the region that fell to him, and to the nation to which the Lord had sent him. [1] By lot, then, India fell to Judas Thomas, also called Didymus. And he did not wish to go, saying that he was not able to go on account of the weakness of his body, and said, "How can I, being a Hebrew, go among the Indians to proclaim the truth?" And while he was thus reasoning and speaking, the Saviour appeared to him during the night and said to him, "Fear not, Thomas, go away to India and preach the word there, for my grace is with thee." But he obeyed not, saying, "Wherever thou wishest to send me, send me, (but) elsewhere. For to India I am not going."
2. And as he was thus speaking and considering, it happened that a merchant who had come from India, named Abban, was there, sent from the King of Gundafor, and having received an order from him to buy a carpenter and bring him to him. And the Lord, having seen him walking about in the market at noon, said to him, "Dost thou wish to buy a carpenter?" He replied, "Yes." And the Lord said to him, "I have a slave a carpenter, and I wish to sell him." And having said this, he showed him Thomas at a distance, agreed with him for three pounds of uncoined (silver), and wrote a bill of sale, saying, "I, Jesus,
- ↑ 1 The legend concerning the labors of the apostles in various countries are all originally connected with that of their separation at Jerusalem, which is as old as the second century. See " Die Legende von der Aposteltheilung " in Lipsius, loc cit., p. 11-34.
