My LORD’s BibleThe Acts of Paul (beyond Thecla) 4
1When he was departed from Myra ⟨ and would go unto Sidon ⟩.
2Now when Paul was departed from Myra and would go unto Sidon there was great sadness of the brethren that were in Pisidia and Pamphylia, because they yearned after his word and his holy appearance in Christ; so that some from Perga followed Paul, namely Thrasymachus and Cleon with their wives Aline (?) and Chrysa, Cleon’s wife. And on the way they nourished Paul: and they were eating their bread under a tree (?). And as he was about to say Amen, there came (five lines broken: the words ‘the brethren’ and ‘idol’ occur) . . . . table of devils . . . . he dieth therefor, but every one that believeth on Jesus Christ who hath saved us from all defilement and all uncleanness and all evil thoughts, he shall be manifest. And they drew near unto the table (three lines broken. ‘Idol’ occurs) . . . . stood . . . . a mighty idol. And an old man . . . . stood up among them, saying unto them: Ye men, (wait a little and see) what befalleth the priests which would draw near unto our gods: for verily when our fellow-citizen Charinus hearkened and would . . . . against the gods, there died he and his (father). And thereupon died Xanthus also, Chrysa (?), and ( Hermocrates ?) died, sick of the dropsy, and his wife Nympha .
3Two leaves at least gone.
4(Paul is speaking)
5after the manner of strange men. Wherefore presume ye to do that which is not seemly (?)? Or have ye not heard of that which came to pass, which God brought upon Sodom and Gomorrha, because they robbed . . . . after the manner of strangers and of women? God did not . . . . them but cast them down into hell. Now therefore we are not men of this fashion that ye say, nor such as ye think , but we are preachers of the living God and his Beloved . But that ye may not marvel, understand . . . . the miracles (?) which bear witness for us . But they hearkened not unto him, but took the men and put them into the temple of Apollo, to keep them until the morrow , whereon they assembled the whole city. And many and costly were the victuals which they gave them.
6But Paul, who was fasting now the third day, testified all the night long, being troubled, and smote his face and said: O God, look down upon their threatenings and suffer us not to slide, and let not our adversaries cast us down, but save us and bring down quickly thy righteousness upon us. And as Paul cast himself down, with the brethren, Thrasymachus and Cleon, then the temple fell . . . . so that they that belonged to the temple and the magistrates that were set over it . . . . others of them in the . . . . for (the one part) fell down . . . . fell down . . . . round about, in the midst of the two parts. And they went in and beheld what had happened, and marvelled that . . . . in their . . . . and that the . . . . rejoiced over the falling of the temple (?). And they cried out , saying: Verily these are the works of the men of a mighty God! And they departed and proclaimed in the city: Apollo the god of the Sidonians is fallen, and the half of his temple. And all the dwellers in the city ran to the temple and saw Paul and them that were with him, how they wept at this temptation, that they were made a spectacle for all men. But the multitude cried out: Bring them into the theatre. And the magistrates came to fetch them; and they groaned bitterly with one soul.
7About two leaves gone.
8(Paul speaking) through me. Consider . . . . (nine lines much broken, ‘the way of life (conversation) of Christ’, ‘not in the faith’, occur) . . . . Egyptians . . . . and they . . . . But the multitude . . . . and followed after Paul, crying: Praised be the God . . . . who hath sent Paul . . . . that we should not . . . . of death. But Theudes . . . . and prayed at Paul’s feet and embraced his feet, that he should give him the seal in the Lord. But he commanded them to go to Tyre . . . . in health ( or farewell), and they put Paul (in a ship?) and went with him.
9The purpose of confining Paul and his companions in the temple appears to have been connected with the sins of the cities of the plain of which Paul speaks.
10The Acts of Titus, quoted before, have a sentence referring to this and the next episode: ‘And Paul healed Aphphia the wife of Chrysippus who was possessed with a devil: and fasting for seven days he overthrew the idol of Apollo.’ The Acts place this immediately after the conversion and preaching at Damascus, and put the Panehares episode later. They are not to be trusted, therefore, as a guide to the order of our book.