Acts of Peter (Actus Vercellenses)

Contents

Reading pages: 0–11 · 12–26 · 27–41

1. 0The title of the work.
2. 1Paul, directed by a vision to go to Spain, prepares to leave Rome amid the brothers' grief.
3. 2A voice from heaven foretells that Paul will be martyred under Nero before the brothers' eyes.
4. 3Paul celebrates a eucharist of bread and water, an adulteress is struck down, he exhorts the new believers, prays, and is escorted to the harbour to sail for Spain.
5. 4Simon Magus wins over the Roman church in Paul's absence; Peter sails for Italy, baptizes the captain Theon at sea, and gives him the eucharist.
6. 6At Puteoli Peter meets Ariston, who tells him how Simon has scattered the Roman church, and Peter refuses to rest before going to Rome.
7. 7Peter addresses the gathered church, telling of Christ's coming, his own denial and restoration, and urging them to hold to the crucified and risen Nazarene against Simon.
8. 8The brothers tell Peter how Simon has turned the generous senator Marcellus against the Christians, and Peter denounces the devil.
9. 9Peter goes to Marcellus's house and sends a dog, given a human voice, to summon Simon to a public contest.
10. 10Marcellus repents of following Simon, who had mocked Peter's doubt on the water, and Peter prays for his restoration.
11. 11Peter casts a demon out of a young man, who smashes Caesar's statue, and Marcellus restores it by sprinkling water in Christ's name.
12. 12The dog rebukes Simon, foretells Peter's victory, and dies at Peter's feet; the crowd asks for another sign.
13. 13Peter makes a smoked fish swim again in a pool, and many believe and gather to hear him expound the Scriptures.
14. 14Marcellus has Simon beaten and thrown out of his house, and Simon goes to challenge Peter at the house of Narcissus.
15. 15Peter sends a seven-month-old infant who speaks with a man's voice, rebukes Simon, and silences him until the sabbath.
16. 16Christ appears to Peter by night and promises him victory over Simon in the coming contest.
17. 17Peter tells how in Judea he exposed Simon's theft of the rich widow Eubula's gold, which led to Eubula's conversion and Simon's flight.
18. 18Peter urges the brothers to fast and pray for Simon's defeat, since Christ is present within them.
19. 19Marcellus cleanses his house of Simon's traces with water in Christ's name and invites Peter to pray with the widows there.
20. 20Peter heals a blind widow, then expounds the Gospel reading on the transfiguration, teaching that Christ appeared in many forms according to each one's capacity, and lists his titles.
21. 21Blind widows are healed by a heavenly light and each describes Christ in a different form: an old man, a young man, a boy.
22. 22On the eve of the contest Marcellus dreams that Peter, through one like him with Christ's sword, destroys a demon in the form of a dancing woman.
23. 23The public contest opens in the Forum; Peter recalls Simon's attempt to buy the gift of the Spirit, and Simon mocks a God who is born and crucified.
24. 24Peter answers Simon with prophecies of Christ's virgin birth, heavenly origin, rejection and coming, and challenges him to perform a sign.
25. 25Simon kills the prefect's servant by a word in his ear, and a widow begs Peter to raise her dead only son.
26. 26At Peter's prayer the prefect Agrippa raises his dead servant by the hand, and the crowd acclaims the one God of Peter.
27. 27Peter raises the widow's son, who is to serve later as deacon and bishop, and the people acclaim the God of Peter.
28. 28Simon fails to raise the dead Nicostratus while Peter raises him and refuses vengeance on Simon; the crowd honours Peter, gifts pour in for the poor, and Peter accepts money from a woman of ill repute as owed to Christ.
29. 31Peter heals the sick while Simon's illusory wonders fail, and Simon announces that he will fly up to God.
30. 32Simon flies over Rome but falls at Peter's prayer and dies after surgery at Terracina; the prefect Agrippa's concubines, hearing Peter preach chastity, refuse him.
31. 34Xanthippe, wife of Albinus, and many others withdraw from their spouses after Peter's preaching on chastity, and Albinus and Agrippa plot to kill Peter.
32. 35Xanthippe warns Peter of the plot and the brothers urge him to leave Rome; after a gap, Peter, now condemned, tells the brothers not to rage against Agrippa.
33. 37Peter speaks on the hidden mystery of the cross, asks to be crucified head downward, and explains it as an image of the first man's fall and of conversion.
34. 39Hanging on the cross, Peter gives thanks to Christ in the silence of the spirit and urges the brothers to hope in him alone.
35. 40Marcellus buries Peter lavishly, and Peter appears to him in a dream to rebuke the waste.
36. 41Nero, angry that Peter died without his order, plans to kill Peter's disciples but is restrained by an angel; the Acts end with a blessing.