distressed: for the devils throw them down wheresoever they find them, and strip them naked. I
beseech and supplicate thee before God, help me and have pity on me, for it is now three years
that a table hath not been set in my house, and my wife and my daughter have not sat at a table:
and especially for mine unhappy daughter, which hath not seen any good at all in this world.
65 And the apostle, hearing these things from the captain, was greatly grieved for him, and said
unto him: Believest thou that Jesus will heal them? And the captain said: Yea. And the apostle
said: Commit thyself then unto Jesus, and he will heal them and procure them succour. And the
captain said: Show me him, that I may entreat him and believe in him. And the apostle said: He
appeareth not unto these bodily eyes, but is found by the eyes of the mind. The captain therefore
lifted up his voice and said: I believe thee, Jesu, and entreat and supplicate thee, help my little
faith which I have in thee. And the apostle commanded Xenophon (Syr. Xanthippus) the deacon
to assemble all the brethren; and when the whole multitude was gathered, the apostle stood in the
midst and said:
66 Children and brethren that have believed on the Lord, abide in this faith, preaching Jesus who
was proclaimed unto you by me, to bring you hope in him; and forsake not (be not forsaken of)
him, and he will not forsake you. While ye sleep in this slumber that weigheth down the sleepers,
he, sleeping not, keepeth watch over you; and when ye sail and are in peril and none can help, he
walking upon the waters supporteth and aideth. For I am now departing from you, and it
appeareth not if I shall again see you according to the flesh. Be ye not therefore like unto the
people of Israel, who losing sight of their pastors for an hour, stumbled. But I leave unto you
Xenophon the deacon in my stead; for he also like myself proclaimeth Jesus: for neither am I
aught, nor he, but Jesus only; for I also am a man clothed with a body, a son of man like one of
you; for neither have I riches as it is found with some, which also convict them that possess
them, being wholly useless, and left behind upon the earth, whence also they came, and they bear
away with them the transgressions and blemishes of sins which befall men by their means. And
scantly are rich men found in almsgivillg: but the merciful and lowly in heart, these shall inherit
the kingdom of God: for it is not beauty that endureth with men, for they that trust in it, when age
cometh upon them, shall suddenly be put to shame: all things therefore have their time; in their
season are they loved and hated. Let your hope then be in Jesus Christ the Son of God, which is
always loved, and always desired: and be mindful of us, as we of you: for we too, if we fulfil not
the burden of the commandments are not worthy to be preachers of this name, and hereafter shall
we pay the price (punishment) of our own head.
67 And he prayed with them and continued with them a long time in prayer and supplication, and
committing them unto the Lord, he said: O Lord that rulest over every soul that is in the body;
Lord, Father of the souls that have their hope in thee and expect thy mercies: that redeemest from
error the men that are thine own and settest free from bondage and corruption thy subjects that
come unto thy refuge: be thou in the flock of Xenophon and anoint it with holy oil, and heal it of
sores, and preserve it from the ravening wolves. And he laid his hand on them and said: The
peace of the Lord shall be upon you and shall journey with us.
The Eighth Act: Of the wild asses.
68 The apostle therefore went forth to depart on the way: and they all escorted him, weeping and
adjuring him to make remembrance of them in his prayers and not to forget them. He went up
then and sat upon the chariot, leaving all the brethren, and the captain came and awaked the
ron
(Ron)
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