15 Paul answered, Thecla, wait
with patience, and you shall
receive the gift of Christ.
CHAPTER VII.
1 Paul and Thecla go to Antioch.
2 Alexander, a magistrate, falls in love with Thecla:
4 kisses her by force:
5 she resists him:
6 is carried before the governor, and condemned
to be thrown to wild beasts.
THEN Paul sent back Onesiphorus
and his family to their own home,
and taking Thecla along with him,
went for Antioch;
2 And as soon as they came in.
to the city, a certain Syrian,
named Alexander, a magistrate in
the city, who had done many
considerable services for the city
during his magistracy, saw Thecla,
and fell in love with her, and
endeavoured by many rich presents
to engage Paul in his interest.
3 But Paul told him, I know not
the woman of whom you speak, nor
does she belong to me.
4 But he being a person of great
power in, Antioch, seized her in
the street and kissed her: which
Thecla would not bear, but looking
about for Paul, cried out in a
distressed loud tone, Force me not,
who am a stranger; force me not,
who am a servant of God; I am
one of the principal persons of
Iconium, and was obliged to leave
that city because I would not be
married to Thamyris.
5 Then she laid hold on Alexander,
tore his coat, and took his crown
off his head, and made him appear
ridiculous before all the people.
6 But Alexander, partly as he
loved her, and partly being ashamed
of what had been done, led her to
the governor, and upon her confession
of what she had done, he condemned
her to be thrown among the beasts.