The Great Gospel of John
Volume 6
Jesus' Precepts and Deeds through His Three Years of Teaching
At the Sea of Galilee (John 6)
- Chapter 127 -
The Lord overcomes the stream robbers.
I nearly haven't finished speaking when our vessel entered the still water where the stream was very wide and also very deep. We have not progressed more than two morgen on the still water, when both our skippers took to the oars and began to row; but I said to them that they should not do so.
2
But the skippers said: "Lord, this is a uncertain spot where one easily get attacked by robbers who take from each boat which they overtake, an excessive tribute! If we however quicken our boat, they will not catch up with us until the next quick waters and we are then save, because they dare not leave this spot of still waters."
3
Said I: "Yes, yes, you are quite right; but I want to meet with these stream robbers and subsequently make them completely harmless for this place. Therefore stop rowing for a while!"
4
Upon these words both skippers stopped rowing and it lasted not longer than ten moments when very suspicious looking men overtook our vessel on a wide barge and instructed us to voluntarily hand over all our goods.
5
But I stood up from My seat and with a mighty voice asked the robbers: "With what right are you demanding such from us and everybody who you are able to overtake!"
6
Said a robber with a huge body: "We are pirates and do not know any other law than the one of the stronger!"
7
Said I: "How then if we would be the stronger and demanded all your goods or your life?"
8
Said the robber: "We then had to accept this! However, this is not the case, thus do not hesitate to give to us what we demanded, otherwise we had to show you our strength in an unpleasant manner!"
9
Said I: "We do not have anything and therefore give you nothing; however, if you do not believe Me, just go ahead to make use of your gigantic strength!"
10
The robbers then picked up immense clubs to hit us with. But I made them in one moment stiff, so that they were standing there motionlessly like statues and began miserably to howl of pain.
11
But I asked the strongest robber: "Now, where is the right now?"
12
But the robber screamed: "O you mighty, you are a God! Help us, and from now on for all times we want to abandon this trade and do everything what you want from us!"
13
Said I: "Good then, be free; however, your robbed gold give to My two skippers otherwise you will fare badly!"
14
Said the large robber: "Lord, not only the gold, but also all the silver we hand over; just allow us ten men to follow you wherever you go, - for I anticipate that you are the owner of completely different and higher treasures then ours, and from those your treasures we want to appropriate some!"
15
Said I: "Then go and fetch your gold and silver!"
16
They then rushed to the left rocky shore of the river where they lived in caves. After quarter of an hour they were already back with us and handed to Me hundred pounds of gold and three hundred pounds of pure silver and pearls and precious stones.
17
During that time also the larger vessel with the twenty disciples caught up with us and steered very close to us, while their skippers informed them that we most likely have been held up by the infamous robbers. However, when they came to us, they were quite surprised about our treasures and wanted to ask how we acquired them.
18
But I said: "Just carry on, everything else you will soon enough be informed about! These treasures are already the property of our five skippers and these ten men who carried them here, has come to follow Me. And know see that you move on!"
19
The twenty then sailed on but among themselves they spoke: "It is a peculiar thing with our Lord! Now He already accepts heathens and toll collectors and thieves and robbers as His disciples; however, the many disciples from Jerusalem were dismissed without a word in Kapernaum! Yes, yes, we are still going to experience it that He also will accept whores and adulteress as His disciples! This is truly very peculiar! But what can we do? He remains for once a prophet filled with all the powers of God whom nobody can oppose, and we must allow Him His right, - any opposition is of no use!"
20
When they spoke like this, we together with the ten robbers following us in their wide barge, has caught up with them and I said to the twenty: "You find it peculiar that I act like this, - but I find it from you ten times more peculiar, that you find such My action as peculiar. The people are My work and I know these works te very best, know each one's abilities and therefore know indeed what I'm doing. Therefore subsequently nothing that I do should seem peculiar to you, otherwise it had to appear very peculiar to you that I have accepted you, since you were a thousand times worse then these ten robbers, who have not killed anybody yet, but have only made the rich- and heavy loaded barges a little lighter!"
21
The twenty then reconsidered and asked Me for forgiveness. I then took up the lead again and showed them the safest way through the rapids. When we had them behind us we already saw Samosata and reached the place after one hour.