Page:The Apocryphal Acts of Paul, Peter, John, Andrew and Thomas.djvu/271

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I am he who hardened Pharoah's heart, that he killed the children of Israel and subjugated them (the Israelites) through hard servitude;[1] I am he who deceived the multitude (the people in the desert, when they had made the golden calf;[2] I am he that fired Herod[3] and inflamed Caiaphas to the lying accusation before Pilate;[4] for this became me; I am he that inflamed Judas, and brought him to deliver the Messiah to death;[5] I am he that inhabits and holds the abyss of Tartarus,[6] and the Son of God has wronged me against my will and selected his own out of me; I am a kinsman of him who is to come from the east,[7] to whom also power is given to do whatever he will upon earth."

33. When the dragon had spoken these things before the ears of the multitude, the apostle lifted up his voice and said, "Stop now, O thou most impudent, and be ashamed that thou art wholly useless (weak). For thine end, the destruction has come. And do not dare to say what thou hast done through thy dependents. But I command thee in the name of that Jesus who even until now makes a fight against you for the sake of those who are his own, to suck out the poison

  1. Comp. Exod. I sqq.
  2. Comp. Exod. XXXII.
  3. Comp. Matt. II.
  4. Matt. XXVI, 3.
  5. Comp. Matt. XXVII, 11 seq.; XXVI, 14-16.
  6. Comp. Rev. IX, II.
  7. Antichrist is probably meant.