The Gospel of Barnabas · Chapter 190 The true Book of Moses, and in whom the promise was made — Isaac or Ishmael. The Ishmaelite reading, and why textual additions matter:
The True Book of Moses and Ishmael
'Tell me, brother, thou that art a doctor learned in the law—in whom was the promise of the Messiah made to our father Abraham? In Isaac or in Ishmael?'
The scribe answered: 'O master, I fear to tell thee this, because of the penalty of death.'
Then said Jesus: 'Brother, I am grieved that I came to eat bread in thy house, since thou lovest this present life more than God thy creator; and for this cause thou fearest to lose thy life, but fearest not to lose the faith and the life eternal, which is lost when the tongue speaketh contrary to that which the heart knoweth of the law of God.'
Then the good scribe wept, and said: 'O master, if I had known how to bear fruit, I should have preached many things which I have left unsaid lest sedition should be roused among the people.'
Jesus answered: 'Thou shouldst respect neither the people, nor all the world, nor all the holy ones, nor all the angels, when it should cause offence to God. Wherefore let the whole world perish rather than offend God thy creator, and preserve it not with sin. For sin destroyeth and preserveth not, and God is mighty to create as many worlds as there are sands in the sea, and more.'
The scribe then said: 'Pardon me, O master, for I have sinned.'
Said Jesus: 'God pardon thee; for against him hast thou sinned.'
Whereupon said the scribe: 'I have seen an old book written by the hand of Moses and Joshua, servants and prophets of God, which book is the true book of Moses. Therein is written that Ishmael is the father of Messiah, and Isaac the father of the messenger of the Messiah. And thus saith the book, that Moses said: "Lord God of Israel, mighty and merciful, manifest to thy servant the splendour of thy glory." Whereupon God showed him his messenger in the arms of Ishmael, and Ishmael in the arms of Abraham. Nigh to Ishmael stood Isaac, in whose arms was a child, who with finger pointed to the messenger of God, saying: "This is he for whom God hath created all things."
'Whereupon Moses cried out with joy: "O Ishmael, thou hast in thine arms all the world, and paradise! Be mindful of me, God's servant, that I may find grace in God's sight by means of thy son, for whom God hath made all."
'In that book it is not found that God eateth the flesh of cattle or sheep; in that book it is not found that God hath locked up his mercy in Israel alone, but rather that God hath mercy on every man that seeketh God his creator in truth. All of this book I was not able to read, because the high priest, in whose library I was, forbade me, saying that an Ishmaelite had written it.'
Then said Jesus: 'See that thou never again keep back the truth, because in the faith of the Messiah God shall give salvation to men, and without it shall none be saved.'
'Tell me, brother, since you are an expert in the Law: through whom was the promise of the Messiah made to our father Abraham—Isaac or Ishmael?'
The scribe answered: 'O Master, I am afraid to tell you because the penalty is death.'
Then Jesus said: 'Brother, I am grieved that I came to eat bread in your house, for you love this present life more than God your Creator. You fear losing your life, yet you do not fear losing faith and eternal life, which are lost when the tongue speaks against what the heart knows from God's law.'
Then the good scribe wept and said: 'O Master, had I known how to produce good fruit, I would have preached many things that I left unsaid for fear of stirring up rebellion among the people.'
Jesus answered: 'You should give no preference to the people, the whole world, all the holy ones, or all the angels whenever doing so would offend God. Let the whole world perish rather than offend God your Creator; do not try to preserve it through sin. Sin destroys and does not preserve, and God is mighty enough to create as many worlds as there are grains of sand in the sea, and more.'
The scribe then said: 'Pardon me, O Master, for I have sinned.'
Jesus said: 'May God forgive you, for it is against him that you have sinned.'
Then the scribe said: 'I have seen an ancient book written by the hands of Moses and Joshua, servants and prophets of God, and this book is the true book of Moses. It says that Ishmael is the father of the Messiah and Isaac the father of the Messiah's messenger. The book says that Moses prayed: "Lord God of Israel, mighty and merciful, show your servant the splendor of your glory." Then God showed him his messenger in Ishmael's arms, and Ishmael in Abraham's arms. Isaac stood near Ishmael, holding a child who pointed with his finger to the Messenger of God and said: "This is the one for whom God created all things."'
'Then Moses cried out with joy: "O Ishmael, you hold the whole world and paradise in your arms! Remember me, God's servant, so that through your son, for whom God made everything, I may find grace in God's sight."'
'That book does not say that God eats the flesh of cattle or sheep, nor that God has confined his mercy to Israel alone. Rather, it says that God has mercy upon every person who sincerely seeks God, his Creator. I could not read the entire book because the high priest, in whose library I found it, forbade me, saying that an Ishmaelite had written it.'
Then Jesus said: 'Take care never again to withhold the truth, for in the faith of the Messiah God will grant salvation to men, and without it no one will be saved.'
'Tell me, brother, thou that art a doctor learned in the law—in whom was the promise of the Messiah made to our father Abraham? In Isaac or in Ishmael?'
The scribe answered: 'O master, I fear to tell thee this, because of the penalty of death.'
Then said Jesus: 'Brother, I am grieved that I came to eat bread in thy house, since thou lovest this present life more than God thy creator; and for this cause thou fearest to lose thy life, but fearest not to lose the faith and the life eternal, which is lost when the tongue speaketh contrary to that which the heart knoweth of the law of God.'
Then the good scribe wept, and said: 'O master, if I had known how to bear fruit, I should have preached many things which I have left unsaid lest sedition should be roused among the people.'
Jesus answered: 'Thou shouldst respect neither the people, nor all the world, nor all the holy ones, nor all the angels, when it should cause offence to God. Wherefore let the whole world perish rather than offend God thy creator, and preserve it not with sin. For sin destroyeth and preserveth not, and God is mighty to create as many worlds as there are sands in the sea, and more.'
The scribe then said: 'Pardon me, O master, for I have sinned.'
Said Jesus: 'God pardon thee; for against him hast thou sinned.'
Whereupon said the scribe: 'I have seen an old book written by the hand of Moses and Joshua, servants and prophets of God, which book is the true book of Moses. Therein is written that Ishmael is the father of Messiah, and Isaac the father of the messenger of the Messiah. And thus saith the book, that Moses said: "Lord God of Israel, mighty and merciful, manifest to thy servant the splendour of thy glory." Whereupon God showed him his messenger in the arms of Ishmael, and Ishmael in the arms of Abraham. Nigh to Ishmael stood Isaac, in whose arms was a child, who with finger pointed to the messenger of God, saying: "This is he for whom God hath created all things."
'Whereupon Moses cried out with joy: "O Ishmael, thou hast in thine arms all the world, and paradise! Be mindful of me, God's servant, that I may find grace in God's sight by means of thy son, for whom God hath made all."
'In that book it is not found that God eateth the flesh of cattle or sheep; in that book it is not found that God hath locked up his mercy in Israel alone, but rather that God hath mercy on every man that seeketh God his creator in truth. All of this book I was not able to read, because the high priest, in whose library I was, forbade me, saying that an Ishmaelite had written it.'
Then said Jesus: 'See that thou never again keep back the truth, because in the faith of the Messiah God shall give salvation to men, and without it shall none be saved.'