The Ancient Apocalypse of Peter (also Called Revelation of Peter) is a First century Text Written by St Peter. It is mentioned in the Muratorian canon fragment, the old surviving list of books of New Testament.
The Present available text is in two incomplete versions of a lost Greek original, one Koine Greek, and an Ethiopic version, which has some mixture considerably.
It is Quoted by Clement of Alexandria(AD-150) Who Considered it to be Inspired Scripture also Indicates that It is written By St Peter.
By Clement of Alexandria
Thus Says the Scripture, The children that are exposed by parents are Sent to a protecting angel, with whom they are brought up and nourished. And shall be they , it says, like the faithful of a hundred years old here.
Wherefore also says Apocalypse written by peter, “And a Fire like a Flash which come forth from the eyes their children and the eyes that are smitted of the women”. —- Eclogae Propheticae 41(Found in both ethopic and Greek)
Here Clement calls apocalypse of Peter inspired scripture
For Instance In Apocalypse Written by Peter says that the children that are born abortively receive the better part. They are Sent to a care-taking angel, In order that after they have reached knowledge they will obtain the better abode, Like as if they had suffered what they would have suffered [in their Life], had they attained to life in body. But the other people shall gain/obtain salvation only - as a people who suffered wrong and experienced mercy, and shall exist without any torment, receiving this as their reward/Compensation. But the congealing mothers milk which flows from their breasts, says Apocalypse written by Peter,[They] shall beget small beasts eating flesh and they shall devour them by running over them – which teaches that the Reason of Sins will come to pass by Punishment. ———– Written in Eclogae Propheticae 48-49 by Clement of Alexandria.
Clement quoted Revelation of Peter Approvingly based on Reading the fragmental text named Prophetical extracts Quoted it as Scripture and stated Peter in his Apocalypse, which means its written by peter.
I've had Recieved Several questions saying Clement had quoted false writings namely Gospel of Matthais, hebrews, Egyptians but he never accepted it as Scripture and he was against Gospel of Egyptians and Matthais.
Muratorian Fragment(150-170Ad)
"We Accept apocalypse of John and Apocalypse of Peter but Some of Us do not want the [Apocalypse of Peter?] to be read in the Church.``
The above statement from Muratorian fragment may also state that apocalypse of Peter and John both were accepted as Scripture but some of the church members or leader do not want it to be Read in church it may also Refer that It can be Read personally. Some translation do not show Latter for instance Some of Us do not want it to be read.
This indicates it was Accepted universally as Clement is from Alexandria in East and Ireneaus is from West. It is also included in Codex Claromontanus (500Ad)
It was Rejected By Eusbieus(4th century) who had constructed the books of bible and gave the copies to Constantinople.
Rejection on this Text
Apocalypse of Peter is Rejected by Many People. Some Considered it Holy written by Peter. But It is Partially known and two text diverge. But Many Reject this Book because it is Similar to 4 Esdras, However 4 esdras was written around 367AD also some scholars agree.. But the Earliest Quoting of Clement of Alexandria makes it clear on Apocalypse of Peter. He is Ancient Church Father. Later On it is Quoted in Muratorian Canon as Accepted Book of New testament around 155-170AD, Which Indicates Ireneaus Accepted Apocalypse of Peter. Muratorian canon is Written by Gaius Assistant of Ireneaus.
Those Who Reject it... I've like to Say that if you Feel 2 Peter is True ,then Peters Apocalypse is True. I know all those Who Reject Apocalypse use 2 Peter and Both the Books are Parallel.
Contents
The Apocalypse of Peter is Scene of the Risen Christ to his faithful Apostles, Giving a vision first of heaven, and then of hell, granted to St Peter. It tells us the detail about the punishment in hell for each type of crime or Sins and the pleasures given in heaven for each virtue.
In heaven, Based on vision, People have a pure milky white skin, curly hair, and are generally beautiful [They are the Saints]
1]The earth blooms with everlasting flowers and spices
2]People wear shiny clothes made of light, like the angels.
Everyone sings in choir of prayer
The punishments of Hell in the vision is the punishment that will fit the crime. Some of the punishments in hell Based on the vision include:
Blasphemers like Liars are hanged by the tongue.
Women who themselves adorn for the purpose of adultery, are hung by the hait or rope over a mire bubbling. The men that had adulterous relationships with them are badly hung by their feet, with their head in the mire, next to each other.
Murderers and those who give order to murder are set in a pit of Scary and dangerous creeping things that torment them.
Men dress themselve like women in a sexual way, and the lesbians(women with women), are “Badly driven” up a great cliff by punishing angels, and are casted off to the bottom. Then later they are forced up it, over and over again, continuously, to their doom.
Women who have/made abortions are set in a lake made from the blood and gore from all the other deadly punishments, till their necks. They are also tormented by the spirits of their unborn/aborted children, who shoot a “ fire made of fire” into their eyes. (And Those unborn/aborted children are “Sent to a care-taking” angel by whom they are educated/Kept safe, and “made to grow up till 100.”)
Those who money lenders demand “intrest upon intrest” stand up to their knees in a lake of foul thing/matter and blood.
Parables
The Gospel parables of the budding figtree and the barren fig tree, alluded in the parousia of Matthew 24, appear only in the Ethiopic version . The two parables are mixed, and in which the tree becomes nation of Israel and the shoots that flourish become Jews that have adopted Jesus as Messiah and achieve martyrdom.
PROPHECIES
Many of them shall be false prophets
Enoch and Elias return
Blasphemers will be punished
Christ’s second coming
Destruction of antichrist
Eternal punishment of Hell
Jesus is rejected as messiah
Video on Apocalypse of Peter
There are many Things about Apocalypse which are in this Video by Me.
Conclusion
Apocalypse Of Peter is not Available in complete form So it can’t be added to Bible but can be Read.but the Quoting of Clement of Alexandra (140Ad) and Muratorian canon makes it clear that it was deemed Scripture and written by Peter. It shows Parallel relationship with 2 Peter.
Apocalypse of Peter Text with Titles edited by me consists of both Greek and Ethipioc
The Apocalypse of Peter
THE AKHMIM FRAGMENT
…END TIMES
1 ,Many of them shall be false prophets and shall teach ways and diverse doctrines of perdition.
2 And they shall become sons of perdition.
3 And then shall God come unto my faithful ones that hunger and thirst and are afflicted and prove their souls in this life, and shall judge the sons of iniquity.
TRANSFIGURATION IN MOUNT TABOR
4 And the Lord added and said: Let us go unto the mountain (and) pray.
5 And going with him, we the twelve disciples besought him that he would show us one of our righteous brethren that had departed out of the world, that we might see what manner of men they are in their form, and take courage, and encourage also the men that should hear us.
6 And as we prayed, suddenly there appeared two men standing before the Lord (perhaps add, to the east) upon whom we were not able to look.
7 For 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.
VISION OF RIGHTEOUS MEN IN HEAVEN
8 Whom when we saw we were astonied, for their bodies were whiter than any snow and redder than any rose.
9 And the redness of them was mingled with the whiteness, and, in a word, I am not able to declare their beauty.
10 For their hair was curling and flourishing (flowery), 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.
11 We, then, seeing the beauty of them were astonied at them, for they appeared suddenly.
12 And I drew near to the Lord and said: Who are these?
13 He said to me: These are your (our) righteous brethren whose appearance ye did desire to see.
14 And I said unto him: And where are all the righteous? or of what sort is the world wherein they are, and possess this glory?
15 And 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.
16 And so great was the blossom that the odour thereof was borne thence even unto us.
17 And the dwellers in that place were clad with the raiment of shining angels, and their raiment was like unto their land.
18 And angels ran round about them there.
19 And the glory of them that dwelt there was all equal, and with one voice they praised the Lord God, rejoicing in that place.
20 The Lord saith unto us: This is the place of your leaders (or, high priests), the righteous men.
TORMENTS IN HELL
21 And 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.
PUNISHMENT ACCORDING TO THEIR DEEDS
22 And 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.
23 And 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.
24 And 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.
25 And 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.
26 And 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.
27 And 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.
28 And 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.
29 And 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.
30 And 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. [This is suggested by the LXX of two passages in Job: xli. 30, his bed is of sharp spits; viii. 17, on an heap of stones doth he rest, and shall live in the midst of gravel-stones.] 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.
31 And in another great lake full of foul matter (pus) 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.
32 And other men and women being cast down from a great rock (precipice) fell (came) 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.
33 And 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, [And beside them other men and women] having rods of fire and smiting one another and never resting from this manner of torment….
34 And 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.
THE ETHIOPIC TEXT
1.SIGNS OF END TIME
1.The Second Coming of Christ and Resurrection of the Dead (which Christ revealed unto Peter) who died because of their sins, for that they kept not the commandment of God their creator.
2.And he (Peter) pondered thereon, that he might perceive the .mystery of the Son of God, the merciful and lover of mercy.
3.And when the Lord was seated upon the Mount of Olives, his disciples came unto him.
4.And we besought and entreated him severally and prayed him, saying unto hhim
Declare unto us what are the signs of thy coming and of the end of the world, that we may perceive and mark the time of thy coming and instruct them that come after us, unto whom we preach the word of thy gospel, and whom we set over (in) thy church, that they when they hear it may take heed to themselves and mark the time of thy coming.
6.And our Lord answered us, saying: Take heed that no man deceive you, and that ye be not doubters and serve other gods.
7.Many shall come in my name, saying: I am the Christ. Believe them not, neither draw near unto them.
For the coming of the Son of God shall not be plain (i.e. foreseen); but as the lightning that shineth from the east unto the west, so will I come upon the clouds of heaven with a great host in my majesty; with my cross going before my face will I come in my majesty, shining sevenfold more than the sun will I come in my majesty with all my saints, mine angels (mine holy angels).
9.And my Father shall set a crown upon mine head, that I may judge the quick and the dead and recompense every man according to his works.
PARABLE OF FIG TREE.
10.And ye, take ye the likeness thereof (learn a parable) from the fig-tree: so soon as the shoot thereof is come forth and the twigs grown, the end of the world shall come.
11.And I, Peter, answered and said unto him: Interpret unto me concerning the fig-tree, whereby we shall perceive it; for throughout all its days doth the fig-tree send forth shoots, and every year it bringeth forth its fruit for its master.
12.What then meaneth the parable of the fig-tree? We know it not.
13.And the Master (Lord) answered and said unto me: Understandest thou not that the fig-tree is the house of Israel?
Even as a man that planted a fig-tree in his garden, and it brought forth no fruit. And he sought the fruit thereof many years and when he found it not, he said to the keeper of his garden: Root up this fig-tree that it make not our ground to be unfruitful.
15.And the gardener said unto God: (Suffer us) to rid it of weeds and dig the ground round about it and water it. If then it bear not fruit, we will straightway remove its roots out of the garden and plant another in place of it.
CHRIST AND ANTICHRIST
16.Hast thou not undErstood that the fig-tree is the house of Israel? Verily I say unto thee, when the twigs thereof have sprouted forth in the last days, then shall feigned Christs come and awake expectation saying: I am the Christ, that am now come into the world.
And when they (Israel) shall perceive the wickedness of their deeds they shall turn away after them and deny him [whom our fathers did praise], even the first Christ whom they crucified and therein sinned a great sin. But this deceiver is not the Christ. [something is wrong here: the sense required is that Israel perceives the wickedness of antichrist and does not follow him.]
RIGHTEOUS AND MARTYRS
18.And when they reject him he shall slay with the sword, and there shall be many martyrs. Then shall the twigs of the fig-tree, that is, the house of Israel, shoot forth: many shall become martyrs at his hand.
Enoch and Elias shall be sent to teach them that this is the deceiver which must come into the world and do signs and wonders to deceive.
20.And therefore shall they that die by his hand be martyrs, and shall be reckoned among the good and righteous martyrs who have pleased God in their life. [Hermas, Vision III.i.9, speaks of ‘those that have already been well-pleasing unto God and have suffered for the Name’s sake’.]
RIGHTEOUS AND SINNERS
1.And he showed me in his right hand the souls of all men, And on the palm of his right hand the image of that which shall be accomplished at the last day:
2.and how the righteous and the sinners shall be separated, and how they do that are upright in heart, and how the evil-doers shall be rooted out unto all eternity.
We beheld how the sinners wept (weep) in great affliction and sorrow, until all that saw it with their eyes wept, whether righteous or angels, and he himself also.
4.And I asked him and said unto him: Lord, suffer me to speak thy word concerning the sinners: It were better for them if they had not been created.
5.And the Saviour answered and said unto me: Peter, wherefore speaks thou thus, that not to have been created were better for them? Thou resistest God.
6.Thou wouldest not have more compassion than he for his image: for he hath created them and brought them forth out of not being.
7.Now because thou hast seen the lamentation which shall come upon the sinners in the last days, therefore is thine heart troubled; but I will show thee their works, whereby they have sinned against the Most High.
DAY OF THE LORD-MILLENIAL REIGN
8.Behold now what shall come upon them in the last days, when the day of God and the day of the decision of the judgement of God cometh.
9.From the east unto the west shall all the children of men be gathered together before my Father that liveth for ever. And he shall command hell to open its bars of adamant and give up all that is therein.
10.And the wild beasts and the fowls shall he command to restore all the flesh that they have devoured, because he willeth that men should appear; for nothing perisheth before God, and nothing is impossible with him, because all things are his.
11.For all things come to pass on the day of decision, on the day of judgement, at the word of God: and as all things were done when he created the world and commanded all that is therein and it was done -even so shall it be in the last days; for all things are possible with God.
12.And therefore saith he in the scripture:
13.[Ezek. xxxvii.] Son of man, prophesy upon the several bones and say unto the bones: bone unto bone in joints, sinew. nerves, flesh and skin and hair thereon [and soul and spirit].
14.And soul and spirit shall the great Uriel give them at the commandment of God; for him hath God set over the rising again of the dead at the day of judgement.
15.Behold and consider the corns of wheat that are sown in the earth.
16.As things dry and without soul do men sow them in the earth: and they live again and bear fruit, and the earth restoreth them as a pledge entrusted unto it.
17.[And this that dieth, that is sown as seed in the earth, and shall become alive and be restored unto life, is man. Probably a gloss.]
3.GOD OF MERCY-JUDGEMENT
1.How much more shall God raise up on the day of decision them that believe in him and are chosen of him, for whose sake he made the world
And all things shall the earth restore on the day of decision, for it also shall be judged with them, and the heaven with it.
FLOOD
3.And this shall come at the day of judgement upon them that have fallen away from faith in God and that have committed sin:
FLOOD OF FIRE
4.Floods (cataracts) of fire shall be let loose; and darkness and obscurity shall come up and clothe and veil the whole world and the waters shall be changed and turned into coals of fire and all that is in them shall burn, and the sea shall become fire.
Under the heaven shall be a sharp fire that cannot be quenched and floweth to fulfil the judgement of wrath.
And the stars shall fly in pieces by flames of fire, as if they had not been created and the powers (firmaments) of the heaven shall pass away for lack of water and shall be as though they had not been.
LIGHTNING’S
7.And the lightnings of heaven shall be no more, and by their enchantment they shall affright the world (probably: The heaven shall turn to lightning and the lightnings thereof shall affright the world.
8.The spirits also of the dead bodies shall be like unto them (the lightnings?) and shall become fire at the commandment of God.
9.And so soon as the whole creation dissolveth, the men that are in the east shall flee unto the west, unto the east; they that are in the south shall flee to the north, and they that are in the south.
10.And in all places shall the wrath of a fearful fire overtake them and an unquenchable flame driving them shall bring them unto the judgement of wrath,
11.unto the stream of unquenchable fire that floweth, flaming with fire, and when the waves thereof part themselves one from another,
burning, there shall be a great gnashing of teeth among the children of men.
JESUS SECOND COMING
13.Then shall they all behold me coming upon an eternal cloud of brightness: and the angels of God that are with me shall sit (prob. And I shall sit) upon the throne of my glory at the right hand of my Heavenly Father; and he shall set a crown upon mine head.
14.And when the nations behold it, they shall weep, every nation apart.
RIVER OF FIRE-SINNERS
15.Then shall he command them to enter into the river of fire while the works of every one of them shall stand before them (something is wanting) to every man according to his deeds.
JUDGEMENT
16.As for the elect[jews] that have done good, they shall come unto me and not see death by the devouring fire.
17..But the unrighteous the sinners, and the hypocrites shall stand in the depths of darkness that shall not pass away, and their chastisement is the fire, and angels bring forward their sins and prepare for them a place wherein they shall be punished for ever (every one according to his transgression).
4.
1.Uriel (Urael) the angel of God shall bring forth the souls of those sinners (every one according to his transgression: perhaps this clause should end the preceding paragraph: so Grebaut takes it) who perished in the flood, and of all that dwelt in all idols, in every molten image, in every (object of) love, and in pictures, and of those that dwelt on all hills and in stones and by the wayside, whom men called gods: they shall burn them with them (the objects in which they dwelt, or their worshippers?) in everlasting fire; and after that all of them with their dwelling places are destroyed, they shall be punished eternally.
(Here begins the description of torments which we have, in another text, in the Akhmim fragment.)
2.Then shall men and women come unto the place prepared for them. By their tongues wherewith they have blasphemed the way of righteousness shall they be hanged up.
There is spread under them unquenchable fire, that they escape it not.
4.Behold, another place: therein is a pit, great and full (of . . ) In it are they that have denied righteousness: and angels of punishment chastise them and there do they kindle upon them the fire of their torment.
5.And again behold [two: corrupt] women: they hang them up by their neck and by their hair; they shall cast them into the pit.
These are they which plaited their hair, not for good (or, not to make them beautiful) but to turn them to fornication, that they might ensnare the souls of men unto perdition.
7.And the men that lay with them in fornication shall be hung by their loins in that place of fire; and they shall say one to another: We knew not that we should come unto everlasting punishment.
8.And the murderers and them that have made common cause with them shall they cast into the fire, in a place full of venomous beasts, and they shall be tormented without rest, feeling their pains; and their worms shall be as many in number as a dark cloud.
5.RIGHTEOUS AND JUSTICE
1.And the angel Ezrael shall bring forth the souls of them that have been slain, and they shall behold the torment of them that slew them, and say one to another: Righteousness and justice is the judgement of God. For we heard, but we believed not, that we should come into this place of eternal judgement.
2.And near by this flame shall be a pit, great and very deep, and into it flowed from above all manner of torment, foulness, and issue.
FORNICATORS/ADULTERY[FORBIDDING 6TH COMMANDMENT]
3.And women are swallowed up therein up to their necks and tormented with great pain.
4.These are they that have caused their children to be born untimely, and have corrupted the work of God that created them. Over against them shall be another place where sit their children [both] alive, and they cry unto God.
And flashes (lightnings) go forth from those children and pierce the eyes of them that for fornication’s sake have caused their destruction.
6.Other men and women shall stand above them, naked; and their children stand over against them in a place of delight, and sigh and cry unto God because of their parents, saying:
7.These are they that have despised and cursed and transgressed thy commandments and delivered us unto death: they have cursed the angel that formed us, and have hanged us up, and withheld from us (or, begrudged us) the light which thou hast given unto all ccreatures.
8.And the milk of their mothers flowing from their breasts shall congeal, and from it shall come beasts devouring flesh, which shall come forth and turn and torment them for ever with their husbands, because they forsook the commandments of God and slew their children.
9.As for their children, they shall be delivered unto the angel Temlakos (i.e. a care-taking angel: see above, in the Fragments). And they that slew them shall be tormented eternally, for God willeth it so.
PUNISHMENT
10.Ezrael the angel of wrath shall bring men and women, the half of their bodies burning, and cast them into a place of darkness, even the hell of men; and a spirit of wrath shall chastise them with all manner of torment, and a worm that sleepeth not shall devour their entrails: and these are the persecutors and betrayers of my righteous ones.
11.And beside them that are there, shall be other men and women, gnawing their tongues; and they shall torment them with red-hot iron and burn their eyes.
6.PUNISHMENT FOR MISTREATING GODS PEOPLE
1.These are they that slander and doubt of my righteousness. 2.Other men and women whose works were done in deceitfulness shall have their lips cut off, and fire entereth into their mouth and their entrails.
3.These are the false witnesses (al. these are they that caused the martyrs to die by their lying).
4.And beside them, in a place near at hand, upon the stone shall be a pillar of fire, and the pillar is sharper than swords. And there shall be men and women clad in rags and filthy garments,
5.and they shall be cast thereon, to suffer the judgement of a torment that ceaseth not: these are they that trusted in their riches and despised the widows and the woman with fatherless children . . . before God.
6.And into another place hard by, full of filth, do they cast men and women up to the knees.
7.These are they that lent money and took usury.
8.And other men and women cast themselves down from an high place and return again and run, and devils drive them.
[These are the worshippers of idols] and they put them to the end of their witst (drive them up to the top of the height) and they cast themselves down.
MURDER[FORBIDDING 5TH COMMANDMENT]
And thus do they continually, and are tormented for ever. These are they which have cut their flesh as [apostles] of a man: and the women that were with them
11.And other men and women being cast down from a great rock (precipice) fell (came) 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.
HOMOSEXUALITY-PUNISHMENT
12.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. ETHOPIC AND GREEK TEXT
PUNISHMENT FOR WORSHIPING PAGAN GODS INSTEAD OF CREATER[1st COMMANDMENT AND 2nd]
13.And beside them (shall be a brazier ?) . . .
14.and beneath them shall the angel Ezrael prepare a place of much fire: and all the idols of gold and silver, all idols, the work of men’s hands, and the semblances of images of cats and lions, of creeping things and wild beasts, and the men and women that have prepared the images thereof, shall be in chains of fire and shall be chastised because of their error before the idols, and this is their judgement for ever. (In the Greek they beat each other with rods of fire: and this is better.)
GREEK
33 And 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, [And beside them other men and women] having rods of fire and smiting one another and never resting from this manner of torment….And beside them shall be other men and women, burning in the fire of the judgement, and their torment is everlasting. These are they that have forsaken the commandment of God and followed the (persuasions ?) of devils.
34 And 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.
(Parts of these two sections are in the Bodleian Fragment. At this point the Akhmim fragment ends. The Ethiopic continues 🙂
15.And there shall be another place, very high (corrupt sentences follow. Duensing omits them: Grebaut renders doubtfully: There shall be a furnace and a brazier wherein shall burn fire. The fire that shall burn shall come from one end of the brazier).
16.The men and women whose feet slip, shall go rolling down into a place where is fear.
17.And again while the fire that is prepared floweth, they mount up and fall down again and continue to roll down.
(This suggests a narrow bridge over a stream of fire which they keep trying to cross.)
Thus shall they be tormented for ever.
PUNISHMENT FOR DISRESPECTING PARENT FORBIDDING [4TH COMMANDMENT]
These are they that honoured not their father and mother and of their own accord withheld (withdrew) themselves from them. Therefore shall they be chastised eternally.
7.
1.Furthermore the angel Ezrael shall bring children and maidens to show them those that are tormented.
They shall be chastised with pains, with hanging up (?) and with a multitude of wounds which flesh-devouring birds shall inflict upon them.
3.These are they that boast themselves (trust) in their sins, and obey not their parents and follow not the instruction of their fathers, and honour not them that are more aged than they.
4.Beside them shall be girls clad in darkness for a garment and they shall be sore chastised and their flesh shall be torn in pieces.
FORNICATORS/ADULTERY[FORBIDDING 6TH COMMANDMENT]
5.These are they that kept not their virginity until they were given in marriage, and with these torments shall they be punished, and shall feel them.
PUNISHMENT
6.And again, other men and women, gnawing their tongues without ceasing, and being tormented with everlasting fire.
THOSE NOT FAITHFUL TO MASTER
These are the servants (slaves) which were not obedient unto their masters; and this then is their judgement for ever.
8.And hard by this place of torment shall be men and women dumb and blind, whose raiment is white.
9.They shall crowd one upon another, and fall upon coals of unquenchable fire.
10.These are they that give alms and say: We are righteous before God: whereas they have not sought after righteousness.
8.ETERNAL FIRE
1.Ezrael the angel of God shall bring them forth out of this fire and establish a judgement of decision.
2.This then is their judgement. A river of fire shall flow and all judgement (they that are judged) shall be drawn down into the middle of the river. And Uriel shall set them there.
3.And there are wheels of fire and men and women hung thereon by the strength of the whirling thereof.
4.And they that are in the pit shall burn: now these are the sorcerers and sorceresses.
5.Those wheels shall be in a]l decision (judgement, punishment) by fire without number.
RIGHTEOUS
6.Thereafter shall the angels bring mine elect and righteous which are perfect in all uprightness, and bear them in their hands, and clothe them with the raiment of the life that is above.
PUNISHMENT
7.They shall see their desire on them that hated them, when he punisheth them, and the torment of every one shall be for ever according to his works.
SINNERS WEEP
8.And all they that are in torment shall say with one voice: have mercy upon us, for now know we the judgement of God, which he declared unto us aforetime, and we believed not.
And the angel Tatirokos (Tartaruchus, keeper of hell: a word corresponding in formation to Temeluchus) shall come and chastise them with yet greater torment, and say unto them:
10.Now do ye repent, when it is no longer the time for repentance, and nought of life remaineth.
RIGHTEOUS AND SINNERS
11.And they shall say: Righteous is the judgement of God, for we have heard and perceived that his judgement is good; for we are recompensed according to our deeds.
12.Then will I give unto mine elect and righteous the washing (baptism) and the salvation for which they have besought me, in the field of Akrosja (Acherousia, a lake in other writings, e.g. Apocalypse of Moses -where the soul of Adam is washed in it: see also Paul 22, 23) which is called Aneslasleja (Elysium).
They shall adorn with flowers the portion of the righteous, and I shall go . . . I shall rejoice with them.
I will cause the peoples to enter in to mine everlasting kingdom, and show them that eternal thing (life ?) whereon I have made them to set their hope, even I and my Father which is in heaven.
15.I have spoken this unto thee, Peter, and declared it unto thee. Go forth therefore and go unto the land (or city) of the west.
16.[…….](Duensing omits the next sentences as unintelligible; Grebaut and N. McLean render thus: )
17.and enter into the vineyard which I shall tell thee of, in order that by the sickness (sufferings) of the Son who is without sin the deeds of corruption may be sanctified.
18.As for thee, thou art chosen according to the promise which I have given thee.
19.Spread thou therefore my gospel throughout all the world in peace.
20.Verily men shall rejoice: my words shall be the source of hope and of life, and suddenly shall the world be ravished.
(We now have the section descriptive of paradise, which in the Akhmim text precedes that abdescriptive)
ADDED FROM GREEK
END TIMES
Many of them shall be false prophets, and shall teach ways and diverse doctrines of perdition.
2 And they shall become sons of perdition.
3 And then shall God come unto my faithful ones that hunger and thirst and are afflicted and prove their souls in this life, and shall judge the sons of iniquity.
9.TRANSFIGURATION OF JESUS
1.And my Lord Jesus Christ our King said unto me: Let us go unto the holy mountain.
2.And his disciples went with him, praying.
ETHOPIC AND GREEK
DESCRIPTION OF RIGHTEOUS MEN
3.And behold there were two men there, and we could not look upon their faces, for a light came from them, shining more than the sun, and their raiment also was shining, and cannot be described, and nothing is sufficient to be compared unto them in this world.
3.For 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
4.And the sweetness of them . . . that no mouth is able to utter the beauty of their appearance and sweetness to express, for their aspect was astonishing and wonderful.
5.And the other, great, I say (I cannot describe it), shines in his (sic) aspect above crystal.
6.Like the flower of roses is the appearance of the colour of his aspect and of his body . . . his head (al. their head was a marvel).
And upon his (their) shoulders (evidently something about their hair has dropped out) and on their foreheads was a crown of nard woven of fair flowers.
8.As the rainbow in the water, [Probably: in the time of rain. From the LXX of Ezek.i.28.] so was their hair.
9.And such was the comeliness of their countenance, adorned with all manner of ornament.
10.And when we saw them on a sudden, we marvelled. And I drew near unto the Lord (God) Jesus Christ and said unto him: 11.O my Lord, who are these? And he said unto me: They are Moses and Elias.
12.And I said unto him: Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and the rest of the righteous fathers?
VISION OF PARADISE
13.And he showed us a great garden, open, full of fair trees and blessed fruits, and of the odour of perfumes.
14.The fragrance thereof was pleasant and came even unto us. And thereof (al. of that tree) . . . saw I much fruit.
15.And my Lord and God Jesus Christ said unto me: Hast thou seen the companies of the fathers?
16.As is their rest, such also is the honour and the glory of them that are persecuted for my righteousness’ sake.
17.And I rejoiced and believed [and believed] and understood that which is written in the book of my Lord Jesus Christ.
18.And I said unto him: O my Lord, wilt thou that I make here three tabernacles, one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias?
19.And he said unto me in wrath: Satan maketh war against thee, and hath veiled thine understanding; and the good things of this world prevail against thee.
20.Thine eyes therefore must be opened and thine ears unstopped that a tabernacle, not made with men’s hands, which my heavenly Father hath made for me and for the elect.
21.And we beheld it and were full of gladness.
THE VOICE FEOM HEAVEN
And behold, suddenly there came a voice from heaven, saying: This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased: my commandments.
22.And then came a great and exceeding white cloud over our heads and bare away our Lord and Moses and Elias.
And I trembled and was afraid: and we looked up and the heaven opened and we beheld men in the flesh, and they came and greeted our Lord and Moses and Elias and went into another heaven.
24.And the word of the scripture was fulfilled: This is the generation that seeketh him and seeketh the face of the God of Jacob.
25.And great fear and commotion was there in heaven and the angels pressed one upon another that the word of the scripture might be fulfilled which saith: Open the gates, ye princes.
26.Thereafter was the heaven shut, that had been open.
27.And we prayed and went down from the mountain, glorifying God, which hath written the names of the righteous in heaven in the book of life.
10.INSTRUCTION OF PETER TO HIS SON
1.’Peter opened his mouth and said to me: Hearken, my son Clement, God created all things for his glory,’ and this proposition is dwelt upon.
2.The glory of those who duly praise God is described in terms borrowed from the Apocalypse: ‘The Son at his coming will raise the dead . . .
3.and will make my righteous ones shine seven times more than the sun, and will make their crowns shine like crystal and like the rainbow in the time of rain (crowns) which are perfumed with nard and cannot be contemplated (adorned) with rubies, with the colour of emeralds shining brightly, with topazes, gems, and yellow pearls that shine like the stars of heaven, and like the rays of the sun, sparkling which cannot be gazed upon.
4.’ Again, of the angels: ‘ Their faces shine more than the sun; their crowns are as the rainbow in the time of rain. (They are perfumed) with nard.
5.Their eyes shine like the morning star. The beauty of their appearance cannot be expressed….
6.Their raiment is not woven, but white as that of the fuller, according as I saw on the mountain where Moses and Elias were.
7.Our Lord showed at the transfiguration the apparel of the last days, of the day of resurrection, unto Peter, James and John the sons of Zebedee, and a bright cloud overshadowed us, and we heard the voice of the Father saying unto us: This is my Son whom I love and in whom I am well pleased: hear him.
8.And being afraid we forgat all the things of this life and of the flesh, and knew not what we said because of the greatness of the wonder of that day, and of the mountain whereon he showed us the second coming in the kingdom that passeth not away.’
And my Lord answered me and said to me: ‘Hast thou understood that which I said unto thee before? It is permitted unto thee to know that concerning which thou askest: but thou must not tell that which thou hearest unto the sinners lest they transgress the more, and sin.’ Peter weeps many hours, and is at last consoled by an answer which, though exceedingly diffuse and vague does seem to promise ultimate pardon for all: ‘My Father will give unto them all the life, the glory, and the kingdom that passeth not away,’ . . . ‘It is because of them that have believed in me that I am come. It is also because of them that have believed in me, that, at their word, I shall have pity on men.’…
Greek text is accurate than ethopic
Thank you please comment.
No comments:
Post a Comment