Report of Pontius Pilate (Anaphora Pilati)

Anaphora Pilati

Standard abbreviation: Report Pil.

Other titles: none

Clavis numbers: ECCA 101; CANT 65 and CANT 66

Category: Pilate Cycle

Compiled by: Tony Burke, York University

Citing this resource (using Chicago Manual of Style): Burke, Tony. “Report of Pilate (Anaphora Pilati).” e-Clavis: Christian Apocrypha. Accessed DAY MONTH YEAR. https://www.nasscal.com/e-clavis-christian-apocrypha/report-of-pontius-pilate-anaphora-pilati/.

Created January 2025.

1. SUMMARY

Report Pil. comes in two forms: Greek A, which typically circulates with the Handing Over of Pilate (Paradosis Pilati), and Greek B, which typically circulates with the Epistle of Claudius to Pilate. The report, addressed from Pilate to Tiberius, begins with Pilate’s claim of innocence in Jesus’ death. He says that the Jews brought “endless charges against him” but they could not convict him of a single crime except that he broke Sabbath laws. Pilate then describes the wonders that Jesus performed, all drawn from the canonical Gospels; these include healing the sick and demon-possessed, resurrecting Lazarus, the exorcism of the Gerasene demoniac, and the healing of the woman with a flow of blood. Pilate cannot understand why the Jewish leaders want Jesus crucified for actions greater than his own gods.

Pilate says Herod, Archelaus, Philip, Annas, and Caiaphas handed Jesus over to him and he followed through with execution out of fear of stirring up a rebellion. He mentions the darkness and earthquake at Jesus’ death and the angels calling on the dead saints to rise up from Hades. The Jews who spoke up against Jesus died, swallowed up by chasms. Only one synagogue was left in the city.

Named historical figures and characters: Abraham (patriarch), Annas (scribe/high priest), Archelaus, Caiaphas, Herod Antipas, Isaac (patriarch), Jacob (patriarch), Lazarus, Noah (patriarch), Philip (tetrarch), Pontius Pilate, Tiberius (emperor), woman with flow.

Geographical locations: Hades, Jerusalem, Paneas.

2. RESOURCES

2.1 Visual Art and Iconography

Eustache Marcadé, Mystère de la Vengeance de Nostre Seigneur Ihesu Christ, a lavishly illustrated medieval mystery play incorporating elements of the Vengeance of the Savior (CANT 70), the Healing of Tiberius (CANT 69), the Report of Pontius Pilate (CANT 65), and elements from other Pilate Cycle texts. The work is extant in three manuscripts:

Arras, Médiathèque municipale, 625 (15th cent.)

London, British Library, Add. 89066/1 (volume 1) (ca. 1465)

London, British Library, Add. 89066/1 (volume 2) (ca. 1465)

For additional information and bibliography see Arlima.

3. BIBLIOGRAPHY

3.1 Manuscripts and Editions

3.1.1 Arabic (based on GrkA)

A Mount Sinai, Monē tēs Hagias Aikaterinēs, ar. 508, fols. ? (900) ~ LOC

B Mount Sinai, Monē tēs Hagias Aikaterinēs, ar. 445, fols. 173^v–178^r (13th cent.) ~ LOC

Khinshārah (Lebanon), Ordre Basilien Choueirite, 343, fols. 15^r–156^v (19th cent.) ~ longer text; HMML

Khinshārah (Lebanon), Ordre Basilien Choueirite, OBC 76, page before p. 1 (19th cent.) ~ longer text; HMML

Khinshārah (Lebanon), Ordre Basilien Choueirite, OBC 691 (19th cent.) ~ longer text; HMML

Khinshārah (Lebanon), Ordre Basilien Choueirite, 456, fol. 82^v (19th cent.) ~ abbreviated text; HMML

Khinshārah (Lebanon), Ordre Basilien Choueirite, 569, fols. 232^r–233^r (15th–18th cent.) ~ abbreviated text; HMML

Gibson, Margaret Dunlop. Apocrypha Siniatica. Studia Sinaitica 5. London: C. J. Clay and Sons, 1896 (text from Sinai ar. 445 and 508, pp. 1–11 [Arabic numbering]).

Monferrer-Sala, Juan Pedro. “The Anaphora Pilati According to the ‘Sinaitic Arabic 445’: A New Edition, with Translation and a First Analysis.” Journal of Eastern Christian Studies 61.3–4 (2009): 167–98 (text based on Sinai, ar. 455, pp. 188–92, translation, pp. 193–98).

3.1.2 Armenian (based on GrkA)

Venice, Mekhitarist Monastery of San Lazzaro, 223 (15th cent.)

Venice, Mekhitarist Monastery of San Lazzaro, 227 (1846)

Venice, Mekhitarist Monastery of San Lazzaro, 257 (14th/15th cent.)

Venice, Mekhitarist Monastery of San Lazzaro, 264 (1366)

Venice, Mekhitarist Monastery of San Lazzaro, 1102 (1695)

Tayec‘i, Esayi. Ankanon girk‘ nor ktakaranac‘. (Uncanonical Books of the New Testament). Venice: Tparani S. Ġazarow, 1898 (text of V264 in parallel with V223 and V257, V227, and V1102 in apparatus, pp. 359–78).

T’umanean, Harut‘iwn. “T’ught’ Pilatosi Datawori, zor hes khach‘elut’eann K‘ristosi greats‘, aṛ Tiberios Kaysrn Hṛomay.” Banasēr 3 (1901): 189–91 (source not identified).

3.1.3 Church Slavic (numbers refer to entries in de Santos Otero)

3.1.3.1 Two translations of Anaphora and Paradosis based on Greek A

Translation 1 (ca. 10th cent.): 3–4, 37, 55, 67, 70–71, 82, 102, 105, 110, 118, 120, 139, 176, 182–83

Translation 2 (no earlier than 14th cent.): 7, 11–12, 58–59, 72, 83, 85, 90, 93, 98, 113–14, 121, 126, 134–38, 170, 181

Il’inskij, G., ed. “Apokrif ‘Acta Pilati’ v spiske Orbel’skoj Triodi XIII veka.” Russkij filologicheskij vestnik 56 (1906): 213–17.

3.1.3.2 Anaphora and Paradosis of uncertain form: 5, 32, 35, 53, 65, 109, 120, 121, 127

3.1.3.3 Anaphora alone: 42 and 64

3.1.3.4 Anaphora and Response (based on GrkB): 62–63, 94, 106, 133, 143, 149

Otero, Aurelio de Santos. Die handschriftliche Überlieferung der altslavischen Apokryphen. 2 vols. PTS 20 and 23. Berlin: De Gruyter, 1978 and 1981 (manuscripts listed in vol. 2, pp. 61–98).

Thomson, Francis J. Review of Aurelio de Santos Otero, Die handscriftliche Überlieferung der altslavischen Apokryphen, vol. 2. Slavonic and East European Review 63.1 [1985]: 73–98 at 79–83 (corrections to de Santos Otero).

3.1.4 Greek

3.1.4.1 Greek A: Anaphora typically found with Paradosis (BHG 779y I; CANT 66; sigla from Baudoin 2016; manuscript details from Baudoin 2008)

Family 1:

C Milan, Biblioteca Ambrosiana, E 100 sup. (Martini-Bassi 307), fols. 5^r–6^v(13th cent.) ~ Pinakes

D Paris, Bibliothèque nationale de France, Coislin 117, fols. 234^r–235^r (1333–1334) ~ perhaps a copy of C; Pinakes; Gallica

E London, British Library, Harley 5636, fols. 26^r–30^r (16th cent.) ~ Pinakes; BL

M Milan, Biblioteca Ambrosiana, C 92 sup. (Martini-Bassi 192), fols. 327^r–328^v(14th cent.) ~ copy of E

Family 2:

A Paris, Bibliothèque nationale de France, gr. 770, fols. 25^r–27^v (1315)

B Paris, Bibliothèque nationale de France, gr. 929, pp. 35–42 (1497) ~ followed by Paradosis

F Athens, Ethnikē Bibliothēkē tēs Ellados, 2972, fols. 112^v–116^v (15th/16th cent.) ~ numbering includes both the response and the Paradosis; closely related to O; Pinakes

O Oxford, Bodleian Library, Holkham gr. 9, fols. 132^r–133^v (16th cent.) ~ Pinakes; Catalog; perhaps just Anaphora

P Paris, Bibliothèque nationale de France, suppl. gr. 1169, fols. 39^r–43^v (1685) ~ numbering includes response; may share ancestor with O

Not yet evaluated:

Athens, Ethnikē Bibliothēkē tēs Ellados, 352, fols. 172^v–180^r (16th/17th cent.) ~ numbering includes Paradosis; Pinakes

Athens, Ethnikē Bibliothēkē tēs Ellados, 2187, fols. 206^r–207^r (15th cent.) ~ numbering includes Paradosis; Pinakes

Florence, Biblioteca Medicea Laurenziana, Plut. 8.18, fols. 218^v–221^r (14th cent.) ~ numbering includes Paradosis; Pinakes; BML

Jerusalem, Patriarchikē Bibliothēkē, Agiou Saba 418, fols. 226^v–fin (14th cent.) ~ may contain Paradosis; Pinakes

Jerusalem, Patriarchikē Bibliothēkē, Agiou Saba, 492, fols. 114^r–120^r (18th cent.) ~ numbering includes Paradosis; Pinakes

Mount Athos, Monē Batopediou, 37, fols. 1^r–8^v (15th cent.) ~ numbering includes Paradosis; Pinakes

Mount Athos, Monē Batopediou, 776 (18th cent.) ~ not in the list by Baudoin; Pinakes; Athos

Mount Athos, Monē Megistēs Lauras, K 81 (1368) ~ not in the list by Baudoin; Pinakes

Mount Athos, Monē Agiou Panteleēmonos, 114, fols. 109^r–116^v (15th cent.) ~ numbering likely includes Paradosis; Pinakes

Mount Athos, Monē Pantokratoros, 114 (Lambros 1148), fols. 109^r–? (18th cent.) ~ not in the list by Baudoin; Pinakes

Munich, Bayerische Staatsbibliothek, gr. 524, fols. 122^r–124^r (14th cent.) ~ perhaps only Anaphora; Pinakes; Munich

Tischendorf, Constantin von, ed. Evangelia Apocrypha. Leipzig: Mendelssohn, 1853; 2nd ed. 1876 (Greek A based on ABCDE, pp. 435–42).

3.1.4.2 Greek B (Anaphora and Response; BHG 779x I; CANT 65)

Family 1:

A Vienna, Österreichische Nationalbibliothek, theol. gr. 247, fols. 148^v–151^r (15th cent.) ~ may share ancestor with D; Pinakes

B Turin, Biblioteca Nazionale Universitaria, C.II.5 or B.V.8 (Pasini gr. 302), fol. 60^v (13th cent.) ~ lost in fire in 1904

D Paris, Bibliothèque nationale de France, gr. 1019A, fols. 236^v–237^v(14th cent.) ~ Anaphora only; ending mutilated; Pinakes; Gallica

F London, British Library, Add. 25881, fols. 255^r–257^v (16th cent.) ~ may share ancestor with M; Pinakes

H London, British Library, Harley 5556, fols. 29^r–30^v (1714) ~ related to K

K Mount Athos, Monē Megistēs Lauras, K 64 (Eustratiades 1351), fols. 91^r–95^v (1634) ~ numbering includes Response; may share ancestor with B; Pinakes

L London, British Library, Burney 342, fols. 91^r–94^r (1709) ~ related to K; Pinakes

M Milan, Biblioteca Ambrosiana, H 22 Sup. (Martini-Bassi 426), fols. 7^r–7^v (15th cent.) ~ Pinakes

S Paris, Bibliothèque nationale de France, Suppl. gr. 78, fols. 200^r–202^v (1714) ~ copy of L

Family 2:

C Venice, Biblioteca Nazionale Marciana, gr. II 42 (coll. 1123), fols. 130^v–132^r (13th/14th cent.) ~ followed by Paradosis; Pinakes

E Paris, Bibliothèque nationale de France, gr. 1331, fols. 467^r–468^v (14th cent.) ~ numbering includes the Paradosis; Pinakes; Gallica

G Escorial, Real Biblioteca, Ω.IV.18 (570), fols. 103^v–105^r (15th cent.) ~ numbering includes Paradosis; copy of C

O Oxford, Bodleian Library, Lincoln 1, fols. 4^v–5^v (15th cent.) ~ numbering includes Paradosis; may share ancestor with C

P Patmos, Monē Agiou Iōannou tou Theologou, 448, fols. 61^r–63^r (15th cent) ~ followed by Paradosis; may share ancestor with E; Pinakes

Not yet evaluated:

Athens, Ethnikē Bibliothēkē tēs Ellados, Metochiou tou Panagiou Taphou 303, fols. 158^r–159^v (14th/15th cent.) ~ numbering includes response; Pinakes

Athens, Ethnikē Bibliothēkē tēs Ellados, 432 (130) (16th cent.) ~ includes response; Pinakes

Athens, Ethnikē Bibliothēkē tēs Ellados, 2069, fols. 96^r–104^r (18th/19th cent.) ~ numbering includes response; Pinakes; Athens

Jerusalem, Patriarchikē Bibliothēkē, Panagiou Taphou, 238, fols. 62^v–64^v (18th cent.) ~ numbering includes response; Pinakes

Mount Athos, Monē Megistēs Lauras, M 68, fols. 208^r–209^v (1772) ~ perhaps Anaphora alone; Pinakes

Milan, Biblioteca Ambrosiana, A 79 sup. fols. 1^r–2^v (1517) ~ Anaphora alone; ending mutilated; Pinakes

St. Petersburg, Rossijskaâ Akademiâ Nauk. Biblioteka, 166, fols. 34^r–37^v (18th cent.) ~ numbering includes response; not listed by Baudoin; Pinakes

Vatican, Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana, Vat. gr. 417, fols. 365^v–366^r (12th cent.) ~ followed by Paradosis; Pinakes

Fabricius, Johann Albert. Codex Apocryphus Novi Testamenti. 2 vols. 2nd ed. Hamburg: Schiller, 1719 (Greek B, vol. 3, pp. 456–65).

Giles, J. A. Codex Apocryphus Novi Testamenti: The Uncanonical Gospels and Other Writings. 2 vols. London: D. Nutt, 1852 (reproduction of Fabricius, vol. 1, pp. 457–60).

Birch, Andreas, ed. Auctarium codicis Apocryphi Novi Testamenti Fabriciani. Havniae: Arntzen & Hartier, 1804 (pp. 161–64).

Thilo, Ioannis Caroli. Codex Apocryphus Novi Testamenti. Lipsius: Vogel, 1832 (Greek B based on ADE, pp. 804–13).

Tischendorf, Constantin von, ed. Evangelia Apocrypha. Leipzig: Mendelssohn, 1853; 2nd ed. 1876 (Greek B based on ABCDE, pp. 443–49).

3.1.4.3 Third Form

Sinai, Monē tēs Agias Aikaterinēs, gr. 532, fols. 44v-47v (15th-17th cent.) ~ Pinakes; LOC

Abbott, G. F. “The Report and Death of Pilate.” JTS 4 (1903): 83–86 (edition based on a personal manuscript of the 18th century; current whereabouts unknown).

3.1.3 Syriac (based on Greek A)

Mount Sinai, Monē tēs Hagias Aikaterinēs, syr. 82, fols. 12^v–15^v (12th cent.)

Edgbaston, University of Birmingham, Mingana Syr. 535, fol. 81^r–81^v(1895)

Gibson, Margaret Dunlop. Apocrypha Siniatica. Studia Sinaitica 5. London: C. J. Clay and Sons, 1896 (text from Sinai syr. 82, pp. 1–14 [Syriac numbering]; English translation, pp. 1–14).

3.2 Modern Translations

3.2.1 English

Cowper, B. Harris. The Apocryphal Gospels and Other Documents Relating to the History of Christ. 4th ed. 1867. London: Frederic Norgate, 1874 (Greek A and B, pp. 400–409).

Elliott, J. K. The Apocryphal New Testament. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1993 (summary and excerpts, pp. 211–13).

Gibson, Margaret Dunlop. Apocrypha Siniatica. Studia Sinaitica 5. London: C. J. Clay and Sons, 1896 (English translation of Syriac text with notes from the Arabic, pp. 1–14).

James, Montague Rhodes. The Apocryphal New Testament: Being the Apocryphal Gospels, Acts, Epistles, and Apocalypses. Oxford: Clarendon, 1924; corrected edition, 1953 (summary, pp. 153–54).

Walker, Alexander. Apocryphal Gospels, Acts and Revelations. Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark, 1873. Repr. as vol. 16 of The Ante-Nicene Christian Library. Edited by Alexander Roberts and James Donaldson. 24 vols. Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark, 1867–1883 (Greek A and B, pp. 224–30).

Westcott, Arthur. The Gospel of Nicodemus and Kindred Documents. London: Heath, Cranton & Ouseley, Ltd., 1915 (pp. 121–25).

3.2.2 French

Gounelle, Rémi. “Rapport de Pilate. Réponse de Tibère à Pilate. Cycle de Pilate.” Pages 299–327 in Écrits apocryphes chrétiens. Vol. 2. Edited by Pierre Geoltrain et Jean-Daniel Kaestli. Paris: Gallimard, 2005 (translation of Thilo’s edition, pp. 311–17).

Migne, Jacques-Paul. Dictionnaire des Apocryphes. 2 vols. 1856. Repr., Turnhout: Brepols, 1989 (vol. 2, cols. 753–58).

3.2.3 Italian

Erbetta, Mario. Gli apocrifi del Nuovo Testamento. 3 vols. Italy: Marietti, 1975–1981 (Greek B, vol. 3, pp. 119–21).

Moraldi, Luigi. Apocrifi del Nuovo Testamento. 2 vols. Classici delle religioni, Sezione quarta, La religione cattolica 24. Turin: Unione Tipografico-Editrice Torinese, 1971 (Greek A and B, vol. 1, pp. 710–16).

3.2.4 Spanish

Santos Otero, Aurelio de, ed. and trans. Los Evangelios Apócrifos. Madrid: Biblioteca de Autores Christianos, 1956¹, 1979³(Greek B, 3rd ed., pp. 477–84).

3.3 General Works

Baudoin, Anne-Catherine. “Édition et traduction d’un texte apocryphe grec: le Rapport de Pilate à Tibère.” MA diss. École pratique des hautes études, Paris, 2007.

———. “Témoins manuscrits connus et inconnus du Rapport de Pilate à Tibère (CANT 65 et 66).” Revue d’études augustiniennes et patristiques 54 (2008): 183–206.

———. “Truth in the Details: The ‘Report of Pilate to Tiberius’ as an Authentic Forgery.” Pages 219-38 in Splendide Mendax: Rethinking Fakes and Forgeries in Classical, Latin, Late Antique, and Early Christian Literature. Edited by Edmund P. Cueva and Javier Martínez. Groningen: Barkhuis, 2016.

Elliott, J. K.. “Pilate Cycle.” Pages 128–41 in Early New Testament Apocrypha. Edited by J. Christopher Edwards. Ancient Literature for New Testament Studies 9. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2022 (p. 135).

Variot, Jean. Les évangiles apocryphes: Histoire littéraire, forme primitive, transformations. Paris: Berche & Tralin, 1878 (pp. 117–20).