The Fragments of Papias
Without the commentaries
1 But I shall not be unwilling to put down, along with my interpretations, whatsoever instructions I received with care at any time from the elders, and stored up with care in my memory, assuring you at the same time of their truth. For I did not, like the multitude, take pleasure in those who spoke much, but in those who taught the truth; nor in those who related strange commandments, but in those who rehearsed the commandments given by the Lord to faith, and proceeding from truth itself. If, then, any one who had attended on the elders came, I asked minutely after their sayings,—what Andrew or Peter said, or what was said by Philip, or by Thomas, or by James, or by John, or by Matthew, or by any other of the Lord’s disciples: which things Aristion and the presbyter John, the disciples of the Lord, say. For I imagined that what was to be got from books was not so profitable to me as what came from the living and abiding voice.
2 Judas walked about in this world a sad example of impiety; for his body having swollen to such an extent that he could not pass where a chariot could pass easily, he was crushed by the chariot, so that his bowels gushed out.
3 The days will come in which vines shall grow, having each ten thousand branches, and in each branch ten thousand twigs, and in each true twig ten thousand shoots, and in every one of the shoots ten thousand clusters, and on every one of the clusters ten thousand grapes, and every grape when pressed will give five-and-twenty metretes of wine. And when any one of the saints shall lay hold of a cluster, another shall cry out, I am a better cluster, take me; bless the Lord through me. A grain of wheat will produce ten thousand ears, and every ear will have ten thousand grains, and every grain will yield ten pounds of clear, pure, fine flour; and apples, and seeds, and grass will produce in similar proportions; and all animals, feeding then only on the productions of the earth, will become peaceable and harmonious, and be in perfect subjection to man. Now these things are credible to believers. And Judas the traitor, not believing, asked, How shall such growths be accomplished by the Lord? And the Lord said, They shall see who shall come to them.
4 Then those who are deemed worthy of an abode in heaven shall go there, others shall enjoy the delights of Paradise, and others shall possess the splendor of the city; for everywhere the Savior will be seen, according as they shall be worthy who see Him. But there is this distinction between the habitation of those who produce a hundred-fold, and of those who produce sixty-fold, and of those who produce thirty-fold; for the first will be taken up into the heavens, the second class will dwell in Paradise, and the last will inhabit the city; and on this account the Lord said, In my Father’s house are many mansions: for all things belong to God, who supplies all with a suitable dwelling-place, even as His word says, that a share is given to all by the Father, according as each one is or shall be worthy. And this is the couch in which they shall recline who feast, being invited to the wedding. This is the gradation and arrangement of those who are saved, and they advance through steps of this nature; and they ascend through the Spirit to the Son, and through the Son to the Father; and in due time the Son will yield up His work to the Father, even as it is said by the apostle, For He must reign till He hath put all enemies under His feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. For in the times of the kingdom the just man who is on the earth shall forget to die. But when He saith all things are put under Him, it is manifest that He is excepted which did put all things under Him. And when all things shall be subdued unto Him, then shall the Son also Himself be subject unto Him that put all things under Him, that God may be all in all.
5 To some of them [angels] He gave dominion over the arrangement of the world, and He commissioned them to exercise their dominion well. But it happened that their arrangement came to nothing.
6 The work of the six days refers to Christ and the whole Church.
7 Mary the mother of the Lord; Mary the wife of Cleophas or Alphaeus, who was the mother of James the bishop and apostle, and of Simon and Thaddeus, and of one Joseph; Mary Salome, wife of Zebedee, mother of John the evangelist and James; Mary Magdalene. These four are found in the Gospel. James and Judas and Joseph were sons of an aunt of the Lord’s. James also and John were sons of another aunt of the Lord’s. Mary, mother of James the Less and Joseph, wife of Alphaeus was the sister of Mary the mother of the Lord, whom John names of Cleophas, either from her father or from the family of the clan, or for some other reason. Mary Salome is called Salome either from her husband or her village. Some affirm that she is the same as Mary of Cleophas, because she had two husbands.
8 [The early Christians] called those who practised a godly guilelessness, children.
9 There will be a millennium after the resurrection from the dead, when the personal reign of Christ will be established on this earth.
10 Mark having become the interpreter of Peter, wrote down accurately whatsoever he remembered. It was not, however, in exact order that he related the sayings or deeds of Christ. For he neither heard the Lord nor accompanied Him. But afterwards, as I said, he accompanied Peter, who accommodated his instructions to the necessities [of his hearers], but with no intention of giving a regular narrative of the Lord's sayings. Wherefore Mark made no mistake in thus writing some things as he remembered them. For of one thing he took especial care, not to omit anything he had heard, and not to put anything fictitious into the statements.
11 Matthew put together the oracles [of the Lord] in the Hebrew language, and each one interpreted them as best he could.
12The daughters of Philip relate that a dead man was raised to life. Justus, surnamed Barsabas, swallowed a deadly poison, and received no harm, on account of the grace of the Lord.
2 Judas walked about in this world a sad example of impiety; for his body having swollen to such an extent that he could not pass where a chariot could pass easily, he was crushed by the chariot, so that his bowels gushed out.
3 The days will come in which vines shall grow, having each ten thousand branches, and in each branch ten thousand twigs, and in each true twig ten thousand shoots, and in every one of the shoots ten thousand clusters, and on every one of the clusters ten thousand grapes, and every grape when pressed will give five-and-twenty metretes of wine. And when any one of the saints shall lay hold of a cluster, another shall cry out, I am a better cluster, take me; bless the Lord through me. A grain of wheat will produce ten thousand ears, and every ear will have ten thousand grains, and every grain will yield ten pounds of clear, pure, fine flour; and apples, and seeds, and grass will produce in similar proportions; and all animals, feeding then only on the productions of the earth, will become peaceable and harmonious, and be in perfect subjection to man. Now these things are credible to believers. And Judas the traitor, not believing, asked, How shall such growths be accomplished by the Lord? And the Lord said, They shall see who shall come to them.
4 Then those who are deemed worthy of an abode in heaven shall go there, others shall enjoy the delights of Paradise, and others shall possess the splendor of the city; for everywhere the Savior will be seen, according as they shall be worthy who see Him. But there is this distinction between the habitation of those who produce a hundred-fold, and of those who produce sixty-fold, and of those who produce thirty-fold; for the first will be taken up into the heavens, the second class will dwell in Paradise, and the last will inhabit the city; and on this account the Lord said, In my Father’s house are many mansions: for all things belong to God, who supplies all with a suitable dwelling-place, even as His word says, that a share is given to all by the Father, according as each one is or shall be worthy. And this is the couch in which they shall recline who feast, being invited to the wedding. This is the gradation and arrangement of those who are saved, and they advance through steps of this nature; and they ascend through the Spirit to the Son, and through the Son to the Father; and in due time the Son will yield up His work to the Father, even as it is said by the apostle, For He must reign till He hath put all enemies under His feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. For in the times of the kingdom the just man who is on the earth shall forget to die. But when He saith all things are put under Him, it is manifest that He is excepted which did put all things under Him. And when all things shall be subdued unto Him, then shall the Son also Himself be subject unto Him that put all things under Him, that God may be all in all.
5 To some of them [angels] He gave dominion over the arrangement of the world, and He commissioned them to exercise their dominion well. But it happened that their arrangement came to nothing.
6 The work of the six days refers to Christ and the whole Church.
7 Mary the mother of the Lord; Mary the wife of Cleophas or Alphaeus, who was the mother of James the bishop and apostle, and of Simon and Thaddeus, and of one Joseph; Mary Salome, wife of Zebedee, mother of John the evangelist and James; Mary Magdalene. These four are found in the Gospel. James and Judas and Joseph were sons of an aunt of the Lord’s. James also and John were sons of another aunt of the Lord’s. Mary, mother of James the Less and Joseph, wife of Alphaeus was the sister of Mary the mother of the Lord, whom John names of Cleophas, either from her father or from the family of the clan, or for some other reason. Mary Salome is called Salome either from her husband or her village. Some affirm that she is the same as Mary of Cleophas, because she had two husbands.
8 [The early Christians] called those who practised a godly guilelessness, children.
9 There will be a millennium after the resurrection from the dead, when the personal reign of Christ will be established on this earth.
10 Mark having become the interpreter of Peter, wrote down accurately whatsoever he remembered. It was not, however, in exact order that he related the sayings or deeds of Christ. For he neither heard the Lord nor accompanied Him. But afterwards, as I said, he accompanied Peter, who accommodated his instructions to the necessities [of his hearers], but with no intention of giving a regular narrative of the Lord's sayings. Wherefore Mark made no mistake in thus writing some things as he remembered them. For of one thing he took especial care, not to omit anything he had heard, and not to put anything fictitious into the statements.
11 Matthew put together the oracles [of the Lord] in the Hebrew language, and each one interpreted them as best he could.
12The daughters of Philip relate that a dead man was raised to life. Justus, surnamed Barsabas, swallowed a deadly poison, and received no harm, on account of the grace of the Lord.