This book is an very early letter of the Apostles, predating the Gospels
and the earliest fragmentairy Gospels. At first glance this book appears
to be written in response of some false Apostles that arose from within
their ranks and went off to preach another Gospel.
I
will add here that neither Simon Magnus nor this man Cerinthus
were EVER MADE Apostles. In 1John the apostle says they went out from us
but were not of us -- Magnus did not go out from the Apostles to preach
and teach and neither did Cerinthus. There is mention made of these men
that "Went out from the Apostles but were not of them."
in In Acts, Galations, first Peter, Jude and first John and we have the
accounts of 4 Apostles refering to a specific incident cerntainly if Simon
Magnus had been the chief Instigator at least one Apostle would have mentioned
him by name. Instead in Acts we read of certain
pharisees that joined the church and tried to bring in the
doctrine of curcumcison and other things from the law
Acts 15:5 There rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed (in Christ) , saying, That it was needful to circumcise them (Gentile beleivers,) and to command them to keep the law(s) of Moses.
Jude
1:4 For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before
of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of
our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord
Jesus Christ.
Galatians
2:3-4 But neither Titus, who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled
to be circumcised: And that because of false brethren unawares brought
in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus,
that they might bring us into bondage:
Paul
speaks of these Pharisees that crept in to spy out our liberty and bring
us again unto bondage so Paul took this group to Jerusalem directly to the
11 Apostles where they were rebuked and set straight -- but from what we
gather elsewhere in the epistles this issue did not die then and there instead
these men began traveling from church to church after the apostles to subvert
confuse and make disciples after themselves. These pharisees -- "men
of great learning" probably became self-appointed Apostles who originally
sat with the 11 Apostles in Jerusalem, and they were probably "apaulled"
by the Apostle's ignorance of the law and the traditions of their fathers.
So I repeat it is my strong beleif that the name of simon (magnus) and cerinthus
were inserted later by an unknown copyist or monk, and that these erroneous
changes were then ater translated into more modern MSS in other languages.
This book is unique in many ways first that it names the combined 11 Apostles from Acts 1:13 as its author. The Letter is written with a writing style seems to be that of John the Apostle and in this letter we can clearly see early versions of what he later wrote in the opening chapter of the Gospel of John – in the beginning was the word . . . and in 1 John that which our eyes have seen which our hands have handled concerning the word of life that speak we unto you. And -- They went out from us but were not of us. The text is written as a defense of core teachings of the early church, the Virgin Birth, That Christ was in the begining when the world was created, that Christ and the father are seperate beings yet one, the virgin birth, Christ's ministry, j His Physical death Physical bural and Physical resurrection, and the proofs Christ gave after His ressurection, and His teachings during those forty days and the questions he answered of the Apostles as well as His prophetic foretelling of events that would come to pass in the early church.
This book utterly
wipes out any thought of Augustinian eternal security that is the basis
for Luther’s and Calvin’s establishment of that Roman Catholic dogma in
the Protestant church, This book utterly wipes out the free grace doctrine
from the latter rain revival’s doctrine of ultimate reconciliation.
The sense that we get when
reading this book is that even after the resurrection the Apostles still
had little grasp of what Christ was saying and their questions in response
to what Christ speaks shows this over and over again. This fact is plainly asserted by the Apostles themselves in the
Gospels over and over again
Because this book puts Peter and the Apostles in such a humbling light,
because this book has such strong rebukes to some of their questions and
their unbelief I can see how the
Catholic Church would have not ever cared for this book to see the light
of day.
But even further is that in this book Christ prophesies of the coming of Paul the Apostle in great detail as one who’s coming is spoken of by the prophets and that He Paul not Peter would have a huge role in the growth and expansion of the Church grafting in the Gentiles. The implication of Christ's words are that Paul not Peter was the founder of the Church of Rome.
So if for no other reason this was summarily rejected by the Roman
Catholic Church as to protect their claim of Peter being the Rock that the
church was solely built upon which their doctrine of Apostolic succession
is built upon, and they claim the right to create their own doctrines and
traditions that nullify the words of Christ and Scripture.
This book of prophecy goes a long
way as to explaining the GREAT MYSTERY of when Paul was spoken to by Christ
and he immediately went out on his own and preached for 13 or so years without
having ever submitted to the Apostles or having compared notes on what had
been spoken to him. It has been a GREAT MYSTERY why the Apostles readily
accepted without all that Paul spoke and did. – And that the Apostles DID
NOT EVER during that period of 3 year period question Paul, Demand by what
authority he spoke these things, and demand that Paul desist from all preaching
and report to them at Jerusalem or that they NEVER proclaimed Paul to be
a false Apostle even at the very beginning.
Galatians 1:16-18 To
reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen;
immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood: Neither went I up to Jerusalem
to them which were apostles before me; but I went into Arabia, and returned
again unto Damascus. Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see
Peter, and abode with him fifteen days.
So from
Paul's own wordsin Galations we know that Acts 9:18-28 occurred during a
three year period.
Acts
9:18-28 And immediately there fell
from his (Saul's)
eyes as it had been scales: and he received sight forthwith, and arose,
and was baptized. And when he had received meat, he was strengthened. Then
was Saul certain days with the disciples which were at Damascus. And straightway
he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God. But all
that heard him were amazed, and said; Is not this he that destroyed them
which called on this name in Jerusalem, and came hither for that intent,
that he might bring them bound unto the chief priests? But Saul increased
the more in strength, and confounded the Jews which dwelt at Damascus, proving
that this is very Christ.
And after that many days were fulfilled, (That
is to say after Paul fulfilled all that God had for him in Damascus)
the Jews took counsel to kill him: But their laying await was known of Saul.
And they watched the gates day and night to kill him. (So
like the disciples before in Jerusalem, Paul was then
driven out and
scattered to the nations.)
Then the disciples took him by night, and let him down by the wall in a
basket. And when Saul was come to Jerusalem,
he assayed to join himself to the disciples: but they were all afraid of
him, and believed not that he was a disciple.
(***Note here that it was disciples
that did not beleive Paul was had become a disciple not
the Apostles)
But Barnabas took him, and brought him to the apostles, and (Paul)
declared unto them how he
had seen the Lord in the way, and that
he had spoken to him (Christ), and
how he had
preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus. And he
(Paul)
was with them (Peter
and the Apostles)
coming in and going out at Jerusalem.
(Note that Barnabas only brings Paul to the Apostles
and from there Paul testifies -- the
"He" is
Paul throughout the paragraph.)
Acts 9:31 Then had the churches rested (From the persecution of Saul) throughout all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, (and these churches) were multiplied.
So the book was written before Acts 9 NOTE THE USE OF THE WORD "CHURCHES" in the Epistles written decades later the word church become singular.
Acts 8:1 And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles.
Acts 8: 13-14 Then Simon himself believed also: and when he was baptized, he continued with Philip, and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs which were done.Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John:
So the book was written before Acts 8
It predates Acts 6+7 Cover the stoning of Stephen at which Saul was present.
So the book was written before Acts chapters 6-7
It Predates Acts 5:17-21 Where Peter and several Apostles are imprisoned -- Christ prophesies of this event with great specificity and detail.
Acts
5-14-16 And
believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women.)
Insomuch that they brought forth the sick into the streets, and laid them
on beds and couches, that at the least the shadow of Peter passing by might
overshadow some of them. There came also a multitude
out of the cities round about unto Jerusalem, bringing sick folks,
and them which were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed every
one.
Here now we have
an interesting reference. We know that earlier in Acts Peter and the Apostles
are traveling house to house to visit churches
(Plural) in Jerusalem but now with Peter's shadow People are bringing out
the sick from all over Jerusalem and A MULTITUDE OUT OF THE CITIES
ROUND ABOUT JERUSALEM -- these either were or became beleivers
and would have set up churches (Plural) to the north wouth east and west
or Jerusalem. This is the earliest reference to
the presence of Churches, via the presense
of believers outside of Jerusalem that would have been affected by the Apostles'
teaching and doctrine. Though we have no exact date -- this appears to be
when this prophetic letter of warnings was issued from the Apostles to
the Churches in Jerusalem and the churches
to the east to the west to the north and to the south.
And this also goes directly to why this letter was not in even the earliest of canons or any canon thereafter because this letter was not distributed to any of the Churches that were used to derive the authenticity of any given New testament book in the second third and fourth centuries, Namely the Church at Rome, or the Church at Alexandria , orthe church at Antioch, or the church at Damascus or or the Church at Ephesus none of them had been founded yet and thus they did not receive this book.
The following version
is the only edition which makes use of all three MSS, a translation made by C. Schmidt's, in 1919.
The Ethiopic was previously edited by Guerrier in Patrologia orientalis
under the title of Testament of our Lord in Galilee. A notice of
the text was written by Guerrier in the Revue de l'Orient Chretien
(1907)
***Note this is
NOT the full version of Charles Schmitt I have removed his comments
and the redundant texts he inserts in passages from multiple versions for
the purpose of readability, In so
doing I have attempted to select the best of the text that were written
with greater clarity.
The first four leaves (pages) of the Coptic MS. are lost, so we depend on
the Ethiopic for the opening of the text.
As per-normal
on this website the original is in black, black bold or red
and my personal comments and additions to the text are in blue
1 This book (is
that) which Jesus Christ revealed unto His disciples: and how that
Jesus Christ revealed that book for the company of the apostles, the disciples
of Jesus Christ, even the book which is for all men. (Simon
(Magus) and Cerinthus)
the false apostles, concerning (I
beleive the text originally read: Concerning the coming false Apostles
of ) whom it is written (In the Law)
that no man shall cleave unto them, for there is in them deceit wherewith
they bring men to destruction. This
book hath been written that ye may be not flinch nor be troubled, and depart
not from the word of the Gospel which ye have heard. Like as we heard it.
We keep it in remembrance and have written it for the whole world.
We commend you our sons and our daughters in joy in the grace of God in
the name of God the Father the Lord of the world, and of Jesus Christ. Let
grace be multiplied upon you.
2
We, John, Thomas, Peter (simon the Zealot?),
Andrew, James, Philip, Batholomew, Matthew,
Nathanael (James the
son of Alpheus?) , Judas Zelotes
(Judas the brother of James?), and
Cephas, (comparing the above
list with the 11 Apostles in Acts 1:13 the discrepancy seems to be a copiest
error and may be attributable to this being translated from Greek into Coptic
and Ethiopian)-- write unto the churches of the east and the
west, of the north and the south, the declaring and imparting unto you that
which concerneth our Lord Jesus Christ: we do
write according as we have seen and heard and touched him, after
that he was risen from the dead: and how that he revealed unto us things
mighty and wonderful and true.
3 This know we: that our Lord
and Redeemer Jesus Christ is God the Son of God, who was sent of God’ the
Lord of the whole world, the maker and creator of it, who is named
(above) all names, and high above all powers, Lord of
lords, King of kings, Ruler of rulers, the heavenly one, that sitteth above
the cherubim and seraphim at the right hand of the throne of the Father:
who by his word made the heavens, and formed the earth and that which
is in it, and set bounds to the sea that it should not pass: the deeps also
and fountains, that they should spring forth and flow over the earth: the
day and the night, the sun and the moon, did he establish, and the stars
in the heaven: that did separate the light from the darkness: that called
forth hell, and in the twinkling of an eye ordained the rain of the
winter, the cloud, the hail, and the ice, and the days in their several
seasons: that maketh the earth to quake and again establisheth it: that
created man in his own image, after his likeness, and spake in parables
with the fathers of old and the prophets in verity, of whom the apostles
preached, and whom the disciples did touch. In God, the Lord, the Son of
God, do we believe, that he is the word become flesh: that of Mary the holy
virgin he took a body, begotten of the Holy Ghost, not of the lust of the
flesh, but by the will of God: that he was wrapped in swaddling clothes
in Bethlehem and made manifest, and grew up and came to ripe age, when also
we beheld it.
4 This did our Lord Jesus Christ,
who was sent by Joseph and Mary his mother to be taught (of a Rabbi).[And Jesus
said unto him that would have taught him): Tell thou me first
what is Alpha and then will I tell thee what is Beta. This thing which then came to pass is true and
of verity. (This shows us conclusively that the
MSS was originally written in Greek because there is no Alpha and Beta in
Aramaic)
5 Thereafter was there a marriage
in Cana of Galilee; and they bade him with his mother and his brethren,
and he changed water into wine. He raised the dead, he caused the lame to
walk: him whose hand was withered he caused to stretch it out, and the woman
which had suffered an issue of blood twelve years touched the hem of his
garment and was healed in the same hour. And when we marveled at the miracle
which was done, he said: Who touched me? Then said we: Lord, the press of
men hath touched thee. But he answered and said unto us: I perceive that
a virtue is gone out of me. Straightway that woman came before him, and
answered and said unto him: Lord, I touched thee. And he answered and said
unto her: Go, thy faith hath made thee whole. Thereafter he made the deaf
to hear and the blind to see; out of them that were possessed he cast out
the unclean spirits, and cleansed the lepers. The spirit, which dwelt in
a man, whereof the name was Legion, cried out against Jesus, saying: Before
the time of our destruction is come, thou art come to drive us out. But
the Lord Jesus rebuked him, saying: Go out of this man and do him no hurt.
And he entered into the swine and drowned them in the water and they were
choked.
Thereafter he did walk upon
the sea, and the winds blew, and he cried out and rebuked them and the waves
of the sea were made calm. And when we his disciples had no money, we asked
him: What shall we do because of the tax-gatherer? And he answered and told
us: Let one of you cast an hook into the deep, and take out a fish, and
he shall find therein a penny: that give unto the tax-gatherer for me and
you. And thereafter when we had no bread, but only five loaves and two fishes,
he commanded the people to sit them down, and the number of them was five
thousand, besides children and women. We did set pieces of bread before
them, and they ate and were filled, and there remained over, and we filled
twelve baskets full of the fragments, asking one another and saying: What
mean these five loaves? They are the symbol of our faith in the great
(loaf of) Christendom, even
in the Father, the Lord Almighty, and in Jesus Christ our redeemer, in the
Holy Ghost the comforter, in the holy church (ek-klesia,) and in the remission of sins. (The mix of the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit and the Holy Ek-klesia
as one loaf.)
6 These
things did our Lord and Savior reveal unto us and teach us. And (so) we do even as he, that
ye may become partakers in the grace of our Lord and in our ministry and
our giving of thanks, and think upon life eternal. Be ye steadfast and waver
not in the knowledge and confidence of our Lord Jesus Christ, and he will
have mercy on you and save you everlastingly, world without end.
(Here begins the Coptic
text.)
8
Therefore have we not shrunk from writing unto you concerning the testimony
of Christ our Saviour, of what he did, when we followed with him, how he enlightened our understanding...
9 Concerning whom we testify
that the Lord is he who was crucified by Pontius Pilate and Archelaus between
the two thieves and with them he was taken down from the tree of the cross,
and was buried in a place which is called the place of a skull. And thither
went three women, Mary, she that was kin to Martha, and Mary Magdalene,
and (they) took ointments to pour upon the body (of Christ), weeping and mourning over that which was
come to pass. And when they drew near to the sepulchre, they looked in and
found the stone rolled away and opened the entrance, and not the body.
10 And as they mourned and
wept, the Lord showed himself unto them and said to them: For whom weep
ye? weep no more. I am he whom ye seek. But let one of you go to your brethren
and say: Come ye, the Master is risen from the dead. Martha came and told us. We said unto her: What
have we to do with thee, woman ? He that is dead and buried, is it possible
that he should live? And we believed her not that the Saviour was risen
from the dead.
Then she returned unto the
Lord and said unto him: None of them hath believed me, that thou livest.
He said: Let another of you go unto them and tell them again. Mary came
and told us again, and we believed her not; and she returned unto the Lord
and she also told him.
11 Then said the Lord unto
Mary and her sisters: Let us go unto them. And he came and found us within
sitting veiled (in mourning), and (He) called us out; but we thought that it was a phantom
and believed not that it was the Lord. Then said he unto us: Come, fear
ye not. I am your master, even He, O Peter, whom
thou didst deny thrice; and dost thou now deny again? And we came unto him,
doubting in our hearts whether it were he. Then said he unto
us: Wherefore doubt ye still, and are unbelieving? I am He that spake unto
you of my flesh and my death and my resurrection. But that ye may know that
I am He, do thou, Peter, put thy finger into
the print of the nails in mine hands, and thou also, Thomas,
put thy finger into the wound of the spear in my side; but thou,
Andrew, look on my feet and see whether they press the earth;
for it is written in the prophets: A phantom of a devil maketh no footprint
on the earth.
12 And
we touched him, that we might learn of a truth whether He were risen in
the flesh; and we fell on our faces and worshipped him confessing our sin,
that we had been unbelieving. Then said our Lord and Saviour
unto us: Rise up, and I will reveal unto you that which is above the heaven
and in the heaven, and your rest, which is in the kingdom of heaven. For
my Father hath sent me, to take you up thither, and them also that believe
on me.
13 Now that which he revealed
unto us is this, which He spake: It came to pass when I was minded to come
hither from the Father of all things, and passed through the heavens, then
did I put on the wisdom of the Father, and I put on the power of his might.
I was in heaven, and I passed by the archangels and the angels in their
likeness, like as if I were one of them, among the princes and powers. I
passed through them because I possessed the wisdom of him that had sent
me. Now the chief captain of the angels, [is] Michael, and Gabriel and Uriel
and Raphael followed me unto the fifth firmament (of heaven), for they thought
in their heart that I was one of them; such power was given me of my Father.
And on that day did I adorn the archangels with a wonderful voice, I made
them quake and amazed them, so that they should go unto the altar of the
Father and serve and fulfill the ministry until I should return unto him.
And so wrought I the likeness by my wisdom; for I became all things in all,
that I might praise the dispensation of the Father and fulfill the glory
of him that sent me and return unto him.
(Here the Latin omits a
considerable portion of text without notice, to near the beginning of c.
17.)
14 For ye know that the angel
Gabriel brought the message unto Mary. And we answered: Yea, Lord. He answered
and said unto us: Remember ye not, when, that I said unto you a little while
ago: I became an angel among the angels, and I became all things in all?
We said unto him: Yea, Lord. Then answered he and said unto us: On that
day whereon I took the form of the angel Gabriel, I appeared unto Mary and
spake with her. Her heart accepted me, and she believed and laughed, and
I formed myself and entered into her body. I became flesh, for I alone was
a my own messenger in that which concerned Mary. And in the appearance of
the shape of an angel did I appear, for so was I wont to do. Thereafter
did I return to my Father .
15 But do ye commemorate my
death. Now when the Passover cometh, one of you shall be cast into prison
for my name's sake; (I believe this is Peter but in the Acts 5:18-21 the event has unspecified
Apostles Arrested Peter John and possibly more) and he will be in
grief and sorrow, because ye keep the Easter while he is in prison and separated
from you, for he will be sorrowful because he keepeth not Easter with you.
And I will send my power in the form of mine angel Gabriel, and the doors
of the prison shall open. And he shall come forth
and come unto you and keep the night-watch with you until the cock crow.
(This is why I believe this is in regards to Peter)
And when ye have accomplished the memorial which is made of me, and the
Agape (love-feast) (Another
Greek word that shows the text was originally written in Greek),
he shall again be cast into prison for a testimony, until he shall come
out thence and preach that which I have delivered unto you.
And we said unto him: Lord, is it then needful that we should again take the cup (Communion) and drink?
Lord, didst not thou thyself fulfill the drinking of the Passover? He said unto us: Yea, it is needful, (That ye partake of communion as oft as ye meet) until
the day when I come again, with them that have been made partakers of my
wounds.
16 Then said we to him: Lord,
that which thou hast revealest unto us is great. In what power or form wilt
thou come? He answered and said unto us: Verily I say unto you, I shall
come like the sun when it is risen, and my brightness will be seven times
the brightness thereof! The wings of the clouds shall bear me in brightness,
and the sign of the cross shall go before me, and I shall come upon earth
to judge the quick and the dead.
17 We said unto him: Lord,
after how many years shall this come to pass ? He said unto us: When the
hundredth part and the twentieth part is fulfilled, between the Pentecost
and the feast of unleavened bread, then shall the coming of my Father be (This is a cryptic
answer -- and more and more from this point on Christ speaks to his disciples
in parables)
We said unto him: Now sayest
thou unto us: I will come; and how sayest thou: He that sent me is He that
shall come? Then said he to us: I am wholly in the Father and my Father
is in me.
Then said we to him: Wilt thou indeed forsake us until thy coming? Where can we find
a master? But he answered and said unto us: Know ye not, then,
that like as until now I have been here, so also was I there, with him that
sent me?
And we said to him: Lord, is it then possible that thou shouldest be both here and
there? But he answered us: I am wholly in the Father and the
Father in me, in regard of the likeness of the form and the power and the
fullness and the light and the full measure and the voice. I am the word,
I am become unto him a thing, that is to say (word gone) of the thought,
fulfilled in the type (likeness); I have entered into the eighth number (day), which is the Lord's day. (John is Revelation says I was in the spirit on the Lord’s day)
18 But it came to pass when
the work which was accomplished in the flesh, shall ye see after the redemption
which hath come to pass by me, and ye shall see me, how I go up unto my
Father which is in heaven. But behold, now, I give unto you a new commandment:
Love one another and [a leaf lost in Copt.] obey one another, that
peace may rule always among you. Love your enemies, and what ye would not
that man do unto you, that do unto no man.
19 And
this preach ye also and teach them that believe on me, and preach the kingdom
of heaven of my Father, and how my
Father hath given me the power, that ye may bring near the children
of my heavenly Father. Preach ye, and they shall obtain faith, that ye may
be they for whom it is ordained that they shall bring his children unto
heaven. (This is the fundamental error of the Church. We preach ourselves
and our denominations that we have the power and it is that we are to preach
Christ that He has the power.)
And we said unto him: Lord, unto thee it is possible to accomplish that whereof thou
tellest us; but how shall we be able to do it? He said to us:
Verily I say unto you, preach and proclaim (what I have) commanded you,
for I will be with you, for it is my good pleasure to be with you, that
ye may be heirs with me in the kingdom of heaven, even the kingdom
of him that sent me. Verily I say unto you, ye shall be my brethren
and my friends, for my Father hath found pleasure in you: and so also shall
they be that believe on me by your means. Verily I say unto you, such and
so great joy hath my Father prepared for you that the angels and the powers
desired and do desire to see it and look upon it; but it is not given unto
them to behold the glory of my Father.
We said unto him: Lord, what
is this whereof thou speakest to us?
Copt. begins again: with some words missing.
He answered us: Ye shall behold
a light, more excellent than that which shineth. and is more perfect than
perfection. And the Son shall become perfect through the Father who is Light,
for the Father is perfect which bringeth to pass death and resurrection,
and ye shall see a perfection more perfect than the perfect. And I am wholly
at the right hand of the Father, even in him that maketh perfect.
And we said unto him: Lord,
in all things art thou become salvation and life unto us, for that thou
makest known such a hope unto us. And he said to us: Be of good courage
and rest in me. Verily I say unto you, your rest shall be above, in the
place where is neither eating nor drinking, nor care nor sorrow, nor passing
away of them that are therein: for ye shall have no part in the things
of earth, but ye shall be received in the everlastingness of my Father.
Like as I am in him, so shall ye also be in me.
Again we said unto him: In
what form? In the fashion of angels, or in flesh ? And he answered and said
unto us: Lo, I have put on your flesh, wherein I was born and crucified,
and am risen again through my Father which is in heaven, that the prophecy
of David the prophet might be fulfilled, in regard of that which was declared
concerning me and my death and resurrection, saying:
Lord, they are increased that
fight with me, and many are they that are risen up against me. Many there
be that say to my soul: There is no help for him in his God. But thou, O
Lord, art my defender: thou art my worship, and the lifter up of my head.
I did call upon the Lord with my voice and he heard me out of the high place
of his temple, I laid me down and slept, and rose up again: for thou, O
Lord, art my defender. I will not be afraid for ten thousands of the people,
that have set themselves against me round about. Up, Lord, and help me,
O my God: for thou hast smitten down all them that without cause are mine
enemies: thou hast broken the teeth of the ungodly. Salvation belongeth
unto the Lord, and his good pleasure is upon his people
(Ps.3:1-8).
If, therefore, all the words
which were spoken by the prophets have been fulfilled in me for I myself
was in them, how much more shall that which I say unto you come to pass
indeed, that he which sent me may be glorified by you and by them that believe
on me?
20 And
when he had said this unto us, we said to him: In all things hast thou had
mercy on us and saved us, and hast revealed all things unto us; but yet
would we ask of thee somewhat if thou give us leave. And he said
unto us: I know that ye pay heed, and that your heart is well-pleased when
ye hear me: now concerning that which ye desire, I will speak good words
unto you. 21 For verily I say unto you: Like as my Father hath raised me
from the dead, so shall ye also rise in the flesh, and be taken up into
the highest heaven, unto the place whereof I have told you from the beginning,
unto the place which he who sent me hath prepared for you. And so will I
accomplish all grace, even I who am unbegotten and yet begotten of mankind,
and have grown up like unto you that were born in flesh, for
to that end am I come, that that
ye might rise from the dead in your flesh, in the second birth, even a vesture
that shall not decay, together with all them that hope and believe in him
that sent me: for so is the will of my Father, that I should
give unto you, and unto them whom it pleaseth me, the hope of the kingdom.
Then said we unto him: Great
is that which thou sufferest us to hope, and tellest us. And he answered
and said: Believe ye that everything that I tell you shall come to pass
? We answered and said: Yea, Lord. (Copt. resumes for a few lines: then
another gap. I follow Eth.) He said unto us: Verily I say unto you,
that I have obtained the whole power of my Father, that I may bring back
into light them that dwell in darkness, them that are in corruption into
incorruption, them that are in death into life, and that I may loose them
that are in fetters. For that which is impossible with men, is possible
with the Father. I am the hope of them that despair, the helper of them
that have no saviour, the wealth of the poor, thc health of the sick, and
the resurrection of the dead.
22 When
he had thus said, we said unto him: Lord, is it true that the flesh shall
be judged together with the soul and the spirit, and that the one part shall
rest in heaven and the other part be punished everlastingly yet living?
(One sees clearly that the Apostles do not understand what
Christ is saying by their questions )And he said unto us: (Copt.
resumes) How long will ye inquire and doubt?
23 Again we said unto him:
Lord, there is necessity upon us to inquire of thee--because thou hast commanded
us to preach--that we ourselves may learn assuredly of thee and be profitable
preachers, and that they which are instructed by us may believe in thee.
Therefore must we needs inquire of thee.
24 He answered us and said:
Verily I say unto you, the resurrection of the flesh shall come
to pass with the soul therein and the spirit.
And we said unto him: Lord,
(How) is it then possible that that which is dissolved
and brought to nought should become whole? and we ask thee not as unbelieving, neither as if it were impossible unto
thee; but verily we believe that that which thou sayest shall come to pass.
And he
was wroth with us and said: O ye of little faith, how long will ye ask questions? But (ask) what ye
will, tell it me, and I myself will tell you without grudging: only keep ye my commandments and do that which I bid you, and
turn not away your face from any man, that I turn not my face away from
you, but without shrinking and fear and without respect of persons, minister
ye in the way that is direct and narrow and strait. So shall my Father himself
rejoice over you.
25 Again we said unto him:
Lord, already are we ashamed that we question thee oft-times
and burden thee. And he answered and said unto us: I know that
in faith and with your whole heart ye do question me; therefore do I rejoice
over you, for verily I say unto you: I rejoice, and my Father that is in
me, because ye question me; and your importunity is unto me rejoicing and
unto you it giveth life. And when he had so said unto us, we were glad that
we had questioned him, and we said to him: Lord, in all things thou makest
us alive and hast mercy on us. Wilt thou now declare unto us that which
we shall ask thee? Then said he unto us: Is it the flesh that passeth away,
or is it the spirit? We said unto him: The flesh is it that passeth away.
Then said he unto us: That which hath fallen shall rise again, and that
which was lost shall be found, and that which was weak shall recover, that
in these things that are so created the glory of my Father may be revealed.
As he hath done unto me, so will I do unto all that believe in me.
26 Verily I say unto you: the
flesh shall arise, and the soul, alive, that their defence may come to pass
on that day in regard of that that they have done, whether it be good or
evil: that there may be a choosing-out of the faithful who have kept the
commandments of my Father that sent me; and so shall the judgement be accomplished
with strictness. For my Father said unto me:
My Son, in the day of judgement thou shalt have no respect for the rich,
neither pity for the poor, but according to the sins of every man shalt
thou deliver him unto everlasting torment. But unto my beloved
that have done the commandments of my Father that sent me will I give the
rest of life in the kingdom of my Father which is in heaven, and they shall
behold that which he hath given me. And he hath given me authority to do
that which I will, and to give that which I have promised and determined
to give and grant unto them.
27 For to that end went I down
unto the place of Lazarus, and preached unto the righteous and the prophets,
that they might come out of the rest which is below and come up into that
which is above; and I poured out upon them with
my right hand the water of baptism, of life and forgiveness and salvation
from all evil, as I have done unto you and unto them that believe on me.
But if any man believe on me and do not my commandments, although he have
confessed my name, he hath no profit therefrom but runneth a vain race:
for such will find themselves in perdition and destruction, because they
have despised my commandments.
28 But so much the more have
I redeemed you, the children of light, from all evil and from the authority
of the rulers (archons), and every one that believeth on me by your means.
For that which I have promised unto you will I give unto them also, that
they may come out of the prison-house and the fetters of the rulers. We
answered and said: Lord, thou hast given unto us the rest of life and hast
given us joy by wonders, unto the confirmation of faith: wilt thou now preach
the same unto us, seeing that thou hast preached it unto the righteous and
the prophets? Then said he unto us: Verily I say unto you, all that have
believed on me and that believe in him that sent me will I take up into
the heaven, unto the place which my Father hath prepared for the elect,
and I will give you the kingdom, the chosen kingdom, in rest, and everlasting
life.
29 But all they
that have offended against my commandments and have taught other doctrine,
perverting the Scripture and adding thereto, striving after their own glory,
and that teach with other words (mens or Apostles words) them that believe on me in uprightness, if they
(those words or teachings or
traditions)
make them fall thereby, shall receive everlasting punishment.
We said unto him: Lord, shall there then be teaching by others, diverse from that
which thou hast spoken unto us ? He said unto us: It must needs be, that the evil and the good may be made manifest;
and the judgment shall be manifest upon them that do these things, and according
to their works shall they be judged and shall be delivered unto death.
Again we said
unto him: Lord, blessed are we in that we see thee and hear thee declaring
such things, for our eyes have beheld these great wonders that thou hast
done. He answered and said unto us: Yea, rather blessed are they that have
not seen and yet have believed, for they shall be called children of the
kingdom, and they shall be perfect among the perfect, and I will be unto
them life in the kingdom of my Father.
Again we said unto him: Lord,
how shall men be able to believe (after)
that thou wilt depart and leave us; for thou sayest unto us: There shall
come a day and an hour when I shall ascend unto my Father?
30 But he said unto us: Go
ye and preach unto the twelve tribes, and preach also unto the heathen,
and to all the land of Israel from the east to the west and from the south
unto the north, and many shall believe on me the Son of God.
But we said unto him: Lord, who will believe
us, or hearken unto us, (This is the very
words of Moses) and how shall we be
able to teach the powers and signs and wonders which thou hast done ?
Then answered he and said to us: Go ye and preach
the mercifulness of my Father, and that which He hath done through me will
I myself do through you, for I am in you, and I will give you my peace,
and I will give you a power of my spirit, that ye may prophesy to them unto
life eternal. And unto the others also will I give my power, that they may
teach the residue of the peoples.
(Six leaves lost
in Copt.: Eth. continues.)
(Isn’t more than a bit odd where these entire pages
are missing)
31 And behold a man shall meet
you, whose name is Saul, which being interpreted is Paul: he is a Jew, circumcised
according to the law, and he shall receive my voice from heaven with fear
and terror and trembling. And his eyes shall be blinded, and by your hands
by the sign of the cross shall they be healed, With spittle by your hands
shall his eyes, be opened. Do ye unto him all that I have done unto you.
Deliver the word of God unto the other. And at the same time that man (someone other
than the Apostles) shall open his eyes and praise the Lord, even
my Father which is in heaven. He shall obtain power among the people and
shall preach and instruct; and many that hear him shall obtain glory and
be redeemed. But thereafter shall men be wroth with him and deliver him
into the hands of his enemies, and he shall bear witness before kings that
are mortal, and his end shall be that he shall turn unto me, whereas he
persecuted me at the first. He shall preach
and teach and abide with the elect, as a chosen vessel and a wall that shall
not be overthrown, yea, the
last of the last shall become a preacher unto the Gentiles, made perfect
by the will of my Father. Like as ye have learned from the Scripture that your fathers the prophets
spake of me, and in me it is indeed fulfilled.
(Christ
here in the midst of giving a most remarkable prophecy of Paul also speak
of the last of the last shall be a preacher unto the Gentiles made perfect
by the will of my father – this one is prophesied of in Zechariah as Zerubbabel
the one who has a plumb line in his hand who is to restore the foundations
of the Church and say this is the way walk ye in it the man shall come and
be liken unto Paul the apostle. Elsewhere he is spoken of as Elijah who
shall turn the hearts of the children unto their fathers.)
And he said unto us: Be ye
also therefore guides unto them; and all things that I said unto you, and
that ye write concerning me (tell ye them), that I am the word of the Father
and that the Father is in me. Such also shall
ye be unto that man, as becometh you. Instruct him and bring to his mind
that which is spoken of me in the Scripture and is fulfilled, and thereafter
shall he become the salvation of the Gentiles. (I
believe Christ is speaking again of Zerubbabel not Paul, because Paul received
NO Instruction from the Apostles but Zerubbabel will need their writings.)
32 And
we asked him: Lord, is there for us and for them the self-same expectation
of the inheritance? He answered and said unto us: Are then the fingers of
the hand like unto each other, or the ears of corn in the field, or do all
fruit-trees bear the same fruit? Doth not every one bear fruit according
to its nature? And we said unto him: Lord, wilt thou again speak unto us
in parables? Then said he unto us: Lament not. Verily I say unto you, ye
are my brethren, and my companions in the kingdom of heaven unto my Father,
for so is his good pleasure. Verily I say unto you, unto them also whom
ye teach and who believe on me will I give that expectation.
33 And we asked him again:
When shall we meet with that man, and when wilt thou depart unto thy
Father and our God and Lord? He answered and said unto us: That man will
come out of the land of Cilicia unto Damascus of Syria, to root up the church
which ye must found there. It is I that speak through you; and he shall
come quickly: and he shall become strong in the faith, that
the word of the prophet may be fulfilled, which saith: Behold, out of Syria
will I begin to call together a new Jerusalem, and Sion will I subdue unto
me, and it shall be taken, and the place which is childless shall be called
the son and daughter of my Father, and my bride. For so hath
it pleased him that sent me. But that man will I turn back, that he accomplish
not his evil desire, and the praise of my Father shall be perfected in him,
and after that I am gone home and abide with my Father, I will speak unto
him from heaven, and all things shall be accomplished which I have told
you before concerning him.
34
And we said unto him again: Lord, so many great things hast thou told us
and revealed unto us as never yet were spoken, and in all hast thou given
us rest and been gracious unto us. After thy resurrection thou didst reveal
unto us all things that we might be saved indeed; but thou saidst unto us
only: There shall be wonders and strange appearances in heaven and on
earth before the end of the world come. Tell us now, how shall we perceive
it? And he answered us: I will teach it you; and not that which shall
befall you only, but them also whom ye shall teach and who shall believe,
as well as them who shall hear that man and believe on me. In those years
and days shall it come to pass.
And we said again unto him:
Lord, what shall come to pass? And he said unto us: Then shall they that
believe and they that believe not hear a trumpet in the heaven, a vision
of great stars which shall be seen in the day, wonderful sights in heaven
reaching down to the earth; stars which fall upon the earth like fire, and
a great and mighty hail of fire. The sun and the moon fighting one with
the other, a continual rolling and noise of thunders and lightnings, thunder
and earthquake; cities falling and men perishing in their overthrow, a continual
dearth for lack of rain, a terrible pestilence and great mortality, mighty
and untimely, so that they that die lack burial: and the bearing forth of
brethren and sisters and kinsfolk shall be upon one bier. The kinsman shall
show no favour to his kinsman, nor any man to his neighbour. And they that
were overthrown shall rise up and behold them that overthrew them, that
they lack burial, for the pestilence shall be full of hatred and pain and
envy: and men shall take from one and give to another. And thereafter shall
it wax yet worse than before. Bewail ye them that have not hearkened unto
my commandments,
85 Then shall my Father be
wroth at the wickedness of men, for many are their transgressions, and the
abomination of their uncleanness weigheth heavy upon them in the corruption
of their life.
And we asked him: What of them
that trust in thee? He answered and said unto us: Ye are yet slow of heart;
and how long? Verily I say unto you, as the prophet David spake of me and
of my people, so shall it be for them also that believe on me. But they
that are deceivers in the world and enemies of righteousness, upon them shall come the fulfilment of the prophecy of David, who said: Their
feet are swift to shed blood, their tongue uttereth slander, adders' poison
is under their lips. I behold thee companying with thieves, and partaking
with adulterers, thou continuest speaking against thy brother and puttest
stumbling-blocks before thine own mother's son. What thinkest
thou, that I shall be like unto thee? Behold now how the prophet of God
hath spoken of all, that all things may be fulfilled which he said aforetime.
36 And again we said unto him:
Lord, will not then the nations say: Where is their God? And he answered
and said unto us: Thereby shall the elect be
known, that they, being plagued with such afflictions, come forth. We said:
Will then their departure out of the world be by a pestilence which giveth
them pain? He answered us: Nay, but if they suffer such affliction, it will
be a proving of them, whether they have faith and remember these my sayings,
and fulfil my commandments. These shall arise, and short will
be their expectation, that he may be glorified that sent me, and I with
him. For he hath sent me unto you to tell you these things; and that ye
may impart them unto Israel and the Gentiles and they may hear, and they
also be redeemed and believe on me and escape the woe of the destruction.
But whoso escapeth from the destruction of death, him will they take and
hold him fast in the prison-house in torments like the torments of a thief.
And we said unto him: Lord,
will they that believe be treated like the unbelievers, and
wilt thou punish them that have escaped from the pestilence? And he said
unto us: If they that believe in my name deal like the sinners, then have
they done as though they had not believed. And we said again to him: Lord,
have they on whom this lot hath fallen no life? He answered and said unto
us: Whoso hath accomplished the praise of my Father, he shall abide in
the resting-place of my Father.
37 Then said we unto him: Lord,
teach us what shall come to pass thereafter? And he answered us: In those
years and days shall war be kindled upon war; the four ends of the earth
shall be in commotion and fight against each other. Thereafter shall be
quaking of clouds, clouds of locusts, darkness, and dearth, and persecutions
of them that believe on me and against the elect. Thereupon
shall come doubt and strife and transgressions against one another. And
there shall be many that believe on my name and yet follow after evil and
spread vain doctrine. And men shall follow after them and their riches,
and be subject unto their pride, and lust for drink, and bribery, and there
shall be respect of persons among them.
38 But they that desire to
behold the face of God and respect not the persons of the rich sinners,
and are not ashamed before the people that lead them astray, but rebuke them, they shall be crowned by the Father. And they also shall be saved that rebuke their neighbours,
for they are sons of wisdom and of faith. But if they become not children
of wisdom, whoso hateth his brother and persecuteth him and showeth him
no favour, him will God despise and reject.
(Copt. resumes.)
But they that walk in truth
and in the knowledge of the faith, and have love towards me--for they have
endured insult--they shall be praised for that they walk in poverty and
endure them that hate them and put them to shame. Men have stripped them
naked, for they despised them because they continued in hunger and thirst,
but after they have endured patiently, they shall have the blessedness of
heaven, and they shall be with me for ever. But woe unto them that walk
in pride and boasting, for their end is perdition.
39 And we said unto him: Lord,
is this thy purpose, that thou leavest us, to come upon them? He answered
and said unto us: After what manner shall the judgment be? We said unto
him: Lord, in that day they will say unto thee: Thou hast not distinguished
between righteousness and unrighteousness, between
the light and the darkness, and evil and good? Then said he: I will answer
them and say: Unto Adam was power given to choose one of the two: he chose
the light and laid his hand thereon, but the darkness he left behind him
and cast away from him. Therefore have all men
power to believe in the light which is life, and which is the Father that
hath sent me. And every one that believeth and doeth the works of the light
shall live in them; but if there be any that confesseth that he belongeth
unto the light, and doeth the works of darkness, such an one hath no defense
to utter, neither can he lift up his face to look upon the Son of God, which
Son am I. For I will say unto him: As thou soughtest, so hast thou found,
and as thou askedst, so hast thou received. Therefore condemnest thou me,
O man? Wherefore hast thou departed from me and denied me? And wherefore
hast thou confessed me and yet denied me? hath not every man power to live
and to die? Whoso then hath kept my commandments shall be a son
of the light, that is, of the Father that is in me. But because of them
that corrupt my words am I come down from heaven. I am the word: I became
flesh, and I wearied myself (or, suffered) and taught, saying: The heavy
laden shall be saved, and they that are gone astray shall go astray for
ever. They shall be chastised and tormented in their flesh and in their
soul.
40 And we said unto him: O
Lord, verily we are sorrowful for their sake. And he said unto us: Ye do
rightly, for the righteous are sorry for the sinners, and pray for them,
making prayer unto my Father. Again we said unto him: Lord, is there none
that maketh intercession unto thee? And he said unto us: Yea, and I will
hearken unto the prayer of the righteous which they make for them.
When he had so said unto us,
we said to him: Lord, in all things hast thou taught us and had mercy on
us and saved us, that we might preach unto them that are worthy to be saved,
and that we might be made partakers of a recompense from thee?
41 He answered and said unto us: Go and preach, and ye shall be labourers,
and fathers, and ministers. We said unto him: Thou art he that shalt preach
by us. Then answered he us, saying: Are then all fathers, or all servants,
or all masters? We said unto him: Lord, thou art he that saidst unto us:
Call no man your father upon earth, for one is your Father, which is in
heaven, and your master. Wherefore sayest thou now unto us: Ye shall be
fathers of many children, and servants and masters? He answered and said
unto us: Ye have rightly said, For verily I say unto you: whosoever shall
hear you and believe on me, shall receive of you the light of the seal through
me, and baptism through me: ye shall be fathers and servants and masters.
42 But we said unto him: Lord,
how may it be that every one of us should be these three? He said unto us:
Verily I say unto you: Ye shall be called fathers, because with praiseworthy
heart and in love ye have revealed unto them the things of the kingdom of
heaven. And ye shall be called servants, because they shall receive the
baptism of life and the remission of their sins at my hand through you.
And ye shall be called masters, because ye have given them the word without
grudging, and have admonished (rebuked) them, and when ye admonished them, they were converted.
Ye were not afraid of their riches, nor ashamed before their face, but ye
kept the commandments of my Father and fulfilled them. And ye shall have
a great reward with my Father which is in heaven, and they shall have forgiveness
of sins and everlasting life, and be partakers in the kingdom of heaven.
And we said unto him: Lord,
even if every one of us had ten thousand tongues to speak withal, we could
not thank thee, for that thou promisest such things unto us. Then answered
he us, saying: Only do ye that which I say unto you, even as I myself also
have done it.
43 And ye shall
be like the wise virgins which watched and slept not, but went forth unto
the lord into the bridechamber: but the foolish virgins were not
able to watch, but slumbered. And we said unto him: Lord, who are the wise
and who are the foolish? He said unto us: Five wise and five foolish; for
these are they of whom the prophet hath spoken: Sons of God are they. Hear
now their names.
But we wept and
were troubled for them that slumbered. He said unto us: The five wise are Faith and Love and Grace and Peace
and Hope. Now they of the faithful which possess this (these) shall
be guides unto them that have believed on me and on him that sent me. For
I am the Lord and I am the bridegroom whom they have received, and they
have entered in to the house of the bridegroom and are laid down with me
in the bridal chamber rejoicing. But the five foolish, when they had slept
and had awaked, came unto the door of the bridal chamber and knocked, for
the doors were shut. Then did they weep and lament that no man opened unto
them.
We said unto
him: Lord, and their wise sisters
that were within in the bridegroom's house, did they continue without opening
unto them, and did they not sorrow for their sakes nor entreat the bridegroom
to open unto them? He answered us, saying: They were not yet able to obtain
favour for them. We said unto him: Lord, on what day shall they enter in
for their sisters' sake?
Then said he
unto us:
He that is shut out, is shut out. And we said unto him: Lord, is this word
determined?. Who then are the foolish? He said unto us: Hear their names.
They are Knowledge, Understanding
(Perception), Obedience, Patience, and Compassion. These are they
that slumbered in them that have believed and confessed me but have not
fulfilled my commandments. 44 On account of them that have slumbered, they
shall remain outside the kingdom and the fold of the shepherd and his sheep.
But whoso shall abide outside the sheepfold, him will the wolves devour,
and he shall be condemned and die in much affliction: in him shall be no
rest nor endurance, and although he be hardly punished, and rent in pieces
and devoured in long and evil torment, yet shall he not be able to obtain
death quickly.
45 And we said
unto him: Lord, well hast thou revealed all this unto us. Then answered
he us, saying: Understand ye not these words?
We said unto
him: Yea, Lord. By five shall men
enter into thy kingdom and by five shall men remain without: notwithstanding,
they that watched were with thee the Lord and bridegroom, even though they
rejoiced not because of them that slumbered. He said unto us: They will
indeed rejoice that they have entered in with the bridegroom, the Lord;
and they are sorrowful because of them that slumbered, for they are their
sisters. For all ten are daughters of God, even the Father. Then said we
unto him: Lord, is it then for thee to show them favour on account of their
sisters? He said unto us: It is not mine but his that sent me, and I am
consenting with him .
46 But be ye upright and preach
rightly and teach, and be not abashed by any man and fear not any man, and
especially the rich, for they do not my commandments, but boast themselves
(swell) in their riches. And we said unto him: Lord, tell us if it be the
rich only. He answered, saying unto us: If any man who is not rich and possesseth
a small livelihood giveth unto the poor and needy, men will call him a benefactor.
47 But if any man fall under
the load because of sin that he hath committed, then shall his neighbour
correct him because of the good that he hath done
unto his neighbour. And if his neighbour correct him and he return, he shall
be saved, and he that corrected him shall receive a reward and live for
ever. For a needy man, if he see him that hath done him good sin, and correct
him not, shall be judged with severe judgement. (This
is prophesied in Ezekiel)
Now if a blind man lead a blind,
they both fall into a ditch: and whoso respecteth persons for their sake,
shall be as the two <blind>, as the prophet hath said: Woe unto them
that respect persons and justify the ungodly for reward, even they whose
God is their belly. Behold that judgement shall be their portion. For verily
I say unto you: On that day will I neither have respect unto the rich nor
pity for the poor.
48 If thou behold a sinner,
admonish him betwixt him and thee: if he hear thee,
thou hast gained thy brother, and if he hear thee not, then take to thee
another, as many as three, and instruct thy brother: again, if he hear thee
not, let him be unto thee as an heathen man or a publican.
49 If thou hear aught against
thy brother, give it no credence; slander not, and delight not in hearing
slander. For thus it is written: Suffer not thine ear to receive aught against
thy brother: but if thou seest aught, correct him,
rebuke him, and convert him.
And we said unto him: Lord,
thou hast in all things taught us and warned us. But, Lord, concerning the
believers, even them to whom it belongeth to believe in the preaching of
thy name: is it determined that among them also there shall be doubt and
division, jealousy, confusion, hatred, and envy? For thou sayest: They shall
find fault with one another and respect the person of them that sin, and
hate them that rebuke them. And he answered and said unto us: How then shall
the judgement come about, that the corn should be gathered into the garner
and the chaff thereof cast into the fire?
50 They that hate such things,
and love me and rebuke them that fulfil
not my commandments, shall be hated and persecuted and despised and mocked.
Men will of purpose speak of them that which is not true, and will band
themselves together against them that love me. But these will rebuke
them, that they may be saved. But them that will rebuke and chasten and warn them, them will they
(the others) hate, and thrust them aside, and despise them, and hold themselves
far from them that wish them good. But they that endure such things shall
be like unto the martyrs with the Father, because they have striven for
righteousness, and have not striven for corruption.
And we asked him:
Lord, shall such things be among us? And he answered us: Fear not; it shall
not be in many, but in a few. We said unto him: Yet tell us, in what manner
it shall come to pass. And he said unto us: There shall come forth another
doctrine, and a confusion, and because they shall strive after their own
advancement, they shall bring forth an unprofitable doctrine. And therein
shall be a deadly corruption (of uncleanness), and they shall teach it,
and shall turn away them that believe on me from my commandments and cut
them off from eternal life. But woe unto them that falsify this my word
and commandment, and draw away them that hearken to them from the life of
the doctrine and separate themselves from the commandment of life: for
together with them they shall come into everlasting judgement.
(Jesus speaks of False prophets
and apostles arising from among his Apostles and Disciples)
51 And when he had said this,
and had finished his discourse with us, he said unto us again: Behold, on
the third day and at the third hour shall he come which hath sent me, that
I may depart with him. And as he so spake, there was thunder and lightning
and an earthquake, and the heavens parted asunder, and there appeared a
light (bright) cloud which bore him up. And there came voices of
many angels, rejoicing and singing praises and saying: Gather us, O Priest,
unto the light of the majesty. And when they drew nigh unto the firmament,
we heard his voice saying unto us: Depart hence in peace.