Passion of Paul

Passio apostoli Pauli

Standard abbreviation: Pass. Paul

Other titles: none

Clavis numbers: ECCA 149; CANT 213

Category: Apocryphal Acts

Compiled by Tony Burke, York University

Citing this resource (using Chicago Manual of Style): Burke, Tony. “Passion of Paul.” e-Clavis: Christian Apocrypha. Accessed DAY MONTH YEAR. https://www.nasscal.com/e-clavis-christian-apocrypha/passion-of-paul/.

Created February 2021. Current as of January 2023.

1. SUMMARY

Pass. Paul is a blend of the activities of Paul reported in Acts (here chs. 1–6) with traditions about Paul’s martyrdom, particularly Pseudo-Linus. After Paul reaches Rome, the author reports that Peter had been crucified and Simon Magus eliminated but God had allowed Paul to escape martyrdom so that he could preach the gospel. After some time, he is summoned by Nero, who has heard rumors that Paul is inciting rebellion against the empire. Paul defends himself before Nero with a compilation of statements drawn from the New Testament Pauline epistles. Nero is amazed but later turns angry against Paul and orders his death. He sends two soldiers, Ferega and Parthenius, to carry out the execution. Paul promises them that they will later see Titus and Luke praying at his sepulcher and they will teach the soldiers about salvation. Paul is brought outside the city. His head is severed by a sword and milk issues from the wound, drenching the hand of the executioner. Lucina, a servant of Christ, prepares his body and buried it on her own estate at the second milestone from the city on the Ostian Road. The day of Paul’s death is given as the third calends of July (June 29), two years after the death of Peter.

Named historical figures and characters: Ananias (disciple), Barnabas, Benjamin (patriarch), Eutychus, Holy Spirit, Isaiah (prophet), Jesus Christ, Judas (of Damascus), Lucina, Luke (evangelist), Moses (patriarch), Nero, Paul (apostle), Peter (apostle), Parthenius (soldier), Pheretas/Ferega/Pheres (soldier), Publius (of Malta), Simon (Magus), Titus, Tyrannus.

Geographical locations: Asia, Damascus, Illyricum, Jerusalem, Judea, Lystra, Malta, Ostian Road, Rome, Tarsus.

2. RESOURCES

3. BIBLIOGRAPHY

3.1 Manuscripts and Editions

3.1.1 Latin (BHL 6574–6577)

Bamberg, Staatsbibliothek Bamberg, Msc. Hist. 139 (12th cent.) IMAGES

Dublin, Trinity College, 737 (olim G.04.16), fols. 15^v–19^v (9th and 12th/13th cent.)

Munich, Bayerische Staatsbibliothek, Clm 13074, fols. 12^r–15^r (1175)

Paris, Bibliothèque Sainte-Geneviève, 557 (11th/12th cent.)

Paris, Bibliothèque nationale de France, lat. 5563 (11th cent.) – IMAGES

Paris, Bibliothèque nationale de France, lat. 12604, fols. 12^v–16^v (12th cent.)

Paris, Bibliothèque nationale de France, lat. 18298 (9th/10th cent.) IMAGES

Vienna, Österreichische Nationalbibliothek, lat. 455 (9th cent.) CATALOG

Vienna, Österreichische Nationalbibliothek, lat. 497 (13th cent.) CATALOG

Vienna, Österreichische Nationalbibliothek, lat. 534 (9th cent.) CATALOG

Vienna, Österreichische Nationalbibliothek, lat. 560 (12th/13th cent.) CATALOG

Wolfenbüttel, Herzog August Bibliothek Weissenburg, 48, fols. 20^r–22^v (9th cent.)

Wolfenbüttel, Universitätsbibliothek Helmstedt, 497 (11th cent.) IMAGES

Eastman, David L. The Ancient Martyrdom Accounts of Peter and Paul. WGRW 39. Atlanta: SBL Press, 2015 (text and translation based on Fabricius, pp. 171–87).

Fabricius, Johann Albert. Codex Apocryphus Novi Testamenti. 2 vols. 2nd ed. Hamburg: Schiller, 1719 (a reprint of Lazius’ edition via Lefèvre in vol. 2, pp. 441–56).

Giles, J. A. Codex Apocryphus Novi Testamenti: The Uncanonical Gospels and Other Writings. London: D. Nutt, 1852 (reproduction of Fabricius, pp. 278–85).

Lazius, Wolfgang. Abdiae Babyloniae episcopi et apostolorum discipuli de historia certaminis apostolici libri decem. Bale, 1552 (Repr. Paris: Guillard & Belot, 1566; reprint by Jean Lefèvre in 1560) (based on ONB 455 and 534 but with some editorial glosses at the beginning of the texts, pp. 17r–19v).

3.2 Modern Translations

3.2.1 English

Eastman, David L. The Ancient Martyrdom Accounts of Peter and Paul. WGRW 39. Atlanta: SBL Press, 2015 (text and translation based on Fabricius, pp. 171–87).

3.2.2 French

Migne, Jacques-Paul. Dictionnaire des Apocryphes. 2 vols. 1856. Repr., Turnhout: Brepols, 1989 (vol. 2, cols. 657–64).

3.3.3 German

Borberg, Karl Friedrich. Bibliothek der neutestamentlichen Apokryphen, gesammelt, übersetzt, und erläutert. Stuttgart: Literatur-Comptoir, 1841 (vol. 1, pp. 448–62).

3.3.4 Italian

Erbetta, Mario. Gli apocrifi del Nuovo Testamento. 3 vols. Italy: Marietti, 1975–1981 (vol. 2, pp. 297–301).

Moraldi, Luigi. Apocrifi del Nuovo Testamento. 2 vols. Classici delle religioni, Sezione quarta, La religione cattolica 24. Turin: Unione Tipografico-Editrice Torinese, 1971 (vol. 2, pp. 1460–66).

3.3 General Works

See also works on the Apostolic Histories collection.

Lipsius, Richard A. Die apokryphen Apostelgeschichten und Apostellegenden. 2 vols. in 3 parts. Braunschweig, 1883–1890 (see vol. 2.1, pp. 384–90; Erganzungsband n. 256).

Steinová, Evina. “The Prehistory of the Latin Acts of Peter (BHL 6663) and the Latin Acts of Paul (BHL 6575). Some Observations about the Development of the Virtutes apostolorum.” Pages 69–83 in The Apocryphal Acts of the Apostles in Latin Christianity. Proceedings of the First International Summer School on Christian Apocryphal Literature (ISCAL), Strasbourg, 24–27 June 2012. Edited by Els Rose. Turnhout: Brepols, 2014.