ND looking out over the desert wilderness of wadi Beth'an, I saw the great multitude that had gathered on account of the Lamb of God who did take away the sins of the world, and I was in empathy with them, because they were like lost sheep not having John for their good shepherd.
02 And having come together with John's apostles; and with John's contending parents, Simon the Essene and Anna the mother of all righteousness, John's mother who taught us all things, said to her serene husband: Let us retrieve the head of the corner-stone now rejected, and then let us go to Macherus.
03 Which John's apostles hearing her request, came and took his decapitated head, so that John's mother and father might lay it in a nearby tomb.
04 And having compassion on the mother of contention, because on this day, the Immar of Beth'an gave birth to Immanuel the lamb, I stayed behind and grieved with her and for her Only Begotten Son, for this unforgettable Tuesday was a national day of mourning.
05 And rising from thence, we went into the coasts of Peraea and Decapolis: And entering into Macherus, John's parents took John's body which they found lying under a bushel, for the slaughterer wished that no man should know it: But John was too large of a man, and he could not be hid.
06 And again going out of Macherus, we came by the wadi of Beth`an, just northeast of the Dead Sea, through the midst of the coasts of Decapolis.
07 And after seeing John's apostles labouring in their effort to carry John's body to the tomb, I related to them my desire to have them teach me the things that they themselves had done and taught, so that I might learn all that I could about the 'life of Messiah'.
08 And trying to comfort John's apostles, I saith unto them: After you release your burden, come apart into mibdalah, [which is, the haven] of the Essenic Baptists, and rest a little. For there were many mourners coming and going to Macherus and going to Beth`an: And they had not so much as time to rest. For they were weary and heavily burdened and could not eat.
09 And when we passed to the other side of the river Jordan together, and when they had buried John, leaving John's parents alone with their Only Begotten Son, we went to Beth'an, my haven my the sea.
10 And the great multitude who had gathered to mourn John, saw us going away, and many who were converts knew where John lived, and following, those that did not ran flocking together on foot from all the cities, and were there before us.
Section II--The Communion
(Tuesday even, the twenty-ninth day of February)
11 And when the day was now far spent, John's apostles came to me, saying: This is mibdalah, and the hour is growing late, and still they follow us: We wish to disperse the entire group, sending you all away, that going into their own villages and towns, they may buy themselves bread to eat.
12 And being driven by a profound desire to learn more about the 'life of John', I would not have them send me away. And not wishing to be dismissed on account of the great multitude that were following John's apostles, replying I saith unto them: Why do you dismiss the mourners? and those like myself who wish to sit Shiva: Can't you give them to eat?
13 And being very much displeased with me, they said to me: Let us go inside the gates of Beth`an! Either that or give us enough money, two thousand mites worth, that going within, we may buy them bread, and then we will be allowed to give them all to eat. For none but the converted are allowed beyond the main gate.
14 And knowing that John had baptized many of them, answering, I saith unto the Seven: How many stored loaves have you? go and see. And checking their purses, they say: Five, and two fishes.
15 And having seen how the Essenes live in communion with one another, I instructed them that they should command all who have been baptized by John to sit down by companies of hundreds and by fifties upon the dry ground.
16 And when I had taken the five loaves, and the two fishes: looking up to heaven, I blessed, and broke the loaves, and gave to John's apostles to set before the great multitude: and the two fishes I divided up, also to be passed around, within our immediate group.
17 And sharing in like manner we all did eat, and had our fill while John's apostles continued to teach me about the 'life of Messiah'. And they collected the leftovers from the Baptists, twelve full baskets of fruit, and of bread fragments. And they that did eat, were five thousand of John's patrons, so that I could be fed manna from heaven.
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