Page:The Apocryphal Acts of Paul, Peter, John, Andrew and Thomas.djvu/174



52. After these words he went to the old man and said, "My Lord shall not be powerless to extend to thee his good compassion and his mercy devoid of presumption. Arise, therefore, and give God the honor in the present work." And the old man said, "I rise up, lord." And he arose, and, having raised himself, he said, "I was delivered from a life of the most fearful pain, who had to suffer the many fearful abuses and unkindness of my son; and now, man of the living God, thou hast called me back—(and) to what purpose?"  thou risest up to the same purpose, thou hadst done better to remain dead. But rise up to a higher purpose ! " And he took him, brought him to the city, and preached to him of the mercy of God, so that the old men believed, before he came into the gate.

53. And when the young man saw the unexpected resurrection of his father and his own salvation, he took the sickle and cut off his privy parts. And running into the house, where he kept the adultress, he flung (them) into her face saying, "On thy account I became a parricide, and (should have also) became (a murderer) both of thee and myself. Here hast thou which is the cause of all. God have mercy upon me, that I have perceived his power."

54. He returned to John, and in the presence of the brethren narrated what he had done. But John said to him, "He who induced thee, young man, to kill thy father and to become the lover of another