The Gospel of Barnabas

Having said this, Jesus said: `Ye needs must seek of the fruits of the field the wherewithal to sustain our life, for it is now eight days that we have eaten no bread. Wherefore I will pray to our God, and will await you with Barnabas.'

So all the disciples and apostles departed by fours and by sixes and went their way according to the word of Jesus. There remained with Jesus he who writeth; whereupon Jesus, weeping, said: `O Barnabas,  it is necessary that I should reveal to thee great secrets, which, after that I shall be departed from the world, thou shalt reveal to it.'

Then answered he that writeth, weeping, and said: `Suffer me to weep, O master, and other men also, for that we are sinners. And thou, that art an holy one and prophet of God, it is not fitting for thee to weep so much.'

Jesus answered: `Believe me, Barnabas, that I cannot weep as much as I ought. For if men had not called me God, I should have seen God here as he will be seen in paradise, and should have been safe not to fear the day of judgement. But God knoweth that I am innocent, because never have I harboured thought to be held more than a poor slave. Nay, I tell thee that if I had not been called God I should have been carried into paradise when I shall depart from the world, whereas now I shall not go thither until the judgement. Now thou seest if I have cause to weep. Know, O Barnabas, that for this I must have great persecution, and shall be sold by one of my disciples for thirty pieces of money. Whereupon I am sure that he who shall sell me shall be slain in my name, for that God shall take me up from the earth, and shall change the appearance of the traitor so that every one shall believe him to be me; nevertheless, when he dieth an evil death, I shall abide in that dishonour for a long time in the world. But when Mohammed shall come, the sacred messenger of God, that infamy shall be taken away. And this shall God do because I have confessed the truth of the Messiah; who shall give me this reward, that I shall be known to be alive and to be a stranger to that death of infamy.

Then answered he that writeth: `O master, tell me who is that wretch, for I fain would choke him to death.'

`Hold thy peace,' answered Jesus, `for so God willeth, and he cannot do otherwise: but see thou that when my mother is afflicted at such an event thou tell her the truth, in order that she may be comforted,'

Then answered he who writeth: `All this will I do, master, if God please.'