The Contendings of the Apostles, Part 1

The Contendings of the Apostles, Part 1

Translated by E. A. Wallis Budge

Ethiopic collection of the Middle Ages

The first part of the Ethiopic collection of legends about the apostles: the history and martyrdom of Peter and Paul, the genealogies of the twelve, a letter of Dionysius the Areopagite, and the preaching and martyrdoms of James, Bartholomew, Andrew, Matthew, Luke, Philip, John, Matthias, Mark, Thomas and others. These are late legends, partly from older acts, and are not Scripture.

The Preface by the Ethiopian Translator

1 In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Here beginneth the Book wherein have been gathered together the acts of the chosen disciples, [who were] the servants of our Lord and God and Redeemer, Jesus Christ, the Voice of the Living God, [and the accounts] of the Twelve pure and holy Apostles, and of their journeys ings and wanderings through all the world; and of how the story of them and of their preaching, among all peoples in every country and in all the ends of the earth, hath come down [to us]; and of how their teaching was a confession of belief in the Holy Trinity — Father, and Son, and Holy Spirit, One God — and One of the Three Who took upon Himself flesh of the Virgin Mary, the holy Godsbearer, for the redemption of Adam and of his progeny. And in this Book are [the accounts also] of the acts which they wrought, both signs and wonders, in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by the might of His glorious Cross; and of how they drove out devils; and of how they raised the dead to life; and of how they healed the sick of every kind of disease; and of how by the help of the Holy Ghost they wrought the wondrous deeds which shed light upon the hearts of men; and of what happened unto them when they made answer unto mighty kings; and of how they endured patiently scourgings and beatings with many stripes;

2 and of how they suffered long with depraved peoples until they converted them to the belief of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, Who was of olden time, and Who was before the world; and of how they died or suffered martyrdom, each in the country [to which he had gone], by the hands of kings and governors, and of when, and on what day, and in what months their deaths and martyrdoms took place. May their prayer and blessing, and the prayer of our Lady Mary, and the blessing and prayer of the company of the saints keep us always and for ever and ever. Amen.

The History of Saint Peter

1 With thanks unto God, and with the help of our Lord Jesus Christ, we begin [to write] the preaching of the blessed Saint Peter, the chief of the Apostles, the chosen one who was acceptable [unto God], and the story of his life and preaching unto the people who were in the city of Rome. May their prayers keep us all, always and for ever and ever. Amen. And it came to pass that when Peter had arrived in the city of Rome, which is the principal abode of the Roman Emperors, he entered into the TATRĀBĪŌN, that is to say, the Four Gates, or the great abode wherein there were gathered together the prefects, and all the nobles of the Roman Emperors, and he cried out forthwith, saying:— "Blessed are the merciful, for on them shall mercy be shewn." "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God."

2 "Blessed are the pure in body, for they shall become the habitation of the Holy Spirit." "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called and shall become the children of God." "Blessed are those who give to the poor, for unto them shall God give in return." "Blessed are those who have wives, and who are as if they had them not, for they shall become the children of life, and shall inherit everlasting life.". And it came to pass that when they heard the voice going in among and round about the pillars of the four sides (or corners) of the habitation (or throne), the pillars cried out and said, "Amen"; and the voice remained in the hearing of those who were assembled there. Now there was there a certain man in whom Satan had dwelt for [seventy] years, and at that moment he threw him down upon the ground among those who were gathered together there; and he went forth from him in the sight of all the people by reason of his hearing the voice which had come out from the pillars. And the prefects were greatly disturbed by reason of this thing, and they were afraid with an exceedingly great fear, and they came into their habitations wondering with a great wonder, and every man of those who had heard [the voice] told each his wife. And it came to pass that among the nobles there was a certain prefect called Kewestôs, who had a wife whose name was 'Akrôsyâ. And her husband said unto her, "Knowest thou not what hath happened this day?" And she answered and said unto him, "What [hath happened], O my lord?" And he answered and said unto her, "This day we were gathered together in the Taṭrâbîlôn, I and the assembly of the prefects, and all the elders of the kingdom, when there came and entered into our midst a man called Peter. And he spake unto us words, the like of which neither we nor our fathers ever heard, and at length stone pillars spake in answer unto him. Now there was there a certain man in whom Satan had dwelt for seventy years, and Satan went forth from him when the stone pillars said 'Amen'." And his wife, 'Akrōsyā answered and said unto him, "O my lord, tell me everything which thou didst hear of the words of Peter, that I also may believe thereon." And Kewesṭōs her husband said unto her, "Peter spake, saying:—

3 'Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. 'Blessed are the merciful, for on them shall mercy be shewn. 'Blessed are the pure in body, for they shall become the habitation of the Holy Spirit.' 'Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called and shall become the children of God'. 'Blessed are those who give to the poor, for unto them shall God give in return'." But he hid from her and did not tell her of the words which Peter spake concerning him that had a wife, because he was afraid that his wife would not receive him. Now because God had opened her mind, and had lightened the eyes of her understanding, she said unto him, "Of all the words which thou didst hear from Peter is there not one which thou hast hidden from me?" Then Kewesṭōs said unto her, "There is one word which I have not told thee; but now, if thou wishest that I should tell thee what remaineth of the words of Peter, shall I tell thee?". And she said unto him, "Yea, O my master, tell me everything that thou didst hear from him". Then Kewesṭōs answered and said unto her, "I heard him say, 'Blessed are those who have wives, and who are as if they had them not, for they shall inherit the life which is ever-lasting". And his wife answered and said unto him, "O my brother, what can be better than this saying? And now, I would look upon his face, and I, even I, entreat thee, O my brother, to grant me the petition which I make unto thee"; and KewesTŌs said, "Speak thou". Then she said unto him, "We have dwelt to-gether for a long time, and we have lived in the plea-

4 "sure and delights of the flesh, which is full of pollution, and we have begotten three male children; one of them is dead, but two of them remain [alive], and through them have we set aside our grief. Doth it please thee that we should desire to become like unto those con-cerning whom Peter said, 'They shall inherit the land of life which is everlasting'?" And her husband answered and said unto her, "I consent"; and he repeated the saying, and said unto her, "If thou desirest that it shall be so, come thou with me into the temple, that we may make "a covenant together to keep our bodies pure unto God and [without] intercourse until our death." So they hastened forth together into the temple, and they made a covenant according to what they had said, and as they were coming out from the temple, after they had made their covenant, KewesTŌs said unto his wife, "If it be that we are to keep this one saying of Peter, it is right that we should observe all that he spake. For besides this I heard him say, 'Blessed are those who give to the poor, for God shall give

5 "'unto them in return'!. Dost thou wish us to give all our possessions unto the poor and the orphans so that God may give unto us gifts in return?" And she said Kewestōs GIVES ALL HIS GOODS TO THE POOR. 11 unto him, "This saying is a good one". Then Kewestōs called the steward of his house, and all his overseers, and said unto them, "Go ye and open my storehouses, and give ye all my possessions unto the poor and needy, and unto the orphans. And ye shall not seek from them any price or pledge whatsoever in return, and ye shall not write it against them in [your] books, so that they may be called upon to pay it back; but it is meet for you to give [the things] unto them in the fear of God. And God, the God of Peter, shall be witness for you that ye have favoured neither the great nor the man of lowly estate, and that ye have not accepted the person of any man. And we desire that this work [be carried out forthwith], for it is good." Then his overseers went straightway, and opened all his storehouses, and they gave everything which was therein unto the poor, and unto the orphans, and unto all those who were in distress and difficulty. And Kewestōs and his wife 'Akrōsyā gave away everything which they had in their houses, gold, and silver, and apparel, and other things, and they left nothing at all for themselves; and they set at liberty the best men among their slaves. And they became like people who possessed nothing at all except their daily bread, and they gave thanks unto God, and laid hold upon the teaching of Peter.

6 And it came to pass after those days that the Emperor sent messengers unto Kewestōs, [bidding him] to come to him in order that he might take counsel with him concerning certain anxious business in connexion with his kingdom, for his speech was wiser and his understanding was greater than that of any other of his senate; now when Kewesṭṭōs saw the messengers of the emperor, he was afraid with a great fear. And he came into his house, and said unto his wife, "What shall I do?" "For behold, the emperor hath sent unto me and commanded me to come to him, and I have nothing in my hand wherewith to make a gift unto his mighty majesty and most honourable excellency so that he may not be angry with me." Then his wife 'Akrōsyā answered and said unto him, "Fear not, O my lord, for God, the God of Peter, in Whom we have believed,

7 "will prosper thy way, and will give thee grace before the emperor." Then Kewesṭṭōs said unto her, "Behold; I have found a device which will save me; I will hide myself. Do thou, this night, go forth with thy ser- "vants, and having caused a lamp to be lit, thou shalt wander about through the streets of the city seeking me and saying, 'My husband hath become mad, and I know not whither he hath gone'. And thou shalt shed tears, and shalt utter cries and say, 'If only I could find his body that I might prepare it for the grave and bury it, so that wild beasts might not devour it, [I should rejoice']. Then will the envoys hear [thy cries], and will go back to the emperor and tell him this thing, and he will cease to seek for me further. Now, I am afraid of him."

8 Then 'Akrōsyā his wife answered and said unto him, "O my lord, act not in this way, [and carry not out] this device, for it is not a good thing; and thou must not become a stumblingblock to those of the men of the city of Rome who believe in the God of Peter. For if thou doest thus the multitude will say of thee, That which he spake unto Peter was not true, and the desire which he had was not of God in the matter of the thing which he gave unto the poor and needy, and unto the orphans; and he goeth out of his mind whenever he remembereth his possessions which have departed from him'; this is the cause of his madness. And this thing is not a good thing." And she spake unto him saying, "Thou must not let thy faith suffer diminution, for a thing of this kind tendeth to destroy souls. But rise up, now, and go to the house of thy brother, and ask him to lend thee a little of his money until thou shalt return from the emperor and bring back his money; and if he will not do [this] for thee, take thy servants which are left, and let those whom he wisheth to have be a pledge unto him [for thy debt]."

9 Then Kewestōs, having hearkened unto the voice of his wife, went unto the house of his brother; and when his brother saw him afar off, he went into his house and shut his door. And when Kewestōs drew nigh thereunto, he cried out unto him, saying, "Rise up, O my brother, and help me, for one brother should help the other, even as the city wherein is a strong man armed"; but his brother would have none of him. And he made answer to him, and after many words—now he conversed with Kewestōs from the roof of his house—he looked at him, and said unto him, "What wouldst thou have, O madman? Thou hast wasted all thine own possessions among(?) all the people of Rome, and because thou didst hearken unto the voice of a deluded man thou hast scattered abroad all thy riches, and hast given them unto the poor and unto the orphans; and now that thou hast destroyed thyself, and hast made an end of thine own riches, thou hast come to make an end of me, and of the possessions which are mine. Depart now from me lest thou hear that which will make sad thy heart, for the emperor hath sent [me] to thee to cut off thy head. Now, I shall shew no compassion upon thee, for thou hast appointed the poor to be thy children, notwithstanding all the people who dwell in this city."

10 Then Kewestôs returned to his house being grievously sore at heart, and tears streamed from his eyes because of the things which he had heard from his brother. And he said unto his wife 'Akrôsyâ, "Dost thou know what my brother hath done? He would not hearken unto my request at all, and he hath given me nothing: on the contrary, he hath made my heart sad by the words which he spake unto me, and by his insults and abuse of me". And his wife said unto him, "I desire thee, O my brother, not to vex thine heart, for "the God of Peter, in Whom we have believed, will help us; He is a mighty God, and He will not cast us off." And she said unto him further, "Wait a little while I go into the house, for I may find one who will "provide thee with what is necessary for thy journey." Then 'Akrôsyâ went quickly and lit a lamp, and searched in the window which was in her house and found two 'astâra, that is to say, two dînôra (or staters) which she had not found previously when she gave her money to the poor. And she brought them out to her husband, and said unto him, "O my lord, I have found these in the window; take these with thee to provide what is necessary for thee on thy journey, and depart in peace. And God, the God of Peter, in Whom we have placed our confidence, will guide thee, and He will make thy way prosperous, and He will fulfil thy petition, and will bring thee unto the king. And he shall give thee gifts to mark his favour to thee, and thou shalt come back speedily unto us in peace".

11 Then Kewestōs took the two tin 'astāra (staters), and all the goods which he had need of for his journey; and he took two of his servants, and departed to the king. And as he was going along upon the road he was thinking anxiously in his heart, and saying, "How is it possible for me to meet the emperor in this travel-stained apparel? But I have only these garments in which I am and no change of apparel". Now whilst he was sadly thinking these things within himself on the road, he saw two men fighting. And he said within himself, "I hearkened unto everything which Peter said, and I have given everything which I had unto the poor and needy, and I have accepted his words. Now he said, Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called and shall become the children of God"; and behold I, "even I, will go to these two men, and will make them to be friends, each with the other, so that I also may become a child of God. So Kewestōs turned aside out of the path whereon he was travelling, and drew nigh unto the two men who were fighting, and said unto them, "Wherefore do ye fight together? And one of them answered and said, "My lord, judge thou between us, for it is God Who hath sent thee to us to make us to be at peace each with the other.

12 Know thou, then, O my lord, that we were journeying together along the road, he and I, and that I was in front whilst he was behind me. And I saw in front of me this stone, and I stretched out my hand and seized it before he could do so; now, he is stronger than I am, and he wisheth to take it away from me by force, and it is for this reason that we are fighting together. He saith, 'It belongeth to me'; and I say, 'It belongeth to me'. Then KewesTOs answered and said unto them, "How do ye know what this stone is? And they said, "We do not know, for the knowledge thereof is hidden from us, and we know not what it is". And KewesTOs said unto them, "I have two fine 'astāra (staters), take them, and let each of you have one, and give me this stone; in this manner ye shall put away enmity from between you, and peace shall be between you both". So they gave him the stone and received from him the two 'astāra (staters), and then they embraced each other according as he had commanded them. Then KewesTOs went on his way to the emperor, together with the messengers. And it came to pass that when he had drawn nigh unto Jerusalem, he answered and said unto those who were travelling with him, "Come, let us go up into Jerusalem that we may worship in the temple";

13 and they consented, and went up with him, and they entered into the temple, and fulfilled (i. e., said) their prayers. 14 And KewesTOs departed and came unto a certain man who worked in gold, and he shewed him the stone, and said unto him, "O my brother, look at this stone, for I know not what it is". And when the worker in gold had looked at the stone he praised God, and said unto Kewestōs, "Where didst thou find this stone? And Kewestōs said unto him, "I will tell thee, O my brother; and he told him everything which had happened concerning the stone. Then the worker in gold said, "O my beloved brother, for many years past Dēmās the priest hath not offered up incense by reason of this stone. For he [wished] to have found twelve stones, and but for wanting this stone he would have completed the number of twelve, which is according to the [number of the twelve] tribes of Israel; and now, I will instruct thee how thou mayest bring this stone to the priest, and whatsoever thou desirest of all his possessions will he give unto thee". Then Kewestōs went with the stone to the priest. And it came to pass that when the high priest saw the stone, he fell down upon the earth, and worshipped, and said, "I give thanks unto God Almighty; and he commanded that all the people should be gathered together unto him.

15 And he said unto them, "O my brethren, behold, I will make known unto you the number of the years which have elapsed since I was able to offer up incense in the temple because of this stone. When Nebuchadnezzar seized all the possessions of the house of God, this stone was missed, and it hath never been found until this day. And behold, God hath had compassion upon us, and He hath sent to us both this man and this stone which we have sought diligently, so that our prayer might come unto God Almighty; and it is meet that we should make an offering unto God, every man according to his ability, from his own possessions". So the people rose up and departed from him, and every man came and brought as much as he was 16 B able [for his offering]; and much possessions were gathered together, both of gold and of silver. And it came to pass that when these things had been gathered together, the high priest gave them to Kewestós, and blessed him, and said, "This is a gift from God Almighty unto thee in return for this stone; may He give thee a reward according to His good pleasure". And Kewestós received all the blessed things which the high priest gave him, and it was double the amount of his own riches which he had given to the poor; and he gave thanks unto God, and became strong in the faith. Then Kewestós set out with the messengers on the road to the emperor, and in him were fulfilled the words which [Peter] spake, "Whosoever sheweth compassion upon the poor and needy, unto him shall God give gifts in return."

17 And it came to pass that as Kewestós was journeying along the road, he heard a Voice from heaven which cried out, saying, "O Kewestós, Kewestós"; and he answered, "Here am I, O my Lord". And the Voice answered and said, "Inasmuch as thou hast hearkened unto the voice of My Apostle Peter, and hast believed the words which he spake, saying, Whosoever sheweth compassion upon the poor and needy, unto them shall God give gifts in return, this blessing hath come upon thee; and not this alone but [other] blessings shalt thou have. For it shall come to pass when thou diest, and dost depart from out of this old world, that thou shalt attain unto rest, and absence of sorrow, and beautiful things which the eye hath not seen, nor the ear heard, and which the heart of man hath never been able to imagine". Then Kewestôs rejoiced in his spirit, and his faith was increased, and his heart became strong, and he departed to the king, who received him with an honourable reception, and made him a beautiful habitation with him, and commanded that he should abide with him for three years.

18 And it came to pass that after Kewestôs had gone away from his own abode, his brother came unto his wife 'Akrôsyâ with a devilish counsel which Satan had sown in his heart, and he said unto her, "My brother will never come back again, for the emperor will punish him because he hath hearkened unto the voice of a sorcerer, and hath scattered his possessions among the poor and needy, and the orphans, and hath made the poor and needy, who belong not to his kin, his children. And behold, I wish thee to become my wife. And I will gather together all the riches which formerly belonged to my brother, and I will make those among whom he wasted his possessions to bring back whatsoever they have in their hands, for [I know] that thou art a woman who cannot [endure] a deed like unto this". Then 'Akrôsyâ answered and said unto him, "O fool, and most abominable man, how can the evil thought of going up upon thy brother's bed have ever entered into thy heart? Shouldst thou not rather have been desirous of comforting thy brother's children during their father's absence, and of driving away their grief by means of thy riches until their father returned to them?" Now the brother of Kewestôs wished to take her by force, and when 'Akrôsyâ knew that he was able to do so, and would carry out his evil desire, she answered him with words according to his wish, and appointed him a time

19 B* three days hence; so he departed from her with this understanding. Then she called her chosen handmaiden and said unto her, "Thou shalt by no means let any man know where I have gone." And she called her two children and said unto them, "O my children, hearken unto my voice, and go forth with me to 'Etnôsyâ (Athens?), that ye may be instructed in wisdom and learn discipline, until your father shall return unto you;" and she took her servants with her, and came to the sea-coast, where she found a ship ready to sail, and she departed [therein]. And it came to pass that, when she had gone a distance of thirty cubits from the harbour, a mighty wind blew violently on the sea, and the ship was broken to pieces, but one of 'Akrôsyâ's children climbed up upon one of the timbers of the ship, and by the good pleasure of God Almighty, the sea washed him ashore at Alexandria. And the younger child and his mother also clung to a piece of wood belonging to the ship, and God delivered them from the billows of the sea, which washed them on to a little island in the sea, and the island had the name of Keprâ (Cyprus). And God called to Peter, and commanded him to go to the city of Alexandria to seek out the chosen servants of God who were meet to receive mercy; so Peter went to the city of Alexandria. And it came to pass that when he was coming [nigh to the city], he first of all went round about it, even as he did in the city of Rome, saying:— "Blessed are the merciful, for on them will God shew mercy. "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called and shall become the children of God. "Blessed are those who give to the poor and needy, for unto them will God give in return". "Blessed are they who have wives, and who are as if they had them not, for they shall inherit the land of life which is for ever."

20 And there was no man among all the people of the city of Alexandria who accepted his words except the young man who had escaped from the waves of the sea, the son of Kewestôs, and he came to Peter, and fell down before him, and embraced his feet. And Peter said unto him, "Who art thou? For of all this multitude not one hath hearkened unto my words except thyself. And the young man answered and said unto him, "O my father, I am from the city of Rome, and whilst I was there a man like unto thee came to the city of Rome, and discoursed with words like unto those which thou speakest. And my father and mother believed his words, and distributed all their possessions among the poor and needy, and the orphans. Now after they had given away all that they had, the emperor sent [messengers] to seek out my father, and he departed to him, and he hath tarried there a long time. And Satan sowed the thought of evil in the heart of my father's brother, and he rose up against my mother and wished her to be a wife unto him; but she rejected him and refused to do his will. Then she took me and my brother, wishing to bring us to 'Etñeyâs (Athens?), that we might be instructed in knowledge and taught discipline until our father should come back to us, and to keep us at a distance since [her] enemy wished to act thus [unto her].

21 Now when we were leaving the harbour, and were at no great distance therefrom, a mighty wind rose up against us at sea, and the ship was broken to pieces. But by the will of God Almighty I was enabled to seize upon a piece of wood belonging to the ship, and the waves of the sea washed me to this city; but what hath become of my mother and my brother I know not. And Peter said unto him, "Dost thou wish to become my disciple? And the young man answered and said, "I do"; so he became a companion unto Peter, and there was no man among the people of that city who answered him a word. 22 And the Spirit of God sent a message to Peter to go forth from Sadôm to Egypt, and He commanded him, saying, "In this city the blood of the saints shall be poured out in the last days, and the days wherein thy voice shall be heard in this city are not yet fulfilled. Rise up thou, and this thy disciple, and come to Keprâ (Cyprus), for there are there servants who are ready to enter into submission unto Me." So Peter made haste to go down [to the sea] with his disciple, and he came to the sea-coast and found a ship ready to sail; and he embarked therein, wishing to travel on his way, and to arrive at the city of Keprâ (Cyprus). And it came to pass that when Peter had arrived at the harbour of the city he saw a large number of people on the sea-coast, walking to the east and to the west and looking into the sea. And he said unto all those who were with him in the ship, "O my children, when we arrive in port, wishing to go down [from the ship], do not hurry to disembark, because I would see what those people are doing, for I would not that the Enemy should see any obstacle before me; but after I know [this] let all the people go on their way."

23 Then Peter went down out of the ship and came to those people [on the shore], and behold, there was a woman weeping, and a number of people were following after her. And Peter answered and said unto her, "O noble lady, why weepest thou, and what seekest thou here that thou walkest along the shore of this sea?" Then the woman answered and said, "O my Lord, I and my two children were journeying together in a ship, and the ship was broken to pieces at sea; and the waves of the sea washed my younger son and myself to this city, but I know not what hath become of my elder son. Every day I come to the sea, and call upon God to hear me, and to shew me the body of my son, that I may take it out of the water and prepare it for burial and bury it. Now I know that I weary the hearts of the people of this city both by weeping myself and by making them weep, but I have hope in God Almighty, and in the prayers of Saint Peter, and He will give them a good reward for that they have mourned for me. Now I am a woman who have come hither from a foreign country." Then did Peter know that it was she who had given birth to his disciple, and he said unto her, "Come thou to this young man, and peradventure thou wilt know if he be thy son." And she said, "Willingly, O my lord." So Peter went with her to the ship, and he cried out, saying, "O Clement, rise up and come down out of the ship."

24 and as soon as he saw his mother and his brother he knew them, and because of this they fell down upon the ground at the feet of Peter and were afraid. Then Peter lifted them up, and said unto them, "Rise up, O my children, and acknowledge the grace of the gift of God unto you which hath not permitted your bodies to perish in the sea. And I command you to return to your city of Rome, for, behold, your father hath arrived before the king who hath received him graciously, and he will return unto you in peace; and your father's brother is dead, and ye shall in no wise be sorrowful." And Peter gave them his disciple and sent them back to their city in peace. And after Peter [had taught the people] the mysteries of life he dwelt in that city preaching unto them the belief in God, and in His Only Son, and in His Holy and Life-giving Spirit, until all those who were in that city believed; and the wife of Kewestós came to the city of Rome, with her two children, in peace.

25 Now there would have been none who knew what things had happened unto 'Akrósyá, unless she herself had told her chosen handmaid who ministered unto her everything which had befallen her, how the ship was dashed to pieces, and how God Almighty restored her and her sons to each other, after they had been overwhelmed by the sea and cast away destitute, and how, through the prayers of Saint Peter, after thirteen days they were dwelling in their own home again, and they remembered the might of God always. 26 And the two sons of the lady 'Akrósyá drank water out of an uncovered vessel in which there was poison, and they died straightway; and their mother wept bitter tears over them, saying, "Woe is me, O my children, that ye were not able to escape from the writing which was written concerning you; for your death was to be through water, and for this reason did the ship perish the first time. Now God did not wish to inflict sorrow upon me, and to destroy your lives by the sea, for I believed in the words of Peter the holy Apostle, and he restored your bodies unto me alive; but behold, O my children, as soon as ye were restored to your home, ye died through water. Nevertheless I give thanks unto God for His great glory; for He it is Who created you, and He it is Who hath taken you." Then she rose up quickly and took the dead bodies of her sons, and made them ready for burial with her own hands, and her chosen handmaid brought them into the innermost part of her house, [and placed them] in the storehouse thereof which was full of sweet odours; then she shut the doors of her chamber and went forth into her dwelling room, and she abode there and proclaimed the majesty of God Almighty. And she commanded her handmaid to keep secret the matter of how her sons had died, so that no man might know it, and also that she should not tell the children's father when he should come that they were dead, so that his heart might not be pained; "When God wisheth it, then we shall find a way to tell him without other men knowing it," [she said].

27 And it came to pass that when three years were ended Kewestôs returned from the emperor, and all the prefects and nobles of the city of Rome heard [it and said], "Kewestôs the noble prefect hath arrived in his city alive. Then the people of the city dressed themselves in their fine apparel, and all those who dwelt in his neighbourhood took branches of trees in their hands, [and went] outside the city to receive him. Now in former times the two sons of Kewesṭōs had each a white horse, and whensoever they heard that their father was coming from the presence of the emperor they used to put on fine apparel, and mount their horses, which they had decorated with trappings of gold and silver, and then ride out to meet their father and escort him until he came into the city. And it came to pass that when Kewesṭōs came into the city to his habitation, and did not see his two sons who in times past had been wont to go out from the city to meet him, he questioned his wife 'Akrōsyā, and said unto her, "Where are my sons that I do not see them with the other people? And what hath happened to them that they have not come to meet me according to their use and wont? And 'Akrōsyā his wife answered and said unto him, "Fear not, O my brother, for their absence is not due unto evil intent..

28 Thou knowest that long ago we gave away all our possessions to the poor and needy, and to the orphans, and that we have nothing left of all our rich things which is fit for them to adorn themselves with like the rest of the folk. When I knew of thy coming and of thy drawing nigh to the city, I sent the children to my sister that she might give them fine apparel, wherewith they might adorn themselves, and which would be of service to make glad thy habitation, together with these people who are gathered together that they may say unto thee, Peace, O thou who hast come'. Now when they have returned from my sister's house they shall come into thy presence". Then those who were gathered together unto KewesTôs led the discourse on to the matter of the emperor, and of the kind of life which he lived.

29 And it came to pass that when the sons of KewesTôs tarried long in coming, he spake a second time and said unto his wife, "Behold, for three years past I have remained without seeing my sons, and my love for them is exceedingly great." Then Akrôsyâ answered and said unto him, "They have not been able to come unto thee by reason of the press of the multitude; but when the people have departed they will come unto thee." 30 And it came to pass that when the sun had set, and the time for the evening meal had drawn nigh, all the nobles of the city and all the prefects made ready much food for the supper, and they sent it to the habitation of KewesTôs, where they would have eaten it together. But 'Akrôsyâ, the wife of KewesTôs, went forth to them, and restrained them, saying, "Know ye not that I have not seen my lord for many days—for he was not with me—and that I would be with him this night, so that I might tell him everything which hath happened unto me since he departed from me. To-morrow, however, by God Almighty's good pleasure, ye shall gather together unto him, and everything which ye wish shall be [done]. And it came to pass that when all the people had come into their houses 'Akrôsyâ his wife shut all the doors of her house, and she brought nigh unto him a table and said unto him, "Rise up, O my lord, and eat what hath been brought [unto thee], for the time of the evening meal is past. Then KewesTôs answered and said unto her, "As God, the God of Peter, liveth, I will eat no bread whatsoever until I know why my two sons have tarried, and why they have not come to meet me".

31 And his good wife answered and said unto him, "Make thou a covenant with me that when I have told thee the matter thou wilt receive my words, and wilt not reject me by reason of them; and afterwards I will bring thy children unto thee. And he said unto her, "If they be sufficient [to explain the matter] unto me I will not reject thee: speak on. Then 'Akrósya answered and said unto him, "O my lord, as soon as thou hadst set out on thy wanderings, there came unto me a certain rich man and he placed with me a jewel, a pearl most precious, the price of which man knoweth not, and he commanded me to keep watch over it. So I took the pearl from him into my keeping, and it was of brilliant beauty, for it shot out rays of light by night as well as by day. And my soul loved it, and my spirit longed for it, and I thought within my heart, saying, When the owner of the precious jewel cometh I will deny [that I have received] it'. And behold, he came back from his journeying and sought from me that which he had given me, but I denied [that I had] the pearl. Then he said unto me, 'I will not quarrel with thee, lest the people of this city make a mock of me because I am quarrelling with a noble and honourable, and freeborn lady whose husband is away from her;

32 but I will wait until thy husband returneth from his journey, for I know that he is a man who feareth God Almighty, and that when he knoweth of the matter of the pearl he will restore it unto me'. 33 "Now I know that the man hath knowledge of thy arrival from thy journeying, and that he will come and seek for that which belongeth unto him; and I ask thee that when he cometh thou wilt help me, so that I shall not be obliged to give up anything unto him." 34 And it came to pass that when Kewestôs heard his wife's words he answered and said unto her, "O abominable woman, how did this evil thought of denying that which belongeth to the man ever enter into thy heart? But when he cometh I will command thee to restore to him that which is his; and if I only knew where he was, I would go to him [and tell him] to come and take from thee that which belongeth unto him before I eat [my] food. Knowest thou not that those who desire the possessions of others [commit] great sin? And when 'Akrôsyâ heard these words from him, and knew the firmness of his belief and faith, she took hold of his hand and brought him into the inner chamber of her house, and going in front she opened the curtains of the place where her children were. Then she said unto Kewestôs, "Look at what is in this treasure-chamber and thou shalt see thy sons"; and straightway when he saw his dead sons he lifted up his voice, and wept aloud. And his wife answered and said unto him, "Remember, O my lord, what thou didst say unto me, for thou saidst, 'When the owner of the pearl cometh, and seeketh that which is his, thou shalt not withhold it from him'. Behold, thou seest their bodies perfect as they were in times of old, their hands, and their feet, and all their members;

35 and nothing of their bodies whatsoever is wanting, except the souls which dwelt in thy sons and which are now with God Almighty. These, then, are the pearl, and these are the things which He gave to be guarded in the flesh, until such time as He [wished] to take them [again]: no man can restrain Him when He wisheth [to act]. God gave, and God hath taken; as God wisheth so let it be! May God's name be blessed, now, henceforth, and for ever. Amen." 36 Then 'Akrōsyā said unto Kewestōs, "Rise up quickly, and let us ask God to put away grief from us; our sons are dead. So they rose up quickly, and they stretched out their hands in [prayer in] the inner chamber of their house with unity of will and lowliness of heart, to God Almighty, the Living One, the Omnipotent, Who doeth whatsoever He pleaseth. And it came to pass that when they had prayed a long time they heard a Voice going round about them in a bright cloud which spake, saying, "O Kewestōs, Kewestōs, inasmuch as ye have hearkened unto and have accepted the voice of Peter, My disciple, ye shall not be angry at all the sorrow which hath come upon you, and ye shall not grieve by reason of the death of your sons, for I will deal graciously with you and will give them back to you alive. Haste ye then, and rise up, and make supplication unto Almighty God, saying, 'O God of Peter who came to the city of Rome, the man in whom we believed, and whose power through Jesus Christ, the Nazarene, we knew, in his name we ask Thee to make our sons Aklamāṭōs (Clement) and Kanāyōs to live again'; and they repeated their petition even as the Voice commanded them. Then straightway their two sons rose up from the dead and lived again, because they (i. e., their father and mother) had put their trust in God.

37 And they went round about in the city and in all the country, saying, Blessed be God Almighty, the God of Peter, the holy Apostle of Jesus Christ the Son of God, the Living One, Who giveth life to the dead! He it is Who healeth all who are sick, and He is the Physician of souls and of bodies. Now this story went forth into all lands, and all those who heard it praised God, to Whom, Father, and Son, and Holy Ghost, be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen. And 'Akla-mitôs (Clement) prepared himself and became a bishop, and he appointed his brother a deacon; may their prayers and blessing come to us and preserve us for ever and ever! Amen.

The Martyrdom of Saint Peter

1 In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, One God. Here beginneth the Martyrdom of Saint Peter, the Chief of the Apostles, the chosen one of our Lord Jesus Christ, who ended his strife in the city of Rome. May his prayer and blessing be with his handmaiden Walatta Madhan. And it came to pass that Peter was in the city of Rome rejoicing in God, together with his brethren, and he was giving thanks by day and by night, and was praising God because of the multitudes of the people that were coming unto him the whole day long, and that were believing in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Now among the crowds of people who came unto Peter were four women who were concubines of 'Aḳrēpōs (Agrippa[?]), the governor of the city, and whose names were Aḳmāba, Aḳrābānyā, Kariyā, and Dēwerīs. And when they heard the teaching of Peter, and everything which he commanded therein—for he commanded that they should keep themselves pure, and that they should not pollute their bodies with sinful acts—they received it with gladness, and they made a covenant among themselves that they would not go up into the bed of 'Aḳrēpōs, and that they would keep themselves undefiled. And it came to pass that when this news came unto 'Aḳrēpōs he was exceedingly sorry, for he loved these women dearly; and he sent his messengers to follow them, so that he might know whither they went, [and if they went] to Peter. And he sent a message unto them, saying, "Wherefore hath Peter taught you not to dwell with me, and to keep away from my bed? Know ye, then, that I will blot you out of existence, and that I will burn him alive with fire." But the women refused to do for him that which he wished, and they were not in any way afraid of his words; and none of them did according to his will, for they were strong in the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ.

2 Now there was an exceedingly beautiful woman whose name was 'Aksentiyān (i. e., Xanthippe), the wife of one of the emperor's friends who was called Altā-biyōs, (i. e., Albinus), and she came forth continually, along with these four women, to Peter and listened unto his teaching; and she also withdrew herself from her husband's bed. Then was Altābiyōs wroth with Peter with a great wrath like unto that of a lion, and he wished to kill him, for he knew that it was he who taught them to keep themselves undefiled. And many of the women who heard the teaching of Peter withdrew themselves from their husbands, and in like manner a great number of men withdrew themselves from their wives, and they kept themselves pure in humility. And there arose a great tumult in the city of Rome by reason of this thing, and Altābyōs cried out to Aḳrēpōs and said unto him,

3 C Give me judgment against Peter the Christian who hath been the means of putting me away from my wife, and if thou wilt not give me judgment I will punish him rightly for myself." Then 'Akrēpōs answered and said unto him, "My suffering is very much greater than thine, for he hath made those whom I love to be separated from me." And 'Altābyōs said unto him, "Why delayest thou to seize him and to slay him as thou desirest? Now, he is a magician. And let us bring back our women to ourselves, and take mighty vengeance upon him by reason of those whom he hath seduced. Have we not power over this man, seeing that we are the prefects of the city?" And it came to pass, whilst they were taking counsel together over this matter, that 'Aknēstiyān (Xanthippe) learned all their counsel, and she sent to Peter and made him to know everything which they had counselled concerning him, so that he might go forth from the city of Rome, he and all his brethren who believed. Then Markalyōs (Marcellus) the believer and his brethren entracted Peter to go forth from the city; and Peter hearkened unto their words, and went forth out of the city alone, and he changed his garb and his apparel, so that no man should know him. And it came to pass that as he was going out through the gates of the city, he met our Lord coming into the city, and He was in the form in which he had seen Him aforetime in the flesh. And when Peter saw Him he worshipped Him, and said unto Him, "Whither goest Thou, O my Lord?" And our Lord said unto him, "I am going into the city of Rome to be crucified therein." And Peter said unto Him, "Wilt Thou be crucified a second time, O my Lord?" Then as our Lord went up from Peter, and all his senses returned to him, he saw our Lord ascending into heaven; and he sorrowed not in his mind, but went back into the city rejoicing and giving praise unto God Almighty because our Lord said that they would crucify Him, and because it must needs be that they would find him (i. e., Peter). Now aforetime when He was in the flesh He spake unto Peter, saying, "When thou art old, another shall gird thee and shall carry thee whither thou wishest not to go".

4 And it came to pass that, when he returned to the city, he told his brethren all that he had seen, and all that he had heard from our Lord Jesus Christ, and everything which He had spoken unto him. And when the brethren heard [these things] their souls were sorrowful, and they wept bitter tears, and said, "We entreat thee, O our father Peter, to teach us, for our knowledge of the knowledge of God is little, and our faith is not strong." And Peter answered and said unto them, "If God hath willed it so let it be. But whether we wish it, or whether we wish it not, God Almighty shall strengthen you in His faith and in His knowledge, and He will strengthen those whose hearts are in fear, so that they will be able to teach the others among you. And as for me, if God Almighty be pleased for me to remain in the body, I am powerless to refuse [to do so]; and if He desire to take me unto Himself, I will rejoice and be glad." And it came to pass that, when Peter spake and told them these things, the brethren were exceedingly sorrowful, and they were sad in their hearts.

5 And by reason of these things 'Akrēpōs, the governor of the city, sent four of his soldiers and commanded them to seize Peter, and to bring him unto him—[now] Peter saw the strength of their wrath—and he ordered them to crucify him on account of [his] faith and belief. And it came to pass that, when the company of the believing brethren heard [these things], they made haste and came together with all the people of the city, and the rich and the poor, and the widows, and the strong and the infirm, and they wished to take Peter away from that place. And they cried out, and shouted with a loud voice, saying, "What offence hath Peter committed, O Akrēpōs? And what work of evil hath gone forth from him? Now tell us this, and if thou wilt not declare it unto us we will set thy city on fire before thou shalt crucify this man.' Then Peter beckoned to them to be silent, and he answered and said unto them, 'O men, who have given yourselves unto the Great King, that is to say, Jesus Christ, upon Whose faith ye have laid hold, remember the miracles which ye have seen God Almighty work by my hand. Remember ye that which I have taught you concerning the suffering of our Lord. Remember ye the miracles which ye have seen [wrought] in His name, and do ye patiently wait, for He will come to reward each man according to his deeds.

6 And curse ye not Akrepōs, for he is an emissary of his father Satan; and all this matter which hath arisen shall be ended in myself. And why should I be perturbed at going up upon the cross? And he stood up before them, and set [before them these words], saying, "In the name of the cross, the hidden mystery, the gracious gift which the tongue of the children of men cannot describe, which is found in the Name of the cross, in the Creation which put on human form, and which cannot be comprehended—God Almighty. O memorial of the Sublimity which cannot be understood, and which the children of men cannot describe with [their] polluted lips! It is meet in this hour, which is the conclusion of my life, that I should reveal Who Thou art, and that I should relate Thy history and should not keep silent concerning the cross, which is a glorious mystery, and that I should make mention of its majesty unto all the people who shall hearken unto my words. O ye men, whose hope is in Christ, besides Whom no one hath been revealed unto us, it is through the belief which is His that ye have been able to contend. And behold, this hour is indeed the end of my life;

7 hearken ye unto my words, and make yourselves to be remote from all evil works, and turn away your eyes from every kind of vanity, O ye my brethren and children, whom I have made to know Christ and the mystery of His salvation." 8 And it came to pass after these words that Saint Peter turned his face to the captain of the soldiers, and said unto them, "Perform ye what they have commanded you [to do]; but I entreat you to crucify me with my head downwards, and lift ye my feet upwards." So they lifted him up on to the cross, and they did even as he wished; may his prayer and blessing keep us! Amen. And after they had hung him upon the cross, even as he had asked, he began to speak in a loud voice, and to say unto them, "O ye men who have the power to hear, hearken ye diligently unto what I shall say unto you. And now ye shall know that my being hung upon the cross is the mystery of every thing which hath been created, and that to everything which hath been made there must be an end, [even as there was] a beginning. For the old man, which made itself manifest in me, descended upon me in its person, and shewed forth that the birth which was aforetime was like unto death; and this moved, and came down, and its power to break was lost in the earth, and it shewed forth its two forms in me and appeared in power. By this it came to pass that the right was like unto the left, and the left was like unto the right, and it changed its nature and the signs thereof, so that a man might imagine that it was good and excellent, even as God Almighty spake in a mystery, saying, 'Ye shall not make the right

9 "as the left, nor that which is above as that which is below, nor that which is in front as that which is below or is behind, so that ye may not know the kingdom of God'. This thought now hath been upon me and known of me from times of old; and this form in which ye see me, that is to say my being hung upon the cross, is the manifestation of the man which was born first of all, that is to say, Adam. And now, O my beloved, ye who are hearkening unto me at this moment, cast ye away your former error, and flee therefrom, so that ye may ascend straightly the Cross of Jesus Christ. For He it is of Whom it is written that He only is the Word, and it is of Him that the Holy Spirit spake, 'Who is Christ but the Word and the Speech of God Almighty?' He is the Word so that He might become the Being Who straightly ascended the Wood whereon He was crucified; and He is the Speech, which was of old time, and which created man, and it was He Who was nailed to the cross …"

10 And the blessed Peter, whilst he was upon the wood of the cross, prayed and spake thus, "I give thanks unto Thee, O Thou Holy Word, Christ, the Lord of the universe, not with a tongue of guile and not with the lips wherefrom go forth the words of falsehood and truth, and out of which proceedeth the speech of folly, but we give thanks wholly unto thee with that voice, O King, Thou Holy Word, Jesus Christ, which, though it keepeth silent, yet is heard, and being manifest and heard is yet unheard, which goeth not forth and yet by grace cometh forth, and the nature of which, although unknown, is beautiful. With this voice we give thanks unto thee, O Jesus Christ, and Thou hearkenest thereunto and Thou keepest silence, O Thou Whom the Spirit hath made to be king over us, inasmuch as Thou knowest [it]. Thou art our Father, and our Mother, and our Friend, and our Brother; Thou art our Steward, and Thou art He Who giveth [unto us]. In Thee is everything made perfect, Thou art He Who holdeth [in His hand] the universe, and besides Thee there is none other at all, O Christ, the holy Word, the Tree of Life. In this Being then have I taken refuge. And as for you, [if ye do thus] ye shall comprehend that which He spake aforetime, saying, 'Things which the eye hath not seen, nor the ear heard, neither hath it entered into the heart of man to conceive';

11 for these I entreat Thee, O Lord, because Thou didst declare that Thou wouldst give [them unto us]. We entreat Thee, and we make supplication unto Thee, and we give praise unto Thee, and we bless Thee, O Thou Who dost never come to an end, and we give thanks unto Thee, O Thou Who art holy, and we put our trust in Thee with heart and soul, O Thou Who slumberest not. We are beings of no account, but Thou only art holy, and art in the Father, Who is immortal, and the Father is in Thee, and to Thee be glory for ever and ever! Amen and Amen". And many people made answer, and they all said, "Amen and Amen". 12 Then straightway did the blessed Peter, the chief of the Apostles, the noble man, who was betrayed, the guide to the kingdom of heaven, yield up his soul to God Almighty, being crucified upon the wood of the cross. May his prayer and his intercession keep us for ever and ever. Amen and Amen. Then Marcellus, the disciple of Saint Peter, came and took him down from the cross and washed his body with one thousand [measures] of milk and wine. And he brought one hundred and fifty-seven manchs of myrrh, and one hundred and fiftyseven manchs of spice, and another hundred and fifty-seven manchs of aloes, and with these he anointed the body of Peter; and next he brought a long coffin, and having filled it full of honey he laid him therein, and buried him in his own grave.

13 And Peter appeared unto Makélós (Marcellus) in a vision of the night, and said unto him, "Hast thou not 'heard that our Lord said, Let the dead bury their dead'?" And Marcellus said unto him, "Yes". And Peter said unto him, "Whatsoever be the amount which 'thou hast just expended upon the dead thou hast lost it, for thou being a living being hast [spent it] upon thy dead brother.'" And when Marcellus awoke from his sleep he told the brethren concerning the vision which [ he had seen, so that they might be strong in the faith of Christ and in Jesus; and he himself awaited anxiously the coming of Paul to Rome. And it came to pass that after a while Nero the Emperor knew that Peter had perished, and all people (literally, the world) threw the blame upon 'Akrépós (Agrippa) the prefect, for it was through his counsel that Nero had slain him. And Nero desired earnestly to pass a heavy sentence of punishment upon him, and to inflict many pains and penalties upon him, for many of the people who followed Peter, as well as those who were remote from the faith, had Agrippa treated in like manner; and for this reason Nero continued in a state of wrath for many days, and he would not speak unto him. Then Nero sought out all those who had been instructed by Peter [that he might slay them]. And there appeared unto him by night a man who tormented him and said unto him, "O Nero, hence-forward do not slay the servants of Christ, for thy per-secution is killing them; and now cease thou to harass

14 "them"; and Nero the Emperor, being afraid at these col 1. words, ceased to harass the servants of Christ in those days. And the blessed Peter, the chosen one, the glorious one, the chief of the Apostles, departed from this world before the fifteenth day of the Calends of June, or according to the Ethiopian reckoning, on the fifth day of the month Hamlé. May his prayer, and his blessing, and his intercession be with us for ever and ever! Amen, Amen, and Amen. Glory be to the Father Who chose Peter and appointed him [to be] the chief of the Apostles; and adoration [be] to the Son Who gave him the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and thanksgiving [be] to the Holy Spirit Who made his tongue to be keen as a knife which cutteth; and to God Almighty be the praise, and the thanksgiving, and the majesty, and the honour, and the adoration which are meet for Him for ever and ever! Amen, and Amen.

The Martyrdom of Saint Paul

1 Here beginneth the Martyrdom of Saint Paul, who was the first to teach the Gentiles, which took place on the fifth day of the month of Hamsi. In the peace of God, Amen. May his prayer and his blessing be with his handmaiden (Wakatta Madhan). And first of all he taught the multitude and said [unto them], "O men in whom there is understanding, hearken ye, and know, and lay this to your hearts, so that ye all may know the mystery of the first creation, and every work that belonged to the first man which took place. Now, I am in bondage to the Emperor, but this my life belongeth not to my Emperor, even though it be my life which shall have an end; but my life which is for ever shall have no end. And although thou hast commanded that they cut off my head, I shall again appear unto thee and shall be alive [again], so that thou mayest know the truth of my words. For I have my life in my King Jesus Christ, Who shall judge the quick and the dead, and shall reward every man according to his work, whether it be good or whether it be evil."

2 And it came to pass that, when the Emperor Nero had heard these words from Paul, he made a sign to his executioner wrathfully, and commanded him to make haste to slay him; and when Kesitōs (Acestus?) and Likōs (Longinus?), the Emperor's nobles, heard [these words] they took Paul out so that might cut off his head. And they said unto Paul, "Where is thy king in whom thou trustest? Hast thou no wish to forsake him, for "whose sake thou bearest all [these] tortures?" And Paul answered and said unto them, "O men whose ob-ject of worship is error, and who lack the knowledge of God, turn ye and repent, so that ye may be saved from the punishment which shall come upon those who deny Him; it is not as ye imagine, that we shall gather to-gether the army of an earthly king like unto yourselves, but we shall be rewarded in the palace of the heavenly King. Because of the sins of the world He Himself will come to judge the world; and unto all those who be-lieve in Him He will give the life which is everlasting."

3 And it came to pass that, when the Emperor's nobles heard this, they bowed down unto him and said, "Work thou on our behalf so that we may be of those who are worthy of this King, and we will set thee free [to go] whithersoever thou wishest." And Paul said unto them, "I am neither afraid of nor am I terrified at your torturings, that I should flee from God Almighty, nay, I am the servant of our Lord Jesus "Christ, the Living King. And, since I know that this [King] Who [liveth] for ever died, I cannot do according to what ye say unto me. But I shall live with my God, Who [liveth] for ever, and I shall do His will, for unto Him shall I return, and with Him I shall dwell when He cometh in His glory." And the Emperor's nobles said unto him, "How is it possible for thee to do this after they have cut off thy head? Hast thou the power to come alive again?" Now whilst they were conversing together in this wise the Emperor sent [men] to find out whether Paul's head had been cut off or not; and it came to pass that they [came and] saw him alive. And Paul said unto them, "Believe ye in the Living God Who shall deliver all those who believe in Him from death". And they answered and said unto him, "Behold now, thou must certainly die, and when we see that thou hast risen from the dead we will believe"; and they returned to the Emperor. Now Kistôs (Titus) and Lúkás (Luke) besought Paul earnestly, saying, "Teach us the way of salvation".

4 And Paul said unto them, "To-morrow come ye at daybreak unto the grave wherein they shall have deposited my body, and there ye shall find two men praying; these shall be Titô (Titus) and Lúkás (Luke), and they shall teach you the doctrine of salvation, and shall bring you nigh unto our Lord Jesus Christ, our God in truth." Then Paul, [who was standing] among all the multitudes that were gathered together to see his martyrdom, looked towards the East, and he spread out his hand[s], and prayed a long time in the Hebrew tongue. And it came to pass that, when he had made an end of his prayer, he spake again unto the multitude of people who tarried [there] with faithful words in our Lord, and many of them believed by reason of the graciousness of his speech, and the light which was in his countenance, and the grace which was upon him.

5 And the two messengers returned to Nero the Emperor, and told him how they had found Paul and Kisṭōs (Titus) and Lūkās (Luke) talking together, and how Paul was teaching them the faith. Then was the Emperor exceedingly wroth, and he sent a mighty man of valour with a sword to cut off Paul's head quickly. And it came to pass that, when the swordsman arrived, the holy man bowed his head, and remained silent and spake no word; and he continued thus with his head bowed for a long time with the swordsman standing before him; and when the swordsman had drawn his sword from its sheath his hands shook to such a degree that he could not bring it down upon Paul. Then finally he strengthened his heart and smote him, and the head of Saint Paul fell upon the ground; and there went forth from the body of the saint milk and blood in such quantities that they reached unto the garments of the swordsman. And those who were gathered together [there] marvelled, and they glorified God Who had given such a great and gracious gift unto His holy disciple Paul.

6 And the swordsman returned and told the Emperor everything which had taken place, and the Emperor Nero marvelled, and all his prefects and governors who were sitting with him were greatly terrified. And it came to pass that at the ninth hour of the day Paul appeared unto the Emperor, and said unto him, "I am the disciple of Jesus Christ who came to thy city, and I have taken therefrom certain of the people thereof for my King; behold now, I am alive at this present, and I am not dead. And as for thee, behold, much affliction shall come upon thee because thou hast shed the blood of many righteous people; and after a few days there shall come upon thee everything which I have said unto thee". And as Paul was saying these words he disappeared from him. Then Nero the Emperor commanded that all those who were shut up in prison and who believed in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ should go forth therefrom, together with Baṭrēk, the servant of the Emperor, and him who was called Barsēyōs (Justus?), and him who was called Lūkās (Luke), and Kūstōs (Acestus?), and Kīstōs (Titus).

7 And the chosen friends of the Emperor went early in the morning to the grave of Paul, and when they drew nigh thereunto they saw two men standing [there] praying, and Paul also was standing between them in great glory; and they who saw him were terrified, and they trembled by reason of their great fear at his glorious appearance. And Titō (Titus) and Lūkās (Luke) were afraid of them, and they took to flight. Now those servants of the Emperor, whom we have already mentioned, sought to find Titō (Titus) and Lūkās (Luke) again, and [when] they had found them they said unto them, "We have sought you not to put you to death, but that ye may give us life everlasting, even as Paul, who was standing between you at this hour, commanded us". And it came to pass that when Titus and Luke heard these words from them, they straightway rejoiced exceedingly; and they spake unto them the words of instruction, and they taught them the truth in our Lord Jesus Christ, and they gave unto them the doctrine of the life which is for ever and for ever. Amen.

8 Here endeth the Martyrdom of Saint Paul. May his prayer and his blessing keep us! Amen, Amen, and Amen.

The Genealogies of the Twelve Apostles

1 Here followeth the work which Addâ Dionysius, Bishop of the country of the East, translated concerning the twelve Apostles, who were of the Twelve Tribes of Israel. 2 The father of Simon, who was surnamed Peter, and of Andrew his brother, was of the house of Rôbêl (Reuben), and his mother's mother was of the house of Simon (Simeon); Simon Peter's mother loved him greatly, and she named him Simon after the name of her father's family, and because Andrew's father loved him greatly he counted him among the family of his father Reuben. Zebedee was of the house of Levi and he took to wife a woman of the house of Judah, who bore [to him] two sons, called James and John. Now because the father of James loved him greatly he counted him among the family of his father Levi, and similarly, because the mother of John loved him greatly she counted him among the family of her father Judah; and for this reason she brought him forth to Jesus, for she herself was of the house of Judah, and Christ also was of the house of Judah, according to the flesh. And they were surnamed "Children of thunder", for they were of both the priestly house and of the royal house. And Philip was of the house of Zebulun. And Bartholomew was of the house of Naphtali; now his name was formerly John, but our Lord changed his name because of John the son of Zebedee, His beloved. And Matthew was of the house of Issachar. And Thomas was of the house of Asher. And James, the son of Alphaeus, was of the house of Gad. And Thaddaeus was of the house of Joseph. And Simon, the son of Cleopas, who is the same as Nathaniel, was of the house of Benjamin. And Judas Iscariot was of the house of Dan; now Dan sold his brother Joseph for twenty pieces of silver, and in like manner Judas sold our Lord for thirty pieces of silver.

3 Glory [be] to the Father, Who loved Jacob, and Who multiplied his seed upon the earth; and adoration [be] to the Son Who chose unto Himself Twelve Apostles that they might dwell with Him in His kingdom; and thanksgiving [be] to the Holy Spirit Who gave them knowledge and understanding to preach throughout the whole world concerning the Holy Trinity, One God, to Whom be glory, and majesty, and honour, for ever and ever. Amen, and Amen.