Page:The Apocryphal Acts of Paul, Peter, John, Andrew and Thomas.djvu/237

 thousand. And the proconsul having beheld that they had somehow become maddened, afraid that something frightful would befall him, rose up from the tribunal and went away with them, having promised to set free the blessed Andrew. And some went on before to tell the apostle the cause for which he came to the place of execution. While the crowd, therefore, was exulting that the blessed Andrew was going to be set free, the proconsul having come up, and all the brethren rejoicing along with Maximilla, Andrew, having heard this, said to the brethren standing by, "What it is necessary for me to say to him, when I am departing, that will I also say. For what reason hast thou again come to us, Aegeates? On what account (p. 30) dost thou, being an adversary, come to us? What wilt thou again dare to do, what to contrive? Tell us. Hast thou come to release us, as having changed thy mind? I would not consent to thee even if thou hadst really changed thy mind, Aegeates. < I would not become faithless to me, though thou didst promise me everything thou ownest. > Nor would I believe thee, though thou didst claim to be my friend. Wilt thou, O proconsul, release him that has been bound? release him, who is redeemed? release the free? < Release him who was known by him related to him; him, who obtained mercy? him, beloved of him? thy opponent? the stranger? him who appeared to thee as law?> But I have hiin with whom I shall be for ever; I have him in whose Kingdom I shall live to countless ages. To him I