Lost scriptures: books that did not make it into the New Testament (37 page)

your hands and, beseeching the Lord,

your iniquities, which you have done,

sprinkle it in his name on the pieces of

with imperishable fire and you shall be

the statue and it shall be a whole as bein outer darkness.” Having spoken these fore.” Marcellus did not doubt, but bewords the dog ran away. And the multilieved with his whole heart, and before tude followed so that Simon remained

taking the water he lifted up his hands

alone. And the dog came to Peter who

and said, “I believe in you, Lord Jesus

was with the crowd who had come to see

Christ. For your apostle Peter has examthe face of Peter; and the dog reported ined me whether I truly believe in your

what had happened with Simon. To the

holy name. Therefore I take water in my

messenger and apostle of the true God

hands and sprinkle these stones in your

the dog said as follows, “Peter, you shall

name that the statue become whole again

have a hard fight with Simon, the enemy

as before. If it is your will, O Lord, that

of Christ, and with his adherents, but

I live and receive no punishment from

many whom he deceived you shall con

Caesar, let this statute be whole as bevert to the faith. For this you shall receive fore.” And he sprinkled water on the

a reward for your work from God.” Havstones, and the statue became whole. Peing thus spoken the dog fell at the feet of ter, therefore, exulted that he had not

Peter and expired. When the multitude

hesitated to petition the Lord, and Marwith great astonishment saw the talking cellus also rejoiced in the Spirit, that the

dog, many fell down at the feet of Peter,

first miracle took place by his hands. He

but others said, “Show us another miracle

believed therefore, with all his heart in

that we may believe in you as a servant

THE ACTS OF PETER

143

of the living God, for Simon too did

vants, having obtained permission,

many wonders in our presence, and on

treated him in the most shameful way;

that account we followed him.”

some struck him in the face, some beat

him with a rod, some flung stones at him,

And Peter turning around saw

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some emptied vessels containing filth

a smoked tuna fish hanging in

over his head. Those who, for his sake,

a window. He took it, saying to the peohad left their master and were imprisple, “When you see this swimming in oned, and other servants whom he had

water like a fish, will you be able to

maligned to their master, reviled him and

believe in him whom I preach?” And all

said to him, “Now we repay to you the

said with one voice, “Indeed we shall

worthy reward, according to the will of

believe you.” So he went to the pond near

God, who had mercy upon us and upon

by, saying, “In your name, O Jesus Christ,

our master.” And Simon, thus treated, left

in whom they do not yet believe, I say,

the house and went to the house in which

‘Tuna, in the presence of all these, live

Peter was staying. Standing at the door

and swim like a fish.’ ” And he cast the

of the house of the presbyter Narcissus,

tuna into the pond, and it became alive

he cried, “Behold, here am I, Simon.

and began to swim. The multitude saw

Come down, Peter, and I will prove that

the swimming fish and he made it swim

you believed in a Jewish man and the son

not only for that hour but, lest they said

of a carpenter.”

that it was a deception, he made it swim

longer, thereby attracting crowds from all

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parts and showing that the smoked tuna

When Peter heard these things

he sent to him a woman with

had again become a living fish. The sucher suckling child and said to her, “Go cess was such that many threw pieces of

down quickly and you shall see someone

bread into the water, seeing that the fish

seeking me. As for you, do not speak,

was whole. Very many who had witbut keep silent and listen to what the child nessed this followed Peter and believed

which you hold will say to him.” And the

in the Lord, and met day and night in the

woman went down. And her baby was

house of Narcissus the presbyter. And

seven months old. Assuming a manly

Peter spoke to them of the prophetical

voice it said to Simon, “You abomination

writings and of the things done by our

before God and people, O destroyer of

Lord Jesus Christ in word and deed.

truth and most wicked seed of corruption,

O unfaithful fruit of nature! After only a

Marcellus was more firmly es14

little while an everlasting punishment

tablished in the faith, seeing the

awaits you. Son of a shameless father,

signs which Peter did by the grace of

never taking root in good soil but in poi

Jesus Christ, which was given to him.

son; unfaithful creature, destitute of all

And Marcellus attacked Simon, who sat

hope, when the dog accused you, you

in the dining-room of his house. Cursing

were not ashamed. I, a child, am forced

him, he said to him, “O you most malevby God to speak and still you do not olent and most pestilential of men, deblush. But against your will, on the comstroyer of my soul and of my house, who ing Sabbath day, another shall lead you

intended to lead me away from Christ,

to the forum of Julius that you may be

my Lord and Savior.” And he laid his

shown what you are. Leave by the doorhand on him and ordered that he be way at which the saints enter. For no

thrown out of his house. And the sermore shall you corrupt innocent souls
144

NON-CANONICAL ACTS OF THE APOSTLES

whom you perverted and led away from

you his right hand; through him we have

Christ. Your whole evil nature will

light unapproachable which darkness

therefore be manifested, and your machcannot hide. Through me he says to you, inations will be spoiled. Now I say to

‘Open your eyes, see and walk on your

you a last word: Jesus Christ says to

own.’ ” And the widow at once saw Peter

you, ‘Be speechless by the power of my

put his hand upon her. When Peter came

name and leave Rome till the coming

into the dining-room he saw that the gos

Sabbath.’ ”

pel was being read. And rolling it up he

At once he became speechless, and

said, “People, who believe in Christ and

being constrained he left Rome till the

hope in him, you shall know how the

next Sabbath and lodged in a stable. The

holy scriptures of our Lord must be exwoman returned to Peter with the baby plained. What we have written down acand told Peter and the other brethren what cording to his grace, though it may seem

the child had said to Simon. And they

to you as yet so little, contains what is

praised the Lord who had shown these

endurable to be understood by humanity.

things to humans.

It is necessary that we first know God’s

will or his goodness; for when deceit was

When night came Peter, still

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spread and many thousands of people

awake, saw Jesus clothed with

were plunging into perdition the Lord

a shining garment, smiling and saying to

was moved by compassion to show himhim, “The greatest part of the brethren self in another form and to appear in the

has already come back through me and

image of man, by whom neither the Jews

through the signs which you have made

nor we are worthy to be enlightened. For

in my name. But on the coming Sabbath

each of us saw him as his capacity peryou shall have a contest of faith, and mitted. Now, however, I will explain to

many more Gentiles and Jews shall be

you that which has been read to you. Our

converted in my name to me who was

Lord wished to let me see his majesty on

reviled, despised, and spat upon. For I

the holy mountain;4 but when I with the

shall show myself to you when you shall

sons of Zebedee saw his brightness I fell

ask for signs and wonders and you shall

at his feet as dead, closed my eyes, and

convert many, but you will have Simon

heard his voice in a manner which I canopposing you through the works of his not describe. I imagined I had been defather. But all his doings shall be maniprived of my eyesight by his splendor. I fested as sorcery and magical deception.

recovered a little and said to myself, ‘Per

And do not delay and you shall confirm

haps the Lord has brought me here to

in my name all those whom I shall send

deprive me of my eyesight.’ And I said,

to you.” When it was day he told the

‘If such is your will, O Lord, I shall not

brethren how the Lord had appeared to

resist.’ And he took me by the hand and

him and what he had commanded

lifted me up. And when I arose I saw him

him. . . .

again in a form which I could not comprehend. So the merciful God, most be20 When Peter had entered he saw loved brethren, has borne our infirmities one of the old women who was

and carried our transgressions, as the

blind, and her daughter led her by the

hand and conducted her into the house of

Marcellus. And Peter said to her, “Come

here, mother; from this day Jesus gives

4Mark 9:2–8.

THE ACTS OF PETER

145

prophet says, ‘He bears our griefs; and is

have yours also; show us, both of you,

afflicted for us; yet we did esteem him

whom we must believe.” And when they

stricken and afflicted.’5 For he is in the

had spoken Simon also came. Dismayed,

Father and the Father in him; in him also

he stood by the side of Peter gazing

is the fullness of all majesty, who has

closely at him. After a long silence Peter

shown us all his benefits. He ate and

said, “Roman men, you shall be our true

drank on our account though he was neijudges. I say that I believe in the living ther hungry nor thirsty; he suffered and

and true God, of whom I will give you

bore reproaches for us, he died and rose

proof already known to me, and to which

for us. He also defended and strengthmany among you testify. You see that this ened me through his greatness when I

man is silent because he has been refuted

sinned; he will also comfort you, so that

and because I have driven him from Juyou may love him, this Great and Small daea on account of the frauds perpetrated

One, this Beautiful and Ugly One, this

upon Eubola, a highly respected but sim

Young Man and Old Man, appearing in

ple woman, by means of his magic. Havtime, yet utterly invisible in eternity; ing been expelled by me from there, he

whom a human hand has not grasped, yet

has come here believing that he could

is held by his servants; whom flesh has

remain hidden among you; and now here

not seen and now sees; who has not been

he stands face to face with me. Tell me,

heard, but is known now as the word

Simon, did you not fall at my feet and

which is heard; never chastised, but now

those of Paul, when in Jerusalem you saw

chastised; who was before the world and

the miraculous cures which took place by

is now perceived in time, beginning

our hands, and say, ‘I pray you, take as

greater than all dominion, yet delivered

much money from me as you wish, that

to the princes; glorious, but lowly among

I too by laying on of hands may perform

us; ugly, yet foreseeing. This Jesus you

such deeds’? And when we heard this

have, brethren, the door, the light, the

from you, we cursed you: do you think

way, the bread, the water, the life, the

that we try to possess money? And now

resurrection, the refreshment, the pearl,

are you afraid? My name is Peter, bethe treasure, the seed, the abundance, the cause the Lord Christ had the grace to

grain of mustard seed, the vine, the

call me to be ready for every cause. For

plough, the grace, the faith, the word: he

I believe in the living God, through

is everything, and there is none greater

whom I shall destroy your magic arts.

than he; to him be praise in all eternity.

Let Simon perform in your presence the