A similar passage is in the Apostolic Constitutions, vii. 22. On the
possible derivation from the Apocalypse of Elias see my Lost Apocrypha
of O. T., p. 54.
The first four leaves of the Coptic MS. are lost, so we depend on the
Ethiopic for the opening of the text.
1 The book which Jesus Christ revealed unto his disciples:
and how that Jesus Christ revealed the book for the company
(college) of the apostles, the disciples of Jesus Christ, even the
book which is for all men. Simon and Cerinthus, the false
apostles, concerning whom it is written that no man shall cleave
unto them, for there is in them deceit wherewith they bring men
to destruction. (The book hath been written) that ye may be
steadfast and not flinch nor be troubled, and depart not from
the word of the Gospel which ye have heard. Like as we heard
486 EPISTLE OF THE APOSTLES
it, we keep it in remembrance and have written it for the whole
world. We commend you our sons and our daughters in joy in the name of God the Father the Lord of
the world, and of Jesus Christ, Let grace be multiplied upon you.
2 We, John, Thomas, Peter, Andrew, James, Philip, Bartholo-
mew, Matthew, Nathanael, Judas Zelotes, and Cephas, write unto
the churches of the east and the west, of the north and the south,
declaring and imparting unto you that which concerneth our
Lord Jesus Christ: we do write according as we have seen and
heard and touched him, after that he was risen from the dead:
and how that he revealed unto us things mighty and wonderful
and true.
8 This know we : that our Lord and Redeemer Jesus Christ is
God the Son of God, who was sent of God l the Lord of the whole
world, the maker and creator of it, who is named by all names,
and high above all powers, Lord of lords, King of kings, Ruler of
rulers, the heavenly one, that sitteth above the cherubim and
seraphim at the right hand of the throne of the Father: who
by his word made the heavens, and formed the earth and that
which is in it, and set bounds to the sea that it should not pass :
the deeps also and fountains, that they should spring forth and
flow over the earth: the day and the night, the sun and the moon,
did he establish, and the stars in the heaven : that did separate
the light from the darkness: that called forth hell, and in the
twinkling of an eye ordained the rain of the winter, the snow
(cloud), the hail, and the ice, and the days in their several seasons :
that maketh the earth to quake and again establisheth it: that
created man in his own image, after his likeness, and by the
fathers of old and the prophets is it declared (or, and spake in
parables with the fathers of old and the prophets in verity), of
whom the apostles preached, and whom the disciples did touch.
In God, the Lord, the Son of God, do we believe, that he is the
word become flesh : that of Mary the holy virgin he took a body,
begotten of the Holy Ghost, not of the will (lust) of the flesh,
but by the will of God : that he was wrapped in swaddling clothes
in Bethlehem and made manifest, and grew up and came to ripe
age, when also we beheld it.
4s This did our Lord Jesus Christ, who was sent by Joseph and
Mary his mother to be taught. [Aiid] when he that taught him
said unto him: Say Alpha: then answered he and said: Tell
thou me first what is Beta (probably : Tell thou me first what is
Beta. Cf. the Marcosian
story quoted by Irenaeus (see above, Gospel of Thomas, p. 15).
The story is in our texts of the Gospel of Thomas, and runs through
all the Infancy Gospels), This thing which then came to pass is
true and of verity.
1 Of the clauses that follow, some it seems should refer to the Father,
others certainly to the Son : there is confusion in the text.
EPISTLE OF THE APOSTLES 487
5 Thereafter was there a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and
they bade him with his mother and his brethren, and he changed
water into wine. He raised the dead, he caused the lame to walk :
him whose hand was withered he caused to stretch it out, and
the woman which had suffered an issue of blood twelve years
touched the hem of his garment and was healed in the same hour.
And when we marvelled at the miracle which was done, he said :
Who touched me ? Then said we : Lord, the press of men hath
touched thee. But he answered and said unto us: I perceive
that a virtue is gone out of me. Straightway that woman came
before him, and answered and said unto him : Lord, I touched
thee. And he answered and said unto her: Go, thy faith hath
made thee whole. Thereafter he made the deaf to hear and the
blind to see ; out of them that were possessed he cast out the
unclean spirits, and cleansed the lepers. The spirit which dwelt
in a man, whereof the name was Legion, cried put against Jesus,
saying: Before the time of our destruction is come, thou art
come to drive us out. But the Lord Jesus rebuked him, saying :
Go out of this man and do him no hurt. And he entered into the
swine and drowned them in the water and they were choked.
Thereafter he did walk upon the sea, and the winds blew, and
he cried out against them (rebuked them), and the waves of the
sea were made calm. And when we his disciples had no money,
we asked him: What shall we do because of the tax-gatherer?
And he answered and told us : Let one of you cast an hook into
the deep, and take out a fish, and he shall find therein a penny :
that give unto the tax-gatherer for me and you. And thereafter
when we had no bread, but only five loaves and two fishes, he
commanded the people to sit them down, and the number of
them was five thousand, besides children and women. We did
set pieces of bread before them, and they ate and were filled,
and there remained over, and we filled twelve baskets full of the
fragments, asking one another and saying: What mean these
five loaves ? They are the symbol of our faith in the Lord of the
Christians (in the great Christendom), even in the Father, the Lord
Almighty, and in Jesus Christ our redeemer, in the Holy Ghost
the comforter, in the holy church, and in the remission of sins.
6 These things did our Lord and Saviour reveal unto us and
teach us. And we do even as he, that ye may become partakers
in the grace of our Lord and in our ministry and our giving of
thanks (glory), and think upon life eternal. Be ye steadfast and
waver not in the knowledge and confidence of our Lord Jesus
Christ, and he will have mercy on you and save you everlastingly,
world without end.
Here begins the Coptic text.
7 Cerinthus and Simon are come to go to and fro in the world,
but they are enemies of our Lord Jesus Christ, for they do pervert
488 EPISTLE OF THE APOSTLES
the word and the true thing, even (faith In) Jesus Christ. Keep
yourselves therefore far from them, for death is in them, and great
pollution and corruption, even in these on whom shall come
judgement and the end and everlasting destruction.
8 Therefore have we not shrunk from writing unto you con-
cerning the testimony of Christ our Saviour, of what he did, when
we followed with him, how he enlightened our understanding . . .
9 Concerning whom we testify that the Lord is he who was
crucified by Pontius Pilate and Archelaus between the two
thieves (and with them he was taken down from the tree of the
cross, Eth.), and was buried in a place which is called the place of
a skull (Kraniori). And thither went three women, Mary, she that
was kin to Martha, and Mary Magdalene (Sarrha, Martha, and
Mary, Eth.}, and took ointments to pour upon the body, weeping
and mourning over that which was come to pass. And when they
drew near to the sepulchre, they looked in and found not the body
(Eth. they found the stone rolled away and opened the entrance).
10 And as they mourned and wept, the Lord showed himself
unto them and said to them: For whom weep ye ? weep no more,
I am he whom ye seek. But let one of you go to your brethren
and say: Come ye, the Master is risen from the dead. Martha
(Mary, Eth.) came and told us. We said unto her: What have
we to do with thee, woman? He that is dead and buried, is it
possible that he should live ? And we believed her not that the
Saviour was risen from the dead. Then she returned unto the
Lord and said unto him: None of them hath believed me, that
thou livest. He said : Let another of you go unto them and tell
them again. Mary (Sarrha, Eth.) came and told us again, and
we believed her not ; and she returned unto the Lord and she also
told him.
11 Then said the Lord unto Mary and her sisters: Let us go
unto them. And he came and found us within (sitting veiled
or fishing, Eth.), and called us out ; but we thought that it was
a phantom and believed not that it was the Lord. Then said he
unto us : Come, fear ye not. I am your master, even he, O Peter,
whom thou didst deny thrice ; and dost thou now deny again ?
And we came unto him, doubting in our hearts whether it were
he. Then said he unto us: Wherefore doubt ye still, and are
unbelieving ? I am he that spake unto you of my flesh and my
death and my resurrection. But that ye may know that I am
he, do thou, Peter, put thy finger into the print of the nails in
mine hands, and thou also, Thomas, put thy finger into the
wound of the spear in my side ; but thou, Andrew, look on my
feet and see whether they press the earth ; for it is written in the
prophet: 1 A phantom of a devil maketh no footprint on the
earth.
* Not identified. The Christian poet Commodian appears to quote
this passage : Vestigium umbra non facit.
EPISTLE OF THE APOSTLES 489
12 And we touched him, that we might learn l of a truth
whether he were risen in the flesh ; and we fell on our faces (and
worshipped him) confessing our sin, that we had been unbelieving.
Then said our Lord and Saviour unto us: Rise up, and I will
reveal unto you that which is above the heaven and in the heaven,
and your rest which is in the kingdom of heaven. For my Father
hath given me power (sent me, Eth.) to take you up thither, and
them also that believe on me.
13 Now that which he revealed unto us is this, which he spake:
It came to pass when I was about (minded) to come hither from
the Father of all things, and passed through the heavens, then
did I put on the wisdom of the Father, and I put on the power
of his might. I was in heaven, and I passed by the archangels
and the angels in their likeness, like as if I were one of them,
among the princedoms and powers. I passed through them
because I possessed the wisdom of him that had sent me. Now
the chief captain of the angels, [is] Michael, and Gabriel and Uriel
and Raphael followed me unto the fifth firmament (heaven), for
they thought in their heart that I was one of them ; such power
was given me of my Father. And on that day did I adorn the
archangels with a wonderful voice (so Copt. : Eth., Lot., I made
them quake amazed them), so that they should go unto the altar
of the Father and serve and fulfil the ministry until I should
return unto him. And so wrought I the likeness by my wisdom;
for I became all things in all, that I might praise the dispensation
of the Father and fulfil the glory of him that sent me (the verbs
might well be transposed) and return unto him. (Here the Latin
omits a considerable portion of text without notice, to near the
beginning of c. 17.)
14 For ye know that the angel Gabriel brought the message
unto Mary. And we answered: Yea, Lord. He answered and
said unto us: Remember ye not, then, that I said unto you
a little while ago: I became an angel among the angels, and
I became all things in all ? We said unto him : Yea, Lord. Then
answered he and said unto us : On that day whereon I took the
form of the angel Gabriel, I appeared unto Mary and spake with
her. Her heart accepted me, and she believed (She believed and
laughed, Eth.), and I formed myself and entered into her body.
I became flesh, for I alone was a minister unto myself in that
which concerned Mary (I was mine own messenger, Eth.) in the
appearance of the shape of an angel. For so must I needs (or, was
I wont to) do. Thereafter did I return to my Father (Copt.
After my return to the Father, and run on).
15 But do ye commemorate my death. Now when the Passover
(Easter, pascha) cometh, one of you shall be cast into prison for
my name's sake; and he will be in grief and sorrow, because ye
keep the Easter while he is in prison and separated from you, for
1 Here begins the Latin fragment.
490 EPISTLE OF THE APOSTLES
he will be sorrowful because he keepeth not Easter with you.
And I will send my power in the form of mine angel Gabriel, and
the doors of the prison shall open. And he shall come forth
and come unto you and keep the night-watch with you until the
cock crow. And when ye have accomplished the memorial which
is made of me, and the Agape (love-feast), he shall again be cast
into prison for a testimony, until he shall come out thence and
preach that which I have delivered unto you.
And we said unto him: Lord, is it then needful that we should
again take the cup and drink? (Lord, didst not thou thyself
fulfil the drinking of the Passover ? is it then needful that we
should accomplish it again? Eth.) He said unto us: Yea, it is
needful, until the day when I come again, with them that have
been put to death for my sake (come with my wounds, Eth.).
16 Then said we to him: Lord, that which thou hast revealed
unto us (revealest, Eth.) is great. Wilt thou come in the power of
any creature or in an appearance of any kind ? (In what power
or form wilt thou come? Eth.) He answered and said unto us:
Verily I say unto you, I shall come like the sun when it is risen,
and my brightness will be seven times the brightness thereof I 1 The
wings of the clouds shall bear me in brightness, and the sign of
the cross shall go before me, and I shall come upon earth to judge
the quick and the dead.
17 We said unto him: Lord, after how many years shall this
come to pass ? He said unto us : 2 When the hundredth part
and the twentieth part is fulfilled, between the Pentecost and the
feast of unleavened bread, then shall the coming of my Father
be (so Copt.: When an hundred and fifty years are past, in the
days of the feast of Passover and Pentecost, &c., Eth. : . . .
(imperfect word) year is fulfilled, between the unleavened bread
and Pentecost shall be the coming of my Father, Lot.). 3
We said unto him: Now sayest thou unto us: I will come;
and how sayest thou: He that sent me is he that shall come?
Then said he to us : I am wholly in the Father and my Father is
in me. 4 Then said we to him : Wilt thou indeed forsake us until
thy coming ? Where can we 5 find a master ? But he answered
and said unto us: Know ye not, then, that like as until now
I have been here, so also was I there, with him that sent me?
And we said to him : Lord, is it then possible that thou shouldest
be both here and there ? But he answered us : I am wholly in
1 Probably from the Apocalypse of Peter.
2 Here the Latin fragment resumes.
3 Before the word 'year 5 in Lat. are the letters inta which may be
the end of a numeral such as quinquaginta (fifty). It seems likely that
in. the archetype of the Latin one or more leaves were wanting.
* Here Coptic omits several clauses by homoeoteleuton. Ethiopic
and Latin are followed.
5 Here Latin ends.
EPISTLE OF THE APOSTLES 491
the Father and the Father in me, 1 because of (in regard of) the
likeness of the form and the power and the fullness and the light
and the full measure and the voice. I am the word, I am become
unto him a thing, that is to say (word gone) of the thought,
fulfilled in the type (likeness); I have come into the Ogdoad
(eighth number), which is the Lord's day. 2 (In place of these
sentences Eth. has: I am of his resemblance and form, of his
power and completeness, and of his light. I am his complete
(fulfilled, entire) Word.
18 But it came to pass after he was crucified, and dead and
arisen again, when the work was fulfilled which was accomplished
in the flesh, and he was crucified and the ascension come to pass
at the end of the days, then said he thus, &c. It is an interpolation,
in place of words which the translator did not understand, or found
heretical.) But the whole fulfilment of the fulfilment shall ye see
after the redemption which hath come to pass by me, and ye
shall see me, how I go up unto my Father which is in heaven.
But behold, now, I give unto you a new commandment: Love
one another and [a leaf lost in Copt.} obey one another, that
peace may rule alway among you. Love your enemies, and what
ye would not that man do unto you, that do unto no man.
19 And this preach ye also and teach them that believe on me,
and preach the kingdom of heaven of my Father, and how my
Father hath given me the power, that ye may bring near the
children of my heavenly Father. Preach ye, and they shall
obtain faith, that ye may be they for whom it is ordained that
they shall bring his children unto heaven.
And we said unto him: Lord, unto thee it is possible to
accomplish that whereof thou tellest us; but how shall we be
able to do it ? He said to us : Verily I say unto you, preach and
proclaim as I command you, for I will be with you, for it is my
good pleasure to be with you, that ye may be heirs with me in
the kingdom of heaven, even the kingdom of him that sent me.
Verily I say unto you, ye shall be my brethren and my friends,
for my Father hath found pleasure in you : and so also shall they
be that believe on me by your means. Verily I say unto you,
such and so great joy hath my Father prepared for you that the
angels and the powers desired and do desire to see it and look
upon it ; but it is not given unto them to behold the glory of my
Father. We said unto him: Lord, what is this whereof thou
speakest to us ?
Copt, begins again : words are missing.
He answered us : Ye shall behold a light, more excellent than
that which shineth . . . (shineth more brightly than the light, and is
more perfect than perfection. And the Son shall become perfect
1 Coptic resumes.
* The Lord's day considered as the eighth day of the week.
492 EPISTLE OF THE APOSTLES
through the Father who is Light, for the Father is perfect which
bringeth to pass death and resurrection, and ye shall see a per-
fection more perfect than the perfect. And I am wholly at the
right hand of the Father, even in him that maketh perfect.
Eth. : Copt, has gaps).
And we said unto him: Lord, in all things art thou become
s-alvation and life unto us, for that thou makest known such a
hope unto us. And he said to us : Be of good courage and rest
in me. Verily I say unto you, your rest shall be above (?), in the
place where is neither eating nor drinking, nor care (Copt, joy) nor
sorrow, nor passing away of them that are therein : for ye shall
have no part in (the things of earth, Eth.) but ye shall be received
in the everlastingness of my Father. Like as I am in him, so shall
ye also be in me.
Again we said unto him: In what forrn? in the fashion of
angels, or in flesh ? And he answered and said unto us : Lo, I have
put on your flesh, wherein I was born and crucified, and am risen
again through my Father which is in heaven, that the prophecy of
David the prophet might be fulfilled, in regard of that which was
declared concerning me and my death and resurrection, saying :
Lord, they are increased that fight with me, and many are they
that are risen up against me.
Many there be that say to my soul : There is no help for him
in his God.
But thou, O Lord, art my defender : thou art my worship, and
the lifter up of my head.
I did call upon the Lord with my voice and he heard me (out
of the high place of his temple, Eth.).
I laid me down and slept, and rose up again : for thou, O Lord,
art my defender.
I will not be afraid for ten thousands of the people, that have
set themselves against me round about.
Up, Lord, and help me, O my God : for thou hast smitten down
all them that without cause are mine enemies : thou hast broken
the teeth of the ungodly.
Salvation belongeth unto the Lord, and his good pleasure is
upon his people (Ps. iii. 1-8).
If, therefore, all the words which were spoken by the prophets
have been fulfilled in me (for I myself was in them), how much more
shall that which I say unto you come to pass indeed, that he which
sent me may be glorified by you and by them that believe on me ?
20 And when he had said this unto us, we said to him: In all
things hast thou had mercy on us and saved us, and hast revealed
all things unto us ; but yet would we ask of thee somewhat if thou
give us leave. And he said unto us : I know that ye pay heed,
and that your heart is well-pleased when ye hear me: now
concerning that which ye desire, I will speak good words unto you.
21 For verily I say unto you: Like as my Father hath raised me
EPISTLE OF THE APOSTLES 493
from the dead, so shall ye also rise (in the flesh, Eth.) and be taken
up into the highest heaven, unto the place whereof I have told
you from the beginning, unto the place which he who sent me
hath prepared for you. And so will I accomplish all dispensations
(all grace, Eth.), even I who am unbegotten and yet begotten of
mankind, who am without flesh and yet have borne flesh
Then said we unto him: Great is that which thou sufferest us
to hope, and tellest us. And he answered and said: Believe ye
that everything that I tell you shall come to pass ? We answered
and said: Yea, Lord. (Copt, resumes for a few lines : then another
fap. I follow Eth.) He said unto us: Verily I say unto you, that
have obtained the whole power of my Father, that I may bring
back into light them that dwell in darkness, them that are in
corruption into incorruption, them that are in death into life,
and that I may loose them that are in fetters. For that which is
impossible with men, is possible with the Father. I am the hope
of them that despair, the helper of them that have no saviour,
the wealth of the poor, the health of the sick, and the resurrection
of the dead.
22 When he had thus said, we said unto him: Lord, is it true
that the flesh shall be judged together with the soul and the
spirit, and that the one part shall rest in heaven and the other
part be punished everlastingly yet living ? And he said unto us :
(Copt, resumes) How long will ye inquire and doubt?
23 Again we said unto him: Lord, there is necessity upon us
to inquire of thee because thou hast commanded us to preach
that we ourselves may learn assuredly of thee and be profitable
preachers, and that they which are instructed by us may believe
in thee. Therefore must we needs inquire of thee.
24 He answered us and said: Verily I say unto you, the
resurrection of the flesh shall come to pass with the soul therein
and the spirit. And we said unto him: Lord, is it then possible
that that which is dissolved and brought to nought should
become whole? and we ask thee not as unbelieving, neither as
if it were impossible unto thee; but verily we believe that that
which thou sayest shall come to pass. And he was wroth with
us and said: O ye of little faith, how long will ye ask questions?
But what ye will, tell it me, and I myself will tell you without
grudging: only keep ye my commandments and do that which
I bid you, and turn not away your face from any man, that I turn
not my face away from you, but without shrinking and fear and
494 EPISTLE OF THE APOSTLES
without respect of persons, minister ye in the way that is direct
and narrow and strait. So shall my Father himself rejoice
over you.
25 Again we said unto him: Lord, already are we ashamed
that we question thee oft-times and burden thee. And he an-
swered and said unto us: I know that in faith and with your
whole heart ye do question me; therefore do I rejoice over you,
for verily I say unto you: I rejoice, and my Father that is in me,
because ye question me ; and your importunity (shamelessness)
is unto me rejoicing and unto you it giveth life. And when he
had so said unto us, we were glad that we had questioned him,
and we said to him : Lord, in all things thou makest us alive and
hast mercy on us. Wilt thou now declare unto us that which we
shall ask thee ? Then said he unto us : Is it the flesh that passeth
away, or is it the spirit ? We said unto him: The flesh is it that
passeth away. Then said he unto us: That which hath fallen
shall rise again, and that which was lost shall be found, and that
which was weak shall recover, that in these things that are so
created the glory of my Father may be revealed. As he hath
done unto me, so will I do unto all that believe in me.
26 Verily I say unto you: the flesh shall arise, and the soul,
alive, that their defence may come to pass on that day in regard
of that that they have done, whether it be good or evil : that there
may be a choosing-out of the faithful who have kept the com-
mandments of my Father that sent me ; and so shall the judge-
ment be accomplished with strictness. For my Father said unto
me : My Son, in the day of judgement thou shalt have no respect
for the rich, neither pity for the poor, but according to the sins
of every man shalt thou deliver him unto everlasting torment.
But unto my beloved that have done the commandments of my
Father that sent me will I give the rest of life in the kingdom of
my Father which is in heaven, and they shall behold that which
he hath given me. And he hath given me authority to do that
which I will, and to give that which I have promised and deter-
mined to give and grant unto them.
27 For to that end went I down unto the place of Lazarus,
and preached unto the righteous and the prophets, that they
might come out of the rest which is below and come up into that
which is above ; and I poured out upon them with my right hand
the water (?) (baptism, Eth.) of life and forgiveness and salvation
from all evil, as I have done unto you and unto them that believe
on me. But if any man believe on me and do not my command-
ments, although he have confessed my name, he hath no profit
therefrom but runneth a vain race: for such will find themselves
in perdition and destruction, because they have despised my
commandments.
28 But so much the more have I redeemed you, the children
of light, from all evil and from the authority of the rulers (archons),
EPISTLE OF THE APOSTLES 495
and every one that believeth on me by your means. For that
which I have promised unto you will I give unto them also, that
they may come out of the prison-house and the fetters of the
rulers. We answered and said: Lord, thou hast given unto us
the rest of life and hast given us by wonders, unto the con-
firmation of faith: wilt thou now preach the same unto us,
seeing that thou hast preached it unto the and the
prophets ? Then said he unto us : Verily I say unto you, all that
have believed on me and that believe in him that sent me will
I take up into the heaven, unto the place which my Father hath
prepared for the elect, and I will give you the kingdom, the chosen
kingdom, in rest, and everlasting life.
29 But all they that have offended against my commandments
and have taught other doctrine, (perverting) the Scripture and
adding thereto, striving after their own glory, and that teach with
other words them that believe on me in uprightness, if they make
them fall thereby, shall receive everlasting punishment. We said
unto him : Lord, shall there then be teaching by others, diverse
from that which thou hast spoken unto us ? He said unto us : It
must needs be, that the evil and the good may be made manifest ;
and the judgement shall be manifest upon them that do these
things, and according to their works shall they be judged and
shall be delivered unto death..
Again we said unto him: Lord, blessed are we in that we see
thee and hear thee declaring such things, for our eyes have
beheld these great wonders that thou hast done. He answered
and said unto us: Yea, rather blessed are they that have not seen
and yet have believed, for they shall be called children of the
kingdom, and they shall be perfect among the perfect, and I will
be unto them life in the kingdom of my Father.
Again we said unto him : Lord, how shall men be able to believe
that thou wilt depart and leave us ; for thou sayest unto us :
There shall come a day and an hour when I shall ascend unto my
Father ?
30 But he said unto us: Go ye and preach unto the twelve
tribes, and preach also unto the heathen, and to all the land of
Israel from the east to the west and from the south unto the
north, and many shall believe on the Son of God. But we
said unto him: Lord, who will believe us, or hearken unto us,
or (how shall we be able, Eth.) to teach the powers and signs and
wonders which thou hast done ? Then answered he and said to
us : Go ye and preach the mercifulness of my Father, and that
which he hath done through me will I myself do through you,
for I am in you, and I will give you my peace, and I will give
you a power of my spirit, that ye may prophesy to them unto
life eternal. And unto the others also will I give my power, that
they may teach the residue of the peoples.
(Six leaves lost in Copt. : Eth. continues.)
496 EPISTLE OF THE APOSTLES
31 And behold a man shall meet yon, whose name is
which being interpreted is Paul : he is a Jew, circumcised accord-
ing to the law, and he shall receive my voice from heaven with
fear and terror and trembling. And his eyes shall be blinded,
and by your hands by the sign of the cross shall they be protected
(healed : other Eth. MSS. with spittle by your hands shall his eyes,
&c.). Do ye unto him all that I have done unto you. Deliver it
(? the word of God) unto the other. And at the same time that
man shall open his eyes and praise the Lord, even my Father
which is in heaven. He shall obtain power among the people and
shall preach and instruct ; and many that hear him shall obtain
glory and be redeemed. But thereafter shall men be wroth with
him and deliver him into the hands of his enemies, and he shall
bear witness before kings that are mortal, and his end shall be that
he shall turn unto me, whereas he persecuted me at the first.
He shall preach and teach and abide with the elect, as a chosen
vessel and a wall that shall not be overthrown, yea, the last of
the last shall become a preacher unto the Gentiles, made perfect
by the will of my Father. Like as ye have learned from the
Scripture that your fathers the prophets spake of me, and in me
it is indeed fulfilled.
And he said unto us: Be ye also therefore guides unto them;
and all things that I said unto you, and that ye write concerning
me (tell ye them), that I am the word of the Father and that the
Father is in me. Such also shall ye be unto that man, as becometh
you. Instruct him and bring to his mind that which is spoken of
me in the Scripture and is fulfilled, and thereafter shall he become
the salvation of the Gentiles.
32 And we asked him: Lord, is there for us and for them the
self-same expectation of the inheritance ? He answered and said
unto us : Are then the fingers of the hand like unto each other,
or the ears of corn in the field, or do all fruit-trees bear the same
fruit? Doth not every one bear fruit according to its nature?
And we said unto him: Lord, wilt thou again speak unto us in
parables ? Then said he unto us : Lament not. Verily I say unto
you, ye are rny brethren, and my companions in the kingdom
of heaven unto my Father, for so is his good pleasure. Verily
I say unto you, unto them also whom ye teach and who believe
on me will I give that expectation.
33 And we asked him again: When shall we meet with that
man, and when wilt thou depart unto thy Father and our God
and Lord ? He answered and said unto us : That man will come
out of the land of Cilicia unto Damascus of Syria, to root up the
church which ye must found there. It is I that speak through
you ; and he shall come quickly : and he shall become strong in
the faith, that the word of the prophet may be fulfilled, which
saith: Behold, out of Syria will I begin to call together a new
Jerusalem, and Sion will I subdue unto me, and it shall be taken.
EPISTLE OF THE APOSTLES 497
and the place which is childless shall be called the son and
daughter of my Father, and my bride. For so hath it pleased
him that sent me. But that man will I turn back, that he
accomplish not his evil desire, and the praise of my Father shall
be perfected in him, and after that I am gone home and abide
with my Father, I will speak unto him from heaven, and all
things shall be accomplished which I have told you before con-
cerning him.
34 And we said unto him again: Lord, so many great things
hast thou told us and revealed unto us as never yet were spoken,
and in all hast thou given us rest and been gracious unto us.
After thy resurrection thou didst reveal unto us all things that
we might be saved indeed ; but thou saidst unto us only : There
shall be wonders and strange appearances in heaven and on earth
before the end of the world come. Tell us now, how shall we
perceive it ? And he answered us : I will teach it you ; and not
that which shall befall you only, but them also whom ye shall
teach and who shall believe, as well as them who shall hear that
man and believe on me. In those years and days shall it come
to pass.
And we said again unto him: Lord, what shall come to pass?
And he said unto us : 1 Then shall they that believe and they
that believe not hear (see, Eth.) a trumpet in the heaven, a vision
of great stars which shall be seen in the day, wonderful sights in
heaven reaching down to the earth ; stars which fall upon the
earth like fire, and a great and mighty hail of fire (a star shining
from the east unto this place, like unto fire, Eth. 2). The sun and
the moon fighting one with the other, a continual rolling and
noise of thunders and lightnings, thunder and earthquake ; cities
falling and men perishing in their overthrow, a continual dearth
for lack of rain, a terrible pestilence and great mortality, mighty
and untimely, so that they that die lack burial : and the bearing
forth of brethren and sisters and kinsfolk shall be upon one bier.
The kinsman shall show no favour to his kinsman, nor any man
to his neighbour. And they that were overthrown shall rise up
and behold them that overthrew them, that they lack burial, for
the pestilence shall be full of hatred and pain and envy : and men
shall take from one and give to another. And thereafter shall it
wax yet worse than before. (Bewail ye them that have not
hearkened unto my commandments, Eth. 2.)
35 Then shall my Father be wroth at the wickedness of men,
for many are their transgressions, and the abomination of then"
uncleanness weigheth heavy upon them in the corruption of
their life.
And we asked him : What of them that trust in thee ? He
answered and said unto us : Ye are yet slow of heart ; and how
long ? Verily I say unto you, as the prophet David spake of me
1 Here begins the parallel text in the prophecy (Testament in Galilee}
which is prefixed, in the Ethiopia version, to the Epistle: see above.
870 K k
498 EPISTLE OF THE APOSTLES
and of my people, so shall it be (?) for them also that believe on me.
But they that are deceivers in the world and enemies of righteous-
ness, upon them shall come the fulfilment of the prophecy of David,
who said : Their feet are swift to shed blood, their tongue uttereth
slander, adders' poison is under their lips. I behold thee
companying with thieves, and partaking with adulterers, thou
continuest speaking against thy brother and puttest stumbling-
blocks before thine own mother's son. What thinkest thou,
that I shall be like unto thee ? Behold now how the prophet of
God hath spoken of all, that all things may be fulfilled which he
said aforetime.
36 And again we said unto him: Lord, will not then the
nations say: Where is their God? And he answered and
said unto us: Thereby shall the elect be known, that they,
being plagued with such afflictions, come forth. We said: Will
then their departure out of the world be by a pestilence which
giveth them pain? He answered us: Nay, but if they suffer
such affliction, it will be a proving of them, whether they have
faith and remember these my sayings, and fulfil my command-
ments. These shall arise, and short will be their expectation,
that he may be glorified that sent me, and I with him. For he
hath sent me unto you to tell you these things ; and that ye may
impart them unto Israel and the Gentiles and they may hear,
and they also be redeemed and believe on me and escape the
woe of the destruction. But whoso escapeth from the destruction
of death, him will they take and hold him fast in the prison-house
in torments like the torments of a thief.
And we said unto him: Lord, will they that believe be treated
like the unbelievers, and wilt thou punish them that have
escaped from the pestilence ? And he said unto us : If they that
believe in my name deal like the sinners, then have they done
as though they had not believed. And we said again to him:
Lord, have they on whom this lot hath fallen no life? He
answered and said unto us : Whoso hath accomplished the praise
of my Father, he shall abide in the resting-place of my Father.
37 Then said we unto him: Lord, teach us what shall come to
pass thereafter ? And he answered us : In those years and days
shall war be kindled upon war ; x the four ends of the earth shall
be in commotion and fight against each other. Thereafter shall
be quakings of clouds (or, clouds of locusts), darkness, and dearth,
and persecutions of them that believe on me and against the
elect. Thereupon shall come doubt and strife and transgressions
against one another. And there shall be many that believe on
my name and yet follow after evil and spread vain doctrine.
And men shall follow after them and their riches, and be subject
unto their pride, and lust for drink, and bribery, and there shall
be respect of persons among them.
1 Fragments of a leaf in Coptic exist for this passage.
EPISTLE OF THE APOSTLES 499
88 But they that desire to behold the face of God and respect
not the persons of the rich sinners, and are not ashamed before
the people that lead them astray, but rebuke (?) them, they
shall be crowned by the Father. And they also shall be saved
that rebuke their neighbours, for they are sons of wisdom and
of faith. But if they become not children of wisdom, whoso
hateth his brother and persecuteth him and showeth him no
favour, him will God despise and reject.
(Copt, resumes.)
But they that walk in truth and in the knowledge of the faith,
and have love towards me for they have endured insult they
shall be praised for that they walk in poverty and endure them
that hate them and put them to shame. Men have stripped them
naked, for they despised them because they continued in hunger
and thirst, but after they have endured patiently, they shall
have the blessedness of heaven, and they shall be with me for
ever. But woe unto them that walk in pride and boasting, for
their end is perdition.
39 And we said unto him : Lord, is this thy purpose, that thou
leavest us, to come upon them? (Will all this come to pass,
Eth.) He answered and said unto us: After what manner shall
the judgement be? whether righteous or unrighteous? (In
Copt, and Eth. the general sense is the same: but the answer of
Jesus in the form of a question is odd, and there is probably
a corruption.)
We said unto him : Lord, in that day they will say unto thee :
Thou hast not distinguished between (probably: will they not
say unto thee: Thou hast distinguished between) righteousness
and unrighteousness, between the light and the darkness, and
evil and good? Then said he: I will answer them and say:
Unto Adam was power given to choose one of the two : he chose
the light and laid his hand thereon, but the darkness he left
behind him and cast away from him. Therefore have all men
power to believe in the light which is life, and which is the Father
that hath sent me. And every one that believeth and doeth
the works of the light shall live in them ; but if there be any that
confesseth that he'belongeth unto the light, and doeth the works
of darkness, such an one hath no defence to utter, neither can he
lift up his face to look upon the Son of God, which Son am I.
For I will say unto him: As thou soughtest, so hast thou found,
and as thou askedst, so hast thou received. Wherefore con-
demnest thou me, O man ? Wherefore hast thou departed from
me and denied me ? And wherefore hast thou confessed me and
yet denied me? hath not every man power to live and to die?
Whoso then hath kept my commandments shall be a son of the
light, that is, of the Father that is in me. But because of them
that corrupt my words am I come down from heaven. I am the
500 EPISTLE OF THE APOSTLES
word: I became flesh, and I wearied myself (or, suffered) and
taught, saying: The heavy laden shall be saved, and they that
are gone astray shall go astray for ever. They shall be chastised
and tormented in their flesh and in their soul.
40 And we said unto him: O Lord, verily we are sorrowful
for their sake. And he said unto us: Ye do rightly, for the
righteous are sorry for the sinners, and pray for them, making
prayer unto my Father. Again we said unto him: Lord, is there
none that niaketh intercession unto thee (so Eth.)t And he
said unto us: Yea, and I will hearken unto the prayer of the
righteous which they make for them.
When he had so said unto us, we said to Mm: Lord, in all
things hast thou taught us and had mercy on us and saved us,
that we might preach unto them that are worthy to be saved,
and that we might obtain a recompense with thee. (Shall we be
partakers of a recompense from thee? Eth.) 41 He answered
and said unto us : Go and preach, and ye shall be labourers, and
fathers, and ministers. We said unto him: Thou art he (or,
Art thou he) that shalt preach by us. (Lord, thou art our father.
Eth.) Then answered he us, saying: Be not (or, Are not ye)
all fathers or all masters. (Are then all fathers, or all servants,
or all masters? Eth.) We said unto him: Lord, thou art he
that saidst unto us : Call no man your father upon earth, for one
is your Father, which is in heaven, and your master. Wherefore
sayest thou now unto us: Ye shall be fathers of many children,
and servants and masters? He answered and said unto us:
According as ye have said (Ye have rightly said, Eth.). For
verily I say unto you: whosoever shall hear you and believe
on me, shall receive of you the light of the seal through me, and
baptism through me: ye shall be fathers and servants and
masters.
42 But we said unto him: Lord, how may it be that every one
of us should be these three? He said unto us: Verily I say
unto you: Ye shall be called fathers, because with praiseworthy
heart and in love ye have revealed unto them the things of the
kingdom of heaven. And ye shall be called servants, because
they shall receive the baptism of life and the remission of their
sins at my hand through you. And ye shall be called masters,
because ye have given them the word without grudging, and
have admonished them, and when ye admonished them, they
turned themselves (were converted). Ye were not afraid of their
riches, nor ashamed before their face, but ye kept the command-
ments of my Father and fulfilled them. And ye shall have a
great reward with my Father which is in heaven, and they shall
have forgiveness of sins and everlasting life, and be partakers in
the kingdom of heaven.
And we said unto him : Lord, even if every one of us had ten
thousand tongues to speak withal, we could not thank thee, fo*
EPISTLE OF THE APOSTLES 501
that thou promisest such things unto us. Then answered he us,
saying: Only dp ye that which I say unto you, even as I myself
also have done it. 43 And ye shall be like the wise virgins which
watched and slept not, but went forth unto the lord into the
bridechamber : but the foolish virgins were not able to watch, but
slumbered. And we said unto him: Lord, who are the wise and
who are the foolish ? He said unto us : Five wise and five foolish ;
for these are they of whom the prophet hath spoken: Sons of
God are they. Hear now their names.
But we wept and were troubled for them that slumbered.
He said unto us: The five wise are Faith and Love and Grace
and Peace and Hope. Now they of the faithful which possess
this (these) shall be guides unto them that have believed on me
and on him that sent me. For I am the Lord and I am the
bridegroom whom they have received, and they have entered
in to the house of the bridegroom and are laid down with me in
the bridal chamber rejoicing. But the five foolish, when they
had slept and had awaked, came unto the door of the bridal
chamber and knocked, for the doors were shut. Then did they
weep and lament that no man opened unto them.
We said unto him: Lord, and their wise sisters that were
within in the bridegroom's house, did they continue without
opening unto them, and did they not sorrow for their sakes nor
entreat the bridegroom to open unto them? He answered us,
saying : They were not yet able to obtain favour for them. We
said unto him: Lord, on what day shall they enter in for their
sisters' sake? Then said he unto us: He that is shut out, is
shut out. And we said unto him: Lord, is this word (deter-
mined?). Who then are the foolish? He said unto us: Hear
their names. They are Knowledge, Understanding (Perception),
Obedience, Patience, and Compassion. These are they that
slumbered in them that have believed and confessed me but
have not fulfilled my commandments. 44 On account of them
that have slumbered, they shall remain outside the kingdom and
the fold of the shepherd and his sheep. But whoso shall abide
outside the sheepfold, him will the wolves devour, and he shall
be (condemned?) and die in much affliction: in him shall be
no rest nor endurance, and (Eth.) although he be hardly punished,
and rent in pieces and devoured in long and evil torment, yet
shall he not be able to obtain death quickly.
45 And we said unto him: Lord, well hast thou revealed all
this unto us. Then answered he us, saying : Understand ye not
(or, Ye understand not) these words ? We said unto him : Yea,
Lord. By five shall men enter into thy kingdom
502 EPISTLE OF THE APOSTLES
Indeed rejoice that they have entered in with the bridegroom,
the Lord; and they are sorrowful because of them that slum-
bered, for they are their sisters. For all ten are daughters of
God, even the Father. Then said we unto him : Lord, is it then
for thee to show them favour on account of their sisters ? (It
becometh thy majesty to show them favour, Eth.) He said unto
us: but his that sent me, and I am consenting
with him (It is not yours, &c., Eth.).
46 But be ye upright and preach rightly and teach, and be
not abashed by any man and fear not any man, and especially
the rich, for they do not my commandments, but boast them-
selves (swell) in their riches. And we said unto him: Lord, tell
us if it be the rich only. He answered, saying unto us: If any
man who is not rich and possesseth a small livelihood giveth
unto the poor and needy, men will call him a benefactor.
47 But if any man fall under the load of sin that he
hath committed, then shall his neighbour correct him because
of the good that he hath done unto his neighbour. And if his
neighbour correct him and he return, he shall be saved, and he
that corrected him shall receive a reward and live for ever.
For a needy man, if he see him that hath done him good sin,
and correct him not, shall be judged with severe judgement.
Now if a blind man lead a blind, they both fall into a ditch:
and whoso respecteth persons for their sake, shall be as the
two , as the prophet hath said: Woe unto them that
respect persons and justify the ungodly for reward, even they
whose God is their belly. Behold that judgement shall be their
portion. For verily I say unto you: On that day will I neither
have respect unto the rich nor pity for the poor.
48 If thou behold a sinner, admonish him betwixt him and
thee : (if he hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother, Eth.) and
if he hear thee not, then take to thee another, as many as three,
and instruct thy brother : again, if he hear thee not, let him be
unto thee
(Copt, defective from this point.)
as an heathen man or a publican.
40 If thou hear aught against thy brother, give it no credence ;
slander not, and delight not in hearing slander. For thus it is
written : Suffer not thine ear to receive aught against thy brother :
but if thou seest aught, correct him, rebuke him, and convert him.
And we said unto him : Lord, thou hast in all things taught us
and warned us. But, Lord, concerning the believers, even them
to whom it belongeth to believe in the preaching of thy name:
is it determined that among them also there shall be doubt and
division, jealousy, confusion, hatred, and envy? For thou
sayest: They shall find fault with one another and respect the
person of them that sin, and hate them that rebuke them. And
he answered and said unto us: How then shall the judgement
EPISTLE OF THE APOSTLES 503
come about, that the corn should be gathered into the garner
and the chaff thereof cast into the fire ?
50 They that hate such things, and love me and rebuke them
that fulfil not my commandments, shall be hated and persecuted
and despised and mocked. Men will of purpose speak of them
that which is not true, and will band themselves together against
them that love me. But these will rebuke them, that they may
be saved. But them that will rebuke and chasten and warn
them, them will they (the others) hate, and thrust them aside,
and despise them, and hold themselves far from them that wish
them good. But they that endure such things shall be like unto
the martyrs with the Father, because they have striven for
righteousness, and have not striven for corruption.
And we asked him: Lord, shall such things be among us?
And he answered us: Fear not; it shall not be in many, but in
a few. We said unto him: Yet tell us, in what manner it shall
come to pass. And he said unto us: There shall come forth
another doctrine, and a confusion, and because they shall strive
after their own advancement, they shall bring forth an unprofit-
able doctrine. And therein shall be a deadly corruption (of
uncleanness), and they shall teach it, and shall turn away them
that believe on me from my commandments and cut them off
from eternal life. But woe unto them that falsify this my word
and commandment, and draw away them that hearken to
them from the life of the doctrine and separate themselves from
the commandment of life: for together with them they shall
come into everlasting judgement.
51 And when he had said this, and had finished his discourse
with us, he said unto us again: Behold, on the third day and at
the third hour shall he come which hath sent me, that I may
depart with him. And as he so spake, there was thunder and
lightning and an earthquake, and the heavens parted asunder,
and there appeared a light (bright) cloud which bore him up.
And there came voices of many angels, rejoicing and singing
praises and saying: Gather us, O Priest, unto the light of the
majesty. And when they drew nigh unto the firmament, we
heard his voice saying unto us: Depart hence in peace.
translated by Montague Rhodes James,
THE APOCRYPHAL NEW TESTAMENT
(Oxford University Press, Amen House, London: 1924) pp 485-503