Page:The Apocryphal Acts of Paul, Peter, John, Andrew and Thomas.djvu/253

 grasping and avaricious, plundering orphans, deceiving widows, and by doing this you subject yourselves to most grievous punishments. For most children become unprofitable, being harassed by demons, some openly and others secretly. For they become either lunatics, or half-withered, or frail, or deaf, or dumb, or paralytics, or idiots. And though they be healthy, they will be again good-for-nothing, doing unprofitable and abominable works. For they will be detected either in adultery, or in murder, or in theft, or in unchastity, and by all these you will be afflicted. But if you obey and preserve your souls pure to God, there will be born to you living children, untouched by these hurtful things, and you will be without care, spending an untroubled life, free from grief and care, looking forward to receive that incorruptible and true marriage, and you will enter as groomsmen into that bridal chamber full of immortality and light."

13. And when the young people heard this, they believed the Lord and gave themselves over to him, and refrained from filthy lust, and remained thus spending the night in the place. And the Lord went away from them, after having said to them: "the grace of the Lord be with you!" And the dawn having come on, the King arrived, and having supplied the table, brought it in before the bridegroom and the bride. And he found them sitting opposite each other, and he found the face of the bride uncovered, and the bridegroom was quite cheerful. And the mother came in and said