Page:The Apocryphal Acts of Paul, Peter, John, Andrew and Thomas.djvu/149

 as I hear, that all men worship and adore a heavenly God." John replied: "Because it is written, 'the heart of the King is in the hand of God' and again, 'the hand of the Lord is over the King's head.' For this reason I kissed thy breast and head." The King being pleased with John's answer, said to him, "I heard concerning thee that thou didst excite all people, especially that of the Ephesians, by deceptions and magical arts. Thou also preachest a strange God and adorest him instead of the true gods, which we worship. Meanwhile I will try and find out whether the God, whom thou preachest, will help thee."

8. And the King said to him: Art thou John, who said that my Kingdom would speedily be uprooted, and that another King, Jesus, was going to reign instead of me? And John answered and said to him: Thou also shalt reign for many years given to thee by God, and after thee very many others; and when the times of the things upon earth have been fulfilled, out of heaven shall come a King, eternal, true, Judge of living and dead, to whom every nation and tribe shall confess, through whom every earthly power and dominion shall be brought to nothing, and every mouth speaking strange things shall be shut. This is the mighty Lord and King of all breath and flesh, the Word and Son of the living One, who is Jesus Christ.

9. At this Domitian said to him: What is the proof of these things? I am not persuaded by words only; words are a sight of the unseen. What canst thou show in earth or heaven by the power of him who is destined to reign, as thou sayest? For he will do it, if he is the Son of God. And immediately John asked for a deadly poison. And the King having ordered poison to be given to him,