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Chapter VII.—Peter Suspects Simon of Not Believing Even in a God.

And Peter said:  “You are not so blessed as to praise Him, nor indeed can you do such a good deed as this; for then you would be full of Him.  For thus said our Teacher, who always spoke the truth:  ‘Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.’ 1421   Whence you, abounding in evil purposes, through ignorance speak against the only good God.  And not yet suffering what you deserve to suffer for the words which you have dared to utter, 1422 you either imagine that there will be no judgment, or perchance you think that there is not even a God.  Whence, not comprehending such long-suffering as His, you are moving on to still greater madness.”  And Simon said:  “Do not imagine that you will frighten me into not investigating the truth of your examples.  For I am so eager for the truth, that for its sake I will not shrink from undergoing danger.  If, then, you have anything to say in regard to the propositions made by me at the commencement, say it now.”


Footnotes

332:1421

Matt. xii. 34.

332:1422

We have altered the punctuation.  Editors connect this clause with the previous sentence, and change of the ms. into εἰ.


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