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 forth fruit for those who believed in God; “And,” said he, when “I saw that they had sown sand, and that their crops were abundant, I also planted this garden for the enjoyment of the brethren, and it has come to its present state [of perfection].”

N a certain occasion it happened that Abbâ Hôr and Isaiah, and Paul met each other by chance by the side of a great river, and all three of them were chaste and perfect ascetics, who were going to visit a certain great confessor whose name was Nôpî, who lived at a place which was three stages distant, and they said to each other, “Let each of us shew the other his triumphs, and in what way, and to what extent he is, on account of his deeds, honoured by God.” And Abbâ Hôr said unto them, “I beg God for this gift—that we may journey to the place in that country by the might of the Holy Spirit, without any labour [on our part]”; and immediately he had prayed, a boat was found to be ready, and a wind favourable for its journey was blowing, and they sailed up against the stream, and in a short time found themselves at that place.

And when they had gone up from the river, Isaiah said unto them, “O my beloved, would it not be a greater [display of the power of] God if that man whom we are going to see where to come to us and meet us, and were to describe to each of us his life and works?” And Paul said unto them, “God hath revealed unto me that after three days He will take him, and that the man whom we are going to see will depart from this world into life.” Now when they had journeyed onwards a short distance from that place, the man himself met them, and saluted them; and Paul said unto him, “Brother, explain to us thy manner of life and works, for the day after to-morrow thou wilt go to God.” And Abbâ Nôpî said unto them, “Blessed be God, Who hath also revealed these things unto me, and hath shewn me concerning your coming and concerning your life and works.” And when he had described the upright dealings of each one of them, and how they lived, and how they laboured, he afterwards began to speak and to describe his own life and works, and he spake thus:—

“Since the day wherein I confessed the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ, our Redeemer and God, no falsehood whatsoever hath gone forth from my mouth on earth, and I have never taken any earthly thing, for an angel hath fed me each day with heavenly food. In my heart I have never had any