Standard abbreviation: Pet. John Paul Ant.
Other titles: Legend of Peter, John, and Paul in Antioch
Clavis numbers: ECCA 409
Category: Apocryphal Acts
Related literature: Acts of Paul 2; Acts of Peter by Clement; Book of the Rolls; Golden Legend 44
Compiled by: Tony Burke, York University ([email protected])
Citing this resource (using Chicago Manual of Style): Burke, Tony. “Story of Peter, John, and Paul in Antioch.” e-Clavis: Christian Apocrypha. Accessed DAY MONTH YEAR. https://www.nasscal.com/e-clavis-christian-apocrypha/story-of-peter-john-and-paul-in-antioch/.
Created June 2021. Current as of July 2023.
1. SUMMARY
This episode is found in four forms: a poetic homily by Jacob of Sarug in Syriac (similar in form to the Armenian), an epitome in Garšūnī, a long Arabic version, and a short Arabic version. This final version, summarized here, is believed by Michel van Esbroeck to be the most archaic and ultimately goes back to a Syriac original available also to the author of the Syriac homily. The story can be found incorporated in the Ethiopic Acts of Peter by Clement and the Arabic Book of the Rolls.
In the more recent versions, Peter is appointed by Christ, either in a commissioning story with all of the apostles present or in a dream, to evangelize Antioch. He chooses John to accompany him. The short Arabic version, however, opens with Peter and John at the gates of Antioch. The apostles know about the arrogance of the city’s king, Cassian. One day the king hears them preaching and has them imprisoned; in other versions they are imprisoned at the instigation of a priest named Aetius and the king is named Antiochus. They are beaten and the crown of their heads is shaved “as the Nazarenes (meaning Nazirites) are shaved today” (in other versions this is said to be the origin of the tonsure; see particularly Golden Legend 44). Though the prison gate is virtually impregnable, Paul is able to enter. He tells the apostles that they have failed in their mission because the king was not yet ready to accept their preaching. Paul goes to the temple of idols and prays before them fervently. The king sees this and is impressed by his devotion. He calls Paul before him and he reveals that he is a former Israelite who now worships the gods of Antioch. The king makes Paul his steward. Once Paul has gained his trust, he asks the king to let him hear about the god of the apostles and refute their claims.
Peter and John are brought forward and Paul commands them to tell the assembly about their god. They claim he can do anything. Paul sets before them a test and says that if their god can pass the test then they will all believe. Paul convinces the king that it could be a great honor for him if their god is victorious; the king remarks that his own god has been withdrawn since Paul’s arrival. Two blind men are brought before the apostles and each heals one of them. Paul duplicates their miracle by healing a blind boy. He declares himself a believer and tells the king that he can worship this new god alongside his own.
Paul asks the apostles if their god can raise the dead. They say yes, and Paul tells the king to call upon his own god to do the same. The king brings forward the son of the judge Dahafarîm who has been dead for seven days (in other versions the young man is the son of Cassian). Though his body was foul-smelling and decomposing, the apostles raise him to life. The king asks him what he has seen in the land of the dead. He describes a typical hellscape, with burning rivers and consuming worms. But he was able to escape torture thanks to Paul, the other two apostles, and nine other men who intervened with God for him. He also saw another man with a “sweet face” who stood close to the throne of God, praying for him. The young man tells the people that there is no other god than the God of the apostles. The young man’s father is filled with joy and becomes a believer.
Paul then reveals his true self but only a few of those present believe. God sends out a cry against the unbelievers and burns them to ashes. Cassian and his family are baptized by Peter. He calls an assembly in the city and the people come to be baptized. In other versions Aetius is the first to be baptized. A church is built in Cassian’s name and Peter ordains a bishop, priests, and deacons. Here the short Arabic version ends but in other versions an apparition tells Peter that Nero is calling him to Rome for the supreme sacrifice.
Named historical figures and characters: Aetius (priest of Antioch), Cassian (king), Dahafarîm, Jesus Christ, John (son of Zebedee), Nero, Paul (apostle), Peter (apostle).
Geographical locations: Antioch, Church of Cassian, hell, Paradise, Rome.
2. RESOURCES
3. BIBLIOGRAPHY
3.1 Manuscripts and Editions
3.1.1 Arabic
3.1.1.1 Arabic Script
Short version:
Mount Sinai, Monē tēs Hagias Aikaterinēs, ar. 476, fols. 144v–150r (12th cent.) ~ LOC; Sinai Digital Library
Long version:
Mount Sinai, Monē tēs Hagias Aikaterinēs, ar. 539, fols. 13v–30r (12th cent.)
Not yet evaluated:
Bryn Mawr, Bryn Mawr College Library, BV 69 (ca. 830–880), fols. no longer extant
Cairo, Coptic Museum, 59, fols. 126r–138r (19th cent.)
Cairo, Coptic Museum, 60, fols. 19v–40v (19th cent.)
Cairo, Coptic Museum, 494, fols. 205r–224v (14th cent.)
Oxford, Bodleian Library, Bodl. Ar. 541 (Nicoll 49), fols. 90v–99r (18th cent.)
Bausi, Alessandro. “Alcune osservazioni sul Gadla ḥawāryāt.” Annali dell’Istituto Orientale di Napoli 60–61 (2001–2002): 77–114 (list of 31 Arabic manuscripts of the collection, pp. 97–101).
Esbroeck, Michel van. “La légende des apôtres Pierre, Jean et Paul à Antioche.” OrChr 78 (1994): 64–85 (edition and facing French translation based on Sinai ar. 476, pp. 74–85).
Graf, Georg. Geschichte der christlichen arabischen Literatur. 5 vols. Rome: Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana, 1944 (manuscripts listed, vol. 1, p. 261).
3.1.1.2 Garšūnī Script
Vatican, Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana, Vat. sir. 199, fols. 194r–201v (1545)
3.1.2 Armenian
Yerevan, Matenadaran, M993, fols. 760v–764v (1545)
Esbroeck, Michel van. “La légende des apôtres Pierre, Jean et Paul à Antioche.” OrChr 78 (1994): 64–85 (summary, pp. 67–68).
Esbroeck, Michel van, and Ugo Zanetti. “Le manuscrit Érévan 993. Inventaire des pièces.” Revue des Études Arméniennes N.S. 12 (1977): 123–67 (p. 164).
3.1.3 Ethiopic
3.1.3.1 Acts of Peter by Clement 4
3.1.3.2 The Ethiopian Synaxarion (first recension) includes a summary of the text for 5 Hamle (June 29 Julian).
Budge, Ernest A. W. The Book of the Saints of the Ethiopian Church: A Translation of the Ethiopic Synaxarium: Made from the Manuscripts Oriental 660 and 661 in the British Museum. 4 vols. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1928 (English translation from the entry for 5 Hamle, vol. 2, pp. 1065–67).
3.1.4 Syriac (poetic version attributed to Jacob of Sarug)
Vatican, Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana, Vat. sir. 117, fols. 522r–526r (ca. 700) ~ CATALOG; Syri.ac
Esbroeck, Michel van. “La légende des apôtres Pierre, Jean et Paul à Antioche.” OrChr 78 (1994): 64–85 (summary, pp. 64–65).
Vööbus, Arthur. Handschriftliches Überlieferung der Mēmrē-Dichtung des Ja’qōb von Serūg. 4 vols. Corpus Scriptorum Christianorum Orientalium 344–345, 421–422, Subsidia 39–40, 60-61. Leuven: Secrétariat du CorpusSCO, 1973–1980 (manuscripts listed, vol. 1, p. 214 and vol. 3, p. 146).
3.2 Modern Translations
3.2.1 English
Budge, E. Wallis. Gadla Ḥawâryât: The Contendings of the Apostles, Being the Lives and Martyrdoms and Deaths of the Twelve Apostles and Evangelists. Vol. 2 (English translations). London: Henry Frowde, 1901 (English translation from the Acts of Peter by Clement, pp. 491–504).
3.2.2 French
Esbroeck, Michel van. “La légende des apôtres Pierre, Jean et Paul à Antioche.” OrChr 78 (1994): 64–85 (edition and facing French translation based on Sinai ar. 476, pp. 74–85).
3.3 General Works