drowned

Pharaoh’s chariots and his host hath he cast into the sea: his chosen captains also are drowned in the Red sea.

Shall not the land tremble for this, and every one mourn that dwelleth therein? and it shall rise up wholly as a flood; and it shall be cast out and drowned, as by the flood of Egypt.

And the Lord GOD of hosts is he that toucheth the land, and it shall melt, and all that dwell therein shall mourn: and it shall rise up wholly like a flood; and shall be drowned, as by the flood of Egypt.

But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.

By faith they passed through the Red sea as by dry land: which the Egyptians assaying to do were drowned.

For whose cause the earth being drowned with the flood, wisdom again preserved it, and directed the course of the righteous in a piece of wood of small value.

But she drowned their enemies, and cast them up out of the bottom of the deep.

Who accepted of it according to the common decree of the city, as being desirous to live in peace, and suspecting nothing: but when they were gone forth into the deep, they drowned no less than two hundred of them.

And I saw till all the wolves who pursued those sheep perished and were drowned.

Thereafter was there a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and they bade him with his mother and his brethren, and he changed water into wine. He raised the dead, he caused the lame to walk: him whose hand was withered he caused to stretch it out, and the woman which had suffered an issue of blood twelve years touched the hem of his garment and was healed in the same hour. And when we marvelled at the miracle which was done, he said: Who touched me? Then said we: Lord, the press of men hath touched thee. But he answered and said unto us: I perceive that a virtue is gone out of me. Straightway that woman came before him, and answered and said unto him: Lord, I touched thee. And he answered and said unto her: Go, thy faith hath made thee whole. Thereafter he made the deaf to hear and the blind to see; out of them that were possessed he cast out the unclean spirits, and cleansed the lepers. The spirit which dwelt in a man, whereof the name was Legion, cried out against Jesus, saying: Before the time of our destruction is come, thou art come to drive us out. But the Lord Jesus rebuked him, saying: Go out of this man and do him no hurt. And he entered into the swine and drowned them in the water and they were choked. Thereafter he did walk upon the sea, and the winds blew, and he cried out against them (rebuked them), and the waves of the sea were made calm. And when we his disciples had no money, we asked him: What shall we do because of the tax-gatherer? And he answered and told us: Let one of you cast an hook into the deep, and take out a fish, and he shall find therein a penny: that give unto the tax-gatherer for me and you. And thereafter when we had no bread, but only five loaves and two fishes, he commanded the people to sit them down, and the number of them was five thousand, besides children and women. We did set pieces of bread before them, and they ate and were filled, and there remained over, and we filled twelve baskets full of the fragments, asking one another and saying: What mean these five loaves? They are the symbol of our faith in the Lord of the Christians (in the great christendom), even in the Father, the Lord Almighty, and in Jesus Christ our redeemer, in the Holy Ghost the comforter, in the holy church, and in the remission of sins.

Then Affrodosius, that governor of the city, when news of this was brought to him, went to the temple with all his army. And the priests of the temple, when they saw Affrodosius with all his army coming into the temple, thought that he was making haste only to see vengeance taken on those on whose account the gods had fallen down. But when he came into the temple, and saw all the gods lying prostrate on their faces, he went up to the blessed Mary, who was carrying the Lord in her bosom, and adored Him, and said to all his army and all his friends: Unless this were the God of our gods, our gods would not have fallen on their faces before Him; nor would they be lying prostrate in His presence: wherefore they silently confess that He is their Lord. Unless we, therefore, take care to do what we have seen our gods doing, we may run the risk of His anger, and all come to destruction, even as it happened to Pharaoh king of the Egyptians, who, not believing in powers so mighty, was drowned in the sea, with all his army. Then all the people of that same city believed in the Lord God through Jesus Christ.

And when they had touched at Puteoli, Theon leapt out of the ship and went unto the inn where he was wont to lodge, to prepare to receive Peter. Now he with whom he lodged was one by name Ariston, which alway feared the Lord, and because of the Name Theon entrusted himself with him (had dealings with him). And when he was come to the inn and saw Ariston, Theon said unto him: God who hath accounted thee worthy to serve him hath communicated his grace unto me also by his holy servant Peter, who hath now sailed with me from Judaea, being commanded by our Lord to come unto Italy. And when he heard that, Ariston fell upon Theon's neck and embraced him and besought him to bring him to the ship and show him Peter. For Ariston said that since Paul set forth unto Spain there was no man of the brethren with whom he could refresh himself, and, moreover, a certain Jew had broken into the city, named Simon, and with his charms of sorcery and his wickedness hath he made all the brotherhood fall away this way and that, so that I also fled from Rome, expecting the coming of Peter: for Paul had told us of him, and I also have seen many things in a vision. Now, therefore, I believe in my Lord that he will build up again his ministry, for all this deceit shall be rooted out from among his servants. For our Lord Jesus Christ is faithful, who is able to restore our minds. And when Theon heard these things from Ariston, who wept, his spirit was raised (increased) yet more and he was the more strengthened, because he perceived that he had believed on the living God. But when they came together unto the ship, Peter looked upon them and smiled, being filled with the Spirit; so that Ariston falling on his face at Peter's feet, said thus: Brother and lord, that hast part in the holy mysteries and showest the right way which is in the Lord Jesus Christ our God, who by thee hath shown unto us his coming: we have lost all them whom Paul had delivered unto us, by the working of Satan; but now I trust in the Lord who hath commanded thee to come unto us, sending thee as his messenger, that he hath accounted us worthy to see his great and wonderful works by thy means. I pray thee therefore, make haste unto the city: for I left the brethren which have stumbled, whom I saw fall into the temptation of the devil, and fled hither, saying unto them: Brethren, stand fast in the faith, for it is of necessity that within these two months the mercy of our Lord bring his servant unto you. For I had seen a vision, even Paul, saying unto me: Ariston, flee thou out of the city. And when I heard it, I believed without delay and went forth in the Lord, although I had an infirmity in my flesh, and came hither; and day by day I stood upon the sea-shore asking the sailors: Hath Peter sailed with you? But now through the abundance of the grace of God I entreat thee, let us go up unto Rome without delay, lest the teaching of this wicked man prevail yet further. And as Ariston said this with tears, Peter gave him his hand and raised him up from the earth, and Peter also groaning, said with tears: He hath prevented us which tempteth all the world by his angels; but he that hath power to save his servants from all temptations shall quench his deceits and put him beneath the feet of them that have believed in Christ whom we preach. And, as they entered in at the gate, Theon entreated Peter, saying: Thou didst not refresh thyself on any day in so great a voyage (sea): and now after (before) so hard a journey wilt thou set out forthwith from the ship? tarry and refresh thyself, and so shalt thou set forth: for from hence to Rome upon a pavement of flint I fear lest thou be hurt by the shaking. But Peter answered and said to them: What if it come to pass that a millstone were hung upon me, and likewise upon the enemy of our Lord, even as my Lord said unto us of any that offended one of the brethren, and I were drowned in the sea? but it might be not only a millstone, but that which is far worse, even that I which am the enemy of this persecutor of his servants should die afar off from them that have believed on the Lord Jesus Christ. And by no exhortation could Theon prevail to persuade him to tarry there even one day. But Theon himself delivered all that was in the ship to be sold for the price which he thought good, and followed Peter unto Rome; whom Ariston brought unto the abode of Narcissus the presbyter.

And hatred shall be taken from the earth, and along with jealousy it shall be drowned:

And going up into his chamber he lay down, and Death came and stood before him. And Abraham said to him, Depart from me, for I desire to rest, because my spirit is in indifference. Death said, I will not depart from you until I take your soul. And Abraham with an austere countenance and angry look said to Death, Who has ordered you to say this? You say these words of yourself boastfully, and I will not go with you until the chief-captain Michael come to me, and I shall go with him. But this also I tell you, if you desire that I shall accompany you, explain to me all your changes, the seven fiery heads of serpents and what the face of the precipice is, and what the sharp sword, and what the loud-roaring river, and what the tempestuous sea that rages so fiercely. Teach me also the unendurable thunder, and the terrible lightning, and the evil-smelling cup mingled with poisons. Teach me concerning all these. And Death answered, Listen, righteous Abraham. For seven ages I destroy the world and lead all down to Hades, kings and rulers, rich and poor, slaves and free men, I convoy to the bottom of Hades, and for this I showed you the seven heads of serpents. The face of fire I showed you because many die consumed by fire, and behold death through a face of fire. The face of the precipice I showed you, because many men die descending from the tops of trees or terrible precipices and losing their life, and see death in the shape of a terrible precipice. The face of the sword I showed you because many are slain in wars by the sword, and see death as a sword. The face of the great rushing river I showed you because many are drowned and perish snatched away by the crossing of many waters and carried off by great rivers, and see death before their time. The face of the angry raging sea I showed you because many in the sea falling into great surges and becoming shipwrecked are swallowed up and behold death as the sea. The unendurable thunder and the terrible lightning I showed you because many men in the moment of anger meet with unendurable thunder and terrible lightning coming to seize upon men, and see death thus. I showed you also the poisonous wild beasts, asps and basilisks, leopards and lions and lions' cubs, bears and vipers, and in short the face of every wild beast I showed you, most righteous one, because many men are destroyed by wild beasts, and others by poisonous snakes, serpents and asps and cerastes and basilisks and vipers, breathe out their life and die. I showed you also the destroying cups mingled with poison, because many men being given poison to drink by other men straightway depart unexpectedly.

OF THE MARTYRS WHO ARE BROUGHT TO TRIAL AND AFFLICTED WITH SORE PUNISHMENT. [OF THE FEASTS OF THE PASSOVER.]! [v., 1.] If there be any Christian who hath been brought before the judgment-seat of the ungodly, whether for execution, or banishment, or imprisonment, or that he may be given to the wild beasts for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ and for the true faith and the love of God, turn not your face from them, but send them sustenance of your substance and of the sweat of your brow; and give sustenance besides to the soldiers who guard them, that they may not afflict them with sore torment. And spurn not a Christian your brother whom they have dragged before the judgment-seat for the name of the Lord our God. He is a holy martyr, the brother of our Lord, and the son of the Most High, and the habitation of the Holy Spirit. He is a faithful (witness) who hath kept the commandment of the Gospel and inherited the crown of life, and is a martyr for the sake of the sufferings of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the fellowship of His precious blood. Wherefore, ye faithful, with your labour and with your substance do service to the saints, and let such as have no money fast for their sakes, and let such as have give a portion of their substance to the saints. And if there be anyone who giveth all his substance as a ransom for them to save them, he is blessed and a friend of Christ. If there be anyone who giveth his substance to the poor, he is elect and holy; much more then he who freely giveth his substance for the martyrs’ sake. He is one that hath fulfilled the will of God, and hath imitated the saints who confessed our Lord before Gentiles and kings and the people of Israel. For it is said, “ Whosoever shall confess me in the presence of men, him will I also confess in the presence of my Father who is in heaven.” Christ, then, shall bear witness before the Father to those who do thus. And as for you, it is not right that ye should be negligent and ashamed to go to the prison and visit the prisoners. Help them rather, and comfort them, and if ye do this, ye shall be reckoned with the martyrs. For as for them their witness is written, because they have suffered and been afflicted: and ye also have been reckoned with them, because ye have done them service with a ready heart and a good ministry without sloth. And of these our Lord saith, “Come unto me, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you before the world (was): for IT was hungry, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me to drink: I was a stranger, and ye received me: I was naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me; I was in prison, and ye spake unto me. And then shall the righteous answer and say, Lord, when saw we thee hungry, and gave thee meat or thirsty, and gave thee to drink and when saw we thee a stranger, and received thee or naked, and clothed thee or sick, (and) visited thee or in prison, and spake unto thee? And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, whatsoever ye did unto one of these little ones, ye did unto me. And then he shall say to those on his left hand, Depart, ye cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for Satan and for his angels: for I was hungry, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me not to drink: I was a stranger, and ye received me not: I was naked, and ye clothed me not: I was sick, and ye visited me not: I was in prison, and ye spake not unto me. Then shall those on the left hand answer, saying, Lord, when saw we thee hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? And then shall the King answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, whatsoever ye did not to one of these little ones, ve did not to me. And these shall go away into eternal condemnation, but the righteous into eternal life.” [v., 2.] If there be anyone who saith, I am a Christian; and doeth evil, committeth fornication, and is impure; and they pass on him the sentence of death, from such a man keep far away. Christians ought not to transgress the law or break (it) by evil doing, but rather (ought) to turn aside from the ungodly and unbelieving and have no fellowship with them. But as for those whom the ungodly have imprisoned, or banished, or bound, or delivered up to death for Christ’s name’s sake, take heed to save your brethren and your fellow-members from the hands of the ungodly. And if there be a Christian who hath toiled for their sakes, blessed is he, for he shall be reckoned with the martyrs, because he hath suffered for Christ’s sake. And on us too in like manner came suffering and affliction from Caiaphas, and those with Alexander, and Annas the high-priest, and afterwards we went out from them rejoicing that we were worthy to endure the sufferings of Christ. In like manner do ye also endure patiently and rejoice concerning suffering, that ye may be blessed in that day. [v., 3.] But as for those who are persecuted for the sake of the faith, and go forth from city to city for the sake of the commandment of the Gospel of our Lord, receive them and give them rest and shelter with you as martyrs, rejoicing that ye are companions with them. Understand then that they are blessed of the Lord. For our Lord saith, “Blessed are ye when they revile you, and mock you, and speak all (manner of) evil against you falsely for my sake. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven for so persecuted they the prophets who were before you.” And again He saith, “If they have persecuted me, they will persecute you also.” And again He saith, “If they persecute you in this city, flee ye to the next. And, “In this world ye shall be sad and troubled,” for, “they shall deliver you up to the synagogue and their judges shall scourge you, and they shall bring you before rulers and Kings for my sake for a testimony ’’; and, “He who patiently endureth to the end, shall be saved.’’! He who is persecuted for Christ’s name’s sake, and by patient endurance becometh a martyr is in truth a man of God. [v., 4.] But he who consorteth with the ungodly, and hath denied Christ lest the unbelievers should hate him and loveth himself more than his Lord, in whose hand his breath is, is hated and despised and tormented of God, because he hath preferred the love of man, and hath become a hater of God, and taken part with the accursed, and not with the Saints. Instead of the Kingdom prepared for the blessed he hath chosen for himself the eternal fire of Gehenna prepared for Satan and his angels. And concerning such a one our Lord answered, and said, “ Whosoever denieth me in the presence of men, him will I also deny in the presence of my Father who is in heaven.” And again, He hath commanded, saying, “He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth his son or his daughter more than me is not worthy of me: and he that taketh not up his cross, and followeth not after me, is not worthy of me. He that findeth his life, let him lose it, and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it. What doth it profit a man if he have gained the whole world and lost his life and what would he not give as a ransom for his life?” And again He saith, “ Fear not them that kill your bodies, but are not able to kill your souls; but fear him who is able to destroy soul and body in Gehenna.”! [v., 5-] For it is right that he who hath learned a craft should teach others, and if he teach not others he is not perfect as his master. Jesus Christ is our Saviour and our Master. How then shall we not love doctrine and admonition? For our Lord hated haughtiness, and pride, and luxury, and riches, and covetousness, and revenge; and moreover He lightly esteemed ” sister and mother for love of His Father and love of man. And again, He patiently endured suffering, and stripes, and reproach, and reviling, and mockery, and yet more He was wounded on the Cross to save all those who believe in Him. And if He patiently endured all this, and disdained not to be crucified on the Cross and patiently endured the sufferings of death, how then shall not we endure the sufferings of our Saviour? But if he suffered willingly for our sakes, yet we do not (suffer) for His sake, but rather hope for His mercy. But there is nothing which He desireth to receive from us, but only a belief in the right faith. v., 6.) Wherefore let us lightly esteem our parents, and our kinsfolk, and our friends, and our wives, and our children, and all the good things of this world. And if we love these, we shall not keep this commandment. However let us take heed that we enter not into temptation; and when we are called to (bear) witness, let us hold fast our faith in the precious name of our Saviour. Let us rejoice and patiently. endure, when we are persecuted, that we may inherit life eternal. Let us, then, not love honour and praise as the people of the Jews who rejected the miracles of Christ, and believed not on Him, because they feared the chief priests; but preferred praise from men, and not Nile from God. But we have believed in the right faith, that we may instruct the new (converts) who have received baptism, and may confirm the hearts of the catechumens. But if we keep the faith in our hearts, and speak not out boldly unto men through fear of condemnation and affliction, we shall forfeit life eternal; and (shall become) moreover a stumbling-block to others (and) a snare to many. And if we act thus we shall be requited with a twofold penalty. Let us take heed, then, lest we fall into affliction, and pray lest we enter into temptation. For the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak. Let us be wise, then, lest we fall away from this right faith through fear of the ungodly and unbelievers, for our years are but few. And if there be any one that abandons his hope in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, all his life long he shall be afflicted with suffering that hath no remedy, and with wrath that weakeneth the limbs and breaketh the bones, and hereafter he shall lose life eternal, and be punished in the fire of Gehenna, and in weeping and gnashing of teeth. But he who hath suffered for the Lord, and hath been a martyr, shall rejoice in God, because he hath chosen for himself the crown of the Kingdom, and his departure from this world hath been perfect in the right faith. And if a catechumen suffer and patiently endure affliction and die for Christ’s sake, his sufferings shall be to him instead of baptism, and he shall win-a good hope and life eternal. And others too who have fought a good fight, and died for Christ’s name's sake in the right faith, shall rejoice and be glad, for they have kept the admonition of their master. For He saith, “Be ye worthy as your master (is worthy).”! Our Lord Jesus Christ suffered for our sakes and patiently endured reviling and mockery, and bore the spitting of the unclean, reproach, and reviling and blows; and after this they scourged Him, and pierced Him on the Cross, and gave Him vinegar to drink (mingled) with gall, and when He had accomplished all that was written He said unto God, “ Father, behold into thy hand, I commend my soul.” And he who desireth to be a disciple, let him patiently endure sufferings and affliction, and bear stripes with a brave heart and (with) love. And if he be cast into the fire, there shall be nothing that shall touch him, even as the Three Children were saved from the furnace of fire. And everyone who hath suffered for His sake shall receive a reward, because he hath believed in one God, the Father, and Jesus Christ, the great High-priest, our teacher and the guide of our souls, and the Giver of our life; to Him be glory for ever and ever. Amen. [v., 7.] He then is the Lord God Almighty, our Saviour Jesus Christ, who shall confirm us in His faith, and raise us up with those that have fallen asleep, and who) fulfilled His will perfectly without omission. And if we be drowned in the sea, or (if) beasts and birds devour our flesh, (yet) not one hair of our heads shall perish, for the world and all that is therein are holden in His hand. Wherefore He hath taught us, saying, “By your patience, ye shall possess your souls. For at the last day every creature shall rise again, righteous men and sinners. And concerning the resurrection of the dead, and the reward of the martyrs Gabriel said unto Daniel, ‘Many of those who have fallen asleep shall rise from the dust, some shall rise to life eternal, and some shall rise in shame and contempt; but the righteous shall shine as the sun and as the bright stars.” Behold the holy Gabriel foretold and said, And the saints shall shine as the bright stars. And again he bare witness concerning them that they knew the truth and understood His holy name. For he did not say this concerning the resurrection from the dead of the martyrs alone, but concerning the resurrection of all men, whether righteous or sinners, that they may be recompensed each one according to his deeds. For the Jews say, There is no resurrection of the dead. Behold our bones are dust and our flesh dried up.’’? And to those who think this our Lord answereth, saying, Behold I will open your graves, and bring you forth therefrom, and I will put my spirit upon you, and ye shall live. Now ye shall know that I am the Lord, (even I) who speak ” and perform.” And moreover Isaiah saith, ‘‘The dead shall arise, and those that are in the graves shall live, and those that (rest) in the earth shall rejoice, for the dew that is from thee is their‘life.” He hath told us much concerning the resurrection from the dead, and (their) abode in life eternal, which is full of grace and truth, which He hath prepared for those that love Him; and (concerning) the judgment of the ungodly, their fall, shame and misery; the fire that never shall be quenched, ant the worm that sleepeth not shall come upon them. But God desireth not the death of a sinner, but rather that he should be converted and live. Behold He hath told us that Enoch and Elijah did not taste of death, and hath revealed unto us that the dead shall rise in His time. Elijah raised the widow’s son, and Elisha raised (the son of) the Shunammite. Behold we understand that the death of the righteous is not a judgment of those saints who receive it with joy. In like manner Jesus Christ the Lord of the Apostles and the Life of the faithful shall raise the dead. And so let us also toil in this world, and after a brief while we shall enter into rest, and the race of Adam shall be renewed, and shall rise with him to life eternal. It is said, “All the dead shall hear his voice, and those that hear shall live. Wherefore we believe in the resurrection of the dead and the second coming of Christ. And moreover He who raised Lazarus from the grave on the fourth day raised from the dead both the daughter of Jairus and the widow’s son. And He Himself too rose from the dead on the third day by the will of His Father, and became.the Word of life. And He also it is who brought forth Jonah alive and unhurt from the whale’s belly on the third day, and saved the Three Children from the furnace of fire in the land of Babylon, and Daniel from the mouth of the lions. He, then, who hath authority and might will raise the dead at the last day. But if the ungodly who believe not the Holy Scriptures mock at us, behold the Sibyl their own prophetess maketh glad their hearts, and saith thus unto them, “When the flesh hath decayed, and is become dust, the fire shall consume it by the commandment of God, who waxeth not old and decayeth not; (and) God shall raise up again the bones which were burned in the fire and became ashes. Then shall God pronounce the sentence of judgment upon all the world. Such as have done evil shall descend to the depths of the earth, and those that have kept his commandment shall have eternal life, and God will give unto them the spirit of life; and those that are saved shall look one upon another.” And if they believe not in the resurrection, let them not refuse belief in () another creature. Behold that bird whose name is the phoenix will cause the ungodly to understand, who themselves say that it is alone of its kind. Of this bird they say that it lives for five hundred years, and then goes down to Egypt and brings with it cinnamon, and cassia, and aloe-wood.” And it alights on the image of the idol whose name is Ion, and looks towards the east, and worships the Sun, and then is consumed and turned to ashes. Then there comes forth from the ashes a small worm and it becomes a young phoenix, and, when it is grown, it returns to the land of Arabia.“ If then they know of the resurrection “ of this bird, how can they question with us of that which we say and believe? Cannot He who created man out of nothing raise the dead by His great power? Wherefore it is right that we should patiently endure the various sufferings and afflictions that come upon us. But if we believe not in the resurrection of the dead, our suffering and our affliction is in vain. We believe in what Moses saith, “In the beginning God made the heaven and the earth.” There was not one thing that He needed, (and) knowing that all things are created by His Word, it was His pleasure that there should be heaven and earth, and light and darkness, and night, (and) day, and the stars, and birds, and whales, and beasts, and creeping things, and trees, and herbs. Thus He raised them up by His will, and needed no other helper. He it is who is able by His power to renew the world again and to raise the dead. Man, however, was not created first, but He created him from the four elements, and gave him a soul. And in like manner He will give back to this (soul) the body of flesh that is dissolved. For the resurrection is for those that have fallen asleep and not for those that have not been created. For He created (it) from what was fleshless, and put within it many marvels. And again He will raise up and save those that have fallen asleep, as He created flesh out of seed in the womb. As Jeremiah the prophet saith, “Before I created thee in the womb, I knew thee.” And again it is said, “I am the Lord who created the heavens, and laid the foundations of the earth, and I create the soul in man.” Even as the Scripture saith concerning this, God the Father said to his only-begotten Son Jesus Christ, “Let us make man in our image and in our likeness. And then God created them male and female.”! And furthermore the holy victor Job saith thus—he of whom the Scripture saith that ‘‘he will rise with those whom the Lord raises.” ‘Thou hast milked me like milk, and curdled me like cheese; thou hast clothed me with flesh and skin, and hast bound my bones with sinews; and thou hast shown me compassion and mercy, and thy visitation hath preserved my spirit. I know this that is with thee, that thou canst do all things and that there is nothing that is impossible with thee.” And again, David, the lover of God, saith, ‘Thy hands have made me and fashioned me; give me understanding, and I will learn thy commandment.” And elsewhere he saith, ‘‘Thou hast created me and laid thy hand upon me. Marvellous is thy work, and (that) my soul knoweth right well. And my bones were not hidden from thee, which thou didst make in secret, nor my substance, (which was) beneath the earth. And that which I have done, thine eyes have seen, and all is written in thy book. Isaiah also saith, “We are the clay and thou hast created us." If, then, men are God’s creation, made by Christ, they shall be raised with Christ, and those that have done His will shall receive honour and the crown of life. Thus the ungodly and unbelieving, who have not received baptism and believe not in the resurrection, shall be condemned to eternal punishment, but those that have done good shall shine like the stars of light. For David saith, ‘The Lord is faithful in all his words and righteous in all his works.” He who created for Himself a body of a virgin (and) who is the Creator of the whole world is the only one who hath risen from the dead, and moreover He will make all the dead to rise. He who maketh the grain of wheat to shoot from the earth, and multiplieth its fruit; “and (who) is able to make shoot forth again the tree that is hewn down, and to multiply its branches; and (who) made Aaron’s dry rod to blossom, is able also in like manner to raise us up with Him in the glory wherewith He ascended. He who made straight the feet of the lame, and cured the palsied, and healed the man whose hand was withered; He who spat on the ground and made clay and anointed the eyes of the man who was born blind; He who healed the wasted limbs, shall He not be able to raise us up also? He who satisfied the souls of five thousand men with five barley loaves and two fishes —and they took up of what was left twelve baskets full —and (who) made water wine; who sent Peter, and he took a penny from the fish’s mouth. He it is who will raise the dead. Behold we are His witnesses concerning everything which the prophets proclaimed concerning Him. We, His companions, ate and drank with Him, and saw His miracles and His life. And again, we saw His sufferings, and His agony, and His death, and His resurrection. And we heard His words, and were His friends, and abode with Him forty days. And after He rose from the dead He charged us to publish the preaching of the holy Gospel in all the world, and commanded us to baptize into the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, who is the Paraclete, the Spirit of truth, And when He had given this charge, He, in the flesh that He took of us, ascended into heaven to the Father who had sent Him. If ye thus believe, blessed are ye, but if ye believe not, ye are far from Him because ye have not kept His commandment.

And they raised a sedition against Moses the servant of God, the meekest of all men, and faithful, and affronted so great a man with the highest ingratitude; him who was their lawgiver, and guardian, and high priest, and king, the administrator of divine things; one that showed as a creator the mighty works of the Creator; the meekest man, freest from arrogance, and full of fortitude, and most benign in his temper; one who had delivered them from many dangers, and freed them from several deaths by his holiness; who had done so many signs and wonders from God before the people, and had performed glorious and wonderful works for their benefit; who had brought the ten plagues upon the Egyptians; who had divided the Red Sea, and had separated the waters as a wall on this side and on that side, and had led the people through them as through a dry wilderness, and had drowned Pharaoh and the Egyptians, and all that were in company with them; and had made the fountain sweet for them with wood, and had brought water out of the stony rock for them when they were thirsty; and had given them manna out of heaven, and had distributed flesh to them out of the air; and had afforded them a pillar of fire in the night to enlighten and conduct them, and a pillar of a cloud to shadow them in the day, by reason of the violent heat of the sun; and had exhibited to them the law of God, engraven from the mouth, and hand, and writing of God, in tables of stone, the perfect number of ten commandments; to whom God spoke face to face, as if a man spoke to his friend; of whom He said, And there arose not a prophet like Moses. Against him arose the followers of Corah, and the Reubenites, and threw stones at Moses, who prayed, and said: Accept not their offering. And the glory of God appeared, and sent some down into the earth, and burnt up others with fire; and so, as to those ringleaders of this schismatical deceit which said, Let us make ourselves a leader, the earth opened its mouth, and swallowed them up, and their tents, and what appertained to them, and they went down alive into hell; but he destroyed the followers of Corah with fire.

Now the law is the decalogue, which the Lord promulgated to them with an audible voice, before the people made that calf which represented the Egyptian Apis. And the law is righteous, and therefore is it called the law, because judgments are thence made according to the law of nature, which the followers of Simon abuse, supposing they shall not be judged thereby, and so shall escape punishment. This law is good, holy, and such as lays no compulsion in things positive. For He says: If you will make me an altar, you shall make it of earth. It does not say, Make one, but, If you will make. It does not impose a necessity, but gives leave to their own free liberty. For God does not stand in need of sacrifices, being by nature above all want. But knowing that, as of old, Abel, beloved of God, and Noah and Abraham, and those that succeeded, without being required, but only moved of themselves by the law of nature, did offer sacrifice to God out of a grateful mind; so He did now permit the Hebrews, not commanding, but, if they had a mind, permitting them; and if they offered from a right intention, showing Himself pleased with their sacrifices. Therefore He says: If you desire to offer, do not offer to me as to one that stands in need of it, for I stand in need of nothing; for the world is mine, and the fullness thereof. But when this people became forgetful of that, and called upon a calf as God, instead of the true God, and to him did ascribe the cause of their coming out of Egypt, saying, These are your gods, O Israel, which have brought you out of the land of Egypt; and when these men had committed wickedness with the similitude of a calf that eats hay; and denied God who had visited them by Moses in their afflictions, and had done signs with his hand and rod, and had smitten the Egyptians with ten plagues; who had divided the waters of the Red Sea into two parts; who had led them in the midst of the water, as a horse upon the ground; who had drowned their enemies, and those that laid wait for them; who at Marah had made sweet the bitter fountain; who had brought water out of the sharp rock till they were satisfied; who had overshadowed them with a pillar of a cloud on account of the immoderate heat, and with a pillar of fire which enlightened and guided them when they knew not which way they were to go; who gave them manna from heaven, and gave them quails for flesh from the sea; who gave them the law in the mountain; whose voice He had vouchsafed to let them hear; Him did they deny, and said to Aaron, Make us gods who shall go before us; and they made a molten calf, and sacrificed to an idol;— then was God angry, as being ungratefully treated by them, and bound them with bonds which could not be loosed, with a mortifying burden and a hard collar, and no longer said, If you make but, Make an altar, and sacrifice perpetually; for you are forgetful and ungrateful. Offer burnt-offerings therefore continually, that you may be mindful of me. For since you have wickedly abused your power, I lay a necessity upon you for the time to come, and I command you to abstain from certain meats; and I ordain you the distinction of clean and unclean creatures, although every creature is good, as being made by me; and I appoint you several separations, purgations, frequent washings and sprinklings, several purifications, and several times of rest; and if you neglect any of them, I determine that punishment which is proper to the disobedient, that being pressed and galled by your collar, you may depart from the error of polytheism, and laying aside that, These are your gods, O Israel, may be mindful of that, Hear, O Israel, the Lord your God is one Lord; and may run back again to that law which is inserted by me in the nature of all men, that there is only one God in heaven and on earth, and to love Him with all your heart, and all your might, and all your mind, and to fear none but Him, nor to admit the names of other gods into your mind, nor to let your tongue utter them out of your mouth. He bound them for the hardness of their hearts, that by sacrificing, and resting, and purifying themselves, and by similar observances, they might come to the knowledge of God, who ordained these things for them.

And when they came to the place of the ditches, the waters revolved by mills, and two hundred men upon ten rafts were drowned.

And as Moses drowned Pharaoh with the Egyptians in the Sea of Eritrea, so also shall the Saviour drown Satan and his devils in Sheol; for the sea is to be interpreted by Sheol, and Pharaoh by Satan, and his hosts of Egyptians by devils.

But when I was in the twenty-sixth year of my age, it happened that I took a voyage to Rome, and this on the occasion which I shall now describe. At the time when Felix was procurator of Judea there were certain priests of my acquaintance, and very excellent persons they were, whom on a small and trifling occasion he had put into bonds, and sent to Rome to plead their cause before Caesar. These I was desirous to procure deliverance for, and that especially because I was informed that they were not unmindful of piety towards God, even under their afflictions, but supported themselves with figs and nuts. Accordingly I came to Rome, though it were through a great number of hazards by sea; for as our ship was drowned in the Adriatic Sea, we that were in it, being about six hundred in number, swam for our lives all the night; when, upon the first appearance of the day, and upon our sight of a ship of Cyrene, I and some others, eighty in all, by God's providence, prevented the rest, and were taken up into the other ship. And when I had thus escaped, and was come to Dieearchia, which the Italians call Puteoli, I became acquainted with Aliturius, an actor of plays, and much beloved by Nero, but a Jew by birth; and through his interest became known to Poppea, Caesar's wife, and took care, as soon as possible, to entreat her to procure that the priests might be set at liberty. And when, besides this favor, I had obtained many presents from Poppea, I returned home again.

This victory was not sufficient for Antigonus; but he proceeded to that degree of rage, as to treat the dead body of Joseph barbarously; for when he had got possession of the bodies of those that were slain, he cut off his head, although his brother Pheroras would have given fifty talents as a price of redemption for it. And now the affairs of Galilee were put in such disorder after this victory of Antigonus's, that those of Antigonus's party brought the principal men that were on Herod's side to the lake, and there drowned them. There was a great change made also in Idumea, where Machaerus was building a wall about one of the fortresses, which was called Gittha. But Herod had not yet been informed of these things; for after the taking of Samosata, and when Antony had set Sosius over the affairs of Syria, and had given him orders to assist Herod against Antigonus, he departed into Egypt; but Sosius sent two legions before him into Judea to assist Herod, and followed himself soon after with the rest of his army.

Now of the five children which Herod had by Mariamne, two of them were daughters, and three were sons; and the youngest of these sons was educated at Rome, and there died; but the two eldest he treated as those of royal blood, on account of the nobility of their mother, and because they were not born till he was king. But then what was stronger than all this was the love that he bare to Mariamne, and which inflamed him every day to a great degree, and so far conspired with the other motives, that he felt no other troubles, on account of her he loved so entirely. But Mariamne's hatred to him was not inferior to his love to her. She had indeed but too just a cause of indignation from what he had done, while her boldness proceeded from his affection to her; so she openly reproached him with what he had done to her grandfather Hyrcanus, and to her brother Aristobulus; for he had not spared this Aristobulus, though he were but a child; for when he had given him the high priesthood at the age of seventeen, he slew him quickly after he had conferred that dignity upon him; but when Aristobulus had put on the holy vestments, and had approached to the altar at a festival, the multitude, in great crowds, fell into tears; whereupon the child was sent by night to Jericho, and was there dipped by the Galls, at Herod's command, in a pool till he was drowned.

Now Joppa is not naturally a haven, for it ends in a rough shore, where all the rest of it is straight, but the two ends bend towards each other, where there are deep precipices, and great stones that jut out into the sea, and where the chains wherewith Andromeda was bound have left their footsteps, which attest to the antiquity of that fable. But the north wind opposes and beats upon the shore, and dashes mighty waves against the rocks which receive them, and renders the haven more dangerous than the country they had deserted. Now as those people of Joppa were floating about in this sea, in the morning there fell a violent wind upon them; it is called by those that sail there "the black north wind," and there dashed their ships one against another, and dashed some of them against the rocks, and carried many of them by force, while they strove against the opposite waves, into the main sea; for the shore was so rocky, and had so many of the enemy upon it, that they were afraid to come to land; nay, the waves rose so very high, that they drowned them; nor was there any place whither they could fly, nor any way to save themselves; while they were thrust out of the sea, by the violence of the wind, if they staid where they were, and out of the city by the violence of the Romans. And much lamentation there was when the ships were dashed against one another, and a terrible noise when they were broken to pieces; and some of the multitude that were in them were covered with waves, and so perished, and a great many were embarrassed with shipwrecks. But some of them thought that to die by their own swords was lighter than by the sea, and so they killed themselves before they were drowned; although the greatest part of them were carried by the waves, and dashed to pieces against the abrupt parts of the rocks, insomuch that the sea was bloody a long way, and the maritime parts were full of dead bodies; for the Romans came upon those that were carried to the shore, and destroyed them; and the number of the bodies that were thus thrown out of the sea was four thousand and two hundred. The Romans also took the city without opposition, and utterly demolished it.

Now Joppa is not naturally a haven, for it ends in a rough shore, where all the rest of it is straight, but the two ends bend towards each other, where there are deep precipices, and great stones that jut out into the sea, and where the chains wherewith Andromeda was bound have left their footsteps, which attest to the antiquity of that fable. But the north wind opposes and beats upon the shore, and dashes mighty waves against the rocks which receive them, and renders the haven more dangerous than the country they had deserted. Now as those people of Joppa were floating about in this sea, in the morning there fell a violent wind upon them; it is called by those that sail there "the black north wind," and there dashed their ships one against another, and dashed some of them against the rocks, and carried many of them by force, while they strove against the opposite waves, into the main sea; for the shore was so rocky, and had so many of the enemy upon it, that they were afraid to come to land; nay, the waves rose so very high, that they drowned them; nor was there any place whither they could fly, nor any way to save themselves; while they were thrust out of the sea, by the violence of the wind, if they staid where they were, and out of the city by the violence of the Romans. And much lamentation there was when the ships were dashed against one another, and a terrible noise when they were broken to pieces; and some of the multitude that were in them were covered with waves, and so perished, and a great many were embarrassed with shipwrecks. But some of them thought that to die by their own swords was lighter than by the sea, and so they killed themselves before they were drowned; although the greatest part of them were carried by the waves, and dashed to pieces against the abrupt parts of the rocks, insomuch that the sea was bloody a long way, and the maritime parts were full of dead bodies; for the Romans came upon those that were carried to the shore, and destroyed them; and the number of the bodies that were thus thrown out of the sea was four thousand and two hundred. The Romans also took the city without opposition, and utterly demolished it.

But now, when the vessels were gotten ready, Vespasian put upon ship-board as many of his forces as he thought sufficient to be too hard for those that were upon the lake, and set sail after them. Now these which were driven into the lake could neither fly to the land, where all was in their enemies' hand, and in war against them; nor could they fight upon the level by sea, for their ships were small and fitted only for piracy; they were too weak to fight with Vespasian's vessels, and the mariners that were in them were so few, that they were afraid to come near the Romans, who attacked them in great numbers. However, as they sailed round about the vessels, and sometimes as they came near them, they threw stones at the Romans when they were a good way off, or came closer and fought them; yet did they receive the greatest harm themselves in both cases. As for the stones they threw at the Romans, they only made a sound one after another, for they threw them against such as were in their armor, while the Roman darts could reach the Jews themselves; and when they ventured to come near the Romans, they became sufferers themselves before they could do any harm to the ether, and were drowned, they and their ships together. As for those that endeavored to come to an actual fight, the Romans ran many of them through with their long poles. Sometimes the Romans leaped into their ships, with swords in their hands, and slew them; but when some of them met the vessels, the Romans caught them by the middle, and destroyed at once their ships and themselves who were taken in them. And for such as were drowning in the sea, if they lifted their heads up above the water, they were either killed by darts, or caught by the vessels; but if, in the desperate case they were in, they attempted to swim to their enemies, the Romans cut off either their heads or their hands; and indeed they were destroyed after various manners every where, till the rest being put to flight, were forced to get upon the land, while the vessels encompassed them about [on the sea]: but as many of these were repulsed when they were getting ashore, they were killed by the darts upon the lake; and the Romans leaped out of their vessels, and destroyed a great many more upon the land: one might then see the lake all bloody, and full of dead bodies, for not one of them escaped. And a terrible stink, and a very sad sight there was on the following days over that country; for as for the shores, they were full of shipwrecks, and of dead bodies all swelled; and as the dead bodies were inflamed by the sun, and putrefied, they corrupted the air, insomuch that the misery was not only the object of commiseration to the Jews, but to those that hated them, and had been the authors of that misery. This was the upshot of the sea-fight. The number of the slain, including those that were killed in the city before, was six thousand and five hundred.

But let us take from the Gospels also the similitudes of those things which we have mentioned, in which is described a certain rock, having on it a little superficial earth, on which, when a seed falls, it is said quickly to spring up; but when sprung up, it withers as the sun ascends in the heavens, and dies away, because it did not cast its root deeply into the ground. Now this rock undoubtedly represents the human soul, hardened on account of its own negligence, and converted into stone because of its wickedness. For God gave no one a stony heart by a creative act; but each individual’s heart is said to become stony through his own wickedness and disobedience. As, therefore, if one were to blame a husbandman for not casting his seed more quickly upon rocky ground, because seed cast upon other rocky soil was seen to spring up speedily, the husbandman would certainly say in reply: “I sow this soil more slowly, for this reason, that it may retain the seed which it has received; for it suits this ground to be sown somewhat slowly, lest perhaps the crop, having sprouted too rapidly, and coming forth from the mere surface of a shallow soil, should be unable to withstand the rays of the sun.” Would not he who formerly found fault acquiesce in the reasons and superior knowledge of the husbandman, and approve as done on rational grounds what formerly appeared to him as founded on no reason? And in the same way, God, the thoroughly skilled husbandman of all His creation, undoubtedly conceals and delays to another time those things which we think ought to have obtained health sooner, in order that not the outside of things, rather than the inside, may be cured. But if any one now were to object to us that certain seeds do even fall upon rocky ground, i.e. on a hard and stony heart, we should answer that even this does not happen without the arrangement of Divine Providence; inasmuch as, but for this, it would not be known what condemnation was incurred by rashness in hearing and indifference in investigation, nor, certainly, what benefit was derived from being trained in an orderly manner. And hence it happens that the soul comes to know its defects, and to cast the blame upon itself, and, consistently with this, to reserve and submit itself to training, i.e. in order that it may see that its faults must first be removed, and that then it must come to receive the instruction of wisdom. As, therefore, souls are innumerable, so also are their manners, and purposes, and movements, and appetencies, and incitements different, the variety of which can by no means be grasped by the human mind; and therefore to God alone must be left the art, and the knowledge, and the power of an arrangement of this kind, as He alone can know both the remedies for each individual soul, and measure out the time of its cure. It is He alone then who, as we said, recognises the ways of individual men, and determines by what way He ought to lead Pharaoh, that through him His name might be named in all the earth, having previously chastised him by many blows, and finally drowning him in the sea. By this drowning, however, it is not to be supposed that God’s providence as regards Pharaoh was terminated; for we must not imagine, because he was drowned, that therefore he had forthwith completely perished: “for in the hand of God are both we and our words; all wisdom, also, and knowledge of workmanship,” as Scripture declares. But these points we have discussed according to our ability, treating of that chapter of Scripture in which it is said that God hardened the heart of Pharaoh, and agreeably to the statement, “He hath mercy on whom He will have mercy, and whom He will He hardeneth.”

Come now, and let us use the following image from the Gospel. There is a certain rock, with a little surface-soil, on which, if seeds fall, they quickly spring up; but when sprung up, as not having root, they are burned and withered when the sun has arisen. Now this rock is a human soul, hardened on account of its negligence, and converted to stone because of its wickedness; for no one receives from God a heart created of stone, but it becomes such in consequence of wickedness. If one, then, were to find fault with the husbandman for not sowing his seed sooner upon the rocky soil, when he saw other rocky ground which had received seed flourishing, the husbandman would reply, “I shall sow this ground more slowly, casting in seeds that will be able to retain their hold, this slower method being better for the ground, and more secure than that which receives the seed in a more rapid manner, and more upon the surface.” [The person finding fault] would yield his assent to the husbandman, as one who spoke with sound reason, and who acted with skill: so also the great Husbandman of all nature postpones that benefit which might be deemed premature, that it may not prove superficial. But it is probable that here some one may object to us with reference to this: “Why do some of the seeds fall upon the earth that has superficial soil, the soul being, as it were, a rock?” Now we must say, in answer to this, that it was better for this soul, which desired better things precipitately, and not by a way which led to them, to obtain its desire, in order that, condemning itself on this account, it may, after a long time, endure to receive the husbandry which is according to nature. For souls are, as one may say, innumerable; and their habits are innumerable, and their movements, and their purposes, and their assaults, and their efforts, of which there is only one admirable administrator, who knows both the seasons, and the fitting helps, and the avenues, and the ways, viz. the God and Father of all things, who knows how He conducts even Pharaoh by so great events, and by drowning in the sea, with which latter occurrence His superintendence of Pharaoh does not cease. For he was not annihilated when drowned: “For in the hand of God are both we and our words; all wisdom also, and knowledge of workmanship.” And such is a moderate defence with regard to the statements that “Pharaoh’s heart was hardened,” and that “God hath mercy upon whom He will have mercy, and whom He will He hardeneth.”

For we inquire of all those who employ such invocations of God, saying: Tell us, friends, who was Abraham, and what sort of person was Isaac, and what power did Jacob possess, that the appellation “God,” when joined with their name, could effect such wonders? And from whom have you learned, or can you learn, the facts relating to these individuals? And who has occupied himself with writing a history about them, either directly magnifying these men by ascribing to them mysterious powers, or hinting obscurely at their possession of certain great and marvellous qualities, patent to those who are qualified to see them? And when, in answer to our inquiry, no one can show from what history—whether Greek or barbarian—or, if not a history, yet at least from what mystical narrative, the accounts of these men are derived, we shall bring forward the book entitled “Genesis,” which contains the acts of these men, and the divine oracles addressed to them, and will say, Does not the use by you of the names of these three ancestors of the race, establishing in the clearest manner that effects not to be lightly regarded are produced by the invocation of them, evidence the divinity of the men? And yet we know them from no other source than the sacred books of the Jews! Moreover, the phrases, “the God of Israel,” and “the God of the Hebrews,” and “the God who drowned in the Red Sea the king of Egypt and the Egyptians,” are formulæ frequently employed against demons and certain wicked powers. And we learn the history of the names and their interpretation from those Hebrews, who in their national literature and national tongue dwell with pride upon these things, and explain their meaning. How, then, should the Jews attempt to derive their origin from the first race of those whom Celsus supposed to be jugglers and deceivers, and shamelessly endeavour to trace themselves and their beginning back to these?—whose names, being Hebrew, are an evidence to the Hebrews, who have their sacred books written in the Hebrew language and letters, that their nation is akin to these men. For up to the present time, the Jewish names belonging to the Hebrew language were either taken from their writings, or generally from words the meaning of which was made known by the Hebrew language.