The Apocalypse of Peter

Introduction

We have, first, certain quotations made by writers of the first 4 centuries.

There is no mention of it in the Gelasian Decree. At one time it was popular in Rome for the Muratorian Canon mentions it (late in the second century?) along with the Apocalypse of John though it adds, that 'some will not have it read in the church.' The 5th-century church historian Sozomen says that to his knowledge it was still read annually in some churches in Palestine on Good Friday.

The Akhmim Fragment

⁶And as we prayed, suddenly there appeared 2 men standing before the Lord upon whom we were not able to look. ⁷For there issued from their countenance a ray as of the sun, and their raiment was shining so as the eye of man never saw the like: for no mouth is able to declare nor heart to conceive the glory wherewith they were clad and the beauty of their countenance. ⁸Whom when we saw we were astonied, for their bodies were whiter than any snow and redder than any rose. ⁹And the redness of them was mingled with the whiteness, and, in a word, I am not able to declare their beauty. ¹⁰For their hair was curling and flourishing, and fell comely about their countenance and their shoulders like a garland woven of nard and various flowers, or like a rainbow in the air: such was their comeliness.

¹¹We, then, seeing the beauty of them were astonied at them, for they appeared suddenly. ¹²And I drew near to the Lord and said: Who are these? ¹³He saith to me: These are your righteous brethren whose appearance ye did desire to see. ¹⁴And I said unto him: And where are all the righteous? Or of what sort is the world wherein they are, and possess this glory? ¹⁵And the Lord showed me a very great region outside this world exceeding bright with light, and the air of that place illuminated with the beams of the sun, and the earth of itself flowering with blossoms that fade not, and full of spices and plants, fair-flowering and incorruptible, and bearing blessed fruit.

¹⁶And so great was the blossom that the odour thereof was borne thence even unto us. ¹⁷And the dwellers in that place were clad with the raiment of shining angels, and their raiment was like unto their land. ¹⁸And angels ran round about them there. ¹⁹And the glory of them that dwelt there was all equal, and with one voice they praised the Lord God, rejoicing in that place. ²⁰The Lord saith unto us: This is the place of your high priests, the righteous men.

²¹And I saw also another place over against that one, very squalid; and it was a place of punishment, and they that were punished and the angels that punished them had their raiment dark, according to the air of the place. ²²And some there were there hanging by their tongues; and these were they that blasphemed the way of righteousness, and under them was laid fire flaming and tormenting them. ²³And there was a great lake full of flaming mire, wherein were certain men that turned away from righteousness; and angels, tormentors, were set over them. ²⁴And there were also others, women, hanged by their hair above that mire which boiled up; and these were they that adorned themselves for adultery. And the men that were joined with them in the defilement of adultery were hanging by their feet, and had their heads hidden in the mire, and said: We believed not that we should come unto this place. ²⁵And I saw the murderers and them that were consenting to them cast into a strait place full of evil, creeping things, and smitten by those beasts, and so turning themselves about in that torment. And upon them were set worms like clouds of darkness. And the souls of them that were murdered stood and looked upon the torment of those murderers and said: O God, righteous is thy judgement.

²⁶And hard by that place I saw another strait place wherein the discharge and the stench of them that were in torment ran down, and there was as it were a lake there. And there sat women up to their necks in that liquor, and over against them many children which were born out of due time sat crying: and from them went forth rays of fire and smote the women in the eyes: and these were they that conceived out of wedlock and caused abortion. ²⁷And other men and women were being burned up to their middle and cast down in a dark place and scourged by evil spirits, and having their entrails devoured by worms that rested not. And these were they that had persecuted the righteous and delivered them up. ²⁸And near to them again were women and men gnawing their lips and in torment, and having iron heated in the fire set against their eyes. And these were they that did blaspheme and speak evil of the way of righteousness. ²⁹And over against these were yet others, men and women, gnawing their tongues and having flaming fire in their mouths. And these were the false witnesses. ³⁰And in another place were gravel-stones sharper than swords or any spit, heated with fire, and men and women clad in filthy rags rolled upon them in torment. And these were they that were rich and trusted in their riches, and had no pity upon orphans and widows but neglected the commandments of God.

³¹And in another great lake full of foul matter and blood and boiling mire stood men and women up to their knees. And these were they that lent money and demanded usury upon usury. ³²And other men and women being cast down from a great rock fell to the bottom, and again were driven by them that were set over them, to go up upon the rock, and thence were cast down to the bottom and had no rest from this torment. And these were they that did defile their bodies behaving as women: and the women that were with them were they that lay with one another as a man with a woman. ³³And beside that rock was a place full of much fire, and there stood men which with their own hands had made images for themselves instead of God, having rods of fire and smiting one another and never resting from this manner of torment . . . ³⁴And yet others near unto them, men and women, burning and turning themselves about and roasted as in a pan. And these were they that forsook the way of God.