Tatian: Diatessaron — Arabic Witness

Section XXXIV.

[1] ^{Edition note 1}Then went the Pharisees and considered how they might ensnare him in a word, [2] and deliver him into the power of the judge,^{Edition note 2} and into the power of the ruler. ^{Edition note 3}And they sent unto him their disciples, with the kinsfolk of Herod; and they said unto him, [Arabic, p. 129] Teacher, we know that thou speakest the truth, and teachest the way of God with equity,^{Edition note 4} and art not lifted up^{Edition note 5} by any man: for thou actest not so as to [3] be seen of any man. ^{Edition note 6}Tell us now, What is thy opinion?

Is it lawful that we should [4] pay the tribute to Cæsar, or not? shall we give, or shall we not give? ^{Edition note 7}But Jesus knew [5] their deceit, and said unto them, ^{Edition note 8}Why tempt ye me, ye hypocrites? Shew me the [6] penny of the tribute. ^{Edition note 9}So they brought unto him a penny. Jesus said unto them, To whom belongeth this image and inscription? They said unto him, To Cæsar. [7, 8] ^{Edition note 10}He said unto them, Give what is Cæsar’s to Cæsar, and what is God’s to God. ^{Edition note 11}And they could not make him slip in a single word before the people; and they marvelled at his word, and refrained.

[9] ^{Edition note 12}And on that day came the Sadducees, and said unto him,^{Edition note 13} There is no life for [10] the dead. ^{Edition note 14}And they asked him, and said unto him, Teacher, Moses said unto us, If a man die, not having children, let his brother take his wife, and raise up seed [11] for his brother. ^{Edition note 15}Now there were with us seven brethren: and the first took a wife, [12] and died without children; ^{Edition note 16}and the second took his wife, and died without children; [13] ^{Edition note 17}and the third also took her; and in like manner the seven of them also, and they [14, 15] died without leaving children. ^{Edition note 18}And last of them all the woman died also. ^{Edition note 19}At the resurrection, then, which of these seven shall have this woman?

for all of them took [16] her. ^{Edition note 20}Jesus answered and said unto them, Is it not for this that ye have erred, [17] because ye know not the scriptures, nor the power of God? ^{Edition note 21}And the sons of this [18] world take wives, and the women become the men’s;^{Edition note 22 Edition note 23}but those that have become worthy of that world, and the resurrection from among the dead, do^{Edition note 24} not take [19] [Arabic, p. 130] wives, and the women also do^{Edition note 25} not become the men’s. ^{Edition note 26}Nor is it possible that they should die; but they^{Edition note 27} are like the angels, and are the children of [20] God, because they have become the children of the resurrection. ^{Edition note 28}For in^{Edition note 29} the resurrection of the dead, have ye not read in the book of Moses, how from the bush God said unto him, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? [21] ^{Edition note 30}And God is not the God of the dead, but of the living: for all of them are alive with him. And ye have erred greatly.

[22, 23] ^{Edition note 31}And when the multitudes heard, they were wondering at his teaching. ^{Edition note 32}And [24] some of the scribes answered and said unto him, Teacher, thou hast well said. ^{Edition note 33}But the rest of the Pharisees, when they saw his silencing the Sadducees on this point, gathered against him to contend with him.

[25] ^{Edition note 34}And one of the scribes, of those that knew the law, when he saw the excellence [26] of his answer to them, desired to try him, and said unto him, ^{Edition note 35}What shall I do to inherit eternal life? and, ^{Edition note 36}Which of the commandments is greater, and has precedence [27] in the law? ^{Edition note 37}Jesus said unto him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O [28] Israel; The Lord our God, the Lord is one: ^{Edition note 38}and thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy thought, and with all thy [29, 30] strength. ^{Edition note 39}This is the great and preëminent^{Edition note 40} commandment. ^{Edition note 41}And the second, which is like it, is, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

And another commandment [31] greater than these two there is not. ^{Edition note 42}On these two commandments, then, are hung the [32] [Arabic, p. 131] law and the prophets. ^{Edition note 43}That scribe said unto him, Excellent! my Master;^{Edition note 44} thou hast said truly that he is one, and there is no other outside of him: [33] ^{Edition note 45}and that a man should love him with all his heart, and with all his thought, and with all his soul, and with all his strength, and that he should love his neighbour as [34] himself, is better than all savours and sacrifices. ^{Edition note 46}And Jesus saw him that he had answered wisely; and he answered and said unto him, Thou art not far from the [35, 36] kingdom of God. ^{Edition note 47}Thou hast spoken rightly: do this, and thou shalt live. ^{Edition note 48}And he, as his desire was to justify himself, said unto him, And who is my neighbour?

[37] ^{Edition note 49}Jesus said unto him, A man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho; and the robbers fell upon him, and stripped^{Edition note 50} him, and beat him, his life remaining in him but little,^{Edition note 51} [38] and went away. ^{Edition note 52}And it happened that there came down a certain priest that way; [39] and he saw him, and passed by. ^{Edition note 53}And likewise a Levite also came and reached [40] that place, and saw him, and passed by. ^{Edition note 54}And a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, [41] came to^{Edition note 55} the place where he was, and saw him, and had compassion on him, ^{Edition note 56}and came near, and bound up his strokes,^{Edition note 57} and poured on them wine and oil; and he set^{Edition note 58} him on the ass, and brought him to the inn, and expended his care upon him. [42] ^{Edition note 59}And on the morrow of that day he took out two pence, and gave them to the innkeeper, and said unto him, Care for him; and if thou spendest upon him more, [43] when I return, I shall give thee. ^{Edition note 60}Who of these three now, thinkest thou, is nearest [44] to him that fell among the robbers? ^{Edition note 61}And he said unto him, He that had compassion [45] [Arabic, p. 132] on him. ^{Edition note 62}Jesus said unto him, Go, and do thou also likewise. And no man dared afterwards to ask him anything.

[46] ^{Edition note 63}And he was teaching every day in the temple. But the chief priests and scribes and the elders of the people sought to destroy him: ^{Edition note 64}and they could^{Edition note 65} not find what [47] they should do with him; and all the people were hanging upon him to hear him. [48] ^{Edition note 66}And many of the multitude believed on him, and said, The Messiah, when he [49] cometh, can it be that he will do more than these signs that this man doeth? ^{Edition note 67}And the Pharisees heard the multitudes say that of him; and the chief priests sent [50] officers^{Edition note 68} to seize him. ^{Edition note 69}And Jesus said unto them, I am with you but a short time [51] yet, and I go to him that sent me. ^{Edition note 70}And ye shall seek me, and shall not find me: [52] and where I shall be, ye shall not be able to come. ^{Edition note 71}The Jews said within themselves, Whither hath this man determined to go that we shall not be able^{Edition note 72} to find him? can it be that he is determined to go to the regions of the nations,^{Edition note 73} and teach [53] the heathen? ^{Edition note 74}What is this word that he said, Ye shall seek me, and shall not find me: and where I am, ye cannot come?