The Gospel of Barnabas

97.

'Unworthy though I am to untie his hosen, I have received grace and mercy from God to see him.'

Then answered the priest, with the governor and the king, saying: 'Distress not thyself, O Jesus, holy one of God, because in our time shall not this sedition be any more I seeing that we will write to the sacred Roman senate in such wise I that by imperial decree none shall any more call thee God or son of God.'

Then said Jesus: 'With your words I am not consoled, because where ye hope for light darkness shall come; but my consolation is in the coming of the messenger, who shall destroy every false opinion of me, and his faith shall spread and shall take hold of the whole world, for so hath God promised to Abraham our father. And that which giveth me consolation is that his faith shall have no end, but shall be kept inviolate by God.'

The priest answered: 'After the coming of the messenger of God shall other prophets come?'

Jesus answered: 'There shall not come after him true prophets sent by God but there shall come a great number of false prophets, whereat I sorrow. For Satan shall raise them up by the just judgement of God, and they shall hide themselves under the pretext of my gospel.'

Herod answered: 'How is it a just judgement of God that such impious men should come?'

Jesus answered: 'It is just that he who will not believe in the truth to his salvation should believe in a lie to his damnation. Wherefore I say unto you, that the world hath ever despised the true prophets and loved the false, as can be seen in the time of Michaiah and Jeremiah. For every like loveth his like.'

Then said the priest: 'How shall the Messiah be called, and what sign shall reveal his coming?'

Jesus answered: 'The name of the Messiah is admirable, for God himself gave him the name when he had created his soul, and placed it in a celestial splendour. God said: 'Wait Mohammed; for thy sake I will to create paradise, the world, and a great multitude of creatures, whereof I make thee a present, insomuch that whoso shall bless thee shall be blessed, and whoso shall curse thee shall be accursed. When I shall send thee into the world I shall send thee as my messenger of salvation, and thy word shall be true, insomuch that heaven and earth shall fail, but thy faith shall never fail." Mohammed is his blessed name.'

Then the crowd lifted up their voices, saying: 'O God, send us thy messenger: O Mohammed, come quickly for the salvation of the world!'