Chapter XVI.—Peter’s Salutation.

Then the blessed man, springing forward as soon as he heard my name, kissed me; and making me sit down, straightway said, “You acted nobly in entertaining Barnabas, a herald of the truth, to the honour of the living God, being magnanimously not ashamed, nor fearing the resentment of the rude multitude.  Blessed shall you be.  For as you thus with all honour entertained the ambassador of the truth, so also truth herself shall constitute you, who are a stranger, a citizen of her own city.  And thus you shall greatly rejoice, because you have now lent a small favour; I mean the kindness of good words.  You shall be heir of blessings which are both eternal and cannot possibly be taken from you.  And do not trouble yourself to detail to me your manner of life; for the veracious Barnabas has detailed to us everything relating to you, making favourable mention of you almost every day.  And in order that I may tell to you briefly, as to a genuine friend, what is in hand, travel with us, unless anything hinders you, partaking of the words of truth which I am going to speak from city to city, as far as Rome itself.  And if you wish to say anything, speak on.”