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THIS version of the legend of Veronica is written in very barbarous Latin,
probably of the seventh or eighth century. An Anglo-Saxon version, which
Tischendorf concludes to be derived from the Latin, was edited and translated for the Cambridge Antiquarian Society, by C. W. Goodwin, in 1851. The Anglo-Saxon text is from a MS. in the Cambridge Library, one of a number presented to the Cathedral of Exeter by Bishop Leofric in the beginning of the eleventh century.

The reader will observe that there are in this document two distinct legends, somewhat clumsily joined together–that of Nathan’s embassy, and that of Veronica.

HERE BEGINNETH THE AVENGING OF THE SAVIOUR.

IN THE DAYS OF THE EMPEROR TIBERIUS Caesar, when Herod was tetrarch, Christ was delivered under Pontius Pilate by the Jews, and revealed by Tiberius.

In those days Titus was a prince under Tiberius in the region of Equitania, in a city of Libia which is called Burgidalla. And Titus had a sore in his right nostril, on account of a cancer, and he bad his face torn even to the eye. There went forth a certain man from Judaea, by name Nathan the son of Nahum; for he was an Ishmaelite who went from land to land, and from sea to sea, and in all the ends of the earth. Now Nathan was sent from Judaea to the Emperor Tiberius, to carry their treaty to the city of Rome.

IT CAME TO PASS, after Paul went out of the island Gaudomeleta, that he came to Italy; and it was heard of by the Jews who were in Rome, the elder of the cities, that Paul demanded to come to Caesar. Having fallen, therefore, into great grief and much despondency, they said among themselves: It does not please him that he alone has afflicted all our brethren and parents in Judaea and Samaria, and in all Palestine; and he has not been pleased with these, but, behold, he comes here also, having through imposition asked Caesar to destroy us.

Having therefore made an assembly against Paul, and having considered many proposals, it seemed good to them to go to Nero the emperor, to ask him not to allow Paul to come to Rome. Having therefore got in readiness not a few presents, and having carried them with them, with supplication they came before him, saying: We beseech thee, O good emperor, send orders into all the governments of your worship, to the effect that Paul is not to come near these parts; because this Paul, having afflicted all the nation of our fathers, has been seeking to come hither to destroy us also. And the affliction, O most worshipful emperor, which we have from Peter is enough for us.

And the Emperor Nero, having heard these things, answered them: It is according to your wish. And we write to all our governments that he shall not on any account come to anchor in the parts of Italy. And they also informed Simon the magician, having sent for him, that, as has been said, he should not come into the parts of Italy.

John The Theologian About His Exile and Departure

WHEN Agrippa, whom, on account of his plotting against Peace, they stoned and put to death, was king of the Jews, Vespasian Caesar, coming with a great army, invested Jerusalem; and some prisoners of war he took and slew, others he destroyed by famine in the siege, and most he banished, and at length scattered up and down. And having destroyed the temple, and put the holy vessels on board a ship, he sent them to Rome, to make for himself a temple of peace, and adorned it with the spoils of war.

And when Vespasian was dead, his son Domitian, having got possession of the kingdom, along with his other wrongful acts, set himself also to make a persecution against the righteous men. For, having learned that the city was filled with Jews, remembering the orders given by his father about them, he purposed casting them all out of the city of the Romans. And some of the Jews took courage, and gave Domitian a book, in which was written as follows:–

[…] which […] purpose [… after …] us […] apostles […]. We sailed […] of the body. Others were not anxious in their hearts. And in our hearts, we were united. We agreed to fulfil the ministry to which the Lord appointed us. And we made a covenant with each other.

We went down to the sea at an opportune moment, which came to us from the Lord. We found a ship moored at the shore ready to embark, and we spoke with the sailors of the ship about our coming aboard with them. They showed great kindliness toward us as was ordained by the Lord. And after we had embarked, we sailed a day and a night. After that, a wind came up behind the ship and brought us to a small city in the midst of the sea.

And I, Peter, inquired about the name of this city from residents who were standing on the dock. A man among them answered, saying, “The name of this city is Habitation, that is, Foundation […] endurance.” And the leader among them holding the palm branch at the edge of the dock. And after we had gone ashore with the baggage, I went into the city, to seek advice about lodging.

A man came out wearing a cloth bound around his waist, and a gold belt girded it. Also a napkin was tied over his chest, extending over his shoulders and covering his head and his hands.

The Travels and Martyrdom of St. Barnabas the Apostle

SINCE FROM THE DESCENT of the presence of our Saviour Jesus Christ, the unwearied and benevolent and mighty Shepherd and Teacher and Physician, I beheld and saw the ineffable and holy and unspotted mystery of the Christians, who hold the hope in holiness, and who have been sealed; and since I have zealously served Him, I have deemed it necessary to give account of the mysteries which I have heard and seen.

I John, accompanying the holy apostles Barnabas and Paul, being formerly a servant of Cyrillus the high priest of Jupiter, but now having received the gift of the Holy Spirit through Paul and Barnabas and Silos, who were worthy of the calling, and who baptized me in Iconium. After I was baptized, then, I saw a certain man standing clothed in white raiment; and he said to me: “Be of good courage, John, for assuredly thy name shall be changed to Mark, and thy glory shall be proclaimed in all the world. The darkness in thee has passed away from thee, and there has been given to thee understanding to know the mysteries of God.”

And when I saw the vision, becoming greatly terrified, I went to the feet of Barnabas, and related to him the mysteries which I had seen and heard from that man. And the Apostle Paul was not by when I disclosed the mysteries. And Barnabas said to me: “Tell no one the miracle which thou hast seen. For by me also this night the Lord stood, saying, ‘Be of good courage: for as thou hast given thy life for my name to death and banishment from thy nation, thus also shall thou be made perfect. Moreover, as for the servant who is with you, take him also with thyself; for he has certain mysteries.'” Now then, my child, keep to thyself the things which thou hast seen and heard; for a time will come for thee to reveal them.

The Story of Andrew and Matthias Among the Cannibals

ABOUT THAT TIME ALL THE APOSTLES HAD COME TOGETHER to the same place, and shared among themselves the countries, casting lots, in order that each might go away into the part that had fallen to him. By lot, then, it fell to Matthias to set out to the country of the man-eaters. And the men of that city used neither to eat bread nor drink wine; but they ate the flesh of men, and drank their blood. Every man, therefore, who came into their city they laid hold of, and digging they thrust out his eyes, and gave him a drug to drink, prepared by sorcery and magic; and from drinking the drug his heart was altered and his mind deranged.

Matthias then having come into the gate of their city, the men of that city laid hold of him, and thrust out his eyes; and after putting them out they made him drink the drug of their magical deception, and led him away to the prison, and put beside him grass to eat, and he ate it not. For when he had partaken of their drug, his heart was not altered, nor his mind deranged; but he kept praying to God, weeping, and saying: Lord Jesus Christ, for whose sake we have forsaken all things and have followed Thee, knowing that Thou art the helper of all who hope in Thee, attend then and behold what they have done to Matthias Thy servant, how they have made me nigh to the brutes; for Thou art He who knowest all things. If, therefore, Thou hast ordained that the wicked men in this city should eat me up, I will not by any means flee from Thy dispensation. Afford to me then, O Lord, the light of mine eyes, that at least I may behold what the wicked men in this city have in hand for me; do not forsake me, O my Lord Jesus Christ, and do not give me up to this bitter death.

This is the discourse that James the just spoke in Jerusalem, which Mareim, one of the priests wrote. He had told it to Theuda, the father of the Just One, since he was a relative of his. He said, “Hasten, Come with Mary, your wife and your relatives […] therefore […] of this […] to [him, he will] understand. For behold, a multitude are disturbed over his […], and they are greatly angry [at him….] and they pray […]. For [he would] often say these words and others also.” “He used to speak these words while the multitude of people were seated. But (on this occasion) he entered and did sit down in the place, as was his custom. Rather he sat above the fifth flight of the steps, [which] is (highly) esteemed, while all our people. […] the words […].” “[…].

I am he who received revelation from the Pleroma (of) Imperishability. (I am) he who was first summoned by him who is great, and who obeyed the [Lord] – he who passed [through] the [worlds…] he who […he who] stripped [himself and] went about naked, he who was found in a perishable (state), though he was about to be brought up into imperishability. –

This Lord who is present [came] as a son who sees, and as a brother [was he sought]. He will come to […] produced him because […] and he unites […] make him free […] in […] he who came [to…]. “Now again am I rich in knowledge [and] I have a unique [understanding], which was produced only from above and the […] comes from a […].

IT IS THE LORD WHO SPOKE WITH ME, “See now the completion of my redemption. I have given you a sign of these things, James, my brother. For not without reason have I called you my brother, although you are not my brother materially. And I am not ignorant concerning you ; so that when I give you a sign – know and hear.” “Nothing existed except Him-who-is. He is unnameable and ineffable.

I myself am also unnameable, from Him-who-is, just as I have been given a number of names – two from Him-who-is. And I, I am before you. Since you have asked concerning femalenesss, femaleness existed, but femaleness was not first. And it prepared for itself powers and gods. But it did not exist when I came forth, since I am an image of Him-who-is. But I have brought forth the image of him so that the sons of Him-who-is might know what things are theirs and what things are alien to them. Behold, I shall reveal to you everything of this mystery. For they will seize me the day after tomorrow. But my redemption will be near.”

I, James, said: “Rabbi, you have said , ´they will seize me` But I, what can I do?” He said to me, “Fear not, James. You too will they seize. But leave Jerusalem. For it is she who always gives the cup of bitterness to the sons of light. She is a dwelling place of a great number of archons. But your redemption will be preserved from them. So that you may understand who they are and what kinds they are, you will […]. And listen. They are not […] but […archons]. These twelve […] down […] archons […] upon his own hebdomad.” James said,”Rabbi, are there then twelve hebdomads and not seven as there are in the scriptures?”

Incipit: These are the secret sayings which the living Jesus spoke and which Didymos Judas Thomas wrote down.

1) And He said, “Whoever finds the interpretation of these sayings will not experience death.”

2) Jesus said, “Let him who seeks continue seeking until he finds. When he finds, he will become troubled. When he becomes troubled, he will be astonished, and he will rule over the All.”

3) Jesus said, “If those who lead you say, ‘See, the Kingdom is in the sky,’ then the birds of the sky will precede you. If they say to you, ‘It is in the sea,’ then the fish will precede you. Rather, the Kingdom is inside of you, and it is outside of you. When you come to know yourselves, then you will become known, and you will realize that it is you who are the sons of the living Father. But if you will not know yourselves, you dwell in poverty and it is you who are that poverty.”

4) Jesus said, “The man old in days will not hesitate to ask a small child seven days old about the place of life, and he will live. For many who are first will become last, and they will become one and the same.”

5) Jesus said, “Recognize what is in your sight, and that which is hidden from you will become plain to you. For there is nothing hidden which will not become manifest.”

6) His disciples questioned Him and said to Him, “Do you want us to fast? How shall we pray? Shall we give alms? What diet shall we observe?” Jesus said, “Do not tell lies, and do not do what you hate, for all things are plain in the sight of Heaven. For nothing hidden will not become manifest, and nothing covered will remain without being uncovered.”

Synoptic 4 – The Gospel of John

1.1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

1.2 He was in the beginning with God;

1.3 all things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made.

1.4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men.

1.5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

1.6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.

1.7 He came for testimony, to bear witness to the light, that all might believe through him.

1.8 He was not the light, but came to bear witness to the light.

1.9 The true light that enlightens every man was coming into the world.

1.10 He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world knew him not.

1.11 He came to his own home, and his own people received him not.

1.12 But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God;

1.13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.