THE ACTS OF BAR-NAVIY

Since from the descent of the presence of our Savior Yahusha HaMashiach, the unwearied and benevolent and mighty Shepherd and Teacher and Physician, I beheld and saw the ineffable and holy and unspotted mystery of the Christians, who hold the hope in holiness, and who have been sealed; and since I have zealously served Him, I have deemed it necessary to give account of the mysteries which I have heard and seen.

I Yochanon, accompanying the holy apostles Bar-Naviy [Matthias] and Pa’al, being formerly a servant of Cyrillus the high priest of Iupiter, but now having received the gift of the Ruach HaQodesh through Pa’al and Bar-Naviy and Silas, who were worthy of the calling, and who baptized me in Iconium. After I was baptized, then, I saw a certain man standing clothed in white raiment; and he said to me: Be of good courage, Yochanon, for assuredly your name shall be changed to Marqus, and your glory shall be proclaimed in all the world. And the darkness in you has passed away from you, and there has been given to you understanding to know the mysteries of Elohiym.

And when I saw the vision, becoming greatly terrified, I went to the feet of Bar-Naviy, and related to him the mysteries which I had seen and heard from that man. And the Apostle Pa’al was not by when I disclosed the mysteries. And Bar-Naviy said to me: Tell no one the miracle which you have seen. For by me also this night Adonai stood, saying, Be of good courage: for as you have given your life for my name to death and banishment from your nation, thus also shall you be made perfect. Moreover, as for the servant who is with you, take him also with yourself; for he has certain mysteries. Now then, my child, keep to yourself the things which you have seen and heard; for a time will come for you to reveal them.

The following text was edited with the intent of restoring th Hebrew names of the the Apostles and Yahusha HaMashiach as well as Elohiym. My personal collection of the Acts of the Apostles, all of which have had their names restored, has been compiled in Ma’asiym: The Continued Acts of the Apostles, and is available for purchase in the TUC store.

And I, having been instructed in these things by him, remained in Iconium many days; for there was there a holy man and a pious, who also entertained us, whose house also Pa’al had sanctified. Thence, therefore, we came to Seleucia, and after staying three days sailed away to Cyprus; and I was ministering to them until we had gone round all Cyprus. And setting sail from Cyprus, we landed in Perga of Pamphylia. And there I then stayed about two months, wishing to sail to the regions of the West; and the Ruach HaQodesh did not allow me. Turning, therefore, I again sought the apostles; and having learned that they were in Antioch, I went to them.

And I found Pa’al in bed in Antioch from the toil of the journey, who also seeing me, was exceedingly grieved on account of my delaying in Pamphylia. And Bar-Naviy coming, encouraged him, and tasted bread, and he took a little of it. And they preached the word of Adonai and enlightened many of the Yahudiym and Greeks. And I only attended to them, and was afraid of Pa’al to come near him, both because he held me as having spent much time in Pamphylia, and because he was quite enraged against me. And I gave repentance on my knees upon the earth to Pa’al, and he would not endure it. And when I remained for three Shabbaths in entreaty and prayer on my knees, I was unable to prevail upon him about myself; for his great grievance against me was on account of my keeping several parchments in Pamphylia.

And when it came to pass that they finished teaching in Antioch, on the first of the week they took counsel together to set out for the places of the East, and after that to go into Cyprus, and oversee all the churches in which they had spoken the word of Elohiym. And Bar-Naviy entreated Pa’al to go first to Cyprus and oversee his own in his village; and Lucius entreated him to take the oversight of his city Cyrene. And a vision was seen by Pa’al in his sleep, that he should hasten to Yerushalayim, because the brethren expected him there. But Bar-Naviy urged that they should go to Cyprus, and pass the winter, and then that they should go to Yerushalayim at the feast. Great contention, therefore, arose between them. [Acts 15:39]

And Bar-Naviy urged me also to accompany them, on account of my being their servant from the beginning, and on account of my having served them in all Cyprus until they came to Perga of Pamphylia; and I there had remained many days. But Pa’al cried out against Bar-Naviy, saying: It is impossible for him to go with us.

And those who were with us there urged me also to accompany them, because there was a vow upon me to follow them to the end. So, Pa’al said to Bar-Naviy: If you will take Yochanon who also is surnamed Marqus with you, go another road; for he shall not come with us.

And Bar-Naviy coming to himself, said: The grace of Elohiym does not desert him who has once served the Besorah and journeyed with us. If, therefore, this be agreeable to you, Father Pa’al, I take him and go.

And he said: You go in the grace of Mashiach, and we in the power of the Ruach.

Therefore, bending their knees, they prayed to Elohiym. And Pa’al, groaning aloud, wept, and in like manner also Bar-Naviy, saying to one another: It would have been good for us, as at first, so also at last, to work in common among men; but since it has thus seemed good to you, Father Pa’al, pray for me that my labor may be made perfect to commendation: for you know how I have served you also to the grace of Mashiach that has been given to you. For I go to Cyprus and hasten to be made perfect; for I know that I shall no longer see your face, O Father Pa’al.

And falling on the ground at his feet, he wept long.

And Pa’al said to him: Adonai stood by me also this night, saying, Do not force Bar-Naviy not to go to Cyprus, for there it has been prepared for him to enlighten many; and go also, in the grace that has been given to you, to Yerushalayim to worship in the holy place, and there it shall be shown you where your martyrdom has been prepared. And we saluted one another, and Bar-Naviy took me to himself.

And having come down to Laodiceia, we sought to cross to Cyprus; and having found a ship going to Cyprus, we embarked. And when we had set sail, the wind was found to be contrary. And we came to Corasium; and having gone down to the shore where there was a fountain, we rested there, showing ourselves to no one, that no one might know that Bar-Naviy had separated from Pa’al. And having set sail from Corasium, we came to the regions of Isauria, and thence came to a certain island called Pityusa; and a storm having come on, we remained there three days; and a certain pious man entertained us, by name Euphemus, whom also Bar-Naviy instructed in many things in the faith, with all his house.

And thence we sailed past the Aconesiæ and came to the city of Anemurium; and having gone into it, we found two Greeks. And coming to us, they asked whence and who we were. And Bar-Naviy said to them: If you wish to know whence and who we are, throw away the clothing which you have, and I shall dress you in clothing which never becomes soiled; for neither is there in it anything filthy, but it is altogether splendid.

And being astonished at the saying, they asked us: What is that garment which you are going to give us?

And Bar-Naviy said to them: If you shall confess your sins, and submit yourselves to our Adonai Yahusha HaMashiach, you shall receive that garment which is incorruptible forever.

And being pricked at heart by the Ruach HaQodesh, they fell at his feet, entreating and saying: We beseech you, father, give us that garment; for we believe in the living and true Elohiym whom you proclaim.

And leading them down to the fountain, he baptized them into the name of Father, and Son, and Ruach HaQodesh. And they knew that they were clothed with power, and a holy robe. And having taken from me one robe, he put it on the one; and his own robe he put on the other. And they brought money to him, and straightway Bar-Naviy distributed it to the poor. And from them also the sailors were able to gain many things.
And they having come down to the shore, he spoke to them the word of Elohiym; and he having blessed them, we saluted them, and went on board the ship. And the one of them who was named Stephanus, wished to accompany us, and Bar-Naviy did not permit him. And we, having gone across, sailed down to Cyprus by night; and having come to the place called Crommyacita, we found Timon and Ariston the temple servants, at whose house also we were entertained.

And Timon was afflicted by a fever. And having laid our hands upon him, we straightway removed his fever, having called upon the name of Adonai Yahusha. And Bar-Naviy had received documents from Mattithyahu, a book of the word of Elohiym, and a narrative of miracles and doctrines. This Bar-Naviy laid upon the sick in each place that we came to, and it immediately made a cure of their sufferings.

And when we had come to Lapithus, and an idol festival being celebrated in the theatre, they did not allow us to go into the city, but we rested a little at the gate. And Timon, after he rose up from his disease, came with us. And having gone forth from Lapithus, we travelled through the mountains, and came to the city of Lampadistus, of which Timon was also a native; in addition to whom, having found also that Heracleius was there, we were entertained by him. He was of the city of Tamasus and had come to visit his relations; and Bar-Naviy, looking steadfastly at him, recognized him, having met with him formerly at Citium with Pa’al; to whom also the Ruach HaQodesh was given at baptism, and he changed his name to Heracleides. And having ordained him bishop over Cyprus, and having confirmed the church in Tamasus, we left him in the house of his brethren that dwelt there.

And having crossed the mountain called Chionodes, we came to Old Paphos, and there found Rhodon, a temple servant, who also, having himself believed, accompanied us. And we met a certain Yahudiym, by name Bar-Yahusha, coming from Paphos, who also recognized Bar-Naviy, as having been formerly with Pa’al. He did not wish us to go into Paphos; but having turned away, we came to Curium.
And we found that a certain abominable race was being performed in the road near the city, where a multitude of women and men naked were performing the race. And there was great deception and error in that place. And Bar-Naviy turning, rebuked it; and the western part fell, so that many were wounded, and many of them also died and the rest fled to the temple of Apollo, which was close at hand in the city, which was called sacred. And when we came near the temple, a great multitude of Yahudiym who were there, having been put up to it by Bar-Yahusha, stood outside of the city, and did not allow us to go into the city; but we spent the evening under a tree near the city, and rested there.

And on the following day, we came to a certain village where Aristoclianus dwelt. He being a leper, had been cleansed in Antioch, whom also Pa’al and Bar-Naviy sealed to be a bishop, and sent to his village in Cyprus, because there were many Greeks there. And we were entertained in the cave by him in the mountain, and there we remained one day. And thence we came to Amathus and there was a great multitude of Greeks in the temple in the mountain, low women and men pouring libations. There also Bar-Yahusha, getting the start of us, gained over the nation of the Yahudiym, and did not allow us to enter into the city; but a certain widow woman, eighty years old, being outside of the city, and she also not worshipping the idols, coming forward to us, took us into her house one hour. And when we came out, we shook the dust off our feet over against that temple where the libation of the abominable took place.

And having gone out thence, we went through desert places, and Timon also accompanied us. And having come to Citium, and there being a great uproar there also in their hippodrome, having learned this, we came forth out of the city, having all shaken the dust off our feet; for no one received us, except that we rested one hour in the gate near the aqueduct.

And having set sail in a ship from Citium, we came to Salamis, and landed in the so-called islands, where there was a place full of idols; and there took place high festivals and libations. And having found Heracleides there again, we instructed him to proclaim the Besorah of Elohiym, and to set up churches, and ministers in them. And having gone into Salamis, we came to the synagogue near the place called Biblia; and when we had gone into it, Bar-Naviy, having unrolled the Besorah which he had received from Mattithyahu his fellow-laborer, began to teach the Yahudiym.

And Bar-Yahusha, having arrived after two days, after not a few Yahudiym had been instructed, was enraged, and brought together all the multitude of the Yahudiym; and they having laid hold of Bar-Naviy, wished to hand him over to Hypatius, the governor of Salamis. And having bound him to take him away to the governor, and a pious Jebusite, a kinsman of Nero, having come to Cyprus, the Yahudiym, learning this, took Bar-Naviy by night, and bound him with a rope by the neck; and having dragged him to the hippodrome from the synagogue, and having gone out of the city, standing round him, they burned him with fire, so that even his bones became dust. And straightway that night, having taken his dust, they cast it into a cloth; and having secured it with lead, they intended to throw it into the sea.

But I finding an opportunity in the night and being able along with Timon and Rhodon to carry it, we came to a certain place, and having found a cave, put it down there, where the nation of the Jebusites formerly dwelt. And having found a secret place in it, we put it away, with the documents which he had received from Mattithyahu. And it was the fourth hour of the night of the second of the week.

And when we were hidden in the place, the Yahudiym made no little search after us; and having almost found us, they pursued us as far as the village of the Ledrians. And we, having found there also a cave near the village, took refuge in it, and thus escaped them. And we hid in the cave for three days; and the Yahudiym having gone away, we came forth and left the place by night. And taking with us Ariston and Rhodon, we came to the village of Limnes.

And having come to the shore, we found an Egyptian ship; and having embarked in it, we landed at Alexandria. And there I remained, teaching the brethren that came the word of Adonai, enlightening them, and preaching what I had been taught by the apostles of Mashiach, who also baptized me into the name of Father, and Son, and Ruach HaQodesh; who also changed my name to Marqus in the water of baptism, by which also I hope to bring many to the glory of Elohiym through His grace; because to Him is due honor and everlasting glory. Amen.

The journeyings and martyrdom of the holy apostle Bar-Naviy have been fulfilled through Elohiym.