handwriting for the dînâr, and take [it] and go”; and the monk sat down and wrote thus: “I, John the monk, the stranger, from Antioch, a city of Syria, and from the holy monastery of Kâwsyân hereby testify that I have received from the steward one dînâr for food by the way, and I have, of mine own free will, set my handwriting thereto saying that when Jesus cometh He will pay him for me.” And after the monk had taken the dînâr and departed, the steward saw that same night in a vision of the night, that a man of splendid appearance came and said unto him, “Take the dînâr which thou gavest to that monk, and give me the written paper which he gave thee.” And the steward said in the vision, “My Lord, the monk said unto me, ‘Jesus will come and repay me, and will take from thee the paper which I have written.’ ” And the man said to the steward, “I, even I, am Jesus; take thy dînâr, and give Me the writing which the monk gave thee. Or, wouldst thou take anything more from him?” Then the steward took the dînâr from Him, and he laid it in his hand, and gave Him the written paper, and He tore it up.
Now when the steward awoke from his slumber he found the dînâr in his hand, but the written paper had disappeared; and he marvelled and wondered, and praised God. Then he sent some of his people to bring back the monk wheresoever he might be found, and having gone they found him praying, and they said unto him, “Come with us; behold, the steward of the Church of the Resurrection seeketh thee.” And when the monk heard [this], he feared greatly, and said in his heart, “Peradventure he wisheth to take back the dînâr”; and he went with them being troubled and sorrowful. Now when the steward saw him, he said unto him, “For the love of Christ I entreat thee to eat with me this day,” and whilst they were eating, the steward said unto him, “What hast thou done with the dînâr?” and the monk said, “Behold, it is still with me.” The steward said unto him, “Mâr Abbâ, take thou as many dînârs as thou wishest, only give me the paper which thou didst write [saying] that Jesus would come and repay me.” And the monk said unto him, “My lord, forgive me, but I have received nothing else from thee, for that which I did take was sufficient for me.” Then the steward related unto him that which had appeared unto him, saying, “The dînâr hath been paid back to me, and the paper which thou didst write hath been taken by our Lord Jesus Christ from me”; and the steward entreated the monk, saying, “Take from me, if thou wishest, ten pounds of gold, only write me [a paper, saying], ‘Jesus will come and pay thee for me,’ and do thou, my lord,
