Chapter XLVIII.—Attempts to Create a Disturbance.

To this speech of Simon, Peter answered:  “Do not meddle with the things that belong to others; for that you are a magician, you have confessed and made manifest by the very deeds that you have done; but our Master, who is the Son of God and of man, is manifestly good; and that he is truly the Son of God has been told, and shall be told to those to whom it is fitting.  But if you will not confess that you are a magician, let us go, with all this multitude, to your house, and then it will be evident who is a magician.”  While Peter was speaking thus, Simon began to assail him with blasphemies and curses, that he might make a riot, and excite all so that he could not be refuted, and that Peter, withdrawing on account of his blasphemy, might seem to be overcome.  But he stood fast, and began to charge him more vehemently.