Page:The Apocryphal Acts of Paul, Peter, John, Andrew and Thomas.djvu/167

 If it pleases the master, then let us go!" John said, "First let us go to the temple of Artemis! For there also in consequence of our coming we shall be able to find ministers of the Lord."

38. After two days the birthday of the idol's temple was celebrated. While all were dressed in white garments, John put on a black one and went to the temple. They laid hold of him and tried to kill him. But John said, "Men, ye are mad, by laying hold of me, the servant of the only God." And ascending a platform he spoke to them:

39. "Men of Ephesus, ye are in danger of having the character of the sea. Every discharging river and every precipitating spring, downpours and compact waves and torrents rushing from the rock, are permeated by the bitter salt which is in the sea. Thus to this day you are unchangeably hostile to true piety, and by degrees you perish in your old idolatry. How many miraculous deeds did you see me perform, how many cures! And still you are hardened in the heart and cannot look up. What now, men of Ephesus? I ventured now to come down to this idol's temple, to convince you that you are wholly without God and dead through human reasonings. Behold, here I stand. You all assert that Artemis is powerful. Pray to her, that I alone die! Or if you cannot accomplish this, I alone will call upon my God to kill you all on account of your unbelief."

40. Since they already knew him and had seen how the dead woke up, they cried aloud, "Deal not