But I would not weary you with such small matters as Silas’ desertion of me to join Peter, who was preaching in Syria, and whose doctrine he said was nearer to Jesus’ than mine, it having been given to him by Jesus, whom he had known in the flesh.  So be it, I said to Silas, and went without him to Antioch, a city dear to me for that it was there the word Christian was spoken for the first time; my return thither was fortunate, for there I met Barnabas, whom it was pleasant after these many years to meet again, all memory of our dissension was forgotten, which was no great matter, it having arisen out of no deeper cause than my refusal to travel with John Mark, his cousin.  Titus was there too, and we had much to tell each other of our travels and the conversions we had made, and all was joy amongst us; and our joy was increased by Peter, who appeared amongst us, bringing Silas with him, who must have been grieved though he said nothing to me of it; but who must have seen that the law to which he was attached was forgotten at Antioch; not by us only, but by his new leader, Peter, who mixed like ourselves with the Gentiles and did not refuse to eat with them.

A moment indeed of great joy this was, but it did not last longer than many other moments of the same kind with which my life has been sprinkled.  James, the brother of the Lord, sent up agents to Antioch with letters signed by himself.  They had come to tell the people that I had not authority to teach, and could not be considered by anybody as a true apostle, for I had not known the Christ, it was said:  and when I answered them that my authority came straight from him, they began to make little of my revelation, saying:  even if thou didst hear the Christ on the road to Damascus, as thou sayest, it was but for a few minutes, and he couldn’t teach thee all his doctrine in a few minutes.  A year or more would be required.  Thou wast deceived.  No vision can be taken as of equal evidence to the senses.  Those that we see in a vision may be but the evil spirits that, if it were possible, would deceive the very elect.  If we question an apparition it answers anything that we wish.  The spectre shines for an instant and disappears quickly before one has time to put further questions; the thoughts of the dreamer are not under his control.  To see the Son of God outside of the natural flesh is impossible.  Even an angel wishing to be seen has to clothe himself in flesh.  Nor were they satisfied with such sayings as these, but mentioned the vision of infidels and evil livers, and to support their argument thus quoted Scripture, proving that God sent visions when he was irritated.  As in Numbers, murmured Eleazar.  And likewise in Exodus, said Manahem, and he turned over the quires before him.  These emissaries and agents asked me how it was that even if Jesus had appeared to me he could not have instructed me wrongly.  If I wished to prove the truth of my vision it were better for me to accept the teaching of the apostles,