And While they Talked Together,...

The Diatessaron of Tatian — Rev. Hope W. Hogg, B.D.

[1] [3783] And while they talked together, [3784] the evening of that day arrived which was the First-day; and the doors were shut where the disciples were, because of the fear of the [2] Jews; [3785] and Jesus came and stood among them, and said unto them, Peace be with you: I am he; fear not. [3786] But they were agitated, and became afraid, and supposed that they [3] saw a spirit. [3787] Jesus said unto them, Why are ye agitated? and why do thoughts rise [4] [Arabic, p.205] in [3788] your hearts? [3789] See my hands and my feet, that I am he: feel me, and know that a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me having that. [5] [3790] And when he had said this, he shewed them his hands and his feet and his side. [3791] [6] [3792] And they were until this time unbelieving, from their joy and their wonder. He [7] said unto them, Have ye anything here to eat? [3793] And they gave him a portion of broiled fish and of honey. [3794] [3795] And he took it, and ate before them.

[8] [3796] And he said unto them, These are the sayings which I spake unto you, while I was with you, that [3797] everything must be fulfilled, which is written in the law of [9] Moses, and the prophets, and the psalms, concerning me. [3798] Then opened he their [10] heart, that they might understand the scriptures; and he said unto them, [3799] Thus it is written, and thus it is necessary [3800] that the Messiah suffer, and rise from among the [11] dead on the third day; [3801] and that repentance unto the forgiveness of sins be preached [12] in his name among all the peoples; and the beginning shall be from Jerusalem. [3802] And [13] ye shall be witnesses of that. And I send unto you the promise of my Father. [3803] And [14] when the disciples heard that, they were glad. [3804] And Jesus said unto them again, [15] Peace be with you: as my Father hath sent me, I also send you. [3805] And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and said unto them, Receive ye the Holy Spirit: [16] [3806] and if ye forgive sins to any man, they shall be forgiven him; and if ye retain them against any man, they shall be retained.

[17] [3807] But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Thama, was not there with the disciples [18] when Jesus came. [3808] The disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen our Lord. But he said unto them, If I do not see in his hands the places of the nails, and put on them my fingers, and pass my hand over his side, I will not believe.

[19] [3809] And after eight days, on the next First-day, the disciples were assembled again within, and Thomas with them. And Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood [20] [Arabic, p.206] in the midst, and said unto them, Peace be with you. [3810] And he said to Thomas, Bring hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and bring hither [21] thy hand, and spread it on my side: and be not unbelieving, but believing. [3811] Thomas [22] answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God. [3812] Jesus said unto him, Now since thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen me, and have believed.

[23] [3813] And many other signs did Jesus before his disciples, and they are they which [24] are not written in this book: [3814] but these that [3815] are written also are that ye may believe in Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God; and that when ye have believed, ye may have in his name eternal life.

[25] [3816] And after that, Jesus shewed himself again to his disciples at the sea of Tiberias; [26] and he shewed himself unto them thus. [3817] And there were together Simon Cephas, and Thomas which was called Twin, [3818] and Nathanael who was of Cana of Galilee, [27] and the sons of Zebedee, and two other of the disciples. [3819] Simon Cephas said unto them, I go to catch fish. They said unto him, And we also come with thee. And they went forth, and went up into the boat; and in that night they caught nothing. [28] [3820] And when the morning arrived, Jesus stood on the shore of the sea: but the disciples [29] knew not that it was Jesus. [3821] And Jesus said unto them, Children, have ye anything [30] to eat? They said unto him, No. [3822] He said unto them, Cast your net from the right side of the boat, and ye shall find. [3823] And they threw, and they were not able [31] to draw the net for the abundance of the fish that were come [3824] into it. [3825] And that disciple whom Jesus loved said to Cephas, This is our Lord. And Simon, when he heard that it was our Lord, took his tunic, and girded it on his waist (for he was [32] naked), and cast himself into the sea to come to Jesus. [3826] But some others of the disciples came in the boat [3827] (and they were not far from the land, but about two [33] [Arabic, p.207] hundred cubits), and drew that net of fish. [3828] And when they went up on the [34] land, they saw live coals laid, and fish laid thereon, and bread. [3829] And Jesus [35] said unto them, Bring of this fish which ye have now caught. [3830] Simon Cephas therefore went up, and dragged the net to the land, full of great fish, a hundred and fifty-three [36] fishes: and with all this weight that net was not rent. [3831] And Jesus said unto them, Come and sit down. And no man of the disciples dared to ask him who he was, for they knew that it was our Lord. But he did not appear to them in his own [37, 38] form. [3832] And Jesus came, and took bread and fish, and gave unto them. [3833] This is the third time that Jesus appeared to his disciples, when he had risen from among the dead.

[39] [3834] And when they had breakfasted, Jesus said to Simon Cephas, Simon, son of Jonah, lovest thou me more than these? He said unto him, Yea, my Lord; thou [40] knowest that I love thee. [3835] Jesus said unto him, Feed for me my lambs. He said unto him again a second time, Simon, son of Jonah, lovest thou me? He said unto him, Yea, my Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He said unto him, Feed for [41] me my sheep. [3836] [3837] He said unto him again the third time, Simon, son of Jonah, lovest thou me? And it grieved Cephas that he said unto him three times, Lovest thou me? He said unto him, My Lord, thou knowest everything; thou knowest that I [42] love thee. [3838] Jesus said unto him, Feed for me my sheep. [3839] Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast a child, thou didst gird thy waist for thyself, and go whither [Arabic, p.208] thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch out thy hands, and another shall gird thy waist, and take thee whither thou wouldest not. [43] [3840] He said that to him to explain by what death he was to glorify God. And when he [44] had said that, he said unto him, Come after me. [3841] And Simon Cephas turned, and saw that disciple whom Jesus loved following him; he which at the supper leaned [3842] on [45] Jesus' breast, and said, My Lord, who is it that betrayeth thee? [3843] When therefore Cephas saw him, he said to Jesus, My Lord, and this man, what shall be in his [46] case? [3844] [3845] Jesus said unto him, If I will that this man remain until I come, what is [47] that to thee? follow thou me. [3846] And this word spread among the brethren, that that disciple should not die: but Jesus said not that he should not die; but, If I will that this man remain until I come, what is that to thee?

[48] [3847] This is the disciple which bare witness of that, and wrote it: and we know that his witness is true.

Footnotes:

[3783] Luke 24:36a; John 20:19.

[3784] The Arabic word after together looks as if it might be due to a misreading of the Syriac, but it is probably a usage cited by Dozy, Supplément, etc., i., 247.

[3785] Luke 24.

[3786] Luke 24:37.

[3787] Luke 24:38.

[3788] Lit. on (cf. Pesh.).

[3789] Luke 24:39.

[3790] Luke 24:40.

[3791] Borg. ms. has sides.

[3792] Luke 24:41.

[3793] Luke 24:42.

[3794] Borg. ms. omits and of honey.

[3795] Luke 24:43.

[3796] Luke 24:44.