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THE EPISTLES OF
JESUS CHRIST & ABGARUS KING OF EDESSA.

CHAPTER I.


1
A copy of a letter written by King Abgarus to Jesus;
and sent to him by Ananius, his footman, to Jerusalem,
inviting him to Edessa.


ABGARUS, king of Edessa, to
Jesus the good Saviour, who
appears at Jerusalem, greeting.


2
I have been informed concerning
you and your cures, which are
performed without the use of
medicines and herbs.


3
For it is reported, that you
cause the blind to see, the lame to
walk, do both cleanse lepers, and
cast out unclean spirits and devils,
and restore them to health who have
been long diseased; and raiseth up
the dead;


4
All which when I heard, I was
persuaded of one of these two,
namely, either that you are God
himself descended from heaven;
who do these things, or the Son
of God.


5
On this account therefore I
have written to you, earnestly to
desire you would take the trouble
of a journey hither, and cure a
disease which I am under.


6
For I hear the Jews ridicule
you and, intend you mischief.


7
My city is indeed small, but
neat, and large enough for us
both.




CHAPTER II.


1
The answer of Jesus by Ananias the footman
to Abgarus the king,
declining to visit Edessa.


ABGARUS, you are happy,
forasmuch as you have
believed on me, whom you
have not seen.


2
For it is written concerning
me, that those who have seen me
should not believe on me, that
they who have not seen might
believe and live.


3
As to that part of your letter,
which relates to my giving you a
visit, I must inform you, that I
must fulfil all the ends of my
mission in this country, and after
that be received up again to him
who sent me.


4
But after my ascension I will
send one of my disciples, who will
cure your disease, and give life to
you, and all that are with you.




REFERENCES TO THE EPISTLES OF JESUS CHRIST AND
ABGARUS KING OF EDESSA.


[The first writer who makes any mention of the Epistles that passed between Jesus Christ and Abgarus, is Eusebius, Bishop of Caesarea, in Palestine, who flourished in the early part of the fourth century. For their genuineness, he appeals to the public registers and records of the City of Edessa in Mesopotamia, where Abgarus reigned, and where he affirms that he found them written in the Syriac language. He published a Greek translation of them, in his Ecclesiastical History. The learned world has been much divided on this subject; but, notwithstanding the erudite Grabe, with Archbishop Cave, Dr, Parker, and other divines, have strenuously contended for their admission into the canon of Scripture, they are deemed apocryphal. The Rev. Jeremiah Jones observes, that the common people in England have this Epistle in their houses in many places, fixed in a frame, with the picture of Christ before it; and that they generally, with much honesty and devotion, regard it as the word of God, and the genuine Epistle of Christ.]



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