159 And after these things Judas departed to be imprisoned.
And Tertia with Mygdonia and Narcia also went to be imprisoned. And the apostle Thomas said
unto them - the multitude of them that had believed being present: Daughters and sisters and
fellow-servants which have believed in my Lord and God, ministers of my Jesus, hearken to me
this day: for I do deliver my word unto you, and I shall no more speak with you in this flesh nor
in this world; for I go up unto my Lord and God Jesus Christ, unto him that sold me, unto that
Lord that humbled himself even unto me the little, and brought me up unto eternal greatness, that
vouchsafed to me to become his servant in truth and steadfastness: unto him do I depart,
knowing that the time is fulfilled, and the day appointed hath drawn near for me to go and
receive my recompense from my Lord and God: for my recompenser is righteous, who knoweth
me, how I ought to receive my reward; for he is not grudging nor envious, but is rich in his gifts,
he is not a lover of craft (OT sparing) in that he giveth, for he hath confidence in his possessions
which cannot fail.
160 I am not Jesus, but I am his servant: I am not Christ, but I am his minister; I am not the Son
of God, but I pray to become worthy of God. Continue ye in the faith of Christ: continue in the
hope of the Son of God: faint not at affliction, neither be divided in mind if ye see me mocked or
that I am shut up in prison [OR Syr. die,]; for I do accomplish his will. For if I had willed not to
die, I know in Christ that I am able thereto: but this which is called death, is not death, but a
setting free from the body; wherefore I receive gladly this setting free from the body, that I may
depart and see him that is beautiful and full of mercy, him that is to be loved: for I have endured
much toil in his service, and have laboured for his grace that is come upon me, which departeth
not from me. Let not Satan, then, enter you by stealth and catch away your thoughts: let there be
in you no place for him: for he is mighty whom ye have received. Look for the coming of Christ,
for he shall come and receive you, and this is he whom ye shall see when he cometh.
161 When the apostle had ended these sayings, they went into the house, and the apostle Thomas
said: Saviour that didst suffer many things for us, let these doors be as they were and let seals be
set on them. And he left them and went to be imprisoned: and they wept and were in heaviness,
for they knew that Misdaeus would slay him (not knowing that, M. would release him, P.).
162 And the apostle found the keepers wrangling and saying: Wherein have we sinned against
this wizard? for by his art magic he hath opened the doors and would have had all the prisoners
escape: but let us go and report it unto the king, and tell him concerning his wife and his son.
And as they disputed thus, Thomas held his peace. They rose up early, therefore, and went unto
the king and said unto him: Our lord and king, do thou take away that sorcerer and cause him to
be shut up elsewhere, for we are not able to keep him; for except thy good fortune had kept the
prison, all the condemned persons would have escaped for now this second time have we found
the doors open: and also thy wife, O king, and thy son and the rest depart not from him. And the
king, hearing that, went, and found the seals that were set on the doors whole; and he took note
of the doors also, and said to the keepers: Wherefore lie ye? for the seals are whole. How said ye
that Tertia and Mygdonia come unto him into the prison? And the keepers said: We have told
thee the truth.
163 And Misdaeus went to the prison and took his seat, and sent for the apostle Thomas and
stripped him (and girded him with a girdle) and set him before him and saith unto him: Art thou
bond or free? Thomas said: I am the bondsman of one only, over whom thou hast no authority.
And Misdaeus saith to him: How didst thou run away and come into this country? And Thomas
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(Ron)
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