Acts of Thomas 23–39
Pseudonymous: Anonymous. It is not part of the 66-book canon. Composed originally in Syriac or Greek (disputed), probably at Edessa, in the early third century (ca. 200–250; confidence: approximate); the Greek text printed here is Bonnet's. Chapters 1–158 are the Acts; 159–170 are the martyrdom of Thomas.
Greek text: Bonnet 1903 (OCR text layer from the Internet Archive scan).English: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), public domain (CC0).
Chapter 23
23Lipsius–Bonnet, 99–291
Τότε οἱ ἄγγελοι ἀφῆχαν τὴν ψυχὴν τοῦ Γάδʼ καὶ ἐν τῷ ἐνδύειν αὐτοὺς αὐτὸν τὴν ἐντάφιον στολὴν ἐπεισὴλιϑεν αὐτῷ ἡ ψυχὴ αὐτοῦ: καὶ ἔλεγεν τοῖς περὶ αὐτὸν ἑστῶσινʼ" Καλέσατέ μοι τὸν ὠδελφόν μου, ἵνα αἰτήσωμαι παρ᾽ αὐτοῦ μέαν αἴτησιν. Εὐθέως οὖν εὐηγγελέσαντο τῷ βασιλεῖ λέγοντες ὅτι Ὁ ἀδελφός cov ἀνέζησεν. Ὁ δὲ βασιλεὺς ἐχπη- T δήσας σὺν πλήϑει πολλῷ ἤρχετο πρὸς τὸν ἴδιον ἀδελφόν, καὶ εἰσελθὼν ἔστη πρὸς τὴν κλίνην αὐτοῦ ὥσπερ ἔχπλη τος, μὴ B δυνάμενος λαλῆσαι αὐτῷ. εἶπεν δὲ ὁ ἀδελφὸς αὐτοῦ" Οἶδα καὶ πέπεισμαι ἀδελφὲ ὅτι εἴ τις ἤτησέν σὲ τὸ ἥμισυ τῆς βασιλείας σου, δέδωκας dv ὑπὲρ ἐμοῦ" διὸ ἀξιῶ σε παρασχεῖν μοι χώριτα μίαν ἣν αἰτοῦμαί σὲ ἵνα πωλήσῃς μοι ὃ αἰτοῦμαι παρὰ σοῦ. Ὁ δὲ βασιλεὺς ἀποχριϑεὶς εἶπεν" Καὶ τί ἐστιν ὃ αἰτεῖς με πωλῆσαὶ σοι; Ὃ δὲ ἔφη" Ὅρκῳ us πεῖσον ὅτε μοι παρέχεις. Καὶ ὥμοσεν αὐτῷ ὁ βασιλεὺς ὅτι Ev τῶν ὑπαρχόντων μοι εἴτι ἐὰν αἰτήση " Τὴ τιαδέδωμί σοι. Καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ" TO παλάτιον ἐκεῖνο τὸ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς ἔχεις πώλησον uot Καὶ ὁ βασιλεὺς εἶπεν" ᾿Εμοὶ ἥν. παλάτιον ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς πόϑεν ὑπάρχει; O δὲ ἔφη" ᾿ἔχεῖνο ovale ὃ οἰκοδύμησέν σοι ἐχεῖνος ὁ χριστιανὸς ὃ Ov viv ἐν τῷ Otcua-. Ν τηρίῳ, ὃν ἤγαγέν σοι ὁ ἔμπορος ἀγοράσας παρὰ ᾿ἸἸησυῦ τινος" y ὑπὲρ Th τὸν δοῦλον λέγω ἐκεῖνον τὸν “Εβραῖον, ὃν ἐβούλου χολάσαι ὡς bo ἐν. ἐπίϑεσίν τινα παρ᾽ αὐτοῦ παϑών, ἐφ᾽ ov κἀγὼ λυπηϑεὶς ἀπέ: ῬΑ ἥανον καὶ ἀνέζησα νῦν. ] T οὰ
Tote hoi angeloi aphēchan tēn psychēn tou Gadʼ kai en tǭ endyein autous auton tēn entaphion stolēn epeisēliϑen autǭ hē psychē autou: kai elegen tois peri auton hestōsinʼ" Kalesate moi ton ōdelphon mou, hina aitēsōmai par᾽ autou mean aitēsin. Eutheōs oun euēngelesanto tǭ basilei legontes hoti Ho adelphos cov anezēsen. Ho de basileus echpē- T dēsas syn plēϑei pollǭ ērcheto pros ton idion adelphon, kai eiselthōn estē pros tēn klinēn autou hōsper echplē tos, mē B dynamenos lalēsai autǭ. eipen de ho adelphos autou" Oida kai pepeismai adelphe hoti ei tis ētēsen se to hēmisy tēs basileias sou, dedōkas dv hyper emou" dio axiō se paraschein moi chōrita mian hēn aitoumai se hina pōlēsę̄s moi ho aitoumai para sou. Ho de basileus apochriϑeis eipen" Kai ti estin ho aiteis me pōlēsai soi? Ho de ephē" Horkǭ us peison hote moi parecheis. Kai hōmosen autǭ ho basileus hoti Ev tōn hyparchontōn moi eiti ean aitēsē " Tē tiadedōmi soi. Kai legei autǭ" TO palation ekeino to en tois ouranois echeis pōlēson uot Kai ho basileus eipen" ᾿Emoi hēn. palation en tois ouranois poϑen hyparchei? O de ephē" ᾿echeino ovale ho oikodymēsen soi echeinos ho christianos ho Ov viv en tǭ Otcua-. N tēriǭ, hon ēgagen soi ho emporos agorasas para ᾿IIēsyy tinos" y hyper Th ton doulon legō ekeinon ton “Ebraion, hon eboulou cholasai hōs bo en. epiϑesin tina par᾽ autou paϑōn, eph᾽ ov kagō lypēϑeis ape: RhA hēanon kai anezēsa nyn. ] T oa
Then the angels let go the soul of Gad; and while they were dressing him in the burial robe, his soul came back into him, and he said to those standing around him, "Call my brother to me, so that I may make one request of him." At once they brought the good news to the king, saying, "Your brother has come back to life." The king leapt up and came with a great crowd to his brother, and going in he stood by his bed as if dumbfounded, unable to speak to him. His brother said, "I know and am persuaded, brother, that if anyone had asked you for half your kingdom, you would have given it for my sake. So I ask you to grant me one favor that I ask of you: that you sell me what I ask of you." The king answered and said, "And what is it that you ask me to sell you?" He said, "Assure me by an oath that you will grant it to me." And the king swore to him, "Whatever of my possessions you ask, I give it to you." And he said to him, "Sell me that palace which you have in the heavens." The king said, "Where would I get a palace in the heavens?" He said, "The one which that Christian built for you, who is now in the prison, whom the merchant brought you, having bought him from a certain Jesus: I mean that Hebrew slave whom you wanted to punish as though you had suffered some affront from him, over which I too was grieved and died, and have now come back to life."
Mark 6:23 (echo, low confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Gad, restored to life, makes the king swear to grant him a request and asks to buy the palace Thomas built for him in heaven.
- Two pieces of Bonnet's apparatus (the other recension of this chapter) printed in the scan text are removed. "Half your kingdom" echoes Mark 6:23.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (apparatus (other recension) leaked into the text): αὐτῶν χατωγείων τούτων ἐάσατέ μὲ οἰχῆσαι. Καὶ εἶπαν αὐτῷ οἱ ἀγγελοι" Οὐ δύνασαι. διότι τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ σού ἐστιν οἰχοδόιιησεν ὁ χριστιανὸς Pxelvog. Καὶ ἀπεχρίϑη αὐτοῖς ἐχεῖνος λέγων" “έομαι ὑμῶν κύριοί μου συγχωρήσατέ μοι ἀπελϑεῖν εἰς αὐτόν, ἵγα ἀγοράσω αὐτὰ παρ᾽ αὐτοῦ: οὐ γὰρ οἶδεν αὐτὰ ὁ ἀδεὶφός μου. Καὶ ἀφῆχαν τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ οἱ ἄγγελοι. ἐν δὲ τῷ ἐνδιδύσχειν αὐτὸν τὴν ἐντάφιον στολὴν εἰσῆλϑεν εἰς τὸ σκήνωμα αὐτοῦ καὶ ἀναστὰς λέγει τοῖς περὶ αὐτόν: Φέρετέ μοι τὸν ἀδελφόν μου. Οἱ δὲ ἐν σπουδὴ εὐηγγελίσαντο αὐτῷ ὕτι Ὁ → ; ἀδελιρός σου ἀνέζησεν. Κἀκεῖνος δρομαῖος ἐχπηδήσας μετὰ τοῖ ἰδίου στρατοῦ ἐλϑὼν κατεφίλει αὐτόν. Ὃ δὲ λέγει αὐτῷ" Οἶδα ἀδελφὲ Ort εἴ τι ἠτησάμην σὲ ἕως ἡμίσους τῆς βασιλείας σου ἔδωχάς μοι καὶ οὐ παρεῖδές μέ ποτε. Τότε λέγει αὐτῷ" Ὅρχῳ μὲ πεῖσον. Καὶ ὥμοσεν αὐτὸν Ori Ἐάν μὲ αἰτήσῃς ἕως τῆς χεραλῆς μου, οὗ μή σε παρέλϑω. Κἀχεῖνος ἔφη → .
Cite (SBL): Acts Thom. 23 (Lipsius–Bonnet, 99–291; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/acta-thomae/23/#p-23). (abbreviation not yet checked)
BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-acta-thomae-23) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude from Bonnet's Greek (Lipsius–Bonnet, Acta apostolorum apocrypha 2.2, 1903), corrected for OCR slips by logged corrections; chapters 1–61 and 159–170 compared afterwards with ANF 8; the rest (incl. the colt act and passages ANF lacks) re-read against the Greek.
Chapter 24
24Lipsius–Bonnet, 99–291
Τότε ὁ βασιλεὺς εἰς ἐπίστασιν ἐλϑιν συνῆχεν περὶ πω τῶν διαφερόντων αὐτῷ καὶ μελλόντων αἰωνίων ἀγαθῶν, καὶ ΝΒ δα; εἶπεν" "Exeivo τὸ παλάτιον πωλῆσαί σοι οὐ δύνωμαι, εὔχομαι 0MNN δὲ εἰσελϑεῖν tlg αὐτὸ καὶ οἰκῆσαι καὶ χαταξιωϑῆναι τῶν aol aM T οἱἰχητόρων αὐτοῦ" GU δὲ dAnOGg εἰ βούλει πρίασϑαι τοιοῦτον 9t ipo παλάτιον, ἰδοὺ ὁ ἄνϑρωπος ζὴ καὶ κτίζει σοι ἐκείνου βέλτιον. gj, Καὶ εὐϑέως πέμψας ἐξήγαγεν àx τοῦ δεσμωτηρίου τὸν ὠπύστολον x&i τὸν ἕμπορον τὸν ἐγχλεισϑέντα σὺν αὐτῷ, λέγων" Δέομαὶ σου ὡς ἄνϑρωπος δεόμενος τοῦ διωαχόνου τοῦ ϑεοῦ ἵνα εὔξη ὑπὲρ ἐμοῦ καὶ δεηϑῆς ἐκείνου οὗ διάκονος ὑπάρχεις ἵνα μοι ἀφήση καὶ παρίδη ἃ εἰς σὲ διεπραξώμην ἢ καὶ ἐνε- ϑυμήϑην διαπράξασϑαι, καὶ ὥξιόν μὲ γενεσϑαι οἰκήτορα ἐχείνης τῆς οἰχήσεως ἧσπερ ἐγὼ μὲν οὐδὲν ἔχαμον, σὺ δὲ μοι ἔχτισας μόνος χαμών, συνεργούσης σοι τῆς χάριτος τοῦ ϑεοῦ σου, x«i ἵνα γένωμαι ὑπηρέτης κἀγὼ καὶ δουλεύσω τῷ ÓÜ&Q τούτῳ ᾧ σὺ χηρύττεις. Καὶ ὁ ἀδελφὸς δὲ αὐτοῦ προσπεσὼν τῷ ἀποστόλῳ ἔλεγεν" Δέομαί σου καὶ | ἱκετεύω ἔμπροσϑεν τοῦ ϑεοῦ cov ἵνα ἄξιος γένωμαι τῆς τούτου διακονίας καὶ ὑπηρεσίας, καὶ χληρωϑῶ ἄξιος γενέσίλαι τῶν ὀφϑέντων μοι ὑπὸ τῶν ὠγγέλων αὐτοῦ. " Ὁ δὲ ἀπόστολος χαρᾶς ληφϑεὶς εἶπεν" ᾿ΕΞομολογουμαί σοι χύριε ᾿Ιησοῦ ὅτι ἀπεχάλυψάς σου τὴν ἀλήϑειαν ἐν τοῖς ὠνϑρώποις τούτοις" σὺ γὰρ εἶ μόνος ϑεὸς τῆς ἀληϑείας, καὶ οὐχ ἕτερος" καὶ σὺ εἶ ὁ τὰ πώντα εἰδὼς τὼ τοῖς πολλοῖς ὅ ἄγνωσταʼ σὺ εἰ κύριε ὁ ἐν πᾶσι εὐσπλαγχνία καὶ φειδὼ ποιούμενος τοὺς ἀνθρώπους" οἱ γὰρ ἄνϑρωποι διὼ τὴν πλάνην τὴν οὖσαν ἐν αὐτοῖς παρεῖδάν σε, σὺ δὲ οὐ παρεῖδες αὐτούς. καὶ νῦν αἰτουμένον μου καὶ ἱκετεύοντός σε δέξαι τὸν βασιλέα x«i τὸν τούτου ἀδελφόν, καὶ χατάμειξον αὐτοὺς εἰς τὴν σὴν Th ποίμνην, καϑαρέσας αὐτοὺς τῷ σῷ λοντρῷ καὶ ὠλείψψας αὐτοὺς τῷ σῷ ἐλαίῳ ἀπὸ τῆς περιεχούσης «αὐτοὺς πλάνης" φύλαξον δὲ αὐτοὺς καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν λύκων, φέρων αὐτοὺς ἐν τοῖς σοῖς λειμῶσε" πότισον δὲ αὐτοὺς ἀπὸ τῆς ἀμβροσιώδους σου πηγῆς τῆς μὴ τεϑολωμένης μήτε ληγούσης" δέονται γώρ σου καὶ ἑκετεύουσιν καὶ βούλονται ὑπηρέται καὶ διώκονοί cov γενέσϑαι, x«i ἕνεχεν τούτου εὐδοχοῦσιν καὶ διωχϑῆναι ὑπὸ τῶν ἐχϑρῶν
Tote ho basileus eis epistasin elϑin synēchen peri pō tōn diapherontōn autǭ kai mellontōn aiōniōn agathōn, kai NB da? eipen" "Exeivo to palation pōlēsai soi ou dynōmai, euchomai 0MNN de eiselϑein tlg auto kai oikēsai kai chataxiōϑēnai tōn aol aM T hoiichētorōn autou" GU de dAnOGg ei boulei priasϑai toiouton 9t ipo palation, idou ho anϑrōpos zē kai ktizei soi ekeinou beltion. gj, Kai euϑeōs pempsas exēgagen ax tou desmōtēriou ton ōpystolon x&i ton hemporon ton enchleisϑenta syn autǭ, legōn" Deomai sou hōs anϑrōpos deomenos tou diōachonou tou ϑeou hina euxē hyper emou kai deēϑēs ekeinou hou diakonos hyparcheis hina moi aphēsē kai paridē ha eis se diepraxōmēn ē kai ene- ϑymēϑēn diapraxasϑai, kai hōxion me genesϑai oikētora echeinēs tēs oichēseōs hēsper egō men ouden echamon, sy de moi echtisas monos chamōn, synergousēs soi tēs charitos tou ϑeou sou, x«i hina genōmai hypēretēs kagō kai douleusō tǭ OU&Q toutǭ hǭ sy chērytteis. Kai ho adelphos de autou prospesōn tǭ apostolǭ elegen" Deomai sou kai | hiketeuō emprosϑen tou ϑeou cov hina axios genōmai tēs toutou diakonias kai hypēresias, kai chlērōϑō axios genesilai tōn ophϑentōn moi hypo tōn ōngelōn autou. " Ho de apostolos charas lēphϑeis eipen" ᾿EXomologoumai soi chyrie ᾿Iēsou hoti apechalypsas sou tēn alēϑeian en tois ōnϑrōpois toutois" sy gar ei monos ϑeos tēs alēϑeias, kai ouch heteros" kai sy ei ho ta pōnta eidōs tō tois pollois ho agnōstaʼ sy ei kyrie ho en pasi eusplanchnia kai pheidō poioumenos tous anthrōpous" hoi gar anϑrōpoi diō tēn planēn tēn ousan en autois pareidan se, sy de ou pareides autous. kai nyn aitoumenon mou kai hiketeuontos se dexai ton basilea x«i ton toutou adelphon, kai chatameixon autous eis tēn sēn Th poimnēn, kaϑaresas autous tǭ sǭ lontrǭ kai ōleipspsas autous tǭ sǭ elaiǭ apo tēs periechousēs «autous planēs" phylaxon de autous kai apo tōn lykōn, pherōn autous en tois sois leimōse" potison de autous apo tēs ambrosiōdous sou pēgēs tēs mē teϑolōmenēs mēte lēgousēs" deontai gōr sou kai heketeuousin kai boulontai hypēretai kai diōkonoi cov genesϑai, x«i henechen toutou eudochousin kai diōchϑēnai hypo tōn echϑrōn
Then the king came to himself and understood about the eternal good things that concerned him and were to come, and said, "That palace I cannot sell you; but I pray to enter it myself and live in it and be counted worthy of its dwellers. But if you really want to buy such a palace, see, the man is alive, and he will build you one better than that." And at once he sent and brought out of the prison the apostle and the merchant who had been shut up with him, saying, "I beseech you, as a man beseeching a minister of God, to pray for me and to entreat him whose minister you are to forgive me and overlook what I did to you or meant to do, and that I may become a worthy dweller in that dwelling for which I did no labor, but you labored alone and built it for me, the grace of your God working with you; and that I too may become a servant and serve this God whom you preach." His brother, too, fell down before the apostle and said, "I beseech you and entreat you before your God that I may become worthy of his ministry and service, and be allotted to become worthy of what was shown me by his angels."
[25] The apostle, seized with joy, said, "I confess you, Lord Jesus, that you have revealed your truth in these men; for you alone are the God of truth, and no other; and you are he who knows all things that are unknown to the many. You are he, Lord, who in all things show compassion and spare men; for men, because of the error that is in them, have disregarded you, but you have not disregarded them. And now, as I ask and entreat you, receive the king and his brother and gather them into your flock, cleansing them with your washing and anointing them with your oil from the error that surrounds them. Guard them also from the wolves, leading them into your meadows; give them drink from your ambrosial spring, which is never muddied and never fails. For they entreat you and beseech you and wish to become your servants and ministers, and for this they are content even to be persecuted by your enemies
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
John 10:12 (echo, low confidence) · Ps 23:2 (22:2 LXX) (echo, low confidence) · John 4:14 (echo, low confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: The king frees Thomas and asks to serve his God; Gad asks the same, and Thomas prays that Christ receive them into his flock through washing and oil.
- This passage begins chapter 24; chapter 25, Thomas's prayer, begins at "The apostle, seized with joy" (its numeral is lost in the scan text). Two pieces of Bonnet's apparatus (the other recension) printed in the scan text are removed. The flock, wolves, and pastures echo John 10 and Ps 23:2.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (apparatus (other recension) leaked into the text): λάτιον ἀδελφὲ ὃ ἔχεις ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοὶς π᾿ὠλησύν μοι. Καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ ὃ βασιλεύς" Ἐμοὶ παλάτιον ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς πόϑεν ὑπάρχει: Καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ" Ναὶ ἀδελφέ, ὠχοδόμησέν σοι ἐν ἀλη: Mt aiu ϑείᾳ ὁ Θωμᾶς. "Ci v Τύτε ὁ βασιλεὶς περιχαρὴς γενάμενος λέγει" "Extivo "dg. παλάτιον πττ-ωλῆσαι οὐ δύναμαι" ἀόρατον γάρ ἐστιν" ἀλλ᾽ εὔχομαι ^ gy χἀγὼ ἐπιτυχεῖν αὐτοῦ. ἔχομεν δὲ τὸν οἰχοδόμον καὶ χτίζει → ; σοι. Καὶ πέμψας ἐν πολλὴ σπουδὴ ἐξέβαλον τὸν Θωμᾶν. Καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ" Συγχώρησον δοῦλε τοῦ ϑεοῦ εἴ τι ἐν ἀγνοίᾳ ἐπράS$«utv εἰς σέ, καὶ σπτοίησον ἡμᾶς κοινωνοὺς γενέσϑαι τῆς βασιλείας ἐχείνου οὗ κηρύσσεις → .
Cite (SBL): Acts Thom. 24 (Lipsius–Bonnet, 99–291; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/acta-thomae/23/#p-24). (abbreviation not yet checked)
BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-acta-thomae-24) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude from Bonnet's Greek (Lipsius–Bonnet, Acta apostolorum apocrypha 2.2, 1903), corrected for OCR slips by logged corrections; chapters 1–61 and 159–170 compared afterwards with ANF 8; the rest (incl. the colt act and passages ANF lacks) re-read against the Greek.
Chapter 25
25Lipsius–Bonnet, 99–291
σου xul διὰ σὲ ὑπ᾽ αὐτῶν μισηϑῆναι καὶ ὑβρισϑῆναι καὶ ὠποϑανεῖν, ὡς καὶ σὺ ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν ταῦτα ndvra ἔπαϑες, ἵνα ἡμᾶς περιποιήσῃ, κύριος ὧν καὶ ἀληϑῶς ποιμὴν ἀγαϑός. σὺ δὲ δὸς αὐτοῖς ἵνα ἔχωσιν ἐν σοὶ μόνῳ τὴν παρρησίαν καὶ τὴν παρὰ σοῦ βοήϑειών τε καὶ ἐλπίδα τῆς σωτηρίας αὐτῶν, ἧς ἐκδέχονται παρὰ σοῦ μόνου, καὶ iva βεβαιωϑ ὥσιν εἰς τὰ σὰ μυστήρια, καὶ δέξονται τῶν σῶν χαρισμάτων καὶ δομάτων τὰ τέλεια ἀγαϑώ, καὶ ἀνθϑησουσιν ἐν τῇ σῇ διωκονίᾳ, καὶ τελεσφορηήσουσιν ἐν τῷ πατρί σου.
sou xul dia se hyp᾽ autōn misēϑēnai kai hybrisϑēnai kai ōpoϑanein, hōs kai sy hyper hēmōn tauta ndvra epaϑes, hina hēmas peripoiēsę̄, kyrios hōn kai alēϑōs poimēn agaϑos. sy de dos autois hina echōsin en soi monǭ tēn parrēsian kai tēn para sou boēϑeiōn te kai elpida tēs sōtērias autōn, hēs ekdechontai para sou monou, kai iva bebaiōϑ hōsin eis ta sa mystēria, kai dexontai tōn sōn charismatōn kai domatōn ta teleia agaϑō, kai anthϑēsousin en tę̄ sę̄ diōkonią, kai telesphorēēsousin en tǭ patri sou.
and for your sake to be hated and insulted by them and to die, as you too suffered all these things for us in order to win us for yourself, being Lord and truly the good Shepherd. Grant them to have their confidence in you alone, and the help that comes from you, and the hope of their salvation, which they await from you alone; and that they may be confirmed in your mysteries and receive the perfect good things of your graces and gifts, and flourish in your service, and come to full fruit in your Father."
John 10:11 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Thomas's prayer for the king and his brother ends: may they hold fast to Christ, the good Shepherd, and grow to perfection.
- The end of chapter 25. A piece of Bonnet's apparatus (the other recension: "and give us the pledge of his calling; and the apostle instructed them and baptized them") printed at the start of the scan text is removed. "The good Shepherd" quotes John 10:11.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (apparatus (other recension) leaked into the text): καὶ δὸς ἡμῖν τὸν ἀρραβῶνα τῆς κλήσεως αὐτοῦ. Καὶ ὁ ἀπόστολος χατηχήσας ἐβάπτισεν αὐτοὺς τῷ λουτρῷ τῆς → .
Topics: Prayer
Cite (SBL): Acts Thom. 25 (Lipsius–Bonnet, 99–291; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/acta-thomae/23/#p-25). (abbreviation not yet checked)
BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-acta-thomae-25) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude from Bonnet's Greek (Lipsius–Bonnet, Acta apostolorum apocrypha 2.2, 1903), corrected for OCR slips by logged corrections; chapters 1–61 and 159–170 compared afterwards with ANF 8; the rest (incl. the colt act and passages ANF lacks) re-read against the Greek.
Chapter 26
26Lipsius–Bonnet, 99–291
Πώνυ οὖν διατεϑέντες ἐν τῷ ἀποστόλῳ ὃ rt Ü«ci- τὸ λεὺς Γουνδαφόρος καὶ ὁ τούτου ἀδελφὸς Γὰδ εἵποντο αὐτῷ μηδ᾽ ὅλως ἀναχωροῦντες, καὶ αὐτοὶ ἐπαρχοῦντες τοῖς Ótouévorg, — w πᾶσιν διδόντες καὶ ἀναπαύοντες πάντας" ἐδεηϑησαν δὲ αὐτοῦ ἵνα καὶ τὴν σφραγῖδα τοῦ λόγου δέξωνται λοιπὸν καὶ αὐτοί," AO ταύτην καὶ εὐλογίαν τοῦ κυρίου, καὶ τελειωθῆναι ἐν αὐτί wt οὗτος γώρ ἐστιν χύριος καὶ ϑεὸς πάντων. ᾿Ιησοῦς Χριστὸς ὃν Án ΜΌΝ χηρύσσω, καὶ αὐτὸς πατὴρ ἀληϑείας, εἰς ὃν ὑμᾶς πιστεύειν n atolie ἐδίδαξα. Καὶ ἐκέλευσεν προσενεγκεῖν αὐτοὺς ἔλαιον, ἵνα διὰ T »i Z τοῦ ἐλαίου δέξωνται τὴν σφραγῖδα. ἤνεγκαν οὖν τὸ ἔλαιον, ΝῊ errat; x«i λύχνους ἀνῆψαν πολλούς" νὺξ γὰρ gw pt α
Pōny oun diateϑentes en tǭ apostolǭ ho rt U«ci- to leus Goundaphoros kai ho toutou adelphos Gad heiponto autǭ mēd᾽ holōs anachōrountes, kai autoi eparchountes tois Otouevorg, — w pasin didontes kai anapauontes pantas" edeēϑēsan de autou hina kai tēn sphragida tou logou dexōntai loipon kai autoi," AO tautēn kai eulogian tou kyriou, kai teleiōthēnai en auti wt houtos gōr estin chyrios kai ϑeos pantōn. ᾿Iēsous Christos hon An MON chēryssō, kai autos patēr alēϑeias, eis hon hymas pisteuein n atolie edidaxa. Kai ekeleusen prosenenkein autous elaion, hina dia T »i Z tou elaiou dexōntai tēn sphragida. ēnenkan oun to elaion, NĒ errat? x«i lychnous anēpsan pollous" nyx gar gw pt a
So King Gundaphorus and his brother Gad, greatly devoted to the apostle, followed him and did not leave him at all, while they themselves provided for those in need, giving to all and refreshing all. They begged him that they too might now receive the seal of the word … this, and the blessing of the Lord, and to be perfected in him; for he is Lord and God of all, Jesus Christ whom I preach, and he is the Father of truth, in whom I taught you to believe." And he ordered them to bring oil, so that through the oil they might receive the seal. So they brought the oil and lit many lamps; for it was night.
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
Notes and citation
Summary: The king and his brother ask for the seal; Thomas has oil brought so that they may receive it by anointing.
- Words are lost in the scan text after "receive the seal of the word": the rest of the brothers' request and the beginning of the apostle's answer ("…"). "The seal" is the Acts' term for baptismal initiation; here it is given by anointing with oil. Calling Jesus "the Father of truth" is as printed.
Topics: Baptism
Cite (SBL): Acts Thom. 26 (Lipsius–Bonnet, 99–291; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/acta-thomae/23/#p-26). (abbreviation not yet checked)
BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-acta-thomae-26) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude from Bonnet's Greek (Lipsius–Bonnet, Acta apostolorum apocrypha 2.2, 1903), corrected for OCR slips by logged corrections; chapters 1–61 and 159–170 compared afterwards with ANF 8; the rest (incl. the colt act and passages ANF lacks) re-read against the Greek.
Chapter 27
27Lipsius–Bonnet, 99–291
Καὶ ἀναστὰς ὁ ἀπόστολος ἐσφράγισεν αὐτούς" dme *. wid χκαλίφϑη δὲ αὐτοῖς ὁ xvorog διὰ φωνῆς λέγων" Εἰρήνη ὑμῖν mis; pi; ἀδελφοί. Οἱ δὲ φωνῆς μόνον ἤκουσαν αὐτοῦ, τὸ δὲ εἶδος in», zs; αὐτοῦ οὐχ εἶδον" οὐδέπω γὼρ ἦσαν δεξώμενοι τὸ ἐπισφράγισμα " nite: κα τῆς σφραγῖδος. λαβὼν δὲ ὁ ἀπόστολος τὸ ἔλαιον καὶ χατα- τς üt χέας ἐπὶ τῆς κεφαλῆς αὐτῶν καὶ ἀλείψας καὶ χρίσας αὐτοὺς j""" ἤρξατο λέγειν: ᾿Ελϑὲ τὸ ἅγιον ὄνομα τοῦ Χριστοῦ τὸ ὑπὲρ "A ees πᾶν ὄνομαʼ ἐλϑὲ ἡ δύναμις τοῦ ὑιννίστου καὶ ἡ εὐσπλαγχνία τ τὶ συ ἡ τελεία" ἐλϑὲ τὸ χάρισμα τὸ ὕψιστον" ἐλϑὲ ἡ μήτηρ ἡ 80x Th εὔσπλαγχνος" ἐλϑὲ ἡ κοινωνία τοῦ ἄρρενος" ἐλϑὲ ἡ τὰ μυστήρια ἀποκαλύπτουσα τὰ GnOxQuqu' ἐλϑὲ καὶ μήτηρ τῶν ἑπτὰ οἴχων, ἵνα ἡ ἀνάπαυσίς σου εἰς τὸν ὄγδοον οἶχον γένηται. Me T; ἐλϑὲ ὁ πρεσβύτερος τῶν πέντε μελῶν, νοὸς ἐννοίας φρονήσεως t oy πνεύματος" ἐνϑυμήσεως λογισμοῦ, κοινώνησον μετὰ τούτων τῶν νεωτέρων" — W (umi ἐλϑὲ τὸ ἅγιον πνεῦμα καὶ καϑάρισον τοὺς νεφροὺς αὐτῶν seme xdi τὴν χαρδίαν, καὶ ἐπισφράγισον αὐτοὺς εἰς ὄνομα πατρὺς-ς jn xui υἱοῦ x«i ἁγίου πνεύματος. Καὶ σφοαγισϑέντων αὐτῶν [p tof ὥφϑη αὐτοῖς νεανίας λαμπάδα ἀνημμένην χατέχων, ὡς καὶ τοὺς λύχνους αὐτοὺς τῇ τοῦ φωτὸς αὐτῆς προσβολῇ ἁμαυρω"ES ϑῆναι. καὶ ἐξελϑὼν ἀφανὴς αὐτοῖς ἐγένετο. εἶπεν δὲ ὁ inm i ἀπόστολος πρὸς τὸν κύριον" ldyoprnrov ἡμῖν χύριε τὸ φῶς NT. cov ἐστιν, καὶ οὐ δυνώμεϊϑα φέρειν αὐτό" μεῖζον γάρ ἐστιν qu τῆς ἡμετέρας ὄψεως. «Αὔγους δὲ γεναμένου καὶ διαγ αὐσαντος καὶ χλάσας ἄρτον χοινωνοὺς αὐτοὺς κατέστησεν τῆς εὐχαριστίας "T. τοῦ Χριστοῦ. ἔχαιρον δὲ καὶ ἠγαλλιῶντο" πολλοὶ δὲ zc ina ἕτεροι πιστεύοντες προσετίϑεντο καὶ ἤρχοντο εἰς TO χατα- B rir? φύγιον τοῦ σωτῆρος. "
Kai anastas ho apostolos esphragisen autous" dme *. wid chkaliphϑē de autois ho xvorog dia phōnēs legōn" Eirēnē hymin mis? pi? adelphoi. Hoi de phōnēs monon ēkousan autou, to de eidos in», zs? autou ouch eidon" oudepō gōr ēsan dexōmenoi to episphragisma " nite: ka tēs sphragidos. labōn de ho apostolos to elaion kai chata- ts ut cheas epi tēs kephalēs autōn kai aleipsas kai chrisas autous j""" ērxato legein: ᾿Elϑe to hagion onoma tou Christou to hyper "A ees pan onomaʼ elϑe hē dynamis tou huinnistou kai hē eusplanchnia t ti sy hē teleia" elϑe to charisma to hypsiston" elϑe hē mētēr hē 80x Th eusplanchnos" elϑe hē koinōnia tou arrenos" elϑe hē ta mystēria apokalyptousa ta GnOxQuqu' elϑe kai mētēr tōn hepta oichōn, hina hē anapausis sou eis ton ogdoon oichon genētai. Me T? elϑe ho presbyteros tōn pente melōn, noos ennoias phronēseōs t oy pneumatos" enϑymēseōs logismou, koinōnēson meta toutōn tōn neōterōn" — W (umi elϑe to hagion pneuma kai kaϑarison tous nephrous autōn seme xdi tēn chardian, kai episphragison autous eis onoma patrys-s jn xui huiou x«i hagiou pneumatos. Kai sphoagisϑentōn autōn [p tof hōphϑē autois neanias lampada anēmmenēn chatechōn, hōs kai tous lychnous autous tę̄ tou phōtos autēs prosbolę̄ hamaurō"ES ϑēnai. kai exelϑōn aphanēs autois egeneto. eipen de ho inm i apostolos pros ton kyrion" ldyoprnrov hēmin chyrie to phōs NT. cov estin, kai ou dynōmeïϑa pherein auto" meizon gar estin qu tēs hēmeteras opseōs. «Augous de genamenou kai diag ausantos kai chlasas arton choinōnous autous katestēsen tēs eucharistias "T. tou Christou. echairon de kai ēgalliōnto" polloi de zc ina heteroi pisteuontes prosetiϑento kai ērchonto eis TO chata- B rir? phygion tou sōtēros. "
The apostle rose and sealed them. The Lord was revealed to them by a voice, saying, "Peace be with you, brothers." They heard only his voice, but did not see his form, for they had not yet received the added sealing of the seal. The apostle took the oil, poured it on their heads, anointed and chrismed them, and began to say:
"Come, holy name of Christ, which is above every name; come, power of the Most High and perfect compassion; come, highest gift; come, compassionate mother; come, fellowship of the male; come, she who reveals the hidden mysteries; come, mother of the seven houses, that your rest may be in the eighth house; come, elder of the five members, mind, thought, prudence, reflection, reasoning: share with these young men; come, Holy Spirit, and cleanse their reins and their heart, and seal them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit."
When they had been sealed, there appeared to them a young man holding a lighted torch, so that even the lamps were dimmed by the onset of its light; and he went out and vanished from their sight. The apostle said to the Lord, "Your light, Lord, is too great for us to contain, and we cannot bear it; for it is greater than our sight." When dawn came and it grew light, he broke bread and made them partakers of the Eucharist of Christ. They rejoiced and exulted; and many others also believed and were added, and came to the refuge of the Savior.
Phil 2:9 (allusion, high confidence) · Matt 28:19 (allusion, high confidence) · Ps 7:9 (7:10 LXX) (echo, low confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Thomas anoints the king and his brother with an invocation of the name of Christ and the Spirit, a radiant young man appears, and at dawn he gives them the Eucharist.
- The invocation over the oil (an epiclesis) is translated exactly; its feminine titles ("compassionate mother", "she who reveals the hidden mysteries", "mother of the seven houses") and "the fellowship of the male" belong to the distinctive language of the Acts. In this chapter the seal is given by anointing alone. A short piece of Bonnet's apparatus ("and when they came up from the water, there appeared to them") printed in the scan text is removed. "The name which is above every name" quotes Phil 2:9; the triple name echoes Matt 28:19; "reins and heart" echoes Ps 7:9 and Jer 17:10.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (apparatus (variant reading) leaked into the text): — καὶ ἀναβάντες ἐχ τοῦ ὕδατος ἐφάνη αὐτοῖς f ln: (bn → .
Topics: Baptism, Eucharist, Trinity
Cite (SBL): Acts Thom. 27 (Lipsius–Bonnet, 99–291; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/acta-thomae/23/#p-27). (abbreviation not yet checked)
BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-acta-thomae-27) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude from Bonnet's Greek (Lipsius–Bonnet, Acta apostolorum apocrypha 2.2, 1903), corrected for OCR slips by logged corrections; chapters 1–61 and 159–170 compared afterwards with ANF 8; the rest (incl. the colt act and passages ANF lacks) re-read against the Greek.
Chapter 28
28Lipsius–Bonnet, 99–291
Ὁ δὲ ἀπόστολος οὐχ ἐπαύετο κηούσσων καὶ λέγων αὐτοῖς" MvÓosg καὶ γυναῖχες, παῖδες καὶ κόραι, νεανίσχοι Xt παρϑένοι, ἀκμαῖοι καὶ γηραλέοι, εἴτε δοῦλοι εἴτε ἐλεύϑεροι. ὠπέχεσϑε τῆς πορνείας καὶ τῆς πλεονεξίας καὶ τῆς ἐργασίας τῆς γαστρός" ἐν γὰρ τούτοις τοῖς τρισὶν χεφαλαίοις γίνεται ὅ πᾶσα ἀνομία. ἡ γὰρ πορνεία πηροῖ τὸν νοῦν καὶ τοὺς Tis wuxgs ὑφϑθϑαλμοὺς σχοτίζει, καὶ ἐμπόδιον γένεται τῆς τυΐ σώματος πολιτείας, εἰς ἀσϑένειαν μετατιϑεῖσα ὅλον τὸν ἀνϑρωπον καὶ εἰς νόσον ἐμβάλλουσα ὅλον τὸ σῶμα. ἡ δὲ ὠπληστία εἰς φόβον καὶ αἰσχύνην καϑίστησι τὴν ννυυχήν, ἐντὸς τοῦ σώματος ὑπάρχουσα καὶ διαρπάζουσα τὰ ἀλλότρια καὶ ταύτην τὴν ὑποψίαν ἔχουσα, ἡ ἀποδιδοῦσα τὰ ἀλλότριω τοῖς δεσπόταις ἠσχύνίδη. ἡ δὲ ἐργασία τὴς κοιλίας εἰς φροντίδας καὶ μερίμνως καὶ λύπας ἐμβάλλει τὴν ψυχήν, τοῦτο μεριμνῶσα «ἡ ἄρα ἐνδεὴς αὐτῶν γένηται καὶ τῶν πόρρωϑεν τούτων l5 ὄντων ϑεαϑῇ. ἐπὰν οὖν ἀπαλλαγῆτε τούτων, γίνεσϑε ἀφρύντιδὲς καὶ ἄλυποι xui qoo καὶ παραμένει ὑμῖν ἐχεῖνο τὸ λεχϑὲν ὑπὸ τοῦ σωτῆρος" Μὴ μεριμνήσητε εἰς τὴν αὔριον, ἡ γὰρ αὔριον μεριμνήσει ἑαυτῆς. Μνημονεύσατε χὠκείνου τοῦ λόγου τοῦ προειρημένου" "EufAéwers εἰς τοὺς κόρακας ἀφίδετε εἰς τὰ πετεινὰ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, ὅτι οὔτε σπείρει οὔτε ϑερέξει οὔτε συνάγει εἰς τὰς ἀποϑήκας, καὶ ὁ ϑεὸς οἰκονομεῖ αὐτά" πόσῳ μᾶλλον ὑμᾶς ὀλιγόπιστοι; ᾿λλὰ προσδέξασϑε τὴν τούτου παρουσίαν, καὶ εἰς αὐτὸν τὰς ἐλπίδας ἔχετε, καὶ πιστεύετε τῷ ὀνόματι αὐτοῦ" οὗτος γάρ ἐστιν ὁ κριτὴς ζωών- των καὶ γεχρῶν, καὶ αὐτὸς ἀποδίδωσιν évi ἑχάστῳ πρὸς τὰς πράξεις αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐν τῇ ἐλεύσει αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐπιφανείᾳ τῇ ὑστέρᾳ οὐχ ἔχει τις λόγον ἀπολογίας, μέλλων mao αὐτοῦ κρίγεσϑαι, ὡς μὴ ἀκούσας. οἱ γὼρ κήρυχες αὐτοῦ εἰς τὰ τέοσσώρα χλέματα τῆς οἰκουμένης κηρύσσουσιν. μετάγνωτε οὖν xui πιστεύσατε τῇ ἐπαγγελίᾳ, καὶ δέξασϑε ζυγὸν πρᾳότητος καὶ φορτίον ἐλαφρόν, ἵνα ζήσητε καὶ μὴ ἀποϑάνητε. ταῦτα χτήσασϑε, ταῦτα φυλάξατε" ἐξέλθετε ἀπὸ τοῦ | σχότους, ἵνα τὸ φῶς ὑμᾶς προσδέξηται" ἔλϑετε πρὸς τὸν ὄντως ἀγαϑόν, ἵνα παρ αὐτοῦ τὴν χάριν δέξησϑε, καὶ τὸ αὐτοῦ σημεῖον ἐγκαταϑήσεσϑε ταῖς ὑμετέραις ψυχαῖς.
Ho de apostolos ouch epaueto kēoussōn kai legōn autois" MvOosg kai gynaiches, paides kai korai, neanischoi Xt parϑenoi, akmaioi kai gēraleoi, eite douloi eite eleuϑeroi. ōpechesϑe tēs porneias kai tēs pleonexias kai tēs ergasias tēs gastros" en gar toutois tois trisin chephalaiois ginetai ho pasa anomia. hē gar porneia pēroi ton noun kai tous Tis wuxgs hyphϑthϑalmous schotizei, kai empodion genetai tēs tyï sōmatos politeias, eis asϑeneian metatiϑeisa holon ton anϑrōpon kai eis noson emballousa holon to sōma. hē de ōplēstia eis phobon kai aischynēn kaϑistēsi tēn nnyychēn, entos tou sōmatos hyparchousa kai diarpazousa ta allotria kai tautēn tēn hypopsian echousa, hē apodidousa ta allotriō tois despotais ēschynidē. hē de ergasia tēs koilias eis phrontidas kai merimnōs kai lypas emballei tēn psychēn, touto merimnōsa «hē ara endeēs autōn genētai kai tōn porrōϑen toutōn l5 ontōn ϑeaϑę̄. epan oun apallagēte toutōn, ginesϑe aphryntides kai alypoi xui qoo kai paramenei hymin echeino to lechϑen hypo tou sōtēros" Mē merimnēsēte eis tēn aurion, hē gar aurion merimnēsei heautēs. Mnēmoneusate chōkeinou tou logou tou proeirēmenou" "EufAewers eis tous korakas aphidete eis ta peteina tou ouranou, hoti oute speirei oute ϑerexei oute synagei eis tas apoϑēkas, kai ho ϑeos oikonomei auta" posǭ mallon hymas oligopistoi? ᾿lla prosdexasϑe tēn toutou parousian, kai eis auton tas elpidas echete, kai pisteuete tǭ onomati autou" houtos gar estin ho kritēs zōōn- tōn kai gechrōn, kai autos apodidōsin evi hechastǭ pros tas praxeis autou, kai en tę̄ eleusei autou kai epiphaneią tę̄ hysterą ouch echei tis logon apologias, mellōn mao autou krigesϑai, hōs mē akousas. hoi gōr kēryches autou eis ta teossōra chlemata tēs oikoumenēs kēryssousin. metagnōte oun xui pisteusate tę̄ epangelią, kai dexasϑe zygon prąotētos kai phortion elaphron, hina zēsēte kai mē apoϑanēte. tauta chtēsasϑe, tauta phylaxate" exelthete apo tou | schotous, hina to phōs hymas prosdexētai" elϑete pros ton ontōs agaϑon, hina par autou tēn charin dexēsϑe, kai to autou sēmeion enkataϑēsesϑe tais hymeterais psychais.
The apostle did not stop preaching and saying to them: "Men and women, boys and girls, young men and maidens, those in their prime and the old, slaves and free: abstain from sexual immorality and covetousness and the service of the belly; for under these three heads all lawlessness arises. For sexual immorality maims the mind and darkens the eyes of the soul, and becomes a hindrance to the right ordering of the body, turning the whole person to weakness and throwing the whole body into disease. Greed puts the soul in fear and shame, since it is within the body and seizes what belongs to others, and has this suspicion, that if it gives back to their owners what belongs to others it will be put to shame. And the service of the belly throws the soul into cares and anxieties and griefs, worrying lest it come to lack these things, and reaching for what is far off. When, then, you are rid of these things, you become free of care and grief and fear, and that saying of the Savior remains with you: 'Do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself.' Remember also that word spoken before: 'Look at the ravens, and see the birds of the heaven, that they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and God provides for them; how much more for you, you of little faith?' But wait for his coming, and set your hopes on him, and believe in his name; for he is the judge of the living and the dead, and he repays each one according to his deeds. At his coming and last appearing no one who is about to be judged by him has a word of defense, as though he had not heard; for his heralds are proclaiming in the four regions of the world. Repent, then, and believe the promise, and take the yoke of gentleness and the light burden, that you may live and not die. Gain these things, keep these things. Come out of the darkness, that the light may receive you; come to him who is truly good, that you may receive grace from him and set his sign in your souls."
Matt 6:34 (quotation, high confidence) · Luke 12:24 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 6:26 (quotation, high confidence) · Acts 10:42 (allusion, medium confidence) · Rom 2:6 (allusion, medium confidence) · Matt 11:30 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Thomas preaches against sexual immorality, greed, and gluttony, quotes the Lord's sayings on anxiety, and calls all to repent before the coming judgment.
- A piece of Bonnet's apparatus (the other recension) printed in the middle of the quotation about the ravens is removed; a few words at the start, probably from the apparatus as well, are not translated. "Reaching for" renders a word garbled in the scan text (θεαθῇ). The quotations are from Matt 6:34 and a blend of Luke 12:24 and Matt 6:26, 30; also Acts 10:42; Rom 2:6; Matt 11:29–30.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (apparatus (other recension) leaked into the text): σωτὴρ λέγων: ὥστε καὶ τὸν ἀπόστολον Θωμᾶν ϑαυμάσαι" καὶ φῶς μέγα ἔλαμψεν αὐτοῖς. Καὶ παρήγγειλεν αὐτοῖς λέγων" Βλέπετε τὴν χλῆσιν → ; xui ἡμῶν ἀδελιροί, ómolq ἐστρατεύϑητε βασιλεῖ. βιώσατε οὖν τὸ λοιτὺὼν ἐν,Ταπεινοφροσύνῃ, ἐν φιλοξενίᾳ, ἐν ἀγάπῃ: οὐ γὰρ ὺ πλοῦτος ὑμᾶς ἢ τε τῶν ἐν τῷ τῳ σῴσει. κἡὶ γὰρ κρίσις vt. → .
Topics: Ethics, Eschatology
Cite (SBL): Acts Thom. 28 (Lipsius–Bonnet, 99–291; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/acta-thomae/23/#p-28). (abbreviation not yet checked)
BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-acta-thomae-28) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude from Bonnet's Greek (Lipsius–Bonnet, Acta apostolorum apocrypha 2.2, 1903), corrected for OCR slips by logged corrections; chapters 1–61 and 159–170 compared afterwards with ANF 8; the rest (incl. the colt act and passages ANF lacks) re-read against the Greek.
Chapter 29
29Lipsius–Bonnet, 99–291
Ταῦτα εἰπόντος αὐτοῦ τινὲς τῶν παρεστώτων εἶπον αὐτῷ" Καιρός ἐστιν τοῦ τὸν χρεώστην ἀπολαβεῖν τὸ χρέος. Ὁ δὲ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς" Ὁ μὲν χύριος τοῦ χρέους ἀεὶ τὸ περισσὸν
Tauta eipontos autou tines tōn parestōtōn eipon autǭ" Kairos estin tou ton chreōstēn apolabein to chreos. Ho de eipen autois" Ho men chyrios tou chreous aei to perisson
When he had said this, some of those standing by said to him, "It is time for the creditor to receive the debt." He said to them, "The lord of the debt always … more …"
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
Notes and citation
Summary: Bystanders remind Thomas of the debt owed to God; the rest of his answer is lost in the scan text.
- The rest of chapter 29 (the apostle's answer, his blessing and distribution of food, and the Lord's command to go out on the road) is lost in the scan text. The text that follows there is Bonnet's apparatus (the other recension's close of chapter 28, ending "in these three heads the whole law is fulfilled") and is removed.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (apparatus (other recension) leaked into the text): L£0g τῷ μὴ πράξαντι ἔλεος ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς. φεύγετε οὖν τὴν ὁδὸν τοῦ σκότους καὶ ἀχάρπου, ἥτις ἐστὶν πορνεία; πλεονεξία, γαστριμαργία" ἐν γὰρ τοῖς τρισὶ κεφαλαίοις ὃ ὃ νόμος πληροῦται Ὅλος. → .
Cite (SBL): Acts Thom. 29 (Lipsius–Bonnet, 99–291; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/acta-thomae/23/#p-29). (abbreviation not yet checked)
BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-acta-thomae-29) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude from Bonnet's Greek (Lipsius–Bonnet, Acta apostolorum apocrypha 2.2, 1903), corrected for OCR slips by logged corrections; chapters 1–61 and 159–170 compared afterwards with ANF 8; the rest (incl. the colt act and passages ANF lacks) re-read against the Greek.
Chapter 30
30Lipsius–Bonnet, 99–291
ἀπολαβεῖν βούλεται, ἡμεῖς δὲ τὸ δέον αὐτῷ δῶμεν. Καὶ εὐλογήσας αὐτοὺς ἔλαβεν ἄρτον καὶ ἕλαιον καὶ λάχανον καὶ ἅλας, ἢ Kal καὶ
apolabein bouletai, hēmeis de to deon autǭ dōmen. Kai eulogēsas autous elaben arton kai helaion kai lachanon kai halas, ē Kal kai
wishes to receive; but let us give him what is due." And having blessed them, he took bread and oil and vegetables and salt,
Notes and citation
Summary: Thomas answers that the Lord always seeks more, and takes bread, oil, vegetables, and salt to bless them.
- This short passage continues chapter 29; the scan's division falls at a page break. A sentence of Bonnet's apparatus at the start ("and having spoken to them the whole word of truth, he went out in the Lord") is removed.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (apparatus (other recension) leaked into the text): Kal εἰπὼν αὐτοῖς ἅπαντα τὸν λόγον τῆς ἀληϑείας ἐξῆλϑεν ἐν κυρίῳ. → .
Cite (SBL): Acts Thom. 30 (Lipsius–Bonnet, 99–291; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/acta-thomae/23/#p-30). (abbreviation not yet checked)
BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-acta-thomae-30) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude from Bonnet's Greek (Lipsius–Bonnet, Acta apostolorum apocrypha 2.2, 1903), corrected for OCR slips by logged corrections; chapters 1–61 and 159–170 compared afterwards with ANF 8; the rest (incl. the colt act and passages ANF lacks) re-read against the Greek.
Chapter 31
31Lipsius–Bonnet, 99–291
T καὶ εὐλογήσας ἔδωκεν αὐτοῖς" αὐτὸς δὲ παρέμεινεν τῇ ἑαυτοῦ TM 3000s Ww — ucreíg, ἔμελλεν γὰρ ἡ κυριακὴ ἐπιφέειν. τῆς δὲ νυχτὸς IM" is “τὰ ἐπιούσης καὶ καϑεύδοντος αὐτοῦ ἐλϑὼν ὁ κύριος ἔστη πρὸς um, ur κα tj κεφαλῆ αὐτοῦ λέγων: Θωμᾶ, ἀναστὰς ὄρϑρου, εὐλογήσας hi, ἧς ἢ πάντας μετὰ τὴν εὐχὴν καὶ διακονίαν ἄπελϑε κατὰ τὴν ἀνατολικὴν ὁδὸν μίλια δύο, καὶ ἐκεῖ δείξω ἐν σοὶ τὴν ἐμὴν Óokav δὲ ὃ γὰρ ἀπέρχει πολλοὶ πρόσφυγές μοι γενήσονται, καὶ Wf τῇ ἐλέγξεις τὴν φύσιν καὶ τὴν δύναμιν τοῦ ἐχϑροῦ. rvacrüg iip δὲ ἀπὸ τοῦ ὕπνου ἔλεγεν τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς τοῖς οὖσιν μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ" ^T ἐν μα Τέχνα καὶ ἀδελφοί, ὁ κύριος βούλεταί τί ποτὲ σήμερον δὲ ἐμοῦ ἀν τὸς διαπράξασϑαι" ἀλλ εὐξώμεϑα καὶ δεηϑῶμεν αὐτοῦ ἵνα μηδὲν $a; de τέ ποτὲ ἐμπόδιον γένηται ἡμῖν πρὸς αὐτὸν, ἀλλὰ ὡς πάντοτε ὙΚῊΝ ιὸ x«i νῦν κατὰ τὸ αὐτοῦ βούλημα καὶ ϑέλημα γένηται δὲ ἡμῶν. Th Καὶ ταῦτα εἰπόντος αὐτοῦ ἐπέϑηκχεν αὐτοῖς τὰς χεῖρας αὐτοῦ Sti gos γα γ᾿ a, ͵ υῶ, uil f xui εὐλόγησεν αὐτούς" x«i χλώσας ἄρτον τῆς εὐχαριστίας δὰ ἔδωκεν αὐτοῖς εἰπών" Ἔσται ὑμῖν αὕτη ἡ εὐχαριστία εἰς εὐσπλαγχνίαν καὶ ἔλεος, καὶ μὴ εἰς χρίσιν καὶ ἀμοιβήν. Καὶ fg οὐ αὐτοὶ εἶπον μήν. ) Περὶ τοῦ Óocxovrog πρᾶξες y. Καὶ ἐξῆλϑεν ὁ ἀπόστολος τοῦ ἀπελίϑεῖν ὅπου αὐτὸν ὁ χύριος προσέταξεν" καὶ ἐγγὺς γενόμενος τοῦ δευτέρου μιλίου καὶ ὀλίγον ἐκκλίνας τῆς ὁδοῦ εἶδεν πτῶμα νέου εὐμόρφου χείμενον, καὶ εἶπεν: Κύριε, μὴ διὰ τοῦτο ἐξήγαγές ue ἐλίλεῖν ὃ ἐνθάδε, ἵνα ἴδω τὸν πειρασμὸν τοῦτον; γενέσϑω τοίνυν τὸ B ϑέλημά gov ὡς βούλει. Καὶ ἤρξατο evyeo ou καὶ λέγειν" Κύριε χριτὰ ζώντων καὶ νεχρῶν, ζωντων τῶν παρεστώτων καὶ vt- Ιἴὺ χρῶν τῶν χειμένων, καὶ δέσποτα πάντων καὶ πατήρʼ πατὴρ δὲ οὐ τῶν ἐν σώμασιν οὐσῶν ψυχῶν ἀλλὰ τῶν ἐξελϑουσῶν" τὸ τῶν γὰρ ἐν μιώσμωασιν οὐσῶν ψυχῶν δεσπότης εἶ καὶ δικαστής" ἐλϑὲ ἐν τῇ ὥρᾳ ταύτῃ ἡ ἐπικαλοῦμαι, καὶ δεῖξόν cov τὴνν οἱ δύξαν εἰς τοῦτον τὸν ἐνθώδε κατακείμενον. Καὶ στραφεὶς πρὸς τοὺς ἀκολουϑοῦντας αὐτῷ εἶπεν" Τοῦτο τὸ πρᾶγμα οὐκ ἀργῶς ἐγένετο, ὠλλ᾿ ὁ ἐχϑρὸς ἐνήργησεν καὶ κατηργάσατο τοῦτο ἵνα ἐν αὐτῷ προσβάλῃ" καὶ ὁρᾶτε ὅτι οὐκ ἐχρήσατο ἄλλο εἶδος οὐδὲ ἐνήργησεν δι ἄλλου ζῴου ἀλλ᾽ ἢ διὰ τοῦ ὑπηκόου (oT αὐτοῦ. Καὶ ταῦτα εἰπόντος αὐτοῦ δράχων μέγας ἀπὸ φωλεοῦ ἐξελϑών, τὴν κεφαλὴν αὐτοῦ χαταχρούων καὶ τὴν οὐρὰν xara- τινάσσων ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν καὶ φωνῇ μεγάλῃ χρησάμενος πρὸς τὸν énócroÀov εἶπεν" Ερῶ ἔμπροσϑέν cov διὰ ποίαν αἰτίαν ἐϑανάτωσω τοῦτον, ἐπειδὴ εὶς τοῦτο παρεγένου, ἐλέγξαι μου τὼ € ἔργα. Καί φησιν ὁ ἀπόστολος" Ναί, simé. Καὶ ὁ δρώκωνʼ ἣν, dio Γυνή τίς ἐστιν ὡραία ἐν τῷ χωρίῳ τούτῳ ἄντιχρυς" καὶ i φαγὶ διερχομένις αὐτῆς δὲ ἐμοῦ ἰδὼν αὐτὴν ἠράσϑην αὐτῆς, καὶ πα: ἀκολουϑήσας αὐτῇ ἐπετήρουν" καὶ εὗρον τοῦτον τὸν νεανίαν TT καταφιλοῦντα αὐτήν, ὃς καὶ ἐκοινώνησεν αὐτῇ καὶ ἄλλα αἰσχρὰ n ui διεπράξατο utr αὐτῆς xduoi μὲν εὔχολα ἦν αὐτὰ imi σοῦ ἀν: Th ἐχῳφᾶναι, οἷδα γώρ σὲ δίδυμον ὄντα τοῦ Χριστοῦ τὸν τὴν ΤῊΝ μ φύσιν ἡμῶν ἀεὶ xeragyovvra" ταράξαι δὲ ταύτην μὴ βουληϑ εἰς "Π|Ι αὐτὴ τῇ οὐχ ἐϑθανάτωσα αὐτόν, ἀλλ᾽ ἐπιτηρησάμενος αὐτὸν ἑσπέρας διερχόμενον τύψας ἐθϑανάτωσα αὐτόν, καὶ Vis ἐξ αὐτὶ μάλιστα κατατολμήσαντα αὐτὸν τῇ κυριαχῇ ἡμέρᾳ τοῦτο δια- ied πράξασίλαι. ^: αὐ Β ὋὉ δὲ ἀπόστολος | ἐξήταζεν αὐτὸν λέγων" Εἰπέ μοι ποίας Sc ka σπορᾶς x«i ποίου γένους ὑπώρχεις.
T kai eulogēsas edōken autois" autos de paremeinen tę̄ heautou TM 3000s Ww — ucreig, emellen gar hē kyriakē epipheein. tēs de nychtos IM" is “ta epiousēs kai kaϑeudontos autou elϑōn ho kyrios estē pros um, ur ka tj kephalē autou legōn: Thōma, anastas orϑrou, eulogēsas hi, hēs ē pantas meta tēn euchēn kai diakonian apelϑe kata tēn anatolikēn hodon milia dyo, kai ekei deixō en soi tēn emēn Ookav de ho gar aperchei polloi prosphyges moi genēsontai, kai Wf tę̄ elenxeis tēn physin kai tēn dynamin tou echϑrou. rvacrug iip de apo tou hypnou elegen tois adelphois tois ousin met᾽ autou" ^T en ma Techna kai adelphoi, ho kyrios bouletai ti pote sēmeron de emou an tos diapraxasϑai" all euxōmeϑa kai deēϑōmen autou hina mēden $a? de te pote empodion genētai hēmin pros auton, alla hōs pantote HyKĒN io x«i nyn kata to autou boulēma kai ϑelēma genētai de hēmōn. Th Kai tauta eipontos autou epeϑēkchen autois tas cheiras autou Sti gos ga g᾿ a, ͵ yō, uil f xui eulogēsen autous" x«i chlōsas arton tēs eucharistias da edōken autois eipōn" Estai hymin hautē hē eucharistia eis eusplanchnian kai eleos, kai mē eis chrisin kai amoibēn. Kai fg ou autoi eipon mēn. ) Peri tou Oocxovrog praxes y. Kai exēlϑen ho apostolos tou apeliϑein hopou auton ho chyrios prosetaxen" kai engys genomenos tou deuterou miliou kai oligon ekklinas tēs hodou eiden ptōma neou eumorphou cheimenon, kai eipen: Kyrie, mē dia touto exēgages ue elilein ho enthade, hina idō ton peirasmon touton? genesϑō toinyn to B ϑelēma gov hōs boulei. Kai ērxato evyeo ou kai legein" Kyrie chrita zōntōn kai nechrōn, zōntōn tōn parestōtōn kai vt- Iiy chrōn tōn cheimenōn, kai despota pantōn kai patērʼ patēr de ou tōn en sōmasin ousōn psychōn alla tōn exelϑousōn" to tōn gar en miōsmōasin ousōn psychōn despotēs ei kai dikastēs" elϑe en tę̄ hōrą tautę̄ hē epikaloumai, kai deixon cov tēnn hoi dyxan eis touton ton enthōde katakeimenon. Kai strapheis pros tous akolouϑountas autǭ eipen" Touto to pragma ouk argōs egeneto, ōll᾿ ho echϑros enērgēsen kai katērgasato touto hina en autǭ prosbalę̄" kai horate hoti ouk echrēsato allo eidos oude enērgēsen di allou zǭou all᾽ ē dia tou hypēkoou (oT autou. Kai tauta eipontos autou drachōn megas apo phōleou exelϑōn, tēn kephalēn autou chatachrouōn kai tēn ouran xara- tinassōn epi tēn gēn kai phōnę̄ megalę̄ chrēsamenos pros ton enocroAov eipen" Erō emprosϑen cov dia poian aitian eϑanatōsō touton, epeidē eis touto paregenou, elenxai mou tō € erga. Kai phēsin ho apostolos" Nai, sime. Kai ho drōkōnʼ hēn, dio Gynē tis estin hōraia en tǭ chōriǭ toutǭ antichrys" kai i phagi dierchomenis autēs de emou idōn autēn ērasϑēn autēs, kai pa: akolouϑēsas autę̄ epetēroun" kai heuron touton ton neanian TT kataphilounta autēn, hos kai ekoinōnēsen autę̄ kai alla aischra n ui diepraxato utr autēs xduoi men euchola ēn auta imi sou an: Th echǭphanai, hoida gōr se didymon onta tou Christou ton tēn TĒN m physin hēmōn aei xeragyovvra" taraxai de tautēn mē boulēϑ eis "P|I autē tę̄ ouch eϑthanatōsa auton, all᾽ epitērēsamenos auton hesperas dierchomenon typsas ethϑanatōsa auton, kai Vis ex auti malista katatolmēsanta auton tę̄ kyriachę̄ hēmerą touto dia- ied praxasilai. ^: au B HoO de apostolos | exētazen auton legōn" Eipe moi poias Sc ka sporas x«i poiou genous hypōrcheis.
and blessed them and gave them to them; but he himself remained in his fast, for the Lord's day was about to dawn. On the following night, while he was asleep, the Lord came and stood at his head, saying, "Thomas, rise at dawn, bless them all, and after the prayer and the service go along the eastern road two miles, and there I will show my glory in you; for through the work you are going to, many will take refuge in me, and you will expose the nature and the power of the enemy." Rising from sleep, he said to the brothers who were with him, "Children and brothers, the Lord wants to accomplish something through me today; but let us pray and entreat him that nothing may ever be a hindrance to us toward him, but that, as always, so now too it may be done through us according to his purpose and will." Having said this, he laid his hands on them and blessed them; and breaking the bread of the Eucharist he gave it to them, saying, "May this Eucharist be to you for compassion and mercy, and not for judgment and retribution." And they said, "Amen."
Third Act: concerning the dragon.
[30] The apostle went out to go where the Lord had commanded him. When he was near the second milestone and had turned a little aside from the road, he saw the corpse of a handsome youth lying there, and he said, "Lord, was it for this that you brought me out to come here, that I might see this trial? Your will be done, then, as you wish." And he began to pray and say: "Lord, judge of the living and the dead — of the living who stand here and of the dead who lie here — and master of all, and Father; Father not of the souls that are in bodies, but of those that have gone out of them; for of the souls that are in defilements you are master and judge: come at this hour, when I call upon you, and show your glory in this man who lies here." And turning to those who followed him, he said, "This thing has not happened idly; the enemy has worked and accomplished it in order to make an assault by it. And you see that he has used no other form and has worked through no other creature than the one subject to him."
[31] When he had said this, a great dragon came out of a den, striking its head and lashing its tail on the ground, and with a loud voice it said to the apostle, "I will tell before you for what cause I killed this man, since you have come here for this, to expose my works." The apostle said, "Yes, speak." And the dragon said: "There is a beautiful woman in this village opposite. As she was passing by me, I saw her and fell in love with her, and I followed her and watched her. And I found this young man kissing her, and he also had intercourse with her and did other shameful things with her. It would have been easy for me to disclose these things before you, for I know that you are the twin of Christ, who always bring our nature to nothing; but not wishing to trouble her, I did not kill him at that hour, but watched for him as he passed by in the evening, struck him, and killed him, especially since he had dared to do this on the Lord's day."
[32] The apostle questioned him, saying, "Tell me, of what seed and of what race are you?"
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
Acts 10:42 (allusion, medium confidence) · Matt 26:42 (echo, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Thomas gives the Eucharist and goes where the Lord sends him; finding a dead youth, he prays, and a great dragon confesses it killed the youth out of jealousy over a woman.
- This passage begins with the end of chapter 29; chapter 30 (the Third Act) begins at "The apostle went out", chapter 31 at "When he had said this, a great dragon", and chapter 32 at "The apostle questioned him" (the numerals are lost in the scan text; the points are approximate). The dragon calls Thomas "the twin of Christ". "Judge of the living and the dead" echoes Acts 10:42; "Your will be done" Matt 26:42. The scan text carries scattered marginal debris, not translated.
Topics: Eucharist
Cite (SBL): Acts Thom. 31 (Lipsius–Bonnet, 99–291; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/acta-thomae/23/#p-31). (abbreviation not yet checked)
BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-acta-thomae-31) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude from Bonnet's Greek (Lipsius–Bonnet, Acta apostolorum apocrypha 2.2, 1903), corrected for OCR slips by logged corrections; chapters 1–61 and 159–170 compared afterwards with ANF 8; the rest (incl. the colt act and passages ANF lacks) re-read against the Greek.
Chapter 33
33Lipsius–Bonnet, 99–291
Καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ" Ἐγὼ iun ἑρπυστὴς ἑρπυστοῦ φύσεως καὶ βλαπτικὸς βλαπτιχοῦ" υἱός εἰμι ἐχείνου τοῦ βλώψαντος καὶ πλήξαντος τοὺς τέσσαρας ἀδελφοὺς τοὺς ἑστῶτας" υἱός tuc ἐκείνου τοῦ χαϑεζομένου ἐπὶ Üpovov tg τὴν vm οὐρανόν, τοῦ τὰ ἴδια λαμβάνοντος BÉ, ἃ ἀπὸ τῶν δανειζομένων" υἱός celui ἐκείνου τοῦ τὴν σφαῖραν Th ζωννύοντος" συγγενὴς δέ εἰμε ἐχείνου τοῦ ÉEm tv rov ὠχεανοῦ ὄντος, οὗ ἡ οὐρὰ ἔγκειται τῷ ἰδίῳ στόματι" ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ διὰ τοῦ φραγμοῦ εἰσελϑιὼν ἐν τῷ παραδείσῳ καὶ μετὰ Εὔας λαλήσας ὅσα ὁ πατήρ μου ἐνετείλατό μοι λαλῆσαι αὐτῇ" ἐγώ εἰμε ὁ ἐξάψας καὶ πυρώσας Καὶν ἵνα ἀποχτείνη τὸν ἴδιον ἀδελφόν, καὶ δὶ ἐμὲ ὥκανϑαι καὶ τρέβολοι ἐφύησαν ἐν τῇ γῆ zT ἐγὼ εἰμι ο τοὺς ὠγγέλους ἄνωϑεν xdro ῥίψας καὶ ἐν ταῖς ΤῊ ἐπιϑυμίαις τῶν γυναικῶν αὐτοὺς καταδήσας, ἵνα γηγενεῖς παῖδες ἐξ αὐτῶν γένωνται καὶ τὸ ϑέλημ μου ἐν αὐτοῖς δεώ- πράξωμαι" ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ τὴν καρδίαν Φαραὼ σχληρύνας, (ve | τὼ τέχνα τοῦ ᾿Ισραὴλ φονεύσῃ καὶ ἐν ζυγῷ σκληρότητος καταδουλώσηται αὐτούς" ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ τὸ πλῆϑος ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ πλαγήσας, ὅτε τὸν μόσχον ἐποίησαν" ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ τὸν Ἡρώδην πυρώσας καὶ τὸν Καϊάφαν ἐξάψας ἐν τῇ ψευδηγορίᾳ τοῦ ψεύδους bmi Πιλάτου" τοῦτο γὰρ ἐμοὶ ἔπρεπεν" ἐγιώ εἰμι τὸν lovómv ἐξώψας καὶ ἐξαγοράσας ἵνα τὸν Χριστὸν ϑανώάτῳ χ παραδῷ" ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ τὴν ἄβυσσον τοῦ ταρτάρου οἰκῶν καὶ χατέχων, ὁ δὲ υἱὸς τοῦ ϑεοῦ ἄκοντα μὲ ηἡδίχησεν καὶ τοὺς ἰδίους ἐξ ἐμοῦ ἐξελέξατο" συγγενής εἰμι ἐκείνου τοῦ μέλλοντος ἀπὸ τῆς ἀνατολῆς ἔρχεσϑαι, ᾧ καὶ ἐξουσία δίδοται ποιῆσαι ὅπερ αὐτὸς βούλεται ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς. Καὶ ταῦτα εἰπόντος τοῦ δράκοντος ixe(vov παντὸς τοῦ ὔχλου κατακούοντος, ἐπάρας ὁ ἀπόστολος τὴν φωνὴν αὐτοῦ εἰς ὕψος εἶπεν: Παῦσαι λοιπὸν ἀναιδέστατε, καὶ αἰσχύνθητε γεχρούμενος o0Àog' ἔφ ϑασεν γάρ cov τὸ τέλος τῆς ἀπωλείας" xui μὴ τόλμα λέγειν ὦ διεπράξω διὰ τῶν σοὶ ὑπηκόων γενομένων. χελεύω δέ cor ἐν ὀνόματι τοῦ ᾿Ιησοῦ ἐκείνου | τοῦ μέχρι νῦν ἀγῶνα πρὸς ὑμᾶς ποιοῦντος διὼ τοὺς ἰδίους ἀνϑοώπους, ἵνα τὸν ἰόν cov ὃν ἔβαλες εἰς τὸν ἄνδρα τοῦτον ἐχμυζήσης καὶ ἀνελχύσας λάβης ἐξ αὐτοῦ. Ὁ δὲ δράκων εἶπεν" Οὔπω ὁ καιρὸς ἔφϑασεν τοῦ τέλους ἡμῶν, χωϑὼς εἶπας" τί με ἀναγχάζεις λαβεῖν ὃ εἰς τοῦτον κατέβαλον καὶ ἀὠποϑανεῖν πρὸ καιροῦ; καὶ γὰρ ὁ ἐμὸς πατὴρ ἐπὰν ἀνιμήσηται καὶ ἐχμυζήσῃ ὃ ἐπέρρεψεν τὴ κτίσει, τότε αὐτοῦ γίνεται τὸ τέλος. ἐϊπεν δὲ αὐτῷ ὁ ἀπόστολος" Δεῖξον οὖν ἤδη τὴν φύσιν τοῦ πατρός σου. Καὶ προσελϑὼν ὁ δράχων ἐπέϑηκεν τὸ στύμα ἐπὶ τὴν πληγὴν τοῦ νεανίσκου καὶ ἐξεμύζησεν τὴν χολὴν ἐξ αὐτοῦ. καὶ κατὰ βραχὺ μὲν γοοιὼ τοῦ νεανίσχου, ὥσπερ πορφύρα οὖσα, ἐλευκαίνετο, ὁ δὲ δράκων ἐφυσᾶτο. ὅτε δὲ πᾶσων τὴν χολὴν εἰς ἑαυτὸν ὠνέσπασεν ὁ δράχων, ὁ νεώτερος ἀναπηδησως ἔστη, καὶ δραμὼν πρὸς τοὺς πόδας τοῦ ἀποστόλου ἔπεσεν. ὁ δὲ δυάχων φυσηϑεὶς ἐλάκησεν καὶ ἀπέϊλανεν, καὶ ἐξεχύθη, αὐτοῦ ὃ ἰὸς καὶ ἡ χολή" ἐν δὲ τῷ τύπῳ οὗ ὁ ἰὸς αὐτοῦ ἐξεχύϑη χάσμα ἐγένετο μέγα, καὶ κατεπόΐίδη ὁ δράκων ἐχεῖνος. εἶπεν δὲ ὁ ἀπόστολος τῷ βασιλεῖ καὶ τῷ ἀδελφῷ αἰτοῦ" DdAere ἐργάτας καὶ ἀναπληρώσατε τὸν τύπον ἐκεῖνον, καὶ ϑέτε ϑεμελίους καὶ οἴκους οἰκοδομήσατε ἐπάνω, ἵνα οἴχησις γένηται τοῖς ξένοις.
Kai eipen autǭ" Egō iun herpystēs herpystou physeōs kai blaptikos blaptichou" huios eimi echeinou tou blōpsantos kai plēxantos tous tessaras adelphous tous hestōtas" huios tuc ekeinou tou chaϑezomenou epi Upovov tg tēn vm ouranon, tou ta idia lambanontos BE, ha apo tōn daneizomenōn" huios celui ekeinou tou tēn sphairan Th zōnnyontos" syngenēs de eime echeinou tou EEm tv rov ōcheanou ontos, hou hē oura enkeitai tǭ idiǭ stomati" egō eimi ho dia tou phragmou eiselϑiōn en tǭ paradeisǭ kai meta Euas lalēsas hosa ho patēr mou eneteilato moi lalēsai autę̄" egō eime ho exapsas kai pyrōsas Kain hina apochteinē ton idion adelphon, kai di eme hōkanϑai kai treboloi ephyēsan en tę̄ gē zT egō eimi o tous ōngelous anōϑen xdro rhipsas kai en tais TĒ epiϑymiais tōn gynaikōn autous katadēsas, hina gēgeneis paides ex autōn genōntai kai to ϑelēm mou en autois deō- praxōmai" egō eimi ho tēn kardian Pharaō schlērynas, (ve | tō techna tou ᾿Israēl phoneusę̄ kai en zygǭ sklērotētos katadoulōsētai autous" egō eimi ho to plēϑos en tę̄ erēmǭ plagēsas, hote ton moschon epoiēsan" egō eimi ho ton Hērōdēn pyrōsas kai ton Kaïaphan exapsas en tę̄ pseudēgorią tou pseudous bmi Pilatou" touto gar emoi eprepen" egiō eimi ton lovomv exōpsas kai exagorasas hina ton Christon ϑanōatǭ ch paradǭ" egō eimi ho tēn abysson tou tartarou oikōn kai chatechōn, ho de huios tou ϑeou akonta me hēēdichēsen kai tous idious ex emou exelexato" syngenēs eimi ekeinou tou mellontos apo tēs anatolēs erchesϑai, hǭ kai exousia didotai poiēsai hoper autos bouletai epi tēs gēs. Kai tauta eipontos tou drakontos ixe(vov pantos tou ychlou katakouontos, eparas ho apostolos tēn phōnēn autou eis hypsos eipen: Pausai loipon anaidestate, kai aischynthēte gechroumenos o0Aog' eph ϑasen gar cov to telos tēs apōleias" xui mē tolma legein ō diepraxō dia tōn soi hypēkoōn genomenōn. cheleuō de cor en onomati tou ᾿Iēsou ekeinou | tou mechri nyn agōna pros hymas poiountos diō tous idious anϑoōpous, hina ton ion cov hon ebales eis ton andra touton echmyzēsēs kai anelchysas labēs ex autou. Ho de drakōn eipen" Oupō ho kairos ephϑasen tou telous hēmōn, chōϑōs eipas" ti me ananchazeis labein ho eis touton katebalon kai aōpoϑanein pro kairou? kai gar ho emos patēr epan animēsētai kai echmyzēsę̄ ho eperrepsen tē ktisei, tote autou ginetai to telos. eïpen de autǭ ho apostolos" Deixon oun ēdē tēn physin tou patros sou. Kai proselϑōn ho drachōn epeϑēken to styma epi tēn plēgēn tou neaniskou kai exemyzēsen tēn cholēn ex autou. kai kata brachy men gooiō tou neanischou, hōsper porphyra ousa, eleukaineto, ho de drakōn ephysato. hote de pasōn tēn cholēn eis heauton ōnespasen ho drachōn, ho neōteros anapēdēsōs estē, kai dramōn pros tous podas tou apostolou epesen. ho de dyachōn physēϑeis elakēsen kai apeïlanen, kai exechythē, autou ho ios kai hē cholē" en de tǭ typǭ hou ho ios autou exechyϑē chasma egeneto mega, kai katepoïidē ho drakōn echeinos. eipen de ho apostolos tǭ basilei kai tǭ adelphǭ aitou" DdAere ergatas kai anaplērōsate ton typon ekeinon, kai ϑete ϑemelious kai oikous oikodomēsate epanō, hina oichēsis genētai tois xenois.
He said to him: "I am a reptile of reptile nature, and a destroyer, son of a destroyer. I am son of him who harmed and struck the four brothers who stood; I am son of him who sits on a throne over what is under heaven, who takes back his own from those who borrow; I am son of him who girds the sphere; and I am kin to him who is outside the ocean, whose tail lies in his own mouth. I am he who entered paradise through the fence and spoke with Eve what my father commanded me to speak to her. I am he who kindled and inflamed Cain to kill his own brother, and because of me thorns and thistles sprang up on the earth. I am he who cast the angels down from above and bound them in desires for women, so that earth-born children might be born of them and I might accomplish my will in them. I am he who hardened Pharaoh's heart, so that he might murder the children of Israel and enslave them under a yoke of harshness. I am he who led the multitude astray in the wilderness, when they made the calf. I am he who inflamed Herod and kindled Caiaphas to the lying falsehood before Pilate; for this befitted me. I am he who kindled Judas and bought him to hand Christ over to death. I am he who inhabits and holds the abyss of Tartarus; but the Son of God wronged me against my will and chose his own out of me. I am kin to him who is to come from the east, to whom also power is given to do whatever he wills on the earth."
[33] When the dragon had said this, while all the crowd listened, the apostle raised his voice on high and said, "Stop now, most shameless one, and be ashamed, being put wholly to death; for the end of your destruction has come. And do not dare to tell what you did through those who became subject to you. I command you in the name of that Jesus who until now wages the contest against you for the sake of his own people, to suck out the poison you put into this man, and draw it up and take it out of him." The dragon said, "The time of our end has not yet come, as you said. Why do you compel me to take back what I put into this man, and die before the time? For indeed my father, when he draws up and sucks out what he cast into the creation, then his end comes." The apostle said to him, "Show us now, then, the nature of your father." And the dragon came and put his mouth to the youth's wound and sucked the gall out of him; and little by little the youth's color, which was like purple, turned white, and the dragon swelled up. When the dragon had drawn all the gall into himself, the young man sprang up and stood, and ran and fell at the apostle's feet. And the dragon, swollen, burst and died, and his poison and gall poured out; and in the place where his poison poured out a great chasm opened, and that dragon was swallowed up. The apostle said to the king and his brother, "Bring workmen and fill up that place, and lay foundations and build houses on it, that it may become a dwelling for strangers."
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
Gen 3:1 (allusion, high confidence) · Gen 4:8 (allusion, high confidence) · Gen 3:18 (allusion, high confidence) · Gen 6:2 (allusion, high confidence) · Exod 7:3 (allusion, high confidence) · Exod 32:4 (allusion, high confidence) · John 13:2 (allusion, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: The dragon declares its lineage and its part in every evil from Eden to the betrayal of Christ; at Thomas's command it sucks the poison from the youth, who revives, and the dragon bursts and is swallowed by the earth.
- Chapter 33 probably begins at "When the dragon had said this"; the numeral is lost in the scan text. The dragon's speech runs through the serpent in Eden (Gen 3), Cain (Gen 4:8), the curse of thorns (Gen 3:18), the angels and women (Gen 6:1–4; compare 1 Enoch 6–10), Pharaoh (Exod 7:3), the golden calf (Exod 32), and Judas (John 13:2). "Him who sits on a throne over what is under heaven" renders a phrase partly garbled in the scan text; the serpent with its tail in its mouth is the ouroboros, here a cosmic dragon round the ocean. "Him who is to come from the east" is an expected adversary of the end. The narrative is translated as written.
Extrabiblical texts: 1 En. 6–10 (1 Enoch [in the ETH canon]; allusion)
Cite (SBL): Acts Thom. 33 (Lipsius–Bonnet, 99–291; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/acta-thomae/23/#p-33). (abbreviation not yet checked)
BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-acta-thomae-33) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude from Bonnet's Greek (Lipsius–Bonnet, Acta apostolorum apocrypha 2.2, 1903), corrected for OCR slips by logged corrections; chapters 1–61 and 159–170 compared afterwards with ANF 8; the rest (incl. the colt act and passages ANF lacks) re-read against the Greek.
Chapter 34
34Lipsius–Bonnet, 99–291
Ὁ δὲ νεανίσκος ἔλεγεν τῷ ἀποστόλῳ μετὰ πολλῶν δαχρύων: Τί ἥμαρτον εἰς σέ; ἄνϑρωπος γὰρ εἶ δίο μορφὰς ἔχων, xui ὅπου ἂν ϑέλῃς ἐκεῖ εὑρίσκῃ, καὶ vx οὐδενὸς ἐπέχῃ, ὡς ἐγὼ ὁρῶ. ἐϑεασώμην γὰρ τὸν ἄνδρα ἐκεῖνον, ὡς παρέστηχάώ σοι, ὃς καὶ ἔλεγέν σοι" Πολλὰ ἔχω δεῖξαι διὰ σοῦ Ücvudocia, καὶ ἔργα μεγάλα ἔχω διὰ σοῦ τελέσαι, δι ὧν μισϑὸν jw xui πολλοὺς ποιήσεις ζῆσαι, x«i ἔσονται ἐν ἀναπαύσει ἐν φωτὶ αἰωνίῳ ὡς τέχνα ϑεοῦ" σὺ οὖν ζωοποίησόν φησιν περὶ ἐμοῦ σοι λέγων τοῦτον τὸν νεανίσχον καταβληϑέντα ὑπὸ τοῦ iy oov, καὶ ἐν παντὶ καιρῷ ἔφορος αὐτοῦ γενοῦ. Καλῶς οὖν | ἥκεις ἐνδώδε, καὶ πάλιν καλῶς πρὸς αὐτὸν ἀπελεύσῃ, καὶ αὐτοῖ ὅλως μὴ ἀπολειπομένου σου. ἐγὼ δὲ ἐγενόμην ἄνευ φροντίδος καὶ ὀνειδισμοῦ" καὶ ἐπέφαυσέν μοι ἀπὸ τῆς φροντίδος τῆς νυχτερινῆς καὶ ἀνεπάην ἀπὸ τῆς ἐργασίας τῆς ἡμερινῆς" ἀπηλλάγην δὲ καὶ ἀπὸ τοῦ παροξύναντός ue ταῦτα πράττειν, ἥμαρτον εἰς ἐκεῖνον τὸν τὰ ἐναντίω διδώξαντά μεʼ καὶ ἀπώλεσα ἐχεῖνον τὸν τῆς νυχτὸς συγγενῆ τὸν ἀναγκάζοντ ut ἁμαρ- | τώνειν ταῖς αὐτοῦ πράξεσιν, εὗρον δὲ ἐκεῖνον τὸν φεγγώδη ὄντα μου συγγενῆ. ἀπώλεσα μὲν ἐχεῖνον τὸν σχοτίζοντα καὶ ἀμαυροῦντωα τοὺς ἑαυτοῦ ὑπηκύους, ἵνα μὴ γνῶσιν ἃ διωπράττονται, καὶ ἐν τοῖς ἔργοις αὐτῶν αἰσχυνϑέντες ἀπύσχωνται Gm αὐτῶν, καὶ αἱ τούτων πράξεις τέλος σχῶσιν" εὗρον δὲ ἐκεῖνον οὗ τὰ ἔργα φῶς ἐστιν καὶ αἱ πράξεις ἀλήϑεια, ἃ διαπραττόμενός τις οὐ μεταγινώσχει. ἀπηλλάγην δὲ καὶ ἀπ᾽ ἐκείνου οὗ τὸ ψεῦδος παράμονον, οὗ καὶ τὸ κάλυμμα προἡγεῖται σκότος, ὄπισϑεν δὲ παρέπεται καὶ αἰσχύνη ἀναιδευομένη àv ἀπραγίᾳʼ εὗρον δὲ τὸν καλά μοι φανεροῦντα εἰς τὸ λαβέσϑαε u& τούτων, τὸν τῆς ἀληϑείας υἱόν, συγγενῆ ὄντα τῆς ὁμονοίας, ὃς τὴν ὁμίχλην ἀποσοβῶν τὴν ἑαυτοῦ κτίσιν φωτίζει καὶ τὸς πληγὰς ϑεραπεύων τοὺς ἐχϑροὺς αὐτῆς xataστρέφει. ἀλλὰ δέομαί σου ἄνϑρωπε τοῦ ϑεοῦ ποίησόν με πάλιν ϑεάσασϑαι αὐτὸν καὶ ἰδεῖν τοῦτον τὸν νῦν ἀπύχρυφοόν μοι γενόμενον, ἵνα καὶ τῆς φωνῆς αὐτοῦ ἀκούσω, ἧς τὸ ϑαῦμα ἐξειπεῖν οὐ δύναμαι" οὐκ ἔστιν γὰρ τῆς φύσεως τούτου τοῦ ὀργάνου τοῦ σωματικοῦ.
Ho de neaniskos elegen tǭ apostolǭ meta pollōn dachryōn: Ti hēmarton eis se? anϑrōpos gar ei dio morphas echōn, xui hopou an ϑelę̄s ekei heuriskę̄, kai vx oudenos epechę̄, hōs egō horō. eϑeasōmēn gar ton andra ekeinon, hōs parestēchaō soi, hos kai elegen soi" Polla echō deixai dia sou Ucvudocia, kai erga megala echō dia sou telesai, di hōn misϑon jw xui pollous poiēseis zēsai, x«i esontai en anapausei en phōti aiōniǭ hōs techna ϑeou" sy oun zōopoiēson phēsin peri emou soi legōn touton ton neanischon katablēϑenta hypo tou iy oov, kai en panti kairǭ ephoros autou genou. Kalōs oun | hēkeis endōde, kai palin kalōs pros auton apeleusę̄, kai autoi holōs mē apoleipomenou sou. egō de egenomēn aneu phrontidos kai oneidismou" kai epephausen moi apo tēs phrontidos tēs nychterinēs kai anepaēn apo tēs ergasias tēs hēmerinēs" apēllagēn de kai apo tou paroxynantos ue tauta prattein, hēmarton eis ekeinon ton ta enantiō didōxanta meʼ kai apōlesa echeinon ton tēs nychtos syngenē ton anankazont ut hamar- | tōnein tais autou praxesin, heuron de ekeinon ton phengōdē onta mou syngenē. apōlesa men echeinon ton schotizonta kai amaurountōa tous heautou hypēkyous, hina mē gnōsin ha diōprattontai, kai en tois ergois autōn aischynϑentes apyschōntai Gm autōn, kai hai toutōn praxeis telos schōsin" heuron de ekeinon hou ta erga phōs estin kai hai praxeis alēϑeia, ha diaprattomenos tis ou metaginōschei. apēllagēn de kai ap᾽ ekeinou hou to pseudos paramonon, hou kai to kalymma proēgeitai skotos, opisϑen de parepetai kai aischynē anaideuomenē av apragiąʼ heuron de ton kala moi phanerounta eis to labesϑae u& toutōn, ton tēs alēϑeias huion, syngenē onta tēs homonoias, hos tēn homichlēn aposobōn tēn heautou ktisin phōtizei kai tos plēgas ϑerapeuōn tous echϑrous autēs xatastrephei. alla deomai sou anϑrōpe tou ϑeou poiēson me palin ϑeasasϑai auton kai idein touton ton nyn apychryphoon moi genomenon, hina kai tēs phōnēs autou akousō, hēs to ϑauma exeipein ou dynamai" ouk estin gar tēs physeōs toutou tou organou tou sōmatikou.
The young man said to the apostle with many tears: "What sin did I commit against you? For you are a man who has two forms, and wherever you wish, there you are found, and you are held back by no one, as I see. For I saw that man as he stood beside you, who also said to you, 'I have many wonders to show through you, and great works to accomplish through you, for which you will receive a reward; and you will make many live, and they will be in rest in eternal light as children of God. So bring to life' — he said, speaking to you about me — 'this young man, struck down by the enemy, and be his guardian at all times.' You have done well, then, to come here, and again you will do well to go away to him, since he never leaves you at all. As for me, I have become free of care and reproach; light has dawned on me from the care of the night, and I have rested from the toil of the day. I have been freed also from him who provoked me to do these things; I sinned against him who taught me the opposite; and I have destroyed that kinsman of the night who forced me to sin by his deeds, and found that kinsman of mine who is full of light. I have destroyed him who darkens and blinds those subject to him, so that they may not know what they are doing, and, ashamed of their works, turn away from them, and their deeds come to an end; and I have found him whose works are light and whose deeds are truth, which whoever does does not regret. I have been freed also from him whose lie endures, before whom darkness goes as a veil, and behind whom follows shame, shameless in idleness; and I have found him who shows me fair things, so that I may take hold of them, the Son of truth, kin to concord, who drives away the mist and enlightens his own creation, and heals its wounds and overthrows its enemies. But I beseech you, man of God, make me see him again and behold him who is now hidden from me, so that I may also hear his voice, the wonder of which I cannot express; for it is not of the nature of this bodily organ."
John 3:21 (echo, low confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: The revived youth describes being freed from the dark power that drove him to sin and finding the Son of truth, and asks to see him again.
- "A man who has two forms": the youth has seen Jesus standing beside Thomas, whose form he shares. "Children of God" echoes John 1:12; "works … light" John 3:20–21. "What sin did I commit against you?" is as printed in the scan text; Tischendorf's text has a fuller confession of sin against God and the apostle, and words may be lost here.
Cite (SBL): Acts Thom. 34 (Lipsius–Bonnet, 99–291; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/acta-thomae/23/#p-34). (abbreviation not yet checked)
BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-acta-thomae-34) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude from Bonnet's Greek (Lipsius–Bonnet, Acta apostolorum apocrypha 2.2, 1903), corrected for OCR slips by logged corrections; chapters 1–61 and 159–170 compared afterwards with ANF 8; the rest (incl. the colt act and passages ANF lacks) re-read against the Greek.
Chapter 35
35Lipsius–Bonnet, 99–291
Ὁ δὲ ἀπόστολος ἀπεχρίϑῃ αὐτῷ λέγων" ᾿Εὰν τούτων ἀπαλλαγῇς ὧν τὴν γνῶσιν ἐδέξω, ὥσπερ καὶ εἶπας, καὶ γνῷς τίς ἐστιν ὁ ταῦτα διαπραξάμενος ἐν σοί, καὶ μάϑης, καὶ χατήκοος γενήσῃ ἐκείνου, οὗ νῦν διὰ τῆς ζεούσης σου ἀγάπης ἐπιζητεῖς, καὶ ὄψη αὐτὸν καὶ σὺν αὐτῷ ἔσῃ εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα, καὶ ἐν τῇ ἀναπαύσει αὐτοῦ ἀναπαήσῃ καὶ ἔση àv τῇ χαρᾷ μελλούσης, καὶ ἀπελεύσῃ πρὸς ἐκεῖνον ὃν ἔλεγες ἀπολωλεχέναι, καὶ οὐκέτι ϑεώση ἐκεῖνον ὃν ἔλεγες εὑρηκέναι.
Ho de apostolos apechriϑę̄ autǭ legōn" ᾿Ean toutōn apallagę̄s hōn tēn gnōsin edexō, hōsper kai eipas, kai gnǭs tis estin ho tauta diapraxamenos en soi, kai maϑēs, kai chatēkoos genēsę̄ ekeinou, hou nyn dia tēs zeousēs sou agapēs epizēteis, kai opsē auton kai syn autǭ esę̄ eis ton aiōna, kai en tę̄ anapausei autou anapaēsę̄ kai esē av tę̄ charą mellousēs, kai apeleusę̄ pros ekeinon hon eleges apolōlechenai, kai ouketi ϑeōsē ekeinon hon eleges heurēkenai.
The apostle answered him, saying, "If you are freed from those things of which you have received knowledge, as you yourself said, and come to know who it is that did these things in you, and learn, and become obedient to him whom you now seek through your burning love, you will see him and be with him for ever, and you will rest in his rest and be in the joy to come; … you will go away to him whom you said you had lost, and will no longer see him whom you said you had found."
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
Notes and citation
Summary: Thomas tells the youth that if he obeys Christ he will see him and rest with him for ever, but otherwise he will return to the one he left.
- Words are lost in the scan text before the last clause, which states the opposite outcome (probably "but if you grow careless …"); "…" marks the gap.
Cite (SBL): Acts Thom. 35 (Lipsius–Bonnet, 99–291; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/acta-thomae/23/#p-35). (abbreviation not yet checked)
BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-acta-thomae-35) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude from Bonnet's Greek (Lipsius–Bonnet, Acta apostolorum apocrypha 2.2, 1903), corrected for OCR slips by logged corrections; chapters 1–61 and 159–170 compared afterwards with ANF 8; the rest (incl. the colt act and passages ANF lacks) re-read against the Greek.
Chapter 36
36Lipsius–Bonnet, 99–291
Καὶ ταῦτα εἰπόντος τοῦ ἀποστόλου ἤρχετο εἰς τὴν πόλιν κατέχων τὴν χεῖρα ἐκείνου τοῦ νέου καὶ λέγων αὐτῷ" Ταῦτα ἅπερ ἐϑεάσω τέχνον ὀλίγα ἐστὶν ἀπὸ τῶν πολλῶν ὧν ὅ ὁ ϑεὸς ἔχει" οὐ γὰρ περὶ τούτων τῶν φαινομένων εὐαγγελέζεται ἡμῖν, ἀλλὰ μείζονα τούτων ἐπαγγέλλεται ἡμῖν" ἐφ᾽ ὅσον δὲ ἐν σώματί ἐσμεν, οὐ δυνάμεϑα λέξαι καὶ ἐχφᾶναι ἃ μέλλει ταῖς ψυχαῖς ἡμῶν διδόναι. ἐὰν εἴπωμεν ὅτε φῶς ἡμῖν παρέχει, τοῦτο τὸ ὁρώμενόν ἐστιν καὶ ἔχομεν αὐτό" ἐὰν δὲ καὶ πλοῦτον, τὸ ὃς ἔστιν καὶ φαίνεται ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ τούτῳ, καὶ ὀνομάζομεν αὐτὸν καὶ οὐ χρήζομεν αὐτοῦ, ἐπειδὴ εἴρηται ὅτι Δυσχόλως πλούσιος εἰσελεύσεται εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τῶν οὐρανῶν" ΕἸ δὲ x«i ἀμπεχόνην ἐσθῆτος εἴπωμεν, ἣν οἱ τρυφῶντες ἐν τῷ βίῳ τούτῳ ἀμφιέννυνται, ὠνύμασται, καὶ εἴρηται ὅτι Oi τὰ μαλακὰ φοροῦντες ἐν τοῖς οἴχοις τῶν βασιλέων εἰσίν" Εἰ δὲ καὶ δεῖπνα πολυτελῆ, περὶ τούτων ἐντολὴν εἰλήφαμεν προσέχειν ἀπ᾿ αὐτῶν, μὴ βαρηϑῆναι ἐν χραιπάλῃ καὶ μέϑῃ καὶ μερίμναις βιωτιχαῖς, λέγων ἃ ἔστιν, καὶ εἴρηται: Μὴ μεριμνήσητε τῇ ψυχῇ ὑμῶν τί φάγητε ἣ τί πίητε, μηδὲ τῷ σώματι ὑμῶν τί ἐνδύσησϑε, ὅτι ἡ ψυχὴ πλεῖόν ἐστι τῆς τροφῆς καὶ τὸ σῶμα τοῦ ἐνδύματος" ᾿ΕἘὰν δὲ καὶ ἀνάπαυσιν τὴν πρόσχαιρον ταύτην εἴπωμεν, χρίσις καὶ ταύτης ὥρισται. ἀλλὰ λέγομεν περὲ τὸν ἄνω χόσμον, περὶ ϑεοῦ καὶ ἀγγέλων, περὶ ἐγρηγόρων καὶ ἁγέων, περὶ τῆς ὠμβροσιώδους τροφῆς καὶ τοῦ ποτοῦ τῆς ἀμπέλου τῆς ἀληϑινῆς, περὶ ἐνδυμάτων παραμύνων καὶ μὴ παλαιουμένων, περὶ ὧν ὀφϑαλμὸς οὐκ εἶδεν οὐδὲ οὖς ἤχουσεν, οὐδὲ ἐπὶ καρδίαν ἀνϑρώπων ἁμαρτωλῶν ἀνέβη, ἃ ὁ ϑεὸς ἡτοίμασεν roig ἀγαπῶσιν αὐτόν. περὶ τούτων διαλεγόμεϑα καὶ περὶ τούτων εὐαγγελιζόμεϑα. πίστευσον οὖν αὐτῷ καὶ σύ, ἵνα ζήσης, καὶ εἰς αὐτὸν ἔχε τὴν πεποίϑησιν, καὶ οὐ μὴ ἀποίλάνῃς. οὐδὲ γὰρ δώροις πείδδεται ἵνα αὐτῷ προσενέγχης, οὐδὲ ϑυσιῶν ἐπιδέεται ἵνα αὐτῷ ϑύσης. ἀλλ ἅπιδε πρὸς αὐτόν, καὶ οὐ παραβλέψει σέ" καὶ πρὸς αὐτὸν ἐπίστρεψον καὶ οὐ καταλείψει σε. ἡ γὰρ τούτου εὐπρέπεια καὶ τὸ χάλλος χατεπιϑύμιόν σε ποιήσει ἵνα αὐτὸν ἀγαπήσης" ἀλλὰ οὔτε συγχωρεῖ σοι ἀποστραφῆναι σεαυτόν. Καὶ ταῦτα εἰπόντος τοῦ ἀποστόλου τῷ νέῳ ixuvo πολὺς ὄχλος προσετέϑετο. ἀπιδὼν δὲ ὁ ἀπόστολος εἶδεν αὐτοὺς ἐπαίροντας ἑαυτοὺς ἵνα αὐτὸν ἴδωσιν, x«i sg ὑψηλοὺς τόπους ἀνήρχοντο, καὶ εἶπεν πρὸς αὐτοὺς ὁ ἀπόστολος" Ἤνδρες οἱ ἐλϑόντες εἰς τὸ συνέδριον τοῦ Χριστοῦ καὶ ϑέλοντες εἰς τὸν Ἰησοῦν πιστεῦσαι, ὠπὸ τούτου τύπον λάβετε, καὶ ἴδετε ὅτι ἐὰν μὴ ὑψωϑθϑῆτε ἐμὲ τὸν μιχρὸν ϑεάσασϑαι οὐ δύνασϑε, καὶ ὅμοιον ὄντα μὲ ὑμῶν κατοπτεῦσαι οὐ δυνασϑε" εἰ οὖν ἐμὲ τὸν ὑμῖν ὅμοιον ὄντα οὐ δύνασϑε ἰδεῖν ἐὰν μὴ ἐπάρητε ἑαυτοὺς ülyov ἐκ τῆς γῆς, ἐκεῖνον τὸν ἐν bw διατρίβοντα καὶ viv ἐν βάϑει εὑρισκόμενον πῶς δύνασίλδε ἰδεῖν εἰ μὴ πρότερον ἐπώρητε ἑαυτοὺς ix τῆς προτέρας πολιτείας ὑμῶν καὶ τῶν πράξεων τῶν ἀνωφελῶν καὶ τῶν ἐπιϑυμιῶν τῶν ur παραμεγουσῶν καὶ τοῦ πλούτου τοῦ ἐνϑώδε καταλιμπανομένου καὶ τῆς χτήσεως τῆς ἐκ τῆς γῆς παλαιουμένης καὶ τῶν ἐνδυμάτων τῶν φϑειρομένων καὶ τοῦ κάλλους τοῦ γηρῶντος καὶ ἀφανιζομένου, ἔτι δὲ x«i τοῦ σώματος ὅλου ἐν ᾧ ταῦτα πώντα ὠποτετωμέευται, καὶ παλαιούμενον κόνις γένεται, ὑποστρέφον εἰς τὴν ἑαυτοῦ φύσιν" πώντα γὰρ ταῦτα αὐτὸ τὸ σῶμα ὑπορΐλοῖϊ. ἀλλὰ μᾶλλον πιστεύσατε εἰς τὸν χύριον ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦν Χριστόν, ὃν χηρύσσομεν ἡμεῖς, ἵνα: ἐλπὶς ὑμῶν εἰς αὐτὸν ἔσται καὶ ἐν αὐτῷ τὴν ζωὴν ἔχητε εἰς αἰῶνας αἰώνων, ἵνα αὐτὸς ὑμῖν συνοδοιπόρος γένηται ἐν ταύτῃ τῇ χώρᾳ τῆς πλάνης, καὶ λιμὴν ὑμῖν γένηται sig ταύτην τὴν | ϑορυβώδη ϑάλασσαν. ἔσται δὲ ὑμῖν καὶ πηγὴ βρύουσα ἐν ταύτῃ τῇ χώρα τῇ διινωλέμ, καὶ σηκὸς πλήρης βρώσεως ἐν τῷ τῶν πεινώντων τύπῳ, καὶ ἀνώπαυσις ταῖς ψυχαῖς ὑμῶν, ἰατρὸς δὲ καὶ τῶν σωμάτων. ὃ8 Τότε τὸ πλῆϑος τῶν συνωαχϑέντων ὠκοῦον ταῦτα ἐδάχρυὲν xui ἔλεγεν τῷ ἀποστόλῳ ἀνϑρωπε τοῦ ϑεοῦ, ὃν σὺ χηρύσσεις ϑεὸν ἡμεῖς οὐ τολμῶμεν λέγειν ὅτι αὐτοῦ ἐσμεν, ὅτι τὰ ἔργα ἡμῶν ἃ διεπραξάμεϑα ἀλλότρια αὐτοῦ ἐστιν, μὴ ἀρέσκοντα αὐτῷ" εἰ δὲ σπλαγχνίζεται ἐφ᾽ ἡμᾶς καὶ ἐλεεῖ ἡμᾶς καὶ ῥύεται παριδὼν τὰς προτέρας ἡμῶν πράξεις, καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν κακῶν ὧν διεπραξάμεϑα àv πλάνῃ ὄντες ἐλευϑεροῖ ἡμὰς, καὶ οὐχ ὑπολογίζεται ἡμῖν οὐδὲ ὑπόμνησιν ἡμῶν ποιεῖται τῶν προτέρων ἁμαρτημάτων, γινόμεϑα αὐτοῦ ϑεράποντες, καὶ τὸ ἡέλημα αὐτοῦ εἰς τέλος ἄξομεν. Ὃ δὲ ἀπόστολος αὐτοῖς ἀπεχρίνατο λέγων" Ov καταψηφίξεται ὑμῶν οὐδὲ λογίζεται ὑμῖν τὰς ἁμαρτίας ἃς ἐν πλάνῃ ὄντες διεπράξασϑε, ἀλλὰ παραβλέπει ὑμῶν τὰ παραπτώματα ἃ κατὰ ἀγνωσίαν ἧτε πεποιηχότες. Πρᾶξις δ΄ περὶ τοῦ πώλου.
Kai tauta eipontos tou apostolou ērcheto eis tēn polin katechōn tēn cheira ekeinou tou neou kai legōn autǭ" Tauta haper eϑeasō technon oliga estin apo tōn pollōn hōn ho ho ϑeos echei" ou gar peri toutōn tōn phainomenōn euangelezetai hēmin, alla meizona toutōn epangelletai hēmin" eph᾽ hoson de en sōmati esmen, ou dynameϑa lexai kai echphanai ha mellei tais psychais hēmōn didonai. ean eipōmen hote phōs hēmin parechei, touto to horōmenon estin kai echomen auto" ean de kai plouton, to hos estin kai phainetai en tǭ kosmǭ toutǭ, kai onomazomen auton kai ou chrēzomen autou, epeidē eirētai hoti Dyscholōs plousios eiseleusetai eis tēn basileian tōn ouranōn" EI de x«i ampechonēn esthētos eipōmen, hēn hoi tryphōntes en tǭ biǭ toutǭ amphiennyntai, ōnymastai, kai eirētai hoti Oi ta malaka phorountes en tois oichois tōn basileōn eisin" Ei de kai deipna polytelē, peri toutōn entolēn eilēphamen prosechein ap᾿ autōn, mē barēϑēnai en chraipalę̄ kai meϑę̄ kai merimnais biōtichais, legōn ha estin, kai eirētai: Mē merimnēsēte tę̄ psychę̄ hymōn ti phagēte hē ti piēte, mēde tǭ sōmati hymōn ti endysēsϑe, hoti hē psychē pleion esti tēs trophēs kai to sōma tou endymatos" ᾿EEan de kai anapausin tēn proschairon tautēn eipōmen, chrisis kai tautēs hōristai. alla legomen pere ton anō chosmon, peri ϑeou kai angelōn, peri egrēgorōn kai hageōn, peri tēs ōmbrosiōdous trophēs kai tou potou tēs ampelou tēs alēϑinēs, peri endymatōn paramynōn kai mē palaioumenōn, peri hōn ophϑalmos ouk eiden oude ous ēchousen, oude epi kardian anϑrōpōn hamartōlōn anebē, ha ho ϑeos hētoimasen roig agapōsin auton. peri toutōn dialegomeϑa kai peri toutōn euangelizomeϑa. pisteuson oun autǭ kai sy, hina zēsēs, kai eis auton eche tēn pepoiϑēsin, kai ou mē apoilanę̄s. oude gar dōrois peiddetai hina autǭ prosenenchēs, oude ϑysiōn epideetai hina autǭ ϑysēs. all hapide pros auton, kai ou parablepsei se" kai pros auton epistrepson kai ou kataleipsei se. hē gar toutou euprepeia kai to challos chatepiϑymion se poiēsei hina auton agapēsēs" alla oute synchōrei soi apostraphēnai seauton. Kai tauta eipontos tou apostolou tǭ neǭ ixuvo polys ochlos proseteϑeto. apidōn de ho apostolos eiden autous epairontas heautous hina auton idōsin, x«i sg hypsēlous topous anērchonto, kai eipen pros autous ho apostolos" Ēndres hoi elϑontes eis to synedrion tou Christou kai ϑelontes eis ton Iēsoun pisteusai, ōpo toutou typon labete, kai idete hoti ean mē hypsōϑthϑēte eme ton michron ϑeasasϑai ou dynasϑe, kai homoion onta me hymōn katopteusai ou dynasϑe" ei oun eme ton hymin homoion onta ou dynasϑe idein ean mē eparēte heautous ulyov ek tēs gēs, ekeinon ton en bw diatribonta kai viv en baϑei heuriskomenon pōs dynasilde idein ei mē proteron epōrēte heautous ix tēs proteras politeias hymōn kai tōn praxeōn tōn anōphelōn kai tōn epiϑymiōn tōn ur paramegousōn kai tou ploutou tou enϑōde katalimpanomenou kai tēs chtēseōs tēs ek tēs gēs palaioumenēs kai tōn endymatōn tōn phϑeiromenōn kai tou kallous tou gērōntos kai aphanizomenou, eti de x«i tou sōmatos holou en hǭ tauta pōnta ōpotetōmeeutai, kai palaioumenon konis genetai, hypostrephon eis tēn heautou physin" pōnta gar tauta auto to sōma hyporïloiï. alla mallon pisteusate eis ton chyrion hēmōn Iēsoun Christon, hon chēryssomen hēmeis, hina: elpis hymōn eis auton estai kai en autǭ tēn zōēn echēte eis aiōnas aiōnōn, hina autos hymin synodoiporos genētai en tautę̄ tę̄ chōrą tēs planēs, kai limēn hymin genētai sig tautēn tēn | ϑorybōdē ϑalassan. estai de hymin kai pēgē bryousa en tautę̄ tę̄ chōra tę̄ diinōlem, kai sēkos plērēs brōseōs en tǭ tōn peinōntōn typǭ, kai anōpausis tais psychais hymōn, iatros de kai tōn sōmatōn. ho8 Tote to plēϑos tōn synōachϑentōn ōkouon tauta edachryen xui elegen tǭ apostolǭ anϑrōpe tou ϑeou, hon sy chērysseis ϑeon hēmeis ou tolmōmen legein hoti autou esmen, hoti ta erga hēmōn ha diepraxameϑa allotria autou estin, mē areskonta autǭ" ei de splanchnizetai eph᾽ hēmas kai eleei hēmas kai rhyetai paridōn tas proteras hēmōn praxeis, kai apo tōn kakōn hōn diepraxameϑa av planę̄ ontes eleuϑeroi hēmas, kai ouch hypologizetai hēmin oude hypomnēsin hēmōn poieitai tōn proterōn hamartēmatōn, ginomeϑa autou ϑerapontes, kai to hēelēma autou eis telos axomen. Ho de apostolos autois apechrinato legōn" Ov katapsēphixetai hymōn oude logizetai hymin tas hamartias has en planę̄ ontes diepraxasϑe, alla parablepei hymōn ta paraptōmata ha kata agnōsian hēte pepoiēchotes. Praxis d΄ peri tou pōlou.
When the apostle had said this, he went into the city, holding the young man's hand and saying to him: "These things that you have seen, child, are few of the many that God has; for it is not about these visible things that he brings us good news, but he promises us things greater than these. As long as we are in the body, we cannot speak and declare what he will give to our souls. If we say that he provides us with light, that is something seen, and we have it. If wealth, it exists and appears in this world, and we name it and have no need of it, since it is said, 'With difficulty will a rich man enter the kingdom of heaven.' And if we speak of the clothing that the luxurious wear in this life, it has been named, and it is said, 'Those who wear soft things are in the houses of kings.' And if of costly dinners, about these we have received a command to beware, not to be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and the cares of life; and it is said, 'Do not be anxious for your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor for your body, what you will put on; for the life is more than food, and the body than clothing.' And if we speak of this temporary rest, a judgment has been appointed for it too. But we speak of the world above, of God and angels, of watchers and holy ones, of the ambrosial food and the drink of the true vine, of garments that endure and do not grow old, of things which eye has not seen nor ear heard, nor have they entered the heart of sinful men, which God has prepared for those who love him. Of these we discourse, and of these we bring good news. Believe in him, then, you too, that you may live, and put your trust in him, and you will not die. For he is not won over by gifts, that you should offer to him, nor does he need sacrifices, that you should sacrifice to him. But look to him, and he will not overlook you; turn to him, and he will not forsake you. For his comeliness and beauty will make you long to love him; and he will not let you turn yourself away."
[37] When the apostle had said this to the young man, a great crowd joined them. The apostle, looking, saw them raising themselves up to see him and climbing onto high places; and the apostle said to them, "You men who have come to the assembly of Christ and wish to believe in Jesus, take an example from this and see that unless you are lifted up, you cannot see me, small as I am, and cannot get sight of me who am like you. If, then, you cannot see me, who am like you, unless you raise yourselves a little from the earth, how can you see him who dwells on high and is now found in the depth, unless you first raise yourselves from your former way of life and your unprofitable deeds, and the desires that do not endure, and the wealth that is left behind here, and the possession of the earth that grows old, and the garments that perish, and the beauty that ages and vanishes, and even the whole body in which all these things are stored up, which grows old and becomes dust, returning to its own nature? For it is the body itself that bears all these things. But rather believe in our Lord Jesus Christ, whom we preach, so that your hope may be in him and you may have life in him for ever and ever, so that he may become your fellow traveler in this land of error, and a harbor for you in this turbulent sea. He will be for you also a spring gushing in this thirsty land, and a storehouse full of food in the place of the hungry, and rest for your souls, and physician of your bodies too."
[38] Then the multitude gathered there, hearing this, wept and said to the apostle, "Man of God, we do not dare to say that we belong to the God whom you preach, because the works we have done are alien to him and do not please him. But if he has compassion on us and pity, and rescues us, overlooking our former deeds, and frees us from the evils we did while we were in error, and does not reckon them to us or keep in remembrance our former sins, we will become his servants and carry out his will to the end." The apostle answered them, saying, "He does not condemn you, nor reckon to you the sins which you committed while you were in error, but overlooks your transgressions which you committed in ignorance."
Fourth Act: concerning the colt.
Matt 19:23 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 11:8 (quotation, high confidence) · Luke 21:34 (allusion, high confidence) · Matt 6:25 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Cor 2:9 (quotation, high confidence) · John 15:1 (echo, medium confidence) · Luke 19:4 (echo, low confidence) · Acts 17:30 (echo, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Thomas tells the youth that God promises unseen goods beyond wealth and luxury, urges the crowd to lift themselves above earthly things to see Christ, and assures the repentant that sins of ignorance are overlooked.
- Chapter 37 begins at "When the apostle had said this to the young man" and chapter 38 at "Then the multitude" (the numeral 38 survives in the scan text); the title of the Fourth Act stands at the end. Quotations: Matt 19:23; Matt 11:8; Luke 21:34; Matt 6:25 (with Luke 12:22–23); 1 Cor 2:9. "The true vine" echoes John 15:1; "watchers" (ἐγρήγοροι) are angels, as in Daniel 4 and 1 Enoch; the people climbing to see recall Zacchaeus (Luke 19:3–4); sins of ignorance overlooked echo Acts 17:30.
Cite (SBL): Acts Thom. 36 (Lipsius–Bonnet, 99–291; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/acta-thomae/23/#p-36). (abbreviation not yet checked)
BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-acta-thomae-36) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude from Bonnet's Greek (Lipsius–Bonnet, Acta apostolorum apocrypha 2.2, 1903), corrected for OCR slips by logged corrections; chapters 1–61 and 159–170 compared afterwards with ANF 8; the rest (incl. the colt act and passages ANF lacks) re-read against the Greek.
Chapter 39
39Lipsius–Bonnet, 99–291
Τοῦ δὲ ἀποστόλου ἔτι ἑστῶτος ἐν τῇ λεωφέρῳ καὶ διαλεγομένου τῷ πλήϑει πῶλος ὀνάδος ἦλϑεν καὶ ἔστη ἔμπροσϑὲεν αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἀνοίξας τὸ στόμα αὐτοῦ εἶπεν" Ὁ δίδυμος τοῦ Χριστοῦ, ὁ ἀπύστολος τοῦ ὑψίστου καὶ συμμύστης τοῦ λόγου τοῦ Χριστοῦ τοῦ ἀποχρύφου, ὁ δεχόμενος αὐτοῦ τὰ ἀπόκρυφα λύγια, ὁ συνεργὸς τοῦ υἱοῦ τοῦ ϑεοῦ, ὃς ἐλεύϑερος dw γέγονας δοῦλος καὶ πραϑεὶς πολλοὺς tig ἐλευϑερέαν εἰσήγαγες" ὁ συγγενὴς τοῦ μεγάλου γένους τοῦ τὸν ἐχϑρὸν χαταδικάσαντος καὶ τοὺς ἰδίους λυτρωσαμένου, ὁ πρόφασις τῆς ζωῆς πολλοῖς γενόμενος ἐν τῇ χώρᾳ τῶν ᾿Ινδῶν" ἦλϑες γὰρ πρὸς τοὺς πλανωμένους ἀνθρώπους, καὶ διὰ τῆς σῆς ἐπιφανείας καὶ τῶν λόγων σου τῶν ϑεϊκῶν νῦν ἐπιστρέφονται πρὸς τὸν ἀποστείλαντά σὲ ϑεὸν τῆς ἀληϑείας" ἀνελϑὼν ἐπιχαϑέὲσϑητέ μοι καὶ ἀναπάηϑι ἕως ἂν εἰς τὴν πόλιν εἰσέλϑης. Καὶ ἀποχριϑεὶς ὁ ἀπόστολος εἶπεν: Ὦ Ἰησοῦ Χριστὲ voti dais τῆς εὐσπλαγχνίας τῆς τελείας" ὦ καὶ GUyie καὶ ἡ ἠρεμία, καὶ" pnt ἐν roig ἀλόγοις ζῴοις νῦν λαλούμενε" ὦ ἀπόχρυφε ἀνάπαυσις xui διὰ τῆς ἐνεργείας φανερούμενε σωτὴρ ἡμῶν καὶ τροφεῖῦ, διαφυλάσσων ἡμᾶς [ καὶ ἀναπαύων ἐν σώμασιν ἀλλοτρίοις" Β ὁ σωτὴρ τῶν ἡμετέρων ψυχῶν" ἡ βρύσις ἡ γλυκεῖα καὶ ἄλη- ὅ χτος, ἡ πηγὴ ἡ εὐκατάστατος καὶ χκαϑαρὰ καὶ μηδέποτε Doλουμένη" ὁ ἐπαμύντωρ καὶ βοηϑὸς ἐν ἀγῶνι τῶν ἰδίων δούλων, ὁ τὸν ἐχϑρὸν ἀποστρέφων καὶ ἀποσοβῶν cq ἡμῶν, ὁ εἰς πολλοὺς ἀγῶνας ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν ἀγωνιζόμενος καὶ νικᾶν ποιῶδθΟ i80 ἡ ἡμᾶς ἐν πᾶσι" ὁ ἀληϑὴς ὠἀϑλητὴς ἡμῶν καὶ ἀήττητος" ὁ στρα- τηλάτης ἡμῶν ὁ ἅγιος καὶ νικηφόρος" ὁ ἔνδοξος καὶ yaodv τ τα παρέχων τοῖς ἰδίοις τὴν μηδέποτε παρερχομένην, καὶ ἄνεσιν qi mt τὴν μηδ ὅλως ϑλῖψιν ἔχουσαν: ὁ ἀγαϑὸς ποιμὴν ὁ ἑαυτὸν ἐχδοὺς ὑπὲρ τῶν ἰδέων προβάτων καὶ τὸν λύκον νικήσας καὶ ui λυτρωσάμενος τοὺς ἰδίους ἄρνας καὶ εἰς νομὴν ἀγαϑὴν ἀγαγών" ες n δοξώζομεν x«i ὑμνοῦμεν σὲ καὶ τὸν ἀόρατὸν cov πατέρα καὶ ς Ur τὸ ἁγιόν σου πνεῦιια καὶ τὴν μητέρα πασῶν κτίσεων. ΩΝ
Tou de apostolou eti hestōtos en tę̄ leōpherǭ kai dialegomenou tǭ plēϑei pōlos onados ēlϑen kai estē emprosϑeen autou, kai anoixas to stoma autou eipen" Ho didymos tou Christou, ho apystolos tou hypsistou kai symmystēs tou logou tou Christou tou apochryphou, ho dechomenos autou ta apokrypha lygia, ho synergos tou huiou tou ϑeou, hos eleuϑeros dw gegonas doulos kai praϑeis pollous tig eleuϑerean eisēgages" ho syngenēs tou megalou genous tou ton echϑron chatadikasantos kai tous idious lytrōsamenou, ho prophasis tēs zōēs pollois genomenos en tę̄ chōrą tōn ᾿Indōn" ēlϑes gar pros tous planōmenous anthrōpous, kai dia tēs sēs epiphaneias kai tōn logōn sou tōn ϑeïkōn nyn epistrephontai pros ton aposteilanta se ϑeon tēs alēϑeias" anelϑōn epichaϑeesϑēte moi kai anapaēϑi heōs an eis tēn polin eiselϑēs. Kai apochriϑeis ho apostolos eipen: Ō Iēsou Christe voti dais tēs eusplanchnias tēs teleias" ō kai GUyie kai hē ēremia, kai" pnt en roig alogois zǭois nyn laloumene" ō apochryphe anapausis xui dia tēs energeias phaneroumene sōtēr hēmōn kai tropheiy, diaphylassōn hēmas [ kai anapauōn en sōmasin allotriois" B ho sōtēr tōn hēmeterōn psychōn" hē brysis hē glykeia kai alē- ho chtos, hē pēgē hē eukatastatos kai chkaϑara kai mēdepote Doloumenē" ho epamyntōr kai boēϑos en agōni tōn idiōn doulōn, ho ton echϑron apostrephōn kai aposobōn cq hēmōn, ho eis pollous agōnas hyper hēmōn agōnizomenos kai nikan poiōdthO i80 hē hēmas en pasi" ho alēϑēs ōaϑlētēs hēmōn kai aēttētos" ho stra- tēlatēs hēmōn ho hagios kai nikēphoros" ho endoxos kai yaodv t ta parechōn tois idiois tēn mēdepote parerchomenēn, kai anesin qi mt tēn mēd holōs ϑlipsin echousan: ho agaϑos poimēn ho heauton echdous hyper tōn ideōn probatōn kai ton lykon nikēsas kai ui lytrōsamenos tous idious arnas kai eis nomēn agaϑēn agagōn" es n doxōzomen x«i hymnoumen se kai ton aoraton cov patera kai s Ur to hagion sou pneuiia kai tēn mētera pasōn ktiseōn. ŌN
While the apostle was still standing in the highway and talking with the crowd, the colt of a she-ass came and stood before him, and opening its mouth it said: "Twin of Christ, apostle of the Most High and fellow initiate in the hidden word of Christ, who receive his hidden sayings, fellow worker with the Son of God, who being free became a slave, and being sold brought many into freedom; kinsman of the great race that condemned the enemy and redeemed its own; you who have become the occasion of life for many in the land of the Indians — for you came to men who had gone astray, and through your appearing and your divine words they are now turning to the God of truth who sent you — come up, sit on me, and rest until you enter the city." The apostle answered and said: "O Jesus Christ, … of perfect compassion; O tranquillity and quiet, now spoken of even among irrational animals; O hidden rest, made manifest by your working, our Savior and nourisher, who guard us and give us rest in alien bodies; Savior of our souls; sweet and unfailing spring, fountain secure and pure and never muddied; defender and helper of your own servants in the contest, who turn the enemy back and drive him away from us; who fight in many contests on our behalf and make us conquer in all; our true and unconquerable athlete; our holy and victorious general; glorious one, who give your own a joy that never passes away and a relief that has no affliction at all; good shepherd, who gave yourself up for your own sheep, conquered the wolf, redeemed your own lambs, and led them to good pasture: we glorify and praise you, and your invisible Father, and your Holy Spirit, and the Mother of all creation."
John 10:11 (allusion, high confidence) · Phil 2:7 (echo, low confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: In the Fourth Act a colt speaks, hailing Thomas as Christ's twin and offering to carry him; Thomas answers with praise of Christ, the good shepherd.
- Chapter 39 opens the Fourth Act (the colt). ANF does not translate this Act; it was re-read against the Greek. A word before "of perfect compassion" is garbled in the scan text ("…"). "The Mother of all creation" in the closing doxology is the Acts' own language. "Being free became a slave" echoes Phil 2:7 and Thomas's sale in chapter 2; the good shepherd echoes John 10:11–12.
Topics: Christology
Cite (SBL): Acts Thom. 39 (Lipsius–Bonnet, 99–291; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/acta-thomae/23/#p-39). (abbreviation not yet checked)
BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-acta-thomae-39) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude from Bonnet's Greek (Lipsius–Bonnet, Acta apostolorum apocrypha 2.2, 1903), corrected for OCR slips by logged corrections; chapters 1–61 and 159–170 compared afterwards with ANF 8; the rest (incl. the colt act and passages ANF lacks) re-read against the Greek.