The Gospel of Barnabas

129.

'Shall the axe, perchance, boast itself at having cut down the forest where a man hath made a garden? Nay, assuredly, for the man hath done all, yea and [made] the axe, with his hands.

'And thou, O man, shalt thou boast thyself ofhaving done aught that is good, seeing our God created thee of clay and worketh in thee all good that is wrought?'

'And wherefore despisest thou thy neighbour? Knowest thou not that if God had not preserved thee from Satan thou wouldst be worse than Satan?

Now knowest thou not that one single sin changed the fairest angel into the most repulsive demon? And that the most perfect man that hath come into the world, which was Adam, it changed into a wretched being, subjecting him to what we suffer, together with all his offspring? What decree, then, hast thou, in virtue whereof thou mayest live at thine own pleasure without any fear: Woe unto thee, O clay, for because thou hast exalted thyself above God who created thee thou shalt be abased beneath the feet of Satan who layeth wait for thee.'

And having said this, Jesus prayed, lifting up his hands to the Lord, and the people said: 'So be it! So be it!' When he had finished his prayer he descended from the pinnacle. Whereupon there were brought unto him many sick folk whom he made whole, and he departed from the temple. Thereupon Simon, a leper whom Jesus had cleansed, invited him to eat bread.

The priests and scribes, who hated Jesus, reported to the Roman soldiers that which Jesus had said against their gods. For indeed they were seeking how to kill him, but fou:t;ld it not, because they feared the people.

Jesus, having entered the house of Simon, sat down to the table. And while he was eating, behold a woman named Mary, a public sinner, entered into the house, and flung herself upon the ground behind Jesus' feet, and washed them with her tears, anointed them with precious ointment, and wiped them with the hairs of her head. Simon was scandalized, with all that sat at meat, and they said in their hearts: 'If this man were a prophet he would know who and of what sort is this woman, and would not suffer her to touch him.'

Then said Jesus: 'Simon, I have a thing to say to thee.'

Simon answered: 'Speak, O Master, for I desire thy word.'