Early in the morning, men of the city, with the women and children, came to the house where Jesus was with his disciples, and sought him saying, "Sir, have mercy upon us, because this year the worms have eaten the corn, and we will not receive any bread this year in our land."

Jesus answered, "O what fear is yours! Do you not know that Elijah, the servant of God, while the persecution of Ahab continued for three years, did not see bread, nourishing himself only with herbs and wild fruits? David our father, the prophet of God, ate wild fruits and herbs for two years, while being persecuted by Saul, and he ate bread only twice."

The men answered, "Sir, they were prophets of God, nourished with spiritual delight, and therefore they endured well; but how will these small ones fare?" Then they showed him the multitude of their children. Jesus had compassion on their misery, said, "How long is it until harvest?" They answered, "Twenty days." Jesus said, "See that for these twenty days we give ourselves to fasting and prayer; for God will have mercy upon you. Truly, I say to you, God has caused this dearth because here began the madness of men and the sin of Israel, when they said that I was God, or Son of God."

When they had fasted for nineteen days, on the morning of the twentieth day, they beheld the fields and hills covered with ripe corn. They ran to Jesus, and recounted everything to him. When he had heard it, gave thanks to God, and said, "Go, brethren, gather the bread, which God has given." They gathered so much corn that they did not know where to store it; and this thing was cause of plenty in Israel.

The citizens took council to set up Jesus as their king. Knowing that, Jesus fled from them. The disciples strove fifteen days to find him. After they found him, they weeping, asked, "O Master, why did you flee from us? We have sought you mourning." Jesus answered, "I fled because I knew that a host of devils is preparing for me that in a short time you will see. The chief priests with the elders of the people will rise against me and they will wrest authority to kill me from the Roman governor; because they fear that I usurp kingship over Israel. Moreover, I shall be sold and betrayed by one of my disciples, as Joseph was sold into Egypt. However, the just God will make him fall, as says the prophet David, 'He shall make him fall into the pit who spreads a snare for his neighbour.' God will save me from their hands, and will take me out of the world."

The day following, thirty-six of disciples came two by two, and Jesus abode in Damascus awaiting the others. The disciples mourned for they knew that Jesus must depart from the world. Wherefore, he said, "He who walks without knowing where he goes is surely unhappy, but the one who is able and knows how to reach a good hostelry, yet desires and wills to abide on the miry road, in the rain, and in peril of robbers, is more unhappy. Tell me brethren; is this world our native country? Surely not, seeing that the first man was cast out into the world into exile and there he suffers the punishment of his error. Is there an exile who does not aspire to return to his own rich country when he finds himself in poverty? Assuredly, reason denies it, but experience proves it, because the lovers of the world will not think upon death. Even when one speaks to them of death, they will not heed his speech."