Lost scriptures: books that did not make it into the New Testament (28 page)

The following extract was no doubt the conclusion of the book, for it describes Paul’s martyrdom. Put on trial before the evil emperor, Nero, Paul announces that even if executed, he will reappear as proof that he can never really die but will live forever. When Paul is then beheaded, we are told that milk (a symbol of life?), rather than blood, squirts from his wound, and that after his death, Paul fulfills his word by appearing to Nero and pronouncing the emperor’s own imminent doom.

Most scholars identify the Acts of Paul with a book known to the church father Tertullian, who, around 200 ce, claimed that it had been forged by a presbyter of Asia Minor who, after being caught, indicated that he had done it “out of love for Paul.”1

Luke, who had come from Gaul,

1

and a great many from the house of the

and Titus, who had come from Dal-

emperor came to him and there was much

matia, expected Paul at Rome. When Paul

joy.

saw them he rejoiced and rented a barn

A certain Patroclus, a cupbearer of the

outside Rome where he and the brethren

emperor, who had come too late to the

taught the word of truth. He became fa-

barn and could not get near to Paul on

mous and many souls were added to the

account of the throng of the people, sat

Lord, so that it was noised about in Rome

on a high window, and listened as he

1See the discussion in Ehrman,
Lost
Christianities,
31–32.

Translation by J. K. Elliott,
Apocryphal
New
Testament
(Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1993) 385–88; used with permission.

109

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NON-CANONICAL ACTS OF THE APOSTLES

taught the word of God. But Satan, being

and Urion the Cappadocian and Festus

wicked, became jealous of the love of the

of Galatia, the chief men of Nero, said,

brethren and Patroclus fell down from the

“And we, too, fight for him, the king of

window and died; speedily it was rethe ages.” After having tortured those ported to Nero. Paul, however, having

men whom he used to love he imprisoned

learned it by Spirit said, “Brethren, the

them and ordered that the soldiers of the

evil one has obtained a way to tempt you;

great king be sought, and he issued an

go forth and you will find a boy who has

edict that all Christians and soldiers of

fallen down and is dying. Lift him up and

Christ that were found should be

bring him here.” This they did. When the

executed.

people saw him they were frightened.

Paul said to them, “Now, brethren, show

And among the many Paul also was

3

your faith. Come, let us mourn to our

brought in fetters. Those who were

Lord Jesus Christ, that the boy might live

imprisoned with him looked at him, so

and we remain unharmed.” When all bethat the emperor observed that he was the gan to lament, the boy took breath and,

leader of the soldiers. And he said to him,

having put him on an animal, they sent

“Man of the great king, now my prisoner,

him away alive with all those who were

what induced you to come secretly into

of the emperor’s house.

the Roman empire and to enlist soldiers

in my territory?” But Paul, filled with the

And Nero, having heard of Patro2

Holy Spirit, said in the presence of all,

clus’ death, became very sad, and

“Caesar, we enlist soldiers not only in

as he came out from his bath he ordered

your territory but in all lands of the earth.

another to be appointed for the wine.

For thus we are commanded to exclude

But his servants said, “Emperor, Patronone who wishes to fight for my king. If clus is alive and stands at the sideit seems good to you, serve him, for neiboard.” When the emperor heard that ther riches nor the splendors of this life

Patroclus was alive he was frightened

will save you; but if you become his

and would not come in. But when he

subject and beseech him you shall be

came in and saw Patroclus he cried out,

saved. For in one day he will destroy the

“Patroclus, are you alive?” He anworld.”

swered, “I am alive, Caesar.” But he

Having heard this Nero commanded

said, “Who is he who made you alive?”

all the prisoners to be burned with fire,

And the boy, uplifted by the confidence

but Paul to be beheaded according to the

of faith, said, “Christ Jesus, the king of

law of the Romans. But Paul was not

the ages.” The emperor asked in dismay,

silent and communicated the word to

“Is he to be king of the ages and de

Longus the prefect and Cestus the censtroy all kingdoms?” Patroclus said to turion. And Nero, being instigated by the

him, “Yes, he destroys all kingdoms unevil one, raged in Rome and had many der heaven, and he alone shall remain in

Christians executed without trial, so that

all eternity, and there will be no kingthe Romans stood before the palace and dom which escapes him.” And he struck

cried, “It is enough, Caesar; these people

his face and cried out, “Patroclus, are

are ours. You destroy the strength of the

you also fighting for that king?” He an

Romans.” Being thus convinced, he deswered, “Yes, my lord and Caesar, for sisted and commanded that no Christian

he has raised me from the dead.”

was to be touched till his case had been

And Barsabas Justus the flat-footed

investigated.

THE ACTS OF PAUL

111

4 After the issuing of the edict Paul to Nero but when you have died and was brought before him, and he

have been raised up we will believe in

insisted that he should be executed. And

your God.”

Paul said, “Caesar, I live not merely for

But when Longus and Cestus contina short time for my king; and if you have ued to ask about salvation he said to

me executed I shall do the following: I

them, “In the early dawn come quickly

will rise again and appear to you, for I

to my grave and you will find two men

shall not be dead but alive to my king,

at prayer, Titus and Luke; they will give

Christ Jesus, who shall come to judge the

you the seal in the Lord.”

earth.”

And turning toward the east, Paul lifted

And Longus and Cestus said to Paul,

up his hands to heaven and prayed at

“Whence have you this king that you

length; and after having conversed in Hebelieve in him without changing your brew with the fathers during prayer he

mind even at point of death?” And Paul

bent his neck, without speaking any

answered and said, “You men, who are

more. When the executioner cut off his

now ignorant and in error, change your

head milk splashed on the tunic of the

mind and be saved from the fire which

soldier. And the soldier and all who stood

comes over the whole earth. For we fight

near by were astonished at this sight and

not, as, you suppose, for a king who is

glorified God who had thus honored

from the earth but for one who is from

Paul. And they went away and reported

heaven: he is the living God who comes

everything to Caesar.

as judge because of the lawless deeds

which take place in this world. And

blessed is he who will believe in him and

6 When he heard of it he was amazed

and did not know what to say.

live in eternity when he shall come with

While many philosophers and the centufire to purge the earth.” And they berion were assembled with the emperor, sought him and said, “We entreat you,

Paul came about the ninth hour, and in

help us, and we will release you.” But he

the presence of all he said, “Caesar, beanswered, “I am not a deserter from hold, here is Paul, the soldier of God; I

Christ but a faithful soldier of the living

am not dead but live in my God. But

God. If I knew that I should die I would

upon you, unhappy one, many evils and

still have done it, Longus and Cestus, but

great punishment will come because you

since I live to God and love myself I go

have unjustly shed the blood of the righto the Lord that I may come again with teous not many days ago.” And having

him in the glory of his Father.” And they

spoken this Paul departed from him.

said to him, “How can we live after you

When Nero had heard, he commanded

have been beheaded?”

that the prisoners be released, Patroclus

5

as well as Barsabas with his friends.

And while they were speaking

Nero sent a certain Parthenius and

Pheretas to see whether Paul had al7

ready been beheaded. And they found

And, as Paul had told them, Longus and Cestus, the centurion, him still alive. He summoned them became in fear very early to the grave of side him and said, “Believe in the living

Paul. And when they drew near they

God who will raise me, as well as all

found two men in prayer and Paul with

those who believe in him, from the

them, and they became frightened when

dead.” But they said, “We will now go

they saw the unexpected miracle, but

112

NON-CANONICAL ACTS OF THE APOSTLES

Titus and Luke, being afraid at the sight

us as Paul promised us. We have just seen

of Longus and Cestus, turned to run

him in prayer beside you.” Upon hearing

away.

this Titus and Luke gave them joyfully

But they followed and said to them,

the seal in the Lord, glorifying God

“We follow you not in order to kill

and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ

you, blessed men of God, as you imagine,

to whom be glory for ever and ever.

but in order to live, that you may do to

Amen.

The Acts of Thecla

The “Acts of Thecla” is a legendary account of the adventures of Thecla, a woman converted to the Christian faith through the preaching of the apostle Paul.1 Paul himself appears on the fringes of the story, as a socially disruptive evangelist who converts women to a life of strict asceticism and sexual renunciation, much to the chagrin of their husbands and fianceś.

Thecla is portrayed here as the daughter of a woman named Theocleia and the financeé of a prominent citizen of the city of Iconium, Thamyris.

Listening to Paul preach his message of chastity, Thecla becomes enthralled and decides to become Paul’s follower, renouncing her family and abandoning her fianceé. In response, Thamyris has Paul arrested. When Thecla then refuses to fulfill her social obligation of marriage, she is condemned (at her mother’s own instigation) to be burned at the stake. But she is miraculously delivered from martyrdom, and joins up with Paul on his journeys.

When they arrive in Antioch, however, another series of setbacks occurs, in which Thecla is arrested for humiliating a leading aristocrat of the city while refusing his sexual advances. But once more, in a remarkable series of episodes (in which, among other things, Thecla baptizes herself in a pool of ravenous seals), God intervenes on Thecla’s behalf, preserving her from death. She is eventually then reunited with her beloved apostle, Paul, who authorizes her to share fully in his ministry of teaching the word.

The Acts of Thecla was evidently in circulation near the end of the second century, along with the other narratives found in the “Acts of Paul”

(see above, and below on 3 Corinthians). Thecla herself, largely based on this text and the legendary accounts that it then generated, became an enormously important saint and object of devotion, especially for women, down through the Middle Ages.2

1See Ehrman,
Lost
Christianities
, 31–35. 2See Stephen J. Davies,
The
Cult
of
Saint
Thecla:
A
Tradition
of
Women’s
Piety
in
Late
Antiquity
(New York: Oxford, 2001); and Cartlidge and Elliott,
Art
and
the
Christian
Apocrypha
, chap. 5.

Translation by Bart D. Ehrman, based on the Greek text in E. A. Lipsius and M. Bonnet,
Acts
Apostolorum
Apocrypha
; part 1 (Hildesheim: Georg Olms, 1959), with several textual alterations based on manuscript evidence.

113

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NON-CANONICAL ACTS OF THE APOSTLES

As Paul was going to Iconium after

1

great hypocrisy, so that Demas said, “Do

his escape from Antioch, his fellow

we not also belong to the one who is