1 And it happened, fifteen days later, that Jesus thought of showing himself a little to men. And, as he was going along a road, he met two soldiers who, during their march, were quarreling with great violence, and who wanted to take bloody revenge on each other. And, when Jesus saw them from afar, he turned towards them and asked them: Why, soldiers, are you so full of fury, and planning to kill each other? But their hearts were so filled with anger and rage that they did not respond. And when they arrived at a certain place, in front of a well, they sat down near the water and threatened each other with insults. And Jesus, who had also sat down next to both of them, listened to the verbal dispute. And one of the two, the one who was younger, reflected, and said to himself: He is older, I am younger, and it is appropriate for him to submit to me. Woe to me! But why make him angry, by upsetting him? I will surrender badly from my grade, to yours.
2 And, as the soldier afterwards looked around, he saw Jesus sitting quietly, and asked him: where do you come from, child? Where are you going? What’s your name? And Jesus answered: If I told you, you would not understand me. The soldier asked: Are your father and mother alive? And Jesus answered: My Father lives, and he is immortal. The soldier replied: How immortal? Jesus replied: He is immortal from the beginning. He lives, and death has no dominion over him. The soldier insisted: Who is he who always lives, and over whom death has no dominion, since you affirm that immortality is assured to your father? Jesus said: You could not know him, nor even get the slightest idea of him. Then the soldier asked him, saying: Who can see it? And he answered and said, No one. And the soldier asked: Where is your father? And he answered: In heaven, above the earth. The soldier asked: And how can you go to his side? Jesus replied: I have always been with him, and today I am still with him. The soldier indicated, confused: I don’t understand what you’re saying. And Jesus approved: This is, in fact, incomprehensible and inexpressible. The soldier added: Who, then, can understand it? Jesus said: If you ask me, I will explain it to you. And the soldier urged: I beg you to do so.
3 And Jesus said: I am without a father on earth, and without a mother in heaven. The soldier objected: How were you born, and how were you fed? Jesus said: My first generation came from the Father before the ages, and my second generation took place on this soil. But the soldier continued objecting: How? Has it ever been seen that someone who was born from his father is reborn from his mother? Jesus warned: You don’t understand it properly. And the soldier replied: How many fathers and how many mothers do you have? Jesus countered: Didn’t I already tell you? I have a single Father, and, with him, up there, I was born without a mother. I have an only mother, and, with her, down here, I was born without a father. The soldier objected: First you say that you were born from your father, without having had a mother, and then you say that you were born from your mother, without having had a father. Jesus granted: That’s right. The soldier exclaimed: Prodigious way of being born and existing! Whose son are you then? Jesus affirmed: I am the only son of the Father, a carnal offspring from my mother, and heir of all things. And the soldier still argued: Your father, has he not known your mother? How then did your mother conceive you in her womb, and did she bring you into the world? Jesus said: As a result of a simple word from my Father, without suspicion of an approach to him on his part, and without even the idea of this approach. The soldier retorted: How can you reconcile the wills of your father and your mother, and please the wishes of both? Jesus answered: I am with my Father in heaven, and I remain with him for all eternity, and I dwell with my mother on earth.
4 The soldier exclaimed: What you say is surprising! And Jesus answered: And why do you ask me the question about which you question me, and which you cannot understand? But the soldier said: If I have questioned you, it has been with the aim of inducing you to put yourself at our service. Furthermore, I have recognized that you are a scion of an illustrious royal family. May God glorify you in every place and at all times, and cause you to obtain your father’s inheritance.
5 And Jesus answered him, saying, Blessed are you from God. But inform me about the reason for your complaint. And the soldier said: I will explain the whole matter to you, and you will pronounce a just sentence between us. Jesus said: Yes. Tell me the case. And the soldier explained: We are from the country of magicians and from a royal house. We have followed the kings who arrived at Bethlehem with numerous troops and with rich gifts in honor of the newborn king of the Israelites. When the kings returned to Persia, we went to the city of Jerusalem, and, for the love of God, we became companions and like brothers to each other. And we made a pact of alliance, committing ourselves by oath not to separate until we died, and to share, in perfect friendship and with mutual equity, all the benefits that God sent us.
6 And, as we enlisted in the guard of the palace of a great chief of the kingdom, my powerful prince sent me with a message to a distant country, where I stayed for a long time. He received me there with benevolence and honor, as the etiquette of royal courts requires, granting the bearers of messages the deference due to them. By the grace of God, I returned satisfied and, of everything I earned, I hid nothing from my friend and I am ready to share it with him. My comrade also left with a troop of knights and returned to his house, after having obtained a rich booty. I ask him to share with me the wealth that he has brought from his expedition and he refuses and, instead, he harshly demands from me the debt that corresponds to me. And now, what do you order me to do?
7 And Jesus said: If you want to listen to me and act righteously, do not deceive one another, and do not forget your commitments But do what you have promised to do with all solemnity. Distribute your profits equitably, according to the use of human rule and what you have sworn on the divine law. Do not lie in the presence of God and do not frustrate each other unjustly, if you want to live in mutual friendship.
8 However, the other companion, the one who was older, stated: Child, judging in true right, does not bother you. concerns in any way. I was in the death camp, I ran a thousand dangers and I was barely able to return home. He, surrounded by a princely apparatus, visited the palaces of the kings and returned with numerous gifts. It is, therefore, fair that he should give me a part of his own and that I should not give him any of mine.
9 But Jesus replied: You do not know what you are saying, soldier. If, on the way there or on the way back, he had suffered all kinds of harassment from his enemies, what part would you have given him? And he added: If you want to share yours with him as a friend, clearly reveal your thoughts. And, having spoken these words, Jesus fell silent.
10 Then, the youngest soldier stood up, knelt before his colleague, and said: Excuse me. , brother, that has seriously upset you, and now do what you like. I will distribute, but I will no longer live with you in a community relationship. You have acquired importance, and have become the advisor of kings. I am poor, I see myself without resources, and I will take whatever you want to give me. Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and was filled with pity, seeing his meekness. Because the eldest was violent, because he was the son of a poor man, and the youngest was humble, because he was the scion of a great house.
11 And Jesus said last: According to what you told me at the beginning, you went to Bethlehem, in the company of the magicians. Did you see with your own eyes that newborn king, who had come into the world? The younger soldier replied: Yes, I saw him, and I adored him. Jesus asked: And what did you think of him? What faith do you have in him? The soldier responded: He is the incarnate Word, sent by God. And, led by a star, we went to visit him, and found him born of the Virgin and lying in the cave. Jesus noted: I have heard that he is still alive. The soldier confessed: I don’t know. But I have heard that he was killed by order of Herod, after he had been deceived by the wise men. Some claim that Herod caused the children of Bethlehem to perish because of him. Others claim that his father and mother fled with him to Egypt. Jesus commented: You are right, but I repeat that I have heard that he is still alive. Now there is no shortage of people who claim that he was not what he thought he was, but rather an impostor and a seducer. The soldier corrected: Do not spread slander about him that you could not prove, because everyone who has seen him assures that he is the king of Israel. But Jesus objected: Why then have the people of Israel not believed in him?
12 And the soldiers said: We ignore it. And Jesus asked: What are your names? And a soldier answered: My name is Khortar. And the other: My name is Gotar. Jesus added: What god do you serve? The soldiers replied: When we came to this country, we were seduced by the false gods of our own, and we practiced the worship of the sun. And Jesus explained: Returning to your dispute, how do you plan to resolve it? And the soldiers replied: Do what your good judgment suggests, for you have appeared to us today as a judge between us. Indeed: since you have seen us, our previous indignation ceased, and the grace of God descended upon us. And, while you have shared with us, our hearts have been filled with lively joy.
13 And Jesus made an equitable distribution between the two, and the soldiers were satisfied with his decision. And he blessed them, and they went on their way in peace.