed the
sick and he cleansed the lepers, and by means of the gracious gift which descended upon
him he cast out multitudes of unclean spirits. Then many believed in our Lord Jesus Christ
through him, and they broke their gods in pieces, and were baptized in the Name of the
Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Now [when he was] in that place the Holy
Spirit revealed unto them that he should go forth unto the city of Alexandria, unto the
Takwām, and that the good seed, which is the word of God, should be sown therein. Now the
blessed Mark the Evangelist was like unto a young man who was ready to be slain, and he
embraced the brethren, and said unto them, "Our Lord hath commanded me, and Jesus Christ
hath told me to go unto the city of Alexandria, and to preach the Gospel in that place."
And the brethren sent him off on his journey, and he embarked on a ship and went unto the
city of Alexandria.

3 And it came to pass that when he had arrived at Alexandria, and had entered into the
gate of the city, the latchet of his sandal broke, and he said, "Truly it 'hath sped my
way;" and he looked out for a leather dresser that he might sit down [in his shop], and he
gave him his sandals to mend. And the leather dresser pierced his left hand with the awl,
and he cast aside the tool and the sandals and grasped his hand and said, "In the Name of
God, the One God." And it came to pass that when the blessed Mark heard the man say "One
'God' he smiled, and he looked towards the east, and said, O Master, Jesus Christ, prosper
Thou my 'way.' Then he turned his face unto the leather dresser, and said unto him, If
thou knowest that God is One, 'why dost thou serve these many gods?" And the leather
dresser said unto him, "We say '[In] the Name of God' 'with our mouth, but we do not know
who the One God is." Then Saint Mark put a little spittle on his fingers, and took a
little dust, and anointed the [left hand of the] leather dresser therewith, and said, "In
the Name of 'Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God, let thy hand be healed;" and because
of these words it became whole forthwith. Now when the leather dresser had seen the
wonderful and mighty deed which the Apostle had wrought by his word, he said unto him, "I
entreat thee, 'O servant of the Good God, to come and rest this day in the house of thy
servant; and let us eat together, for thou hast dealt graciously with thy servant." And
the blessed Mark rejoiced, and said unto him, "May God give unto thee the heavenly bread
of life;" then the leather dresser took the Apostle and brought him into his abode with
rejoicing.

4 And it came to pass that when the Apostle had entered into the house he said unto the
man, "May the blessing of God be in this house;" then the brethren prayed, and after the
prayer they sat down, and ate, and rejoiced. And the leather dresser said unto the blessed
Mark, "I entreat thee [to tell me], O good father, Who is this Being of Whom thou
speakest, and what is His Name?" Then Saint Mark spake unto him, saying, "I am the servant
of Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God." And the leather dresser said unto him, "I
wish to see Him," and the holy man said unto him, "I will shew [Him] unto you." And Saint
Mark began to recite the beginning of the Gospel, saying, "The Gospel of our Lord Jesus
Christ, the Son of God, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham;" and he told him about the
prophecies which the prophets had prophesied concerning Him in the Scriptures. And the
leather dresser said unto him, "I beseech thee [to give me] this book concerning which
thou speakest, for I have not heard [it read] at any time, and I only know that the
children of the Egyptians are instructed therein." Then Saint Mark began to converse with
him concerning the word of God, saying, "The wisdom of the world is that which is with the
word of God." And the leather dresser believed in God when he heard the words of Saint
Mark, and as soon as he knew him and had seen the mighty and wonderful deeds [which he
wrought], he, and all his house, and many of the people of the city, were baptized. Now
the name of the leather dresser was Anianus.

5 And when the believers in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ had increased in number, and
the men of the city heard that a Galilean had come thereunto, and that he had changed the
offerings unto the gods, and had diminished the worship which was offered unto them, they
sought him that they might kill him, and they multiplied their search for him that they
might overthrow him. Now when the blessed Mark had learned their plans he appointed
Anianus to be [their] bishop, and three priests whose names are Malyós, Kórdónós, and
Barimós, together with seven deacons, and fourteen men for the service of the church. And
Mark departed unto [the city of] Barká and dwelt there for some years, and he appointed
bishops and priests in all the districts thereof; then he returned to Alexandria and
multiplied grace therein. And [the people thereof] believed in the Name of our Lord Jesus
Christ, and they built a church in the spot which is called the "Field of the Ox (or
Bull)," in a place above the sea shore, in a large [open] place in a stone quarry beneath
the rocks. And the righteous man praised God because of the beauty of His faith.

6 And it came to pass that, when many days were ended, and the Christians had multiplied,
and the people treated the gods of the heathen with contempt, and the Gentiles knew that
Saint Mark had come unto the city, their hearts were filled with wrath by reason of the
many wonderful things which they heard he had wrought (for he healed the sick, and
cleansed the lepers, and made the deaf to hear, and the blind received their sight, and he
preached unto them the Gospel of good hope) and they sought to lay hold upon him. And they
gnashed their teeth upon him in their assemblies and in their temples, and they cried out
therein, saying, "We will overcome this sorcerer." And when the feast of the blessed
Passover had come (now the Sabbath whereon the believers kept the festival that year fell
on the seventeenth day of the month Mīyāzyā, and the festival of the birthday of Serapis
took place on the selfsame day), the heathen found that day to be favourable [for their
plan], and they sent men unto him to seize him as he was finishing the prayer of
consecration, and they bound him with cords and dragged him into the road, saying, "We
will drag the bull into 'the Field of the Ox (or Bull.)" Now whilst they were dragging
Saint Mark along he was giving thanks unto God, and saying, "I thank Thee, O my Lord and
God 'Jesus Christ, that Thou hast made me worthy to suffer for Thy holy Name's sake;" and
the flesh of his body was torn to pieces by the ground, and his blood besmeared the stones
of the streets. And when it was night they cast him into prison, until they could take
counsel together how to kill him.

7 And it came to pass that at midnight, when the doors [of the prison] were shut fast and
the guards were asleep, a great earthquake took place, and the angel of the Lord came down
from heaven and touched the body of Saint Mark. And the angel said unto Mark, "Thou art
the servant of God, and the master who dost give consolation unto all the countries of
Egypt. Behold, thy name is written in the Book of Life in the heavens, and thou art
numbered among the number of the Apostles; and men shall not forget the commemoration of
thee, for behold, God hath given thee upon the earth dominion, and grace, and power which
cannot be reckoned, and thy soul is in heaven, and thy body shall not perish in the
earth." And when Saint Mark had seen this vision he lifted up his hands to heaven, and
said, "I thank Thee, O my Lord Jesus Christ, that Thou hast not cast me away from before
Thy face, and hast placed me in the assembly of Thy saints. I beseech Thee, O my Lord
Jesus Christ, to receive my soul in peace, and let not Thy grace forsake me." And when he
had said these words, our Lord appeared unto him in the form in which He was when He was
among the Apostles, before His life-giving Passion and before they had placed Him in the
grave, and He said unto him, "My peace be with thee, O thou Mark, My chosen one, who
preachest My Gospel! Behold, I have appeared unto thee in the form in which I was with thy
brethren the Apostles, before [My Passion], when I was not at any time separated from
them." And the saint said, "I give thanks unto Thee, O my Lord Jesus Christ, for Thy great
act of grace, in that Thou hast held me to be worthy to see Thee as Thou wast in Thy
flesh, and

8 "because [Thou] hast given me patience [to endure] suffering for Thy holy Name's sake;"
and our Lord gave him the salutation of peace and went up into heaven with great glory. 9
And when the morrow had come, the men of the city gathered together and brought Mark out
from the prison-house, and they bound him with cords, and dragged him through the city,
saying, "Let us again drag the bull into the Field of the Ox (or Bull); and the blessed
Mark was sending thanksgivings into the heights of heaven. And after they had made an end
of dragging him about, all the city was filled with his blood, and all the highways of the
city were full thereof, and the borders round about it were full of his precious blood;
and he said, "O my Lord Jesus Christ, into Thy hands I commit my spirit," and having said
these words he died. Now when all the heathen saw that Saint Mark was dead, they kindled a
great fire in the place which is called 'Awbākalyōn,' that they might burn up his body
there. Then by the good pleasure of our Lord Jesus Christ, darkness came on, and a cold
wind [blew], and the sun hid his light, and there were lightnings and thunders, and rain,
and hail, until the evening of that day; and a great number of the noblemen of the city
fell down headlong, and many of them died.

10 Then straightway the people of the city became afraid, and they went and laid the body
of the holy man [on the fire], and some of them who had mocked him said, "The great
Serapis hath received the soul of this man this day, which is the birth-day of the god.
And certain believing men came and took the body of the saint from the fire, and they bore
it unto a place wherein they used to make their prayers, and they made supplications over
him and thanksgivings, and they buried him according to the custom of the people of the
city, and they laid him in a place which they had chosen for him. And they celebrated the
commemoration of him frequently with gladness, and with prayers, and with sanctifications,
as a great storehouse [of good things] which they had found in him. Now they laid him [in
a grave] to the east of the city. Thus Saint Mark the Evangelist was the first of the
martyrs who died and shed their blood in the country of Egypt, in the Name of our Lord and
God Jesus Christ, in the great city of Alexandria. And he ended his martyrdom on the
thirtieth day of the month Miyāzyā, that is to say, on the twenty-seventh day of the
Hebrew month Nēšān (Nisān), in the reign of the Emperor Tiberius.

11 Thus Saint Mark finished his contending, and fulfilled his testimony, and he is [now]
in the heights of heaven, together with the righteous, praising the Father, and the Son,
and the Holy Spirit. May his prayer and blessing protect us for ever and ever! Amen, Amen,
and Amen.


THE CONTENDINGS OF THE APOSTLES, PART 1
=======================================

THE CONTENDINGS OF THE APOSTLES, PART 1 continued

THE PREACHING OF SAINT THOMAS IN INDIA

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

THE MARTYRDOM OF SAINT THOMAS IN INDIA

1 241b.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

THE PREACHING OF JUDAS THADDEUS IN SYRIA

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


THE CONTENDINGS OF THE APOSTLES, PART 1
=======================================

THE CONTENDINGS OF THE APOSTLES, PART 1 continued

THE PREACHING OF SAINT MATTHIAS

1 In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, [One God.] And it
came to pass in those days that the holy Apostles were gathered together in Jerusalem (now
they were all assembled in one place), and they divided the countries of the world among
themselves, and they cast lots, so that each of them might go unto the place which fell to
him by his lot; and it fell upon the blessed Matthias to go to the city of the Cannibals.
Now in that city the people eat neither bread nor drink water, but only the flesh of men
do they eat, and their drink is the blood of men. And whensoever any man goeth into their
country they put out his eyes, and give him certain medicine to drink whereby he becometh
bewitched, and when he hath drunk the poison for seven days his heart changeth, and his
mind changeth, and his understanding becometh like unto that of a beast. Then they carry
him to prison, and bring him grass (or hay) to eat, and he dwelleth there for thirty days;
and after this time they bring him out, and slay him, and then they divide his flesh
[among] the people of the city.

2 Now when Matthias had come into the gate of the city, the people thereof laid hold upon
him, and put out his eyes, and made him to drink enchanted medicines, and they put him
into the prison-house, and brought him grass (or hay) to eat, but Matthias would not eat
thereof; and although he had drunk their medicine his heart (or understanding) remained
unchanged, and his mind was in no wise altered. And Matthias began to weep, and said, "O
my Lord Jesus Christ, for Whose sake we have left all and followed Thee, I know that Thou
wilt be my helper. Look and see what they have done unto Matthias Thy servant, and how
they have treated me like a beast of the field; but Thou knowest everything. Since Thou
didst command me to come into this city, if the sinful men thereof [wish] to devour my
flesh [let them do so], and I shall not flee from Thy command; but give only light unto
mine eyes so that I may see what the sinful men of this city will do unto me. Be not deaf
unto my petition, O my Lord Jesus Christ, and deliver Thou me not over unto a cruel
death." And saying these words Matthias wept and groan-ed aloud. Then straightway there
came a great light which illumined the inside of the prison-house, and a Voice went forth
from that light which said, "O Matthias, My beloved, look with thine eyes;" and Matthias
looked, and he was able to see, and he rejoiced with an exceedingly great joy, and he fell
upon his face and worshipped that light. Then again a Voice went forth from that light
which said, "Be strong, O Matthias, and fear

3 AA* 119a. "not, for I will not forsake thee, and I, even I, will deliver thee; and not
thyself only, but all those who are with thee, for I will be with thee every day, and for
ever. And now, wait thou patiently seven and twenty days for deliverance by man, and after
this period I will send unto thee thy brother Andrew, and he shall bring thee out from
this place, and not thyself only but all those who are with thee here." Then the Voice
said unto him, "Peace be unto thee, O Matthias," and the light passed away into the
heavens. And Matthias, being full of joy said, "Let Thy grace come to me and be with me, O
Jesus Christ, my Lord;" and having said these words he sat down. 4 And the officers of the
prison-house came to bring out men for the food of the people of the city; and Matthias
was there, and he kept his eyes shut so that they should not see that he had the power of
sight. And the officers came to where he was, and they read out the writing of the tablet
which was on his hand, and said among themselves, "Three days are still left unto him, and
then we will bring him out, and slay him for the food [of the people]. Now it was the
custom of that country for the people thereof whenever they seized a stranger (or
traveller) to cast him into the prison-house, and they kept account of the day wherein
they had brought him in [there], by tying a written tablet to his hand for thirty days;
and then, when he had become fat, they would bring him out, and kill him and eat him. And
when Matthias had completed [his thirty days] they laid hold upon him [to bring him out,
and to kill and eat him]. Then our Lord appeared unto Andrew and his disciples in the
country wherein they were teaching, and He said unto Andrew, "Andrew. And Andrew answered
and said unto Him, "What is it, Lord? Then the Lord said unto him, "Rise up and depart
unto 'the city of the Cannibals,' unto the place which I will 'shew thee, and bring out
Matthias from thence.

5 Three days are [still] left unto him, but after that time sinful men will lay hold upon
him, so that they may perform the work of wickedness and kill him.' Then Andrew answered
and said unto him, 'Lord, how can I perform the journey, and arrive [there], and find him
in three days? And besides, I know not the road, for I have never travelled thereon. Send
an angel [endowed] with power to bring him forth thence, for I am only a being of flesh,
and Thou knowest what the flesh of man is, and I am afraid to go thither.' And our Lord
answered and said unto Andrew, 'Hearken, O Andrew, if I had the wish I could speak one
word unto Matthias and his dis-ciples, and I could bring them hither forthwith. But now,
rise up and depart at daybreak unto the sea-coast, where thou shalt find a ship ready [to
sail]; and thou shalt ask those who are in the ship where they are going, so that thou
mayest go [with them] and ful-fil My command.' Then Andrew rose up at daybreak and went to
the sea, and he saw a little 1203.

6 ship and three men sitting therein; now it was our Lord Jesus Christ and His power that
had made the ship, and He had caused His glory to be hidden, and He appeared in the form
of a man. And our Lord had brought three angels [with Him] and He made [them to appear] as
if they were wishing to treat the Apostles with roughness. Then Andrew said unto them, "We
may not give slumber "[unto our eyes], for we are the disciples of Jesus Christ, and
servants of the Good God. When He chose us Twelve He gave us a commandment, saying, 'When
ye travel ye shall preach and teach, and ye shall not take with you nor shall ye carry
either gold, or silver, or wallet, or staff, or two changes of raiment, or any piece of
money in your wallet, except that which [is sufficient to buy] one loaf of bread;'
therefore we have no [money] in our hand. Now, if ye will deal graciously

7 1403. "[with us], tell us quickly; and if ye will not, behold, we will go and enquire
[if we can sail] in other ships." And Jesus answered and said, "Is the command which your
Lord hath given you indeed thus? Verily I say unto you, Get ye up into My ship, O ye
Apostles of Jesus Christ, for I would rather have you in it than those who would give Me
money. Is it not meet for 1203. 8 "Me [to be] with the Apostles of the Lord God, and to
travel with them unto Mine own country? Then Andrew answered and said unto Him, "May Jesus
Christ keep thee, and give Thee glory and praise, O my beloved Brother; and Andrew went up
into the ship with his disciples, and [stood on] the deck(?). And Jesus answered and said
unto the angels, "Rise up and go down into the body of the ship, and bring up three loaves
of bread which [these men] may eat; and they brought [them] unto Him. And Jesus answered
and said, "O my brother Andrew, rise up and take [this] bread, so that ye may be able to
bear the waves of the sea; and Andrew said unto his disciples, "We have found in this Man
great love for His fellow creatures. Then Andrew answered and said, "O my Brother, may God
give unto Thee bread in the kingdom of heaven! And now, leave me, O my Brother. And Jesus
answered and said unto Andrew, "Compel these thy men to take some food," but a voice
answered Him, saying, "They are not able to eat anything whatsoever, for they have been
greatly frightened since they saw the sea, and they are not accustomed to travel thereon.
Then Jesus answered and said unto Andrew, "Fear thou not, for nothing [shall harm] thy
disciples in passing over the sea.

9 But enquire of them if they wish to descend to the land [again], and to wait there until
thou hast gone and performed what thou hast been commanded [to do], after which thou wilt
return unto them. So Andrew asked his disciples, saying, "O my children, do ye desire to
descend to the land, and to wait there whilst I go and fulfil my mission and return unto
you? Then Andrew's disciples answered and said [unto him], "If we were to dissemble in our
heart, and were to say with our mouth 'We are not afraid', we should be liars; but,
inasmuch as if we were remote from thee we should become strangers to the good things
which thou hast given unto us, we will go with thee whithersoever thou goest." 10 Then
Jesus answered and said unto him, "If thou art the disciple of our Lord Jesus Christ,
teach thy disciples with sweet words how to make their hearts to rejoice, and to forget
the billows of the sea, for behold, we are going to take the ship away some distance from
the land. And Jesus commanded the angels, saying, "Let go the ship from the land," and
they let the ship go from the land. Then Jesus went and sat down upon the place for
steering that He might steer the ship, and meanwhile Andrew admonished and taught his
disciples, and encouraged them, saying, "O my children who have delivered yourselves over
[to tribulation] for the sake of Christ, let not your hearts be moved, for our Lord will
not forsake us, and He will be with us and will preserve us for ever. Now, in times past,
we the Twelve Apostles embarked in a ship, and our Lord was with us; and our Lord went
down into the body of the ship, and lay down to sleep, wishing to try us, but He did not
go to sleep. And a very mighty wind arose, and the waves of the sea dashed over the ship,
and great fear laid hold upon us; then He arose and rebuked the sea and the winds, and
there came a great calm over the sea, for all things fear Him because they are the work of
His hands. Fear not then, O my children, for God will not neglect you.

11 Then whilst Andrew was admonishing them with these words, and praying in his heart that
sleep might overtake his disciples, they fell asleep. And whilst Andrew was praying on
their behalf his disciples fell into a slumber, and slept a deep sleep, and when Andrew
knew that they were asleep he rejoiced with an exceedingly great joy. Then Andrew turned
towards Jesus, Who was in the form of the master of the ship, and he began to hold
converse with Him; now He knew not that the Man was Jesus. And he said unto Him, "O my
Brother, verily Thou art cunning in Thy craft, and the steering of a ship is well suited
to Thee, for no man can steer a ship as Thou canst. Verily, I say unto thee, I have
crossed the sea seventeen times, behold, seventeen times, and I never saw a mariner as
skilled as Thou art, for Thou steerest this ship as well on the sea as if it were upon
land. Then Jesus answered and said unto Andrew, "O my brother, in travelling over this sea
we have been in tribulation many times, but the sea knoweth that thou art a disciple of
Christ and a righteous man, and it doeth honour unto thee [now], and it will not lift up
its waves against thee. Then Andrew cried out with a loud voice, saying, "I give thanks
unto Thee, and I bless Thee, O my Lord Jesus Christ, that I am holding converse with a Man
Who doth glorify Thee.

12 And Jesus answered and said unto Andrew, "Tell Me, O disciple of the Lord Jesus, why
the unbelieving Jews did not believe in Jesus, and why they said, 'He is not the Son of
God, but a man.' Reveal the matter to Me then, O thou who art a disciple of Jesus, for we
have heard that He made Himself manifest to His disciples in the mountain. Then Andrew
answered and said unto Him, "Yea, He did, O my Brother, and I will tell Thee how God
revealed Himself unto us. It was He Who made man, and Who for our salvation became Man,
and was crucified, and rose in the form of God, for He is God. And Jesus answered and said
unto him, "Why then was it that the Jews did not believe? 13 "Dost thou know whether it
was because He did not work [miracles] before them?" Then Andrew answered and said unto
Him, "Hast thou never heard how our Lord wrought mighty deeds before them? How He opened
the eyes of the blind, and made the lame to walk, and the deaf to hear, and how He raised
the dead, and cleansed the lepers, and turned water into wine, and how He took five
[loaves] of bread, and two fishes, and commanded the multitudes of the people to sit down
upon the grass, and how having broken the bread [He gave it to them,] and they were all
filled? Now the number of those people was five thousand, but even after this [the Jews]
did not believe." And Jesus answered, and said unto him, "I think that this miracle which
He wrought [was done] among the people and not before the priests." Then Andrew said unto
Him, "Not only openly did He work [miracles], but He did so in secret also; and still they
did not believe in Him." And Jesus answered and said unto him, "Tell me now, truly, what
your Master did in secret." Then Andrew answered and said, "I believe that Thou wouldst
put me to the test." And Jesus answered and said unto him, "Tell Me, O my brother, so that
My soul may rejoice."

14 Then Andrew answered and said unto Him, "O my son, may God perfect for Thee every good
work! And now, hearken unto [the story of] the miracle which our Lord Jesus Christ wrought
in secret. The Twelve Apostles were with our Lord, and when the chief priests saw us
following Him, they said unto us, 'Woe be unto you, O accursed ones, for ye follow after
this Man who saith, I am the Son of God. Who among you hath seen God and conversed with
Him? Is not MARY His mother? And are not James and Simon His brethren? "Now when we heard
these words our hearts turned towards unbelief. Then Jesus knew that our hearts were
turning away from Him, and our Lord took us and carried us away into a desert place, and
He wrought a mighty miracle and performed a most wonderful thing before us, and made
manifest His Divinity unto us. Then we said unto the chief priests, 'Come ye and see for
yourselves if ye will not believe us;' and the chief priests came with us, and we went
with them into one of their heathen temples. And when we had entered in we saw a
similitude of the heavens [which was so exact] that we believed that it was God [Who had
made it]; and there came in with us three men from among the people, and four of the chief
priests.

15 Then, having come inside the temple, Jesus saw two images which were hewn out of stone,
the one on the right hand, and the other on the left of the temple. And our Lord made us
to turn round and said unto the men, Do ye see the similitude (or figure) of the heavens?
Those which ye see are the figures of the Seraphim and Cherubim, which are in heaven
above, but they are the work of men upon the earth.' Then Jesus turned to the figure which
was at the right of the place where the cunning work was, and said unto it, 'I say unto
thee, O thou figure of a heavenly being which hath been fashioned by a handicraftsman,
remove thyself, and come down from the place whereon thou art, and tell the chief priests
whether I am God or no, and rebuke them.' Then straightway, in that same hour, the statue
leaped down, and spake after the manner of a man, and said, 'O ye foolish Jews, who live
always in blindness, and are never able to cease therefrom! moreover, there are others who
wish to be as blind as ye are, and who say that [He Who is] God is [only] a man. But it is
He Who fashioned man in the beginning, and Who gave unto him His own breath of life; it is
He Who causeth to move everything which moveth; it is He Who held converse with Abraham;
it is He Who brought Jacob back to his own country;

16 it is He Who is the God of the living and of the dead; it is He Who is ready [to
bestow] blessings upon those who call upon Him; and it is He Who is ready to punish those
who do not submit unto Him. Can ye not see that I am only a [piece of] carved stone? I say
unto you that we are [pieces of] carved stone which have been hewn into shape by the hand
of the handicraftsman, and yet they call us, and give us the name of gods.' But this they
say because they know not God; and their priests who minister with sacrifices make
themselves pure that they may minister at their altars because they are afraid of devils;
and for this reason they have given us the name of 'gods,' and they call us by this name
because they know not God. For when the priests have had intercourse with devils (i. e.,
women) they purify themselves [for seven days], and then they bring in offerings to me
through fear. Ye commit fornication, and then ye take the Law of God in your hand, and
come into your synagogues, and perform the service, and read the services, and yet fear
not the glorious Word of God. Therefore shall your synagogues be destroyed, and they shall
become churches to the Name of the One Who is the Son of the Lord God.'

17 "And having said these things the image held its peace. Then we answered and said unto
the chief priests, 'Do ye believe? Behold, ye must speak what is right [before] this stone
image, and ye must shew yourselves to be ashamed.' And the chief priests answered and
said, 'Ye must see and understand that this stone speaketh only by means of [your]
sorceries, and ye must not imagine that it is God Who speaketh unto us; and if ye think
that it is the stone itself which speaketh, [ye err] and ye must know that it is only by
means of [your] sorceries that [it doeth so]. For behold, ye heard the stone say, It was
He Who spake with Abraham. Where now, did the stone find Abraham? It is not a few days
since Abraham died, nay, it must have been before he (i. e., the figure in the stone) was
born. How then could he have known Abraham?' And having again turned Himself towards the
statue, Jesus said unto it, 'Inasmuch as they do not believe what thou didst say unto them
concerning Abraham, whose body is in the grave, and whose soul is in the Garden of Joy (i.
e., Paradise), go thou and speak unto them, saying, Thus saith He Who fashioned man at the
creation, and Who made thee to be [His] friend,' Rise up, and come

18 The allusion here is to the Bible passages in which Abraham is called the "Friend" of
God; see 2 Chronicles xx. 7; Isaiah xli. 8. "forth, thou and thy son Isaac, and Jacob, thy
son's son, and come into the three temples of Bāsyōs, and rebuke the priests, and let them
know that I know thee, and that thou knowest Me.' "And when the image heard these words
from our Lord it straightway passed by us, as we were all looking on, and it departed and
journeyed unto the land of the Canaanites, and came unto the grave of Abraham; "and it
stood up outside the grave, and cried out and declared the command which [it had received]
from our Lord. Then straightway the twelve patriarchs came "forth alive from the grave,
and they said unto the image, 'Unto whom among us hast thou been sent?' And the statue
answered and said unto them, 'Unto

19 "three of the patriarchs [only]; get ye in and sleep until the time of the
resurrection;' and when they [the nine other patriarchs] heard [this] they went into their
graves. Then the [three] patriarchs departed with the image, and they came unto the chief
priests, and rebuked them; and after this Jesus' said unto them, 'Depart ye unto your
places and sleep, O fathers.' And having turned Himself towards the image, Jesus said unto
it, 'Return thou unto thy place;' and straightway it returned to its place, and remained
as it had been aforetime. Now the chief priests, although they had seen these things, did
not believe. And besides this thing there were many other "things which our Lord shewed
unto us in secret, and if I were to tell [them] to Thee, O my Brother, Thou 20 "wouldst
not be able to understand them." And Jesus "answered and said unto him, I am able to
understand every hidden thing, and everything which belongeth unto faith; for a few words
suffice for the wise man, but the soul of the fool will not believe whatsoever a man
telleth him until the day of his death."

21 And Jesus knew within Himself that the ship was nigh to arrive at the shore, and He
ceased to talk with Andrew, and having laid down his head he also fell asleep. Now when
Jesus knew that Andrew was asleep, He said unto His angels, "Make flat your hands, and
lift up Andrew and his disciples, and depart, and set them down outside the City of the
Cannibals, and when ye have set them down, then come back to Me. Then they laid flat
[their hands], as Jesus had commanded them, and they lifted up Andrew and his disciples,
and they flew up into the air [with them], and laid them down outside the City of the
Cannibals; then Jesus went back into heaven, together with His angels. And when the
morning had come Andrew awoke, and opened his eyes, and he saw that he was upon dry land,
and he sat and gazed at the gates of the city; and turning round he saw that his disciples
were [still] sleeping. Then he woke them up, and said unto them, "Rise up, O my children,
and learn ye concerning the work of mercy which the Lord wrought for us on the sea, but we
did not recognize Him, for He turned away his face; and He appeared in the form of a man
[wishing] to try us. Then Andrew said, "O Lord, I know the beauty of Thy works and word,
but Thou didst not reveal Thyself unto me, and therefore I did not recognize Thee.

22 And Andrew's disciples answered and said unto him, "We know that whilst thou wast
talking with Him we fell asleep, and three eagles swooped down and snatched away our souls
into heaven. And we saw a great marvel, for we saw our Lord Jesus Christ sitting on the
throne of His glory, and all His angels were round about Him. And we saw Abraham, and
Isaac, and Jacob, and all the saints, and David singing psalms to his harp, and we saw
you, and the [other] Apostles, standing before our Lord Jesus Christ; and by the side of
you were [twelve] angels, and behind you was [one] angel in your form. And we heard God
saying unto His angels, 'Hearken ye unto whatsoever My Apostles shall say unto you.' This
is what we saw, O our father Andrew, and at length thou didst wake us up, and we arose,
and our souls returned into our bodies. Then when Andrew had heard these words he rejoiced
with an exceedingly great joy, because God had made his disciples worthy to see this
wonderful thing. And Andrew lifted up his eyes into heaven, "I was on the ship I held
converse with Thee pridefully, thinking that Thou wast a man whom I could teach; and now,
O my Lord, appear Thou unto me and make Thyself manifest."

23 And whilst Andrew was speaking thus the Lord came unto him, and He appeared in the form
of a beautiful Child. Then Jesus answered and said unto him, "Hail, My friend Andrew! And
Andrew [looked and] saw great majesty, and the Child standing there, and he knew that He
was Jesus; and Andrew bowed low before Him, saying, "Forgive me, O my Lord Jesus Christ,
in that I thought Thee to be a man on the ship, and because I held converse with Thee [as
such]. How could I help sinning against Thee, O Lord? For Thou didst not reveal Thyself
openly unto me. Then Jesus answered and said unto him, "Thou hast not sinned, O Andrew,
but I have done all these things unto thee because thou didst say that thou couldst not go
to this city in three days. Therefore have I shewn thee that I am able to do everything,
and that I can make Myself to appear in any form I please. And now, rise up, and enter
into the City of the Cannibals, and go to the prisonhouse wherein Matthias is, and bring
him and all the other men out therefrom. Behold, I tell Thee what shall happen [unto
thee]. Thou shalt endure suffering, and in this city they shall treat thee with contumely
and disgrace; and they shall bring judgments upon thee, and shall strew the flesh of thy
body about in the streets and open places in the city.

24 They shall pour out thy blood like water, but they shall not be able to slay thee, and
they shall bring many judgments upon thee, but bear thou them patiently; O My friend
Andrew, and act not as do those who have no faith. Remember how they scourged Me, and spat
in My face, saying, 'He casteth out devils by means of Beelzebub.' Was I not able, in the
twinkling of an eye, to shake down the heavens and the earth upon those who sinned 25 St.
Matthew xii. 24. Bb "against Me? Yet I endured patiently that I might give the example of
Myself unto you. But know, O Andrew, and endure, for those who will shew themselves
hostile to thee in this city are those who have no understanding." And having said these
words Jesus went up into heaven. Then Andrew rose up and came into the city, together with
his disciples, and there was none who saw them. And when they arrived at the prison-house,
Andrew saw seven men standing by [and guarding] the door of the prison-house, and he
prayed a prayer, and these men fell down upon the ground, and died; and the Apostles drew
nigh unto the doors, and by the might of Christ they opened wide of themselves. Then
Andrew went into the prison-house with his disciples, and they saw Matthias sitting and
singing psalms; and when Matthias saw him, he rose up, and they embraced each other. And
Andrew answered and said unto him, "O my brother Matthias, how findest thou thyself
[here]? Behold, there are only three days left unto thee before they bring thee out to eat
thee. What hath become of the mighty deeds which [our] Master hath wrought? If I were to
tell thee the earth would quake." And Matthias said unto him, "O my brother, hast thou not
heard our Lord say, 'Behold, I send you forth like sheep among wolves?' Now, our Lord came
and entered into the prison-house, and appeared unto me, and said unto me, Bear patiently
for seven and twenty days, and after that time I will send Andrew to bring thee out of the
prison-house, and not thee only, but all those who are

26 St. Matthew x. 16. "with thee;" and behold, according as our Lord spake "unto me I see
thee this day. Look at these things and see, O Andrew." Then Andrew turned and saw men and
women naked, and they were all eating hay like animals. And Andrew smote his breast, and
said, "Look and see how they treat these people who are like unto ourselves, for they
treat them like the beasts." Then Andrew began to curse the Devil, and he said unto him,
"Woe be unto thee, O thou Devil, thou enemy of God, thou foe of all the saints, for these
rational beings have done no evil whatsoever! How couldst thou bring upon them this cruel
treatment? How long hast thou fought [with us]? Even from the time of the Garden of
Delight [which was] in [this] earth. Thou hast given them to eat of hay which was sown in
the earth, and thou hast placed a stone upon the table in the place of bread. And,
moreover, thou didst enter into the minds of the angels in such wise that they desired
women wherewith they might work uncleanness, and they begot sons [who were] giants. And
besides, thou didst enter into the heart of the giants in such wise that they devoured men
upon the earth, and God was wroth with them, and brought a flood and blotted out
everything which He had created upon the earth, except the righteous man Noah and his
house. And besides, thou hast come hither and hast made [the people] to devour men. Dost
thou imagine that God cannot blot thee out because the waters of a flood shall not come
[again] upon the earth? But beyond doubt thy doom shall come upon thee."

27 Then Andrew and Matthias prayed, and after they BB* 145b. 28 had prayed, Andrew laid
his hand on the faces of those who were in the prison-house, both men and women, and
straightway they were able to see; and then, again, he laid his hand upon their bodies
(literally, livers), and their hearts turned again into those of men. And Andrew answered
and said unto them, "Rise up and depart unto the lower parts of the city, and ye shall
find on the way a large fig tree; sit ye down under it, and eat of the fruit thereof,
until I come unto you. And however long I•tarry [in coming], ye shall find thereon food
for you to eat, for the fruit which is upon that fig tree is without number, and the more
ye eat of the fruit of that fig tree the more will the fruit thereof increase, according
as God hath commanded." Then those people answered and said unto Andrew, "Come thou also
with us, lest, when the people of the city see us, they treat us again as enemies and
inflict upon us much more injury than they have hitherto done." And Andrew said unto them,
"Verily I say unto you, that as ye go on your way not even a dog shall lift up his tongue
against you." So they all went forth from the prison-house, even as the blessed Andrew had
told them [to do]. Now those people who were in the prison-house were both men and women,
and the number of the men was one thousand and forty-nine, and that of the women was
forty-nine, and [all] these Andrew made to go forth from the prison-house. And Matthias
and his disciples set out to go towards the eastern part of the city. Then Andrew said,
"Let a cloud descend and take up Matthias and the disciples of Andrew, and carry them unto
the place where Peter sitteth and teacheth [the people];" and the cloud brought them unto
him.

29 And Andrew went forth from the prison-house and departed unto the market-place of the
city, and no man saw him; and as he was going along he saw a pillar of brass whereon
[stood] an image, and he went and sat down by the side of it in order that he might see
what it was. Then certain men departed to go unto the prison-house to bring forth people
for the food of the [men of the] city, according to their ancient wont and usage, and they
found the doors thereof wide open, and the keepers lying dead outside them; and when they
had come into the prison-house they found no one there at all, and they departed and told
the magistrates of the city what had happened. And they said unto them, "We went to the
prison-house, and found the doors wide open, and those who had guarded them were lying
dead upon the ground; and when we went inside we found no one at all [there]." Now when
the magistrates of the city heard this, they said, "What hath happened? Many people had
gone into the prison-house, and where shall we find our food?" Then they gave orders unto
the soldiers of the guard, and said unto them, "Bring hither unto us those seven men who
died, and let them be our food this day. To-morrow we will gather together the aged men of
the city and they shall cast lots, and the seven men upon whom the lot shall fall shall be
our tribute, and they shall be our food, until we can send and gather together stranger
folk and people from the districts and borders of the city, and bring them [here]

30 "that we may eat them." So the soldiers of the guard went to fetch the men who were
dead. Now there was in the middle of the city a burning, fiery furnace, above which was a
huge stone in the form of a shallow trough, and upon this stone they slaughtered men and
women, and distributed their blood; and they brought the [seven] dead men and laid them
upon the stone slab to cut them up. Then Andrew heard a voice which said, "Andrew, see
what [great] sin is committed in this city!" And when Andrew had seen it, he prayed to the
Lord God, and said, "O my Lord Jesus Christ, I have come to live in this city, and let not
the deeds of violence which are wrought therein be multiplied in any way. Let the
slaughtering knives slip "out of their hands, and, as wax melteth at the fire, even so let
[the bodies of the slaughterers] melt away." Then the soldiers of the guard of the city
put forth their hands to cut up the dead bodies, but their knives fell from them. Now when
the magistrates saw these things they wept, and said, "Woe be unto us! Sorcerers have come
into our city and have wrought all these things, and they have caused the knives to fall
from their hands; what shall we do? Let us gather together the aged men of the city, for
we are hungry." Then the guards of the city went and gathered together all the aged men
(now the number of those who were thus gathered together was two hundred and ten), and
they brought them to the magistrates, and they made them to cast lots for seven men. And
[one] of those upon whom 1 LIPSIUS (ibid.) gives 217.

31 the lot fell said unto the guards of the city, "I have a son, prithee, take him, and
slaughter him instead of me, and let me go free;" and the guards said unto him, "We may
not take thy son without first of all telling the magistrates." So the guards went and
told the magistrates, and they answered and said unto the guards, "If he will give you his
son in his place, take him, and let the father go free." And the guards came and told the
old man what the magistrates had said, and he said unto them, "I have a daughter [also];
take them both and slaughter them, and let me go free." And he gave his children to the
guards that they might slaughter them, and they took the children to the stone slab to do
so. Then the children of the man wept and cried out, and made supplication unto the
guards, praying, "We beseech you not to kill us at this season of our lives, but let us be
free for a little while longer, and let us live until we arrive at our maturity, and then
ye can slaughter us;" but the guards would not consent [to this]. And, moreover, these
people had yet another sinful habit: if anyone died belonging to them they used to eat
them and did not bury them, and for this reason they have no graves in their country. Now
the guards would not consent to what the children asked them, but they made them go forth
to the place where they intended to slaughter them without mercy.

32 And when Andrew saw what had taken place, he wept, and said, "O my Lord Jesus Christ,
hasten Thy mercy, for Thou seest [these] children weeping and groaning." And Saint Andrew
wept, and looked up into heaven, saying, "O my Lord Jesus Christ, Who didst hear me in the
matter of the seven dead men, and didst not permit these guards to lift up their hands
against them, hear me now, I beseech Thee, and permit not these guards to lift up their
hands against these children." Then when the guards lifted up their hands against the
children their slaughtering knives fell from their hands, and they (i. e., the men) melted
away as doth wax before the face of the fire. Now when the magistrates saw [these things]
they feared exceedingly; and when Andrew saw the miracle which had taken place, he blessed
God with a salutation of peace. Amen.

33 And when the magistrates saw what had taken place, they wept with a great weeping,
saying, "Woe unto us! Woe unto us! What shall we do? And behold, the Devil came in the
form of an old man, and stood up in their midst, and he began to say unto them, "Woe unto
you! Woe unto you! Now shall ye die for want of food, for what shall sheep and ox profit
you, seeing that ye cannot eat them? And now, rise up, and seek in the city for a man
whose name is Andrew, and slay ye him, for if ye do not this there is nothing whatsoever
left for you to do. He it is who hath entered into the prison-house and set free the
strangers whom ye had shut up therein, and he hath been living in the city, yet ye knew
him not! And now, deal cunningly with him and seek him out, and rise up and kill him, so
that henceforth ye may be able to gather together your food [without hindrance]. Then
Andrew, who was listening, said unto the Devil, "Woe unto thee, O Bērāhēl, thou enemy of
all created beings, who dost wage war [against them] continually, for our Lord Jesus
Christ shall bring thee down into Sheol [and] Gehenna. And when the Devil had heard [these
words], he said, "I hear his voice, but I see no man.

34 Then Andrew answered and said unto him, "It is because thou art 'blind that thou hast
been named Semā'ēl', and thou 'shalt never see the saints.'' And on hearing this the Devil
said unto the men of the city, Now, seek ye after 'him that speaketh unto me, for he is
the man [who hath bewitched the men of the guard];' and the people of the city ran and
shut the gates. Then Andrew said unto them, Here am I whom ye seek; and they all ran
towards him, and they came up to him and laid hold upon him, and said unto him, "According
as thou 'hast done evil unto us even so will we do evil unto thee.'' And they said among
themselves, If we cut 'off his head his death will not be [sufficiently] cruel. Then one
of them, whose heart had been entered and filled by the Devil, answered and said, "Hearken
unto me, all of you. Let us tie a rope round 'his neck and drag him through the market-
place of the city and through the squares thereof, and let us drag him about the streets
until he die, and [then] we will divide his body among the people of the city.'' And when
they heard these words they did even as the Devil had said unto them, and they tied a rope
round the neck of the blessed Andrew, and began to drag him about through the squares and
the market-place of the city.

35 Now as they were dragging him about [portions of] his flesh clave unto the ground, and
his blood flowed down like water upon the earth; and when the evening had come they bound
him in chains, and fastened his hands in fetters, 148a. 36 and cast him into the prison-
house, where they inflicted grievous sufferings and cruel injuries upon him. And as soon
as the morning was come they tied a rope round his neck and dragged him about the streets,
and again [portions of] his flesh clave unto the ground. Now whilst they were dragging him
about the second time, the blessed Andrew wept, saying, "O my Lord Jesus Christ, "look
upon me, and see what these sinful men are doing unto me; but I am bearing [all] patiently
because of the command which Thou didst give me, saying, 'Act not like unto those who have
no faith.' And now, O my Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen Thou my soul, for the sufferings
which these men are inflicting upon me are not a few. And behold, my soul waxeth weak, and
Thou Thyself knowest well what the flesh of man is, and how if but a small wound be made
in his body he suffereth pain in every part thereof. O my Lord, my whole body hath become
dead because of the multitude of tortures [which it hath endured]. But make strong my soul
and see what they have done unto me, for I

37 "know that Thou wilt be remote neither from me nor from Thy servants, and I will not
refuse [to obey] the command which Thou hast given unto me. And if it be that Thou wilt
not make these men to go down into the abyss, even then far be it from me to forsake Thy
commandment until I die. For Thou art my God, therefore let not mine adversary the Devil
have me in derision, and smite Thou him upon the mouth, so that he may not be able to
speak." And as soon as the evening was come they again bound him in chains, and cast him
into the prison-house. 38 Then the Devil went unto the prison-house to the blessed Andrew,
taking seven devils with him, and they went in before Andrew, and began to laugh and to
mock at him exceedingly. And the seven devils and the Devil answered and said unto Andrew,
"Andrew, now hast thou 'come into our hand[s]. Where is thy strength, and thy might, and
the glory, and [the greatness] wherewith thou hast magnified thy face? Thou hast disgraced
us, and driven us away and hast declared our works unto all men. Thou hast made our altars
houses of desolation, and no offerings wherein we might delight ourselves enter therein,
and because of this thing we are going to kill thee, even as was killed thy Master Jesus
Christ, Whom the Jews slew.' And the Devil said unto his devils, 'Go ye and slay this man
who put us to shame, that all countries [of the world] may be ours;' so the devils came
before Andrew wishing to kill him. Now when they saw in his forehead the mark which our
Lord had given him, they were afraid, and were not able to draw nigh unto him; and Andrew
blew at the devils, and they fled. And the Devil said unto them, 'Why do ye flee without
having slain him?' Then the devils answered and said unto him, 'We were not able to kill
him, for we saw the sign of the cross in his forehead, and we were afraid, for we know
that without [it] he must have suffered this pain. But do thou thyself go and kill him, if
thou art able so to do, for we cannot obey thee; and unless God shall give us strength he
(i. e., the Apostle) will be the victor.' And one who dwelt in the devils answered and
said unto them, 'To kill him we are not able, but we will go and 1292.

39 "make a mock of him." Then the devils went with the Devil, and they stood up before
Andrew, and made a mock of him, and said unto him, "Behold, O Andrew, 'thou hast come into
shame and disgrace; who is able to deliver thee?" Then a voice came unto Andrew which
said, "Wherefore weepest thou?" Now that voice was the voice of the Devil who had turned
(i. e., changed) his voice, and had made it to appear to be that of another man, but it
was that of the Devil. And Andrew answered and said, "I am not weeping, for my Lord 'gave
me [His] commandment, saying, Bear patiently, for no evil whatsoever shall be done unto
thee by them, and if it be otherwise then ye shall see what I will do unto them." Then the
Devil answered and said, "Whatsoever thou canst do, that do." And Andrew answered and
said, "Now ye would kill me, but 'your will shall not be performed unless it be the will
of my Lord Jesus Christ. Ye would make me to for-sake the commandment of my God, but my
Lord keepeth watch over me in this city, and He will judge you according as it shall be
necessary for you to be judged."

40 1492. And when the seven devils and the Devil had heard [these things] they took to
flight. And when the morning had come they brought forth Andrew, and again they tied a
rope round his neck and dragged him about [thereby]. Now as they were dragging him along
he wept, and cried out, and said, "O my Lord Jesus Christ, [this] 'torture consumeth me; O
my Lord, my body becometh feeble, and my soul waxeth faint. Behold, O my Lord, Thou seest
how the Enemy hath acted towards me with his devils. O my Lord, when Thou wast being
killed, and Thy soul was waxing faint, Thou didst say, Father, why hast Thou forsaken Me?'
Thou Thyself hast tried and hast had experience of the flesh of the children of men, and
Thou knowest well what is the suffering which is upon me; O command Thou, my Lord, that my
soul be taken away from me, and then let me rest. Where are Thy words, O Lord, wherewith
Thou didst speak to give me strength, saying, 'If ye come unto Me not one hair of your
heads shall be destroyed?' And behold, both my flesh and my hair are mingled [with] the
dust, and behold, [I have endured] this torture for three days, and yet Thou hast not
appeared unto me to strengthen my soul, for it waxeth very faint." Now he spake thus
whilst they were dragging him [round about the city].

41 Then a voice came unto Andrew which spake unto him in the Hebrew tongue, saying,
"Andrew, heaven and earth shall pass away, but My Word shall not pass away. Look in front
of thee and see what thy members, and the hairs of thy head which have fallen to the
ground, have become upon the earth;" and Andrew turned, and saw a mighty tree which was
full of fruit. Then Andrew said, "I know, O Lord, that Thou wilt not forsake me." And when
the evening was come they cast him into the prison-house. Now when they saw that he was
becoming weaker and weaker, they said among themselves, "His body is perishing little by
little, and presently "he will die; we think that it may be this night." Then our Lord
Jesus Christ came into the prison-house, and stretching out His right hand He said unto
Andrew, "Give Me thine hand, O My beloved, and rise up whole." And when Andrew saw Him he
rejoiced greatly, and he gave Him his hand, and he rose up, having been made whole. Then
Andrew fell down and worshipped the Lord and said, "I thank Thee, O my Lord Jesus Christ,
Who hast appeared unto me and given me strength." And Jesus said unto him, "Peace be unto
thee, O Andrew;" and He departed into heaven.

42 And Andrew turned round from the prison-house, and saw a pillar, which was like unto
marble, standing [there], and he stretched out his hand, and said unto the pillar, "Pour
forth water upon the ground, and let the mouth of the image which is on the top of the
pillar send out water in abundance, like unto the waters of a flood, so that those who are
in the city may be rebuked and may turn unto God. Fear thou not, O pillar, and say not, 'I
am a stone, and it is not meet for me to praise God.'" And Andrew said, "Yea, ye are
stone[s] which have been hewn, but God made you in the earth, and ye are pure. For God
gave the Law unto Israel [written] upon stone; and it was not written with gold and
silver, but it was [cut] upon tables of stone, therefore shalt thou perform this command,
O thou image. And when Andrew had said these words water poured forth in abundance from
the image which was on the top of the pillar, like unto the waters of a river which had
overflowed, and the waters rose to a [great] height in the city. Now the water was
exceedingly bitter, and it consumed the flesh of the people, and killed their children and
their wives; and they all wished to flee from the city.

43 Then Andrew said unto God, "O Lord, since Thou art performing this sign, forsake me
not, O my Lord Jesus Christ, but send Thine angel Michael with a cloud of fire that he may
surround this city with fire as with a wall, so that he who wisheth to escape from the
fire may not be able so to do. Then straightway fire came down and surrounded the whole
city as with a wall, from the one side thereof even unto the other; and Andrew knew then
that God [had wrought] a miracle, [and] he blessed Him. And the marble pillar [continued]
to pour out water from its mouth like a torrent, and the water rose up to the height of
the necks of men, and it swallowed them up; now it was very bitter. Then the people cried
out in lamentation, and wept, and said, "Woe be unto us by reason of all the things which
have come to pass and which have befallen us because of the stranger in the prison- house
who hath come unto us, and because of the multitude of the judgments which have come upon
us! What shall we do? Let us go and bring him out from the prison-house, lest we die in
this place through the waters of this flood, and let us cry out, saying, 'We believe in
the God of this stranger,' so that He may remove from us this flood of waters.

44 And they all cried out unto God, and they went forth wailing with loud voices, and the
sound of their outcries came in unto Andrew, and he knew that their souls had been made
subject unto him. And Andrew said unto the marble image, from the mouth of which the water
was flowing, Thou hast poured forth sufficient [water], for behold, "the time of [thy]
service hath passed. Behold, I will go forth, and I will preach concerning the word, and
behold, O pillar, I say unto thee, that if the people in this city believe, I will build a
church and will carry thee into it because thou hast fulfilled for me my work, O marble
pillar, from the mouth of which water has poured. [And thereupon water ceased to flow from
the mouth of the statue]. 45 And the people of the city came unto the door of the prison-
house, and they all cried out, saying, "O God of this stranger, have compassion upon us,
and do not unto us according as we have done unto this stranger, and remove from us this
water." Then Andrew went forth from the prison-house and thrust aside the water with his
feet; and all the multitude came unto him, and there came also the old man who had given
his children to be slaughtered instead of himself and on his behalf, and he made
supplication unto Andrew, and said unto him, "Have compassion upon me." Then Andrew
answered and said unto him, "I marvel how thou canst say unto me, 'Have compassion on me,'
see-ing that in the time past thou hadst no compassion on thine own son, for when the lot
to die fell upon thee thou didst give thy son unto death instead of thyself. Behold, I
tell thee that thou and the soldiers of the guard who put strangers to death every day
shall dwell in Gehenna, until the time when I shall return and bring you out therefrom.
And now, depart ye that ye may see the men of the guard and the place of their slaughter,
and the place of peace; and this old man shall [see]

46 "the place where are the children whom he loveth; follow ye me, then, all of you." Then
Andrew departed, and they all followed him. And Andrew, thrusting aside the water with his
foot, came unto the slab where they slaughtered the people, and he stretched out his
hands, and looking up into heaven he began to pray, and all the multitude was looking on;
and the earth opened herself and swallowed up the water, and the old man and the men of
the guard went down into Sheol. Then when the people saw what had happened they were
afraid, and they began to say, "Woe unto us! for this man is a man of God, and behold, he
will kill us because of the evil which we did unto him; for behold, what he said unto the
men of the guard and unto the old man [was true], and see what hath come upon them."

47 And when Andrew heard these words he said unto them, "O my children, fear not, for it
is not an evil reward which hath come through me, but good. And as for those who have gone
down into Sheol I will not leave them there; for they have only departed thither that ye
might believe." Then Andrew commanded the people to bring [unto him] all those who had
died through the water, but they were unable to do so because those who had died, both men
and women, and children, and animals, were very many; and Andrew prayed, and they all came
to life [again]. And he marked out a church upon the ground and commanded them to build
[one there], and he gave unto them the commandments of the Law, and said unto them, "Stand
ye in these, and after ye have kept these I will give unto you the hidden things of God;
at this present I cannot

48 Cc "give them unto you, because your works are more [evil] than those of all other men,
but when I return I will give them unto you." And they made supplication unto him, saying,
"We beseech thee to be graciously pleased to abide with us for a few days, so that we may
flourish in the faith, for [at this present] we are new plants." And although they
besought him to do so he refused them, saying, "I must go forthwith unto my disciples and
children," and although they followed after him, and made supplication unto him, and cast
ashes upon their heads, he did not consent. Then he said unto them, "I must go unto my
disciples, but afterwards I will come [again] unto you;" and so Andrew departed on his
way. 49 Then Jesus Christ came down from heaven in the form of a little child, and He said
unto Andrew, "Why dost thou depart from and forsake these little children who make
supplication unto thee, and the men of the city who cry out unto thee, saying, 'Stay with
us a few days'? Behold, their voice, and their cry, and their weeping, have ascended into
heaven, and when I heard their cry and their weeping I came down, and Mine eyes shed tears
before My Father because of their repentance. And now, come back into the city, and tarry
there seven days, until the faith of the people shall wax strong; after this time thou
shalt go forth from their city, and depart unto the country Barbárós, both thou and thy
disciples, and after thou hast entered into that country thou shalt depart and come
hither, and bring out those people who are in Sheol." Then Andrew returned [to the city],
saying, "Blessed art Thou, O my Lord Jesus Christ, Who dost desire the salvation of all
created beings, and Who hast not permitted me to depart in mine anger." So Andrew came
into the city, and when the people saw him they rejoiced with a great joy, and they [i.
e., Andrew and his disciples] dwelt there for seven days, teaching them and strengthening
them [in the faith] of our Lord Jesus Christ. And when the [seven] days were fulfilled
Andrew set out upon his way, and all the people, from the greatest unto the least, came
together and sent him and his disciples on their way, saying, "Praise be unto the God of
Andrew for ever and for ever! Amen."

50 CC*

THE ACTS OF SAINT THOMAS IN INDIA: THE FIRST ACT

1 Of what happened unto Thomas, the Apostle, when 151. he went to teach, and to preach,
and to journey in the country of India. 2 And it came to pass in those days that all we
Apostles were in Jerusalem, that is to say, Simon who is called Peter, and Andrew his
brother, and James, the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, and Philip and Bartholomew,
and Thomas and Matthew, and Thaddeus and James, the son of Alphaeus, and Simon Zelotes,
and Judas the son of James. And we counted up the countries [of the world] together and
divided them among us, and we departed unto that which had come unto us by lot when our
Lord sent us forth among the nations. Now the country of India had fallen to the share of
Judas Thomas, who [is surnamed] Didymus, and he was unwilling to go there, and said, "I
cannot go [there] because of the weariness of the flesh, for I am a Hebrew. How can I
possibly depart to India and preach the faith [there]? And whilst he was thinking in this
wise and saying [these words], our Redeemer appeared unto him by night, and said unto him,
"Fear thou not, O Thomas; depart unto India, and preach thou My word [therein], for I
Myself am with thee. Then Thomas said unto Him, "I do not wish to go, but if Thou wilt, I
desire that Thou wouldst send me unto another country, for unto the country of India I
cannot go.

3 Now whilst Thomas was speaking in this wise a certain merchant who was from the county
of India came nigh unto them, and his name was Abnès, and he was from the king of Gônâ,
who had sent him to bring [back to India] workmen and tools. And as our Lord was standing
by his side He saw Abnès in the market, and he was going to his workshop. Then He said
unto him, "Dost thou wish to obtain a workman? And Abnès said unto Him, "Yea, my Lord, I
wish to buy a workman. Now when he had said these words unto Him, our Lord shewed him
Thomas in the distance, and He made a covenant with Abnès to sell him for one pound of
silver. Then He wrote for him a deed, saying, "I [Jesus], the Son of Joseph, hand over to
thee to keep, and I sell unto thee my slave the workman Thomas, to journey unto Gônâ. And
when the deed was finished according to the law [of the land] the Saviour took Judas, and
gave him unto Abnès, and said unto him, "Behold thy master. Then the Apostle answered and
said unto Him, "Yea, he is my master;"

4 and Abnès said unto him, "I have taken thee," and the Apostle held his peace. 5 And when
the morrow had dawned the Apostle prayed unto the Lord and said, "I will go whithersoever
Thou wishest, O Jesus, and Thy will be done; then he departed with Abnès the merchant, who
took nothing whatsoever with him except what he had bought. And our Lord gave him [the
salutation of peace], and said unto him, "Behold, thou hast thy merchandize with thee, and
My grace shall be with thee wheresoever thou goest. Now the Apostle found Abnès taking his
goods into a ship, and he was his slave. And when they had gone up into the ship and had
sat down therein Abnès enquired of the Apostle, and said unto him, "In what handicraft art
thou skilled? Then the Apostle said unto him, "In wood I can make the things which are
used in ploughing, such as yokes [for cattle], and the bent ends of ploughs, and oars and
steering poles for ships, and wheels; and in stone I can make picks(?), and spades(?), and
columns, round ornaments for pillars, and tombs, and sepulchres for kings. And Abnès the
merchant said unto him, "Thy knowledge of thy handicraft is sufficient for my needs. So
they put forth and travelled on their journey with fair winds, and they sailed on happily
until they arrived in the country of India, and came to the city of the king.

6 And when they had come down from the ship and had entered into the city, they heard the
sounds of flutes and organs which rent the heavens, and they were mingled with the blasts
of horns, and the blare of trumpets, and the sounds of the harp, and voices singing sweet
songs of divers kinds. Then the Apostle enquired, and said, "What is the festival which
[they are celebrating] in this city to-day? And the men said unto him, "The angels have
brought thee hither so that thou mayest take part [in it with the people of] this city.
Now the king hath a daughter, and he hath married her and given her unto the bridegroom,
and so there is great rejoicing this day; this is the cause of the festival concerning
which thou didst speak and make enquiries. The king hath sent a herald round to proclaim
and to publish abroad to everyone [that they shall come] unto the marriage feast, [both
rich and] poor, and bondman and freeman, and stranger and citizen; and if there be any who
will not come unto the feast he shall be doomed to suffer punishment according to the
king's pleasure. Now when Abnès the merchant heard this, he said unto the Apostle, "Come,
let us also go [to the feast], lest we be punished by the king; and besides, we are men
recently come. And the Apostle said unto him, Yea, let us go;

7 and having gone into the house for strangers they rested there for a little, and then
they went to the feast. Now those who had taken their seats looked at the Apostle as he
took his place among them, and they all saw that he had the manner of a stranger [who was
poor], and of one who had come from another country; and Abnès having the manner of a
noble took 1532. 8 his seat in another place, and having eaten their meal they drank their
wine, but the Apostle tasted no food whatsoever. Then those who were sitting with him said
unto him, "Why hast thou come hither? for thou neither eatest nor drinkest." And the
Apostle answered and said unto him, "I did not come hither for the sake of the meat and
drink, but because it was the will of the king that I should do so, for the herald who
went round crying said, 'If there be any man who doth not come to the feast he shall be
punished with the punishment of the king.'"

9 And when they had eaten and drunk [the servants brought] unto them sweet scents, and
unguents, and garlands, and crowns of flowers; and they came and every man took one, and
some of them anointed their faces, and some their beards, and some their bodies. And the
Apostle anointed the top of his head, and his head, and he placed a little of the unguent
in each of his nostrils, and in each of his ears. Now the flowers in the garland which had
come to the Apostle were the flowers of the lentil plant, and of other sweet smelling
herbs, and he took the garland and put it on his head; and he took the reed, and held it
in his hand. Then a certain singing woman took her tambourine in her hand, and went round
about among the company singing, and when she came unto the place where the Apostle was
she stood still near him, and sang a song before him; now the singing woman was of the
people of the Hebrews. And as the Apostle was keeping his gaze [fixed] upon the ground,
one of those who had eaten with him lifted up his hand and smote him; and the Apostle
lifted up his eyes, and looked at the man who had struck him, and said, "My God may set
aside (i. e., keep) for thee the hand wherewith thou hast smitten me in the world which is
to come, [and may He forgive thee] this injury; but in the present world He will shew thee
His wonders, and I shall see the dogs dragging away the hand wherewith thou didst smite
me." And having thus spoken unto him the Apostle began to sing this song concerning the
congregation (i. e., the Church): —

10 "The Church is she who hath become the splendour of the kingdom; and she is pleasant of
aspect, and lovely, and beautiful unto him that beholdeth [her]. Her garments are like
unto flowers of every kind, and the odour thereof goeth forth and anointeth the crown of
the head. The King giveth food with joy unto those who are with him, the mighty ones;
Truth is upon His head, and joy is at His feet, and appeareth in His mouth, which openeth
as becometh it. And two-fold are the praises with which she is praised by this tongue in
this wise; whosoever shall forget [so to do] shall become... straightway, and he who
rejoiceth according to the mind.... [Her] neck, which towereth upwards, [is like unto
brass, which the God thereof hath made. Her two hands make manifest and reveal the places
of beauty which He hath made, and proclaim where they are; and her fingers shew where the
ante-chamber [thereof] is. The bride chamber is made of light, and the sweet 1412.

11 "smell thereof is on the tongue, together with beautiful odour of divers kinds, and
incense, and sweet spice, and every sweet whatsoever the savour of which ariseth from its
essence. And the Bridegroom shall be adorned, and He shall hold the reed of the Seven whom
He hath chosen; and the guardians of the Bride are Seven [also]. Those who follow her and
[those who] are before her every[where] are twelve [in number]; and they hope to see the
Bridegroom, and to be baptized, and to live with Him for ever. And they shall go and wait
for Him in that great assembly with righteousness; and it is meet for them to array
themselves in the apparel of the kingdom; and they shall dress themselves in shining
raiment with joy and gladness; and they all shall belong unto Him to Whom belongeth great
splendour. And they shall be received in heaven and shall shine through (or in) the
Divinity of God; and [they shall be changed], and shall receive food which is without spot
or blemish of any kind whatsoever, and they shall drink wine which never causeth them to
suffer thirst again. And He (i. e., the King) shall give them the desire of their souls,
and they shall sing praises and glorify [Him] with the living ones, and with the souls of
the fathers who have gone to their rest in the confidence which is of wisdom, and
henceforth they shall praise [Him] with perfect praise."

12 1542. 13 And when he had [said] these words all those who were there were looking at
him, and they saw that the form of his visage was different, and his whole aspect appeared
unto them to be changed; but what he was saying unto them they did not understand, for he
was a Hebrew and his speech was Hebrew, and the singing woman alone heard (i. e.,
understood) everything which he was saying, for she was a Hebrew. Then having withdrawn
herself from near him she continued to sing and to beat the tambourine; and she was
thinking about him, and she was looking at him continually, and was watching him at every
moment, and she loved him because she found him to be a man of her own nation; now he was
more handsome in appearance than all those who were there. And it came to pass that when
the singing woman had finished her song everyone gave signs of his approval [except the
Apostle], and she went and sat down in front of him, and she continued to look at him, and
to watch him with great care; but the Apostle never allowed his eyes to wander away from
the ground for a moment, and he waited for the opportunity when he might escape from the
place.

14 Then the man who had sat at me at with him and who had struck him went down to the
fountain to draw some water, and a lion came there by chance and slew him, and left him
[lying] there torn limb from limb. And the dogs carried away the members of his body, and
one of them, a black dog, took his right hand in his mouth, and brought it into the feast
chamber unto those who were sitting at me at there. Now when they saw this they were all
dismayed, and they were asking questions, and saying, "Who is he that hath died? And they
knew that it was the hand of the man who had ministered unto them, and who had smitten the
Apostle. Then the singing woman took her tambourine and cast it away from her, and she
went and sat down at the feet of the Apostle, saying, "This man is either God or the
Apostle of God. For I 141b.

15 "heard him speaking in Hebrew unto him that was ministering, and I now see the dog
carrying about the hand wherewith he smote him; and behold, ye all see that according to
what he spake even so hath it come to pass." And some believed, but some did not believe.
Now when the king heard this he drew nigh unto the Apostle, and said unto him, "Rise up,
and come with me, and pray for my daughter, for she is the only child I have, and this day
I have given her in marriage." Now the Apostle refused to go with him, because our Lord
had, as yet, not revealed Himself unto him in that place; but the king, notwithstanding
his refusal, compelled him [to go, and] he took the Apostle into the chamber of the bride
that he might pray on their behalf [there]. And the Apostle stood up, and he began to pray
thus: —

16 "O my Lord and God, Who art the Guide of Thy servants, Who dost lead them, and dost
toil on behalf of those who believe on Thee, Thou Refuge and Restingplace of those who are
afflicted, Thou Hope of the poor, Thou Deliverer of captives, Thou Healer of the souls
that are sick, Thou Saviour of all created beings, Thou Life-giver of all the world, Thou
Strengthener of souls Who dost give them might, Thou, O God, knowest what is about to come
to pass, and what shall be fulfilled by means of us. Thou, O our Lord, art a hidden
Mystery, and Thou dost teach [hidden] words unto those who know Thee not. Thou, O my Lord,
art the Planter of good trees, and through Thine hands they bring to perfection good
works. Thou, O my Lord, art in our every hope, Thou livest in all Thy work, and all Thy
works conceal Thee, Jesus Christ, the God of mercy, the perfect Saviour, Christ, Son of
the Living One, God Almighty, the Mighty One, Who canst not be conquered by the Enemy.
Thou art the Word which was heard by Principalities, and which made Powers and all
Dominions (or Rulers) to tremble; Thou wast sent down from on high and didst come down to
Sheol, and didst at length open the gates thereof and take up from thence those who had
been captive there for many years, and who had been dwelling in the mansions of darkness;

17 and to those who would be guided Thou didst shew the way whereby to return. O my Lord
Jesus Christ, I entreat Thee, and I offer [unto Thee my petition on behalf of myself] and
these young folk, that Thou mayest be pleased to help them, and to grant unto them the
things which are good and excellent, and that Thou wilt lay Thine hand upon them. Then the
Apostle said [unto them], "My Lord be with you; and he left them in their place. 18 Now
when the king had gone forth he besought the friends of the bridegroom to depart from
their chamber, and when they had all gone forth, and had closed the doors, the bridegroom
drew back the curtains of the doors that he might take the bride to himself. And he saw
our Lord Jesus Christ in the form of Judas Thomas, and He was talking with [the bride],
even as did Thomas [when] he blessed the bridegroom and bride, [and he seemed] not to have
gone forth [from the chamber]. [And the bridegroom said unto Him that appeared unto him,
"Didst Thou not depart first of all? How then hast Thou returned, and come hither?"] Then
our Lord said col. I. col. I.

19 unto him, "I am not Judas Thomas, but I am his brother. And our Lord sat down in the
room, and He commanded them to sit down on the footstool, and He said unto them,
"Remember, O ye my children, what my brother hath said unto you, and unto Whom he
committed you. And know ye that if ye forsake the intercourse in which the polluted
[indulge], ye shall afterwards become holy, and perfect in purity; and [ye shall spare]
yourselves labour and sufferings, both those which are seen and those which are unseen;
and ye shall be delivered from the anxiety of this world; and the children which should be
your posterity shall never exist. If ye have many children, for their sakes ye will become
oppressors and avaricious folk, and ye will afflict orphans and widows, and ye will become
men of violence. All these things will ye do, and ye will bring yourselves under sore
chastisement, for the greater number of children become evil and fall into error. And they
are either attacked by devils in secret or openly, or they become mad, or foolish, or
deaf, or left-handed, or lame, or paralysed. And if they escape all these things, they
become doers of evil in whom there is no benefit, or they do the things which it is
abominable to do, or they become the companions of avaricious men and thieves; and by
reason of all these things ye suffer labour and sorrow.

20 But if ye be firm and keep yourselves pure unto God there shall be born unto you living
children who shall be free from all these pains, concerning which I have spoken unto you,
through your own strength. Ye shall be [at] rest, and shall not be separated in the
beautiful abode(?), ye shall be without sorrow and without pain, ye shall hope for [the
time when] ye shall receive (i. e., enjoy) the marriage which shall never be brought to an
end. And ye shall be there the friend of the Bridegroom, by Whom ye shall be known when ye
come unto that never ending marriage feast and into the perfect light." 21 And when the
young man and the young woman had heard these words, they believed on our Lord, and gave
themselves unto Him; and they forsook the impurity of their lust, and they remained as
they were in that place the whole night praying. And our Lord passed away from their
presence, saying unto them, "The grace of God be with you. Now when the morning had dawned
the king came and made ready a table, and he entered into the presence of the bridegroom
and bride and found them sitting and talking together; and the face of the bride was
uncovered, and the bridegroom himself was exceedingly happy (literally: bright). Then the
mother of the bride came and drew nigh unto her, and said unto her, "Why art thou sitting
in this manner, O my daughter, and art not ashamed? Ye sit [and talk] as if ye had been in
the habit of behaving like married folk for many days. And her father said unto her, "Is
it because of thy love for him unto whom thou art married that thou dost not cover thy
face? Then the bride answered and said unto him, "O my father, verily I am in love with
God Almighty, and I pray that I may abide in this my love which I have [learned] to know
this night, and that I may possess this man, concerning whom I have got understanding this
day.

22 Therefore too, I am not ashamed, for the mirror of shame hath passed away from me, and
from this time forth I shall never be ashamed, and I shall never veil myself, for the
works of shame have departed, and they have removed themselves to a great distance and are
hidden from me. Henceforth I shall not make myself a stranger, and there shall be no
making strange with me, for I shall live in light and in joy. On the day of my joy I shall
not be moved, for I have rejected this man, and I have not been united to him up to this
present; but I shall be united unto the true Husband Who shall come at last, Whose soul is
full of mercy, and I shall, moreover, henceforth have greater enjoyment." 23 And as the
bride was thus speaking the bridegroom answered and said, "I give thanks unto thee, O God,
because through this stranger Thou hast glorified Thyself before us, and hast revealed
Thyself unto us, and hast removed me from vanity, and hast sowed life upon me, and hast
taken me away from the sickness which is without healing, and which abideth for ever. Thou
hast graciously bestowed upon me the life of abstinence, O Thou Who hast shewn Thyself
unto me, and Thou hast revealed to me [the evil of] all the works wherein I lived, and
hast delivered me from stumbling and hast guided me into that which is good. Thou hast led
me out from destruction, and hast brought me into [a land] wherein I shall neither die nor
be overcome. And when Thou didst abase Thyself and didst descend to my humble estate Thou
didst do so that Thou mightest give me joy and gladness, O Thou Who didst not withhold Thy
mercy from me, the sinner.

24 "And Thou didst shew me [how] to seek myself, for I did not know who (or where) I was,
and the works which were alien unto me Thou hast now put away from me. Then again, I have
become like unto one who knoweth Thee, for Thou didst seek me when I knew Thee not, and
Thou wilt receive me into the place where Thou now art. And now, I am not able to forget
this, for love moveth me, and I am not able to speak [against] Thee; and now I desire to
speak a few mighty things concerning Thee. And my confidence [in Thee] is equal unto Thy
praise; but boldness is not seemly for me before Him, yet if it were that I knew Him not I
would say unto Him that which I want to say because of this my love for Him." Now when the
king heard these words from the bridegroom and bride he rent his garments, and said unto
those who were standing near him, "Go ye out quickly, and journey round about through the
city and lay hold upon that man, and bring hither that worker of sorcery, who with evil
intent hath come into this city, and whom I myself brought into my house and told to pray
over my wretched daughter. And," he added, "whosoever shall find him and shall bring him
hither to me to him will I give whatsoever he asketh from me." Then they departed, one and
all, and they went round about the city, seeking him; [but they found him not] for he had
journeyed into another city. And they went also into the house wherein he had lodged in
that city, and there they found the dancing woman who was weeping and lamenting because
the Apostle had refused to take her with him; and they told her of everything

25 Dd which he had done unto the young man. Now when she heard those things she rejoiced
greatly, and forsook her sorrow, and said, "Now shall I find rest here." And she rose up
and went unto the bridegroom and bride, and tarried with them for many days, even until
the Apostle returned unto the king. And many of the brethren who were with him believed,
and when they heard where the Apostle was, and that he was living in the country of India
and teaching the people thereof, they departed and joined themselves unto him.


THE CONTENDINGS OF THE APOSTLES, PART 1
=======================================

THE CONTENDINGS OF THE APOSTLES, PART 1 continued

THE ACTS OF SAINT THOMAS IN INDIA: THE SECOND ACT

1 How Thomas built a palace for the king. Now when the Apostle had entered into the
country of India with ʿAbnēs the merchant, ʿAbnēs departed to salute Gondapór (Gondaforus)
the king; and he told him concerning the workman whom he had brought with him, and the
king rejoiced and commanded ʿAbnēs to bring him unto him. And when the Apostle had come
into his presence, the king said unto him, "What is thy handicraft?" And the Apostle said
unto him, "I am a carpenter and stone mason." Then the king said unto him, "What dost thou
know how to make in wood, and what in stone?" And the Apostle said unto him, "In wood [I
can make] ploughs, and yokes, and measures, and wheels, and ships, and oars, and steering
poles; and in stone I can make statues, and build houses with halls and courts [fit for]
kings." Then straightway the king said unto him, "Canst thou build me a palace?" And the
Apostle said unto him, "Yea, I can build [one] and finish it, for I have come hither for
the purpose of working at my trade of stone mason and carpenter."

2 And the king took them and they went out through the gates of the city, and he began to
converse with the Apostle about building the palace, and about how and where he would dig
out and lay the foundations, and at length he came to the place wherein the king had
thought to build [his palace]. Then the king said, "See, here is the place where I wish to
build it." And the Apostle said unto him, "Yea, this place is very suitable and excellent
for the purpose;" now the place was swampy and marshy, and there was much water in it.
Then the king said unto him, "Begin to build [here]." [And the Apostle answered and said,
"I cannot begin to build now], but only at the [proper] season." Then the king said unto
him, "When then wilt thou be able [to begin]?" And the Apostle said, "After two months. [I
will begin it] at the new moon of the month Ḥadār, and I will finish it in the month of
Miyāzyā." Now the king was silent and marvelled at him, and said unto him, "All buildings
are built in the summer, and canst

3 "thou build and set up thy palace in the winter?" And the Apostle said unto him, "It
must be [done] in this wise, for there is no other [way]." Then the king said, "If it
seemeth that it must be thus unto thee, mark out for me [on the ground the place] where
the buildings of the palace will come; then [after] the lapse of a certain time I will
come [back] here." Then the Apostle took a reed and divided and measured the ground into
lengths, and marked out the position of the foundations of the building and of its hall,
and he set the building to face the east whence cometh the light of the sun, and he placed
the windows thereof to face the west whence come the winds, and the door of the bakehouse
(or kitchen) [faced] the south, and the best water [flowed] by the side of the bakehouse.
And when the king saw him, he said unto the Apostle, "Verily, thou art a cunning
handicraftsman, and it is meet for thee to be in the service of the kingdom;" and he gave
him much money, and passed on. And straightway the Apostle went on building, and the king
sent unto him silver (or money) and every thing which was necessary for himself, and for
the other workmen who were performing the work with him; and he received it all and took
it and began to go about teaching and giving alms to the poor, and the sick, and the
needy, and the wretched, and thus he gave them relief. And he said, "What belongeth unto
the king shall be given unto the king; and there shall be relief (or rest) unto many."
Thus was his desire.

4 Then after all these things the king sent a messenger unto the Apostle, and he wrote
unto him, saying thus:—"Write to me [an account of] everything, and what I shall say unto
thee, and concerning whatsoever thou desirest send me word, and I will despatch it unto
thee." And the Apostle wrote unto him, saying, "The palace is finished, but the roof
thereof is wanting." Now when the king heard this, he sent unto him much gold and silver,
and he wrote unto the Apostle, saying, "I have built the palace, and I will finish the
roof thereof." Then the Apostle prayed unto God and said, "I give thanks unto Thee, O God,
for all things, and because through Thy death I shall live for ever, and because Thou
didst sell me so that Thou mightest set free from bondage many." And the Apostle ceased
not to teach and to comfort those who were in sorrow, saying, "Do Thou, O God, bestow
gifts of grace upon them;" for it is He Who feedeth and keepeth in safety the orphans, and
it is He Who supporteth the widows and all those who are cast away, and it is He Who
causeth them to have rest and peace.

5 And when the king came into the city he made enquiries of his friends concerning the
palace which Judas Thomas had built for him, and they said unto him, "He hath neither
built a palace nor anything else, and," they added, "He hath done nothing at all except go
about through the city and the country round about it, and everything that thou didst give
him, and everything which he had, he hath given to the poor and needy. And he hath been
teaching the people a new God, and healing the sick, and casting out devils, and besides
these things he hath been performing many wonderful things. Now we think that he is a
sorcerer, only the things which come from his hands are mercy, and grace, and healing; and
moreover, the humility and wisdom which he maketh manifest for the sake of [his] faith
make us believe that he is truly the Apostle of the God Whom he preacheth, for he fasteth
and prayeth always. With his bread he eateth nothing except salt, his drink is water, and
his apparel, both in summer and in winter, consisteth of nothing but one garment; he
taketh nothing from any man, and that which he hath he giveth unto others." Now when the
king heard this, he rubbed his face with his hands, and he smote his head, being filled
with wrath.

6 And in that same hour he sent and caused the Apostle to be brought unto him, and also
the merchant who had brought Judas Thomas to him. Then the king said unto him, "Hast thou
built the palace for me?" And the Apostle answered and said unto him, "Yea, I have built
[it]." Then the king said unto him, "When can we go and see it?" And the Apostle answered
[and said unto him], "Thou canst not go to see it now, but only when thou hast departed
from this world wilt thou be able to see it." Then was the king exceedingly wroth, and he
commanded them to put the merchant and Judas Thomas in prison, and they took him to the
prison-house that they might question him and find out unto whom he had given the king's
money; and when they had questioned him they were to kill him and the merchant who had
brought him [there]. And Judas Thomas went unto the prison-house with rejoicing, and he
said unto the merchant, "Fear thou nothing whatsoever, only believe in the God Whom I
preach, and thou shalt be saved in this world, and in that which is to come thou shalt
receive life [everlasting]."

7 Meanwhile the king was meditating upon the manner in which he would punish them, and he
determined to do so by means of fire, after they had been flayed alive. And it came to
pass on that same night that 158b. 8 Gādōn (Gad). the brother of the king, fell sick and
ill by reason of his sorrow for the grief and fraud which had come upon the king. Then the
king's brother sent for the king, and said unto him, "I commit my house and my children
into thy safe keeping, for by reason of the fraud which hath come upon thee am I stricken
with sorrow, and I shall die because of this; and if thou dost not seize and slay that
worker of sorcery thou wilt [not] give my soul rest in death. And the king said unto his
brother, "I have been think-ing this very-night by what means I should kill him, and I
have determined that I will burn him in a blazing fire, after he and the merchant who
brought him have been flayed alive. Now whilst the king was speaking in this wise the soul
of Gādōn (Gad), the brother of the king, departed. Then the king mourned for his brother,
for he loved him dearly, and he commanded that he should be buried with a royal burial and
at great expense. And whilst all these things were being performed, the angels took the
soul of Gādōn (Gad), the brother of the king, and bore it unto heaven, and they shewed it
the place of its abode, and they asked him, saying, "In which of these places wouldst thou
dwell?

9 Now when he had come to the building which Thomas had built for the king [in heaven],
and had looked upon it, Gādōn said unto the angels, "I beseech you, O my lords, to allow
me to dwell in this mansion. And the angels said unto him, "Thou canst not dwell in this
building; and he said unto them, "Why [not]? Then they said unto him, "Because this is the
palace which the Christian hath built for thy brother; and he said unto them, "I beseech
you, O my lords, to allow me to go unto my brother, and to buy this palace from him, for
he knoweth nothing whatever concerning it, and he will sell it unto me." 10 And it came to
pass that, when the angels had let the soul of Gādōn go free, it returned unto his body as
they were swathing it for burial, and it spake and said unto those who were standing by
it, "Call ye for me my brother, that I may ask him a certain question." Then straightway
they went and related the matter unto him, and said unto him, "Thy brother hath returned
whence he had departed and hath come back to life." And the king ran, together with many
people, and when he had arrived at the place where his brother was, and had entered in, he
stood up by the bier of his brother in wonderment, and he was unable to speak with him.
Then his brother answered and said unto him, "Thou must know, O my brother, and be sure
that if thou wilt grant unto me the petition which I shall ask of thee for myself I will
give thee even unto the half of my kingdom; so now, grant unto me my one request for a
price." And the king answered and said unto him, "What is the petition which thou wouldst
have me sell unto thee?" Then his brother said unto him, "Swear thou unto me by thy faith
that thou wilt grant it unto me;" and the king sware an oath unto him, saying, "Whatsoever
thou askest of me, if I possess it, I will give unto thee." Then he said unto the king,
"This palace which thou hast in the heavens sell thou unto me;" and the king said unto
him, "Where have I a 159b.

11 "palace in the heavens?" Then his brother said unto him, "I mean this palace which the
Christian hath built. This Christian is the man who is now in the prison-house, and he was
brought unto thee by the merchant who bought him from a Man Whose name was Jesus; this
Christian is the Hebrew slave whom thou wishest to condemn to death because he defrauded
thee, and because of whom through sorrow for thee I died. But behold, I am now alive." And
straightway the king perceived, and understood, and knew of a certainty that the good
deeds would endure for ever, and that they would benefit him, and he said unto him, "I
cannot sell this palace, nay, I pray and entreat [God] that I may enter therein and dwell
there, and then He will grant unto me a portion like unto that which He hath given unto
those who are therein. And as for thyself, if thou thinkest to make such a palace as this,
behold, he who built it is [still] alive, and he can build a better one for thee."

12 Then straightway the king sent and brought out the Apostle, and the merchant who was
shut up with him in the prison-house, and he said unto him, "I entreat thee, even as one
who maketh entreaty to a priest of God, to pray on my behalf and to beseech Him, Whose
messenger thou art, to remit unto me and to forgive everything which I have done unto
thee, and everything which I have meditated concerning thee, and to let me dwell in that
palace, at [the building] of which I have in no way toiled, for thou alone hast laboured
therein, grace being thy helper. And let me, even me, become the minister of this God Whom
thou preachest, and let me serve Him. Then the brother of the king bowed down before the
Apostle, and said unto him, "I beseech and entreat thee in the presence of thy God that I
also may become the minister of Him Whose angels have made Him known unto me. And the
Apostle rejoiced and said, "I give thanks unto Thee, O Lord, because Thou hast revealed
Thy righteousness, and because Thou, the God of righteousness, art God alone, and there is
no other god besides Thee. Thou knowest all hidden things, and Thou shewest mercy unto
all, and Thou art pitiful unto men; and those who are wicked, and who have no
understanding, forgive Thou them [because they] have no knowledge.

13 And now, I pray and beseech Thee, accept the king and his brethren, and lead Thou them
among Thy flock, and purify them in Thy compassion, that which is right being over them,
and guard them against the Satans, and bring them into Thy haven, and give them to drink
of Thy gracious gifts and from Thine own fountain, which never faileth. And let them
beseech and entreat Thee, and ask Thee mercifully to grant them escape from the Enemy Who
hath in times past hated them, and who would have slain them, even as for our sakes all
these things did come upon Thee. And forgive us, O Thou Who art indeed the Shepherd, and
grant unto them that they may come to their right minds with Thee, and that they may
obtain help from Thee. Let them wait for the hope of their salvation from Thee, and let
them abide in Thy mystery, and let them receive Thy gracious gifts, and fulfil what Thou
wouldst [they should do], and let them rejoice in serving Thee, and

14 ,, finally let them array themselves in apparel which is "from Thy Father, because they
have believed in Thine Apostles." And when the Apostle had thus spoken Gandápór
(Gondaforus) the king and his brother Gádón (Gad) departed, and they withdrew themselves,
and waited for the Apostle to ask them for whatsoever he wished, and they became a place
of rest for everyone, and asked that they might receive the seal of his words. Then he
said unto them, "Prepare your souls, and desire it greatly from God, and then I will give
unto you the seal itself." And they said unto him, "We have heard thee say that the God
Whom thou preachest knoweth His own sheep by His own seal." Then the Apostle answered and
said unto them, "I rejoice, and I beseech [you] to receive this seal and to associate
yourselves with me in this fasting, and giving of thanks, in the blessing of God, and to
become perfect wholly in [our] God, Jesus Christ, in Whose Name I preach, and to believe
in the Name of the Father of righteousness, con-

15 "cerning Whom I have taught you." And he commanded them to bring oil and to receive the
seal, and they brought oil and lit many lamps, for it was night. Then the Apostle rose up
and recited prayers over them with [his] voice, saying, "Peace be unto you, O my
brethren;" now they heard the voice only, but they did not see the form, for as yet they
had not received baptism. And the Apostle took the oil, and poured it over their heads,
and recited prayers over them; and he answered and said, "Let the Name of Christ, which is
over all things, come! Let the Name which is holy, and exalted, and of perfect mercy,
come, and let Thy mercy come, and let Thine excellent participation [with us] come! And
let that which is a hidden mystery come! And let the mother of seven habitations come, so
that Thy rest may be in the eighth habitation! And let the intercession of wisdom, and of
counsel, and of understanding come and associate itself with these young men! Let the Holy
Spirit come and cleanse their heart and reins!" and he recited prayers over them in the
Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. And when the exorcisms had been
said a young Man appeared unto them, and He held a lighted lamp [in His hand], whereupon
all the [other] lamps flickered, and went out, and became extinguished. Then the Apostle
said unto the Lord, "O Thou Who art able [to do] all things, we are not able to bear Thy
light which Thou hast revealed unto us, for the grace which is Thine is mighty compared
with the grace which is ours." And when the earth had become bright, and the morning had
come, he dispensed unto them the bread of association, and they stood up in thanksgiving
unto Christ, and they rejoiced and were glad.

16 Then many other people believed, and were added unto them, and came into the refuge of
Christ. But the Apostle ceased not to teach and to preach, and he said unto them, "O men
and women, and young men and maidens, and aged men and youths, whether ye be bond, or
whether ye be free, flee from injustice, and fornication, and the service of the belly,
for under these three heads are [grouped] iniquities of every kind. For fornication
burneth up the mind, and it darkeneth the "eyes of the soul, and it maketh the doing of
good works by the body to cease, for ye know that a woman turneth the mind of a man away
from them, and leadeth him into suffering. And avarice bringeth the soul into fear and
shame, and this [vice] it is which dwelleth in the body, and which plundereth the
possessions of others, and it is this which thinketh that it should not restore the
possessions of others, and it maketh the soul not to give them unto their owners. And the
service of the belly cloudeth over the mind, and casteth sorrow into the soul; for it is
this [vice] which meditateth whether it will be in need of such and such things, and it
asketh for the things which are remote from it, and it wondereth whether it will be saved
from the things which are to come, and whether it shall have rest. Therefore ye shall
dwell without sorrow and without fear, and this Saviour of Whom I speak shall dwell with
you; and ye shall take no thought for the morrow, for the morrow shall take thought for
the things of itself.

17 "And remember ye these words which were spoken concerning the ravens in olden time: —
'Look at the birds of heaven, for they neither sow, nor reap, nor gather into barns, and
God feedeth them; how little is the faith which ye have!' But ye must accept Him Who shall
come, that is to say, our Lord, in Whom your hope shall be. And believe in His Name, for
He shall be the Judge of the living and of the dead, and He shall reward every man
according to his work. And at His coming and at His appearance at the last day, there
shall be St. Matthew vi. 26; St. Luke xii. 24, 28. "no word which a man can utter that
will excuse him, for He shall judge according to the Law, [and it will avail men naught to
say that] they did not hear. The word of His preaching is in the four quarters of the
world. Understand ye then that which is preached, and believe ye at this present these
words, and take upon you the easy yoke and the burden which is light, so that ye may live
and not die. Keep ye these things, and confirm yourselves in these commandments, and go
forth from the darkness, so that ye may be received into the light. Come ye unto the Good
One that ye may receive of His gracious gift, and may fill your souls with the doctrine
which is His."

18 And when the Apostle had said these things, some of those who were standing [there]
said unto him, "It is time for those to whom a debt is due to be paid;" and he answered
and said unto them, "God always taketh from others so that He may remit [the debt] to him
that wisheth [it]; but let us give unto Him that which is meet." And he blessed them, and
took bread, and oil, and sheep's flesh(?), and salt, and gave unto them, but he himself
continued his fast until the dawn of the Christian Sabbath came. And in the night our Lord
came and stood by the Apostle, near his pillow, and said unto him, "Rise up forthwith, O
Thomas, and at daybreak, at the time of prayer, go forth along the road which goeth
towards the east for a distance of two stages, and there I will shew thee My glory, and
because of thy going there shall be many who shall come and take refuge in Me, and the
might and mind of the Enemy shall be rebuked." And when he had 148b.

19 risen up from his slumber he said unto the brethren who were with him, "O my children
and brethren, God hath the desire to work miracles and to do wonders by me. But let us
pray and entreat Him that there may be no cessation to them through us, but on the
contrary, that they may never cease; and now, let it happen unto us according to His
counsel and His will." Then having said these words, he laid his hand upon them, and
blessed them, and said unto them, "Let this thanksgiving be with you, and mercy, and
compassion, and may it not be for judgment;" and they said, Amen.

THE ACTS OF SAINT THOMAS IN INDIA: THE THIRD ACT

1 The miracle of the snake. And the Apostle departed to go forth unto the place whither
our Lord had commanded him. And when he had drawn nigh thereto, being about one stage from
it, he withdrew a little from the way and saw by chance a young man of very handsome
appearance [lying] dead. And the Apostle said unto our Lord, "Was it because of this, O
Lord, that Thou didst make me to go forth and come hither, that Thou mightest make me to
experience this trial? But, inasmuch as Thou hast sent me, let Thy will be done in this
matter." Then he began to pray, saying, "O God, Thou Judge of the quick and of the dead,
the quick being those who are standing, and the dead those who are [lying down], Thou God
of all, Who art the Father of those who are 205b. 2 "in the body, and of those who are in
the spirit but have departed [from the body], O Lord, Thou art the Judge in this hour, and
therefore I cry unto Thee; let me see Thy glory through this [young man] who is here. Then
he turned to those who were following him, and said, "The matter is not a light one, but
one which the Enemy himself hath performed that he might bring [the young man to him]; but
see, he shall not have the power to do it unto any one else, and he shall not do it unto
any other man except him that shall be obedient unto him. Now when he had said these words
a large snake, which was by the side of a stone, put forth its head and shook it, and its
tail was in the earth. And it cried out with a loud voice, saying, "I will declare before
thee in the following words the story of the quarrel which I had with this [young man],
for," he continued, "I know that thou hast come hither that thou mayest rebuke my deeds.
And the Apostle said unto him, "Yea, speak. Then the serpent said, "There was a certain
beautiful woman who lived in the village opposite [this place], and because she lived
there I saw her, and I loved her, and I followed her, and I watched her;

3 and I found that this young man was wont to kiss her, and to lie with her, and to work
other things with her, which it would be easy for me to declare, but it is not meet for me
to reveal them before thee, for I know that thou art the twin of Christ Who doth
continually do away our souls. At the time when he was with her I did not slay him, but I
watched her until the evening had come, and then I smote him, and killed him, because he
was wont to do this thing on the Sabbath of the Christians." 4 And the Apostle answered
and said unto him, "Of what kith and kin art thou?" Then the serpent said, "I am he who
moveth and who is moved, and I am an oppressor and have the power to oppress, and I am the
son of him who sitteth upon the throne in the heavens, and who gathereth together those
belonging unto him who have been avenged. I am the son of him that fettereth the drunken
man. I am the kinsman of him who is on the outside of the Ocean, and whose tail is in his
mouth. I am he who was born in the Garden, and who dwelt therein, and I came in with Eve,
and I held converse with her, and I spake the things which my father commanded me to
speak. I am he who incited Cain and made him burn to slay his brother, and because of me
the thorn and the thistle sprouted and blossomed on the earth. I am he who made the angels
to come down from on high, and I snared them with the lust for women so that the children
of earth might arise from them, and I wrought my will [upon them]. I am he who hardened
the heart of Pharaoh that he might slay the children of Israel, and make them serve under
a cruel yoke. I am he who corrupted the multitudes in the desert when they made the
gravenimage. I am he who inflamed Herod, and I incited Caiaphas when [the Jews] made false
accusations before Pilate against Him Whom it is meet [I should] worship. I am he who
caused Judas to sell Christ and to deliver Him over unto death. I am he who layeth hold
upon the depth of the cold, although the Son of God desireth it not. I am he who hath led
the way, and whatsoever He hath chosen from me He hath chosen. I am the

5 EE* 206a. "kinsman of Him Who shall come from the east, and to Whom hath been given the
power to do in the earth whatsoever He pleaseth." Now these things did the serpent say
whilst all the multitude was listening. And the Apostle answered and said unto him, "Be
silent, and [hearken unto] what I shall say unto thee, O abominable one, and thou shalt be
put to shame. For the time for thee to be destroyed hath arrived, and thou shalt never
"again speak these words wherein thou didst proclaim what thou didst do for those who
listened unto thy speech. I command thee in the Name of Jesus Who hath lived until this
present, and Who shall live for ever, and because of these chosen men, to suck out and
withdraw from this [young man] the poison which thou hast cast into him." And the snake
spake again, saying, "The time hath not yet come for [my] destruction as thou sayest, and
why wilt thou make me to take [back] that which I have cast into this young man? [Why]

6 "should I die before my time? For it was [my] father himself who made the poison, and
who took it and cast it into the world, and the destruction thereof took place." Then the
Apostle said, "Shew me now what thy father made." And the serpent, having drawn nigh, put
his mouth into the wound, and in the presence of all the multitude sucked out his poison
and, little by little, the appearance of the young man, which was like unto purple,
changed and became white even as it had been formerly. Now the serpent became puffed out
as he collected within himself the poison which he took from the young man, but the young
man leaped up and embraced the feet of the Apostle; and straightway the serpent became
filled out full, and he burst asunder, and all his venom and poison were poured out. And
the place where the poison was poured out was rent asunder to a great depth in the earth,
and the serpent was swallowed up. Then the Apostle commanded the king and his brother, and
they brought hirelings and covered over the place, and they laid the foundations, and
built upon it houses wherein the poor might dwell.

7 Then the young man spake unto the Apostle, saying, "In what have I sinned against thee,
O thou man, whose grace is twofold? What thou thinkest upon that thou obtainest, and there
is nothing impossible unto thee, even as I see [from] this man who is standing by thee.
And moreover, he telleth me that I shall see many miracles through thee, and that by thee
I shall perform many mighty works, and that I shall fulfil them in such wise that there
shall be a reward [unto me], and that many shall be saved by them, and shall attain unto
the rest and the light which is for ever, and shall become children of God. Now thou hast
given life unto me, a young man who was held fast by the Enemy, and thou hast placed me
under thine own protection; thy advent among us was for good, and unto good things thou
wilt guide us. I have become free from sorrow and trouble, and I have returned from the
darkness into the light. I have rested from the service of the world, and I have been
saved from him that would urge me to perform the deeds of error; and I have forsaken him
that was born with the darkness, and who would have forced me to commit sin by my acts.
But now I have found Him Who will give me light, and Who will be a kinsman 163b.

8 "and a Redeemer unto me, and He will [cover] our eyes, and will draw those who hearken
unto Him that they may have knowledge, and may work, and may be ashamed, and shewing
themselves penitent may be saved(?). And now I have seen this deed, which is of the light,
and is one which, indeed, cannot be put to shame. I am delivered from this work of
darkness and error, and I shall not be put to shame. I have found him who will do good
unto me, and who will drive away evil from me, and I have come unto him that is indeed the
son and kinsman of the Wonder, Who will dispel the cloud, and illumine the world, and heal
our wounds and overthrow hatred of Him. O servant of God, I beseech thee to shew Him again
unto me so that I may know Him, and may hear His marvellous voice, which it is impossible
to describe, for the music of [His] Person is beyond that of nature."

9 And the Apostle answered and said unto him, "If thou art saved, and hast placed thy
trust as thou hast known how to do, even as thou sayest, Who is he who hath wrought this
upon thee, and hath given thee knowledge and testimony? Because thy love is certain unto
thee, thou desirest to see Him, and to be with Him for ever, and to abide among His own
creatures, and to have thy rest in his joy. And if it be untrue that thou hast fled unto
Him for refuge, and if thou hast returned again unto the work which thou didst aforetime,
then forsake the beauty of the work of His goodness which hath now appeared unto thee, and
the light of His baptism which thou now desirest. And if thou forgettest Him thou shalt
lose not only this life which perisheth, but also that which is to come, and thou shalt
return to thy former state which is behind thee of which thou speakest. And when the
Apostle had thus spoken, he came into the city holding the young man [by the hand, and he
was saying unto him all these things: — "[What thou hast seen] are only a few out of many
of the things which are with God, and He doth not give you information concerning the
things which are seen, but He sheweth you things which are greater.

10 As long as we belong to the body we are not able to declare and manifest openly the
things which He hath prepared for those who believe on Him; and if I would declare unto
you the Light [it would be a hard thing for me to do. And if we say unto you that He is
rich, since His riches do not appear in this world we can only make mention [thereof] and
cannot seek them. For He said, 'It belongeth unto what is difficult if a rich man entereth
into the kingdom of heaven.' And it hath been heard and said, 'Those who wear fine raiment
are found in the palace.' And because of those who are pure the suppers which we have been
wont to take have been spoken and declaimed against, that we might know within ourselves
that we must not overload our bodies either with strong drink or with the care of this
world. Take not thought for yourselves what ye shall eat, and what ye shall drink, nor for
your bodies [what ye shall put on; for the soul is of more account than the food, and your
bodies are of more account than the raiment. If we speak of the pleasure "[which is caused
by] a little food, a judgment is waiting thereupon. But we speak concerning Him that is
above the world, and concerning God and His Angels, and concerning the saints and those
who keep vigil, and

11 "concerning the way of joy, and concerning the drinking of the wine of the true Vine,
and concerning the putting on of apparel which abideth and which groweth not old, which
the eye hath not seen, nor the ear heard, and which it hath not entered into the heart of
sinful man to imagine, and which God hath made ready for those who love Him." Of these
things we speak, and of such "do we preach. Believe thou then in Him that thou mayest
live, that thy hope may be upon Him, and thou mayest not die. For He desireth not a gift,
and with a gift He cannot be appeased if thou wouldst give Him [one]; and He asketh not
thee to offer up sacrifices unto Him. But put thy trust in Him, and He will not reject
thee; and turn unto Him, and He will not forsake thee.

12 "For His goodness will induce thee to love him, and when thou hast turned unto Him He
will never forsake thee." Now when the Apostle had said these things unto the young man,
many people came unto him. And the Apostle looked at them, and saw that they were
stretching up their heads that they might see him, and that they were going up unto a
place which was higher than he was that they might observe him. Then 1 St. Matthew vi. 25.
2 Isaiah lxiv. 4; 1 Corinthians ii. 9. 13 he said unto them, "O ye men who have come that
ye may believe in the works of Christ, henceforth know ye and understand that unless ye
raise yourselves a little above the ground ye cannot see me who am a man like unto
yourselves. How then will ye be able to see Him Who dwelleth in the height and in the
depths unless, first of all, ye withdraw yourselves from your former habits, and from the
works wherein there is no benefit? I desire that ye keep yourselves from that wherein
there is no profit, and from the riches which perish, and from the possessions which grow
old and fall into decay in the earth, and from [fine] apparel, and [from] the flesh which
groweth old and decayeth; and moreover, all your bodies also wax old, and are buried in
the ground, and become dust, and return to their former state and become ashes. This is
the body which worketh! But believe ye, and be baptized in Christ Jesus, Whom we preach,
so that He may become your hope. Then shall your life be everlasting, for He shall be your
guide in this land of violence, and He shall become unto you a haven amid the billows of
the sea. He shall be unto you a fountain of pure water in this land of thirst, and He
shall be unto you food in every place, and a resting-place for your souls, and a healing
for your bodies."

14 Then the multitudes of the people who had gathered themselves together wept [when] they
heard [these things], and they said unto him, "O man of the God Whom thou preachest, of
the God Who is God, it is not meet for us to say that we are His, for the works which we
have been wont to do are alien unto Him, and remote from "Him, and they are not well-
pleasing unto Him. But if He will have compassion upon us, and will shew mercy unto us,
and will redeem us, and will deliver us from our former works, and from all the evil and
from the error wherein we have erred and gone astray, and will neither keep in mind nor
remember against us our transgressions of former times, we will conform unto His will, and
we will keep His commandments perfectly." Then the Apostle answered and said unto them,
"He will neither keep in mind, nor remember against you your transgressions, nor the error
wherein ye have lived, and He will not keep beneath His eye the sins which ye have
committed."

THE ACTS OF SAINT THOMAS IN INDIA: THE FOURTH ACT

1 How an ass spake to the Apostle. 2 Now whilst the Apostle was standing in that place and
talking with the multitude, the colt of an ass came and stood before him; and he opened
his mouth, and said unto the Apostle, "O kinsman of Christ, and Apostle of the Most High!
Thou art full of the word of Christ, thou art he that knoweth hidden things; thou who wast
a free man, like unto the Son of God, didst turn thyself into a slave, even as He did,
that thou mightest redeem many; thou who art of noble race didst bind thyself unto an
enemy, and didst deliver his chosen one, and didst become the means of life unto many in
the country of India; and thou didst come unto the sinful men, who at the appearance of
thee and through the voice of God have turned unto the things which God sent thee to teach
them. If thou wilt mount and ride upon me thou canst have rest until thou enterest the
city. And the Apostle answered and said, "O Jesus, by Whose desire Thy mercy is given for
the perfecting of patience, Who speakest by means of animals which speak not, Who art the
hidden rest, and Who art [only] revealed by divers means, our Redeemer and our Nourisher,
and our Guardian, Who giveth us rest in the body and salvation unto our souls, sweet
spring and pure fountain which never fail, and never become befouled!

3 Thou art the Merciful One, and Thou art the Helper of those who are Thy servants and who
fight for Thee, Thou turnest back the Enemy, and makest him to withdraw from us, and Thou
dost wage war on our behalf in many combats, and we overcome [through Thee], Who art
indeed [the Athlete] and Angel Who cannot be overcome, Thou holy, victorious, and glorious
God! Thou givest unto Thy chosen ones the joy which never endeth, and the rest which is
without labour; Thou didst give Thyself on behalf of Thy sheep, and didst vanquish the
wolf, and didst deliver us Who are the sheep of Thy pasture, and Thou dost lead them in
the ordinances which are good. Thee we glorify, and Thee we praise, together with Thy
Father, Who is invisible, and the Holy Spirit, for Thou art the Righteous One in all the
world." 4 And when the Apostle had said these things unto him, the multitudes who were
there were looking at the Apostle and waiting anxiously [to hear] what answer he would
make unto the ass's colt. Then when he had stood for a long time in astonishment, and with
his gaze fixed upon heaven, the Apostle said unto him, "Who art thou? Unto whom dost thou
belong? For that which hath gone forth from thy mouth is astonishing, and glorious, and
thereby many most marvellous and hidden things [are made known]. And the ass's colt
answered and said unto him, "I am of the generations of the ass which served Balaam, and
upon my father, from whose offspring I have come, did thy Lord and teacher sit. And now, I
have been sent unto thee that I might give thee rest, and that thou mightest ride upon me.
Then the Apostle believed, and said in his heart, "This is my portion which hath come unto
me through thy labour; I will go; rise up. And the Apostle said [unto the ass, "He Who
hath given unto thee this gracious gift is able to make it perfect for thee from
generation to generation, for the matter is too honourable for me, and I am not meet
therefor; and he refused to ride upon the colt of the ass.

5 Then the colt of the ass asked and entreated the Apostle that he might receive a
blessing from him, and he stood still, and the Apostle mounted upon him, and told him [to
journey on]. And all the people followed him, some running in front of him, and some
behind him, that they might see the conclusion of the matter and how he would leave the
colt of the ass. Now when he came to the gates of the city, he threw himself off him, and
said unto him, "Go, and take heed where thou goest; and straightway the ass's colt fell
down before him and died. And all those who were there were terrified, and said unto the
Apostle, "Bring him to life, and raise him up again. Then the Apostle answered and said
unto them, "I have the power to raise him up through the might of Jesus Christ, but he is
better thus; and He Who gave him a voice to speak with is able to make him not to die and
to raise him up again, but He wisheth it not. This state is best for him. And the Apostle
commanded those who were standing there to dig a hole and bury the body of the colt of the
ass.


THE CONTENDINGS OF THE APOSTLES, PART 2
=======================================

THE CONTENDINGS OF THE APOSTLES, PART 2 Translated by E. A. Wallis Budge

Ethiopic collection of the Middle Ages

The second part of the Ethiopic collection: the last two acts of Thomas in India, the acts
of Peter, and the long Contending of Paul. These are late legends, partly from older acts,
and are not Scripture.

THE ACTS OF SAINT THOMAS IN INDIA: THE FIFTH ACT

1 How a Devil seized and took possession of a woman, and tarried with her, and dwelt in
her for five years. And the Apostle came into the city, and all the multitude followed
after him; and he decided to go unto the kinsfolk of the young man who had been killed by
the serpent, whom he had made to live, for they besought him earnestly to go unto them.
Now when the Apostle had come into their house there was a certain woman there who was
beautiful, and she cried out with a loud voice, and said, "O thou new Apostle of the new
God, who hast come unto the country of India, through whose coming the salvation of our
souls hath arrived, through whom, if they believe in Him, the bodies of such as are sick
by reason of the sickness of the Enemy are made whole, thou art the means of life unto all
those who turn to Him. Give thou me the command that I may 221a.

2 "draw nigh unto thee, and that I may declare [unto thee] everything which hath happened
unto me; then shall I have hope through thee, and those who are standing by thee shall
also have hope in the God Whom thou preachest. Behold, for five years not a little torment
have I suffered through the Enemy, and I have during that time been like unto a woman who
was in suffering and sorrow, although formerly I was at peace with everyone, and I had
neither care nor any anxiety whatsoever. Now, one day, as I was coming out of the bath,
there met me a certain man who appeared to be in a hurry, and he was [much] moved, and his
voice was weak and feeble within him. And he said unto me, 'Stand still before me, for
thou and I are one, and our love shall be one, and we will have intercourse one with the
other after the manner of a man with a woman.' Then I answered and said unto him, I had
nought to say unto him who was betrothed unto me, for I wished not to have intercourse
with him; how then is it possible for thee to desire to have intercourse with me except as
a harlot?' And having thus spoken I passed on my way.

3 Then unto her who was with me I said, 'Didst thou see this man who was not ashamed to
speak openly with me [of fornication]?' And she said unto me, 'I saw an old man holding
converse with thee.' Now when I had come into my habitation, and had eaten my supper, I
fell to thinking very much about the young man whom I had seen, and whom she who was with
me had seen also; and as I was thus engaged in thought I fell asleep. And in the night the
man himself came and had intercourse with me, but when the day broke I fled from him; and
as soon as the night fell he used to come and tarry with me. For these last five years he
hath been in the habit of approaching me, and behold, he weareth me out, and refuseth to
leave me. I know and am certain that devils, and unclean spirits, and Satans are subject
unto thee, and that they tremble [before thee] and thy prayer. Pray thou, then, over me
(or for me) and drive away from me him that tormenteth me, so that I may be set free from
him, and may return unto my former condition, and may receive back the gracious treatment
which my kinsfolk have removed from me."

4 And the Apostle said, "What evil is there that is wrought by the Enemy which cannot be
put down? There is no opposition which cannot be overcome, and there is no evil which hath
not [its] cure. Thou, O Evil One, hast many aspects, and according to thy desire thou
appearest [in any one of them], and thy nature changeth with each; thou art without faith,
and thou destroyest him whose works are good. Thy nature is bitter, and thy fruit is from
Diabolos. Thou art shameless Error, and thy leadings astray burn like unto the venom of
the serpent of the ground." Now when the Apostle had said these words, the devil came
forth into his presence, but none saw him except the woman; and he said with a loud voice,
all the people hearing him, "What have I to do with thee, O Apostle of the Highest? What
have I to do with thee, O thou servant of Jesus Christ? What have I to do with thee, O
thou associate of the Holy Son of God? Why dost thou wish to destroy us before our time?
Why dost

5 Ff thou wish to take away the power which is ours? For we had hope [therein] and
opportunity, just as thou hast opportunity, and we had dominion [thereby], and similarly
in each one of us there is the [same] dominion. And what is the power wherewith thou hast
come to gain the mastery over us? Now we have also in us this knowledge (or doctrine) of
another through which thou shalt not gain the mastery over us. And why "dost thou covet
for thyself, like an unrighteous man, that which belongeth unto another, and dost make
thyself like unto the Son of God, Who hath guided us, and dost pretend, having come
hither, that thou doest deeds by the strength which is thine own? Now we imagined that we
could hold Him in our hand, like a man, but we understand [Him] not, for He hath turned
us, and hath brought us back into His hand; and we knew Him not, for He came in the
similitude of a man, and He hid Himself and abased Himself. And we saw Him, and imagined
that He was a man who had put on flesh, but we knew not that it was He Who would give life
unto man. And He gave us power over our adversaries, and we had dominion over them for
many days, and we led them into error, being lords over them, and we made them to go round
about. Now thou desirest, without opposition, to exceed the power which was given unto
thee, and to cast us away."

6 And having said these words the devil wept, and said, "I must leave this my kind and
beautiful wife with whom I have dwelt for [many] days, and in whom I have found my place
of rest. Must I leave thee now, O my most beloved sister, my beloved one, in whose body I
have been well pleased? I know not upon whom I am to call, or who will hear me and give me
rest. But now I know what I will do. I will go into countries where I have never [before]
been, and where his opportunity (i. e., the Apostle's) will not come, and I shall find
another [woman to take] thy place." And lifting up his voice, he said, "Dwell thou in rest
and peace, for thou hast received one who is greater than I. I will go and will seek out
one who is like unto thee, and if I find one not I will return unto thee. For I know that
since thou art near this man thou wilt take refuge with him; but when he hath passed away
thou wilt be unto me even as thou wast aforetime when thou hadst not seen him, and hadst
[not] chosen him. And now when the time hath come I shall appear openly, but I am afraid
of Him Whom this man preacheth." And having said these words the demon went forth, and was
no more seen; but fire and smoke appeared, and all those who were there marvelled. Now
when the Apostle had seen him, he said unto them, "There is nothing whatever marvellous
here in what the devil hath wrought except his nature, by which he hath been brought to
nought, for his own fire hath swallowed him up, and the smoke of himself hath been
scattered abroad."

7 And the Apostle answered and said, "O Thou hidden Mystery which hath been revealed unto
us, Jesus, Who art not hidden, it is Thou Who hast created me [and Who hast revealed
mysteries unto me] more than unto all my [other] companions; and Thou hast spoken unto me
three words whereby my mind shall be revealed unto others, but I am unable to declare
them. FF* 222b. 8 "Jesus, Thou Man, Who wast killed and buried, Jesus, our God and our
Redeemer, Who gavest life to the dead, Who healedst the sick; there is no man whom Thou
wilt not save in Thy mercy if he asketh Thee. Thou didst catch fish for supper and dinner,
and Thou didst satisfy all [the multitude] by means of a very little bread. Jesus, Who
didst rest Thyself after a journey like a man, Thou didst walk upon the waves of the sea
like God; Thou Voice of the Most High Who dost shew Thyself in the hearts of the perfect;
Thou absolute Saviour, and Right Hand of the Light, Who didst destroy by Thy power Satan,
and didst blot out all his works, and every likeness of him; O Thou Only Birth, Who art
above all the firstborn of many brethren, Thou God Who art from God, Thou exalted One Whom
men have rejected and despised until this present; O Jesus Christ, Who didst not make Thy
grace to be remote from us, therefore we cry out unto Thee, O Thou Who didst become the
cause of life to all the race of men. For our sakes Thou didst endure condemnation, and
didst suffer pain, and wast shut up in prison; and Thou didst set free all who were
therein, and those who had been cast aside, and those who had gone astray, and Thou didst
redeem from the path of error those who believed in Thee. I beseech Thee, O my Lord, on
behalf of those who stand and believe in Thee, and Who await Thy grace, and Thy place of
refuge, and who listen with their ears to Thy word which is spoken unto them by Thee. Let
Thy peace come, and let Thy joy and Thy faith dwell upon them, and make new their works in
the time which is past;

9 "and let them put away their old deeds, and clothe themselves in the new [man] which is
preached unto them by me." 10 Then the Apostle laid his hand [upon them] and blessed them,
saying, "The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you for ever and ever. Amen. And the
woman made supplication, and said unto him, "O Apostle of the Most High, give me the seal
so that this evil enemy may not come back upon me. And the Apostle placed her [before]
him, and he laid his hand upon her, and he made the sign of the cross over her in the Name
of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; and very many other people were
sealed with the sign of the cross with her. Then the Apostle commanded them to bring a
table, and they placed a seat which [they] found there; and the Apostle spread upon it a
linen cover and placed thereon the Bread of blessing, and standing up, he said, "O Jesus,
Who hast caused me to appear that we may give thanks unto Thee, and may partake of Thy
holy Body, and Thy precious Blood: because of Thy grace unto us we offer thanksgiving unto
Thee, and we proclaim Thy Name to be holy; and now, come and receive us.

11 And let the grace of the Most High come, and let Thy holy mercy come, and let the human
nature unto which Thou hast united Thyself [also] come, and let Thy doctrine which hath
knowledge of hidden mysteries come, and let the mighty companion come, and let the mighty
warrior come, and let the storehouse of life come, and let the grace of the elect come,
and let the grace which is of old come, and let it reveal great and marvellous works, and
let that which is hidden appear openly, and let grace and rest be given unto those who
think with me, and moreover let it come and mingle itself with this thanksgiving which we
make in Thy Name, and in Thy love, and let us be blessed unto Thee. And having said these
words the Apostle made the sign of the cross over the bread, and he brake it and offered
it unto the woman over whom he had made the sign of the cross, and said, "This shall be
unto thee for the remission of sin and transgression, and it shall be unto thee for
everlasting life. And after this he gave it unto all those who were with her, and they
were sealed with the sign of the cross and were blessed.

THE ACTS OF SAINT THOMAS IN INDIA: THE SIXTH ACT

1 Now a woman was slain in a shop. 2 Now there was a certain young man who had committed a
most unseemly act, and he was rebuked and he drew nigh and partook of the Blessing and
gave thanks, and he was about to put the bread in his mouth when both his hands dried up,
and he was unable to do so; and those who were standing there saw him, and they told the
Apostle what had taken place. Then the Apostle called the young man and said unto him,
"Tell 'me, O my son, and be not afraid. What didst thou do [before] thou camest here? For
the grace of God hath rebuked thee. Now the grace of God is a healing unto many, and
especially unto those who receive it in faith and love, but thee hath it caused to wither,
because of the sin and transgression which thou hast committed. And when the young man
[saw that] the grace of God had rebuked him, he drew nigh, and bowed down at the feet of
the Apostle, and he made supplication unto him, saying, "I have committed an abominable
deed, although I imagined that I would do a good one. Behold, there was a certain woman
who lived outside the city, and who kept a shop, and she loved [me exceedingly].

3 And when I heard from thee how thou didst preach Christ the Living [God], I came and I
received the sign of the cross from thee together with all [the other folk] And thou
thyself didst say, 'If any man joineth himself unto foul impurity, and especially if he
hath intercourse with any woman who hath a husband, he shall not have forgiveness of sins
with God.' And by reason of these words, and because I loved her, I should have been
wellpleased that she should live with me in purity of heart, even as thou hast taught me;
but the woman wearied me greatly, and when she refused to leave [her evil ways] I took a
sword and killed her, for I could not bear to see her [leading an evil life]. And when the
Apostle had heard these words, he said, "O evil lust, which could not contain [itself],
thou hast caused this man to commit a shameful deed of anger! How hast thou made him to
commit in a shameless manner a deed of the serpent!"

4 And the Apostle commanded them to bring unto him water in a washing basin, and they
brought some unto him. And the Apostle said, "O water which hath come unto us from the
Water of life! O grace which hath been given and sent unto us from Grace! O rest which
hath been sent unto us from Rest! O might of the redemption of Christ which vanquisheth
all things, and which doeth all things! Yea, O Lord, by Thy command come and abide upon
this water, so that the grace of the Holy Spirit may [rest] upon this water." Then the
Apostle said unto the young man, "Go, and wash thine hands in this water;" and the young
man washed, and was healed, and became as he was aforetime. Now before the young man had
washed, the Apostle said unto him, "Believest thou that Jesus Christ is able to do all
things?" And the young man said, "Let not this my punishment be too hard for me, because I
have done this evil thing, for I committed the deed in faith imagining that I was doing a
good act, and I did it because of my belief. I made supplication unto her, as I have
already told thee, and she refused to keep herself in purity, and then I did this thing
unto her."

5 And the Apostle said unto him, "Come now, and guide me unto the house of the woman to
whom thou hast done this evil, and let us see her; so the young man went with the Apostle,
and when they had arrived at the place they found the woman ready for burial. Now when the
Apostle had seen her he was sorrowful, for she was fair to look upon and of graceful
stature, and he commanded them to bring her out into the garden, and they brought her out
and laid her upon a bed outside [the house], and they did even as he commanded them. Then
the Apostle laid his hand upon her, and said, "O Jesus Christ, Who withdrawest not Thine
hand, and Who makest not Thy face to be remote from those who call upon Thee; Jesus, Who
appearest at all times, both whenever we desire [Thee], and whenever we call upon Thee,
Thou hast given [unto us] this power that we may receive [it]. And not this only hast Thou
commanded us, but Thou hast taught us to pray; and not only dost [Thou] teach man, but
Thou makest Thyself to be visible, and man seeth [Thee]. From Thee iniquity is not hidden,
and Thou hast shewn [Thy] works openly unto men. Thy works, as far as we are able to
understand Thee, are immeasurable, O Thou Who hast given us this gracious gift, and Thou
hast said unto us, 'Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find;

6 knock, and it shall be opened unto you.' We make supplication unto Thee, knowing our
sin, and we beseech Thee neither for riches nor for possessions, nor for gold and silver,
nor for any desirable thing whatsoever which returneth unto the earth. But we beseech and
entreat Thee, for the sake of Thy holy Name, to raise up by Thy might and by Thy glory her
who hath fallen down, that those who are here may believe. Then the Apostle said unto this
young man, "Go, take hold of her and say unto her, I slew thee by an iron weapon with mine
own hand, but Christ by mine own hand, through faith, shall raise thee up. And having
drawn nigh unto her the young man said, "I have believed in Thee, O Jesus Christ; grant
unto this woman the gift of life, and as for me, draw Thou nigh unto me, [and help] my
faith. Then he drew the hand of the woman towards him, and she arose, and turned, and sat
up, and all those who were there saw her.

7 And [when] she saw the Apostle standing in front of her, she left her couch, and rose
up, and bowed down in homage at the feet of the Apostle, and she took hold of the hem of
his garment, and said unto him, "I beseech thee, O my lord, [to tell me] where is the
other being, who was with me and who would not let me remain in the place of abomination,
but handed me over unto thy care [and said], Let this woman return unto her place, and let
her dwell as she hath dwelt in the time which is past? Then the Apostle said unto her,
"Tell me, whence hast thou come? And she answered and said unto him, "Dost thou, who wast
with me, wish to hear unto what place I came? Then she began to speak unto the Apostle,
and to say unto him, "A man who was altogether black, and whose apparel was altogether
filthy, carried me away, and set me in a place wherein there was an abundance of pits,
which reeked with a filthy smell. Then he brought me out from this place and set me in
another wherein I saw before me a pit of blazing fire, and therein were wheels which went
round, and to these wheels were bound souls which shrieked and cried out, but there was
none to deliver them. And this black man said, 'These are the souls of thy people who,
when their days have come to an end, are given over unto this punishment;

8 these [are the souls of those who] being men have made themselves to be as women.' And
again I saw little children, the one being above the other, and [the black man] answered
and said unto me, 'These are the children of the souls, and God hath placed them here to
disgrace them.' Then again he set me in another pit, and I looked and saw an abyss filled
with worms, and the souls which were there were writhing, and they were gnashing their
teeth, and uttering cries. And the [black] man said unto me, 'These are the souls of the
women who have left their husbands and have committed fornication with other men, and of
the men who have left their wives and committed fornication with other women; and behold,
they have entered into [their] punishment.' Then he shewed me another pit, and I looked
and saw therein souls that were hanging, some by their tongues, and some by the hair of
their heads, and some by their hands, and some by their feet, and some with their heads
downwards; and the smoke of pitch was fuming below them. And the [black] man said unto me,
'The souls that are hanging by their tongues are the souls of those who are guilty of
falsehood, and who spake lies without being ashamed. The souls that are hanging by their
hair are the souls of those who were perverse, and who never had reverence either for man
or woman.

9 The souls that are hanging by their hands are the souls of those who robbed and
plundered the poor, who never gave to those who were in affliction, who stole the goods of
others and who neither remembered nor thought of the law (or religion) of God. The souls
that are hanging by their feet are the souls of those who followed after evil desire, and
who never regarded those who were in misery, or those who died and had not been buried.
Therefore each soul shall be rewarded according to its work.' Then he set me in another
place of darkness wherefrom there proceeded a filthy smell, and multitudes of souls were
looking forth from there that they might see the light; and those who were keeping guard
over them were preventing them from looking. And the [black] man who was with me said unto
me, 'Those are the punishments of those souls whom thou seest. When the punishment which
is assigned to a certain company of souls, according to their works, is ended, others take
their places;

10 now some of these souls, when their punishment is ended, are destroyed, but others are
handed over to other punishments.' Then those who were keeping guard over the souls which
were in darkness said unto this man who was guiding me, 'Give us this soul that we may set
it with its companions until the time for it to be judged shall come.' And he said unto
them, 'I will not give it up unto you, but unto Him that sent me, for He commanded me that
I was [not] to leave it here, but that I was to take it out with me until an order should
be made concerning it.' Then the [black] man took me, and set me in another place wherein
were men walking round about, and he who was like unto thee took me, and gave me unto
thee, saying, 'Take her, and keep her, for she belongeth unto the sheep who have gone
astray in the times that are past.' And now, behold me, I am here before thee, and I
beseech and entreat thee not let me go into this place unto the punishments which I have
seen."

11 Then the Apostle said unto those who were [standing] by him, "Hear ye what this woman
saith? But there are other punishments which are much more evil than "these, and if ye do
not turn unto the Lord Whom I preach unto you, and forsake the evil works, which ye have
done through ignorance in the times which are past, at your end ye shall receive such
punishments. But believe in our Lord Jesus Christ that He may remit to you the sins which
ye have committed, and may cleanse you from all your sins, and from all your evil mind,
and may be with you continually. And having heard these things put off from you the old
apparel, and array yourselves in the new raiment, [and put away] your former works and
lusts, and let those who have stolen steal no more, but let them love labour, and gain
possessions for themselves. And as for those who have committed fornication, let them do
so no more, lest, having given themselves unto the lust [the enjoyment of which] is for a
short time, they [find] in the end [the pain] which is for ever. Now for a man to go with
a man as with a woman is the worst sin of all before God. And flee falsehood, and
oppression, and plunder, and strong drink, and [blood] guiltiness, and reward ye not with
evil him that doeth evil unto you, for all these things against which I preach unto you
are alien unto God. But dwell in faith, and believe in a meek spirit, and in holiness, and
in hope, and walk ye in [the path] wherein God rejoiceth, and be ye followers of Him; and
ye shall receive the gift of grace which many shall receive at this present."

12 Then all the people believed and gave themselves unto God, and they marvelled at the
exalted works and at His holy service. And they collected much money to give to the
widows, for the Apostle was in the habit on certain days in each month of giving unto them
with his own hands whatsoever they had need of, both as regards apparel and raiment, [and
food]. And he never failed to preach and declare that it had been written that Jesus
Christ should come and be crucified, and be raised up on the third day. And he shewed them
again and again, and made it clear unto them from the Prophets, beginning [with the first
of them and going on] until Christ Himself appeared, that when He came whatsoever had been
said [by them] concerning Him had been fulfilled. Now the report of the Apostle came into
all countries and cities, and from all those wherein there were sick and diseased folk,
and people possessed of devils, and lunatics, and infirm, and those who were grievously
afflicted they came unto him. And those who were [lying] on beds were carried unto him by
those who could walk upon their legs, and they took them and laid them by the road whereby
the Apostle would pass, and he, by the might of God, healed them all. Those who were sick
were healed, and those who were helpless rose up, and they all said with [one] voice,
"Glory [be] to Jesus Christ, Thou Who hast given healing unto us all alike by the hands of
Thy servant Thomas! We praise Thee and we entreat Thee to allow us to enter Thy pasture,
and to be among the number of thy sheep; and now, receive us, and bear not in mind against
us the sins which we did in times of old in our ignorance."

13 And the Apostle said, "Glory be unto Thee, O One, Who wast begotten of the Father.
Glory be unto Thee, Thou Firstborn, Who givest life unto many. Glory be unto Thee, Thou
Who rebukest and receivest those A. fel. 171b. 14 "who turn unto Thee. Thou art He Who
never slumbereth, and Thou raisest up those who slumber, and givest life unto the dead. O
our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God, the Saviour, and Helper, and Refuge, and
Rest, of all those who labour [to do] Thy will, Thou givest healing unto those who walk in
Thy Name, and who bear the burden and heat of the day. We give thanks unto Thee for Thy
gracious gift which hath been given unto us, and for Thy help which hath been with us, and
for Thy grace which hath come forth from thee upon us, O Lord, for Thou hast loved us, and
hast shewn Thyself true unto us. And look upon us, O Lord, for on Thee we have set our
mind, and for Thy sake we have become alien unto our desires. And look upon us, O Lord,
for for Thy sake we have left our possessions so that we may find Thee, the great
Treasure. And look upon us, O Lord, for for Thy sake we have forsaken our kinsfolk that we
may mingle with Thy kinsfolk. And look upon us, O Lord, for for Thy sake we have forsaken
our fathers and our mothers, that we might see Thy Father, and might obtain from Him the
food of blessing. And look upon us, O Lord, for for Thy sake we have left our wives and
our offspring, that we might enter into the companionship with Thee which indeed abideth
and never perisheth. And let us find the fair offspring which shall be given unto us by
Thee, and let us not be separated from this state of purity, and let us be pure, and may
we all unite with Him for ever and ever! Amen."

Here Endeth the Sixth Act of Saint Thomas.

15 Let the prayer and blessing of the Apostles be poured out upon the writer of this book,
and upon him that causeeth it to be read, and upon him that translated it, and upon her
who gave it, Thine handmaiden Walatta Madhan, for ever and for ever! Amen.


THE CONTENDINGS OF THE APOSTLES, PART 2
=======================================

THE CONTENDINGS OF THE APOSTLES, PART 2 continued

THE ACTS OF SAINT PETER

1 The noble and excellent disciple Clement relateth unto us the history of his master
Peter, the chief of the Apostles, and how our Lord Jesus Christ appeared unto him. May his
prayer and his blessing be with our King John, and with the Queen Sabla Wangel.

Chapter I.

2 Concerning The Manifestation OF AND HOW OUR LORD ASCENDED INTO HEAVEN, AND HOW HE
BLESSED THE APOSTLES, AND MADE KNOWN UNTO THEM CONCERNING THE ANGELS WHO SING PRAISES
BEFORE HIM, AND THE SIMILITUDE OF THEIR FORMS, AND THEIR ORDERS, AND THEIR ORDINANCES AND
WHATSOEVER APPERTAINETH THERETO. Clement saith:—Thus spake my father Peter:—Hearken, O my
son Clement, unto what I shall declare unto thee, Our Lord Jesus Christ was on the Mount
of Olives, and I [was with Him] after He had spoken unto me and commanded me [concerning]
all the Law. And again He said unto me, "O Peter, go thou unto thy brethren, and call them
unto Me here." So I went down from the Mount of Olives, and I left our Lord standing
there; and I cried out to my brethren, that is to say, to James, and John, and Andrew, and
they cried out to the rest of the Twelve Apostles and to the Seventy-two Disciples, and we
all came into the mountain, and we stood upon it facing towards the east, with Jerusalem
[lying] below [us].

3 Then a white and shining cloud, which was like unto a flame of fire, surrounded us, and
all the people of Jerusalem saw the splendour thereof and were dismayed. And we were
standing in the midst of the cloud, and we saw the doors of heaven opened, and the angels
of light ascending and descending upon a ladder of light. And we saw our Lord standing at
the foot of the ladder, and He was wishing to ascend unto His throne of radiant glory, and
He stretched out His holy right hand, and blessed us, and He breathed into our faces, and
said unto us, "Receive ye the Holy Spirit;" and when He had thus spoken unto us, our
bodies and our hearts burned with the light of the Holy Spirit. And again, we saw a
chariot of light descend from heaven upon the wings of the Cherubim, and with it there
were thousands and tens of thousands of thousands of angels, and the Seraphim, each of
whom had six wings; and they all in their various grades were singing praises, and crying
out joyfully, and were ascribing holiness and thanks [unto Him] to the strains of
beautiful music, and with clear and

4 GG* sweet voices. Now all we Apostles, and the company of the [Seventy-two] Disciples
[rejoiced], even as [we rejoiced] at the time of the Resurrection. And we heard the sounds
of trumpets and of horns, and the angels in their various companies cried out with loud
cries of glory and with praisings and glorifyings. And certain companies of the angels
ascribed glory unto God, and said, "Blessed 'be God Who is from the beginning, and Who
shall endure for ever! Amen." And others of them said, "Holy, Holy, Holy, God of Hosts.
All the heavens, and 'all the earth are filled with His glory. Hosanna in the heights.
Blessed be He Who hath come, and blessed be He Who shall come in the Name of God." And
others of them said, "Blessed be the Name of God from 'this time forth, and for ever and
ever! Amen." And some of them said, "Holy art Thou, O God. Holy 'art Thou, O Mighty One.
Holy art Thou, O Living One, Who diest not, have mercy upon us." And some of them said,
"Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, 'and to the Holy Spirit, now, henceforth, and for
ever and ever! Amen."

5 And again we heard above a great and awful voice which was like unto thunder, and it
said, "Open ye the 'gates, O princes, and let the doors which were from the Creation be
opened, and the King of glory and honour shall come in." And again we heard the voices of
the celestial companies who were standing by the throne, saying, "Who is this king of
glory and honour?" And the voice, which we had heard before, answered and said unto them,
"It is God, the Strong and Mighty." And again we heard the voices of the Principalities,
and of the Dominions, and of the Powers among the angels, saying, "Open ye the doors, O
princes, and let the gates which were from the Creation be opened, and the King of praise
and glory shall come in." And we heard other voices from the lords of the Thrones, and
[from] the Lords, saying, "Who is this king of glory and praise?" And they answered them,
saying, "He is the King of glory, the Mighty One for ever and for ever." And again we saw
the angels waving fans of light, and some of them bore vessels wherefrom there went out
scents which for sweetness exceeded those of all the flowers in the world. And some of
them smote these angels' wings together, and there went forth from their mouths praises,
and cries of joy, and thanksgivings which were like unto a flame of fire; and some of them
sang hymns of glory with such sweetness that [all] hearts were ravished.

6 And when we saw all this we all wept with a sore weeping, and we made lamentation, and
said, "O our Lord and God, forgive us, for we have believed in Thee; leave us not
orphans." And the head of me, Peter, was bowed down to the earth through fear of what I
had seen, and my heart was moved. Then my Lord and God looked at me, and He said unto me,
"O Peter, be not sorrowful;" and He stretched out His right hand to me, and said unto me,
"Rise up, be strong, and make thy brethren to be strong, and keep [in your hearts] what ye
have seen." And we all rose up from the ground, and stood upon our feet, and my Lord and
God gave unto me a book [studded with] precious stones and pearls, and in it was written
the rest of the knowledge which my Lord wished to declare unto me with His lips;

7 now the book was written by His holy and mighty hand, and there went forth therefrom a
light of beauty, the splendour of which exceeded that of the brilliance of the sun when
shining. And moreover, He gave me also seven books [studded with] the stone El-maklīṭōs,
which had been written by His own hands. And again He said unto me, "O Peter, behold,
there are written in this book the mysteries which thou didst desire to know, and thou
shalt not reveal them except unto those who are in the right faith, even as water is in
iron." Now my brethren did not know that my God had given unto me this book. And my Lord
and God said unto me, "Know, O Peter, that I never gave this book unto any man before, and
I shall never again give what I have now given unto thee to anyone except MARY, My mother,
by whom I became incarnate. Know, O Peter, that I will help thee by means of another
Apostle, who shall be with thee, and who shall help thee in all the cities whereunto thou
shalt journey and shalt preach the preaching of the Gospel therein, and the people of
which thou shalt teach. Do thou everything which I have commanded thee, and preach in My
Name in all the world." And when I had received into my hand the eight books which our
Lord had written with His own hand, wherein were written the mysteries which the tongues
of the children of men are neither able to utter, nor to understand with their hearts,
except those whose [ hearts are arrayed in the strength of the gracious gift of baptism [I
rejoiced. And I,] Peter, saw the race of the angels, and their apparel, and their
appearance, and their names. And I saw, moreover, a gathering together of the armies of
the angels with flaming chariots of fire, and they were mounted upon horses of light; and
when the children of men looked upon them, their eyes were carried away by the sight
thereof. And I heard a voice which said, "O Peter, this book is not meet for anyone of the
Apostles except thyself alone. And I saw the angels [in] their assemblies bowing down in
homage before my Lord and God. Certain of them had their loins girt about with broad
girdles of light, and certain of them had girded themselves with bands of light, without
fringes, over their apparel; and certain of them wore over their left shoulders long,
narrow scarves, with fringes; and in three [places in each scarf, that is, in the middle,
and where it touched the shoulders, and in the part which hung down over the back were
written the words, "In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, One
God.

8 And certain of the angels wore upon their shoulders a broad scarf, which in breadth was
as wide as a kerchief, and upon each were written at the four corners, and in the middle,
[the words], "We are the good shepherds, and we believe in the Name of the Father, and of
the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. And some of the angels had round their shoulders girdles,
each of which was of the width of two fingers, and at nine places in each one of them was
written, "Serve ye God with fear," and the faces of all of them were like unto fire and
unto the lightning which flasheth and is gone. And the heavens, and the earth, and the air
were filled with the angels, and with the multitudes thereof. And, moreover, great numbers
of the people of Jerusalem at that time saw things which I was seeing, and there were with
them many of the Jews who had transgressed against righteousness, and who did not believe
in our Lord Jesus Christ. And they stood at that time at the place where they could
readily see these things, and fear and dismay came upon them all, and they glorified God.
Then some of them who were doubtful concerning what they had seen wished to go up into the
Mount of Olives, and there came upon them tongues of fire and burned up many of them.

Chapter Ii. — How Peter Saw a Mighty Similitude of the Lady of Us All, Mary, the Spotless
Woman, and her Honourable Glory.

9 And again, I saw a cloud in the form of a bow which appeared among the clouds, and upon
it was a tabernacle of light, and in the innermost part thereof sat the holy Virgin MARY,
who gave birth to our Lord in the flesh. And angels surrounded her, and in their hands
were swords and spears of fire, and they said, "Blessed art thou, O fair vine-branch,
wherefrom sprang the grape-clusters of salvation. Blessed art thou, O chamber, whose womb
bore God, the Lord of Lords; and when I had seen this, my body burned with fire, and my
bowels were greatly moved, and my heart was dismayed. And as I looked upon that tabernacle
and upon her who was therein, I saw that all the archangels, and martyrs, and saints were
saluting her, and saying unto her, "Rejoice, O Mother of the Light, O Mother of mercy!
Rejoice, O Throne of salvation, whereon sat the God of Gods and the Lord of Lords. And the
Virgin Mary went and stood before the throne of God, the Lord of Hosts, and all the hosts
said unto her, "Rejoice, O Lady of all living beings. And when the angels and those who
were with them had finished saluting the Virgin our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the
Living God, my God, appeared unto her, and all the spiritual beings, and all the beings of
light bowed down in homage before Him.

10 Then the Mother of the Light entered into the tabernacle of light wherein our Lord sat
upon His throne of glory, and she sat down with Him for a space of three hours, and none
knew what He said unto her except herself, and then she came forth from His tabernacle of
light. And when she came forth the earth quaked, and I saw the angels crying out in their
companies, and frequent shouts of joy went out from the mouths of them all, and much
praise, and the whole [universe] was filled with their glorifyings; and I heard voices in
the earth, the like of which I had never heard before. And again, I saw a cloud over the
Mount of Olives, and I heard the voice of my Lord and God, saying thereunto, "Stand still
[in] thy place, O Mount, that thou mayest be a witness for me to My ascent from thee into
the heavens; and know, O mountain, that no one shall ascend from thee except Myself into
heaven until My second coming. And after this my Lord and God took me by the hand, and
raised me up from my knees, and I stood up in great power; and He said unto me, "Awake, O
Peter, and look upon these mysteries, for thou wast the first to become a witness that I
am the Son of the Living God,' Who was, and Who is; and thy heart shall then become the
means of ascent unto heaven.

11 And now, behold, thy soul and thy heart are strong in thy body, and thy brethren are
with thee; be thou a witness to that which thou hast seen, and be strong to conceal
everything. And again I saw the Cherubim come, and with them were chariots of light, and
when I had seen the angels I was dismayed. Then our Lord ascended upon a chariot of the
Cherubim, and the clouds bore Him away, and I heard the sound of trumpets sounding. And I
saw the keys of light laid out, and censers filled with incense, not that which is of the
earth, but that which is of heaven; and I heard on all sides hymns of praise and psalms.
And I heard those who were singing hymns of praise saying, "This is our God, and there is
no other god; the Lord God hath gone up to the sound of the trump, the Lord God hath gone
up with a shout of joy, the Lord God hath gone up with tens of thousands of thousands. [of
angels], the Lord God hath gone up with [His] hosts [and among His] armies. And I Peter
and my brethren the disciples watched the chariot whereon Christ our God had mounted until
it entered into the first heaven, and then I saw the gates of heaven close.

12 And as for us, we remained upon the Mount of Olives until the time of evening, and we
prayed on the spot wherefrom we saw our Lord ascend into heaven, and we also prayed upon
the place where the chariot [rested], and upon the place whereon [stood] the tabernacle in
which we had seen our Lord. Then we the Apostles came down from the holy mountain, and
entered into the city of Jerusalem, and we came unto our Lady MARY and entered into her
house, and saluted her; and we made known to her concerning the Ascension of her beloved
Son, Who is our Lord and God Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God, Who hath existed
[for ever]. And every day we the Apostles used to go up into the Mount of Olives at morn
and at eve [and pray there. Now three days after the Ascension of our Lord into heaven,
James, whom our Lord called His "brother in the flesh", consecrated the Offering, and we
all drew nigh to partake thereof; and when ten days had passed after the Ascension of our
Lord, we all assembled in the holy fortress of Zion, and we stood up to say the prayer of
sanctification, and we made supplication unto God and besought Him with humility, and
James also entreated Him concerning the descent of the Holy Ghost upon the Offering.

13 And as we were [standing] thus, we saw tongues of fire coming down from heaven, and
they rested upon each and every one of us, and we spake in the tongues of [all] countries,
each man in the tongue of the country to which the lot had fallen to him to go; and
straightway I Peter stood up among those who were assembled. Then the Hebrews who saw us
looked carefully at us whilst we were speaking the tongues of the various countries, and
they said concerning us, "Behold, these men are mad. Others also said concerning us, "They
have drunk new wine, and are drunk; and they disputed among themselves, but I had no
knowledge of what they spoke or said. And I Peter spake from the Prophets, and the others
spake concerning the descent of the Holy Spirit upon us, even according to the power which
the Holy Spirit gave unto us before the angel of the Lord, who was with us at that time;
and there was perturbation, and dismay, and great fear over Jerusalem, and over all
Judaca. Then many of the men who were in Jerusalem spake with us in divers tongues, and we
also conversed with them in these tongues, and they marvelled thereat, and these folk said
unto the Jews who were in Jerusalem, "O foolish men, these men are not drunk, neither are
they mad, but unto them hath been given the grace of God.

14 And behold, we have seen the miracles of the tongues of fire which came down upon them
from heaven when they were gathered together in the fortress of Zion. Now we have known
them before this day, and we know that not one among them was able to speak any tongue
except the tongue of the Hebrews, and behold, we have this day seen them speaking in the
tongues of the Greeks, and Romans, and Syrians, and Palestinians, and in the tongues of
all countries. And the people, who saw the miracles [of the tongues] which came upon us
that day, were more in number than seven hundred men, and they belonged to all nations and
peoples; and the men of the Hebrews were more in number than five hundred. And they wished
to fight among themselves in Jerusalem, and angry strife rose up concerning us, but, by
the mercy of God, God shewed them a vision of the night, and by these means He pacified
them and restrained them from fighting and tumult.

15 And after this the angel of the Lord came and said unto me, "Rise up, O Peter, and get
thee up by thyself into the Mount of Olives, and acquaint thyself with what is written in
the books which I have given unto thee, and understand what is therein. So I went up into
the Mount of Olives on the second day of the week, on the day following the festival of
the fifty days (Pentecost), and [a cloud] covered me up, and I saw the angel who had
appeared unto me in my dream; and he said unto me, "O Peter, lift up thine eyes towards
the heavens, and understand that which thou shalt see. And I lifted up mine eyes to the
heavens, and I saw a flash of light which carried away the sight, and it distilled dew
whereof the smell was like unto the odour of sweet and precious musk. And that dew was
dropping down upon those who were dwelling in the graves, and I saw those souls rejoicing
and making glad, and they spake, saying, "Blessed are we and the Apostles also, for our
God hath delivered us by His strong right hand, and by His mighty arm. Blessed are we
because our God hath delivered us from the hand of Satan, the accursed one. Then
straightway that angel said unto me, "I am he who appeared unto Mary Magdalene at the
grave of Him Who giveth life, and there were with her many Hebrews, both men and women;

16 and there was with me my companion Uriël the angel, and we were together guarding the
grave. And we closed the place of burial, and we were those who rolled away the stone
which was laid upon the doors of the grave, and we were those who told Joseph, the
carpenter, to depart into the land of Egypt, and we also commanded him to return from the
land of Egypt unto the land of Galilee. And moreover, this angel said unto me, "O Peter,
reveal the contents of this book which was given unto thee at the time of the Ascension of
our Lord and God into the heavens above, and unto the place where His habitation hath been
continually; and I uncovered the eight books which were before me, and the city of
Jerusalem became bright with the light of the same. 17 Now as I stood reading the book,
behold, there came unto me a voice from heaven which said, "O Peter, read and understand,
for thou art the storehouse of My mysteries, and thou art the rock whereon I will build My
church; keep thou then the mysteries which are written in these eight books which I Myself
have given unto thee, for this [service] is meet for thee. First of all preach the Gospel
in Jerusalem, and on the sea shore, and in all cities, for I will reveal unto thee many
miracles, and I will make thee to perceive what shall come through the Law and the
Judgment upon My people who believe in me. And I will give them ordinances out of the Law
which I shall command them to keep, and which they shall not withdraw from, either to the
right hand or to the left. And know that in these books which I have written for thee with
Mine own hand [it is declared] in what manner it is meet that their faith in Me should be,
and what is seemly for every man whatsoever among the people, and therein are they ordered
to turn away from the service of idols unto the service of Me. And, O Peter, go thou unto
the city of Antioch, and preach therein the preaching of the Holy Gospel, for from this
time forth I will send thee whithersoever I please. And seal thou the eight books which I
have given unto thee, and hide their fastenings, and let no man whatsoever B..15a see them
except him that hath been chosen and him that shall be of advantage unto the service of
the holy things which are Mine; for the cloud which covered Me over shall not leave thee
until the day of My second coming."

18 And after He had said these things unto me, I Peter came down from the Mount of Olives
unto Jerusalem, and I hid the eight books according as my Lord had commanded me, and I
made known to my brethren how my God had revealed unto me the names of these two angels
whom I had seen upon the earth; then we all ascribed praise unto God Who had bestowed upon
us the gift of His mercy. And we preached the preaching of the Gospel in the city, and we
departed to the sea-coast, and we called the people into the true faith. Now the first
city into which we entered on the sea-coast was called Joppa, and we also arrived at
'Îmâhûs (Emmaus), and at Lydda, and we laid a ban upon those who believed that they might
not eat of B..15a. food which [was declared to be] unclean in the Law. And I gave them
commandments concerning circumcision according to the Law of Moses, and God appeared unto
me in the form of the angel Uriël, and commanded me to do away the old Law, and to bring
in the new. And after these things, when I was praying one day in the city of Joppa, a
cloud of light enveloped me, and there descended upon me a sheet which stretched from
heaven to earth;

19 and in it there were similitudes of every kind of four-footed beasts which are eaten
for food, and every kind of bird, and in that sheet there was a beast in the form of a
pig. And a voice cried out unto me from heaven, and said unto me, "Rise, Peter, kill, and
eat; and I saw a finger pointing from heaven to the beast which was in the form of a pig.
Then I said unto Him, "Lord, I cannot kill and eat that which is unclean; and again a
voice cried unto me, saying, "That which God hath cleansed man shall not pronounce
unclean. Now I heard the voice three times, and each time it called me the finger pointed
to the beast which was in the form of a pig; and then the sheet went up and was received
into heaven. And I sat down in a state of amazement, and I marvelled at what I had seen,
and I made known unto my brethren what I had seen and heard. And I made [the people] to
hear the faith according to what was written in the first of these eight books which our
Lord had given unto me, and I baptized all the people who believed and who had turned away
from the service of idols; and I wished to strengthen them in the true faith through the
Law in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.

20 Then I commanded them to fast, and to pray, and to sell their fields and estates, and
their goods, and to bring their possessions into the house of the community, and I Peter
received their riches and divided them among the poor and needy of the children of the
faith who had been baptized. And I also entered into the two cities of Tyre and Sidon, and
preached therein, and through me many people believed in the preaching of the Holy Gospel,
which is the Gospel of the kingdom of God, to Whom be glory for ever and ever! Amen.

Chapter Iii.

21 Of The Coming OF CLEMENT INTO THE FAITH OF CHRIST, AND HOW PETER CHOSE HIM TO BE HIS
DISCIPLE, ALONG WITH HIS BRETHREN, AND HOW THEY CAME UPON THEIR FATHER AND THEIR MOTHER
AFTER THEY HAD LOST ALL HOPE OF THEM; TOGETHER WITH THE MIRACLES AND THE STORIES WHICH
SHOULD HERE FOLLOW. Saith Clement: — Now when my master Peter, the lord of the keys of the
treasures of the heavens and the earth, passed to the sea shore, now there were with him
also Andrew, and John, and Philip, and certain others of the Seventy-[two] Disciples, I
Clement was standing on the sea shore, and was weeping because there had reached me news
of the loss of my mother and my brother; and the brethren said unto my master, Peter, "It
is meet that we should know and become 'acquainted with the story of this young man.' Then
my master Peter came, and said unto me, 'Why weepest thou, O young man? Whence comest
thou? And who are thy father and mother?' Now he spake unto me in the tongue of the
Romans. And I said unto him, 'Who art thou, O aged one? For since the time when I arrived
here from my city I have not seen anyone

22 Hh who could speak the language of its people except thyself. Behold, I have been
standing in this place for three days, but no man hath enquired of me concerning my
history except thyself, and none passed near me who knew my speech, or whose tongue was
known by me. Then my master said unto me, "I am Peter, the chief of the disciples of our
Lord Jesus Christ; and straightway he related unto me the preaching of the Holy Gospel,
and I believed through him, and he baptized me in the Name of the Father, and of the Son,
and of the Holy Ghost. Then he anointed me with the oil of Mêrôn the holy, which my Lord
and God Jesus Christ had given unto him, for he kept it laid up by him, and he taught me
the way in which it is meet for those who believe on our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the
Living God, to keep the Law. And he revealed unto me the mysteries which have been before
mentioned, and I wrote them down from his mouth, and laid them up by me; and he gave me
the books which were written by the hand of my Lord Christ, and he set me over all His
disciples. Now there were with him my brethren in the flesh, that is to say, Kûstôs
(Caustus) and Constantinus, but I did not know them;

23 and he made me the steward of the mysteries, even as my Lord Christ, the Son of the
Living God, had made him the steward of His mysteries. And I became unto him a scribe in
Greek and Roman tongues, and my Lord and God Jesus Christ did not reveal unto him my
history, nor whence I came, and he did not make enquiries of me concerning my work and
handicraft until many days after, when he was going to the city of Laodicea. Now this took
place after our Lord had chosen Saul, whose name was Paul, to be an Apostle. And this Paul
was journeying to Damascus and wished to lay waste the churches of God which were therein,
and to drive the believers out of the city. And our Lord Jesus Christ appeared unto him on
the road, and blinded his eyes and those of all his followers, and Paul said unto Him,
"Lord, Who art Thou? Reveal Thyself to me. Then our Lord said unto him, "Saul, Saul, why
persecutest thou Me, and why shewest thou thyself to be Mine enemy? It is harmful for thee
to kick against sharp nails. And Paul said unto Him, "Who art Thou, O Lord, so that I may
believe in Thee? And our Lord said unto him, "Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God, Who
is called the Nazarene. He it is Who is speaking with thee, and Who hath blinded thine
eyes, and He it is Whom thou persecutest;

24 and straightway Paul believed in our Lord, and turned away from the work he was doing;
and he was injured in the back, and his eyes were made blind. Then God commanded him to go
to the city of Damascus, and he came to Ananias, who was one of the disciples therein,
that he might open his eyes for him, and that he might baptize him; and immediately he
came to him he was baptized by his hands, and straightway he preached the Gospel of our
Lord Jesus Christ unto all the Jews and Gentiles in the cities and in the regions round
about. 25 How clement met with his father, and his mother, and his brethren. Clement
saith:—And we went with our master Peter unto the city of 'Azâton (Ashdod), on the borders
of Laodicea, and he saw a woman sitting by the gates of the city, asking for alms; and my

26 HH* master Peter said unto her, "O woman, why askest thou for alms? For I see strength
in thee, and thou art able to work and to keep thyself alive. And the woman said unto him,
"O noble aged one, if thou didst but know what hath happened unto me in the matter of
trial thou wouldst certainly wish me to die; and the woman's tears were flowing freely
down upon her cheeks. Then my master Peter said unto her, "What is thine affair, O woman?
And she said unto him, "O noble aged one, I am a woman from the city of Rome, and am of
the daughters of kings; [my husband's] name is Justinus, and to him I have borne three
children, whose names are Kōsṭōs (Caustus), Constantinus, and Clement. And I had a dream,
and my heart was greatly disturbed thereby, and in consequence I took two of my children
and we embarked on a ship and put out to sea, wishing to go to the city of Atēnā, or to
the city of Bērūt, for I wished my children to be educated in one of these two cities. Now
the eldest of my children [is called] Kōsṭōs (Caustus), and the next in matter of age is
Constantinus; and I took these two of my children with me and we embarked in a ship, and I
left the youngest child, whose name was Clement, with his father.

27 And the ship wherein we were was wrecked, and the waves cast me up on one of the ship's
planks on this coast, where I have been for two years; and I have no knowledge whatsoever
of the fate of my children. For this reason I am smitten with sorrow, and I sit here by
the gates of the city, and ask the people questions about my children that, peradventure,
I may obtain some news of them. And my master Peter sent my brethren away to the city of
Laodicea for some thing which was needed, and they dwelt in their places (literally roads)
by the gates of 'Azāṭōn (Ashdod); and they rested their backs against the walls of the
gates of the city and conversed among themselves. 28 What happened to the woman who asked
for alms. Now the woman listened unto what they were saying, and one talked to the other.
And one said, "O my brother, we have been disciples of this holy father for many years,
and we neither have information concerning nor know the cities wherein we were born. And
Caustus said unto him, "O my brother, I am of the men of Rome, and belong to a noble
family, and the name of my father was Justinus, and that of my mother was Maṭrādōrā; I had
two brethren, one of whom was called Constantinus, and the name of the other, the
youngest, was Clement. And my mother saw a vision by reason of which she went forth from
Rome, taking me and my brother Constantinus with her, and leaving my youngest brother with
his father; and she embarked in a ship, and put out to sea. Then there rose up against us
a mighty storm wind, and the ship was broken in pieces (or wrecked); but I escaped and
reached a piece of land, but I have never heard my tidings of my mother and brother up to
this hour. Then his companion said unto him, "The same thing also happened unto me, for I
also am of the men of Rome, and the ship wherein I sailed was broken to pieces in the sea.

29 And when the woman heard their words she went to them, and fell down upon them, and she
cried out with a loud cry, and wept, saying, "By the Living God Whom ye worship, thou and
thou, ye are my children, and I am your mother Matṛádōrā; and she told them her history
and [gave them] the proofs whereby they might know her, and they then knew of a certainty
that she was their mother. Now I Clement was at that time in the city of Laodicea. And
Matṛádōrā our mother went to my master Peter, and said unto him, "O aged one, by the
Living God Whom thou wor-shippest, these two disciples of thine are my children, and I am
their mother; and she told him all her his-tory. Then my master Peter prayed for her, and
said, "I will beseech and pray my Lord Christ, Who hath made me to meet with these thy two
sons, that He will also make thee to meet with their father and with their

30 "young brother." And I, Clement, came from the city of Laodicea, and the Holy Spirit
told my master Peter to enquire of me concerning my history and my city, and he said unto
me, "O my son Clement, behold thou hast been with me in the service of our Lord Jesus
Christ for many years, but I have never made enquiries of thee either concerning thy city
or thy history. And behold, the Holy Spirit hath commanded me to ask thee about thy city;
and for the sake of our Lord and God Jesus Christ thou shalt hide nothing of thine history
from me, but thou shalt make me to know all thine affairs;" and I informed him rightly and
truly concerning everything which related unto me. Now my brethren had departed unto a
certain city for some need-ful purpose. And when my mother heard my history, she threw
herself upon me, and said, "By the Living God Whom thou worshippest, thou art my son, and
I am thy mother." And to my master Peter she also said, "O holy master, this is my
youngest son Clement whom I mentioned unto thee." Then my master Peter went into the city
and brought out my brethren, and they saw me talking with my mother and this was hard for
them [to understand], for from the time when I became a disciple of my master Peter, like
them I had never held converse with a woman. And they said unto my master Peter, "Seest
thou not Clement? Rebuke him, so that he may not speak with our mother." And as we were
talking together our mother embraced us, and she wept with a sore and bitter weeping; and
my master Peter wept with her, and his heart burned because of our weeping. Thus we came
to know each other again.

31 And we said unto our master Peter, "We know that our Lord Christ will hearken unto thy
petition, and that He will grant unto thee everything which thou shalt ask from Him;
entreat Him now to make known [unto us] the history of our father, and whether he be alive
or dead." Then our master Peter said unto us, "I will ask our Lord Christ to shew me that
which we wish (literally think), and that ye may see your father alive. And if he be dead
I will make supplication unto our Lord to raise him up out of his grave, so that he may be
able to see and to talk with you before me." Then my master Peter raised himself up and
stood upon his feet, and he turned his face towards the East, and prayed, saying, "O my
Lord and God, Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God, Who didst come down from heaven the
abode of Thy holiness, and didst take upon Thyself flesh from the Virgin MARY, the chosen
one, that Thou mightest deliver the old Adam by thine Incarnation, Thou hast given us
power over all [Thy] works; and Thou hast given unto me the keys of the kingdom of heaven;
and hast appointed me to loose, and to bind, and to remit sins; and hast said unto us that
if we believe in Thee we shall do works which shall be greater than those which Thou didst
perform before the Jews; Thou didst raise up Lazarus from the dead out of the grave after
four days; and Thou didst raise up the daughter of Jairus the prefect; hearken Thou unto
my petition, according to the covenant which Thou didst make with me, and shew mercy upon
these my disciples, and upon their mother, and

32 "make them to see their father alive. Now at that time we were in Laodicea on the sea
shore, by the Green River. And when my master Peter had made an end of his prayer we saw a
cloud of light coming, and it arrived bearing upon it our father. And there went forth
from the cloud a voice, which said, "Get thee forth to thy sons; and we saw going forth
from the river where we were an old man of shining appearance, and his apparel was
glorious, and the hair of his head and beard was white like snow, and shining like wool.
And my master Peter said unto him, "O aged one, art thou one of our race, or of another?
For my master Peter thought that he might be an unclean soul. Then the aged man said unto
him in the Roman tongue, "I am a man like unto thyself, O aged one. And my master Peter
said unto him, "Tell me thy history, and from whence thou comest; and he told him
everything. Now as soon as I Clement and my brethren heard his voice we said unto my
master Peter, "This is our father, in very truth. Behold, our Lord Jesus Christ hath
re-B..19a. ceived thy petition and hath brought him unto us; and [our] master Peter said
unto us, "Yea, in truth, this is your father. Then he said unto that aged man, "Are these
thy sons? And our father fell upon [our necks], and we embraced each other and wept.

33 And our master Peter said unto him, "I would that thou didst tell us thy history, and
by what means thou hast come hither. Then the aged one, that is to say, our father, said
unto him, "It is two and twenty years since I lost my sons and their mother, and each and
every day I used to go forth from my house outside the city, and sit down upon the sea
shore, and make enquiries of the sailors, and boatmen, and strangers, for news of them,
but I never found any one who could bring me tidings of them. And this day, when I was
standing upon the sea shore according to my daily wont, behold, a moist wind blew, and I
saw a cloud whereon was standing a young Man Whose face was seven times brighter than
B..19a. the light of the sun, and He said, 'O cloud, bear this aged man away and set him
down by Peter, the chief of My disciples;' and straightway the wind bore me away upon the
cloud, and many who were looking at me marvelled. And I sat upon the cloud, being in a
state of sleep, until I stood by the side of this river, and [a voice] said unto me, 'Get
thee forth to thy sons.' The space of time which hath passed since I came out from Rome is
only a moment, and during this time I did not know into what city I was coming.

34 Then my master Peter said unto him, "I am the least of the disciples of Christ; the
young Man Whom thou didst see upon the cloud was our Lord Jesus Christ Himself. And Peter
taught him the faith, and the aged man believed. Now there was no water in that place, but
my master Peter smote with his staff the dry [bed] of the river wherein was no water, and
straightway water welled up therefrom; and it became in that place a pool of water which
floweth until this day, and is named the "Fountain of Simon Peter". And he baptized the
aged man therein in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit; and he
made the sign of the cross over him, and anointed him with the holy oil of Mérón, which
our Lord and God Jesus Christ had given unto him, and he gave a pledge of his faith by
[his] baptism.

35 And we departed from that place and came into Laodicea, where we dwelt for two years
preaching the tidings of the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, and through us there
believed multitudes of men whose number could not be counted. And we returned again to
Jerusalem and met there with all the disciples, and my master Peter commanded my father
and my mother to dwell in Jerusalem.

Chapter Iv.

36 Concerning The Preaching OF PETER AND JOHN IN THE CITY OF ANTIOCH; AND THEIR CALLING OF
MEN TO THE TRUE FAITH OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, AND THE MIRACLES WHICH THEY WROUGHT
THEREIN; OF THE COMING OF SAINT PAUL UNTO THEM, AND THE MATTERS WHICH FOLLOWED THEREUPON.
37 Clement saith:—[I speak] according as my glorious master Peter spake unto me. Now at
the time of my return from Laodicea, as I was sleeping in the Fortress of Zion, there
appeared unto me the angel who had often appeared unto me, and he said unto me, "Rise up,
and go unto the city of Antioch, and take with thee the beloved John, so that ye may
preach therein the preaching of the Gospel, and may call people unto the true faith. And I
said unto the angel, "I am an infirm old man, and the road to Antioch is exceedingly long;
why didst thou not give me this command when I was in Laodicea, where the road would have
been shorter for me? And the angel was hidden from me, and sleep fell heavily upon John,
but when we awoke we found ourselves outside [the city of Antioch], under the sky. Then I
said unto John, "My beloved, were we not sleeping in the Fortress of Zion, wherein we
dwelt? And he said unto me, "Yea. And I said unto him, "Where are we now? Behold, we are
sitting outside [the city] without an abode. Have we come hither of our own accord, or
hath some wile of Satan [brought us hither], for his wiles are many, or is what I am
telling thee now a dream?

38 Now whilst Peter was thus conversing with John, behold, two wood cutters came out of
the city and they were talking together in the Greek language, and I said unto my brother
John, "Thou knowest the language of these men, inasmuch as the knowledge thereof was given
unto thee by the Holy Ghost. Go then, and enquire of these wood cutters concerning this
country, and ask them what this city is; so John went unto these men, and he returned,
weeping tears and filled with wrath. And I said unto him, "O beloved one, what hath
happened unto thee, and why weepest thou? Then John said unto me, "I enquired of these men
concerning this city, and they said unto me, 'Canst thou not see the walls of Antioch
before thee?'" Now the wood cutters had doubts concerning John. "And I told them
concerning Christ, the Son of God, [and I said unto them], Is what ye say unto me true?
Then they rose up against me, and were filled with wrath against me, and said, 'Who is
Christ, the Son of God? And who art thou? And whence comest thou?' Then they debated the
matter one with the other, and said, Surely this is one of the disciples of Him Who was
'crucified in Jerusalem, Whose blood shall judge us.' And the woodcutters, who were well
versed in the knowledge of [heathen] gods, said, 'Since this young man hath no love for
his life, let us slay him;

39 but perhaps [it is better that] he should die by the hands of others;' and I did not
believe that I should escape from their evil deeds. This was my discourse with them. Now
if the wickedness of such debased and inferior men as these be so great, what can we
possibly do before the princes and governors of this city if we enter therein and preach
in the Name of our Lord and God Jesus Christ? And how can we teach them the right faith?
Then I Peter said unto him, "O beloved, be not dismayed at the words of these men, and be
not sorrow-stricken, for He Who hath brought us in a single night from Jerusalem to this
city, a distance of twenty days' journey on horses, will prosper our work according to the
covenant which He made with us." 40 And after a season we rose up, and came into the city,
and we preached therein in the name of our God, and we told them the story of the Gospel,
that peradventure they might believe in the kingdom of heaven. Then the people of the city
gathered themselves together against us, and scourged us with many stripes, and they haled
us before the priests of idols, and told them our story; and the priests ordered them to
shave off one half of the hair of our heads, and they derided us and cast us into prison
until the magistrates could take counsel concerning us. Then they carried us to the guard-
house which was in the walls of the city, and imprisoned us, and shut the doors upon us,
and set a seal upon them. And it came to pass that when they had departed and left us
alone, we rose up in prayer, and besought help from our Lord Jesus Christ. Now when the
night had come a shining cloud overshadowed us, and we saw our Lord and Redeemer [sitting]
upon it, and the Cherubim and the Seraphim were surrounding Him and glorifying Him. And He
held converse with us, and said unto us, "O Peter and John, be not dismayed, and fear ye
not, and be not sorrowful, for I will be with you even unto the end of the world.

41 It is not meet for you to marvel at these men because they have shaved the middle of
your heads, for they wish to make a mock of you, and to disgrace you thereby, for they do
not know of the hair of glory and of the splendour which shall be yours. And I tell you of
a surety that no man shall have the power to enter into the service of My holy things, or
to make the Offering of My Body upon the altar of My church unless the crown (literally
middle) of his head be shaved, even as is yours at this present. And it is not meet for a
man to be appointed to the priesthood except he be [shaved] in this wise; and to the
priest the crown of whose head is not shaved, the priesthood shall not be seemly, for he
shall have no portion with Me, and he shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. To the
priest who shall die with this crown upon his head I will grant the forgiveness of his
sins. And He also said unto me, "Peter, on the morrow I will send unto thee Saul, whom I
have named in baptism Paul, that he may help thee in everything which thou wouldst do; and
after our Lord had spoken these things unto me He was hidden from my sight.

42 And it came to pass that when the morning was come I saw in the courtyard of the gates
a man journeying along, and I said unto John my beloved, "Come, and look at this man who
is passing by; surely it must be Paul himself. Call him that he may come unto us. And John
called him, and he came, and behold, it was Paul himself. Now when Paul had come unto us,
and had seen how they had shaved the crown of John's head, he said unto him, "What is this
which they have done unto thee in this city? And John said unto him, "Marvel not
concerning me, for the chief of the Apostles hath also been treated in the same manner.
Then Paul opened the gates of the prison-house, and entered in to us, and he embraced me,
and was blessed by me. And he said unto me, "Be not sorrowful, O my father, I swear [unto
thee] by the light which appeared unto me on the road to Damascus that my Lord hath sent
me unto thee that I may preach in His Name, and I cannot transgress His command. Thus Paul
made our souls happy at that time, and he gave courage unto our hearts, and he left us and
departed; and he found the magistrates of Antioch, and he held converse with them
concerning what he desired, and he entered into their temples.

43 And the magistrates sent men unto us who brought us to them in the temple of their gods
where they were gathered together; and we entered into the foul place, and we found our
brother and companion worshipping idols, and he was offering incense to them, and bowing
down before them; and our hearts were rent asunder for him, and sorrow was heaped upon us
when we saw him bowing down. And when he had made an end of his bowings, he said unto me,
"O aged one, Whom dost thou worship? And I said unto him, "I worship Christ, the Son of
the Living God, Who hath wrought miracles and hath raised the dead. Then he said unto me,
"What miracle canst thou work whereby we may know the might of thy belief? And I siad unto
him, "I, in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ, am able to do whatsoever He used to do.
Then Paul said unto those who were gathered together in the temple, "O ye magistrates,
behold, ye have heard what these men say, that they can work miracles in the name of this
God Who calleth us unto belief in Him. Do ye B. desire that they should make manifest
miracles wrought through Him? And they said unto him, "Are these men able to open the eyes
of those who have been blind from their mother's wombs? And Peter and John said unto them,
"Yea, we can do [this].

44 Then Paul said unto those who were gathered together there, "If these men can work this
miracle, and make it manifest before us, I also can do likewise by the might of the gods;
and straightway they brought in before them two blind people. 45 And immediately the men
of the city were gathered together according to their various sorts and conditions, so
that they might see a wonderful thing. And Peter said unto John, "O my beloved one, first
of all pray and make supplication unto our Lord that He will open the eyes of this blind
man. Then John said unto me, "Unto thee hath been given the greater power, and thou art
our chief and our head, and on this occasion it is meet for thee to hasten to fulfil this
work. And I Peter turned towards the East, and my heart was sorely dismayed by reason of
the falling away [and] behaviour of B. Paul, and by reason of the prayer and supplication
which he continued to make in the house of idols. And I prayed and made supplication unto
my Lord and God, and He helped me, and I drew nigh unto the blind man, and said, "In the
Name of the Son of the Living God, Who hath existed [from eternity], Who was incarnate of
the Virgin MARY, and Whom the Jews crucified, let the eyes of this blind man be opened,
and let him see the world clearly; and straightway the blind man received his sight, and
he glorified God, and the people marvelled because of what they had seen. Then Paul said
unto them, "Marvel ye not at what ye have seen, for this aged man possesseth [the gift of]
sorcery whereby he openeth the eyes [of the blind];

46 but now, I by the might of the gods will do something which is better than that which
he hath done. So Paul rose up and prayed, and the people thought that he was praying to
their idols, but he was praying and making supplication secretly in his heart unto our
Lord Christ that He would help him and would accept his petition. Then he drew nigh unto
the second blind man, and he laid his hand upon his eyes, and they became opened, and he
saw the world clearly; and he gave glory unto God because He had wrought this thing for
him. Now the infidels rejoiced and imagined that their gods had done this thing like unto
the disciples of Christ, and they paid great honours unto them, and they magnified their
gods exceedingly. 47 And I Peter held converse with my brother John secretly, for we were
marvelling at the act of Paul, and wondering whether Simon the magician (having heard the
rumour of us) had appeared unto us in the form of Paul, and had wrought this wonderful
thing by the might of his magic, that he might be an adversary unto us. And whilst we were
meditating the things in our heart, behold, Paul called us into the temple before the
magistrates who were filled with wonder, for their hearts were strengthened, and their
souls rejoiced because of what Paul had done. And Paul said unto us, "Behold, we have seen
what ye have done, and ye have seen what our gods have done, and [how] they have revealed
their power among us. Have ye any other miracles which ye can work? Then we said unto
Paul, "Whatsoever miracles thou wishest, that is to say, the healing of the sick and
suffering, the straightening of the limbs of the paralysed, the cleansing of the lepers,
the casting out of devils, the making the deaf to hear, the loosing of the tongues of the
dumb, and the raising up of the dead, by the might of our Lord Christ, the Son of the
Living God, Who hath existed [from eternity], all these things we can do. And Paul said
unto us, "To-morrow then shall these things be; and they took us back to the prison-house,
and informed the Emperor of our story and of what had taken place through us and through
Paul.

48 Then the Emperor sent messengers unto Paul and unto the priests of the idols, and they
brought them unto him, and he enquired of them concerning what had happened; and they
informed him of what we had done, and what Paul had done. And the Emperor answered [and
spake unto] Paul alone, and enquired of him what district he came from, and what his name
was, and what his country was. Then Paul said unto him, "I am Saul, from the city of
Tarsus, and my business is well-known and standeth revealed, for from my youth up until
this present I have made myself an adversary unto these men. And behold, they say that
they are able to raise the dead; but the dead, O Emperor, no one can raise except the
Creator, and neither I nor any other man among the magicians and sorcerers hath the power
to raise the dead. Thou knowest well, O Emperor, that which I myself did when I opened the
eyes of a blind man by a mystery, and that I afterwards made known unto thee the mystery
[whereby I did it]. And the Emperor said unto him, "I have a son who died three months
ago, and his body hath now perished and fallen into decay; will these men be able to raise
up my son? Then Paul said unto the Emperor, "Bring them quickly, and enquire of them
concerning this thing, so that thou mayest know what they will say; so the Emperor sent
messengers unto them.

49 And he asked them concerning his son who was dead, if they could raise him up, and they
said unto him, "We will raise up thy son, even though he hath been lying in the grave for
a year. Now the wife of the Emperor heard the words as she was sitting inside the palace,
and she cried out straightway, saying, "[ my son Faustinus were to rise from the dead, and
I could see him alive [again], I, and all those who are in my royal palace with me, would
believe in the God of these men. But, O Emperor, do not hearken unto these words, for the
thing is impossible, and we have never heard of such a thing taking place, except through
the Creator of the heavens and the earth. But if these men are in truth His disciples, and
if they are able to raise up my son who died three months ago, and whose body hath fallen
into decay, no doubt shall exist in our hearts any

50 11\* longer, and we will not listen unto a vain word [concerning them]." And after this
Peter said, "If we see this sign and wonder I also will believe;" and after him all the
men agreed together that they would be of like mind, and they went to their houses. 51 And
it came to pass on the morrow that the Emperor sat upon his throne, and the doors were
opened round about the tribunal, and all the people entered therein according to their
rank and condition; then they brought us also thither, and we entered in and looked upon
that great assembly. And the Emperor said unto us, "Are ye able to do what ye say? Now my
son hath been dead three months, and [his body] hath become corruption. And we said, "Yea,
we are able, and if thou wilt believe on our Lord and God thou shalt see His power in
greater things than this. Then the Emperor commanded them to dig up the grave wherein the
young man had been buried, and to bring out his coffin in the state in which it was; and
they did so. And the Empress, the mother of him that was dead, brought forth lamps, and
flowers, and incense according to what was meet for kings, and she and all her kinsfolk
waited anxiously to see what God would do by our hands. Then we turned our faces towards
the East, and we stood up and prayed, and made supplication unto our Lord and God, and we
said, "O Lord, let not the hand of Thy mighty power be far from us.

52 Cast Thou not us away, and remember the covenant of truth which Thou didst make with
us, and raise up this dead man, that the people may know that Thou art God the Creator,
and the Vivifier of the dead; and we rose up from our worship. Then I Peter drew nigh unto
the dead man, and I made the sign of the Cross over him, and I cried out with a voice
which those who were gathered together near me might hear, saying, "O dead man, in the
Name of our Lord Jesus Christ the Nazarene, Whom the Jews crucified in Jerusalem, rise up!
And straightway the young man rose up from his coffin, and he was trembling by reason of
his death swathings, and he was wiping his face. Then his mother, who had been hidden
within the palace, went forth, and cried out, and said, "O Peter, I believe in thy Lord
and God; and she threw herself upon her son and embraced him, and the Emperor also came
and embraced his son, and kissed him; and all the people lifted up their voices and
believed in Christ, and the Emperor commanded that we should dwell in his palace.

53 Now Paul was with the Emperor, and there was great joy and gladness in the royal
palace, and in the city, and all the people of Antioch rejoiced. Then was the Emperor
afraid because of what he had seen, and he came to us, and bowed down unto us, and was
blessed by us. And the Emperor said unto Paul (Peter?), "My son hath told me everything
which happened unto him, and how these men stood before the throne of God, and how God
hearkened unto their intercession on his behalf, and he also told me that there was with
them another man whose petition was bold (or strong), whose head was bald and shining,
whose hair was red, and whose appearance was like unto that of Paul. Now I have meditated
upon these things with many thoughts; tell me then concerning your own work [in this
matter] 54 "and hide ye nothing from me." And I Peter said unto him, "Ask Paul thyself, O
Emperor, according as thou desirest." Then he baptized him straightway, and when he had
been baptized [he said unto him], "Thou shalt be anointed with the oil of the Holy Spirit,
and thy name shall be written in the Book of Life. And I will reveal unto thee the
mysteries of the faith whereby thy soul and thy heart shall be made to rejoice." Then he
B. turned unto Paul, and said unto him, "Make me to know the hidden things of thy work."
And Paul said unto him, "If thou wilt be baptized, and thy faith be true, I will make thee
to know that which will strengthen thy faith, and make thy heart to rejoice." And on the
morrow, in the early morning, I Peter smote with my staff [the ground] inside the palace,
and a fountain of water sprang up; (now this water floweth until this very hour behind the
sanctuary which is in the church at Antioch), and I baptized the Emperor and all the
people of his kingdom. Then all the men of Antioch hastened to go down into the water that
they too might be baptized, and we sealed them with the divine oil of Mérón, until they
had all been sealed.

55 And the doors of the palace were closed, and the Emperor sat upon his throne, and cried
out unto us, and said unto us, "Behold, I and all the men of my kingdom and my city have
accepted the faith, and I now command them to bring hither the remainder [of the people],
both from my country of Antioch and from the seven 1 The text of this passage is corrupt,
and several lines seem to have been omitted. "cities, and that ye baptize them by your
hands. As for me, teach ye me your commandments which shall be meet for [me to observe],
that I and those who are in my following may act according to your religion." Then we said
unto him, "The commandment which we would declare unto thee is, 'Be not an enemy unto our
Lord Jesus Christ.'" And he said unto us, "If I become a servant of my Lord Christ, who
shall be an adversary unto him?" And we said unto him, "Break in pieces thy idols, and
root them up from their foundations, and lay waste their temples, and build churches unto
our Lord;" and he did all these things even as we had commanded him. Then he called Paul
by himself, and he made known unto him all his affairs, and his faith was increased, and
he began to build the church which is known as Kuesyân(?) in the name of his son, whom
Christ raised from the dead, and he called it after the name of me, Peter. And he built
another church by the city wall, towards the East, and he called it after the name of
Saint Paul, and he turned the great heathen temple which the ancients had built in the
name of the planet Mars into a church, which was dedicated in the name of Saint John our
companion.

56 And after these things we separated, and Paul went unto the city of Tarsus, and
preached therein; now it was larger than [all] other cities. And the believing men who
were in Laodicea sent messengers unto me, saying, "The waters of the river of Kêsârôs have
risen to an exceedingly great height, and they have drowned many men, and covered their
fields, and swept away their cattle. Now they sent this message unto me and asked me to
entreat God to turn back the waters of the flood from overflowing its boundaries. So I
sent unto them John the beloved, and I commanded him to bind the waters of the flood by
the word of God until they should return to their place and cease to overwhelm any man.
And straightway John set out on his journey, and on the road he heard the story of how the
waters of the flood had drowned the men of the city, and caused them to perish.

57 And as he continued on his way he soon came to a place where young lambs were
pasturing, and he said unto one of the lambs, "Go thou to the river Kêsârôs, and say unto
it, 'John, the disciple of Christ, hath sent me unto thee, and he telleth thee that thou
art bound by the word of God, and that thou shalt never again pass over thy boundary until
the day of the Resurrection.'" And the lamb went to the river, and spake unto it according
as it had been sent to speak by John the beloved; and the flood went back to its [natural]
limit. Then all the men cried out by reason of this miracle, and large numbers of the
unbelievers who were in Laodicea believed in Christ on that day, and they were in number
eighteen thousand men. And John baptized them, and appointed over them priests to teach
them, and they built many churches; and after these things John went to the city of
Ephesus, and I departed to the city of Rome.

Chapter V.

58 How Peter Preached IN THE CITY OF ROME AND CALLED MEN UNTO THE FAITH OF CHRIST, AND HOW
MIRACLES WERE WROUGHT [BY HIM THERE], AND OF THE COMING OF PAUL, AND BARNABAS, AND
TIMOTHY, AND TITUS, AND OF MYSELF, CLEMENT, AND OF THE MATTERS WHICH APPERTAIN THERETO. 59
And after these days my master Peter called me Clement, and commanded me and my brethren
to go to the city of Rome before him, for thither had our Lord Jesus Christ commanded him
to go; and we had to go before him to the country of 'Aténá (Asia Minor), and [my] master
Peter embraced the brethren who were living in the city of Jerusalem. Then we departed to
the border of the city of Joppa, and we embarked in a ship and sailed over the sea until
[we arrived at] the Island of Cyprus, where we dwelt for three and twenty days, for thus
had the Lord told me to do. And after three and twenty days whilst I was still dwelling in
the Island of Cyprus, the angel of God appeared unto me, and said unto me, "O Peter, let
not thy sojourning upon this Island be [too] pleasant unto thee, but rise up, and go to
the city of Rome; so I departed thereunto. And the country was folded up before me like a
folded paper, until I arrived at the city of Rome and entered therein. Now I had had no
food to eat for some days, and when I had come into the city, and had seen its splendour
and the great riches of the people I was dismayed. Now I saw a little hill near the gates
of the house of one of the rich nobles of the city, and I sat down thereupon.

60 And that man [was a doer of] good works, and he gave away many gifts to the poor, and
he was of a generous nature, and was one who loved the poor stranger. Now the daughter of
that man saw that I was poor and wretched, and she said unto her noble and aged father, "O
my father, behold, I see on the hill near the gates of our house a poor man who is not
like unto the poor folk of our city, and I have never seen misery which is like unto his.
And he said unto her, "O my daughter, take thou a golden pitcher and fill it with water,
and take a gold basin, and a napkin of fine linen, and go forth to that man by thyself,
and keep 61 "thou thine handmaidens from drawing nigh unto him, and wash his feet with
thine hand, and inform me what he shall say unto thee, and what he seeketh. Surely he is
either a messenger of one of the gods, or a disciple of the God of heaven Who is in the
country of Judaea and in the city of Jerusalem. I have heard from the kinsfolk of Nero the
Emperor, and from Pilate, who was the governor of the country of Judaea, that that God
commanded His disciples to hate gold, and to be humble, and to wear rags, and that they
all should make manifest divine might, for their God hath given unto them the power to
work miracles and wonders. And I think that if thou wilt go nigh unto him, and will wash
his hands and his feet, and wilt not reject his poverty, he will heal thee of the disease
which is in thee." And that young woman came unto me with her face covered, and nothing
thereof could be seen except her eyes, and she was carrying a pitcher and basin upon her
shoulders, and she came up to me and found me in grief and tears. Then she said unto me,
"O aged man, weep not. Behold thou hast found that which thou wast seeking. Put away from
thee thy grief and sorrow, and wash thy face, and thy hands, and thy feet in this water,
and come into the house of thine handmaiden, that thou mayest eat of our food and give us
thy blessing. And she drew nigh and poured out water into my hands, but she hid her own
hands in her sleeves, and the Holy Spirit told me that she had leprosy upon them. And I
said unto her, "O daughter, why dost thou hide thine hands from me? for I am a poor, and
very old man. And she said unto me, "Because of the honourableness of thine estate; but my
history is a long one, and I have great sickness upon me. Then I said unto her, "Tell me
thine history. And she said unto me in grief and sorrow, "By the truth of the gods I will
hide nothing whatsoever of my history from thee. Now I was once invited to a gathering
together of the nobles of this city, and I went there together with all the [other]
virgins, and the evil eye fell upon me, and sickness laid hold upon me.

62 And as she was speaking unto me the tears were flowing down from her eyes upon her
cheeks like rain by reason of her burning heart, and [her] great sorrow. Then I took a
handful of the water and sprinkled it upon her in the Name of Christ, my God, and
straightway the maiden was cleansed from her leprosy, and she ran quickly to her father
and informed him concerning her healing by my hand, and she shewed him her flesh, and he
saw that she was cleansed from her leprosy. And her father rose up quickly from his bed
with joy and gladness, and he came unto me, and commanded his servants to carry me away
and to set me in his house, and he said, "Behold, this day hath come unto me the grace of
God, and life hath entered into my house. Then he bowed down before me, and said unto me,
"O aged noble one, thy coming unto us is good," and he made me to be seated, and he sat
down by my side, and he asked me, saying, "Tell me thy story. Whence art thou, O aged one?
And where hast thou come from? For through thee we have seen the light, and our hearts
rejoice." And I said unto him, "I am a servant of the servants of our Lord Jesus Christ,
the Son of the Living God, Who hath existed [from eternity] and Whom the Jews crucified in
Jerusalem, and He it is Who hath sent me to this city to call the people [thereof] to His
service, and to baptize with water and with the [Holy] Spirit those of them who believe,
and to anoint them with the holy oil of Mérón in the Name of the Father, and of the Son,
and of the Holy Spirit." And the old man said unto me, "I and all my people will believe
in thy God from this time forward." Then straightway I smote the ground in the house
wherein we were with my staff, and a great fountain of water sprang up therefrom, and I
baptized the old man and all his people; and I received him from the baptism, and I
anointed him with the holy oil of Mérón. And all the people of Rome heard of the fame of
me, and the paralytics, and the sick, and the blind came unto me, and I healed them; and
they believed, and I baptized them together with many [other] folk. Then I built a church
in the house of that aged man, whose name was 'Eufrikôs, and my deeds were heard of in all
countries (or cities), and men knew that I was Peter, the Chief of the disciples of our
Lord Christ.

63 And Paul came unto me from the city of 'Atênâ, and Timothy was with him, together with
Titus and Barnabas, his disciples, and Clement and his brethren, my disciples; and we
preached the faith in all the city of Rome, until the report of us was heard by the
Emperor. And it came to pass that when Simon Magus, who was dwelling on the sea shore,
heard the report of us, he came unto us to the city of Rome, that he might lead men astray
by his enchantments; but he knew not that the power of God would overcome his might and
wickedness, even as it overcame the wickedness of Jannes and Jambres, the magicians of
Pharaoh in Egypt in the days of Moses the prophet. Now, I was not grieved by reason of his
coming to the city of Rome, because my faith was in Christ, my God. And when I Clement met
my master Peter, he appointed me to be the Archbishop of the city of Rome, and he made me
chief of the congregation; and he appointed Awdayôs (Euodios), the son of Lendayôs
(Lendaios), to be the Archbishop of the city of Antioch; and Paul appointed Mark, the son
of Aresṭô, to be the Archbishop of the city of Alexandria; and he appointed Thomas over
India; and he appointed Philip to be the preacher in the country of Nôbâ (Nubia), and
after he had taught the people of that country he commanded him to return, and to go to
the country of Manṭēṭ and [the land of] the Two Rivers (Mesopotamia); and he appointed
Thaddeus over the city of Rōḥa (Edessa), and the Island of Syria, and sent him unto
Awkāryēs (Abgar), the king of Syria; and he appointed John the beloved over the city of
Ephesus. And my master Peter, and Paul, and the rest of the disciples tarried for a few
days in the city of Rome.

Chapter Vi.

64 How satan told peter what he would do against the believers, and the priests, and the
servants of god, and how he would lead them astray in the last days. 65 Now at that time
my master Peter departed from this place to the city whereunto Philip had gone, and it was
a well-known city, and the name thereof was Kartāgōn (Carthage); and Satan appeared unto
him on the road, and strove diligently to do battle with him, but my master Peter blew in
his face, and spat upon him, and Satan fled from before him, crying out, and saying, "O
Son of the Virgin, why hast Thou taken away from me the position which thou didst give me?
Behold, my kingdom is ruined, and my sovereignty, that is to say, the worship of idols, is
destroyed, and the idols which were the habitations of myself and of my hosts have
perished. Worship is now paid unto Thee alone, and I have no pretext against Thy flock;
but I will corrupt all those whom Peter and his companions, the Apostles, teach through
the love of gold and silver, and by reason of that desire they shall return unto me. And I
will make the worship of idols to reign again, and I will also make him that attaineth
unto the head of the priesthood among them to turn aside from the priesthood, and to take
gifts and bribes, so that there shall not be the reward of a priest unto any one of them;
and I will make the priests to transgress the Law of God, and I will make them to be
remote from His commandments. Hearken, moreover, and I will tell thee, O Peter.

66 I will cause schisms to be among them, and they shall attribute to Christ various
natures, which the hearts [of men] cannot understand, and thereby will I make them to
blaspheme against the Holy Ghost, even as I myself have blasphemed against Him. And I will
go unto the recluses and solitary monks who live in caves and in desert places, and I will
lead them astray by means of the vain dreams (or visions) which I will make them to see;
and I will make my soldiers to have dominion over them through Ba'ël Zébûl (Beelzebub),
who shall lead them astray, and they shall perform their desires, and like heathen priests
they shall make manifest unto men vain miracles. And I will send my soldiers to the
churches, so that they may strip from the mouths of the priests the spiritual prayer
whereby they make supplication that the Holy Spirit may descend upon the Offering. And I
will make them to possess the desire to have intercourse with those who received them
after Christian baptism, and I will plant in their hearts the lust of Sodom so that they
may perform it, and may choose it rather than lawful intercourse with women. And
especially shall their power spring from mine when they mingle tares with the wheat, for
my commandment is [to sow] tares, and they shall perform it. And I will make them to cry
out against the believers, and to slay them, and to pour out their blood, and to carry
them away into captivity;

67 and I will make their blood and their children, which are the children of the tares, to
be acceptable offerings, and I will not delay in performing this thing. I swear by the
light wherein [Jesus Christ] covered Himself on Mount Tabor, and on the Mount of Olives,
and in Galilee, and I swear by the might of thy God, O Peter, with Whom I take counsel,
and know ye that He is my King and my God, and that when He was baptized in the river
Jordan it was He Who removed me from my place of abode. And I swear unto thee by the time
when my Lord and King received power over death, and cast it into Tartarus, that is to
say, the depths of Sheol, for ever, and shut in its face the bolts of brass and iron, that
I will cause tribulation to come upon the Christians. And I will fight against them with
all my power, and I will never let them alone until the advent of Him that calleth Himself
Christ. And with him whom I shall choose and help I will be in everything which he
desireth [to do], and I will give him dominion over those who have believed through thee,
and through thy companions the Apostles. Hearken, O Peter, for I will wipe out all those
who follow after the Lord Christ, and I will destroy them on sea and on dry land. And know
this, O Peter, and understand well, that he (i.

68 e., Anti-Christ) shall come, and shall mingle temptation with the kingdom of Christ,
and he shall be at that time the means of ascent for the tares who shall come from the
south, and the period of their days shall be according to the days of [his appearance]."
69 And it came to pass that when I Peter heard these words from Satan I made the sign of
the cross over my face, and I rebuked him, saying, "He Who abased Himself, and took upon
Himself the flesh of man, and appeared among men like one of themselves, shall blot thee
out, O Satan, and He shall not give thee dominion over His servants." And when I had said
these words unto him he fled from before me, and I saw that he became like a flame of
fire; and I heard his voice, saying, "O Son of the Virgin, Thou Son of the Father, Thou
Word of light, Thou strength of 'Adônâya (i. e.,), from the days of times long past
whensoever Thou didst wish Thou didst reveal Thy power unto me." And having said these
words he hid himself from me. And again, I Peter and Paul the zealous one went unto the
city of Philippi, and we preached therein the preaching of the Gospel of Christ; and
Timothy, the disciple of Paul, was there. And here also the rumour of us reached Simon
Magus, and he followed us hither, and he corrupted the counsel of men, and made them to be
remote from the faith. So we left this place and went to Kartâgonâ (Carthage), and when we
had entered therein Paul left me and went to the city of Wârikôn, the country

70 Kk of Darkness, and between it and the country of the 'Akrâd' is a sea (or lake), the
name of which is Guôr-gnôr, and the breadth of which is three hundred stadia; now Paul
came unto this place that he might call the inhabitants thereof to the true faith, and he
dwelt there for one year and eight months, and [then] he made an end of his preaching
therein.

Chapter Vii.

71 . HOW PETER RETURNED TO THE CITY OF ROME AND MADE AN END OF SIMON MAGUS, AND REVEALED
THE FAITH OF CHRIST UNTO THE PEOPLE [THEREOF], AND HOW THEY WERE BAPTIZED, AND BUILT
CHURCHES, AND HOW THE DISCIPLES WERE GATHERED TOGETHER UNTO PETER, AND HOW THEY APPOINTED
A LAW AND A CANON SUITABLE TO THE BELIEVERS, AND HOW THEY SEALED THEM WITH THEIR SEALINGS,
AND EXCOMMUNICATED ALL THE TRANSGRESSORS, AND OF THE MIRACLES AND STORIES WHICH APPERTAIN
THEREUNTO. [My] master Peter said:—After these things a cloud carried me Peter, and
brought me back unto the city of Kartâgnâ (Carthage), and I found myself with the brethren
and the disciples who were there, and I made known unto them the things which I had seen
after [I left them]. 72 And after this we dwelt in Kartâgnâ (Carthage) a few days, and
then we went unto the city of Philippi, and from thence we went to the city of Rome, and
we did as we had done formerly, and called the people thereof unto the true faith, and the
numbers of those who believed were added unto daily. Then envy laid hold upon Simon Magus,
and he came unto us that he might dispute with us, and he was working many mighty deeds by
means of his magic, and he strengthened [the hold of] his error over men, and he increased
his wickedness, and his sorcery, and his crafty fraud whereby he led men astray; and he
made manifest to the people mighty works whereat they marvelled. Now one day he brought an
ox and spake some words into its ear, and straightway the ox died, and then they took
Simon Magus and myself into the presence of the Emperor of Rome, and we entered therein
with the disciples. Then Simon Magus said unto me in the presence of the king, "If thou
art a worker of wonders and miracles, raise up this ox which hath died; and I said unto
him, "Let him that hath killed him raise him up. And the Emperor said unto me, "Behold,
Simon hath already wrought a great miracle, for he hath slain this ox with his word; and
ye must raise him up by your words; then Simon Magus left us, and went into his own house.

73 And Paul said unto me, "Why do we stand idle? And I Peter received help by the Holy
Ghost, and I made the sign of the cross over the ox, and I said unto him, "In the Name of
Jesus the Nazarene, Whom the Jews crucified in Jerusalem, rise up, O ox, from the dead;
then straightway the ox rose and stood up alive, even as he had been formerly. And when
the people saw how he had come to life [again], they marvelled and glorified the Creator.
Then I said unto the ox, "Go thou unto Simon Magus, and say unto him, Peter, the disciple
of Christ, the Son of the Virgin, calleth thee; so the ox went away quickly, and many men
followed after him until he came to the house of Simon Magus, and he told him correctly
(literally, with a straight tongue) what I said unto him, and on that day many men
believed; and Simon Magus came with his ox unto the palace of the Emperor, who was sitting
upon his throne. Then the

74 Emperor said unto Simon, "Dost thou not see what the disciple of Him that was crucified
hath done? And Simon said unto the Emperor, "Marvel not at this thing, for, behold, I will
work miracles which are infinitely greater than those which these disciples have wrought.
Then the men who were there said unto him, "What miracles art thou able to work? And Simon
said, "I can work miracles the like of which neither these nor any other men can work. And
they said unto him, "What wilt thou do? And he said unto them, "I will ascend into heaven
before your faces. And they said unto him, "Do what thou sayest thou canst do, that we may
see what thou wilt do. Then, whilst I was looking at him, the unclean spirits were
gathered together unto him, and he commanded them to bear him away up to the place where
he would be hidden from the eyes of men, and they carried him away up until he was [out of
sight] in the air. And he cried out unto me, and said unto me, "O Peter, is the height to
which I have ascended sufficient for thee, or wouldst thou have me rise higher? Then I
said unto him, "Yea, I wish thee to rise much higher than this; so he mounted up higher
until he was nigh to disappear from the eyes of men into the air.

75 And Paul said unto me, "Why do we stand here idle, O noble master, and do not destroy
the work of this magician, and do away his crafty fraud? Then straightway I raised myself
up towards heaven, and I said, "O ye unclean spirits, in the Name of our Lord Jesus
Christ, the Son of the Living God, Who hath existed [from eternity], I bid you to let
Simon Magus drop out of your hands so that he may fall to the earth; and make ye
yourselves to be remote from him. Then straightway Simon Magus fell to the earth, and he
was so much broken that not one whole bone was left in his body; and his brains were
dashed out from his head, and all his bowels were scattered abroad, and he became like
unto the dung which is cast forth into the streets. And all the people lifted up their
voices, and glorified our Lord Christ, and on that day we baptized men in such multitudes
that their number could not be counted, and Paul, and Clement, and the other disciples who
were there received them from [their] baptism. Now we were baptizing men from that day
until the close of the thirty-third day.

76 And my master Peter, and Paul the Apostle, and Barnabas, and Timothy, and Titus his
disciple, and Thomas the Elder, and Agabus, one of the Seventy-two disciples, and
Protheus, and Dionysius, one of the sons of the heathen high-priests, all came unto me
Clement, in Rome, and we made ready the Offering, and we all partook thereof. And to large
numbers of the people who had believed through us we taught the faith, and the Law of the
Christ, and the ordinances thereof; and the number of those who received baptism in Rome
[from that time] until the day wherein the disciples were gathered together in my house,
was ten thousand, two hundred, and thirteen, both men and women, without reckoning
children. And I built a church in my house, and all the faithful, the numbers of whom were
added to each day by the help of the might of God, used to come unto us.

77 And my master Peter commanded me to write an account of everything which I had heard
and seen in connexion with him, and to lay it up in the treasury of books in Rome, and
after [I had done so] my master Peter and Paul sealed that which I had written with their
seals, and I also [sealed it] with my seal. And I cursed everyone who should reveal these
mysteries to the Gentiles, and we cursed every one who should transgress our command, and
we bound them by the power which our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God, our
God, had given unto us. And we said, "Whosoever shall reveal these mysteries, or even one
jot of them to any strange people, or to any nation of the Gentiles, shall be bound by the
voice (or word) of God; and this ex-communication did my master Peter, and the Apostle
Paul, and the disciples pronounce over every man who should transgress the commandments of
our Lord Christ, and their own behests. Then my master Peter said, With my own mouth I
say, As God liveth, no man whatsoever shall have the power to reveal [these mysteries],
whether he be a righteous man, or anyone like unto him, except the priests of the house of
the sanctuary who are pure, and who are righteous in the Law of God;

78 and whosoever shall transgress my commandment let him be excommunicated and accursed,
and let the wrath of God descend upon him, and I myself will enquire before our Lord Jesus
Christ concerning the transgression of my commandment. And straightway the Cherubim, and
the Seraphim, and the Princes, and the Thrones, and the Lords, and the Dominions, and the
Powers, and the Angels, and all the company of the Archangels, spake saying, "Amen. So be
it! Then my master Peter added unto the seal of these mysteries the seal of the pure
Mother of the Light, and Paul also said, "I will excommunicate him that shall transgress
the commandment of Peter, my prince and my master, even though he be one of the angels of
heaven. And Paul, the chosen one, also said, "I, and all my brethren the disciples, say,
If there shall be among the believers any man in doubt concerning what is written in this
book, and he shall say, This is not from God, and God did not give it unto Peter, the
chosen one, then shall he be excommunicated and accursed, both in heaven and upon earth.
And Luke the Evangelist, and all the disciples who were with him also spake according to
these words; and Timothy and Titus also added their seals to the sealings of the books.
Now the number of the books wherein were written the mysteries, and the Law, and the
commandments which my master Peter revealed unto me Clement, were eight books;

79 and the books which had been given unto my master Peter did he give unto me, and I
copied them according to his commandment, and I laid them in the Cave of the Treasures of
Rome, which I have called the "Cave of Life". And I added unto the things which were
revealed unto us some of the doctrines of the Hebrews, which the Emperors Vespasian and
Titus had collected; and also the mysteries which Paul had revealed unto his disciples
Protheus and Dionysius; and the mysteries which John the beloved had revealed, together
with those which our Lord Jesus Christ, and our Lady, the mother of the Light, had
revealed unto him, in the first of the eight books. In this book was written the history
of the tribe, and families, and kinsfolk of our Lady, the mother of the Light, and the
history of the kings of the earth, and the tares, that is to say the heathen rulers(?),
and the number of their kings, and the history of the end of the world, and of the
constitution of the world which is to come, and the similitude of the city of the heavenly
Jerusalem which my master Peter saw, and he described it unto me with his holy mouth,
according to what he had seen and heard concerning it.

80 And after all these mysteries had been revealed unto me, the disciples came together in
the great and holy city of Jerusalem, wherefrom the grace of God and the Holy Spirit are
not remote, [and they stayed there] until the day of the Resurrection, that is to say, the
day of days, the first day of the week, and there the beloved John preached the preaching
of the Gospel. And when my master Peter had committed his faith to his book, and had
sealed it with his seal, all the disciples who were in Rome also did likewise. Then there
arrived also the books of the disciples who were afar off in which were written their
faiths, and my master Peter read them and found them to be right, and perfect, and found
that the disciples were agreed as to the right faith, and that they had neither added
thereto aught nor taken anything therefrom, for the help of the Holy Spirit was with them,
and had made them all to be of one right faith, and not of faiths which were different;
and they wrote the books of their faith and the books of mysteries, even as He had sealed
them.

81 Then they set thereto as their chief seal the seal of my master Peter, and after it the
seal of our Lady, the mother of the Light, and after it the seal of Paul the Apostle, for
he was the eye of all the books, and [after it] the seal of John the beloved, unto whom
our Lady the Virgin, the mother of the Light, had been committed by the word of God, and
at the end of the seals followed the seal of me, Clement the sinner. And they added curses
upon any man whatsoever who should reveal any of these mysteries, except such as had been
appointed to be archbishops, and were holy men, and to whom such matters were seemly. Then
I Clement spake thus:—"I believe that God Almighty chose my master Peter before the world
was created, and I also believe that the Father revealed unto him the mysteries of His
Son, and that He also informed him alone of all the disciples concerning them, and that on
the Day of Judgment power will be given unto him from God to judge all men. And I said,
"Woe be unto those who trangress His faith and His commandments, or who take bribes as a
reward of priestly office, for their sin shall rank with [that of] Simon Magus, [and He
shall judge them] even as my master Peter judged him.

82 Now I Clement called that ark (or chest) wherein I had placed the mysteries, "The Ark
of the Covenant", and I rolled all the books up in the napkin wherewith my Lord and God,
Jesus Christ, girded Himself about when He washed the feet of His disciples, and I covered
them over with the face-cloth which was upon His head when He was in the grave. And I, and
many of the disciples, placed what remained of His burial wrappings therein; and the
garment which had been woven without seam, and which was that in which our Lord was
arrayed on the day of His crucifixion, and for which the soldiers cast lots; and the crown
of thorns which the Jews plaited for our Lord; and the apparel and tunic of purple in
which they dressed Him; and the sponge, and the vinegar, and the wormwood; and the spear
wherewith our Lord was pierced; and the rope wherewith they bound Him upon the wood; and
the rods wherewith they scourged Him—all these, I say, we laid up in the "Ark of the
Covenant", wherein we had placed the books of mysteries, where they shall be preserved
until the time of the second Coming of our Lord Christ.

83 Now I did nothing whatever of these things by my own will, but I acted according to the
command of my master Peter, for he told me that God had commanded him to lay up all these
most holy and most precious possessions in the holy city of Rome, and that no enemy should
ever have dominion over it, and that no evil should ever enter therein, and that the faith
of the people [thereof] is the right faith. And he said unto me, "Every Christian whose
faith shall not be like unto the faith of the men of Rome at the time when the disciples
were gathered together therein shall be remote from God, and he shall have no portion with
me. And my master Peter informed me that our Lord had made this city to be the habitation
of the angels, and that hymns of consecration should never cease therefrom, and that no
heathen rulers should enter therein; for this city was intended to be the abode of the
saints, and the habitation of the bodies of the holy fathers, and neither wrath nor sword
shall have dominion over it. And God shall make all men desire to go thither, and He shall
deliver it from those who are its enemies, and who seek to harm it, and they shall not be
able [to conquer] it.

Chapter Viii.

84 How Clement Asked PETER CONCERNING THE RE-MAINDER OF THE MYSTERIES, AND HOW PETER
REVEALED UNTO HIM THE REMAINING MATTERS OF THE ORDINANCES OF THE MYSTERY, AND THE LAW, AND
THE COMMAND-MENTS, WHICH OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST HAD GIVEN UNTO HIM, AND CONCERNING OTHER
DIVINE HISTORIES. 85 And it came to pass that when I had heard these things from my master
Peter, concerning these mysteries, their honour was greatly added to in my sight, and I
asked him to inform me concerning the history of the bodies of the fathers, Abraham,
Isaac, and Jacob, and the story of the Tables of the Law which Moses, the chosen one,
received from the hand of God, (Whose Names are holy! and broke in pieces. Then my master
Peter said unto me, "Know, O my son, that a certain pure woman shall rule in the last days
over the Christian people; and all the bodies of the believing Patriarchs shall be
translated unto the holy city of Rome, and the holy tables of Moses which were among the
treasures laid up shall be sought for, and people shall bring them into the city of Rome.
And he also said unto me, "Know, O my son, that I have to drink the cup which my Lord
Christ drank in the flesh, through the assumption of the human form which He received from
my Lady MARY, the pure woman, the mother of the Light. It is for me to be crucified, even
as my Lord was crucified, and they shall pierce my hands and my feet with nails. Thou
knowest, O my son, that my Lord and God commanded me to protect the churches and the
pasture of His sheep, and to feed them in purity;

86 behold, now, I commit them unto thee, for behold, I have to set out upon my way. And
Paul the Apostle they will also slay with the sword, but John the beloved shall not taste
death except at the time of the second Coming of our Lord to judge [the world], for my
Lord and my God made this known unto me, and said unto me, 'No man shall be able to bury
the body of John in the earth, for he is the steward of the mysteries of God,' and there
shall be given unto him only even what hath been given unto me, with the exception of the
keys of the kingdom of heaven; for our Lord gave them unto me alone, and I shall return
them unto Him on the day of His second Coming when He shall judge the living and the dead,
and shall reward every man according to his work. And know, O my son, that I am the keeper
of the gates of the kingdom of heaven, and to me it hath been given to make intercession
for all believers; and I have power to loose their transgressions, and of the race of men
no man except myself hath been chosen for this work, and this power hath never been given
unto any prophet, or unto any servant, or unto any angel, or unto any one of the chosen
servants of God.

87 And from the time when God created the world until the end thereof no such power hath
ever been given unto any except unto us, who are the Twelve holy Apostles. For we all have
seen with our eyes the glory of His Divinity, and we have touched mighty things with our
hands, and after this we had understanding in our hearts, and we believed in Him without
doubt. And this power was not given unto any others except us, for we had full
understanding of God, and perfect knowledge of Him. Verily I say unto thee, O my son
Clement, that I saw the Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, with mine own eyes sitting with the
Father upon the throne of the Cherubim, and I am a true witness that our Lord Jesus
Christ, Who took upon Himself the estate of man from MARY the Virgin, is the Son of the
Living God, Who hath existed [from eternity], and that it was He Who shewed me the glory
of His Godhead on Mount Tabor, and on the Mount of Olives, and on the sea. And I saw this
same God when He laid hold upon me with His right hand as He was walking on the waves of
the sea; and I saw that this same God was He Who delivered me by His mighty power from the
waves of the sea; and I have seen [His] great wonders.

88 Now if I were to sit down for a whole year and declare His wonders which I have seen, I
should not be able to recount [them all], and if I were to attempt to write them, all the
books in the world would not contain them. Unto Him then, be glory for ever, and ever, and
ever. Amen, and Amen.


THE CONTENDINGS OF THE APOSTLES, PART 2
=======================================

THE CONTENDINGS OF THE APOSTLES, PART 2 continued

THE CONTENDING OF SAINT PAUL

1 In the Name of God the Father, Whose existence is without beginning, Whose rule hath no
end, Whose Being cannot be sought out, Whose years cannot be measured; and in the Name of
God the Son, Who was begotten by Him, Who existed before the world and shall endure for
ever with Him, Who took upon Himself flesh from Mary the Virgin by His Father's will, but
Whose Divine Nature was not changed into His fleshly nature, nor His fleshly nature into
His Divinity; and in the Name of God the Holy Ghost, Who sprang from the Father, without
His existence (or nature) being modified or changed; One God coequal, Three in Persons,
and One in Divinity; we now begin to write the history of the contending of Saint Paul, by
the help of His grace. Saint Paul was the tongue of sweet-smelling ointment which scented
the church by the doctrine of his mouth. Saint Paul, whose course was beautiful, was the
Apostle of the Gentiles, who cried unto them to repent. Saint Paul was the associate of
our Lord Jesus Christ in His fetters, and in His punishments; he was always enduring
tribulation in his journeyings on land and on sea, and he bore the marks of his suffering
in his body. Saint Paul sprinkled wisdom from the fountain of his doctrines which watered
those who believed, and he made the foolish wise with the knowledge of his understanding.
Saint Paul was filled with the Holy Spirit, and he sanctified the Church with the seal of
the laying on of his hand, and he made it to increase by the graciousness of his
sweetness. Saint Paul was the teacher of the Law and the ordinances which strengthened the
believers by the word (or voice) of his sacred law, and he made them to rejoice in the
report thereof

Chapter I.

2 True Is The WORD WHICH OUR LORD, AND GOD, AND REDEEMER, JESUS CHRIST, spake in His Holy
Gospel, saying, "The first shall be last, and the last shall be first. It is a thing to be
marvelled at [how] God [dealeth] with His saints, and how He magnifieth and honoureth
those who are his chosen ones. He called Paul, the persecutor, unto Him, and He made him
to become His Apostle; He sent forth the light of righteousness by his hand, and He made
him worthy to bear the Gospel of His grace, and He made him to be the equal of those who
were before him in preaching it. And He saith concerning him, "This is a chosen vessel who
shall preach in My Name in all countries, and before kings, and princes, and nations, and
peoples, and in all the countries over which the heavens extend; for the light of his
doctrine shall illumine the hearts of all the believers who dwell upon the face of the
earth. And he shall draw them out of the darkness into the light, and out of error into
the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, and of His Good Father, and of the Holy Spirit. It was
this man who became the keeper of the true medicine, and the physician for every kind of
sickness and disease, and he healed the disease both of the body and of the soul through
the might of God which dwelt upon him.

3 This man by his prayers and supplications made the blind to see, and the lame to walk,
and the lepers to be cleansed, and the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak, and the dead
to be raised up. It was unto this man that our Lord Jesus Christ appeared and spake openly
several times, and He filled him with the heavenly gift, and poured out upon him the gift
of the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, until at length he spake the languages of all
countries. And He revealed unto him the knowledge which made foolish the wisdom of the
wise through the miracles and wonders which no [man] could do except by the hand of God.
He interpreted the books of the Prophets, and he revealed the power of the interpretation
thereof unto every person, [and in every] place; and he was all things unto all men, until
at length he withdrew their minds and their hearts from earthly things unto the kingdom of
heaven. He it was who ascended unto the third heaven and saw the hidden mysteries of
Christ by reason of his purity, and his virginity, and his striving, and his service, for
which things God chose him and made him to be a preacher of the Gospel of His kingdom.

4 He it was who bore the cross of the sufferings of Christ, and he died daily through the
tribulation which came upon him from the evil-doing Jews, for, said he, "I glory in my
suffering so that the power of Christ may be made stronger in me." He it was who, after
the end of his good fight, and after he had been crowned with the crown of righteousness
by the hands of the righteous Judge, walked forward in the steps of his divine doctrine,
that is to say, the preaching of the Holy Gospel, and he drew all men into the place of
rest and into the habitation of joy, where there was life everlasting.

Chapter Ii.

5 11. Hearken now, O all ye Christ-loving people, whom the grace of Christ hath called
into this holy church that ye may celebrate the festival of this chosen and praiseworthy
man, the blessed and glorious preacher who maketh intercession on behalf of all of you
with God, the great Lord, among the holy ones. Saint Paul was the interpreter of
righteousness, and the teacher of the truth, whom God honoured with the mitre of the
priesthood and with the crown of the angels. Hearken ye with the ears of your hearts and
minds that I may relate unto you a few of the things concerning his striving from the time
when God called him into His service, and appointed him to preach the Gospel of His grace,
and, O my beloved, the history of this pure and chosen man is as follows. Saint Paul
belonged to a noble and chosen family, and he was of the seed of Abraham, and of the
children of Israel; he was of the tribe of Benjamin the Hebrew, and he was learned in the
Scriptures, and in the doctrine of the Law of Moses. He was born at Tarsus of Cilicia, and
there he grew up; he was a vigorous man of fine, upright stature, and his countenance was
ruddy with the ruddiness of the skin of the pomegranate, his complexion was clear, his
nose was high and large, his eyes were dark, and his cheeks were full, and bearded, and of
the colour of a rose. He was educated with the greatest care and strictness by Gamaliel,
the high-priest and Pharisee, the teacher of the Law, who admonished the Jews and made
them to act cunningly towards the Apostles, until at length they meditated their
slaughter. Now the kinsfolk of Paul called his name "Saul", which is a Hebrew name, and
the interpretation of which is "given", that is to say, it is well-known that God "gave"
him; and Luke doth not cease to mention him by this name in the "Acts of the Apostles"
until after he made blind the magician who wished to turn the governor of Yâpûs from the
faith, but after this Luke calleth him "Paul". Now the name "Paul" is interpreted as
meaning "guide to the faith". Before Saul's conversion to the Christian faith he was a
priest of the Law of Moses, and he lived, according to the ordinances, a life of
righteousness, in perfect blamelessness and beyond all reproof, and he kept the Law of his
fathers. He was a zealous observer of the Law of Moses, and an adversary of the churches
of God, and an opponent of the Name of Jesus in his early manhood, and he inflicted severe
affliction upon the men who held the Christian faith.

6 He used to go into the habitation[s] of the true believers, and drag out men and women
alike and cast them into prison, and this he continued to do for a whole year after the
beautiful summons of Christ had appeared unto him; and he made himself an adversary, and
increased greatly his hostility thereunto, and he kept diligent watch upon them, and
strove against the Christians with such might that at length weariness came upon him. And
he saw the shedding of the blood of Stephen, who was one of the Seventy-[two disciples],
and the chief of seven deacons, and he guarded the garments of those who stoned him, and
he made himself a friend of those who wished to slay him. He obtained letters of authority
from the priests of the Jews of the city of Jerusalem to the [priests of the] synagogues
of Damascus, that they might give him help, because he had found therein certain men and
women who [followed in] the path of the Apostles, and that he might be able to bind them
and take them unto the holy sanctuary (i. e. Jerusalem). Thus speaketh Luke the
Evangelist, who describeth his apostolic strife, from the beginning of his believing and
teaching unto the end thereof, in the "Acts of the Apostles"; now he saith that
afterwards, even up to the time of [his] martyrdom, his disposition was one which was
tardy and delaying, and this statement is also found written in a certain book by
Eusânas(?)...

Chapter Iii.

7 Luke the Evangelist saith:—And this Saul received power from the chief priests in
Jerusalem, to persecute those who believed in Christ, from Jerusalem even unto the cities
which were afar off, and he cast many of the saints into prison, and he bound them in
chains, both men and women alike, and threw them into prison. And he went to the chief
priests of Jerusalem and asked them for a letter of authority to the [men of the] city of
Damascus and of the synagogues thereof, and for power to bind in chains any men or women
whom he might find on the way and to bring them to Jerusalem. One day as he was journeying
along the road about the time of noon, now he was nigh unto the city of Damascus, behold,
there fell upon him suddenly a flash of lightning, and a light from heaven rose upon him;
and he fell upon his face on the ground by reason of his exceedingly great fear. And he
heard a voice from heaven which spake unto him in the Hebrew tongue, saying, "Saul, Saul,
Acts of the Apostles ix. 2.

8 "why persecutest thou Me? It is ill for thee to kick and to smite thyself against the
goad which is as sharp as a nail. And Saul answered and said, "Who art Thou, my Lord? And
our Lord said unto him, "I am Jesus the Nazarene, Whom thou persecutest; but rise up, and
stand upon thy feet, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what it is meet for
thee to do. Now the men who were with Saul on the road stood still and held their peace,
but they heard only a voice and saw nothing whatsoever. Then Jesus said unto him, "I have
appeared unto thee that I may choose thee to be a minister unto Me, and a witness of what
thou hast seen of Me. Know, moreover, that I will appear unto thee, and will deliver thee
from among the nations and peoples unto whom I shall send thee to open their eyes, and to
turn them from the darkness into the light, and from the works of Satan unto the knowledge
of God, so that they may find forgiveness of their sins, and a portion with the saints, if
they believe in Me. And now, rise up, and go into the city, and there shalt thou learn
what it is meet for thee to do.

9 Then Saul rose up from the ground, and although his eyes were open he could not see, and
the men [who were with him] held him by his hands, and led him along, and brought him into
Damascus; and he remained there for three days without eating, and without drinking, and
without sight. Now there was in the city of Damascus a certain disciple among the Apostles
whose name was Ananias, and he was a God-fearing man according to that which is [written]
in the Law. And our Lord appeared, and said unto him, "Ananias", and Ananias said, "Here
am I, Lord. And the Lord said unto him, "Rise up, and depart, and pass through the street
which is called Straight", now its name at this present is Marketplace, "and seek for a
man of Tarsus, of the house of Judah, whose name is Saul, who prayeth. And behold, whilst
Saul was praying, there appeared unto him in a dream a man whose name was Ananias, who
came to him and prayed over him, and he laid his hand upon him so that he might receive
his sight. And Ananias answered and said, "O Lord, behold I have heard concerning this man
from many, and of all the evil which he hath wrought on Thy saints in Jerusalem, and
having obtained power from the chief priests he hath come hither also that he may bind in
fetters all those who call upon Thy Name.

10 Then our Lord said unto him, "Rise up, get thee out, and go unto him, for behold, I
have made this man to be a chosen vessel for Me that he may go and bear My Name before the
Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel, and I will tell him how great suffering
shall come upon him for My Name's sake. So Ananias departed unto him straightway, and he
entered into the house and laid his hand upon Saul, and said unto him, "O Saul, my
brother, our Lord Jesus Christ, Who appeared unto thee on the road, hath sent me unto thee
that thine eyes may be opened, and that thou mayest see as thou comest along, and that the
Holy Spirit may be fulfilled in thee. And straightway, at that very moment, a skin which
was as fine as the web of a spider was torn asunder and fell from his eyes, and they were
opened, and he saw forthwith. Then Ananias said unto Saul, "Behold, thou must know that
the Lord God of our fathers hath chosen thee, and that thou mightest know His will
appeared unto thee in the form of a lightning flash, and made thee to hear the voice of
His mouth; and thou shalt be unto Him a witness before all men concerning what thou hast
seen and heard. Rise up now, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, and know His Name.

11 Then straightway was Saul baptized, and he took food and ate, and grew in strength, and
he dwelt in Damascus for a few days with the Apostles; and immediately he began to preach
in the synagogues of the Jews, and he taught in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ, saying,
"This Christ is the Son of God; and all those who heard him marvelled and were astonished
in their hearts. And they said concerning him, "Is not this the man who slew those who
believed on this Name in Jerusalem and here? And did he not come hither for the purpose of
putting them in chains, and carrying them to the high priest? Nevertheless Saul prevailed
over and vanquished the Jews who dwelt in Damascus, and brought them [to the belief] that
Jesus was the Christ. And after a few days the Jews took counsel together how they might
kill him, and certain men told Saul what the Jews had planned, now they were watching the
doors [of the house] by day and by night, and they kept a strict watch upon him also that
they might kill him. Then his disciples took him by night and let him down in a basket
from the top of the fortress, [and he departed; and when he had arrived in Jerusalem he
prayed in the sanctuary.

12 Now whilst he was praying sleep fell upon him, and our Lord appeared unto him, and
said, "Make haste, and get thee out from 'Jerusalem, for the people thereof will not
receive testimony from thee concerning Me. And Saul said unto Him, "O my Lord, they know
that I used to cast into 'prison and punish in the synagogues those who believed in Thee,
and that when they shed the blood of Stephen, Thy martyr, I was standing there with a glad
heart, and watching the clothes of those who had slain him.'" And our Lord said unto him,
"Depart, for behold, I will 'send thee unto the nations which are afar off. Now whilst he
was sitting in the sanctuary and preaching, the Jews who knew the Greek language were
seeking for him and wishing to kill him; and when his disciples knew this, they took him
down to Caesarea, and sent him to Tarsus. And when he had arrived at Jerusalem he
terrified the Apostles, for they imagined that he would inflict punishments upon them, and
they all were afraid of Saul when they saw him; for they knew him not, and they did not
believe that he had joined himself unto the Apostles.

13 Then Barnabas took him and carried him to the Apostles, and he told them concerning
him, and how our Lord had appeared unto him and taught him, and how he had seen Him on the
road to Damascus, and how He had spoken with him, and how Saul had taught in the Name of
our Lord Jesus Christ in Damascus. And whilst Saul was dwelling with the Apostles in
Jerusalem, and was teaching openly in the Name of our Lord Jesus, the heathen began to
contend against him, and they also wished to kill him. Now when his brethren knew [this],
they brought him out by night, and took him to Caesarea, and sent him to Tarsus, where he
dwelt and preached in the Name of Jesus Christ. And all the churches of Judaea, and
Galilee, and Samaria, dwelt in peace, and were stablished; and they advanced in the fear
of God, and increased in the doctrine of the Holy Spirit.

14 Now after these things Barnabas departed to seek after Saul, and when he had found him
he took him and carried him with him to Antioch, where he continued to preach for a whole
year; and he taught many, and they became Christians. Then Saul and Barnabas returned, and
they went to the Apostles in Jerusalem, having completed their service; and they took with
them John who was surnamed Mark. Now there were in the church in Antioch prophets, and
elders, and Barnabas, and Simon who was surnamed Niger, and Lucius the Cyrenian, and
Manasse, the son of the nurse of Herod the king, and Saul; and whilst they were serving
God and were praying, the Holy Spirit said unto the brethren, "Separate for Me, and choose
out Saul and Barnabas for the work unto which I have called them." Then they fasted, and
prayed, and laid their hands upon them, and sent them away to preach in the Name of our
Lord Jesus Christ in the synagogues of the Jews, and having been sent away by the Holy
Spirit, they wandered round about in all the islands, and they journeyed unto Sélé-wenkyâ
(Seleucia), and they passed on to Cyprus, and came to Salaminia (Salamis); and they
preached therein, and they declared the word of God in the Israelitish congregation. Now
John and Mark the Evangelist were with them, and were ministering unto them. And when they
had gone round about among all the islands, and had travelled through them, they came to a
city the name of which is Yâfus, that is to say, Paphos, where they found a certain Jew
who was a magician and a false prophet; he was a servant of the governor, and his name was
Baryâsâ', that is to say, Baryâsôs (i. e., Bar-Jesus), and he was with the prefect
Sergius. And he said unto the governor of Paphos (i. e. Sergius), "There is here a certain
wise man whose name is Paul; send and call him. And he sent a messenger and called Saul
and Barnabas, for he wished to hear from them the word of God, but the magician whose name
is 'Almâs (Elymas), which is interpreted, "sorcerer", wished to keep back the prefect
[from the faith].

15 And the Holy Spirit filled Saul, that is to say Paul, and he looked at him, and said
unto him, "O thou who art filled with wickedness, and sin, and all evil, thou child of
Satan, thou enemy of all righteousness, who dost refuse to leave off corrupting the way of
God, remove thyself from being an enemy in the path of righteousness and integrity. And
now I say unto thee, Behold, the hand of God shall come upon thee, and thou shalt become
blind, and shalt B..41a."not see the sun until the season of thine appointed time "hath
come. Then straightway his eyesight clouded over and became black, and he sought for some
one to lead him, and the prefect, that is to say, the governor of Paphos, who had
marvelled and been filled with astonishment, saw him, and believed in God.

Chapter Iv.

16 Then Paul And BARNABAS PASSED ON FROM FĀḲŪS (PAPHOS), WHICH IS OPPOSITE THE SEA, and
they came to Pargên (Perga), which is in Pamphylia; and John left them and made his way to
Jerusalem. And the Apostle Paul and Barnabas departed from Pargên (Perga) which is on the
sea, and they came to Pargâ (Perga) a city of Ḳâmḳûlyâ, and they passed on from Pargâ
(Perga) and came to Antioch, a city of Bêsidyâ (Pisidia): and they entered into a church
on the Sabbath day, and sat down. And after they had read the Law and the Prophets, the
chief priests sent unto them, and said unto them, "Brethren, if there be among you any man
who is able to speak that which is good, let him tell it to the people. Then Paul rose up,
and preached in the church in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ, and all the congregation
hearkened unto his preaching, and rejoiced, and they gave thanks for the word of God, and
all those whose portion is everlasting life believed. And the word of God spread abroad in
all countries, and reached even unto the ends of the earth. Then certain Jews stirred up
the men of that place to make an attack upon Paul and Barnabas, and they drove them out of
their country; so they shook off the dust from their sandals upon them, and departed, and
they passed on to the city of Lûḳânya (Lycaonia).

17 And the Holy Spirit rested upon the Apostles in full measure, and they rejoiced, and
they did in the city of Lûḳânya (Lycaonia) even as they had done before, and many men,
both among the Jews and the Greeks, believed; and they dwelt there a long time teaching,
and they spoke in the Name of our Lord, Who made them to see the witnesses of His gracious
word. And God wrought signs and wonders by the hands of the Apostles; now the people of
the city were of two minds about them, and one half of them inclined to the Jews, and the
other half to the Apostles. And the Jews and the heathen fought against their messengers,
and heaped insult upon them, and stoned them with stones, and when the Apostles saw them
[doing thus] they fled unto the city of Lûḳânya (Lycaonia), and Lestrân (Lystra), and
Darbên (Derbe), and the borders thereof, and there they taught.

18 Now there was a certain man living in the city of Lestrân (Lystra) whose feet had been
lame from his mother's womb, and he had never walked at any time; and he heard Saint Paul
talking, and he thought that he would give him alms. And Saint Paul turned and looked at
him, and he saw that he had within him living faith, and he said unto him with a loud
voice, "In the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ, rise up, and stand upright on thy feet;" and
straightway he rose up, and departed. And when the people saw what Saint Paul had done,
they cried out in the language of their country, and said, "The gods in the form of men
have come down [from heaven] unto us." And whilst they were living there teaching, behold,
certain Jews came from Antioch and Iconium, and persuaded the people to entreat them
evilly, and they corrupted the hearts of the council to such a degree that they beat and
stoned the blessed Paul, and dragged him along the ground, and cast him outside the city,
and they believed that he was dead.

19 B..41b. Now when the evening had come, his disciples went to him, and he rose up, and
came with them [into] the city. And on the morrow he departed and went forth with Barnabas
to the city of Darbên (Derbe), and they preached therein, and many believed in their
doctrine; and they returned to Lestrân (Lystra), and Lûkânyâ, and Antioch, and
strengthened the souls of the disciples, and made them bold in the faith. And they
appointed unto them priests in every church, and they prayed with fastings, and then
committed them to the care of God in Whom they had believed. Then Paul and Barnabas
returned to Antioch, and they entered into the church and related unto the believers what
God had done by their hands, and how they had opened to the Gentiles the doors of the
faith; and they dwelt with the disciples in Antioch for a long time.

20 Now there came unto the city of 'Atênâ (Attalia), where Paul and Barnabas had their
habitation, certain men of the Jews, who said unto the brethren, "Except ye be circumcised
ye shall not be saved"; and because of this thing there was contention between the
brethren and the Apostle Paul and Barnabas. And the people came with the priests of
Jerusalem unto the Apostles [and asked them] concerning this opinion, and when they had
come unto them they told them everything which God had done for them. Then certain men who
were of the sect of the Pharisees and who had become converted, said, "Ye must be
circumcised, and we 'command you to observe the Law of Moses; and the Apostles and the
priests gathered themselves together so that they might examine into the matter, and there
was much contention among them on account thereof. 21 And Peter the master rose up and
addressed them with many words, and James said, "I decree that 'they shall not in any way
afflict those who have turned unto God among the heathen, but that He shall be served by
them [as they please], provided they make themselves to be remote from sacrifices
[offered] unto idols, and from [things] strangled in [their] blood.' And they agreed
concerning this, and they wrote a writing in which these words were set down. 'Now it is
the good pleasure of the Holy Spirit, and it is our good pleasure also, not to cast upon
you any weight which is greater than this: —Ye must keep yourselves remote from blood, and
[from things] strangled, and from fornication, and from offering up sacrifices unto idols.
From the observance of these things, however, ye may not escape, and if ye keep yourselves
from the things [afore mentioned] ye shall do well. Those who hate you make not to be your
companions; keep these things, and peace be unto you. And they handed on the writing which
they had with them unto the believing Jews, that is to say, to Baryásón, who is called
Judas, and to Silas, and they sent them with Paul and Barnabas; and they came to Antioch
and assembled the synagogue (or congregation), and delivered unto them the message, and
when they had read it they rejoiced in the doctrine of Silas and Judas, for they were
prophets.

22 And the Apostle Paul dwelt in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of God, and
Silas also was anxious to live with the Apostles Paul and Barnabas; so they tarried in
Antioch, and, together with many others, they taught and preached the word of God. And
after a few days Paul said unto Barnabas, "Let us turn back and B visit the brethren who
are in the [various] cities unto which we have preached the word of God, so that we may
know in what condition they are." Now Barnabas wished to take with him John, who is
surnamed Mark, but Paul was unwilling that he should do so, for Mark had left them in
Pamphylia, and had not come with them in the work; and Barnabas went and brought Mark with
them, and anger sprang up between them to such a degree that each separated from the
other. Then Barnabas took Mark with him and they went to Cyprus, and the Apostle Paul
chose Silas, and he departed from Antioch and began to journey round about in all Syria
and Cilicia, and he confirmed the churches even unto Dêrbên (Derbe) and Lestrân (Lystra).

23 Now there was there a certain disciple [called] Timothy, the son of a Jewish widow, and
his father was a Greek, and the Apostle Paul wished him to come with him; and Paul took
him and circumcised him because the Jews who were living in those parts well knew that his
father was a Greek. And they went round about through the cities and were giving orders
unto the believers concerning the works which the Apostles and priests in Jerusalem had
commanded to be done, and the churches were growing strong in the faith, and the numbers
of the believers were added to daily. And Paul came unto 'Afrâkyâ (Phrygia), and the land
of Galâtya (Galatia), and the coasts opposite Mêsendyâ (Mysia), and they went down to
Terô'dâ (Troas); and a few days later, in the city of Terô'dâ (Troas), there appeared unto
Saint Paul, in a vision of the night, a man of Macedonia who stood and made supplication
unto him, and said, "Come over to us, with Silas and Barnabas, and help us." Then we
departed on the Sabbath, and with us was Luke the historian of this work, and we went to
Filrôs, wherein we took up our abode.

24 And having gone forth on the Sabbath outside the gates of the city by the river side,
for there was the house of prayer situated, we sat down, and we began to speak unto the
women who were there. Now there was among them a certain woman who sold linen, and she
came from the city of Ta'tirón (Thyatira), and she feared God, for God had opened her
ears, and she listened unto what Saint Paul said; now her name was Lydia. And when she had
been baptized with all her people, she made supplication unto us, saying, "If ye hold me
to be a woman that believeth in God, come ye into my house and dwell, O servants of God;"
and she urged us greatly. And as we were going to prayer there met us a certain young
woman who was under the power of a demon, and she brought to her owners much money, for
she used to receive gifts, and she followed after Paul and Silas, crying out and saying,
"These men are the servants of God, the Most High, and they teach the way of life." Now
she acted in this wise for many days, and importuned Saint Paul; and he turned and said
unto that spirit, "In the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ I command thee, O evil devil, to
go forth from this woman;" and straightway the devil left her. And the owners of the
woman, seeing that no more moneys would be brought in to them by her, seized Paul and
Silas, and, dragging them along the ground to the market place, brought them into the
presence of the guards and magistrates, and said, "These men are making a commotion in our
city, and they are Jews, and they are teaching us a religion which it is not seemly for us
to practise, seeing that we are Romans. Then the people and the magistrates came together,
and they began to beat them with staves, and they rent their garments in pieces, and when
they had beaten them severely they cast them into prison and gave orders to the keeper of
the gaol to keep them in strict custody; and the keeper of the gaol having been thus
commanded, he shut them in the prison-house, and fettered their feet securely in the
stocks. And at the time of midnight Paul and Silas prayed and glorified God, and those who
were in the prison heard them, and their fetters were struck from off them. Then
straightway the wall of the prison-house quaked with so mighty an earthquake that all the
foundations thereof shook, and all the doors of the prison-house were opened immediately,
and all the prisoners were set free. And when the keeper of the gaol saw that all the
doors were opened, he drew his sword and wished to stab himself, for he thought that all
the prisoners had escaped.

25 Then Saint Paul cried out and said unto him, "Do thyself no harm, for we are all here;
and he brought a lamp and went, trembling, and did homage unto Paul and Silas, and he
brought them outside, and said unto them, "My masters, what must I do to be saved? And he
said unto him, "Believe on our Lord Jesus Christ, and be baptized, and thou and all thy
house shall live; and he declared unto him, and all his house the word of God, and he took
them straightway by night and washed their wounds, and he and all his people were
baptized. Then straightway he took them up into his own house, and spread a table [for
them], and he and all his house rejoiced and believed upon our Lord. And when the morning
was come the 26 MM* magistrates sent their guards, saying, "Release these men, and let
them go in peace;" and the keeper of the gaol told these words to Paul and Silas, saying,
"The magi-B..43b." "strates have sent to release you, therefore depart ye in peace."

Chapter V.

27 . AND IMMEDIATELY THEY HAD GONE OUT OF THE PRISON-HOUSE THEY DEPARTED TO THESSALONICA,
AND the Apostle Paul entered into a church wherein there were Jews. And he spake unto them
from out of the Scriptures for three Sabbaths, and some of them believed, and other people
joined themselves unto them; and many men among the Greeks believed, and of noble women
also not a few. Then did the Jews rise up against them, and having gone that night to the
city of Ḥalb many of the Jews and Greeks who lived in that city believed, both well-known
men and women. Now when the Jews of Thessalonica knew that the Apostle Paul was declaring
and preaching the word of God in the city of Ḥalb they came thereunto and stirred up the
people against him. 28 Now after these things Paul went out from among them, and he
departed unto the city of Ḥalb (Aleppo), which is one of the cities of Syria, and he found
there by the roadside a man whose name was Kēwārestes. And Saint Paul said unto him, "Dost
thou know what god the people of this city worship, or what they worship? And Kēwāreṣṭes
answered and said unto him, "They worship the figure of a bird, a golden hawk. And Saint
Paul said unto him, "Then hath neither the Nazarene nor any one of His disciples come into
your city? And Kēwāreṣṭes said, "None of them hath ever come hither. Then Saint Paul said
unto him, "Tell me, O my brother, for I am one of the messengers (or servants) of Lūsyūs
(Lucius) the governor, and I have come to bind in chains all the people I find and to
carry them off to the city of Iconium to the chief priests, and the Sadducees, and the
elders of the people, that they may admonish them. And Kēwāreṣṭes answered and said unto
Saint Paul, "It is not meet for any man to enter into this city until he hath received
permission from Manāṣē (Manasseh), the son of Mardocheus, the prince of the city of
Thessalonica, and behold, thou wilt find twelve men sitting and guarding the gates of the
city of Aleppo.

29 And if any stranger cometh, and wisheth to enter into this city, they take him and
carry him to the temple and offer him up to the god of this city. But rise up, and depart
unto the city of 'Atēnā (Attalia(?)), and dwell there for seven days, because after to-
morrow morning they will close the gates of the city until seven days be fulfilled. After
this [time] go thou, and obtain a writing of permission from Manasseh, the son of
Mardocheus, and he will give thee permission to enter into this city; but do not enter
into this city without the people knowing who thou art, lest they offer thee up as a
sacrifice to the god thereof, for I observe that thou art a man of fine and noble stature.
Then Saint Paul said unto him, "Do thou for me an act of kindness and friendship, and give
me one of the two garments which thou art wearing that I may put it on, and take me with
thee into this city; and he shewed him the writing [which he had], and said unto him, "I
have received this writing from the prefect of one thousand [men], and [from] Ananias the
high-priest, and from the governor of the synagogue. And Kēwārestes an- swered and said
unto him, "Come, for we may now go without [any] hesitation, and if I can find any way I
will bring thee into this city; but let us hasten therein before they close the gates of
the city, for they will not open them again for us, because the evening hath come and it
is well nigh dark." So Saint Paul went with the man, and they hastened [to the city]
before the guards closed the gates thereof, for as soon as they had closed the gates they
departed to their own homes, and then they went back to the great iron gate nigh unto
which the elders of the city and guards lived.

30 Meanwhile Saint Paul and Kēwārestes travelled along their way until they came to the
city. Now the people of that city were degraded heathen, and their error was great, and at
that time they were gathered together in their temple, for the season of the festival had
arrived. And when Saint Paul and Kēwārestes had come [to the city], they passed through
the gates from the first to the third, and they arrived at the great iron gate, [wishing]
to enter therein; now Saint Paul was dressed in the garment which belonged to Kēwāreṣṭes,
and [the guards] had lit candles and lanterns in the gate. And it came to B..44b. pass
that when 'Areṣṭebén,' the captain of the guards, saw Saint Paul entering in the city with
Kēwāreṣṭes, he laid hold of them, and said unto them, "For what purpose have ye come into
this city at this time? Would ye hold in contempt the festival of the gods? Then one of
the soldiers of those who were standing [there] looked into the face of Saint Paul, and
knew that he was not one of the inhabitants of the city, and he told the captain of the
guard so that he might seize them both. And 'Areṣṭós answered and said unto Saint Paul,
"Whence hast thou come? And from what people art thou? And what wouldst thou in this city?
And whom knowest thou here? Tell me the truth before thou diest a death of suffering.

31 Then Saint Paul answered and said unto him, "I am one of the servants who stand before
Faḥeṣṭós, (Festus), the prefect of Jerusalem, and we have heard concerning this Nazarene,
Who is called Christ, that He hath chosen twelve men and hath sent them out to preach
[unto the people] in every place, and that they believe that He is the Son of God. And I,
even B..45a I, have come from the Sadducees and from the high-priest Ḥannā (Ananias), and
I have received from him authority to bind in chains any of His disciples whom I can find,
wheresoever I find them, and to carry them 32 "to the high-priest and to the princes of
the people." Then 'Aresṭōs bound Saint Paul and Kēwāresṭes and delivered them over to a
certain officer called Timothy, who was of the men of Thessalonica, so that he might guard
them until he came, and he said unto him, "When the morning hath come I will write unto
Fāḫesṭōs concerning them, and I will enquire into their matter. And if there be witnesses
for them that he hath sent them, then I shall know that what they say is true, and I will
release them immediately, and will treat them well; but if they have no witnesses then we
will offer up Paul as a sacrifice to the god of this city, for this day is the day of the
festival [in his honour]. And as for Kēwāresṭes, who shewed him the road to this city, I
shall know what to do unto him [as a reward for] his insolence (or audacity)."

33 Now the mother of Timothy was vexed with a deadly disease, and many people were
gathered together unto her and were weeping; and straightway a young man came and told
Timothy, saying, "Thy mother is dead. Then Timothy forthwith bound Saint Paul and
Kēwāresṭes with iron fetters, and he shut them up in a house which was in his garden, and
left them there and departed; and he found that his mother had yielded up her spirit, and
he straightway rent his garments and cast dust upon his head and face. Now there were many
people gathered together there, for his mother was the prophetess of the city. And behold,
the angel of the Lord opened the gates of the prison-house wherein Saint Paul and
Kēwāresṭes were bound, and immediately the chains fell off their hands, and the fetters
from their feet, and they melted away even as wax melteth before the face of the fire. And
the angel of the Lord said unto Saint Paul, "Fear not, O Paul, for I will be with thee,
and I will save and deliver thee in every place, and many people in this city shall
believe in God through thee. But now, rise up and go to the place where the mother of
Timothy is, and lay thy face upon her face, and the glory of God shall appear in this city
before all these people; and the angel of the Lord departed from them.

34 Then Saint Paul and Kēwārestes rose up and went forth from the house wherein they had
been fettered, and they departed to the place where the mother of Timothy was; now they
had lit many lamps there. And Timothy saw Saints Paul and Kēwārestes standing among the
people, and he feared greatly. And he said unto Saint Paul, "Is not [the wickedness] which
thou hast committed in times past sufficient for thee but that thou must dare to
transgress further? And why have ye escaped from my house so that I must fall into
punishment because of you? Can ye not see what great sorrow hath come upon me? Ye have
made a tumult among the people, and ye have loosed your fetters so that ye were able to
escape; but when the morning hath come, and I have buried my dead, I shall know how to
perform for you that which my heart desireth. Then Saint Paul answered and said unto him,
"O Timothy, be patient for a little and thou shalt see the joy which shall come into thy
house before all these people.

35 And straightway Saint Paul drew nigh unto the dead woman and, opening the bandage which
was over her face, laid his own upon it, and said with a loud voice, "O our Lord Jesus
Christ the Nazarene, the Son of the Living God, Who hast come into the world for the
salvation of the living and the dead, give life unto the mother of Timothy, so that Thy
glory, and the might of Thy holy Name may appear before all these people; and when Saint
Paul had said these words, he turned towards her dead body, and said unto it, "O Badrônâ,
arise! And straightway the woman arose, and opened her eyes, and Saint Paul took her by
her hand, and lifted her up, and set her upon her bed. And it came to pass that when the
people saw what had taken place, they all rose up, and cast themselves down in homage at
the feet of Saint Paul, and they began to salute him, and they said, "God hath appeared in
the form of a man, and hath come unto us. Now the time was midnight. Then Timothy took
Saint Paul and Kêwâres'tes and brought them into his house, and he led them up into an
upper chamber, and washed them with clean water, and set a table before them. And Timothy
said unto Saint Paul, "Tell me, O my lord, who thou art, and whence thou comest, and which
of the gods thou dost worship?

36 Then Saint Paul answered and said unto him, "I am a disciple of the disciples of our
Lord Jesus the Nazarene, and I worship God the Father, and His only Son Jesus Christ, and
the Holy Spirit the Paraclete." 37 And when the morning was come 'Aresțôs sent and brought
Saint Paul from the prison-house in the house of Timothy, and Timothy went with the
messengers; and Aresțôs said unto him, "Where are the two men whom I gave thee? Then
Timothy answered and said unto him, "They are in my house. This man whose name is Paul is
a righteous man, and he worshippeth a God Who is righteous, and good, and merciful, and is
called Jesus the Nazarene. And straightway 'Aresṭōs became exceedingly angry, and he sent
Timothy to prison. Now rumours went forth concerning Saint Paul, and that he had raised
Timothy's mother from the dead. And when Saint Paul heard that Aresṭōs had cast Timothy
into prison he rose up to go forth, but the woman who had been dead, the mother of
Timothy, laid hold upon him, and would not let him go out. And she said unto him, "Sit
thou here so that the people may not see thee and may not carry thee away and offer thee
up as a sacrifice to the god of this city; but Saint Paul refused to do so, for he did not
wish to do her pleasure, and all the people were entreating him, saying, "Desire not [this
thing], O our lord, and deliver not thyself over to death.

38 Then the Holy Spirit said unto Saint Paul, "Rise up, and go round about this city, for
this is the day wherein the people shall believe in thee, and shall receive thy preaching,
which is the hope of salvation, and of the life which is incorruptible and which endureth
for ever. And straightway Saint Paul rose up and went to the people, and said unto them,
"Behold, here am I whom ye seek. What would ye with Kēwāresṭes? What is his crime? And why
have ye seized him? And 'Aresṭōs said unto him, "Because he is thy companion, and he hath
guided thee into this city; I must pass judgment upon him, for this day is the day of the
festival of the god of this city; and he commanded them to chastise Kēwāresṭes, and to
inflict punishment upon him. Then 'Aresṭōs sent messengers to call the priests of the
temple, and he delivered Saint Paul unto them, saying, "Take ye this man who hath come
into this city, and offer him up as a sacrifice to the gods, for they tell me that he is a
disciple of Jesus Christ, Whom Herod, the son of Archelaus, slew in the days of Pontius
Pilate; and straightway the priest brought Saint Paul into the temple.

39 And Kēwāresṭes answered and said unto 'Aresṭōs, "I beseech thee, O my lord, to send me
also with this man, for I, even I, would die by the same death with him. For it was I who
brought him into this city, and I would, moreover, give my body instead of his body, and
my soul instead of his soul. Then 'Aresṭōs said unto him, "I can have no words whatsoever
with thee; but I am innocent of thy blood, and behold, death and life are placed before
thine eyes. And Kēwāresṭes said unto him, "Wilt thou pay no heed unto my wish that I might
give myself in the place of this man? Then Kēwāresṭes made haste and entered into the
temple, and he found Saint Paul there, whither they had brought him so that they might
offer him up as a sacrifice unto their god; and they had decorated all the city, and they
sent a herald round about bidding all the people to come together into the temple. And the
guards came to 'Aresṭōs and entreated him to release Timothy from his bonds, saying, "This
day is the day of the festival of the god of this city; and he sent soldiers immediately,
and gave order to them to release him. Then 'Aresṭōs rose up, and came with all the guards
and all the people into the temple, and the people filled the temple even to the doors,
and their number amounted to eighteen thousand, without [reckoning] women and children.

40 And Kēwāreṣṭes drew nigh unto the priests, and said unto them, "I, even I, am of the
disciples of Jesus, and by the death whereby Paul dieth I also will die. And it came to
pass that, when Timothy saw Kēwāreṣṭes accusing himself and condemning himself to death
because of Saint Paul before the priests in the temple, he also approached the priests,
and said unto them, "I also am a follower of Jesus the Nazarene, of Whom Paul is a
disciple, and whatsoever befalleth Paul shall befall me also. Then was 'Areṣṭōs wroth, and
he straightway commanded them to bring fire, and pine wood, and fir wood, and pitch wood,
and to build a great furnace in the temple beneath the throne of the statue of the god of
the city, and to light a huge fire therein; and he also commanded them to bring out the
figure of the golden hawk and to set it upon the throne opposite the fire, and they did
even as he commanded them. And Areṣṭōs answered and said unto the people, "Behold, death
and life are before all of you who are in this temple. Those of you who wish for life, let
them come and bow down in worship before the god of this city, and those who will not bow
down shall be cast into this fire."

41 Then straightway Saint Paul stood up in the middle of the temple, and having drawn nigh
unto the fire he cast himself into the furnace of fire, and he stood up as all the people
were looking at him, and cried out with a loud voice, saying, "Unto you I cry, O Timothy
and Kēwāreṣṭes, ye two lost sheep which I have come to seek and to bring back into the
field of the great flock, which is the flock of our Lord Jesus Christ, Come ye into this
fire, for ye shall be the salvation of the people of this city, and through you their
faith shall come into being. And straightway Timothy made haste, and separated himself
from among the people, and he came and leaped into the fire, and stood up by the side of
Saint Paul; and when Kēwārestes saw [him do thus] he also went down into the fire, and the
Holy Spirit came upon him immediately, and he seized the figure of the golden hawk and
cast it into the fire. Then straightway Paul, and Kēwārestes, and Timothy grasped each
other by the hands, and they walked round about in the midst of the fire, on this side and
on that.

42 And it came to pass that when the people saw what had taken place, they lifted up their
hands towards heaven, and said, "There is no god in the heavens above, or in the earth
beneath, except God the Father, the Sustainer of the universe, and His only Son, Jesus
Christ in Whose Name Paul hath preached, and the Holy Spirit. And Saints Paul, and
Timothy, and Kēwārestes were standing in the midst of the fire, and their hands were
spread out in the similitude of the sign of the cross, and at length the people of the
city saw with their own eyes the similitude of the sign of the cross in the midst of the
fire. Then were sorry all those who saw Paul and those standing with him in the midst of
the fire, and they began to cry and to make supplication unto Saint Paul, saying, "We
beseech thee, O Apostle of Christ, to come forth from the midst of this fire, for we
believe that no god existeth except God the Father, and His only Son Jesus Christ, and the
Holy Spirit, Who sheweth His wonderful acts by means of His servants who believe in Him.
And straightway Saints Paul, and Kēwārestes, and Timothy came forth from the fire without
any pain having touched them, neither was the smell of fire on their apparel; nay, they
were rejoicing even as a man who hath drunk wine.

43 And after these things 'Aresṭōs drew nigh unto Saint Paul, and bowed down at his feet,
and saluted him, saying, "Forgive me, O Apostle of God, and remember not against me all
the evil which I have done against thy holiness. Then Saint Paul took his hand, and lifted
him up, and said unto him, "Ask God the Father to forgive thee thy sins, and the Son to
put them away from thee, and the Holy Ghost to destroy thy evil error. And immediately
'Aresṭōs and his soldiers made haste, and brought out all his possessions, and he
distributed them among the poor, and the needy, and the orphans, and those who were in
want; and he, and Timothy, and Kēwārestes, became disciples of Saint Paul. And after these
things the people said unto Saint Paul, "We beseech thee, O thou Apostle of our Lord Jesus
Christ, to tell us where the figure of the golden hawk hath gone. And Saint Paul said unto
them, "Behold, it is in the fire until this moment, for I have not sent it to abide in any
other place whatsoever. Then they said unto him, "We wish to know if it is to be found in
the fire. And Saint Paul said unto them, "Wait patiently for a little, and I will tell you
everything which hath befallen it.

44 And," he continued, "send messengers and command [the guards] to open the gates of the
city, and let all the people go forth and be baptized in the river which is on the eastern
side of the city, in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, for
the remission of their sins. Then straightway 'Aresṭōs, and Timothy, and Kēwāresṭes opened
the gates of the city, and Saint Paul and all the people who were following him went
forth, and he took them to the river, and baptized them in the Name of the Father, and of
the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, for the forgiveness of their sins. And there was great
rejoicing throughout the whole city because they had received the preaching [of Saint
Paul] and the glory of God had risen upon them; and after this all the people went forth
from the river following Saint Paul. Then Saint Paul entered into the temple, and the
seven priests who ministered unto the figure of the golden hawk fled and hid themselves
from the sight of the people, for they did not wish to receive Christian baptism; and they
went into the innermost recesses of the temple, and hid themselves in the corners of the
building thereof. Now when all the people had come in, they sat down, and Saint Paul said
unto them, "Where are your priests? And why have they not come to be baptized with
Christian baptism?" Then they said unto him, "We do not know anything about them, or where
they are;" and a great search was made for the priests among the people, who commanded the
soldiers, saying, "Go ye, and seek for them, and when ye have found them bring them
hither, so that we may cast them into the fire which is burning in the temple;" and
straightway the soldiers went forth, and they walked about all the city seeking for them.
Then Saint Paul said unto them, "Do not let the people depart until I reveal to them the
matter of the image of the golden hawk which ye were wont to worship." Now the soldiers
tarried in their search for the priests, and a great uproar arose in the city, and Saint
Paul made a sign unto them with his hand that they should hold their peace, and sit down,
and immediately the uproar among the people subsided, and they held their peace, even as
doth a man who hath no companion [with whom to talk].

45 Then Saint Paul rose up, and stretching out his hands in the form of the Cross in the
temple wherein the fire was still burning, he prayed these words, and said, "Bow down
Thine ear to me, O Thou Who dost hearken unto the words of those who call upon Thee and
who make supplication unto Thee, and hear the petition which I make unto Thee before all
these people, so that they may believe in Thee, and may know that Thou art He Who hath
sent me to preach in Thy Holy Name; for it is Thou Who dost reveal Thy wonders and dost
make manifest to all the majesty of Thy mysteries, and dost show those who love [Thee] the
greatness of Thy glory. And now, O Lord, teach all these Thy people the glory of Thy
Godhead so that they may believe in Thee, and [may know] that Thou art the Son of God, and
that Thy faith is the true one, and that they may find Thy gift which never passeth away.
And shew Thou them the image of this golden hawk in the similitude of a lion, for Thou art
able to do all things, and there is nothing too difficult for Thee, O Thou Who didst bring
the world [into being] out of nothingness, that all these people may know that Thou art
God, and that there is no other god besides Thee." And it came

46 Nn to pass that when Saint Paul had said these words, the image of the golden hawk came
forth from the fire in the similitude of a lion, and stood in the midst of the temple, and
when the people saw him they were all greatly moved, and they scattered themselves among
their friends, and lifted up their voices, and glorified God, saying, "Great art Thou, O
our Lord Jesus Christ, in the heavens and in the earth." Then Saint Paul rejoiced and was
exceedingly glad in his heart by reason of the strength of their faith, and their right
mind, and he made a sign unto them to hold their peace. And he said unto the lion which
had come forth from out of the flame of fire, "Where are thy priests who serve thee?" 47
And the lion answered and said unto him, "Bear with me, O my lord, until I make known unto
thee where they are;" and turning his face towards the innermost recesses of the temple,
he went to where the priests were hidden, and he brought forth one of them whom he held in
his mouth by the neck, and he dragged him along like a dead man, and cast him down in the
midst of the temple. And he went back a second time, and brought out another of the
priests from where they were hidden, and the priest was hanging from the lion's teeth like
a young kid; and the lion did not leave one of them where they were hidden, but he brought
out the seven priests, one after the other, and set them down in the middle of the temple.
And the priests were exceedingly afraid, and, by reason of their exceedingly great fear,
and through the severity of their fright, they became like unto dead men; and their bodies
trembled at the terror of the lion, and they were greatly ashamed before the people.

48 And when the people saw this they lifted up their voices and glorified God, and they
bowed down at the feet of the blessed Paul, and said, "Behold, God having put on 'flesh
hath appeared unto us, and hath come unto us, so that He may heal and save those who have
been smitten with the wounds of sin." And the people wished to slay the priests, but Saint
Paul answered and said unto them, "Inasmuch as the gracious gift of life hath come to this
'city in abundance, let no man die [therein] this day." Then the priests rose up and bowed
down at the feet of Saint Paul, and they said unto him, "Have compassion 'upon us, O
Apostle of our Lord Jesus Christ, and forgive us our sins, and as thou hast done unto all
the people of this city even so do thou unto us, and give us the sign of Christ, the gift
which passeth not away;" and Saint Paul sent Kewâreses with them to give them Christian
baptism in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, to Whom be
praise for ever and ever. Amen. And the priests went back again to Saint Paul who was in
the temple.

49 And after these things Saint Paul commanded the elders of the city to enlarge the
temple, and to build him a church, and they did so, and then he taught them how to offer
up the Offering, and how to participate in the Divine Mysteries; and he appointed
Kewâreses to be their priest, and he made Timothy and 'Aresôs to be their deacons, and he
made Aresôs to be the steward of the church. And Saint Paul dwelt with them in the city
for a space of three months, and he admonished them, and taught them the commandments of
God, and the ordinances and the words of the Prophets, and he NN* delivered over unto them
also the glad tidings of the Gospel of our Lord and Redeemer Jesus Christ. Then after
these things Saint Paul wrought many miracles, and wonders, and great and mighty deeds
before them, and he opened the eyes of the blind, and those who were bent crooked he made
to stand upright, and the deaf heard, and the dumb spake, and he cast out devils, and
cleansed the lepers, and healed all men of the various kinds of diseases with which they
suffered; and there was great joy in that city. And after these things he departed from
them, and when they were setting him on his way their hearts were exceedingly sorrowful,
from the least of them even unto the greatest; and they said unto him, "O Apostle of our
Lord Jesus Christ, tarry not long away

50 B. "from us." So he departed from them, and went towards the desert, and the lion which
came forth from the fire followed Saint Paul from the time he went out from the city of
Aleppo to the desert. Then the lion which had been the idol of the people of the city said
unto him, "I beseech thee, O Apostle of our Lord Jesus Christ, not to send me away into
the punishment of Sheol, for thou thyself knowest that I have no body. I am afraid lest
thou destroy me by the power which God hath given unto thee, and by the might whereby thou
workest, for I am but dust, and foolish men took me from the earth and melted me into the
image of [a golden] hawk, and made me their god, which I am not, and they burned incense
before me, and I had no knowledge of anything whatsoever." And Saint Paul answered and
said unto him, "Fear not, O lion, for inasmuch as thou hast served me thou shalt live in
the desert until the day wherein I shall wish for thee;" so the lion took up his abode in
the desert as Saint Paul had commanded him, and Saint Paul departed from that place and
went to Accho.

Chapter Vi.

51 And It Came TO PASS THAT AS HE WAS JOURNEY-ING ALONG THE ROAD, OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST
APPEAR-ED UNTO HIM, and said unto him, "Peace be unto thee, O My chosen one, Paul, thou
shepherd of My Father's sheep, who seekest those which are lost that thou mayest bring
them back into the great fold in the speech of the true preacher, which is the kingdom of
My Father, and the holy and ancient church over which I have set thee, thee and thy
brethren, to be the head, that thou mayest be strong to keep my testimony, and mayest
endure patiently many tribulations for My Name's sake before nations and kings, and before
the children of Israel, and that thy blood may be poured out many times upon the
mountains, and in the streets, and in the market-places. Now, a great strife is prepared
for thee in this city, and moreover, thou shalt obtain great glory by reason of the
sufferings which thou shalt endure (literally receive) until thou hast delivered the
people from the destruction of the error of Diabolos. Be strong, and fight boldly, and
fear thou not, for thy reward with My Father shall be great, and thy crown and the apparel
wherein thou shalt be gloriously arrayed shall be spotless for ever. Verily I say unto
thee, O Paul, verily I say unto thee, that reports of thy name shall go forth into all the
ends of the world.

52 I swear unto thee, O My beloved one, by the Name of My Father, and by Mine own Name,
and by the Name of the Holy Spirit, that for everyone who shall build a church in thy Name
and shall call upon My name therein I will build in the kingdom of heaven a house not made
with hands, and I will destroy the writing of his debt, and I will make him fit to be a
child of My kingdom which is in the heavens. All the churches in the world which are
called after thy name I will make Mine angels to wait upon and guard; and, of all those
who shall visit thy churches, and shall offer up prayers therein, I will receive their
prayers, and will give them their earnest desires; and when those who minister in thy
church have completed their ministrations with diligent care, I will make fair their work
in purity and in righteousness. I will bless them, and their children after them, even as
I blessed Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and I will multiply them and make them to be
many.

53 And if any man shall make a gift to thy church, or shall endow it with either a Book of
Gospels, or the Books of the Prophets, or the Books of the Apostles, or the Book of thy
Contendings for reading therein, I will write his name in the book of life, and I will
forgive him all his sins, and I will give him instead thereof thirtyfold, sixtyfold, and
an hundredfold. And whosoever shall celebrate thy commemoration in the church, whether he
shall beautify and adorn thy house, or he clothe the naked, or he feed the hungry, or he
give drink to the thirsty, or he receive strangers, or he visit those who are sick and in
prison, I will destroy the writing of his debt, and I will make him to become meet to
receive a portion and an inheritance with thee in the kingdom of My Father which is in
heaven. And having said these things unto him, our Lord ascended into the heavens as he
was looking up after Him.

Chapter Vii.

54 Then paul with gladness and rejoicing jour. NOVED on his way, and arrived in the city
at the tenth hour of the day, and the Jews who were there knew him; and he went and
tarried in [the house of] a certain man whose name was Sakentes, who was one of the
disciples. Then the Jews went to tell Felix, the governor, but they found him not, for he
was not there, because he had departed unto another country by reason of some matter which
appertained to his office; and when they found not Felix they told Pilate and Hérmógánes,
the princes of the city, concerning Saint Paul. Now all the people of the city had heard
of the fame of him, and how he was following Jesus Christ, and how he had forsaken the
religion of the Jews and did preach the Gospel of the kingdom of heaven. And because of
this thing all the Jews who were in Arabia, and those who dwelt in the land of Judah, were
exceedingly angry with him, and they wished to slay him. Now when it was eventide the
elders of the city sent messengers to close the gates and to chain and bolt them, B..51a.
and they also set guards to watch them, so that no man might be able to escape in secret.
And when Sakentes heard [this], he went and told Saint Paul, saying, "The elders of the
city wish to slay thee; take heed, and know what to do.

55 And behold, they have set guards to watch the gates, and they are lying in wait to
seize thee when thou art unaware. And Saint Paul answered and said, "May the help of my
Lord Jesus Christ not be far from me! And let me be ready to deliver up my body and all my
members that they may crucify them, and inflict punishment upon them, and hack one limb
from another, and cast them forth into the fire, for the sake of the Name of Jesus Christ.
Now it was midnight, and our Lord Jesus Christ appeared before Saint Paul, and said unto
him, "Be strong, O My beloved one, and be of good courage, O My chosen one, for I will be
with thee in all thy tribulation until thou dost overcome B..51a. all those who stand up
against thee." 56 And when the morning was come, the elders sent messengers to seek for
Saint Paul, and behold, a certain man came and said unto the elders, "I have seen the man
in the house of Sakentes; he belongeth unto the men of Iconium who dwell in the street
which is called Straight. Then straightway the elders gathered themselves together, and
they called the apostles, and the centurion, and Judah, and told them to bring Saint Paul
[to them], and they ran, and seized Saint Paul with Sakentes, and they carried them before
the judge; and there was great joy among the elders of the city and among the people of
the Jews who were there, for they had been seeking [to take] Saint Paul diligently every
day. And they bound Saint Paul with iron fetters, and kept watch upon him until they could
come to the hall of judgment. Now the elders had before this time been seeking for Saint
Paul daily, for they imagined that he was overthrowing their religion when he preached in
the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Then the elders commanded that a herald should go round
about the city ordering all the people to gather themselves together into the hall of
judgment; and they gathered themselves together, the small and the great, and male and
female, in such numbers that their number was more than twelve thousand.

57 And the elders came into the hall of judgment and commanded them to bring Saint Paul
[there], and they said unto the people, "Say by what means ye would wish to slay Paul; and
some of them said, "Let us tie his hands and his feet, and cast him into the sea; and
others said, "Let us light a fire and cast him into it, and burn him alive; and others
said, "Let us bore holes in his feet, and fasten chains therein, and let us drag him round
about through the streets of the city for seven days before we burn him with fire, and
then let us cast him to the lions, so that they may devour his body. So the elders
commanded them to bore holes in his feet, and they put chains therein, and they brought
two oxen, and having fastened Saint Paul between them they suspended him [by] his feet,
and dragged him about through the streets of the city over the sharp stones until his
blood flowed like water. And when Sakentes saw Saint Paul tortured by such a cruel
punishment, he answered and said unto the people, "How can ye do thus to the Apostle of
Christ? Cease ye to do this wicked thing. Then the elders said, "Do thus even unto this
man also, and unto every man whose heart shall feel compassion for him, and unto every man
of this city who shall be sorry for him."

58 Then they took Sakentes and bound him with Saint Paul, and they drove the oxen out from
the hall of judgment, and they dragged Saint Paul and Sakentes over sharp stones until
their blood flowed like water, and until the flesh of their bodies was torn into shreds,
and their bones appeared. And the two disciples wept and made supplication unto God,
saying, "Give us strength, O our Lord Jesus Christ! O Thou in Whom is strength which
cannot be overcome, turn not away thy face from us. Cast us not away, and reject us not,
and neglect not us, Thy servants, who love Thee, and remember, O God, that we have
delivered our bodies unto death for the sake of Thy holy Name. Then straightway the two
oxen which were dragging them along turned into stone, and they and the man who was
driving them became dried up figures, just where they stood, in the midst of the city, and
they abide there to this day. Now when the people saw this thing they said among
themselves, "These men perform their work after the manner of the Twelve magicians who
follow Jesus the Nazarene; but works of this kind shall avail them naught, and they shall
not be able to deliver them, and we must punish them according to the evil of their
works.' Then straightway the people set free Saint Paul and Sakentes from between the two
stone oxen, and some of them heaped insults upon their companions because of Saint Paul;
but they were not able to make them afraid of the elders and magistrates of the city. And
they took Saints Paul and Sakentes into the hall of judgment again, and the multitude
stoned them with stones as they went;

59 and the guards went and told the prefect what had taken place, and when he had heard it
he was exceedingly angry, and he rose up and came into the hall of judgment. Now as he was
passing by he saw the two oxen which had been turned into stone, with their driver. And as
he was standing in the street, Satan filled every member of his body with anger, and he
gnashed his teeth, and he began to pluck the hair out of his head, and he cast himself
upon the ground, and he was greatly moved, and he hastened on his way until he came to the
hall of judgment. And all the people cried out to move him to wrath, and to give him the
power to slay Saint Paul; but he answered them with authority, and said unto them angrily,
Have patience for a little. Then he said unto Saint Paul, "O magician and seducer of the
mind, I will neither eat, nor drink, and this hour shall not pass before I have removed
thy soul from thy body, for thou hast, by thy sorcery, cast the evil eye upon me, and thou
hast turned these two oxen into stone in the presence of all these people, whom thou hast
wrought upon with the works of thy deceit, and thou dost wish some of them to forsake my
religion, and to follow Jesus the Nazarene, and thou dost, moreover, wish to preach in His
Name.

60 But after I have given the command and have made an end of the killing of thee, I will
find means of bringing thy sorcery to naught, and of making the oxen to again become
living bodies and perfect animals of the same form and appearance as they possessed in
former times." 61 Then the governor commanded them to bring two bulls of brass, and to
place the two disciples in them. And they brought bitumen, and pitch, and sulphur, and
fat, and having mixed them together they smeared therewith the two brazen bulls both
inside and outside, and they put them into a furnace and burned fire on them 62 B..52b.for
three days and three nights, and all the Jews who were living there rejoiced thereat. And
behold, our Lord Jesus Christ the Nazarene came down from heaven, and He entered into the
furnace of fire, being followed by Michael and Gabriel, and He made it to remove itself
from its place and to be in the middle of the hall of judgment. Now the time was midnight,
and flashings of fire went forth from the furnace, and the brilliance of the fiery flame
thereof rose upwards to a great height, and it went into all the city and passed through
the houses and habitations of the people who were foes to the Apostles, and burned them
up, and destroyed all their possessions. And the officers and the elders of the city rose
up, together with the men who remained from the burning, and they besought God, saying, "O
Lord God of heaven, let not the blood of these men come upon us. Since they came into the
city by Thy command to preach Thy Holy Name, tell us, O Lord, what Thou B..53a."commandest
us to do, and we will do it." And it came to pass that when all the people had said these
words, and were crying out unto God, and weeping, behold, there came a voice from heaven
like the voice of a trumpet, saying, "Gather yourselves together, O all ye people, in the
hall of judgment, for there it is meet for you to know what ye shall do to deliver
yourselves from this fire. But if ye tarry until the sun riseth the fire will not leave
even one man of this city alive, nay, it shall consume from the greatest of them even unto
the least, and every animal which is in this city."

63 Then straightway the lion which Saint Paul had left in the desert came quickly into the
city and stood at the door of the hall of judgment, and the elders who had already come
into the hall of judgment saw him standing in the fire; and they were afraid, and wished
to take to flight, and when they turned round they saw behind them a great wall of fire
surrounding the city. Then they were gathered together and came to the hall of judgment,
but they were not able to enter therein through [their] fear of the lion which was
standing [there]; and moreover, they could not return to the city to hide themselves from
the lion which was standing [there], for the wall of fire was closing them in on every
side. And looking up into heaven they cried out with a loud voice, saying, "O God, have
mercy upon us, and deliver us from the mouth of this destroying lion, and save us from his
claws. Now whilst all the people were thus crying out in sorrow and in tears, the lion
cried out with his voice to them, and said, "Let him that is among you who would save
himself, say, 'I believe in Thee, O my Lord Jesus Christ, in Whose Name Saint Paul
preacheth'.

64 And it came to pass that when the people saw the lion speaking like a man, they
marvelled and cast themselves down in homage upon their faces at the door of the hall of
judgment, and they wept tears, and cast dust upon their heads, [saying], "We believe in
Thee, O our Lord Jesus Christ the Nazarene, the Son of the Living God, to Whom the holy
Virgin MARY gave birth. And when the people had made the profession of faith in this wise,
the lion came to the hall of judgment and walked round about before them, and the hall of
judgment was filled with men from the door to the very end thereof. Then the lion stood at
the door of the hall of judgment where the fiery furnace was, and he cried out with a loud
voice, saying, "Rise up now, O Saints Paul and Sakentes, ye servants of the Most High God
Jesus Christ, that the governors of the city and the people may know that ye are the
servants of our Lord Jesus Christ. Then straightway Saints Paul and Sakentes rose up and
came forth from the burning fiery furnace which was in the hall of judgment, and not a
hair of their heads was singed, and there was no smell of fire upon their clothes
whatsoever. And immediately all the people cried out, saying, "There is no god who
sustaineth the universe except God, and His Son Jesus Christ the Nazarene, and the Holy
Spirit, Whom Paul the Apostle preacheth.

65 And the people of the city believed, from the least of them even unto the greatest, and
they went out from the city in a body, and took knives in their hands and cut down
branches of palms, and branches of olive trees, and adorned the whole city. Then they went
to Saint Paul, and he took them to the river and baptized them in the Name of the Father,
and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit; and he built a church for them; and he delivered
unto them the books of the church, and he set Sakentes over them, and taught them all the
divine ordinances, and offered up the pure Offering, and guided them into the light and
into the holy commandment, that is to say, the Gospel of Jesus Christ, to Whom, with His
Good Father, and the Holy Spirit, be praise for ever and ever! Amen.

Chapter Viii.

66 And The Apostle PAUL WENT FORTH FROM THE CITY OF ACCHO AND CAME TO THE CITY OF 'ATÉNÁ
(ATHENS),' AND HE SENT an epistle unto Silas and Timothy, [telling] them to come to him.
Now the Apostle was suffering greatly within himself, and his spirit was wroth within him,
for he saw all Athens filled with idols; and he used to converse daily with the Jews and
with the wise men in the places of assembly and in the market-places, and they used to
debate harshly with him. And there were some of the wise men who would have seized Paul,
and some of them said of him, "What doth this sower of words of a new doctrine of devils
wish to teach? For he saith that by the Name of Jesus the dead shall live." Then they took
him to the house of their god, and said unto him, "Tell us, we beseech thee now, and let
us have knowledge of this new doctrine which thou speakest and teachest; we want to know
of a certainty what this matter is, for thou preachest unto

67 "us a new God Whom we know not. For all the people of the city of Athens and all those
who sojourn here are sad, and they have nothing [else to do] except to produce some new
thing, and they seek what they may say and declare." Then Saint Paul preached unto them
Jesus Christ and His resurrection, and they took him and came with him to the house of the
judge. And Saint Paul rose up and stood among them, and said unto them, "I see that ye are
given up inordinately to the worship of idols. And behold, as I was going B. round about
[the city] I saw in the houses of your objects of service an altar whereon was engraved,
'The hidden god'.' Is this the God Whom ye worship, knowing Him not? Now He it is Whom I
preach unto you, and He is the God Who created the world and all that therein is, He is
the God of the heavens and the earth, and He dwelleth not in the house or shrine which
hath been made by the hands [of man], and no man can help Him, and He wanteth nothing, for
He is the giver of life unto all men, and from one man, Adam, He hath created all [the
people of] the world, that they may dwell upon the face of the earth. And by His
commandment He set aside and made a beautiful habitation for men so that they might seek
God and make enquiry for Him, for He is not of any one of us, and as for Him, in Him we
move and on Him we depend."

68 And having said these words Saint Paul the Apostle went forth from their midst, and
after he had spoken unto them he said nothing more, and many men among them joined
themselves unto him, and believed; now with these were Dionysius, one of the council of
'Aryûs (Mars' [Hill]), and his wife, whose name was Dômâris (Damaris), was with him. Then
Saint Paul went out from Athens, and he came and entered into Corinth, where he found a
certain Jew whose name was 'Akilâ (Aquila), and whose city was Pantôn (Pontus). Now this
Jew had recently arrived from Italy with Paraskilâ (Priscilla) his wife, for Claudius had
given orders to drive the Jews from Rome, and they came to Saint Paul, for each of the two
men was of the same trade, and they dwelt together and worked together at making the
coverings for tents. And the work of Saint Paul's hands was that of a tentmaker, and he
worked at the making of tents with his hands; and he fasted by night and by day, and he
ate only that which was necessary [to keep him alive].

69 And the Apostle Paul departed from Athens and came to Corinth, and he was speaking in
the place of assembly (or synagogue) every Sabbath day. Then Silas and Timothy came from
Macedonia, and they found Saint Paul the Apostle in sore straits by reason of the.54b.
opposition and blasphemies of the Jews; and he cast away his apparel and said unto them,
"Henceforward I am innocent, and your blood be upon your own heads from this hour; I will
go unto the Gentiles." And he went forth from his own habitation and entered into that of
a certain man whose name was Titus; now this man had become a disciple, and his house was
nigh unto the church, and he believed on our Lord, and he and the people of his house were
Christians, as were also many of the Corinthians. 70 Then our Lord spake unto Saint Paul
in a vision, saying, "Fear not, O Paul, but believe; speak the word and keep not silence,
for I have been, and I will be, with thee. No man shall be able to do any evil against
thee, and none shall be able to prevail over thee by means of any evil or harmful thing,
and through thee many of the Gentiles shall turn unto Me. And Saint Paul dwelt there for a
full year and six months, and he taught the people the word of God; and the Jews gathered
themselves together [and went to complain of him] to the governor of Achaia, but he would
not hearken unto their.55a. words, and he drove them away. Now when he had made an
agreement with the brethren Saint Paul departed in a ship unto Sâma, and with him were
Farisâkîlâ (Priscilla) and 'Apâlûs, and they arrived in Ephesus, where Saint Paul left
them and departed by sea to Caesarea; and from that place he went on to Antioch, where he
dwelt for some days. And again he set out and went round about through the borders of
Phrygia, and Galatia, so that he might strengthen all the believers; and he went through
the upper borders thereof, and returned to Ephesus. And he found [there] a few believers,
and he began to ask them questions, and said unto them, "Have ye received the Holy Spirit
since ye have believed?

71 And they answered and said unto him, "We have not so much as heard that the Holy Spirit
existeth. Then he said unto them, "With what baptism, then, were ye baptized? And they
said unto him, "With the baptism of John. Then he said unto them, "John baptized with the
baptism of repentance, and preached that men should believe in Him that was to come after
him, that is, in Jesus Christ. Now when they heard these words they were baptized in the
Name of our Lord Jesus Christ, and Saint Paul laid his hand upon them, and the Holy Spirit
descended upon them. And they began to speak, every man in the language of his own
country, and they prophesied, and they all were in number twelve men. And the Apostle Paul
entered into the Church, and he sat down there talking and teaching openly for three
months, and he debated with them, and he led men into the faith, and made them to believe
through the work of the kingdom of God, although there were some who denied his doctrine
and who persisted in condemning it. And again Saint Paul went down into the school of a
certain man whose name was Terdânus (Tyrannus), and

72 Acts xix. 7. 00\* he dwelt with him for a space of two years, until all the Jews and
Gentiles who lived in Asia had heard of the word of God. And God wrought great and mighty
deeds by the hand of the holy Apostle Paul, and many wonders took place through him, and
the people took the garments which were on his body, and his cloaks, and the cloth which
was about his head, and they cut off pieces from the ends thereof and laid them upon the
sick and they recovered, and they drove out devils, and the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ
was magnified. And after these things Saint Paul dwelt in Asia for a long time.

Chapter Ix.

73 And it came to pass in those days that great tribulation [came] upon those who kept the
law of god. Now there was there a certain silversmith whose name was Demetrius, and he
made images of Artemis (Diana) in silver. And the people of the city had built a temple
wherein they had set up an image of Artemis, and thither they brought all the sick folk
who were in the city, and they laid them in the temple where they were healed by Artemis.
Now when Saint Paul had come into the temple with a certain man whose name was 'Atrōfimās
(Trophimus), he saw many people lying there, and he said unto Trophimus, "What is the
matter with these folk who are lying inside the temple?" And Trophimus said unto him,
"These are the sick folk whom, having fallen sick in this city, the people bring hither
that they may be healed of their sicknesses by Artemis;"

74 and they went forth from the temple together. Then Saint Paul went to the keepers of
the gates, and said unto them, "I wish to live with you for three days until 'I find
certain men in search of whom I have come hither, and when I find them I will take them
with me to Jerusalem to the chief priests that they may shut them up in prison.' Then the
keepers of the gates said unto him, 'Trouble not thyself, for we will shut up in prison
everyone we find, and we will send them to the chief priests that they may cast them into
prison;' and straightway Saint Paul rose up and came into the city. And the keepers said
among themselves, 'Verily this man is from the temple (or synagogue) of Dérsón; let us now
receive him, and treat him well, before he goeth into his city, so that when we ourselves
go to Jerusalem he may treat us well in return for what we have done for him.' Then Saint
Paul dwelt seven days in the city before he found a means whereby he could preach openly
in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Now the people of that city were without any faith
whatsoever. And Saint Paul made himself like unto them, and he feigned to be of their
opinion, that he might be thought to be at one with them in their counsel.

75 Now he abode in the house of 'Atrófimós (Trophimus), and the guards of the city and the
keepers of the gates did for him many acts of kindness. And it came to pass that when the
seven days were ended, Saint Paul was sitting in the city of Ephesus and meditating within
himself, saying, What shall I do to find a way whereby I may preach in this great city in
the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ?' Now Saint Paul knew by the Holy Spirit that he should
receive much suffering in that city, and he said within himself, There are no other means
left for me whereby I may convert these people except by making myself to be like unto one
of the sick folk of this city. Shall not I first of all become a sick man that I may save
those who are sick? And afterwards, that which God wisheth me to do I will do."

76 And in that same night wherein Saint Paul had been preaching in the house of Trophimus,
he woke up at midnight, and cried out with a loud voice, like a man upon whom some great
tribulation had come; and Trophimus rose up, and said unto him, "What hath happened unto
thee?" And he said unto him, "My head is very sick, and all my members, and my body also."
Then Trophimus said unto him, "Fear not, O my brother, for I will heal thee in the
morning. When the day hath come I will take thee into the temple of the great queen
Artemis, and she shall heal thee of all thy sickness, and shall remove the suffering which
hath come upon thee;" and Saint Paul continued to groan and to cry out until the morning.
And when the morning had come Trophimus rose up, and taking with him men carried Saint
Paul, and placed him in the temple, and made him to lie with the sick folk. Then Trophimus
departed to the watchmen [of the temple], and spake unto them, saying, "Take heed unto
this wise man and teacher, for during the past night he well nigh died of his sickness.
And behold, I have brought him and placed him in the temple." Then the watchmen rose up
and came to comfort Saint Paul and to visit him. And Trophimus continued to minister unto
him, and he made [his servants] to take out unto him some of his own possessions for his
service, besides those which the nobles of the city expended upon him. And it came to pass
that three days after Saint Paul had been laid out among the sick folk he said unto them,
"How many days have ye lain here? And one of them said unto him, "I have been lying here
for three years and seven months; and another said unto him, "It is three years since I
was laid out here, and I have not had one day's relief [during] the whole time; nay, my
disease hath increased, and my weakness is greater. Then Saint Paul said unto them, "As
for me, it is three days since I lay down here, and I have found no relief whatsoever. Can
it be that this god whom we worship is one who knoweth not him that payeth him honour? Or
is it because he is deaf and cannot hear that he doth not help him that calleth upon him
in his tribulation? If it be not thus we ought to have obtained relief from this sickness.

77 But as for me, I shall depart unto the city wherein they worship a God Whose Name is
Jesus, and if ye were to call upon Him He would hearken unto you immediately, and would
heal you of all your diseases, and would deliver you out of all the tribulation and
affliction which have come upon you. For He illumineth the eyes of the blind, and He
healeth the lame and maketh them to walk, and He maketh the deaf to hear, and the dumb to
speak, and He cleanseth the lepers, and He casteth out devils, and He raiseth the dead by
His word, and He healeth every sickness whatsoever. But, what is greater than all these
things, He raised up a dead man from out of the grave after [he had been dead] for four
days, and gave him life. 78 "And, moreover, He blessed five loaves of bread and satisfied
five thousand men therewith, besides women and children, and He filled twelve baskets with
the broken fragments of what was left of them." Then all those who were in the temple
marvelled at his words, and they said unto him, "Behold, thou hast been lying in this
place for three days; hadst thou called upon the name of this Nazarene thou wouldst have
been healed of thy sickness. Now we also, all of us, believe B. "in Him, and we know that
He is the God Who can do everything, and we lift up our voices, saying, One is the God Who
revealeth Himself unto those who believe in Him." And Saint Paul answered and said, "I
beseech Thee, O God, my Lord Jesus Christ, and I believe in Thee, and that Thou art the
Son of the Living God, Who wast born of the holy Virgin Mary." And when he had said these
words straightway he cast aside the garment wherewith he was clothed, and he rose up from
his couch quickly, and cried out with a loud voice, saying, "Behold, I am healed, and my
pain hath departed;" and he began to walk about in the courtyard of the temple, and in all
the ways thereof, and he preached to all those who were sick of divers kinds of diseases,
saying, "I cried upon the Name of Jesus the Nazarene, and I have been healed of all my
disease, and every one who calleth upon the Name of this Nazarene shall, like myself, be
healed of all his disease, and he shall rise up sound and whole, and without wound or
pain, even as He hath raised me up." Then straightway

79 B. all those who were in the temple marvelled, and they lifted up their voices, saying,
"We believe in Jesus the Nazarene, the Son of the Living God, Who was born of the pure
Virgin MARY." And whilst all the sick folk were saying these words, God sent Michael the
Archangel from heaven, and he came into the temple and healed all the sick, and the great
idol which was in the temple fell down upon its face. Then all the sick folk who were
lying in the temple rose up, and they lifted up their voices, and glorified God, saying,
"There is no god save Thee, O Father, Sustainer of all things, and Thine only Son our Lord
Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit, Thrice holy." And after this Saint Paul said unto all
those who had been made whole, "Rise up, and let us go forth into the streets of the city,
and let us preach in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ, this [God] Who hath healed us from
all sickness and disease." So Saint Paul went forth from the temple with all the sick who
had obtained the grace of healing following after him, and they all cried out in the
streets, saying, "There is no god except God the Father, and His only Son, Jesus" "Christ,
and His Holy Spirit; and blessed be His Apostle, by whose hand we have found the gift of
salvation and healing, and have recovered from our pain and sickness."

80 Now when Demetrius, the smith of the idol Artemis, [which was made] of silver in
ancient days, saw that it had fallen on its face, he made haste and went to the elders of
the city, and told them, saying, "Come and see this man who is called Saul, who is of the
men of Tarsus in Cilicia, and who liveth in the house of Trophimus. Behold, it is [only]
three days since he dwelt in the temple, but this night he rose up, and made Artemis, who
is great among the gods, to fall down upon her face. And behold, he is going round about
in the city and preaching in the Name of this Nazarene Who is called Jesus, concerning
Whom he saith, He is the son of God. And when the elders of the city heard these words
they were exceedingly angry, and having risen up they went quickly into the temple,
following Demetrius, who was going before them and shewing them the way. Now Demetrius was
a priest of the gods. And when they saw that she had fallen upon her face on the earth,
they commanded the soldiers to go and seize Saint Paul wheresoever he might be, and to
bring him to the hall of judgment. Then straightway the soldiers went and searched for
him, and they found him in the street of the city, having gathered together much people
unto him, and he was preaching unto them in the Name of Jesus Christ;

81 and some of them believed because of the sick folk who were healed, and some of them
did not believe, but were disputing concerning the Law of Moses. Then the soldiers seized
Saint Paul and placed him in the hall of judgment, and they scourged him severely until
the blood ran from him like water; and there was a great tumult in the city because of
him, and at length the people began to stone each other. And many men among their nobles
and elders believed on our Lord Jesus Christ, but the Jews who were stirring up the elders
were more in number than those who believed. Then the governor said unto Trophimus, "O
thou destroyer, and enemy, why didst thou bring this deceiver and worker of iniquity into
this city so that by craft of word and speech he might destroy us by his sorcery, and draw
us into the doctrine of the Nazarene, the great goddess Artemis being [our] queen? We will
slay thee with him, and we will mingle thy death with his. And the governor commanded the
soldiers to let the lions loose, and straightway there went forth a lioness which was with
young, and she was roaring loudly, and her they sent against Saint Paul.

82 Now as soon as the lioness had gone out she at once saw with her eyes our Lord Jesus
Christ standing between the two of them, and the Lord opened her mouth and, standing among
the men, she lifted up her voice, saying, "Woe be unto you, O ye judges of this city, who
are like unto those who make themselves to be remote from the salvation of their own
souls, for ye have delivered over unto death these two men who are not worthy of death;
and having said these words the lioness began to lick and to kiss their feet; and then she
went back into her own place. Then the people who were standing there cried out with a
loud voice, saying, "There is no god except the God of Saint Paul; and many of the people
believed in that hour. Now they wanted to stone the soldiers with stones, but because of
fear of what would be done to them later they restrained themselves. And the judges
commanded them to send against Paul and Trophimus another savage lion which was living in
the days of Alexander, and was accustomed to rend men; and the prefect, and all his
soldiers, and his companions, and all the men of the city, both those who believed and
those who did not believe, were sitting there; and Demetrius the smith, who made image[s]
of Artemis, was with all the accursed priesthood.

83 Now when the lion went out from his lair all the people of the city stood upon the
platform of the temple because of [their] fear of the lion, and they were looking on from
above the lion, which rushed out in great fury roaring as he went, and the sound of his
roars made the hearts of men to quake. And the people said among themselves, "If this man
teacheth the way of God, He will deliver him from the mouth of this savage and ravening
lion, and we also can believe in his God, in Whose Name he preacheth, and we need not
return to the worship and adoration of the image of Artemis. Now Saint Paul and Trophimus
were bound in the hall of judgment, and all the people were watching them, and they hushed
their voices (or words), and wished to see their end. 84 And it came to pass that when the
lion went forth he began to go round the hall of judgment, and Saint Paul answered and
said unto them, "Unto you I speak, and I would make known unto the company of the judges
of this city, and unto all the Jews who live here and who serve gods of gold, and silver,
and wood, and stone, that I preach unto you the way of life and salvation. And behold, I
am bound in this hall of judgment, and this lion shall stand before me until God willeth
and commandeth him to fulfil his work; may God's will, for which we all wait and hope, be
done.

85 "Let now the priests of your goddess come, and let us stand up together in this hall of
judgment, and let the priests of your Artemis make supplication and multiply their prayers
unto her, [and we shall see] if she be able to deliver them, and shall know if her power
can be made manifest. And let us beseech our Lord Jesus the Nazarene, both I and
Trophimus, and if He deliver us from the mouth of this ravening lion which roareth, we
will worship Him and believe that He is a God Who is able to deliver those who put their
trust in Him. And these words were good in the sight of the men of the city and of all the
governors, and they all declared that this thing should be [done]. Then the magistrates
and judges commanded that Saints Paul and Trophimus should be released from their bonds,
and the prefect said unto Saint Paul, "First of all thou shalt make supplication unto thy
God, so that we may know and be certain of His power, before these people who are gathered
together in the hall of judgment, and we will straightway B. fel. judge according to the
right, even as it should be. Now the people were standing there quiet and were holding
their peace, because they wished to hear and to see, for the hour had come and the time
had drawn nigh wherein God, our Lord Jesus Christ, should be glorified.

86 Then Saint Paul stood up in the middle of the hall of judgment, and he stretched forth
his hand[s] in the form of the cross, and said, "I entreat Thee, O my Lord Jesus Christ
the Nazarene, the Son of the Living God, to open the hearts of all these people that they
may know Thy divinity, O God, Who didst come from the right hand of Thy Father, and didst
shew forth Thy great humility and patient endurance by Thine advent into the world in the
flesh, and didst accept pain and death upon the wood of the Cross, so that Thou mightest
deliver the beings whom Thou didst fashion and the work of Thy hands. And it came to pass
that when Saint Paul had said these words, behold, the lion came into the hall of judgment
to the place where Saints Paul and Trophimus were standing, and he did homage and bowed
his head before them, and he lay down at the feet of Saint Paul like a gentle lamb. And
when the magistrates and all the people of the city saw [this], they lifted up their
voices, and cried out, saying, "One are God the Father, 'the Sustainer of all things, and
His beloved Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, and the Holy Spirit; He it is Who hath sent unto
us His holy Apostle to preach unto us the way of salvation.

87 Then straightway the magistrates commanded Demetrius, the high-priest of Artemis, and
the other accursed priests to come down into the hall of judgment, and the priests wept
before Saint Paul, saying, "We beseech thee, O Apostle of our 'Lord Jesus Christ, do not
deliver us into the mouth of this fierce, ravening, and destroying lion, that he may
destroy us, and make an end of us, and rend us limb from limb. And behold, we believe and
confess our Lord Jesus Christ the Nazarene, the Son of God.' And immediately Saint Paul
pacified the hearts of the judges and of all the people, and when they saw the humility,
and the breaking of heart of the priests, and their belief in God, and their true
repentance, they would not allow the priests to be thrown to the destroying lion; and all
the people of the city believed in our Lord Jesus the Nazarene, the salvation of the
beings of heaven and of earth. And after these things there sprang up a fountain of water
from the lair of the lion and it flowed into all parts of the temple, and straightway
Saint Paul baptized all the people, from the least of them even unto the greatest, in that
fountain of water, and he made them to be strong in the faith of the Holy Trinity, Father,
and Son, and Holy Ghost. Now there was great joy in all the city of Ephesus.

88 Then Saint Paul built for them a church, and delivered unto them the Law of the Book of
Moses, and the words of the preaching of the Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. And he
opened their hearts to the knowledge of the Scriptures, and he taught them that Jesus
Christ is the Son of the Living God, to Whom be glory and dominion for ever and ever.
Amen. Then he appointed Trophimus to be [their] priest, and he taught him the divine
mysteries, and the holy ordinances of the Church, and he offered up a pure Offering. This
is to what he refers in his words which are written in his First Epistle to the men of
Corinth, when he says that he was thrown to the lions at Ephesus. Now there is no place
where it was more hopeless for a man to be thrown to the lions than at Ephesus; but there
the lions did not attack Saint Paul according to their wont, and the Holy Spirit Who was
in him made the lions to appear in his sight like a man in the claws of a lion, and made
him to appear in their sight like a lion before a man. Glory be then unto Him Who maketh
His wonders manifest by His saints. And they made the lions to abate their evil nature
wholly, and made them to submit and be subject unto them.

89 Now when Saint Paul wished to go forth from the city of Ephesus, after all the people
had believed through him, he called all those who believed, and comforted them, and
saluted them with salutations of farewell. 90 And Saint Paul departed to Macedonia, and he
arrived on the border of Dables (Greece), and he dwelt there for three months; and the
Jews having taken counsel concerning him, he departed therefrom, wishing to travel through
Macedonia. And those who were with him were many, Sosipater, of the city of Beroea,
Aristarchus and Sakentes (Secundus) from Thessalonica, Gallius from Derbe, and Timotheus,
and from Asia Tychicus and Trophimus; now those who were with him had gone back, and they
waited for him in Troas. Now the Apostle Paul and Luke went forth from Philippi after they
had passed a few days there for the eating of unleavened bread, and they departed by sea
to Troas, and they dwelt there with them for seven days. And on the day of the Sabbath,
which is the First Day of the week, as we were all gathered together and were blessing the
table, Saint Paul spake the word of God unto the people, and on the second day of the week
he lengthened his discourse until midnight; and there were many lamps there in the house
wherein we were gathered together. And as he was sitting [there], a certain young man
whose name was Eutychus, who was in the window, slumbered and fell into a deep sleep, and
as Saint Paul was speaking unto them great words, he tarried there, and by reason of his
slumber the young man fell down from the third storey to the floor; and they took up his
dead body.

91 Then Saint Paul went down and fell upon him, and he embraced him and lifted up his dead
body to him, and said unto them, "Trouble not yourselves, for his soul is in him; and in
that same hour his spirit returned unto him, and the young man rose up alive and well. And
when all those who were there had seen this they glorified God, the Lord of Saint Paul,
who straightway departed to go into Yabes. Then Luke, and those who left with him,
departed by sea, and they met with the Apostle 92 Paul in 'Aysûs (Assos), and they carried
him into the 6ob ship, and when he had come to Milâṭû,' he sent messengers and made the
elders of the church of Ephesus come to him. And he said unto them, "Ye know that in times
past when I came unto Asia, I dwelt with you always, and I was serving God with
exceedingly great humility and with tears. And ye know of the counsels which were taken
concerning me by the Jews through hatred, and that I hid nothing of the good things, and
that I made them known and revealed them unto you, in the market-places and in the houses,
and that I spake unto Jews and Greeks alike, [giving] glory to the Father, and [putting]
confidence in our Lord Jesus Christ. But henceforth I am constrained in the spirit, and am
poured out in the Sanctuary (i. e., Jerusalem), and I know not what will come upon me
therein. But the Holy Spirit speaketh unto me everywhere, and telleth me that there
imprisonments and tribulations wait for me; but my spirit counteth as naught whatsoever
the end of my course may be, so that I may fulfil the 6ob. charge which I have received
from my Lord Jesus Christ to become a witness to the preaching of the grace of God. And I
know now that ye will never again see my face, all of you among whom I have gone about and
preached unto you concerning the kingdom; therefore I declare unto you this day, the
Sabbath, that I am innocent of the blood of your community, and as regards it I have not
kept back from your teaching anything of the good pleasure of God. Take heed now unto your
souls and unto every flock over which the Holy Spirit shall appoint you as overseers, that
ye watch the Church of Christ which He hath gotten by His blood. For I know that after I
have turned back there shall come ravening wolves which shall not spare the flock, and
from among you also there shall rise up men, who shall speak perverse words that they may
turn aside the

93 "disciples, who will follow after them for this thing. Be ye watchful, and remember
that for the past three years, by night and by day, I have not ceased [to pray] with tears
for every man and for every woman among you. And I commit you unto the protection of God
Almighty, and unto the word of His grace which is able to strengthen you, and to give you
an inheritance with all the saints. Silver, or gold, or apparel, I do not desire from you,
and ye know that for mine own needs and those who are with me I have toiled with mine own
hands. And behold, I have made clear unto you everything, as was right, so that we may
labour for and help those who are sick. And behold, remember the word of our Lord, Who
said, 'Blessed is he who giveth more than he who receiveth.'" And when he had said these
words Saint Paul knelt down upon his knees, and prayed, together with all those who were
with him, and they embraced him, and there was a great weeping among them all, and they
began to kiss him and to separate themselves from him.

94 Then he departed with those who were with him, and at length they arrived at Tirós
(Tyre), where the crew unloaded the goods which were in the ship; and they found again the
disciples who had told the Apostle Paul by the Holy Spirit that he should not depart and
go up to Jerusalem. And they dwelt with him for seven days and then departed to Accho, and
they saluted the brethren who were therein, and they encamped with them for a day; on the
morrow they departed and came to Caesarea, and they encamped in the house of Philip, one
of the seven preachers, where there were seven virgins who prophesied; and they dwelt with
him for many days. Now a certain prophet whose name was Agabus came down from Judaea, and
he came unto them and took the girdle of the Apostle, and he bound his own feet therewith,
and spake thus, "Thus saith the Holy Spirit:—The owner of this girdle shall the Jews bind
in this wise in the Sanctuary (Jerusalem). And they shall deliver him unto the men of the
Gentiles;" and when Luke, and the disciples who were with him, and all the people of the
country heard these words they besought the Apostle Paul not to depart to the Sanctuary
(i. e., Jerusalem).

95 Then the Apostle Paul said unto them, "Why do ye weep and inflict pain upon my heart?
Am I not willing to be bound, and imprisoned, and scourged, and not that only, but also to
die in the Sanctuary for the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ?" So they left him, saying,
"God's will be [done]." And Saint Paul came to the Sanctuary (Jerusalem), and the brethren
received him with rejoicings, and they came with him to James with whom there were
priests. And the Apostle began to narrate unto them everything which God had done among
the Gentiles by His minister, and when they had heard [it] they glorified God, and said
unto the Apostle, "O our brother, how few are those who have believed by the side of the
thousands of Jews, all of whom hate the Law except those. Behold, it is said by them that
thou dost teach that they should not circumcise their children, and that they should not
perform the precepts of the Law. And, behold, there are

96 R..61b, "here with us two men, who think that they are pure. Take them, and purify
thyself with them, and go forth and make them to go out, so that they may shave their
heads; and when each one of them shall know what is said about thee he will [stand] idle,
and thus thou shalt be in agreement with the Book of Moses, and with those who keep it;"
so the Apostle Paul did thus, and entered into the temple. 97 And it came to pass that
when the seventh day had come, and the Jews who had arrived from Asia saw him in the
synagogue, all the people overpowered him, and laid hands upon him, and seized him; and
all the people came together against him, and drew him outside the synagogue, and they
said, "Ye men of Israel, help us. Behold, this is the man who worketh deceit, and who
stirreth up men against the Book of Moses, and against this temple, and he teacheth every
man in every place [to do likewise]; and a heathen man and a stranger hath he brought into
the temple, and he hath defiled the sanctuary." Now they had seen Trophimus, of the city
of Ephesus, in the city with them, and they imagined that the Apostle had brought him into
the temple. And as the people were wishing to kill him the prefect of the soldiers came,
and seeing the tumult went to him; and when the people saw him they left off beating Saint
Paul. Then the prefect commanded that they should bind him with two iron chains, and take
him into the hall of judgment, for he wished to examine him. And when the Apostle had come
to the steps, the judge was told of [his] deeds, and they made mention before him of what
[had happened] before and after [his conversion] to the faith; and there were with him the
chief priests and the people, and many accusations were made against him, according to the
testimony concerning him [given in] the Acts of the Apostles.

98 And it came to pass that when the night had come our Lord appeared unto the Apostle
Paul, saying, "Be strong, and of good courage, O Paul, for as thou art a witness for Me in
the Sanctuary (i. e., Jerusalem) even so shalt thou be a witness for Me in Rome." And when
the morning had come more than forty men of the Jews gathered themselves together and
swore oaths and conspired among themselves, saying that they would neither cat nor drink
until they had slain the Apostle. Then they drew nigh unto the priests and elders and
informed them of this thing, and they asked them to beseech the governor to have Saint
Paul brought unto them, as they wished to know of a certainty concerning his acts; and
they said unto them, "Let us kill him ourselves without his coming unto you." Now the son
of the Apostle Paul's sister heard this, and he informed his mother's brother thereof, and
he sent him to the governor and made known unto him concerning the matter of these men.
Then straightway he summoned the magistrates and the two judges, and he said unto them,
"Take with you two hundred Romans, and seventy horsemen and eighty bowmen, and get you
gone to Caesarea, and take with you Paul to Philip the governor." And he wrote a letter to
him, and sent it by their hands, informing him of the history of the acts of Paul, and
they took him and came to the governor, and they brought the Apostle into his presence;
and the governor read the letter, and began to ask him from what country he came.

99 And after five days there went down the chief priest, and the priests, and the orator,
and they informed the governor concerning the acts of the Apostle; and he (i. e., Felix)
made a sign unto him that he should speak, and Paul told him his story with them. Now when
he had heard his speech the governor commanded that he should be taken care of and treated
with respect, and that no man should keep him from his ministration. And it came to pass
that when two years were ended, another governor was appointed to succeed the former
governor, who, as he wished to shew a mark of kindness to the Jews before the arrival of
the new governor, left the Apostle bound in prison. 100 Now the new governor dwelt in
Caesarea, and after three years he went up to the Sanctuary (Jerusalem). And the nobles of
the priests and the elders of the Jews told him concerning the acts of the Apostle, and
they asked him to send for him and to have him made to stand before him; now they wished
to go, each in his own way, to kill him there. Then the governor said unto them, "He is to
be kept under guard in Caesarea, and I will return thither;" and there were some of them
whom wished to make him take them with him so that they might relate to him the offences
of the Apostle Paul, and [advise him] what he should do. And when the governor had
returned unto Caesarea, he had the Apostle called, and the Jews surrounded him, and they
made him to hear that they were not able to make him safe; and the Apostle had to plead
for his life. Then the governor said unto him, "Dost thou wish to go up to the Sanctuary
(Jerusalem) and be judged there?" And the Apostle said, "If I have been found to be a
transgressor, death is meet for me, and I do not refuse to die; but if there be none of
these things [against me] no man can give me [release] therefrom. I appeal unto Caesar."
And the governor said unto him, "Unto Caesar thou shalt go." Now all these things happened
after the Apostle Paul had gone out from the country of Asia (?), and had departed into
many borders and preached therein in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ, and in the cities
of the Jews.

101 Then the Jews took him to Festus, the governor, and Festus delivered him to Agrippa,
and there was a great dispute between them. And after a few days Agrippa the king went
down with Berenice to Caesarea to salute the governor, and the governor told him the
matter of the Apostle and the Jews; and the king said, "Behold, I would myself like to
hear the speech of this man. And straightway, on the morrow of that very day he had the
Apostle Paul brought to the governor's house, where were the magistrates and the elders of
the city, and the king said unto him, "Thou art permitted to speak for thyself. Then the
Apostle straightway stretched out his hand, and he began to speak concerning himself, and
he called to mind the accusations which the Jews had made against him, and he spake unto
him many words concerning which the Book of the Acts of the Apostles beareth witness; and
the Apostle spake at great length. And the governor answered and cried out with a loud
voice, saying, "Behold, thou art mad, O Paul; too much [study of] books taketh away the
under-standing. Then the Apostle said unto him, "I am not mad: nay, I speak the word of
truth. For the king hath abundant knowledge concerning the things which have been done,
and I know this, O king, even as thou knowest it thyself. And the king said unto him, "A
very little more, and thou wouldst persuade me to become a Christian like unto thee.

102 Then the Apostle said unto him, "I make supplication unto God, not for thee only, but
for all the people who are listening unto me this day, that they may become even as I am,
except these bonds. Then the king, and the governor, and Berenice, and those who were with
them rose up, and they began to say, "This man hath done nothing worthy of death, or of
imprisonment; and the king said to the governor, "It would have been possible for this man
to go [free], had it not been that he hath appealed to the protection of Caesar." 103 Then
straightway the Apostle and the others who were in bonds with him were given over into the
hand of the governor of the soldiers of Sèbèstèyà (Caesarea, i. e., Caesarea Sebaste), and
they went down into a ship which was to be despatched to the coast of Asia. And on the
morrow they came to Tyre, and the governor of the soldiers did an act of kindness to the
Apostle, and permitted him to go about among his friends as he needed; now that governor
was the captain of a hundred (i. e., centurion), and his name was Julius, and he was to
take the Apostle Paul to the country of Rome. And from here also they departed and came to
the city the name of which is Lábá, and here they dwelt for a long time until the fast of
the Jews had passed by. And the Apostle was saying, "Our journey shall be [ac-companied]
by much hurt and damage, not only of the lading of the ship, but also of our lives;" but
the governor (i. e., centurion) was more obedient to the mandates of the sailors and the
master of the ship than to those which were spoken by the Apostle. Then after a little
there came forth the storm wind and seized the ship and no man was able to make it to
resist the wind, and a mighty storm raised itself up against us for two days, and we cast
our apparel (or goods) into the sea; and on the third day we cast adrift the tackling of
the ship. Now it was the time of winter, and by day, for many days, the sun did not
appear, and there was no moon, and the stars were not seen in the [heavens]; no man on the
ship ate any food, and the hope of [saving] their lives was cut off.

104 And straightway the Apostle Paul stood up among them, and said unto them, "Had ye
received my words some days ago, behold, we should have been saved from this tribulation;
but now, be not sorrowful, for not one soul of you shall be destroyed, but only that which
is in the ship. For in this night which is past the angel of God, Whose I am, and Whom I
serve, appeared unto me, and said unto me, 'O Paul, thou must stand before Caesar, and
these who are travelling with thee, behold, God hath given them unto thee.' Therefore be
of good courage, for I believe by God that what I have spoken shall come to pass even as
He said unto me. And immediately their hearts were strengthened, and fear was removed from
them, and their hearts were set at rest. Then after eleven days they wandered about on the
sea, and the sailors wished to escape from the ship, and the Apostle said unto the
governor and the soldiers, "Unless these sailors remain in the ship ye shall not be able
to live; and straightway the officer cut the ropes of the boat, and let her go free. And
since the violence of the wind and storm had increased upon them, and seeing the weariness
and pain of their hearts, the Apostle began to ask them to take meat, and to say unto
them, "Behold, O my brethren, it is now the fourteenth day, since, through our fear, we
have eaten any food whatsoever.

105 Take some food, then, for the support of your lives, for not one hair of any one of
your heads shall be destroyed. And when he had said these words he took bread, and having
given glory unto God before them, he divided the bread, and they ate, and they were all
consoled and took meat. Now the number of all those who were in the ship was two hundred,
threescore and seventeen souls. And when the day became light the sailors did not know
what the land was unto which they had come, and they saw dry land at a distance, and they
determined to bring the ship there if they were by any means able to do so. Then they cut
the ropes of the anchors, but the sides of the ship were broken by the violence of the
waves; and straightway the soldiers meditated slaying those who were in bonds, so that
they might not escape, but Jul- ius the governor restrained them from this act, for he
wished to save the Apostle Paul.

106 And after these things they were told that the island was Mélétyá (Melita, Malta), and
with great toil they journeyed on until they reached it. Then the barbarians, that is to
say, the heathen who lived thereon, appeared unto them, and they performed for them acts
of great kindness and charity, and they kindled a fire for them whereat they might warm
themselves because of the rain, and frost, and snow which were upon them, and they allowed
them to warm themselves. And the Apostle Saint Paul gathered together and brought a great
heap of pieces of wood which had been cast away, and threw them on the fire, and there
went forth a hooded snake, that is to say, a viper, from out of the fire and bit his hand.
And it came to pass that when the heathen saw the viper hanging on his hand they began to
say, "This man is a murderer, whom although he hath escaped from the sea the justice of
God will not allow to be saved and live; but Saint Paul freed his hand from the viper, and
cast it into the fire, and no harm came upon him, although the heathen thought that he
would immediately have swelled up and died. Now when they had waited a long time, and saw
the miracle and that no harm whatsoever had come upon him, they said straightway, "This
man is a god," and they marvelled exceedingly.

107 And the governor of that island received them into his house for three days joyfully,
and he did for them many acts of great kindness and charity. Now at that time the father
of the governor was sick of fever, and he had a disease in his bowels, and lay upon his
bed. And Saint Paul came unto him, and laid his hand [upon him], and prayed for him, and
healed him in the Name of God, and he also healed great numbers of men who were sick of
divers diseases in that island, and Saint Paul and his companions found great favour in
the sight of the people, who gave thanks unto them exceedingly, and paid them great
honours, and when they departed from them gave them what was necessary. 108 Then, after
three months they departed and travelled by sea in a ship and arrived in the country of
Rome. And when the brethren heard of the coming of Saint Paul with his companions they
went out to receive them; and when Saint Paul saw them his heart rejoiced and was
exceedingly glad, and he offered up praise and thanksgiving unto God, and he took courage
and went into Rome, and the centurion gave him leave to dwell where he pleased with the
soldier who was guarding him. Then after three days the Apostle sent and called the elders
of the Jews, and he addressed them and told them what had happened to him, saying, "I have
come hither for the sake of the hope of Israel, being bound in this chain." And they
appointed unto him a certain day, and they came unto him where he was dwelling quietly,
and he discoursed unto them from the Law of Moses and the Prophets concerning our Lord
Jesus Christ from morn until eve, and certain men among them hearkened unto him. And the
Apostle hired a house with his own money, and dwelt therein in the city of Rome for two
years; and he received strangers and shewed hospitality unto all those who came unto him,
and he preached concerning the matter of the kingdom of God. And he was teaching the work
of our Lord Jesus Christ openly, without any restraint, and this he ceased not to do until
they persecuted him in the days of the Emperor Nero; and there was great joy in the city
of Rome because of his coming therein when they saw the miracles and wonders which God
wrought by his hand. For he healed the sick, each one of his disease, and he cast out
unclean spirits in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by the sign of the Holy Cross.

109 And there was a certain young man whose name was Batrik, who stood at the table of the
Emperor, and gave him to drink, and he used to come by night to the place where Paul was
and hearken unto his teaching. Now when he was not able to come into his presence because
of the multitude of the people who were in the room, he would go to an upper place on the
roof so that he might hearken unto his teaching; now once when he was there deep sleep
overcame him, and he fell down from off this high place and died. And the rumour came unto
the Emperor Nero that Baṭrīk was dead, and he sorrowed for him with a great sorrow,
because he loved him dearly. And it came to pass that when Paul knew by the Holy Spirit
what had happened, he said unto the brethren and unto the people who dwelt round about
him, "The Enemy Satan wisheth to bring us into trial; go forth outside the door of the
house, and ye shall find the young man lying there dead; lift him up, and bring him hither
unto me. And they went forth and found the dead man even as he had said unto them, and
they brought him unto Paul, the glorious helper. Now when the people saw that the dead man
was Baṭrīk they were greatly moved, for they knew he was loved by the Emperor.

110 Then Paul said unto them, "O brethren, fear ye not, and be not moved, for in this hour
shall your faith be made manifest. Rise up now, and let us beseech our Lord Jesus Christ
to have compassion upon us, and to give life unto this dead man so that we all may not
die. And Paul bowed down and knelt with his face to the ground for the space of one hour,
and he prayed without ceasing, and made entreaty unto God, and lifted up himself in
abundant supplication; and straightway the man that was dead rose up alive, and he had no
pain in him, and Saint Paul sent Batrik unto the Emperor Nero. Now on the day wherein Nero
heard of the death of Batrik he was in the bath, and when he returned and went into the
palace he found that Batrik had made ready the table according to his wont. And before he
could enter into the palace, all his officers went forth and told him the glad tidings
that Batrik was alive, and that he had made ready the table according to his wont in the
palace, and was standing there [waiting]. Then when the Emperor Nero saw Batrik, he said
unto him, "O Batrik, thou art our life. Who made thee to live after thou wast dead?

111 And the gracious gift of the Holy Spirit filled the heart of Batrik, and he said unto
the Emperor Nero his lord, "It was my Lord Jesus Christ, the God of gods, the God of olden
time, the King of kings, who gave me back my life. Then the Emperor Nero said unto him,
"Dost thou imagine that He will reign for ever, and that He will make all [other] kingdoms
to pass away? And Batrik said unto him, "Yea, all the kingdoms which are beneath the
heavens He will make to pass away, and He shall rule alone for ever, and there shall be no
other god besides Him. Then Nero smote his hands together, and said, "And dost thou also,
O Batrik, believe in Him? And Batrik answered and said unto him, "My lord, I do believe in
Him, for He gave me life again after I had been dead. Now whilst he was saying these words
there drew nigh unto the Emperor four of the officers who stood before him, and whom he
loved, for he had bestowed more gifts upon them than upon any others of the officers who
were in the palace, and they never left the presence of the Emperor; and their names were
these, Lasayós, Yóstós, Kamitós, and Kemtis, the brother of the Emperor. And they said
unto the Emperor, "Know, O Emperor, that this is the hour wherein we draw nigh that we may
become soldiers of the heavenly Emperor, Who is the Most Ancient, Jesus Christ, the Son of
the Living God;" now these words were hard to the Emperor, and he commanded that they
should be scourged severely, and then cast into prison. Then the Emperor was exceedingly
sorrowful, and his breast was straitened because of the people who believed in our Lord
Jesus, and he made a decree, saying, "Whosoever shall believe in Jesus Christ, and shall
make B. mention of His Name with his mouth, shall be slain."

112 And it came to pass that when all the soldiers had heard his decree they scattered
themselves about through all countries, and they seized everyone who believed in our Lord
Jesus Christ and brought him before the Emperor in bonds. Now there were certain noblemen
who banded themselves together to watch Paul, and they brought his words unto the Emperor,
and they informed him concerning his power, and where he could come upon him. And the
Emperor looked at Paul who was bound, and said unto him, "Art thou the man who be-
'longeth unto the soldiers of the great and Most Ancient Emperor? Behold, thou hast come
into my hand bound. Speak, I pray thee, and tell me who is He Whom thou teachest, and by
Whom thou doest these works. Thou 113 Qq hast come into my city having acted with deceit,
and thou wishest to turn aside [my] armies from my sovereignty." Then Saint Paul answered
before all the people and said unto him, "Nay, not from thy kingdom only would we turn
aside thine armies, but from all the world, for after this manner did our Lord command us
B..66a. that we should not close the gates of life unto any person whatsoever; and it is
meet that thou thyself shouldst belong unto His followers. And this [thy] kingdom and this
[thy] glory will not deliver thee unless thou dost bow down and worship this Emperor; and
if thou dost ask him He will give thee salvation, and He shall come to judge the world,
and to give life unto all those who believe in Him; and the sinners who do not believe in
Him He will punish, and will deliver them over unto everlasting judgment." Now the Emperor
Nero did not believe what Paul said unto him, and he commanded his soldiers to bring bound
unto him those who believed in Jesus Christ, and to burn them alive. And when the wicked
Emperor had carried out his decree, he passed sentence of death upon the chosen ones who
believed on the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and he burned them, and they completed
their course and the fair beauty of their strife in the fire, and they received the crown
of martyrdom with glory which never endeth from the hand of our Lord Jesus Christ, in
Whose Holy Name they had believed.

Chapter X.

114 And at that time our lord jesus christb. APPEARED UNTO SAINT PHILIP WHEN HE WAS IN
CAESA-REA, AND SAID UNTO HIM, "RISE UP, and go unto the cities of Lystra and Iconium, and
behold, I send thee unto My servant Paul, that he may go with thee thither; and preach ye
therein in My Name, for until this present the glad tidings of faith in My Name have not
been heard in these two cities." And Saint Philip rose up and went to Saint Paul, and told
him how our Lord had appeared unto him, and straightway their hearts gained strength, and
they rose up, and stretched out their hands in the form of the cross, and they made
supplication unto God, saying, "We make supplication unto our Lord, and God, and Redeemer,
Jesus Christ, the Merciful One, the Sustainer of all things, the Word of God the Father,
by Whom the heavens and the earth were made and stablished for ever, until they must pass
away by His command; Who made the sun and established the day; Who appointed the Moon and
the stars for the night; Who fashioned the children of men in His ownB. image and
likeness; O Thou Who didst come down from heaven and didst become man by the Holy Spirit
and the Virgin Mary, and didst deliver Thy handiwork and what Thine hands had fashioned in
the abundance of Thy compassion and mercy, hear, O our God and Redeemer, our prayer and
our petition, and look with the eye of Thy mercy upon our misery and tears, for Thou art
our refuge, and our strength, and our strong place in all the exceedingly manifold tribu-

115 QQ* lations which come upon us. Have mercy upon us, O our God, by Thy strength, and by
Thy right hand make smooth our way so that we may enter into these cities. And, O Lord,
grant unto Thy servants the word of glory and preaching in them by [Thy] great power, so
that we may publish abroad Thy Name, and may praise Thee openly with words, and with a
joyful face, so that Thou mayest stretch out Thine hand and bestow healing, and power, and
wonderful acts whereby Thy Holy Name may be praised, O Jesus, our strength, and our
fortress, Jesus, our hope and our deliverer, Jesus, the horn of our salvation, Jesus, our
boast and our life!" 116 And it came to pass that when the two disciples had said these
words in their prayer and supplications, behold, our Lord Jesus Christ appeared unto them,
and filled them with His glory and power, and He made strong their hearts, and He spake
unto them, saying, "Behold, I will put Diabolos to shame, and I will break in pieces all
his powers under your feet, and I will rebuke him, and will keep him afar off from you, so
that he shall never be able to appear before you. And I will be with you, and I will help
you, so that all the men of the city may believe in My Name, through the mighty deeds and
miracles which I shall perform by your hands, until the people of these cities shall say,
'These two men are gods in the form of men who have come unto us.'" And when the Redeemer
had said these words unto them He gave them the salutation of peace, and ascended into
heaven with great glory while they were looking at Him. Then straightway a cloud of light
came, and carried the two of them away, and set them down on the river bank at Lystra. Now
some of the men of that city had believed when the blessed Apostle Paul had come unto them
in times past, and had healed Ṣawūs, and had raised him up in health and made him to stand
upon his feet, and they had grown stronger in the faith by reason of the great many signs
and wonders which he had made manifest here in the Name of our Lord; but there remained
some of them who did not believe in the preaching of the Holy Gospel.

117 And it came to pass that when the two holy Apostles, Philip and Paul, had arrived on
the river bank for the second time, they found the people who did not believe gathered
together there, and worshipping their impure gods according to the ordinances of their
polluted worship, and they wrought there openly the work of error and iniquity, and they
ate and they drank. Then Philip and Paul began to preach the Gospel of our Lord Jesus
Christ, and to cry unto them the words of salvation, and when they would not hearken unto
the preaching of the Gospel, and would not receive the Divine word, God'sent a mighty
tumult upon them, through the prayers of these two chosen Apostles, and at length the
hearts of all of them were converted unto the faith which is in His Holy Name, through the
abundant signs and wonders which God wrought by the hands of the Apostles. And when they
had gone into the city they told their companions who were left [therein] what had taken
place; and they all went out to the river bank, and they found the pure Apostles, and our
Lord sitting among them with His angels. Then straightway the people asked the Apostles
and the men who were there, saying, "How were you saved, and how did your hearts obtain
rest from the mighty dread and great tumult which came down upon you?

118 Then the Apostles answered and said unto them, "We were saved and we obtained the
salvation of our souls when we believed in the Name of Jesus Christ, the Saviour of those
who put their trust in Him. And the people said unto the Apostles, "We also desire that we
may find Him, and that we may believe in Him, so that He may become unto us a Helper and a
Saviour in all our affliction. Then the two Apostles answered and said unto them, "He
shall come unto you this day, and ye shall see Him with your eyes; and straightway the
hearts of the people of the city were glad, and they were filled with exceedingly great
joy. And those people said, "We will neither take ourselves away from this place, 119 "nor
go back into the city until He shall come unto us, and we shall find His compassion and
His mercy. Now they were gathered together on the river bank, and behold, there came
flashes of lightning, and mighty thunder, and a loud and terrifying voice. And it came to
pass that when the people saw this they marvelled, and they lifted up their voices, and
cried out, saying, "O our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, Thou Son of the Living God, be
Thou unto us a Helper, and Redeemer, for behold, we believe in Thy Holy Name, and we trust
in Thee with all our hearts. O our God Jesus Christ, Thou Merciful One, look upon our
faith in Thy mighty and Holy Name, for our hearts rejoice in Thy mercy and in Thy
salvation. Our minds are right and strong in the faith of the preaching of Thine Apostles,
and let our conversion and repentance be accepted by Thee. And when the people had said
these words, our Lord had compassion upon them, for He saw their humility, and He accepted
their conversion and repentance. Then He said unto the Apostles, "Go ye unto these people,
and preach among them, saying, If there be among you any man who desireth God with all his
heart, let him come and follow us to the river, and let him be baptized with Christian
baptism for the remission of sins, and for the receiving of the gift of the grace of
Christ.

120 And straightway all the people of the city of Lystra departed and followed after the
pure Apostles until [they came to] the river, and Saints Paul and Philip baptized them in
the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Then after these things the
Apostles brought them all back into the city, and they built for them a church, and they
appointed over them priests and deacons, and they delivered unto them the commandments,
and laws, and ordinances of God, and the words of His Prophets, and they wrote down for
them the glad tidings of the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, and they confirmed them in
the right faith, and taught them the knowledge of the ordinances of the sanctification and
participation in the Divine Mysteries. And the two blessed Apostles dwelt in that city for
three months, and they admonished the people and taught them the way of faith and the
divinity of God, to Whom be praise and thanksgiving for ever and ever! Amen.

Chapter Xi.

121 And After Those THINGS THE TWO APOSTLES DEPARTED FROM THE CITY OF LYSTRA BY NIGHT, and
they came to the sea shore seeking for a ship which might take them to the city of
Iconium; and they found the Lord there, for He had gone before them and had made ready a
ship for them, and He sat therein in the guise of the master of the ship. And when our
Lord saw them, He began to call unto them, saying; "Peace be unto you, brethren, whence
have ye come that ye arrive here at this hour?" Then the Apostles, who did not know that
He was the Lord Jesus Christ, said unto Him, "We are seeking for a ship which will take us
to the city of Iconium, for we have need to be there for a little." And the Lord Saviour
answered and said unto them, "I also wish to go there. Come ye and embark with Me in this
ship, and if the Lord Jesus be pleased to give us fair winds for travelling we will
journey together." Then the two Apostles answered and said unto the Man Who was the Lord
Jesus, "Now that we have found the Name of the Lord Jesus in Thy mouth Thou wilt fulfil
for us all our good pleasure, and our hope hath grown strong in God that He will not let
us go from Him." And when the two Apostles had embarked in the ship they straightway lay
down and slept, and when they awoke in the morning they found themselves on the sea shore
of Iconium, whilst they were still lying down. And the two Apostles marvelled, and they
bowed themselves on their faces, and worshipped God, saying, "We thank Thee, O God, for
this great act of kindness which Thou hast done unto us."

122 Then the Apostles rose up, and set out on the road which would bring them into the
city of Iconium, and one of them asked the other, saying, "What shall we do to find an
opportunity for preaching in the Name of our Lord in this city, for the men thereof are
depraved heathen? And Saint Paul answered and said, "Behold, a thought hath now come to
me, and if thou wishest to perform it we will do so. Then Saint Philip said unto Paul,
"What is it, O my brother? And Saint Paul answered and said unto Philip, "Let us hire a B.
place in the market, and establish ourselves there as col 2. teachers, and we will tell
the men of this city that we are men who are philosophers, which [word] is interpreted
lovers of learning, and we will read learned books by day and by night until we find an
opportunity for debating, and disputing, and conversing with them. And we will say unto
them, 'Whosoever wisheth to make his son learn the wisdom and knowledge of the
philosophers let him bring him unto us;' and [this will we do] until we see what God will
do with us. Then Saint Philip answered and said unto Paul, "The plan which thou describest
is good, O my brother; so the Apostles made a place for themselves in the market. And when
those who passed along the road and those who were journeying through the streets, said
unto them, "What is your handicraft?

123 the two Apostles answered and said, "We are learned men and philosophers. The Emperor
(or king) was wroth with us, and drove us away, and we fled before his face, and came and
took up our abode in this city, and we dwell here in this place in the market that your
children may be instructed by us in the wisdom of the philosophers. Now the report of the
Apostles went forth straightway in the city, and the people said, "These two men are of
the philosophers, and behold, they have come into our city and dwell in the marketplace.
Whosoever wisheth to be instructed and loveth the knowledge of the philosophers, let him
go to them and be instructed, for with them he will find beautiful wisdom. Then
straightway all the people of the city came unto them, and they gave their children to the
Apostles, that they might teach them philosophy.

124 And it came to pass that when Diabolos, the accursed deceiver, knew that the two
Apostles had arrived in the city of Iconium, he began to roar like a ravening lion, and
the flame of the fire of envy burnt in his heart. And he gathered together all his hosts,
and said unto them, "How can I wait patiently until this city shall have escaped from out
of my hand? Let me rise up and depart unto the city of Iconium, and I will corrupt the
col. 2. "hearts of the men thereof, and I will fill them with envy, and I will make them
to torture the bodies [of the Apostles] with fire, and with punishments of divers kinds
until they kill them. And the two disciples dwelt in the market-place that they might
teach the children of the men of this city; and Saint Philip used to write texts for them
to copy, and Saint Paul used to stand up and each them. And there was a certain governor
in the city who was called Théwôdás, and his wife's name was Euphemia, and they had a
little son whom they wished to send to the house of instruction with his companions the
[other] children. Now his father Théwôdás was an evil and wicked man in all his acts and
deeds, and a transgressor of the law, and he multiplied evil more than all the [other] men
of the city.

125 And it came to pass that when they heard the report of Saints Philip and Paul, and
that they were dwelling in the market-place and teaching learning unto the children of the
men of the city, he said unto his wife, "I wish to send a message unto these two
philosophers, Paul and Philip, [asking them] to eat bread in our house with us this day,
and we will deliver unto them our son Theodore that they may teach and instruct him
together with all the [other] children of the men of the city, for I hear concerning them
that they are exceedingly wise and learned men. And behold, many of the men of this city
have given their children unto them that they may teach them the knowledge of the wisdom
of philosophy. Then Euphemia his wife answered and said unto him, "If thou wishest to send
for them, do so. And straightway he sent unto them three soldiers of those whom he loved,
and he said unto them, "Go ye into the market and call hither for me these two wise men
and philosophers Paul and Philip, who teach the children of this city; so the three
messengers rose up and went into the market, and they found Philip sitting and writing
texts for the instruction of the children, whilst Saint Paul was standing up teaching
them.

126 And the messengers said unto them, "Unto you we speak, O ye two men who are filled
with learning and wisdom, rise up quickly, for Thêwôdâs the governor of this city inviteth
you into his house, and he wisheth to entreat you courteously, and with love and mercy.
Now this was the first public appearance of the two disciples in the city before they
preached unto the people in the Name of the Lord. And the men of this city used to worship
the image of a huge bull [made] of silver, and idols of gold. Then straightway Saints Paul
and Philip rose up, and gave the children permission to go to their homes from the place
of instruction, and they themselves departed with the messengers of the men of the city;
and when they had arrived in the house of Thêwôdâs, he rose up and came to receive them
and to pay them exceedingly great honour. And straightway he commanded [his servants] to
make ready a table and to cook meats that they might partake of a meal, and he brought
several fat oxen and slaughtered them, and twenty suck- ing lambs and kids of the goats,
and thirty chickens; all these things he made ready for the table which he had laid for
the Apostles. And he also invited all his friends, and acquaintances, and seven of the
honourable nobles of the city to the table which he had prepared in his garden; and he
slaughtered oxen, and sheep, and many kids.

127 And when the honourable nobles of the city had come to him, they said unto him, "What
is the cause of this great table which thou hast prepared and of the joy which is in thy
house this day? Then Thêwôdâs answered and said unto them, "I have made this great feast
in my house for the sake of these two philosophers who have come into this city and who
have entered into my house this day, for I want to give my son Theodore over to them, so
that they may teach him wisdom which is like unto theirs. And the nobles of the city sat
down to the feast with the Apostles, but the Apostles feigned only to eat and to drink,
for they neither ate nor drank anything that day, and those who sat at the table did not
know that the Apostles were neither eating nor drinking. And straightway Thêwôdâs called
his son Theodore, and said unto him, "Rise up, and go and sit at the feet of these wise
men; and he sat down by the feet of Saints Paul and Philip, and he began to kiss them, and
they blessed him in the tongue of angels, but he knew not what they were saying. Now the
youth was intelligent, and full of understanding, and used to discipline, and lowly, and
submissive. Then Saint Philip said unto Thêwôdâs, the governor of the city, "Give the
command, and let [the servants] bring a writing tablet, and ink, and a pen;

128 and the father of the child said, "This day let us eat, and drink, and sit down, and
make merry, but to-morrow thou shalt do as is good in thy sight, and we will bring unto
thee whatsoever thou desirest. Now Thêwôdâs was a well known man, for he was the governor
of the city, and was the prince of the people. And when the morning had come he took hold
of the hand of the child his son, and led him to the house of instruction, now he had with
him a eunuch to guard him, and Thêwôdâs delivered them over to the Apostles; and the seven
elders of the city also took their children to them that they might teach them the wisdom
of philosophy and the path of instruction. Now the Apostles had contrived this plan so
that they might draw the hearts of the men [to them], be it ever so little.

129 And it came to pass that when the men of the city saw that Thèwòdàs had taken his son,
together with the children of the seven elders of the city, to the Apostles, they also
took their children to them, so that they might teach them the mysteries of wisdom and
learning. Then, seven days after the Apostles had been working, behold Satan arrived, and
came into the city in the form of a man of rank who had journeyed from afar, and with him
there were many devils who followed their master in the form of attendants; and he came
into the market, to the place where the elders and all the men of the city had gathered
themselves together and seated themselves, and he stood up, being arrayed in the apparel
of kings, and spake unto one of the devils, and told [him to say] that he was a king's
son. And he was wearing raiment of purple, and he had upon his head a splendid helmet of
gold ornamented (i. e., set) with emeralds, and upon his neck a collar of gold, which was
also ornamented with emeralds and cut jacinths that shone with an exceedingly great lustre
on his lying form, and he held a roll of writing in his left hand, and a sceptre of gold
in his right hand; and when Thèwòdàs and his companions, the councillors of the city, saw
him, they marvelled at him exceedingly, and they rose up to receive him and to pay him
honour. And he said unto him, "Whence comest thou? And whence art thou? And what seekest
thou in this city? We observe, O young man, thou appearest to be a king's son. Then
straightway the young man, who was called the son of the king, stretched out his hand and
gave unto the governors of the city the roll of writing, and when they had opened the seal
they found written therein as follows:—"I Daryânôs, the king of Médôn, have written this
epistle unto Thêwôdâs and unto his companions, the princes of the city of Iconuim, in
peace; and let this matter be well known unto you that I meditate concerning you great
peace.

130 And behold, I have sent unto you 'Asmênâțôs my son, with this epistle in his haud, and
also my chief counsellor Râmrâêl, who, after me, is second in my kingdom. Now, when they
have brought this letter unto you, ye shall forthwith seek out and inflict punishments
upon these two men who are called Paul and Philip; and ye shall seize them, and put them
in fetters, for they are both slaves of mine, and they have escaped from me secretly, and
I have sought them myself with diligence. And moreover, I give you authority over them, so
that if ye desire ye may burn them in the fire; or if ye desire, throw them into sacks,
and tie up the mouths of the sacks, and cast them into the sea. For they are sorcerers,
and they have subverted my rule, and have wrought deeds of shame among my women, and
scattered abroad my officers and soldiers, and overthrown my house, and plundered my city,
and stolen my possessions, and blotted out my hope, and done away my goods, and destroyed
my pasture (or flock), and they have made accusations against each other, and they have
carried off mine handmaidens. And I have sent this epistle unto you, neither by the hand
of a governor, nor by the hand of an envoy, lest ye might be offended by my words, but by
the hand of my firstborn son and by that of my chief councillor, than whom there is none
more honourable in my palace.

131 And I swear to you, by the glory of my kingdom, and by the might of my rule, and by
the glory of mine honour, and by the majesty of the crown upon my head, and by mine
honour, and by the life of my firstborn and only son, that, when ye have read this my
epistle, if ye do not do unto these two men even as I have commanded in my epistle I will
send and plunder your country, and will lay waste your cities and all your borders, and I
will cover all your mountains and land with the feet of my soldiers and the hoofs of my
horses. And I will lay waste all your lofty buildings and give [the people thereof over]
to slaughter; and I will make your sons and daughters captives; and your beasts and
animals shall be doomed to destruction, and I will give power [to my men] to defile your
women. And if it be that ye do not wish to slay them with your own hands, flay the skin
off their persons, and bind with chains of iron their necks and their hands, and put
fetters on their feet, and send them unto me with my firstborn son, whom I have sent unto
you with my letter, and with my chief councillor, than whom there is none greater in my
palace, whom I have sent unto you.

132 And do not let me destroy you and punish both you and your country for the sake of
these two sorcerers who have come unto you, that is to say, Paul and Philip, and no man
shall require the shedding of their blood from you." 133 And it came to pass that when
Thêwôdâs had read the epistle and all his companions, the princes of the city with him,
they were greatly dismayed, and they bowed down straightway before Satan, who had taken
the form of a king's son, and before the other deceiver who had taken the form of a chief
councillor. Then they said unto him, "O our lord, thou king's son, live for ever! Thy
servants hear thy commandments and they are ready to perform the words of the epistle."
And Thêwôdâs and his companions the princes of the city commanded the soldiers who were
standing before them, saying, "Go ye to the market, and seize these two men, that is to
say, Paul and Peter, and bind them, and throw ropes round their necks and drag them on
their faces from the market place until ye have brought them hither." Now the Apostles
were not at that time in the market place, for it was the hour for eating, and they had
given the children of the men of the city permission to go to their homes and to rest a
little until the shadows of the sun should turn, when they were to come back again to the
house of instruction and be taught. And Theodore, the son of Thêwôdâs the governor of the
city, besought the holy Apostles Paul and Philip, saying, "Come ye with me that ye may eat
bread and rest a little until the heat of the sun be less strong, and then ye shall go
back again to the market place and teach the children." Now the soldiers returned [to
Thêwôdâs] in great terror and consternation, and they said unto the princes, "We went to
the house of instruction in the market place, but we could not find Paul and Philip." And
again Diabolos spake unto the princes of the city, and said unto them in great wrath,
being in a fierce passion, "I will devour your flesh, and will drink your

134 Rr blood, because ye treat lightly the words of my lord the king, and myself also do
ye put to shame. Ye have sent your soldiers to seize these men, and behold, your soldiers
have come and said, 'We cannot find them.'" Now the holy Apostles Paul and Philip, having
given the children permission to depart to their homes, went daily from the house of
instruction to the garden of Thêwôdâs, and they rested there until they went back to the
house of instruction to teach the children again; and Euphemia, the wife of Thêwôdâs,
ministered much unto Saints Paul and Philip, because she heard from them the words of the
Gospel and the ordinances of life which they were teaching unto her. And the grace of the
Holy Spirit had taken up an abode in her, and had made thoughts of good to rest in her
heart, and she ceased not to sit at the feet of the pure Apostles, Paul and Philip, from
the time of their coming into her house until they departed and returned to the market.
And they declared unto her the precepts of salvation, that is to say, the precepts of the
Law and the Prophets, and the words of the Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son
of the Living God.

135 And after this the princes of the city were greatly moved, and dismayed, and in great
terror, having sought for Saints Paul and Philip, and having found them not in the market
place, and straightway they seized the soldiers whom they had sent, and bound them that
they might scourge them. Now there was a brazen image standing close by the place where
the governors were sitting, and upon it they hung the soldiers, who were bound hand and
foot, with their heads to the ground and the soles of their feet upwards—now the idol was
in the market place—that they might scourge them. And they said unto them, "If ye can
bring these two men hither, do so; and if ye cannot, then your souls (or lives) shall take
the place of theirs;" so they delivered them over unto death. Now whilst the princes were
inflicting these scourgings upon the soldiers, the men of the city came together unto
them, not knowing for what purpose the messengers had come, and a man answered and said
unto his fellow, "What have these men done that they are scourging them in this manner?"
Then one of the servants of the governors answered, saying, "Seest thou not this great and
exalted young man who is crowned with a crown of gold, and round whom the governors are
standing? He is the son of the king of Médón, and the other who is standing on his right
handB. is his chief councillor, and the minister of his power. And they have come into
this city to seek for two men, that is to say, for Paul and Philip, who teach the children
of this city wisdom and philosophy."

136 And it came to pass that when the men of the city had heard of the arrival of the son
of the king of Médón in their city, their hearts were greatly moved, and they were
sorrowful unto death, and they debated among themselves, saying, "Let us make haste to
seek for these two men, and let us deliver them unto him without delay. Let us not treat
his command lightly, lest he become enraged at us, and lest his anger wax strong in our
city, and he burn it with fire, and send his soldiers against us, and blot out us, and our
children, and our wives, and, moreover, he will plunder our possessions, 137 RR* and will
lay waste our city, and will destroy the men [thereof] with a sharp sword. Then Satan
changed his appearance again, and took upon himself the form of an old man who had passed
his days among the men of the city, and he stood up among them, and said unto them, "I
have seen Paul and Philip,, and with them were wine, and flesh, and fish, and Theodore,
the son of Thêwôdâs, was going in front of them, and they were following him until they
came to his house. And besides, I saw a certain woman who was of most beautiful form and
face, and appearance, and Paul was holding her right hand, and Philip was holding her
left. And when Satan had said these words in the hearing of all the multitude, they were
filled with wrath against Saints Paul and Philip, and they knew not what had happened; and
the rumour [of these things] went out into all the city until it reached the governor. And
a certain man among the men of the city came and said unto Thêwôdâs, "Behold, all the
multitude is crying out with a loud voice and saying that Paul and Philip are eating meat
in thy house with Theodore thy son, and that they have brought with them a certain woman
who is a harlot into thy house, and that they are eating and drinking with her.

138 And it came to pass that when Thêwôdâs, the governor of the city, heard these words,
he was exceedingly angry, and his anger burned like fire, and he plucked out the hairs of
his head and beard and cast them upon the ground, for Satan had hardened his heart, and
had made the slaughter of Saints Paul and Philip, and of his son Theodore, to appear unto
him in a fair light. Then Thêwôdâs rose up straightway, and said unto the governors who
were gathered together there, "Sit ye down, and reveal not the matter, and let no man know
aught thereof, whilst I go myself and find these two men; and, when I know and am certain
of the truth of the word which hath been said concerning them, I will do unto them what I
please." 139 Then immediately Satan went before Thêwôdâs into his house, and he made one
of his servants to take the form of a woman of beautiful face and form, and having come
[there] quickly she stood up in the porch of the palace, by the great seat which was in
the garden. And when Thêwôdâs arrived, he found Satan, who had taken upon himself the form
of a woman, standing in the porch of his court yard, and he said unto her, "O woman, what
seekest thou here, and who hath brought thee into this house? If thou dost not tell me the
truth thou shalt die by an evil death. Then the woman answered and said unto him, "I am a
woman who is a harlot, and I am well known unto the men of this city, and I am the
possession of those who take pleasure in fornication. Whosoever wisheth for me giveth me
my hire and taketh me unto a place wherein a man eateth, and drinketh, and taketh his
pleasure; and besides this thine handmaiden hath no knowledge of any other thing
whatsoever. Whilst I was sitting in my house, behold, Euphemia, the wife of Thêwôdâs, sent
unto me two young women who were her handmaidens, and they had with them two silver
bracelets, saying, 'Take these, and rise up, and come unto me quickly in my house, for one
of the envoys of the king seeketh my husband and he wisheth to take him to the king with
him;

140 and I wish thee to be with him before he goeth where he will find rest and relief from
sorrow.' And when these young women had come unto me, and had told me the message of
Euphemia, I rose up and departed with them until I came unto a place in the market, and I
found Theodore her son with the two wise men who teach the children of the men of this
city; now the name of one of them was Paul, and of the other Philip, and with them were
meat, and good drink, and cakes made of fine flour in abundance. And Theodore thy son
answered and said unto the young women who were journeying with me, 'Hath my mother sent
this woman, and did she call you?' And the young women said unto him, 'Yea', and
immediately Philip gave her everything which he had with him, both meat and drink; now
Paul took me by my hand and brought me here, and he also made me to go up into the upper
part of the palace; and they found a place wherein to make merry secretly on cushions and
a bed, and there we ate and drank and enjoyed ourselves each with the other.

141 Then again Euphemia said unto me, 'Rise up, and depart to thy house, for it is time to
sit at meat, lest my husband come and find thee in my house, and be enraged at thee;' and
Euphemia ate and drank with us, and we found pleasure, and we had great delight and
enjoyment each with the other. And she said unto me, 'If my husband come and find thee
here he will slay the two of us, and these two men, who have drunk with us.' Now when she
had spoken unto me thus I rose up straightway, and departed." 142 And it came to pass that
when Thêwôdâs heard these words from the mouth of Satan, who had taken upon himself the
form of a woman, his heart was moved, and his soul was terrified, and he breathed loudly
through his nostrils, and he was filled with wrath and fierce anger, and he said,
"Everything which the son of the king of Mêdôn hath said is certainly true. Now know I of
a truth that these men are sorcerers, and that they cast spells on men's wives and destroy
their houses; and behold, there hath come upon me that which came upon him, and they have
defiled Euphemia my wife by their sorceries. Woe is me! What shall I do? Henceforth I will
leave this city and depart [therefrom], for after this I shall never be able to lift up my
face in the presence of men, because of the great shame which hath come upon my house.
Then turning to Satan, who had taken upon himself the form of a woman, he said unto her,
"Get thee to thy house, for I will have no speech with thee, and thou shalt work no error
with me. And straightway Satan departed from the house of Thêwôdâs, having taken upon
himself his old form, and he came unto the place where the governors were gathered
together, and he found Diabolos sitting in their midst; and he said unto him, "Behold, I
have done everything which thou hast commanded me.

143 Then Diabolos answered and said unto his devils, "Be strong, and make yourselves
mighty, O my comrades, for behold, the time when I shall gain the mastery over these two
men, that is to say, Paul and Philip, [draweth nigh]. Verily I say unto you that when
Peter, the chief of the Apostles, is dead, I shall have rest, and I shall be able to take
vengeance upon the others, until I know who is able to set himself in opposition to me;
and he was their father who waged war against me. Behold, he shall be removed from me by a
cruel death, and I will never cease to fight against the others until I have made an end
of them by an evil death." 144 Now when Thêwôdâs came in he found Saints Paul and Philip
lying down asleep in the innermost part of the house, and his wife Euphemia was sitting at
the feet of the Apostles with a bowl of water placed before her, and she was pouring water
over their feet and washing them; and she was reading the words of good tidings, that is
to say, the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, for she was perfect and instructed in the
words of the knowledge of the wise men Paul and Philip, and in their doctrine. And
Thêwôdâs answered and said unto her in anger, "O thou wicked woman in whom there is no
fair thing, and who art not good! And he also said unto his son Theodore, "Thou also shalt
die before these two sorcerers, for thou didst bring them into my house which thou didst
make a house of pollution and fornication. I swear by the greatness of the might of the
gods of this city, and by the dominion of kings, that I will make thee to die with them.
Then Euphemia answered and said unto her husband, "Art thou mad, or art thou possessed of
a devil? What is this word which thou speakest concerning the servants of the Living and
Most High God? And Thêwôdâs rose up straightway in anger against his wife, and strangled
her forthwith, and she fell down quickly and died.

145 And it came to pass that when Saints Paul and Philip heard the noise of the outcry and
high words, they awoke from their slumbers and looked up, and saw Thêwôdâs seizing his
son, and dragging him along like a dead outcast; and seeing him dragging him along they
looked again and saw Euphemia stretched out dead, and they marvelled greatly, and they
knew not the reason of the matter. Then Saints Paul and Philip rose up, and laid hold upon
Thêwôdâs, that they might ask him the reason of his words and why he was behaving thus,
but he stretched out his hands and smote Saint Paul in the face. And he went and took a
sword which was hanging up in the house, and having drawn it out from its sheath he
plunged it into the side of his son, and his bowels came out, and he yielded up his soul
straightway. After this Thêwôdâs turned to the Apostles, that is to say, to Saints Paul
and Philip, and said unto them, "O sorcerers and deceivers, ye have made desolate my
house, and according to what ye did unto the king of Mêdôn even so have ye done unto me;
ye have made me childless, and ye have slain my wife, and ye have plundered my goods. I
will not kill you at this moment, but I will go and bring hither your master and all the
men of the city, so that they may see what hath befallen me, and may become witnesses
against you;

146 and then I will do unto you according to what my heart desireth. Then Thêwôdâs shut
the doors [of the house], and shot the bolts, and, taking the keys with him, departed, and
he threw dust on his head, and cried out with so loud a voice that his words could be
heard in all the city; and he came to the place where the governors were gathered together
with Satan in their midst, and all the men of the city were following him and looking at
him. 147 And it came to pass that when the nobles and governors saw him afar off they rose
up to meet him with great trepidation and fear, and they said unto him, "What hath
befallen thee that thou criest out and weepest in this wise?" And Théwôdás said unto them,
"O my brethren, what trial is greater, and what weeping is more bitter, than that which
hath come upon my house this day? Ask not what hath befallen me, for it is not seemly that
I should declare unto you [the cause of] my weeping, and the greatness of my sorrow, and
the bitterness of the tears which flow from mine eyes; but rise up, O my brethren, and see
what hath befallen me. And let the son of the king and the chief counsellor come with you
into my house that I may shew you what these sorcerers have done unto me, and because of
them I have slain my wife and my son. Woe is me, for mine injury is mighty, and the tumult
in my mind is great, and I know not what to do, for my only plan is this—I will shave off
the hair of my head, and I will live henceforth as a wanderer in the desert; I will not
enter into a house, and I will forsake the city. Behold, the lions shall find me and shall
devour my flesh, for death is better in my sight than life which beareth such deep sorrow
and such terrible disgrace." And when the councillors of the city heard his words they
marvelled and were silent; and they said, "True then are the words of the king of Médôn
who sent unto us an epistle by the hand of his son; and yet we have allowed these men to
act thus evilly against us, and to destroy our city by their sorceries."

148 And straightway Satan entered in among the governors of the city and led astray their
minds, and he filled them with the wickedness of anger against Saints Paul and Philip, and
they knew not what would [arise] from this matter. Now whilst Thèwòdàs was with the
governors, Saints Paul and Philip rose up, and they stretched out their hands, and cried
unto God with abundant supplications for the salvation of the men of this city, and for
the remission of their sins. And they also made supplication in prayer in the Hebrew
tongue, saying, "O God, the Sustainer of all things, the Father of our Lord, and God, and
Redeemer, Jesus Christ, reject not those who put their confidence in Thee, but put to
shame him that putteth himself in opposition to us, and bring into disgrace the Enemy who
fighteth against us. Look upon us, O God, for Thou art our God, and our strength, and our
refuge, and our helper, and give us strength, O God, that we may gather Thy lost sheep
into Thy pasture; O God, put to shame Satan and all his hosts, and break utterly all his
might, that Thy Holy Name, which is more exalted than any other name, may be praised, O
Father, and Son, and Holy Spirit, Holy Trinity, and to Thee be praise for ever and ever.
Amen."

149 And whilst Paul and Philip were praying, behold, our Lord Jesus Christ stood among
them in the form of a young Man of beautiful appearance, and He said unto them, "Peace be
unto you, O pure, and blessed, and glorious sheep; and straightway the Apostles bowed down
with their faces [to the ground], and they embraced the feet of our Redeemer. Then the
Lord raised them up, and kissed their faces, and said unto them, "O my brethren, fear not,
for many tribulations shall come upon you in this city, but when [the people thereof] put
you to the trial I will make many miracles to appear from you, and many of the Gentiles
shall believe in Me through you. They shall deliver you over to death, and they shall
crucify you, and they shall kindle fire upon your bodies several times; but fear not, for
I will be with you, and I will strengthen you, and by your hands I will work many great
signs and wonders, and, at length, all the men of this city shall believe in Me through
you. Satan shall stand up before you, and shall oppose you face to face that he may cause
you anguish. But I will put him to shame, and I will do away his strength, and I will
disgrace him, and cast him beneath your feet; and I will make manifest unto everyone his
shame, and disgrace, and infirmity, and abasement.

150 Be strong, O My beloved ones, for I will bring all his plots against you to naught,
and I will stand by you until [your] last breath. Behold, I have already declared unto you
everything which shall befall you. I will stretch out My hand and will heal your bodies,
so that the punishments may not cause you pain, and I will slay your enemies, and will
destroy those who are hostile unto you; and I will send the help of your angels. And when
the Saviour had said these words unto them, He blessed them, and gave them the salutation
of peace, and ascended with glory into the heights of heaven. 151 And after this Théwôdas
and all the councillors of the city rose up, and also Satan, who had taken upon himself
the form of the son of the king of Mèdón, the messenger of all sin, and all his hosts
which he had collected [and went] into the lower part of the city, and with them were many
soldiers, and guards, and all the men of the city. Now Satan tarried, and kept behind
them, and he did not go with them because he was afraid of the word (or voice) of the
Apostles; but Thèwòdàs went before the councillors, and magistrates, and judges, and there
followed him the captain of a thousand, and the captain of a hundred, and all the men of
the city who had assembled in the crowd went with him. And Thèwòdàs was weeping, and
crying out, and scattering dust upon his head. Then when they came to his house he
commanded the soldiers to kindle a fire and to burn down the room wherein were the
Apostles, and the governors, and the magistrates, and the captain of a thousand, and the
captain of a hundred tried to restrain him, saying, "Be patient, and keep thyself quiet
for a little, and we will do unto them what is meet. Restrain thy tears a little, that we
may find a way to escape from all these men who are following us, and we shall see what
hath become of these two men, for, behold, their God was with them;

152 and we know that with Him they will perform many evils which shall be exceedingly
greater than this. And straightway he ceased to cry, and quieted himself a little, and he
took a key and opened the doors. Then immediately the Spirit of God seized Saints Paul and
Philip, and brought them into the hall of judgment, and they found Diabolo s(and Satan)
seated there in the form of two governors, and the nobles of the people were gathered
together and they stood before him, and they knew immediately that he was Satan, and Satan
was afraid and exceedingly terrified when he saw them. And when they had opened the gates,
and had come through the first door into the palace—now they did not allow anyone to enter
in with them except the governors of the city and their head men who had come with
them—and when Diabolos, who had taken upon himself the form of the son of the king [of
Médôn], and who was behind [the people], saw the Apostles, he went quickly into the house
of Thêwôdâs, and entered with the governors into the palace. Now when they had come in
they found the wife of Thêwôdâs stretched out dead, and her son Theodore likewise. And it
came to pass that when the governors saw what had happened, they all cried out, and wept,
and rent their garments, and scattered dust on their heads;

153 then when they had come in they could not find the Apostles in the house wherein they
were wont to dwell, and they lit lamps and went round about in all the inner parts of the
palace, but they could not find them, and Thêwôdâs became like a madman who hath lost his
reason. Then the governors said unto Satan who was with them, "O lord the king, it was
only with right that thy father sent thee hither about these two men, and now we know of a
truth that they are sorcerers, for, as soon as they knew that we had come into this place
to seek them, they would not let us find them by any means." And as the governors were
conversing among themselves in this wise concerning Saints Paul and Philip, they said,
"Where have they gone, and what hath become of them?" Then behold, a certain man came and
cried out, saying, "These two philosophers whom ye have gone to seek in the house of
Thèwòdàs are now sitting in the hall of judgment;" and when they heard this they marvelled
greatly, and they returned quickly into the hall of judgment, and Thèwòdàs was going
before them, and crying out and weeping. And the people scattered dust upon his head, and
they also scattered it up in the air; and there was a great tumult in the city.

154 And it came to pass when they had come into the hall of judgment, that they found
Saints Paul and Philip sitting [there] like the angels of God, and when Thèwòdàs saw them
he became like a madman who hath lost his reason through unclean spirits, and he wanted to
pierce his belly with his hand, and pour out what was therein on account of the
exceedingly great sorrow which had come upon him. Then the governors answered and said
unto him, "Sit down in thy place, and put away this weeping, and restrain thyself a
little, and quiet thyself, and we will do unto the Apostles according to that which thy
heart desireth. And the elders of the city commanded that they should put the Apostles in
fetters, and bind their hands and their feet, and put chains round their necks, and make
iron helmets which should cover their heads [and reach down] unto their necks. Then they
made implements which were like unto hands, having palms and fingers of iron, and they put
them on the hands of Paul and Philip, and [they reached] to the upper parts of their arms,
and each of their hands had upon it a hand of iron, and they drove pegs (or nails) through
them into their hands. And they also made images of shoulders in iron, into which reached
as far as their necks, and they drove pegs (or nails) through them from before and from
behind.

155 And they also made plates of iron which went round all their members, and covered over
their bodies, so that nothing whatever of them could be seen; and they nailed the sides of
them together with nails which resembled spikes of iron. And they also made iron shoes,
and they drove spikes of iron through their feet until they penetrated them, and reached
from their soles to their thighs. And they also made plates of iron which were like unto
masks, and they covered over their faces with them, and the elders took exceedingly great
pains not to leave any one of their members not covered over with iron. 156 Then the
elders also brought men who were skilled in the art of making enchantments by means of
drugs, and those who were learned in the art of roasting [men alive], and they said unto
them, "See that ye do by means of your knowledge that which we set you to do concerning
these two sorcerers who have wrought this great evil against the men of this city, because
we wish to kill them by some evil death, and ye shall find with us a great reward and much
honour." Then the men who were skilled in the art of making enchantments by means of drugs
answered and said unto the governors, "Command ye that they bring here to us a talent
weight of lead, and a great cauldron of brass, and seven pounds of clear oil, and let them
mix with these grease, and wax, and ox fat, and large quantities of materials which will
aid the fire in burning, such as bitumen, and pitch, and tar, and sulphur, and seven
pounds of resin, and pieces of wood from cedar, and fir, and pine trees, and brush wood in
very large quantities;" and the governors commanded that everything for which they asked
should be brought unto them. Then they brought the materials, and melted them together in
the great cauldron, and poured them inside the iron plates which were over the bodies of
Saints Paul and Philip, until the plates of iron were made to stick to their bodies; and
they also poured over the outside of the plates, within which were the bodies of the
Apostles, the lead which they had melted, and it rose upwards from their feet even to
their heads. Now in order that the lead might flow freely both on one side and on the
other, they dug a pit, and, having made the Apostles to stand in it, they poured it over
them.

157 Then the wise men took the Apostles out of the pit, and carried them and set them upon
a pillar made of stout pine wood which was about five cubits high from the ground, and
which was smeared with bitumen outside; and they nailed their feet to this wood with long
spikes, and they set them in the gate of the garden which was entered by the four roads of
the city, and they piled up wood round about the Apostles, that is to say, Paul and
Philip. And on the outer face of the pile of wood which was heaped up round Saints Paul
and Philip were vine branches and plants of flax, whereon the flowers still remained. Then
Demetrius said unto the governors, "Send a herald round about all the city, so that all
the people may see the Apostles before we burn them with fire;" and straightway the
governors commanded them to appoint a herald, and to let them go round about in the great
gate of the city and cry out, saying, "Unto thee we speak, O people of this city,

158 Ss men and women, great and small, come ye all to the garden which is entered by the
four roads of the city, that ye may see suspended the two philosophers who came into this
city; for we have found that they were sorcerers, and murder took place in this city
because of them." Now when the people heard the words of the heralds, they cried out in
the city, [saying], "Gather yourselves together, O all of you, and come ye to the place
where the Apostles are." And the children who were being instructed in wisdom by the
Apostles came and gathered round the Apostles Paul and Philip—now they were twelve in
number—and they wept and beat their cheeks, and said, "Woe be unto us, O our masters, by
reason of this punishment which hath come upon you. Whence have ye found this punishment
of a cruel and evil death, the like of which no man hath at any time seen, for such a
penalty as this hath never before fallen upon any man?"

159 Then when the people of the city were gathered together, the governors of the city
commanded them to kindle 7Sb. the fire about the Apostles; and when they had set fire to
the vine branches and to the plants of flax wherefrom the flowers had not been removed,
the first burnt fiercely in the heap of wood inside which were Paul and Philip, and the
flames of fire mounted up above their bodies by reason of the abundance of the pitch, and
sulphur, and bitumen, and tar, and resin, and wax; and some of the oil and other materials
burst into mighty flames and blazed up until the whole pile was one great mass of flame,
and the men of the city cried out, saying, "Woe be unto these miserable men." Then the
Apostles made supplication unto God, saying, "O our Lord Jesus Christ, cast us not away
from Thee, and reject not Thy servants. Who shall have compassion upon the sons except
their Father? Thou art our strength, and our refuge, and our helper in the day of our
tribulation." Now all the people of the city wished to stone the councillors with stones,
for the groanings of the Apostles and their supplications had come unto God, and the
hearts of all the men of the city, were mercifully disposed towards them. And one of the
governors answered and said unto the people, "Bear patiently a little, and we will inform
you what will happen;" and the scribe of the city quieted the people and commanded them to
sit down in patience in their places for a little.

160 And it came to pass that when the tumult had quieted the governors sent guards into
the house of Thêwô-dâs, and brought out his wife and his son Theodore, who were dead, to
the place where Satan, who had taken upon himself the form of the son of the king of
Mêdôn, was sitting. Then the governors said unto the people, "Do not weep for these
murderers, but shed your tears for these who have been slain by violence;" and when the
people saw the wife of Thêwô-dâs and her son stretched out dead, they took stones and cast
them at the Apostles. Then Satan stood up among them and hardened their hearts against the
servants of God, that is to say, Saints Paul and Philip. And the wife of Thêwô-dâs and her
son were stretched out dead, and all the men of the city were looking at them; and the
governors thought that the Apostles Paul and Philip were dead, and they told the guards
who were

161 SS* standing there to remove the fire from the bodies of the Apostles. Then Demetrius
the smith drew nigh unto them and drew out the pegs and fastenings, wherewith they had
nailed together the iron plates which surrounded the bodies of the Apostles; and when they
opened the plates and removed them from their bodies their skin peeled off them and came
away sticking to the plates, and it came off like the skin of an animal which is being
flayed, and the blood of the Apostles dripped from their bodies upon the ground. Then the
councillors of the city said unto them, "Are ye then still alive, O ye wicked and evil
sorcerers, notwithstanding all these tortures which we have heaped upon your bodies?" And
Saints Paul and Philip answered and said unto them, "We are not sorcerers as ye think, for
we destroy the magical arts of Satan." Then the councillors commanded [the soldiers] to
kindle the fire about them a second time, and when they had done so, behold, our Lord
Jesus Christ appeared unto them coming down from heaven, and He extinguished the flames of
fire which were about them, and a cloud of light which was full of rain encircled the
bodies of Saints Paul and Philip; and all those who saw this marvelled, and said, "If
these men had deserved this sentence of death they would never have remained alive during
all these days wherein they have kept fires lighted round about their bodies." Now the
governors would not allow the people to bury the wife of Thêwôdâs and her son in the
earth, but they commanded them to anoint their bodies with myrrh and aloes, so that they
might not decay, until they saw what would happen to the Apostles.

162 Then the governors cried unto Demetrius the smith of Artemis, and said unto him, "We
call upon thee as a man of wisdom and knowledge to slay these two men, for, behold, they
are alive until this present." And Demetrius answered and said unto them, "I know no other
way of inflicting a cruel death upon them except this which I have already wrought upon
them; but now I will devise another plan which I will carry out upon them, which is as
follows. Let the soldiers stand at a distance from the Apostles and shoot arrows into them
now that their skins are stripped off, and their flesh shall be torn in shreds, and shall
be destroyed, and they shall die immediately." So the councillors commanded the soldiers
to shoot arrows into the bodies of the Apostles, but our Lord Jesus Christ guarded them
and covered them, and did not permit one arrow to touch them; and the soldiers stood
there, shooting arrows at them for a long time, but they were protected by God, and no
harm touched them. Then straightway the councillors and all the people of the city
marvelled, and said, "Verily these men must be great magicians, for they do not die; and
behold, they are preserved from the fire, and the arrows do no harm to their bodies." And
Demetrius the smith answered and said unto the councillors, "I would have you to know now
that I have nothing else left to do unto them, and I can obtain no power over them to kill
them; for fire will not consume them, and arrows will not touch their bodies. But if ye
will hearken unto me, send for Alexander, the governor of Caesarea, and let him come
[here], for he will be able to slay them."

163 And straightway the governors wrote a letter and gave it unto a centurion that he
might take it to Caesarea, and bring Alexander, the governor thereof, to Iconium, that he
might bring upon the Apostles the penalty of death; and when the centurion had departed to
Caesarea he gave the letter to the governor. Now when Alexander the governor had read it
he commanded them to make ready for him a ship wherein he might embark and depart to the
city of Iconium, and he set out in the ship and in a few days arrived at the city of
Iconium; and when he met the councillors they told him everything which had happened unto
the Apostles. And they informed him, moreover, saying, "Behold, we have had these two men
under guard for many days, and we bound their hands and their feet in fetters, and we have
no other punishment left which we can inflict upon them; and we have been unable to gain
the mastery over them, either by wood, or stones, or arrows, or iron, or fire. Behold, it
is now many days since they have been bound, and they have neither eaten food nor drunk
water; and their bodies have been exposed to the heat of the sun by day, and to frost by
night. And on account of them Thêwôdâs killed his wife and his son." And it came to pass
when Alexander the governor heard those things he marvelled at what the governors had said
unto him, and he said, "I wish to see these men;" and they said unto him, "Thou shalt see
them in the morning."

164 And when the morning had come on the following day, the councillors and Alexander the
governor rose up and came to the hall of judgment. Then straightway Alexander the governor
commanded his servant, saying, "Go unto these men, and loose their bonds, and bring them
unto me; and the servant of Alexander went to draw out from their feet the spikes whereby
they were nailed upon the wood, when suddenly his hand fell powerless and clave unto the
pieces of wood whereunto the feet of the Apostles were nailed, and he was unable to move
it in any direction. And when the men who had gone with him came [back] to the governor,
they made the matter known unto him, saying, "We never saw any man who was mightier than
these two sorcerers; and he answered and said unto them, "Behold, they do not deserve the
penalty of death, for if they did they would not have remained alive during all these
days, for although the fire blazed up against them they did not die. Peradventure it is
the power of a god and not that of the children of men which worketh in them. Rise up, and
let us go unto them, so that we may see their works thoroughly, and may know how to pass
sentence upon them. Thereupon the councillors rose up, with Alexander the governor, and
all the men of the city who had come unto him, and took their seats in the hall of
judgment; and they came unto the Apostles;

165 and Alexander the governor commanded the governors, and all the men of the city who
had come, to sit down, that he might [be able to] see the Apostles. Now Satan, who had
taken upon himself the form of the son of the king of Médôn, had gone away to a distance
from their place, for he was afraid of the voice of the Apostles Paul and Philip, and he
went outside the city under the form of the chief councillor of the king of Médôn. 166
Then Alexander the governor rose up, and stood afar off, and looked at the Apostles, and
he said unto them, "O ye men, tell me truly: who are ye? Whence come ye? And what is this
report which I hear concerning you? Behold, the governors of the city say that 8ob. a
murder took place in this city because of you. And the Apostles answered and said unto the
governor, "We are the disciples of the Good God, Whose Name is called Jesus; and it is
unseemly for us to seek after anything which appertaineth unto magic. We have killed no
one, nay, it is our God Who at all times doeth good unto everyone who seeketh, and He it
is Who maketh the lame to walk, and the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak, and the sick
to be healed, and the devils to be expelled, and the dead to be raised; and He forgiveth
the sins of those who turn unto Him with repentance. Then the governor answered and said
unto the Apostles, "If ye can do these things, we wish to see signs of them proceed from
you, and then I also will believe in your God. And the Apostles Paul and Philip said unto
him, "Ask from us whatever sign thou art prased to ask, that thou mayest know that our God
is the God of righteousness, Who hath the power to do everything, and Who is the Maker of
all created things.

167 Then the governor answered and said unto the Apostles, "Behold, the wife 8ob. of
Thêwôdâs and her son Theodore have died through you, and I desire that ye ask God to raise
them up again, for we wish to know the power of your God. Now in former days this governor
Alexander was dwelling in the city of Rome, and he was there before the Emperor Nero
passed sentence of death upon Abbà Peter, the chief of the Apostles, and condemned him to
be crucified; and Alexander was a good man and he feared God, and he had embraced the
faith of Christ some time before, when he was in the city of Rome with the Emperor, Nero
by the hand of Abbà Saint Peter. Then Philip and Paul answered and said unto Alexander the
governor, "We see that thou art filled with the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and
behold, His gift resteth in all thy heart. If thy heart desireth this thing let them bring
them (i. e., the dead bodies) unto us, that thou mayest see the might of our Lord Jesus
Christ and that He may make His wonders to appear in the city. And straightway they sent
the guards, and they brought the dead body of Euphemia the wife of Thêwôdâs, and the dead
body of his son Theodore, and they were carrying them on a bed;

168 and their kinsfolk were following after them weeping, for they did not know that the
Apostles wished to raise them up from the dead, but they thought that the governor wished
to see them, and to pass a sentence of death and destruction upon Paul and Philip because
of them. And when they had brought their dead bodies [there] they laid them before the
Apostles. 169 And it came to pass at that time that the hand of the servant of Alexander,
which had cleaved to wood under the feet of the Apostles, was healed, and was opened, and
he made haste and prostrated himself and bowed down at their feet, which he kissed in the
presence of all the people, saying, "Verily, these men are the servants of the Most High
God, and they teach the doctrine of life." And after this their bonds were loosed, and the
spikes which were driven through the soles of their feet, and by which they were fastened
to the wood, were withdrawn, and immediately they walked on their feet to the place where
the bodies lay. Then Paul and Philip stood up and stretched out their hands, and prayed,
saying, "O our Lord Jesus Christ,

170 "Who didst raise up the daughter of Jairus after she was dead; and Who didst raise up
the son of the widow, and didst lay hold upon his coffin and say unto him, 'O young man, I
say unto thee, arise,' and straightway he rose up and Thou didst give him to his mother; O
Thou Who didst raise up Lazarus by the call of Thy voice, saying, 'Lazarus, Lazarus, come
forth,' whereupon straightway he came forth from the grave after [he had been there] four
days; even so do Thou raise up these dead bodies that all the men of this city may believe
in Thy Name, for unto Thee, and Thy Good Father, and the Holy Spirit, belongeth glory for
ever and ever. Amen." And when they had finished their prayer, Paul took hold of the hand
of Euphemia, and Philip of the hand of her son, and they said with one voice, "In the Name
of our Lord Jesus Christ the Nazarene, rise up sound and whole." Then straightway they
opened their eyes, and the breath returned unto them, and when they had risen up they sat
holding the hands of the Apostles, who made them to stand up before all the people.

171 And when the governor and all the men of the city saw [this], they fell down and
worshipped at the feet of the Apostles, and they made entreaty unto them, saying, "O
servants of the Most High God, remember not everything which we have done against you, but
have mercy upon us; what shall we do to be saved from our sins, and how can we become
worthy of the gift of the grace of Christ? Now Euphemia, the wife of Thēwōdás, and her son
Theodore were sitting at the feet of the Apostles. And Paul and Philip said unto the
councillors, "We only desire one thing, and that is for you to send and bring hither unto
us your gods and their priests, so that we may try them and know whether they have any
power in themselves or not. Then the councillors straightway sent after the priests, and
when they had come they said unto them, "Go ye and bring hither your gods unto us. And the
priests answered and said unto the councillors, "We are not able to move the gods from
their places. Then the Apostles said unto the priests, "Then they are not gods, for if
they were they could go wheresoever they desired; and the priests were filled with anger,
and said unto the Apostles, "Your speech betrayeth that ye are deceivers.

172 For our gods declared aforetime, and told us, saying, 'Behold, these two men who have
come into the city of Iconium are of the twelve sorcerers who follow Jesus the Nazarene,
and they preach in His Name in every city, saying, These gods whom we worship are not
gods.'" And whilst the priests were thus saying unto them, there came down upon them a
stroke from heaven, that is to say, blackness, and mist, and smoke, and darkness which
could be touched, and they became blind, and were in great tribulation, for they stumbled
about and fell down among the people. Now when the councillors and Alexander the governor
saw what had happened, they fell down at the feet of the Apostles, and they cried out,
saying, "Verily your God is a God of righteousness, Who hath made the heavens, and the
earth, and everything which is therein. Then the Apostles answered and said unto Theodore,
the son of Thêwôdâs, whom he had raised from the dead, "Unto thee we speak, and unto thee
we give the command, O young man, through whom and through whose mother salvation shall
come unto the

173 B "men of this city, Rise up, and enter into the city, and cry out, raising high thy
voice towards the temple, and say unto the gods, 'O ye gods of this city, unto you I
speak. Thus say the Apostles of the God of righteousness, that is to say, Jesus Christ,
Rise up quickly, and come unto the place wherein we are.'" And straightway the young man
rose up and went to the temple where the idols were seated, and he spake unto them
according as the Apostles had told him; and when the idols heard they came down from their
thrones, and went after the young man and came to the place wherein were the Apostles. And
when the councillors, and Alexander the governor, and all the men of the city saw the
silver bull and the golden images going after the young man, they cried out, saying,
"There is no god except Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God, the God of Paul and
Philip."

174 Then straightway the Satan Diabolos, who had taken upon himself the form of the son of
the king of Mêdôn, came and stood in the midst of the councillors, and the second Satan
also who was disguised as his chief councillor, and said, "Be ye not astonished at this
175 "poor deed which the two men have wrought, for indeed it is nothing but the work of
sorcery. And again the Satan, who had taken upon himself the form of the son of the king
of Médôn, said unto them, "If ye do not do unto them according to what my father wrote
unto you concerning them, and if ye do not deliver them into my hand that I may take them
to my city that I may do unto them according to my will, I will go unto my father without
them; and when my father heareth that ye have not killed them he will be enraged at you,
and he will send and destroy this city and will make an end of the people [thereof] with
the sharp sword. Now when the councillors heard these words they were terrified and were
greatly afraid, and they withdrew until they were alone, and said, "Let us consider what
we shall do unto these two men; we do not wish to deliver them over into the hand of the
king, because we have seen mighty deeds [come] from them, but, on the other hand, we are
afraid of his wrath lest he send and lay waste this city according to what his son saith.
And Alexander the governor answered and said unto the councillors, "Do nothing whatsoever
until ye have spoken unto Paul and Philip, and what they say unto us that let us do. And
moreover, I.B..82b.

176 will go unto the king [of Médôn] and will hold converse with him concerning this
matter, and I will make you to be blameless, and their God in Whom ye have believed shall
do what is good for you. Now the words were good in the sight of the councillors, and they
called Paul and Philip, and said unto them, "Know ye that the king [of Médôn] hath sent
his son into this city on your account? and the Apostles answered and said unto them, "We
knew this from the time when ye put us in fetters, and placed us within the plates of
iron, and the planks of wood, and nailed us to the wood; but now, do ye according to your
desire so that ye may be blameless, and it will cause us no sorrow. Then the counsellors
turned and told Diabolos and the Satans to go unto the Apostles; and when the Apostles saw
Diabolos afar off they knew him. And Philip said, "Behold, he that stirreth up war cometh
unto us; let us do that

177 "which God commandeth us;" and when Diabolos drew nigh unto Paul and Philip he knew
their counsel, and straightway he took the form of a flame of fire, and departed, and
turned his face away from them in the presence of the councillors and of the men of the
city. And Philip rose up and cast his girdle about the neck of Satan, and holding him fast
thereby he dragged him along, and Satan's appearance changed from the similitude of the
son of the king of Médón into that of a black bull; then straightway he bound him to the
silver bull and the golden images which the men of that city worshipped and believed in,
and he tied them together. And Paul drew nigh and smote upon the ground with his foot, and
the earth opened her mouth and swallowed them up, and they went down into the depth of the
abyss, whilst the councillors and all the men of the city were looking on at them. And
when the people saw what had happened they lifted up their voices, saying, "Gods in the
form of men have come unto us." Now the priests who had not believed became blind, and
they besought the multitude to guide them unto the place where the Apostles were, that
they might bring upon them the mercy of Christ and the gift of His grace. Then certain men
among the multitude, taking them by their hands, led them to the place wherein the
Apostles were, and the seven priests fell down at their feet, and said unto them, "Forgive
us, O servants of the Living God the Lord, and reward not us according to all our shameful
words." And when Paul and Philip saw their faith, they laid their hands upon their eyes,
and straightway they could see, and they followed the Apostles, and ceased not to minister
unto them.

178 Now when Thèwòdàs, the prince of the governors of the city, saw the mighty acts of God
and His wonders which Paul and Philip were doing in the city, and when he saw his wife
Euphemia and his son Theodore whom the Apostles had raised from the dead, he went into his
house with his soldiers, and brought forth all his possessions and laid them at the feet
of the Apostles, and he bowed down before them, and wept, saying, "Forgive your servant,
and remember not all the evil which I have done against you, but let your mercy come unto
me. Then the Apostles took hold of his hands, and said unto him, "Rise up, and fear not,
for these things have come from God, so that all the men of this city may be saved. And
straightway Paul and Philip smote the earth with their feet, and it opened, and a great
spring of water welled up, and the Apostles baptized all the men of that city, and the
councillors, and Alexander the governor. And they built a church for them and taught them
the ordinances [thereof], and how to offer up the Offering, and taught them the divinity
of God; and they appointed Theodore, the son of Thèwòdàs, to be their bishop, and they
made the seven priests to be priests and deacons in the church. Now after the Apostles had
lived in that city for three months all the people who dwelt therein believed.

179 And Paul and Philip blessed Alexander the governor and all the men of the city, and
they commanded them to be strong in the right faith in the Name of God the Father, the
Sustainer of all things, and in the Name of His Son Jesus Christ, and in the Name of the
Holy Spirit, One God. And they made them to be strong in the faith and fear of God, and
they ordained fasts at stated times for them, and they gave them the Law of Moses, and
[the books of] the Prophets, and the Holy Gospel, and the Ordinances of the Apostles, and
their Canons. Then the two Apostles Paul and Philip returned to Jerusalem, and all the men
of the city accompanied them on their way and brought them to the sea, where the Apostles
embarked in a ship. And Alexander returned to his city, praising God for the mighty deeds
and wonders which he had seen [performed] by the blessed Apostles Paul and Peter. Praise
be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, henceforth, and for ever
and ever. Amen.

Chapter Xii.

180 And After This SAINT PAUL WENT FORTH FROM JERUSALEM to go and preach unto the Gentiles
of the country into which he had entered, and as he was on his way, behold, our Lord Jesus
Christ appeared unto him, and said, "O Paul, My chosen one, behold, I have filled thee
with the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, and thou shalt receive much suffering for My Name's
sake, O My beloved Paul, yea more than that of all the [other] Apostles. I will not send
thee unto any one stated portion [of the world], nor unto any one defined place, but I
will send thee everywhere that thou mayest preach therein. Thy life shall be long in the
world, and thou shalt find much labour among all peoples. Thou shalt be filled with the
spirit of understanding and wisdom, which shall exceed that of Solomon, and the whole
world shall be filled with thy doctrine and wisdom. Verily I say unto thee, O My chosen
one Paul, that wheresoever My Gospel shall be preached in all the world, [the people]
shall declare openly, after the manner of a herald, thy doctrines, and thy words, and thy
ministrations, so that by them the whole world shall be taught and admonished, among the
Jews, and Greeks, and Gentiles, and [the nations of] Persia, and the Barbarians, and [the
peoples of] Ethiopia, and among all the heathen, for the whole world is the portion
B..84a. of thy preaching, O My chosen one.

181 And among all those who believe thou shalt be called the tenth part and the third part
in the number of the Apostles; and fear thou not, O My chosen one, for I will be with thee
in every part of the world whithersoever thou goest. Thy brethren the Apostles shall sit
upon twelve thrones, and shall judge the Twelve Tribes of Israel; and thou shalt be added
unto their number, and thou shalt be the thirteenth [Apostle]. O My beloved Paul, I swear
unto thee by Myself that all those who shall cry unto thee in their affliction, whether it
be man or woman, I will deliver them out of their tribulation, and will make them to
rejoice. And those who have committed sin, when having repented they cry unto Me, saying,
'O God of Saint Paul, forgive us our transgressions', I will forgive. And whosoever shall
build a church in thy name, or shall commemorate thy festival, or shall give alms in thy
name, or shall receive strangers, or clothe the naked in thy name, or shall write the
history of thy strife, and give it to a church that they may read therein, or shall
dedicate an offering and cause the same to be handed down [after him], will I bless, and I
will bless the children of his house, and his goods, and I will give his reward unto him a
hundredfold in this world, and in that which is to come life everlasting.

182 And having said these words [our Lord] saluted his mouth and ascended into the heavens
in great glory. Then Saint Paul went on his way rejoicing, and having journeyed round
about he came to the city which is called Gáhléyá, which is, being interpreted, "Folly".

Chapter Xiii.

183 Hearken Unto Me, O YE BELIEVING PEOPLE, AND I WILL RELATE UNTO YOU THE BLESSED STORY
OF WHAT GOD WROUGHT BY THE HANDS OF SAINT PAUL, THE TONGUE OF OIL, THE LAMP OF THE CHURCH,
THE HEALER OF OUR SOULS AND BODIES, WHO TRAVELLED INTO EVERY CITY (or COUNTRY) SEEKING
AFTER THE SHEEP THAT WERE LOST, SO THAT HE MIGHT BRING THEM BACK INTO THE PASTURE OF GOD.
184 Now as Saint Paul was travelling about and preaching he passed by a great city,
wherein was a lofty and mighty fortress (or palace) which was built of marble, and [the
people thereof] had protected it with plates of red brass; now this city was exceedingly
beautiful, and there were numerous streams and trees therein. Now when Saint Paul saw it
he marvelled at the beauty thereof, and he said, "I would that I knew what god the people
of this city worship; can it be that they worship idols?" And again he said, "Thou, O God,
art compassionate unto those who serve Thee, and who worship Thee, and Thou pourest out
Thy mercy upon Thy servants, good and bad [alike]." And as he was marvelling at the beauty
of the city and at its exalted position, a certain man came out therefrom and walked about
the ways thereof; and Saint Mâr Paul met him, and said unto him, "Peace be unto thee,
brother;" and the man answered and said unto him, "And upon thee be peace." Then Saint
Paul asked him, saying, "O my brother, what is this city called?" And he said unto him,
"Its name is Gâḥlēyâ;" then Saint Paul said in his heart, "If the name of this city be
Gâḥlēyâ, the people thereof must be fools, for the interpretation of [the name] Gâḥlēyâ is
Folly". And again Saint Paul answered and said unto him, "My brother, whom do they worship
in this city?" And the man said unto him, "They worship the great goddess Artemis." Now
when Saint Paul heard this he was exceedingly sorry for the city, the people of which were
unbelievers, and he said unto the man, "I wish to enter into the city," but the man said
unto him, "The people of this city will not allow thee to enter, because thou art a
stranger." And Saint Paul said unto him, "May not strangers enter therein?" and

185 TT* the man said unto him, "They may not enter in." Then Saint Paul said unto him,
"Why may not strangers enter therein?" And the man said unto him, "Because we know that
there have gone forth from Galilee twelve men who travel two by two in every country, and
who preach a God Whose Name is Jesus, Whom the Jews crucified upon a wooden cross and
slew. And these men command the rich to distribute their possessions among the poor, and
they order him that hath a wife to put her away and to live in purity; for this reason the
gates of this city are closed. And they have set guards on the upper part of the fortress,
and have placed there instruments for casting stones the whole day long. Now these guards
live on the upper part of the fortress, and they keep watch on this side and on that, and
when they see a stranger drawing nigh unto the city they cast stones at him to prevent him
from entering therein." And when Saint Paul heard this he sorrowed with a great sorrow for
that city, and for those who dwelt in it; and the man went on his way.

186 Now whilst Saint Paul was pondering these things in his mind he saw two men on the
road to the city, and he made haste to meet them, [and he found that] they were Peter and
Andrew his brother; and behold, they had come from that city, and when he saw them he
saluted them with a spiritual salutation, and said unto them, "Whence come ye?" And they
said unto him, "From this city which thou seest, for we drew nigh unto the gates thereof
and were wishing to enter therein. And the men there enquired of us, saying, 'Whence
[come] ye?' and we said unto them, 'We are strangers;' and straightway the guards lifted
up their slings and hurled stones at us and would not allow us to enter therein." And it
came to pass that when Saint Paul heard these words from them, his mind woke up like a
lion that roareth to rend prey, and he said unto them, "O my brethren, by the good
pleasure of God I will contrive some means whereby I shall enter into this city, and I
will make the men thereof to come forth and seek you, and they shall receive you, and
shall also bring you into the city. And when God hath prepared the way for us, and we have
entered therein, that which God hath spoken unto us we will speak, for our Lord and Master
saith unto us in the Holy Gospel, 'Where two or three are gathered together in My Name
there I will be also in the midst;' but go ye to these trees and rest there, until I go
and obtain information about this city."

187 Then Peter and Andrew did according to what Saint Paul had told them. And by the good
pleasure of God there came along two men by another road, and they had with them the
apparel which the accursed priests and worshippers of the idols which are in the temple of
Artemis wear therein; and Saint Paul said unto them, "My brethren, whither go ye?" And
they said unto him, "We are men who make the apparel of the priests, and we are now
travelling about from one temple of the gods to another, that we may sell our work unto
the priests who live therein." Then Saint Paul said unto them, "And I on my part have come
out of a temple, and am seeking to buy raiment such as that which ye have with you, for I
am a priest;" and those men sold him raiment, and Saint Paul bought it from them and
arrayed himself therein, and the men went on their way. Now when Saint Paul had arrayed
himself in this apparel, his heart grew strong, and he went into this city, and he said,
"O my Lord Jesus Christ, Who didst make the light to rise upon me when I was going into
the city of Damascus, and didst hold converse with me, though I am utterly unworthy, do
Thou prepare my way that I may come into this city, and may preach Thy Holy Name
[therein]." Then Saint

188 Paul went on until he came to the city, and when he stood up by the gates the watchmen
saw that he was dressed in the apparel of the priests, and they came down quickly, and
opened the gates for him, and brought him into the city with honour, saying, "Come in, O
our lord." And Saint Paul said unto them, "Let one of you come with me to [the governor
in] the hall of judgment, for I have been sent unto him with the words of a message by
those who have dominion in the temple of the king." Now one of the watchmen belonged to
the servants of the governor of the city, and he went with Saint Paul until he brought him
to the hall of judgment, and by the good pleasure of God he found the governor sitting at
the council of magistrates in the midst of the city, and all the nobles of the city were
gathered together unto him. And when they saw Saint Paul coming towards them dressed in
the apparel of the priests they all rose up and received him. And they bowed down before
him, thinking that he was [one] of the priests of the temple of the king, and they made
him to sit upon a lofty throne, and they sat in a low place at his feet.

189 Then Saint Paul said unto them, "I am the chief of the priests, and I minister
continually unto the gods who are in the temple of the king; and last night the gods
appeared unto me, and sent me unto you, and commanded me to say that which I would say
unto you." And the governor of the city and the nobles thereof answered and said unto him,
"Speak, O master, and declare that which the gods have commanded thee, and we will hearken
and be subject thereunto." Then Saint Paul said unto them, "The gods commanded me last
night that I should speak unto you thus:—There shall come unto you two men of the men of
Galilee, companions of the Galilean, against Whom the Jews rose up and Whom they slew; and
these men shall declare unto you that this Galilean is God; and that He hath commanded
them to make every man to separate himself from his wife; and that He hath commanded the
rich to distribute their goods among the poor; and moreover, they will command [you] not
to worship the gods of the king. And the gods have commanded me to pass a stern sentence
of judgment upon them, and to drive them forth into the uttermost parts of the city as
befitteth them." And the governor and the elders of the city said with one voice, "Have
the gods appeared unto thee in very truth and spoken [thus]? Behold, these two men came to
the city this morning and wished to enter in, but the watchmen prevented them from doing
so, and cast stones at them."

190 Now when Saint Paul heard [these words], he rose quickly, being filled with wrath and
anger, and he said unto them, "Send [men] with me to take me out of the city, that I may
seek for them and may bring them back into this hall of judgment, and may bring upon them
everything which the gods have commanded me." Then the governor sent his soldiers to seek
for Peter and Andrew and to bind them and to bring them back into the hall of judgment,
according as Saint Paul had commanded; and the soldiers went out quickly on the road upon
which the watchmen told them that the two men had gone, and they went on seeking for them
with deligence until they came unto the place wherein were the Apostles. And the soldiers
said unto them, "Whence "are ye?" And Peter said unto them, "We are men of Galilee;" and
when the soldiers heard these words from them, they laid hold upon the disciples, and
bound them, and threw chains round their necks, and at length they brought them into the
city. Then the rumour went abroad throughout the whole city that the two men had arrived
who belonged to the twelve men from the country of Galilee, who led men astray from the
worship of the gods, and who said that Jesus the Nazarene, Whom [the Jews] slew, is indeed
God, and who command men to separate themselves from their wives, and who command the rich
to distribute their goods among the poor. And all those who were in the regions round
about the city, both men and women, and great and small, gathered themselves together and
came into the hall of judgment. Now when Saint Paul saw the great number of the multitude,
and that the soldiers had brought Peter and Andrew in bonds, he prayed within himself,
saying,

191 "Behold, O my Lord Jesus Christ, Thou seest our poor estate, and Thou seest this
beautiful city and that all the people who dwell therein are bound under the yoke of Satan
the Enemy; we beseech Thee, O Lord, to help us, and do Thou turn them into the right
faith. Thou hast said unto us, O Lord, with Thine own mouth of righteousness, that
'Wheresoever two or three are gathered together in My Name there will I be in their
midst', and Thou hast said unto us Thy servants likewise, 'Behold, I send you forth like
sheep among wolves, be ye wise as the serpent, and harmless as the dove.'" And when Paul
had finished his prayer he turned his face towards Peter and Andrew, and said unto them,
"What are your names? From what city are ye? Of what nation and tribe are ye? And for what
purpose have ye come unto our city?" Then Peter and Andrew said unto him, "We are
Galileans, and we have come from the holy city of Jerusalem; we are Twelve in number, and
we are disciples of the Good God Whose Name is Jesus Christ. And our Lord hath commanded
us and taught us to go forth into all the world and to preach the Holy Gospel." And Saint
Paul said unto them, "Is it true [what] the gods have declared unto me concerning you,
that ye will not cease from your evil work, that ye separate men from their wives, that ye
command the rich to become poor, and that ye make a stir in all the world, saying, 'The
great God, our God, hath sent us to preach the Gospel in all the world?' Tell us now, what
is the Gospel? and declare unto us what is therein." Now Saint Paul said this wishing to
make them to declare the Gospel, and to pour the words thereof into the ears of the
multitude. Then Peter rejoiced at this, and opening his mouth he began to declare the
Gospel from the beginning even unto the end, and Paul meanwhile made prayer and
supplication unto God that He would open the hearts of the men of the city to the
knowledge of Him, and that He would confirm the words of the Holy Gospel in their breasts.
And when Peter had made an end of declaring the words of the Gospel, and how our Lord
Jesus Christ came down into the world from heaven; and how He was conceived and brought
forth by the Holy Virgin Mary; and how He was baptized and preached the Gospel of the
kingdom of heaven, and worked miracles; and how He suffered in the flesh by His own will,
and by the good pleasure of His Father and the Holy Spirit, that He might redeem us; and
how He died, and was buried, and rose from the dead on the third day; and how He ascended
into heaven, and sat at the right hand of His Father; and how He will come again in His
glory, with all His angels, to judge the quick and the dead, and to reward every man
according to his work; then he began to curse the idols which have no breath (or spirit)
in them, saying, "They are graven stones, the work of the hand of man, and things which
are made with implements of iron; they have mouths, and speak not; eyes have they, and see
not; ears have they, and hear not; noses have they, and smell not; feet have they, and
walk not; they speak not with their throats; and there is no breath in their mouths. May
all those who make them become like unto them, and all those who put their trust in them!"

192 And Saint Paul said unto them, "Is it true, as I hear, that ye blaspheme the gods? I
have just heard with mine own ears and I have seen with mine own eyes everything which ye
have said in your perversity. Then Paul commanded that Peter and Andrew should be made to
stand between four soldiers, and that they should scourge them with whips made of untanned
leather, and meanwhile he wept with the eyes of his heart, and he made supplication,
saying, "I beseech Thee, O God the Father, Thou Sustainer of all things, Thou Father of
our Lord and Redeemer Jesus Christ, as Thou didst send Thine angel unto the city of
Babylon and didst deliver the Three Children from the furnace of fire, even so at this
present, O Lord, send Thine angel to these my fathers the disciples, and remove [them] out
of the hands of these sinners so that the suffering of scourging may not come upon them,
and so that Thy Holy Name may be glorified in this great city; to Thee be glory for ever
and ever. Amen. And when Saint Paul had finished his prayer he saw the angel of God
standing behind the backs of the saints, and in his hand was a golden staff upon which was
a cross of precious stones, and he was holding back the stripes from the bodies of the
saints.

193 Now when the soldiers were wearied with scourging them they cried out to the governor,
and said unto him, "We cannot overcome these men, for to scourge them is as if we were to
scourge stones and iron; and the governor said unto Saint Paul, "Send them to the prison-
house, for the time for eating hath arrived. Then Saint Paul said unto him, "I swear by
the gods of the king that I will neither eat nor drink this day, nor take any pleasure
whatsoever, until I have taken the vengeance of the gods on these unbelieving men. And
when the governor heard these words from him he went into his house, and left Saint Paul
in the hall of judgment. 194 Now by the good pleasure of God there died at that hour one
of the great princes of the nobles of that city whom the king loved exceedingly, and all
the people of the city who worshipped idols were subject unto him. He was an exceedingly
kind and merciful man, for he fed the hungry, and clothed the naked, and remitted to the
debtor his debt when he had not wherewithal to pay; and he visited those who were in
prison, and sent his servants unto them with everything which they wanted, for he had
great riches; and he had also many children, and servants without number; and because of
him (i. e., his death) there came into the city much grief that day. Now the disciples
were in the prison-house; and Saint Paul ceased not to pray that night and to make
supplication unto God that He would turn the hearts of the men of that city into
submission unto Him, and in like manner Saints Peter and Andrew, who were in the
prisonhouse, made unto God the whole night through petitions which were like unto those of
Saint Paul. And when the light had risen the governor came with all the nobles of the city
unto Saint Paul in the hall of judgment, and told him of their sorrow because their
companion and friend had died. Then straightway Saint Paul gave thanks unto God in his
heart, and said unto the governor, "The gods have given me power over these Galileans, and
I shall be able to destroy them by a right judgment, for they say that their God doth
raise the dead, and open the eyes of the blind, and make the lame to walk, and cleanse the
lepers." Then Saint Paul commanded them to bring Saints Peter and Andrew from the prison-
house, and he also commanded them to bring the dead man before them; and he said unto
them, "Ye say that your God raiseth the dead and healeth every kind of sickness by your
hands;" and the disciples said unto him, "Verily it is well known." And Saint Paul said
unto them, "Behold, there is before you a dead man who died yesterday, and his people wish
to bury B..88b. him; if ye beseech your God, and He maketh him to live again and to appear
again unto his wife and children, we all will believe in your God, but if ye do not raise
him up we will burn you with fire in this city." And the governor and all the nobles of
the city who were with him spake even as Saint Paul spake. And Saint Peter said, "I can do
this by the might of my God."

195 Then the governor ordered them to bring nigh the dead man, who was [lying] on the bier
swathed ready for burial, before the holy disciples, and his wife, and his children, and
his servants; and all the men of the city came likewise, and they were all weeping. And
Saint Paul answered and said unto Saints Peter and Andrew, "Behold him that died! Beseech
ye your God that He may raise him up." Then straightway Saints Peter and Andrew rose up,
and having made the multitude to hold their peace, they stood by the bier of the dead man,
and turned their faces towards the East, and they stretched out their hands to heaven, and
cried out, B..88b. saying, "O our Lord and God, Jesus Christ, Who didst raise up Lazarus
from the dead, after he had been [in the tomb] four days, as soon as Thou didst call unto
him, saying, 'Lazarus, Lazarus, come forth!' and when he heard Thee he came forth alive;
and Who didst also raise up the son of the widow of Nain, when he was [lying] on his bier
and they were carrying him out to bury him, for Thou didst take hold of his hand, and
didst raise him up, and didst give him to his mother alive, and she took him and brought
him into her house rejoicing; hearken Thou unto the prayer and petition of Thy servants
who call upon Thee. Of Thy good pleasure, O Lord, let the dead man who hath been set
before us rise up, so that all this multitude may believe in Thy Holy Name. And unto Thee,
and unto Thy Father, the Good and Merciful One, and unto the Holy Spirit, be glory for
ever and ever. Amen." And Saint Paul also was making entreaty and supplication in his
heart unto God for the salvation of the men of that city, and for the benefit of their
souls. And it came to pass that, when the disciples had said "Amen," the dead man rose up
from the bier, having come to life. Then Andrew made haste and loosed his burial
swathings, and the dead man stood up before the governor and before the men of the city;
and all the men who were gathered together marvelled greatly, and they cried out with a
loud voice, saying, "Verily there is no god except the God of the strangers, Saints Peter
and Andrew." And Saint Peter drew nigh unto the dead man, and made over him the sign of
the cross, and said, "In the Name of Jesus, let there pass away from thee the fear of
death and of the strength of the judgment which is therein."

196 Then the man who had been raised up from the dead fell upon his face at the feet of
the holy disciples, and embraced them, saying, "Blessed be the hour wherein ye came into
this city. And Saint Peter spake unto him, saying, "What didst thou see in Gehenna? Then
the man who had been dead said, "It were better for man not to be born on the earth, for,
by my faith, I say that I never saw any punishment greater than that of the worshippers of
idols. When my soul went forth from my body the angels of wrath received it, and took it
to the punishment of Gehenna. There I saw the chief of the angels of Gehenna, and the
angels of punishment standing round about in fear and trembling, and their appearance was
terrible. And "I saw also a river of flaming fire, and their chief commanded his servants
to put my soul in the place where the worshippers of idols are punished until he could
make them to know the power of God their Creator; so they took my soul straightway,
without mercy, and they brought me unto that fearful place. And whilst I was undergoing
punishment there I looked at you, O my lords, and saw you following a young man with an
exceedingly bright face, and his radiance was brighter than that of the sun in his
splendour.

197 In his right hand he held a staff of gold, on the top of which was a cross, and he
came unto the place wherein I was. Then he stretched out the staff which was in his hand
and with it he touched the fire, and the blazing fire changed its form, and darkness
appeared; and the light appeared, and all those who were torturing me were scattered. And
moreover, I heard the voice of a company of angels who were offering thanksgiving unto the
Name of the Lord, saying, 'Blessed be the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.' Then
the young man commanded one of those who were ascribing blessings unto Him to take me by
my hand, and he delivered me over unto you as ye see me at this present. And I beseech
you, O my masters, to dispose of me according to what ye wish, only I make supplication
unto you that ye send me not back unto this punishment of torture. And it came to pass
that when these words came to the ears of the multitude, they lifted up their voices and
glorified God.

198 Then Paul made a sign to the multitude that they should hold their peace, and he said
unto the disciples in the presence of the governor and of all the elders of the city,
"Good is the work which ye have just per-B..89b. formed; ye have besought your God, and He
hath raised up this dead man. But it is not meet that the king, or the judge, or the
governor, should accept one witness, for only by the testimony of two or three shall
everything be established. And Paul said unto the judge, "Is there in the city any man
upon whom Satan hath a hold? Then the governor said unto him, "My brother hath a son whom
for the last thirty years Satan hath kept dumb, and several times this Satan hath taken
him up into a high place, wishing to hurl him down therefrom and to kill him. In like
manner he wisheth to cast him into the fire and burn him, and similarly, he would throw
him into the sea, and had it not been for the eight servants who guard him, four by day
and four by night, this Satan would have destroyed him. Then Saint Paul said unto the
disciples Peter and Andrew, "Heard ye what the governor hath said concerning his brother's
son?

199 If now ye will ask your God to cast out this Satan and heal this young man, and if ye
compel the earth to be subject unto you, and it open its mouth, and ye cast this Satan
down into the depths of Sheol with all these men looking on, then I and the governor, and
all these men, will believe in your God. And straightway the governor and all his men
cried out, saying, "We believe in the God of these strangers who have raised up for us the
dead man. Then Peter and Andrew stretched out their hands forthwith to heaven, and they
made supplication, saying, "We beseech Thee, O God, the Father of our Lord and Redeemer
Jesus Christ, to send to us in this hour Michael the Archangel, who grasped in his right
hand the prophet Habakkuk and took him from the land of Judah into the pit [of lions] in
Babylon of the Chaldees to Daniel the prophet. And he had with him food which he had
prepared for his harvestmen who were in the land of Judah, and Daniel ate and drank, and
Habakkuk returned unto his fields in that same hour.

200 Yea, O Lord, hear us in this hour, and send Thine angel to pass the sentence of doom
upon the Satan who liveth in the son of the governor's brother, and give us strength, O
Lord, and make us mighty to cast him out from this young man, and let us make him to have
his abode in Gehenna, that these men may know that Thou art the God of heaven and of
earth, and that their faith may 201 Uu be confirmed in Thee." And Saint Paul was meanwhile
making petitions unto God in his heart similar to those which Peter and Andrew were
making. And it came to pass that when they had said "Amen," they brought [unto them] the
young man whom Satan had hold upon, and he was much moved and Satan was torturing him. And
the angel of God vexed the Satan sorely, and the Satan made the young man to beat upon the
ground with his feet, and to foam at the mouth like a wild boar, and he leaped upon the
men and began to bite and tear their bodies, and to rend their garments; and when they saw
the young man acting in this wise they all fled. Then Saint Andrew made haste and went
forth from the place where the men were gathered together, and he made the sign [of the
cross] on the ground round about them, saying, "In the Name

202 "of our Lord Jesus Christ, [let no one go forth from this multitude, neither man nor
woman, and let them not remove themselves from the place wherein they are standing, and
let them not take away the soles of their feet from this place into any other, until they
have seen the wonderful thing which God will do. And it was with the people even as Saint
Andrew said, for the feet of all the men clave to the ground where they were standing, and
there fell upon them fear and dismay, and they marvelled more than they did at the man who
was raised up from the dead. Then they cried out with a loud voice, saying, "We beseech
Thee, O God of Andrew, to set us free, for the soles of our feet have become like unto dry
stone; and Andrew said unto them, "When the young man hath been healed, and ye have seen
Satan going forth from him and descending into Gehenna before you, then straightway shall
ye be set free, and ye shall go where ye will. Fear ye not. And meanwhile Paul was
beseeching God in his heart, and making supplication unto Him, that He would heal the
young man. Then Saint Paul said unto Saints B..90b. Peter and Andrew, "Your work is right,
but in the end ye must have three witnesses. As the first ye have raised up the dead man;
and as the second ye made the feet of the men to cleave to the earth;

203 but when ye cast out the unclean Satan from this young man, and all the multitude
shall see him going down into Gehenna, then will I myself believe, and I will deny the
gods of the king, and I will forsake the priesthood and this honourable rank wherein I
live, and I will bow down to your God and believe in your faith, I, and the governor, and
the elders [of the city], and all [this] multitude. And straightway the governor and all
the multitude cried out, saying, "We will believe in your God, and in your true faith, but
we beseech you, O servants of God, to set loose our feet. Then Saint Peter answered and
said unto Saint Andrew, "Dost B..91a thou wish to sow for me to reap? Or shall I sow and
thou reap after me? And Saint Andrew said unto him, "Thou, O our father and master, shalt
sow first of all, and I will reap after thee. Then Saint Peter drew nigh unto the young
man whom Satan was making to move to this side and to that, and to go from one place to
the other, at the same time making him to utter cries and to foam at the mouth like a
[wild] boar, but the Satan which was dwelling upon him was unable to UU* flee, for the
holy disciples were preventing him from departing, that the work of God might be made
manifest in him.

204 And straightway Saint Peter cried out, saying, "In the Name of my Lord Jesus Christ,
the Son of God, Who is from of old, Who was crucified upon the wood of the cross in the
days of Pontius Pilate, come forth from this young man, and let thy form be made manifest
before this multitude, that the people may see and 205 "know that there is no god except
the Lord God, Who hath in truth made the heavens, and the earth, and the sun, and the
moon, and the stars, and all the ordinances of the heavens, and the sea, and the rivers,
and the springs, and all that move therein, and the light and the darkness, and creeping
things, and beasts and cattle, all of which were made by Thy will and at Thine exalted
command, and over which Thou didst make man to be governor, and didst bless him. And now,
hearken Thou unto me, and shew Thy might unto this multitude, for unto Thee, and Thy Good
Father, and the Holy Spirit be glory, now, henceforth, and for ever and ever." Now when
Saint Peter had ended his prayer he said "Amen," and the young man fell down and became as
one dead; and Satan went forth from him in the form of a great darkness wherefrom flashes
of flame appeared, and his face, which resembled that of a boar, was exceedingly black,
and fire went forth from his eyes. And great numbers of the people who were standing there
became like dead men at the sight of his horrible appearance, but they were unable to
depart from their places, for the word of Saint Andrew was working with great power. And
Saint Peter turned his face to Saint Andrew his brother, and said unto him, "Behold, 'I
have sown, do thou now reap;" and Saint Andrew said, "In the Name of the Father, and of
the Son, and 'of the Holy Ghost, let this ground be cleft to its very foundations, and let
Satan go down into the depth of Gehenna and never again come forth therefrom.' And in that
same hour the earth was moved to its very foundations, and it opened itself, and the Satan
went down into it, and the earth covered him up, and became as it was aforetime. Now
whilst Saints Peter and Andrew [were doing] all these things, and all that happened there
after was taking place, Saint Paul ceased not to make entreaty and supplication unto God.
Then Saint Peter took hold of the young man by his hand, and raised him up, and he made
over his face the sign of the cross in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the
Holy Ghost, and the heart and all the members of the young man had rest, and he bowed down
with his face to the ground, and did homage unto the holy disciples.

206 Then Saint Paul made haste and stood up among the multitude, and he rent asunder the
apparel of the chief priest in which he had dressed himself; and he cast it afar off from
him, and he did homage at the feet of the holy disciples, and he saluted them, and made
supplication unto them, saying, "O my lords, tell 'us the story of your belief and of the
Divinity of your God, for He is the God of gods, and the God of heaven and of earth, and I
believe in Him with my heart, and my soul, and my spirit.' And straightway the feet of the
multitude were loosed, and every one of the people was able to depart whither he pleased.
Then the governor and all the nobles of the city who were sitting with him, and all the
men of the city, did homage to the holy disciples, saying, We beseech you, O our lords, to
teach us your faith, and to bring us nigh unto your God, for He is the God of the heavens
and of the earth." And the holy disciples answered and said unto them, "Say thus:—'We
believe in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, the Holy
Trinity, coequal and undivided;'" and immediately all the men of the city cried out with a
loud voice, saying, "We believe in the Father, and in the Son, and in the Holy Spirit, the
coequal Trinity, the God of Saints Peter and Andrew." And Saint Paul was praying in his
heart, with a right mind, saying, "I beseech Thee, O my Lord Jesus Christ, Who in days of
old didst sent fire unto Elijah the Prophet and didst consume the messengers of Ahab the
king, even so at this present, O Lord, send Thou fire from heaven and burn up the temple
of Artemis from its roof even to its foundations." And in that same hour, when the men of
the city were declaring their belief in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ, and of His Good
Father, and of the Holy Spirit with a loud voice, there was thunder in the heavens, and
lightning appeared, and whilst the people were looking on fire came down from heaven and
smote the four corners of the temple, and nothing was left thereof upon the face of the
earth.

207 And after this Saint Peter said unto the people, "Come, let us depart to the eastern
side of the city, unto the hollow place which is in the desert, beneath the tree which is
in the open country, that all these men may be baptized therein; and we will beseech our
Lord and God to make a spring of water to gush forth from the tree so that these men may
be baptized therein in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, and
so that your faith and your hearts may be purified. Then all the men of the city followed
the holy disciples to the eastern side of the city with Saint Paul going at their head in
joy and gladness because of the conversion of the city to the knowledge of God. And the
people of the city were giving thanks unto Saint Paul, saying, "Glory be to God through
thee, for thou didst bring into our city these men who brought us out from the error
wherein we dwelt through the abundant miracles which God hath wrought by their hands, and
they have brought us out from the darkness into the light by means of their abundant
wonders.

208 Now when they had arrived in the place behind the palace (or fortress) the disciples
stood up before the multitude, and turned their faces towards the East, and they stretched
out their hands towards heaven, saying, "We beseech Thee, O God, the Sustainer of all the
world, and Thine Only Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit, Whom Thou hast
given unto us, as Thou didst hearken unto Moses the Prophet, Thy servant, in the desert,
and didst command him to smite the rock with the rod which was in his hand, and fountains
of water gushed forth therefrom until they became rivers, and all the tribes of Israel
that were in the desert in those days drank their fill, even so, O Lord, this day do Thou
hearken unto Thy servants. And be pleased, O Lord, to make a spring of water to gush forth
from the rock, and let it fill this desert and become a sea; and let the waters thereof be
sweet, and let them neither change nor dry up until the end of the world. And let it be
for a memorial of us Thy servants, and let great numbers of the men of this city who have
believed in Thee be baptized therein."

209 And when they had finished praying they said, "Amen," and meanwhile Saint Paul was
helping them by praying in his heart. Then Peter and Andrew drew nigh and together smote
the rock with their feet, saying, "In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the
Holy Ghost, let there go forth from thee water which is sweet [to the taste], and pleasant
of smell;" and immediately there burst from the rock great and abundant streams of water
which welled up until they filled the desert, and they formed a vast pool of water. And
the multitude marvelled exceedingly, and said, "Verily we have worshipped devils all the
days of our life, and we knew it not. May God make His grace to abound towards us, and may
He make long His compassion upon us, in such wise that He take not vengeance upon us
quickly, and may He not reward us according to our works." Then the disciples said unto
the multitude, "Let the people remove their garments and apparel, and let them go down
unto the water, and plunge themselves therein three times, saying, 'We are baptized in the
Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost;'" and the people did even as
the holy disciples had commanded them, from their greatest even unto their least.

210 And when they were baptized Saint Peter commanded them to go into the city; and he
then commanded the women to come to the fountain of water which had come forth out of the
rock, and he baptized them in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy
Ghost. Now the water was of a most beautiful smell upon the bodies of those who were
baptized, and it was more beautiful than the smell and perfume of flowers. And Saints
Peter and Andrew blessed the rock wherefrom the stream of water had gushed forth until it
rose up and became as it were a river to the city, and they said unto the rock, "Thou
shalt never restrain the water which floweth out, and the flow thereof shall neither
increase nor diminish for ever. And every one who shall go down into this water, whether
they be suffering from any kind of disease, or whether they be tormented by unclean
spirits, or whether they be in pain and suffering, if [any] life be left unto them in this
world, if they believe in their hearts in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of
the Holy Ghost, they shall go forth from them healed of their sicknesses. And in that same
hour all those who were sick were made whole and the blind saw, and the lame walked.

211 Then the holy disciples commanded the multitude to take pains to build a church, and
every man among them brought according as he had the power; some brought gold, and some
brought silver, and some brought materials for building; so they built for them a fine and
beautiful church on the place whereon had stood the temple of Artemis, in the name of our
holy Lady, the Virgin MARY. And they appointed the governor to be their bishop, and they
changed his name and called him "Paul; and they appointed the young man who was healed of
the Satan to be deacon; and the man whom they had raised from the dead they appointed to
be priest; and they gave unto them the Holy Mysteries. And Saint Paul wrote for them the
Gospels, and the Acts of the Apostles, and the Apostolic Epistles, and all the Canon; and
he commanded them to fast on the sixth day of the week, and on the fourth day of the week,
and to keep the honourable Forty Days' Fast; and they taught them all the ordinances of
the Church. And they dwelt with them for a few days, until they had taught them everything
which was necessary, and Saint Peter consecrated for them the bread for the Offering
daily, and made them to offer up the Offering. And it came to pass that, when their faith
had grown strong in God, the disciples wished to go forth from that city to fulfil their
ministrations in the city (or country) wherein God had commanded them to enter, and Saint
Paul besought the holy disciples before the multitude to take him with them into the city
whereunto they were going. Then were the people who had believed sorry with a great
sorrow, and they said unto the holy disciples, "It is not meet for you to go forth from
our city, for we are a new plant which ye have planted; how can ye go forth and leave us
to dry up without nourishment?" But the holy disciples began to make them to keep silence
in peace, and at length their souls were able to bear their departure; then they departed
from them, Saint Paul being with them, and they blessed the people of that city, and
everything which was therein;

212 so the people accompanied them a short way on their journey, being sorrowful at their
departure (or separation). And it came to pass that when they were afar off from them
Saint Paul recognised as friends Saints Peter and B. Andrew, and he saluted them with a
spiritual embrace, and the three of them rejoiced and were glad by reason of the saving of
the men of that city. Then afterwards Saint Paul set out on his way alone, and he preached
the Gospel to the people in every country wherein the disciples had not entered, and he
taught them to have faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, and in His Good Father, and in the
Holy Spirit, to Whom be glory, and honour, and thanksgiving, and service, and homage, now,
henceforth, and for ever and ever. Amen.

Chapter Xiv.

213 And moreover [we will relate concerning] the preaching of paul in the island which is
called manâfeket; may his prayer be with us! Amen. Now whilst Saint Paul was going about
preaching in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ, he came to an island which is called
Manâfeket, and he wished to go therein and to preach the Gospel of the Kingdom, but the
people thereof prevented him from doing so. Now every one who dwelleth in this island hath
a mark inscribed upon his apparel, and the mark readeth "Manâf-kân" (i. e., the people of
Manâfeket); and if this name be not written on his apparel the people will not allow him
to enter the island, because this name is not on his apparel. And Saint Paul meditated in
his heart, and said, "It is good that I should write this name on my apparel so that I may
convert the men of this island to the knowledge of God;" so he wrote the name "Manāfḳān"
upon his apparel, and when the watchmen of the gates saw the sign written upon his apparel
they permitted him to enter.

214 And it came to pass that when he had come into the city which is called Manāfeket (now
they call the men [thereof] "Manāfḳān"), he said, "Let Thy will be [done], O my Lord and
God;" and he went round about in the city to ask for food, but no man gave him anything
whatsoever, because of the little mercy which was in their hearts. Then he came into a
certain open place wherein were great numbers of sick folk who were lying on beds, men and
women, children and babes. 215 Some children were ministering to their parents, and some
parents were ministering to their children, and some brethren were ministering to their
brethren. Now when Saint Paul saw this he marvelled greatly at what he saw, and then he
asked one of the men of the city concerning the matter of these sick men, and the reason
why they had left their homes and were gathered together in that place. And the man
answered and said unto him, "They carry all the sick folk who are in this island and bring
them into this open place, and they minister unto them until they die, and immediately
[any of them] die they cast them to the dogs that they may devour them. Then Saint Paul
said unto them, "Why do ye not leave them in their houses until they are healed? And why,
when they are dead, do ye not cast their bodies into graves and bury them? And the man
answered and said, "They bring them here for the following reason. No one of those who
fall ill here, whether he be great or whether he be little, or whether he be male or
female, ever riseth up from his [bed of] sickness until he dieth, and none of them is ever
healed or riseth up from his couch, and at length when he dieth he is given unto the dogs
that they may devour him. And Saint Paul the wise man said unto him, "This matter in this
island is hard [to understand].

216 I have travelled over many roads, and I have entered great cities, but I never saw the
like of this [in any of them]. For multitudes of men fall sick, but they abide in their
houses until God willeth that they shall either die or live. Then the man answered and
said unto him, "No man hath ever been seen in this island who having been sick riseth up
healed, for however long his sickness may linger upon him he at length dieth, whether he
be little or whether he be great. And Saint Paul said unto him, "If a stranger were to
dwell in this island for a few days, and fall sick, and not recover from his sickness, how
long would it be before he died? Then the man said unto him, "It hath never been heard of
for a man to come and dwell with us in this island until he were even as we are, and wrote
upon his apparel the name Manāfek, and then he would become even as we are in our
divinity, and his acts would become even as ours. Then Saint Paul said unto him, "Which of
the gods then do ye worship? And the man said unto him, "We worship the sun. Then Saint
Paul the wise man said unto him, "Ye are called Manāfḳān, according to the name of your
city, because ye worship the creature instead of the Creator. When the sun setteth, whom
do ye worship?

217 Now God commandeth that ye shall not worship the sun, or the moon, or the stars which
appear in the heavens." 218 And Saint Paul dwelt a few days there and was beseeching God
to illumine the hearts of the men of this city and to convert them unto His commandments.
Then after fourteen days Saint Paul went round about in the place where the sick were
gathered together, and he said unto them, "My brethren, I am sick even as ye are sick, If
"and I am afraid lest I die and be thrown to the dogs." 219 And they said unto him, "The
disease which thou hast contracted shall make an end of thee, for after this thou shalt
never rise up from thy bed, and at length thou shalt die, and they will throw thy body to
the dogs to eat; and when these words had been said unto him Saint Paul made himself a
sick man, and he begged for a bed whereon to lie. So they made ready a bed for him, even
as they were wont to do for the sick, only he was not sick, and the might of disease was
not upon him, but he was exceedingly sick in mind by reason of the error of the men of
that island whom Satan had led astray from faith in God. And when he had lain down upon
his bed he neither ate, nor drank, nor ceased to pray by night and by day with beseeching,
and entreaty, and supplication, unto God for the souls which had gone astray, that He
would convert them unto the knowledge of Him. Now after this those who ministered unto the
sick brought him food to eat, and having eaten it he lay down again for seven days like a
sick man, although he was not sick;

220 and he made prayer and entreaty unto God continually for the salvation of the men of
that island which was called Manāfeket, and although he appeared to be sick like one of
the sick folk he was not so, yet by reason of his constant vigil and ceaseless prayer his
flesh wasted away greatly, and he appeared to be sick indeed. And when he had passed forty
days in this manner upon the island, he had not answered any one of the people with a
single word, and he had not mentioned the Name of God openly to any man, but he never
ceased to make supplication unto God that He would hear his petition, and would prepare
the men of that city to know Him and His Name. And sitting upon his bed he would say, "O
my Lord Jesus Christ, hearken unto my petition, and heal me of my sickness, for I am
suffering greatly. Then one of those who were sick answered and said unto him, "If in
these few days, when thy sickness hath not been long upon thee, thou speakest in this
wise, how much more should say this the sick folk who are gathered together [here], and
upon whom their diseases have lingered for years, and who know that they will never be
healed of their sicknesses until they die?

221 And on the morrow Saint Paul said, "O my brethren, this day have the pain and the
sickness which are upon me become less by the might of Jesus Christ, and He hath given
unto me healing; and they marvelled at his words. Then he waited yet another seven days,
and on the morning after the seven days, that is to say, on the eighth day, he rose up
from his bed, and turned his face towards the East, and prayed, saying, "O my Lord Jesus
Christ, my God, Who sufferedst, and diedst, and roset from the dead, heal Thou me from my
sickness, and all the men of this city, that they may know that there is no other god
besides Thee, and that they may preach Thy Name openly in this island when Thou pourest
out Thy mercy upon them." 222 And Saint Paul was going about among the sick folk of the
island who were gathered together there because of their sickness, and when the sick
people and those who were ministering unto them saw how he had risen up sound and whole
from his sickness and from his bed, they marvelled greatly at what they saw, for in all
the days of their life they had neither seen nor heard of such a thing. Then the fame of
what had happened unto him went forth throughout all the island, saying, that a man who
was a stranger had come unto them; that he had written upon his apparel the name which is
inscribed upon the garments of every man who dwelleth in this island, or who taketh up his
abode therein; and that no man having fallen sick hath ever been healed of his disease
except this man; and that the like of the matter which was spoken of had never before been
heard of. And the people who were sick asked Saint Paul, saying, "Declare unto us the way
whereby we may be healed, and live. And Saint Paul said unto them, "No man can be healed
except by believing on our Lord Jesus Christ, and everyone who believeth in His Holy Name
shall be healed from all his sickness. Then the men who were sick said unto him, "Tell us
how we can believe, so that we may be healed of this sickness;

223 and Saint Paul said unto them, "Say, We believe and put our confidence in the Name of
the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, Three Persons, and One God. And we also
believe that One of the Three Persons became incarnate of the Holy Virgin MARY for the
salvation of Adam and his seed; that He was God Who was born of her in the flesh; that He
was baptized in the river Jordan; that He went about in the world in all respects like a
man, except that He was without sin; that He performed wonders, and healed the sick and
suffering; that He was crucified upon the wood of the cross; that He died in the flesh;
and rose from the dead, and [came forth] from the grave alive. Then straightway the sick
folk believed with true faith, and in that same hour they were healed of their sicknesses
and went about among the other sick folk who were left. And when they saw them, they all
cried out together with a loud voice, saying, "We believe in the Father, and in the Son,
and in the Holy Spirit; and we believe that Jesus Christ, Who is One Person of Three
Persons, was born of the holy Virgin Mary, that He died in the flesh, and rose from the
dead, the God of Saint Paul.

224 Then straightway all the sick folk rose up from their sick [beds] in that hour, and
there was not left one of them upon his bed, but they were all sound and whole, and they
were as if sickness had never come upon them. In this wise did all the people of that
island believe. 225 And Saint Paul built for them a church, and he baptized them in the
Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; and he appointed priests and
deacons for them, and he wrote for them the Gospels, and all the Scriptures of the Holy
Church, and he tarried with them for many days; and after he had strengthened their faith
in God, and they were healed of their sicknesses, that is to say, the sickness of soul and
body, they went back into their houses and were safe until they tasted death, and were
buried in graves like all other men. And this is the meaning of Saint Paul's words in the
Second (sic) Epistle to the men of Corinth, wherein he saith, "I became as it were a
sinner unto sinners, though I was not a sinner against God, that I might gather sinners
together; and I became as it were weak unto the weak, so that I might gather together the
weak, and might strengthen and deliver them from the weakness of the Enemy;" verily, he
was profitable unto many souls. And the men of that city became righteous because he
called himself a wicked and a sinful man. Hear also the word of Saint Paul, who saith,
"Who shall make me to forsake the love of Christ? shall suffering, or persecution, or
hunger, or affliction? I have confidence that there is nothing which will make me to
forsake the love of God, neither life, nor death, nor angels, nor principalities, nor
height, nor depth; and nothing whatsoever shall be able to make me to be remote from God,"
to Whom be glory, and thanksgiving, to the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, now,
henceforth, and for ever and ever. Amen.

Chapter Xv.

226 Hear Also, O BRETHREN, THE [STORY OF] THE PREACHING OF SAINT PAUL IN THE CITY OF
WĀRIKŌN; AND HOW HE CALLED THE PEOPLE THEREOF UNTO THE FAITH IN OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST; AND
HOW HE MADE MANIFEST MIRACLES AND WONDERS THEREIN; AND HOW OUR LADY THE VIRGIN MARY CAME
UNTO HIM TO HELP HIM AND TO STRENGTHEN HIM IN [HIS] PREACHING; AND OTHER MATTERS
APPERTAINING THERETO. 227 And after these things Saint Paul departed unto the city of
Kartāgnā (Carthage), and he found me, Peter, dwelling therein. And when I had met him I
enquired of him concerning the manner in which the men of Wārikōn had accepted the faith,
and he said unto me, "O man who art fit for the instructing of the men of the world in the
faith of God, when I had separated myself from thee there came unto me whilst I was asleep
the angel who used to come to thee. And he said unto me, 'Depart thou unto a city which is
on the border of heaven, that is to say, which is at the extreme limit of the bounds of
the earth, and preach therein in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ'; and I asked him to
help me by means of thee; and he said unto me, 'It is not meet for thee to say this thing.
Nay, thou art a messenger who hath been commanded [what to do].

228 Depart thou unto the place whereunto I have told thee [to go], for Peter is making
ready to dwell in the city of Kartāgnā, and in the country of Akrād,' so that our Lord
Jesus Christ may set before them His treasures a second time.' So I departed unto this
city, and, O holy teacher, the size thereof is so great that it resembleth Rome, only the
buildings thereof are more beautiful, and the fruit and flowers are abundant, and the
stream of water which passeth through it, and which is called Gargâ, is three hundred
stadia wide. Now I came unto this city on the twenty-seventh day of the month Magâbit, and
on that day the men of the city were celebrating a great festival, and they were making
crowns of roses and wearing garlands, and placing them on the heads of the graven images,
and they were offering up to them the first offerings of their wheat. Now there was a
statue on the wall of the city with a talisman, and it was the guardian of the city, and
whensoever the talisman saw a stranger coming into the city it used to cry out with a loud
voice, saying, 'Behold, a stranger cometh unto you;' and when the men of the city heard
these words from the talisman, they

229 B..97a. "used to go out and slay the stranger who was coming into their city. For
their law was not to allow a stranger to enter into their city. Now when I had arrived in
the stream (or lake) the talisman cried out in the language of the city, saying, 'Behold,
a stranger hath come unto you.' And the men of the city heard the words of the talisman,
for they were at that time gathered together for their festival on that day, and their
king and his army came to seek me. And when I saw them from afar off I fled, and went into
the caves which I found 1 I. e., March 23. 230 "in the mountain by the side of the sea,
and in the cave wherein I was foxes and jackals had taken refuge; and when I had entered
therein I wept with a great weeping, and hunger and thirst afflicted me sorely, for at
that time hunger (i. e., famine) and great heat were [in the land]. And I dwelt in the
cave until the night when I went out and drank water from the lake, and I stood up and
prayed before our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God. Now when the morning had
come and I had gone forth from the cave, that talisman again cried out with a loud voice,
like unto that of thunder, and proclaimed my coming. And when that talisman cried out it
was customary for the waves of the lake to rise up and to become greatly agitated, even
like the waves of the Red Sea, and the people of the city went forth to come unto me, and
when I saw them, I fled again to the cave and I sat therein for a second day. Then having
entered therein by reason of my fear I hid myself in the den wherein the foxes lived, and
I besought God-Christ, and made supplication unto Him, and I took refuge in thy prayer, O
Peter, thou master, and in the prayers of the brethren, and of our pure Lady, the mother
of the Light, the whole night long."

231 "And in the time of morning I went forth to the lake, and the talisman cried out
according to its wont, and it cried out to such an extent that it made the rocks and the
mountains to quake, and the waves of the sea were greatly agitated, and the water thereof
became red like blood, and the men of the city and their companies of soldiers went forth
according to their wont, and the lake was filled with boats, and I ran and fled to the
cave. And straightway I saw our Lady, the mother of the Light, standing upon the sea, and
she said unto me, 'O Paul, whither goest thou, and whither fleest thou? Dost thou flee
because thy Lord and God Christ hath commanded thee? Was it not He Himself Who said, Fear
not those who can slay your bodies, but who have no power to slay your souls? Stand thou
still then, and be strong before thine enemies, for I will be with thee, and mine hand
shall not be remote from thee; be strong, and of good courage, and know that in this sea
thou shalt baptize all the men of this city. Through thee they shall all believe, and with
thee shall be their portion on the day of the resurrection; be not thou afraid of them.
Know too, that if thou dost put thy hands into this lake it shall be subject unto thee and
shall hearken unto thee.

232 Now, whilst I "was holding converse with the mother of the Light, who was filled with
mercy and compassion, behold, I saw the boats filled with mighty warriors in whose hands
were weapons of war, and they drew nigh unto me. And it came to pass that when I saw them,
O noble master, I was afraid of them exceedingly, and I was greatly dismayed, but I took
refuge in our Lady Mary, and she hid me; now I saw her not, but I heard a voice calling
unto me from a cloud, saying, 'O Paul, baptize, and cease not.' Then I said with a loud
voice, 'O my God, make the waters of this lake to be for the baptism of these lost sheep
which Satan hath carried away captive and led astray; O my Lord Jesus Christ, let these
men receive in this sea the seal of Thy Three Names.' And I also took a handful of the
waters of this lake in my hand, and sprinkled it over these ships, wherein were one
hundred and fifty thousand men; and when they arrived at the side of the lake where I was,
they came forth from their ships seeking after me, and I stood up before them, even as the
mother of the Light had commanded me, and I was not afraid of them, for I had placed my
confidence in her help.

233 Now when they had drawn nigh and seen me, they all bowed down before me, and said unto
me with one mouth, 'Peace be unto thee, O Saint Paul, the Apostle of our Lord Who became
man.' And they held converse among themselves, and said, 'Hasten, O ye who are gathered
together, that ye may see the wonders of God Who became man.' Then they said unto me, 'O
Saint Paul, didst thou see that which we saw as we were sailing in the boats before we
came to thee?' And I said unto them, 'What did ye see, O new children?' And they said unto
me, 'We saw the gates of heaven opened, and a right hand which was like unto a flame of
fire reached forth from heaven upon us with thy hand; and we saw a Woman of light whose
face shone with a radiance which was seven times brighter than the light of the sun, and
she rose up from the bottom of a cloud of water from which thou wast sprinkling us, and
she embraced us with her arms, and she saluted us, and set upon our heads crowns of
light.'"

234 "Now when I heard these things from them, O noble master, I rejoiced with an
exceedingly great joy because they knew everything which God had done with us, and 'knew
His help for us. And after this there came unto me many boats which were filled with
mighty men of valour, and they had with them the weapons of war; and they said, O
magician, know that we have with us the writings and the talismans wherewith the sages
Hermes and Balanyós used to perform miracles and wonders.' Now when I had seen them and
had heard this speech from them, I was not afraid, for I believed that my Lord and God
Jesus Christ was with me, together with the intercession of our Lady, the pure Virgin
Mary. And I cried out to Him, and said, 'O my Lord and God, as Thou didst have compassion
upon the sheep unto which Thou didst aforetime make it manifest, even so do Thou now
reveal to these [men] Thy power and Thy compassion

235 "also.' Then I took in my hand some of the water of the lake and again sprinkled them,
and I said, 'Let this water be unto you in the place of baptism in the Name of the Father,
and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost,' and when I had made petitions and prayed, the
boats came to the side of the lake, and all the men came forth therefrom and bowed down
before me. And they said unto me, 'Peace be unto thee, O Saint Paul, we praise thee, O
Apostle of the God Who became man;' and they informed me that they themselves had seen the
miracles even as their companions who had come before had seen them. And next the report
of me was heard by the king of that city, and he and his soldiers embarked in the boats,
wishing to come to me. 236 Now when their boats drew nigh unto me, I was afraid, and I
lifted up my hands and my eyes to heaven, and I took refuge with my God, and I made the
sign of the life-giving cross over the lake, and I said unto it, 'O lake, I command thee
in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, to be rent asunder and divided into
parts, so that the land may be revealed, and so that the ships of these men may stand
still in their places and may not come to me.' And before I had made an end of my petition
the lake was divided into parts, and there were thirteen roads therein, and the boats
stood upon the ground in the places where they were. Now when the soldiers saw this they
drew their swords, and they found that they had become like pieces of wood.

237 Then I took in my hand some of the water of the lake, and sprinkled it over them also,
and I said, 'In the Name of the Holy Trinity;' and these boats moved on without any water
[to float upon], and immediately they were lifted up from the ground on which they rested
in the lake the winds bore them along, and the men went forth from them, and they came to
me, and embraced me, even as did those who came before, and the king and all the men of
the city bowed down before me, and then I passed with them on the dry road to the city
without the boats." 238 "And it came to pass that when I had entered the city I saw all
the idols with garlands of roses in their hands, and with bundles of ears of corn cast
before them as offerings; and when I saw this I was sorry with a great sorrow. Then the
men of the city said unto me, 'O noble master, know that on this day we have a great
festival to our idols; now in honour of whom dost thou command us to celebrate this
festival? Shall it be in the Name of the Father? Or in the Name of the Son? Or in the Name
of the Holy Ghost? For in these Names were we baptized.' And I taught them the faith
wherein it was meet for them to worship God, and I wrote with mine own hand and commanded
them to celebrate the festival in honour of our Lady Mary, the mother of the Light, by
whose intercession they were saved from the domination of idols; and also a festival in
honour of the day wherein the angel Gabriel announced unto our Lady Mary that she should
conceive the Son of God in the flesh, and I made strong the true faith in their hearts.

239 Now the lake remained divided into parts for eight days, and the king of the city said
unto me, 'O master, if thou dost command us to build upon this ground, and upon the places
from which the waters of the lake have departed, and which have become dry land, we will
at thy behest build churches which shall be for the men of this city fair memorials that
shall endure for ever, and when the inhabitants shall see them they shall at all times
remember what took place through the domination of idols, and they shall glorify God Who
hath redeemed them;' so I gave the command even as they desired. Then were gathered
together in the midst of the lake, and in the places which had been divided from the rest
and become dry, eighteen thousand men, and they built many churches there, and among them
was one large church, which was built in the name of our Lady Mary, the mother of the
Light, the length of which was three thousand cubits, and the breadth thereof one thousand
cubits, and the height thereof one hundred and fifty cubits, and it was built with lofty
pillars.

240 "And when this church was completed, I put a ban upon the lake by the word of the
Living God, Who existeth, that it might surround the church with water every year, but do
no harm unto it. And when the time should come wherein the men of the city were wholly
saved from the domination of idols, the water should be removed from the church, and the
church should be revealed for three days so that the men of the city might keep the
festival of the mother of the Light for a space of three days in that holy place; and that
they might make offerings and remember what they were wont to do in error, and might
declare the same from generation unto generation. Then I commanded them to break that
talisman which used to announce the arrival of strangers in the city; and I commanded the
lake to surround the walls of the city; and I made manifest unto them forty marvellous
things which might dwell with them, and I placed them in a public place, so that they
might not be hidden, before the eyes of the men of the city until the time of the second
coming of the Lord Jesus Christ."

241 And when Saint Paul informed me concerning the marvellous things [which he had made
manifest] for the city, I rejoiced exceedingly, and I besought our Lord Jesus Christ to
take me to the city and shew it unto me so that I might see that which Saint Paul had
described unto me.

Chapter Xvi.

242 How saint paul went to the city of wārikōn, and how he saw it, and confirmed the men
thereof in the right faith. Saint Peter saith:— 1003. 243 "As I was standing in the
harbour of Karṭāgenā a cloud overshadowed me, and there were upon it Uriel and Raphael,
the two angels who used to appear unto me and reveal hidden things; and they said unto me,
'Ascend, O Peter;' and I said unto them, 'Whither shall I ascend?' And they said unto me,
'Above this cloud;' and I ascended upon the cloud, and found that it was spread out before
me like the couch of a bridegroom's chamber; and it mounted upwards in the air, and I
thought within myself that they were going to carry me to the city of Rome, and I asked
the angels concerning the matter. And they said unto me, 'This is the city of Wārikōn, to
the men of which Saint Paul taught the true faith, and which thou thyself didst desire to
see.' And I heard therein a loud outcry, and many voices, saying, 'Come ye, and let us go
forth and receive the foundation of the Church and the chief of the Apostles, the master
Peter.' Then the cloud let me descend by the gates of the city wherein I saw multitudes of
men who came forth to receive me; and in the hands of the priests were censers which were
full of incense, and great numbers of lamps which were burning, and they drew nigh unto
me, and they did homage unto me, and they besought me to pray over them, and I did even as
they desired.

244 Then I enquired of them concerning their affairs, and they said unto me, 'We do not
lack any good thing of our Lord Christ, but in our city there is no olive oil, for there
are no olive trees therein; we therefore beseech thee to ask God, in Whose hand is mercy,
that He will make olive trees to grow in our city [so that we may have olive oil] for
Christian baptism, and for burning in lamps.' Then straightway I made supplication unto my
Lord and Redeemer Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God Who liveth, and I sought from
Him that for which they had asked me; and immediately, by the command of God, the earth
put forth in that city olive trees in abundance, and the number of those which grew there
exceeded that of the olive trees of the country of Syria. And I also besought God to drive
out from their country ravening and roaring lions, and wandering wolves, and dragons, and
destructive and horrible beasts of every kind, and my Lord and God received me, [and
granted me] everything which I had asked; and I dwelt in that city many days, and I
rejoiced because of what I had seen therein."

245 And after this Saint Peter blessed them, and he departed from them and went upon that
cloud whereon he had arrived; and when the people saw this they gave thanks unto our Lord
Jesus Christ, and unto His Good Father, and unto the Holy Spirit, to Whom be glory for
ever and ever. Amen, and Amen.

Chapter Xvii.

246 In the name of the father, and of the son and of the holy ghost, one god. HERE
BEGINNETH THE MARTYRDOM OF THE HOLY AND BLESSED PAUL, THE APOSTLE OF OUR LORD JESUS
CHRIST; NOW THE END OF HIS MARTYRDOM TOOK PLACE ON THE FIFTH DAY OF THE MONTH HAMLÉ. IN
THE PEACE OF GOD. AMEN. 247 Then Saint Paul put forward his doctrine and taught the
multitude, saying, "O ye men, in whom is under-standing, hearken ye, and know, and
understand what I say, so that ye all may know the mystery of the first creation, and of
everything which took place in the matter of the first man whose nature I hold on behalf
of the king. For this is not my life, and this [is not] my end, but that is life which is
everlasting and which hath no end. And if thou commandest that they shall cut off my head
I will appear unto thee again, and I shall be alive, so that thou mayest know the truth of
my word, for I shall live in my King Jesus Christ, Who shall judge the living and the
dead, and shall reward every man according to his work, whether it be good or whether it
be evil. Now when the Emperor Nero heard these words from the speech of Saint Paul, he
made a sign to his soldiers in wrath that they should kill him quickly; and when Kístós
(Acestus) and Líyükós (Longinus) the nobles of the Emperor heard [this] they took him out
to cut off his head. And they said unto Saint Paul, "Where is your King in Whom ye place
your trust? Surely ye do not wish to let Him go free, and bear all these scourgings for
him!

248 And Paul answered and said unto them, "O ye men whom error ruleth, and whose knowledge
of God is little, turn ye, and repent, so that ye may be saved from the scourgings (or
punishments) which shall come upon the wicked, but not in the way in which ye imagine;
[and ye shall not be punished] as by an earthly king like yourselves who shall gather
together his soldiers, but we shall be rewarded in the palace of the heavenly King for the
sins of the world. And this King shall come and shall judge the world, and unto all those
who believe in Him He shall give life everlasting. Now when the nobles of the Emperor
heard these words, they bowed down unto him, saying, "Make us to become of those who
follow this King, and then we will let thee go free whithersoever thou desirest. And Saint
Paul said unto them, "I am neither afraid nor terrified at your punishments that I should
flee from God, but I am the servant of my God, Jesus Christ, the Living King; and when I
know that this [King] hath died the death which is everlasting, then will I do according
to what ye say unto me. Nay, I shall live with my God for ever and ever. Amen. And I shall
do His will, and I shall return unto Him, and I shall sit with Him when He cometh in the
glory of the Father."

249 Then the nobles of the Emperor said unto him, "How wilt thou be able [to live] after
they have cut off thy head? Wilt thou be able to come alive a second time?" Now whilst
they were holding converse on these things the Emperor sent nine men to find out whether
the nobles had cut off the head of Paul or not, and when they arrived they found him
alive. And Paul said unto them, "Believe on the Living God, Who can save from death all
those who believe in Him, and Who can endow them with the life which is for ever," and
they answered and said unto him, "Behold, now thou must die, and when we see that thou
hast raised thyself from the dead then we ourselves will believe;" and they returned to
the Emperor. Now Kistôs (Acestus) and Lukôs (Longinus) were entreating Paul earnestly,
saying, "Teach us the way of life;" and Paul said unto them, "On the morrow, at dawn, come
ye to the grave wherein they shall have let down my body, and ye shall find two men
standing [there] praying; now these shall be Titus and Lúkás (Luke), and they shall teach
you the doctrine of salvation, and shall bring you as an offering unto our Lord Jesus
Christ, our God in truth." And Paul looked towards the East among all those who were
gathered together that they might see his martyrdom, and he stretched out his hands and
prayed for a long space of time in the Hebrew language; and when he had finished his
prayer he held converse with the people who were there in the words of faith in our Lord,
and many of those who were gathered together there believed because of the graciousness of
his words, and because of the light which was in his face, and the grace which dwelt upon
him.

250 And the messengers returned unto the Emperor Nero, and they told him how they had
found Paul hold- 10th. ing converse with Kistós (Acestus) and Lúkós (Longinus) and
teaching them the faith; now the Emperor was exceedingly angry, and he sent a strong man
with a sword to cut off the head of Paul quickly. And when the master of the sword came to
him he bowed his holy head silently and held his peace, and he remained for a long time
with his head bowed and the swordsman standing by him; but although he had drawn his sword
from its sheath his hand trembled in such wise that he could not bring it down upon him.
And after this he strengthened his heart, and he smote him a blow and the head of Saint
Paul fell upon the ground; and there went forth from the body of Saint Paul milk and blood
which came upon the swordsman and his apparel. Then those who were gathered together
marvelled and glorified God Who had shewn this great act of grace unto His holy Apostle
Paul.

251 And the master of the sword returned and told the Emperor everything which had taken
place, and the Emperor Nero and all his judges, who were seated with him, were greatly
dismayed. Now when it was the ninth hour of the day Paul appeared unto the Emperor, and
said unto him, "I am the disciple of Jesus Christ who came to thy city, and I have taken
from thee multitudes of the people to my King; and behold, I am alive and am not dead, and
behold, there shall come upon thee evil because thou hast poured out the blood of many
righteous folk, and after a few days everything which I have told thee shall come upon
thee." And as Paul was saying these words he became hidden from them. Then the Emperor
Nero ordered Yy 102a. 252 them to bring forth all who were in bonds in the prison-house of
those who had believed in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ; [and among them were] Baṭrik
(Patroclus) the Emperor's servant, and a man whose name was Bāryōs (Barnabas), and a man
whose name was Lūkōs, and Kōstōs and Kisṭōs, the chosen [friends] of the Emperor, and they
betook themselves at dawn to the grave of Paul, and when they had drawn nigh thereto they
saw two men standing there praying, and Paul was standing between them in great joy and
glory; and they were dismayed, and they trembled in great fear at the sight of his glory.
And Titus and Lūkās (Luke) were afraid and took to flight when they saw these servants of
the Emperor whom we have already mentioned, but they sought for them, and found them, and
they said unto them, "We do not seek you to put you to death, but that ye may give us the
life everlasting, even as Paul, who was in this very hour standing in your midst,
commanded us." Now when Titus and Lūkās (Luke) heard these words from them, they rejoiced
exceedingly, and declared unto them the word of doctrine; and they taught them the faith
which is in our Lord Jesus Christ, and they gave unto them the doctrine of life for ever
and ever. Amen.

253 Here endeth the Martyrdom of Saint Paul. May his prayer and blessing preserve our King
John and our Queen Sabta Wangel, for ever and ever. Amen. The Twelve Apostles prayed,
saying, "We have toiled and have been scourged for the sake of Thy Holy Name, what shall
our reward be?" And our Lord said unto them, "Ye shall pass [into heaven] with freedom of
speech." And the Apostles said, "Whosoever shall put his trust in our prayer, and shall
celebrate our commemoration, and shall write the book of our contendings, what shall his
reward be?" And our Lord said unto the Twelve Apostles, "Whosoever shall put his trust in
your prayers, and shall celebrate your commemoration, and shall write the book of your
contendings, and your martyrdoms, and your sufferings, shall pass with you [into heaven]
with freedom of speech at the last day." And now, O our brethren, let us celebrate their
commemoration, and put our trust in their prayers, so that we may find with them at the
last day a portion which shall endure for ever and ever. Amen, and Amen. May God, through
the prayers of the Apostles have mercy, alike upon him that wrote [this book], and upon
him that had it written, and upon him that readeth it, and upon him that interpreteth it,
and upon him that hearkeneth unto its words, for ever and ever. Amen, and Amen. So be it.
So be it.

254 2542 cols. 1. 2. YY*


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Where each text comes from, and the licence under which it may be reused.

THE CONTENDINGS OF THE APOSTLES, PART 1 English translation by E. A. Wallis Budge, from
The Contendings of the Apostles, being the histories of the lives and martyrdoms and
deaths of the twelve apostles and evangelists , the Ethiopic texts edited with an English
translation by E. A. Wallis Budge, volume 2: the English translation (London: Henry
Frowde, 1901); public domain. The text was read by machine (Mistral OCR) from a scan of
the 1901 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. The notes, the
dates table, the index and the list of Bible quotations are also left out. Greek words
that occur in the text are given in Latin letters. No modern English version has been
made. Licence. The translation was published in 1901 and is in the public domain. Licence:
Public domain.

THE CONTENDINGS OF THE APOSTLES, PART 2 English translation by E. A. Wallis Budge, from
The Contendings of the Apostles, being the histories of the lives and martyrdoms and
deaths of the twelve apostles and evangelists , the Ethiopic texts edited with an English
translation by E. A. Wallis Budge, volume 2: the English translation (London: Henry
Frowde, 1901); public domain. The text was read by machine (Mistral OCR) from a scan of
the 1901 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. The notes, the
dates table, the index and the list of Bible quotations are also left out. No modern
English version has been made. Licence. The translation was published in 1901 and is in
the public domain. Licence: Public domain.