Lost scriptures: books that did not make it into the New Testament (32 page)

7 She is surrounded by her groomsone belonging to her race, and he was men, seven in number,

also beautiful in appearance above all

Chosen by herself;

who were there. And when the flute-girl

Her bridesmaids are seven,

had finished her flute-playing, she sat

Who dance before her.

down opposite him, and looked steadily

Twelve in number are they who

at him. But he looked at no one at all,

minister before her

neither did he pay attention to any one,

And are at her bidding.

but kept his eyes only on the ground,

Their gaze is attentively directed at

waiting until he could depart. And the

the bridegroom,

cupbearer that struck him came down to

That they be enlightened by his

the fountain to draw water. And there

sight,

happened to be a lion there which killed

And be for ever with him in that evhim and left him lying in the place, after erlasting joy,

tearing his limbs asunder. And dogs im

And sit down at that wedding to

mediately seized his limbs, among them

which the princes assemble,

a black dog, which grasped his right hand

And abide at the supper, of which

in his mouth and brought it to the place

the eternal ones are deemed

of the banquet.

worthy,

And put on royal garments, and be

When they all saw it they were

9

dressed in splendid robes

frightened and inquired who was

That both may rejoice and exult

absent. And when it became known that

And praise the Father of all,

it was the hand of the cupbearer that

Whose majestic light they have

struck the apostle, the flute-girl broke her

received

flute and threw it away, and went and sat

And have been enlightened by the

at the feet of the apostle, saying, “This

sight of their Lord,

man is either God or God’s apostle. For

Whose ambrosial food they received,

I heard him say in Hebrew to the cup

Of which there is no deficiency,

bearer, ‘I shall soon see the hand that

And drank also of his wine,

struck me dragged about by dogs.’ This

Which brings to them neither thirst

you have now seen. For just as he said,

nor desire,

so also it has come to pass.” Some be

And they praised and glorified with

lieved her, and some not. And when the

the living spirit

king heard of it he came and said to the

The Father of truth and the mother

apostle, “Rise up and go with me, and

of wisdom.”

pray for my daughter. For she is my only

child and to-day I give her away in mar

And when he had finished this song

8

riage.” And the apostle would not go with

all who were present looked at him.

him, for the Lord had not yet been re

He kept silence. They also saw his form

vealed to him there. But the king took

126

NON-CANONICAL ACTS OF THE APOSTLES

him away against his will to the bridal

Jesus talking with the bride. He had the

chamber, that he might pray for them.

appearance of Judas Thomas, the apostle,

who shortly before had blessed them and

10 And the apostle stood and be departed; and he said to him, “Did you gan to pray and speak thus:

not go out before them all? And how is

“My Lord and my God,3 who accompait that you are here now?” And the Lord nies his servants, guide and leader of

said to him, “I am not Judas Thomas, I

those who believe in him, refuge and

am his brother.” And the Lord sat down

repose of the afflicted, hope of the poor

on the bed and ordered them to sit down

and deliverer of the captives, physician

on couches, and he began to speak to

of the souls laid low by disease, and

them.

saviour of every creature, who gives life

to the world and strengthens the souls,

“Remember, my children, what

you know the future and accomplish it

12 my brother said to you, and to

through us; you, Lord, who reveal hidden

whom he commended you; and know that

mysteries and declare secret words; you,

if you refrain from this filthy intercourse

Lord, are the planter of the good tree and

you become temples holy and pure, being

by your hand all good works are proreleased from afflictions and troubles, duced; you, Lord, are in all, and come

known and unknown, and you will not

through all, and exist in all your works

be involved in the cares of life and of

and make yourself manifest through the

children, whose end is destruction. But if

working of them all; Jesus Christ, the Son

you get many children, for their sakes

of compassion and perfect Saviour;

you become grasping and avaricious,

Christ, Son of the living God, the unplundering orphans and deceiving widdaunted power which has overthrown the ows, and by doing this you subject yourenemy; the voice, heard by the rulers, selves to most grievous punishments. For

which shook all their powers; messenger,

most children become unprofitable, being

sent from on high, who went down even

possessed by demons, some openly and

to Hades; who also, having opened the

some secretly. For they become either

doors, brought out from there those who

lunatics or half-withered or crippled or

had been shut in for many ages in the

deaf or dumb or paralytics or idiots. And

treasuries of darkness, and showed them

though they be healthy, they will be again

the way that leads up on high—I beseech

good-for-nothing, doing unprofitable and

you, Lord Jesus, offering you supplicaabominable works. For they will be detion for these young persons, that you tected either in adultery or in murder or

may do to them what helps, benefits, and

in theft or in unchastity, and by all these

is profitable for them.” And having laid

you will be afflicted. But if you obey and

his hands on them and said, “The Lord

preserve your souls pure to God, there

be with you,” he left them in that place

will be born to you living children, unand went away.

touched by these hurtful things, and you

will be without care, spending an untrou11 The king requested the grooms bled life, free from grief and care, lookmen to leave the bridal chaming forward to receive that incorruptible

ber. When all had left, and the doors were

shut, the bridegroom raised the curtain of

the bridal chamber, that he might bring

the bride to himself. And he saw the Lord

3John 20: 28.

THE ACTS OF THOMAS

127

and true marriage, and you will enter as

bitterness of soul, is because I have been

groomsmen into that bridal chamber full

united to the true husband.”

of immortality and light.”

And when the bride was saying

And when the young people

13

15 even more, the bridegroom anheard this, they believed the swered and said, “I thank you, Lord, who

Lord and gave themselves over to him

have been proclaimed by the stranger and

and refrained from filthy lust, and refound in us; who have put corruption far mained thus spending the night in the

from me, and have sown life in me, who

place. And the Lord went away from

have delivered me from this disease, hard

them saying, “The grace of the Lord be

to heal, hard to cure and abiding for ever,

with you!”4 And when dawn came the

and established in me sound health; who

king arrived, and having furnished the

have shown yourself to me, and have

table brought it in before the bridegroom

revealed to me my condition, in which I

and the bride. And he found them sitam; who have redeemed me from falling, ting opposite each other, and he found

and have led me to something better, and

the face of the bride uncovered, and the

who have released me from things tembridegroom was very cheerful. And the porary, but have deemed me worthy of

mother came in and said to the bride,

things immortal and everlasting; who

“Why do you sit thus, child, and are not

have humbled yourself to me and my

ashamed, but act as if you had lived for

weakness, to place me beside your greata long time with your own husband?”

ness and to unite with you; who have not

And her father said, “Is it because of your

kept your compassion from me, who was

great love to your husband that you are

lost, but have shown me how to seek

unveiled?”

myself, and to know who I was and who

and how I now am, that I may become

14 The bride answered and said, again what I was; whom I did not know,

“Truly, father, I am in great

but you have sought me out; of whom I

love, and I pray to my Lord that the love

did not know; but you stood by me;

which I have experienced this night may

whom I have experienced and am not

remain, and that I obtain that man whom

able to forget; whose love is fervent in

I have experienced today. That I do not

me and of whom I cannot speak as I

veil myself is because the mirror of

ought. But what I have to say about him

shame has been taken away from me; I

is short and very little, and is not in

am no longer ashamed or abashed, since

proportion to his glory; but he does not

the work of shame and bashfulness has

find fault with me if I dare to tell him

been removed far from me. And that I

even what I know not; for it is out of love

am not frightened is because alarm did

to him I say this.”

not abide in me. And that I am cheerful

and glad is because the day of joy has

And when the king heard these

not been disturbed. And that I have set at

16 things from the bridegroom and

naught this husband and these nuptials

the bride, he rent his garments and said

which have passed away from before my

to those standing near him, “Go out

eyes is because I have been joined in a

different marriage. And that I had no

conjugal intercourse with a temporary

husband, whose end is repentance and

41 Cor. 16: 23.

128

NON-CANONICAL ACTS OF THE APOSTLES

quickly, and search the whole city, and

I have come, to build and to do carpen-

seize and bring that man, the sorcerer,

ter’s work.”

who has come by evil chance into this

city. For I led him with my own hands

And the king, having accepted

18

into my house, and I told him to pray for

him, took him out of the gates

my most unfortunate daughter. Whoever

of the city, and on the way began to

shall find him and bring him to me, I give

discuss with him the building of the palhim whatever he shall ask of me.” They ace, and how the foundations should be

departed, therefore, and went round seeklaid, till they came to the place where the ing him, and did not find him; for he had

work was to be carried out. And he said,

set sail. They also went into the inn where

“Here is where I wish the building to

he had stayed, and found there the flute-

be!” And the apostle said, “Yes, this place

girl weeping and in distress, because he

is suitable for the building.” For the place

had not taken her with him. And when

was wooded and there was water there.

they told her what had taken place with

And the king said, “Begin at once!” And

the young people, she rejoiced greatly

he answered, “I cannot commence now.”

upon hearing it, setting aside her grief,

The king said, “When can you?” He said,

and said, “Now I also have found repose

“I shall begin in November and finish in

here!” And she arose and went to them,

April.” And the king was surprised, and

and was with them a long time, until they

said, “Every building is built in the sumhad instructed the king also. And many mer, but can you build and finish a palace

of the brethren also met there, until the

in the winter?” And the apostle replied

rumour had spread that the apostle had

“Thus it must be done; it is impossible

gone to the cities of India, and was teachany other way.” And the king said, “If ing there. And they went away and joined

you have resolved upon this, draw a plan