THE ACTS OF THOMAS
and become partaker of that which was shown to me by his angels.” . . .
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Now there was a certain young man, who had committed a ne farious deed. He came and partook of the eucharist. And his two hands withered, so that he could no longer put them to his mouth. When those present saw him, they told the apostle what had happened. And the apostle called him and said, “Tell me, my son, and be not afraid of what you have done before you came here. For the eucharist of the Lord has convicted you. For this gift, by entering many, brings healing, especially to those who come in faith and love; but you it has withered away, and what has happened has happened not without some justifi cation.” And the young man convicted by the eucharist of the Lord came up, fell at the apostle’s feet, and besought him and said, “An evil deed has been done by me, whilst I thought to do something good. I loved a woman who lived in an inn out side the city, and she loved me also. And when I heard about you, believing that you proclaim the living God, I came and received the seal from you along with the others. And you said, ‘Whoever shall in dulge in impure intercourse, especially in adultery, shall not have life with the God whom I preach.’ As I loved her very much, I entreated her and tried to per suade her to live with me in chaste and pure conduct, as you teach. And she would not. Since she would not, I took a sword and killed her. For I could not see her commit adultery with another.”
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When the apostle heard this he said, “O insane intercourse, how you lead to shamelessness! O unre strained lust, how have you excited this man to do this! O work of the serpent, how you rage in your own!” And the
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apostle ordered some water to be brought in a dish. And when the water had been brought he said, “Come, waters from the living waters; everlasting, sent to us from the everlasting; rest, sent to us from the one who gives rest; power of salvation, proceeding from that power which over comes all and subjects it to its will— come and dwell in these waters, that the gift of the Holy Spirit may be completely fulfilled in them!” And to the young man he said, “Go, wash your hands in these waters.” And when he had washed them they were restored. And the apostle said to him, “Do you believe in our Lord Jesus Christ, that he can do all things?” And he said, “Though I am the least, yet I believe. But I did this in the hope of doing something good. For I entreated her, as I told you already, but she would not be persuaded by me to keep herself chaste.”
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And the apostle said to him, “Come, let us go to the inn where you committed the deed, and let us see what happened.” And the young man went before the apostle on the road. When they had come to the inn they found her lying there. And when the apostle saw her he was sad, for she was a beautiful girl. And he ordered her to be brought into the middle of the inn. And putting her on a couch they carried it out and set it in the midst of the courtyard of the inn. And the apostle laid his hand on her and began to say, “Jesus, who appear to us at all times—for this is your will, that we should always seek you, and you have given us the right to ask and to receive, and have not only permitted us this, but have also taught us how to pray— who are not seen by us with the bodily eyes, but who are never hidden from those of our soul, and who are hidden in form, but manifested to us by your works; by your many deeds we have recognized