Reuelatio beati Iohannis apostoli et euangelistae
Standard abbreviation: Rev. Blessed John
Other titles: none
Clavis numbers: ECCA 335
Category: Apocalypses
Related literature: undetermined
Compiled by: Tony Burke, York University
Citing this resource (using Chicago Manual of Style): Burke, Tony. “Revelation of the Blessed John, Apostle and Evangelist.” e-Clavis: Christian Apocrypha. Accessed DAY MONTH YEAR. https://www.nasscal.com/e-clavis-christian-apocrypha/revelation-of-the-blessed-john-apostle-and-evangelist/.
Created January 2026.
1. SUMMARY
Eighteen days after the resurrection, Jesus speaks to John and has him prepare himself for a special revelation on the realm of the dead and the signs of the end of the world. He tells John to abstain from everything for seven days, and do not taste anything prepared by a cook, but only the flowers of the earth. On the eighth day, Jesus and John are taken on a cloud to the throne of God. There they see all of the heavenly powers, as well as a scroll written with the name of God and a crowned lamb. A voice reveals that the lamb is with John. Then John is told to sit on a second throne and write letters to the churches of Thessalonica and Smyrna telling them to turn away from their evil ways, and to Rome, saying, “Blessed are you and your crown with you. Resist and hold fast my cross, so that you do not doubt.”
Jesus reveals to John the succession of emperors until the coming of the Antichrist. These include Constantine, whose mother finds the true cross. This emperor will also build a city in his own name; Jesus promises that it will not perish by the hands of foreign nations. Another emperor (likely Julian the Apostate) will receive a wound from heaven at the hand of the soldier Longinus and die. During the reign of Anastasius (491–518) signs will appear announcing the coming of the evil beast. After several virtuous emperors, Canenigellus (perhaps Maurice, r. 580–602) will reign. He will encounter an emperor of the south called the Sickle of Desolation (perhaps Phocas, r. 602–610), who will kill Canenigellus and his heirs. He will be defeated by a king from the west, who will reign in Jesus’ name. Then will come a queen from the south, who will kill many and cause great confusion. She will be succeeded by two kings who will make peace. The list of rulers comes to an end with a Jewish king from the tribe of Dan. He will arise from Thusi, in the plain of Egypt, and to Jerusalem claiming to be Christ. Jews from all over the world will come to Jerusalem and worship him.
Jesus interprets to John the parable of the righteous judge as an indicator of this event: the judge is the would-be Christ and the woman is the ancient city of the Jews. Because of her entreaty, the city will be built up to seven levels. Another parable—the Cleansed House (Matt 12:43–45//Luke 11:24–26)—is said to reflect what will happen in Jerusalem.
The text turns to predictions of great cataclysm that will occur: drought, famine, attempts to escape, and extreme suffering. Demons will fill women’s breasts with poisonous milk and chase saints out of the caves and bring them before the beast. Then the beast will perform many signs among the people, and all will believe him. Jesus tells John that he warned in the gospel, that “After me there will be no prophet.” The beast is described as: “He is thin, and has long hair that cannot be braided, a long nose, a long face, a long eye, and only one ear. He will have three pins on his head, and no teeth on his upper part, and a large lower lip, and his left eye will be as fiery as the morning star, and his left hand will have a broken thumb, and his left foot will be large, and on his forehead there will be another mark, three letters.” The letters in Greek are χξς, while in Latin their number is DC LX VI. Jesus says that the letters stand for Gog and they will be placed on the foreheads and hands of those who believe in him.
John weeps for the sinners and asks to know the day of the end. Jesus says it will come after a time of great abundance. Then John asks what happens to a baptized man who fails to do penance before his death? The man would be brought to the throne of God to worship and then taken to Tartarus to be punished. After a time of great tribulation, when many have fallen away from the faith to follow the beast, a star seven times brighter than the sun will come out of heaven. And Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael will come forward and sound the trumpet, raising all of the dead since the beginning of the world to life. The sign of the cross will appear in heaven and Jesus will place his throne in the centre of Calvary. He will order the four rivers of paradise to become one and transform into a river of fire. All the righteous will walk through it unscathed and join Jesus in paradise but the sinners will be held in the middle and remain there. With a blessing to John, the text comes to an end.
Named historical figures and characters: Anastasius, Antichrist, Canenigellus, Constantine (emperor), Dan (patriarch), Daniel (prophet), Gabriel (angel), Gog, Helena (empress), Jacob (patriarch), John (son of Zebedee), Julian the Apostate, Longinus (centurion), Melutus, Michael (angel), Phocas (emperor), Raphael (angel).
Geographical locations: Calvary, Egypt, Gehenna, Jerusalem, paradise, Rome, Smyrna, Tartarus, Thessalonica, Thusi.
2. RESOURCES
3. BIBLIOGRAPHY
3.1 Manuscripts and Editions
3.1.1 Latin
Prague, Knihovna metropolitní kapitoly pražské, 16, fols. 26v–32r (1478)
Kaestli, Jean-Daniel, and Gérard Poupon. “Une nouvelle Apocalypse apocryphe: la Revelatio Iohannis transmise dans le manuscrit latin de Prague, Knihovna Metropolitní Kapituly, N. LIV.” Apocrypha 30 (2019): 9–61 (Latin edition with facing French translation, pp. 38–61).
3.2 Modern Translations
3.2.1 French
Kaestli, Jean-Daniel, and Gérard Poupon. “Une nouvelle Apocalypse apocryphe: la Revelatio Iohannis transmise dans le manuscrit latin de Prague, Knihovna Metropolitní Kapituly, N. LIV.” Apocrypha 30 (2019): 9–61 (Latin edition with facing French translation, pp. 38–61).
3.2.2 Italian
Kaestli, Jean-Daniel. “Un nuovo apocrifo da aggiungere al dossier dell’Anticristo: la Revelatio Iohannis recentemente scoperta in un manoscritto latino di Praga.” Pages 47–83 in L’ultimo nemico di Dio: Il ruolo dell’Anticristo nel cristianesimo antico e tardoantico. Edited by Alberto D’Anna and Emanuela Valeriani. Bologna: Edizioni Dehoniane, 2013 (Italian translation by Enrico Norelli, pp. 71–83).
3.3 General Works
