Page:The Apocryphal Acts of Paul, Peter, John, Andrew and Thomas.djvu/260

 the merchant. And the apostle went to prison rejoicing, and said to the merchant, "Fear nothing, believe only in the God which is preached by me, and thou shalt be freed from this world, and obtain life in the world to come."

And the King considered by what death he should kill them. Having decided to flog them and burn them with fire, on that very night Gad, the King's brother fell ill; and through the grief and imposition which the King suffered he was grievously depressed. And having sent for the King, he said to him, "Brother King, I commend to thee my house and my children. For I have been grieved on account of the insult that has befallen thee, and lo! I am dying, and if thou dost not proceed against the life of that magician, thou wilt give my soul no rest in Hades." And the King said to his brother, "I considered the whole night by what death I should kill him, and I have decided to flog him and burn him with fire together with the merchant who brought him hither."

22. While they were talking, the soul of Gad, his brother, departed, and the King mourned for Gad exceedingly, because he loved him, and ordered him to be prepared for burial in a royal and costly robe. While this was going on, angels received the soul of Gad, the King's brother, and took it up into heaven, showing him the places and mansions there, asking him, "In what place dost thou wish to dwell?" And when they came near the edifice of the apostle Thomas, which he had