thou broughtest them into thine own fold and didst join them with thy sheep: son of mercy, the
son that for love of man wast sent unto us from the perfect country (fatherland) that is above, the
Lord of all possessions (undefiled possessions, Syr.): that servest thy servants that they may live:
that fillest creation with thine own riches: the poor, that wast in need and didst hunger forty days:
that satisfiest thirsty souls with thine own good things; be thou with Iuzanes the son of Misdaeus
and with Tertia and Mnesara, and gather them into thy fold and mingle them with thy number;
Be unto them a guide in the land of error: be unto them a physician in the land of sickness: be
unto them a rest in the land of the weary: sanctify them in a polluted land: be their physician both
of bodies and souls: make them holy temples of thee, and let thine holy spirit dwell in them.
157 Having thus prayed over them, the apostle said unto Mygdonia: Unclothe thy sisters. And
she took off their clothes and girded them with girdles and brought them: but Iuzanes had first
gone before, and they came after him; and the apostle took oil in a cup of silver and spake thus
over it: Fruit more beautiful than all other fruits, unto which none other whatsoever may be
compared: altogether merciful: fervent with the force of the word: power of the tree which men
putting upon them overcome their adversaries: crowner of the conquerors: help (symbol) and joy
of the sick: that didst announce unto men their salvation that showest light to them that are in
darkness; whose leaf is bitter, but in thy most sweet fruit thou art fair, that art rough to the sight
but soft to the taste; seeming to be weak, but in the greatness of thy strength able to bear the
power that beholdeth all things. Having thus said [a corrupt word follows]: Jesu: let his
victorious might come and be established in this oil, like as it was established in the tree (wood)
that was its kin, even his might at that time, whereof they that crucified thee could not endure the
word: let the gift also come whereby breathing upon his (thine) enemies thou didst cause them to
go backward and fall headlong and let it rest on this oil, whereupon we invoke thine holy name.
And having thus said, he poured it first upon the head of Iuzanes and then upon the women's
heads, saying: In thy name, O Jesu Christ, let it be unto these souls for remission of sins and for
turning back of the adversary and for salvation of their souls. And he commanded Mygdonia to
anoint them but he himself anointed Iuzanes. And having anointed them he led them down into
the water in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost.
158 And when they were come up, he took bread and a cup, and blessed it and said: Thine holy
body w}lich was crucified for us do we eat, and thy blood that was shed for us unto salvation do
we drink; let therefore thy body be unto us salvation and thy blood for remission of sins. And for
the gall which thou didst drink for our sakes let the gall of the devil be removed from us: and for
the vinegar which thou hast drunk for us, let our weakness be made strong: and for the spitting
which thou didst receive for us, let us receive the dew of thy goodness: and by (or for) the reed
wherewith they smote thee for us, let us receive the perfect house: and whereas thou receivedst a
crown of thorns for our sake, let us that have loved thee put on a crown that fadeth not away; and
for the linen cloth wherein thou wast Wrapped, let us also be girt about with thy power that is not
vanquished and for the new tomb and the burial let us receive renewing of soul and body: and for
that thou didst rise up and revive, let us revive and live and stand before thee in righteous
judgement. And he brake and gave the eucharist unto Iuzanes and Tertia and Mnesara and the
wife and daughter of Siphor and said: Let this eucharist be unto you for salvation and joy and
health of your souls. And they said: Amen. And a voice was heard, saying: Amen: fear ye not,
but only believe.
[THE MARTYRDOM Here we revert to the text of P and its companions.]
ron
(Ron)
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