Tatian: Diatessaron — Arabic Witness

The Text of the Diatessaron.

[Section I]

[1] ^{Edition note 1}In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and God is the [2,3] Word. ^{Edition note 2}This was in the beginning with God. ^{Edition note 3}Everything was by his hand, and [4] without him not even one existing thing was made. ^{Edition note 4}In him was life, and the life [5] is the light of men. ^{Edition note 5}And the light shineth in the darkness, and the darkness apprehended it not.

[6] ^{Edition note 6 Edition note 7}There was in the days of Herod the king a priest whose name was Zacharias, of the family of Abijah; and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name [7] was Elizabeth. ^{Edition note 8}And they were both righteous before God, walking in all his commands, [8] and in the uprightness of God without reproach. ^{Edition note 9}And they had no son, for [9] Elizabeth was barren, and they had both advanced in age. ^{Edition note 10}And while he discharged [10] [Arabic, p. 2] the duties of priest in the order of his service before God, ^{Edition note 11}according to the custom of the priesthood it was his turn to burn incense; so he entered the [11] temple of the Lord. ^{Edition note 12}And the whole gathering of the people were praying without at the [12] time of the incense. ^{Edition note 13}And there appeared unto Zacharias the angel of the Lord, standing [13] at the right of the altar of incense; ^{Edition note 14}and Zacharias was troubled when he saw him, [14] and fear fell upon him. ^{Edition note 15}But the angel said unto him, Be not agitated,^{Edition note 16} Zacharias, for thy prayer is heard, and thy wife Elizabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt [15] call his name John; ^{Edition note 17}and thou shalt have joy and gladness, and many shall rejoice [16] at his birth. ^{Edition note 18}And he shall be great before the Lord, and shall not drink wine nor strong drink, and he shall be filled with the Holy Spirit^{Edition note 19} while he is in his mother’s [17] womb. ^{Edition note 20}And he shall turn back many of the children of Israel to the Lord their [18] God. ^{Edition note 21}And he shall go before him in the spirit, and in the power of Elijah the prophet, to turn back the heart of the fathers to the sons, and those that obey not to the knowledge^{Edition note 22} of the righteous; and to prepare for the Lord a perfect people. [19] ^{Edition note 23}And Zacharias said unto the angel, How shall I know this, since I am an old man [20] and my wife is advanced in years? ^{Edition note 24}And the angel answered and said unto him, I am Gabriel, that standeth before God; and I was sent to speak unto thee, and give [21] thee tidings of this. ^{Edition note 25}Henceforth thou shalt be speechless, and shalt not be able to speak until the day in which this shall come to pass, because thou didst not trust [22] this my word, which shall be accomplished in its time. ^{Edition note 26}And the people were standing [Arabic, p. 3] awaiting Zacharias, and they were perplexed at his delaying in the temple. [23]^{Edition note 27}And when Zacharias went out, he was not able to speak unto them: so they knew that he had seen in the temple a vision; and he made signs unto them, and [24] continued dumb. ^{Edition note 28}And when the days of his service were completed, he departed to his dwelling.

[25] ^{Edition note 29}And after those days Elizabeth his wife conceived; and she hid herself five [26] months, and said, ^{Edition note 30}This hath the Lord done unto me in the days when he looked upon me, to remove my reproach from among men.

[27] ^{Edition note 31}And^{Edition note 32} in the sixth month Gabriel the angel was sent from God to Galilee^{Edition note 33} to a [28] city called Nazareth, ^{Edition note 34}to a virgin given in marriage to a man named Joseph, of the [29] house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. ^{Edition note 35}And the angel entered unto her and said unto her, Peace be unto thee, thou who art filled with grace. Our Lord [30] is with thee, thou blessed amongst women. ^{Edition note 36}And she, when she beheld, was agitated [31] at his word, and pondered what this salutation could be. ^{Edition note 37}And the angel said unto [32] her, Fear not, Mary, for thou hast found favour with God. ^{Edition note 38}Thou shalt now conceive, [33] and bear a son, and call his name Jesus. ^{Edition note 39}This shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give him the throne of [34] David his father: and he shall rule over the house of Jacob for ever; ^{Edition note 40}and to his [35] kingdom there shall be no end. ^{Edition note 41}Mary said unto the angel, How shall this be to [36] me when no man hath known me? ^{Edition note 42}The angel answered and said unto her, The [Arabic, p. 4] Holy Spirit will come, and the power of the Most High shall rest upon thee, and therefore shall he that is born of thee be pure, and shall be called the Son [37] of God. ^{Edition note 43}And lo, Elizabeth thy kinswoman, she also hath conceived a son in her old [38] age; and this is the sixth month with her, her that is called barren. ^{Edition note 44}For nothing is [39] difficult for God. ^{Edition note 45}Mary said, Lo, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be unto me according unto thy word. And the angel departed from her.

[40] ^{Edition note 46}And then Mary arose in those days and went in haste into the hill country,^{Edition note 47} to a^{Edition note 48} [41] city of Judah; ^{Edition note 49}and entered into the house of Zacharias, and asked for the health of [42] Elizabeth. ^{Edition note 50}And when Elizabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in [43] her womb. ^{Edition note 51}And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit; and cried with a loud voice and said unto Mary, Blessed art thou amongst women, and blessed is the [44] fruit that is in thy womb. ^{Edition note 52}Whence have I this privilege, that the mother of my [45] Lord should come unto me? ^{Edition note 53}When the sound of thy salutation reached my ears, [46] with great joy rejoiced the babe in my womb. ^{Edition note 54}And blessed is she who believed [47] that what was spoken to her from the Lord would be fulfilled. ^{Edition note 55}And Mary said,

My soul doth magnify the Lord,

[48] ^{Edition note 56}And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour,

[49] ^{Edition note 57}Who hath looked upon the low estate of his handmaiden:

Lo, henceforth, all generations^{Edition note 58} shall pronounce blessing on me.

[50] ^{Edition note 59}For^{Edition note 60} he hath done great things for me, who is mighty,

And holy is his name.

[51] ^{Edition note 61}And his mercy embraceth them who fear him,

Throughout the ages and the times.

[52] [Arabic, p. 5] ^{Edition note 62}He wrought the victory with his arm,

And scattered them that prided themselves in their opinions.

[53] ^{Edition note 63}He overthrew them that acted haughtily from their thrones,

And raised the lowly.

[54] ^{Edition note 64}He satisfied with good things the hungry,

And left the rich without anything.

[55] ^{Edition note 65}He helped Israel his servant,

And remembered his mercy

[56] ^{Edition note 66}(According as he spake with our fathers)

Unto Abraham and unto his seed for ever.

[57] ^{Edition note 67}And Mary abode with Elizabeth about three months, and returned unto her house.

[58, 59] ^{Edition note 68}And Elizabeth’s time of delivery was come; and she brought forth a son. ^{Edition note 69}And her neighbours and kinsfolk heard that God had multiplied his mercy towards her; [60] and they rejoiced with her. ^{Edition note 70}And when^{Edition note 71} it was the eighth day, they came to circumcise the child, and called him Zacharias, calling him by the name of his father. [61] ^{Edition note 72}And his mother answered and said unto them, Not so; but he shall be called John. [62] ^{Edition note 73}And they said unto her, There is no man of thy kindred that is called by this name. [63, 64] ^{Edition note 74}And they made signs to his father, saying, How dost thou wish to name him? ^{Edition note 75}And he asked for a tablet, and wrote and said, His name is John.

And every one wondered. [65] ^{Edition note 76}And immediately his mouth was opened, and his tongue, and he spake and [66] praised God. ^{Edition note 77}And fear fell on all their neighbours: and this was spoken of^{Edition note 78} in all [67] the mountains of Judah. ^{Edition note 79}And all who heard pondered in their hearts and said, What shall this child be? And the hand of the Lord was with him.

[68] ^{Edition note 80}And Zacharias his father was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied and said,

[69] ^{Edition note 81}Blessed is the Lord, the God of Israel,

Who hath cared for his people, and wrought for it salvation;

[70] ^{Edition note 82}And hath raised for us the horn of salvation

[Arabic, p. 6] In the house of David his servant

[71] ^{Edition note 83}(As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets from eternity),

[72] ^{Edition note 84}That he might save us from our enemies,

And from the hand of all them that hate us.

[73] ^{Edition note 85}And he hath performed his mercy towards our fathers,

And remembered his holy covenants,

[74] ^{Edition note 86}And the oath which he sware unto Abraham our father,

[75] ^{Edition note 87}That he would give us deliverance from the hand of our enemies,

And without fear we shall^{Edition note 88} serve before him

[76] ^{Edition note 89}All our days with equity and righteousness.

[77] ^{Edition note 90}And as for thee, O child, prophet of the Most High shalt thou be called.

Thou shalt go forth before the face of the Lord to prepare his way,

[78] ^{Edition note 91}To give the knowledge of salvation^{Edition note 92} unto his people,

For the forgiveness of their sins,

[79] ^{Edition note 93}Through the mercy of^{Edition note 94} the compassion of our God,

With which he careth for^{Edition note 95} us, to appear^{Edition note 96} from on high

[80] ^{Edition note 97}To give light to them that sit in darkness and under the shadow of death,

And to set straight our feet in the way of peace.

[81] ^{Edition note 98}And the child grew and became strong in the spirit, and abode in the desert until the time of his appearing unto the children of Israel.