Preaching of Simon Cephas in the City of Rome
This text was published in Syriac and English by William Cureton (Ancient Syriac Documents, (London: Williams and Norgate, 1864, 35-41 [text], 35-41 [translation]) from two Nitrian Desert manuscripts in the British Library (B.L., Add. 14644 and Add. 14609). The text is also contained in four additional Syriac manuscripts: Mingana, Syr 4; Harvard, Houghton Library 99; Leningrad, Syriac n.s. 4, and Montserat 31. It seems to be loosely dependent on the (Syriac) Acts Pet. and also on the (Syriac) Ps.-Clem.
The translation is taken from Cureton (with a few modifications). The chapter and verse divisions are my own.
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1 1 In the third year of Claudius Caesar, Simon Cephas departed from Antioch to go to Rome. And as he passed on he preached in the countries the word of our Lord.
2 And when he drew nigh to enter in there, many had heard and they went out to meet him, and the whole Church received him with great joy. And some of the princes of the city who wore the headbands of kings came out to him that they might see him and hear his word.
3 When the whole city was gathered together near him, he stood up to speak with them, and to shew them the preaching of his teaching how it was. And he began to speak to them thus:
2 2 “Men, sons of Rome, saints of all Italy, hearken to what I say to you. To-day I preach and proclaim Jesus the Son of God, who came down from heaven, and was made man, and was amongst us like ourselves, and wrought marvellous mighty works and signs and wonders before us, and before all the Jews who are in the land of Palestine.
3 And you also have heard of those things which he did, because they came to him also from other countries on account of the fame of his healing, and on the report of his marvellous helps. And every one that came near to him was healed by his word.
4 And because he was God, at the same time as he healed he also forgave sins: for his healing which was manifest bare witness to his secret forgiveness, that it is true and to be believed.
5 For this Jesus the prophets preached in their mysteries, while they waited to see him, and to hear his words: that he who was with his Father for ever and from everlasting, is God, who was hidden in the height, and is appeared in the depth, the glorious Son, who is of his Father, and is glorified together with his Father and with the Spirit of his Godhead, and the terrible power of his majesty.
6 He also was crucified of his own will by the hands of sinners, and was taken up to his Father, while I and my companions beheld, and he will come again in his own glory and that of all his holy angels, as we have heard him say to us.
7 For we are not able to speak any thing which has not been heard by us from him, nor do we write in the book of his Gospel any thing which he has not spoken to us, because this word is spoken that the mouth of the liars may be stopped, on the day that the sons of men shall give an account of their idle words at the place of Judgment.
8 But because we were catchers of fish, and not skilled in books, on this account he said to us, ‘I will send you the Spirit, the Paraclete, that he may teach you what ye do not know;’ for by his gift we speak these things which ye hear.
9 And further by it we bring aid to the sick and healing to the deceased; that by the hearing of his word, and by the aid of his power, ye may believe in Christ, that he is God, the Son of God, may be delivered from the service of bondage and may worship him and his Father, and glorify the Spirit of his Godhead.
10 For when we glorify the Father we also glorify his Son with him, and when we worship the Son we also worship the Father with him; and when we confess the Spirit we also confess the Father and the Son, because in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Spirit, were we commanded to baptize those who believe, that they might live for ever.
3 1 “Flee therefore from the words of the wisdom of this world, in which there is no profit, and draw near to those which are true and faithful, and accepted before God; and their reward is reserved, and their recompense abideth.
2 And now that the light is arisen upon the creation, the world also has obtained the eyes of the mind, that every man might see and understand that it is not right that creatures should be worshipped instead of the Creator, neither together with the Creator, because every thing which is creature ought to be a worshipper of its maker, and is not to be worshipped like its creator.
3 But this one who came to us is God, the Son of God, in his own nature, although he mingled his godhead with our manhood, in order that he might renew our manhood by the aid of his godhead.
4 And on this account it is just that we should worship him, because he is to be worshipped together with his Father, and that we should not worship creatures, which were created for the worship of the Creator.
5 For he is the God of Truth and of Verity: it is he who was before the worlds and things created: he is the Son of Truth, and the glorious fruit who is of the Father most high.
6 But ye see the wonderful deeds which accompany and follow these words: one would hardly believe the short time since he ascended to his Father, and see how his Gospel is spread abroad through the whole creation, that by this it may be known and believed that he is the creator of the creatures, and by his assent the creatures subsist.
7 And inasmuch as ye saw the sun become darkened at his deaths ye yourselves also are witnesses.
8 But the earth shook when he was slain, and the vail was rent at his death: and touching these things the Governor Pilate also was witness, for he sent and made them known to Caesar, and these things, and more than these, were read before him and before the princes of your city.
9 And on this account Caesar was angry against Pilate, because he had unjustly been persuaded by the Jews, and for this reason he sent and took away from him the authority which he had given to him. And this same thing was published abroad and made known in all the dominion of the Romans.
10 What, therefore, Pilate saw and made known to Caesar and to your honourable Senate, the same I preach and declare, and my fellow-Apostles.
11 And ye know that Pilate could not have written to the Government any thing which did not take place and he saw with his own eyes: but that which did take place and was done in reality, the same he wrote and made known.
12 And those who watched the sepulchre were witnesses also of those things which took place there; they became like dead men.
13 And when those watchers were questioned by Pilate, they confessed before him how large a bribe the chief priests of the Jews had given to them, in order that they might say that we, his disciples, stole away the body of Christ.
14 Behold, therefore, ye have heard many things, but if ye be not willing to be convinced by those things which ye have heard, nevertheless be convinced by the mighty works that ye see, which are done in his name.
15 Let not Simon the Sorcerer deceive you, by semblances that are not real which he exhibits to you; like as to men without understanding, who know not how to discern what they see and hear.
16 Send, therefore, and bring him where your whole city is assembled together, and choose for you some sign for us to do before you, and the one whom ye see perform that same sign, your part will be to believe in him.”
4 1 And in the same hour they sent and fetched Simon the Sorcerer, and the men who were of his opinions said to him: “As a man, in whom we are confident that there is power in thee to perform any thing, perform thou some sign before us all, and this Simon the Galilaean, who preacheth Christ, shall see.”
2 And as they were thus speaking to him a dead man happened to be passing by, the son of one of the chiefs, and well known and illustrious among them.
3 And all of them being assembled together said to him: “The one of you that shall restore to life this dead man, he is true, and to be believed and accepted, and we will all follow him in every thing that he saith to us.”
4 And they said to Simon the Sorcerer, “Because thou hast been here before Simon the Galilaean, and we have known thee before him, exhibit thou first the power which accompanieth thee.”
5 But Simon hesitatingly drew near to the dead man, and they set down the bier before him; and he looked to the right hand and to the left, and gazed up to heaven, saying many words: some of them he spake aloud, and some of them secretly and not aloud.
6 And he waited a long while and nothing took place, and nothing was done, and the dead man was lying upon his bier.
7 And in the same hour Simon Cephas drew near to him that was dead with confidence, and cried aloud before all the assembly which was standing there: “In the name of Jesus Christ, whom the Jews crucified at Jerusalem, and whom we preach, rise up from thence.”
8 And immediately, as the word of Simon was spoken, he that was dead revived and rose up from the bier. And all the people saw and marvelled.
9 And they said to Simon: “Christ, whom thou preachest, is true: and many cried out and said, Let Simon the Sorcerer and deceiver of us all be stoned.”
10 But Simon, by reason that every one was running to see the dead man who was come to life again, escaped from them from one street to another, and from house to house, and fell not into their hands on that day.
5 1 But the whole city took Simon Cephas and they received him gladly and with love: and he ceased not to perform signs and wonders in the name of Christ, and many believed in him.
2 But Cuprinus, the father of him who was restored to life conducted Simon Cephas with him to his house, and received him in a proper manner, while he and all his household believed in Christ, that he is the son of the living God.
3 And many of the Jews and of the Pagans became disciples there. And when there was great rejoicing at his doctrine, he built a church there in Rome and in the neighbouring cities, and in all the villages of the people of Italy; and he ministered there in the office of Guide and Ruler twenty-five years.
6 1 And after these years Nero Caesar seized him, and bound him in prison: and he knew that he would crucify him, so he called Ansus, [Linus] the Deacon, and made him Bishop in his own stead in Rome.
2 And these things Simon himself spake, and the other remaining things also which he had, he commanded Ansus [Linus] to teach before the people, saying to him, “Besides the New Testament and the Old, let there not be read any thing else before the people, which is not right.”
3 When therefore Caesar had given orders that Simon should be crucified with his head downwards, as he had himself requested of Caesar, and that Paul’s head should be taken off, there was great trouble among the people, and bitter grief in all the Church, because they had been deprived of the sight of the Apostles.
4 And Isus [Linus] the Guide arose and took up their bodies by night and buried them with great honour, and a house of assembly for many was made there.
5 And at that time, as if by the judgment of righteousness, Nero abandoned his empire and fled, and there was a short cessation from the persecution which Nero Caesar had raised against them. 6 And many years after the great crowning of the Apostles who had departed out of the world, while the Hand of Priesthood was proceeding in all Rome and in all Italy, it happened then that there was a great famine in the city of Rome.
The translation is taken from Cureton (with a few modifications). The chapter and verse divisions are my own.
____________________________________________
1 1 In the third year of Claudius Caesar, Simon Cephas departed from Antioch to go to Rome. And as he passed on he preached in the countries the word of our Lord.
2 And when he drew nigh to enter in there, many had heard and they went out to meet him, and the whole Church received him with great joy. And some of the princes of the city who wore the headbands of kings came out to him that they might see him and hear his word.
3 When the whole city was gathered together near him, he stood up to speak with them, and to shew them the preaching of his teaching how it was. And he began to speak to them thus:
2 2 “Men, sons of Rome, saints of all Italy, hearken to what I say to you. To-day I preach and proclaim Jesus the Son of God, who came down from heaven, and was made man, and was amongst us like ourselves, and wrought marvellous mighty works and signs and wonders before us, and before all the Jews who are in the land of Palestine.
3 And you also have heard of those things which he did, because they came to him also from other countries on account of the fame of his healing, and on the report of his marvellous helps. And every one that came near to him was healed by his word.
4 And because he was God, at the same time as he healed he also forgave sins: for his healing which was manifest bare witness to his secret forgiveness, that it is true and to be believed.
5 For this Jesus the prophets preached in their mysteries, while they waited to see him, and to hear his words: that he who was with his Father for ever and from everlasting, is God, who was hidden in the height, and is appeared in the depth, the glorious Son, who is of his Father, and is glorified together with his Father and with the Spirit of his Godhead, and the terrible power of his majesty.
6 He also was crucified of his own will by the hands of sinners, and was taken up to his Father, while I and my companions beheld, and he will come again in his own glory and that of all his holy angels, as we have heard him say to us.
7 For we are not able to speak any thing which has not been heard by us from him, nor do we write in the book of his Gospel any thing which he has not spoken to us, because this word is spoken that the mouth of the liars may be stopped, on the day that the sons of men shall give an account of their idle words at the place of Judgment.
8 But because we were catchers of fish, and not skilled in books, on this account he said to us, ‘I will send you the Spirit, the Paraclete, that he may teach you what ye do not know;’ for by his gift we speak these things which ye hear.
9 And further by it we bring aid to the sick and healing to the deceased; that by the hearing of his word, and by the aid of his power, ye may believe in Christ, that he is God, the Son of God, may be delivered from the service of bondage and may worship him and his Father, and glorify the Spirit of his Godhead.
10 For when we glorify the Father we also glorify his Son with him, and when we worship the Son we also worship the Father with him; and when we confess the Spirit we also confess the Father and the Son, because in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Spirit, were we commanded to baptize those who believe, that they might live for ever.
3 1 “Flee therefore from the words of the wisdom of this world, in which there is no profit, and draw near to those which are true and faithful, and accepted before God; and their reward is reserved, and their recompense abideth.
2 And now that the light is arisen upon the creation, the world also has obtained the eyes of the mind, that every man might see and understand that it is not right that creatures should be worshipped instead of the Creator, neither together with the Creator, because every thing which is creature ought to be a worshipper of its maker, and is not to be worshipped like its creator.
3 But this one who came to us is God, the Son of God, in his own nature, although he mingled his godhead with our manhood, in order that he might renew our manhood by the aid of his godhead.
4 And on this account it is just that we should worship him, because he is to be worshipped together with his Father, and that we should not worship creatures, which were created for the worship of the Creator.
5 For he is the God of Truth and of Verity: it is he who was before the worlds and things created: he is the Son of Truth, and the glorious fruit who is of the Father most high.
6 But ye see the wonderful deeds which accompany and follow these words: one would hardly believe the short time since he ascended to his Father, and see how his Gospel is spread abroad through the whole creation, that by this it may be known and believed that he is the creator of the creatures, and by his assent the creatures subsist.
7 And inasmuch as ye saw the sun become darkened at his deaths ye yourselves also are witnesses.
8 But the earth shook when he was slain, and the vail was rent at his death: and touching these things the Governor Pilate also was witness, for he sent and made them known to Caesar, and these things, and more than these, were read before him and before the princes of your city.
9 And on this account Caesar was angry against Pilate, because he had unjustly been persuaded by the Jews, and for this reason he sent and took away from him the authority which he had given to him. And this same thing was published abroad and made known in all the dominion of the Romans.
10 What, therefore, Pilate saw and made known to Caesar and to your honourable Senate, the same I preach and declare, and my fellow-Apostles.
11 And ye know that Pilate could not have written to the Government any thing which did not take place and he saw with his own eyes: but that which did take place and was done in reality, the same he wrote and made known.
12 And those who watched the sepulchre were witnesses also of those things which took place there; they became like dead men.
13 And when those watchers were questioned by Pilate, they confessed before him how large a bribe the chief priests of the Jews had given to them, in order that they might say that we, his disciples, stole away the body of Christ.
14 Behold, therefore, ye have heard many things, but if ye be not willing to be convinced by those things which ye have heard, nevertheless be convinced by the mighty works that ye see, which are done in his name.
15 Let not Simon the Sorcerer deceive you, by semblances that are not real which he exhibits to you; like as to men without understanding, who know not how to discern what they see and hear.
16 Send, therefore, and bring him where your whole city is assembled together, and choose for you some sign for us to do before you, and the one whom ye see perform that same sign, your part will be to believe in him.”
4 1 And in the same hour they sent and fetched Simon the Sorcerer, and the men who were of his opinions said to him: “As a man, in whom we are confident that there is power in thee to perform any thing, perform thou some sign before us all, and this Simon the Galilaean, who preacheth Christ, shall see.”
2 And as they were thus speaking to him a dead man happened to be passing by, the son of one of the chiefs, and well known and illustrious among them.
3 And all of them being assembled together said to him: “The one of you that shall restore to life this dead man, he is true, and to be believed and accepted, and we will all follow him in every thing that he saith to us.”
4 And they said to Simon the Sorcerer, “Because thou hast been here before Simon the Galilaean, and we have known thee before him, exhibit thou first the power which accompanieth thee.”
5 But Simon hesitatingly drew near to the dead man, and they set down the bier before him; and he looked to the right hand and to the left, and gazed up to heaven, saying many words: some of them he spake aloud, and some of them secretly and not aloud.
6 And he waited a long while and nothing took place, and nothing was done, and the dead man was lying upon his bier.
7 And in the same hour Simon Cephas drew near to him that was dead with confidence, and cried aloud before all the assembly which was standing there: “In the name of Jesus Christ, whom the Jews crucified at Jerusalem, and whom we preach, rise up from thence.”
8 And immediately, as the word of Simon was spoken, he that was dead revived and rose up from the bier. And all the people saw and marvelled.
9 And they said to Simon: “Christ, whom thou preachest, is true: and many cried out and said, Let Simon the Sorcerer and deceiver of us all be stoned.”
10 But Simon, by reason that every one was running to see the dead man who was come to life again, escaped from them from one street to another, and from house to house, and fell not into their hands on that day.
5 1 But the whole city took Simon Cephas and they received him gladly and with love: and he ceased not to perform signs and wonders in the name of Christ, and many believed in him.
2 But Cuprinus, the father of him who was restored to life conducted Simon Cephas with him to his house, and received him in a proper manner, while he and all his household believed in Christ, that he is the son of the living God.
3 And many of the Jews and of the Pagans became disciples there. And when there was great rejoicing at his doctrine, he built a church there in Rome and in the neighbouring cities, and in all the villages of the people of Italy; and he ministered there in the office of Guide and Ruler twenty-five years.
6 1 And after these years Nero Caesar seized him, and bound him in prison: and he knew that he would crucify him, so he called Ansus, [Linus] the Deacon, and made him Bishop in his own stead in Rome.
2 And these things Simon himself spake, and the other remaining things also which he had, he commanded Ansus [Linus] to teach before the people, saying to him, “Besides the New Testament and the Old, let there not be read any thing else before the people, which is not right.”
3 When therefore Caesar had given orders that Simon should be crucified with his head downwards, as he had himself requested of Caesar, and that Paul’s head should be taken off, there was great trouble among the people, and bitter grief in all the Church, because they had been deprived of the sight of the Apostles.
4 And Isus [Linus] the Guide arose and took up their bodies by night and buried them with great honour, and a house of assembly for many was made there.
5 And at that time, as if by the judgment of righteousness, Nero abandoned his empire and fled, and there was a short cessation from the persecution which Nero Caesar had raised against them. 6 And many years after the great crowning of the Apostles who had departed out of the world, while the Hand of Priesthood was proceeding in all Rome and in all Italy, it happened then that there was a great famine in the city of Rome.
Here endeth the Doctrine of Simon Cephas.
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