Page "Brothers of Jesus" Paragraph 11

So he asked them whether they were of the family of David ; and they confessed they were.

Next he asked them what property they had, or how much money they possessed.

They both replied that they had only 9000 denaria between them, each of them owning half that sum ; but even this they said they did not possess in cash, but as the estimated value of some land, consisting of thirty-nine plethra only, out of which they had to pay the dues, and that they supported themselves by their own labour.

And then they began to hold out their hands, exhibiting, as proof of their manual labour, the roughness of their skin, and the corns raised on their hands by constant work.