1Jmmanuel was set down by the great light in Syria, where he lived for two years in Damascus without being recognized.
2After this time he sent a messenger to Galilee to seek out his brother, Thomas, and his disciple, Judas Iscariot.
3Two months passed, however, before they joined Jmmanuel and brought bad news.
4His brother Thomas spoke, saying, "Your disciples have greatly falsified your teachings; hey insult you by calling you the son of God and they also set you equal to Creation.
5"The chief priests and elders persecute your followers and have them stoned when they are caught.
6"But Thomas, one of your disciples, fled, and it is reported that he has departed with a caravan for the land of India.
7"A great enemy of yours has arisen in a man named Saul.
8"He is fuming with rage and utters death threats against your disciples and those who trust in your teachings.
9"He is having letters written to the synagogues in all regions, whereby if any followers of your new teachings are found, they will be bound and taken to Jerusalem.
10"No distinction is being made between women, men and children. They will all be found guilty and condemned to die."
11But Jmmanuel said, "Don't be afraid, the time will soon come when Saul will receive a lesson regarding his evil thinking.
12"He is already on the road to Damascus, following you and Judas Iscariot here now, in order to lead you back to Jerusalem in shackles.
13"However, I will confront him before he reaches Damascus, and since he believes me dead, he will presume he is seeing a ghost."
14Jmmanuel set out to see a friend who was helpful to him in secret things that involved powders, salves and liquids that smelled bad.
15Well supplied with these things, he departed, leaving the city by way of the road to Galilee.
Saul Confrontation
16A day's trip from Damascus, he waited for two days in the rocks and prepared his concoction.
17During the night he saw a large group of armed men coming, among them Saul, the persecutor of his disciples.
18When they were near, he struck a fire and tossed it into his concoction, thus producing a powerfully bright light that blinded the group.
19Jmmanuel continued stoking the flaring concoction, so that powerful flashes of light, stars and fireballs shot into the sky or fell from it. All this was accompanied by thundering booms and loud hissing sounds, as if from gigantic dragons and serpents.
20The thundering and booms subsided, as did the hissing. The blinding flashes and the multi-coloured fires died down, yet stinging smoke continued to cover the land and caused the group to cough and shed tears.
21Then Jmmanuel called out, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute my disciples?"
22But Saul was afraid and fell to the ground, crying out, "Who are you who speaks to me like this?"
23And Jmmanuel answered, saying, "I am Jmmanuel whom you persecute in your hatred, along with my disciples.
24"Get up. Go into the city and let yourself be taught how you should live."
25Saul was very afraid and said, "But you are the one who was crucified. So you are dead and must be speaking to me as a ghost."
26However Jmmanuel did not answer him. He left and headed for Damascus.
27But the men who were Saul's companions stood still, petrified with fear, because they also believed they had heard a ghost.
28Saul got up from the ground and opened his eyes. However, he saw nothing because his eyes were blinded, for he had stared directly into the bright light Jmmanuel had generated.
29His companions then took him by the hand and led him to Damascus,
30and for three days he saw nothing, ate nothing and drank nothing.
31However, one of Jmmanuel's disciples came to Saul and preached to him the new teachings, and gradually he accepted them.
32But because of the events by the rocks, his mind was slightly confused. He misunderstood much and spoke incoherently.
33Somewhat confused in his mind, he went away and preached incoherent nonsense to the people.
34Jmmanuel, however, remained in Damascus another thirty days and made it known that he would be leaving the country and traveling to the land of India.
35His mother Mary came from Nazareth and set out on the road to the land of India with Jmmanuel, his brother Thomas, and Judas Iscariot.
36And Jmmanuel began to preach again and teach the people wherever he encountered them along the way and in any settlement he came to.
37There was a new strength within him and his teachings were more powerful than before.