The Gospel of Barnabas

117.

'Elijah answered: "Thou art of the tribe of Levi; and because thou, in entering the temple of God, lookedst lewdly upon a woman, thou being near the sanctuary, our God took away thy sight."

'Then the blind man weeping said: "Pardon me, O holy prophet of God, for I have sinned in speaking with thee; for if I had seen thee I should not have sinned."

'Elijah answered: ''May our God pardon thee, O brother because as regardeth me I know that thou hast told me the truth, seeing that the more I hate myself the more I love God, and if thou sawest me thou wouldst still thy desire, which is not pleasing to God. For Elijah is not your creator, but God; whence, so far as concerneth thee, I am the devil," said Elijah weeping, "because I turn thee aside from thy creator. Weep then, O brother, because thou hast not that light which would make thee see the true from the false, for if thou hadst had that thou wouldst not have despised my doctrine. Wherefore I say unto thee, that many desire to see me and come from far to see me, who despise my words. Wherefore it were better for them, for their salvation, that they had no eyes, seeing that every one that findeth pleasure in the creature, be he who he may, and seeketh not to find pleasure in God, hath made an idol in his heart, and forsaken God."'

Then said Jesus, sighing: 'Have ye understood all that Elijah said?'

The disciples answered: 'In sooth, we have understood, and we are beside ourselves at the knowledge that here on earth there are very few that are not idolaters.'