4803. They were brought back into one particular state of their life when many of them together killed a man who had divulged their mysteries. He had said that they believe the Lord to have been a man just like themselves and a sinner just like themselves, and had not spoken as soundly as they but had been accepted as the Redeemer by the Father out of mercy because He had gone to the cross on His own. They had then sent a message to their preacher and revealed this crime to him. He did not disapprove, but still they feared the civil laws.
And they had done this with advice, for that person was one of them. And first he was accused by them, and after this they went off and decided [he was guilty]. And finally they decided they would kill [him], which they then did.
That same person whom they had now tried to kill then lay at first as if slain but then arose and spoke with them about the deed. They all still think, as I understand it, that they had been given permission to do this, not from themselves but from a perception as it were from the Lord. They supported their action by the example of the apostles, that he who deceived them would die. However, he [the one in question] was not killed by them. They fractured his head and afterwards threw him down on the ground incognito. They justified themselves in regard to this as well, [saying] that they had acted rightly. One said that [things are taken] from kings who wage war [cf. Gen. 14].
4803. They were reduced into a certain state of their life, when many of them together killed a man who disclosed their arcana, and said that they believe the Lord to have been a man like themselves, and a sinner like them, and that He did not speak as sanely as they do, but that He was accepted by the Father, as a Redeemer, out of mercy, because He went to the Cross of His own accord. They afterwards sent to their preacher, and disclosed that deed to him, and he did not disapprove, but yet they feared the civil laws. They also committed this deed deliberately; for he was amongst them, and was, at first, accused by them. Then they went away together and deliberated. At length, they determined that they would kill him, which also they did. That same one whom they then also endeavored to kill, at first lay as if killed; but he arose and spoke with them about that matter. They all still think, so I perceive, that it was allowable for them. [They think this] not from themselves, but from a perception which was as if it were from the Lord. They confirmed themselves, by the example of the apostles, that he who deceived them should die. But he was not killed by them; they fractured his head, and afterwards cast him down on the earth unseen. They also confirmed themselves in the belief that they acted rightly. A certain one said that he belonged to the kings, who carry on war.
4803. Reducebantur in statum quendam suae vitae, cum plures ex illis simul occiderent virum qui propalavit eorum arcana, et dixerit quod credant Dominum fuisse hominem sicut illi, et peccatorem sicut illi, et quod loquutus non ita sane sicut illi, sed quod a Patre acceptatus pro Redemptore, ex misericordia, quia ivit ad crucem ex se ipso, miserunt dein ad praedicatorem et ei detexerunt id facinus, qui non improbavit, sed usque timerent leges civiles; et hoc fecerunt consulto, nam ille erat inter illos, et primum incusatus est ab illis, postea simul iverunt, et deliberabant, tandem decernebant quod occiderent illum, quod etiam fecerunt: idem ille est, quem etiam tunc occidere tentabant, jacebat primum sicut occisus, sed surgebat, et loquutus est de illa re apud illos: cogitant usque omnes, ut percipio, quod id licitum fuisset illis, non a se sed a perceptione sicut a Domino, confirmabant se per apostolorum exemplum, quod qui fallebat eos, mortuus fuerit, sed non fuit ab illis occisus; fregerunt illi caput ejus, et postea in terram incognito dejiciebant: confirmaverunt se quoque in eo quod recte fecerint, quidam dixit, quod etiam ex regibus qui gerunt bellum [cf. Gen. XIV].