Opening the library…
The Diatessaron
Tatian
An influential continuous harmony weaving material from the four canonical Gospels into one narrative, known especially through later witnesses because Tatian’s original form does not survive intact.
The original text is lost; surviving witnesses and reconstructions differ and require source-specific review.
Section XXXVII.
[1] And Jesus said, To
[4] [Arabic, p. 140] Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever entereth not into the fold of the sheep by the door, but goeth up from another place, that man is a thief and a [5, 6] stealer. But he that entereth by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. And therefore the keeper of the door openeth for him the door; and the sheep hear his voice: and [7] he calleth his sheep by their names, and they go forth unto him. And when he putteth forth his sheep, he goeth before them, and his sheep follow him: because [8] they know his voice. And after a stranger will the sheep not go, but they flee from [9] him: because they hear not the voice of a stranger. This parable spake Jesus unto them: but they knew not what he was saying unto them.
[10] Jesus said unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the [11] sheep. And all that came are thieves and stealers: but the sheep heard them not. [12] I am the door: and if a man enter by me, he shall live, and shall go in and go out, [13] and shall find pasture. And the stealer cometh not, save that he may steal, and kill, and destroy: but I came that they might have life, and that they might have [14] the thing that is better. I am the good shepherd; and the good shepherd giveth [15] himself for his sheep. But the hireling, who is not a shepherd, and whose the sheep are not, when he seeth the wolf as it cometh, leaveth the sheep, and fleeth, [16] and the wolf cometh, and snatcheth away the sheep, and scattereth them: and the [17] hireling fleeth because he is an hireling, and hath no care for the sheep. I am the [18] good shepherd; and I know what is mine, and what is mine knoweth me, as my Father knoweth me, and I know my Father; and I give myself for the sheep. [19] And I have other sheep also, that are not of this flock: them also I must invite, and they shall hear my voice; and all the sheep shall be one, and the shepherd one. [20] [Arabic, p. 141] And therefore doth my Father love me, because I give my life, that I may [21] take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I leave it of my own choice. And I have the right to leave it, and have the right also to take it. And this commandment did I receive of my Father.
[22] And there occurred a disagreement among the Jews because of these sayings. [23] And many of them said, He hath a devil, and is afflicted with madness; why listen [24] ye to him? And others said, These sayings are not those of men possessed with demons. Can a demon haply open the eyes of a blind man?
[25, 26] And the feast of the dedication came on at Jerusalem: and it was winter. And [27] Jesus was walking in the temple in the porch of Solomon. The Jews therefore surrounded him, and said unto him, Until when dost thou make our hearts anxious? [28] If thou art the Messiah, tell us plainly. He answered and said unto them, I told you, and ye believe not: and the deeds that I do in my Father’s name bear witness [29, 30] to me. But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you. [31] And my sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they come after me: and I give them eternal life; and they shall not perish for ever, nor shall any man snatch [32] them out of my hands. For the Father, who hath given them unto me, is greater [33] than all; and no man is able to take them from the hand of my Father. I and [34, 35] my Father are one. And the Jews took stones to stone him. Jesus said unto them, Many good deeds from my Father have I shewed you; because of which of them, [36] then, do ye stone me? The Jews said unto him, Not for the good deeds do we stone thee, but because thou blasphemest; and, whilst thou art a man, makest thyself [37] God. Jesus said unto them, Is it not thus written in your law, I said, Ye are gods? [38] [Arabic, p. 142] And if he called those gods—for to them came the word of God (and it is [39] not possible in the scripture that anything should be undone)—he then, whom the Father hath sanctified and sent into the world, do ye say that he blasphemeth; [40] because I said unto you, I am the Son of God? If then I do not the deeds of my [41] Father, ye believe me not. But if I do, even if ye believe not me, believe the deeds: that ye may know and believe that my Father is in me, and I in my Father. [42] And they sought again to take him: and he went forth out of their hands.
[43] And he went beyond Jordan to the place where John was baptizing formerly; [44] and abode there. And many people came unto him; and they said, John did not [45] work even one sign: but all that John said of this man is truth. And many believed in him.
[46] And there was a sick man, named Lazarus, of the village of Bethany, the brother [47] of Mary and Martha. And Mary was she that anointed with sweet ointment the feet of Jesus, and wiped them with her hair; and Lazarus, who was sick, was the [48] brother of this woman. And his sisters sent unto Jesus, and said unto him, Our [49] Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick. But Jesus said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glorifying of God, that the Son of God may be glorified [50, 51] because of it. And Jesus loved Martha, and Mary, and Lazarus. And when he [52] heard that he was sick, he abode in the place where he was two days. And after that, [53] he said unto his disciples, Come, let us go into Judæa. His disciples said unto him, Our [Arabic, p. 143] Master, now the Jews desire to stone thee; and goest thou again thither? [54, 55] Jesus said unto them, Is not the day of twelve hours? If then a man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of the world. But if [56] a man walk in the night, he stumbleth, because there is no lamp in him. This said Jesus: and after that, he said unto them, Lazarus our friend hath fallen asleep; but [57] I am going to awaken him. His disciples said unto him, Our Lord, if he hath [58] fallen asleep, he will recover. But Jesus said that concerning his death: while they [59] supposed that he spake of lying down to sleep. Then Jesus said unto them plainly, [60] Lazarus is dead. And I am glad that I was not there for your sakes, that ye may [61] believe; but let us go thither. Thomas, who is called Thama, said to the disciples, his companions, Let us also go, and die with him.
Or, is permanent.
Or, to him.
A different word (lit. rams) from that used in the other verses; so in Peshitta (cf. Sin., which, however, differs somewhat); cf. also § 54, 40 f., note.
A different word (lit. rams) from that used in the other verses; so in Peshitta (cf. Sin., which, however, differs somewhat); cf. also § 54, 40 f., note.
Or, best thing. Vat. ms. omits from but I came.
Or, his life.
cf. note to § 37, 6.
Or, to snatch…and scatter.
Or, my life.
Lit. epilepsy.
cf. § 37, 6.
cf. § 37, 6.
Or, hand; but probably dual (cf. Syr.).
So Peshitta; but Sin. the. Borg. ms. omits the hand of.
Lit. which deed.
cf. Peshitta.
This in could more easily arise as a clerical error (repetition) in the Syriac text.
So Ciasca’s text, following Vat. ms. But this is probably a clerical error for the reading of Borg. ms., which omits ye.
cf. Peshitta.
The Syriac word for Twin.