Page:Apocryphal Gospels and Other Documents Relating to the History of Christ.djvu/264

148 were born, and I understand how many are the years of your lives. And every one that heard was astonished. And Jesus said to them again, Ye marvel that I said to you, I know how many are the years of your lives. Yerily I know when the world was created. Behold, ye believe me not at present: when ye see my cross, then ye will believe that I say true. And they were amazed when they heard these things.

Zacchæus wrote the alphabet in Hebrew, and said to him. Alpha. And the child said Alpha. And the teacher said again. Alpha. And the child said the same. Then again a third time the teacher said, Alpha. Then Jesus, looking at the instructor, said, Thou that knowest not Alpha, how wilt thou teach another the Beta? And the child, beginning at Alpha, said of himself the twenty-two letters. Then again he said, Hearken, teacher, to the arrangement of the first letter, and know how many accessories and lines it hath, and marks which are common, transverse, and connected. And when Zacchaeus heard such accounts of one letter, he was amazed and could not answer him; and he turned to Joseph and said. Brother, verily this child is not earth-born; therefore take him away from me.