The Acts of Peter, A Parable
Paraphrased
On the first day of the week, known as the ‘Lord’s Day,’ a large crowd gathered and brought many sick people to Peter for healing. Among the crowd, someone spoke up to Peter, saying: “Peter, in our presence, you have performed many miracles: you have restored sight to the blind, hearing to the deaf, and the ability to walk to the lame. You have also strengthened the weak.
Her Name is Torah
Yet, why have you not helped your own daughter, the young woman who grew up beautifully and has faith in God’s name? She lies in the corner, completely paralyzed on one side, helpless and neglected. We have witnessed others being healed by you, but your own daughter remains in suffering.”
But Peter smiled and said unto him: My son, it is manifest unto God alone wherefore her body is not whole. Know then that God is not weak nor powerless to grant his gift unto my daughter: but that thy soul may be convinced, and they that are here present may the more believe—then he looked unto his daughter and said to her: Raise thyself up from thy place, without any helping thee save Jesus only, and walk whole before all these, and come unto me. And she arose and came to him; and the multitude rejoiced at that which was come to pass. Then said Peter unto them: Behold, your heart is convinced that God is not without strength concerning all things that we ask of him. Then they rejoiced yet more and praised God. And Peter said to his daughter: Go unto thy place, and lay thee down and be again in thine infirmity, for this is expedient for me and for thee. And the maiden went back and lay down in her place and was as beforetime: and the whole multitude wept, and entreated Peter to make her whole.
But Peter responded to them, saying: “As the Lord lives, this situation is necessary for both her and me. On the day she was born to me, I received a vision from the Lord. He said to me, ‘Peter, today a great trial is born to you, for this daughter will cause harm to many souls if her body remains whole.’ However, at the time, I thought the vision was mocking me.
Torah: Five Books of the Left and Right Hand Equal Ten.
When the girl was ten years old, she became a stumbling block for many. An exceedingly wealthy man named Ptolemaeus (Πτολεμαίος “warrior”) saw the girl and her mother bathing, and he sent messengers to propose marriage to her. However, her mother refused. Despite his repeated attempts, Ptolemaeus could not be dissuaded.”
[Here a leaf is lost: the sense, however, is not hard to supply. Augustine speaks (quoting Apocryphal Acts) of a daughter of Peter struck with palsy at the prayer of her father. Ptolemaeus, unable to win the maiden by fair means, comes and carries her off. Peter hears of it and prays God to protect her. His prayer is heard. She is struck with palsy on one side of her body. Then the text resumes.]
The servants of Ptolemaeus brought the maiden and laid her down before the door of the house and departed.
Torah Preserved
But when her mother and I became aware of it, we descended and found the maiden. We discovered that one side of her body, from head to toe, was paralyzed and withered. We carried her away, praising the Lord for preserving his handmaid from defilement and shame. This is the reason why the maiden remains in this condition to this day.
Great Love for Torah, but Cannot Have Her in Your Corruption (Exodus 1:16)
Now, it is important for you to know what happened to Ptolemaeus afterward. He returned home and mourned day and night over what had happened. Due to the many tears he shed, he became blind.
Kill Off the Self to Save it, Lift up Your Stake
When he decided to stand up and hang himself, around the ninth hour of the day, a great light filled the whole house, and he heard a voice saying to him: “Ptolemaeus, God has not destined you for corruption and shame. It is not fitting for you, who have believed in me, to defile my virgin. Stand up and quickly go to the house of the apostle Peter, and you will see my glory. He will tell you what you must do.”
Ptolemaeus wasted no time. He instructed his servants to show him the way to Peter and bring him there. When they arrived, he recounted all that had happened to him by the power of our Lord Jesus Christ. Then, he regained his sight both physically and spiritually, and many people believed in Christ. Ptolemaeus did good to them and shared the gift of God.
Afterward, Ptolemaeus passed away and went to his Lord. In his will, he left a parcel of land in my daughter’s name because through her, he had believed in God and was healed. But myself, to whom the property fell, handled it with great care. I sold the land, and neither myself nor my daughter received any of the proceeds. I sold the land and gave all the money to the poor.
Therefore, know, servants of Jesus Christ, that God directs those who are his and prepares Good for each of them, even when we feel forgotten by God. Therefore, brethren, let us be sorrowful, watchful, and prayerful, and the Goodness of God will shine upon us, as we wait.
Peter continued speaking to them all, glorifying the name of Christ the Lord and sharing bread with them. After distributing it, he stood and went to his house.