bade Judas be brought in, with his hands bound behind him; and he was brought into the midst
and stood there. And the king saith: Tell me who thou art and by what power thou doest these
things. And Judas saith to him: I am a man like thee, and by the power of Jesus Christ I do these
things. And Misdaeus saith: Tell me the truth before I destroy thee. And Judas saith: Thou hast
no power against me, as thou supposest, and thou wilt not hurt me at all. And the king was wroth
at his words, and commanded to heat iron plates and set him upon them barefoot; and as the
soldiers took off his shoes he said: The wisdom of God is better than the wisdom of men. Thou
Lord and King (do thou take counsel against them, Syr.) and let thy goodness resist his wrath.
And they brought the plates which were like fire, and set the apostle upon them, and straightway
water sprang up abundantly from the earth, so that the plates were swallowed up in it, and they
that held him let him go and withdrew themselves.
141 And the king seeing the abundance of water said to Judas: Ask thy God that he deliver me
from this death, that I perish not in the flood. And the apostle prayed and said: Thou that didst
bind this element (nature) and gather it into one place and send it forth into divers lands; that
didst bring disorder into order, that grantest mighty works and great wonders by the hands of
Judas thy servant; that hast mercy on my soul, that I may always receive thy brightness; that
givest wages unto them that have laboured; thou saviour of my soul, restoring it unto its own
nature that it may have no fellowship with hurtful things; that hast always been the occasion of
life: do thou restrain this element that it lift not up itself to destroy; for there are some of them
that stand here who shall believe on thee and live. And when he had prayed, the water was
swallowed up by little and little, and the place became dry. And when Misdaeus saw it he
commanded him to be taken to the prison: Until I shall consider how he must be used.
142 And as Judas was led away to the prison they all followed him, and Iuzanes the king's son
walked at his right hand, and Siphor at the left. And he entered into the prison and sat down, and
Iuzanes and Siphor, and he persuaded his wife and his daughter to sit down, for they also were
come in to hear the word of life. For they knew that Misdaeus would slay him because of the
excess of his anger. And Judas began to say: O liberator of my soul from the bondage of the
many, because I gave myself to be sold [UNTO Syr. one,]; behold, I rejoice and exult, knowing
that the times are fulfilled for me to enter in and receive [THEE of my Syr. rest, giver]. Lo, I am
to be set free from the cares that are on the earth; lo, I fulfil mine hope and receive truth; lo, I am
set free from sorrow and put on joy alone; lo, I become careless and griefless and dwell in rest;
lo, I am set free from bondage and am called unto liberty; lo, I have served times and seasons,
and I am lifted up above times and seasons; lo, I receive my wages from my recompenser, who
giveth without reckoning (number) because his wealth sufficeth for the gift; [LO, and my
raiment, on off put I] and I shall not put it on again; lo, I sleep and awake, and I shall no more go
to sleep; lo, I die and live again, and I shall no more taste of death; lo, they rejoice and expect
me, that I may come and be with their kindred and be set as a flower in their crown; lo, I reign in
the kingdom whereon I set my hope, even from hence; lo, the rebellious fall before me, for I
have escaped them; lo, (unto me) the peace hath come, whereunto all are gathered.
143 And as the apostle spake thus, all that were there hearkened, supposing that in that hour he
would depart out of life. And again he said: Believe on the physician of all [DISEASES], both
seen and unseen, and on the saviour of the souls that need help from him. This is the free-born
[SON] of kings, this the physician of his creatures; this is he that was reproached of his own
slaves; this is the Father of the height and the Lord of nature and the Judge (? Father of nature
ron
(Ron)
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