Fragment 5

1While Paul was teaching the word of God in Myra, there was a man there named Hermoerates who had dropsy. He came forward in full view of everyone and said to Paul, “Nothing is impossible with God, especially for the one you proclaim. For when he came, he healed many—namely, that God whose servant you are. Look, my wife, my children, and I throw ourselves at your feet. Have mercy on me, so that I too may believe as you have believed in the living God.”

2Paul said to him, “I will restore you, not for a reward, but through the name of Jesus Christ you will be made well in the presence of all these people.” … Drawing his hand downward, his belly opened, and a great deal of water flowed out of him, and … he fell down like a dead man. Some said, “It is better for him to die than to continue in pain.” But when Paul had quieted the people, he took the man’s hand, raised him up, and asked him, “Hermocrates, ask for what you desire.” He answered, “I want to eat.” Paul took a loaf and gave it to him to eat. At that hour he was healed and received the grace of the seal in the Lord, both he and his wife.

3But his son Hermippus was angry with Paul and sought an appointed time when he could rise up with others of his own age and destroy him. For he did not want his father to be healed, but to die, so that he might soon become master of his possessions. But Dion, his younger son, listened gladly to Paul.

4Now all those who were with Hermippus plotted to fight against Paul, so that Hermippus … and sought to kill him.

5Dion fell down and died, but Hermippus watered Dion with his tears.

6Hermocrates mourned bitterly, for he loved Dion more than his other son. He sat at Paul’s feet and forgot that Dion was dead. But when Dion died, his mother Nympha tore her clothes, went to Paul, and stood before her husband Hermocrates and before Paul. When Paul saw her, he was frightened and said, “Why are you like this, Nympha?” She answered, “Dion is dead.” When the whole crowd saw her, they wept. Paul looked at the mourning people and sent some young men, saying to them, “Go and bring him here to me.” They went, but Hermippus seized Dion’s body in the street and cried out …

7… the word in him. But an angel of the Lord had said to him during the night, “Paul, today you face a great conflict against your body, but God, the Father of his Son Jesus Christ, will protect you.”

8When Paul arose, he went to his brothers and remained …, saying, “What does this vision mean?” While Paul was thinking about this, he saw Hermippus coming with a drawn sword in his hand, accompanied by many other young men carrying staffs. Paul said to them, “I am neither a robber nor a murderer. The God of all things, the Father of Christ, will turn your hands backward, your sword into its sheath, and your strength into weakness. For I am a servant of God, though I am alone, a stranger, small, and of no reputation among the Gentiles. But you, O God, look down upon their plot, and do not allow them to bring me to nothing.”

9When Hermippus rushed at Paul with his drawn sword, he immediately lost his sight. He cried out loudly, “My dear companions, do not forget your friend Hermippus. For I have sinned, O Paul; I have pursued innocent blood. Learn, both you who are foolish and you who have understanding, that this world is nothing, gold is nothing, and all money is nothing. I, who filled myself with every kind of possession, am now a beggar, and I plead with all of you. Listen to me, all my companions and everyone who lives in Myra. I mocked a man who saved my father. I mocked a man who raised my brother Dion … I mocked a man who … without doing me any harm. But plead with him for me. Look, he saved my father and raised my brother; therefore, he is also able to save me.” But Paul stood there weeping, both before God, because he had heard him quickly, and before man, because the proud had been brought low. He turned and went up …

10But the young men took Hermippus by the feet, carried him to the place where Paul was teaching, laid him down before the door, and went home. After they left, a great crowd came to the house of Hermocrates, and another great crowd entered to see whether Hermippus was shut in there. Hermippus asked everyone who entered to join him in pleading with Paul. But those who went in saw how greatly Hermocrates and Nympha rejoiced over Dion’s restoration, and how they distributed food and money to the widows because of his recovery. They also saw their son Hermippus in this second affliction, taking hold of everyone’s feet, and even the feet of his parents, pleading like a stranger that he might be healed. His parents were distressed and lamented to everyone who entered, so that some said, “Why are they weeping? Dion has risen.” But Hermocrates possessed goods … and brought the value of the goods, took it, and distributed it. Troubled in mind and desiring that they might be satisfied, Hermocrates said, “Brothers, let us leave the food … and occupy ourselves … Hermocrates.” Immediately Nympha cried out to Paul in great distress. … They said, “Nympha, Hermocrates is calling upon God so that your son Hermippus may see and stop grieving, for he has resisted Christ and his minister.” But they and Paul prayed to God.

11When Hermippus recovered his sight, he turned to his mother Nympha and said, “Paul came to me and laid his hand on me while I was weeping, and at that hour I saw everything clearly.” She took his hand and led him to the widows and to Paul. While Paul wept bitterly, Hermippus gave thanks, saying to them, “Everyone who believes will …”

12… harmony and peace … Amen.

13When Paul had strengthened the brothers who were in Myra, he departed for Sidon.