Acts of Thomas 89–113

Anonymous · Acts of Thomas · ca. 200–250 · Edessa (probably) · 23 passages

Pseudonymous: Anonymous. It is not part of the 66-book canon. Composed originally in Syriac or Greek (disputed), probably at Edessa, in the early third century (ca. 200–250; confidence: approximate); the Greek text printed here is Bonnet's. Chapters 1–158 are the Acts; 159–170 are the martyrdom of Thomas.

Greek text: Bonnet 1903 (OCR text layer from the Internet Archive scan).English: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), public domain (CC0).

Chapter 89

89Lipsius–Bonnet, 99–291

«Χαρίσιος δὲ ὁ συγγενὴς Μισδαίου τοῦ βασιλέως λουσώμενος ἀνῆλθεν καὶ ἀνεκλέϑη δειπνῆσαι. ἐξήταζεν δὲ περὶ τῆς ἰδίας γαμετῆς ποῦ ἐστιν" οὐ γὰρ ἐληλύϑει dg ἀπώντησιν αὐτοῦ ἀπὸ τοῦ ἰδίου κοιτῶνος ὡς ἔϑος εἶχεν" αἱ δὲ ϑεραπαινίδαι αὐτῆς εἶπον αὐτῷʼ ἀνωμάλως ἔχει. Ὃ δὲ εἰσπηδηήσας εἰσηλϑεν εἰς τὸν κοιτῶνα καὶ εὗρεν αὐτὴν καταχειμένην εἰς τὴν κοίτην x«i ἐσκεπασμένην" καὶ ἀνακαλύψας αὐτὴν κατεφιλησεν αὐτὴν λέγων" Τίνος ἕνεκεν σήμερον περίλυπος εἶ; Ἢ δὲ εἶπεν: νωμάλως ἔχω. Ὃ δὲ λέγει πρὸς αὐτήν" Διὰ τί γὰρ σχῆμα οὐκ ἐποίησας τῆς σῆς ἐλευϑερίας καὶ ἔμεινας ἐν τῷ οἴχῳ σου, ἀλλ: ἀπελϑοῦσα κατήχουσας λόγων ματαίων xdi ἔργα μαγικὰ ἐϑεώσω,; ἀλλὰ ἀνάστα, συνδείπνησόν μοι" ἄνευ y&o σοῦ οὐ δύναμαι δειπνῆσαι. Ἣ δὲ εἶπεν πρὸς αὐτόν᾽ “Σήμερον παραιτοῦμαε" πάνυ γὰρ πεφόβημαι.

«Charisios de ho syngenēs Misdaiou tou basileōs lousōmenos anēlthen kai anekleϑē deipnēsai. exētazen de peri tēs idias gametēs pou estin" ou gar elēlyϑei dg apōntēsin autou apo tou idiou koitōnos hōs eϑos eichen" hai de ϑerapainidai autēs eipon autǭʼ anōmalōs echei. Ho de eispēdēēsas eisēlϑen eis ton koitōna kai heuren autēn katacheimenēn eis tēn koitēn x«i eskepasmenēn" kai anakalypsas autēn katephilēsen autēn legōn" Tinos heneken sēmeron perilypos ei? Ē de eipen: nōmalōs echō. Ho de legei pros autēn" Dia ti gar schēma ouk epoiēsas tēs sēs eleuϑerias kai emeinas en tǭ oichǭ sou, all: apelϑousa katēchousas logōn mataiōn xdi erga magika eϑeōsō,? alla anasta, syndeipnēson moi" aneu y&o sou ou dynamai deipnēsai. Hē de eipen pros auton᾽ “Sēmeron paraitoumae" pany gar pephobēmai.

Charisius, the kinsman of King Misdaeus, having bathed, came up and reclined to dine. He asked about his wife, where she was; for she had not come from her own chamber to meet him, as was her custom. Her maids said to him, "She is unwell." He hurried into the chamber and found her lying on the bed, covered up; and uncovering her he kissed her, saying, "Why are you so sad today?" She said, "I am unwell." He said to her, "Why, then, did you not keep the bearing of a free-born woman and stay in your house, instead of going off to listen to empty words and look at works of magic? But get up and dine with me, for I cannot dine without you." She said to him, "Today I must excuse myself, for I am very much afraid."

Notes and citation

Summary: Charisius finds Mygdonia in bed claiming illness, reproaches her for going to hear Thomas, and she refuses to dine with him.

Cite (SBL): Acts Thom. 89 (Lipsius–Bonnet, 99–291; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/acta-thomae/89/#p-89). (abbreviation not yet checked)

BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-acta-thomae-89) · Report an error

Translation: Translated by Claude from Bonnet's Greek (Lipsius–Bonnet, Acta apostolorum apocrypha 2.2, 1903), corrected for OCR slips by logged corrections; chapters 1–61 and 159–170 compared afterwards with ANF 8; the rest (incl. the colt act and passages ANF lacks) re-read against the Greek.

Chapter 90

90Lipsius–Bonnet, 99–291

Ταῦτα ἀκούσας ὁ Χαρίσιος παρὰ τῆς Μυγδονίας οὐχ ἠβουλήϑη ἐξελϑεῖν ἐπὶ τὸ δεῖπνον, ἀλλὰ παρεχελεύσατο τοῖς οἰκείοις αὐτοῦ ἵνα προσαγάγωσιν αὐτὴν συνδειπνῆσῳ αὐτῷ" εἰσαγαγόντων οὖν ἠξίουν αὐτὴν συνδειπνῆσαι αὐτῷ" j δὲ παρητεῖτο. μὴ βουληϑείσης οὖν αὐτῆς μόνος | ἐδείπνησεν λέγων αὐτῇ Διὰ σὲ παρητησώμην δειπνῆσαι παρὰ τῷ βασιλεῖ Μισδαίῳ, καὶ σὺ ovx ἠβουλήϑης συνδειπνῆσαί μοι; Ἢ δὲ ἔφη" Διὰ τὸ ἀνωμάλως με ἔχειν. ᾿Αναστὰς οὖν ὁ Χαρίσιος χατὰ τὸ εἰωθὸς ἐβούλετο συγκαϑεύδειν αὐτῇ ἣ δὲ ἔφη" Üvx εἶπόν σοι τὴν σήμερον πωραιτήσασϑαι;

Tauta akousas ho Charisios para tēs Mygdonias ouch ēboulēϑē exelϑein epi to deipnon, alla parecheleusato tois oikeiois autou hina prosagagōsin autēn syndeipnēsǭ autǭ" eisagagontōn oun ēxioun autēn syndeipnēsai autǭ" j de parēteito. mē boulēϑeisēs oun autēs monos | edeipnēsen legōn autę̄ Dia se parētēsōmēn deipnēsai para tǭ basilei Misdaiǭ, kai sy ovx ēboulēϑēs syndeipnēsai moi? Ē de ephē" Dia to anōmalōs me echein. ᾿Anastas oun ho Charisios chata to eiōthos ebouleto synkaϑeudein autę̄ hē de ephē" Uvx eipon soi tēn sēmeron pōraitēsasϑai?

When Charisius heard this from Mygdonia, he did not want to go out to dinner, but ordered his servants to bring her to dine with him. When they had brought her, they asked her to dine with him, but she declined. Since she would not, he dined alone, saying to her, "For your sake I declined to dine with King Misdaeus, and you would not dine with me?" She said, "Because I am unwell." So Charisius got up, as was usual, wishing to sleep with her; but she said, "Did I not tell you that today I must excuse myself?"

Notes and citation

Summary: Mygdonia refuses to dine or sleep with Charisius.

Topics: Marriage

Cite (SBL): Acts Thom. 90 (Lipsius–Bonnet, 99–291; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/acta-thomae/89/#p-90). (abbreviation not yet checked)

BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-acta-thomae-90) · Report an error

Chapter 91

91Lipsius–Bonnet, 99–291

Ταῦτα ἀκούσας ἀπελϑὼν εἰς ἄλλην χλίνην ἐχοιμηήϑη" ἐγερϑεὶς δὲ ix τοῦ ὕπνου εἶπεν. Κυρία μου Μυγδονία ἄκουσον τοῦ ὀνείρου τοῦ ὀφϑέντος μοι. εἶδον ἐμαυτὸν ἀναχεχλιμένον ἐγγὺς Μισδαίου τοῦ βασιλέως, καὶ παρέχειτο ἡμῖν πανδέχτης" καὶ εἶδον ἀετὸν χατελϑόντα ἀπ᾿ οὐρανοῦ καὶ ἁρπάσαντα «t ἔμπροσϑεν ἐμοῦ τε καὶ τοῦ βασιλέως δύο πέρδικας, oUg εἰσήνεγκεν εἰς τὴν ἑαυτοῦ καρδίαν: καὶ πάλιν ἐπέστη ἡμῖν περιιπτώμενος ἐπώνω ἡμῶν" o δὲ βασιλεὺς παρεχελεύσατο τό- o» w fov αὐτῷ ἀφεϑῆναι" ὁ δὲ ἀετὸς πάλιν ἥρπαξεν ἀπ᾿ ἔμπροσϑεν ἡμῶν περιστερὰν καὶ τρυγόνα. ὁ δὲ βασιλεὺς ἐξέπεμψεν χατ αὐτοῦ βέλος" καὶ διῆλθεν αὐτοῦ ἀπὸ πλευρᾶς εἰς πλευράν͵ καὶ οὐκ ἠδίκησεν αὐτόν: ὃ δὲ μηδὲν ὠδιχηϑεὶς ὑψοῦτο εἰς τὴν ἰδίαν καλιών. καὶ διυπνισϑεὶς ἐγοὺὸ ἔμφοβός εἰμι καὶ περίλυπος, διότι γευσάμενος ἤμην rOU πέρδιχος, καὶ οὐ συνεχωρησέν μοι ἔτι προσαγαγεῖν τῷ στόματί μου. 'H δὲ Muyδονία ἔφη πρὸς αὐτόν: Ὃ ὄνειρός cov καλός ἐστιν" σὺ γὰρ x40' ἡμέρων πέρδικας ἐσϑίεις, δὲ ἀετὸς οὗτος οὐκ ἣν γευσάμενος πέρδικος ἕως τοῦ νῦν.

Tauta akousas apelϑōn eis allēn chlinēn echoimēēϑē" egerϑeis de ix tou hypnou eipen. Kyria mou Mygdonia akouson tou oneirou tou ophϑentos moi. eidon emauton anachechlimenon engys Misdaiou tou basileōs, kai parecheito hēmin pandechtēs" kai eidon aeton chatelϑonta ap᾿ ouranou kai harpasanta «t emprosϑen emou te kai tou basileōs dyo perdikas, oUg eisēnenken eis tēn heautou kardian: kai palin epestē hēmin periiptōmenos epōnō hēmōn" o de basileus parecheleusato to- o» w fov autǭ apheϑēnai" ho de aetos palin hērpaxen ap᾿ emprosϑen hēmōn peristeran kai trygona. ho de basileus exepempsen chat autou belos" kai diēlthen autou apo pleuras eis pleuran͵ kai ouk ēdikēsen auton: ho de mēden ōdichēϑeis hypsouto eis tēn idian kaliōn. kai diypnisϑeis egouo emphobos eimi kai perilypos, dioti geusamenos ēmēn rOU perdichos, kai ou synechōrēsen moi eti prosagagein tǭ stomati mou. 'H de Muydonia ephē pros auton: Ho oneiros cov kalos estin" sy gar x40' hēmerōn perdikas esϑieis, de aetos houtos ouk hēn geusamenos perdikos heōs tou nyn.

Hearing this, he went away to another bed and slept. Waking from sleep, he said, "My lady Mygdonia, listen to the dream I saw. I saw myself reclining near King Misdaeus, and a table of every kind of food was set before us. And I saw an eagle come down from heaven and snatch from before me and the king two partridges, which it carried off to its own nest. And again it came over us, flying round above us. The king ordered a bow to be brought to him; and the eagle again snatched from before us a dove and a turtledove. The king shot an arrow at it, and it passed through it from side to side and did not harm it; and it, unharmed, rose up to its own nest. And waking, I am afraid and very sad, because I had tasted the partridge, and it did not let me bring it to my mouth again." Mygdonia said to him, "Your dream is good; for you eat partridges every day, but this eagle had not tasted a partridge until now."

Notes and citation

Summary: Charisius dreams that an eagle snatches partridges, a dove, and a turtledove from his table and escapes the king's arrow; Mygdonia calls the dream good.

"To its own nest": the scan text reads "to its own heart" (καρδίαν) at the first occurrence, probably a slip for καλιάν ("nest"), which stands later in the chapter; translated by sense.

Cite (SBL): Acts Thom. 91 (Lipsius–Bonnet, 99–291; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/acta-thomae/89/#p-91). (abbreviation not yet checked)

BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-acta-thomae-91) · Report an error

Chapter 92

92Lipsius–Bonnet, 99–291

ὍὌρϑρου δὲ γενομένου ἀπελϑὼν ὁ Χαρίσιος ἐνεδύσατο, καὶ τὸ ἀριστερὸν ὑπόδημα tig τὸν δεξιὸν πόδα ὑπεδήσατο. καὶ ἐπισχὼν εἶπεν πρὸς τὴν υγδονέαν: Ti ἄρα ἐστὶν τοῦτο τὸ πρᾶγμα; ἰδοὺ γὰρ ὁ ὄνειρος καὶ ἡ τούτου πρᾶξις. Ἡ δὲ Μυγδονία πρὸς αὐτὸν ἔφη" Καὶ τοῦτο αὐτὸ οὐχ ἐστὶν φαῦλον, ἀλλὰ κάλλιστόν μοι δοχεῖʼ ἀπὸ γὰρ φαύλου πράγματος εἰς τὸ χρεῖττον γενήσεται. Ὃ δὲ νιψάμενος τὰς χεῖρας εἰς ἀσπασμὸν Μισδαίου τοῦ βασιλέως ἀπήξει.

HoOrϑrou de genomenou apelϑōn ho Charisios enedysato, kai to aristeron hypodēma tig ton dexion poda hypedēsato. kai epischōn eipen pros tēn ygdonean: Ti ara estin touto to pragma? idou gar ho oneiros kai hē toutou praxis. Hē de Mygdonia pros auton ephē" Kai touto auto ouch estin phaulon, alla kalliston moi docheiʼ apo gar phaulou pragmatos eis to chreitton genēsetai. Ho de nipsamenos tas cheiras eis aspasmon Misdaiou tou basileōs apēxei.

When morning came, Charisius went and dressed, and put his left shoe on his right foot. And stopping, he said to Mygdonia, "What can this thing be? See, the dream, and now this happening." Mygdonia said to him, "This too is not bad, but seems to me very good; for from a bad thing it will turn to something better." He washed his hands and went off to greet King Misdaeus.

Notes and citation

Summary: Charisius takes a misplaced shoe as an ill omen; Mygdonia says it will turn out well.

Cite (SBL): Acts Thom. 92 (Lipsius–Bonnet, 99–291; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/acta-thomae/89/#p-92). (abbreviation not yet checked)

BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-acta-thomae-92) · Report an error

Chapter 93

93Lipsius–Bonnet, 99–291

Ὁμοίως δὲ x«i ἡ ΜΜυγδονία ὀρϑρίσασα ἀπήει εἰς ἀσπασμὸν ᾿Ιούδα Θωμᾶ τοῦ ἀποστόλου. χατέλαβεν δὲ αὐτὸν ὁμιλοῦντα μετὰ τοῦ στρατηλάτου καὶ τοῦ παντὸς ὄχλου" καὶ παρήνει αὐτοῖς λέγων περὶ τῆς γυναικὸς τῆς δεξαμένης τὸν κύριον ἐν τῇ αὐτῆς ψυχῆ, τίνος εἴη σύνοικος. τοῦ ψυχῆ" καὶ ὁ στρατηλάτης" Καὶ ὠρχιστρατηλάτου εἰπόντος ὅτι τίνος αὕτη γυνή; déy&i ὁ anoΓυνὴ ἔστιν Χαρισίου τοῦ συγ- στολος᾽ Χαρισίον συγγενοῦς γενοῦς Μισδαίου τοῦ fec ΜΜισδαίου τοῦ βασιλέως" Καὶ λέως, Καὶ ὅτι Ἐστὶν ἀνὴρ ὁ στρατηλάτης" Ὁ ἀνὴρ αὐτῆς ὠπόσχληρος καὶ πᾶν ὅ τι τῷ σκληρός ἔστιν καὶ εἴ τι δῶν βασιλεῖ εἴπη τούτῳ πείϑεται, καὶ τῷ βασιλεῖ εἴπῃ, πείϑεται Καὶ ὅτι Ov τούτῳ" ἀλλ οὐδὲ. συγχωρεῖ αὐτὴν παραμεῖναι τῇ γνώμῃ ταύτῃ ἡ ὡμολόγησεν" καὶ γὰρ πολλώκις ἐπὶ τοῦ βασιλέως ἐνεγκωμέωασεν αὐτήν, λέγων uj εἶναι ἄλλην τοιαύτην εἰς ἀγάπην. πώντα οὖν ὅσα ἂν δια: λεχϑῆς αὐτῇ ξένα αὐτῆς τυγχάνει. Εἶπεν δὲ ὁ ἀπόστολος" Li ἀληϑῶς καὶ βεβαίως ἀνέτειλεν ὁ χύριος εἰς τὴν ταύτης ψυχήν, καὶ προσεδέξατο τὸν χαταβληϑέντα σπόρον, οὔτε τῆς προσχαίρου ζωῆς φροντέδα ποιήσεται οὔτε τὸν ϑώνατον φοβὴηϑήσεται, oUtt Χαρίσιός τι ταύτην χαταβλάώψαι δυνήσηται" μείζων γώρ ἐστιν ἐχεῖνος ὃν ὑπεδέξατο εἰς τὴν ἰδίαν ψυχήν, εἰ ἀληϑῶς αὐτὸν ὑπεδέξατο.

Homoiōs de x«i hē MMygdonia orϑrisasa apēei eis aspasmon ᾿Iouda Thōma tou apostolou. chatelaben de auton homilounta meta tou stratēlatou kai tou pantos ochlou" kai parēnei autois legōn peri tēs gynaikos tēs dexamenēs ton kyrion en tę̄ autēs psychē, tinos eiē synoikos. tou psychē" kai ho stratēlatēs" Kai ōrchistratēlatou eipontos hoti tinos hautē gynē? dey&i ho anoGynē estin Charisiou tou syg- stolos᾽ Charision syngenous genous Misdaiou tou fec MMisdaiou tou basileōs" Kai leōs, Kai hoti Estin anēr ho stratēlatēs" Ho anēr autēs ōposchlēros kai pan ho ti tǭ sklēros estin kai ei ti dōn basilei eipē toutǭ peiϑetai, kai tǭ basilei eipę̄, peiϑetai Kai hoti Ov toutǭ" all oude. synchōrei autēn parameinai tę̄ gnōmę̄ tautę̄ hē hōmologēsen" kai gar pollōkis epi tou basileōs enenkōmeōasen autēn, legōn uj einai allēn toiautēn eis agapēn. pōnta oun hosa an dia: lechϑēs autę̄ xena autēs tynchanei. Eipen de ho apostolos" Li alēϑōs kai bebaiōs aneteilen ho chyrios eis tēn tautēs psychēn, kai prosedexato ton chatablēϑenta sporon, oute tēs proschairou zōēs phronteda poiēsetai oute ton ϑōnaton phobēēϑēsetai, oUtt Charisios ti tautēn chatablaōpsai dynēsētai" meizōn gōr estin echeinos hon hypedexato eis tēn idian psychēn, ei alēϑōs auton hypedexato.

Likewise Mygdonia too rose early and went to greet Judas Thomas the apostle. She found him talking with the captain and all the crowd; and he was exhorting them, speaking about the woman who had received the Lord in her soul, and asking whose wife she was. The captain said, "She is the wife of Charisius, the kinsman of King Misdaeus; and her husband is very harsh, and whatever he says to the king, the king obeys him. He will not allow her to remain in this mind which she has confessed; for he has often praised her before the king, saying there is no other woman like her for love. So everything you discuss with her is foreign to her." The apostle said, "If the Lord has truly and firmly dawned in her soul, and she has received the seed that was sown, she will neither take thought for this temporary life nor fear death, nor will Charisius be able to harm her at all; for greater is he whom she has received into her own soul, if she has truly received him."

Mark 4:20 (echo, low confidence) · 1 John 4:4 (echo, medium confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: The captain warns Thomas that Mygdonia's husband is harsh and powerful; Thomas answers that if Christ has truly dawned in her, she will fear nothing.

The scan text again interleaves two of Bonnet's columns in this chapter (the second form has the apostle ask and the "chief captain" answer); the translation follows the main text. A piece of Bonnet's apparatus printed in the text is removed. The seed echoes Mark 4:20; "greater is he" 1 John 4:4.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (apparatus leaked into the text): 3 ὑπεδύσατο P || ? π. τ. μυγδ. εἶπεν P | τοῦτό ἐστιν P | * ὁ ὦν. → .

Cite (SBL): Acts Thom. 93 (Lipsius–Bonnet, 99–291; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/acta-thomae/89/#p-93). (abbreviation not yet checked)

BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-acta-thomae-93) · Report an error

Chapter 94

94Lipsius–Bonnet, 99–291

Ταῦτα δὲ ἀκούσασα Ζυγδονία εἶπεν τῷ ἀποστόλῳ" ὅ ληϑῶς κύριέ μου ἐδεξάμην τῶν σῶν λόγων τὸν σπύρον, καὶ χαρποὺς ἐοικότας τοῦ τοιούτου σπόρου ἀποχυήσω. “1ἐγει ὁ ἀπόστολος" ᾿Εξομολογοῦνταί σοι κύριε καὶ εὐχαριστοῦσιν αἱ ψυχαί" γὰρ αὗται σοὶ ὑπάρχουσιν" εὐχαριστοῦσίν σοι τὰ σώματα & κατηξίωσας γενέσϑαι οἰκητήρια τῆς δωρεᾶς σου τῆς ἐπουρανίου. Εἶπεν δὲ καὶ πᾶσιν τοῖς παρεστῶσιν" Μαχάριοι οἱ ἅγιοι ὧν αἱ ψυχαὶ οὐδέποτε ἑαυτῶν κατέγνωσαν" ταύτας γὰρ κτησάμενοι οὐ διαιροῦνται χαϑʼ ἑαυτῶν" μακάώρια τὰ πνεύματα τῶν ἁγέων τὰ καὶ ὁλόκληρον τὸν ἐπουρώνιον δεξώμενα στέφανον ἀπὸ τοῦ προσταχϑέντος αὐτοῖς αἰῶνος" μα- χώρια τὰ σώματα τῶν ἁγίων, ὅτι κατηξιώϑησαν ναοὶ ϑεοῦ γενέσϑ)αι, ἵνα Χριστὸς ἐνοικήση ἐν αὐτοῖς" μαχάώριοί ἔστε ὅτι ἐξουσίαν ἔχετε ἀφιέναι ἁμαρτέας" μακώριοί ἐστε ἐὼν τὸ παραδοϑὲν ὑμῖν μὴ ἀπολέσητε ἀλλὰ χαίροντες καὶ ἀπιόντες GUVGγαφέρητε ἑαυτοῖς τοῦτο. μακάριοί ἔστε οἱ ἅγιοι, ὅτι ὑμῖν δέδοται αἰτῆσαι καὶ λαβεῖν. μαχάριοί ἐστε οἱ πραεῖς, ὅτι ὑμᾶς χατηξίωσεν ὁ ϑεὸς χληρονόμους γενέσϑαι τῆς βασιλείας τῆς ἐπουρανίου. μακάριοί ἔστε οἱ πραεῖς" ὑμεῖς γάρ ἔστε οἱ νικήσαντες τὸν πονηρόν. μαχώριοί ἐστε οἱ πραεῖς, ὅτι ὑμεῖς ὄψεσϑε τὸ πρόσωπον τοῦ κυρίου. μακάριοί ἔστε οἱ πεινῶντες ἕνεχεν χυρίου, ὅτι ὑμῖν τετήρηται ἡ ἀνάπαυσις" ὧν καὶ αἱ wvyai ἀπὸ νῦν ἀγαλλιῶνται. μαχάριοέ ἐστε οἱ ἡσύχιοι τὴς ἁμαρτίας καὶ τῆς ἀμοιβῆς τῶν ζωντων καϑαρῶν καὶ τῶν ἀχαϑάρτων ἀπαλλαγῆναι. Ταῦτα εἰπόντος τοῦ ἀποστόλου παντὸς τοῦ OyAov ὠκούοντος ἡ Μυγδονέα μᾶλλον ἐστηρίζετο rj πίστει καὶ τῇ δόξῃ καὶ τῇ μεγαλειότητι τοῦ Χριστοῦ.

Tauta de akousasa Zygdonia eipen tǭ apostolǭ" ho lēϑōs kyrie mou edexamēn tōn sōn logōn ton spyron, kai charpous eoikotas tou toioutou sporou apochyēsō. “1egei ho apostolos" ᾿Exomologountai soi kyrie kai eucharistousin hai psychai" gar hautai soi hyparchousin" eucharistousin soi ta sōmata & katēxiōsas genesϑai oikētēria tēs dōreas sou tēs epouraniou. Eipen de kai pasin tois parestōsin" Macharioi hoi hagioi hōn hai psychai oudepote heautōn kategnōsan" tautas gar ktēsamenoi ou diairountai chaϑʼ heautōn" makaōria ta pneumata tōn hageōn ta kai holoklēron ton epourōnion dexōmena stephanon apo tou prostachϑentos autois aiōnos" ma- chōria ta sōmata tōn hagiōn, hoti katēxiōϑēsan naoi ϑeou genesϑ)ai, hina Christos enoikēsē en autois" machaōrioi este hoti exousian echete aphienai hamarteas" makōrioi este eōn to paradoϑen hymin mē apolesēte alla chairontes kai apiontes GUVGgapherēte heautois touto. makarioi este hoi hagioi, hoti hymin dedotai aitēsai kai labein. macharioi este hoi praeis, hoti hymas chatēxiōsen ho ϑeos chlēronomous genesϑai tēs basileias tēs epouraniou. makarioi este hoi praeis" hymeis gar este hoi nikēsantes ton ponēron. machōrioi este hoi praeis, hoti hymeis opsesϑe to prosōpon tou kyriou. makarioi este hoi peinōntes henechen chyriou, hoti hymin tetērētai hē anapausis" hōn kai hai wvyai apo nyn agalliōntai. macharioe este hoi hēsychioi tēs hamartias kai tēs amoibēs tōn zōntōn kaϑarōn kai tōn achaϑartōn apallagēnai. Tauta eipontos tou apostolou pantos tou OyAov ōkouontos hē Mygdonea mallon estērizeto rj pistei kai tę̄ doxę̄ kai tę̄ megaleiotēti tou Christou.

Hearing this, Mygdonia said to the apostle, "Truly, my lord, I have received the seed of your words, and I will bring forth fruits like such seed." The apostle said, "The souls confess you, Lord, and give thanks, for they are yours; the bodies give you thanks, which you have counted worthy to become dwellings of your heavenly gift." And he said to all who stood by: "Blessed are the holy, whose souls have never condemned themselves; for having gained them they are not divided against themselves. Blessed are the spirits of the holy, which have received the heavenly crown entire from the age appointed for them. Blessed are the bodies of the holy, because they have been counted worthy to become temples of God, that Christ may dwell in them. Blessed are you, because you have authority to forgive sins. Blessed are you if you do not lose what has been entrusted to you, but rejoicing and going your way carry it with you. Blessed are you, the holy, because to you it is given to ask and to receive. Blessed are you, the gentle, because God has counted you worthy to become heirs of the heavenly kingdom. Blessed are you, the gentle, for you are those who have conquered the evil one. Blessed are you, the gentle, because you will see the face of the Lord. Blessed are you who hunger for the Lord's sake, because rest is kept for you, and your souls rejoice from now on. Blessed are you, the quiet, … to be freed from sin and from the recompense …." When the apostle had said this, as all the crowd listened, Mygdonia was the more established in the faith and in the glory and majesty of Christ.

Matt 5:5 (echo, high confidence) · John 20:23 (echo, medium confidence) · 1 Cor 6:19 (echo, medium confidence) · Matt 7:7 (echo, low confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Mygdonia accepts Thomas's word, and he pronounces beatitudes on the holy, the gentle, and those who hunger for the Lord.

The beatitudes echo Matt 5:3–10; "authority to forgive sins" echoes John 20:23; temples of God, 1 Cor 6:19. The last beatitude is garbled in the scan text ("…").

Topics: Marriage

Cite (SBL): Acts Thom. 94 (Lipsius–Bonnet, 99–291; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/acta-thomae/89/#p-94). (abbreviation not yet checked)

BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-acta-thomae-94) · Report an error

Chapter 95

95Lipsius–Bonnet, 99–291

Χαρίσιος δὲ ὁ τοῦ βασιλέως συγγενής τε καὶ φίλος ἤλϑεν ἐπὶ τὸ ἄριστον καὶ οὐχ εὗρεν αὐτοῦ τὴν γαμετὴν ἐν τῇ οἰκίᾳ" καὶ ἐξήταζεν πάντας ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ αὐτοῦ" Ποῦ ami ϑὲν ἡ δέσποινα ὑμῶν, Ηποχριϑεὶς δὲ εἷς ἐξ αὐτῶν εἶπεν ὅτι Πρὸς τὸν ξένον ἐχεῖνον ἀπῆλϑεν. Ὃ δὲ ταῦτα ἀκούσας παρὰ τοῦ δούλου αὐτοῦ ἠἡγανάχτησεν πρὸς τοὺς λοιποὺς αὐτοῦ οἰχείους, ὅτι οὐχ εὐϑὺς αὐτῷ ἀνήγγειλαν τὸ γεγονός" καὶ χαϑεσϑεὶς ταύτην ἐξεδέχετο. ἑσπέρας δὲ γενομένης εἰσιούσης αὐτῆς ἐν τῷ οἴχῳ εἶπεν αὐτῇ Ποῦ ἧς; Ἢ δὲ ἀποχριϑεῖσα εἶπεν" Εἰς τὸν ἰατρόν. Ὃ δὲ εἶπεν" ᾿Εχεῖνος ὁ ξένος ἱατρύς ἐστιν; Ἢ δὲ εἶπεν" IVa, ἰατρός ἐστιν ψυχῶν" οἱ γὰρ πολλοὶ τῶν ἰατρῶν σώματα ἰατρεύουσιν τὰ λυύόμενα, οὗτος δὲ ψυχὰς τὰς μὴ φϑειρομένας. | Ταῦτα ἀκούσας ὁ Χαρίσιος πάνυ ἐν ἑαυτῷ ἐχαλέπαινεν πρὸς τὴν MuyOovíav διὰ τὸν ἀπόστολον" οὐδὲν δὲ ἀπεχρίνατο αὐτῇ φοβούμενος" βελτίω γὰρ αὐτοῦ ὑπῆρχεν καὶ τῷ πλούτῳ καὶ τῇ γνώμῃ" ἀπῆλϑεν δὲ ἐπὶ τὸ δεῖπνον, αὐτὴ δὲ εἰς τὸν κοιτῶνα αὐτῆς εἰσήει. ὃ δὲ εἶπεν τοῖς οἰχέταις" Καλέσατε αὐτὴν ἐπὶ τὸ δεῖπνον. Ἢ δὲ οὐχ ἐβούλετο.

Charisios de ho tou basileōs syngenēs te kai philos ēlϑen epi to ariston kai ouch heuren autou tēn gametēn en tę̄ oikią" kai exētazen pantas en tǭ oikǭ autou" Pou ami ϑen hē despoina hymōn, Ēpochriϑeis de heis ex autōn eipen hoti Pros ton xenon echeinon apēlϑen. Ho de tauta akousas para tou doulou autou hēēganachtēsen pros tous loipous autou oicheious, hoti ouch euϑys autǭ anēngeilan to gegonos" kai chaϑesϑeis tautēn exedecheto. hesperas de genomenēs eisiousēs autēs en tǭ oichǭ eipen autę̄ Pou hēs? Ē de apochriϑeisa eipen" Eis ton iatron. Ho de eipen" ᾿Echeinos ho xenos hiatrys estin? Ē de eipen" IVa, iatros estin psychōn" hoi gar polloi tōn iatrōn sōmata iatreuousin ta lyyomena, houtos de psychas tas mē phϑeiromenas. | Tauta akousas ho Charisios pany en heautǭ echalepainen pros tēn MuyOoviav dia ton apostolon" ouden de apechrinato autę̄ phoboumenos" beltiō gar autou hypērchen kai tǭ ploutǭ kai tę̄ gnōmę̄" apēlϑen de epi to deipnon, autē de eis ton koitōna autēs eisēei. ho de eipen tois oichetais" Kalesate autēn epi to deipnon. Ē de ouch ebouleto.

Charisius, the king's kinsman and friend, came to lunch and did not find his wife in the house; and he questioned everyone in his house: "Where has your mistress gone?" One of them answered, "She has gone to that stranger." When he heard this from his slave, he was indignant with the rest of his household because they had not told him at once what had happened; and he sat down and waited for her. When evening came and she came into the house, he said to her, "Where were you?" She answered, "At the physician's." He said, "Is that stranger a physician?" She said, "Yes, he is a physician of souls; for most physicians heal bodies, which are dissolved, but he heals souls, which do not perish." Hearing this, Charisius was very angry in himself with Mygdonia because of the apostle; but he gave her no answer, for he was afraid, since she was superior to him both in wealth and in understanding. He went off to dinner, and she went into her chamber. He said to the servants, "Call her to dinner." But she would not come.

Notes and citation

Summary: Mygdonia tells Charisius she has been to a physician of souls; he is angry but afraid to answer her.

Cite (SBL): Acts Thom. 95 (Lipsius–Bonnet, 99–291; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/acta-thomae/89/#p-95). (abbreviation not yet checked)

BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-acta-thomae-95) · Report an error

Chapter 96

96Lipsius–Bonnet, 99–291

χούσας δὲ ὅτι οὐ βούλεται ἐξελϑεῖν ἀπὸ τοῦ χοιτῶνος, εἰσελϑὼν εἶπεν αὐτῇ" {Τίνος ἕνεκεν οὐ βούλει συν- δειπνῆσαί μοι; τάχα δὲ οὐδὲ συγχαϑευδῆσαι χατὰ τὸ εἰωϑός; καὶ περὶ τούτου μείζονα τὴν ὑποψίων ἔχω" ἤκουσα γὰρ ὅτι ὁ μάγος ἐκεῖνος καὶ πλάνος τοῦτο διδάσκει, ἵνα μή τες συνοxjoy γυναιχὶ ἰδίᾳ, καὶ ὃ ἡ φύσες ἀπαιτεῖν οἷδεν καὶ ἡ ϑεότης ἐνομοϑέτησεν αὐτὸς ἀνατρέπει. Ταῦτα εἰπόντος τοῦ Χαρι- σίου ἡ Μυγδονία ἡσύχαζεν. λέγει πάλιν πρὸς αὐτὴν: Κυρίκχ Ἢ μου καὶ σύμβιέ μου υγδονία μὴ πλανῶ λόγοις ἁπατηλοῖς καὶ ματαίοις, μηδὲ τοῖς ἔργοις τῆς μαγείας οἷς ἤκουσα τοῦTOV διαπραττόμενον eig ὄνομα πατρὸς υἱοῦ καὶ ἁγίου πνεύματος" οὐ γὰρ ἠκούσϑη ποτὲ ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ τούτῳ ὅτι νεχρόν τις ἤγειρεν" ὡς δὲ ἀκούω τὼ περὶ τούτου φημιζόμενα ὅτι γεχροὺς ἐγείρει. καὶ ὅτι οὐδὲ ἐσϑίει οὐτε πίνει, μὴ οὖν νομίσης ὅτι διὰ διχαιοσύνην οὔτε ἐσϑίει οὔτε πίνει" τοῦτο δὲ ποιεῖ διὰ τὸ μηδὲν κεχτῆσϑαι αὐτόν" τί γὰρ ἂν ποιήσειεν ὃς οὐδὲ τὸν ἡμερήσιον ἄρτον ἔχει; καὶ ἕν ἔνδυμα ἔχει διὰ τὸ πένητα εἶναι αὐτόν" τὸ δὲ μὴ λαμβάνειν παρά τινός τι συγγινώσκων ἑαυτὸν τοῦ ϑερα- — καὶ τοῦτο πάντως αὐτῷ i000; πεύειν. συνηϑεια. a ἄνα μὲ

chousas de hoti ou bouletai exelϑein apo tou choitōnos, eiselϑōn eipen autę̄" {Tinos heneken ou boulei syn- deipnēsai moi? tacha de oude synchaϑeudēsai chata to eiōϑos? kai peri toutou meizona tēn hypopsiōn echō" ēkousa gar hoti ho magos ekeinos kai planos touto didaskei, hina mē tes synoxjoy gynaichi idią, kai ho hē physes apaitein hoiden kai hē ϑeotēs enomoϑetēsen autos anatrepei. Tauta eipontos tou Chari- siou hē Mygdonia hēsychazen. legei palin pros autēn: Kyrikch Ē mou kai symbie mou ygdonia mē planō logois hapatēlois kai mataiois, mēde tois ergois tēs mageias hois ēkousa touTOV diaprattomenon eig onoma patros huiou kai hagiou pneumatos" ou gar ēkousϑē pote en tǭ kosmǭ toutǭ hoti nechron tis ēgeiren" hōs de akouō tō peri toutou phēmizomena hoti gechrous egeirei. kai hoti oude esϑiei oute pinei, mē oun nomisēs hoti dia dichaiosynēn oute esϑiei oute pinei" touto de poiei dia to mēden kechtēsϑai auton" ti gar an poiēseien hos oude ton hēmerēsion arton echei? kai hen endyma echei dia to penēta einai auton" to de mē lambanein para tinos ti synginōskōn heauton tou ϑera- — kai touto pantōs autǭ i000? peuein. synēϑeia. a ana me

Hearing that she would not come out of the chamber, he went in and said to her, "Why will you not dine with me? And perhaps you will not sleep with me either, as usual? About this I have the greater suspicion; for I have heard that that magician and deceiver teaches this: that a man should not live with his own wife; and he overturns what nature knows how to require and what the deity has laid down by law." When Charisius had said this, Mygdonia was silent. He said to her again, "My lady and my consort Mygdonia, do not be led astray by deceitful and vain words, nor by the works of magic which I have heard he performs in the name of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. For it has never been heard in this world that anyone raised the dead; and as for what I hear rumored about him, that he raises the dead, and that he neither eats nor drinks — do not think that it is from righteousness that he neither eats nor drinks; he does this because he possesses nothing. For what could a man do who has not even his daily bread? And he has one garment because he is poor; and as for his taking nothing from anyone, … he knows within himself … healing."

Notes and citation

Summary: Charisius accuses Thomas of teaching that husbands should not live with their wives and dismisses his asceticism as mere poverty.

The end of Charisius's speech is garbled in the scan text ("…").

Topics: Marriage

Cite (SBL): Acts Thom. 96 (Lipsius–Bonnet, 99–291; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/acta-thomae/89/#p-96). (abbreviation not yet checked)

BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-acta-thomae-96) · Report an error

Chapter 97

97Lipsius–Bonnet, 99–291

Ταῦτα δὲ τοῦ Χαρισίου εἰπόντος ἡ Μυγδονία ὥσπερ ny ut πέτρα Tig ἡσύχαζεν" ηὔχετο δὲ πότε διαφαύσει, ἵνα ἀπέλϑη ὃς; in πρὸς τὸν ἀπύστολον TOU Χριστοῦ" ἀναχωρεῖ δὲ ἀπʼ αὐτῆς, xdi jut x ἀπέρχεται ἐπὶ TO δεῖπνον ἀϑυμῶν" ἐμερίμνα γὰρ xara τὸ tj tgo ἔϑος συγκαϑευδῆσαι αὐτῇ. ἐξελϑόντος δὲ ixuvov xÀivaca τὰ γόνατα ηΐἴχετο λέγουσα Κύριε ϑεὲ δέσποτα, πατὴρ ἐλεημων, σωτὴρ Χριστέ, σὺ δὸς μοι δύναμιν ἵνα νιχήσω τὴν ἀναί10 δειαν Χαρισίου, καὶ παράσχου μοι φυλάξαι τὴν ἀγεωσύνην εἰς ἣν σὺ χαίρεις, ἵνα κἀγὼ δι᾿ αὐτῆς εὕρω ζωὴν αἰώνιον. τὰς χει X τῆς au Ταῦτα δὲ εὐξαμένης αὐτῆς ἔϑηχεν ἑαυτὴν ἐπὶ τὴν xvj "rs - d τ ὃ δὲ σχεπασϑεῖσα. tig ὦ W

Tauta de tou Charisiou eipontos hē Mygdonia hōsper ny ut petra Tig hēsychazen" ēucheto de pote diaphausei, hina apelϑē hos? in pros ton apystolon TOU Christou" anachōrei de apʼ autēs, xdi jut x aperchetai epi TO deipnon aϑymōn" emerimna gar xara to tj tgo eϑos synkaϑeudēsai autę̄. exelϑontos de ixuvov xAivaca ta gonata ēïicheto legousa Kyrie ϑee despota, patēr eleēmōn, sōtēr Christe, sy dos moi dynamin hina nichēsō tēn anai10 deian Charisiou, kai paraschou moi phylaxai tēn ageōsynēn eis hēn sy chaireis, hina kagō di᾿ autēs heurō zōēn aiōnion. tas chei X tēs au Tauta de euxamenēs autēs eϑēchen heautēn epi tēn xvj "rs - d t ho de schepasϑeisa. tig ō W

When Charisius had said this, Mygdonia was silent like a stone; but she prayed for the dawn to come, so that she might go to the apostle of Christ. He withdrew from her and went to dinner disheartened, for he was anxious to sleep with her as usual. When he had gone out, she bent her knees and prayed, saying, "Lord God, Master, merciful Father, Savior Christ, give me strength to overcome the shamelessness of Charisius, and grant me to keep the holiness in which you rejoice, so that I too through it may find eternal life." Having prayed thus, she laid herself on the bed, covered up.

Notes and citation

Summary: Mygdonia prays for strength to keep her chastity against Charisius.

"Holiness" (ἁγιωσύνη) here means chastity, as in chapters 84–86.

Topics: Prayer, Marriage

Cite (SBL): Acts Thom. 97 (Lipsius–Bonnet, 99–291; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/acta-thomae/89/#p-97). (abbreviation not yet checked)

BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-acta-thomae-97) · Report an error

Chapter 98

98Lipsius–Bonnet, 99–291

Ὁ δὲ Χαρίσιος δειπνήσας ἐπέστη αὐτῇ" αὐτὴ δὲ ἐβόα lime φήμην ἤκουσα καὶ ἐπίστευσα, σὺ ἐλϑὲ εἰς τὴν βοήϑειών μου, καὶ ῥῦσαί μὲ ἀπὸ τῆς ἀναισχυντίας Χαρισίου, ὥστε μὴ κατεξουσιάσῃ μου ἡ τούτου μιαρότης. Καὶ τύψασα ἑαυτῆς τὰς χεῖρας ἔφυγεν ἀπ᾿ αὐτοῦ γυμνή" καὶ ἐξιοῦσα κατέσπασεν τὸ βῆλον τοῦ κοιτῶνος, καὶ τοῦτο περιβαλομένη ἀπήει πρὸς τὴν ὅ ἑαυτῆς τροφόν, κἀχεῖ παρ᾽ αὐτῇ ὕπνωσεν.

Ho de Charisios deipnēsas epestē autę̄" autē de eboa lime phēmēn ēkousa kai episteusa, sy elϑe eis tēn boēϑeiōn mou, kai rhysai me apo tēs anaischyntias Charisiou, hōste mē katexousiasę̄ mou hē toutou miarotēs. Kai typsasa heautēs tas cheiras ephygen ap᾿ autou gymnē" kai exiousa katespasen to bēlon tou koitōnos, kai touto peribalomenē apēei pros tēn ho heautēs trophon, kachei par᾽ autę̄ hypnōsen.

Charisius, having dined, came to her; but she cried out, "… whose fame I heard and believed, come to my help, and rescue me from the shamelessness of Charisius, so that his foulness may not overpower me." And striking her hands together, she fled from him naked; and as she went out she pulled down the curtain of the chamber, and wrapping it around herself she went to her nurse and slept there with her.

Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.

Notes and citation

Summary: When Charisius comes to her, Mygdonia cries to the Lord for help and flees to her nurse wrapped in a curtain.

The beginning of Mygdonia's cry (probably the invocation of Jesus) is lost in the scan text ("…").

Topics: Marriage

Cite (SBL): Acts Thom. 98 (Lipsius–Bonnet, 99–291; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/acta-thomae/89/#p-98). (abbreviation not yet checked)

BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-acta-thomae-98) · Report an error

Chapter 99

99Lipsius–Bonnet, 99–291

Ὁ δὲ Χαρίσιος δι᾿ ὅλης τῆς νυχτὸς ἐν ἀϑυμίᾳ ὑπῇρχεν, τὼς χεῖρας αὐτοῦ πατάσσων κατὰ τῆς ὄψεως" ἐβούλετο δὲ αὐτῇ τῇ ὥρᾳ ἀπελϑεῖν καὶ ὠνενέγχαι τῷ βασιλεῖ περὶ τῆς βίας τῆς περιστάσης αὐτῷ" ἐνεϑυμεῖτο δὲ ἐν ἑαυτῷ λέγων" Eàv ἡ πολλὴ ἀϑυμία ἡ περὶ ἐμὲ οὖσα ἀναγκάσῃ μὲ ἀπελϑεῖν 98ι ἡ ἄρτε πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα, τίς εἰσφέρει μὲ εἰς αὐτόν; ἐγὼ γὰρ ἐπίσταμαι ὅτι ἡ ἐμὴ κακηγορία xerécrotwér ἢἡ ἀλαζονεία καὶ ἡ ὑπερηφαμὲ τῆς ὑψαυχενίας μου καὶ viu μου εἰς ταύτην ἤγαγέ με τῆς ἀλαζονείας καὶ τῆς utyu- τὴν ἀτιμίαν ἵνα ἡ ἀδελφή λωσύνης καὶ εἰς ταύτην μὲ μου MvyÓovíeg τὴν εἰς ὠλλητὴν σμικρότητα κατέβαλεν καὶ — Àovg κοινωνίαν ἀρνησαμένη τὴν ἀδελφήν μον MvyÓovíav ἀφήσει με" ἀπεχώρισεν ἀπ᾽ ἐμοῦ, εἰ καὶ αὐτὸς ὁ βασιλεὺς πρὸ τῶν ϑυρῶν εἰστήχει τῇ ὥρᾳ ταύτῃ, οὐκ ἂν ἐξελϑὼν ἀπόχρισιν αὐτῷ ἔδωκα. ἀλλ᾽ ἀναμείνω ἕως ὅτε διαφαύσει" οἷδα δὲ ὅτι εἰ τι ἂν αἰτήσω τὸν βασιλέα παρέχει μοι. ἐρῶ δὲ περὶ τῆς μανίας τοῦ ξένου ἐχείνου, ἥτις τυραννίδι χρησάμενος καταβάλλει τοὺς μεκγώ- λους καὶ ἐπισήμους tig βάϑος. οὐ ydp τοῦτό με λυπεῖ ὅτι ἐστερήϑην τῆς κοινωνίας αὐτῆς, ἀλλὰ περὶ αὐτῆς λυποῦμαι, ὅτε ἡ παμμεγέϑης ψυχὴ αὐτῆς ἠλαττώϑη. γυνὴ εὐσχήμων οὖσα, ἣν οὐδείς ποτε τῶν οἰκείων χατέγνω, γυμνὴ ἔφυγεν ἀπὸ τοῦ ἰδίου κοιτῶνος ἔξω τρέχουσα᾽ καὶ οὐκ οἷδα noi ἀνεχώρησεν" καὶ τάχα ἐμμανὴς γενομένη ὑπὸ τοῦ φαρμακοῦ ἐχείνου μανεῖσα tig τὴν ἀγορὼν ἐξῆλϑεν ζητοῦσα ἐχεῖνον" οὔτε γώρ τι ἐρώσμιον αὐτῇ φαίνεται ἀλλ᾽ ἐχεῖνος xui τὰ ὑπ᾽ αὐτοῦ λεχϑέντα.

Ho de Charisios di᾿ holēs tēs nychtos en aϑymią hypę̄rchen, tōs cheiras autou patassōn kata tēs opseōs" ebouleto de autę̄ tę̄ hōrą apelϑein kai ōnenenchai tǭ basilei peri tēs bias tēs peristasēs autǭ" eneϑymeito de en heautǭ legōn" Eav hē pollē aϑymia hē peri eme ousa anankasę̄ me apelϑein 98i hē arte pros ton basilea, tis eispherei me eis auton? egō gar epistamai hoti hē emē kakēgoria xerecrotwer hēē alazoneia kai hē hyperēphame tēs hypsauchenias mou kai viu mou eis tautēn ēgage me tēs alazoneias kai tēs utyu- tēn atimian hina hē adelphē lōsynēs kai eis tautēn me mou MvyOovieg tēn eis ōllētēn smikrotēta katebalen kai — Aovg koinōnian arnēsamenē tēn adelphēn mon MvyOoviav aphēsei me" apechōrisen ap᾽ emou, ei kai autos ho basileus pro tōn ϑyrōn eistēchei tę̄ hōrą tautę̄, ouk an exelϑōn apochrisin autǭ edōka. all᾽ anameinō heōs hote diaphausei" hoida de hoti ei ti an aitēsō ton basilea parechei moi. erō de peri tēs manias tou xenou echeinou, hētis tyrannidi chrēsamenos kataballei tous mekgō- lous kai episēmous tig baϑos. ou ydp touto me lypei hoti esterēϑēn tēs koinōnias autēs, alla peri autēs lypoumai, hote hē pammegeϑēs psychē autēs ēlattōϑē. gynē euschēmōn ousa, hēn oudeis pote tōn oikeiōn chategnō, gymnē ephygen apo tou idiou koitōnos exō trechousa᾽ kai ouk hoida noi anechōrēsen" kai tacha emmanēs genomenē hypo tou pharmakou echeinou maneisa tig tēn agorōn exēlϑen zētousa echeinon" oute gōr ti erōsmion autę̄ phainetai all᾽ echeinos xui ta hyp᾽ autou lechϑenta.

Charisius spent the whole night in despondency, striking his face with his hands. He wanted to go at that very hour and report to the king about the violence that had befallen him; but he reflected within himself, saying, "If the great despondency that is upon me forces me to go now to the king, who will bring me in to him? For I know that my arrogance and the pride of my haughtiness have brought me to this dishonor, so that my sister Mygdonia, renouncing our union with one another, has left me. Even if the king himself stood before my doors at this hour, I would not go out and give him an answer. But I will wait until it dawns; and I know that whatever I ask of the king, he grants me. I will tell him of the madness of that stranger, who, using tyranny, throws down the great and eminent into the depths. For it is not this that grieves me, that I have been deprived of her company; but I grieve for her, that her very great soul has been brought low. A woman of decorum, whom none of the household ever blamed, has fled naked from her own chamber, running outside; and I do not know where she has gone. Perhaps, driven mad by that sorcerer, in her madness she has gone out into the market place looking for him; for nothing seems lovely to her except him and what he says."

Notes and citation

Summary: Charisius spends the night in grief, resolves to complain to the king at dawn, and laments that the stranger has turned Mygdonia's mind.

The scan text again runs Bonnet's two columns together in this chapter and the next (a second form: "my slander has overthrown me from my pride and greatness and cast me down into this lowliness, and separated my sister Mygdonia from me"); the translation follows the main text by sense. "My sister" is a term of endearment for his wife.

Cite (SBL): Acts Thom. 99 (Lipsius–Bonnet, 99–291; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/acta-thomae/89/#p-99). (abbreviation not yet checked)

BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-acta-thomae-99) · Report an error

Chapter 100

100Lipsius–Bonnet, 99–291

Καὶ ταῦτα εἰπὼν ἤρξατο ὀδυρόμενος λέγειν" Οὐαί μοι σύμβιε, ἔπειτα καὶ σοί" ἐστερήϑην ydo σου τάχιον. οὐαί μοι προσφιλεστάτη" παντὸς γὰρ τοῦ γένους μου βελτίων ὑπάρχεις" οὔτε υἱὸν οὔτε | ϑυγατέρα ἐκ σοῦ ἔσχον ἵνα in αὐτοῖς ἐπαναπαύσωμαι" οὐδὲ πλήρης ἐνιαυτὸν συνῴχησάς μοι, βάσκανος δὲ ὀρϑαλμὸς ἀφήρ- ποῖος δὲ τοῦτο βάσχανος πεπασέν σὲ ἀπ᾽ ἐμοῦ" ὡς εἴϑε ποίηκεν ὀφϑαλμός; ποῖος ποἡ τοῦ ϑανάτου βία εἰλήφει νηρὸς τοῦτο γενέσϑαι παρέ: ἄν σε, καὶ κατειηφρισάμην πεισὲ δαίμων; εἴϑε ϑάνατον βασιλεῦσιν καὶ ἐξάρχοις" ἀλλὰ μᾶλλον ταύτης ἂν εἶδον ἐγὼ ὑπὸ ξένου παϑεῖν μὲ τοιοῦτον: ἢ τοῦτό μοι τὸ δρᾶμα γενέχ«ι τάχα δοῦλος ὧν ὠπέδρα σϑαι ἰδεῖν καὶ μᾶλλον ὑπὸ τῷ ἐμῷ κακῷ καὶ τῆς ψυχῆς ξένου καὶ δούλου τοῦτο συμμου τῆς κακίστης. μὴ γένοιτο δέ μοι ἐμπόδιον ἕως ἂν τοῦτον ἀπολέσω καὶ ἐχδικήσω τὴν νύχτα ταύτην" καὶ μηδὲ εὐώρεστος γένωμαι ἔμπροσϑεν Μιοδαίου τοῦ βασιλέως ἂν μὴ τὴν ἐχδίχησιν ποιήσῃ μοι διὼ τῆς τοῦ ξένου κεφαλῆς καὶ περὶ -YXupogov τοῦ στρατηλάτου, ὃς καὶ πρόφασις γέγογεν. διὰ γὰρ τούτου ἐνθ δε ὥφϑη, καὶ παρ᾽ αὐτῷ κατάγέται" καὶ πολλοί εἰσιν οἱ εἰσιόντες καὶ ἐξιόντες, οὺς διδώσχει νέων διδωχήν, τοῦτο λέγων, ὅτι οὐδεὶς δύναται ζῆσαι ἐὰν μή τις ἀπαλλαγὴ πάντων τῶν ὑπαρχόντων καὶ γένηται ἀποτεταγμένος ὥσπερ καὶ αὐτός" καὶ σπουδάζει πολλοὺς χοινωνοὺς ἑαυτῷ ποιῆσαι. βῆναι. οὐ μὴ τοῖς ἐμοῖς ποσὶν ὠνάπαυσιν δώσω ἕως ov τοῦTOV καὶ τὸν ὠγαγότα αὐτὸν ὧδε ἀπολέσω" εἰ μὴ γὰρ ὁ δεινὸς ὧδε τοῦτον ἤγαγε στρατηλάτης, οὐχ ἂν τῷ ἐμῷ οἴκῳ τοῦτο συνέβη. ἀναγγείλω περὶ τούτου τῷ βασιλεῖ Μισδαίῳ, xti οἷδα ὅτι ὡς πᾶάντοτέ μου ἀκούει καὶ περὶ τούτου πώντως ποιησει μου τὴν ἐχδίχησιν.

Kai tauta eipōn ērxato odyromenos legein" Ouai moi symbie, epeita kai soi" esterēϑēn ydo sou tachion. ouai moi prosphilestatē" pantos gar tou genous mou beltiōn hyparcheis" oute huion oute | ϑygatera ek sou eschon hina in autois epanapausōmai" oude plērēs eniauton synǭchēsas moi, baskanos de orϑalmos aphēr- poios de touto baschanos pepasen se ap᾽ emou" hōs eiϑe poiēken ophϑalmos? poios poē tou ϑanatou bia eilēphei nēros touto genesϑai pare: an se, kai kateiēphrisamēn peise daimōn? eiϑe ϑanaton basileusin kai exarchois" alla mallon tautēs an eidon egō hypo xenou paϑein me toiouton: ē touto moi to drama genech«i tacha doulos hōn ōpedra sϑai idein kai mallon hypo tǭ emǭ kakǭ kai tēs psychēs xenou kai doulou touto symmou tēs kakistēs. mē genoito de moi empodion heōs an touton apolesō kai echdikēsō tēn nychta tautēn" kai mēde euōrestos genōmai emprosϑen Miodaiou tou basileōs an mē tēn echdichēsin poiēsę̄ moi diō tēs tou xenou kephalēs kai peri -YXupogov tou stratēlatou, hos kai prophasis gegogen. dia gar toutou enth de hōphϑē, kai par᾽ autǭ katagetai" kai polloi eisin hoi eisiontes kai exiontes, ous didōschei neōn didōchēn, touto legōn, hoti oudeis dynatai zēsai ean mē tis apallagē pantōn tōn hyparchontōn kai genētai apotetagmenos hōsper kai autos" kai spoudazei pollous choinōnous heautǭ poiēsai. bēnai. ou mē tois emois posin ōnapausin dōsō heōs ov touTOV kai ton ōgagota auton hōde apolesō" ei mē gar ho deinos hōde touton ēgage stratēlatēs, ouch an tǭ emǭ oikǭ touto synebē. anangeilō peri toutou tǭ basilei Misdaiǭ, xti hoida hoti hōs paantote mou akouei kai peri toutou pōntōs poiēsei mou tēn echdichēsin.

Having said this, he began to lament, saying, "Woe to me, my consort, and to you too; for I have been deprived of you too soon. Woe to me, dearest one; for you are better than all my family. I had neither son nor daughter by you, that I might find rest in them; you did not live with me even a full year, and an envious eye has snatched you from me. Would that the violence of death had taken you, and I would have mourned you among kings and chieftains; instead I suffer such a thing from a stranger. Perhaps he is a runaway slave, to my harm and that of my most wretched soul. May nothing hinder me until I destroy him and avenge this night; and may I not find favor before King Misdaeus if he does not give me vengeance by the stranger's head, and also concerning Siphor the captain, who has been the occasion of it. For it was through him that he appeared here, and he lodges with him; and many are those who go in and out, whom he teaches a new teaching, saying that no one can live unless he rids himself of all his possessions and becomes a renouncer as he is himself; and he is eager to make many his partners."

Notes and citation

Summary: Charisius laments losing Mygdonia within a year of marriage and vows vengeance on the stranger and on Siphor, who brought him.

The scan text interleaves Bonnet's second column throughout this chapter (with phrases such as "what envious eye has done this? what evil demon persuaded it to happen? … I will not give my feet rest until I destroy him and the one who brought him"); the translation follows the main text by sense. "I would have mourned you among kings and chieftains" renders a garbled clause and is uncertain.

Cite (SBL): Acts Thom. 100 (Lipsius–Bonnet, 99–291; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/acta-thomae/89/#p-100). (abbreviation not yet checked)

BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-acta-thomae-100) · Report an error

Chapter 101

101Lipsius–Bonnet, 99–291

Ταῦτα διανοουμένου τοῦ Χαρισίου διέφαυσεν" καὶ ἐννυχεύσας ἐνεδύσατο ἐσϑῆτα εὐτελῆ, καὶ ὑποδησώμενος ἀπήει σχυϑρωπὸς ἐν ἀϑυμίᾳ ὑπάρχων εἰς ἀσπασμὸν τοῦ βασιλέως. ἰδὼν δὲ αὐτὸν ὁ βασιλεὺς εἶπεν. Τίνος ἕνεχεν περίλυπος εἶ o5 καὶ ἐν τοιούτῳ σχήματι ἦλϑες; ὁρῶ δὲ καὶ τὸ πρόσωπόν σου ἐνηλλαγμένον. Ὁ δὲ Χαρίσιος λέγει πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα: Καινόν σοι ἔχω ὑφηγήσασϑαι πρᾶγμα καὶ ἐρημέαν νέαν, ἣν Σιφὼρ ἤγαγεν ἐν τῇ Ἰνδίᾳ, ἄνδρα τινὰ ᾿Εβραῖον udyov, ὃν ἔχει χαϑεζόμενον ἐν τῷ ἰδίῳ οἴκῳ, ὃς οὐκ ἀφίσταται αὐτοῦ" πολλοὶ δέ εἰσιν οἱ εἰσιόντες πρὸς αὐτόν" οὺς καὶ διδώσκει νέον ϑεὺν καὶ νόμους νέους ἐντίϑησιν αὐτοῖς τοὺς μή πω ἀκουσϑέντας, b λέγων: δυνατόν ἐστιν ὑμᾶς εἰς τὴν αἰώνιον ζωὴν εἰσελϑεῖν jv ἐγὼ καταγγέλλω ὑμῖν, ἐὰν μὴ ἀπαλλαγῆτε ὑμεῖς τῶν ἰδίων γυναικῶν, ὁμοίως καὶ αἱ γυναῖκες τῶν ἰδίων ἀνδρῶν. "Ervye δὲ καὶ τὴν χαχότυχον γυναῖκά μου ἀπελϑεῖν πρὸς αὐτὺν καὶ χατήχοον ytvícÓ uu τοῖς λόγοις αὐτοῦ" οἷς καὶ ἐπίστευσεν xti διὰ τῆς νυχτὸς χαταλιποῦσά μὲ προσέδραμεν τῷ ξένῳ. ἀλλὰ μετώπεμιμαι τόν τὲ Σιφόρα καὶ ἐκεῖνον τὸν μάγον τὸν ἐν αὐτῷ κρυπτόμενον, καὶ ἐπίϑες τῇ κεφαλῆ αὐτῶν, ἵνα μὴ πώντες οἱ τοῦ ἔϑνους ἡμῶν ἀπολοῦνται.

Tauta dianooumenou tou Charisiou diephausen" kai ennycheusas enedysato esϑēta eutelē, kai hypodēsōmenos apēei schyϑrōpos en aϑymią hyparchōn eis aspasmon tou basileōs. idōn de auton ho basileus eipen. Tinos henechen perilypos ei o5 kai en toioutǭ schēmati ēlϑes? horō de kai to prosōpon sou enēllagmenon. Ho de Charisios legei pros ton basilea: Kainon soi echō hyphēgēsasϑai pragma kai erēmean nean, hēn Siphōr ēgagen en tę̄ Indią, andra tina ᾿Ebraion udyov, hon echei chaϑezomenon en tǭ idiǭ oikǭ, hos ouk aphistatai autou" polloi de eisin hoi eisiontes pros auton" ous kai didōskei neon ϑeun kai nomous neous entiϑēsin autois tous mē pō akousϑentas, b legōn: dynaton estin hymas eis tēn aiōnion zōēn eiselϑein jv egō katangellō hymin, ean mē apallagēte hymeis tōn idiōn gynaikōn, homoiōs kai hai gynaikes tōn idiōn andrōn. "Ervye de kai tēn chachotychon gynaika mou apelϑein pros autyn kai chatēchoon ytvicO uu tois logois autou" hois kai episteusen xti dia tēs nychtos chatalipousa me prosedramen tǭ xenǭ. alla metōpemimai ton te Siphora kai ekeinon ton magon ton en autǭ kryptomenon, kai epiϑes tę̄ kephalē autōn, hina mē pōntes hoi tou eϑnous hēmōn apolountai.

While Charisius was thinking this, it dawned; and having passed the night so, he put on mean clothing, and putting on his shoes he went off, sullen and despondent, to greet the king. When the king saw him, he said, "Why are you so sad, and why have you come in such attire? I see your face too is changed." Charisius said to the king, "I have a new thing to tell you, and a new desolation, which Siphor has brought into India: a certain Hebrew man, a magician, whom he has sitting in his own house, and he does not leave him. Many are those who go in to him, whom he teaches a new God, and he lays on them new laws never yet heard, saying, 'You cannot enter into the eternal life which I proclaim to you unless you men are freed from your own wives, and likewise the wives from their own husbands.' And it happened that my ill-fated wife too went to him and became a hearer of his words; and she believed them, and in the night she left me and ran to the stranger. But send for both Siphor and that magician hidden with him, and bring it down on their heads, so that all of our nation may not perish."

Notes and citation

Summary: Charisius tells King Misdaeus that a Hebrew magician lodged by Siphor teaches husbands and wives to separate, and that his own wife has left him.

"You cannot enter": the scan text reads "it is possible … unless", probably with a negative lost; translated by sense.

Topics: Marriage

Cite (SBL): Acts Thom. 101 (Lipsius–Bonnet, 99–291; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/acta-thomae/89/#p-101). (abbreviation not yet checked)

BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-acta-thomae-101) · Report an error

Chapter 102

102Lipsius–Bonnet, 99–291

Ταῦτα δὲ ἀχούσας Μισδαῖος ὁ φίλος αὐτοῦ λέγει αὐτῷ" Μὴ λυποῦ μηδὲ ὠϑύμει" ἐγὼ γὰρ μεταπεμιμάμενος αὐτὸν ἐκδικήσω σε, καὶ σὺ τὴν σεαυτοῦ γυναῖχα mA ἕξεις καὶ τοὺς ἄλλους τοὺς μὴ δυναμένους ἐγὼ ἐκδικήσω. ' ᾿Εξελϑὼν δὲ ὃ βασιλεὺς ἐκαϑέσϑη ἐπὶ τοῦ βήματος" χαϑεσϑέντος δὲ αὐτοῦ ἐκέλευσεν Σιφόρα τὸν ἀρχιστρατηλάτην κληϑῆναι" ἀπελὺ ὄντες οὖν εἰς τὴν οἰκίαν αὐτοῦ εὗρον αὐτὸν χαϑεζόμενον ἐν δεξιᾷ τοῦ ἀποστόλου, καὶ MvyÓovíuav πρὸς τοῖς ποσὶν αὐτοῦ, σὺν παντὶ τῷ ὄχλῳ καταχούουσαν αὐτοῦ. καὶ προσελϑόντες οἱ ἀποσταλέντες παρὼ τοῦ βασιλέως τῷ Σιφόρῳ λέγουσιν: Σὺ ἐνθάδε χαϑέζη ἀχούων ματαίων λόγων, καὶ Μισδαῖος ὃ βασιλεὺς iv τῇ ὀργῇ αὐτοῦ σχέπτεταί σε ἀπολέσαι διὰ τὸν μώγον τοῦτον καὶ πλάνον ὃν εἰσήγαγες εἰς τὸν οἶχόν cov. Ταῦτα ἀχούσας ὁ Σιφὼρ ἠϑύμησεν, οὐ διὰ τὴν ἀπειλὴν τὴν τοῦ βασιλέως πρὸς αὐτόν, ἀλλὰ περὶ τοῦ ἀποστόλου, ὅτι ἐναντίως ἔγνω ὁ βασιλεὺς περὶ αὐτοῦ" καὶ εἶπεν τῷ ἀποστόλῳ: ᾿Εγὼ περὶ σοῦ λυποῦμαι" εἶπον γάρ σοι ἀπ᾽ ἀρχῆς ὅτι ἡ γυνὴ ἐκείνη γυνή ἐστιν Χαρισίου τοῦ συγγενοῦς καὶ φίλου τοῦ βασιλέως, καὶ οὐ συγχωρεῖ αὐτὴν ποιῆσαι ὃ ἐπαγγέλλεται, καὶ πώντα ὅσα ἂν αἰτήσῃ τὸν βασιλέα παρέχει αὐτῷ. Ὁ δὲ ἀπόστολος τῷ Σιφόρῳ λέγει: Μηδὲν φοβοῦ ἀλλὰ πίστευσον ᾿Ιησοῦ τῷ ἀπολογουμένῳ ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν ἁπάντων" πρὸς γὰρ τὴν καταφυγὴν αὐτοῦ συνηϑροίσμεϑα. Ταῦτα δὲ ἀκούσας ὁ Σιφὼρ καὶ περιβαλὼν τὸ ἱμάτιον αὐτοῦ Gne πρὸς Μισδαῖον τὸν βασιλέα.

Tauta de achousas Misdaios ho philos autou legei autǭ" Mē lypou mēde ōϑymei" egō gar metapemimamenos auton ekdikēsō se, kai sy tēn seautou gynaicha mA hexeis kai tous allous tous mē dynamenous egō ekdikēsō. ' ᾿Exelϑōn de ho basileus ekaϑesϑē epi tou bēmatos" chaϑesϑentos de autou ekeleusen Siphora ton archistratēlatēn klēϑēnai" apely ontes oun eis tēn oikian autou heuron auton chaϑezomenon en dexią tou apostolou, kai MvyOoviuav pros tois posin autou, syn panti tǭ ochlǭ katachouousan autou. kai proselϑontes hoi apostalentes parō tou basileōs tǭ Siphorǭ legousin: Sy enthade chaϑezē achouōn mataiōn logōn, kai Misdaios ho basileus iv tę̄ orgę̄ autou scheptetai se apolesai dia ton mōgon touton kai planon hon eisēgages eis ton oichon cov. Tauta achousas ho Siphōr ēϑymēsen, ou dia tēn apeilēn tēn tou basileōs pros auton, alla peri tou apostolou, hoti enantiōs egnō ho basileus peri autou" kai eipen tǭ apostolǭ: ᾿Egō peri sou lypoumai" eipon gar soi ap᾽ archēs hoti hē gynē ekeinē gynē estin Charisiou tou syngenous kai philou tou basileōs, kai ou synchōrei autēn poiēsai ho epangelletai, kai pōnta hosa an aitēsę̄ ton basilea parechei autǭ. Ho de apostolos tǭ Siphorǭ legei: Mēden phobou alla pisteuson ᾿Iēsou tǭ apologoumenǭ hyper hēmōn hapantōn" pros gar tēn kataphygēn autou synēϑroismeϑa. Tauta de akousas ho Siphōr kai peribalōn to himation autou Gne pros Misdaion ton basilea.

Hearing this, Misdaeus his friend said to him, "Do not grieve or be despondent; for I will send for him and avenge you, and you will have your own wife back; and I will avenge the others too, who are not able to." The king went out and sat on the judgment seat; and when he was seated he ordered Siphor the commander to be called. So they went to his house and found him sitting at the apostle's right hand, and Mygdonia at his feet, listening to him with all the crowd. Those sent by the king came up to Siphor and said, "You sit here listening to vain words, while King Misdaeus in his anger is considering destroying you because of this magician and deceiver whom you brought into your house." Hearing this, Siphor was disheartened, not because of the king's threat against him, but because of the apostle, since the king had come to think ill of him. And he said to the apostle, "I grieve for you; for I told you from the beginning that that woman is the wife of Charisius, the king's kinsman and friend, and he does not allow her to do what she promises, and everything he asks of the king the king grants him." The apostle said to Siphor, "Fear nothing, but believe Jesus, who pleads for all of us; for we have gathered to his refuge." When Siphor heard this, he put on his cloak and went to King Misdaeus.

1 John 2:1 (echo, low confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: The king summons Siphor, who is found sitting with Thomas and Mygdonia; Thomas tells him to fear nothing and trust Jesus.

Jesus who pleads for us echoes 1 John 2:1 and Rom 8:34.

Cite (SBL): Acts Thom. 102 (Lipsius–Bonnet, 99–291; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/acta-thomae/89/#p-102). (abbreviation not yet checked)

BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-acta-thomae-102) · Report an error

Chapter 103

103Lipsius–Bonnet, 99–291

Ὁ δὲ ἀπόστολος ἐξήταζεν τὴν Μυγδονίανʼ Τίς ἡ αἰτία ἡ γενομένη τοῦ ὀργισϑῆναι τὸν σὸν ἄνδρα καὶ ταῦτα ἡμῖν χατασχευώσαι; H δὲ εἶπεν" Ἐπειδὴ οὐχ ἐξέδωκα ἐμαυτὴν τῷ ὀλέϑρῳ αὐτοῦ. ἐβουλήϑη γὰρ ὀψὲ ὑποτάξαι μὲ καὶ ὑποβαλεῖν ἐχείνῳ ᾧ λατρεύει πάϑει" καὶ ἐλυτρώσατό με ἐχεῖνος ᾧ τὴν ψυχήν μου παρεϑέμην ἀπὸ τῶν χειρῶν αὐτοῦ. χἀγὼ γυμνὴ ἀπέφυγον αὐτὸν καὶ πρὸς τὴν τροφόν μου ἐκαϑεύδησα. τὸ δὲ συμβὰν αὐτῷ οὐκ ἐπίσταμαι διὰ τί ταῦτα ἐτεχνάσατο. Ὁ ἀπύστολος λέγει: Ταῦτα ἡμᾶς οὐ βλάψει, ἀλλὰ πίστευσον εἰς τὸν Ἰησοῦν, x«i αὐτὸς ἀνατρέψει τὴν ὀργὴν Χαρισέου καὶ τὴν μανίαν καὶ τὸν οἶστρον ἐκείνου. καὶ αὐτός σοι σύνοδος γένηται ἐν τῇ φοβερᾷ λεωφόρῳ, καὶ αὐτός σε ὁδηγήσει εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν αὐτοῦ" εἰσάξει δέ σε εὶς τὴν αἰωνίαν ζωήν, παρέχων σοι τὴν παρρησίαν τὴν μὴ παρερχομένην μήτε ἀϊ10 λασσομένην.

Ho de apostolos exētazen tēn Mygdonianʼ Tis hē aitia hē genomenē tou orgisϑēnai ton son andra kai tauta hēmin chatascheuōsai? H de eipen" Epeidē ouch exedōka emautēn tǭ oleϑrǭ autou. eboulēϑē gar opse hypotaxai me kai hypobalein echeinǭ hǭ latreuei paϑei" kai elytrōsato me echeinos hǭ tēn psychēn mou pareϑemēn apo tōn cheirōn autou. chagō gymnē apephygon auton kai pros tēn trophon mou ekaϑeudēsa. to de symban autǭ ouk epistamai dia ti tauta etechnasato. Ho apystolos legei: Tauta hēmas ou blapsei, alla pisteuson eis ton Iēsoun, x«i autos anatrepsei tēn orgēn Chariseou kai tēn manian kai ton oistron ekeinou. kai autos soi synodos genētai en tę̄ phoberą leōphorǭ, kai autos se hodēgēsei eis tēn basileian autou" eisaxei de se eis tēn aiōnian zōēn, parechōn soi tēn parrēsian tēn mē parerchomenēn mēte aï10 lassomenēn.

The apostle asked Mygdonia, "What is the cause that has made your husband angry and made him prepare these things for us?" She said, "Because I did not give myself up to his ruin. For he wanted last night to subdue me and subject me to that passion which he serves; and he to whom I committed my soul rescued me from his hands. I fled from him naked and slept with my nurse. What has come over him, why he has contrived these things, I do not know." The apostle said, "These things will not harm us; but believe in Jesus, and he will overturn the anger of Charisius and his madness and his frenzy; and he will be your companion on the fearful road, and he will guide you into his kingdom; and he will bring you into eternal life, giving you the confidence that neither passes away nor changes."

Notes and citation

Summary: Mygdonia explains that her husband is angry because she refused him; Thomas assures her that Jesus will guide her into his kingdom.

Topics: Marriage

Cite (SBL): Acts Thom. 103 (Lipsius–Bonnet, 99–291; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/acta-thomae/89/#p-103). (abbreviation not yet checked)

BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-acta-thomae-103) · Report an error

Chapter 104

104Lipsius–Bonnet, 99–291

Σιφὼρ δὲ παρέστη τῷ βασιλεῖ, καὶ ἐξήταζεν αὐτόν" Τίς ἔστιν καὶ πόϑεν καὶ τί διδάσχει ὁ μάγος ἐχεῖνος ὃν ἔχεις ἐμφωλεύοντα ἐν τῷ οἴχῳ cov; Ὁ δὲ Σιφὼρ ἀπεκρίνατο τῷ βασιλεῖ: Οὐ μὴ ἀγνοῆς βασιλεῦ οἷον πόνον καὶ λύπην ἔσχον σὺν τοῖς φίλοις μου περὶ τῆς γυναικὸς μου, ἣν καὶ σὺ οἶδας καὶ ἄλλοι πολλοὶ διὰ μνήμης ἔχουσιν" καὶ τὰ περὶ τῆς Üvyuτούς μου, ἣν καὶ προτιμῶ πάσης τῆς κτήσεώς μου, οἷον καὶιρὸν καὶ πειρασμὸν πέπον) α΄ ἐγενόμην γὰρ γέλως καὶ κατάρα πάσῃ τῇ χώρᾳ ἡμῶν. ἤκουσα δὲ τῆς φήμης τοῦ ἀνδρὸς τούτου, x«i γενύμενος πρὸς αὐτὸν ἐδεήϑην αὐτοῦ, καὶ παραλαβὼν αὐτὸν ἤγαγον ἐνθάδε" καὶ ἐρχόμενος κατὰ τὴν ὁδὸν ϑαυμώσια | καὶ ἔκπληχτα εἶδον, καὶ iv δε πολλοὶ κατήκουσαν B τοῦ ὀνάγρου x«i περὲ TOU δαίμονος ἐκείνου Ov ἐξήλασεν, καὶ ἐθεράπευσεν τήν τε γυναῖχάώ μου καὶ τὴν ϑυγατέρα, καὶ νῦν ὑγιαίνουσιν" καὶ μισϑοὺς οὐκ ἤτησεν, ἀλλ᾽ ἀπαιτεῖ πίστιν καὶ ἁγιωσύνην, ἵνα χοινωνοὶ αὐτῷ γένωνται ἐν οἷς διαπράττεται. τοῦτο διδώσχει, σέβειν καὶ φοβεῖσίδαι ἕνα ϑεὸν τὸν πώντων δεσπότην καὶ Ἰησοῦν Χριστὸν τὸν υἱὸν αὐτοῦ, ἵνα σχῶσιν τὴν αἰώνιον ζωήν. ὃ δὲ ἐσϑίει ἄρτος ἐστὶν καὶ ἅλας, καὶ τὸ ποτὸν αὐτοῦ ὕδωρ ἀφ᾽ ἑσπέρας ἕως ἑσπέρας, πολλὴν εὐχὴν ποιούμενος" καὶ ὅσα ἂν αἰτήση τὸν ϑεὸν αὐτοῦ, δίδωσιν αὐτῷ. καὶ διδάσκει ὅτε ϑεὸς οὗτος ἅγιός ἐστιν ϑεὸν ἅγιον καὶ ἀγαϑὸν καὶ xdi δυνατὸς καὶ ὁ Χριστὸς Χριστὸν τὸν υἱὸν αὐτοῦ ζωὴν ζωὴ καὶ ζωοποιῶν. καὶ ζωοποιύν. W διὸ x«i παραινεῖ τοῖς παροῦσιν αὐτῷ ἐν ἁγιωσύνῃ καὶ ἁγνείᾳ x«i ἀγάπῃ καὶ πίστει moooctoyso ut αὐτῷ. Καὶ ταῦτα ἀκούσας Μισδιῖος ὁ βασιλεὺς παρὰ -Xupágov πολλοὺς ἔπει ψψεν στρατιώτας εἰς τὸν οἶκον Σιφόρου τοῦ στρατηλάτου, ἀγαγεῖν Θωμᾶν τὸν ἀπόστολον καὶ πώντας τοὺς εὑρισχομένους ἐκεῖσε. εἰσελίδόντες δὲ οἱ πεμῳφϑέντες ἔσω εὗρον αὐτὸν πλῆϑος πολὺ διδώσχονταʼ καὶ ἡ Μυγδονία πρὸς τοῖς ποσὶν αὐτοῦ ἐκάϑητο. ϑεασάμενοι δὲ τὸν πολὺν ὄχλον περὶ αὐτὸν ἐφοβήϑησαν καὶ ἀπῆλθον πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα αὐτῶν xui εἶπον: Οὐκ ἐτολμήσαμεν εἰπεῖν αὐτῷ τι" ὄχλος γὰρ ῃν πολὺς περὶ αὐτόν" καὶ ἡ Μυγδονία πρὸς roig ποσὶν αὐτοῦ "t ψροῖὺ χαϑεζομένη ἠχροᾶτο τὰ ὑπ᾽ αὐτοῦ λεγόμενα. Καὶ ταῦτα 6οῳ τίη; γι ὠχούσαντος Μισδαίου τοῦ βασιλέως καὶ Χαρισίου ἐχκπηδησας "ná ὁ Χαρίσιος ἀπ᾽ ἔμπροσϑεν τοῦ βασιλέως συνεπισπασάμενος PET ὄχλον πολὺν εἶπεν" ᾿Εγὼ αὐτὸν φέρω βασιλεῦ καὶ τὴν Μυ)- ἐπ i ἐν δονίαν, ἧς τὸν νοῦν ἀφείλατο. Καὶ ἦλϑεν dg τὴν οἰκίων lí Aug óoov τοῦ στρατηλάτου ἐντώραχος. καὶ εὗρεν αὐτὸν ὃιδάσκονταʼ Μυγδονίαν δὲ οὐ κατέλαβεν, ἀναχωρήσασα γὰρ ἦν sita: εἰς τὸν οἶκον αὐτῆς, ἐγνωκυῖα ὅτι ἐμηνύϑη τῷ ἀνδρὶ αὐτῆς Wed ὅτι ἐχεῖ ἦν. I ἀδη χα

Siphōr de parestē tǭ basilei, kai exētazen auton" Tis estin kai poϑen kai ti didaschei ho magos echeinos hon echeis emphōleuonta en tǭ oichǭ cov? Ho de Siphōr apekrinato tǭ basilei: Ou mē agnoēs basileu hoion ponon kai lypēn eschon syn tois philois mou peri tēs gynaikos mou, hēn kai sy oidas kai alloi polloi dia mnēmēs echousin" kai ta peri tēs Uvyutous mou, hēn kai protimō pasēs tēs ktēseōs mou, hoion kaiiron kai peirasmon pepon) a΄ egenomēn gar gelōs kai katara pasę̄ tę̄ chōrą hēmōn. ēkousa de tēs phēmēs tou andros toutou, x«i genymenos pros auton edeēϑēn autou, kai paralabōn auton ēgagon enthade" kai erchomenos kata tēn hodon ϑaumōsia | kai ekplēchta eidon, kai iv de polloi katēkousan B tou onagrou x«i pere TOU daimonos ekeinou Ov exēlasen, kai etherapeusen tēn te gynaichaō mou kai tēn ϑygatera, kai nyn hygiainousin" kai misϑous ouk ētēsen, all᾽ apaitei pistin kai hagiōsynēn, hina choinōnoi autǭ genōntai en hois diaprattetai. touto didōschei, sebein kai phobeisidai hena ϑeon ton pōntōn despotēn kai Iēsoun Christon ton huion autou, hina schōsin tēn aiōnion zōēn. ho de esϑiei artos estin kai halas, kai to poton autou hydōr aph᾽ hesperas heōs hesperas, pollēn euchēn poioumenos" kai hosa an aitēsē ton ϑeon autou, didōsin autǭ. kai didaskei hote ϑeos houtos hagios estin ϑeon hagion kai agaϑon kai xdi dynatos kai ho Christos Christon ton huion autou zōēn zōē kai zōopoiōn. kai zōopoiyn. W dio x«i parainei tois parousin autǭ en hagiōsynę̄ kai hagneią x«i agapę̄ kai pistei moooctoyso ut autǭ. Kai tauta akousas Misdiios ho basileus para -Xupagov pollous epei pspsen stratiōtas eis ton oikon Siphorou tou stratēlatou, agagein Thōman ton apostolon kai pōntas tous heurischomenous ekeise. eiselidontes de hoi pemǭphϑentes esō heuron auton plēϑos poly didōschontaʼ kai hē Mygdonia pros tois posin autou ekaϑēto. ϑeasamenoi de ton polyn ochlon peri auton ephobēϑēsan kai apēlthon pros ton basilea autōn xui eipon: Ouk etolmēsamen eipein autǭ ti" ochlos gar ę̄n polys peri auton" kai hē Mygdonia pros roig posin autou "t psroiy chaϑezomenē ēchroato ta hyp᾽ autou legomena. Kai tauta 6oǭ tiē? gi ōchousantos Misdaiou tou basileōs kai Charisiou echkpēdēsas "na ho Charisios ap᾽ emprosϑen tou basileōs synepispasamenos PET ochlon polyn eipen" ᾿Egō auton pherō basileu kai tēn My)- ep i en donian, hēs ton noun apheilato. Kai ēlϑen dg tēn oikiōn li Aug ooov tou stratēlatou entōrachos. kai heuren auton hoidaskontaʼ Mygdonian de ou katelaben, anachōrēsasa gar ēn sita: eis ton oikon autēs, egnōkuia hoti emēnyϑē tǭ andri autēs Wed hoti echei ēn. I adē cha

Siphor stood before the king, and the king questioned him: "Who is that magician whom you have lurking in your house, and where is he from, and what does he teach?" Siphor answered the king, "You are surely not unaware, O king, what trouble and grief I and my friends had over my wife, whom you know and many others remember, and over my daughter, whom I value above all my possessions — what a time of trial I went through; for I became a laughingstock and a curse in all our country. I heard the fame of this man, and I went to him and begged him, and took him and brought him here. Coming along the road I saw wonderful and astonishing things, and here many heard the wild ass, and about that demon which he drove out; and he healed my wife and my daughter, and now they are well. And he asked for no payment, but he requires faith and holiness, so that they may become partners with him in what he does. This he teaches: to worship and fear one God, the master of all, and Jesus Christ his Son, so that they may have eternal life. What he eats is bread and salt, and his drink is water, from evening to evening, and he makes much prayer; and whatever he asks of his God, he gives him. And he teaches that this God is holy and mighty, and that Christ is life and gives life; and therefore he exhorts those with him to draw near to him in holiness and purity and love and faith."

[105] When King Misdaeus heard this from Siphor, he sent many soldiers to the house of Siphor the captain, to bring Thomas the apostle and all who were found there. Those who were sent went in and found him teaching a great multitude, and Mygdonia was sitting at his feet. Seeing the great crowd around him, they were afraid, and went back to their king and said, "We did not dare to say anything to him; for there was a great crowd around him, and Mygdonia was sitting at his feet listening to what he said." When King Misdaeus and Charisius heard this, Charisius leapt up from before the king, drawing a great crowd with him, and said, "I will bring him, O king, and Mygdonia too, whose mind he has taken away." And he came in a tumult to the house of Siphor the captain and found him teaching; but he did not find Mygdonia, for she had gone back to her house, knowing that her husband had been told that she was there.

Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.

Notes and citation

Summary: Siphor tells the king of Thomas's miracles, ascetic life, and teaching about one God and Jesus Christ; the king's soldiers fear the crowd, and Charisius goes himself to seize Thomas.

Chapter 105 probably begins at "When King Misdaeus heard this"; the numeral is lost in the scan text. In the description of Thomas's teaching the scan text runs two of Bonnet's columns together; the translation follows the sense. "In a tumult" renders a garbled word.

Topics: Fasting

Cite (SBL): Acts Thom. 104 (Lipsius–Bonnet, 99–291; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/acta-thomae/89/#p-104). (abbreviation not yet checked)

BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-acta-thomae-104) · Report an error

Chapter 106

106Lipsius–Bonnet, 99–291

Ὁ δὲ Χαρίσιος εἶπεν τῷ ἀποστόλῳ" νάστα πονηρὲ T καὶ ἀφανιστὰ καὶ iyóoà τοῦ ἐμοῦ οἴκου" ἐμὲ γὰρ ἡ σὴ μαγεία Vtoupj; οὐ βλάπτει" τὴν γὼρ σὴν μαγείαν ἐπὶ τὴν σὴν κεφαλὴν ΗΝ a ϑήσομαι. Ταῦτα δὲ αὐτοῦ εἱπόντος προσέσχεν αὐτῷ ἀπό15 στολὸς καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ".di ἀπειλαί cov ἐπιστρέψουσιν πρὸς σέ. ἐμὲ γὰρ ἐν οὐδενὶ χαταβλάψεις" μείξων γὰρ σοῦ ἐστιν tis χρν καὶ τοῦ σοῦ βασιλέως καὶ πάσης ὑμῶν τῆς στρατιᾶς ὃ κύριος Tn τὴν φρουράν. οἱ δὲ δεσμεύσαντες αὐτὸν ἀπήγαγον. ὁ δὲ βασιλεὺς x«i Χαρίσιος ἐσχέπτοντο τὸ πῶς αὐτὸν ϑανατώσουσιν" τὸ δὲ πλῆϑος ὥσπερ ϑεὸν προσεχύνουν αὐτόν" τοῦτο δὲ εἶχον χατὰ νοῦν εἰπεῖν ὅτι Τὸν βασιλέα ὕβρισεν καὶ πλάνος ἐστὶν ὃ ξένος.

Ho de Charisios eipen tǭ apostolǭ" nasta ponēre T kai aphanista kai iyooa tou emou oikou" eme gar hē sē mageia Vtoupj? ou blaptei" tēn gōr sēn mageian epi tēn sēn kephalēn ĒN a ϑēsomai. Tauta de autou heipontos proseschen autǭ apo15 stolos kai eipen autǭ".di apeilai cov epistrepsousin pros se. eme gar en oudeni chatablapseis" meixōn gar sou estin tis chrn kai tou sou basileōs kai pasēs hymōn tēs stratias ho kyrios Tn tēn phrouran. hoi de desmeusantes auton apēgagon. ho de basileus x«i Charisios escheptonto to pōs auton ϑanatōsousin" to de plēϑos hōsper ϑeon prosechynoun auton" touto de eichon chata noun eipein hoti Ton basilea hybrisen kai planos estin ho xenos.

Charisius said to the apostle, "Get up, wicked man, destroyer and enemy of my house! Your magic does not harm me; I will bring your magic down on your own head." When he had said this, the apostle looked at him and said to him, "Your threats will return upon you; you will harm me in nothing. For greater than you and your king and all your army is the Lord … into the prison. And they bound him and led him away. The king and Charisius considered how they would put him to death; but the multitude worshiped him as a god; and they had it in mind to say that he had insulted the king and that the stranger was a deceiver.

Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.

Notes and citation

Summary: Charisius seizes Thomas, who answers that the Lord is greater than the king and his army; Thomas is bound and imprisoned while the king and Charisius plan his death.

Text is lost in the scan text after "greater … is the Lord": the rest of the apostle's answer, his being dragged before the king, his silence there, and the order for his scourging and imprisonment ("…").

Topics: Persecution

Cite (SBL): Acts Thom. 106 (Lipsius–Bonnet, 99–291; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/acta-thomae/89/#p-106). (abbreviation not yet checked)

BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-acta-thomae-106) · Report an error

Chapter 107

107Lipsius–Bonnet, 99–291

Ὁ δὲ ἀπόστολος ὠπιὼν ἐπὶ τὸ δεσμωτήριον γαίρων xui ἀγαλλιῶν ἔλεγεν" ᾿ΕΞξομολογοῦμαΐ σοι ᾿Ιησοῦ ὅτι οὐ μόνον τῆς πίστεώς σου ἄξιόν ue ἐποίησας, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῦ ὑπομεῖναι πολλὰ διὰ σέ. εὐχαριστῶ οὖν σοι χύριε ὅτι ἐφρύντισάς μου καὶ δέδωχάς μοι τὴν ὑπομονήν" εὐχαριστῶ σοι χύριε ὅτε διὰ ox w σὲ φαρμαχὸς ἤκουσα καὶ μάγος. πρόσδεξαΐ μὲ τοίνυν ἐκ τοῦ μωχαρισμοῦ τῶν μετρίων καὶ τῆς ἀναπαύσεως τῶν κεχμηχύτων καὶ τῶν μαχαρισμῶν ἐχείνων ovc μισοῦσιν οἱ ὄνϑρωποι καὶ διώχουσιν καὶ ὀνειδίζουσιν, φαύλους περὶ «αὐτῶν φϑεγγόμενοι λόγους. ἰδοὺ γὼρ διὰ σὲ μισοῦμαι" ἰδοὺ διὰ σὲ τῶν πολλῶν κεχώρισμαι, καὶ διὰ σὲ τοιοῦτον οἷος OUX εἰμὶ λέγουσίν με.

Ho de apostolos ōpiōn epi to desmōtērion gairōn xui agalliōn elegen" ᾿EXxomologoumaï soi ᾿Iēsou hoti ou monon tēs pisteōs sou axion ue epoiēsas, alla kai tou hypomeinai polla dia se. eucharistō oun soi chyrie hoti ephryntisas mou kai dedōchas moi tēn hypomonēn" eucharistō soi chyrie hote dia ox w se pharmachos ēkousa kai magos. prosdexaï me toinyn ek tou mōcharismou tōn metriōn kai tēs anapauseōs tōn kechmēchytōn kai tōn macharismōn echeinōn ovc misousin hoi onϑrōpoi kai diōchousin kai oneidizousin, phaulous peri «autōn phϑengomenoi logous. idou gōr dia se misoumai" idou dia se tōn pollōn kechōrismai, kai dia se toiouton hoios OUX eimi legousin me.

The apostle, going off to the prison rejoicing and exulting, said, "I confess you, Jesus, that you have made me worthy not only of faith in you but also of enduring much for your sake. I thank you, then, Lord, that you have cared for me and given me endurance; I thank you, Lord, that for your sake I have been called a sorcerer and a magician. Receive me, then, into the blessedness of the humble and the rest of the weary, and into those beatitudes of those whom men hate and persecute and revile, speaking evil words about them. For see, for your sake I am hated; see, for your sake I am separated from the many, and for your sake they call me what I am not."

Matt 5:11 (allusion, high confidence) · Luke 6:22 (allusion, high confidence) · Acts 5:41 (echo, medium confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Going to prison, Thomas thanks Jesus that he is counted worthy to suffer and be reviled for his sake.

Echoes Matt 5:11; Luke 6:22; Matt 11:28; Acts 5:41.

Topics: Persecution, Prayer

Cite (SBL): Acts Thom. 107 (Lipsius–Bonnet, 99–291; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/acta-thomae/89/#p-107). (abbreviation not yet checked)

BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-acta-thomae-107) · Report an error

Chapter 108

108Lipsius–Bonnet, 99–291

Προσευχόμενον δὲ πάντες ἔβλεπον αὐτὸν οἱ δέσμιοι xui ἐδέοντο αὐτοῦ ὑπὲρ αὐτῶν εὔξασϑαι. προσευξάμενος δὲ xui καϑεσϑεὶς ἤρξατο λέγειν ψαλμὸν τοιοῦτον: Ὅτε ἤμην βρέφος ἄλαλον ἐν τοῖς τοῦ πατρός μου βασιλείοις ἐν πλούτῳ καὶ τρυφῇ τῶν τροφέων ἀναπαυόμενος, ἐξ ᾿Ανατολῆς τῆς πατρίδος ἡμῶν ἐφοδιώσαντές μὲ οἱ γονεῖς ὠπέστειλάν με" ἀπὸ δὲ πλούτου τῶν ϑησαυρῶν τούτων φύρτον συνέϑηκαν μέγαν τε καὶ ἐλαφρόν, ὅπως αὐτὸν μύνος βαστώσαι δυνηϑ" χρυσός ἐστιν ὁ φόρτος τῶν ἄνω, καὶ ἄσημος τῶν μεγάλων ÜncavoOv, καὶ Ato. ἐξ ᾿Ινδῶν oi χαλκεδόνιοι, καὶ μαργαρῖται ἢ (mido Ww ἐχ Κοσάνων" καὶ ὥπλισών μὲ τῷ ἀδάμαντι" καὶ ἐνέδυσών ut tío: γι; ἐσθῆτα διάλιϑον χρυσόπαστον, ἣν ἐποίησαν στέργοντές με, τὰς quid καὶ στολὴν τὸ χρῶμα ξανϑὴν πρὸς τὴν ἐμὴν ἡλικίαν. σὺμ- ie. ἑὰς φωνα δὲ πρὸς iui πεποιήκασιν, ἐγχαταγράψαντες τῇ διανοίᾳ dij μου ἐπιλαϑέσίαι ut, ἔφησαν vtt Ev κατελϑὼν eg Alyvnror Tuwrg. di χομίσης ἐχεῖϑεν τὸν ἕνα μαργαρίτην τὸν ὄντα ἐκεῖ περὶ τὸν ἐώ; bo ν᾿, er,, - ^ Ὁ δράχοντω τὸν καταπότην, ὅπως ἐνδύση τὴν διάλιϑον ἐσϑῆτα aln καὶ τὴν στολὴν ἐκείνην ἣν ἐπαναπαύεται" TOU εὐμνήστου καὶ uh ἃ, γένῃ μετὰ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ σου κῆρυξ τῇ ἡμετέρᾳ βασιλείᾳ. x«i συνόμιλον αὐτὸν ἔσχον, καὶ φίλον καὶ κοινωνὸν τῆς iugg πορείας ποιησώμενος. παρεκχελευσάμην δὲ αὐτῷ τοὺς iyvπτίους φυλάσσεσίϑαι x«i τῶν ἀχαϑάρτων τούτων τὴν χοινωγίαν. ἐνεδυσώμην δὲ αὐτῶν τὰ φορήματα, ἵνα μὴ ξενέζωμαι ὥσπερ ἔξωϑεν ἐπὶ τὴν τοῦ μαργαρίτου ἀνάλητνιν, καὶ τὸν δρώχοντα διυπνίσωσιν χατ᾽ ἐμοῦ οἱ «Αϊγύπτιοι. οὐχ οἷδα δὲ ἐξ οἵας ἔμαϑον προφάσεως ὡς οὐκ εἰμὲ τῆς γώρας αὐτῶν, δύλῳ δὲ συνέιιειξών μοι τέχνην, καὶ ἐγευσώμην τῆς αὐτῶν τροφῆς. ἠγνόησα ἐμαυτὸν υἱὸν ὄντα βασιλέως, τῷ δὲ αὐτῶν ἐδούλευσα βασιλεῖ. ἦλϑον δὲ καὶ ἐπὶ τὸν μαργαρίτην, ἐφ᾽ ὃν οἱ πατέρες μου ἀπεστάλχασίν μὲ, τῷ δὲ τῆς τροφῆς αὐτῶν βάρει εἰς ὕπνον κατηνέχϑην βαϑύν.

Proseuchomenon de pantes eblepon auton hoi desmioi xui edeonto autou hyper autōn euxasϑai. proseuxamenos de xui kaϑesϑeis ērxato legein psalmon toiouton: Hote ēmēn brephos alalon en tois tou patros mou basileiois en ploutǭ kai tryphę̄ tōn tropheōn anapauomenos, ex ᾿Anatolēs tēs patridos hēmōn ephodiōsantes me hoi goneis ōpesteilan me" apo de ploutou tōn ϑēsaurōn toutōn phyrton syneϑēkan megan te kai elaphron, hopōs auton mynos bastōsai dynēϑ" chrysos estin ho phortos tōn anō, kai asēmos tōn megalōn UncavoOv, kai Ato. ex ᾿Indōn oi chalkedonioi, kai margaritai ē (mido Ww ech Kosanōn" kai hōplisōn me tǭ adamanti" kai enedysōn ut tio: gi? esthēta dialiϑon chrysopaston, hēn epoiēsan stergontes me, tas quid kai stolēn to chrōma xanϑēn pros tēn emēn hēlikian. sym- ie. heas phōna de pros iui pepoiēkasin, enchatagrapsantes tę̄ dianoią dij mou epilaϑesiai ut, ephēsan vtt Ev katelϑōn eg Alyvnror Tuwrg. di chomisēs echeiϑen ton hena margaritēn ton onta ekei peri ton eō? bo n᾿, er,, - ^ Ho drachontō ton katapotēn, hopōs endysē tēn dialiϑon esϑēta aln kai tēn stolēn ekeinēn hēn epanapauetai" TOU eumnēstou kai uh ha, genę̄ meta tou adelphou sou kēryx tę̄ hēmeterą basileią. x«i synomilon auton eschon, kai philon kai koinōnon tēs iugg poreias poiēsōmenos. parekcheleusamēn de autǭ tous iyvptious phylassesiϑai x«i tōn achaϑartōn toutōn tēn choinōgian. enedysōmēn de autōn ta phorēmata, hina mē xenezōmai hōsper exōϑen epi tēn tou margaritou analētnin, kai ton drōchonta diypnisōsin chat᾽ emou hoi «Aïgyptioi. ouch hoida de ex hoias emaϑon prophaseōs hōs ouk eime tēs gōras autōn, dylǭ de syneiieixōn moi technēn, kai egeusōmēn tēs autōn trophēs. ēgnoēsa emauton huion onta basileōs, tǭ de autōn edouleusa basilei. ēlϑon de kai epi ton margaritēn, eph᾽ hon hoi pateres mou apestalchasin me, tǭ de tēs trophēs autōn barei eis hypnon katēnechϑēn baϑyn.

As he was praying, all the prisoners saw him and begged him to pray for them. Having prayed and sat down, he began to speak a psalm such as this:

"When I was a speechless infant in my father's palace, resting in the wealth and luxury of those who nursed me, my parents equipped me and sent me forth from the East, our homeland. From the wealth of their treasuries they put together a load, great and yet light, so that I could carry it alone: gold is the load of those above, and uncoined silver of the great treasuries, and chalcedony stones from the Indians, and pearls from the Kushans; and they armed me with adamant; and they put on me a garment set with gems and inlaid with gold, which they made in their love for me, and a robe yellow in color, made to my size. And they made an agreement with me, writing it in my mind so that I should not forget it, and they said: 'If you go down to Egypt and bring from there the one pearl which is there near the dragon that swallows, you will put on the jeweled garment and that robe on which it rests …, and with your brother you will be a herald for our kingdom.' … [109] … And I had him as a companion, making him my friend and partner in my journey. I warned him to guard against the Egyptians and against fellowship with these unclean people. And I put on their clothing, so that I should not seem a stranger, as one come from outside to take the pearl, and so that the Egyptians should not rouse the dragon against me. But I do not know by what occasion they learned that I was not of their country; and with guile they mixed a trick for me, and I tasted their food. I forgot that I was a king's son, and I served their king. I came even to the pearl, for which my fathers had sent me, but by the weight of their food I was brought down into a deep sleep.

Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.

Notes and citation

Summary: In prison Thomas sings the Hymn of the Pearl: a king's son sent from the East to bring back a pearl guarded by a dragon in Egypt forgets himself among the Egyptians and falls asleep.

The Hymn of the Pearl (chapters 108–113) is one of the best-known poems of early Christian literature; the Greek is a version of a Syriac original and is translated exactly as it stands. It is commonly read as an allegory of the soul sent into the world, forgetting its origin, and recalled by a message from above. Text is lost in the scan text after the parents' charge (the rest of the charge and the prince's journey down to Egypt, where he finds a companion; "…"); chapter 109 begins somewhere in this gap. "Herald" (κῆρυξ) is as printed. The Kushans (Κοσάνοι) were a people of northern India and central Asia.

Cite (SBL): Acts Thom. 108 (Lipsius–Bonnet, 99–291; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/acta-thomae/89/#p-108). (abbreviation not yet checked)

BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-acta-thomae-108) · Report an error

Chapter 110

110Lipsius–Bonnet, 99–291

ταῦτα δέ μου παϑοόντος καὶ οἱ πατέρες μου ἤσϑοντο xti ἔπαϑον ὑπὲρ ἐμοῦ. ἐκχηρύχϑη δὲ κήρυγμα ἐν τῇ βασιλείᾳ ἡμῶν ἵνα πάντες ἐπὶ τὰς ἡμετέρας ἀπαντῶσιν ϑύρας. xa τότε οἱ βασιλεῖς τῆς Παρϑενίας καὶ οἱ ἐν τέλει καὶ οἱ ᾿4νατολῆς πρωτεύοντες γνώμης ἐχράτησαν περὶ ἐμοῦ ἵνα μὴ ἔλϑω ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ. ἔγραιαν δὲ us καὶ οἱ δυνάσται σημαίνοντες οὕτως" Παρὰ τοῦ πατρὸς βασιλέων βασιλεὺς καὶ μητρὸς τὴν ἀνατολὴν χατεχούσης καὶ ἀδελφοὺς αὐτῶν δευτέρους ἀφ᾽ ἡμῶν τῷ ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ υἱῷ ἡμῶν εἰρήνη. ἀνάστηϑει καὶ ἀνάνηιμον ἐξ ὕπνου, καὶ τῶν ἐπιστολιμαίων ῥημάτων ἄχουσον, καὶ ὑπομνήσϑητι υἱὸς βασιλέων ὑπάρχων. δουλικὸν ὑπεισῆλθϑες ζυγόν" μνημόνευσον τῆς ἐσϑηῆτὸς σου τῆς χρυσοπάστου" μνημόνευσον τοῦ μαργαρίτου δι᾽ ὃν εἰς Αἴγυπτον ὠπεστάλης. ἐχλήϑη δὲ τὸ ὄνομά σου βιβλίον ζωῆς καὶ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ cov οὗ παρείληφας ἐν τῇ βασιλείᾳ ἡμῶν. B

tauta de mou paϑoontos kai hoi pateres mou ēsϑonto xti epaϑon hyper emou. ekchērychϑē de kērygma en tę̄ basileią hēmōn hina pantes epi tas hēmeteras apantōsin ϑyras. xa tote hoi basileis tēs Parϑenias kai hoi en telei kai hoi ᾿4natolēs prōteuontes gnōmēs echratēsan peri emou hina mē elϑō en Aigyptǭ. egraian de us kai hoi dynastai sēmainontes houtōs" Para tou patros basileōn basileus kai mētros tēn anatolēn chatechousēs kai adelphous autōn deuterous aph᾽ hēmōn tǭ en Aigyptǭ huiǭ hēmōn eirēnē. anastēϑei kai ananēimon ex hypnou, kai tōn epistolimaiōn rhēmatōn achouson, kai hypomnēsϑēti huios basileōn hyparchōn. doulikon hypeisēlthϑes zygon" mnēmoneuson tēs esϑēētos sou tēs chrysopastou" mnēmoneuson tou margaritou di᾽ hon eis Aigypton ōpestalēs. echlēϑē de to onoma sou biblion zōēs kai tou adelphou cov hou pareilēphas en tę̄ basileią hēmōn. B

When this happened to me, my parents too perceived it and suffered for me. A proclamation was made in our kingdom that all should come to our gates. And then the kings of Parthia and those in office and the chief men of the East took counsel concerning me, that I should not remain in Egypt. And the princes wrote to me, signifying thus: 'From the father, king of kings, and the mother who rules the East, and their brothers, second after us, to our son in Egypt: peace. Arise and wake from sleep, and hear the words of the letter, and remember that you are a son of kings. You have come under a slavish yoke. Remember your garment inlaid with gold; remember the pearl for which you were sent to Egypt. Your name has been called in the book of life, together with that of your brother, whom you have received in our kingdom.'

Rev 3:5 (echo, low confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: In the Hymn of the Pearl the prince's parents learn of his plight and send him a letter calling him to wake and remember his royal birth and his mission.

"That I should not remain in Egypt": the scan text reads "that I should not come into Egypt", which does not fit the story; translated by sense. "The book of life" echoes Phil 4:3 and Rev 3:5.

Cite (SBL): Acts Thom. 110 (Lipsius–Bonnet, 99–291; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/acta-thomae/89/#p-110). (abbreviation not yet checked)

BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-acta-thomae-110) · Report an error

Chapter 111

111Lipsius–Bonnet, 99–291

Ὁ δὲ βασιλεὺς ὡς πρεσβευτὴς χατεσφραγίσατο διὰ τοὺς πονηροὺς τοὺς Βαβυλωνίους παῖδας xui δαίμονας τυραννικοὺς Ταβυρίνϑους. ἐγὼ δὲ πρὸς τὴν ταύτης φωνήν τε καὶ αἴσϑησιν ἐξ ὕπνου ἀνερμησάμην, ἀναλαβὼν δὲ καὶ καταφιλήσας ἀνεγίνωσχον. ἐγέγραπτο δὲ περὶ ἐχείνου τοῦ ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ μου ἀναγεγραμμένου: καὶ ὑπεμνήσϑην παραχρῆμα ὅτι Duct λέων εἰμὶ υἱὸς καὶ ἡ ἐλευϑερία μου τὸ γένος μου ἐπιζητεῖ. ὑπεινήσϑην δὲ καὶ τοῦ μαργαρίτου ἐφ᾽ ὃν χατεπέμφϑην εἰς ϊγυπτον: ἠροχόμην δὲ ἐφ᾽ ἅρμασιν ἐπὶ τὸν δράκοντα τον φοβερόν, καὶ χατεπόνεσα τοῦτον ἐπονομάσας τὸ τοῦ πατρός μου ὄνομα. ἁρπάσας δὲ τὸν μαργαρίτην ἀπέστρεφον πρὸς τοὺς ἐμοὺς ἀποχομίσας πατέρας. καὶ ἀποδυσώμενος τὸ ῥυπαρὸν ἔνδυμα iv τῇ αὐτῶν χατέλειψια χώρᾳ, ηὔϑυνον δὲ αὐτὸ xui τὴν ὁδὸν πρὸς τὸ φῶς τῆς κατὰ ἀνατολὴν πατρίδος. xui tvpov xa ὁδὸν διαιροῦσών με" αὐτὴ δέ, ὥσπερ φωνὴ χρησαμένη ἀνέστησεν ὑπνωϑέντα ut, καὶ ὠδηγησέν μὲ τῷ παρ᾽ αὐτῆς φωτί. ἔστιν γὰρ ὅτε ἡ ἀπὸ σηριχῶν ἐσϑὴς βασιλικὴ πρὸ τῶν ἐμῶν ὀφϑαλμῶν. ἀγούσης δὲ μὲ καὶ ἑλκούσης τῆς στοργῆς τὴν βαβύρινϑον παρῆλθον" καὶ καταλείψας in ἀριστερὰ τὴν Βαβυλῶνα εἰς τὴν Mécov ἀφικόμην τὴν με- “ἄλην οὖσαν παραλίαν.

Ho de basileus hōs presbeutēs chatesphragisato dia tous ponērous tous Babylōnious paidas xui daimonas tyrannikous Tabyrinϑous. egō de pros tēn tautēs phōnēn te kai aisϑēsin ex hypnou anermēsamēn, analabōn de kai kataphilēsas aneginōschon. egegrapto de peri echeinou tou en tę̄ kardią mou anagegrammenou: kai hypemnēsϑēn parachrēma hoti Duct leōn eimi huios kai hē eleuϑeria mou to genos mou epizētei. hypeinēsϑēn de kai tou margaritou eph᾽ hon chatepemphϑēn eis ïgypton: ērochomēn de eph᾽ harmasin epi ton drakonta ton phoberon, kai chateponesa touton eponomasas to tou patros mou onoma. harpasas de ton margaritēn apestrephon pros tous emous apochomisas pateras. kai apodysōmenos to rhyparon endyma iv tę̄ autōn chateleipsia chōrą, ēuϑynon de auto xui tēn hodon pros to phōs tēs kata anatolēn patridos. xui tvpov xa hodon diairousōn me" autē de, hōsper phōnē chrēsamenē anestēsen hypnōϑenta ut, kai ōdēgēsen me tǭ par᾽ autēs phōti. estin gar hote hē apo sērichōn esϑēs basilikē pro tōn emōn ophϑalmōn. agousēs de me kai helkousēs tēs storgēs tēn babyrinϑon parēlthon" kai kataleipsas in aristera tēn Babylōna eis tēn Mecov aphikomēn tēn me- “alēn ousan paralian.

And the king sealed it, as an envoy, because of the wicked Babylonian children and the tyrannical demons of the Labyrinth. At its voice and its sense I started up from sleep, and taking it and kissing it I read it. And it was written concerning what had been inscribed in my heart; and I remembered at once that I was a son of kings, and that my freedom seeks its own kind. I remembered also the pearl for which I had been sent down to Egypt; and I began with charms against the fearful dragon, and I subdued it by naming over it my father's name. And seizing the pearl I turned back to carry it home to my fathers. And stripping off the filthy garment, I left it in their land, and directed my way at once to the light of the homeland in the East. And on the way I found it, … , and it, as though using a voice, raised me up from my sleep and guided me by the light that came from it; for at times the royal garment of silk was before my eyes. And with love leading me and drawing me, I passed by the Labyrinth; and leaving Babylon on the left, I came to Mesene, which is a great coastland.

Notes and citation

Summary: Waking at the letter, the prince remembers who he is, overcomes the dragon by his father's name, seizes the pearl, and journeys back toward the East.

"With charms" renders a word misread in the scan text (ἅρμασιν, "chariots"), probably ἐπῳδαῖς ("charms"), which fits the story; uncertain. The object found on the way (probably the letter) and a few words around it are garbled in the scan text ("…"). "The Labyrinth" (Λαβύρινθος) is the Greek rendering of a place name in the Syriac original; Mesene (Maishan) lay at the head of the Persian Gulf.

Cite (SBL): Acts Thom. 111 (Lipsius–Bonnet, 99–291; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/acta-thomae/89/#p-111). (abbreviation not yet checked)

BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-acta-thomae-111) · Report an error

Chapter 112

112Lipsius–Bonnet, 99–291

ovx ἐμνημόνευον δὲ τῆς λαμπρότητύός μου" παῖς γὰρ ὧν ἔτι καὶ κομιδῇ νέος κατελελοίπειν αὐτὴν ἐν τοῖς τοῦ πατρὸς βασιλείοις" ἐξαίφνης δὲ ἰδόντος μου τὴν ἐσϑῆτα ὡς iv ἐσόπτρῳ ὁμοιωϑεῖσαν, καὶ ὅλον ἐμαυτὸν ἐπ᾽ αὐτὴν ἐϑεασώμην, xui ἔγνων καὶ εἶδον δι᾿ αὐτῆς ἐμαυτόν, ὅτε κατὰ μέρος διῃρήμεϑα ἐκ τοῦ αὐτοῦ ὄντες, καὶ πάλιν ἕν ἐσμεν διὰ μορφῆς μιᾶς. οὐ μὴν ἀλλὰ καὶ αὐτοὺς τοὺς ταμειούχους τοὺς τὴν ἐσϑῆτα κομίσαντας ἑώρων δύο, μορφὴ δὲ μέα ἐπ᾿ ἀμφοτέρων, ἕν σύμβολον βασιλικὸν ἐν ἀμφοτέροις ἔχειτο᾽ τὸ δὲ χρῆμα καὶ τὸν πλοῦτον ἐν γερσὶν εἶχον, καὶ ἀπεδίδουν μοι τιμήν" καὶ τὴν ἐσθῆτα τὴν εὐπρεπεστάτην, ἥτις ἐν φαιδροῖς χρωμασιν χρυσῷ πεποίκιλτο καὶ λίϑοις τιμίοις καὶ μαργαρίταις χροιᾷ πρεπούσῃ" ἵδρυντο ἐν Uw&L' καὶ ἡ εἰχὼν τοῦ τῶν βασιλέων βασιλεὺς ὅλῃ δι᾿ ὅλης" λέϑοις σαμπφειρίνοις ἐν ὕψει ἐπεπήγεισαν ὡρμοδίως.

ovx emnēmoneuon de tēs lamprotētyos mou" pais gar hōn eti kai komidę̄ neos kateleloipein autēn en tois tou patros basileiois" exaiphnēs de idontos mou tēn esϑēta hōs iv esoptrǭ homoiōϑeisan, kai holon emauton ep᾽ autēn eϑeasōmēn, xui egnōn kai eidon di᾿ autēs emauton, hote kata meros dię̄rēmeϑa ek tou autou ontes, kai palin hen esmen dia morphēs mias. ou mēn alla kai autous tous tameiouchous tous tēn esϑēta komisantas heōrōn dyo, morphē de mea ep᾿ amphoterōn, hen symbolon basilikon en amphoterois echeito᾽ to de chrēma kai ton plouton en gersin eichon, kai apedidoun moi timēn" kai tēn esthēta tēn euprepestatēn, hētis en phaidrois chrōmasin chrysǭ pepoikilto kai liϑois timiois kai margaritais chroią prepousę̄" hidrynto en Uw&L' kai hē eichōn tou tōn basileōn basileus holę̄ di᾿ holēs" leϑois samppheirinois en hypsei epepēgeisan hōrmodiōs.

I did not remember my splendor; for I had left it in my father's palace while I was still a child and quite young. But suddenly, when I saw the garment made like me as in a mirror, I beheld my whole self in it, and through it I knew and saw myself: that we had been divided in part, though we were from the same, and are one again through one form. And not only that, but the treasurers themselves who brought the garment I saw as two, yet one form was on both, and one royal seal was set on both. They held the money and the wealth in their hands and paid me my due, and the most beautiful garment, which was worked in bright colors with gold and precious stones and pearls of fitting hue, was fastened on high; and the image of the king of kings was over the whole of it; and with sapphire stones it was fitly fastened on high.

Notes and citation

Summary: The prince sees his royal garment as a mirror of himself, brought by two treasurers bearing one royal seal and adorned with the image of the king of kings.

The Greek of chapters 112–113 is obscure in places; it is translated as literally as the sense allows.

Cite (SBL): Acts Thom. 112 (Lipsius–Bonnet, 99–291; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/acta-thomae/89/#p-112). (abbreviation not yet checked)

BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-acta-thomae-112) · Report an error

Chapter 113

113Lipsius–Bonnet, 99–291

ἑώρων δὲ αὖϑις ὅτι δι᾽ ὅλων κινήσεις ἐξεπέμποντο γνώσεως, καὶ 5v ἑτοίμη ἀφεῖναι λόγον" ἤχουον δὲ αὐτῆς ὁμιAovogc: Ἐγώ εἰμι ἐκείνου τῶν πάντων ἀνϑρώπων ἀνδρειοτάτου οὗ ἕνεχεν παρ᾽ αὐτῷ τῷ πατρὶ ἐνεγρώφην" καὶ αὐτὸς ὃ δὲ ἡσϑόμην αὐτοῦ τῆς ἡλικίας. Αἱ δὲ χινήσεις αἱ βασιλικαὶ πᾶσαι ἐπανεπαύοντό μοι αὐξανούσης πρὸς ταύτης ὁρμάς" ἔσπευδεν ἐκ χειρὸς αὐτοῦ ὀρεγομένη imi τὸν δεχόμενον αὐτήν. χὠἀμὲ ὁ πόϑος διήγειρεν ὁρμῆσαι εἰς ὑπάντησιν αὐτοῦ xt δέξασϑαι αὐτήν. ἐχταϑεῖσαν δὲ χρωμάτων ἐχομίσίδην, καὶ τὴν στολήν μου τὴν βασιλικὴν ὑπερέχουσαν ἑστολισάμην δι᾿ ὅλου" ἐνδυσάμενος δὲ ἤρϑην εἰς χώραν εἰρήνης σεβάσματος" καὶ τὴν χεφαλὴν κλίνας προσεχύνησα τοῦ πατρὸς τὸ φέγγος τοῦ ἀποστείλαντός μοι ταύτην, ὅτι ἐγὼ μὲν ἐποίησα τὰ προσταχϑέντα, καὶ αὐτὸς ὁμοίως ὅπερ κατεπηγγείλατοʼ καὶ ἐν Ió ταῖς ϑύραις τοῦ βασιλικοῦ τοῦ ἐξ ἀρχῆς αὐτοῦ κατεμειγνυ" μην, ἤσϑη δὲ ἐπ᾿ ἐμοὶ καὶ εἰσεδέξατο μὲ μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ ἐν τοῖς βασιλείοις" πάντες δὲ οἱ ὑπήκοοι αὐτοῦ εὐφήμοις φωναῖς ὑμνοῦσιν" ὑπέσχετο δέ μοι καὶ εἰς τὰς τοῦ βασιλέως ϑύρας σὺν αὐτῷ ἀποσταλεῖσϑαι, ἵνα μετὰ τῶν ἐμῶν δώρων καὶ τοῦ μαργαρίτου ἅμα αὐτῷ φαινώμεϑα τῷ βασιλεῖ.

heōrōn de auϑis hoti di᾽ holōn kinēseis exepemponto gnōseōs, kai 5v hetoimē apheinai logon" ēchouon de autēs homiAovogc: Egō eimi ekeinou tōn pantōn anϑrōpōn andreiotatou hou henechen par᾽ autǭ tǭ patri enegrōphēn" kai autos ho de hēsϑomēn autou tēs hēlikias. Hai de chinēseis hai basilikai pasai epanepauonto moi auxanousēs pros tautēs hormas" espeuden ek cheiros autou oregomenē imi ton dechomenon autēn. chōame ho poϑos diēgeiren hormēsai eis hypantēsin autou xt dexasϑai autēn. echtaϑeisan de chrōmatōn echomisidēn, kai tēn stolēn mou tēn basilikēn hyperechousan hestolisamēn di᾿ holou" endysamenos de ērϑēn eis chōran eirēnēs sebasmatos" kai tēn chephalēn klinas prosechynēsa tou patros to phengos tou aposteilantos moi tautēn, hoti egō men epoiēsa ta prostachϑenta, kai autos homoiōs hoper katepēngeilatoʼ kai en Io tais ϑyrais tou basilikou tou ex archēs autou katemeigny" mēn, ēsϑē de ep᾿ emoi kai eisedexato me met᾽ autou en tois basileiois" pantes de hoi hypēkooi autou euphēmois phōnais hymnousin" hypescheto de moi kai eis tas tou basileōs ϑyras syn autǭ apostaleisϑai, hina meta tōn emōn dōrōn kai tou margaritou hama autǭ phainōmeϑa tǭ basilei.

And again I saw that motions of knowledge were sent forth through the whole of it, and it was ready to utter speech; and I heard it speaking: 'I belong to him who is the bravest of all men, for whose sake I was written down by the father himself'; and I myself perceived my stature. And all the royal motions rested upon me, as its impulses grew toward him; it hastened, reaching out from his hand toward the one who would receive it; and longing roused me too to rush to meet him and receive it. I took it, spread out in its colors, and I clothed myself wholly in my royal robe, surpassing in beauty. Having put it on, I was lifted up to the land of peace and reverence; and bowing my head I worshiped the radiance of the father who had sent it to me; for I had done his commands, and he likewise what he had promised. And at the gates of his royal palace, which is from the beginning, I mingled with those there; and he rejoiced over me and received me with him into the palace; and all his subjects sing praises with voices of good omen. And he promised me also that I should be sent with him to the gates of the king, so that with my gifts and the pearl I might appear together with him before the king."

Notes and citation

Summary: The garment speaks, the prince puts it on, ascends to the land of peace, worships his father, and is received into the royal palace with the pearl.

The end of the Hymn of the Pearl.

Cite (SBL): Acts Thom. 113 (Lipsius–Bonnet, 99–291; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/acta-thomae/89/#p-113). (abbreviation not yet checked)

BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-acta-thomae-113) · Report an error