Acta Joannis (recensio)

Acts of the holy apostle and evangelist John the theologian.

They brought him before the king in this manner.

To the Emperor Caesar Augustus, Victor, Trophy-Bearer: Let it be known to you that a certain John by name, a Jew by race, of the religion of the Galileans, having come to Asia, and indeed also to your servile city of the Ephesians, has caused all to revolt and has overturned them from the ancestral religion, drawing all after him, so that a strange name and a different nation have come into being; and unless you hasten to extinguish him quickly, he will destroy both the nation and the land.

When King Hadrian heard this, he sent swift soldiers to summon the apostle to him. The soldiers hurried and arrived at Ephesus. And when they asked, “Where, they say, is John the Galilean?” they were shown your cell. Approaching, they found the theologian and said to him, “Are you John the Galilean?” He said, “Yes, I am.” Seeing the virtue of the man, his humility and tranquility, and also the comeliness of his face, they honored the man all the more; and with reverence they said to him, “The king of the Romans summons you; come, go with us.” The theologian received this message

... he quickly rose, took his cloak, and placed in it dates about two handfuls. And going out, he said to them, “Come, let us go.

Immediately, then, the soldiers took John, and having permitted me to follow, we traveled with haste. And having completed a journey of seven days, John partook of no food. But the soldiers, seeing him remaining without eating, were exceedingly afraid lest, from such great fasting, he might grow weak and be deprived of life, and thus bring upon them a most pitiable death from the emperor. So they besought him, prostrating themselves at his feet, to partake of food. But the theologian, wishing to heal them, took some of the dates which he had bound in his cloak and ate before them. Then the soldiers

Seeing him partake of food, they took heart and made the journey to Rome with haste.

And when they reached Rome, they presented the apostle to the emperor. The apostle, entering before the emperor and approaching him, kissed him on the chest and the head. The emperor said to him, "How have you kissed me? For I am a man; but you, as I hear, teach all men to worship and revere a heavenly god." The theologian said to the emperor, "Since it is written, 'The heart of the king is in the hand of the Lord,' and again, 'The hand of the Lord is upon the head of the king,' for this reason I have kissed your chest and your head.

The king, gladly receiving the theologian’s reply, said to him, “A report came to me about you, that you have converted the whole nation, and especially the Ephesians, in

some fantasies and magical sorceries; and also you proclaim and worship another god besides the gods that are worshipped by you. Nevertheless, I will put you to the test and find out whether the god whom you proclaim will help you.

Then the king summoned a certain renowned magician, a servant of the devil, and said to him: "Prepare for me a poison such that whoever touches it will die immediately." Upon hearing this from the king, the magician went away and made what was commanded him by the king, and brought it to him. And the king said: "Let it be given to John the Galilean." And the magician, having filled the cup, gives it to the theologian. And he, having received the poison and having sealed it with the sign of the cross,

Having invoked your Lord Jesus Christ, he drank it as if with great pleasure.

And while he himself suffered nothing at all, the king and the magician and all those with them stood aghast, amazed and wondering how the theologian remained unharmed by the poison. So the king began to reproach the magician, as if he had not prepared a potent poison. But the theologian says to the king: "King, know that the poison is potent; but my Christ and God, who told us that even if those who believe in him drink something deadly, it will not harm them, he renders this and all the sorceries of the devil and his servants ineffective and powerless. But if you wish, king, to learn the truth of what is said, order a prisoner from those you have in the prison to be brought; and let us test the effect of the poison." And the king, having heard these things from the theologian, did so quickly and brought a prisoner, and says to the magician: "Fill the cup from the poison and give it to him to drink." But the theologian says: "No, but rinse the bowl from which I drank with water and let it be given to him; and let us see what will happen." And the magician, having rinsed the cup with water and given it to the man, immediately upon drinking he expired.

When the king and all those with him saw this, they were greatly frightened. Then the theologian said, "Since I have become the cause of this man's death, it is necessary for me, after I have prayed, to raise him up." And standing for one hour and praying, he raised the dead man before the king and all those who were with him.

Then the king and those with him saw this and feared the god of heaven, and many believed in God and the apostle. And the king, seeing that he finds a plausible accusation against you, says to the apostle, "Since I have received accusations against you, and there are royal laws that the accused not go unpunished, I order you to be taken away to some island.

called Patmos until a certain time. And the theologian says to him, "Do what you wish.

The king sent you to the island,

After spending three years on Patmos, when the Roman emperor departed this life at the time of John's exile, the apostle immediately—since there was no ship on the island that would set out for the mainland—took hold of a cheap piece of wood called cork, placed it upon the back of the sea, and having embarked himself upon the wood and allowed me to come up, he hastened to sail straight across.

of the city of the Milesians. And the sea, seeing the Lord’s apostle and beloved disciple, like a well-disposed slave, spreading out its back, hastened to set him upon the land with all reverence.

When he had disembarked from the sea on a certain beach about eight stades from the city of Miletus, he found there a small village. And entering into it, and sitting down upon a rock, as was the apostle’s custom to do among all the nations which he taught, he did also in this village, and he enlightened all the inhabitants dwelling in it through his teaching.

Then, rising from there, he proceeded toward the city of the Ephesians. As he traveled, he also entered the city of the Milesians; and there, having accomplished many miracles by the grace of the Holy Spirit, he made many of those there both disciples of Christ and citizens of heaven. But some of the malicious men rose up and, having brought many trials upon the apostle, even giving him a deadly poison to drink, they were unable to prevail against him; for he immediately vomited up the drug and remained unharmed, and thereafter continued on his way rejoicing.

The men of that village where the apostle arrived, after he came up from the sea, rose and built a small oratory of the Theologian, encompassing the rock where the apostle had sat and indicated to them that they should worship and glorify Christ, our true God. That rock did not cease to pour forth at the proper time a fragrant ointment, as a sign and for the faith of all believers. When we arrived in Ephesus, all the people came out to meet the apostle.

After three days John appeared to the Ephesians and began to teach them. And some were persuaded by what was said by him, while others, mocking, withdrew.

All were gathered at the festival of the abominable Artemis and performing the sacrifices—for her temple, which had been destroyed by John while we were in exile, they had rebuilt—and John stood at their festival on a high place and taught the crowds to abandon the abominable sacrifice. But they would not bear to hear him, saying, “Who brought you here, magician? Do you also wish to destroy this temple, which we built with great labor, in the same way you did before?” And John said to them, “Not only will your temple be left desolate, but you and your children will be given over to utter destruction, unless you come to know the God who truly is, our Lord Jesus Christ.” Filled with rage, they dragged him down, beating him mercilessly. And the apostle of Christ, lying on the ground, prayed, saying, “Lord Jesus Christ, let the temple of the abominable Artemis fall, and cast uprightness into the hearts of this people, that they may know you, the true God, and him whom you sent, your only-begotten son Jesus Christ, the savior of the world.

And immediately there was an earthquake and a terrible thunder, and the temple of Artemis was overturned from top to bottom, and all the idols were shattered, and a multitude of the people died from fear. When the rest saw what had happened, they said, "Woe to us; how long shall we provoke God, who endures our wickedness? Lest in our disbelief he consign us and our city to utter destruction." And coming all together with one accord,

crying out and saying, "Let us not perish, servant of God, but pray for us. Now we know that you were sent from God for our salvation, and that the God you proclaim is great, and there is no god but him.

Then the apostle, having risen and blessed them and taught them sufficiently each day, baptized thousands and hundreds.

And they all brought their idols and shattered them before John’s face. Then John, having approached and prayed over the dead men, raised them up. And no scandal remained among them any longer, but every city, from small to great, had become Christian—indeed, also the entire surrounding region. And John was building

building temples and ordaining priests and bishops and presbyters, and healing every disease and every infirmity among the people.

Then, when you went to the city of the Smyrnaeans, all the idols were shattered by the power of Christ. And the apostle of Christ, having consecrated temples and instructed them, baptized them all and that entire coastal region, leaving behind there as overseers Boukolos and Polycarp, his disciples, and Andronikos.

And there were two priests of Artemis there, being brothers by blood. It happened, then, that one of them died; and

The other ran to John, saying to himself: "Surely, since I believe and have saved my own soul, John will not refuse to raise my brother from the dead." And when he drew near to John, he said to him: "Did you not think these things, child? Indeed, you have made a good resolve." Trembling and horror seized the priest because the apostle of Christ had so easily spoken his thoughts.

Then, taking him by the hand, he went up to where the corpse of the dead man lay, with a great crowd standing around, and grasping his hand, he said: "Arise, you who sleep, in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazorean." And immediately the priest arose, whole. And as the crowd marveled and cried out, "Great is the God of John," John took hold of them, instructed them, and baptized them in the name of the Father and the Son.

and of the Holy Spirit, with a much larger crowd. And we remained in the surrounding regions for four years, baptizing and ordaining priests and healing every disease and every infirmity, all having believed from sea to sea. And after this we returned to Ephesus, glorifying God.

After some days, then, by divine revelation John went out to a certain village to visit the brethren. And there was a certain young rustic there, often admonished by his own father not to take the wife of his fellow worker; but moved by diabolical envy, the youth, not enduring his father's admonition, suddenly kicked him and laid him dead on the ground. Seeing this, then, John said: "O Lord, today did you call me here for the sake of this?

The young man, seeing his father’s untimely death and expecting to be seized and killed in turn, unable to bear the grief, took the sickle he was carrying and, running into the house, intended to slay the woman and then himself. Seeing him running and perceiving by the Spirit, John said,

To him: “Stop, demon, and tell me where you are running.” The boy, trembling and weeping, related to John: “I, wretched one, have become my father’s murderer; and behold, because of my great distress, I am about to kill both the woman I seduced and myself.

But if you are able to help us, disciple of Christ, and if you raise this man, I will from now on desist from evil.

And when John said to him, "Did you not pity even the gray hairs of your father, wretch?" into the sky

Looking up and groaning, he said, "Lord, this work is yours alone.

And taking hold of the dead man's hand, he said, "In the name of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, arise." And immediately he arose.

When the boy saw his father’s resurrection beyond hope and his own salvation, he took the sickle and cut off his own genitals. And running to the house, into the sight of his adulteress, he threw them down, saying, “Because of you I have become the murderer of a father and of the two of us; and behold, you have the instruments of these things. For God has taken pity on me to know him through his servant John.

Hearing these things, John was grieved and said to him, “Wretched man, the demon that prompted you to murder your father also prompted you to do this. For you ought not to have destroyed those parts of them, but the thought from your soul; for the organs are not harmful, but the mind that consents to sin. Repent, therefore, miserable one, for the lawless audacity you have committed.” And the boy, groaning and trembling, besought the apostle of Christ, having received pardon for his sins. The apostle of Christ took him and brought him into the city; and after instructing and baptizing him together with his father, he presented him to the church. And the boy was always with us, serving, so that all marveled and glorified God.

One day, as John was sitting, a partridge flew by and, coming, rolled in the dust before him. John, seeing this, marveled. A certain priest, one of his hearers, came in to John and saw the partridge rolling in the dust before him; and, scandalized within himself, he said, "Does such and so great a man take delight in a partridge rolling in the dust?" But John, knowing by the Spirit the thought

He said to him, "It would be better for you, child, to see a partridge rolling in the dust than to be defiled by shameful and profane deeds. For the one who awaits the conversion and repentance of all led you here for this reason; since I have no need of a partridge rolling in the dust—for the partridge is your soul.

When the old man heard this and saw that he had not escaped notice, but that the apostle of Christ had told him everything that was in his heart, he fell on his face to the ground and cried out, saying: "Now I know that God dwells in you, blessed John; and blessed is the one who has not tempted God in you; for the one who tempts you tempts the untemptable." And he begged him to pray for him; and after instructing him and giving him rules, he dismissed him to his house, glorifying the God who is over all.

But when he learned of his departure through a revelation of the Lord, it being the Lord's day, while he was with the brethren after the divine and awesome mystagogy and the breaking of the bread, with all gathered together, he said: "Since, my children, the time of my

The span of my life is short and limited, and I am about to go to my Lord. Be steadfast in faith and in the love of Christ. And what you saw accomplished through me and what you received, do not forget, so that I too may say at the Lord's resurrection: 'Behold, I and the children whom God gave me.' Remember how many benefits God provided you through me: acts of assistance, gifts of healings, guidances, knowledges, communions, faiths, teachings, gifts of healings.

and be kind and compassionate to one another.

building up one another, conducting yourselves in all self-control and modesty. These things I say to you, brothers, for I am now proceeding to the task before me. And even if I am left behind from you in body, yet in spirit I shall not be left behind. You have the pledges of our God; you have the tokens of his goodness.

of him. Keep him always in your midst, as you conduct yourselves well.

And when he had said these and many more things, and the people were wetting the ground with their tears, he said to Eutychus and the

Verus: "My child Eutychus, I appoint you after God as the first-throned and shepherd of this people. See, child Verus, how you are to shepherd the flock." They reported to the emperor as follows: "To the Emperor Caesar Augustus, victor, trophy-bearer: Let it be known to you that a certain John by name, a Jew by race, of the religion of the Galileans, having come to Asia, and moreover to your servile city of the Ephesians, has disturbed everyone and overturned them from the ancestral religion, drawing all after him, so that a strange name and another nation have come into being. And unless you hasten to extinguish him quickly, he has destroyed both the nation and the land." And the Emperor Hadrian, hearing these things, sent swift soldiers to summon the apostle to him. And the soldiers, hastening, arrived at Ephesus. And when they asked, "Where, they say, is John the Galilean?" they pointed out your cell to them. And approaching, they found the theologian and said to him, "Are you John the Galilean?" And he said, "Yes, I am." And seeing the virtue of the man, both his humility and tranquility, and also the comeliness of his face, they honored the man all the more; and with reverence they said to him, "The emperor of the Romans summons you; come, go with us." And the theologian received this message...

He quickly rose, took his cloak, and placed in it dates about two handfuls. And going out, he said to them, "Come, let us go." Immediately, then, the soldiers took John, and having permitted me to follow, we set out with haste. And having completed a journey of seven days, John partook of no food. Seeing him remaining without food, the soldiers were greatly afraid that from such prolonged fasting he might become weak and lose his life, and that this would bring upon them a most pitiable death at the hands of the emperor. So they prostrated themselves at his feet, entreating him to partake of food. The theologian, wishing to comfort them, took some of the dates that he had tied in his cloak and ate them in their presence. Then the soldiers

Seeing him partaking of food, they took heart and eagerly pressed on with the journey to Rome. And when they reached Rome, they presented the apostle to the emperor. The apostle, entering before the emperor and drawing near him, kissed him on the chest and the head. The emperor said to him, "How is it that you have kissed me? For I am a man; but you, as I hear, teach all men to worship and reverence a heavenly god." The theologian said to the emperor, "Since it is written, 'The heart of the king is in the hand of the Lord,' and again, 'The hand of the Lord is upon the head of the king,' for this reason I have kissed your chest and your head." The emperor, gladly receiving the answer of the theologian, said to him, "A report came to me about you, that you have converted the whole nation, and especially that of the Ephesians, in

some people using illusions and magical tricks. But you also proclaim and worship another god besides the gods who are worshipped by you. Yet I will try and find out whether the god you proclaim will help you. Then the emperor summoned a certain renowned magician, a worker of the devil, and said to him: Prepare for me a poison such that whoever touches it will die immediately. Upon hearing this from the emperor, the magician went away and prepared what was ordered by the emperor, and brought it to him. And the emperor said: Let it be given to John the Galilean. And the magician, having filled the cup, gives it to the theologian. And he, having received the poison and having sealed it with the sign of the cross,

Having called upon your Lord Jesus Christ, he drank it as if with great pleasure. 10 And since he suffered no harm at all, the king, the magician, and all those with them stood aghast, amazed and wondering how the theologian remained unharmed by the poison. So the king began to reproach the magician, saying that he had not prepared the poison properly. The theologian says to the king: "King, know that the poison is indeed potent; but my Christ and God, who told us that even if believers in him drink something deadly, it will not harm them, renders both this and all the magical tricks of the devil and his servants ineffective and powerless. But if you wish, king, to learn the truth of what is said, order a condemned prisoner from those you have in prison to be brought; and let us test the effect of the poison." When the king heard this from the theologian, he quickly had a prisoner brought and says to the magician: "Fill the cup with the poison and give it to him to drink." The theologian says: "No, but rinse the bowl from which I drank with water and give it to him; and let us see what will happen." And the magician, having rinsed the cup with water and given it to the man, immediately upon drinking he expired. 11 Seeing this, the king and all those with him were greatly frightened. Then the theologian says: "Since I have become the cause of this man's death, it is necessary for me, after praying, to raise him up." And standing for one hour and praying, he raised the dead man before the king and all those present with him.

Then the king and those with him, seeing this, feared the God of heaven, and many believed in God and the apostle. But the king, seeing that he found a plausible charge against you, says to the apostle: "Since I have received accusations against you, and there are royal laws that the accused not go unpunished, I order you to be taken to a certain island.

called Patmos until the appointed time. The theologian says to him: "Do as you wish." The king sent you to the island. After spending three years in Patmos, when the Roman emperor departed this life at the time of John's exile, immediately the apostle, because there was no ship on the island that would set out for the mainland, took hold of a cheap piece of wood called cork, placed it on the back of the sea, boarded the wood himself, and allowed me to come up, and he hastened straight ahead.

of the city of the Milesians. And the sea, seeing the Lord's apostle and beloved disciple, like a well-disposed servant, spreading out its back, hastened to set him on land with all reverence. When he disembarked from the sea on a certain shore about eight stades from the city of Miletus, he found there a small village. And entering it, and sitting upon a rock, as was the apostle's custom in all the nations he taught, he did likewise in this village, and enlightened all its inhabitants through his teaching. Then, rising from there, he proceeded toward the city of the Ephesians. As he traveled, he also entered the city of the Milesians; and having performed many miracles there as well by the grace of the Holy Spirit, he made many of the inhabitants there disciples of Christ and citizens of heaven. But some of the malicious men rose up and brought many trials upon the apostle, even giving him a deadly poison to drink, yet they prevailed nothing against him; for he immediately vomited up the drug and remained unharmed, and then continued on his way rejoicing. And the men of that village where the apostle had arrived after coming out of the sea rose up and built a small oratory of the Theologian, encompassing the rock where the apostle had sat and shown them how to worship and glorify Christ, our true God. And that rock did not cease to emit fragrant myrrh at the appointed time, as a sign and confirmation for all the faithful.

When we arrived in Ephesus, all the people came out to meet the apostle. After three days, John revealed himself to the Ephesians and began to teach them. Some were persuaded by his words, while others mocked and withdrew. When all were gathered at the festival of the abominable Artemis and were performing the sacrifices—for her temple, which had been destroyed by John while we were in exile, they had rebuilt—John stood on a high place during their festival and taught the crowds to abandon the abominable sacrifice. But they would not listen to him, saying, "Who brought you here, magician? Do you intend to destroy this temple, which we built with great effort, just as you did before?" John said to them, "Not only will your temple be left desolate, but you and your children will be given over to utter destruction, unless you come to know the God who truly is, our Lord Jesus Christ." Filled with rage, they dragged him down, beating him mercilessly. As the apostle of Christ lay on the ground, he prayed, saying, "Lord Jesus Christ, let the temple of the abominable Artemis fall, and cast uprightness into the hearts of this people, that they may know you, the true God, and him whom you sent, your only-begotten son, Jesus Christ, savior of the world." And immediately there was an earthquake and a terrible thunder, and the temple of Artemis was overturned from top to bottom, and all the idols were shattered, and a multitude of the people died from fear. When the rest saw what had happened, they said,

Woe to us. How long shall we provoke God, who endures our wickedness? Will he not, in our disbelief, consign us and our city to utter destruction? And they all came together with one accord.

Crying out and saying, "Let us by no means perish, servant of God, but pray for us. Now we know that you were sent from God for our salvation, and that the God whom you proclaim is great, and there is no God but him." 43 Then the apostle, rising up, after blessing them and teaching them sufficiently each day, baptized thousands and hundreds. 44 And they all brought their idols and shattered them before the face of John. And John, approaching and praying over the dead men, raised them up. And there was no longer any scandal among them, but every city, from young to old, became Christian—indeed, the entire surrounding region as well. And John was building

Temples and ordaining priests and bishops and presbyters, and healing every disease and every infirmity among the people. 45 Then, when you went to the city of the Smyrnaeans in this manner, all the idols were shattered by the power of Christ. And the apostle of Christ, having consecrated temples and instructed them, baptized them all and that entire coastal region, leaving behind there as overseers Boukolos and Polycarp, his disciples, and Andronikos. 46 And there were two priests of Artemis there, who were brothers by birth. It happened, then, that one of them died; and

The other ran to John, saying to himself: "Since I believe and have saved my own soul, John will not refuse to raise my brother from the dead." And when he approached John, he said to him: "Did you not think these things, child? Indeed, you have made a good decision." Trembling and fear seized the priest because the apostle of Christ had so easily spoken his thoughts. 47 Then, taking him by the hand, he went up to where the corpse of the dead man lay, with a great crowd present, and grasping his hand, he said: "Arise, you who sleep, in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazorean." And immediately the priest arose healthy. While the crowd marveled and cried out, "Great is the God of John," John took hold of them, instructed them, and baptized them in the name of the Father and the Son.

and of the Holy Spirit with a much larger crowd. We remained in the surrounding regions for four years, baptizing and ordaining priests and healing every disease and every infirmity, all having believed from sea to sea; and after these things we returned to Ephesus, glorifying God. 48 After some days, then, according to a divine revelation, John went out to a certain village to visit the brethren. And there was a certain young countryman there, often admonished by his own father not to take the wife of his fellow worker; but moved by devilish envy, the youth, not enduring his father's admonition, suddenly kicked him and laid him dead on the ground. Seeing this, John said: "O Lord, today did you call me here for this reason?" 49 The young man, seeing the untimely death of his father and expecting to be seized and killed in turn, not bearing the grief, took the sickle he was carrying and, running into the house, intended to slay the woman and then himself. Seeing him running, John perceived by the Spirit and said

To him: "Stand still, demon, and tell me why you are running." And the boy, trembling and weeping, related to John that he, wretched one, had become his father's murderer; and behold, because of great distress, I am about to kill both the woman I committed adultery with and myself. But if you can do anything, help us, disciple of Christ. If you raise this man, from now on I will abandon evil. And John said to him, "Did you not even pity your father's gray hairs, wretch?" To heaven

Looking up and groaning, he said: “Lord, this work is yours alone.” And taking the hand of the dead man, he said: “In the name of Jesus Christ, the son of God, arise.” And immediately he arose. Seeing the unexpected revival of his father and his own salvation, the boy took the sickle and cut off his own genitals; and running into the house, into the sight of his adulteress, he threw them down, saying: “Because of you I have become a murderer of my father and of both of us; and behold, you have the causes of these things. For God has taken pity on me, that I might know him through his servant John.” Hearing this, John was grieved and said to him: “Wretch, the demon that prompted you to murder your father also prompted you to do this. For you ought not to have destroyed those places, but the thought from your soul; for the organs are not harmful, but the mind that consents to sin. Repent, then, miserable one, for the lawless audacity you have committed.” And the boy, groaning and trembling, begged the apostle of Christ for forgiveness, having received pardon for his sins. Taking him, the apostle of Christ brought him into the city; and after instructing and baptizing him together with his father, he presented him to the church; and the boy was always with us, serving, so that all marvel and glorify God. One day, then, as John was sitting, a partridge flew by and came and rolled in the dust before him. John, seeing it, marveled. And a certain priest, one of the hearers, coming in to John, saw the partridge rolling in the dust before him.

And scandalized within himself, he said: “Does such a great man as this take delight in a partridge being dusted?” But John, knowing in his spirit the thought,

said to him: "It would be better for you, child, to see a partridge being dusted than to be defiled by shameful and profane deeds. For the one who awaits the conversion and repentance of all led you here for this reason; since I have no need of a partridge being dusted—for the partridge is your soul." 57 When the old man heard this and saw that he had not escaped notice, but that the apostle of Christ had spoken to him all that was in his heart, he fell on his face upon the ground and cried out, saying: "Now I know that God dwells in you, blessed John; and blessed is the one who has not put God to the test in you; for the one who tests you tests the untestable." And he begged him to pray for him; and having instructed him and given him rules, he dismissed him to his house, glorifying the God who is over all. 106 When he learned of his own departure through a revelation of the Lord, it being the Lord's day, while he was with the brethren after the divine and awesome mystagogy and the breaking of the bread, with all gathered together, he said: "Since, my children, the time of my

My life is short and brief, and I am about to go to my Lord. Be steadfast in the faith and love of Christ. And what you have seen performed by me and have received, do not forget, so that I also, at the resurrection of the Lord, may say: "Behold, I and the children whom God gave me." Remember how many acts of assistance, gifts of healings, guidances, knowledges, communions, faiths, teachings, and gifts of healings God provided to you through me. And be kind and compassionate toward one another.

building up one another, conducting yourselves in all self-control and decorum. These things I say to you, brothers, for I am now going to the work that lies before me. And even if I am left behind from you in body, yet in spirit I shall not be left behind. You have the pledges of our God; you have the tokens of his goodness.

I am with you in spirit. Keep him always in your midst as you conduct yourselves well in your citizenship. 111 And when he had said these and more things, and the people were wetting the ground with their tears, he said to Eutyches and to the

Verus: "Child Eutychus, I appoint you, after God, as the first-throned and shepherd of this people. See, child Verus, how you are to shepherd the flock.