Acts of Thomas

The First Act, when he went into India with Abbanes the merchant.

Κατ ἐκεῖνον τὸν καιρὸν ἦμεν πάντες οἱ ἀπόστολοι ἐν Ἰεροσολύμοις ,	At that season all of us apostles were at Jerusalem,
Σίμων ὁ λεγόμενος Πέτρος καὶ Ἀνδρέας ὁ ἀδελφὸς αὐτοῦ , Ἰάκωβος ὁ τοῦ Ζεβεδαίου καὶ Ἰωάννης ὁ ἀδελφὸς αὐτοῦ , Φίλιππος καὶ Βαρθολομαῖος , Θωμᾶς καὶ Ματθαῖος ὁ τελώνης , Ἰάκωβος Ἁλφαίου καὶ Σίμων ὁ Καναναῖος , καὶ Ἰούδας Ἰακώβου ,	Simon who is called Peter and Andrew his brother, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, Philip and Bartholomew, Thomas and Matthew the tax collector, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Canaanite, and Judas the brother of James:
καὶ διείλαμεν τὰ κλίματα τῆς οἰκουμένης , ὅπως εἷς ἕκαστος ἡμῶν ἐν τῷ κλίματι τῷ λαχόντι αὐτῷ καὶ εἰς τὸ ἔθνος ἐν ᾧ ὁ κύριος αὐτὸν ἀπέστειλεν πορευθῇ .	and we divided the regions of the world, that every one of us should go unto the region that fell to him and unto the nation whereunto the Lord sent him .
κατὰ κλῆρον οὖν ἔλαχεν ἡ Ἰνδία Ἰούδᾳ Θωμᾷ τῷ καὶ Διδύμῳ · οὐκ ἐβούλετο δὲ ἀπελθεῖν , λέγων μὴ δύνασθαι μήτε χωρεῖν διὰ τὴν ἀσθένειαν τῆς σαρκός , καὶ ὅτι Ἄνθρωπος ὢν Ἑβραῖος πῶς δύναμαι πορευθῆναι ἐν τοῖς Ἰνδοῖς κηρύξαι τὴν ἀλήθειαν ;	According to the lot, therefore, India fell unto Judas Thomas, which is also the twin: but he would not go, saying that by reason of the weakness of the flesh he could not travel, and I am an Hebrew man; how can I go amongst the Indians and preach the truth?
Καὶ ταῦτα αὐτοῦ διαλογιζομένου καὶ λέγοντος ὤφθη αὐτῷ ὁ σωτὴρ διὰ τῆς νυκτός , καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ · Μὴ φοβοῦ Θωμᾶ , ἄπελθε εἰς τὴν Ἰνδίαν καὶ κήρυξον ἐκεῖ τὸν λόγον · ἡ γὰρ χάρις μού ἐστιν μετὰ σοῦ .	And as he thus reasoned and spake, the Saviour appeared unto him by night and saith to him: Fear not, Thomas, go thou unto India and preach the word there, for my grace is with thee.
Ὃ δὲ οὐκ ἐπείθετο , λέγων · Ὅπου βούλει με ἀποστεῖλαι ἀπόστειλον ἀλλαχοῦ · εἰς Ἰνδοὺς γὰρ οὐκ ἀπέρχομαι .	But he would not obey, saying: Whither thou wouldest send me, send me, but elsewhere, for unto the Indians I will not go .
Καὶ ταῦτα αὐτοῦ λέγοντος καὶ ἐνθυμουμένου ἔτυχεν ἔμπορόν τινα εἶναι ἐκεῖ ἀπὸ τῆς Ἰνδίας ἐλθόντα ᾧ ὄνομα Ἀββάνης , ἀπὸ τοῦ βασιλέως Γουνδαφόρου ἀποσταλέντα καὶ ἐντολὴν παρ αὐτοῦ εἰληφότα τέκτονα πριάμενον ἀγαγεῖν αὐτῷ .	And while he thus spake and thought, it chanced that there was there a certain merchant come from India whose name was Abbanes, sent from the King Gundaphorus, and having commandment from him to buy a carpenter and bring him unto him.
ὁ δὲ κύριος ἰδὼν αὐτὸν ἐν τῇ ἀγορᾷ περιπατοῦντα τὸ μεσημβρινὸν εἶπεν αὐτῷ · Βούλει τέκτονα πρίασθαι ;	Now the Lord seeing him walking in the market-place at noon said unto him: Wouldest thou buy a carpenter?
Ὃ δὲ εἶπεν αὐτῷ · Ναι .	And he said to him: Yea .
Καὶ ὁ κύριος ἔφη αὐτῷ · Ἔχω δοῦλον τέκτονα καὶ βούλομαι αὐτὸν πωλῆσαι .	And the Lord said to him: I have a slave that is a carpenter and I desire to sell him .
Καὶ ταῦτα εἰπὼν ὑπέδειξεν αὐτῷ τὸν Θωμᾶν ἀπὸ μακρόθεν , καὶ συνεφώνησεν μεταὐτοῦ τριῶν λιτρῶν ἀσήμου , καὶ ἔγραψεν ὠνὴν λέγων · Ἐγὼ Ἰησοῦς υἱὸς Ἰωσήφ τοῦ τέκτονος ὁμολογῶ πεπρακέναι ἐμὸν δοῦλον Ἰούδαν ὀνόματι σοὶ τῷ Ἀββάνῃ ἐμπόρῳ Γουνδαφόρου τοῦ βασιλέως τῶν Ἰνδῶν .	And so saying he showed him Thomas afar off, and agreed with him for three litrae of silver unstamped, and wrote a deed of sale, saying: I, Jesus, the son of Joseph the carpenter, acknowledge that I have sold my slave, Judas by name, unto thee Abbanes, a merchant of Gundaphorus, king of the Indians .
Τῆς δὲ ὠνῆς τελεσθείσης ὁ σωτὴρ παραλαβὼν Ἰούδαν τὸν καὶ Θωμᾶν ἀπήγαγεν πρὸς Ἀββάνην τὸν ἔμπορον · καὶ ἰδὼν αὐτὸν ὁ Ἀββάνης εἶπεν πρὸς αὐτόν · Οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ δεσπότης σου ;	And when the deed was finished, the Saviour took Judas Thomas and led him away to Abbanes the merchant; and when Abbanes saw him he said unto him: Is this thy master?
Καὶ ἀποκριθεὶς ὁ ἀπόστολος εἶπεν · Ναί , κύριός μού ἐστιν .	And the apostle said: Yea, he is my Lord .
Ὃ δέ φησιν · Ἠγόρασά σε παρ αὐτοῦ .	And he said: I have bought thee of him .
Καὶ ὁ ἀπόστολος ἡσύχαζεν .	And the apostle held his peace .
Τῇ δὲ ἑξῆς ὄρθρου εὐξάμενος καὶ δεηθεὶς τοῦ κυρίου εἶπεν ὁ ἀπόστολος · Πορεύομαι ὅπου βούλει κύριε Ἰησοῦ · τὸ θέληματὸ σὸν γενέσθω .	And on the day following the apostle arose early, and having prayed and besought the Lord he said: I will go whither thou wilt, Lord Jesus; thy will be done .
Ἀπῆλθεν δὲ πρὸς Ἀββάνην τὸν ἔμπορον μηδὲν ὅλως τι μεθ ἑαυτοῦ κομισάμενος ἀλλ ἢ τὸ τίμημα αὐτοῦ μόνον .	And he departed unto Abbanes the merchant, taking with him nothing at all save only his price .
δεδώκει γὰρ αὐτῷ ὁ κύριος λέγων · Ἥτω μετὰ σοῦ καὶ ἡ τιμή σου μετὰ τῆς χάριτός μου ὅπου ἂν ἀπέρχῃ .	For the Lord had given it unto him, saying: Let thy price also be with thee, together with my grace, wheresoever thou goest .
Κατέλαβεν δὲ ὁ ἀπόστολος τὸν Ἀββάνην ἴσως τὰ σκεύη αὐτοῦ ἀναφέροντα εἰς τὸ πλοῖον · ἤρξατο οὖν καὶ αὐτὸς συναναφέρειν αὐτῷ .	And the apostle found Abbanes carrying his baggage on board the ship; so he also began to carry it aboard with him .
ἐμβάντων δὲ αὐτῶν εἰς τὸ πλοῖον καὶ καθεσθέντων ἐξήταζεν ὁ Ἀββάνης τὸν ἀπόστολον λέγων · Ποίαν ἐργασίαν οἶδας ;	And when they were embarked in the ship and were set down, Abbanes questioned the apostle, saying: What craftsmanship knowest thou?
Ὃ δὲ ἔφη · Ἐν μὲν ξύλοις ἄροτρα καὶ ζυγοὺς καὶ τρυτάνας καὶ πλοῖα καὶ κώπας πλοίων καὶ ἱστοὺς καὶ τροχίσκους , ἐν δὲ λίθοις στήλας τε καὶ ναοὺς καὶ πραιτώρια βασιλικά .	And he said: In wood I can make ploughs and yokes and augers [*], and boats and oars for boats and masts and pulleys; and in stone, pillars and temples and court-houses for kings .
εἶπεν δὲ αὐτῷ ὁ Ἀββάνης ὁ ἔμπορος ·Τοιούτου γὰρ καὶ χρείαν ἔχομεν τεχνίτου .	And Abbanes the merchant said to him: Yea, it is of such a workman that we have need .
Ἤρξαντο οὖν καταπλέειν · ἔσχον δὲ ἐπιτήδειον ἄνεμον , καὶ προθύμως ἔπλεον ἕως ὅτε κατήντησαν εἰς Ἀνδράπολιν , πόλιν βασιλικήν .	They began then to sail homeward; and they had a favourable wind, and sailed prosperously till they reached Andrapolis, a royal city .
Ἐξελθόντες δὲ ἀπὸ τοῦ πλοίου εἰσῄεσαν εἰς τὴν πόλιν . καὶ ἰδοὺ φωναὶ αὐλητῶν καὶ ὑδραύλεων καὶ σάλπιγγες περιηχοῦσαι αὐτούς · ἐξήταζεν δὲ ὁ ἀπόστολος λέγων · Τίς ἐστιν αὕτη ἡ ἑορτὴ ἡ ἐν τῇ πόλει ταύτῃ ;	And they left the ship and entered into the city, and lo, there were noises of flutes and water-organs, and trumpets sounded about them; and the apostle inquired, saying: What is this festival that is in this city?
Ἔλεγον δὲ αὐτῷ οἱ ἐκεῖ ὅτι Καὶ σὲ οἱ θεοὶ ἤγαγον ἵνα εὐωχηθῇς ἐν τῇ πόλει ταύτῃ .	And they that were there said to him: Thee also have the gods brought to make merry in this city .
ὁ γὰρ βασιλεὺς θυγατέρα μονογενῆ ἔχει , καὶ νῦν αὐτὴν ἐκδίδωσιν ἀνδρὶ πρὸς γάμον · τῶν οὖν γάμων ἡ χαρὰ καὶ ἡ πανήγυρίς ἐστιν αὕτη σήμερον ἣν εἶδες ἑορτήν .	For the king hath an only daughter, and now he giveth her in marriage unto an husband: this rejoicing, therefore, and assembly of the wedding to-day is the festival which thou hast seen .
ὁ δὲ βασιλεὺς κήρυκας ἀπέστειλεν κηρύξαι πανταχοῦ πάντας παρατυχεῖν εἰς τοὺς γάμους , πλουσίους τε καὶ πένητας , δούλους τε καὶ ἐλευθέρους , ξένους τε καὶ πολίτας · εἴ τις δὲ παραιτήσηται καὶ μὴ παρατύχῃ εἰς τοὺς γάμους , ὑπεύθυνος ἔσται τῷ βασιλεῖ .	And the king hath sent heralds to proclaim everywhere that all should come to the marriage, rich and poor, bond and free, strangers and citizens: and if any refuse and come not to the marriage he shall answer for it unto the king .
Ἀββάνης δὲ ἀκούσας εἶπεν τῷ ἀποστόλῳ · Ἀπέλθωμεν οὖν καὶ ἡμεῖς , ἵνα μὴ προσκρούσωμεν τῷ βασιλεῖ , καὶ μάλιστα ξένοι ὄντες .	And Abbanes hearing that, said to the apostle: Let us also go, lest we offend the king, especially seeing we are strangers.
Ὃ δὲ εἶπεν · Ἀπέλθωμεν .	And he said: Let us go .
Καταλύσαντες δὲ ἐν τῷ ξενοδοχείῳ καὶ ὀλίγον ἀναπαέντες ἀπῆλθον εἰς τοὺς γάμους . καὶ ἰδὼν καὶ ἰδὼν ὁ ἀπόστολος ἀνακεκλιμένους πάντας ἀνεκλίθη καὶ αὐτὸς ἐν τῷ μέσῳ · ἀπέβλεπον δὲ εἰς αὐτὸν πάντες ὡς εἰς ξένον καὶ ἐξ ἀλλοδαπῆς ἐλθόντα γῆς · Ἀββάνης δὲ ὁ ἔμπορος ὡς ἅτε δεσπότης εἰς ἄλλον τόπον ἀνεκλίθη .	And after they had put up in the inn and rested a little space they went to the marriage; and the apostle seeing them all set down (reclining), laid himself, he also, in the midst, and all looked upon him, as upon a stranger and one come from a foreign land: but Abbanes the merchant, being his master, laid himself in another place .
Δειπνησάντων δὲ αὐτῶν καὶ πιόντων ὁ ἀπόστολος οὐδενὸς ἐγεύσατο · οἱ οὖν περὶ αὐτὸν ὄντες ἔλεγον αὐτῷ · Τί ἦλθες ἐνθάδε μήτε ἐσθίων μήτε πίνων;	And as they dined and drank, the apostle tasted nothing; so they that were about him said unto him: Wherefore art thou come here, neither eating nor drinking?
Ὃ δὲ ἀπεκρίνατο αὐτοῖς λέγων · Διὰ μεῖζόν τι τῆς βρώσεως ἣ καὶ τοῦ πότου ἦλθον ἐνθάδε , καὶ ἵνα τὸ θέλημα τοῦ βασιλέως τελέσω .	but he answered them, saying: I am come here for somewhat greater than the food or the drink, and that I may fulfil the king’s will .
οἱ γὰρ κήρυκες τὰ τοῦ βασιλέως κηρύσσουσιν , καὶ ὃς ἂν μὴ ἀκούσῃ τῶν κηρύκων ὑπόδικος ἔσται τῇ τοῦ βασιλέως κρίσει .	For the heralds proclaim the king’s message, and whoso hearkeneth not to the heralds shall be subject to the king’s judgment .
Δειπνησάντων οὖν αὐτῶν καὶ πιόντων , καὶ στεφάνων καὶ μύρων προσενεχθέντων , λαβόντες μύρον ἕκαστος , ὃς μὲν τὴν ὄψιν αὐτοῦ κατήλειφεν , ὃς δὲ τὸ γένειον , ὃς δὲ καὶ ἄλλους τόπους τοῦ σώματος αὐτοῦ · ὁ δὲ ἀπόστολος τὴν κορυφὴν ἤλειψεν τῆς ἑαυτοῦ κεφαλῆς , καὶ ὀλίγον τι εἰς τοὺς μυκτῆρας ἐπέχρισεν ἑαυτοῦ , κατέσταξεν δὲ καὶ εἰς τὰς ἀκοὰς τὰς ἑαυτοῦ , προσῆπτε δὲ καὶ τοῖς ὀδοῦσιν αὐτοῦ , καὶ τὰ περὶ τὴν καρδίαν αὐτοῦ συνέχρισεν ἐπιμελῶς · καὶ τὸν στέφανον δὲ τὸν προσενεχθέντα αὐτῷ ἐκ μυρσίνης καὶ ἄλλων ἀνθέων πεπλεγμένον λαβὼν ἐπέθετο τῇ ἑαυτοῦ κεφαλῇ , κλάδον δὲ καλάμου ἔλαβεν ἐντῇ χειρὶ αὐτοῦ καὶ κατεῖχεν .	So when they had dined and drunken, and garlands and unguents were brought to them, every man took of the unguent, and one anointed his face and another his beard and another other parts of his body; but the apostle anointed the top of his head and smeared a little upon his nostrils, and dropped it into his ears and touched his teeth with it, and carefully anointed the parts about his heart: and the wreath that was brought to him, woven of myrtle and other flowers, he took, and set it on his head, and took a branch of calamus and held it in his hand .
ἡ δὲ αὐλήτρια κατέχουσα ἐν τῇ χειρὶ αὐτῆς τοὺς αὐλοὺς περιήρχετο πάντας καὶ ηὔλει · ὅτε δὲ ἦλθεν καθ ὃν τόπον ἦν ὁ ἀπόστολος , ἔστη ἐπάνω αὐτοῦ καταυλοῦσα πρὸς τὴν κεφαλὴν αὐτοῦ ὥραν πολλήν . ἦν δὲ Ἑβραία τῷ γένει ἡ αὐλήτρια ἐκείνη .	Now the flute-girl, holding her flute in her hand, went about to them all and played, but when she came to the place where the apostle was, she stood over him and played at his head for a long space: now this flute-girl was by race an Hebrew .