things: and here also many did hear the wild ass and concerning that devil whom he drove out,
and healed my wife and daughter, and now are they whole; and he asked no reward but requireth
faith and holiness, that men should become partakers with him in that which he doeth: and this
he teacheth to worship and fear one God, the ruler of all things, and Jesus Christ his Son, that
they may have eternal life. And that which he eateth is bread and salt, and his drink is water from
evening unto evening, and he maketh many prayers; and whatsoever he asketh of his God, he
giveth him. And he teacheth that this God is holy and mighty, and that Christ is living and
maketh alive, wherefore also he chargeth them that are there present to come unto him in
holiness and purity and love and faith.
105 And when Misdaeus the king heard these things of Siphor he sent many soldiers unto the
house of Siphor the captain, to bring Thomas the apostle and all that were found there. And they
that were sent entered in and found him teaching much people; and Mygdonia sat at his feet. And
when they beheld the great multitude that were about him, they feared, and departed to their king
and said: We durst not say aught unto him, for there was a great multitude about him, and
Mygdonia sitting at his feet was listening to the things that were spoken by him. And when
Misdaeus the king and Charisius heard these things, Charisius leaped out from before the king
and drew much people with him and said: I will bring him, O king, and Mygdonia whose
understanding he hath taken away. And he came to the house of Siphor the captain, greatly
disturbed, and found him (Thomas) teaching: but Mygdonia he found not, for she had withdrawn
herself unto her house, having learnt that it had been told her husband that she was there.
106 And Charisius said unto the apostle: Up, thou wicked one and destroyer and enemy of mine
house: for me thy sorcery harmeth not, for I will visit thy sorcery on thine head. And when he so
said, the apostle looked upon him and said unto him: Thy threatenings shall return upon thee, for
me thou wilt not harm any whit: for greater than thee and thy king and all your army is the Lord
Jesus Christ in whom I have my trust. And Chalisius took a kerchief (turban, Syr.) of one of his
slaves and cast it about the neck of the apostle, saying: Hale him and bring him away; let me see
if his God is able to deliver him out of my hands. And they haled him and led him away to
Misdaeus the king. And the apostle stood before the king, and the king said to him: Tell me who
thou art and by what power thou doest these things. But the apostle kept silence. And the king
commanded his officers (subjects) that he should be scourged with an hundred and twenty-eight
(hundred and fifty, Syr.) blows, and bound, and be cast into the prison; and they bound him and
led him away. And the king and Charisius considered how they should put him to death, for the
multitude worshipped him as God. And they had it in mind to say: The stranger hath reviled the
king and is a deceiver.
107 But the apostle went unto the prison rejoicing and exulting, and said: I praise thee, Jesu, for
that thou hast not only made me worthy of faith in thee, but also to endure much for thy sake. I
give thee thanks therefore, Lord, that thou hast taken thought for me and given me patience: I
thank thee Lord, that for thy sake I am called a sorcerer and a wizard. Receive thou me therefore
with the blessing (Syr. let me receive of the blessing) of the poor, and of the rest of the weary,
and of the blessings of them whom men hate and persecute and revile, and speak evil words of
them. For lo, for thy sake I am hated: lo for thy sake I am cut off from the many, and for thy sake
they call me such an one as I am not.
108 And as he prayed, all the prisoners looked on him, and besought him to pray for them: and
when he had prayed and was set down, he began to utter a psalm in this wise:
ron
(Ron)
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