The Epistle of Clement to Appion
The Appion referred to is evidently Appion of Libya, the original source for the story of Androcles and the lion (in his Aiguptiaka); but here for leading a deputation sent in 38AD by certain Alexandrians to Caligula, emperor of Rome, to complain about the Jews in their city (references to which are to be found in Philo’s Legatio ad Gaium, who led a Jewish deputation from Alexandria to Rome in 39-40). Josephus of Palestine (d.c.100AD, Contra Apionem) also wrote a small work against Apion’s charges.
1 I wonder how, when you commend me for wisdom, you write to me as to a fool. For, wishing to persuade me to your passion, you make use of examples from the mythologies of the gods, that Eros is the eldest of all, as you say, and above all gods and men, not being afraid to blaspheme, that you might corrupt my soul and insult my body.
2 For Eros is not the leader of the gods, -- he, I mean, who has to do with lusts. For if he lusts willingly, he is himself his own suffering and punishment; and he who should suffer willingly could not be a god. But if against his will he lust for copulation, and, pervading our souls as through the members of our bodies, is borne into intermeddling with our minds, then he that impels him to love is greater than he.
3 And again, he who impels him, being himself impelled by another desire, another greater than he is found impelling him. And thus we come to an endless succession of lovers, which is impossible. Thus, neither is there an impeller nor an impelled; but it is the lustful passion of the lover himself, which is increased by hope and diminished by despair.
4 But those who will not subdue base lusts belie the gods, that, by representing the gods as first doing the things which they do, they may be set free from blame. For if those who are called gods committed adulteries for the sake of begetting children, and not through lasciviousness, why did they also debauch males?
5 But it is said they complimented their mistresses by making them stars. Therefore before this were there no stars, until such time as, by reason of wantonness, the heaven was adorned with stars by adulterers? And how is it that the children of those who have been made stars are punished in Hades, -- Atlas loaded, Tantalus tortured with thirst, Sisyphus pushing a stone, Tityus thrust through the bowels, Ixion continually rolled round a wheel? How is it that these divine lovers made stars of the women whom they defiled, but gave no such grace to these?
6 They were not gods, then, but representations of tyrants. For a certain tomb is shown among the Caucasian mountains, not in heaven, but in earth, as that of Kronos, a barbarous man and a devourer of children.
7 Further, the tomb of the lascivious Zeus, so famed in story, who in like manner devoured his own daughter Metis, is to be seen in Crete, and those of Pluto and Poseidon in the Acherusian lake; and that of Helius in Astra, and of Selene in Carrae, of Hermes in Hermopolis, of Ares in Thrace, of Aphrodite in Cyprus, of Dionysus in Thebes, and of the rest in other places. At all events, the tombs are shown of those that I have named; for they were men, and in respect of these things, wicked men and magicians.
8 For else they should not have become despots -- I mean Zeus, renowned in story, and Dionysus -- but that by changing their forms they prevailed over whom they pleased, for whatever purpose they designed.
9 But if we must emulate their lives, let us imitate not only their adulteries, but also their banquets. For Kronos devoured his own children, and Zeus in like manner his own daughter. And what must I say? Pelops served as a supper for all the gods.
10 Wherefore let us also, before unhallowed marriages, perpetrate a supper like that of the gods; for thus the supper would be worthy of the marriages. But this you would never consent to; no more will I to adultery. Besides this, you threaten me with the anger of Eros as of a powerful god. Eros is not a god, as I conceive him, but a desire occurring from the temperament of the living creature in order to the perpetuation of life, according to the foresight of Him who worketh all things, that the whole race may not fail, but by reason of pleasure another may be produced out of the substance of one who shall die, springing forth by lawful marriage, that he may know to sustain his own father in old age.
11 And this those born from adultery cannot do, not having the nature of affection towards those who have begotten them.
12 Since, therefore, the erotic desire occurs for the sake of continuation and legitimate increasing, as I have said, it behoves parents providing for the chastity of their children to anticipate the desire, by imbuing them with instruction by means of chaste books, and to accustom them beforehand by excellent discourses; for custom is a second nature. And in addition to this, frequently to remind them of the punishments appointed by the laws, that, using fear as a bridle, they may not run on in wicked pleasures.
13 And it behoves them also, before the springing of the desire, to satisfy the natural passion of puberty by marriage, first persuading them not to look upon the beauty of another woman.
14 For our mind, whenever it is impressed delightfully with the image of a beloved one, always seeing the form as in a mirror, is tormented by the recollection; and if it do not obtain its desire, it contrives ways of obtaining it; but if it do obtain it, it is rather increased, like fire having a supply of wood, and especially when there is no fear impressed upon the soul of the lover before the rise of passion.
15 For as water extinguishes fire, so fear is the extinguisher of unreasonable desire. Whence I, having learned from a certain Judean both to understand and to do the things that are pleasing to God, am not to be entrapped into adultery by your lying fables. But may God help you in your wish and efforts to be chaste, and afford a remedy to your soul burning with love.
Dialogue Between John and Jesus
The fragments consist of a series of questions posed by John, to each of which Jesus replies. Both for this reason and because of its themes, it is to be linked with the Apocryphon of John. It is not, however, to be identified with it, or considered as one of its different versions. On the other hand, it has no connection with the various other apocrypha current under the name of the same Apostle. To judge from what remains, the writing must have been a revelation in which John himself was presumed to relate the secret teaching which he had received from the Savior in the course of a conversation with Him. The following is a translation of the papyrus from Deir el-Bala’izah as it appears in NTA. An * indicates the presence of considerable lacuna between the restored portions.
1 "[. . .] the body [. . .] naked [. . .] without sin [. . .] the spiritual power ere she had been revealed, her name was not this, but her name was [----] (An untranslated Greek word of four letters appears here). For all they that were in the heavenly Paradise were sealed in silence. But such as shall partake thereof will become spiritual having known all; they shall seal the five powers in silence. Lo, I have explained unto thee, O Johannes, concerning Adam and Paradise and the Five Trees, in an intelligible allegory.” When I, Johannes, heard these things, I said: “I have made a good beginning; I have completed knowledge and a hidden mystery and allegories of truth, having been encouraged by Thy love. Now I desire further to ask Thee that Thou wouldst explain unto me in Thy will concerning Cain and Abel: according to what fashion did Cain slay Abel? And not this only, but he was asked by him that spoke with him, saying, Where is Abel, thy brother? But Cain denied, saying, Am I the keeper [. . .].”
*
2 “[. . .] of the fullness it being completed. Lo, I have explained unto thee, O Johannes, concerning Noah and his ark and [. . .].”
*
3 “ [. . .] Now I desire further to ask Thee what Thou wouldst explain unto me concerning Melchizedek. Is it not said concerning him: being without father, being without mother, his generation was not mentioned, having no beginning of days, having no end of life, being like to the Son of God, being a priest for ever. It is also said concerning him [. . .].”
The Audian Revelation of John
Theodore bar Konai (Book of Scholia XI, in a chapter about the Adjae or Audians), mentions a Revelation or Apocalypse in the name of John, from which he quotes two extracts.
1 These powers which I have seen, from them comes my body.
2 My Wisdom made the hair, Understanding the skin. Elohim made the bones, and my Sovereignty made the blood. Adonai made the nerves, and Zeal made the flesh, and Thought made the marrow.
The Fall of Adam and Eve
From the Irish Lebor Gabala Erren 1150 AD. Most scholars regard the Lebor Gabála as primarily myth rather than history. It appears to be mostly based on medieval Christian pseudo-histories, but it also incorporates some of Ireland's native pagan mythology. Scholars believe the goal of its writers was to provide an epic history for Ireland that could compare to that of the Israelites or the Romans, and which reconciled native myth with the Christian view of history. It is suggested, for example, that there are six 'takings' to match the "Six Ages of the World". Lebor Gabála Érenn is also considered a "highly influential Middle Irish prose-and-verse treatise [. . .] written in order to bridge the chasm between Christian world-chronology and the prehistory of Ireland."
1 God made Heaven and Earth at the first, and He Himself hath no beginning nor ending.
2 He made first the formless mass, and the light of angels, on the first Sunday. He made firmament on the Monday. He made earth and seas on the Tuesday. He made sun and moon and the stars of Heaven on the Wednesday. He made birds of the air and reptiles of the sea on the Thursday. He made beasts of the earth in general, and Adam to rule over them, on the Friday. Thereafter God rested on the Saturday from the accomplishment of a new Creation, but by no means from its governance.
3 Thereafter He gave the bailiffry of Heaven to Lucifer, with the nine orders of the Angels of Heaven. He gave the bailiffry of Earth to Adam and to Eve, with her progeny. Thereafter Lucifer sinned, so that he was leader of a third of the host of angels. The King confined him with a third of the host of angels in his company, in Hell. And God said unto the Foe of Heaven: "Haughty is this Lucifer, in unity we shall confound thy counsel."
4 Thereafter Lucifer had envy against Adam, for he was assured that this would be given him, the filling of Heaven in his room. Wherefore Jofer Niger came in the form of the serpent, and persuaded Adam and Eve to sin, in the matter of eating of the apple from the forbidden tree. Wherefore Adam was expelled from Paradise into common earth.
5 Thereafter the Lord came to them, and He said unto Adam, "Of earth was he made and into earth shall he go. He shall not obtain satisfaction without labor." He said further unto the woman:
It shall be with tears and insufferable pain that thou shalt bring forth thy sons."
6 The progeny of Adam sinned thereafter, namely the elder of the sons of Adam, Cain the accursed, who slew his brother Abel through his jealousy and through his greed, with the bone of a camel, as learned men say. In this manner began the kin-murders of the world.
The Son of Samael
Translated from the Hebrew text published by Louis Ginzberg, “Beno shel Samael,” Ha-Goren 9 (1913): 38-41; reprinted in idem, ‘Al halakhah wa-aggadah (Tel Aviv: Devir, 1960), 227-28. He says he copied it from a Yemenite manuscript maḥzor in the library of the Jewish Theological Seminary. For a valuable analysis of the few extant Muslim versions of this tale, see Zohar Hadromi-Allouche, “The Death and Life of the Devil’s Son: A Literary Analysis of a Neglected Tradition,” Studia Islamica 107 (2012): 157-83.
1 ‘For the inclination of the heart of humanity is wicked from their youth.’ I will now reveal to you the secret of this verse.
2 At the time when the Holy One, blessed be He, created His world, Samael came down to earth and with him was what appeared to be a small boy. He went to Eve and said to her: ‘Can my son stay with you while I make a journey to a distant place?’ She said to him: ‘He may stay.’ Then Samael went on his way.
3 Now on that day Adam the Protoplast had been walking about in the Garden of Eden. The moment Adam came back to his house, he saw that boy crying. He said to Eve his wife: ‘Whose son is this?’ She said to him: ‘He is the son of Samael.’ He said to her: ‘Why must we put up with this trouble?’ Now the boy kept weeping ever more loudly and bitterly to the point that he was aggravating Adam the Protoplast. What did Adam the Protoplast do? He arose and slaughtered him, but the boy continued weeping all the more! Adam the Protoplast again arose and chopped him up into little pieces, but afterwards each piece was individually screaming! What did Adam the Protoplast do? He again arose and cooked him, and he and Eve his wife ate him.
4 As soon as Samael realized that they had eaten his son, he came to them and said to them: ‘Give me back my son, and I’ll be on my way.’ They said to him: ‘We have not seen him, nor do we know where he is.’ He said to them: ‘Are you telling a lie!? The Holy One, blessed be He, will eventually give the Torah to Israel, and it is written within it that you should keep your distance from one telling a lie!’ While they were talking, the son of Samael began speaking from within Adam and Eve, saying to Samael: ‘Go on your way. I have now entered into their heart, and I will never depart from their heart, whether they or their descendants or the descendants of their descendants until the end of all generations.’ At that time Samael went on his way.
5 Thereupon Adam the Protoplast was sad, and he put on sackcloth and ashes. He was afflicting himself with innumerable periods of fasting until the Holy One, blessed be He, revealed Himself unto him and said to him: ‘My son, do not be afraid of him! I am providing for you a remedy, for he came to you only as My emissary.’ He said to him: ‘What is this remedy that you are giving to me?’ He said to him: ‘The Torah.’ He said to him: ‘Where is the Torah?’ At that time he handed over to him the Book of Raziel the Angel, and he was studying it both day and night.
6 After some time the ministering angels came to Adam the Protoplast, for they were jealous of him. They told him that he was a divinity superior to them and were worshiping him. But Adam the Protoplast said to them: ‘Do not be worshiping me! Magnify the Lord your God with me, and let us extol His Name together, for I also like you am a created being!’ What did the ministering angels do? On account of the great jealousy they felt toward Adam the Protoplast, they took from him the book which the Holy One, blessed be He, had given to him and pitched it in the sea. They then went on their way.
7 Adam the Protoplast searched for the book but could not find it. He was highly distressed, and put on sackcloth and ashes. He afflicted himself with innumerable periods of fasting until the Holy One, blessed be He, revealed Himself unto him from the supernal heavens and said to him: ‘Do not fear! I will restore the book to you!’ At that time the Holy One, blessed be He, summoned the Prince of the Sea and said to him: ‘Go under My agency to the sea, rescue the book, and give it to Adam the Protoplast!’ The Prince of the Sea, whose name is Rahab, went and rescued the book and gave it to Adam the Protoplast. It is the one mentioned in the verse ‘this is the book of the generations of Adam.’ May the Lord, blessed be He, deliver us from the evil inclination! Amen, may God’s will be done!
Source: https://pages.uncc.edu/john-reeves/research-projects/medieval-jewish-pseudepigrapha/son-of-samael/
The Dispute of the Devil with Christ
A book with this title exists in Greek. Vassiliev prints two forms of it in his Anecdota Graeco-Byzantina. It has some slight affinities with the Gospel of Bartholomew, but it is very late. The work is part of a fairly large class of books, early and late, which consist essentially of questions addressed to Jesus and his answers to them. As a type of literature, it goes back in time to at least Irenaeus of Lyons (d.c.200), who is known to have used one of the versions. Other examples of this later material include the Apocryphal Apocalypse of John, the Liber Sancta Joannis, and the Questions of Saint James to Saint John (also printed by Vassiliev).
1 The devil said, "Because such are my works, then I am greater than thou, and I was greater than thy angels. Thou art the king in the heavens, I am the king upon earth. Thou art Christ, and I am Antichrist." The Lord said, "Thou art the phantasm of the world." The devil said, "And thou art the phantasm which was bom of the woman." Jesus said, "It is true that I was bom of a woman, that I might save the man whom I created; and on this account, I shall not abandon him before he appear at the third heaven, before the face of my Father, and shall enjoy the good things in the heavens." And the devil said, "Thou thyself didst form Adam, and didst plant paradise, and didst place him in it; but I made him not to enter into paradise for one day." And the Lord said, "Thou didst deceive Adam, and didst drive him out of paradise; but I will not suffer him to be a mockery by
thee."
2 And the devil said, "If man shall sin, and give up thy glory, and shall do my will, what part hath he with thee?" And the Lord said, "A man shall sin, and do thy works, and perform thy will and shall give up my glory, and shall live ninety years and come to repentance, receive strangers, guide the blind, shall company with the dead in prayers and fastings, and in his prayer shall say, 'O God, have mercy on me a sinner,' his good death cometh, and obtaineth the pardon of his wickedness. He shall be given to the archangel Michael, leader of those above, and shall become a suppliant to me; and I shall enlighten him, and lead him to paradise."
3 And again Jesus said, ''If a man shall live and do thy will, and reject my glory, and if he shall not repent of the evil which he shall do, especially should he live fifty or sixty years, and until eighty years shall not come to repentance, and when a sinner his death cometh, I will deliver him to the angel Emelouch, and he will lead him away to the outer darkness with the archdemons, and he shall be punished. According to his stumblings, I will reckon; I will examine him for my perfecting, and will not destroy him, because he is my creation. And the angel will lead him away to the lake of fire, where also thou art about to proceed with thy demons, O wicked devil."
4 Then the devil, being angry, withdrew from him, and called his eight myriads of grinning demons, saying unto them, "My children, be strong and slay the man; for the great Christ hath descended upon the earth, and if we shall kill him, the kingdom is ours forever. But we ourselves must go before, and I will come behind, and we will smite him like one of mankind. From the time when he formed Adam, I was not willing to worship him, and from that time he and his Father hated me." And when he had said these things, the crowd of demons put itself in motion, and the cloud of dust raised by them extended twenty stadia. But the Lord's disciples, seeing the mountains trembling, the fountains spouting forth, and the fishes leaping out, were exceedingly terrified, and said, "Lord, seeing these things, we shall die." The Lord said to them, "Fear not the devil; I will smite him together with his demons."
5 While they were saying these things, the crowd of demons drew near, about thirteen stadia off. But Philip and Thomas said, "The God of all Himself cast the devil from heaven." While they were saying these things, the crowd of demons approached until they were three stadia distant. And Peter, receiving cowardice from the devil, wished to make Jesus manifest. And the Lord said, "Be not afraid until thou seest the glory of God." He turned and stood at the feet of Jesus. Then our Lord Jesus Christ prayed, and changed to his divine glory. And he commanded a cloud of heaven to suspend the devil at his feet; and he smoked him with smoke.
6 And here the demons cried out, saying, "And whither shall we flee? But come, let us betake ourselves into the abyss, where we may be saved." And the devil, being suspended, cried out with a loud voice, saying, "Lord, lead me down from this distress, and destroy me not prematurely." And the Lord said, "If I lead thee down, wilt thou cease to make war against the race of men?" And the devil said, "My Lord, I can bring it to pass that as many as believed upon my polluted and unclean kind shall believe upon thy name." And the Lord commanded him to be brought down upon the earth; and the devil, having fallen as lightning, stationed himself before the feet of Jesus. Then Jesus changed into his human condition, even as on our account he was bom. And the devil, seeing that Jesus was become a man, snorted contemptuously in his mouth, and violently stood up against him for the purpose of laying hold on Jesus.
7 And the Lord said to him, "Again, devil, hast thou the power to attack me? O Satan, wilt thou again enter into controversy? I will not spit upon thee, nor will I breathe upon thee. For my spittle is healing and strength, and as to my breathing, the very Holy Spirit proceedeth from my mouth. Yea, my powers are great, but if I do not make war upon thee, I will not be king forever."
8 And the devil said, "I will go to the high priests Annas and Caiaphas, to the chief priests, to my Judeans; and I will prepare them to crucify thee. I am not like the Most High, but thou art His Son. But I am like myself; I am Antichrist. Thou art the heavenly king, and I the earthly, since, indeed, thou castest me away. And also I caused John, who baptized thee, to be put to death by Herod, and his head to be triumphed over by a dancing woman." And the Lord said, "John did not die, but liveth. But hear, wicked devil. Art thou able to gather wine from thorns, or harvest fruit from thistles?" And the devil was silent, making no answer. And Jesus said to him, "Art thou satisfied, devil? O Satan, wilt thou again make disputation?" And he answered, "My Lord, I have naught to say."
9 And the Lord prayed a third time, and was changed into his divine glory. And he commanded the devil to be removed from him thirteen stadia. And he sealed the earth; and the earth was rent a hundred cubits, and was cloven asunder to the subterranean regions of the abyss. And the devil sent forth a loud voice, saying, "Lord, where am I going." The Lord said, "Descend, and thou shalt know." The devil said, "My Lord, how great is the depth?" Jesus said, "Should ninety-eight men roll down it a stone commensurate with their strength, the stone descending for fifty years would become like a grain of mustard before it came near the place where thou art going."
10 And the devil said, "Lord, and from then what?" The Lord said, "There thou shalt remain until the end of time, being beaten by twenty-four angels, night and day. But at the end of that age, thou shalt go out upon the earth, and come to a country called Gouze, a country of the Egyptians, to the city of Daphne, offered for sale as a little fish. A virgin maid will conceive thee, by name Eudocia; because thou oughtest to be born from injustice. Being born of her three months, thou shalt establish thy throne upon the earth, and shalt reign three years; and many shall believe upon thee."
11 And the devil said, "Until then, have I power to reign?" Jesus said, "O Satan, rejoice not because thou hast power to reign! But I can shift the years as a book, and I can make the three years three months or three weeks, the weeks days, the days hours, the hours moments." The devil said, "Lord, and from then what?"
12 And Jesus said, "In its own season there shall be com and much wine, and for two seasons there shall not be found in the four extremities of the earth either wine or oil, except the widow's measure of com and half a pound of oil. I myself will come with ten thousand times ten thousand angels, and with Enoch and Elijah and John, and with my mother the virgin, and with the holy John who baptized me, whom thou didst say, "I made as the sport of a feast to be beheaded, and his head to be presented on a waiter before Herod." I send him for thy upbraiding and destruction. These will refute thee of thy name appearing any longer either in heaven or on earth, and they purpose to kill thee, base dog, devil. Because glory is becoming to our holy God."
1 The devil said, "Because such are my works, then I am greater than thou, and I was greater than thy angels. Thou art the king in the heavens, I am the king upon earth. Thou art Christ, and I am Antichrist." The Lord said, "Thou art the phantasm of the world." The devil said, "And thou art the phantasm which was bom of the woman." Jesus said, "It is true that I was bom of a woman, that I might save the man whom I created; and on this account, I shall not abandon him before he appear at the third heaven, before the face of my Father, and shall enjoy the good things in the heavens." And the devil said, "Thou thyself didst form Adam, and didst plant paradise, and didst place him in it; but I made him not to enter into paradise for one day." And the Lord said, "Thou didst deceive Adam, and didst drive him out of paradise; but I will not suffer him to be a mockery by
thee."
2 And the devil said, "If man shall sin, and give up thy glory, and shall do my will, what part hath he with thee?" And the Lord said, "A man shall sin, and do thy works, and perform thy will and shall give up my glory, and shall live ninety years and come to repentance, receive strangers, guide the blind, shall company with the dead in prayers and fastings, and in his prayer shall say, 'O God, have mercy on me a sinner,' his good death cometh, and obtaineth the pardon of his wickedness. He shall be given to the archangel Michael, leader of those above, and shall become a suppliant to me; and I shall enlighten him, and lead him to paradise."
3 And again Jesus said, ''If a man shall live and do thy will, and reject my glory, and if he shall not repent of the evil which he shall do, especially should he live fifty or sixty years, and until eighty years shall not come to repentance, and when a sinner his death cometh, I will deliver him to the angel Emelouch, and he will lead him away to the outer darkness with the archdemons, and he shall be punished. According to his stumblings, I will reckon; I will examine him for my perfecting, and will not destroy him, because he is my creation. And the angel will lead him away to the lake of fire, where also thou art about to proceed with thy demons, O wicked devil."
4 Then the devil, being angry, withdrew from him, and called his eight myriads of grinning demons, saying unto them, "My children, be strong and slay the man; for the great Christ hath descended upon the earth, and if we shall kill him, the kingdom is ours forever. But we ourselves must go before, and I will come behind, and we will smite him like one of mankind. From the time when he formed Adam, I was not willing to worship him, and from that time he and his Father hated me." And when he had said these things, the crowd of demons put itself in motion, and the cloud of dust raised by them extended twenty stadia. But the Lord's disciples, seeing the mountains trembling, the fountains spouting forth, and the fishes leaping out, were exceedingly terrified, and said, "Lord, seeing these things, we shall die." The Lord said to them, "Fear not the devil; I will smite him together with his demons."
5 While they were saying these things, the crowd of demons drew near, about thirteen stadia off. But Philip and Thomas said, "The God of all Himself cast the devil from heaven." While they were saying these things, the crowd of demons approached until they were three stadia distant. And Peter, receiving cowardice from the devil, wished to make Jesus manifest. And the Lord said, "Be not afraid until thou seest the glory of God." He turned and stood at the feet of Jesus. Then our Lord Jesus Christ prayed, and changed to his divine glory. And he commanded a cloud of heaven to suspend the devil at his feet; and he smoked him with smoke.
6 And here the demons cried out, saying, "And whither shall we flee? But come, let us betake ourselves into the abyss, where we may be saved." And the devil, being suspended, cried out with a loud voice, saying, "Lord, lead me down from this distress, and destroy me not prematurely." And the Lord said, "If I lead thee down, wilt thou cease to make war against the race of men?" And the devil said, "My Lord, I can bring it to pass that as many as believed upon my polluted and unclean kind shall believe upon thy name." And the Lord commanded him to be brought down upon the earth; and the devil, having fallen as lightning, stationed himself before the feet of Jesus. Then Jesus changed into his human condition, even as on our account he was bom. And the devil, seeing that Jesus was become a man, snorted contemptuously in his mouth, and violently stood up against him for the purpose of laying hold on Jesus.
7 And the Lord said to him, "Again, devil, hast thou the power to attack me? O Satan, wilt thou again enter into controversy? I will not spit upon thee, nor will I breathe upon thee. For my spittle is healing and strength, and as to my breathing, the very Holy Spirit proceedeth from my mouth. Yea, my powers are great, but if I do not make war upon thee, I will not be king forever."
8 And the devil said, "I will go to the high priests Annas and Caiaphas, to the chief priests, to my Judeans; and I will prepare them to crucify thee. I am not like the Most High, but thou art His Son. But I am like myself; I am Antichrist. Thou art the heavenly king, and I the earthly, since, indeed, thou castest me away. And also I caused John, who baptized thee, to be put to death by Herod, and his head to be triumphed over by a dancing woman." And the Lord said, "John did not die, but liveth. But hear, wicked devil. Art thou able to gather wine from thorns, or harvest fruit from thistles?" And the devil was silent, making no answer. And Jesus said to him, "Art thou satisfied, devil? O Satan, wilt thou again make disputation?" And he answered, "My Lord, I have naught to say."
9 And the Lord prayed a third time, and was changed into his divine glory. And he commanded the devil to be removed from him thirteen stadia. And he sealed the earth; and the earth was rent a hundred cubits, and was cloven asunder to the subterranean regions of the abyss. And the devil sent forth a loud voice, saying, "Lord, where am I going." The Lord said, "Descend, and thou shalt know." The devil said, "My Lord, how great is the depth?" Jesus said, "Should ninety-eight men roll down it a stone commensurate with their strength, the stone descending for fifty years would become like a grain of mustard before it came near the place where thou art going."
10 And the devil said, "Lord, and from then what?" The Lord said, "There thou shalt remain until the end of time, being beaten by twenty-four angels, night and day. But at the end of that age, thou shalt go out upon the earth, and come to a country called Gouze, a country of the Egyptians, to the city of Daphne, offered for sale as a little fish. A virgin maid will conceive thee, by name Eudocia; because thou oughtest to be born from injustice. Being born of her three months, thou shalt establish thy throne upon the earth, and shalt reign three years; and many shall believe upon thee."
11 And the devil said, "Until then, have I power to reign?" Jesus said, "O Satan, rejoice not because thou hast power to reign! But I can shift the years as a book, and I can make the three years three months or three weeks, the weeks days, the days hours, the hours moments." The devil said, "Lord, and from then what?"
12 And Jesus said, "In its own season there shall be com and much wine, and for two seasons there shall not be found in the four extremities of the earth either wine or oil, except the widow's measure of com and half a pound of oil. I myself will come with ten thousand times ten thousand angels, and with Enoch and Elijah and John, and with my mother the virgin, and with the holy John who baptized me, whom thou didst say, "I made as the sport of a feast to be beheaded, and his head to be presented on a waiter before Herod." I send him for thy upbraiding and destruction. These will refute thee of thy name appearing any longer either in heaven or on earth, and they purpose to kill thee, base dog, devil. Because glory is becoming to our holy God."
A Coptic Fragment of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, after Schmidt
C. Schmidt (“Eine Bisher Unbekannte Altchristliche Schrift” in Koptischen Sprache in the Sitzungsberichte der Akademie der Wissenschaften zu Berline XXXI, June 20, 1895, 705-711) has called attention to a Coptic papyrus fragment containing gospel apocryphal matter of importance: and he has promised a further study of the work. The account which this fragment preserves of the Resurrection is an interesting example of the way in which Received narrative were expanded and embellished, and put into the lips of eyewitnesses. The text appears below in a summary form; the precise reference in CAG is, unfortunately, missing.
1 Mary, Martha and Mary Magdalene go to the grave to anoint the body of Jesus. Because they find the grave empty, they are saddened and cry. The Lord appears to them and speaks: ‘Why are you crying? Stop crying, it is me whom you seek. But would one of you go to your brothers and say: Come, the master has risen from the dead.’
2 Martha came and told us what had happened. We said to her: ‘What do you want with us, woman? He who has died is buried and there is no possibility that he lives.’ Nor did we believe her that the Savior had risen from the dead. Then she went to the Lord and said to him: ‘None of them believed me that you live.’ He said: ‘May another of you go to them and say it to them again.’
3 Mary came and told it to us again, and again we did not believe her. She returned to the Lord and told Him what had happened. Then the Lord spoke to Mary and her other sisters: ‘Let us go to them.’ And he went and found us inside and called us outside. But we thought it was a ghost and didn’t believe it was the Lord.
4 Then he spoke to us: ‘Come and [. . .] you, O Peter, who has denied him three times, and also now you deny?’ We approached Him as we doubted in our hearts that it might perhaps not be Him. Then he said to us: ‘Why do you still doubt and are unbelieving? I am the one who told you that because of my flesh and my death and my resurrection you would know that it is me.
5 Peter, lay your fingers in the nail wounds of my hand, and you, Thomas, lay your fingers in the spear marks of my side. But you, Andrew, touch my feet, so you see that they [. . .] those of the earth. Because it stands written in the prophet: Fantasies about dreams [. . .] on earth.’ We answered him: ‘We have in truth recognized, the [. . .] in flesh.’ And we threw ourselves on our faces and confessed our sin of having been unbelievers.
1 Mary, Martha and Mary Magdalene go to the grave to anoint the body of Jesus. Because they find the grave empty, they are saddened and cry. The Lord appears to them and speaks: ‘Why are you crying? Stop crying, it is me whom you seek. But would one of you go to your brothers and say: Come, the master has risen from the dead.’
2 Martha came and told us what had happened. We said to her: ‘What do you want with us, woman? He who has died is buried and there is no possibility that he lives.’ Nor did we believe her that the Savior had risen from the dead. Then she went to the Lord and said to him: ‘None of them believed me that you live.’ He said: ‘May another of you go to them and say it to them again.’
3 Mary came and told it to us again, and again we did not believe her. She returned to the Lord and told Him what had happened. Then the Lord spoke to Mary and her other sisters: ‘Let us go to them.’ And he went and found us inside and called us outside. But we thought it was a ghost and didn’t believe it was the Lord.
4 Then he spoke to us: ‘Come and [. . .] you, O Peter, who has denied him three times, and also now you deny?’ We approached Him as we doubted in our hearts that it might perhaps not be Him. Then he said to us: ‘Why do you still doubt and are unbelieving? I am the one who told you that because of my flesh and my death and my resurrection you would know that it is me.
5 Peter, lay your fingers in the nail wounds of my hand, and you, Thomas, lay your fingers in the spear marks of my side. But you, Andrew, touch my feet, so you see that they [. . .] those of the earth. Because it stands written in the prophet: Fantasies about dreams [. . .] on earth.’ We answered him: ‘We have in truth recognized, the [. . .] in flesh.’ And we threw ourselves on our faces and confessed our sin of having been unbelievers.
Cura Sanitatis Tiberii
Tuomas Levänen
"The Cure of Tiber's Illness". Short medieval miracle story which exists, as far as I know, only in Latin. I stumbled upon this text first time, while browsing medieval Latin Bibles at the British Library collections, and this was added to Gospel of Nicodemus - which was also in that same manuscript. According to a quick search, no English translation exists yet, or I'm not aware of any. Roger Pearse helped me OCR from E. Dobschütz corrected and polished Latin text (Christusbilder, 1899) and wrote more details about the backgrounds to his excellent and useful website. As this isn't official scholarly publication, I just give a simple translation here. Consult Passio Pauli and Gospel of Nicodemus for related events. Email blatant errors and suggestions to levaset(at) gmail.com //Tuomas Levänen, Finland
1 Pilatus Claudius composed this writing, when it was just written, and it was written because the emperor Tiberius was struggling under a difficult disease. Tiberius and Vitelli were both consuls during the reign of Tiberius the Caesar, governor of the empire, and Claudius was his successor. As Jerusalem was in his area, he was guided to receive Jesus Christ, because he had heard wonderful things about him, about awakening the dead and healing the sick, both by himself and through his disciples. He was planning to use his own devises, saying, "if God exists, he can be given to us, if he is a human, we can love and reign through him. However, I long this one to be brought to make me whole, because of the weakness of my body. It shall be given great honor to the one, who can perform this. There was a known man, Volusianus, high priest of the temple, who was in charge now about both public and private things, set in Jerusalem, so that he can perform his own tasks, and those of Augustus the Caesar. I shall ask him to bring them to me, under reverence and honor." For his increasing pain tormented him, so that even his body felt like a spear pierced insect.
2 Caesar Tiberius was taking more and more drugs and countless ointments while trying to recover, but he felt nothing affecting anything. And when long time had passed by, and there was no any progress, and yet he wanted to get better and be saved, he ordered this known man, Volusianus, to be brought to him. And when the Caesar saw him, he said to him, "I command you, under the eyes of gods and goddesses and spirits, to perform a mission for the state, to act publicly and privately because of my health, to be my ambassador, and when you have done all these things, everything that you shall desire, will be done for you. Hurry, therefore, and go your way, for I have heard the name of Jesus, a certain Judean, of whom they say he can raise the dead and do countless other things; he can give sight to the blind by just a word - he says, and it shall surely be so.
3 Volusianus then bowed his head, and knelt at the emperor, worshiping him, and said, "be compassionate to me, O Caesar!" Caesar replied, and said to him, "Look, Volusianus, you have a reporter here, who showed all these things, and he has said that they confess this to be the God; this one I spoke about. If God exists, he can help us, but if not, and cannot help the state, there's nothing to lose anyway. For this very reason I exhort you to hurry to him, without delay!" So, as required by law, he made the covenant with his wife, and embarked a ship, which was going his way. Meantime the Caesar was sorely sick, awaiting for death. It took Volusianus one year and three months on the stormy sea before arriving at Jerusalem.
4 And when he entered the city, all the elders of the Judeans were troubled at his arrival, because he was going to Pilate, the governor of Judea, to present a Roman given order. For at his arrival in royal and noble appearance, he went with excitement to see him. Pilate asked Volusianus with anxiety, saying, "have your servants been found worthy of your way all the way here? Can you let us know the reason for your journey?" Volusianus replied him and said, "we are not here to gather information about the province of our great Caesar, nor about the cities. We have been freed from direct care of the country, but we are carefully going to examine this salvation for our pious lord Tiberius, and Augustus greets you. Because secrets of deadly sicknesses bind him, so that neither drugs or travelers' ointments are able to help him, and this is the very reason why we are in this state of anxiety, and we are ordered here by commandment. Many days after the violent waves hindered us, we found a safe way here to see Jesus, and we desire to see how we have heard, that in his name one can be healthy without certain herbs or drugs, as says the report of someone standing here. It says he takes care of unclean diseases by one word only, and entire man is healthy. In addition to that he also raises the dead." When hearing this, Pilate sighed, deeply grieved.
5 These said, a Judean man named Thomas on behalf of the name of which the report had been in front of Caesar's presence. He said, "my God, the Son of God, even demons confessed thus about him. Likewise also his disciples, among whom I am counted. Perhaps we will find out the truth". Then one of the governor's soldiers said to Pilate, "this arrogantly desires to see if your majesty is not afraid to crucify him!" Pilate was confused to report the military execution commandment he had decreed. After this, Volusianus said to Pilate, "so, you, who allowed you to condemn this Jesus to death, to whom most people trust, without permission from Caesar Augustus?" Pilate replied, saying, "he called himself king of the Judeans, and thus suffered because of his words".
6 Then said a captain of Pilate, "we're not confused by the greatness of your heart, but in truth, we ourselves have seen him rising again on the third day. And there are many who have been with us, who have seen him walking. He was full of life, and flourishing, and so was Joseph, who buried him". Volusianus said in that moment, and ordered Joseph to be brought in with great honor and awe, and when they had arrived, Volusianus said to them, "you alone are the wisest among your nation, that we have learnt to be found in this city. Tell us truthfully about Jesus, is it true, that there is such a man in your nation that even the demons confess he's God, and he even rose from the dead, and we have heard this testimony is not yours only?" And Joseph answered, and said, "I'm sure that Jesus Christ, my Lord, did rise from the dead. I saw him, and took him as I had requested, and I brought him down and buried him in a sepulcher that was hewn out of the rock, and I saw everything he was teaching to his twelve disciples in Galilee, when he was yet living and sitting on Mount of the King." Volusianus inquired, if there is a need to be sent around the surrounding areas of Jerusalem to search for him, but those eleven, and Joseph with them, said "we have already seen him ascending to heaven". They were Didymus, Lucius, Isaac the teacher, Addaeus, Pinechas the teacher, Ishaia, and Azaria, and Levi the teacher, and Matthew.
7 After these Pilate commanded to take care of Volusianus as was Pilate's custom, and relate more as regards the name. There were many miracles that Jesus had done, and the men there announced them by their mouths. Volusianus heard these and said before all the people, "if Jesus was God, who can help us, he could also decide about the throne of the state". Then Pilate was ordered by Volusianus with his hosts, to be taken into prison and kept eye on him. Pilatus broke into tears and Volusianus said, " you public enemy of the truth, didn't all this were reported to Augustus, did he and all his people accept this?" Pilate replied, "I am clean of that blood, I didn't want him to be killed, but the Judeans did." Volusianus said to him, "however it seems to be, that you didn't do anything to rescue the innocent from those wicked rebels, who delivered him to you!"
8 Then one of his disciples, called Simon stood up in front of Volusianus, and said in front of all those people, "Pilate, while the Judeans tried your nerves and annoyed you, you declared 'I have the power to release you, and I have the power to execute you', and how is that innocent man now?" Pilate replied, "the Judeans were afraid of him, but I, to show my innocence, I have washed my hands before all of them, by saying 'I am innocent to this righteous blood, see it yourself', and the elders of the Judeans replied and said to me, 'let his blood be upon us, and upon our children!'" Hearing this, Volusianus started to weep, and he said to Pilate, tears falling, "you malefactor, you ought to have released him, because of your position!"
9 After this Volusianus began powerfully desire that that they have to examine, if there is anyone capable to know how to proceed, there came certain man, named Marcius, knowing a woman who stays in secret. He said to Volusianus, "almost three years ago a woman was healed from her blood illness. She, our sister, has received the shroud of his body and she does know Jesus". Then Volusianus said to that young man, "can you tell me the name of that woman?" He said, "She is called Veronica, dwelling in Tyre". Volusianus commanded that the woman would be brought to him, and when she was presented to him, Volusianus said to her, "I have been informed about your goodness and understanding, so, hear my petition, show me your great God, who brought salvation to your body." The woman replied to this, that she does possess the things, that were spoken of.
10 However, in that time Volusianus began to suspect he was a laughing-stock, and he started inquire carefully if that woman was to overthrow him and his devotion to his gods, and he wanted to see the image of the secret of salvation,and behold, it was hidden by her. So a multitude of soldiers accompanied her to the chamber where the image of his head was hidden, and it was brought to Volusianus. But when Volusianus saw the image of Jesus Christ, trembling and reverence seized him and he said, "verily I say to you, that those, who mistreated and crucified Jesus, who cured the sick and raised the dead, shall receive an evil reward!" Troops of the ships were being filled with armed soldiers, and they took Pilate, and the woman, Veronica, and the image of Lord Jesus Christ, and they journeyed together to the city of Rome, and arrived there at the end of ninth month.
11 The arrival of Volusianus was reported to Caesar Tiberius. Volusianus proceeded in to worship Caesar Tiberius, and told him everything that had caused the delay, and how the tempest of the sea hindered, and Tiberius said to him, "why do you not kill Pilate?" Volusianus said, "I was afraid to offend your majesty, however, he is here now." When Caesar Tiberius saw his face, in that moment he was filled with anger and declared a sentence against him, saying, "you shall not eat cooked food nor boiled water", and condemned him to be sent to city of Tuscany, to be exiled and kept in prison in Amerian county.
12 Volusianus said to Caesar Tiberius, "Jesus healed a certain woman of thirty years, from the issue of blood which she was suffering. She possesses an image of the Lord Jesus' love, and this very same image is brought here with her. For this woman has left everything behind her, except this image of God, saying, 'this shroud is my soul's richness, I will not, during my life, depart from it, for there is my hope of salvation, and there is strength and my hope. Where it is, I am with it'."
13 When Tiberius Augustus heard about the image of Lord Jesus Christ, he ordered that both it, and the woman must be presented to him. When he saw that shroud, which the woman had, that woman said, "you do deserve to touch the hem of Jesus' garment!" Having said this, she looked up, and saw Jesus Christ bowing down towards that image of Jesus Christ. The ground was trembling, with Christ's tears falling. To be consolated from his infirmity, the man, who was suffering inside, had already seen a vision which revealed him the power, richness and honor of God, who can make him whole. And immediately he was cured from his weakness and he ordered that the woman, Veronica, must be covered with gold and precious stones, with a public decree.
14 Tiberius said to Volusianus, "what should be commanded now?" Volusianus replied, "as far as I have learnt, there is no one else but the Son of God, in which everyone has to be baptized, in water, and one must also believe that he is the Son." And Caesar Tiberius said, "woe is me, for I didn't have chance to see him in his body, however, I do believe in the Lord Jesus Christ". Nine months later Caesar Tiberius went to senate, and they agreed with one consent, that Jesus is to be worshiped as God, and there should be established images of the true God, and the emperor, and the significance of the city is to be celebrated. Even many of the members of the senate received Christ, including many of the most noble senate members, through the effect they had seen with Caesar Tiberius. He was indignated at the circumcised, because they didn't want to listen to Christ, and to himself, because he hadn't been active enough to save him. Few days after the priests of Isis temple were killed, he died in his bed. Gaius and Claudius were his successors to reign, but after a temporary time of Gaius, Claudius reigned for long time.
15 After Claudius, Caesar Nero succeeded the throne of Rome. And there came to the city of Rome disciples of our Lord Jesus Christ, Peter and Paul. And there was dwelling a certain Samaritan, called Simon, very learned in magic, in which a multitude of demons were dwelling. He said he was the son of god to them, and how he had suffered and died by the Judeans, and he was the one who was buried and rose on the third day. But when Caesar Nero got announced that the Lord Jesus Christ lives, and everything he did among the Judeans, he was also told about Pilate, who was relocated to Ameria, and he commanded him to return where he had been. And when the disciples had been presented to Nero, they told all these to him about the Christ Nazarene. Peter and Paul opposed Simon in the presence of Caesar Nero, saying, "good emperor, if you want to know, what happened in Judea, acquire the writings Pontius Pilate had sent to Claudius, and then you're able to know everything."
16 Nero sent to capital library, and realized the writing was indeed written, received and read. And there was the following: Pontius Pilate salutes Claudius. It happened recently that there was a magnificent man among the Judeans, who had to suffer a great punishment. There was a promise to their fathers, that their God will send them his Holy One, who shall be called King, and he was promised to be sent to earth through a virgin, to be a Judean, leader of the Hebrews. Even demons said he was the Son of God, and he cast them out, and gave light to the blind, cleaned the lepers, cured the paralyzed, awakened the dead, he healed the sick with his word, commanded winds and waves of the sea, made crippled ones walk, and multitude of other miracles he did in the sight of people. And when the Son of God had strengthened the people of the Judeans, the Judean high priests opposed him, and prepared an ambush for him. They spoke lies about him together, and delivered him to me, saying, "this acts against our law". I had him scourged, and gave him to them thinking that they would calm down, and they crucified him. And after he was buried, they put soldiers to guard him, in order that if he is going to rise from the dead. According to the soldiers he indeed rose on the third day. Their wickedness kindled so much, that to keep them quiet they wasted money to the soldiers, so that they would say, "his disciples came by night, and took his body away when we were asleep". Full of lies, they wanted to conceal the truth, but the soldiers, having taken the money, could by no means silence this truth and goodness the Judeans had received. Therefore there is this idea, which they suggested, that he was a liar, according to the Judean leaders.
17 And when the letter had been read in front of Caesar, immediately Caesar Nero said, "tell me, Peter, if all these things were really done by him." Then Peter said, "good emperor, all these things you have heard, were done by our Lord, Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Simon Magus is surrounded by devil's works, for he himself is full of falsehood. Even so much, that an unclean man dared to say that he is son of god. We are all victorious through God and that man, who possesses this divine, incorruptible majesty, but Simon does not represent this substance; rather devil and a man, because the seducer tries to ensnare people." On hearing this, emperor Nero asked Pilate if these things heard from Peter were true. Pilate replied and said, "real are the things your ears heard from Peter!"
18 After these things Pilate got himself circumcised by the Judeans, and emperor Nero exiled him a second time to the city of Ameria, where he later took his own soul by his own sword, in anguish.
19 All these things are now written about damnation of Pilate. Tiberius Augustus, who believed in our Lord Jesus Christ, was baptized and saved, and departed from this life in peace.
20 Nero was a diabolic pagan, wicked murderer, and he destroyed and killed martyrs by following advises of Simon, as he used to. The Lord is our safety! We do believe, that He was the very Son of God, who with the Father, and the Holy Spirit, reigns for ever and ever. Amen.
1 Pilatus Claudius composed this writing, when it was just written, and it was written because the emperor Tiberius was struggling under a difficult disease. Tiberius and Vitelli were both consuls during the reign of Tiberius the Caesar, governor of the empire, and Claudius was his successor. As Jerusalem was in his area, he was guided to receive Jesus Christ, because he had heard wonderful things about him, about awakening the dead and healing the sick, both by himself and through his disciples. He was planning to use his own devises, saying, "if God exists, he can be given to us, if he is a human, we can love and reign through him. However, I long this one to be brought to make me whole, because of the weakness of my body. It shall be given great honor to the one, who can perform this. There was a known man, Volusianus, high priest of the temple, who was in charge now about both public and private things, set in Jerusalem, so that he can perform his own tasks, and those of Augustus the Caesar. I shall ask him to bring them to me, under reverence and honor." For his increasing pain tormented him, so that even his body felt like a spear pierced insect.
2 Caesar Tiberius was taking more and more drugs and countless ointments while trying to recover, but he felt nothing affecting anything. And when long time had passed by, and there was no any progress, and yet he wanted to get better and be saved, he ordered this known man, Volusianus, to be brought to him. And when the Caesar saw him, he said to him, "I command you, under the eyes of gods and goddesses and spirits, to perform a mission for the state, to act publicly and privately because of my health, to be my ambassador, and when you have done all these things, everything that you shall desire, will be done for you. Hurry, therefore, and go your way, for I have heard the name of Jesus, a certain Judean, of whom they say he can raise the dead and do countless other things; he can give sight to the blind by just a word - he says, and it shall surely be so.
3 Volusianus then bowed his head, and knelt at the emperor, worshiping him, and said, "be compassionate to me, O Caesar!" Caesar replied, and said to him, "Look, Volusianus, you have a reporter here, who showed all these things, and he has said that they confess this to be the God; this one I spoke about. If God exists, he can help us, but if not, and cannot help the state, there's nothing to lose anyway. For this very reason I exhort you to hurry to him, without delay!" So, as required by law, he made the covenant with his wife, and embarked a ship, which was going his way. Meantime the Caesar was sorely sick, awaiting for death. It took Volusianus one year and three months on the stormy sea before arriving at Jerusalem.
4 And when he entered the city, all the elders of the Judeans were troubled at his arrival, because he was going to Pilate, the governor of Judea, to present a Roman given order. For at his arrival in royal and noble appearance, he went with excitement to see him. Pilate asked Volusianus with anxiety, saying, "have your servants been found worthy of your way all the way here? Can you let us know the reason for your journey?" Volusianus replied him and said, "we are not here to gather information about the province of our great Caesar, nor about the cities. We have been freed from direct care of the country, but we are carefully going to examine this salvation for our pious lord Tiberius, and Augustus greets you. Because secrets of deadly sicknesses bind him, so that neither drugs or travelers' ointments are able to help him, and this is the very reason why we are in this state of anxiety, and we are ordered here by commandment. Many days after the violent waves hindered us, we found a safe way here to see Jesus, and we desire to see how we have heard, that in his name one can be healthy without certain herbs or drugs, as says the report of someone standing here. It says he takes care of unclean diseases by one word only, and entire man is healthy. In addition to that he also raises the dead." When hearing this, Pilate sighed, deeply grieved.
5 These said, a Judean man named Thomas on behalf of the name of which the report had been in front of Caesar's presence. He said, "my God, the Son of God, even demons confessed thus about him. Likewise also his disciples, among whom I am counted. Perhaps we will find out the truth". Then one of the governor's soldiers said to Pilate, "this arrogantly desires to see if your majesty is not afraid to crucify him!" Pilate was confused to report the military execution commandment he had decreed. After this, Volusianus said to Pilate, "so, you, who allowed you to condemn this Jesus to death, to whom most people trust, without permission from Caesar Augustus?" Pilate replied, saying, "he called himself king of the Judeans, and thus suffered because of his words".
6 Then said a captain of Pilate, "we're not confused by the greatness of your heart, but in truth, we ourselves have seen him rising again on the third day. And there are many who have been with us, who have seen him walking. He was full of life, and flourishing, and so was Joseph, who buried him". Volusianus said in that moment, and ordered Joseph to be brought in with great honor and awe, and when they had arrived, Volusianus said to them, "you alone are the wisest among your nation, that we have learnt to be found in this city. Tell us truthfully about Jesus, is it true, that there is such a man in your nation that even the demons confess he's God, and he even rose from the dead, and we have heard this testimony is not yours only?" And Joseph answered, and said, "I'm sure that Jesus Christ, my Lord, did rise from the dead. I saw him, and took him as I had requested, and I brought him down and buried him in a sepulcher that was hewn out of the rock, and I saw everything he was teaching to his twelve disciples in Galilee, when he was yet living and sitting on Mount of the King." Volusianus inquired, if there is a need to be sent around the surrounding areas of Jerusalem to search for him, but those eleven, and Joseph with them, said "we have already seen him ascending to heaven". They were Didymus, Lucius, Isaac the teacher, Addaeus, Pinechas the teacher, Ishaia, and Azaria, and Levi the teacher, and Matthew.
7 After these Pilate commanded to take care of Volusianus as was Pilate's custom, and relate more as regards the name. There were many miracles that Jesus had done, and the men there announced them by their mouths. Volusianus heard these and said before all the people, "if Jesus was God, who can help us, he could also decide about the throne of the state". Then Pilate was ordered by Volusianus with his hosts, to be taken into prison and kept eye on him. Pilatus broke into tears and Volusianus said, " you public enemy of the truth, didn't all this were reported to Augustus, did he and all his people accept this?" Pilate replied, "I am clean of that blood, I didn't want him to be killed, but the Judeans did." Volusianus said to him, "however it seems to be, that you didn't do anything to rescue the innocent from those wicked rebels, who delivered him to you!"
8 Then one of his disciples, called Simon stood up in front of Volusianus, and said in front of all those people, "Pilate, while the Judeans tried your nerves and annoyed you, you declared 'I have the power to release you, and I have the power to execute you', and how is that innocent man now?" Pilate replied, "the Judeans were afraid of him, but I, to show my innocence, I have washed my hands before all of them, by saying 'I am innocent to this righteous blood, see it yourself', and the elders of the Judeans replied and said to me, 'let his blood be upon us, and upon our children!'" Hearing this, Volusianus started to weep, and he said to Pilate, tears falling, "you malefactor, you ought to have released him, because of your position!"
9 After this Volusianus began powerfully desire that that they have to examine, if there is anyone capable to know how to proceed, there came certain man, named Marcius, knowing a woman who stays in secret. He said to Volusianus, "almost three years ago a woman was healed from her blood illness. She, our sister, has received the shroud of his body and she does know Jesus". Then Volusianus said to that young man, "can you tell me the name of that woman?" He said, "She is called Veronica, dwelling in Tyre". Volusianus commanded that the woman would be brought to him, and when she was presented to him, Volusianus said to her, "I have been informed about your goodness and understanding, so, hear my petition, show me your great God, who brought salvation to your body." The woman replied to this, that she does possess the things, that were spoken of.
10 However, in that time Volusianus began to suspect he was a laughing-stock, and he started inquire carefully if that woman was to overthrow him and his devotion to his gods, and he wanted to see the image of the secret of salvation,and behold, it was hidden by her. So a multitude of soldiers accompanied her to the chamber where the image of his head was hidden, and it was brought to Volusianus. But when Volusianus saw the image of Jesus Christ, trembling and reverence seized him and he said, "verily I say to you, that those, who mistreated and crucified Jesus, who cured the sick and raised the dead, shall receive an evil reward!" Troops of the ships were being filled with armed soldiers, and they took Pilate, and the woman, Veronica, and the image of Lord Jesus Christ, and they journeyed together to the city of Rome, and arrived there at the end of ninth month.
11 The arrival of Volusianus was reported to Caesar Tiberius. Volusianus proceeded in to worship Caesar Tiberius, and told him everything that had caused the delay, and how the tempest of the sea hindered, and Tiberius said to him, "why do you not kill Pilate?" Volusianus said, "I was afraid to offend your majesty, however, he is here now." When Caesar Tiberius saw his face, in that moment he was filled with anger and declared a sentence against him, saying, "you shall not eat cooked food nor boiled water", and condemned him to be sent to city of Tuscany, to be exiled and kept in prison in Amerian county.
12 Volusianus said to Caesar Tiberius, "Jesus healed a certain woman of thirty years, from the issue of blood which she was suffering. She possesses an image of the Lord Jesus' love, and this very same image is brought here with her. For this woman has left everything behind her, except this image of God, saying, 'this shroud is my soul's richness, I will not, during my life, depart from it, for there is my hope of salvation, and there is strength and my hope. Where it is, I am with it'."
13 When Tiberius Augustus heard about the image of Lord Jesus Christ, he ordered that both it, and the woman must be presented to him. When he saw that shroud, which the woman had, that woman said, "you do deserve to touch the hem of Jesus' garment!" Having said this, she looked up, and saw Jesus Christ bowing down towards that image of Jesus Christ. The ground was trembling, with Christ's tears falling. To be consolated from his infirmity, the man, who was suffering inside, had already seen a vision which revealed him the power, richness and honor of God, who can make him whole. And immediately he was cured from his weakness and he ordered that the woman, Veronica, must be covered with gold and precious stones, with a public decree.
14 Tiberius said to Volusianus, "what should be commanded now?" Volusianus replied, "as far as I have learnt, there is no one else but the Son of God, in which everyone has to be baptized, in water, and one must also believe that he is the Son." And Caesar Tiberius said, "woe is me, for I didn't have chance to see him in his body, however, I do believe in the Lord Jesus Christ". Nine months later Caesar Tiberius went to senate, and they agreed with one consent, that Jesus is to be worshiped as God, and there should be established images of the true God, and the emperor, and the significance of the city is to be celebrated. Even many of the members of the senate received Christ, including many of the most noble senate members, through the effect they had seen with Caesar Tiberius. He was indignated at the circumcised, because they didn't want to listen to Christ, and to himself, because he hadn't been active enough to save him. Few days after the priests of Isis temple were killed, he died in his bed. Gaius and Claudius were his successors to reign, but after a temporary time of Gaius, Claudius reigned for long time.
15 After Claudius, Caesar Nero succeeded the throne of Rome. And there came to the city of Rome disciples of our Lord Jesus Christ, Peter and Paul. And there was dwelling a certain Samaritan, called Simon, very learned in magic, in which a multitude of demons were dwelling. He said he was the son of god to them, and how he had suffered and died by the Judeans, and he was the one who was buried and rose on the third day. But when Caesar Nero got announced that the Lord Jesus Christ lives, and everything he did among the Judeans, he was also told about Pilate, who was relocated to Ameria, and he commanded him to return where he had been. And when the disciples had been presented to Nero, they told all these to him about the Christ Nazarene. Peter and Paul opposed Simon in the presence of Caesar Nero, saying, "good emperor, if you want to know, what happened in Judea, acquire the writings Pontius Pilate had sent to Claudius, and then you're able to know everything."
16 Nero sent to capital library, and realized the writing was indeed written, received and read. And there was the following: Pontius Pilate salutes Claudius. It happened recently that there was a magnificent man among the Judeans, who had to suffer a great punishment. There was a promise to their fathers, that their God will send them his Holy One, who shall be called King, and he was promised to be sent to earth through a virgin, to be a Judean, leader of the Hebrews. Even demons said he was the Son of God, and he cast them out, and gave light to the blind, cleaned the lepers, cured the paralyzed, awakened the dead, he healed the sick with his word, commanded winds and waves of the sea, made crippled ones walk, and multitude of other miracles he did in the sight of people. And when the Son of God had strengthened the people of the Judeans, the Judean high priests opposed him, and prepared an ambush for him. They spoke lies about him together, and delivered him to me, saying, "this acts against our law". I had him scourged, and gave him to them thinking that they would calm down, and they crucified him. And after he was buried, they put soldiers to guard him, in order that if he is going to rise from the dead. According to the soldiers he indeed rose on the third day. Their wickedness kindled so much, that to keep them quiet they wasted money to the soldiers, so that they would say, "his disciples came by night, and took his body away when we were asleep". Full of lies, they wanted to conceal the truth, but the soldiers, having taken the money, could by no means silence this truth and goodness the Judeans had received. Therefore there is this idea, which they suggested, that he was a liar, according to the Judean leaders.
17 And when the letter had been read in front of Caesar, immediately Caesar Nero said, "tell me, Peter, if all these things were really done by him." Then Peter said, "good emperor, all these things you have heard, were done by our Lord, Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Simon Magus is surrounded by devil's works, for he himself is full of falsehood. Even so much, that an unclean man dared to say that he is son of god. We are all victorious through God and that man, who possesses this divine, incorruptible majesty, but Simon does not represent this substance; rather devil and a man, because the seducer tries to ensnare people." On hearing this, emperor Nero asked Pilate if these things heard from Peter were true. Pilate replied and said, "real are the things your ears heard from Peter!"
18 After these things Pilate got himself circumcised by the Judeans, and emperor Nero exiled him a second time to the city of Ameria, where he later took his own soul by his own sword, in anguish.
19 All these things are now written about damnation of Pilate. Tiberius Augustus, who believed in our Lord Jesus Christ, was baptized and saved, and departed from this life in peace.
20 Nero was a diabolic pagan, wicked murderer, and he destroyed and killed martyrs by following advises of Simon, as he used to. The Lord is our safety! We do believe, that He was the very Son of God, who with the Father, and the Holy Spirit, reigns for ever and ever. Amen.