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Acts of Paul and Thekla

tr. Conybeare, 1894

thekla

Paul was coming on his way up to the city of Iconium after his persecution, and there accompanied him on the road Demas and Hermogenes, copper-smiths and brasiers; and these were full of a spirit of mutiny, though in their words they honoured Paul and addressed him as one whom they loved. But Paul was looking unto¹ the grace of the pity of Christ, and was walking with them without any dissembling, and loved them alike. And he so loved them that he continued to relate to them the teaching of the Lord of all, and the explanation and the birth and resurrection, as of one he loved, and was refreshing their souls with the greatness of Christ, and was for ever recounting to them how he (or it) was manifested to himself. Now a certain blessed man, of the name of Onesiphorus, heard that Paul is on his way to the city of Iconium, and went out to meet him, taking with him his household and Zenonia his wife; they went to meet Paul and welcome him. For Titus had told them and had given them the characteristics of Paul’s appearance; because he—Onesiphorus—did not know Paul in the flesh, but only in the spirit. So he went forth and stood at the cross-ways of the high-road which ran to the city of Lystra, and there halted and waited for him. And he was looking at those who came and went, bearing in mind the characteristics which Titus had given him; when he saw Paul coming along, a man of moderate stature, with curly² hair, . . . scanty, crooked legs, with blue eyes, and large knit brows, long nose, and he was full of the grace and pity of the Lord, sometimes having the appearance of a man, but sometimes looking like an angel.

When Paul saw Onesiphorus, he was very glad. Quoth unto him Onesiphorus, “Hail to thee Paul, apostle of the blessed one”; and unto him Paul, “Hail to thee and to all thy house, Onesiphorus.” But Demas and Hermogenes were full of ire and bit their lips with resentment and said to Paul, “Were not we also of the blessed one, that thou didst never give such greeting to us?” Paul made answer and said to them, “For I see not in you the fruit of well-doing.” Quoth unto them Onesiphorus, “Obey me (B. If thou be aught. C. If ye be aught),³ come into my house, ye also, and rest.” And when Paul had come into the house of Onesiphorus and there was great rejoicing therein, they fell on their knees and then rose up and brake bread.

Paul came forward and began to preach the word of the Lord concerning the truth of souls⁴ and the resurrection of the dead, and spake thus: “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Blessed are they that keep themselves chaste, because they shall be called the temple of God. Blessed are they that mortify their bodies and souls, because unto them speaketh God. Blessed are they who despise the world, for they shall be pleasing to God. Blessing unto them who shall have wives, as if they had them not; for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed they who shall have the fear of God in their hearts, because they shall be called angels. Blessed they who tremble at the words of God, which they hear, for the Lord shall call them. Blessed be they who have received the wisdom of Jesus Christ, because they shall be called sons of God. Blessed be they who keep the baptism, for they shall rest⁵ in Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Blessed they who shall receive the law of Christ, because they shall be for a great light. Blessed those who for the love of Christ shall leave the flesh, for they shall inherit immortal life,⁶ and shall stand eternally on the right hand of the Son of God. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall find mercy from the Father, and in the day of judgment they shall receive the kingdom. Blessing to the souls and bodies of virgins, for they shall be pleasing to God, and shall not lose the reward of their chastity: for the working of the Father’s words shall be found in them, and they shall inherit life in the day of the Son of God, and rest eternal shall be theirs.”

And while Paul was discoursing all these great things of God in the house of Onesiphorus in a great assembly, a maiden named Thekla, the daughter of Thekla, who was betrothed to a man whose name was Thamyris,⁷ went and sat at a window which was close to their roof, and there listened to the discourse of Paul which he spake concerning chastity. Nor did she leave the window ever by day or by night, but listened to the prayers of Paul and wondered at his faith; the more so, because she saw many women going in unto Paul, to listen to the precepts and commands of God which he taught. And it was a matter of regret and longing to her, that she saw not his face, but heard only his bare words. And she never for a moment departed from the window where she sat. Then her mother sent for Thamyris to whom she had betrothed her as wife. When Thamyris heard that his mother-in-law summoned him, he came at once, and he thought that she would give him Thekla to take her to wife. Thamyris made answer and said, “Where is Thekla, my wife (or betrothed), that I may see her?” The mother-in-law answered Thamyris and said: “I have somewhat to tell thee, Thamyris. Thekla who was betrothed to thee, lo, for three days and three nights she quits not a window, she eats not nor drinks nor rises thence; but she strains her eyes to gaze upon a strange man, and hearkens to his words as if they were pleasing, though they are illusive and vain and disgusting. And I am surprised that a wise maiden should thus run after such wicked and delusive talk. I tell thee, Thamyris, that yonder man has undone the city of the Iconians, and he deceives Thekla, who was betrothed to thee. And many other women and young people have gone in unto him, and he teaches them to worship one God and to live in chastity. And Thekla is bound by him, as a spider on a web, and has given herself up to longing and to disastrous works of destruction; and she never raises her eyes from the window nor forsakes it; nor does she eat or drink, but the virgin is quite absorbed. But do thou, Thamyris, go in and talk with her, for she is betrothed to thee to be thy wife.

And Thamyris went in to her who was betrothed to him in marriage, because for one thing he loved Thekla, and in the second place he was afraid of her solemn longing. He made answer and said to her, “Art thou not betrothed to me? What is this that thou doest, and what is this evil destruction that possesses thee? Return to me and be ashamed before me.” And her mother also spoke and said, “Why dost thou look down and refuse to answer, nay, and art like unto one that is mad?” When the household saw her, they all began to weep, and Thamyris wept, for that his wife held aloof from him; and her mother for that her daughter separated herself from her; and the handmaids that they were separated from their mistress. And there was great sorrow and grief in the house. But Thekla cared not for all that, but bent down her ear to hear the words of Paul.

Then Thamyris was full of wrath and he ran out into the street and marked the men who came from or went in unto Paul. And suddenly he saw two men who disputed one with the other. Then Thamyris came upon them and said to them: “What are ye, or what is come unto you, or what are the words about which ye dispute? Who is yonder man who is in there with you, who ensnares the souls of young men and maidens, and who gives the commandment that there be no marriages at all?⁸ I am willing to give you much money, if ye will tell me who and whence is the man, because we are leaders of the city.” But Demas and Hermogenes, when they saw him, came to him and said: “Yonder man of whom thou speakest, we know not who and whence he is; but this we know, that he separates the young men from the virgins and the virgins from the young men, and declares that you cannot rise from the dead⁹ unless you maintain yourself in chastity.” Thamyris made answer and said to them: “Come, my friends, and rest with me.” So they went home with him to supper readily, and Thamyris made them a great repast and prepared for them many good dishes. For Thamyris loved Thekla, and wished to take her as his wife on the day appointed by his mother-in-law. And Thamyris said to them as they lay on the couch: “Tell me, my dear friends, what is the teaching which this man teacheth, that I may know it. For there are not a few who condemn the same, and I am very grieved for my wife, because she has given herself up to a strange man and foreign, and behold, I am separated from her.” Demas and Hermogenes answered and said to him: “Thou Thamyris, go and inform the judge about him, and thou shalt say thus: This man teaches a new and outlandish doctrine in the name of Christ, and forthwith when he hears it, it (or he) destroys him. But thou shalt take thy wife, and we teach thee the resurrection of the dead which he teaches.”

When Thamyris heard this, being filled with spite and rancour, he rose early at dawn and went to the house of Onesiphorus, himself with the senators,¹⁰ with many men bearing rods, and provided as well with a large armed force. He answered and said to Paul, “Thou destroyest the city of the Iconians, and Thekla who was betrothed to me thou hast ensnared with thy teaching, so that she will not be mine to wife. Come therefore let us go before the judge.” And all the city cried: “Drag out the wizard, for he has corrupted and destroyed our women with outlandish teaching.” And all the armed men took charge of Paul. When Paul was come with those who held him and stood before the judge, Thamyris lifted up his voice and said to the judge: “This man, we know not who and whence he is, but he suffers not virgins to belong to their husbands; let him then say before thee wherefore he teaches such teaching.” But Demas and Hermogenes, the copper-smiths, who were full of malice, came forward to him, and said: “Say that he is a Christian, and behold forthwith he destroyeth him.” When the judge heard the words of Thamyris and of all the men who held Paul, he said to him: “Tell me, Paul, who and whence thou art and what thou teachest? For there are not a few who speak evil of thee and accuse thee.”

Then Paul lifted up his voice, and said: “I will unfold that which I teach; hear, O judge. I teach one God, who returneth not evil for the evil which men do; God, who desireth not anything, except that the sons of man should live, sent me in order that I might save them from destruction and purge them of their uncleanness and from all deadly desires, unto the end that they sin no more. For this end hath God sent me, that in Him of whom I preach the good tidings may be the hope of all men. Who was greatly desirous to save His people from error, that they should sin no more and not walk in licentiousness; but that there may be in them awe and fear by means of the faith in God, that they may know the love and fear of the truth. Therefore that which God revealed unto me, that I teach. What do I owe unto these men?”¹¹

When the judge heard these words, he commanded that Paul be bound again, and kept in prison, until there be a good opportunity to hear him. But Thekla on the same night took her bracelet and gave it to the door-keeper of his house; and he opened to her the door; and then she went on to the gaoler who kept Paul, and gave to him a golden mirror, in order that she might go in unto Paul. And he took from her the mirror and let her in. So she went and sat at the feet of Paul and heard the great things of God. But Paul was in no wise sad, but was full of assurance and openly rejoiced the hearts of all who were with him with the commandments of God. And Thekla with great joy kissed the feet and the chains which bound the feet and hands of Paul.

But when her household sought Thekla and found her not, they thought that she had perished, and they went and sought her in the highways. But there came a comrade of the door-keeper’s, who gave information about him and said, “I saw Thekla give her bracelet to the door-keeper and pass by.” And when they tortured the door-keeper, he avowed it under compulsion, and said: “Yea, she came and said, ‘I am going to the stranger who is bound in the prison.’” So they went and found her as the door-keeper told them; they came and found her sitting at the feet of Paul, and saw several other people as well, who were listening to the great things of Christ. And Thamyris went out along with several men who were with him, full of anger, and they told the judge all that had taken place.

Then the judge bade them bring Paul before him, and the young men ran and loosed Paul and dragged him forth from the prison. But Thekla threw herself on the ground and wept bitterly on the spot where Paul had sat in bonds and taught her the Commands of God. Then the judge again ordered Thekla to be brought before him; and Thamyris ran, and many men with him, and took Thekla and dragged her in. When the judge saw her, he was very grieved about her; but Thekla right gladly stood up before him and was in no ways cast down. Then on a sudden all the armed men cried out and said: “Destroy this wizard.” But the judge said nothing to Paul. And then the judge sat down on his throne and called Thekla. And the judge said to her: “Wherefore art thou not for (or to) thy husband according to the laws of the Iconians?” But Thekla simply stood there, just as she was, and riveted her eyes upon Paul and gave no answer whatever to the judge. Her mother raised a loud and shrill scream, and said, “Destroy the senseless one in the theatre, that all women may look at her and forbear to learn this evil teaching.” When the judge heard this, he was very distressed about her; but he ordered Paul to be scourged and cast out of the city. And he gave sentence that they should burn Thekla with fire in the middle of the theatre. The judge rose up to go to the theatre and all the host with him, to see Thekla burned in the fire. And, as a sheep wandering among the hills in search of the shepherd, even so Thekla sought for Paul. And as she looked round on all the men there, she saw the Lord Jesus Christ sitting full opposite her (Syriac, “beside her”) in the likeness of Paul. Thekla made answer and said: “Paul came and sat in front of me, as if I could not endure,¹² in the vision which has appeared to me.” And while she kept her eyes fixed upon him, the Lord rose up and went into heaven.

But the young men and the women brought wood and laid it in the theatre to burn Thekla, and they brought her naked into the theatre. When the judge saw this he began to weep and raised a lamentation, and wondered at the power which was in her. They piled up the wood and undid it, and the youths compelled her to go up on to the fire as it blazed up. And Thekla immediately went up atop of the fire. Then the flames of the blazing fire rose and gathered round her, yet not one tress of her hair caught light, because the Spirit of God had pity on her, and a roaring sound went forth from heaven, and a cloud of wet was over her, and hail and heavy rain was poured forth from heaven. And many men who listened and saw were destroyed; and the fire was quenched and Thekla was saved. But Paul was fasting, along with Onesiphorus and his wife and sons in a house of a young man, of which the opened door looks in the direction of the road of (or to) the city of Iconium. When they had been there many days a-fasting, the children say to Paul, “We are hungry.” And they would have had nothing to give in payment; for Onesiphorus had abandoned his house and means of living, and had gone forth along with his friend Paul. Then Paul took off his tunic and gave it to the youth, and said, “Go, my child, and buy bread as much as it fetches.” The youth went to buy bread and there saw Thekla their neighbour. He wondered, and said: “Thekla, whither goest thou?” She says to him: “I am going after Paul, because I have been saved from the fire. And the youth said,” Come, I will lead you to him; for he is distraught, and sighs and grieves, and it is now six days that he fasts and prays of God for thee.” Thekla went with him to the house of the young man, and came to Paul and found him on his knees in prayer, beseeching and saying, “Our Father which art in heaven, I pray thee that the fire may not touch Thekla, but rather quench it from her, for she is Thine.” And Thekla stood behind him, and she opened her mouth and said: “Father, which madest heaven and earth, and Thou art the Father of saints,¹³ I thank Thee that Thou hast had pity upon me and hast saved me in order that I may behold Paul.” Paul rose up and saw her, and answered and said: “God, who knowest the hearts of all, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, I thank Thee that Thou hast saved her, for whom I supplicated Thee, from the fire, and hast granted to me, and to those with me, to behold her; in Thy hands is it to rescue from all afflictions those who glorify Thy name for ever.

And Paul rejoiced exceedingly along with those who were with him.¹⁴ And the lad brought five loaves of bread, with vegetables and salt besides, and water; and they rejoiced in their deeds and were made strong in the grace of the pity of Christ. And said Thekla to Paul: “I will cut short my hair and will follow after thee, whithersoever thou goest.” Said Paul: “‘Tis a hard struggle, and thou art beautiful; perhaps another temptation may beset thee, even a greater than the first, and thou wilt not be able to bear it.” Said Thekla to Paul: “Give me only the seal of Christ and temptation cometh not nigh me.” Said Paul to Thekla: “Be patient, and thou shalt receive that which thou seekest.” And Paul sent away Onesiphorus along with his household, and they went to their home. But Paul took Thekla by the hand and the men who were with her, and they went and came to the city of Antioch. And as they were entering in, one of the chief men of the city of Antioch, Alexander by name, who had done many deeds in Antioch, as soon as he saw Thekla, loved her at sight, and began to flatter Paul and cajole him with promises of much silver and gold. Said Paul: “I know not the woman of whom thou speakest, and she is nothing of mine at all.” For Alexander was violent, and came and constrained Thekla, and put his arms round her in the middle of the market-place. But she would not brook his action, but cried out and sought for Paul with much lamentation, and said: “Hurt not one who is a stranger, insult not the handmaids of God. I am daughter of leading citizens of the city of Iconium, and because I would not be wife to Thamyris my husband, they cast me out of my city. And straightway she attacked Alexander and rent his raiment, and tore off the golden crown of the figure of Cæsar,¹⁵¹⁶ which he had on his head, and dashed it to the ground, and left him naked, destitute and full of shame. Now Alexander loved her at sight, but since she had put him to shame by the way she had treated him, he straightway gave information to the judge, to the effect that Thekla did thus and thus to me, and she denies not that which she did; but do thou judge her and order that she be thrown to the wild beasts. And Alexander himself it was, who was giving the show of wild beasts to the city. And when all the citizens heard, they were astonished and they raised a cry before the judgment seat, saying:” Unjust Is your judgment with which you condemn Thekla.” And Thekla came and stood before the judge and adjured him and said: “This favour grant me, that until they cast me to the beasts I may preserve my chastity.” And the judge, when he heard these words, said to Thekla: “Go, preserve it where thou wilt.” And there was there a certain lady of a royal house and rich, Tryphæna by name, whose daughter had died, and she took her to herself to her house, and she was consoled at the sight of Thekla.

When the wild beasts had come into the theatre, they came to fetch Thekla from the house of Tryphæna, and took her to the theatre, and stripped her, but put around her a linen loin-cloth, and set her there naked. And they let loose upon her a lioness; and the lady Tryphæna was at the door of the theatre and wept piteously. The lioness came and began to lick Thekla; and the judge and all his armed men wondered at the power which God gave her. They wrote on boards and showed to all men who sat there this writing: “Read (or ye called), Thekla the sacrilegious violator of the gods, who dashed the imperial crown from the head of Alexander, who wished to treat her impurely.” And all the men along with all their children cried out and said: “We appeal to God against the iniquity that is being committed in the city.” And again they sent against her other wild beasts; and these did not touch her. Then the audience rose and left the wild beasts; and immediately there came the lady Tryphæna and took Thekla, because her own daughter, who was dead came in a dream by night and addressed her mother and said: “Mother mine, take this Thekla, persecuted and stranger that she is, to thyself in my place, that she may pray for me, in order that I may be worthy to pass into the place of the holy and just.” And when Tryphæna had taken Thekla to herself, she was full of concern about her; for one thing, because they would take her on the morrow and cast her to the wild beasts, and next because her daughter who was dead had filled her with pity for her. And the lady said: “Lo, this second time affliction and sorrow befalleth my house; but do thou supplicate and pray for my daughter that she may live; for thus I beheld in my dream.” And at the same time Thekla rose suddenly and raised her voice clearly and aloud, and said: “God who art in heaven, Father of the Most High,¹⁷ grant to the lady Tryphæna according to her wishes, that her daughter, may live for ever and ever.” When the lady heard this, she sat down, plunged in grief, and wept piteously and said: “Alas, that thy fair beauty should again be devoured by the wild beasts!”

And at the break of dawn Alexander came in haste to carry off Thekla, for it was he who was giving the show of wild beasts in the theatre of the city. He made answer and said: “Behold, the judge is seated, and all the armed men hurry; give here at once Thekla that we may destroy her by throwing her to the wild beasts.” And Tryphæna brake forth into shrill laments; and from the voice of her sorrow Alexander fled, and said that he was frightened. The lady made answer and said: ‘*We appeal to God. This second time doth affliction and sorrow come upon my house, and there is not any one to help me, for my daughter liveth not, who is dead; and no member of my noble house cometh to my assistance, and I am a widow woman. But do thou, Thekla, go; and may thy God render thee assistance.” Again the judge sent other men to bring Thekla, but the lady would not give Thekla into their hands, but held her fast by the hand and kept her. And she went and led her firmly by herself, saying: “My darling daughter I escorted to the tomb; and thee, Thekla, I escort and lead to be the ravine of the wild beasts.” And Thekla broke into loud and bitter lamentations, and was beside herself with grief, and groaned before God and said: “O Lord, my God, in whom I trusted, and who deliveredst me from the fire, give recompense to the good Tryphæna, who took pity upon me Thy handmaiden, and preserved my chastity.”

And forthwith there was a violent dissension among the multitude, and a breaking forth of loud cries, because the beasts were spurred on and provoked. And half were for letting the wild beasts loose upon her, and many men and women raised a clamour and called her a sacrilegious violator of the temples, and of the gods. But the other half said: “Woe to the city for the iniquity which ye do; destroy us all, O judge. Bitter is the spectacle which we behold, and unjust is the judgment with which Thekla is judged.” And young men came and tore Thekla from the hands of the lady Tryphæna, and led her into the theatre to throw her to the wild beasts; and they took and stood her in the middle of the arena. They stripped off her garments and put on her a linen loin-cloth, and she stood forth naked as she was, and said: “O Lord God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Thou art the help of the persecuted; Thou art the protector of the poor; turn and look upon thy handmaiden who standeth naked and covered with shame, before all this great host. My Lord and my God, remember Thy handmaiden in this season.” Then they brought and let loose upon her a leopard that was very wicked, and after that they brought a lioness and loosed it on her. But Thekla stood there, and kept her arms stretched out in the likeness of one crucified on a tree, and the lioness ran and rushed upon her, but when it reached her it came and crouched at her feet. Then the leopard came up and wished to leap upon her, but the lioness lay before her and forthwith tore it asunder. Then they brought a bear that was very strong, and it ran to throw itself upon Thekla. But the lioness which crouched at her feet rose and took the bear and immediately rent it. And then they loosed yet another lion which was trained to attack men, and which belonged to Alexander himself, and this lion too they set onto Thekla; but the lioness which sat at her feet met the lion and they fought with one another, and after a while they killed one another. Then all the more did the women, who sat there and looked on, lament, saying that the lioness which helped Thekla was dead. And again they let loose upon her yet other wild animals, and when Thekla saw how many were the wild beasts, she stretched out her hands and stood in prayer. And when she had finished praying she turned round and saw behind her a pool full of water, and she said: “Lo, now is the time for baptism.” She lifted up her voice and said, In the name of Jesus Christ, behold this day am I baptised for (or on) the last day. When the women who sat there beheld this, they broke into laments and said: “Throw not thyself into yon water, for evil are the wild beasts that are therein.” And the judge when he beheld her wept at the thought, that the beasts in the water should devour such beauty and grace. But Thekla straightway plunged into the water and went down; and the beasts when they saw her, as it were a flash of fire, were destroyed and remained on the top of the water; and there was round about her, and she was overshadowed by, a luminous cloud, so that it did not plainly appear that Thekla was naked. When the women who sat in the theatre, saw that they were loosing yet other wild beasts upon Thekla, that were more evil than the former ones, they began to scream and say: “We appeal to God, what do we behold in the city!” Then women came and began to throw spices over Thekla; some of them threw fruit of nard, and some of them marjoram, and others balsam¹⁸ and many other fragrant spices they scattered in the arena. But they brought and let loose on her many other wild beasts; and the beasts came and sat round her, before and behind, and dozed, and not one of them did harm to Thekla. Again Alexander ran and said to the judge: “I have two strong and fierce bulls, let us bring them and bind between them her that is thrown to the wild beasts; perhaps they will become angry and destroy her. And the judge said to Alexander: “Go and do as seemeth good to thee.” And he sent and had the bulls brought. And they led Thekla and put her between the brutes and took and threw her on her face, and tied her feet tight between the two bulls. And they brought spits and heated them by placing them in the live fire, and when they were kindled they applied them to the sensitive parts of the bulls, to infuriate them, that in their fury they might destroy her; and the bulls were maddened with the pain of the brands. But the flame of the fire caught the bonds with which the feet of Thekla were bound; and Thekla leapt up in front of the bulls, as if no harm had happened to her, and as if she had not been bound at all by the feet. And the Lady Tryphæna was at the door of the theatre, and gave a sudden scream and fell in a swoon; for she thought that Thekla was dead. When the slaves saw that she screamed and fell in a faint, they began to cry out and tear their garments and say: “Woe to us, our mistress is dead.” And all the city trembled. Then Alexander was overcome with fear, he ran and came to the judge and said: “Have pity on me and the city, and release her that is condemned to the wild beasts; let her go quite free, that the whole city may not be destroyed.” Peradventure the Cæsar may hear of this which we do, and will destroy the city, for the Lady Tryphæna who tarried at the gate of the theatre is the Cæsar’s kinswoman, and is dead.

Then the judge said, “Bring hither Thekla”; and the young men ran to fetch Thekla from among the wild beasts, and set her before the judge. And he said to her: “Who art thou, and how is it that the animals attack thee not?” And she said: “I am the handmaiden of God; and He who is with me, He is the son of the living God; in whom I have hoped, because through Him it is that the beasts attack me not. For He is the term of salvation, and the protector of all who are persecuted, and the hope and life of the hopeless. But I say unto thee, O Judge, and to all who are before thee, that he who believeth in God, of whom ye behold the great things which He has wrought unto His handmaiden, he shall live for ever, and he who believeth not in Him, shall die the death everlasting. When the judge heard this from the mouth of Thekla, he bade her bring her clothes. Said the judge to her:” Take away her loin-cloth and put before her her raiment which she gave thee.” Thekla made answer and said to the judge: “He that clothed me with power in the midst of the beasts, the same clotheth thee with life in the day of judgment.” And Thekla took off the loin-cloth, and took and put on her clothes. And the judge read a proclamation before all the host and said: “God hath delivered Thekla and given her to you.” And the women who sat there in the theatre raised a loud cry, and with loud voices began to give glory to God, and said: “Great is the God of Thekla, who hath given her life and saved her among the wild beasts.” And at the sound of the voices of the women who cried out the whole city was shaken. And instantly they ran and gave the news to the Lady Tryphæna, and she running came and found her and took her in her arms and kissed her, and said: “My daughter Thekla, now I believe that my darling daughter is alive. But come to my house, Thekla, and I will assign to thee all that is mine.”

And Thekla went with her and entered into her house, and rested there eight days, and taught the Lady Tryphæna all the commands of God. And the Lady Tryphæna believed and many of her handmaidens, and there was there great rejoicing. 40. But Thekla, for that she loved Paul, sent to seek him in all directions; and when they found him, they told her and said: “Lo, he is in the city of Merou.” And she rose and left the house of the Lady Tryphæna, and she put on male attire and took with her many men and handmaidens of the lady; and she came and entered the city of Merou. And there Thekla found Paul, sitting and teaching the commands of God. Thekla came and stood before him; and when Paul saw her and the men who were with her, he wondered, and thought at once that yet some other temptation had come upon her. Thekla made answer and said to him: “I have received baptism, for he who commanded thee to preach, the same commanded me also to baptize.” And forthwith Paul arose and took her and all the men who were with her and led them to the house of Hermes. Paul sat down and Thekla and the other men also who were with her; and Thekla related to him all that God had done unto her. And Paul wondered exceedingly at the power which was given to her. And all who were there, and heard what God had done to her, were much confirmed in the truth, and they all with one accord glorified and blessed God, who worketh wonders for all who believe in Him and keep His commandments. They prayed and besought God for the Lady Tryphæna, who had taken pity upon His handmaid and preserved her in chastity. Said Thekla: “I go to the city of Iconium.” And Paul said: “Go, teach there the commands and words of God.” And when the Lady Tryphæna heard that Thekla was on her way to the city of Iconium, she took much raiment and gold and sent it to Thekla; and she took the raiment and some of the gold, and sent it to Paul for the service of ministering to widows. And Thekla went and entered the house of Onesiphorus, and fell on her face on the spot where Paul sat, and taught the commands of God; and she wept and said: “Our God, God of this house in which there dawned on me light from Christ Jesus, who helped me in prison and rescued me among the wild beasts before the judge, and gave me baptism for ever and ever, that I may come unto the blessedness, which is preserved for me and for those who keep the commandments of Christ. For He is one, God on high, who sitteth on the throne of the cherubim. For unto Him is glory for ever and ever. Amen.

After all these wonders which God wrought unto her, she found in the city of Iconium that Thamyris her husband (Syr. betrothed) was dead, [but her mother Theocleia was alive].¹⁹ Saith Thekla to her: “Mother mine, if thou canst believe, there is one God on high, my Lord, who is in heaven. But if thou lovest gold and silver and riches which are corruptible, lo, it is given to thee henceforth. If thou wilt believe that there is one God in heaven, and that beside Him there is no other God, thou canst live and keep whatsoever I tell thee; for behold I stand before thee, who was rescued from the fire and from the evil wild beasts and from the presence of the judge. For the same my God and Lord hath holpen me, who gave me power to endure.” All this testimony she bore unto her mother and she departed from the city of Iconium, and went to Seleucia, and there she illuminated many men with the word of God, and slept in a quiet place of rest.

The book of the blessed Thekla is finished. Glory to God All-mighty and to His anointed, and to the Holy Spirit, who gave power to the translator and writer. May the same God fulfil His pity in both worlds, for ever and ever. Amen.²⁰

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