Apocryphal Passion Gospel

A fragmentary gospel attributed to Peter, discovered in 1886–87 in the tomb of a monk at Akhmim in Upper Egypt. The surviving text begins mid-sentence during the trial of Jesus and ends abruptly at the Sea of Galilee, breaking off as Peter and Andrew take up their nets. It is the only early Christian gospel narrated in Peter's own voice ("But I with my fellows was in grief"). The text is most famous for its account of the resurrection: Roman soldiers and Jewish elders witness two men descend from an opened heaven, enter the tomb, and emerge sustaining a third figure whose head overpasses the heavens, followed by a walking, talking cross. Asked "Hast thou preached unto them that sleep?" the cross answers "Yea." No canonical gospel describes the moment of resurrection itself; this text does.

The manuscript (now Cairo Catalogue 10759) dates to the 8th or 9th century. The gospel itself is generally dated to the mid-second century, though some scholars place it earlier. Serapion of Antioch (c. 200 CE) is the earliest known authority to reference it. Translated by M. R. James. From The Apocryphal New Testament (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1924). Digitised from the Gnostic Society Library (gnosis.org).

And in the same hour was the veil of the temple of Jerusalem rent in two.

And then they plucked the nails from the hands of the Lord and laid him upon the earth: and the whole earth was shaken, and there came a great fear on all.

Then the sun shone forth, and it was found to be the ninth hour. And the Jews rejoiced, and gave his body unto Joseph to bury it, because he had beheld all the good things which he did. And he took the Lord and washed him and wrapped him in linen and brought him unto his own sepulchre, which is called the Garden of Joseph.

Then the Jews and the elders and the priests, when they perceived how great evil they had done themselves, began to lament and to say: Woe unto our sins: the judgement and the end of Jerusalem is drawn nigh.

But I with my fellows was in grief, and we were wounded in our minds and would have hid ourselves; for we were sought after by them as malefactors, and as thinking to set the temple on fire. And beside all these things we were fasting, and we sat mourning and weeping night and day until the Sabbath.

But the scribes and Pharisees and elders gathered one with another, for they had heard that all the people were murmuring and beating their breasts, saying: If these very great signs have come to pass at his death, behold how righteous he was. And the elders were afraid and came unto Pilate, entreating him and saying: Give us soldiers that we may watch his sepulchre for three days, lest his disciples come and steal him away and the people suppose that he is risen from the dead, and do us hurt. And Pilate gave them Petronius the centurion with soldiers to watch the sepulchre; and the elders and scribes came with them unto the tomb, and when they had rolled a great stone to keep out the centurion and the soldiers, then all that were there together set it upon the door of the tomb; and plastered thereon seven seals; and they pitched a tent there and kept watch.

And early in the morning as the Sabbath dawned, there came a multitude from Jerusalem and the region roundabout to see the sepulchre that had been sealed.

Now in the night whereon the Lord's day dawned, as the soldiers were keeping guard two by two in every watch, there came a great sound in the heaven, and they saw the heavens opened and two men descend thence, shining with a great light, and drawing near unto the sepulchre. And that stone which had been set on the door rolled away of itself and went back to the side, and the sepulchre was opened and both of the young men entered in. When therefore those soldiers saw that, they waked up the centurion and the elders (for they also were there keeping watch); and while they were yet telling them the things which they had seen, they saw again three men come out of the sepulchre, and two of them sustaining the other, and a cross following after them. And of the two they saw that their heads reached unto heaven, but of him that was led by them that it overpassed the heavens. And they heard a voice out of the heavens saying: Hast thou preached unto them that sleep?

And an answer was heard from the cross, saying: Yea.

Those men therefore took counsel one with another to go and report these things unto Pilate. And while they yet thought thereabout, again the heavens were opened and a man descended and entered into the tomb. And they that were with the centurion, when they saw that, hasted to go by night unto Pilate and left the sepulchre whereon they were keeping watch, and told all that they had seen, and were in great agony, saying: Of a truth he was the son of God.

Pilate answered and said: I am clear from the blood of the son of God, but thus it seemed good unto you. Then all they came and besought him and exhorted him to charge the centurion and the soldiers to tell nothing of that they had seen: For, said they, it is expedient for us to incur the greatest sin before God, rather than to fall into the hands of the people of the Jews and to be stoned. Pilate therefore charged the centurion and the soldiers that they should say nothing.

Now early on the Lord's day Mary Magdalene, a disciple of the Lord — which, being afraid because of the Jews, for they were inflamed with anger, had not performed at the sepulchre of the Lord those things which women are accustomed to do unto them that die and are beloved of them — took with her the women her friends and came unto the tomb where he was laid. And they feared lest the Jews should see them, and said: Even if we were not able to weep and lament him on that day whereon he was crucified, yet let us now do so at his tomb. But who will roll away for us the stone also that is set upon the door of the tomb, that we may enter in and sit beside him and perform that which is due? For the stone was great, and we fear lest any man see us. And if we cannot do so, yet let us cast down at the door these things which we bring for a memorial of him, and we will weep and lament until we come unto our house.

And they went and found the sepulchre open: and they drew near and looked in there, and saw there a young man sitting in the midst of the sepulchre, of a fair countenance and clad in very bright raiment, which said unto them: Wherefore are ye come? Whom seek ye? Not him that was crucified? He is risen and is departed; but if ye believe it not, look in and see the place where he lay, that he is not here: for he is risen and is departed thither whence he was sent.

Then the women were affrighted and fled.

Now it was the last day of unleavened bread, and many were coming forth of the city and returning unto their own homes because the feast was at an end. But we, the twelve disciples of the Lord, were weeping and were in sorrow, and each one being grieved for that which had befallen departed unto his own house. But I, Simon Peter, and Andrew my brother, took our nets and went unto the sea: and there was with us Levi the son of Alphaeus, whom the Lord . . .

Colophon

The Gospel of Peter was discovered in the winter of 1886–87 by the French Archaeological Mission in Cairo, led by M. Grébaut, in a monk's grave at Akhmim (ancient Panopolis) in Upper Egypt. The codex (now Cairo Catalogue 10759) also contained portions of the Apocalypse of Peter and the Book of Enoch. The gospel fragment was first published by M. Bouriant in 1892 and immediately recognized as the text Serapion of Antioch had controversially permitted and then withdrawn from the church at Rhossus around 200 CE. The fragment preserves only a portion of the passion and resurrection narrative, beginning mid-trial and breaking off at the Sea of Galilee. Its most distinctive feature — the animated, speaking cross — has no parallel in any other early Christian text.

Translated by M. R. James. From The Apocryphal New Testament (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1924). Digitised from the Gnostic Society Library (gnosis.org).

All verse numbers, Roman chapter markers, literal translation notes, and web navigation artifacts removed. Sentences broken by embedded verse numbers rejoined. Blockquote and colophon written by the Sub-Miko. Hand-read in full.

Compiled and formatted for the Good Work Library by the New Tianmu Anglican Church, 2026.

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