Page:The Apocryphal Acts of Paul, Peter, John, Andrew and Thomas.djvu/270

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dare not >. For I know that thou art the twin-brother of the Messiah, and always bringest our race to naught. Not wishing to harass her, I did not kill him in that hour, but I watched him passing by in the evening, struck him and killed him, and especially as he had dared to do this on Sunday." And the apostle inquired of him, saying, "Tell me, of what seed and of what race art thou?"

32. And he said to him, "I am the offspring of the serpent, and hurtful of the hurtful; I am a son of him who hurt and struck the four brothers that stood;[1] I am son of him who sits on the throne < and has power over the creature > which is under the heaven, that takes his own from those to whom he has lent; I am the son of him who encircles the globe; I am kinsman to him who is outside of the ocean, whose tail lies in his mouth; I am he who went into paradise through the hedge, and spoke with Eve what my father bade me speak to her;[2] I am he who inflamed and fired Cain to kill his brother,[3] and through me thorns and thistles sprang up in the ground;[4] I am he who cast down the angels from above, and bound them by the desire of women, that earthborn children might be produced by them, and that I might work my will in them;[5]

  1. The Syriac does not mention: the four brothers that stood; instead: I am the son of him who is like God in the eyes of those who obey him.
  2. Comp. Gen. Ill, 1.
  3. Gen. IV, 5-8.
  4. Comp. Gen. Ill, 18.
  5. Comp. Gen. VI, 1-4.