Sophia Scriptura

Martyrdom of Paul (complete)

Anonymous · Martyrdom of Paul · ca. 150–200 · unknown · 7 passages

Pseudonymous: Anonymous; the closing part of the Acts of Paul (the Martyrdom of Paul), which Tertullian (On Baptism 17) attributes to a presbyter in Asia; the Acts of Paul as a whole are generally dated to the later second century (ca. 150-200; confidence: approximate). It is not part of the 66-book canon. The Greek text survives chiefly in a Hamburg papyrus and later manuscripts; the form printed by Lipsius is the medieval Greek Martyrdom.

Greek text: Lipsius 1891 (OCR text layer from the Internet Archive scan).English: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), public domain (CC0).

Martyrdom of Paul (title)

0Lipsius–Bonnet, 106

Μαρτύριον τοῦ ἁγίου ἀποστόλου Παύλου

Martyrion tou hagiou apostolou Paulou

The Martyrdom of the holy apostle Paul

Notes and citation

Summary: The title of the work.

  • The Martyrdom of Paul is the closing part of the Acts of Paul (second century), transmitted separately. The scan text of Lipsius's edition is badly damaged in places; losses are marked … and noted. No public-domain English translation exists; checked against the Greek.

Topics: Martyrdom

Cite (SBL): Mart. Paul pref. (Lipsius–Bonnet, 106; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/acta-pauli-martyrium/0/#p-0). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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Translation: Translated by Claude from Lipsius's Greek (Acta apostolorum apocrypha 1, 1891), OCR slips corrected by logged corrections; no public-domain English: re-read against the Greek.

Chapter 1

1Lipsius–Bonnet, 106–117

μὴ δυνάμενος διὰ τὸν ὄχλον εἰσελϑεῖν πρὸς τὸν Παῦλον, ἐπὶ ϑυρίδος χαϑεσϑεὶς ὑψηλῆς ἔχουσεν αὐτοῖ διδάσχοντος τὸν Πατταν λόγον τοῦ ϑεοῦ. τοῦ δὲ πονηροῦ διαβόλου ζηλοῦντος τὴν ἀγάπην τῶν ἀδελφῶν, ἔπεσεν ὁ Πάτροχλος ἀπὸ τῆς ϑυρίδος καὶ ἀπέϑανεν, ὥστε ἀναγγεῖλαι ταχέως τῷ Νέρωνι. ὁ δὲ Παῦλος συνιδὼν τῷ πνεύματι ἔλεγε: Ἄνδρες ἀδελφοί, ἔσχεν ὁ πονηρὸς τύπον, ὅπως ὑμᾶς πειράσῃ" ὑπάγετε ἔξω καὶ εὑρήσετε παῖδα πεπτωκότα ἀπὸ ὕψους, ἤδη μέλλοντα ἐχπνέειν. ἄραντες ἐνέγχατε ὧδε πρός με. Οἱ δὲ ἀπελϑόντες ἔνεγχαν. ἰδόντες δὲ οἱ ὄχλοι ἐταράχϑησαν. λέγει αὐτοῖς ὃ Παῖλος" Νῦν, ἀδελφοί, ἡ πίστις ὑμῶν φανήτω" δεῦτε πάντες, χλαύσωμεν πρὸς τὸν χύριον ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦν Χριστόν, ἵνα ζήσῃ ὁ παῖς οὗτος καὶ ἡμεῖς ἀνενόχλητοι. στεναξάντων δὲ πάντων, ἀνέλαβεν πνεῦμα ὁ παῖς" καὶ καθίσαντες αὐτὸν ἐπὶ κτῆνος ἀπέπεμψαν ζῶντα μετὰ καὶ ἄλλων τῶν ὄντων ἐκ τῆς Καίσαρος οἰκίας. Ὁ δὲ Νέρων ἀχηχοὼς τὸν ϑάνατον τοῖ Πατρόλχλου ἐλυπύϑη σφόδρα, καὶ ὡς εἰσῆλθεν ἀπὸ τοῦ βαλανείοι ἐχέλευσεν ἄλλον στῆναι ἐπὶ τοῦ οἴνου. ἀπήγγειλαν δὲ αὐτῷ οἱ παῖδες αὐτοῦ λέγοντες" Καῖσαρ, Πάτροχλος ζὴ καὶ ἕστηχεν ἐπὶ τὴς τραπέζης. καὶ ὁ Καῖσαρ ἀκούσας ὅτι Πάτροχλος ζῇ εὐλαβεῖτο καὶ οὐχ ἐβούλετο εἰσελϑεῖν. μετὰ δὲ τὸ εἰσελϑεῖν αὐτὸν εἶδεν τὸν Πάτροχλον καὶ ἐξ αὐτοῖ γενόμενος εἶπτενʼ Πάτροκλε, ζῇς; Ὁ δὲ ἔφη: ζῶ, Καῖσαρ. Ὁ δὲ εἶπεν" Τίς ὃ ποιήσας σὲ ζῆσαι; Ὁ δὲ παῖς φρονήματι πίστεως φερόμενος εἶπεν" Χριστὸς Ἰησοῖς ὁ βασιλεὺς τῶν αἰώνων. Ὁ δὲ Καῖσαρ ταραχϑεὶς εἶπεν" Ἐχεῖνος οὖν μέλλει βασιλεύειν τῶν αἰώνων, καὶ καταλύειν πάσας τὰς βασιλείας, λέγει αὐτῷ Πάτροχλος: Ναί, πάσας τὰς βασιλείας τὰς ὑπ᾽ οὐρανὸν χαταλύει, καὶ αὐτὸς ἔσται μόνος εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας, καὶ οὐκ ἔσται βασιλεία, ἵτις διαφεύξεται αὐτόν. Ὃ δὲ ῥαπίσας εἰς τὸ πρόσωπον αὐτὸν εἶπεν" Πάτροχλε, καὶ σὺ στρατεύῃ τῷ βασιλεῖ ἐχείνῳ:, Ὁ δὲ εἶπεν" Ναί, χύριε Καῖσαρ" καὶ γὰρ ἤγειρέν με τεθνηκότα. Καὶ ὁ Βαρσαβᾶς Ἰοῦστος ὃ πλατύπους καὶ Οὐρίων ὁ Καππάδοξ καὶ Φῆστος ὃ Γαλάτης οἱ πρῶτοι τοῦ Νέρωνος εἶπον: Καὶ ἡμεῖς ἐχείνῳ στρατευόμεϑα τῷ βασιλεῖ τῶν αἰώνων. Ὁ δὲ συνέχλεισεν αὐτοὺς δεινῶς βασανίσας οὓς λίαν ἐφίλεε καὶ ἐχέλευσεν ζητεῖσϑαι τοὺς τοῦ μεγάλου βασιλέως στρατιώτας καὶ προέϑηχεν διάταγμα τοιοῦτον, πάντας τοὺς εὑρισχομένους Χριστιανοὺς καὶ στρατιώτας Χριστοῦ ἀναιρεῖσθαι.

mē dynamenos dia ton ochlon eiselϑein pros ton Paulon, epi ϑyridos chaϑesϑeis hypsēlēs echousen autoi didaschontos ton Pattan logon tou ϑeou. tou de ponērou diabolou zēlountos tēn agapēn tōn adelphōn, epesen ho Patrochlos apo tēs ϑyridos kai apeϑanen, hōste anangeilai tacheōs tǭ Nerōni. ho de Paulos synidōn tǭ pneumati elege: Andres adelphoi, eschen ho ponēros typon, hopōs hymas peirasę̄" hypagete exō kai heurēsete paida peptōkota apo hypsous, ēdē mellonta echpneein. arantes enenchate hōde pros me. Hoi de apelϑontes enenchan. idontes de hoi ochloi etarachϑēsan. legei autois ho Pailos" Nyn, adelphoi, hē pistis hymōn phanētō" deute pantes, chlausōmen pros ton chyrion hēmōn Iēsoun Christon, hina zēsę̄ ho pais houtos kai hēmeis anenochlētoi. stenaxantōn de pantōn, anelaben pneuma ho pais" kai kathisantes auton epi ktēnos apepempsan zōnta meta kai allōn tōn ontōn ek tēs Kaisaros oikias. Ho de Nerōn achēchoōs ton ϑanaton toi Patrolchlou elypyϑē sphodra, kai hōs eisēlthen apo tou balaneioi echeleusen allon stēnai epi tou oinou. apēngeilan de autǭ hoi paides autou legontes" Kaisar, Patrochlos zē kai hestēchen epi tēs trapezēs. kai ho Kaisar akousas hoti Patrochlos zę̄ eulabeito kai ouch ebouleto eiselϑein. meta de to eiselϑein auton eiden ton Patrochlon kai ex autoi genomenos eiptenʼ Patrokle, zę̄s? Ho de ephē: zō, Kaisar. Ho de eipen" Tis ho poiēsas se zēsai? Ho de pais phronēmati pisteōs pheromenos eipen" Christos Iēsois ho basileus tōn aiōnōn. Ho de Kaisar tarachϑeis eipen" Echeinos oun mellei basileuein tōn aiōnōn, kai katalyein pasas tas basileias, legei autǭ Patrochlos: Nai, pasas tas basileias tas hyp᾽ ouranon chatalyei, kai autos estai monos eis tous aiōnas, kai ouk estai basileia, hitis diapheuxetai auton. Ho de rhapisas eis to prosōpon auton eipen" Patrochle, kai sy strateuę̄ tǭ basilei echeinǭ:, Ho de eipen" Nai, chyrie Kaisar" kai gar ēgeiren me tethnēkota. Kai ho Barsabas Ioustos ho platypous kai Ouriōn ho Kappadox kai Phēstos ho Galatēs hoi prōtoi tou Nerōnos eipon: Kai hēmeis echeinǭ strateuomeϑa tǭ basilei tōn aiōnōn. Ho de synechleisen autous deinōs basanisas hous lian ephilee kai echeleusen zēteisϑai tous tou megalou basileōs stratiōtas kai proeϑēchen diatagma toiouton, pantas tous heurischomenous Christianous kai stratiōtas Christou anaireisthai.

… not being able to get in to Paul because of the crowd, sat at a high window and listened to him teaching the word of God. But the wicked devil was jealous of the love of the brothers, and Patroclus fell from the window and died, so that it was quickly reported to Nero. But Paul, perceiving it in the Spirit, said: 'Men, brothers, the evil one has found an opening to tempt you. Go outside and you will find a boy who has fallen from a height and is already about to breathe his last. Pick him up and bring him here to me.' They went out and brought him. When the crowds saw it they were troubled. Paul says to them: 'Now, brothers, let your faith be seen. Come, all of you, let us weep before our Lord Jesus Christ, so that this boy may live and we may remain undisturbed.' And when all had groaned, the boy took back his breath; and they set him on a beast and sent him away alive, with others who were of Caesar's household. [2] Now Nero, having heard of the death of Patroclus, was greatly grieved, and when he came in from the bath he ordered another to be put in charge of the wine. But his servants told him: 'Caesar, Patroclus is alive and is standing at the table.' And Caesar, hearing that Patroclus was alive, was afraid and did not want to come in. But when he had come in he saw Patroclus, and, beside himself, said: 'Patroclus, are you alive?' He said: 'I am alive, Caesar.' He said: 'Who made you live?' The boy, carried along by the conviction of faith, said: 'Christ Jesus, the King of the ages.' Caesar was troubled and said: 'Is he then going to reign over the ages and destroy all the kingdoms?' Patroclus says to him: 'Yes, he destroys all the kingdoms under heaven, and he alone will be for ever, and there will be no kingdom that will escape him.' He struck him on the face and said: 'Patroclus, do you too serve as a soldier of that king?' He said: 'Yes, lord Caesar; for he raised me when I was dead.' And Barsabas Justus the flat-footed, Urion the Cappadocian and Festus the Galatian, Nero's chief men, said: 'We too serve as soldiers of that King of the ages.' He shut them up, after torturing them terribly, though he loved them greatly, and ordered the soldiers of the great king to be sought out, and put out an edict to this effect: that all who were found to be Christians and soldiers of Christ were to be put to death.

Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.

Acts 20:9–12 (allusion, medium confidence) · 1 Tim 1:17 (echo, medium confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Paul raises Nero's cupbearer Patroclus, who confesses Christ the King of the ages before Nero, and Nero orders all soldiers of Christ to be put to death.

  • The beginning of chapter 1 is lost in the scan: the edition tells how Luke and Titus awaited Paul in Rome and how Patroclus, Caesar's cupbearer, came late to the hall where Paul was teaching. Chapter 2 begins at [2]; its numeral is removed. A note of the editor's apparatus (in Latin and Greek) had leaked into the text and is removed. A word in the clause 'we may remain undisturbed' is unreadable. The fall of Patroclus from a window echoes Eutychus (Acts 20:9–12).

Notes on the original text

  • Digital text corrected (OCR debris; OCR debris inside a broken word; OCR slip; OCR: Greek read as Latin letters; chapter numeral; the editor's apparatus leaked into the text): ΠαῖÀog συνιδὼν → Παῦλος συνιδὼν; πιετιτωχότα ἀπὸ ὕψους, ἔδη → πεπτωκότα ἀπὸ ὕψους, ἤδη; Nvv, ἀδεὶ(οί, → Νῦν, ἀδελφοί,; δεῖτε πάντες → δεῦτε πάντες; ἀνενόχὶ. ἤτοι ever στεναξάντων → ἀνενόχλητοι. στεναξάντων; ἘΠΕ, ATO πνεῦμα ὁ σταῖς → πνεῦμα ὁ παῖς; καϑίέσαντες αὐτὸν ἐπὶ χτῖῆνος ἀπέπεμ: "MUSS ψαν ζῶντα | μετὰ → καθίσαντες αὐτὸν ἐπὶ κτῆνος ἀπέπεμψαν ζῶντα μετὰ; οἰκίας. I] Ὁ δὲ → οἰκίας. Ὁ δὲ; ort Πάτροχλος → ὅτι Πάτροχλος; x«i οὐχ → καὶ οὐχ; Πάτροκλε, Lis; → Πάτροκλε, ζῇς;; σταῖς φρονήματι → παῖς φρονήματι; «1έγει → λέγει; ὑγι᾿ οὐρανὸν → ὑπ᾽ οὐρανὸν; ἔγειρέν lp. Pe τεϑνηχότα → ἤγειρέν με τεθνηκότα; Βαρσαβᾶς | Ἰοῦστος → Βαρσαβᾶς Ἰοῦστος; τοῦ ! ὁ Κιῖσαρ ἀχούσας ὅτι Πάτροχλος ζῇ addidi cum A (sed om Νέρωνος → τοῦ Νέρωνος; ovg λίαν → οὓς λίαν.

Topics: Persecution, Martyrdom

Cite (SBL): Mart. Paul 1 (Lipsius–Bonnet, 106–117; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/acta-pauli-martyrium/0/#p-1). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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Translation: Translated by Claude from Lipsius's Greek (Acta apostolorum apocrypha 1, 1891), OCR slips corrected by logged corrections; no public-domain English: re-read against the Greek.

Chapter 3

3Lipsius–Bonnet, 106–117

Καὶ ἐν τοῖς πολλοῖς ἄγεται καὶ ὁ Παῦλος δεδεμένος" ᾧ πάντες προσεῖχον οἱ συνδεδεμένοι" ὥστε νοῆσαι τὸν Καίσαρα, ὅτι ἐχεῖνος ἐπὶ τῶν στρατοπέδων ἐστίν. καὶ εἶπτεν πρὸς αὐτόνʼ Ἄνθρωπε τοῦ μεγάλου βασιλέως, ἐμοὶ δὲ δεϑείς, τί σοι ἔδοξεν λάϑρα εἰσελϑεῖν εἰς τὴν Ῥωμαίων ἡγεμονίαν, καὶ στρατολογεῖν ἐκ τῆς ἐμὴς ἐπαρχίας; ὃ δὲ Παῖλος πλησϑεὶς πνεύματος ἁγίου ἔμπροσϑεν πάντων εἶπεν· Καῖσαρ, οὐ μόνον ἐχ τῆς σῆς ἐπαρχίας στρατολογοῦμεν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐκ τῆς οἰχουμένης πάσης. τοῦτο γὰρ διατέταχται ἡμῖν, μηδένα ἀποχλεισϑῆναι ϑέλοντα στρατευϑῆναι τῷ βασιλεῖ. ὕπερ εἰ καὶ σοὶ φίλον ἐστὶν στρατευϑῆναι αὐτῷ, οὐχ ὃ πλοῖτος ἢ τὰ νῦν ἐν τῷ βίῳ λαμπρὰ σώσει σε, ἀλλ᾽ ἐὰν ὑποπέσῃς καὶ δεηϑῆῇς αὐτοῦ, σωϑήσῃ. μέλλει γὰρ ἐν μιᾷ ἡμέρᾳ τὸν χόσμον πολεμεῖν ἐν πυρί. Ταῦτα δὲ ἀχούσας

Kai en tois pollois agetai kai ho Paulos dedemenos" hǭ pantes proseichon hoi syndedemenoi" hōste noēsai ton Kaisara, hoti echeinos epi tōn stratopedōn estin. kai eipten pros autonʼ Anthrōpe tou megalou basileōs, emoi de deϑeis, ti soi edoxen laϑra eiselϑein eis tēn Rhōmaiōn hēgemonian, kai stratologein ek tēs emēs eparchias? ho de Pailos plēsϑeis pneumatos hagiou emprosϑen pantōn eipen; Kaisar, ou monon ech tēs sēs eparchias stratologoumen, alla kai ek tēs oichoumenēs pasēs. touto gar diatetachtai hēmin, mēdena apochleisϑēnai ϑelonta strateuϑēnai tǭ basilei. hyper ei kai soi philon estin strateuϑēnai autǭ, ouch ho ploitos ē ta nyn en tǭ biǭ lampra sōsei se, all᾽ ean hypopesę̄s kai deēϑēę̄s autou, sōϑēsę̄. mellei gar en mią hēmerą ton chosmon polemein en pyri. Tauta de achousas

And among the many Paul too is brought in, bound; all those bound with him paid heed to him, so that Caesar perceived that he was in charge of the camp. And he said to him: 'Man of the great king, but now my prisoner, why did you decide to come secretly into the empire of the Romans and enlist soldiers from my province?' But Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, said before all: 'Caesar, we enlist soldiers not only from your province but from the whole world. For this has been ordained for us, that no one who wishes to serve as a soldier of the king should be shut out. If it pleases you too to serve him, it is not wealth or the splendid things of this present life that will save you; but if you submit to him and entreat him, you will be saved. For in one day he is going to make war on the world with fire.' Having heard this,

Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.

2 Pet 3:7 (echo, medium confidence) · 2 Tim 2:3–4 (echo, medium confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Paul, brought bound before Nero, declares that Christ enlists soldiers from the whole world and will judge it by fire.

  • This ref holds chapter 3 of the edition (chapter 2 lies inside ref 1); the sentence continues in ref 4. A variant of manuscript A from the apparatus had leaked into the last sentence and is removed.

Notes on the original text

  • Digital text corrected (OCR debris; OCR slip; OCR: Greek read as Latin letters; the editor's apparatus leaked into the text): καὶ Ó Παῦλος → καὶ ὁ Παῦλος; γοῆσαι → νοῆσαι; ἌἬχνϑρωτίε → Ἄνθρωπε; ὑἐγεμονίαν → ἡγεμονίαν; τιάντων εἶσπτενʼ → πάντων εἶπεν·; τῷ uq βασιλεῖ → τῷ βασιλεῖ; λαμτιρὰ → λαμπρὰ; ὑπτοπιέσῃς → ὑποπέσῃς; ! εἶπον πρὸς αὐτόν" γίνωσχε καῖσαρ ὅτι καὶ ἡμεῖς ἐχείνῳ τῷ αἰωνίῳ → ; ττολεμεῖν ἐν ztvot. → πολεμεῖν ἐν πυρί..

Topics: Persecution, Eschatology

Cite (SBL): Mart. Paul 3 (Lipsius–Bonnet, 106–117; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/acta-pauli-martyrium/0/#p-3). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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Translation: Translated by Claude from Lipsius's Greek (Acta apostolorum apocrypha 1, 1891), OCR slips corrected by logged corrections; no public-domain English: re-read against the Greek.

Chapter 4

4Lipsius–Bonnet, 106–117

Καῖσαρ ἐχέλευσεν στάντας τοὺς δεδεμένους πυρὶ καταχαῆναι, τὸν δὲ Παῦλον τραχηλοχοπηϑῖναι τῷ νόμῳ τῶν Ῥωμαίων. ὃ δὲ Παῦλος ἦν μὴ σιωπῶν τὸν λόγον, ἀλλὰ κοινούμενος τῷ πραιφέκτῳ Λόγγῳ

Kaisar echeleusen stantas tous dedemenous pyri katachaēnai, ton de Paulon trachēlochopēϑinai tǭ nomǭ tōn Rhōmaiōn. ho de Paulos ēn mē siōpōn ton logon, alla koinoumenos tǭ praiphektǭ Longǭ

Caesar ordered the prisoners to be burned with fire, but Paul to be beheaded according to the law of the Romans. [4] But Paul did not keep silent about the word; he shared it with the prefect Longus

Notes and citation

Summary: Nero orders the prisoners burned and Paul beheaded, but Paul goes on preaching to the prefect Longus.

  • The first sentence completes chapter 3; chapter 4 begins at [4]. The sentence continues in ref 5.

Notes on the original text

  • Digital text corrected (OCR slip; OCR: Greek read as Latin letters): τυρὶ → πυρὶ; Ilciλὸν → Παῦλον; yv μὴ σεωπῶν τὸν λύγον → ἦν μὴ σιωπῶν τὸν λόγον; πραιφέχτῳ 0/70 → πραιφέκτῳ Λόγγῳ.

Topics: Martyrdom, Persecution

Cite (SBL): Mart. Paul 4 (Lipsius–Bonnet, 106–117; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/acta-pauli-martyrium/0/#p-4). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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Translation: Translated by Claude from Lipsius's Greek (Acta apostolorum apocrypha 1, 1891), OCR slips corrected by logged corrections; no public-domain English: re-read against the Greek.

Chapter 5

5Lipsius–Bonnet, 106–117

καὶ Κέστῳ τῷ χεντυρίωνι. ἦν οὖν ἐν τῇ Ῥώμῃ ὁ Νέρων ἐνεργείᾳ. τοῦ πονηροῦ πολλῶν Χριστιανῶν ἀναιρουμένων ἀχρίτως. ὥστε τοὺς Ῥωμαίους σταϑέντας ἐπὶ τοῦ παλατίου βοῆσαι" Moxti, Καῖσαρ. οἱ γὰρ ἀνϑρώποι ἡμέτεροί εἰσιν" αἴρεις τὴν Ῥωμαίων δύναμιν. Τότε ἐπαύσατο ἐπὶ τούτοις πεισϑεὶς (καὶ ὃς ἔρχεται τὴν οἰχουμένην χρῖναι. ὁ δὲ Λόγγος καὶ ὁ Κέστος λέγουσιν τῷ Παύλῳ: Πόϑεν ἔχετε τὸν βασιλέα τοῦτον, ὅτι αὐτῷ πιστεύετε μὴ ϑέλοντες μεταβαλέσϑαε ἕως ϑανάτου; Ὁ δὲ Παῦλος χοινωσάμενος αὐτοῖς τὸν λόγον εἶπεν" ᾿νδρες οἱ ὄντες ἐν τῇ ἀγνωσίᾳ καὶ τῇ πλάνῃ ταύτῃ, μεταβάλησϑε καὶ σωϑῦτε ἀπὸ τοῦ πυρὸς τοῦ ἐρχομένου ἐφ᾽ ὕλην τὴν οἰχουμένην. οὐ γὰρ ὡς ὑμεῖς ὑπονοεῖτε βασιλεῖ ἀπὸ γῆς ἐρχομένῳ στρατευόμεϑα, ἀλλ᾽ ἀπ᾽ οὐρανοῦ, ζῶντι ϑεῷ, ὃς διὰ τὰς ἀνομίας τὰς γενομένας ἐν τῷ χύσμῳ τούτῳ ἔρχεται χριτύς" καὶ μακάριος ἐχεῖνος ὁ ἄνθρωπος, ὃς πιστεύσει αὐτῷ καὶ ζήσεται εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα, ὅταν ἔλϑῃ χαταχαίων εἰς καϑαρὸν τὴν οἰκουμένην. Οἱ μὲν οὖν δεηϑέντες αὐτὸν εἶπον" Παραχαλοῦμέν σε, βοήϑησον ἡμῖν, καὶ ἀπολύομέν σε. Ὁ δὲ ἀποχριϑεὶς εἶπεν. Οὔχ εἰμι δραπέτης τοῦ Χριστοῦ ἀλλ᾽ ἔννομος στρατιώτης ϑεοῦ ζῶντος. εἰ ἤδειν ὅτι ἀποϑνήσχω, ἐποίησα ἂν αὐτό, Λόγγε καὶ Κέστε· ἐπεὶ δὲ ζῶ τῷ ϑεῷ καὶ ἐμαυτὸν ἀγαπῶ, ὑπάγω πρὸς τὸν κύριον, ἵνα ἔλϑω μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ ἐν τῇ δόξῃ τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτοῦ. λέγουσιν αὐτῷ: Πῶς οὖν σοῦ τραχηλοχοπηϑέντος ἡμεῖς ζήσομεν; Ἔτι δὲ αὐτῶν τοῦτο λαλούντων, πέμττει ὁ Νέρων Παρθένιόν τινα καὶ Φέρηταν ἰδεῖν εἰ ἤδη τετραχηλοχύπηται ὃ Παῦλος καὶ εὗρον αὐτὸν ἔτι ζῶντα. ὃ δὲ προσχαλεσάμενος αὐτοὺς εἶπεν" Πιστεύσατε τῷ ζῶντι ϑεῷ, τῷ καὶ ἐμὲ καὶ πάντας τοὺς πιστεύοντας αὐτῷ ἐκ νεχρῶν ἐγείροντι. Οἱ δὲ εἶπον" “Υπάγομεν δόξαν τοιαύτην" καὶ ἀπελϑόντες ἀπήγγειλαν τῷ Καίσαρι τὰ γεγονότα.

kai Kestǭ tǭ chentyriōni. ēn oun en tę̄ Rhōmę̄ ho Nerōn energeią. tou ponērou pollōn Christianōn anairoumenōn achritōs. hōste tous Rhōmaious staϑentas epi tou palatiou boēsai" Moxti, Kaisar. hoi gar anϑrōpoi hēmeteroi eisin" aireis tēn Rhōmaiōn dynamin. Tote epausato epi toutois peisϑeis (kai hos erchetai tēn oichoumenēn chrinai. ho de Longos kai ho Kestos legousin tǭ Paulǭ: Poϑen echete ton basilea touton, hoti autǭ pisteuete mē ϑelontes metabalesϑae heōs ϑanatou? Ho de Paulos choinōsamenos autois ton logon eipen" ᾿ndres hoi ontes en tę̄ agnōsią kai tę̄ planę̄ tautę̄, metabalēsϑe kai sōϑyte apo tou pyros tou erchomenou eph᾽ hylēn tēn oichoumenēn. ou gar hōs hymeis hyponoeite basilei apo gēs erchomenǭ strateuomeϑa, all᾽ ap᾽ ouranou, zōnti ϑeǭ, hos dia tas anomias tas genomenas en tǭ chysmǭ toutǭ erchetai chritys" kai makarios echeinos ho anthrōpos, hos pisteusei autǭ kai zēsetai eis ton aiōna, hotan elϑę̄ chatachaiōn eis kaϑaron tēn oikoumenēn. Hoi men oun deēϑentes auton eipon" Parachaloumen se, boēϑēson hēmin, kai apolyomen se. Ho de apochriϑeis eipen. Ouch eimi drapetēs tou Christou all᾽ ennomos stratiōtēs ϑeou zōntos. ei ēdein hoti apoϑnēschō, epoiēsa an auto, Longe kai Keste; epei de zō tǭ ϑeǭ kai emauton agapō, hypagō pros ton kyrion, hina elϑō met᾽ autou en tę̄ doxę̄ tou patros autou. legousin autǭ: Pōs oun sou trachēlochopēϑentos hēmeis zēsomen? Eti de autōn touto lalountōn, pemttei ho Nerōn Parthenion tina kai Pherētan idein ei ēdē tetrachēlochypētai ho Paulos kai heuron auton eti zōnta. ho de proschalesamenos autous eipen" Pisteusate tǭ zōnti ϑeǭ, tǭ kai eme kai pantas tous pisteuontas autǭ ek nechrōn egeironti. Hoi de eipon" “Ypagomen doxan toiautēn" kai apelϑontes apēngeilan tǭ Kaisari ta gegonota.

and Cestus the centurion. So Nero was raging in Rome at the working of the evil one, and many Christians were being put to death without trial, so that the Romans stood at the palace and cried out: 'Enough, Caesar! These men are ours; you are destroying the strength of the Romans.' Then, persuaded by this, he stopped … and who is coming to judge the world. Longus and Cestus say to Paul: 'Where do you get this king, that you believe in him and will not change your mind even to death?' Paul, sharing the word with them, said: 'Men who are in this ignorance and error, change your minds and be saved from the fire that is coming upon the whole world. For we do not serve as soldiers, as you suppose, of a king who comes from the earth, but from heaven, the living God, who, because of the lawless deeds done in this world, is coming as judge. And blessed is that man who will believe in him and will live for ever, when he comes burning the world to make it clean.' Then they entreated him and said: 'We beg you, help us, and we will let you go.' He answered and said: 'I am not a deserter from Christ, but a lawful soldier of the living God. If I knew that I were going to die, I would have done it, Longus and Cestus; but since I live to God and love myself, I am going to the Lord, so that I may come with him in the glory of his Father.' They say to him: 'How then, when you have been beheaded, shall we live?' [5] While they were still saying this, Nero sends a certain Parthenius and Pheres to see whether Paul had already been beheaded; and they found him still alive. He called them to him and said: 'Believe in the living God, who raises from the dead both me and all who believe in him.' They said: 'We are going …' … and they went away and reported to Caesar what had happened.

Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.

Acts 17:31 (echo, medium confidence) · 2 Pet 3:10–12 (echo, medium confidence) · Matt 16:27 (echo, medium confidence) · Gal 2:19 (echo, low confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Nero's slaughter of Christians is checked by the Romans' protest; Paul preaches judgement to Longus and Cestus, refuses their offer of escape, and calls Nero's messengers to faith.

  • Lines are lost in the scan after 'he stopped', where the edition tells of Nero's order and Paul's words about the coming judge. Chapter 5 begins at [5]. The end of this ref is badly damaged: the edition's account of Paul's reply to Parthenius and Pheres, his promise to Longus and Cestus, his prayer and his beheading (with milk spurting from the wound) is lost in the scan. 'Enough' renders an unreadable word by sense.

Notes on the original text

  • Digital text corrected (OCR debris; OCR slip; OCR: Greek read as Latin letters; OCR: line number inside the word; OCR: page mark; chapter numeral): x«i Κέστῳ → καὶ Κέστῳ; v» οὖν → ἦν οὖν; ᾽τολλῶν → πολλῶν; οἱ yàg → οἱ γὰρ; τὴν v cizorh A υμαίων δύναμιν → τὴν Ῥωμαίων δύναμιν; ὃ δὲ “όγγος καὶ ὁ Kégrog → ὁ δὲ Λόγγος καὶ ὁ Κέστος; "θεν πιστεύετε || → πιστεύετε; ΠαῦÀog → Παῦλος; lp. P τῷ → τῷ; xol μακώριος → καὶ μακάριος; ἄνϑρω10 zt0g → ἄνθρωπος; xcl ἀπολύομέν. → καὶ ἀπολύομέν; Aóyyt καὶ Kégre: → Λόγγε καὶ Κέστε·; ἐν τὶ δύξῃ → ἐν τῇ δόξῃ; V Ἔτι → Ἔτι; ΠαρSénóv → Παρθένιόν; Παῦloy → Παῦλος.

Topics: Martyrdom, Persecution, Eschatology

Cite (SBL): Mart. Paul 5 (Lipsius–Bonnet, 106–117; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/acta-pauli-martyrium/0/#p-5). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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Translation: Translated by Claude from Lipsius's Greek (Acta apostolorum apocrypha 1, 1891), OCR slips corrected by logged corrections; no public-domain English: re-read against the Greek.

Chapter 6

6Lipsius–Bonnet, 106–117

Κἀχείνου ἀχούσαντος καὶ ἐπὶ πολὺ ϑαυμάζοντος καὶ διαπορούντος, ἦλθεν ὃ Παῦλος περὶ ὥραν ἐννάτην ἑστώτων πολλῶν μετὰ τοῦ Καίσαρος φιλοσόφων καὶ τοῦ κεντυρίωνγος, καὶ ἔστη ἔμπροσθεν πάντων καὶ εἶπεν" Καῖσαρ, ἰδοὺ Παῖλος, ὁ τοῦ ϑεοῦ στρατιώτης, οὐχ ἀπέϑανον, ἀλλὰ ζῶ ἐν τῷ ϑεῷ μου. σοὶ δὲ πολλὰ ἔσται χαχὰ καὶ μεγάλη χόλασις, ἄϑλιε, ἀνϑ᾽ ὧν δικαίων αἷμα ἀδίκως ἐξέχεας, οὐ μετὰ πολλὰς ἡμέρας ταύτας. Καὶ ταῦτα εἰπὼν ὁ Παῖλος ἀπῆλθεν ἀπ᾽ αὐτοῦ. ὁ δὲ Νέρων ἀκούσας καὶ ταραχϑεὶς σφόδρα ἐχέλευσεν λυϑῆναι τοὺς δεσμίους, καὶ τὸν Πάτροχλον καὶ τοὺς περὶ τὸν Βαρσαβῶν.

Kacheinou achousantos kai epi poly ϑaumazontos kai diaporountos, ēlthen ho Paulos peri hōran ennatēn hestōtōn pollōn meta tou Kaisaros philosophōn kai tou kentyriōngos, kai estē emprosthen pantōn kai eipen" Kaisar, idou Pailos, ho tou ϑeou stratiōtēs, ouch apeϑanon, alla zō en tǭ ϑeǭ mou. soi de polla estai chacha kai megalē cholasis, aϑlie, anϑ᾽ hōn dikaiōn haima adikōs execheas, ou meta pollas hēmeras tautas. Kai tauta eipōn ho Pailos apēlthen ap᾽ autou. ho de Nerōn akousas kai tarachϑeis sphodra echeleusen lyϑēnai tous desmious, kai ton Patrochlon kai tous peri ton Barsabōn.

When he heard it, he was greatly amazed and at a loss; and about the ninth hour, while many philosophers and the centurion were standing with Caesar, Paul came and stood before them all and said: 'Caesar, here is Paul, the soldier of God. I did not die, but I live in my God. But for you there will be many evils and great punishment, wretched man, because you have unjustly shed the blood of the righteous, and that not many days from now.' And having said this Paul went away from him. Nero, hearing it and being greatly troubled, ordered the prisoners to be released, and Patroclus and those with Barsabas.

Notes and citation

Summary: After his death Paul appears to Nero and foretells his punishment, and Nero releases the prisoners.

Notes on the original text

  • Digital text corrected (OCR debris and page mark; OCR slip): διαστοροῖντος → διαπορούντος; ip. P ἀχαὶ ἔστη» ἔμπιροσϑεν σπιάντων | xol εἶπεν → καὶ ἔστη ἔμπροσθεν πάντων καὶ εἶπεν.

Topics: Martyrdom, Persecution

Cite (SBL): Mart. Paul 6 (Lipsius–Bonnet, 106–117; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/acta-pauli-martyrium/0/#p-6). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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Translation: Translated by Claude from Lipsius's Greek (Acta apostolorum apocrypha 1, 1891), OCR slips corrected by logged corrections; no public-domain English: re-read against the Greek.

Chapter 7

7Lipsius–Bonnet, 106–117

Καὶ ὡς ἐτάξατο Παῦλος, ὄρθρου πορευϑέντες ὁ Λόγγος καὶ ὃ κεντυρίων Κέστος μετὰ φόβου προσήρχοντο τῷ τάφῳ Παύλου. ἐπιστάντες δὲ εἶδον δύο ἄνδρας προσευχομένους, καὶ μέσον Παῦλον, ὥστε αὐτοὺς ἰδόντας τὸ παράδοξον ϑαῦμα ἐχτελαγῆναι, τὸν δὲ Τίτον καὶ Λουκᾶν φύβῳ συσχεϑέντας ἀνθρωπίνῳ ἰδόντας τὸν Λόγγον καὶ τὸν Κέστον πρὸς αὐτοὺς ἐρχομένους εἰς φυγὴν τραπῆναι, τῶν δὲ διωχόντων λεγόντων: Οὐ διώχομεν ὑμᾶς εἰς ϑάνατον, ὡς ὑὉπονοεῖτε, μαχάριοι ϑεοῦ ἄνϑρωστοι, ἀλλ᾽ εἰς ζωήν, ἵνα ἡμῖν δῶτε, ὡς ἐπηγγείλατο ἡμῖν Παῦλος, ὃν ἴδομεν μέσον ὑμῶν πρὸ μικροῦ ἑστῶτα καὶ προσευχόμενον. καὶ ταῦτα ἀχούσαντες παρ᾽ αὐτῶν ὃ Τίτος καὶ ὁ Λουκᾶς μετὰ πολλῆς εὐφροσύνης ἔδωχαν αὐτοῖς τὴν ἐν χυρίῳ σφραγῖδα, δοξάζοντες τὸν ϑεὸν καὶ πατέρα

Kai hōs etaxato Paulos, orthrou poreuϑentes ho Longos kai ho kentyriōn Kestos meta phobou prosērchonto tǭ taphǭ Paulou. epistantes de eidon dyo andras proseuchomenous, kai meson Paulon, hōste autous idontas to paradoxon ϑauma echtelagēnai, ton de Titon kai Loukan phybǭ syscheϑentas anthrōpinǭ idontas ton Longon kai ton Keston pros autous erchomenous eis phygēn trapēnai, tōn de diōchontōn legontōn: Ou diōchomen hymas eis ϑanaton, hōs hyOponoeite, macharioi ϑeou anϑrōstoi, all᾽ eis zōēn, hina hēmin dōte, hōs epēngeilato hēmin Paulos, hon idomen meson hymōn pro mikrou hestōta kai proseuchomenon. kai tauta achousantes par᾽ autōn ho Titos kai ho Loukas meta pollēs euphrosynēs edōchan autois tēn en chyriǭ sphragida, doxazontes ton ϑeon kai patera

And as Paul had directed, at dawn Longus and Cestus the centurion went and came with fear to the tomb of Paul. Standing there they saw two men praying, and Paul between them, so that on seeing the strange wonder they were astounded; while Titus and Luke, seized with human fear when they saw Longus and Cestus coming toward them, turned to flight. But the pursuers called out: 'We are not pursuing you to death, as you suppose, blessed men of God, but to life, so that you may give it to us, as Paul promised us, whom we saw a little while ago standing between you and praying.' Hearing this from them, Titus and Luke, with great joy, gave them the seal in the Lord, glorifying the God and Father

Notes and citation

Summary: At Paul's tomb Longus and Cestus see Paul praying with Titus and Luke, who then give them the seal of baptism.

  • 'The seal in the Lord' is baptism. A note of the apparatus had leaked into the text and a phrase was repeated in the scan; both are removed. The scan text breaks off before the end of the chapter (the doxology).

Notes on the original text

  • Digital text corrected (OCR slip; OCR: Greek read as Latin letters; OCR: Greek read as digits; OCR: repeated and garbled phrase; the editor's apparatus leaked into the text): Kai ὡς → Καὶ ὡς; 09990v → ὄρθρου; ὁ “όγγος → ὁ Λόγγος; τιροσήρχοντο → προσήρχοντο; ovxav → Λουκᾶν; ἀνθϑρωτιίνῳ → ἀνθρωπίνῳ; τὸν “0γ7γ0ν zai → τὸν Λόγγον καὶ; móc αὐτοὺς → πρὸς αὐτοὺς; ! καὶ ἐλϑόντες μετὰ πολλοῦ ϑαύματος ἀπήγγειλαν νέρωνι τῷ χαίσαρι τὰ γενάμενα ἐπὶ τῷ ἁγίῳ παύλῳ | τοῦ δὲ νέρωνος | * ἀχούσαντος → ; χτρὸ → πρὸ; τταρ᾽ → παρ᾽; Ó “Πουχᾶς σσολλῆς εὐφροσύνης ἔδ ς ουχᾶς μετὰ στολλῆς → ὁ Λουκᾶς μετὰ πολλῆς.

Topics: Baptism, Martyrdom

Cite (SBL): Mart. Paul 7 (Lipsius–Bonnet, 106–117; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/acta-pauli-martyrium/0/#p-7). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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Translation: Translated by Claude from Lipsius's Greek (Acta apostolorum apocrypha 1, 1891), OCR slips corrected by logged corrections; no public-domain English: re-read against the Greek.