Demonstration 21: On Persecution

Demonstration on Persecution I heard a blasphemy that cut me short, when the impure said that there is no God for this people. For he mocks all peoples, and thus the wicked say: For if they had a God, why does he not avenge the persecution of his people? And a thick cloud pressed upon me, when even the Jews blaspheme against me and exalt themselves over the sons of my people. And it happened that I was persecuted on one of the days by a man who is called the wise man of the Jews, and he said: "Jesus, who is called your teacher, wrote to you that if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain that it should move and move from before you, and that it should be taken and fall into the sea; and it will be heard for you. And thus, is there not in your entire people one head who is wise, whose prayer is heard, and who asks from God as your persecutors asked from you? For thus it is not written for you in the scripture, that there is nothing that you cannot do." And when I saw that he blasphemed and spoke far from the path, my mind was troubled, and I knew that he would not accept the interpretation of the words that came to me. Then I also sought words from the Law and from the Prophets, and I said to him: "If you thus suppose, you yourselves, that even when they are scattered, God is with you," and I confessed that God is with this people. For did not God say to Israel, that even in the lands of their enemies I did not abandon them, nor did I nullify my covenant with them? And again I said to him: "It is well and good that I heard from you that God is with you. In opposition to your words, I also say to you: For Isaiah the prophet said to Israel, as from the mouth of his God: 'If you pass through the sea, I am with you, and the waves will not drown you; and if you walk on fire, you will not be burned, and the flame will not consume you, because the Lord your God is with you.' Thus, is there not one faithful, good, and wise man from your entire people?

and he passes over the sea, and lives without being destroyed; and he shines, but does not burn; and he walks upon the mountain; and he sees, but is not consumed; and if a flame does not burn him, and if a translation comes to me, it is not fitting for you, just as you do not accept from me the interpretation of the words that you asked of me. And again I asked about another word written in Ezekiel, which he said to Jerusalem: "Sodom and her daughters will be built as before, and you and your daughters will be as before." Interpret for me now this word, and he began to bring forth in spirit and said to me: This is what God said through the prophet to Jerusalem: "Sodom and her daughters will be built as before, and you and your daughters will be as before." That is the force of the word: Sodom and her daughters will be in their place as before, and they will be subject under the hand of Israel; and Jerusalem and her daughters will be in the pride of the kingdom as before. And when I heard from him this bringing forth in spirit, my eyes were greatly troubled, and I said to him: The words of the prophets, when spoken in anger, are entirely a speech of anger, or perhaps half anger and half mercy. And he said that the speech of anger is entirely filled with anger, and there is no peace in it. And I said to him: Now that you have convinced me that there is no peace in that speech of anger, listen without being angry, and do not blaspheme, and I will convince you concerning this word. For from above to below, the entire speech was spoken in anger. For he said to Jerusalem: "I am the Lord God who says, 'Have I not made Sodom and her daughters as before, as I have made you and your daughters?'" And he said to her: "You are shamed, and receive your disgrace, for you have surpassed your sisters in your sins, and they have been justified more than you." Now when he says that Sodom and her daughters were justified more than Jerusalem and her daughters, and Jerusalem surpassed Sodom in her sins.

and it is not the case that when Israel is mixed with Sodom and Gomorrah, its dwelling is there, because its vine is from the vine of Sodom, and its plant is from the plant of Gomorrah, and its fruits are bitter, and its clusters are gall for them. And Isaiah also called the rulers of Sodom and the people of Gomorrah. For if Israel is mixed with Sodom and Gomorrah, it is not fitting that it dwell with the rulers of Sodom and with the people of Gomorrah, and upon the vine of Sodom and upon the plant of Gomorrah, that it eat bitter fruits and pluck clusters of gall, and eat the daughters of the ban, and wear the garment of Gog, which was prepared for the destruction of the vineyard, and be turned in despicable silver. And Sodom and its daughters, which were more justified than Jerusalem, will be sought out as before. And Jerusalem, which conquered Sodom in its sins, will remain in its sins and be stretched out over destruction until the finality of the decrees forever. And Ezekiel said that the yoke of Sodom and its daughters, which in the hand of the evil and the poor did not hold, and when I saw in them, I turned my eyes. And consider and see that from the time Sodom was overturned until Jerusalem was sought out, there were three hundred and sixty years. And from the time Abraham was proclaimed by God through the angel, that at this time, at another hour, I will turn to you and he will be a son to Sarah your wife, from that time until Jacob went down to Egypt, three hundred and sixty years. And they were in Egypt, the sons of Jacob, three hundred and sixty-five years. So all the years from when Isaac was weaned and Sodom was overturned, four hundred and nineteen years. And from the exodus of Israel from Egypt until Jerusalem was sought out in its great building by Solomon, and the temple was built, there were four hundred and eighty years. Therefore, all the years from the weaning of Isaac and the overturning of Sodom until the great building of Jerusalem.

were nine hundred and sixty years. And from the great house of Jerusalem until the destruction of Jerusalem, four hundred and fifteen years. The total of all the years from the time of the overthrow of Sodom until the destruction of Jerusalem is one thousand three hundred and twenty-one. All these are the years of the destruction of Sodom and its towns before Jerusalem, and yet it has not been rebuilt, although it was more righteous than Jerusalem. Now the entire total of years from the overthrow of Sodom until the six hundred and fifty-fifth year of the kingdom of Alexander son of Philip the Macedonian is two thousand seventy-six years. And from when Jerusalem was destroyed by the Babylonians until this present time, nine hundred and fifty-five years. And Jerusalem was rebuilt after the Babylonians destroyed it. These are the seventy weeks that Daniel testified concerning them, and then it was destroyed its final destruction by the Romans, so that it will never be rebuilt again, because it was given over to ruin until the end of the ages. However, all the years of the destruction of Jerusalem, both first and last, were four hundred and sixty-five years. And when the seventy years of Babylon are taken out from them, they become three hundred and ninety-five years. Now I have written all this calculation for you because the Jews boast that it is established for them to be saved. For if Sodom, whose iniquity was not as great as that of Jerusalem, has not yet been rebuilt, and they say that it will never be rebuilt, how can Jerusalem, whose iniquity is greater than that of Sodom and its towns, be rebuilt? Sodom, for two thousand and seventy-six years, God has not had mercy upon it, lest they say that he will have mercy on Jerusalem, which for three hundred and ninety-five years from the day of its destruction—this calculation that is written above—however, this that he says:

of Sodom and her daughters will be built again as before. And concerning Jerusalem he said, 'You and your daughters will be as before.' That is the force of the word: that it will never be built, because also concerning the land on which the Lord was angry, he cursed it thus: that it would not be sown nor produce, nor would any grass grow in it, but it would be like Sodom and Gomorrah, on which the Lord was angry, and he did not have mercy on them. So then, understand, O hearer, that Sodom and her daughters will never be built, but will be as before, like that time which until now has not been built, and like the time when the Lord was angry with them and did not have mercy on them. And Jerusalem and her daughters will be as before, like the first time when it lay in ruins, the mountain of the Amorites, on which Abraham built an altar when he bound his son Isaac upon it, and like when it was desolate when David bought the threshing-floor from the Jebusite, and built an altar there, and he understood and saw that the mountain on which Abraham offered his son was the mountain of Jebus, which is Jerusalem. And the place of the threshing-floor which David bought from the Jebusite is the same place where the Temple was built. Thus Jerusalem will be in ruins as before. And understand that when Ezekiel spoke this word, until then Jerusalem was standing in her greatness, and the rebels within her were against the king of Babylon, and the word which the prophet spoke in anger and wrath he spoke concerning Jerusalem. Understand and see, O hearer, that if God had given hope to Sodom and her companions, he would not have overturned them with fire and brimstone until the last day of the world, but would have delivered them into the hands of one of the kingdoms that would be destroyed, as it is written: that when Jeremiah gave the cup of wrath to the peoples and kingdoms, he spoke concerning each one of the cities, that after they drank the cup, the captivity of Elam and Tyre and Sidon would be turned.

of the sons of Ammon and of Moab, and of Edom, and concerning each one of these kingdoms he said that at the end of days her captivity will return, and it is seen that Tyre is seated and is whole, after she went into captivity for seventy years, and after she received a reward from her hirelings, and after she saw all the kingdoms, and took tribute, and was beautifully adorned, and increased her song. And also the region of Elam is seated and is whole. And concerning Babylon Jeremiah said that Babylon would fall and not rise, and behold, up to this day, and even to eternity, she is seated in ruins. And also concerning Jerusalem he said that she would fall and would not again rise, the virgin of Israel is left upon the earth, and there is none to raise her up. For if the prophecy that Jeremiah spoke concerning Babylon is true, also concerning Jerusalem it is true and trustworthy. And Isaiah said to Jerusalem, 'Again I will not be angry with you, nor will I strike you.' Truly, again he was not angry with her, nor did he strike her ever, because in her ruin it was not he who struck her, nor is she the one who provokes him. And concerning those who envy those who are persecuted, whether they are not saved, whether they are not, their shame is that they were always persecuted, and for many years until they were saved, they were enslaved in Egypt for one hundred and twenty-five years. And the Medes enslaved Israel in the days of Barak and Deborah. And the Moabites ruled over them in the days of Ehud, and the Ammonites in the days of Jephthah, and the Philistines in the days of Samson, and also in the days of Eli and Samuel the prophet, and the Edomites in the days of Ahab, and the Assyrians in the days of Hezekiah, and the king of Babylon with his troops uprooted and scattered them, and when much weeping and lamentation was upon them, they did not succeed, as he said to them, 'In vain I struck your sons, and they did not accept discipline.' And again he said, 'I cut off the prophets and killed them with the utterance of my mouth.' And to Jerusalem he said to her,

with pains and blows Jerusalem was chastened, lest she forget herself. And they abandoned him and worshipped idols, as Jeremiah said about them: they went to distant islands and sent to Qedar and understood well. And they saw whether it was like this, or whether the nations changed their gods, those which were not gods. And my people changed their honour for no advantage. The heavens marvelled at this, and were shaken and feared greatly, said the Lord, because they did two evils to me: they left the spring of living waters and went and dug for themselves pits, shallow pits that cannot hold water. For the shallow pits are images and idols, and the heavens that marvel at them, because they worshipped the powers of the heavens. And the heavens receive the one who is placed at the head of those who are rolled like a scroll, and all their power is scattered. Now all this discourse that I have written to you, my beloved, above, concerning the Jewish man who slandered the sons of my people. However, as something that I understand, I will also instruct you concerning the persecuted, that they received a good reward, and the persecutors were in curse and disgrace. Jacob was persecuted and Esau was the persecutor. Jacob received blessings and primogeniture, and Esau was deprived of both. Joseph was persecuted and his brothers were the persecutors. Joseph was exalted, and his persecutors bowed down to him, and his dreams and visions were fulfilled. And Joseph the persecuted is a type of Jesus the persecuted. Joseph was clothed by his father in a tunic of many colours, and Jesus was clothed by his father in a body from a virgin. Joseph was loved by his father more than his brothers, and Jesus was loved and beloved by his father. Joseph dreamed dreams and saw visions, and Jesus was full of visions and prophecies. Joseph was a shepherd with his brothers, and Jesus was the chief of shepherds. Joseph, when his father sent him to tend to his brothers, they saw him coming.

And they plotted to kill him. And when his father sent Joseph to look for his brothers, they said, "He is the heir, come, let us kill him." Joseph's brothers threw him into a pit, and Jesus' brothers brought his sister to the tomb. Joseph came up from the pit, and Jesus rose from the tomb. After Joseph came up from the pit, he ruled over his brothers; and after Jesus rose from the tomb, his father gave him the great name and the advantage, so that his brothers would be subjected to him and his enemies would be placed under his feet. When Joseph made himself known to his brothers, they were ashamed and afraid and marvelled at his greatness; and when Jesus came at the final time, revealing his greatness, his brothers who crucified him were ashamed, afraid, and terrified before him. Joseph, through the kingship of Judah, was sold to Egypt; and Jesus, through the hands of Judas Iscariot, was handed over to the Jews. When they sold Joseph, he did not give a word to his brothers; and Jesus did not speak and gave a word to his judges who judged him. Joseph was unjustly handed over by his master to the prison; and Jesus was unjustly condemned by the sons of his people. Joseph handed over his two garments, one to his brothers and one to his master's wife; and Jesus handed over his garments, and the soldiers divided them among themselves by lot. Joseph, at thirty years of age, stood before Pharaoh and became lord of Egypt; and Jesus, at about thirty years of age, came to the Jordan to be baptized, and received the Spirit and went out to preach. Joseph distributed bread to the Egyptians; and Jesus distributed to the whole world from his bread of life. Joseph took the daughter of a wicked and polluted priest; and Jesus brought near to him the Church from among the unclean peoples. Joseph died and was buried in Egypt; and Jesus died and was buried in Jerusalem. Joseph's brothers brought up his bones from Egypt; and Jesus' father raised him from the tomb and brought up his body with him to heaven, without corruption.

And also Moses was persecuted, and Jesus was persecuted. When Moses was born, they hid him so that he would not be killed by his persecutors. And when Jesus was born, they fled with him to Egypt so that Herod, his persecutor, would not kill him. In the days of Moses, when he was born, the male children were drowned in the river. And at the birth of Jesus, the children were killed in Bethlehem and its surroundings. To Moses, God said, "Those men who sought your life are dead." And to Joseph, the angel said in Egypt, "Arise, take the child and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the life of the child to destroy him are dead." Moses brought out his people from the servitude of Pharaoh. And Jesus freed all peoples from the servitude of Satan. Moses was raised in the house of Pharaoh. And Jesus was raised in Egypt, when Joseph fled with him there. Miriam stood on the bank of the river when Moses floated in the water. And Miriam gave birth to Jesus when the angel Gabriel announced to her. Moses, when he was hidden, the firstborn of the Egyptians were killed by the lamb. And Jesus, the lamb of truth, when they crucified him, by his death the people who killed him died. Moses brought down manna for his people. And Jesus gave his body to the peoples. Moses made bitter water sweet with wood. And Jesus made bitterness sweet by his crucifixion on the wood of his cross. Moses brought down the law for his people. And Jesus gave his testaments to the peoples. Moses conquered Amalek with the spreading of his hands. And Jesus conquered Satan with the sign of his cross. Moses brought out water from the rock for his people. And Jesus sent Simon Cephas to take his teaching among the peoples. Moses took the veil from his face and spoke with God. And Jesus took the veil from the faces of the peoples, so that Simon would hear and receive his teaching. Moses placed his hand on his apostles and they received the priesthood. And Jesus placed his hand on his apostles and they received the Holy Spirit. Moses went up to the mountain and died there.

And Jesus ascended to heaven and sat at the right hand of his Father. And also Jesus son of Nun was a persecuted one. And Jesus the Saviour was a persecuted one. Jesus son of Nun was persecuted by the unclean peoples. And Jesus the Saviour was persecuted by the foolish people. Jesus son of Nun took an inheritance from his persecutors and gave it to his people. And Jesus the Saviour took an inheritance from his persecutors and gave it to the foreign peoples. Jesus son of Nun set up the sun in the sky and made a stand against the persecuting peoples. And Jesus the Saviour darkened the sun at midday because of the persecuting people who crucified him. Jesus son of Nun divided the inheritance among his people. And Jesus the Saviour gave a kingdom to the peoples, the land of the living. Jesus son of Nun revived the harlot Rahab. And Jesus the Saviour grieved and revived the harlot Church. Jesus son of Nun on the seventh day overthrew and cast down the walls of Jericho. And Jesus the Saviour on his seventh day, on the Sabbath of the mystery of God, is released and falls upon this world. Jesus son of Nun stoned Achan who stole from the ban. And Jesus the Saviour separated Judas from his fellow disciples because he stole from the money of the poor. Jesus son of Nun, when he died, left a testimony among his people. And Jesus the Saviour, when he ascended, left a testimony among his apostles. And also Joshua was a persecuted one, and Jesus was a persecuted one. Joshua's brothers drove him from his father's house. And Jesus' brothers drove him and raised him up and crucified him. Joshua the persecuted one became a head for his people. And Jesus the persecuted one rose and became a king for the peoples. Joshua gathered an army and went up; the womb of his mercy opened for battle. And Jesus went up to the battle of his Father on behalf of all the peoples. And also David was a persecuted one, and Jesus was a persecuted one. David was anointed by Samuel to be king in place of Saul who sinned. And Jesus was anointed by John to be a great priest in place of the priests who transgressed the law. David was persecuted after his anointing.

And Jesus was persecuted after his messiahship. David reigned first over one tribe alone, and afterwards over all Israel. And Jesus reigned first over the few who believed in him, and in the end he will reign over the whole world. David was anointed by Samuel at thirty years of age, and Jesus received the laying on of hands from John at about thirty years of age. David took two daughters of kings, and Jesus took two daughters of kings: the congregation of the people and the congregation of the peoples. David repaid good to Saul his enemy, and Jesus taught that you should pray for your enemies. David was the heart of God, and Jesus the Son of God. David received the kingdom of Saul his persecutor, and Jesus received the kingdom of Israel his persecutor. David wept in his lamentations over Saul his enemy when he died, and Jesus wept over Jerusalem his persecutor, which was destined to be destroyed. David entrusted the kingdom to Solomon and was gathered to his people, and Jesus entrusted the keys to Simon and ascended and went to his sender. For through David sins are remitted to his children, and through Jesus sins are remitted to the peoples. And also Elijah was a persecuted one, and Jesus was a persecuted one. Elijah's persecutor was Jezebel the murderess, and Jesus' persecutor was the congregation, the persecutor and murderess. Elijah shut the heavens from rain because of the sins of Israel, and Jesus at his coming shut the spirit from the prophets because of the sins of the people. Elijah destroyed the servants of Baal, and Jesus crushed Satan and his hosts. Elijah revived the son of the widow, and Jesus revived the son of the widow, together with Lazarus and the daughter of the chief of the congregation. Elijah sustained the widow with a little bread, and Jesus satisfied thousands with a little bread. Elijah ascended in a chariot to heaven, and the Saviour ascended and sat at the right hand of his Father. Elijah's spirit was received by Elisha, and Jesus breathed upon the faces of his apostles.

And also Elisha was persecuted, and Jesus was persecuted. Elisha was persecuted by the son of Ahab, the son of a murderer. And Jesus was persecuted by a murderous people. Elisha was hidden and became a fugitive in Samaria. And Jesus said, "He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood lives forever." Elisha satisfied a hundred men with a little bread. And Jesus satisfied four thousand with five loaves, besides the women and children. Elisha made oil from water. And Jesus made wine from water. Elisha freed the widow from her creditor. And Jesus freed the guilty peoples. Elisha made iron float and sank wood. And Jesus raised up the submerged and sank the frivolous. Elisha revived one dead man upon his bones. And upon the bones of Jesus all the peoples who were dead in their sins were scattered and lived. And also Hezekiah was persecuted, and Jesus was persecuted. Hezekiah was persecuted and reviled by Sennacherib, his enemy. And Jesus was reviled by a foolish people. Hezekiah prayed and conquered his enemy. And by the crucifixion of Jesus, his enemy was conquered. Hezekiah was king of all Israel. And Jesus is king of all the peoples. Because Hezekiah was ill, the sun turned back for him. And because Jesus suffered, the sun was darkened from its light. The enemies of Hezekiah were dead corpses. And the enemies of Jesus are prostrate beneath his feet. Hezekiah was from the house of David. And Jesus is the son of David in the flesh. Hezekiah said, "Peace and truth were in my days." And Jesus said to his disciples, "My peace I leave to you." Hezekiah prayed and was healed from his illness. And Jesus prayed and rose from the dead. Hezekiah, after he rose from his illness, added to his years. And Jesus, after his resurrection, received great glory. Hezekiah, after his addition, was overcome by death. And Jesus, after he rose,

Again, death had no power over him. And also Josiah was persecuted, and Jesus was persecuted. Josiah was persecuted, and the wicked Pharaoh killed him. And Jesus was persecuted, and the people who were hardened in their sin killed him. Josiah cleansed the land of Israel from idolatry. And Jesus cleansed and removed idolatry from the whole earth. Josiah honored and glorified the name of his God. And Jesus said, "I have glorified and I glorify." Josiah, because of the iniquity of Israel, rent his garments. And Jesus, because of the iniquity of the people, rent the veil of the door of the holy Temple. Josiah said, "Great is the wrath that has come upon this people." And Jesus said, "Wrath has come upon that people, and they have fallen by the mouth of the sword." Josiah removed idolatry from the holy Temple. And Jesus removed the unclean merchants from the house of his Father. Over Josiah the daughters of Israel wept and lamented, as Jeremiah said, "The daughters of Israel wept over Josiah in lamentations." And over Jesus the daughters of Israel wept and lamented, as Zechariah said, "The earth quaked, the tribes trembled over the tribes." And also Daniel was persecuted, and Jesus was persecuted. Daniel was persecuted by the Chaldeans, the wicked men of evil. And Jesus was persecuted by the Jews, the wicked men of iniquity. The Chaldeans ate the accusations against Daniel. And the Jews ate the accusations against Jesus before the governor. Daniel they cast into the pit of lions, and he was saved and came up from it victorious. And Jesus they brought down into the pit of the house of the dead, and he came up, and death had no power over him. Over Daniel they thought that once he fell into the pit he would not come up again. And over Jesus they said, "Now that he has fallen, he will not rise again." From Daniel the mouth of the lions, the devourers and destroyers, was shut. And from Jesus the mouth of death, the devourer and destroyer of forms, was shut. Daniel's pit they sealed and guarded him with vigilance. And Jesus' tomb they guarded with vigilance.

as they said, "Be careful about the tomb." When Daniel ascended, his accusers were put to shame; and when Jesus rose, all his crucifiers were put to shame. The king who cast Daniel into the den was greatly enraged because the Chaldeans had falsely accused him. And Pilate, who judged Jesus, was greatly enraged because he knew that the Jews had falsely accused him. Through Daniel's prayer, the captivity of his people from Babylon was brought up; and Jesus prayed and turned back the captivity of all the nations. Daniel interpreted the dream and visions of Nebuchadnezzar; and Jesus interpreted and explained the visions of the Law and the Prophets. Daniel, when he interpreted the vision of Belshazzar, received the third authority in the kingdom; and Jesus, when he fulfilled the visions and the prophets, his Father gave him all authority in heaven and on earth. Daniel saw wonders and spoke of hidden things; and Jesus revealed hidden things and fulfilled what was written. Daniel was given over to the lions for his people; and the body of Jesus was the sacrifice for all the nations. Because of Daniel, the king's wrath was calmed toward the Chaldeans, and they were not killed; and because of Jesus, his Father's wrath was calmed toward all the nations, and they were not killed and did not die with their sins. Daniel asked the king and gave authority to his brothers over the provinces of the city of Babylon; and Jesus asked God and gave authority to his brothers, his disciples, over his standard and his power. Daniel spoke concerning Jerusalem, that until the end it would be spared from destruction; and Jesus spoke concerning Jerusalem, that not one stone would be left upon another, that it would not know the day of its greatness. Daniel saw the weeks that were to be fulfilled for his people; and Jesus came and filled the signs. And also Hananiah and his brothers were persecuted, and Jesus was persecuted. Hananiah and his brothers were persecuted by Nebuchadnezzar; and Jesus was persecuted by the people of the Jews. Hananiah and his brothers fell into the furnace of fire.

and the fire was like dew upon the righteous. And Jesus descended to the place of darkness, and broke its gates and brought out his captives. Hananiah and his brothers ascended from the furnace of the mountain, and the flame consumed their accusers. And Jesus, alive, ascended from within the darkness, and his accusers and crucifiers were burned in the flame at the end. When Hananiah and his brothers ascended from the furnace, Nebuchadnezzar the king was shaken and terrified; and when Jesus rose from the house of the dead, the people who crucified him were shaken and terrified. Hananiah and his brothers did not worship the image of the king of Babylon, and Jesus caused all peoples to cease from the worship of dead images. Because of Hananiah and his brothers, peoples and tongues praised the God who delivered them from the furnace; and because of Jesus, all peoples and all tongues praise the one who delivered his Son and saw no corruption. The fire had no power over the garments of Hananiah and his brothers, and at the end, fire had no power over the bodies of all the righteous who believed in Jesus. Also Mordecai the persecuted and Jesus the persecuted: Mordecai was persecuted by Haman the wicked, and Jesus was persecuted by the rebellious people. Mordecai, by his prayer, delivered his people from the hands of Haman; and Jesus, by his prayer, delivered his people from the hands of Satan. Mordecai was delivered from the hands of his persecutor, and Jesus was saved from the hands of his persecutors. Because Mordecai sat and put on sackcloth, he saved Esther and his people from the sword; and because Jesus put on a body and humbled himself, he saved the Church and her children from death. And because of Mordecai, Esther was pleasing to the king, and she entered, sat, ate and drank, but did not do his will; and because of Jesus, the Church was pleasing to God, and she entered to the king in place of the harlot, but did not do his will. Mordecai warned that Esther and her maidens should fast, so that she and her people might be delivered from the hands of Haman; and Jesus warned his Church and her children.

that she might be delivered from wrath, she and her sons. Mordecai received the honor of Haman his persecutor, and Jesus received great glory from his Father because of the persecution from the foolish people. Mordecai trampled on the neck of Haman his persecutor, and Jesus placed his enemies under his feet. Before Mordecai, Haman proclaimed that thus would be done to the man whom the king wished to honor, and Jesus' heralds went out from the people who persecuted him and said that that Jesus is the Son of God. The blood of Mordecai was sought by Haman and his sons, and the blood of Jesus his persecutors took upon themselves and upon their sons. These are the memorials that I have written for you, my beloved, because of Jesus the persecuted and the righteous persecuted, so that the persecuted of today, those who are persecuted because of Jesus the persecuted, may be comforted. For he wrote for us and for our hearts in his own person, for he said, "If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you." And because of this, why do they persecute you? Is it not because you are not of this world, just as I was not of it? For before, he wrote for us, "Your fathers and your brothers and your lineage will deliver you up, and it will be a help to you in everything because of my name." And again he taught that when they bring you before the rulers and the authorities and the kings who hold the world, do not be disturbed by what they say before you, and how you will give up your spirit. And I have given you a mouth and wisdom, so that your enemies will not be able to overcome you, because it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit of your Father that speaks in you. It is the spirit that spoke in the mouth of Jacob with Esau his persecutor, and the spirit of wisdom that spoke before Pharaoh in the mouth of Joseph the persecuted, and the spirit that spoke in the mouth of Moses in all the wonders that he performed in the land of Egypt, and the spirit of knowledge that was given to Jesus the son of Nun when Moses placed his hand upon him.

they completed and finished before him the peoples who persecuted him. And the spirit that sang in the mouth of David the persecuted, with which he sang and lamented to Saul his persecutor because of the evil spirit. And the spirit that clothed Elijah, and through it covered Jezebel and Ahab his persecutor. And the spirit that spoke in Elisha, and he was troubled and made known to the king his persecutor concerning what would happen after his day. And the spirit that thundered in the mouth of Micah when he covered Ahab his persecutor, and said to him, "If you turn, you will turn, but the Lord will not speak through me." And the spirit that strengthened Jeremiah, and he stood boldly and covered Zedekiah with it. And the spirit that preserved Daniel and his brothers in the land of Babylon. And it is the spirit that saved Mordecai and Esther in the land of their captivity. Hear, my beloved, these names of martyrs, confessors, and persecuted ones. Abel was killed and his blood cried out from the earth. And Jacob was persecuted and fled and became a fugitive. And Joseph was persecuted and sold and fell into a pit. And Moses was persecuted and fled to Midian. And Joshua son of Nun was persecuted and waged war. And Jephthah, and Samson, and Gideon, and Barak, and also these were persecuted. These of whom the blessed apostle said, "Small is the sacrifice that came to their victories." And David also was persecuted at the hands of Saul, and he walked in mountains, caves, and clefts. And Samuel also was persecuted and mourned over Saul. And Hezekiah again was persecuted and was confined in distress. And Elijah was persecuted and walked in the wilderness. And Elisha was persecuted and became a fugitive. And Micah was persecuted and became a fugitive. And Micah was persecuted and fell into prison. And Jeremiah was persecuted and they cast him into a pit of mud. And Daniel was persecuted and fell into a pit of lions. And also Hananiah and his brothers were persecuted and fell into the furnace of fire. And Mordecai and Esther and the children with them were persecuted at the hands of Haman. And Judas Maccabeus and his brothers were persecuted, and also these. And they endured hardship.

And the seven brothers in the days of the blessed persecution endured bitter torments. And they were confessors and true martyrs. And Eleazar the elder, advanced in years, was a good death. And he confessed and became a perfect martyr. Great and excellent is the martyrdom of Jesus. And he excelled in affliction and in confession beyond all the former and the latter. And after the faithful martyr Stephen, whom the Jews stoned. And also Simon and Paul were perfect martyrs. And James and John walked in the footsteps of their great master Christ. Also from the apostles, in every place, confessors came forth and true martyrs. And also concerning the brothers in the West, in the days of Diocletian, there was great affliction and persecution for the whole church of God throughout their entire region. And churches were hidden and uprooted. And many confessors and martyrs confessed. And mercy was shown to them after they were persecuted. And also in our days these things happened. And also because of sins. But also it is written, it is completed, as the Savior said, that these things were destined to happen. Also the apostle said that this crown of confession is also laid upon us. By which many confess and are killed. Completed: On Persecution.