ginity; for the word of
their (heavenly) Father shall prove
effectual to their salvation in the
day of his Son, and they shall enjoy
rest for evermore.

CHAPTER II.

1 Thecla listens anxiously to Paul's preaching.
5 Thamyris, her admirer, concerts with Theoclia
her mother to dissuade her,
12 in vain.
14 Demas and Hermogenes vilify Paul to Thamyris.

WHILE Paul was preaching
this sermon in the church
which was in the house of
Onesiphorus, a certain virgin
named Thecla (whose mother's
name was Theoclia, and who was
betrothed to a man named Thamyris)
sat at a certain window in her house.

2 From whence, by the advantage
of a window in the house where
Paul was, she both night and day
heard Paul's sermons concerning
God, concerning charity, concerning
faith in Christ, and concerning
prayer;

3 Nor would she depart from
the window, till with exceeding
joy she was subdued to the
doctrines of faith.

4 At length, when she saw many
women and virgins going into
Paul, she earnestly desired that
she might be thought worthy to
appear in his presence, and hear
the word of Christ; for she had
not yet seen Paul's person, but only
heard his sermons, and that alone.

5 But when she would not be
prevailed upon to depart from the
window, her mother sent to Thamyris,
who came with the greatest pleasure,
as hoping now, to marry her.
Accordingly he said to Theoclia,
Where is my Thecla?

6 Theoclia replied, Thamyris,
I have something very strange to
tell you; for Thecla, for the space
of three days, will not move from
the window, not so much as to eat
or drink, but is so intent in
hearing the artful and delusive
discourses of a certain foreigner,
that I perfectly wonder Thamyris,
that a young woman of her known
modesty, will suffer herself to be
so prevailed upon.

7 For that man has disturbed
the whole city of Iconium, and
even your Thecla, among others.
All the women and young men
flock to him to receive his
doctrine; who, besides all the
rest, tells them that there is
but one God, who alone is to be
worshipped, and that we ought
to live in chastity.

8 Notwithstanding this, my
daughter Thecla, like a spider's
web fastened to the window, is
captivated, by the discourses of
Paul, and attends' upon them with
prodigious eagerness, and vast
delight; and thus, by attending
on what he says, the young woman
is seduced. Now then do you go,
and speak to her, for s