1st story (fragmentary)
And Jesus said to the lawyers:
“Punish every wrong-doer and transgressor,
but not me. . . .
how he does what he does.”
Then he turned to the rulers of the people
and spoke this word: “Search
the Scriptures; you think that in them
you have life. They are the ones
that testify concerning me.[1] Do not think
that I came to accuse
you to my Father. The one who
accuses you is Moses, in whom
you have hoped.”[2] They replied,
“We know full well that God spoke to Moses.
But we do not know
where you have come from.”[3] Jesus answered
them, “Now what stands accused
is your failure to believe his testimonies. For if
you had believed Moses, you would have believed
For that one wrote
to your fathers.[4] . . .”
. . . to the crowd. . .
stones together so that they might stone
him. And the rulers were trying to lay
their hands on him,
that they might arrest him and deliver him over
to the crowd. They were unable
to arrest him because the hour
for him to be delivered over had not yet come.[5]
But the Lord himself went out through their midst
and left them.[6]
2nd story (fragmentary)
And behold, a leper approached him
and said, “Teacher Jesus, while I was traveling with some lepers
and eating with them
at the inn, I myself contracted leprosy.
If, then, you are willing,
I will be made clean.” Then the Lord said to him,
“I am willing: be clean.” Immediately
the leprosy left him. Jesus said
to him, “Go, show yourself to the priests
and make an offering for your cleansing
as Moses commanded; and
sin no more….”[7]
3rd story (fragmentary)
… [they came] to him and began rigorously
testing him, saying,
“Teacher Jesus, we know that you have come from God.
For the things you do give a testimony
that is beyond all the prophets. And so, tell
us: is it right to pay the kings the things
that relate to their rule? Shall we pay them
or not?”[8] But when Jesus understood their
thought, he became incensed
and said to them, “Why do you call me
teacher with your mouth, when you do not listen
to what I say? Well did Isaiah prophecy about
you, ‘This people
honors me with their lips,
but their heart is far removed
from me. In vain do they worship me,
commandments….’”[9]
4th story (fragmentary)
… enclosed in a secret place . . .
placed underneath inwardly . . .
its weight beyond measure….
And when they were puzzled, as it were,
over his strange question,
Jesus walked and stood
on the bank of the Jordan
river; he reached out
his right hand, and filled it
. . . . And he sowed it on the …
. . . And then …
… water …
… and …
before their eyes; and it brought forth fruit
. . . many . . . for
joy . . .
[1] Cf. John 5:39.
[2] Cf. John 5:45.
[3] Cf. John 9:29.
[4] Cf. John 5:46.
[5] Cf. John 7:30, 44.
[6] Cf. John 10:39; 4:30.
[7] Cf. Matt. 8:2-4; Mark 1:40-44; Luke 5:12-16.
[8] Cf. Matt. 22:15-22; Mark 12:13-17; Luke 20:20-26.
[9] Isa 29:13; cf. Mark 7:6-7.