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The Martyrdom of Peter: 33 – 34 – 35 – 36 – 37 – 38 – 39 – 40 – 41
Written in Greek, probably by a resident of Asia Minor, not later than AD 200. The author has read the Acts of John very carefully and modeled his language on them. One of the earliest of the apocryphal acts of the apostles, the Acts of Peter reports a contest between Simon Magus and the apostle Peter in Rome and concludes with Peter’s martyrdom. The version here is from Latin, the most expansive extant manuscript. The Acts of Peter is undoubtedly pseudepigraphal, as evidenced by the language and style of Paul (Ch. 2), unlike any of his canonical epistles or recorded words in the Acts of the Apostles. This apocryphal work also promotes a sort of sinless perfectionism disparate from the genuine Pauline teaching of sola fide.
1 At the time when Paul was sojourning in Rome and confirming many in the faith, it also came to pass that one, by name Candida, the wife of Quartus that was over the prisons, heard Paul and paid heed to his words and believed. 2 And when she had instructed her husband, and he also believed, Quartus allowed Paul to go wherever he would, away from the city: to whom Paul said: “If it is the will of God, He will reveal it to me.” 3 And after Paul had fasted three days and asked of the Lord that which should be profitable for him, he saw a vision, even the Lord saying to him: “Arise, Paul, and become a physician in your body to them that are in Spain.” 4 He, therefore, having related to the brothers what God had commanded, doubting nothing, prepared himself to set forth from the city. 5 But when Paul was about to depart, there was great weeping throughout all the brotherhood, because they thought that they should see Paul no more, so that they even tore their clothes. 6 For they had in mind also how Paul had oftentimes contended with the doctors of the Jews and confuted them, saying, “Christ, on whom your fathers laid hands, abolished their Sabbaths, and fasts, and holy days, and circumcision, and the doctrines of men and the rest of the traditions He has abolished.” 7 But the brothers lamented [and adjured] Paul by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, that he should not be absent more than a year, saying, “We know your love for your brothers; do not forget us when you have come there, neither begin to forsake us, as little children without a mother.” 8 And when they begged him long with tears, there came a sound from Heaven and a great voice, saying, “Paul the servant of God is chosen to minister all the days of his life: by the hands of Nero, the ungodly and wicked man, he will be perfected before your eyes.” 9 And a very great fear fell on the brothers because of the voice which came from Heaven: and they were confirmed yet more in the faith.
1 Now they brought to Paul bread and water for the sacrifice, so that he might make prayer and distribute it to everyone. 2 Among whom it happened that a woman named Rufina desired, she also, to receive communion at the hands of Paul: to whom Paul, filled with the Spirit of God, said as she drew near: “Rufina, you do not come worthily to the altar of God, arising from beside one that is not your husband but an adulterer, and attempt to receive the communion of God. 3 For behold, Satan will trouble your heart and cast you down in the sight of all them that believe in the Lord, so that they which see and believe may know that they have believed in the living God, the searcher of hearts. 4 But if you convert from your act, He is faithful, and is able to blot out your sin, and set you free from this sin: but if you do not convert, while you are yet in the body, devouring fire and outer darkness will receive you forever.” 5 And immediately Rufina fell down, being stricken with palsy from her head to the nails of her feet, and she had no power to speak, for her tongue was bound. 6 And when both they that believed [in the faith] and the neophytes saw it, they beat their breasts, remembering their old sins, and mourned and said: “We do not know if God will forgive the former sins which we have committed.” 7 Then Paul called for silence and said: “Men and brothers, which have now begun to believe on Christ, if you do not continue in your former works of the tradition of your fathers, and keep yourselves from all guile, and wrath, and fierceness, and adultery, and defilement, and from pride, and envy, and contempt, and enmity, Jesus the living God will forgive you of what you did in ignorance. 8 Therefore, you servants of God, arm yourselves—each one in your inner man—with peace, patience, gentleness, faith, charity, knowledge, wisdom, love of the brothers, hospitality, mercy, abstinence, chastity, kindness, justice: then you will have for your guide everlastingly the First-Begotten of all creation, and will have strength in peace with our Lord.” 9 And when they had heard these things from Paul, they begged him to pray for them. 10 And Paul lifted up his voice and said: “O eternal God, God of the heavens, God of unspeakable majesty, who has established all things by Your word, who has bound on all the world the chain of Your grace, Father of Your holy Son Jesus Christ, we together pray through Your Son Jesus Christ: strengthen the souls which were unbelieving before, but are now faithful. 11 Once I was a blasphemer, now I am blasphemed; once I was a persecutor, now I suffer persecution of others; once I was the enemy of Christ, now I pray that I may be His friend: for I trust in His promise and in His mercy; I account myself faithful and that I have received forgiveness of my former sins. 12 Therefore, I exhort you also, brothers, to believe in the Lord, the Father Almighty, and to put all your trust in our Lord Jesus Christ, His Son, believing in Him, and no man will be able to uproot you from His promise. 13 Therefore, bow your knees together and commend me to the Lord, who am about to set forth to another nation, that His grace may go before me and dispose my journey well, that He may receive His holy and believing vessels, that they, giving thanks for my preaching of the word of the Lord, may be well-grounded in the faith.” 14 But the brothers wept long and prayed to the Lord with Paul, saying, “Lord Jesus Christ, be with Paul and restore him to us whole: for we know our weakness which is in us even to this day.”
1 And a great multitude of women were kneeling, and praying, and imploring Paul; and they kissed his feet and accompanied him to the harbor. 2 But Dionysius and Balbus, of Asia, knights of Rome, and illustrious men, and a senator by name Demetrius, abode by Paul on his right hand and said: “Paul, I would desire to leave the city if I were not a magistrate, so that I might not depart from you.” 3 Also from Caesar’s house Cleobius, and Iphitus, and Lysimachus, and Aristaeus, and two matrons, Berenice and Philostrate, with Narcissus the elder, accompanied him to the harbor: but whereas a storm of the sea came on, [Narcissus] sent the brothers back to Rome, that if any would, he might come down and hear Paul until he set sail: and hearing that, the brothers went up to the city. 4 And when they told the brothers that had remained in the city, and the report was spread abroad, some on beasts, and some on foot, and others by way of the Tiber came down to the harbor, and were confirmed in the faith for three days, and on the fourth day until the fifth hour, praying together with Paul, and making the offering: 5 and they put everything that was necessary on the ship, and delivered him two young men, believers, to sail with him, and bade him farewell in the Lord, and returned to Rome.
1 Now after a few days, there was a great commotion in the midst of the Assembly, for some said that they had seen wonderful works done by a certain man whose name was Simon, and that he was at Aricia, and they added further that he said he was a great power of God and without God he did nothing. 2 “Is this not the Christ? But we believe in Him whom Paul preached to us; for by Him we have seen the dead raised, and men delivered from various sicknesses: but this man seeks contention, we know it, for there is no small stirring made among us. 3 Perhaps he also will now enter into Rome; for yesterday they pressed him with great acclamations, saying to him: You are God in Italy, you are the savior of the Romans: hurry quickly to Rome. 4 But he spoke to the people with a shrill voice, saying, Tomorrow, about the seventh hour, you will see me fly over the gate of the city in the form wherein you now see me speaking to you. 5 Therefore, brothers, if it seems good to you, let us go and await carefully the issue of the matter.” 6 They all therefore ran together and came to the gate. And when it was the seventh hour, behold, dust was suddenly seen in the sky far off, like a smoke shining with rays stretching far from it. And when he drew near to the gate, suddenly he was not seen: and thereafter he appeared, standing in the midst of the people; whom they all worshiped, and took knowledge that he was the same one that was seen by them the day before. 7 And the brothers were not a little offended among themselves, seeing, moreover, that Paul was not at Rome, neither Timotheus nor Barnabas, for they had been sent into Macedonia by Paul, and that there was no man to comfort us, to speak nothing of them that had but just become catechumens. 8 And as Simon exalted himself yet more by the works which he did, and many of them daily called Paul a sorcerer, and others a deceiver, of such a great multitude that had been established in the faith, all fell away except Narcissus the elder, and two women in the lodging of the Bithynians, and four that could no longer go out of their house, but were shut up [day and night]: 9 these gave themselves to prayer, pleading with the Lord that Paul might return quickly, or some other that should visit His servants, because the Devil had made them fall by his wickedness.
1 And as they prayed and fasted, God was already teaching Peter at Jerusalem of that which should come to pass. 2 For whereas the twelve years which the Lord Christ had instructed him were fulfilled, He showed him a vision after this manner, saying to him: “Peter, that Simon the sorcerer whom you cast out of Judea, convicting him, has again come before you at Rome. And that you will know shortly: for all that believed in Me, Satan has made to fall by his craft and working: whose power Simon approves himself to be. 3 But do not delay: set forth the next day, and there you will find a ship ready, setting sail for Italy, and within a few days I will show you My grace which has in it no grudging.” 4 Peter then, admonished by the vision, related it to the brothers without delay, saying, “It is necessary for me to go up to Rome to fight with the enemy and adversary of the Lord and of our brothers.” 5 And he went down to Caesarea and embarked quickly in the ship, whereof the ladder was already drawn up, not taking any provision with him. 6 But the governor of the ship, whose name was Theon, looked on Peter and said: “Whatsoever we have, all is yours. For what good are we, if we take in a man like to ourselves who is in an uncertain situation and do not share all that we have with you? But only let us have a prosperous voyage.” 7 But Peter, giving him thanks for that which he offered, himself fasted while he was in the ship, sorrowful in mind and again consoling himself because God accounted him worthy to be a minister in His service. 8 And after a few days, the governor of the ship rose up at the hour of his dinner and asked Peter to eat with him, and he said to him: “O you, whoever you are, I do not know you, but as I reckon, I take you for a servant of God. 9 For as I was steering my ship at midnight, I perceived the voice of a man from Heaven saying to me: Theon, Theon! And twice it called me by my name and said to me: Among them that sail with you, let Peter be greatly honored by you, for by him will you and the rest be preserved safe without any harm from such a course as you do not hope for.” 10 And Peter believed that God would grant to show His providence on the sea to them that were in the ship, and thenceforth Peter began to declare to Theon the mighty works of God, and how the Lord had chosen him from among the apostles, and for what business he sailed to Italy: 11 and daily he communicated to him the word of God. And considering him, he perceived by his walk that he was of one mind in the faith and a worthy minister. 12 Now when there was a calm on the ship in the Adriatic, Theon showed it to Peter, saying to him: “If you will account me worthy, whom you may immerse with the seal of the Lord, you have an opportunity.” 13 For all that were in the ship had fallen asleep, being drunken. 14 And Peter went down by a rope and immersed Theon in the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit: and he came up out of the water rejoicing with great joy, and Peter also was glad because God had accounted Theon worthy of His Name. 15 And it came to pass when Theon was immersed, there appeared in the same place a youth shining and beautiful, saying to them: “Peace be to you.” 16 And immediately Peter and Theon went up and entered into the cabin; and Peter took bread and gave thanks to the Lord who had accounted him worthy of His holy ministry, and for that the youth had appeared to them, saying, “Peace be to you.” 17 And he said: “You are alone the Holy One; it is You that have appeared to us, O God Jesus Christ, and in Your Name this man has now been washed and sealed with Your holy seal. Therefore, in Your Name I impart to him Your communion, so that he may be Your perfect servant without blame forever.” 18 And as they feasted and rejoiced in the Lord, suddenly there came a wind, not vehement but moderate, at the ship’s prow, and it did not cease for six days and as many nights, until they came to Puteoli.
1 And when they had arrived at Puteoli, Theon leapt out of the ship and went to the inn where he was accustomed to lodge, to prepare to receive Peter. 2 Now he with whom he lodged was one by name Ariston, which always feared the Lord, and because of the Name, Theon entrusted himself with him. 3 And when he had come to the inn and saw Ariston, Theon said to him: “God who has accounted you worthy to serve Him has communicated His grace to me also by His holy servant Peter, who has now sailed with me from Judea, being commanded by our Lord to come to Italy.” 4 And when he heard that, Ariston fell on Theon’s neck, and embraced him, and begged him to bring him to the ship and show him Peter. 5 For Ariston said that since Paul set forth to Spain, there was no man of the brothers with whom he could refresh himself, and, moreover, “a certain Jew had broken into the city, named Simon, and with his charms of sorcery and his wickedness he has made all the brotherhood fall away this way and that, so that I also fled from Rome, expecting the coming of Peter, for Paul had told us of him, and I also have seen many things in a vision. 6 Now, therefore, I believe in my Lord that He will build His ministry up again, for all this deceit will be rooted out from among His servants. For our Lord Jesus Christ is faithful, who is able to restore our minds.” 7 And when Theon heard these things from Ariston, who wept, his spirit was raised yet more, and he was strengthened [even] more, because he perceived that he had believed on the living God. 8 But when they came together to the ship, Peter looked on them and smiled, being filled with the Spirit; so that Ariston, falling on his face at Peter’s feet, said thus: “Brother and lord, that has part in the holy mysteries and shows the right way which is in the Lord Jesus Christ our God, who by you has shown to us His coming: we have lost all them whom Paul had delivered to us, by the working of Satan; 9 but now I trust in the Lord who has commanded you to come to us, sending you as His messenger, that He has accounted us worthy to see His great and wonderful works by your means. 10 I therefore beg you: hurry to the city; for I left the brothers which have stumbled, whom I saw fall into the temptation of the Devil, and fled here, saying to them: Brothers, stand fast in the faith, for it is of necessity that within these two months the mercy of our Lord will bring His servant to you. 11 For I had seen a vision, even Paul, saying to me: Ariston, flee out of the city. And when I heard it, I believed without delay and went forth in the Lord, although I had a weakness in my flesh, and came here; 12 and day after day I stood on the seashore asking the sailors: Has Peter sailed with you? But now through the abundance of the grace of God I implore you: let us go up to Rome without delay, lest the teaching of this wicked man prevails yet further.” 13 And as Ariston said this with tears, Peter gave him his hand and raised him up from the earth, and Peter also groaning, said with tears: “He which tempts all the world by his messengers has prevented us; but He that has power to save His servants from all temptations will quench his deceits and put him beneath the feet of them that have believed in Christ whom we preach.” 14 And as they entered in at the gate, Theon implored Peter, saying, “You did not refresh yourself on any day in such a great voyage: and now before such a difficult journey will you immediately set out from the ship? Tarry and refresh yourself, and so will you set forth, for from here to Rome on a pavement of flint I fear lest you be hurt by the shaking.” 15 But Peter answered and said to them: “What if it comes to pass that a millstone were hung on me, and likewise on the enemy of our Lord, even as my Lord said to us of any that offended one of the brothers, and I were drowned in the sea? 16 But it might not be only a millstone, but that which is far worse, even that I, which am the enemy of this persecutor of His servants, should die far off from them that have believed on the Lord Jesus Christ.” 17 And by no exhortation could Theon prevail to persuade him to tarry there even one day. But Theon himself delivered all that was in the ship to be sold for the price which he thought good, and he followed Peter to Rome, whom Ariston brought to the abode of Narcissus the elder.
1 Now the report was announced throughout the city to the brothers that were dispersed, because of Simon, that he might show him to be a deceiver and a persecutor of good men. 2 All the multitude therefore ran together to see the apostle of the Lord cling to Christ. 3 And on the first day of the week, when the multitude was assembled to see Peter, Peter began to say with a loud voice: “You men here present that trust in Christ, you that for a short span have suffered temptation, learn for what reason God sent His Son into the world, and why He made Him to be born of the virgin Mary; for would He have done so if not to obtain us some grace or dispensation? 4 Even because He would take away all offense, and all ignorance, and all the scheming of the Devil—his attempts and his strength with which he prevailed in times past, before our God shined forth in the world. 5 And whereas men through ignorance fell into death by many diverse sicknesses, Almighty God, moved with compassion, sent His Son into the world. With whom I was; and He walked on the water, whereof I myself remain a witness, and testify that He then worked in the world by signs and wonders, all of which He did.” 6 I confess, dearly-beloved brothers, that I was with Him: yet I denied Him, even our Lord Jesus Christ, and not only once, but three times; for there were evil dogs that had come around me as they did to the Lord’s prophets. 7 And the Lord did not impute it to me, but turned to me and had compassion on the weakness of my flesh, so that afterward I bitterly wept and lamented the weakness of my faith, because I was fooled by the Devil and did not keep in mind the word of my Lord. 8 And now I say to you, O men and brothers, which are gathered together in the Name of Jesus Christ: against you also has the deceiver Satan aimed his arrows, that you might depart out of the Way. 9 But do not faint, brothers, neither let your spirit fall, but be strong, and persevere, and do not doubt, for if Satan caused me to stumble, whom the Lord held in great honor, so that I denied the Light of my hope, and if he overthrew me and persuaded me to flee as if I had put my trust in a man, what do you think he will do to you which are but young in the faith? 10 Did you suppose that he would not turn you away to make you enemies of the Kingdom of God and cast you down into perdition by a new deceit? 11 For whomsoever he casts out from the hope of our Lord Jesus Christ, he is a son of perdition forever. 12 Turn yourselves, therefore, brothers, chosen of the Lord, and be strong in God Almighty, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, whom no man has seen at any time, neither can see, except he who has believed in Him. And be aware from where this temptation has come on you. 13 For it is not merely by words that I would convince you that this is Christ whom I preach, but also by deeds and exceedingly great works of power I exhort you by the faith that is in Christ Jesus, that none of you look for any other except Him that was despised and mocked by the Jews, even this Nazarene who was crucified, and died, and the third day rose again.”
1 And the brothers converted and implored Peter to fight against Simon, [[who said that he was the Power of God and lodged in the house of Marcellus a senator, whom he had convinced by his charms,]] saying, “Believe us, brother Peter: there was no man among men so wise as this Marcellus. All the widows that trusted in Christ had recourse to him; all the fatherless were fed by him; and what more, brother? All the poor called Marcellus their supporter, and his house was called the house of the strangers and of the poor, 2 and the emperor said to him: I will keep you out of every office, lest you plunder the provinces to give gifts to the Christians. 3 And Marcellus answered: All my goods are also yours. And Caesar said to him: They would be mine if you kept them for me; but now they are not mine, for you give them to whomever you will, and I do not know to what vile persons. 4 Having this, then, before our eyes, brother Peter, we report it to you, how the great mercy of this man is turned to blasphemy; for if he had not turned, neither should we have departed from the holy faith of God our Lord. 5 And now does this Marcellus in anger convert him of his good deeds, saying, All this substance I have spent in all this time, vainly believing that I gave it for the knowledge of God! 6 So that if any stranger comes to the door of his house, he strikes him with a staff and commands him be beaten, saying, If only I had not spent so much money on these impostors: and yet more does he say, blaspheming. 7 But if there abide in you any mercy of our Lord and anything of the goodness of His commandments, aid the error of this man who has done so many charitable deeds for the servants of God.” 8 And Peter, when he perceived this, was stricken with sharp affliction and said: “O the manifold arts and temptations of the Devil! O the plots and schemes of the wicked! 9 He that nourishes up for himself a mighty fire in the day of wrath—the destruction of simple men, the ravenous wolf, the devourer and scatterer of eternal life! 10 You ensnared the first man in lust and bound him with your old iniquity and with the chain of the flesh: you are wholly the exceedingly bitter fruit of the Tree of Bitterness, who sends diverse lusts on men. 10 You compelled Judas, my fellow disciple and fellow apostle, to do wickedly and deliver up our Lord Jesus Christ, who will therefore punish you. 11 You hardened the heart of Herod and inflamed Pharaoh and compelled him to fight against Moses the holy servant of God; you gave boldness to Caiaphas, that he should deliver our Lord Jesus Christ to the unrighteous multitude; 12 and even until now, you shoot at innocent souls with your poisonous arrows. 13 You wicked one! Enemy of all men! Be accursed from the Assembly of Him, the Son of the holy God omnipotent; and as a brand cast out of the fire, you will be quenched by the servants of our Lord Jesus Christ. 14 On you let your blackness be turned and on your children, an evil seed; on you be turned your wickedness and your threatenings; on you and your messengers be your temptations—you beginning of malice and bottomless pit of darkness! 15 Let your darkness that you have be with you and with your vessels which you own! 16 Depart from them that will believe in God, depart from the servants of Christ and from them that desire to be His soldiers. 17 Keep to yourself your garments of darkness! Without cause, you knock at other men’s doors, which are not yours but of Christ Jesus that keeps them. For you, ravenous wolf, would carry off the sheep that are not yours but of Christ Jesus, who keeps them with all care and diligence.
1 As Peter thus spoke with great sorrow of mind, many were added to them that believed on the Lord. But the brothers pleaded with Peter to join battle with Simon and not allow him to distress the people any longer. 2 And without delay, Peter went quickly out of the synagogue and went to the house of Marcellus, where Simon lodged: and many people followed him. 3 And when he came to the door, he called the porter and said to him: “Go, say to Simon: Peter, because of whom you fled out of Judea, waits for you at the door.” 4 The porter answered and said to Peter: “Sir, whether you are Peter, I do not know: but I have a command; for he had knowledge that you entered into the city yesterday, and he said to me: Whether it is by day or by night, at whatever hour he comes, say that I am not inside.” 5 And Peter said to the young man: “You have spoken well in reporting that which he compelled you to say.” 6 And Peter turned to the people that followed him and said: “You will now see a great and marvelous wonder.” 7 And Peter, seeing a great dog bound with a strong chain, went to him and untied him, and when he was untied, the dog received a man’s voice and said to Peter: “What do you command me to do—you servant of the unspeakable and living God?” 8 Peter said to him: “Go in and say to Simon in the midst of his company: Peter says to you, Come forth outside, for your sake I have come to Rome—you wicked one and deceiver of simple souls.” 9 And immediately the dog ran and entered in, and rushed into the midst of them that were with Simon, and lifted up his front feet, and in a loud voice said: “You Simon, Peter the servant of Christ who stands at the door says to you: Come forth outside, for your sake I have come to Rome—you most wicked one and deceiver of simple souls.” 10 And when Simon heard it, and beheld the incredible sight, he lost the words with which he was deceiving them that stood by, and all of them were amazed.
1 But when Marcellus saw it, he went out to the door, and cast himself at Peter’s feet, and said: “Peter, I embrace your feet—you holy servant of the holy God; 2 I have sinned greatly: but do not exact my sins, if there is in you the true faith of Christ, whom you preach, if you remember His commandments, to hate no man, to be unkind to no man, as I learned from your fellow apostle Paul; 3 do not keep in mind my faults, but pray for me to the Lord, the holy Son of God whom I have provoked to wrath—for I have persecuted His servants—that I may not be delivered with the sins of Simon to eternal fire, who so persuaded me, that I set up a statue to him with this inscription: To Simon, the New God. 4 If I knew, O Peter, that you could be won with money, I would give you all my substance: yes, I would give it and despise it, so that I might gain my soul. 5 If I had sons, I would account them as nothing, if only I might believe in the living God. 6 But I confess that he would not have deceived me except that he said that he was the Power of God; 7 yet I will tell you, O most gentle Peter: I was not worthy to hear you—you servant of God—neither was I established in the faith of God which is in Christ; therefore, I was made to stumble. 8 I plead with you, therefore: do not take poorly that which I am about to say, that Christ our Lord whom you preach in truth said to your fellow apostles in your presence: If you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain: Remove yourself, and immediately it will remove itself. 9 But this Simon said that you, Peter, were without faith when you doubted in the waters. 10 And I have heard that Christ said this also: They that are with Me have not understood Me. 11 If, then, you on whom He laid His hands, whom He also chose, doubted, I, therefore, having this witness, convert and take refuge in your prayers. 12 Receive my soul, which has fallen away from our Lord and from His promise. But I believe that He will have mercy on me who converts. For the Almighty is faithful to forgive me of my sins.” 13 But Peter said with a loud voice: “To You, our Lord, be glory and splendor, O God Almighty, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. To You be praise, and glory, and honor, world without end. Amen. 14 Because You have now fully strengthened and established us in You in the sight of all, holy Lord, confirm Marcellus, and send Your peace on him and on his house this day: 15 and whatsoever is lost or out of the way, You alone can turn them all again; we implore You, Lord, Shepherd of the sheep that once were scattered, but now will be gathered as one by You. 16 So also receive Marcellus as one of your lambs and no longer permit him to go astray in error or ignorance. Yes, Lord, receive him who with anguish and tears begs You.”
1 And as Peter spoke thus and embraced Marcellus, Peter turned himself to the multitude that stood by him and saw someone there that laughed, in whom was a very evil spirit. 2 And Peter said to him: “Whosoever you are that laughed, show yourself openly to all that are present.” 3 And hearing this, the young man ran into the court of the house, and cried out with a loud voice, and dashed himself against the wall, and said: “Peter, there is a great contention between Simon and the dog whom you sent; for Simon says to the dog: Say that I am not here. To whom the dog says more than you charged him; and when he has accomplished the mystery which you commanded him, he will die at your feet.” 4 But Peter said: “And you also, devil, whosoever you are, in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ, go out of that young man and do not harm him at all: show yourself to all that stand here.” 5 When the young man heard it, he ran forth and caught hold of a great statue of marble which was set in the court of the house, and broke it in pieces with his feet. Now it was a statue of Caesar. 6 Which Marcellus, beholding, struck his forehead and said to Peter: “A great crime has been committed; for if this is made known to Caesar by some busybody, he will afflict us with severe punishments.” 7 And Peter said to him: “I see you not the same as you were a little while ago, for you said that you were ready to spend all your substance to save your soul. But if you indeed convert, believing in Christ with your whole heart, take in your hands of the water that runs down, and pray to the Lord, and in His Name sprinkle it on the broken pieces of the statue, and it will be whole as it was before.” 8 And Marcellus, doubting nothing, but believing with his whole heart, before he took the water, lifted up his hands and said: “I believe in You, O Lord Jesus Christ: for I am now proved by Your apostle Peter, whether I believe correctly in Your holy Name. 9 Therefore, I take water in my hands, and in Your Name I sprinkle these stones, so that the statue may become whole as it was before. If, therefore, Lord, it is Your will that I continue in the body and suffer nothing at Caesar’s hand, let this stone be whole as it was before.” 10 And he sprinkled the water on the stones, and the statue became whole, at which Peter exulted that Marcellus had not doubted in asking of the Lord, 11 and Marcellus was exalted in spirit that such a sign was first worked by his hands; and he therefore believed with his whole heart in the Name of Jesus Christ the Son of God, by whom all things impossible are made possible.
1 But inside the house, Simon said this to the dog: “Tell Peter that I am not inside,” whom the dog answered in the presence of Marcellus: “You exceedingly wicked and shameless one—enemy of all that live and believe on Christ Jesus, here is a dumb animal sent to you, which has received a human voice to confound you and show you to be a deceiver and a liar. 2 Have you taken thought [for] so long, to say at last: Tell him that I am not inside? Are you not ashamed to utter your feeble and useless words against Peter, the minister and apostle of Christ, as if you could hide from him that has commanded me to speak against you to your face: and that not for your sake but for theirs whom you were deceiving and sending to destruction? 3 Therefore, you will be cursed—you enemy and corrupter of the way of the truth of Christ, who will prove by fire that does not die and in outer darkness, your iniquities that you have committed.” 4 And having said this, the dog went forth, and the people followed him, leaving Simon alone. 5 And the dog came to Peter as he sat with the multitude that had come to see Peter’s face, and the dog related what he had done to Simon. 6 And thus spoke the dog to the messenger and apostle of the true God: “Peter, you will have a great contest with the enemy of Christ and his servants, and many that have been deceived by him you will turn to the faith; therefore, you will receive from God the reward of your work.” 7 And when the dog had said this, he fell down at the apostle Peter’s feet and gave up the spirit. 8 And when the great multitude saw with amazement the dog speaking, they began then, some to throw themselves down at Peter’s feet, and some said: “Show us another sign, so that we may believe in you as the minister of the living God, for Simon also did many signs in our presence and therefore we followed him.”
1 And Peter turned and saw a herring hung in a window, and he took it and said to the people: “If you now see this swimming in the water like a fish, will you be able to believe in Him whom I preach?” 2 And they said with one voice: “Truly, we will believe you.” 3 Then he said (now there was a bath for swimming at hand): “In Your Name, O Jesus Christ! Forasmuch as it is not believed in until now, in the sight of all these: live and swim like a fish.” And he cast the herring into the bath, and it lived and began to swim. 4 And all the people saw the fish swimming, and it did not do so at that hour only, lest it should be said that it was a delusion, but he made it to swim for a long time, so that they brought many people from all quarters and showed them the herring that was made a living fish, so that certain of the people even cast bread to it; and they saw that it was whole. 5 And seeing this, many followed Peter and believed in the Lord. 6 And they assembled themselves day and night to the house of Narcissus the elder. And Peter discoursed to them of the writings of the Prophets and of those things which our Lord Jesus Christ had worked both in word and in deeds.
1 But Marcellus was confirmed daily by the signs which he saw worked by Peter through the grace of Jesus Christ which He granted to him. 2 And Marcellus ran on Simon as he sat in his house in the dining chamber, and cursed him, and said to him: “You most adverse and toxic of men, corrupter of my soul and my house, who would have made me fall away from my Lord and Savior Christ!” 3 And laying hands on him, he commanded him to be thrust out of his house. 4 And the servants having received such permission, covered him with reproaches; some struck his face, others beat him with sticks, others cast stones, others emptied out vessels full of filth on his head, even those who on his account had fled from their master and been a long time chained; 5 and others of their fellow servants of whom he had spoken evil to their master reproached him, saying to him: “Now by the will of God who has had mercy on us and on our master, we repay you with a suitable reward.” 6 And Simon, shrewdly beaten and cast out of the house, ran to the house where Peter lodged, even the house of Narcissus, and standing at the gate cried out: “Behold, here I am—Simon: come down, Peter, and I will convict you that you have believed on a Man who is [merely] a Jew and a carpenter’s Son.”
1 And when it was told Peter that Simon had said this, Peter sent a woman to him, who had a sucking child, saying to her: “Go down quickly, and you will find one that seeks me. For there is no need that you answer him at all, but keep silence and hear what the child whom you hold will say to him.” The woman therefore went down. 2 Now the child whom she suckled was seven months old; and it received a man’s voice and said to Simon: “O you despised of God and men, and destruction of truth, and evil seed of all corruption, O unprofitable fruit by nature! 3 But only for a short and little season will you be seen, and thereafter eternal punishment is laid up for you—you son of a shameless father, that never put forth your roots for good but for poison, faithless generation void of all hope! 4 You were not confounded when a dog reproved you; I, a child, am compelled by God to speak, and not even now are you ashamed. 5 But even against your will, on the Sabbath day that comes, another will bring you into the forum of Julius, so that it may be shown what manner of man you are. 6 Therefore, depart from the gate wherein the feet of the holy walk; for you will no longer corrupt the innocent souls whom you turned out of the Way and make sad; in Christ, therefore, will be shown your evil nature, and your schemes will be cut in pieces. 7 And now I speak this last word to you: Jesus Christ says to you: Be stricken mute in My Name and depart out of Rome until the Sabbath that comes.” 8 And he immediately became mute, and his speech was bound; and he went out of Rome until the Sabbath and abode in a stable. 9 But the woman returned with the child to Peter and told him and the rest of the brothers what the child had said to Simon: and they magnified the Lord who had shown these things to men.
Now when the night fell, Peter, while yet waking, beheld Jesus clad in a garment of [incredible] brightness, smiling and saying to him: “Many people of the brotherhood have already returned through Me and through the signs which you have worked in My Name. But you will have a contest of the faith on the Sabbath that comes, and many more of the nations and of the Jews will be converted in My Name—to Me who was reproached, and mocked, and spat on. For I will be present with you when you ask for signs and wonders, and you will convert many: but you will have Simon opposing you by the works of his father; yet all his works will be shown to be charms and schemes of sorcery. But do not slack now, and whomsoever I will send to you, you will establish in My Name.” And when it was light, he told the brothers how the Lord had appeared to him and what He had commanded him:
1 “But believe me, men and brothers, [that] I drove this Simon out of Judea where he did many evils with his magical charms, lodging in Judea with a certain woman Eubula, who was of honorable estate in this world, having a [large] store of gold and pearls of no small price. 2 Here Simon entered in by stealth with two others like himself, and none of the household saw these two, but Simon only, and by means of a spell they took away all the woman’s gold and disappeared. 3 But Eubula, when she found what was done, began to torture her household, saying, You have taken an opportunity by this man of God and spoiled me, when you saw him entering in to me to honor a mere woman; but his name is as the Name of the Lord. 4 As I fasted for three days and prayed that this matter should be made plain, I saw in a vision Italicus and Antulus, whom I had instructed in the Name of the Lord, and a boy naked and chained giving me a wheat loaf and saying to me: Peter, endure yet two days and you will see the mighty works of God. 5 As for all that is lost out of the house of Eubula, Simon has used magical arts and has caused a delusion, and with two others has stolen it away: whom you will see on the third day at the ninth hour, at the gate which leads to Neapolis, selling to a goldsmith by name Agrippinus, a young satyr [made] of gold of two pound weight, having a precious stone in it. 6 But for you there is no need that you touch it, lest you be defiled; but let there be with you some of the matron’s servants, and you will show them the shop of the goldsmith and depart from them. 7 For by reason of this matter, many will believe on the Name of the Lord, and all that which these men by their plots and wickedness have oftentimes stolen will be openly shown. 8 When I heard that, I went to Eubula and found her sitting with her clothes torn and her hair disheveled, mourning; to whom I said: Eubula, rise up from your mourning, and compose your face, and order your hair, and put on suitable clothing, and pray to the Lord Jesus Christ that judges every soul: for He is the invisible Son of God, by whom you must be saved, if only you convert with your whole heart from your former sins: and receive power from Him, 9 for behold, by me the Lord says to you: You will find everything whatsoever you have lost. And after you have received them, take care that He find you, so that you may renounce this present world and seek for everlasting refreshment. 10 Therefore, listen to this: let certain of your people keep watch at the gate that leads to Neapolis on the day after tomorrow, at about the ninth hour, and they will see two young men having a young satyr of gold, of two pound weight, set with gems, as a vision has shown me: which thing they will offer for sale to one Agrippinus of the household of godliness and of the faith which is in the Lord Jesus Christ: 11 by whom it will be shown to you that you should believe in the living God and not on Simon the magician, the unstable devil, who has desired that you should remain in sorrow, and your innocent household be tormented; 12 who by fair words and speech alone has deceived you, and with his mouth only spoke of godliness, whereas he is wholly possessed of ungodliness. 13 For when you thought to keep [the] holy day, and set up your idol, and veiled it, and set out all your ornaments on a table, he brought in two young men whom no man of yours saw, by a magic charm, and they stole your ornaments away and were no longer seen. 14 But his plot has had no success, for my God has manifested it to me, to the end [that] you should not be deceived, neither perish in Hades, for those ungodly sins which you have committed contrary to God, who is full of all truth, and the righteous Judge of [both] living and dead; 15 and there is no other hope of life to men except through Him, by whom those things which you have lost are recovered to you: and now you [also] gain your own soul. 16 But she cast herself down before my feet, saying, O man, who you are I do not know; but him I received as a servant of God, and whatsoever he asked of me to give it to the poor, I gave much by his hands, and besides that, I gave much to him. What harm did I do him, that he should plot all this against my house? 17 To whom Peter said: There is no faith to be put in words, but in acts and deeds: but we must go on with what we have begun. 18 So I left her, and went with two stewards of Eubula, and came to Agrippinus, and said to him: See that you take note of these men; for tomorrow two young men will come to you, desiring to sell you a young satyr of gold set with jewels, which belongs to the mistress of these: and you will take it as it were to look on it, and praise the work of the craftsman, and then when these come in, God will bring the rest for evidence. 19 And on the next day, the stewards of the matron came about the ninth hour, and also those young men, willing to sell to Agrippinus the young satyr of gold. 20 And they, being immediately taken, it was reported to the matron, and she in distress of mind came to the deputy, and with a loud voice declared all that had happened to her. 21 And when Pompeius the deputy beheld her in distress of mind, who never had come forth abroad, he immediately rose up from the judgment-seat, and went to the praetorium, and commanded those men to be brought and tortured; 22 and while they were being tormented, they confessed that they did it in the service of Simon, who, they said, persuaded us with money to do it. 23 And being tortured a long time, they confessed that all that Eubula had lost was laid up under the earth in a cave on the other side of the gate, and many other things in addition. 24 And when Pompeius heard this, he rose up to go to the gate, with those two men, each of them bound with two chains. 25 And behold, Simon came in at the gate, seeking them because they tarried a long [time]. 26 And he sees a great multitude coming, and those two bound with chains; and he himself understood, and fled, and no longer appeared in Judea to this day. 27 But Eubula, when she had recovered all her goods, gave them for the service of the poor, and believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, and was comforted; and despised and renounced this world, and gave to the widows and fatherless, and clothed the poor. 28 And after a long time, she received her rest. 29 Now these things, dearly beloved brothers, were done in Judea, whereby he that is called the messenger of Satan was driven out from there.”
1 “Brothers, dearest and most beloved, let us fast together and pray to the Lord. For He that drove him out from there is also able to root him out of this place: 2 and let Him grant to us power to withstand him and his magical charms, and to prove that he is the messenger of Satan. 3 For on the Sabbath our Lord will bring him, though he would not [go himself], to the forum of Julius. 4 Let us therefore bow our knees to Christ, who hears us, although we do not cry; it is He that sees us, though He is not seen with these eyes, yet He is in us: if we will, He will not forsake us. 5 Let us therefore purify our souls from every evil temptation, and God will not depart from us. Yes, if we merely wink with our eyes, He is present with us.”
1 Now after these things were spoken by Peter, Marcellus also came in and said: “Peter, I have cleansed my whole house from [all] traces of Simon for you, and completely done away with even his wicked dust. 2 For I took water and called on the holy Name of Jesus Christ, together with my other servants which belong to Him, and sprinkled all my house, and all the dining chambers, and all the porticoes, even to the outer gate, 3 and said: I know that You, Lord Jesus Christ, are pure and untouched by any uncleanness: so let my enemy and adversary be driven out from before Your face. 4 And now, you blessed one, I have commanded the widows and old women to assemble to you in my house which is purified, so that they may pray with us. And each one will receive a piece of gold in the name of the ministry, so that they may indeed be called servants of Christ. 5 And everything else is now prepared for the service. 6 I beg you, therefore, O blessed Peter: consent to their request, so that you also pay honor to their prayers in my stead; let us then go and also take Narcissus, and whichever of the brothers are here.” 7 So then Peter consented to his simplicity, to fulfill his desire, and went forth with him and the rest of the brothers.
1 But Peter entered in, and beheld one of the aged women, a widow that was blind, and her daughter giving her her hand and leading her into Marcellus’ house; 2 and Peter said to her: “Come here, mother: from this day forward Jesus gives you His right hand, by whom we have inapproachable light which no darkness hides; who says to you through me: Open your eyes and see, and walk by yourself.” 3 And immediately the widow saw Peter laying his hand on her. 4 And Peter entered into the dining-hall and saw that the Gospel was being read, and he rolled up the book and said: “You men that believe and hope in Christ, learn in what manner the Holy Writing of our Lord ought to be declared: whereof we by His grace wrote that which we could receive, though yet it appears to you feeble, yet according to our power, even that which can be endured to be carried by human flesh. 5 Therefore, we ought to first know the will and the goodness of God, how that when error was spread abroad everywhere, and many thousands of men were being cast down into perdition, God was moved by His mercy to show Himself in another form and in the likeness of man, concerning which neither the Jews nor we were able to be enlightened worthily. 6 For every one of us, according as he could contain the sight, saw, as he was able. 7 Now I will expound to you that which was newly read to you. 8 Our Lord, willing that I should behold His majesty at the holy mountain—I, when I saw the brightness of His light with the sons of Zebedee, fell as one dead, and shut my eyes, and heard such a voice from Him as I am not able to describe, and thought myself to be blinded by His brightness. 9 And when I recovered a little, I said within myself: Perhaps my Lord has brought me here so that He might blind me. And I said: If this is also Your will, Lord, I do not resist. 10 And He gave me His hand and raised me up; and when I arose, I saw Him again in such a form as I was able to take in. 11 As, therefore, the merciful God, dearly beloved brothers, carried our weaknesses and bore our sins (as the prophet says: He bears our sins and suffers for us; but we esteemed Him to be in affliction and stricken with plagues), for He is in the Father and the Father in Him—He also is Himself the fulness of all majesty, who has shown to us all His good things: 12 He ate and drank for our sakes, Himself being neither hungry nor thirsty; He carried and bore reproaches for our sakes, He died and rose again because of us; who both defended me when I sinned and comforted me by His greatness, and will comfort you also so that you may love Him: 13 this God who is great and small, fair and foul, young and old, seen in time and to eternity invisible, whom the hand of man has not held, yet is held by His servants; whom no flesh has seen, yet now sees; who is the word proclaimed by the prophets and now appearing; 14 not subject to suffering, but having now made trial of suffering for our sake; never punished, yet now punished; 15 who was before the world and has been comprehended in time—the great beginning of all principality, yet delivered over to princes; beautiful, but among us lowly; seen of all yet foreseeing all. 16 This Jesus you have, brothers, [is] the Door, the Light, the Way, the Bread, the Water, the Life, the Resurrection, the Refreshment, the Pearl, the Treasure, the Seed, the Harvest, the Mustard Seed, the Vine, the Plow, the Grace, the Faith, the Word: 17 He is all things, and there is no other greater than Him. To Him be praise, world without end. Amen.”
1 And when the ninth hour had fully come, they rose up to make prayer. And behold, certain widows, of the aged, unknown to Peter, which sat there, being blind and not believing, cried out, saying to Peter: “We sit together here, O Peter, hoping and believing in Christ Jesus: as therefore you have made one of us to see, we beg you, lord Peter, grant to us also His mercy and pity.” 2 But Peter said to them: “If the faith that is in Christ is in you, if it is firm in you, then perceive in your mind that which you do not see with your eyes, and though your ears are closed, yet let them be open in your mind within you. 3 These eyes will again be shut, seeing nothing but men, and oxen, and dumb beasts, and stones, and sticks; but not every eye sees Jesus Christ. 4 Yet now, Lord, let Your sweet and holy Name aid these persons; touch their eyes, for You are able that these may see with their eyes.” 5 And when everyone had prayed, the hall wherein they were shone as when there is lightning, even with such a light as comes in the clouds, yet not such a light as that of the daytime, but unspeakable, invisible, such as no man can describe, 6 even such that we were beside ourselves with bewilderment, calling on the Lord and saying: “Have mercy, Lord, on us Your servants: what we are able to bear, that, Lord, give us; for this we can neither see nor endure.” 7 And as we lay there, only those widows stood up which were blind; and the bright light which appeared to us entered into their eyes and made them to see. 8 To whom Peter said: “Tell us what you saw.” And they said: “We saw an old man of such beauty as we are not able to declare to you”; 9 but others said: “We saw a young man”; and others: “We saw a boy touching our eyes delicately, and so were our eyes opened.” 10 Peter therefore magnified the Lord, saying, “You alone are the Lord God, and of what lips do we have to give You due praise? And how can we give You thanks according to Your mercy? 11 Therefore, brothers, as I told you but a little while before, God that is constant is greater than our thoughts, even as we have learned of these aged widows, how they beheld the Lord in various forms.”
1 And having exhorted them all to understand the Lord with their whole heart, he began together with Marcellus and the rest of the brothers to minister to the virgins of the Lord, and to rest until the morning. 2 To whom Marcellus said: “You holy and inviolate virgins of the Lord, listen: you have a place to abide in, for these things that are called mine, whose are they except yours? 3 Do not depart from here, but refresh yourselves: for on the Sabbath which comes, even tomorrow, Simon has a controversy with Peter the holy one of God, for as the Lord has always been with him, behold, will Christ the Lord now stand for him as His apostle. 4 For Peter has continued tasting nothing, but fasting yet [another] day, so that he may overcome the wicked adversary and persecutor of the Lord’s truth. 5 For behold, my young men have come announcing that they have seen scaffolds being set up in the forum, and many people saying: Tomorrow at daybreak two Jews are to contend here concerning the teaching of God. Now therefore, let us watch until the morning, praying and pleading with our Lord Jesus Christ to hear our prayers on behalf of Peter.” 6 And Marcellus turned to sleep for a short span, and he awoke and said to Peter: “O Peter, you apostle of Christ, let us go boldly to that which lies before us. 7 For just now, when I turned myself to sleep for a while, I beheld you sitting in a high place and before you a great multitude, and a woman exceedingly foul, in sight like an Ethiopian, not an Egyptian, but altogether black and filthy, clothed in rags, and with an iron collar around her neck and chains on her hands and feet, dancing. 8 And when you saw me, you said to me with a loud voice: Marcellus! The whole power of Simon and of his god is this woman that dances; behead her. 9 And I said to you: Brother Peter, I am a senator of a high race, and I have never defiled my hands, neither killed so much as a sparrow at any time. 10 And you hearing it began to cry out yet more: Come, our true sword, Jesus Christ, and not only cut off the head of this devil, but hew all her limbs in pieces in the sight of all these whom I have approved in Your service. 11 And immediately, one like to you, O Peter, having a sword, hewed her in pieces: so that I looked earnestly on you both, both on you and on him that cut in pieces that devil, and marveled greatly to see how similar you were. 12 And I awakened and have told to you these signs of Christ.” 13 And when Peter heard it, he was [all] the more filled with courage that Marcellus had seen these things, knowing that the Lord always cares for His own. And being joyful and refreshed by these words, he rose up to go to the forum.
1 Now the brothers were gathered together, and all that were in Rome, and each one took places for a piece of gold: there came together also the senators, and the prefects, and those in authority. 2 And Peter came and stood in the midst, and all cried out: “Show us, O Peter, who is your God and what is His greatness which has given you confidence. Do not resent the Romans; they are lovers of the gods. 3 We have had proof of Simon, let us have it of you; convince us, both of you, whom we should truly believe.” 4 And as they said these things, Simon also came in, and standing with a troubled mind at Peter’s side, at first he looked at him. 5 And after long silence, Peter said: “You men of Rome, be true judges toward us, for I say that I have believed on the living and true God; and I promise to give you proofs of Him, which are known to me, as many among you also can bear witness. 6 For you see that this man is now rebuked and silent, knowing that I drove him out of Judea because of the deceits which he practiced on Eubula, an honorable and simple woman, by his magical arts; 7 and being driven out from there, he has come here, thinking to escape notice among you; and behold, he stands face to face with me. 8 Say now, Simon, did you not at Jerusalem fall at my feet and Paul’s, when you saw the healings that were worked by our hands, and say: I beg you to take from me a payment—as much as you will—so that I may be able to lay hands on men and do such mighty works? 9 And we, when we heard it, cursed you, saying: Do you think to tempt us as if we desired to possess money? And now, do you not fear at all? 10 My name is Peter, because the Lord Christ approved to call me prepared for all things: for I trust in the living God by whom I will put down your sorceries. 11 Now let Him do in your presence the wonders which He did in times past: and what I have now said of Him, will you not believe it?” 12 But Simon said: “You presume to speak of Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of a carpenter, and a carpenter Himself, whose birth is recorded in Judea. Hear, Peter: the Romans have understanding: they are no fools.” 13 And he turned to the people and said: “You men of Rome, is God born? Is He crucified? He that has a master is no God.” 14 And when he so spoke, many said: “You speak well, Simon.”
1 But Peter said: “A curse on your words against Christ! Do you presume to speak this? 2 Whereas the prophet says of Him: Who will declare His generation? And another prophet says: And we saw Him, and He had no beauty nor attractiveness. And: In the last times a Child is born of the Holy Spirit: His mother does not know a man, neither does any man say that he is His father. 3 And again he says: She has brought forth and not brought forth. And again: Is it a small thing for you to weary men? Behold, a virgin will conceive in the womb. 4 And another prophet says, honoring the Father: Neither did we hear her voice, neither did a midwife come in. Another prophet says: Not born of the womb of a woman, but from a heavenly place He came down. 5 And: A stone was cut out without hands and struck all the kingdoms. 6 And: The stone which the builders rejected, the same has become the head of the corner; and he calls Him a precious, chosen stone. 7 And again, a prophet says concerning Him: And behold, I saw one like the Son of Man coming on a cloud. 8 And what more? O you men of Rome, if you knew the Writings of the prophets, I would expound everything to you: by which writings it was necessary that this should be spoken in a mystery, and that the Kingdom of God should be perfected. But these things will be opened to you hereafter. 9 Now I turn to you, Simon: do one thing of those with which you previously deceived them, and I will bring it to nothing through my Lord Jesus Christ.” 10 And Simon plucked up his boldness and said: “If the prefect allows it, prepare yourselves and do not delay for my sake.”
1 But the prefect desired to show patience to both, so that he might not appear to do anything unjustly. 2 And the prefect put forward one of his servants and said thus to Simon: “Take this man and deliver him to death.” And to Peter he said: “And you revive him.” 3 And to the people the prefect said: “It is now for you to judge which of these two is acceptable to God: he that kills or he that makes alive.” 4 And immediately Simon spoke in the ear of the young man and made him speechless, and he died. 5 And as there began to be a murmuring among the people, one of the widows who were nourished in Marcellus’ house, standing behind the multitude, cried out: “O Peter, servant of God, my son is dead, the only one that I had!” 6 And the people made space for her and led her to Peter: and she cast herself down at his feet, saying, “I only had [this] one son, which with his hands, furnished me with nourishment: he raised me up, he carried me: now that he is dead, who will reach out a hand to me?” 7 To whom Peter said: “Go, with these for a witness, and bring your son here, so that they may see and be able to believe that by the power of God he is raised, and that this man [(Simon)] may behold it and fail.” 8 And Peter said to the young men: “We have need of some young men, and, moreover, of such as will believe.” 9 And immediately, thirty young men arose, which were prepared to carry her to her son that was dead. 10 And whereas the widow had barely recovered herself, the young men picked her up; 11 and she was crying out and saying: “Behold, my son, the servant of Christ has sent to you”—tearing her hair and her face. 12 Now the young men which had come examined the young man’s nostrils to see whether he was indeed dead; 13 and seeing that he was truly dead, they had compassion on the old woman and said: “If you so will, mother, and have confidence in the God of Peter, we will pick him up and carry him there, so that he may raise him up and restore him to you.”
1 And as they said these things, the prefect, looking earnestly on Peter, said: “What do you say, Peter? Behold, my young man is dead, who is also dear to the emperor, and I did not spare him, although I had with me other young men; 2 but I rather desired to make a trial of you and of the God whom you preach, whether you be true, and therefore I would have this young man die.” 3 And Peter said: “God is not tempted nor proved, O Agrippa, but if He is loved and implored, He hears them that are worthy. But since now my God and Lord Jesus Christ is tempted among you, who has done such great signs and wonders by my hands to turn you from your sins— 4 now also in the sight of all may You, Lord, at my word, by Your power raise him up whom Simon has slain by touching him.” 5 And Peter said to the master of the young man: “Go, take hold of his right hand, and you will have him alive and walking with you.” 6 And Agrippa the prefect ran, and went to the young man, and took his hand, and raised him up. And all the multitude seeing it cried: “There is one God! One is the God of Peter!”
1 In the meanwhile, the widow’s son was also brought on a bed by the young men, and the people made way for them and brought them to Peter. 2 And Peter lifted up his eyes toward the sky, and stretched forth his hands, and said: “O holy Father of Your Son Jesus Christ, who have granted us Your power, so that we may, through You, ask and obtain, and despise all that is in the world, and follow You alone, who are seen by few and would be known of many: 3 shine around us, Lord; enlighten us, appear, raise up the son of this aged widow, who cannot help herself without her son. 4 And I, repeating the word of Christ my Lord, say to you: Young man, arise and walk with your mother so long as you can do her good; and thereafter you will serve me after a higher sort, ministering in the lot of a servant of the overseer.” 5 And immediately the dead man rose up, and the multitudes saw it and marveled, and the people cried out: “You are God the Savior—You, the God of Peter, the invisible God, the Savior.” 6 And they spoke among themselves, indeed marveling at the power of a man that called on his Lord with a word; and they received it to sanctification.
1 The fame of it therefore being spread throughout the city, there came the mother of a certain senator, and she cast herself into the midst of the people and fell at Peter’s feet, saying, “I have learned from my people that you are a servant of the merciful God and impart His grace to all those that desire this light. 2 Therefore, impart the light to my son, for I know that you resent no one; do not turn away from a matron that begs you.” 3 To whom Peter said: “Will you believe on my God, by whom your son will be raised?” 4 And the mother said with a loud voice, weeping, “I believe, O Peter, I believe!” And all the people cried out: “Grant the mother her son.” 5 But Peter said: “Let him be brought here before all these.” 6 And Peter turned himself to the people and said: “You men of Rome, I am also one of yourselves, and bear a man’s body, and am a sinner, but have obtained mercy: therefore, do not look on me as though I, by mine own power, did that which I do, but by the power of my Lord Jesus Christ, who is the Judge of [the] living and dead. 7 In Him do I believe, and by Him am I sent and have confidence when I call on Him to raise the dead. 8 Therefore, you also go, O woman, and cause your son to be brought here and to rise again.” 9 And the woman passed through the midst of the people and went into the street, running with great joy, and believing in her mind. 10 She came to her house, and by means of her young men, she picked him up and came to the forum. 11 Now she instructed the young men to put caps on their heads, and to walk before the bier, and all that she had determined to burn on the body of her son to be carried before his bier; 12 and when Peter saw it, he had compassion on the dead body and on her. 13 And she came to the multitude, while all lamented her; and a great crowd of senators and matrons followed after, to behold the wonderful works of God: for this Nicostratus which was dead was exceedingly noble and beloved by the senate. 14 And they brought him and set him down before Peter. 15 And Peter called for silence, and with a loud voice said: “You men of Rome, let there now be a just judgment between me and Simon; and judge which of the two of us believes in the living God: he or I. 16 Let him raise up the body that lies here, and believe in him as the messenger of God. 17 But if he is not able, and I call on my God and restore the son alive to his mother, then believe that this man is a sorcerer and a deceiver, which is entertained among you.” 18 And when they all heard these things, they thought that it was right which Peter had spoken, and they encouraged Simon, saying, “Now, if there is anything in you, show it openly! Either overcome, or you will be overcome! Why do you stand still? Come, begin!” 19 But Simon, when he saw them all insistent with him, stood silent; and thereafter, when he saw the people silent and looking on him, Simon cried out, saying, “You men of Rome, if you behold the dead man arise, will you cast Peter out of the city?” 20 And all the people said: “We will not only cast him out, but that very instant we will burn him with fire.” 21 Then Simon went to the head of the dead man, and stooped down, and three times raised himself up, and showed the people that [the dead man] lifted his head and moved it, and opened his eyes, and bowed himself a little to Simon. 22 And immediately they began to ask for wood and torches, with which to burn Peter. 23 But Peter receiving strength from Christ, lifted up his voice and said to them that cried out against him: “Now I see, you people of Rome, that you are—I must not say—fools and vain, as long as your eyes, and your ears, and your hearts are blinded. How long will your understanding be darkened? 24 Do you not see that you are bewitched, supposing that a dead man is raised, who has not lifted himself up? 25 It would have satisfied me, you men of Rome, to hold my peace and die without speaking, and to leave you among the deceits of this world; but I have the punishment of unquenchable fire before my eyes. 26 If it therefore seems good to you, let the dead man speak, let him arise if he lives, let him free his jaw that is bound with his hands, let him call on his mother, let him say to you that cry out: Why do you cry? Let him beckon to us with his hand. 27 If now you would see that he is dead, and yourselves bewitched, let this man depart from the bier, who has persuaded you to depart from Christ, and you will see that the dead man is such as you saw him brought here.” 28 But Agrippa the prefect no longer had patience, but thrust Simon away with his own hands, and again the dead man lay as he was before. 29 And the people were enraged, and turned away from the sorcery of Simon, and began to cry out: “Listen, O Caesar! If the dead [man] does not rise now, let Simon burn instead of Peter, for he has truly blinded us.” 30 But Peter stretched forth his hand and said: “O men of Rome, have patience! I do not say to you that if the young man is raised, Simon will burn; for if I say it, you will do it.” 31 The people cried out: “Against your will, Peter, we will do it!” To whom Peter said: “If you continue in this mind, the young man will not arise: for we do not know to render evil for evil, but we have learned to love our enemies and pray for our persecutors. 32 For if even this man can convert, it were better; for God will not remember evil. 33 Let him come, therefore, into the light of Christ; but if he cannot, let him possess the part of his father the Devil, but do not let your hands be defiled.” 34 And when he had thus spoken to the people, he went to the young man, and before he raised him, he said to his mother: “These young men whom you have set free in the honor of your son, can yet serve their God when he lives, being free; for I know that the soul of some is hurt if they will see your son arise and know that these will yet be in bondage: but let them all continue free and receive their sustenance as they did before, for your son is about to rise again; and let them be with him.” 35 And Peter looked long on her, to see her thoughts. 36 And the mother of the young man said: “What else can I do? Therefore, before the prefect I say: Whatsoever I intended to burn on the body of my son, let them possess it.” 37 And Peter said: “Let the residue be distributed to the widows.” 38 Then Peter rejoiced in soul and said in the Spirit: “O Lord, You are merciful! Jesus Christ, show Yourself to Your Peter who calls on You, just as You have always shown him mercy and loving-kindness: 39 and in the presence of all these which have obtained freedom, so that these may become Your servants, let Nicostratus now arise.” 40 And Peter touched the young man’s side and said: “Arise.” And the young man arose, and took off his grave clothes, and sat up, and freed his jaw, and asked for different clothing; 41 and he came down from the bier and said to Peter: “Please, O man of God, let us go to our Lord Christ whom I saw speaking with me; who also showed me to you and said to you: Bring him here to Me, for he is Mine.” 42 And when Peter heard this from the young man, he was strengthened even more in soul by the help of the Lord; 43 and Peter said to the people: “You men of Rome, it is thus that the dead are raised up, thus do they converse, thus do they arise and walk, and live as long a time as God wills. 44 Now therefore, you that have come together to the sight: turn from these evil ways of yours, and from all your gods that are made with hands, and from all uncleanness and lust, [and] receive fellowship with Christ, believing, so that you may obtain everlasting life.”
1 And in the same hour, they worshiped him as a god, falling down at his feet, and the sick whom they had at home, so that he might heal them. 2 But the prefect, seeing that such a great multitude waited on Peter, signified to Peter that he should withdraw himself: 3 and Peter told the people to come to Marcellus’ house. But the mother of the young man begged Peter to set foot in her house. 4 Yet Peter had appointed to be with Marcellus on the Lord’s Day, to see the widows even as Marcellus had promised, to minister to them with his own hands. 5 Therefore, the young man who had risen again said: “I do not depart from Peter.” And his mother, glad and rejoicing, went to her own house. 6 And on the next day after the Sabbath, she came to Marcellus’ house bringing to Peter two thousand pieces of gold and saying to Peter: “Divide these among the virgins of Christ which serve Him.” 7 But the young man who had risen from the dead, when he saw that he had given nothing to any man, went home, and opened the press, and himself offered four thousand pieces of gold, saying to Peter: “Behold, I who was raised also offer a double offering, and myself also from this day forward as a speaking sacrifice to God.”
1 Now on the Lord’s Day, as Peter discoursed to the brothers and exhorted them toward the faith of Christ, there being present many of the senate and many knights, and rich women, and matrons, and being confirmed in the faith, one woman that was there, exceedingly rich, who was surnamed Chryse because every vessel of hers was of gold—for from her birth she never used a vessel of silver or glass, but golden ones only—said to Peter: “Peter, you servant of God, He whom you call God appeared to me in a dream and said: Chryse, carry to My minister Peter ten thousand pieces of gold; for you owe them to him. 2 I have therefore brought them, fearing lest some harm should be done to me by Him who appeared to me, who also departed to Heaven.” 3 And saying this, she laid down the money and departed. 4 And Peter seeing it, glorified the Lord, because they that were in need should be refreshed. 5 Therefore, certain of them that were there said to him: “Peter, have you not done wrong to receive the money from her? For she is spoken of poorly throughout all Rome for fornication, and because she does not keep to one husband; yes, she even has to do with the young men of her house. 6 Do not therefore be a partner with the table of Chryse, but let that which came from her be returned to her.” 7 But Peter, hearing it, laughed and said to the brothers: “What this woman is in the rest of her way of life, I do not know, but in that I have received this money, I did not do it foolishly; for she paid it as a debtor to Christ, and she gives it to the servants of Christ: for He Himself has provided for them.”
1 And they also brought to him the sick on the Sabbath, begging that they might recover from their diseases. 2 And many were healed that were sick of palsy, and gout, and tertian and quartan fevers—and of every disease of the body they were healed, believing in the Name of Jesus Christ, and very many were added every day to the grace of the Lord. 3 But Simon the magician, after a few days were past, promised the multitude to convict Peter that he did not believe in the true God, but was deceived. 4 And when he did many lying wonders, they that were firm in the faith derided him. 5 For in dining chambers he made certain spirits enter in, which were only an apparition, and not existing in reality. 6 And what more should I say? Although he had oftentimes been convicted of sorcery, he made lame men seem whole for a short span, and blind likewise, and once he appeared to make many dead to live and move, as he did with Nicostratus. 7 But Peter followed him throughout and always convicted him to the beholders: 8 and when he now made a sorry figure, and was derided by the people of Rome and disbelieved because he never succeeded in the things which he promised to perform, being in such a plight at last, he said to them: “Men of Rome, you now think that Peter has prevailed over me, as more powerful, and you pay more heed to him: you are deceived. 9 For tomorrow I will forsake you—godless and impious as you are—and fly up to God whose power I am, though I have become weak. 10 Whereas, then, you have fallen, I am he that stands, and I will go up to my father and say to him: Me also, even your son that stands, have they desired to pull down; but I did not consent to them, and have returned back to myself.”
And the next day, a great multitude had already assembled at the Sacred Way to watch him flying. And Peter came to the place to see the sight, so that he might convict him in this also; for when Simon entered into Rome, he amazed the multitudes by flying: but Peter who convicted him was not yet living at Rome, which city he thus deceived by illusion, so that some were carried away [in amazement] by him. So then this man, standing on a high place, beheld Peter and began to say: “Peter, at this time when I am going up before all these people who behold me, I say to you: If your God is able, whom the Jews put to death, and stoned you that were chosen by Him, let Him show that faith in Him is faith in God, and let it appear at this time, if it is worthy of God. For I, ascending up, will myself show who I am to all this multitude.” And behold, when he was lifted up on high, and all beheld him raised up above all Rome, and the temples thereof, and the mountains, the faithful looked toward Peter. And Peter, seeing the strangeness of the sight, cried to the Lord Jesus Christ: “If you allow this man to accomplish that which he has set about, now will all of them who have believed on You be offended, and the signs and wonders which You have given them through me will not be believed: hasten Your grace, O Lord, and let him fall from the height and be disabled; and let him not die, but be brought to nothing, and break his leg in three places.” And he fell from the height and broke his leg in three places. Then every man cast stones at him and went away home, and thenceforth they believed Peter. But one of the friends of Simon quickly came out of the way, Gemellus by name, of whom Simon had received much money, having a Greek woman for a wife, and saw that he had broken his leg, and said: “O Simon, if the Power of God is broken to pieces, will not that god whose power you are, himself be blinded?” Gemellus therefore also ran and followed Peter, saying to him: “I also would be of them that believe on Christ.” And Peter said: “Is there anyone that resents it, my brother? Come and sit with us.” But in his affliction, Simon found some to carry him by night on a bed from Rome to Aricia; and he abode there awhile and was brought from there to Terracina, to one Castor that was banished from Rome on an accusation of sorcery. And there he was severely cut [[by two physicians]], and so Simon, the messenger of Satan, came to his end.
1 Now Peter was in Rome rejoicing in the Lord with the brothers and giving thanks night and day for the multitude which were brought daily to the holy Name by the grace of the Lord. 2 And there were also gathered to Peter the concubines of Agrippa the prefect, being four: Agrippina, and Nicaria, and Euphemia, and Doris; 3 and they, hearing the word concerning chastity and all the oracles of the Lord, were stricken in their souls, and agreeing together to remain pure from the bed of Agrippa, they were provoked by him. 4 Now as Agrippa was perplexed and grieved concerning them—and he loved them greatly—he observed, and sent men stealthily to see where they went, and found that they went to Peter. 5 Therefore, he said to them when they returned: “That Christian has taught you to have no dealings with me: know that I will both destroy you, and burn him alive.” 6 They then endured to suffer every manner of evil at Agrippa’s hand, if only they might not suffer the passion of love, being strengthened by the might of Jesus.
1 And a certain woman who was exceedingly beautiful, the wife of Albinus, Caesar’s friend, by name Xanthippe, came, she also, to Peter, with the rest of the matrons, and withdrew herself, she also, from Albinus. 2 He therefore, being mad, and loving Xanthippe, and marveling that she would not sleep even on the same bed with him, raged like a wild beast and would have dispatched Peter; for he knew that he was the cause of her separating from his bed. 3 Many other women also, loving the word of chastity, separated themselves from their husbands, because they desired them to worship God in sobriety and cleanness. 4 And whereas there was great trouble in Rome, Albinus made known his state to Agrippa, saying to him: “Either avenge me of Peter, who has withdrawn my wife, or I will avenge myself.” 5 And Agrippa said: “I have suffered the same at his hand, for he has withdrawn my concubines.” 6 And Albinus said to him: “Why then do you tarry, Agrippa? Let us find him and put him to death for [being] a dealer in curious arts, so that we may have our wives again, and avenge them also which are not able to put him to death, whose wives he has also parted from them.”
1 And as they considered these things, Xanthippe took knowledge of the counsel of her husband with Agrippa, and she sent and showed Peter, so that he might depart from Rome. 2 And the rest of the brothers, together with Marcellus, begged him to depart. But Peter said to them: “Will we be runaways, brothers?” 3 And they said to him: “No, but that you may yet be able to serve the Lord.” 4 And he obeyed the brothers’ voice and went forth alone, saying, “Let none of you come forth with me, but I will go forth alone, having changed the fashion of my apparel.” 5 And as he went forth from the city, he saw the Lord entering into Rome. 6 And when he saw Him, he said: “Lord, why do You come here?” And the Lord said to him: “I go into Rome to be crucified.” 7 And Peter said to Him: “Lord, are You [being] crucified again?” He said to him: “Yes, Peter, I am [being] crucified again.” 8 And Peter came to himself; and having beheld the Lord ascending up into Heaven, he returned to Rome, rejoicing and glorifying the Lord, because He said: “I am being crucified”—which was about to happen to Peter.
1 Therefore, he went up again to the brothers and told them that which had been seen by him: and they lamented in soul, weeping and saying: “We beg you, Peter, consider us who are young.” 2 And Peter said to them: “If it is the Lord’s will, it comes to pass, even if we do not will it; 3 but as for you, the Lord is able to establish you in His faith, and He will found you therein and make you spread abroad, whom He Himself has planted, so that you also may plant others through Him. 4 But I, as long as the Lord wills that I be in the flesh, do not resist; and again, if He takes me, to Him I rejoice and am glad.” 5 And while Peter thus spoke, and all the brothers wept, behold, four soldiers took him and led him to Agrippa. 6 And he in his madness commanded him to be crucified on an accusation of godlessness. 7 The whole multitude of the brothers therefore ran together, both of rich and poor, orphans and widows, weak and strong, desiring to see and to rescue Peter, while the people shouted with one voice, and would not be silenced: “What wrong has Peter done, O Agrippa? Wherein has he hurt you? Tell the Romans!” 8 And others said: “We fear if this man dies, his Lord will destroy us all.” 9 And when Peter came to the place, he quieted the people and said: “You men that are soldiers of Christ! You men that hope in Christ! Remember the signs and wonders which you have seen worked through me; remember the compassion of God, how many cures He has worked for you. 10 Wait for Him that comes and will reward every man according to his doings. 11 And now, do not be bitter against Agrippa, for he is the minister of his father’s working. And this comes to pass at all events, for the Lord has manifested to me that which happens. 12 But why should I delay and not draw near to the cross?”
1 And having approached, and standing by the cross, he began to say: “O name of the cross, you hidden mystery! O grace ineffable, that is pronounced in the name of the cross! O nature of man, that cannot be separated from God! O unspeakable and inseparable love, that cannot be shown forth by unclean lips! 2 I seize you now—I that am at the end of my delivery here. 3 I will declare to you what you are: I will not keep silent regarding the mystery of the cross which before was shut and hidden from my soul. 4 Do not let the cross be to you which hope in Christ, this which appears: for it is another thing, different from that which appears, even this passion which is according to that of Christ. 5 And now above all, because you that can hear are able to hear it from me, that am at the last and final hour of my life, listen: separate your souls from everything that is of the senses, from everything that appears and does not exist in reality. 6 Blind these eyes of yours, close these ears of yours, put away your doings that are seen, and you will perceive that which concerns Christ, and the whole mystery of your salvation: and let this much be said to you that hear, as if it had not been spoken. 7 But now it is time for you, Peter, to deliver up your body to them that take it. Receive it then, you to whom it belongs. 8 I implore you the executioners, crucify me this way: with the head downward and not otherwise: and the reason why, I will tell to them that hear.”
1 And when they had hung him up after the manner he desired, he again began to say: “You men to whom it belongs to hear, listen to that which I will declare to you at this particular time as I hang here. 2 Learn the mystery of all nature, and the beginning of all things—what it was. 3 For the first man, whose race I bear in my appearance, fell head downward, and showed forth a manner of birth such as was not until now: for it was dead, having no motion. 4 He, then, being pulled down—who also cast his first state down on the earth—established this whole disposition of all things, being hung up [as] an image of the creation wherein he made the things of the right hand into left hand and the left hand into right hand, and changed about all the marks of their nature, so that he thought those things that were not fair to be fair, and those that were in truth evil, to be good. 5 Concerning which the Lord says in a mystery: Unless you make the things of the right hand as those of the left, and those of the left as those of the right, and those that are above as those below, and those that are behind as those that are before, you will not have knowledge of the kingdom. 6 Therefore, I have declared this thought to you; and the figure wherein you now see me hanging is the representation of that man that first came to birth. 7 You therefore, my beloved, and you that hear me and that will hear, ought to cease from your former error and return back again. 8 For it is right to mount on the Cross of Christ, who is the Word stretched out, the One and Only, of whom the Spirit says: For what else is Christ, but the Word, the Sound of God? 9 So that the Word is the upright beam whereon I am crucified. 10 And the Sound is that which crosses it—the nature of man. 11 And the nail which holds the cross-tree to the upright in the midst thereof is the conversion of man.”
1 “Now whereas You have made known and revealed these things to me, O Word of life, called now by me the Tree of Life, I give You thanks, not with these lips that are nailed to the cross, nor with this tongue by which truth and falsehood issue forth, nor with this word which comes forth by means of art whose nature is material, 2 but with that voice I give You thanks, O King, which is perceived in silence, which is not heard openly, which does not proceed forth by organs of the body, which does not go into ears of flesh, which is not heard by corruptible substance, which does not exist in the world, neither is sent forth on earth, nor written in books, which is owned by one and not by another: 3 but with this, O Jesus Christ, I give You thanks, with the silence of a voice, with which the Spirit that is in me loves You, speaks to You, sees You, and pleads with You. You are perceived by the Spirit only; 4 You are to me father—You my mother, You my brother, You my friend, You my bondsman, You my steward: You are the All and the All is in You; and You are, and there is nothing else that is except You alone. 5 Therefore, to Him you must also flee, brothers, and if you learn that in Him alone you exist, you will obtain those things whereof He says to you: which neither eye has seen nor ear heard, neither have they entered into the heart of man. 6 We ask, therefore, for that which You have promised to give to us, O You undefiled Jesus. 7 We praise You; we give You thanks and confess to You, glorifying You, even we men that are still without strength, for You are God alone, and none other: to whom be glory now and to all ages. Amen.”
1 And when the multitude that stood by pronounced the “Amen” with a great sound, together with the “Amen” Peter gave up his spirit to the Lord. 2 And Marcellus, not asking leave of any—for it was not possible when he saw that Peter had given up the spirit—took him down from the cross with his own hands and washed him in milk and wine; 3 and he cut in fine [pieces] seven minae of mastic, and of myrrh, and aloes, and Indian leaf another fifty; and he embalmed his body, and filled a coffin of marble of great price with Attic honey, and laid it in his own tomb. 4 But Peter appeared by night to Marcellus and said: “Marcellus, have you heard that the Lord says: Let the dead be buried by their own dead?” 5 And when Marcellus said, “Yes,” Peter said to him: “That, then, which you have spent on the dead, you have lost, for you being alive have like a dead man cared for the dead.” 6 And Marcellus awoke and told the brothers of the appearing of Peter: and he was with them that had been established in the faith of Christ by Peter, also being established himself still more until the coming of Paul to Rome.
1 But Nero, learning thereafter that Peter had departed out of this life, blamed the prefect Agrippa, because he had been put to death without his knowledge; 2 for he desired to punish him more severely and with greater torment, because Peter had made disciples of certain of them that served him, and had caused them to depart from him, so that he was very wrathful and for a long season did not speak to Agrippa: 3 for he sought to destroy all of them that had been made disciples by Peter. 4 And he beheld by night one that scourged him and said to him: “Nero, you cannot now persecute nor destroy the servants of Christ: therefore, refrain your hands from them.” 5 And so Nero, being greatly frightened by such a vision, abstained from harming the disciples at that time when Peter also departed this life. 6 And thenceforth the brothers were rejoicing with one mind and exulting in the Lord, glorifying the God and [[Father]] of our Lord Jesus Christ with the Holy Spirit, to whom be glory, world without end. Amen.