On the Deaths of the Apostles

De mortibus apostolorum

Standard abbreviation: Death Apost.

Other titles: none

Clavis numbers: ECCA 941

Category: Lists of Apostles and Disciples

Related literature: various apocryphal acts

Compiled by: Tony Burke, York University

Citing this resource (using Chicago Manual of Style): Burke, Tony. “On the Deaths of the Apostles.” e-Clavis: Christian Apocrypha. Accessed DAY MONTH YEAR. https://www.nasscal.com/e-clavis-christian-apocrypha/on-the-deaths-of-the-apostles/.

Created August 2025.

1. TRANSLATION

Translation of the Syriac text from Sims-Williams, “Traditions,” p. 289.

A note indicating where each of the twelve holy Apostles died and the manner of his departure from the earth.

(1) Peter, chief of the Apostles, was crucified upside-down in Rome. (2) The apostle Paul was beheaded by Nero in Rome likewise. (3) Andrew was crucified in the region of Patras. (4) James son of Zebedee — Herod killed him in Jerusalem. (5) John his brother died in Ephesus. (6) Philip was stoned in Mabbug of the Phrygians and then crucified. (7) Bartholomew — they flayed him in rwyn, a city of Armenia. (8) Thomas — they pierced him with a lance in lqymwn, a city of the Indians, and he died. (9) Matthew was killed in qbyr’, a city of the Parthians. (10) Lebbaeus, who was known as Thaddaeus, died in the city of Berenice in the region of Dalmanutha. (11) Simon of Cana was killed in the city of the Hebrews. (12) Judas son of James was put to death in ’rbw, a city of Armenia. (13) Luke the physician was killed in the great city of Thebes. (14) Mark the evangelist was crowned in the region of pynswn. (15) Timothy the disciple of Paul — his whole body is laid in Ephesus on the mountain called ’pywn.

2. RESOURCES

3. BIBLIOGRAPHY

3.1 Manuscripts and Editions

3.1.1 Sogdian

Berlin, Berlin-Brandenburgische Akademie der Wissenschaften, C2, fol. 56^v

Sims-Williams, Nicholas. The Christian Sogdian Manuscript C2. Berliner Turfantexte XII. Berlin: Akademie-Verlag, 1985 (edition, pp. 101—109).

__________. “Traditions Concerning the Fates of the Apostles in Syriac and Sogdian.” Pages 287–95 Gnosisforschung und Religionsgeschichte. Festschrift für Kurt Rudolph zum 65 Geburtstag. Edited by Holger Preissler and Hubert M. Seiwert. Marburg: Diagonal-Verlag, 1994 (transcription and translation, pp. 292–93).

Hansen, Olaf. “Berliner sogdische Texte II. Bruchstücke der groβen Sammelhandschrift C 2.” Abhandlungen der Akademie der Wissenschaften und der Literature in Mainz (Geistes- und Sozialwissenschaftlichen Klasse) 1954, Nr. 15 (1955): 893–903.

Schwartz, Martin. “Studies in the texts of the Sogdian Christians.” Phd diss. Berkeley, 1967 (pp. 65–69).

3.1.2 Syriac

A Paris, Bibliothèque nationale de France, syr. 64, fols. 216^r–216^v (11th cent.) ~ GALLICA

B London, British Library, Add. 14601, fols. 163^v–164^r(7th cent.)

C Cambridge, University Library, Add. 2023, fols. 58^v–59^r(13th cent.) ~ Catalog

Vatican, Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana, Vat. syr. 152, fol. 196^r (980) ~ BAV

Jerusalem, Monastery of Saint Mark, 1, fol. 140 ~ uncertain shelfmark

Sims-Williams, Nicholas. “Traditions Concerning the Fates of the Apostles in Syriac and Sogdian.” Pages 287–95 Gnosisforschung und Religionsgeschichte. Festschrift für Kurt Rudolph zum 65 Geburtstag. Edited by Holger Preissler and Hubert M. Seiwert. Marburg: Diagonal-Verlag, 1994 (transcription and translation, pp. 288–89).

3.2 Modern Translations

3.2.1 English

3.3 General Works