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THE GOSPEL OF BARNABA
True Gospel of Jesus, called Christ, a new prophet sent
by God to the world:
according to the description of Barnabas his apostle.
Barnabas, apostle of Jesus the Nazarene, called Christ, to
all them that dwell upon the earth desireth peace and consolation.
Dearly
beloved the great and wonderful God hath during these past days visited us by
his prophet Jesus Christ in great mercy of teaching and miracles, by reason
whereof many, being deceived of Satan, under presence of piety, are preaching
most impious doctrine, calling Jesus son of God, repudiating the circumcision
ordained of God for ever, and permitting every unclean meat: among whom also
Paul hath been deceived, whereof I speak not without grief; for which cause I am
writing that truth which I have seen and heard, in the intercourse that I have
had with Jesus, in order that ye may be saved, and not be deceived of Satan and
perish in the judgment of God. Therefore beware of every one that preacheth unto
you new doctrine contrary to that which I write, that ye may be saved eternally.
The great God be with you and guard you from Satan and from every evil. Amen.
The angel
Gabriel visits Virgin Mary concerning the birth of Jesus.
In
these last years a virgin called Mary, of the lineage of David, of the tribe of
Judah, was visited by the angel Gabriel from God. This virgin, living in all
holiness without any offense, being blameless, and abiding in prayer with
fastings, being one day alone, there entered into her chamber the angel Gabriel,
and he saluted her, saying: 'God be with thee, O Mary'.
The virgin was affrighted at the appearance of the angel; but the angel
comforted her, saying: 'Fear not, Mary, for thou hast found favour with God, who
hath chosen thee to be mother of a prophet, whom he will send to the people of
Israel in order that they may walk in his laws with truth of heart.'
The virgin answered: 'Now how shall I bring forth sons, seeing I know not a
man?' The angel answered: 'O Mary, God who made man without a man is able to
generate in thee man with- out a man, because with him nothing is impossible.'
Mary answered: 'I know that God is almighty, therefore his will be done.' The
angel answered: 'Now be conceived in thee the prophet, whom thou shalt name
Jesus: and thou shalt keep him from wine and from strong drink and from every
unclean meat, because the child is an holy one of God.' Mary bowed herself with
humility, saying: 'Behold the handmaid of God, be it done according to thy
word.'
The angel departed, and the virgin glorified God, saying: 'Know, O my soul, the
greatness of God, and exult, my spirit, in God my Saviour; for he hath regarded
the lowliness of his handmaiden, insomuch that I shall be called blessed by all
the nations, for he that is mighty hath made me great, and blessed be his holy
name. For his mercy extendeth from generation to generation of them that fear
him. Mighty hath he made his hand, and he hath scattered the proud in the
imagination of his heart. He hath put down the mighty from their seat, and hath
exalted the humble. Him who hath been hungry hath he filled with good things,
and the rich he hath sent empty away. For he keepeth in memory the promises made
to Abraham and to his son for ever'.
Mary
having known the will of God, fearing the people, lest they should take offense
at her being great with child, and should stone her as guilty of fornication,
chose a companion of her own lineage, a man by name called Joseph, of blameless
life: for he as a righteous man feared God and served him with fastings and
prayers, living by the works of his hands, for he was a carpenter.
Such a man the virgin knowing, chose him for her companion and revealed to him
the divine counsel.
Joseph being a righteous man, when
he perceived that Mary was great with child, was minded to put her away because
he feared God. Behold, whilst he slept, he was rebuked by the angel of God,
saying 'O Joseph, why art thou minded to put away Mary thy wife? Know that
whatsoever hath been wrought in her hath all been done by the will of God. The
virgin shall bring forth a son, whom thou shall call by the name Jesus; whom
thou shalt keep from wine and strong drink and from every unclean meat, because
he is an holy one of God from his mother's womb. He is a prophet of God sent
unto the people of Israel, in order that he may convert Judah to his heart, and
that Israel may walk in the law of the Lord, as it is written in the law of
Moses. He shall come with great power, which God shall give him, and shall work
great miracles, whereby many shall be saved'.
Joseph, arising from sleep, gave thanks to God, and abode with Mary all his
life, serving God with all sincerity.
There
reigned at that time in Judaea Herod, by decree of Caesar Augustus, and Pilate
was governor in the priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas. Wherefore, by decree of
Augustus, all the world was enrolled; wherefore each one went to his own
country, and they presented themselves by their own tribes to be enrolled.
Joseph accordingly departed from Nazareth,
a city of Galilee, with Mary his wife, great with child, to go to Bethlehem (for
that it was his city, he being of the lineage of David), in order that he might
be enrolled according to the decree of Caesar. Joseph having arrived at
Bethlehem, for that the city was small, and great the multitude of them that
were strangers there, he found no place, wherefore he took lodging
outside the city in a lodging made for a shepherds' shelter. While Joseph abode
there the days were fulfilled for Mary to bring forth. The virgin was surrounded
by a light exceeding bright, and brought forth her son without pain, whom she
took in her arms, and wrapping him in swaddling-clothes, laid him in the manger,
because there was no room in the inn. There came with gladness a great multitude
of angels to the inn, blessing God and announcing peace to them that fear God.
Mary and Joseph praised the Lord for the birth of Jesus, and with greatest joy
nurtured him.
At that time the
shepherds were watching over their flock, as is their custom. And, behold, they
were surrounded by an exceeding bright light, out of which appeared to them an
angel, who blessed God. The shepherds were filled with fear by reason of the
sudden light and the appearance of the angel; whereupon the angel of the Lord
comforted them, saying:
'Behold, I announce to you a great joy, for there is born in the city of David a
child who is a prophet of the Lord; who bringeth great salvation to the house of
Israel. The child ye shall find in the manger, with his mother, who blesseth
God.'
And when he had said this there came a great multitude of angels blessing God,
announcing peace to them that have good will. When the angels were departed, the
shepherds spake among themselves, saying: 'Let us go even unto Bethlehem, and
see the word which God by his angel hath announced to us.' There came many
shepherds to Bethlehem seeking the new-born babe. and they found outside the
city the child that was born. according to the word of the angel. lying in the
manger. They therefore made obeisance to him, and gave to the mother that which
they had, announcing to her what they had heard and seen. Mary therefore kept
all these things in her heart, and Joseph [likewise], giving thanks to God. The
shepherds returned to their flock, announcing to everyone how great a thing they
had seen. And so the whole hill-country of Judaea was filled with fear, and
every man laid up this word in his heart, saying: 'What, think we, shall this
child be?'
When
the eight days were fulfilled according to the law of the Lord, as it is written
in the book of Moses, they took the child and carried him to the temple to
circumcise him. And so they circumcised the child, and gave him the name Jesus,
as the angel of the Lord had said before he was conceived in the womb. Mary and
Joseph perceived that the child must needs be for the salvation and ruin of many.
Wherefore they feared God, and kept the child with fear of God.
In
the reign of Herod, king of Judaea, when Jesus was born, three magi in the parts
of the east were observing the stars of heaven. Whereupon appeared to them a
star of great brightness, wherefore having concluded among themselves, they came
to Judaea, guided by the star, which went before them, and having arrived at
Jerusalem they asked where was born the King of the Jews. And when Herod heard
this he was affrighted, and all the city was troubled. Herod therefore called
together the priests and the scribes, saying: 'Where should Christ be born?'
They answered that he should be born in Bethlehem; for thus it is written by the
prophet:
'And thou, Bethlehem, art not little among the princes of Judah: for out
of thee shall come forth a leader, who shall lead my people Israel.'
Herod accordingly called together
the magi and asked them concerning their coming: who answered that they had seen
a star in the east, which had guided them thither, wherefore they wished with
gifts to worship this new King manifested by his star.
Then said Herod: 'Go to Bethlehem and search out with all diligence concerning
the child; and when ye have found him, come and tell it to me, because I also
would fain come and worship him.' And this he spake deceitfully.
The magi therefore departed out of Jerusalem, and lo, the star which appeared to
them in the east went before them. Seeing the star the magi were filled with
gladness. And so having come to Bethlehem, outside the city, they saw the star
standing still above the inn where Jesus was born. The magi therefore went
thither, and entering the dwelling found the child with his mother, and bending
down they did obeisance to him. And the magi presented unto him spices, with
silver and gold, recounting to the virgin all that they had seen. Whereupon,
while sleeping, they were warned by the child not to go to Herod: so departing
by another way they returned to their own home, announcing all that they had
seen in Judaea.
Herod
seeing that the magi did not return, believed himself mocked of them; whereupon
he determined to put to death the child that was born. But behold while Joseph
was sleeping there appeared to him the angel of the Lord, saying: 'Arise up
quickly, and take the child with his mother and go into Egypt for Herod willeth
to slay him'. Joseph arose with great fear, and took Mary with the child, and
they went into Egypt, and there they abode until the death of Herod: who,
believing himself derided of the magi, sent his soldiers to slay all the
new-born children in Bethlehem. The soldiers therefore came and slew all the
children that were there, as Herod had commanded them. Whereby were fulfilled the words of the prophet, saying: 'Lamentation
and great weeping are there in Ramah; Rachel lamenteth for her sons, but
consolation is not given her because they are not.'
When
Herod was dead, behold the angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph,
saying: 'Return into Judaea, for they are dead that willed the death of the
child.' Joseph therefore took the child with Mary (he having come to the age of
seven years), and came to Judaea; whence, hearing that
Archelaus, son of Herod, was reigning in Judaea, he went into Galilee, fearing
to remain in Judaea; and they went to dwell at Nazareth. The child grew in grace
and wisdom before God and before men.
Jesus, having come to the age of twelve years, went up with Mary and Joseph to
Jerusalem, to worship there according to the law of the Lord written in the book
of Moses. When their prayers were ended they departed, having lost Jesus,
because they thought that he was returned home with their kinsfolk. Mary
therefore returned with Joseph to Jerusalem, seeking Jesus among kinsfolk and
neighbours. The third day they found the child in the temple, in the midst of
the doctors, disputing with them concerning the law. And every one was amazed at
his questions and answers, saying: "How can there be such doctrine in him,
seeing he is so small and hath not learned to read?'
Mary reproved him, saying: 'Son, what hast thou done to us? Behold I and thy
father have sought thee for three days sorrowing.' Jesus answered: 'Know ye not
that the service of God ought to come before father and mother?' Jesus then went
down with his mother and Joseph to Nazareth, and was subject to them with
humility and reverence.
Jesus
having come to the age of thirty years, as he himself said unto me, went up to
Mount Olives with his mother to gather olives. Then at midday as he was praying,
when he came to these words: 'Lord, with mercy . . . ,' he was surrounded by an
exceeding bright light and by an infinite multitude of angels, who were saying:
'Blessed be God.' The angel Gabriel presented to him as it were a shining mirror,
a book, which descended into the heart of Jesus, in which he had knowledge of
what God hath done and what hath said and what God willeth insomuch that everything was laid bare and open to him; as
he said unto me: 'Believe, Barnabas, that I know every prophet with every
prophecy, insomuch that whatever I say the whole bath come forth from that
book.'
Jesus, having received this vision,
and knowing that he was a prophet sent to the house of Israel, revealed all to
Mary his mother, telling her that he needs must suffer great persecution for the
honour of God, and that he could not any longer abide with her to serve her.
Whereupon, having heard this, Mary answered: 'Son. ere thou west born all was
announced to me; wherefore blessed be the holy name of God. Jesus departed
therefore that day from his mother to attend to his prophetic office.
Jesus descending from
the mountain to come into Jerusalem, met a leper, who by divine inspiration knew
Jesus to be a prophet. Therefore with tears he prayed him, saying; 'Jesus, thou
son of David, have mercy on me.' Jesus answered: 'What wilt thou, brother, that
I should do unto thee?
The leper answered: 'Lord, give me
health.'
Jesus reproved him, saying: 'Thou art foolish; pray to God who created thee, and
he will give thee health; for I am a man, as thou art.'
The leper answered: 'I know that thou, Lord, art a man, but an holy one of the
Lord. Wherefore pray thou to God, and he will give me health.'
Then Jesus, sighing, said: 'Lord God Almighty, for the love of thy holy prophets
give health to this sick man.' Then, having said this, he said, touching the
sick man with his hands in the name of God: 'O brother, receive thy health!' And
when he had said this the leprosy was cleansed, insomuch that the flesh of the
leper was left unto him like that of a child. Seeing which namely, that he was
healed, the leper with a loud voice cried out: 'Come hither, Israel, to receive
the prophet whom God sendeth unto thee'. Jesus prayed him, saying: 'Brother,
hold thy peace and say nothing,' but the more he prayed him the more he cried
out, saying: 'Behold the prophet! behold the holy one of God!' At which words
many that were going out of Jerusalem ran back, and entered with Jesus into
Jerusalem, recounting that which God through Jesus had done unto the leper.
Some days having
passed, Jesus having in spirit perceived the desire of the priests, ascended the
Mount of Olives to pray. And having passed the whole night in prayer, in the
morning Jesus praying said: 'OLord, I know that the scribes hate me, and the
priests are minded to kill me, thy servant; therefore, Lord God almighty and
merciful, in mercy hear the prayers of the servant, and save me from their
snares, for thou art my salvation. Thou knowest, Lord, that I thy servant seek
thee alone, O Lord, and speak thy word; for thy word is truth, which endureth
for ever.'
Jesus fell with his face to the ground, saying: 'O great Lord God, how great is
thy mercy upon me, and what shall I give thee, Lord, for all that thou hast
granted me?' The angel Gabriel answered: 'Arise, Jesus, and remember Abraham, who being willing to make sacrifice to God of his only-begotten son
Ishmael, to fulfil the word of God, and the knife not being able to cut his son,
at my word offered in sacrifice a sheep. Even so therefore shalt thou do, O
Jesus, servant of God.
Jesus answered: 'Willingly, but where shall I find the lamb, seeing I have no
money, and it is not lawful to steal it?'
Thereupon the angel Gabriel showed unto him a sheep, which Jesus offered
in sacrifice, praising and blessing God, who is glorious for ever.
'The
whole city of Jerusalem was moved by these words, wherefore they all ran
together to the temple to see Jesus, who had entered therein to pray, so that
they could scarce be contained there. Therefore the priests besought Jesus,
saying: 'This people desireth to see thee and hear thee; therefore ascend to the
pinnacle, and if God give thee a word speak it in the name of the Lord.'
Then ascended Jesus to the place whence the scribes were wont to speak. And
having beckoned with the hand for silence, he opened his mouth, saying: 'Blessed
be the holy name of God, who of his goodness and mercy willed to create his
creatures that they might glorify him. Blessed be the holy name of God, who
created the splendour of all the saints and prophets before all things to send
him for the salvation of the world, as he spoke by his servant David, saying:
"Before Lucifer in the brightness of the saints I created thee."
Blessed be the holy name of God, who created the angels that they might serve
him. And blessed be God, who punished and reprobated Satan and his followers,
who would not reverence him whom God willeth to be reverenced. Blessed be the
holy name of God, who created man out of the clay of the earth, and set him over
his works. Blessed be the holy name of God, who drove man out of paradise for
having transgressed his holy precept. Blessed be the holy name of God, who with
mercy looked upon the tears of Adam and Eve, first parents of the human race.
Blessed be the holy name of God who just punished Cain the fratricide, sent the
deluge upon the earth. burned up three wicked cities, scourged Egypt,
overwhelmed Pharaoh in the Red Sea, scattered the enemies of his people,
chastised the unbelievers and punished the impenitent. Blessed be the holy name
of God, who with mercy looked upon his creatures, and therefore sent them his
holy prophets, that they might walk in truth and righteousness before him; who
delivered his servants from every evil, and gave them this land, as he promised
to our father Abraham and to his son for ever. Then by his servant Moses he gave us his
holy law, that Satan should not deceive us: and he exalted us above all other
peoples.
'But, brethren, what do we to-day, that we be not
punished for our sins?'
And then Jesus with greatest vehemence rebuked the
people for that they had forgotten the word of God, and gave themselves only to
vanity; he rebuked the priests for their negligence in God's service and for
their worldly greed; he rebuked the scribes because they preached vain doctrine,
and forsook the law of God; he rebuked the doctors because they made the law of
God of none effect through their traditions. And in such wise did Jesus speak to
the people, that all wept, from the least to the greatest, crying mercy, and
beseeching Jesus that he would pray of them; save only their priests and leaders,
who on that day conceived hatred against Jesus for having thus spoken against the
priests, scribes, and doctors. And they meditated
upon his death, but for fear of the people, who had received him as a prophet of
God, they spoke no word.
Jesus raised his hands to the Lord God and prayed, and
the people weeping said: 'So be it, O Lord, so be it.' The prayer being ended,
Jesus descended from the temple; and that day he departed from Jerusalem, with
many that followed him.
And the priests spoke evil of Jesus among themselves.
Jesus
descended from the mount, and passed alone by night to the farther side of
Jordan, and fasted forty days and forty nights, not eating anything day nor
night, making continual supplication to the Lord for the salvation of his people
to whom God had sent him. And when the forty days were passed he was an hungered.
Then appeared Satan unto him, and tempted him in many words, but Jesus drove him
away by the power of words of God. Satan having departed, the angels came and
ministered unto Jesus that whereof he had need.
Jesus, having returned to the region of Jerusalem, was
found again of the people with exceeding great joy, and they prayed him that he
would abide with them; for his words were not as those of the scribes, but were
with power, for they touched the heart.
Jesus, seeing that great was the multitude of them that
returned to their heart for to walk in the law of God, went up into the
mountain, and abode all night in prayer, and when day was come he descended from
the mountain, and chose twelve, whom he called apostles, among whom is Judas,
who was slain upon the cross. Their names are: Andrew and Peter his brother,
fishermen; Barnabas, who wrote this, with Matthew the publican, who sat at the
receipt of custom; John and James, sons of Zebedee; Thaddaeus and Judas;
Bartholomew and Philip; James, and Judas Iscariot the traitor. To these he
always revealed the divine secrets; but the Iscariot Judas he made his dispenser
of that which was given in alms, but he stole the tenth part of everything [7]
Jesus, seeing that great was the multitude of them that
returned to their heart for to walk in the law of God, went up into the
mountain, and abode all night in prayer, and when day was come he descended from
the mountain, and chose twelve, whom he called apostles, among whom is Judas,
who was slain upon the cross. Their names are: Andrew and Peter his brother,
fishermen; Barnabas, who wrote this, with Matthew the publican, who sat at the
receipt of custom; John and James, sons of Zebedee; Thaddaeus and Judas;
Bartholomew and Philip; James, and Judas Iscariot the traitor. To these he
always revealed the divine secrets; but the Iscariot Judas he made his dispenser
of that which was given in alms, but he stole the tenth part of everything.
The servants answered: 'O sir, there is here a holy man of God, for he hath made
of water, wine.' The master of the ceremonies thought that the servants were
drunken; but they that were sitting near to Jesus, having seen the whole matter,
rose from the table and paid him reverence, saying: 'Verily thou art an holy one
of God, a true prophet sent to us from God!'
Then his disciples believed on him, and many returned to their heart,
saying: 'Praised be God, who hath mercy upon Israel, and visiteth the house of
Judah with love, and blessed be his holy name.'
One
day Jesus called together his disciples and went up on to the mountain, and when
he had sat down there his disciples came near unto him; and he opened his mouth
and taught them, saying: 'Great are the benefits which God bath bestowed on us
wherefore it is necessary that we should serve him with truth of heart. And
forasmuch as new wine is put into new vessels, even so ought ye to become new
men, if ye will contain the new doctrine that shall come out of my mouth. Verily I say unto you, that even
as a man cannot see with his eyes the heaven and the earth at one and the same
time, so it is impossible to love God and the world.
'No man can in any wise serve two masters that are at enmity one with the other:
for if the one shall love you, the other will hate you. Even so I tell you in
truth that ye cannot serve God and the world for the world lieth in falsehood,
covetousness, and malignity. Ye cannot therefore find rest in the world, but rather persecution and loss. Wherefore serve God and despise the
world, for from me ye shall find rest for your souls, Hear my words for I speak
unto you in truth.
'Verily, blessed are they that
mourn this earthly life, for they shall be comforted.
'Blessed are the poor who truly
hate the delights of the world, for they shall abound in the delights of the
kingdom of God.
'Verily, blessed are they that eat at the table of God, for the angels
shall minister unto them.
'Ye are journeying as pilgrims.
Doth the pilgrim encumber himself with palaces and fields and other earthly
matters upon the way? Assuredly not: but he beareth things light and prized for
their usefulness and convenience upon the road. This now should be an example
unto you; and if ye desire another example I will give it you, in order that ye may do all that I tell you.
'Weigh not down your hearts with earthly desires, saying: "Who shall clothe
us?" or "Who shall give us to eat?" But behold the flowers and
the trees, with the birds, which God our Lord clotheth and nourisheth with
greater glory than all the glory of Solomon. And he is able to nourish you, even
God who created you and called you to his service; who for forty years caused the manna to fall from heaven for his people Israel in the wilderness,
and did not suffer their clothing to wax old or perish, they being six hundred
and forty thousand men, besides women and children. Verily I say unto you, that
heaven and earth shall fail, yet shall not fail his mercy unto them that fear
him. But the rich of the world in their prosperity are hungry and perish. There
was a rich man whose incomings increased, and he said, "What shall I do, O
my soul? I will pull down my barns because they are small, and I will build new
and greater ones: therefore thou shalt triumph my soul!" Oh, wretched ban!
for that night he died. He ought to have been mindful of the poor, and to have made himself friends with the alms of unrighteous riches
of this world; for they bring treasures in the kingdom of heaven.
'Tell me, I pray you, if ye should
give your money into the bank to a publican, and he should give unto you tenfold
and twentyfold, would ye not give to such a man everything that ye had? But I
say unto you, verily, that whatsoever ye shall give and shall forsake for love
of God, ye receive it back an hundred-fold, and life everlasting. See then how
much ye ought to be content to serve God.
One day Jesus called
together his disciples and went up on to the mountain, and when he had sat down
there his disciples came near unto him; and he opened his mouth and taught them,
saying: 'Great are the benefits which God bath bestowed on us wherefore it is
necessary that we should serve him with truth of heart. And forasmuch as new
wine is put into new vessels, even so ought ye to become new men, if ye will
contain the new doctrine that shall come out of my mouth. Verily I say unto you, that even
as a man cannot see with his eyes the heaven and the earth at one and the same
time, so it is impossible to love God and the world.
'No man can in any wise serve two
masters that are at enmity one with the other: for if the one shall love you,
the other will hate you. Even so I tell you in truth that ye cannot serve God
and the world for the world lieth in falsehood, covetousness, and malignity. Ye
cannot therefore find rest in the world, but rather persecution and loss. Wherefore serve God and despise the
world, for from me ye shall find rest for your souls, Hear my words for I speak
unto you in truth.
'Verily, blessed are they that
mourn this earthly life, for they shall be comforted.
'Blessed are the poor who truly
hate the delights of the world, for they shall abound in the delights of the
kingdom of God.
'Verily, blessed are they that eat
at the table of God, for the angels shall minister unto them.
'Ye are journeying as pilgrims.
Doth the pilgrim encumber himself with palaces and fields and other earthly
matters upon the way? Assuredly not: but he beareth things light and prized for
their usefulness and convenience upon the road. This now should be an example
unto you; and if ye desire another example I will give it you, in order that ye may do all that I tell you.
'Weigh not down your hearts with
earthly desires, saying: "Who shall clothe us?" or "Who shall
give us to eat?" But behold the flowers and the trees, with the birds,
which God our Lord clotheth and nourisheth with greater glory than all the glory
of Solomon. And he is able to nourish you, even God who created you and called
you to his service; who for forty years caused the manna to fall from heaven for his people Israel in the wilderness,
and did not suffer their clothing to wax old or perish, they being six hundred
and forty thousand men, besides women and children. Verily I say unto you, that
heaven and earth shall fail, yet shall not fail his mercy unto them that fear
him. But the rich of the world in their prosperity are hungry and perish. There
was a rich man whose incomings increased, and he said, "What shall I do, O
my soul? I will pull down my barns because they are small, and I will build new
and greater ones: therefore thou shalt triumph my soul!" Oh, wretched ban!
for that night he died. He ought to have been mindful of the poor, and to have made himself friends with the alms of unrighteous riches
of this world; for they bring treasures in the kingdom of heaven.
'Tell me, I pray you, if ye should
give your money into the bank to a publican, and he should give unto you tenfold
and twentyfold, would ye not give to such a man everything that ye had? But I
say unto you, verily, that whatsoever ye shall give and shall forsake for love
of God, ye receive it back an hundred-fold, and life everlasting. See then how
much ye ought to be content to serve God.
Having
said this, Jesus said: 'Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, that ye
may be my disciples. If then the world shall hate you, ye shall be truly my disciples; for the world hath been
ever an enemy of servants of God. Remember [the] holy prophets that have been
slain by the world, even as in the time of Elijah ten thousand prophets were
slain by Jezebel, insomuch that scarcely did poor Elijah escape, and seven
thousand sons of prophets who were hidden by the captain of Ahab's host. Oh,
unrighteous world, that knowest not God! Fear not therefore ye, for the hairs of
your head are numbered so that they shall not perish. Behold the sparrows and
other birds, whereof falleth not one feather without the will of God. Shall God,
then, have more care of the birds than of man, for whose sake he hath created
everything. Is there any man, perchance, who careth more for his shoes than for
his own son? Assuredly not. Now how much less ought ye to think that God would
abandon you, while taking care of the birds! And why speak I of the birds? A
leaf of a tree falleth not without the will of God.
'Believe me, because I tell you the truth, that the world will greatly fear you
if ye shall observe my words. For if it feared not to have its wickedness
revealed it would not hate you, but it feareth to be revealed, therefore it will
hate you and persecute you.
If ye shall see your words scorned by the world lay it not to heart, but
consider how that God is greater than you; who is in such wise scorned by the world that his wisdom is counted madness If God
endureth the world with patience, wherefore will ye lay it to heart, O dust and
clay of the earth? In your patience ye shall possess your soul. Therefore if one
shall give you a blow on one side of the face, offer him the other that he may
smite it. Render not evil for evil, for so do all the worst animals; but render
good for evil, and pray God for them that hate you. Fire is not extinguished
with fire, but rather with water; even so I say unto you that ye shall not
overcome evil with evil, but rather with good. Behold God, who causeth the sun
to come upon the good and evil, and likewise the rain. So ought ye to do good to
all; for it is written in the law: "Be ye holy, for I your God am holy; be
ye pure, for I am pure; and be ye perfect, for I am perfect." Verily I say
unto you that the servant studieth to please his master, and so he putteth not
on any garment that is displeasing to his master. Your garments are your will
and your love. Beware, then, not to will or to love a thing that is displeasing
to God, our Lord. Be ye sure that God hateth the pomps and lusts of the world,
and therefore hate ye the world.' [10]
When
Jesus had said this, Peter answered: 'O teacher, behold we have felt all to
follow thee, what shall become of us?'
'O Lord, what thing is this? for I have chosen twelve, and one of them is a
devil.'
The disciples were sore grieved at this word; whereupon he who writeth secretly
questioned Jesus with tears, saying:
'O master, will Satan deceive me, and shall I then become reprobate?'
Jesus answered: "Be not sore grieved, Barnabas; for those whom God
hath chosen before the creation of the world shall not perish. Rejoice, for thy
name is written in the book of life.'
Jesus comforted his disciples, saying: 'Fear not, for he who shall hate me
is not grieved at my saying, because in him is not the divine feeling.'
At his words the chosen were comforted. Jesus made his prayers, and his
disciples said: 'Amen, so be it, Lord God almighty and merciful.'
Having finished his devotions, Jesus came down from the mountain with his
disciples, and met ten lepers, who from afar off cried out: 'Jesus, son of
David, have mercy on us!'
Jesus called them near to him, and said unto them: 'What will ye of me, O
brethren?'
They all cried out: 'Give us health!'
Jesus answered: 'Ah, wretched that ye are, have ye so lost your
reason for that ye say: "Give us health?" See ye not me to be a man
like yourselves. Call unto our God that hath created you: and he that is
almighty and merciful will heal you.
With tears the lepers answered: 'We know that thou art man like us, but
yet an holy one of God and a prophet of the Lord; wherefore pray thou to God,
and he will heal us.
Thereupon the disciples prayed Jesus, saying: 'Lord, have mercy upon
them.' Then groaned Jesus and prayed to God, saying: 'Lord God almighty and
merciful, have mercy and hearken to the words of thy servant: and for love of
Abraham our father and for thy holy covenant have mercy on the request of these
men, and grant them health.' Whereupon Jesus, having said this, turned himself
to the lepers and said: 'Go and show yourselves to the priests according to the
law of God.'
The lepers departed and on the way were cleansed. Whereupon one of them. seeing
that he was healed, returned to find Jesus, and he was an Ishmaelite. And having
found Jesus he bowed himself, doing reverence unto him, and saying: 'Verily thou
art an holy one of God' and with thanks he prayed him that he would receive him
for servant. Jesus answered: 'Ten have been cleansed; where are the nine?' And
he said to him that was cleansed: 'I am not come to be served, but to serve:
wherefore go to shine home, and recount how much God hath done in thee, in order
that they may know that the promises made to Abraham and his son, with the
kingdom of God, are drawing nigh.' The cleansed leper departed, and having
arrived in his own neighbourhood recounted how much God through Jesus had
wrought in him.
[11]
Jesus
went to the sea of Galilee, and having embarked in a ship sailed to his city of
Nazareth; whereupon there was a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship
was nigh unto sinking. And Jesus was sleeping upon the prow of the ship. Then
drew near to him his disciples, and awoke him, saying: 'O master, save thyself,
for we perish!' They were encompassed with very great fear, by reason of the
great wind that was contrary and the roaring of the sea. Jesus arose, and
raising his eyes to heaven, said: 'O Elohim Sabaoth, have mercy upon thy
servants.' Then, when Jesus had said this, suddenly the wind ceased, and
the sea became calm. Wherefore the seamen feared, saying: 'And who is this, that
the sea and the wind obey him?"
Having arrived at the city of Nazareth the seamen spread through the city all
that Jesus had wrought, whereupon the house where Jesus was, was surrounded by
as many as dwelt in the city. And the scribes and doctors having presented
themselves unto him said: 'We have heard how much thou hast wrought in the sea
and in Judaea: give us therefore some sign here in thine own country.'
Jesus answered: 'This faithless generation seek a sign, but it shall not be
given them, because no prophet is received in his own country. In the time of
Elijah there were many widows in Judaea, but he was not sent to be nourished
save unto a widow of Sidon. Many were the lepers in the time of Elisha in Judaea;
nevertheless only Naaman the Syrian was cleansed.'
Then were the citizens enraged and seized him and carried him on to the top of a
precipice to cast him down. But Jesus walking through the midst of them,
departed from them.
Jesus went up to
Capernaum, and as he drew near to the city behold there came out of the tombs
one that was possessed of a devil, and in such wise that no chain could hold him,
and he did great harm to the man.
The demons cried out through his mouth, saying: 'O holy one of God, why
art thou come before the time to trouble us?' And they prayed him that he would
not cast them forth.
Jesus asked them how
many they were. They answered: 'Six thousand six hundred and sixty-six.' When
the disciples heard this they were affrighted, and prayed Jesus that he would
depart.
Then said Jesus: 'Where is your faith? It is necessary that the demon should
depart, and not I.'
The demons therefore cried: 'We will come out, but permit us to enter
into those swine.'
There were feeding there, near to the sea, about ten thousand swine
belonging to the Canaanites. Thereupon
Jesus said: 'Depart,
and enter into the swine.' With a roar the demons entered into the swine, and cast them headlong into the sea. Then
fled into the city they that fed the swine, and recounted all that had been
brought to pass by Jesus.
Accordingly the men of
the city came forth and found Jesus and the man that was healed. The men were
filled with fear and prayed Jesus that he would depart out of their borders.
Jesus accordingly departed from them and went up into the parts of Tyre and
Sidon.
And lo! a woman of Canaan with her two sons, who had come forth out of her own
country to find Jesus. Having therefore seen him come with his disciples,
she cried out: 'Jesus, son of David, have mercy on my daughter, who is tormented
of the devil!
Jesus did not answer even a single word, because they were of the uncircumcised
people. The disciples were moved to pity, and said: 'O master, have pity on them!
Behold how much they cry out and weep!'
The woman
answered: 'O Lord, the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters' table.'
Then was Jesus seized with admiration at the words of the woman, and said: 'O
woman, great is thy faith.' And having raised his hands to heaven he prayed to
God, and then he said: 'O woman, thy daughter is freed, go thy way in peace.'
The woman departed, and returning to her home found her daughter, who was
blessing God.' Wherefore the woman said: 'Verily there is none other God than the God
of Israel.' Whereupon all her kinsfolk joined themselves unto the law of [God],
according to the law written in the book of Moses.
The disciples
questioned Jesus on that day, saying: 'O master, why didst thou make such answer
to the woman, saying that they were dogs?'
Jesus answered: 'Verily I say unto you that a dog is better than an
uncircumcised man.' Then were the disciples sorrowful, saying: 'Hard are
these words, and who shall be able to receive them?'
Jesus answered: "If ye consider, O foolish ones, what the dog doth,
that hath no reason, for the service of his master, ye will find my saying to be
true. Tell me, doth the dog guard the house of his master, and expose his life
against the robber? Yea, assuredly. But what receiveth he? Many blows and
injuries with little bread, and he always showeth to his master a joyful
countenance. Is this true?' 'True it is, O master,' answered the disciples.
Then said Jesus: 'Consider now how much God hath given to man, and ye
shall see how unrighteous he is in not observing the covenant of God made with
Abraham his servant. Remember that which David said to Saul king of Israel,
against Goliath the Philistine: "My lord," said David, "while thy
servant was keeping thy servant's flock there came the wolf, the bear, and the
lion and seized thy servant's sheep: whereupon thy servant went and slew them,
rescuing the sheep. And what is this uncircumcised one but like unto them ?
Therefore will thy servant go in the name of the Lord God of Israel, and will
slay this unclean one that blasphemeth the holy people of God."
Then said the disciples: 'Tell us O master for what reason man must needs
be circumcised?"
And having said this,
Jesus sat nigh unto the mountain which they looked upon. And his disciples came
to his side to listen to his words. Then said Jesus: 'Adam the first man having
eaten, by fraud of Satan, the food forbidden of God in paradise, his flesh
rebelled against the spirit; whereupon he swore, saying: "By God, I will
cut thee!" And having broken a piece of rock, he seized his flesh to cut it
with the sharp edge of the stone: whereupon he was rebuked by the angel Gabriel.
And he answered: "I have sworn by God to cut it; I will never be a liar!"
Then the angel showed him the superfluity of his flesh, and that he cut off. And
hence, just as every man taketh flesh from the flesh of Adam, so is he bound to
observe all that Adam promised with an oath. This did Adam observe in his sons,
and from generation to generation came down the obligation of circumcision. But
in the time of Abraham there were but few circumcised upon the earth, because
that idolatry was multiplied up the earth. Whereupon God told to Abraham the
fact concerning circumcision, and made this covenant, saying: "The soul
that shall not have his flesh circumcised, I will scatter him from among my
people for ever." '
The disciples trembled with fear at these words of Jesus, for with vehemence of
spirit he spoke. Then said Jesus: Leave fear to him that hath not circumcised
his foreskin, for he is deprived of paradise. And having said this, Jesus spoke
again, saying: 'The spirit in many is ready in the service of God, but the flesh
is weak. The man therefore that feareth God ought to consider what the flesh is,
and where it had its origin, and whereto it shall be reduced. Of the clay of the
earth created God flesh, and into it he breathed the breath of life, with an
inbreathing therein. And therefore when the flesh shall hinder the service of
God it ought to be spurned like clay and trampled on, forasmuch as he that
hateth his soul in this world shall keep it in life eternal.
'What the flesh is at this present its desires make manifest -that it is a harsh
enemy of all good: for it alone desireth sin.
'Ought then man for the sake of satisfying one of his enemies to leave off
pleasing God, his creator? Consider ye this. All the saints and prophets have
been enemies of their flesh for service of God: wherefore readily and with
gladness they went to their death, so as not to offend against the law of God
given by Moses his servant, and go and serve the false and lying gods.
Remember Elisha, who ate barley-bread, and wore the Coarsest raiment. Verily I
say unto you that they, not fearing to spurn the flesh, were feared with great
terror by the king and princes. This should suffice for the spurning of
Having said this, Jesus wept, saying: 'Woe to those who are servants to
their flesh, for they are sure not to have any good in the other life, but only
torments for their sins. I tell you that there was a rich glutton who paid no
heed to aught but gluttony, and so every day held a splendid feast. There stood
at his gate a poor man by name Lazarus, who was full of wounds, and was fain to
have those crumbs that fell from the glutton's table. But no one gave them to
him; nay, all mocked him. Only the dogs had pity on him, for they licked his
wounds. It came to pass that the poor man died, and the angels carried him to
the arms of Abraham our father. The rich man also died, and the devils carried
him to the arms of Satan; whereupon, undergoing the greatest torment, he lifted
up his eyes and from afar saw Lazarus in the arms of Abraham. Then cried the
rich man: "O father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, who upon
his fingers may bring me a drop of water to cool my tongue, which is tormented
in this flame."
Abraham answered: "Son, remember that thou receivedst thy good in the other
life and Lazarus his evil; wherefore now thou shalt be in torment, and Lazarus
in consolation."
'The rich man cried out again, saying: "O father Abraham, in my house there
are three brethren of mine. Therefore send Lazarus to announce to them how much
I am suffering, in order that they may repent and not come hither."
'Abraham answered: "They have Moses and the prophets, let them hear them."
'The rich man answered: "Nay, father Abraham; but if one dead shall
arise they will believe."
'Abraham answered: "Whoso believeth not Moses and the prophets will not
believe even the dead if they should arise.
'See then whether the poor are blessed,' said Jesus, 'who have patience,
and only desire that which is necessary, hating the flesh. O wretched they, who
bear others to the burial, to give their flesh for food of worms, and do not
learn the truth. So far from it that they live here like immortals, for they
build great houses and purchase great revenues and live in pride.'
Then said he who
writeth: 'O master, true are thy words, and therefore have we forsaken all to
follow thee. Tell us, then, how we ought to hate our flesh; for to kill oneself
is not lawful, and living we needs must give it its livelihood.'
Jesus answered: 'Keep thy flesh like a horse, and thou shalt live securely. For
unto a horse food is given by measure, and labour without measure, and the
bridle is put on him that he may walk at thy will, he is tied up that he may not
annoy any one, he is kept in a poor place, and beaten when he is not obedient:
so do thou, then, O Barnabas, and thou shalt live always with God.
'And be not offended at my words, for David the prophet did the same thing, as
he confesseth, saying: "I am as an horse before thee and am always by thee."
'Now tell me, whether is poorer he who is content with little, or he who
desireth much? Verily I say unto you, that if the world had but a sound
mind no one would amass anything for himself, but all would be in common. But in
this is known its madness, that the more it amasseth the more it desireth.
And as much as it amasseth, for the fleshly repose of others cloth it amass the
same. Therefore let one single robe suffice for you, cast away your purse, carry
no wallet, no sandals on your feet; and do not think, saying: "What shall
happen to us?" but have thought to do the will of God, and he will provide
for your need, insomuch that nothing shall be lacking unto you.
'Verily I say unto you, that the amassing much in this life giveth sure
witness of not having anything to receive in the other. For he that hath
Jerusalem for his native country buildeth not houses in Samaria, for that there
is enmity between these cities. Understand ye?' 'Yes, answered the
disciples. [14]
Then
said Jesus: 'There was a man on a journey who, as he was walking, discovered a
treasure in a field that was to be sold for five pieces of money. Straightway
the man, when he knew this, sold his cloak to buy that field. Is that credible?'
The disciples answered: 'He who would not believe this is mad.'
Thereupon Jesus said: 'Ye will be mad if ye give not your senses to God to
buy your soul, wherein resideth the treasure of love; for love is a treasure
incomparable. For he that loveth God hath God for his own; and whoso hath
God hath everything.' Peter answered: 'O master, how ought one to love God
with true love? Tell thou us.' Jesus replied: 'Verily I say unto you that
he who shall not hate his father and his mother, and his own life, and children
and wife for love of God, that such an one is not worthy to be loved of God.'
Peter answered: 'O master, it is written in the law of God in the book of Moses:
"Honour thy father, that thou mayest live long upon the earth." And
further he saith: "Cursed be the son that obeyeth not his father and his
mother"; wherefore God commanded that such a disobedient son should be by
the wrath of the people stoned before the gate of the city. And now how
biddest thou us to hate father and mother?'
Jesus replied: 'Every word of mine is true, because it is not mine, but God's,
who hath sent me to the house of Israel. Therefore I say unto you that all that
which ye possess God hath bestowed it upon you: and so, whether is the more
precious, the gift or the giver? When thy father and thy mother with every
other thing is a stumbling-block to thee in the service of God, abandon them as
enemies. Did not God say to Abraham: "Go forth from the house of thy father
and of thy kindred, and come to dwell in the land which I will give to thee and
to thy seed?". And wherefore did God say this, save because the father of
Abraham was an image-maker, who made and worshipped false gods? Whence there was
enmity between them, insomuch that the father wished to burn his son.' Peter
answered: 'True are thy words; wherefore I pray thee tell us how Abraham mocked
his father.' Jesus replied: 'Abraham was seven years old when he began to
seek God.
So one day he said to his father: "Father, what made man?" 'The
foolish father answered: "Man; for I made thee, and my father made
me."'Abraham answered: "Father, it is not so; for I have heard an old
man weeping and saying: 'O my God, wherefore hast thou not given me children?'
"
His father replied: "It is true, my son, that God helpeth man to make man,
but he putteth not his hands thereto; it is only necessary that man come to pray
to his God and to give him lambs and sheep, and his God will help him." Abraham
answered: "How many gods are there, father?"
'The old man replied: "They are infinite in number, my son"
Then said Abraham: "O father, what shall I do if I shall serve one god and
another shall wish me evil because I serve him not? In any wise there will come
discord between them and so war will arise among the gods. But if perchance the
god that willeth me evil shall slay my own god, what shall I do? It is
certain that he will slay me also."
'The old man, laughing, answered: "O son, have no fear, for no god maketh
war upon another god; nay, in the great temple there are a thousand gods with
the great god Baal; and I am now nigh seventy years old, and yet never
have I seen that one god hath smitten another god. And assuredly all men
do not serve one god, but one man one, and another another." 'Abraham
answered: "So, then, they have peace among themselves?" 'Said
his father: "They have."
'Then said Abraham: "O father, what be the gods like?"
'The old man answered: "Fool, every day I make a god, which I sell to
others to buy bread, and thou knowest not what the gods are like!" And then
at that moment he was making an idol. "This," said he, "is
of palm wood, that one is of olive, that little one is of ivory: see how
fine it is! Does it not seem as though it were alive? Assuredly, it lacks but
breath!"
'Abraham answered: "And so, father, the gods are without breath? Then
how do they give breath? And being without life, how give they life? It is
certain, father, that these are not God."'The old man was wrath at these
words, saying: "If thou wert of age to understand, I would break thy head
with this axe: But hold thy peace, because thou hast not understanding!"
'Abraham answered: "Father, if the gods help to make man, how can it be
that man should make the gods? And if the gods are made of wood, it is a great
sin to burn wood. But tell me, father, how is it that, when thou hast made so
many gods, the gods have not helped thee to make so many other children that
thou shouldest become the most powerful man in the world?"
'The father was beside himself, hearing his son speak so; the son went on:
"Father, was the world for some time without men?'' " Yes,"
answered the old man, "and why?"
"Because," said Abraham, "I should like to know who made the
first God."
"Now go out of my house!" said the old man, "and leave me to make
this god quickly, and speak no words to me; for, when thou art hungry thou
desires bread and not words."
Said Abraham: "A fine god, truly, that thou cuttest him as thou wilt, and
he defendeth not himself!"
'Then the old man was angry, and said: "All the world saith that it is a
god, and thou, mad fellow, sayest that it is not. By my gods, if thou wert a man
I could kill thee!" And having said this, he gave blows and kicks to
Abraham, and chased him from the house.' [15]
When
every one had departed from the temple, the priests closed the temple and went
away. Then Abraham took the axe and cut off the feet of all the idols, except
the great god Baal. At its feet he placed the axe, amid the ruins which the
statues made, for they, through being old and composed of pieces, fell in pieces.
Thereupon, Abraham, going forth from the temple, was seen by certain men, who
suspected him of having gone to thieve something from the temple. So they laid
hold on him, and having arrived at the temple, when they saw their gods so
broken in pieces, they cried out with lamentation: "Come quickly, O men,
and let us slay him who bath slain our gods!" There ran together there
about ten thousand men, with the priests, and questioned Abraham of the reason
why he had destroyed their gods.
Abraham answered: "Ye are foolish! Shall then a man slay God? It is the
great God that bath slain them. See you not that axe which he bath near his feet?
Certain it is that he desireth no fellows." 'Then arrived there the
father of Abraham, who, mindful of the many discourses of Abraham against their
gods, and recognizing the axe wherewith Abraham had broken in pieces the idols,
cried out: "It bath been this traitor of a son of mine, who bath slain our
gods! for this axe is mine." And he recounted to them all that had passed
between him and his son.
'Accordingly the men collected a great quantity of wood, and having bound
Abraham's hands and feet put him upon the wood, and put fire underneath.
'Lo' God, through his angel, commanded the fire that it should not burn Abraham
his servant. The fire blazed up with great fury, and burned about two thousand
men of those who had condemned Abraham to death. Abraham verily found himself
free, being carried by the angel of God near to the house of his father, without
seeing who carried him; and thus Abraham escaped death.'
Jesus answered: 'Having arrived
nigh unto the house of his father, Abraham feared to go into the house; so he
removed some distance from the house and sat under a palm tree, where thus
abiding by himself he said: "It needs must be that there is a God who hath
life and power more than man, since he maketh man, and man without God could not
make man. Thereupon, looking round upon the stars, the moon, and the sun, he
thought that they had been God. But after considering their variableness with
their movements, he said: "It needs must be that God move not, and that
clouds hide him not; otherwise men would be brought to naught." Whereupon,
remaining thus in suspense, he heard himself called by name,
"Abraham!" And so, turning round and not seeing any one on any side,
he said: "I have surely heard myself called by name, 'Abraham.' "
Thereupon, two other times in like manner. he heard himself called by name,
"Abraham!" 'He answered: "What calleth me?" 'Then he heard
it said: "I am the angel of God, Gabriel."
'Therefore was Abraham filled with fear; but the angel comforted him, saying:
"Fear not, Abraham, for that thou art friend of God; wherefore, when thou
didst break in pieces the gods of men, thou wert chosen of the God of the angels
and prophets; insomuch that thou art written in the book of life."
'Then said Abraham: "What ought I to do, to serve the God of the angels and
holy prophets?"
'The angel answered: "Go to that fount and wash thee, for God willeth to
speak with thee."'Abraham answered: "Now, how ought I to wash
me?"
'Then the angel presented himself unto him as a beautiful youth, and washed
himself in the fount, saying: "Do thou in turn likewise to thyself, O
Abraham." When Abraham had washed himself, the angel said: "Go up that
mountain, for God willeth to speak to thee there."
He ascended the mountain as the angel said to Abraham, and having sat down upon
his knees he said to himself: "When will the God of the angels speak to
me?"' He heard himself called with a gentle voice:
"Abraham!"'Abraham answered him: "Who calleth me?"
'The voice answered: "I am thy God, O Abraham."'Abraham, filled with
fear, bent his face to earth, saying: "How shall thy servant hearken unto
thee, who is dust and ashes!"
'Then said God: "Fear not, but rise up, for I have chosen thee for my
servant, and I will to bless thee and make thee increase into a great people.
Therefore go thou forth from the house of thy father and of thy kindred, and
come to dwell in the land which I will give to thee and to thy seed."
'Abraham answered: "All will I do, Lord; but guard me that none other god
may do me hurt."
'Then spake God, saying: "I am God alone. and there is none other God but
me. I strike down, and make whole; I slay, and give life; I lead down to hell,
and I bring out thereof, and none is able to deliver himself out of my hands."
Then God gave him the covenant of circumcision; and so our father Abraham
knew God.'
And having said this, Jesus lifted up his hands, saying: 'To thee be honour and
glory, O God. So be it!' [17]
Jesus
went to Jerusalem near unto the Senofegia ( =Tabernacles), a feast of our nation.
The scribes and Pharisees having perceived this, took counsel to catch him in
his talk.
Whereupon, there came to him a doctor! saying: 'Master what must I do to
have eternal life?' Jesus answered: 'How is it written in the law?"
The temper answered, saying: 'Love the Lord thy God and thy neighbour.
Thou shalt love thy God above all things with all thy heart and thy mind, and
thy neighbour as thyself.' Jesus
answered: 'Thou hast answered well: therefore go and do thou so, I say, and thou
shalt have eternal life.' He said unto him: 'And who is my neighbour?'
Jesus answered, lifting up his eyes: 'A man was going down from Jerusalem
to go unto Jericho, a city rebuilt under a curse. This man on the road was
seized by robbers, wounded and stripped; hereupon they departed, leaving him
half dead. It chanced that a priest passed by that place, and he, seeing
the wounded man, passed on without greeting him. In like manner
passed a Levite, without saying a word. It chanced that there passed [also] a
Samaritan, who, seeing the wounded man, was moved to compassion, and alighted
from his horse, and took the wounded man and washed his wounds with wine, and
anointed them with ointment, and binding up his wounds for him and comforting
him, he set him upon his own horse. Whereupon, having arrived in the evening at
the inn, he gave him into the charge of the host. And when he had risen on the
morrow, he said: "Take care of this man, and I will pay thee all." And
having presented four gold pieces to the sick man for the host. he said: "Be
of good cheer, for I will speedily return and conduct thee to my own home."
' 'Tell me,' said Jesus, 'which of these was the neighbour?'
The doctor answered: 'He who showed mercy.'
Then said Jesus: 'Thou hast
answered rightly; therefore go and do thou likewise.' The doctor departed
in confusion.
Then drew near unto
Jesus the priests, and said: 'Master, is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar?'
Jesus turned round to Judas, and said: 'Hast thou any money?' And taking a penny
in his hand, Jesus turned himself to the priests, and said to them: 'This penny
bath an image: tell me, whose image is it? ' They answered: 'Caesar's.' 'Give
therefore,' said Jesus, 'that which is Caesar's to Caesar, and that which is
God's give it to God.'
Then they departed in confusion.
And behold there drew nigh a centurion, saying: "Lord, my son is sick; have
mercy on my old age!'
Jesus answered: 'The Lord God of Israel have mercy on thee!"
The man was departing; and Jesus said: 'Wait for me, for I will come to thine
house, to make prayer over thy son.'
The centurion answered: 'Lord, I am not worthy that thou, a prophet of God,
shouldest come unto my house, sufficient unto me is the word that thou hast
spoken for the healing of my son; for thy God bath made thee lord over every
sickness, even as his angel said unto me in my sleep.'
Then Jesus marvelled greatly, and turning to the crowd, he said: 'Behold
this stranger, for he bath more faith than all that I have found in Israel'. And
turning to the centurion,he said: Go in peace. because God. for the great faith
that he hath given thee. hath granted health to thy son.'
The centurion went his way, and on the road he met his servants. who announced
to him how his son was healed.
The man answered: 'At what hour did the fever leave him '
They said: 'Yesterday, at the sixth hour, the heat departed from him.'
The man knew that when Jesus said: 'The Lord God of Israel have mercy on
thee,' his son received his health. Whereupon the man believed in our God, and
having entered into his house, he brake in pieces all his own gods, saying:
'There is only the God of Israel, the true and living God.'
Therefore said he: 'None shall eat of my bread that
worshippeth not the God of Israel.'
One skilled in the law invited Jesus to supper, in order to tempt him.
Jesus came thither with his disciples, and many scribes, to tempt him, waited
for him in the house. Whereupon, the disciples sat down to table without washing
their hands. The scribes called Jesus, saying: 'Wherefore do not thy disciples
observe the traditions of our elders, in not washing their hands before they eat
bread?' Jesus answered: 'And I ask you, for what cause have ye annulled the
precept of God to observe your traditions? Ye say to the sons of poor fathers:
"Offer and make vows unto the temple." And they make vows of that
little wherewith they ought to support their fathers. And when their fathers
wish to take money, the sons cry out: "This money is consecrated to
God"; whereby the fathers suffer. O false scribes hypocrites, cloth God use
this money? Assuredly not, for God eateth not, as he saith by his servant David
the prophet: ``Shall I then eat the flesh of bulls and drink the blood of
sheep? Render unto me the sacrifice of praise, and offer unto me thy vows: for
if I should be hungry I will not ask aught of thee. seeing that all things are
in my hands, and the abundance of paradise is with me." Hypocrites' ye do
this to fill your purse, and therefore ye tithe rue and mint. Oh miserable ones!
for unto others ye show the most clear way, by which ye will not go.
'Ye scribes and doctors lay upon
the shoulders of others weights of unbearable weight, but ye yourselves the
while are not willing to move them with one of your fingers.
'Verily I say unto you, that every evil hath entered into the world under
the pretext of the elders. Tell me, who made idolatry to enter into the world,
if not the usage of the elders? For there was a king who exceedingly loved his
father, whose name was Baal. Whereupon, when the father was dead, his son for
his own consolation, caused to be made an image like unto his father. and set it
up in the market-place of the city. And he made a decree that every one who
approached that statue within a space of fifteen cubits should be safe, and no
one any account should do him hurt. Hence the malefactors, by reason of the
benefit they received therefrom, began to offer to the statue roses and flowers,
and in a short time the offerings were changed into money and food, insomuch
that they called it god, to honour it. Which thing from custom was transformed
into a law, insomuch that the idol of Baal spread through all the world; and how
much doth God lament this by the prophet Isaiah, saying "Truly this people
worshippeth me in vain, for they have annulled my law given to them by my
servant Moses, and follow the traditions of their elders." 'Verily I say
unto you, that to eat bread with unclean hands defileth not a man, because that
which entereth into the man defileth not the man, but that which cometh out of
the man defileth the man.'
Thereupon. said one of the scribes: If I shall eat pork, or other unclean meats,
will they not defile my consciences?'
Jesus answered: Disobedience will
not enter into the man but will come out of the man, from his heart; and
therefore will he be defiled when he shall eat forbidden food.'
Then said one of the doctors: 'Master, thou hast spoken much against
idolatry as though the people of Israel had idols and so thou hast done us
wrong.'
Jesus answered: 'I know well that in Israel today there are not statues of wood;
but there are statues of flesh.'
Then answered all the scribes in wrath: 'And so we idolaters?'
Jesus answered: 'Verily I say unto
you, the precept saith not 'Thou shalt worship," but "Thou shalt
love the Lord thy God with all thy soul, and with all thy heart, and with all
thy mind." Is this true?' said Jesus.
'It is true' answered every one.
Then said Jesus:
'Verily all that which a man loveth, which he leaveth everything else but that,
is his god. And so the fornicator hath for his image the harlot, the glutton;
drunkard hath for image his own flesh, and the covetous hath for his image
silver and gold, and so likewise every other sinner.'Then said he who had
invited him: 'Master, which is the greatest sin?' Jesus answered: 'Which
is the greatest ruin of a house?'
All stood amazed at the speaking of Jesus, for they perceived that it could not
in any wise be assailed.
Then Jesus continued: 'Remember that which God spake and which Moses and Joshua
wrote in the law, and ye shall see how grave is this sin. Said God,
speaking to Israel: "Thou shalt not make to thyself any image of those
things which are in heaven nor of those things which are under the heaven,
nor shalt thou make it of those things which are above the earth, or
of those which are under the earth; nor of those which are above the water, nor
of those which are under the water. For I am thy God, strong and jealous, who
will take vengeance for this sin upon the fathers and upon their children even
unto the fourth generation." Remember how, when our people had made the
calf, and when they had worshipped it, by commandant of God Joshua and the tribe
of Levi took the sword and slew of them one hundred and twenty thousand of
those that did not crave mercy of God. Oh, terrible judgment of God upon the
idolaters!'
Then with fear of God they began to eat. And having eaten somewhat, Jesus
said again: 'Verily I say unto you, that it were better to burn a city
than to leave there an evil custom. For on account of such is God
wroth with the princes and kings of the earth, to whom God hath given the sword
to destroy iniquities.'
Afterwards said Jesus: 'When thou are invited, remember not to set thyself in
the highest place, in order that if a greater friend of the host come the host
say not unto thee: "Arise and sit lower down!" which were a shame to
thee. But go and sit in the meanest place, in order that he who invited thee
may come and say: "Arise, friend, and come and sit here, above'! For
then shalt thou have great honour: for every one that exalteth himself shall be
humbled, and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
'Verily I say unto you, that Satan became not reprobate lo other sin than for
his pride. Even as saith the prophet Isaiah, reproaching him with these words:
"How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, that wert the beauty of the
angels, and did shine like the dawn: truly to earth is fallen thy
pride!" 'Verily I say unto you, that if a man knew his miseries, he
would always weep here on earth and account himself most mean, beyond
every other thing. For no other cause did the first man with his wife weep for a
hundred years without ceasing, craving mercy of God.
For they knew truly whither they had fallen through their pride.'
And having said this, Jesus gave thanks; and that day was published through
Jerusalem how great things Jesus had said, with the miracle he had wrought,
insomuch that the people gave thanks to God blessing his holy name.But the
scribes and priests, having understood that he spake against the traditions of
the elders, were kindled with greater hatred. And like Pharaoh they hardened
their heart: wherefore they sought occasion to slay him, but found it not. [19]
Jesus
departed from Jerusalem, and went to the desert beyond Jordan: and his disciples
that were seated round him said to Jesus: 'O master, tell us how Satan fell
through pride, for we have understood that he fell through disobedience, and
because he always tempteth man to do evil.'esus answered: 'God having created a
mass of earth, and having left it for twenty-five thousand years without doing
aught else; Satan, who was as it were priest and head of the angels, by the
great understanding that he possessed, knew that God of that mass of earth was
to take one hundred and forty and four thousand signed with the mark of
prophecy, and the messenger of God, the soul of which messenger he had created
sixty thousand years before aught else. Therefore, being indignant, he
instigated the angels, saying: "Look ye, one day God shall will that this
earth be revered by us. Wherefore consider that we are spirit, and therefore it
is not fitting so to do."
'Many therefore forsook God. Whereupon said God, one day when all the
angels were assembled: "Let each one that holds me for his lord straightway
do reverence to this earth."
'They that loved God bowed themselves, but Satan, with them that were of
his mind, said: "O Lord, we are spirit, and therefore it is not just that
we should do reverence to this clay." Having said this, Satan became
horrid and of fearsome look, and his followers became hideous; because for their
rebellion God took away from them the beauty wherewith he had endued them in
creating them. Whereat the holy angels, when, lifting their heads, they saw how
terrible a monster Satan had become, and his followers cast down their face to
earth in fear.
'Then said Satan: "O Lord, thou hast unjustly made me hideous but I am
content thereat. because I desire to annul all that thou shalt do. And the other
devils said: "Call him not Lord, O Lucifer, for thou art Lord."
Then said God to the followers of Satan: "Repent ye and recognize me as
God, your creator."
'They answered: "We repent of having done thee any reverence, for that thou
art not just; but Satan is just and innocent, and he is our Lord."
'Then said God: "Depart from me, O ye cursed, for I have no mercy on
you."
'And in his departing Satan spat upon that mass of earth, and that spittle
the angel Gabriel lifted up with some earth, so that therefore now man has the
navel in his belly.'
The
disciples stood in great amazement at the rebellion of the angels.
Then said Jesus: 'Verily I say unto you, that he who maketh not prayer is more
wicked than Satan, and shall suffer greater torments. Because Satan had, before
his fall, no example of fearing, nor did God so much as send him any prophet to
invite him to repentance: but man-now that all the prophets are come except the
messenger of God who shall come after me, because so God willeth, and that I may
prepare his way-and man, I say, albeit he have infinite examples of the justice
of God, liveth carelessly without any fear, as though there were no God. Even as
of such spake the prophet David: "The fool hath said in his heart,
there is no God. Therefore are they corrupt and become abominable, without one
of them doing good."
'Make prayer unceasingly, O my disciples, in order that ye may receive. For he
who seeketh findeth, and he who knocketh to him it is opened, and he who asketh
receiveth. And in your prayer do not look to much speaking, for God looketh on
the heart; as he said through Solomon: "O my servant, give me thine heart.
' Verily I say unto you, as God liveth, the hypocrites make much prayer in every
part of the city in order to be seen and held for saints by the multitude: but
their heart is full of wickedness, and therefore they do not mean that which
they ask. It is needful that thou mean thy prayer if thou wilt that God
receive it. Now tell me: who would go to speak to the Roman governor or to
Herod, except he first have made up his mind to whom he is going, and what he is
going to do? Assuredly none. And if man doeth so in order to speak with man,
what ought man to do in order to speak with God, and ask of him mercy for
his sins, while thanking him for all that he hath given him? 'Verily I say
unto you, that very few make true prayer, and therefore Satan hath power over
them, because God willeth not those who honour him with their lips: who in the
temple ask [with] their lips for mercy, and their heart crieth out for justice.
Even as he saith to Isaiah the prophet, saying: "Take away this people
that is irksome to me, because with their lips they honour me, but their heart
is far from me." Verily I say unto you, that he that goeth to make prayer
without consideration mocketh God.
'Now who would go to speak to Herod with his back towards him, and before him
speak well of Pilate the governor, whom he hateth to the death? Assuredly none.
Yet no less doth the man who goeth to make prayer and prepareth not himself. He
turneth his back to God and his face to Satan, and speaketh well of him. For in
his heart is the love of iniquity, whereof he huetpeiath not
repented. If one having injured thee, should with his lips say to thee,
Forgive me and with his hands should strike thee a blow how wouldest thou
forgive him? Even so shall God have mercy on those who with their lips say:
"Lord, have mercy on us, and with their heart love iniquity and think on
fresh sins.'
Jesus answered: "Consider what ye would do if the Roman governor
seized you to put you to death, and that same do ye when ye go to make prayer.
And let your words be these: " O Lord our God, hallowed be thy holy name,
thy kingdom come in us, thy will be done always, and as it is done in heaven so
be it done in earth; give us the bread for every day, and forgive us our sins,
as we forgive them that sin against us, and suffer us not to fall into
temptations, but deliver us from evil, for thou art alone our God, to whom
pertaineth glory and honour for ever.'
Jesus said: 'Think yea that I am come to destroy the law and the prophets?
Verily I say unto you, as God liveth, I am not come to destroy it, but rather to
observe it. For every prophet hath observed the law of God and all that God by
the other prophets hath spoken. As God liveth, in whose presence my soul
standeth, no one that breaketh one least precept can be pleasing to God, but
shall be least in the kingdom of God, for he shall have no part there. Moreover
I say unto you, the one syllable of the law of God cannot be broken without the
gravest sin. But I do you to wit that it is necessary to observe that which God
saith by Isaiah the prophet, with these words "Wash you and be clean, take
away your thoughts from mine eyes."
'Verily I say unto you, that all the water of the sea will not wash him who with
his heart loveth iniquities. And furthermore I say unto you, that no one will
make prayer pleasing to God if he be not washed, but will burden his soul
with sin like to idolatry.
'Believe me, in sooth, that if man should make prayer to God as is
fitting, he would obtain all that he should ask. Remember Moses the servant of
God, 'who with his prayer scourged Egypt, opened the Red Sea, and there drowned
Pharaoh and his host.
Remember Joshua, who made the sun stand still, Samuel, who smote with fear the
innumerable host of the Philistines, Elijah, who made the fire to rain from
heaven, Elisha raised a dead man, and so many other holy prophets, who by prayer
obtained all that they asked. But those men truly did not seek their own in
their matters, but sought only God and his honour.'
Then said John: 'Well
hast thou spoken, O master, but we lack to know how man sinned through pride.'
Jesus answered: 'When God has expelled Satan, and the angel Gabriel had
purified that mass of earth whereon Satan spat, God created everything that
liveth, both of the animals that fly and of them that walk and swim, and he
adorned the world with all that it hath. One day Satan approached unto the gates
of paradise, and, seeing the horses eating grass, he announced to them that if
that mass of earth should receive a soul there would be for them grievous
labour; and that therefore it would be to their advantage to trample that piece
of earth in such wise that it should be no more good for anything. The horses
aroused themselves and impetuously set themselves to run over that piece of
earth which lay among lilies and roses.
Whereupon God gave spirit to that
unclean portion of earth upon which lay the spittle of Satan, which Gabriel had
taken up from the mass; and raised up the dog, who' barking filled the horses
with fear, and they fled. Then God gave his soul to man, while all the holy
angels sang: 'Blessed be thy holy name, O God our
Lord.'
'Adam, having sprung up upon his
feet, saw in the air a writing that shone like the sun, which said: "There
is only one God, and Mohammed is the messenger of God." Whereupon Adam
opened his mouth and said: "I thank thee, O Lord my God, that thou hast
deigned to create me; but tell me. I pray thee, what meaneth the message of
these words: "Mohammed is messenger of God. Have there been other men
before me?"
'Then said God: "Be thou
welcome, O my servant Adam. I tell thee that thou art the first man whom I have
created And he whom thou hast seen [mentioned] is thy son, who shall come
into the world many years hence, and shall be my messenger, for whom I have
created all things; who shall give light to the world when he shall come;
whose soul was set in a celestial splendour sixty thousand years before I made
anything."
'Adam besought God, saying:
"Lord, grant me this writing upon the nails of the fingers of my
hands." Then God gave to the first man upon his thumbs that writing; upon
the thumb-nail of the right hand it said: "There is only one God," and
upon the thumb-nail of the left it said: "Mohammed is messenger of
God." Then with fatherly affection the first man kissed those words, and
rubbed his eyes, and said: "Blessed be that day when thou shalt come to the
world."
'Seeing the man alone, God said: "It is not well that he should
remain alone." Wherefore he made him to sleep, and took a rib from near his
heart, filling the place with flesh. Of that rib made he Eve, and gave her
to Adam for his wife. He set the twain of them as lords of Paradise, to whom he
said: "Behold I give unto you every fruit to eat, except the apples and the
corn" whereof he said: "Beware that in no wise ye eat of these
fruits, for ye shall become unclean, insomuch that I shall not suffer you to
remain here, but shall drive you forth, and ye shall suffer great
miseries."
'When Satan had knowledge of this he became mad with indignation. And so he
drew near to the gate of paradise, whereat stood on guard a horrid serpent,
which had legs like a camel, and the nails of his feet cut like a razor on every
side. To him said the enemy: "Suffer me to enter into paradise."
'The serpent answered: "And
how shall I suffer thee to enter, God having commanded me to drive thee
out?"
'Satan answered: "Thou
seest how much God loveth thee, since he bath set thee outside of paradise to
keep guard over a lump of clay, which is man. Wherefore, if thou bring me into
paradise I will make thee so terrible that every one shall flee thee, and so at
thy pleasure thou shalt go and stay."
'Then said the serpent: "And
how shall I set thee within?"
'Said Satan. "Thou art
great: therefore open thy mouth, and I will enter into thy belly, and so thou
entering into paradise shalt place me near to those two lumps of clay that are
newly walking upon the earth."
'Then the serpent did so, and
placed Satan near to Eve, for Adam, her husband, was sleeping. Satan presented
himself before the woman like a beauteous angel, and said to her: Wherefore eat
ye not of those apples and of corn?"
'Eve answered: "Our God hath
said to us that eating thereof we shall be unclean and therefore he will drive
us from paradise.
Satan answered: He saith not the
truth. Thou must know that God is wicked and envious, and therefore he brooketh
no equals, but keepeth every one for a slave. And so he hath thus spoken unto
you, in order that ye may not become equal to him. But if thou and thy companion
do according to my counsel, ye shall eat of those fruits even as of the
others, and ye shall not remain subject to others, but like God ye shall know
good and evil, and ye shall do that which ye please because ye shall be equal to
God."
'Then Eve took and ate of those
[fruits], and when her husband awoke she told all that Satan had said; and he
took of them, his wife offering them, and did eat. Whereupon, as the food was
going down, he remembered the words of God; wherefore, wishing to stop the food,
he put his hand into his throat, where every man has the mark.
Then both of them knew that they were naked: wherefore, being ashamed, they took
fig leaves and made a clothing for their secret parts. When midday was passed,
behold God appeared to them, and called Adam, saying: "Adam, where art
thou?"
'He answered: "Lord, I did hide myself from thy presence because I and my
wife are naked, and so we are ashamed to present ourselves before thee."
Then said God: "And who hath robbed you of your innocence, unless ye have
eaten the fruit by reason of which ye are unclean, and will not be able to abide
longer in paradise?"
'Adam answered: "O Lord, the wife whom thou hast given me besought me
to eat, and so I have eaten thereof."
'Then said God to the woman: "Wherefore gavest thou such food to thy
husband?" 'Eve answered: "Satan deceived me, and so I did
eat."
"'And how did that reprobate enter in hither?" said God.
'Eve answered: "A serpent that standeth at the northern gate brought him
near to me."
'Then said God to Adam: "Because thou hast hearkened to the voice of thy
wife and hast eaten the fruit, cursed be the earth in thy works; it shall bring
forth for thee brambles and thorns, and in the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat
bread. And remember that thou art earth, and to earth thou return."
And he spoke to Eve, saying: "And thou who didst hearken to Satan, and
gavest the food to thy husband, shalt abide under the dominion of man, who shall
keep thee as a slave, and thou shalt bear children with travail."
'And having called the serpent, God called the angel Michael, him who holdeth
the sword of God, [and] said: "First drive forth from paradise this wicked
serpent, and when outside cut off his legs: for if he shall wish to walk, he
must trail his body upon the earth." Afterwards God called Satan, who came
laughing, and he said to him: "Because thou, reprobate, hast deceived these
and hast made them to become unclean, I will that every uncleanness of them and
of all their children, whereof they shall be truly penitent and shall serve me,
in going forth from their body shall enter through thy mouth, and so shalt thou
be satiated with uncleanness."'Satan then gave a horrible roar, and said:
"Since thou willest to make me ever worse, I yet will make me that which I
shall be able!"
Then said God: "Depart, cursed one, from my presence!"
Then Satan departed; whereupon God said to Adam [and] Eve, who were both
weeping: "Go ye forth from paradise, and do penance, and let not your hope
fail, for I will send your son in such wise that your seed shall lift the
dominion of Satan from off the human race: for he who shall come, my messenger,
to him will I give all things."
'God hid himself, and the angel Michael drove them forth from paradise.
Whereupon Adam, turning him round, saw written above the gate, "There is
only one God, and Mohammed is messenger of God." Whereupon, weeping, he
said: "May it be pleasing to God, O my son, that thou come quickly
and draw us out of misery."
'And thus,' said Jesus, 'sinned Satan and Adam through pride, the one by
despising man, the other by wishing to make himself equal with God.' [23]
Then
the disciples wept after this discourse, and Jesus was weeping, when they saw
many who came to find him, for the chiefs of the priests took counsel among
themselves to catch him in his talk. Wherefore they sent the Levites and some of
the scribes to question him, saying: 'Who art thou?'Jesus confessed, and said
the truth: 'I am not the Messiah.'They said: 'Art thou Elijah or Jeremiah, or
any of the ancient prophets?' Jesus answered: 'No.' Then said they: 'Who art
thou? Say, in order that we may give testimony to those who sent us.'Then said
Jesus: 'I am a voice that crieth through all Judaea, and crieth:
"Prepare ye the way for the messenger of the Lord," even as it is
written in Esaias.'They said: 'If thou be not the Messiah nor Elijah, or any
prophet, wherefore dost thou preach new doctrine, and make thyself of more
account than the Messiah?'
The Levites and scribes departed in confusion, and recounted all to the
chiefs of the priests, who said: 'He hath the devil on his back who recounteth
all to him.'
Then said Jesus to his disciples: 'Verily I say unto you, that the chiefs and
the elders of our people seek occasion against me.'
Then said Peter: 'Therefore go not thou any more into Jerusalem.'
Therefore said Jesus unto him: 'Thou art foolish, and knowest not what
thou sayest, for it is necessary that I should suffer many persecutions, because
so have suffered all the prophets and holy ones of God. But fear not, for there
be that are with us and there be that are against us.'
And having said this, Jesus departed and went to the mount Tabor, and there
ascended with him Peter and James and John his brother, with him who writeth
this. Whereupon there shone a great light above him, and his garments became
white like snow and his face glistened as the sun, and lo! there came Moses and
Elijah speaking with Jesus concerning all that needs must come upon our race and
upon the holy city.Peter spoke, saying: 'Lord, it is good to be here. Therefore,
if thou wilt, we will make here three tabernacles, one for thee and one for
Moses and the other for Elijah.' And while he spoke they were covered with a
white cloud, and they heard a voice saying:'Behold my servant, in whom I am well
pleased; hear ye him."The disciples were filled with fear, and fell with
their face upon the earth as dead. Jesus went down and raised up his disciples,
saying: 'Fear not, for God loveth you, and hath done this in order that ye may
believe on my words.' [24]
Then said Andrew: 'Thou hast told us many things of the Messiah, therefore of
thy kindness tell us clearly all.' And in like manner the other disciples
besought him.
Accordingly Jesus said: 'Everyone that worketh worketh for an end in which he
findeth satisfaction. Wherefore I say unto you that God, verily because he is
perfect, hath not need of satisfaction, seeing that he hath satisfaction
himself. And so, willing to work, he created before all things the soul of his
messenger, for whom he determined to create the whole, in order that the
creatures should find joy and blessedness in God, whence his messenger should
take delight in all his creatures, which he hath appointed to be his slaves. And
wherefore is this, so save because thus he hath willed?
'Verily I say unto you, that every prophet when he is come hath borne to one
nation only the mark of the mercy of God. And so their words were not extended
save to that people to which they were sent. But the messenger of God, when he
shall come, God shall give to him as it were the seal of his hand, insomuch that
he shall carry salvation and mercy to all the nations of the world that shall
receive his doctrine. He shall come with power upon the ungodly, and shall
destroy idolatry, insomuch that he shall make Satan confounded; for so promised
God to Abraham, saying: "Behold, in thy seed I will bless all the tribes of
the earth; and as thou hast broken in pieces the idols, O Abraham, even so shall
thy seed do."'
James answered: 'O master, tell us in whom this promise as made; for the Jews
say "in Isaac," and the Ishmaelites say 'in Ishmael." 'Jesus
answered: 'David, whose son was he, and of what lineage?' James answered: 'Of
Isaac; for Isaac was father of Jacob, and Jacob was father of Judah, of whose
lineage is David.'
Then said Jesus: 'And the messenger of God when he shall come, of what lineage
will he be?'
The disciples answered: 'Of David.'
Whereupon Jesus said: 'Ye deceive yourselves; for David in spirit calleth him
lord, saying thus: "God said to my lord, sit thou on my right hand until I
make thine enemies thy footstool. God shall send forth thy rod which shall have
lordship in the midst of thine enemies." If the messenger of God
whom ye call Messiah were son of David, how should David call him lord?
Believe me, for verily I say to you, that the promise was made in Ishmael, not
in Isaac.' [25]
Thereupon said the disciples: 'O master, it is thus written in the book of
Moses, that in Isaac was the promise made.'
Jesus answered, with a groan: 'It is so written, but Moses wrote it not, nor
Joshua, but rather our rabbins, who fear not God. Verily I say unto you, that if
ye consider the words of the angel Gabriel, ye shall discover the malice
of our scribes and doctors. For the angel said: "Abraham, all the world
shall know how God loveth thee; but how shall the world know the love that
thou bearest to God? Assuredly it is necessary that thou do something for love
of God." Abraham answered: "Behold the servant of God, ready to do all
that which God shall will."
'Then spoke God, saying to Abraham: "Take thy son, thy firstborn Ishmael,
and come up the mountain to sacrifice him."
How is Isaac firstborn, if when Isaac was born Ishmael was seven years old?Then
said the disciples: 'Clear is the deception of our doctors: therefore tell us
thou the truth, because we know that thou art sent from God.'
Then answered Jesus: 'Verily I say unto you, that Satan ever seeketh to annual
the laws of God; and therefore he with his followers, hypocrites and evil-doers,
the former with false doctrine, the latter with lewd living, to-day have
contaminated almost all things, so that scarcely is the truth found. Woe
to the hypocrites! for the praises of this world shall turn for them into
insults and torments in hell.'I therefore say unto you that the messenger of God
is a splendour that shall give gladness to nearly all that God hath made, for he
is adorned with the spirit of understanding and of counsel, the spirit of wisdom
and might, the spirit of fear and love, the spirit of prudence and temperance,
he is adorned with the spirit of charity and mercy, the spirit of justice
and piety, the spirit of gentleness and patience, which he hath received from
God three times more than he hath given to all his creatures.
O blessed time, when he shall come to the world! Believe me that I have seen him
and have done him reverence, even as every prophet hath seen him: seeing that of
his spirit God giveth to them prophecy. And when I saw him my soul was filled
with consolation, saying: "O Mohammed, God be with thee, and may he make me
worthy to untie thy shoelatchet, for obtaining this I shall be a great prophet
and holy one of God." 'And having said this, Jesus rendered his thanks to
God. [26]
Then came the angel Gabriel to Jesus, and spoke to him in such wise that
we also heard his voice, which said: 'Arise, and go unto Jerusalem!'
Accordingly Jesus departed and went up to Jerusalem. And on the sabbath day he
entered into the temple, and began to teach the people. Whereupon the people ran
together to the temple with the high priest and priests, who drew nigh to Jesus,
saying: 'O master, it hath been said to us that thou sayest evil of us;
therefore beware lest some evil befall thee.'
Jesus answered: 'Verily I say unto you, that I speak evil of the hypocrites;
therefore if ye be hypocrites I speak against you.' They answered: 'Who is
a hypocrite? Tell us plainly.'
Said Jesus: 'Verily I say to you, that he who doeth a good thing in order that
men may see him, even he is a hypocrite, forasmuch as his work penetrateth not
the heart which men cannot see, and so leaveth therein every unclean thought and
every filthy lust. Know ye who is hypocrite? He who with his tongue serveth God,
but with his heart serveth men. O wretched man! for dying he loseth all his
reward. For on this matter saith the prophet David: 'Put not your confidence in
princes, [nor] in the children of men, in whom is no salvation; for at death
their thoughts perish": nay, before death they find themselves deprived of
reward, for "man is," as said Job the prophet of God "unstable,
so that he never continueth in one say." So that if to-day he praiseth
thee, to-morrow he will abuse thee, and if to-day he willeth to reward thee,
to-morrow he will be fain to despoil thee. Woe, then, to the hypocrites, because
their reward is vain. As God liveth, in whose presence I stand, the hypocrite is
a robber and committeth sacrilege, inasmuch as he maketh use of the law to
appear good, and thieveth the honour of God, to whom alone pertaineth praise and
honour for ever.
'Furthermore I say to you, that the hypocrite hath not faith forasmuch as if he
believed that God seeth all and with terrible judgment would punish wickedness,
he would purify his heart which, because he hath not faith, he keepeth full of
iniquity. Verily I say unto you, that the hypocrite is as a sepulchre, that
without is white, but within is full of corruption and worms. So then if ye, O
priests, do the service of God because God hath created you and asketh it of
you, I speak not against you for ye are servants of God; but if ye do all for
gain, and so buy and sell in the temple as in a market-place, not regarding
that the temple of God is a house of prayer and not of merchandise,
which ye convert into a cave of robbers: if ye do all to please men, and have
put God out of your mind; then cry I against you that ye are sons of the devil,
and not sons of Abraham who left his father's house for love of God, and was
willing to slay his own son. Woe unto you, priests and doctors, if ye be such,
for God will take away from you the priesthood!'
Again
spoke Jesus, saying: 'I set before you an example. There was a householder who
planted a vineyard, and made a hedge for it in order that it should not be
trampled down of beasts. And in the midst of it he built a press for the wine,
and thereupon let it out to husbandmen. Whereupon, when the time was come to
collect the wine he sent his servants; whom when the husbandmen saw, they stoned
some and burned some, and others they ripped open with a knife. And this they
did many times. Tell me, what will the lord of the vineyard do to the
husbandmen?'
Therefore said Jesus: 'Know ye not that the vineyard is the house of Israel, and
the husbandmen are the people of Judah and Jerusalem? Woe to you; for God is
wrath with you, having ripped open so many prophets of God; so that at the time
of Ahab there was not found one to bury the holy ones of God!'
And when he had said this the chief priests wished to seize him, but they feared
the common people, which magnified him.
Then Jesus, seeing a woman who from her birth had remained with her head bent
toward the ground, said: 'Raise thy head, O woman, in the name of our God, in
order that these may know that I speak truth, and that he willeth that I
announce it.'
The chief of the priests cried out, saying: 'This man is not sent of God, seeing
he keepeth not the sabbath; for today he hath healed an infirm person.'
Jesus answered: 'Now tell me, is it not lawful to speak on the sabbath day, and
to make prayer for the salvation of others? And who is there among you who, if
on the sabbath his ass or his ox fell into the ditch, would not pull him out on
the sabbath? Assuredly none. And shall I then have broken the sabbath day by
having given health to a daughter of Israel? Of a surety, here is known thy
hypocrisy! Oh, how many are there to-day that fear the smiting of a straw in
another's eye. while a beam is ready to cut off their own head' Oh how many
there are that fear an ant, but reck not of an elephant!’
And having said this, he went forth from the temple. But the priests chafed with
rage among themselves, because they were not able to seize him and to work their
will upon him, even as their fathers have done against the holy ones of God.
Jesus went down, in
the second year of his prophetic ministry, from Jerusalem, and went to Nain.
Whereupon, he drew nigh to the gate of the city, the citizens were bearing to
the sepulchre the only son of his mother, a widow, over whom every one was
weeping. Whereupon, when Jesus had arrived, the men understood how that Jesus, a
prophet of Galilee, was come: and so they set themselves to beseech him for the
dead man, that he being a prophet should raise him up; which also his disciples
did. Then Jesus feared greatly, and turning himself to God, said: 'Take me from
the world, O Lord, for the world is mad, and they wellnigh call me God!".
And having said this, he wept.
Then came the angel Gabriel, and said: 'O Jesus, fear not, for God hath given
thee power over every infirmity, insomuch that all that thou shalt grant in the
name of God shall be entirely accomplished.' Hereupon Jesus gave a sigh,
saying: 'Thy will be done, Lord God almighty and merciful.' And
having said this, he drew near to the mother of the dead, and with pity said to
her: 'Woman, weep not.' And having taken the hand of the dead, he said: 'I say
unto thee, young man, in the name of God arise up healed!'
Then the boy revived, whereupon all were filled with fear, saying: 'God hath
raised up a great prophet amongst us, and he hath visited his people.'
At that time the army
of the Romans was in Judaea, our country being subject to them for the sins of
our forefathers. Now it was the custom of the Romans to call god and to worship
him that did any new thing of benefit to the common people. And so [some] of
these soldiers finding themselves in Nain, they rebuked now one, now another,
saying: 'One of your gods hath visited you, and ye make no account of it.
Assuredly if our gods should visit us we should give them all that we have. And
ye see how much we fear our gods, since to their images we give the best of all
we have. ' Satan did so instigate this manner of speaking that he aroused no
small sedition among the people of Nain. But Jesus tarried not at all in Nain,
but turned to go into Capernaum.
The discord of Nain was such that some said: 'He is our God who hath visited
us'; others said: 'God is invisible, so that none hath seen him, not even Moses,
his servant; therefore it is not God, but rather his son.'
Others said: 'He is not God, nor son of God, for God hath not a body to beget
withal; but he is a great prophet of God.'
And so did Satan instigate that, in the third year of the prophetic ministry of
Jesus, great ruin to our people was like to arise therefrom.
Jesus went into Capernaum: whereupon the citizens, when they knew him, assembled
together all the sick folk they had, and placed them in front of the porch of
the house where Jesus was lodging with his disciples. And having called Jesus
forth, they besought him for the health of them. Then Jesus laid his hands upon
each of them, saying: 'God of Israel, by thy holy name, give health to this sick
person.' Whereupon each one was healed.
On the sabbath Jesus entered into the synagogue, and thither ran together all
the people to hear him speak.
The scribe that day read the psalm of David, where saith David: 'When I
shall find a time, I will judge uprightly. Then after the reading of the
prophets, arose Jesus, and made sign of silence with his hands, and opening his
mouth he spoke thus:
'Brethren, ye have heard the words spoken by David the prophet, our father, that
when he should have found a time he would judge uprightly.
I tell you in truth that many judge, in which judgment they fall for no other
reason than because they judge that which is not meet for them, and that which
is meet for them they judge before the time.
Wherefore the God of our fathers crieth to us by his prophet David, saying:
'Justly judge, O sons of men'.
Miserable therefore are those who set themselves at street corners, and do
nothing but judge all those who pass by, saying: "That one is fair, this
one is ugly, that one is good, this one is bad." Woe unto them, because
they lift the sceptre of his judgment from the hand of God, who saith: "I
am witness and judge, and my honour I will give to none." Verily I tell you
that these testify of that which they have not seen nor really heard, and judge
without having been constituted judges. Therefore are they abominable on the
earth before the eyes of God, who will pass tremendous judgment upon them in the
last day.
Woe to you, woe to you who speak good of the evil, and call the evil good, for
ye condemn as a malefactor God, who is the author of good, and justify as good
Satan, who is the origin of all evil. Consider what punishment ye shall have,
and that it is horrible to fall into the judgment of God, which shall be then
upon those who justify the wicked for money, and judge not the cause of the
orphans and widows.
Verily I say unto you, that the devils shall tremble at the judgment of such, so
terrible shall it be.
Thou man who art set as a judge, regard no other thing; neither kinsfolk nor
friends, neither honour nor gain, but look solely with fear of God to the truth,
which thou shalt seek with greatest diligence, because it will secure thee in
the judgment of God. But I warn thee that without mercy shall he be judged who
judgeth without mercy'.
'Tell me, O man, thou that judgest another man, dost thou not know that all
men had their origin in the same clay? Dost thou not know that none is good save
God alone? wherefore every man is a liar and a sinner.
Believe me, man, that if thou judge others of a fault thine own heart hath
whereof to be judged. Oh, how dangerous it is to judge! oh, how many have
perished by their false judgment! Satan judged man to be more vile than himself;
therefore he rebelled against God, his creator: whereof he is impenitent, as I
have knowledge by speaking with him. Our first parents judged the speech of
Satan to be good, therefore they were cast out of paradise, and condemned all
their progeny.
Verily I say unto you, as God liveth in whose presence I stand, false judgment
is the father of all sins. Forasmuch as none sinneth without will, and none
willeth that which he doth not know. Woe, therefore, to the sinner who with the
judgment judgeth sin worthy and goodness unworthy, who on that account rejecteth
goodness and chooseth sin. Assuredly he shall bear an intolerable punishment
when God shall come to judge the world.
Oh, how many have perished through false judgment, and how many have been nigh
to perishing! Pharaoh judged Moses and the people of Israel to be impious, Saul
judged David to be worthy of death, Ahab judged Elijah, Nebuchadnezzar the three
children who would not worship their lying gods. The two elders judged Susanna,
and all the idolatrous princes judged the prophets.
Oh, tremendous judgment of God! the judge perisheth, the judged is
saved.
And wherefore this, O man, if not because [in] rashness they falsely judge the
innocent? How nearly then the good approached to ruin by judging falsely, is
shown by the brethren of Joseph, who sold him to the Egyptians by Aaron and
Miriam, sister of Moses, who judged their brother. Three friends of Job judged
the innocent friend of God, Job.
David judged Mephibosheth and Uriah. Cyrus judged Daniel to be meat for the
lions; and many others, the which were nigh to their ruin for this. Therefore I
say to you, Judge not and ye shall not be judged.' And then, Jesus having
finished his speech, many forthwith were converted to repentance, bewailing
their sins; and they would fain have forsaken all to go with him. But Jesus
said: 'Remain in your homes, and forsake sin and serve God with fear, and thus
shall ye be saved; because I am not come to receive service, but rather to
serve.'
And having said thus, he went out of the synagogue and the city, and retired
into the desert to pray, because he loved solitude greatly.
When he had prayed to
the Lord, his disciples came to him and said: 'O master, two things we would
know; one is, how thou talkedst with Satan, who nevertheless thou sayest
impenitent; the other is, how God shall come to judge in the day of judgment.'
Jesus replied: 'Verily I say unto you I had compassion on Satan, knowing his
fall; and I had compassion on mankind whom he tempteth to sin. Therefore I
prayed and fasted to our God, who spoke to me by his angel Gabriel: "What
seekest thou, O Jesus, and what is thy request?" I answered: "Lord,
thou knowest of what evil Satan is the cause, and that through his temptations
many perish; he is thy creature, Lord, whom thou didst create; therefore, Lord,
have mercy upon him."
God answered: "Jesus, behold I will pardon him. Only cause him to say,
'Lord, my God, I have sinned, have mercy upon me,' and I will pardon him and
restore him to his first state. "I rejoiced greatly. said Jesus, 'when I
heard this, believing that I had made this peace. Therefore I called
Satan, who came saying: What must I do for thee, O Jesus?"
I answered: "Thou shalt do it for thyself, O Satan, for I love not thy
services, but for thy good have I called thee."
'Satan replied: "If thou desires" not my services, neither
desire I thine; for I am nobler than thou, therefore thou art worthy to serve
me-thou who art clay, while I am spirit."
'Let us leave this,' I said, 'and tell me if it were not well thou
shouldst return to thy first beauty and thy first state. Thou must know that the
angel Michael must needs on the day of judgment strike thee with the sword of
God one hundred thousand times, and each blow will give thee the pain of ten
hells.'
Satan replied: "We shall see in that day who can do most; certainly I shall
have on my side many angels and most potent idolaters who will trouble God, and
he shall know how great mistake he made to banish me for the sake of a vile
[piece of] clay."
Then I said: "O Satan, thou art infirm in mind, and knowest not what thou
sayest."
Then Satan, in a derisive manner, wagged his head, saying: come now, let us make
up this peace between me and God; and what must be done say thou, O Jesus, since
thou art sound in mind "
I answered: "Two words only need be spoken."Satan replied: "What
words?"
I answered "These: I have sinned: have mercy on me."
'Said Satan then: Now willingly will I make this peace if God will say these
words to me."
' "Now depart from me," I said, "O cursed one for
thou art the wicked author of all injustice and sin, but God is just and
without any sin.'
'Satan departed shrieking, and said: "It is not so, O Jesus, but thou
tellest a lie to please God.'
'Now consider,' said Jesus to his disciples, 'how he will find mercy.'
They answered: 'Never, Lord, because he is impenitent. Speak to us now of the
judgment of God.' 'The
judgment day of God will be so dreadful that, verily I say unto you, the
reprobates would sooner choose ten hells than go to hear God speak in wrath
against them. Against whom all things created will witness. Verily I say unto
you, that not alone shall the reprobates fear, but the saints and the elect of
God, so that Abraham, shall not trust in his righteousness, and Job shall have
no confidence in his innocency. And what say I? Even the messenger of God shall
fear, for that God, to make known his majesty, shall deprive his messenger of
memory, so that he shall have no remembrance how that God hath given him all
things.
Verily I say unto you that, speaking from the heart, I tremble because by the
world I shall be called God, and for this I shall have to render an
account.
As God liveth, in whose presence my soul standeth. I am a mortal man as other
men are, for although God has placed me as prophet over the house of Israel for
the health of the feeble and the correction of sinners, I am the servant of God,
and of this ye are witness, how I speak against those wicked men who after my
departure from the world shall annual the truth of my gospel by the operation of
Satan.
But I shall return towards the end, and with me shall come Enoch and Elijah, and
we will testify against the wicked, whose end shall be accursed.' And having
thus spoken, Jesus shed tears, whereat his disciples wept aloud, and lifted
their voices, saying: 'Pardon, O Lord God, and have mercy on thy innocent
servant.' Jesus answered: 'Amen, Amen.'
'Before that day shall
come,' said Jesus, 'great destruction shall come upon the world, for there shall
be war so cruel and pitiless that the father shall slay the son, and the son
shall slay father by reason of the factions of peoples. Wherefore the cities
shall be annihilated, and the country shall become desert. Such pestilences
shall come that none shall be found to bear the dead to burial, so that they
shall be left as food for beasts.
To those who remain upon the earth God shall send such scarcity that bread shall
be valued above gold, and they shall eat a11 manner of unclean things.
O miserable age, in which scarce any one shall be heard to say: "I have
sinned, have mercy on me, O God"; but with horrible voices they shall
blaspheme him who is glorious and blessed for ever. After this, as that day
draweth nigh, for fifteen days, shall come every day a horrible sign over the
inhabitants of the earth.
The first day the sun shall run its course in heaven without light, but black as
the dye of cloth; and it shall give groans, as a father who groaneth for a son
nigh to death. The second day the moon shall be turned into blood, and blood
shall come upon the earth like dew.
The third day the stars shall be seen to fight among themselves like an army of
enemies.
The fourth day the stones and rocks shall dash against each other as cruel
enemies.
The fifth day every plant and herb shall weep blood.
The sixth day the sea shall rise without leaving its place to the height of one
hundred and fifty cubits, and shall stand all day like a wall.
The seventh day it shall on the contrary sink so low as scarcely to be
seen.
The eighth day the birds and the animals of the earth and of the water shall
gather themselves close together, and shall give forth roars and cries.
The ninth day there shall be a hailstorm so horrible that it shall kill in such
wise that scarcely the tenth part of the living shall escape.
The tenth day shall come such horrible lightning and thunder that the third part
of the mountains shall be split and scorched.
The eleventh day every river shall run backwards, and shall run blood and not
water.
The twelfth day every created thing shall groan and cry.
The thirteenth day the heaven shall be rolled up like a book, and it shall rain
fire, so that every living thing shall die.
The fourteenth day there shall be an earth quake so horrible that the tops of
the mountains shall fly through the air like birds, and all the earth shall
become a plain. The fifteenth day the holy angels shall die, and God alone shall
remain alive; to whom be honour and glory.'
And having said this, Jesus smote his face with both his hands, and then smote
the ground with his head. And having raised his head, he said: 'Cursed be every
one who shall insert into my sayings that I am the son of God.' At these words
the disciples fell down as dead, whereupon Jesus lifted them up, saying: 'Let us
fear God now, if we would not be affrighted in that day.'
When the forty years be passed, God shall give life to his messenger, who shall
rise again like the sun, but resplendent as a thousand suns.
He shall sit, and shall not speak, for he shall be as it were beside himself.
God shall raise again the four angels favoured of God, who shall seek the
messenger of God, and, having found him, shall station themselves on the four
sides of the place to keep watch upon him.
Next shall God give life to all the angels, who shall come like bees circling
round the messenger of God. Next shall God give life to all his prophets, who,
following Adam, shall go every one to kiss the hand of the messenger of God,
committing themeselves to his protection. Next shall God give life to all the
elect, who shall cry out: "O Mohammed, be mindful of us!" At whose
cries pity shall awake in the messenger of God, and he shall consider what he
ought to do, fearing for their salvation. Next shall God give life to every
created thing, and they shall return their former existence, but every one shall
besides possess the power of speech. Next shall God give life to all the
reprobates, at whose resurrection, by reason of their hideousness, all the
creatures of God shall be afraid, and shall cry: "Let not thy mercy forsake
us, O Lord our God." After this shall God cause Satan to be raised up, at
whose aspect every creature shall be as dead, for fear of the horrid form of his
appearance. May it please God,' said Jesus, 'that I behold not that monster on
that day . The messenger of God alone shall not be affrighted by such shapes,
because he shall fear God only.
'Then the angel, at the sound of whose trumpet all shall be raised, shall sound
his trumpet again, saying: "Come to the judgment, O creatures, for your
Creator willeth to judge you." Then shall appear in the midst of heaven
over the valley of Jehoshaphat a glittering throne, over which shall come a
white cloud, whereupon the angels shall cry out: "Blessed be thou our God,
who hast created us, and saved us from the fall of Satan."
Then the messenger of God shall fear, for that he shall perceive that none hath
loved God as he should. For he who would get in change a piece of gold must have
sixty mites; wherefore, if he have but one mite he cannot change it. But if the
messenger of God shall fear, what shall the ungodly do who are full of
wickedness?'
'The messenger of God
shall go to collect all the prophets, to whom he shall speak,
praying them to go with him to pray God for the faithful. And every one shall
excuse himself for fear; nor, as God liveth, would I go there, knowing what I
know. Then God, seeing this, shall remind his messenger how he created all
things for love of him, and so his fear shall leave him, and he shall go nigh
unto the throne with love and reverence, while the angels sing: "Blessed be
thy holy name O God, our God."
'And when he hath drawn nigh unto the throne, God shall open [his mind] unto his
messenger, even as a friend unto a friend when for a long while they have not
met. The first to speak shall be the messenger of God, who shall say: "I
adore and love thee, O my God, and with all my heart and soul I give thee thanks
for that thou didst vouchsafe to create me to be thy servant, and madest all for
love of me, so that I might love thee for all things and in all things and above
all things; therefore let all thy creatures praise thee, O my God." Then
all things created by God shall say: "We give thee thanks, O Lord, and
bless thy holy name." Verily I say unto you, the demons and reprobates with
Satan shall then weep so that more water shall flow from the eyes of one of them
than is in the river of Jordan. Yet shall they not see God.
'And God shall speak unto his messenger, saying: "Thou art welcome, O my
faithful servant; therefore ask what thou wilt, for thou shalt obtain all."
The messenger of God shall answer. "O Lord, I remember that when thou
didst create me, thou saidst that thou hadst willed to make for love of me
the world and paradise, and angels and men, that they might glorify thee by me
thy servant. Therefore, Lord God, merciful and just. I pray thee that thou
recollect thy promise made unto thy servant."
'And God shall make answer even as a friend who jesteth with a friend, and shall
say: "Hast thou witnesses of this, my friend Mohammed?" And with
reverence he shall say: "Yes, Lord." Then God shall answer: "Go,
call them, O Gabriel." The angel Gabriel shall come to the messenger of
God, and shall say: "Lord, who are thy witnesses?" The messenger of
God shall answer: "They are Adam, Abraham, Ishmael, Moses, David, and Jesus
son of Mary."
'Then shall the angel depart, and he shall call the aforesaid witnesses, who
with fear shall go thither. And when they are present God shall say unto them:
"Remember ye that which my messenger affirmeth?" They shall reply:
"What thing, O Lord?" God shall say: "That I have made all things
for love of him, so that all things might praise me by him." Then every one
of them shall answer: "There are with us three witnesses better than we
are, O Lord." And God shall reply: "Who are these three
witnesses?" Then Moses shall say: "The book that thou gavest to me is
the first"; and David shall say: "The book that thou gavest to me is
the second"; and he who speaketh to you shall say: "Lord, the whole
world, deceived by Satan, said that I was thy son and thy fellow, but the book
that thou gavest me said truly that I am thy servant; and that book confesseth
that which thy messenger affirmeth." Then shall the messenger of God speak,
and shall say: "Thus saith the book that thou gavest me, O Lord." And
when the messenger of God hath said this, God shall speak, saying: "All
that I have now done, I have done in order that every one should know how much I
love thee."
And when he hath thus spoken, God shall give unto his messenger a book, in which
are written all the names of the elect of God. Wherefore every creature shall do
reverence to God, saying "To thee alone, O God, be glory and honour,
because thou hast given us to thy messenger."
God shall open the book in the hand of his messenger, and his messenger
reading therein shall call all the angels and prophets and all the elect, and on
the forehead of each one shall be written the mark of the messenger of God. And
in the book shall be written the glory of paradise.
'Then shall each pass to the right hand of God: next to whom shall sit the
messenger of God, and the prophets shall sit near him, and the saints shall sit
near the prophets, and the blessed near the saints. and the angel shall then
sound the trumpet, and shall call Satan to judgment.
'Then that miserable one shall come, and with greatest contumely shall be
accused of every creature.
Wherefore God shall call the angel Michael, who shall strike him one hundred
thousand times with the sword of God. He shall strike Satan and every stroke is
heavy as ten hells, and he shall be the first to be cast into the abyss.
The angel shall call his followers, and they shall in like manner be abused and
accused.
Wherefore the angel Michael, by commission from God, shall strike some a hundred
times, some fifty, some twenty, some ten, some five. And then shall they descend
into the abyss, because God shall say to them: "Hell is your
dwelling-place, O cursed ones."
'After that shall be called to judgment all the unbelievers and reprobates,
against whom shall first arise all creatures inferior to man, testifying before
God how they have served these men, and how the same have outraged God and his
creatures. And the prophets every one shall arise, testifying against them;
wherefore they shall be condemned by God to infernal flames. Verily I say unto
you, that no idle word or thought shall pass unpunished in that termendous day.
Verily I say unto you, that the hair-shirt shall shine like the sun, and every
louse a man shall have borne for love of God shall be turned into pearl. O.
thrice and four times blessed are the poor, who in true poverty shall have
served God from the heart, for in this world are they destitute of worldly
cares, and shall therefore be freed from many sins, and in that day they shall
not have to render an account of how they have spent the riches of the world,
but they shall be rewarded for their patience and their poverty. Verily I say
unto you, that if the world knew this it would choose the hair-shirt sooner than
purple, lice sooner than gold, fasts sooner than feasts.
'When all have been
examined, God shall say unto his messenger: "Behold, O my friend, their
wickedness, how great it has been, for I their creator did employ all created
things in their service, and in all things have they dishonoured me. It is most
just, therefore, that I have no mercy on them."
The messenger of God shall answer: "It is true, Lord, our glorious God, not
one of thy friends and servants could ask thee to have mercy on them: nay, I thy
servant before all ask justice against them."
'And he having said these words, all the angels and prophets, with all the elect
of God - nay, why say I the elect? - verily I say unto you, that spiders and
flees, stones and sand shall cry out against the impious, and shall demand
justice.
'Then shall God cause to return to earth every living soul inferior to man, and
he shall send the impious to hell. Who, in going, shall see again that earth, to
which dogs and horses and other vile animals shall be reduced. Wherefore shall
they say: "O Lord God, cause us also to return to that earth." But
that which they ask shall not be granted to them.'
While Jesus was
speaking the disciples wept bitterly. And Jesus wept many tears.
Then answered Peter: 'O master, truly the justice of God is great, and today
this discourse hath made thee sad; therefore, we pray thee, rest, and to-morrow
tell us what hell is like.'
Jesus answered: 'O Peter, thou tellest me to rest; O Peter, knowest not
what thou sayest, else thou hadst not spoken thus. Verily I say unto you, that
rest in this present life is the poison of piety and the fire which consumeth
every good work. Have ye then forgotten how Solomon, God's prophet, with all the
prophets, hath reproved sloth? True it is that he saith: "The idle will not
work the soil for fear of the cold, therefore in summer shall he beg!"
Wherefore he said: "All that thy hand can do, do it without rest." And
what saith Job, the most innocent friend of God: "As the bird is born to
fly, man is born to work." Verily I say unto you, I hate rest above all
things.'
'Hell is one, and is contrary to paradise, as winter is contrary to summer,
and cold to heat. He therefore who would describe the misery of hell must needs
have seen the paradise of God's delights.
'O place accursed by
God's justice for the malediction of the faithless and reprobate, of which said
Job, the friend of God: "There is no order there, but everlasting
fear!" And Isaiah the prophet, against the reprobate, saith: "Their
flame shall not be quenched nor their worm die." And David our father,
weeping, said: "Then shall rain upon them lightning and bolts and brimstone
and great tempest."
O miserable sinners, how loathsome then shall seem to them delicate meats,
costly raiment, soft couches, and concord of sweet song! how sick shall make
them raging hunger, burning flames, scorching cinders, and cruel torments with
bitter weeping!'
And then Jesus uttered a lamentable groan, saying: 'Truly it were better never
to have been formed than to suffer such cruel torments. For imagine a man
suffering torments in every part of his body, who hath no one to show him
compassion, but is mocked of all; tell me. would not this be great pain?'
The disciples answered: 'The greatest.'
Then said Jesus: Now this is a delight [in comparison] of hell. For I tell you
in truth, that if God should place in one balance all the pain which all men
have suffered in this world and shall suffer till the day of judgment, and in
the other one single hour of the pain of hell, the reprobates would without
doubt choose the worldly tribulations, for the worldly come from the hand of
man, but the others from the hand of devils, who are utterly without compassion.
O what cruel fire they shall give to miserable sinners! O what bitter cold,
which yet shall not temper their flames! What gnashing of teeth and sobbing and
weeping! For the Jordan has less water than the tears which every moment shall
flow from their eyes. And here their tongues shall curse all things created,
with their father and mother, and their Creator, who is blessed for ever.'
Then Jesus opening his mouth after the evening [prayer], said: 'What father of a
family if he knew that a thief meant to break into his house, would sleep? None
assuredly; for he would watch and stand prepared to slay the thief. Do ye not
know then that Satan is as a roaring lion that goeth about seeking whom he may
devour. Thus he seeketh to make man sin. Verily I say unto you, that if man
would act as the merchant he should have no fear in that day, because he would
be well prepared. There was a man who gave money to his neighbours that they
might trade with it, and the profit should be divided in a just proportion. And
some traded well, so that they doubled the money. But some used the money in the
service of the enemy of him who gave them the money, speaking evil of him. Tell
me now, when the neighbour shall call the debtors to account how shall the
matter go? Assuredly he will reward those who traded well, but against the
others his anger shall vent itself in reproaches. And then he will punish them
according to the law. As God liveth, in whose presence my soul standeth, the
neighbour is God, who has given to man all that he hath, with life itself, so
that, [man] living well in this world, God may have praise, and man the glory of
paradise. For those who live well double their money by their example, because
sinners, seeing their example, are converted to repentance; wherefore men who
live well shall be rewarded with a great reward. But wicked sinners, who by
their sins halve what God has given them, by their lives spent in the service of
Satan the enemy of God, blaspheming God and giving offense to others- tell me
what shall be their punishment?'
'It shall be without measure,' said the disciples.
Then
said Jesus: 'He who would live well should take example from the merchant who
locketh up his shop, and guardeth it day and night with great diligence. And
selling the things which he buyeth he is fain to make a profit; for if he
perceiveth that he will lose thereby he will not sell, no, not to his own
brother. Thus then should ye do; for in truth soul is a merchant, and the body
is the shop: wherefore what it receiveth from outside, through the senses, is
bought and sold by it. And the money is love. See then that with love ye do not
sell nor buy the smallest thought by which ye cannot profit. But let thought,
speech, and work be all for love of God; for so shall ye find safety in that
day. Verily I say unto you, that many make ablutions and go to pray, many fast
and give alms, many study and preach to others, whose end is abominable before
God: because they cleanse the body and not the heart, they cry with the mouth
not with the heart: they abstain from meats, and fill themselves with sins; they
give to others things not good for them, in order that they may be held good;
they study that they may know to speak, not to work; they preach to others
against that which they do themselves, and thus are condemned by their own
tongue.
As God liveth, these do not know God with their hearts; for if they knew him
they would love him; and since whatsoever a man hath he hath received it from
God, even so should he spend all for the love of God.'
After certain days
Jesus passed near unto a city of the Samaritans; and they would not let him
enter the city, nor would they sell bread to his disciples. Wherefore said James
and John: 'Master, may it please thee that we pray God that he send down fire
from heaven upon these people?'
Jesus answered: "Ye know not by what spirit ye are led, that ye so speak.
Remember that God determined to destroy Nineveh because he did not find one who
feared God in that city; the which was so wicked that God, having called Jonah
the prophet to send him to that city, he would fain for fear of the people have
fled to Tarsus, wherefore God caused him to be cast into the sea, and received
by a fish and cast up nigh to Nineveh. And he preaching there, that people was
converted to repentance, so that God had mercy on them.
Woe unto them that call for vengeance; for on themselves it shall come, seeing
that every man hath in himself cause for the vengeance of God. Now tell me, have
ye created this city with this people? O madmen that ye are, assuredly no. For
all creatures united together could not create a single new fly from nothing,
and this it is to create. If the blessed God who hath created this city now
sustaineth it, why desire ye to destroy it? Why didst thou not say: "May it
please thee, master, that we pray to the Lord our God that this people may be
converted to penitence?" Assuredly this is the proper act of a disciple of
mine , to pray to God for those who do evil. Thus did Abel when his brother
Cain, accursed of God, slew him. Thus did Abraham for Pharaoh, who took from him
his wife, and whom, therefore, the angel of God did not slay, but only struck
with infirmity. Thus did Zechariah when, by decree of the impious king, he
was slain in the temple. Thus did Jeremiah, Isaiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, and David,
with all the friends of God and holy prophets. Tell me, if a brother were
stricken with frenzy, would you slay him because he spoke evil and struck those
who came near him? Assuredly ye would not do so; but rather would ye endeavour
to restore his health with medicines suitable to his infirmity.'
Tell me, O man, who is thy enemy? Assuredly thy body, and every one who praiseth
thee. Wherefore if thou wert of sane mind thou wouldst kiss the hand of those
who revile thee, and present gifts to those who persecute thee and strike thee
much; because, O man, because the more that for thy sins thou art reviled and
persecuted in this life the less shalt thou be in the day of judgment. But tell
me, O man, if the saints and prophets of God have been persecuted and defamed by
the world even though they were innocent. what shall be done to thee, O sinner?
and if they endured all with patience, praying for their persecutors, what
shouldst thou do, O man, who art worthy of hell? Tell me O my disciples, do ye
not know that Shimei cursed the servant of God, David the prophet and threw
stones at him? Now what said David to those who would fain have killed Shimei?
"What is it to thee, O Joab, that thou wouldst kill Shimei? let him curse
me, for this is the will of God, who will turn this curse into a blessing."
And thus it was; for God saw the patience of David and delivered him from the
persecution of his own son, Absalom.
Wherefore, when thou art in tribulation do not think of how much thou hast
borne, nor of him who afflicteth thee; but consider how much for thy sins thou
art worthy to receive at the hand of the devils of hell. Ye are angry with this
city because it would not receive us, nor sell bread to us. Tell me, are these
people your slaves? have ye given them this city? have ye given them their corn?
or have ye helped them to reap it?
Assuredly no; for ye are strangers in this land, and poor men. What thing is
this then that thou sayest?'
The two disciples answered: 'Lord, we have sinned; may God have mercy on us.'
The Passover drew near, wherefore Jesus, with his disciples, went up to
Jerusalem. And he went to the pool called 'Probatica.' And the bath was so
called because the angel of God every day troubled the water, and whosoever
first entered the water after its movement was cured of every kind of infirmity.
Wherefore a great number of sick persons remained beside the pool, which had
five porticoes. And Jesus saw there an impotent man, who had been there
thirty-and-eight years, with a grievous infirmity.
Whereupon Jesus, knowing this by divine inspiration, had compassion on the sick
man, and said to him: 'Wilt thou be made whole?'
Then Jesus lifted up his eyes to heaven and said: 'Lord our God, God of our
fathers, have mercy upon this impotent man.'
And having said this, Jesus said: 'In God's name, brother, be thou whole; rise
and take up thy bed.'
Those who saw him cried: 'It is the sabbath day; it is not lawful for thee to
carry thy bed.'
He answered: He that made whole said unto me, "Pick up thy bed, and go thy
way to thy home."
Whereupon, among themselves they said: 'It must have been Jesus the Nazarene.'
Others said: 'Nay, for he is a holy one of God, whereas he who has done this
thing is a wicked man, for he causeth the sabbath to be broken.'
And Jesus went into the temple, and a great multitude drew nigh unto him to hear
his words; whereat the priests were consumed with envy.
One of them came to him, saying: 'Good master, thou teaches well and
truly; tell me therefore, in paradise what reward shall God give us?'
Wherefore the priest was silent, being confounded. And Jesus said: 'Verily I say
unto you, naught is more perilous than speech. For so said Solomon: "Life
and death are in the power of the tongue."'
And he turned to his disciples, and said: 'Beware of those who bless you,
because they deceive you. With the tongue Satan blessed our first parents, but
miserable was the outcome of his words. So did the sages of Egypt bless Pharaoh.
So did Goliath bless the Philistines.
So did four hundred false prophets bless Ahab; but false were their praises, so
that the praised one perished with the praisers. Wherefore not without cause did
God say by Isaiah the prophet: "My people, those that bless thee deceive
thee."
'Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees; woe unto you, priests and Levites, because
ye have corrupted the sacrifice of the Lord, so that those who come to sacrifice
believe that Go eateth cooked flesh like unto a man.'
One of them came to
him, saying: 'Good master, thou teaches well and truly; tell me therefore, in
paradise what reward shall God give us?'
Wherefore the priest was silent, being confounded. And Jesus said: 'Verily I say
unto you, naught is more perilous than speech. For so said Solomon: "Life
and death are in the power of the tongue."'
And he turned to his disciples, and said: 'Beware of those who bless you,
because they deceive you. With the tongue Satan blessed our first parents, but
miserable was the outcome of his words. So did the sages of Egypt bless Pharaoh.
So did Goliath bless the Philistines. So did four hundred false prophets bless
Ahab; but false were their praises, so that the praised one perished with the
praisers. Wherefore not without cause did God say by Isaiah the prophet:
"My people, those that bless thee deceive thee."
'Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees; woe unto you, priests and Levites, because
ye have corrupted the sacrifice of the Lord, so that those who come to sacrifice
believe that Go eateth cooked flesh like unto a man.'
'Thou
askest me to tell thee what God will give us in paradise. Verily I say unto you,
that those who think of the wages love not the master. A shepherd who hath a
flock of sheep, when he seeth the wolf coming, prepareth to defend them;
contrariwise, the hireling when he seeth the wolf leaveth the sheep and fleeth.
As God liveth, in whose presence I stand, if the God of our fathers were your
God ye would not have thought of saying: "What will God give me?" But
ye would have said, as did David his prophet: "What shall I give unto God
for all that he bath given unto me?"
'I will speak to you by a parable that ye may understand.
There was a king who found by the wayside a man stripped by thieves, who had
wounded him unto death. And he had compassion on him and commanded his slaves to
bear that man to the city and tend him: and this they did with all diligence.
And the king conceived a great love for the sick man, so that he gave him
his own daughter in marriage, and made him his heir.
Now assuredly this king was most merciful; but the man beat the slaves, despised
the medicines, abused his wife, spoke evil of the king, and caused his vassals
to rebel against him. And when the king required any service, he was wont to
say: What will the king give me as reward?" Now when the king heard this,
what did he do to so impious a man?'
They all replied: 'Woe to him, for the king deprived him of all, and cruelly
punished him.' Then said Jesus: 'O priests, and scribes, and Pharisees,
and thou high-priest that hearst my voice, I proclaim to you what God hath said
to you by his prophet Isaiah: "I have nourished slaves and exalted them,
but they have despised me."
'The king is our God, who found Israel in this world full of miseries, and gave
him therefore to his servants Joseph, Moses and Aaron, who tended him. And our
God conceived such love for him that for the sake of the people of Israel he
smote Egypt, drowned Pharaoh, and discomfited an hundred and twenty kings of the
Canaanites and Madianites; he gave him his laws, making him heir of all that
[land] wherein our people dwelleth.
'But how doth Israel bear himself? How many prophets hath he slain; how many
prophecies hath he contaminated; how hath he violated the law of God: how many
for that cause have departed from God and gone to serve idols, through your
offense, O priests! And how do ye dishonour God with your manner of life! And
now ye ask me: 'What will God give us in paradise?' Ye ought to have asked me:
What will be the punishment that God will give you in hell; and then what ye
ought to do for true penitence in order that God may have mercy on you: for this
I can tell you, and to this end am I sent to you.'
'As God liveth, in
whose presence I stand, ye will not receive adulation from me, but truth.
Wherefore I say unto you, repent and turn to God even as our fathers did after
sinning, and harden not your heart.'
The priests were consumed with rage at this speech, but for fear of the common
people they spoke not a word.
And Jesus continued, saying: 'O doctors, O scribes, O Pharisees, O priests, tell
me. Ye desire horses like knights, but ye desire not to go forth to war: ye
desire fair clothing like women, but ye desire not to spin and nurture children;
ye desire the fruits of the field, and ye desire not to cultivate the earth; ye
desire the fishes of the sea, but ye desire not to go a fishing; ye desire
honour as citizens, but ye desire not the burden of the republic; and ye desire
tithes and first fruits as priests, but ye desire not to serve God in truth.
What then shall God do with you, seeing ye desire here every good without any
evil? Verily I say to you that God will give you a place where ye will have
every evil without any good.'
And when Jesus had said this, there was brought unto him a demoniac who could
not speak nor see, and was deprived of hearing. Whereupon Jesus, seeing their
faith, raised his eyes to heaven and said: Lord God of our fathers, have mercy
on this sick man and give him health, in order that this people may know that
thou hast sent me.'
And having said this Jesus commanded the spirit to depart, saying: 'In the power
of the name of God our Lord, depart, evil one from the man!'
The spirit departed and the dumb man spoke, and saw with his eyes. Whereupon
every one was filled with fear, but the scribes said: 'In the power of
Beelzebub, prince of the demons, he casteth out the demons.'
Then said Jesus: 'Every kingdom divided against itself destroyeth itself, and
house falleth upon house. If in the power of Satan, Satan be cast out, how shall
his kingdom stand? And if your sons cast out Satan with the scripture that
Solomon the prophet gave them, they testify that I cast out Satan in the power
of God.
As God liveth, blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is without remission in this
and in the other world; because the wicked man of his own will reprobates
himself, knowing the reprobation.'
And having said this Jesus went out of the temple. And the common people
magnified him, for they brought all the sick folk whom they could gather
together, and Jesus having made prayer gave to all their health; whereupon on
that day in Jerusalem the Roman soldiery, by the working of Satan, began to stir
up the common people, saying that Jesus was the God of Israel, who was come to
visit his people.
Jesus departed from Jerusalem after the Passover, and entered into the
borders of Caesarea Philippi. Whereupon, the angel Gabriel having told him of
the sedition which was beginning among the common people, he asked his
disciples, saying: 'What do men say of me?'
Then was Jesus angry, and with anger rebuked him, saying: 'Begone and depart
from me, because thou art the devil and seekest to cause me offense!'
And he threatened the eleven, saying: 'Woe to you if ye believe this, for I have
won from God a great curse against those who believe this.'
And he was fain to cast away Peter; whereupon the eleven besought Jesus for him,
who cast him not away, but again rebuked him, saying: 'Beware that never again
thou say such words, because God would reprobate thee!'
Peter wept. and said: 'Lord, I have spoken foolishly; beseech God that he pardon
me.'
Then said Jesus: 'If our God willed not to show himself to Moses his servant,
nor to Elijah whom he so loved, nor to any prophet, will ye think that God
should show himself to this faithless generation? But know ye not that God hath
created all things of nothing with one single word, and all men have had their
origin out of a piece of clay? Now, how shall God have likeness to man? Woe to
those who suffer themselves to be deceived of Satan!'
And having said this, Jesus besought God for Peter, the eleven and Peter
weeping, and saying: 'So be it, so be it, O blessed Lord our God.'
Afterwards Jesus departed and went into Galilee, in order that this vain opinion
which the common folk began to hold concerning him might be extinguished.
Every one was offended hearing this, and they said: 'And who is this who
forgiveth sins?'
Then said Jesus: 'As God liveth, I am not able to forgive sins, nor is any man,
but God alone forgiveth. But as servant of God I can beseech him for the sins of
others: and so I have besought him for this sick man, and I am sure that God
hath heard my prayer. Wherefore, that ye may know the truth, I say to this sick
man: "In the name of the God of our fathers, the God of Abraham and his
sons, rise up healed!" ' And when Jesus had said this the sick man rose up
healed, and glorified God.
Then the common people besought Jesus that he would beseech God for the sick who
stood outside. Whereupon Jesus went out unto them, and, having lifted up his
hands, said: 'Lord God of hosts, the living God, the true God, the holy God,
that never will die; having mercy upon them!' Whereupon every one answered:
'Amen.' And this having been said, Jesus laid his hands upon the sick folk, and
they all received their health.
Thereupon they magnified God, saying: 'God hath visited us by his prophet, and a
great prophet hath God sent unto us.'
At night Jesus spoke
in secret with his disciples, saying: 'Verily I say unto you that Satan desireth
to sift you as wheat; but I have besought God for you, and there shall not
perish of you save he that layeth snares for me.' And this he said of Judas,
because the angel Gabriel said to him how that Judas had hand with the priests,
and reported to them all that Jesus spoke.
With tears drew near unto Jesus he who writeth this saying: 'O master,
tell me, who is he that should betray thee?'
Jesus answered, saying: 'O Barnabas, this is not the hour for thee to know him,
but soon will be wicked one reveal himself, because I shall depart from the
world.'
Then wept the apostles, saying: 'O master, wherefore wilt thou forsake us? It is
much better that we should die than be forsaken of thee!'
Jesus answered: 'Let not your heart be troubled, neither be ye fearful; for I
have not created you, but God our creator who hath created you will protect you.
As for me, I am now come to the world to prepare the way for the messenger of
God, who shall bring salvation to the world. But beware that ye be not deceived,
for many false prophets shall
come, who shall take my words and contaminate my gospel.'
Then said Andrew: 'Master tell us some sign, that we may know him.'
Jesus answered: 'He will not come in your time, but will come some years after
you, when my gospel shall be annulled, insomuch that there shall be scarcely
thirty faithful.
At that time God will have mercy on the world, and so he will send his
messenger, over whose head will rest a white cloud, whereby he shall be known of
one elect of God, and shall be by him manifested to the world.
He shall come with great power against the ungodly, and shall destroy
idolatry upon the earth. And it rejoiceth me because that through him our God
shall be known and glorified and I shall be known to be true; and he will
execute venegeance against those who shall say that I am more than man.
Verily I say to you that the moon shall minister sleep to him in his boyhood,
and when he shall be grown up he shall take her in his hands.
Let the world beware of casting him out because he shall slay the idolaters, for
many more were slain by Moses, the servant of God, and Joshua, who spared not
the cities which they burnt, and slew the children; for to an old wound one
applieth fire.
'He shall come with truth more clear than that of all the prophets, and shall
reprove him who useth the world amiss. The towers of the city of our father
shall greet one another for joy; and so when idolatry shall be seen to fall to
the ground and confess me a man like other men, verily I say unto you the
messenger of God shall be come.'
to glide at your own pleasure; but because he knoweth that ye be enemies to him
he will do every violence to make you perish. But fear not ye, for he will be
against you as a dog that is chained, because God hath heard my prayer.'
John answered: 'O master, not only for us, but for them that shall believe the
gospel, tell us how the ancient tempter layeth wait for man.'
Jesus answered: 'In four ways tempteth that wicked one. The first is when he
tempteth by himself, with thoughts. The second is when he tempteth with words
and deeds by means of his servants; the third is when he tempteth with false
doctrine; the fourth is when he tempteth with false visions. Now how cautious
ought men to be, and all the more according as he hath in his favour the flesh
of man, which loveth sin as he who hath fever loveth water.
Verily I say unto you, that if a man fear God he shall have victory over all, as
saith David his prophet: "God shall give his angels charge over thee, who
shall keep thy ways, so that the devil shall not cause thee to stumble.
A thousand shall fall on thy left hand, and ten thousand on thy right hand, so
that they shall not come nigh thee."
'Furthermore, our God with great love promised to us by the same David to keep
us, saying: "I give unto thee understanding, which shall teach thee; and in
thy ways wherein thou shalt walk I will cause Mine eye to rest upon thee."
'But what shall I say? He hath said by Isaiah: "Can a mother forget
the child of her womb? But I say unto thee, that when she forget, I will not
forget thee."
'Tell me, then, who shall fear Satan, having for guard the angels and for
protection the living God? Nevertheless, it is necessary, as saith the prophet
Solomon, that "Thou, my son, that art come to fear the Lord, prepare thy
soul for temptations." Verily I say unto you, that a man ought to do as the
banker who examineth money, examining his thoughts, that he sin not against God
his creator.'
'There
have been and are in the world men who hold not thought for sin; who are in the
greatest error. Tell me, how sinned Satan? It is certain that he sinned in the
thought that he was more worthy than man. Solomon sinned in thinking to invite
to a feast all the creatures of God, whereupon a fish corrected him by eating
all that he had prepared. Wherefore, not without cause, saith David our father,
that "to ascend in one's heart setteth one in the valley of tears."
And wherefore doth God cry by Isaiah his prophet, saying: "Take away your
evil thoughts from mine eyes?" And to what purpose saith Solomon:
"With all thy keeping, keep shine heart?"
As God liveth, in whose presence standeth my soul, all is said against the evil
thoughts wherewith sin is committed, for without thinking it is not possible to
sin. Now tell me, when the husbandman planteth the vineyard doth he set the
plants deep? Assuredly yea. Even so doth Satan, who in planting sin doth not
stop at the eye or the ear, but passeth into the heart, which is God's dwelling.
As he spoke by Moses his servant, saying: "I will dwell in them, in order
that they may walk in my law."
'Now tell me, if Herod the king should give you a house to keep in which he
desired to dwell, would ye suffer Pilate, his enemy, to enter there or to place
his goods therein? Assuredly no. Then how much less ought ye to suffer Satan to
enter into your heart, or to place his thoughts therein; seeing that our God
hath given you your heart to keep, which is his dwelling. Observe, therefore,
that the banker considereth the money, whether the image of Caesar is right,
whether the silver is good or false, and whether it is of due weight: wherefore
he turneth it over much in his hand. Ah, mad world! How prudent thou art in thy
business, so that in the last day thou wilt reprove and judge the servants of
God of negligence and carelessness, for without doubt thy servants are more
prudent than the servants of God. Tell me, now, who is he who examineth a
thought as the banker a silver coin? Assuredly no one.'
Then said James: 'O
master, how is the examination of a thought like unto [that of] a coin?'
Jesus answered: 'The good silver in the thought is piety, because every
impious thought cometh of the devil. The right image is the example of the holy
ones and prophets, which we ought to follow; and the weight of the thought is
the love of God by which all ought to be done. Whereupon the enemy will bring
there impious thoughts against your neighbour, [thoughts] conformed to the
world, to corrupt the flesh; [thoughts] of earthly love to corrupt the love of
God.'
Bartholomew answered: 'O master, what ought we to do to think little, in order
that we may not fall into temptation?'
Jesus answered: 'Two things are necessary for you. The first is to exercise
yourselves much, and the second is to talk little; for idleness is a sink
wherein is gathered every unclean thought, and too much talking is a sponge
which picketh up iniquities. It is, therefore, necessary not only your working
should hold the body occupied, but also that the soul be occupied with prayer.
For it needeth never to cease from prayer.
'I tell you for an example: There was a man who paid ill, wherefore none that
knew him would go to till his fields. Whereupon he, like a wicked man, said:
"I will go to the market-place to find idle ones who are doing nothing, and
will therefore come to till my vines." This man went forth from his house,
and found many strangers who were standing in idleness, and had no money. To
them he spoke, and led them to his vineyard. But verily none that knew him and
had work for his hands went thither.
'He is Satan, that one who payeth ill; for he giveth labour, and man receiveth
for it the eternal fires in his service. Wherefore he hath gone forth from
paradise, and goeth in search of labourers. Assuredly he setteth to his labours
those who stand in idleness whosoever they be, but much more those who know him
not. It is not in any wise enough for any one to know evil in order to escape
it, but it behoveth to work at good in order to overcome it.'
'I tell you for an example. There was a man who had three vineyards, which
he let out to three husbandmen. Because the first knew not how to cultivate the
vineyard the vineyard brought forth only leaves. The second taught the third how
the vines ought to be cultivated; and he most excellently hearkened to his
words; and he cultivated his, as he told him, insomuch that the vineyard of the
third bore much. But the second left his vineyard uncultivated, spending his
time solely in talking. When the time was come for paying the rent to the lord
of the vineyard, the first said: "Lord, I know not how thy vineyard ought
to be cultivated: therefore I have not received any fruit this year."
'The lord answered:
"O fool, dost thou dwell alone in the world, that thou has not asked
counsel of my second vinedresser, who knoweth well how to cultivate the land?
Certain it is that thou shalt pay me."
'And having said this he condemned him to work in prison until he should
pay his lord; who moved with pity at his simplicity liberated him, saying:
"Begone, for I will not that thou work longer at my vineyard; it is enough
for thee that I give thee thy debt."
'The second came, to whom the lord said: "Welcome, my vinedresser! Where
are the fruits that thou owest me? Assuredly, since thou knowest well how to
prune the vines, the vineyard that I let out to thee must needs have borne much
fruit."
'The second answered: "O lord, thy vineyard is backward because I
have not pruned the wood nor worked up the soil; but the vineyard hath not borne
fruit, so I cannot pay thee."
'Whereupon the lord called the third and with wonder said: "Thou
saidst to me that this man, to whom I let out the second vineyard, taught thee
perfectly to cultivate the vineyard which I let out to thee. How then can it be
that the vineyard I let out to him should not have borne fruit, seeing it is all
one soil?"
'The third answered: "Lord, the vines are not cultivated by talking
only, but he needs must sweat a shirt every day who willeth to make it
bring forth its fruit. And how shall thy vineyard of thy vinedresser bear fruit,
O lord, if he doth naught but waste the time in talking? Sure it is, O lord,
that if he had put into practice his own words, [while] I who cannot talk so
much have given thee the rent for two years, he would have given thee the rent
of the vineyard for five years."
'The lord was wroth, and said with scorn to the vinedresser: "And so thou
hast wrought a great work in not cutting away the wood and levelling the
vineyard, wherefore there is owing to thee a great reward!" And having
called his servants he had him beaten without any mercy. And then he put him
into prison under the keeping of a cruel servant who beat him every day, and
never was willing to set him free for prayers of his friends.'
As God liveth,' said Jesus, 'he who knoweth the truth and worketh the contrary
shall be punished with such grievous penalty that Satan shall almost have
compassion on him. Tell me, now hath our God given us the law for knowing or for
working? Verily I say unto you, that all knowledge hath for end that wisdom
which worketh all it knoweth.
"Tell me, if one were sitting at table and with his eyes beheld delicate
meats, but with his hands should choose unclean things and eat those, would not
he be mad?'
'Yea. assuredly', said the disciples.
Then said Jesus: 'O mad beyond all madmen art thou, O man, that with
thine understanding knowest heaven, and with thine hands choosest earth; with
thine understanding knowest God, and with thine affection desirest the world;
with thine understanding knowest the delights of paradise, and with thy works
choosest the miseries of hell. Brave soldier, that leaveth the sword and
carrieth the scabbard to fight! Now, know ye not that he who walketh by night
desireth light, not only to see the light, but rather to see the good road, in
order that he may pass safely to the inn? O miserable world, to be a thousand
times despised and abhorred! since our God by his holy prophets hath ever willed
to grant it to know the way to go to his country and his rest: but thou, wicked
one, not only wiliest not to go, but, which is worse, hast despised the light!
True is the proverb of the camel, that it liketh not clear water to drink,
because it desireth not to see its own ugly face. So doth the ungodly who
worketh ill; for he hateth the light lest his evil works should be known. But he
who receiveth wisdom, and not only worketh not well, but, which is worse,
employeth it for evil, is like to him who should use the gifts as instruments to
slay the giver.' 'Verily
I say unto you, that God had not compassion on the fall of Satan, but yet [had
compassion] on the fall of Adam. And let this suffice you to know the unhappy
condition of him who knoweth good and doeth evil.'
Then said Andrew: 'O master, it is a good thing to leave learning aside, so as
not to fall into such condition.'
Jesus answered: 'If the world is good without the sun, man without eyes, and the
soul without understanding, then is it good not to know. Verily I say unto you,
that bread is not so good for the temporal life as is learning for the eternal
life. Know ye not that it is a precept of God to learn? For thus saith God:
"Ask of thine elders, and they shall teach thee. ' And of the law saith
God: "See that my precept be before thine eyes, and when thou sittest down,
and when thou walkest, and at all times meditate thereon." Whether, then,
it is good not to learn, ye may now know. Oh, unhappy he who despiseth wisdom,
for he is sure to lose eternal life.'
James answered: 'O master, we know that Job learned not from a master, nor
Abraham; nevertheless they became holy ones and prophets.'
Jesus answered: 'Verily I say unto you, that he who is of the bridegroom's house
needeth not to be invited to the marriage, because he dwelleth in the house
where the marriage is held; but they that are far from the house. Now know ye
not that the prophets of God are in the house of God's grace and mercy, and so
have the law of God manifest in them: as David our father saith on this matter:
"The law of his God is in his heart; therefore his path shall not be digged
up."
Verily I say unto you that our God in creating man not only created him
righteous, but inserted in his heart a light that should show to him that it is
fitting to serve God.
Wherefore, even if this light be darkened after sin, yet is it not extinguished.
For every nation hath this desire to serve God, though they have lost God and
serve false and lying gods. Accordingly it is necessary that a man be taught of
the prophets of God, for they have clear the light to teach the way to go to
paradise, our country, by serving God well: just as it is necessary that he who
hath his eyes diseased should be guided and helped.'
James answered: 'And how shall the prophets teach us if they are dead; and
how shall he be taught who hath not knowledge of the prophets?'
But concerning such as know notthe prophet, as are the nations, I tell you that
if there shall live in those regions any man who liveth as his heart shall show
him, not doing to others that which he would not receive from others, and giving
to his neighbour that which he would receive from others, such a man shall not
be forsaken of the mercy of God.
Wherefore at death, if not sooner, God will show him and give him his law with
mercy. Perchance ye think that God hath given the law for love of the law?
Assuredly this is not true, but rather hath God given his law in order that man
might work good for love of God. And so if God shall find a man who for love of
him worketh good, shall he perchance despise him? Nay, surely, but rather will
he love him more than those to whom he hath given the law. I tell you for an
example: There was a man who had great possessions; and in his territory he had
desert land that only bore unfruitful things. And so, as he was walking out one
day through such desert land, he found among such unfruitful plants a plant that
had delicate fruits. Whereupon this man said: "Now how doth this plant here
bear these so delicate fruits? Assuredly I will not that it be cut down and put
on the fire with the rest." And having called his servants he made them dig
it up and set it in his garden. Even so, I tell you, that our God shall preserve
from the flames of hell those who work righteousness, wheresoever they be.'
'Tell me, where dwelt Job but in Uz among idolaters? And at the time of the
flood, how writeth Moses? Tell me. He saith: "Noah truly found grace before
God."
Our father Abraham had a father without faith, for he made and worshipped false
idols. Lot abode among the most wicked men on earth. Daniel as a child, with
Ananias, Azarias, and Misael, were taken captive by Nebuchadnezzar in such wise
that they were but two
years old when they
were taken; and they were nurtured among the multitude of idolatrous
servants.
As God liveth, even as the fire burneth dry things and converteth them into
fire, making no difference between olive and cypress and palm; even so our God
hath mercy on every one that worketh righteously, making no difference between
Jew, Scythian, Greek, or Ishmaelite. But let not thine heart stop there, O
James, because where God hath sent the prophet it is necessary entirely to deny
thine own judgment and to follow the prophet, and not to say: "Why saith he
thus?" "Why doth he thus forbid and command?" But say: "Thus
God willeth. Thus God commandeth." Now what said God to Moses when Israel
despised Moses ? "They have not despised thee, but they have despised
me."
'Tell me, would it have been a great sin of the priests if when they were
carrying the ark of the testimony of God they had let it fall to the ground? The
disciples trembled hearing this, for they knew that God slew Uzzah for having
wrongly touched the ark of God. And they said: "Most grievous would be such
a sin." Then Jesus said: "As God lives, it is a greater sin to forget
the word of God, wherewith he made all things, whereby he offers you eternal
life." And having said this Jesus made prayer; and after the prayer he
said: "Tomorrow we needs must pass into Samaria;, for so has said to me the
holy angel of God."
Early on the morning
of a certain day, Jesus arrived near the well which Jacob made and gave to
Joseph his son. Whereupon Jesus being wearied with the journey, sent his
disciples to the city to buy food. And so he sat himself down by the well, upon
the stone of the well. And, lo, a woman of Samaria comes to the well to draw
water. Jesus says to the woman: "Give me to drink." The woman
answered: "Now, are you not ashamed that you, being an Hebrew, ask drink of
me which am a Samaritan woman?" Jesus answered: "O woman, if you knew
who he is that asks you for drink, perhaps you would have asked of him for
drink." The woman answered: "Now how should you give me to drink,
seeing you have no vessel to draw the water, nor rope, and the well is
deep?"
Jesus answered: "O woman, whoever drinks of the water of this well, thirst
comes to him again, but whosoever drinks of the water that I give has thirst no
more; but to them that have thirst give they to drink, insomuch that they come
to eternal life." Then said the woman: "O Lord, give me of this your
water." Jesus answered: "Go call your husband, and to both of you I
will give to drink." The woman said: "I have no husband." Jesus
answered: "Well have you said the truth, for you have had five husbands,
and he whom you now have is not your husband."
The woman was confounded hearing this, and said: "Lord, hereby perceive I
that you are a prophet; therefore tell me, I pray: the Hebrews make prayer on
mount Sion in the Temple built by Solomon in Jerusalem, and say that there and
nowhere else [men] find grace and mercy of God. And our people worship on these
mountains, and say that only on the mountains of Samaria ought worship to be
made. Who are the true worshippers?"
Then Jesus gave a sigh
and wept, saying: "Woe to you, Judea, for you glory, saying: "The
Temple of the Lord, the Temple of the Lord," and live as though there were
no God; given over wholly to the pleasures and gains of the world; for this
woman in the day of judgment shall condemn you to hell; for this woman seeks to
know how to find grace and mercy before God."
And turning to the woman he said: "O woman, you Samaritans worship that
which you know not, but we Hebrews worship that which we know. Truly, I say to
you, that God is spirit and truth, and so in spirit and in truth must he be
worshipped. For the promise of God was made in Jerusalem, in the Temple of
Solomon, and not elsewhere. But believe me, a time will come that God will give
his mercy in another city, and in every place it will be possible to worship him
in truth. And God in
The woman answered: "We look for the Messiah; when he comes he will teach
us." Jesus answered: "Know you, woman, that the Messiah must
come?" She answered: "Yes, Lord." Then Jesus rejoiced, and said:
"So far as I see, O woman, you are faithful: know therefore that in the
faith of the Messiah shall be saved every one that is elect of God; therefore it
is necessary that you know the coming of the Messiah;." The woman said:
"O Lord, perhaps you are the Messiah." Jesus answered: "I am
indeed sent to the House of Israel as a prophet of salvation; but after me shall
come the Messiah, sent of God to all the world; for whom God has made the world.
And then through all the world will God be worshipped, and mercy received,
insomuch that the year of jubilee, which now cometh every hundred years, shall
by the Messiah be reduced to every year in every place." Then the woman
left her waterpot and ran to the city to announce all that she had heard from
Jesus.
Whilst the woman was
talking with Jesus came his disciples, and marvelled that Jesus was speaking so
with a woman. Yet no one said to him: "Why speak you thus with a Samaritan
woman;?" Whereupon, when the woman was departed, they said: "Master,
come and eat." Jesus answered: "I must eat other food."
Then said the disciples one to another: "Perhaps some wayfarer has spoken
with Jesus and has gone to find him food." And they questioned him who
writes this ;- , saying: "Has there been any one here, O Barnabas, who
might have brought food to the master?" Then answered he who writes:
"There has not been here any other than the woman whom you saw, who brought
this empty vessel to fill it with water." Then the disciples stood amazed,
awaiting the issue of the words of Jesus. Whereupon Jesus said: "You know
not that the true food is to do the will of God; because it is not bread that
sustains man and gives him life, but rather the word of God, by his will. And so
for this reason the holy angels eat not, but live nourished only by the will of
God. And thus we, Moses and Elijah and yet another, have been forty days and
forty nights; without any food."
And lifting up his eyes, Jesus said: "How far off is the harvest;?"
The disciples answered: "Three months." Jesus said: "Look now,
how the mountain is white with corn; truly I say to you, that today there is a
great harvest ;to be reaped." And then he pointed to the multitude who had
come to see him. For the woman having entered into the city had moved all the
city, saying: "O men, come and see a new prophet sent of God to the House
of Israel"; and she recounted to them all that she had heard from
Jesus.
When they were come thither they besought Jesus to abide with them; and he
entered into the city and abode there two days, healing all the sick, and
teaching concerning the kingdom of God;.
Then said the citizens to the woman: "We believe more in his words and
miracles than we do in what you said; for he is indeed a holy one of God, a
prophet sent for the salvation of those that shall believe on him."
After the prayer of midnight; the disciples came near to Jesus, and he said to
them: "This night shall be in the time of the Messiah, Messenger of God,
the jubilee every year that now comes every hundred years. Therefore I will not
that we sleep, but let us make prayer, bowing our head a hundred times, doing
reverence to our God, mighty and merciful, who is blessed for evermore, and
therefore each time let us say: "I confess thee our God alone, that hast
not had beginning, nor shalt ever have end; for by thy mercy gavest thou to all
things their beginning, and by thy justice thou shalt give to all an end; that
hast no likeness among men, because in thine infinite goodness thou art not
subject to motion nor to any accident. Have mercy on us, for thou hast created
us, and we are the works of thy hand."'
The disciples rejoiced greatly at hearing this, and said: "Master, teach us
some precepts this night."
Then Jesus said: "Have you ever seen dung mixed with balsam?" They
answered: "No, Lord, for no one is so mad as to do this thing."
"Now I tell you that there be in the world greater madmen, said Jesus,
"because with the service of God they mingle the service of the world. So
much so that many of blameless life have been deceived of Satan, and while
praying have mingled with their prayer worldly business, whereupon they have
become at that time abominable in the sight of God. Tell me, when you wash
yourselves for prayer, do you take care that no unclean thing touch you? Yes,
assuredly. But what do you when you are making prayer? You wash your soul from
sins through the mercy of God. Would you be willing then, while you are making
prayer, to speak of worldly things? Take care not to do so, for every worldly
word becomes dung of the devil upon the soul of him that speaks."
Then the disciples trembled, because he spoke with vehemence of spirit; and they
said: "O master, what shall we do if when we are making prayer a friend
shall come to speak to us?" Jesus answered: "Suffer him to wait, and
finish the prayer."
Bartholomew said;: "But what if he shall be offended and go his way, when
he see that we speak not with him?"
Jesus answered: "If he shall be offended, believe me he will not be a
friend of yours nor a believer, but rather an unbeliever and a companion of
Satan. Tell me, if you went to speak with a stable boy of Herod;, and found him
speaking into Herod's ears, would you be offended if he made you to wait?' No,
assuredly; but you would be comforted at seeing your friend in favour with the
king. Is this true?" said Jesus.
The disciples answered: "It is most true."
Then Jesus said: "Truly I say to you, that every one when he prays speaks
with God. Is it then right that you should leave speaking with God in order to
speak with man? Is it right that your friend should for this cause be offended,
because you have more reverence for God than for him? Believe me that if he
shall be offended when you make him wait, he is a good servant of the evil. For
this desires the devil, that God should be forsaken for man. As God lives, in
every good work he that fears God ought to separate himself from the works of
the world, so as not to corrupt the good work."
'When
a man worketh ill or talketh ill, if one go to correct him, and hinder such
work, what doth such an one?' said Jesus.
he disciples answered: 'He doth well, because he serveth God, who always seeketh
to hinder evil, even as the sun that always seeketh to chase away the darkness.'
Said Jesus: 'And I tell you on the contrary that when one worketh well or
speaketh well, whosoever seeketh to hinder him, under pretext of aught that is
not better, he serveth the devil, nay, he even becometh his companion. For the
devil attendeth to nought else but to hinder every good thing.
'But what shall I say unto you now? I will say unto you as said Solomon the
prophet, holy one, and friend of God: 'Of a thousand whom ye know, one be your
friend.'
Then said Matthew: 'Then shall we not be able to love any one.'
Jesus answered: 'Verily I say unto you, that it is not lawful for you to hate
anything save only sin: insomuch that ye cannot hate even Satan as creature of
God, but rather as enemy of God. Know ye wherefore? I will tell you; because he
is a creature of God, and all that God hath created is good and perfect.
Accordingly, whoso hateth the creature hateth also the creator. But the friend
is a singular thing, that is not easily found, but is easily lost.
For the friend will not suffer contradiction against him whom he supremely
loveth. Beware, be ye cautious, and choose not for friend one who loveth not him
whom ye love.
Know ye what friend meaneth? Friend meaneth naught but physician of the
soul.
And so, just as one rarely findeth a good physician who knoweth the sicknesses
and understandeth to apply the medicines thereto, so also are friends rare who
know the faults and understand how to guide unto good.
But herein is an evil, that there are many who have friends that feign not to
see the faults of their friend; others excuse them; others defend them under
earthly pretext; and, what is worse, there are friends who invite and aid their
friend to err, whose end shall be like unto their villainy.
Beware that ye receive not such men for friends, for that in truth they are
enemies and slayers of the soul.
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