Acts of Stephen (Arabic)

Acta Stephani protomartyris (arabica)

Standard abbreviation: Acts Steph. (Arab.)

Other titles: none

Clavis numbers: ECCA 965; CANT 301

Category: Apocryphal Acts

Related literature: Acts of Peter, Acts 6–8

Compiled by: Tony Burke, York University

Citing this resource (using Chicago Manual of Style): Burke, Tony. “Acts of Stephen (Arabic).” e-Clavis: Christian Apocrypha. Accessed DAY MONTH YEAR. https://www.nasscal.com/e-clavis-christian-apocrypha/acts-of-stephen-arabic/.

Created April 2024.

1. SUMMARY

In Jerusalem, Simon, the son of Zacchaeus, and his wife Anna have two sons: Juda and Stephen. When the pious and sword-tongued Stephen reaches adulthood, he takes up with the apostles and disputes with Jews and Gentiles about Jesus. Stephen also performs many signs and wonders and the apostles come to him for counsel. One day two magicians, Yuas and Aritomedemus, from Ephesus and Galatia, come to him asking about the source of his power. They enter into a miracle contest reminiscent of Peter’s encounter with Simon Magus in the Acts of Peter and related traditions. Yuas speaks a charm into the ear of a calf and it splits in two; Stephen challenges him to revive the animal but he cannot. With a prayer, Stephen accomplishes it. Yuas then sits on a chair and devils raise him into the air. Stephen prays and an angel smites the devils, causing Yuas to fall to his death. Aristodemus becomes a believer and is baptized. For three days he beseeches Stephen to raise Yuas from death. Finally convinced, Stephen goes to the magician’s tomb and restores him to life; Yuas tells how the demons he once commanded cast him into hell and he returns as a believer, delivering a detailed credal statement about the life of Jesus. Yuas is baptized and the two former magicians burn their books.

The text concludes with the story of the ordination of the seven deacons from Acts 6:1–6 and Stephen’s martyrdom from Acts 6:8–8:1. He is buried beside the temple and churches are built throughout the world in his name. The date of Stephen’s martyrdom is given as 1 Tobi and the invention of his body as 15 Tout.

Named historical figures and characters: Abraham (patriarch), Adam (patriarch), Anna (mother of Stephen), Aristodemus (magician), David (king), Isaac (patriarch), Jacob (patriarch), Joachim (father of Mary), John (the Baptist), Joseph (of Nazareth), Joseph (patriarch), Juda (brother of Stephen), Lazarus (of Bethany), Mary (Virgin), Moses (patriarch), Nicanor (deacon), Nicolaus (deacon), Parmenas, Paul (apostle), Pharaoh (of Exodus), Philip (deacon), Prochorus (disciple of John), Simon (father of Stephen), Solomon (king), Stephen, Timon, Yuas, Zacchaeus (father/grandfather of Stephen).

Geographical locations: Africa, al-Kada, Antioch, Areopagus (of Jerusalem), Asia, Bethlehem, Cappadocia, Egypt, Ephesus, Galatia, Haran, Jerusalem, Judea, Jordan River, Libya, Mesopotamia, Midian, Mount of Olives, Nile, Pamphylia, Pontus.

2. RESOURCES

2.1 Web Sites and Other Online Resources

“Saint Stephen.” Wikipedia.

“Stephen, the First Martyr.” The Cult of Saints in Late Antiquity.

3. BIBLIOGRAPHY

3.1 Manuscripts and Editions

3.1.1 Arabic

A Cairo, Library of the Church of the All-Holy Virgin in Kasr as-Sam, hist. 15, fols. 234^r–249^v (1824)

B Cairo, Library of the Church of the All-Holy Virgin in the Harat Zuwailah, fols. 25^r–34^r (1733-1734).

C Cairo, Church of Saint Barbara in Kasr as-Sam, fols. 198^v–211^v (1737)

Unevaluated:

Wadi El Natrun, Dayr Qiddīs Anbā Maqqār, Hag. 47, pp. 422–442 (13th/14th cent.) ~ HMML

‘Abd Al-Masih, Yassa, and Antoine Khater. “An Arabic Apocryphon of Saint Stephen the Archdeacon.” SOCC 13 (1968-1969): 161–98 (edition based on ABC, pp. 165-77; translation, pp. 178–98).

3.1.2 Copto-Arabic Synaxarion (entry for 15 Tout based largely on Acts 7)

Basset, René. “Le Synaxaire arabe jacobite: Mois de Tout et de Babeh.” Patrologia orientalis 1 (1907): 223–379 (text and French translation, pp. 268–70).

3.1.2 Ethiopic

Paris, Bibliothèque nationale de France, d’Abbadie 110, fols. 81^r–88^r (1669) ~ Gallica

Unevaluated witnesses:

Addis Ababa, Ledatā Māryām Church, EMML 430, fols. 1^r–46^r (20th cent.) ~ Life and Martyrdom, fols. 1^r–46^r, Glorification, fols. 46^v–62^v HMML

Ānsabā Region, Ṣa’edā Embā Śellāsē Monastery, EMML 1479, fols. 40^v–48^r (15th cent.) ~ HMML

Wallo (Ethiopia), Ḥayq Esṭifanos Monastery, EMML 1766, fols. 28^r–45^v (14th/15th cent.)

Labadie, Damien. “Une version éthiopienne des Actes apocryphes du protomartyr Étienne. Édition, traduction et commentaire du manuscrit BnF d’Abbadie 110 (f. 81r–88r).” Mus 128 (2015): 415–72.

3.1.3.2 Ethiopic Synaxarion (entry for 1 Ter based largely on Acts 7)

Budge, Ernest A. W. The Book of the Saints of the Ethiopian Church. 2 vols. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1928 (English translation of summary of the text from the Ethiopic Synaxarion, vol. 2, pp. 434–35).

Colin, Gérard. Le Synaxaire éthiopien. Mois de Ṭerr. Turnhout: Brepols, 1990 (text and translation pp. 8–11).

3.2 Modern Translations

3.2.1 English

‘Abd Al-Masih, Yassa, and Antoine Khater. “An Arabic Apocryphon of Saint Stephen the Archdeacon.” SOCC 13 (1968-1969): 161–98 (edition based on ABC, pp. 165–77; translation, pp. 178–98).

3.2.2 French

3.3 General Works

Bovon, François. “The Dossier on Stephen, the First Martyr.” HTR 96.3 (2003): 279-315 (pp. 306-307).

Labadie, Damien. L’invention du protomartyr Étienne: sainteté, pouvoir et controverse dans l’antiquité (Ier-VIe s.). Judaïsme ancien et origines du christianisme 21. Turnhout: Brepols, 2021 (pp. 290, 498).