The Gospel of Barnabas

132.

Jesus walking along the sea of Galilee was surrounded by a great multitude of folk, wherefore he sent into a little boat which lay a little off from the shore by itself, and anchored so near the land that the voice of Jesus might be heard. Whereupon they all drew nigh to the sea, and sitting down awaited his word. He then opened his mouth and said: 'Behold, the sower went out to sow, whereupon as he sowed some of the seed fell upon the road, and this was trodden under foot of men and eaten up of birds; some fell upon the stones, whereupon when it sprang up, because it had no moisture, it was burnt up by the sun; some fell in the hedges, whereupon when it grew up the thorns chocked the seed; and some fell on good ground, whereupon it bare fruit, even to thirty, sixty, and an hundredfold.'

Again Jesus said: 'Behold, the father of a family sowed good seed in his field: whereupon, as the servants of the good man slept, the enemy of the man their master came and sowed tares over the good seed. Whereupon, when the corn sprang up, there was seen sprung up among the corn a great quantity of tares. The servants came to their master and said: "O sir, didst thou not sow good seed in thy field? Wherefore then is there sprung up therein a great quantity of tares?" The master answered: "Good seed did I sow, but while men slept the enemy of man came and sowed tares over the corn."

'Said the servants: "Wilt thou that we go and pull up the tares from among the corn?"

'The master answered: "Do not so, for ye would pull up the corn therewith; but wait till the time of harvest cometh. For then shall ye go and pull up the tares from among the corn and cast them into the fire to be burned, but the corn ye shall put into my granary."'

Again Jesus said: 'There went forth many men to sell figs. But when they arrived at the market-place, behold, men sought not good figs but fair leaves. Therefore the men were not able to sell their figs. And seeing this, an evil citizen said: "Surely I may become rich." Whereupon he called together his two sons and [said]: "Go ye and gather a great quantity of leaves with bad figs." And these they sold for their weight in gold, for the men were mightily pleased with leaves. Whereupon the men, eating the figs, became sick with a grievous sickness.'

Again Jesus said: 'Behold a citizen hath a fountain, from which all the neighbouring citizens take water to wash off their uncleanness; but the citizen suffereth his own clothes to putrefy.'

Again Jesus said: 'There went forth two men to sell apples. The one chose to sell the peel of the apple for its weight in gold, caring nought for the substance of the apples. The other desired to give the apples away, receiving only a little bread for his journey. But men bought the peel of the apples for its weight in gold, caring nought for him who was fain to give them, nay even despising him.'

And thus on that day Jesus spake to the crowd in parables. Then having dismissed them, he went with his disciples to Nain, where he had raised to life the widow's son; who, with his mother, received him into his house and ministered unto him.