The Gospel of Barnabas · Chapter 63
Fire from Heaven and the Samaritans
After certain days Jesus passed near unto a city of the Samaritans; and they would not let him enter the city, nor would they sell bread to his disciples. Wherefore said James and John: 'Master may it please thee that we pray God that he send down fire from heaven upon these people?'
Jesus answered: 'Ye know not by what spirit ye are led, that ye so speak. Remember that God determined to destroy Nineveh because he did not find one who feared God in that city; the which was so wicked that God, having called Jonah the prophet to send him to that city, he would fain for fear of the people have fled to Tarsus, wherefore God caused him to be cast into the sea, and received by a fish and cast up nigh to Nineveh. And he preaching there, that people was converted to repentance, so that God had mercy on them.
Woe unto them that call for vengeance; for on themselves it shall come, seeing that every man hath in himself cause for the vengeance of God. Now tell me, have ye created this city with this people? O madmen that ye are, assuredly no. For all creatures united together could not create a single new fly from nothing, and this it is to create. If the blessed God who hath created this city now sustaineth it, why desire ye to destroy it? Why didst thou not say: "May it please thee, master, that we pray to the Lord our God that this people may be converted to penitence?" Assuredly this is the proper act of a disciple of mine, to pray to God for those who do evil. Thus did Abel when his brother Cain, accursed of God, slew him. Thus did Abraham for Pharaoh, who took from him his wife, and whom, therefore, the angel of God did not slay, but only struck with infirmity. Thus did Zechariah when, by decree of the impious king, he was slain in the temple. Thus did Jeremiah, Isaiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, and David, with all the friends of God and holy prophets. Tell me, if a brother were stricken with frenzy, would you slay him because he spoke evil and struck those who came near him? Assuredly ye would not do so; but rather would ye endeavor to restore his health with medicines suitable to his infirmity.'
After several days, Jesus passed near a city of the Samaritans. They would not let him enter the city, nor would they sell bread to his disciples. James and John therefore said: 'Master, may we pray to God to send down fire from heaven upon these people?'
Jesus answered: 'You do not know what spirit leads you to speak in this way. Remember that God determined to destroy Nineveh because he found no one in that city who feared him. It was so wicked that when God called the prophet Jonah and sent him there, Jonah wished to flee to Tarsus out of fear of the people. God therefore caused him to be thrown into the sea, swallowed by a fish, and cast ashore near Nineveh. When he preached there, the people repented, and God had mercy on them.'
'Woe to those who call for vengeance, for it will fall upon themselves, since every person has within himself a cause for God’s vengeance. Tell me, did you create this city and its people? Certainly not, O madmen! All creatures together could not create a single new fly from nothing, and that is what it means to create. If the blessed God who created this city now sustains it, why do you wish to destroy it? Why did you not say, "Master, may we pray to the Lord our God that these people may repent?" Surely this is the proper act of my disciple: to pray to God for those who do evil. Abel did this when his brother Cain, accursed by God, killed him. Abraham did it for Pharaoh, who took away his wife and whom the angel of God therefore did not kill, but only struck with infirmity. Zechariah did it when he was killed in the temple by decree of the impious king. Jeremiah, Isaiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, and David did the same, together with all God’s friends and holy prophets. Tell me, if a brother were seized by madness, would you kill him because he spoke evil and struck those who came near him? Surely you would not; rather, you would try to restore his health with medicines suited to his illness.'
After certain days Jesus passed near unto a city of the Samaritans; and they would not let him enter the city, nor would they sell bread to his disciples. Wherefore said James and John: 'Master may it please thee that we pray God that he send down fire from heaven upon these people?'
Jesus answered: 'Ye know not by what spirit ye are led, that ye so speak. Remember that God determined to destroy Nineveh because he did not find one who feared God in that city; the which was so wicked that God, having called Jonah the prophet to send him to that city, he would fain for fear of the people have fled to Tarsus, wherefore God caused him to be cast into the sea, and received by a fish and cast up nigh to Nineveh. And he preaching there, that people was converted to repentance, so that God had mercy on them.
Woe unto them that call for vengeance; for on themselves it shall come, seeing that every man hath in himself cause for the vengeance of God. Now tell me, have ye created this city with this people? O madmen that ye are, assuredly no. For all creatures united together could not create a single new fly from nothing, and this it is to create. If the blessed God who hath created this city now sustaineth it, why desire ye to destroy it? Why didst thou not say: "May it please thee, master, that we pray to the Lord our God that this people may be converted to penitence?" Assuredly this is the proper act of a disciple of mine, to pray to God for those who do evil. Thus did Abel when his brother Cain, accursed of God, slew him. Thus did Abraham for Pharaoh, who took from him his wife, and whom, therefore, the angel of God did not slay, but only struck with infirmity. Thus did Zechariah when, by decree of the impious king, he was slain in the temple. Thus did Jeremiah, Isaiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, and David, with all the friends of God and holy prophets. Tell me, if a brother were stricken with frenzy, would you slay him because he spoke evil and struck those who came near him? Assuredly ye would not do so; but rather would ye endeavor to restore his health with medicines suitable to his infirmity.'