Page:Suppressed Gospels and Epistles.djvu/218

 26 Then those six men called the ten virgins to them, and commanded them to carry all the stones that were to be put into the building, and having carried them through the gate to deliver them to those that were about to build the tower.

27 Immediately the virgins began all of them together to lift up those stones, that were before taken out of the deep.

28 And they who also stood about the gate did carry stones in such a manner, that those stones which seemed to be the strongest were laid at the corners, and the rest were put into the sides;

29 And thus they carried all the stones, and bringing them through the gate delivered them to the builders, as they had been commanded: who receiving them at their hands, built with them.

30 But this building was made upon that great rock, and over the gate; and by these the whole tower was supported. But the building of the ten stones filled the whole gate, which began to be made for the foundation of that tower.

31 After those ten stones did five and twenty others rise up out of the deep; and these were placed in the building of the same tower; being lifted up by those virgins, as the others had been before.

32 After these did fire and thirty others rise up; and these were also in like manner fitted into the same work. Then forty other stones were brought up, and all these were added unto the building of that tower.

33 So there began to be four ranks in the foundation of that tower; and the stones ceased to rise out of the deep; and they also which built rested a little.

34 Again, those six men commanded the multitude, that they should bring stones out of those twelve mountains to the building of the same tower.

35 So they cut out of all the mountains stones of divers colours, and brought them and gave them to the virgins; which when they had received they carried them, and delivered them into the building of the tower.

36 In which when they were built they became white, and different from what they were before; for they were all alike, and did change their former colours. And some were reached up by the men themselves, which when they came into the building, continued such is they were put in.

37 These neither became white, nor different from what they were before; because they were not carried by the virgins through the gate. Wherefore these stones were disagreeable in the building; which, when these six men perceived they commanded them to be removed, and put again in the place from which they were brought.

38 And they said to those who brought these stones; Do not ye reach up to us any stones for this building, but lay them down by the tower, that these virgins may carry them and reach them to us.

39 For unless they shall be carried by these virgins through this gate, they cannot change their colours: therefore do not labour in vain.

40 So the building that day was done; howbeit the tower was not finished, for it was afterwards to be built; therefore now also there was some delay made of it.

41 And these six men commanded those that built to depart, and as it were to rest for some time; but they ordered those virgins that they should not depart from the tower; so now they seemed to me to be left for the guarding of it.

42 When all were departed,