Acts of Peter (Actus Vercellenses)

The Acts of Peter with Simon

While Paul was staying at Rome and strengthening many in the faith, it happened also that a woman named Candida, the wife of Quartus, a prison officer, heard Paul, paid heed to his words and believed. And when she had taught her husband too and he had believed, Quartus allowed Paul to leave the city and go wherever he wished. Paul said to him: 'If it is the will of God, he himself will reveal it to me.' And Paul fasted three days and asked the Lord what was fitting for him, and he saw a vision, the Lord saying to him: 'Paul, arise, and be a physician in your own person to those who are in Spain.' So he told the brothers what God had commanded, and without hesitating he made ready to set out from the city. When Paul began to leave, there was great weeping among the whole brotherhood, because they thought they would never see Paul again, so that they even tore their clothes; and besides, they had before their eyes how often Paul had contended with the teachers of the Jews and refuted them, saying: 'Christ, on whom your fathers laid hands, has done away with their sabbath, their fasts, their festivals and circumcision'; and he did away with the teachings of men and their other traditions.

The brothers mourned and begged Paul, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, not to be away more than a year, saying: 'We know your love for your brothers; do not forget us when you have arrived there, and do not begin to abandon us like little children without a mother.' And as they were entreating him with tears for a long time, a sound came from heaven and a very loud voice saying: 'Paul, the minister of God, has been chosen for ministry for the time of his life; at the hands of Nero, an ungodly and wicked man, he will be perfected before your eyes.' Great fear came still more upon the brothers because of the voice that had come from heaven; and they were much more strengthened.

They brought Paul bread and water as a sacrifice for the prayer, so that he might give it to each. Among them it happened that a woman named Rufina also wished to receive the eucharist from Paul's hands. As she came near, Paul, filled with the Spirit of God, said to her: 'Rufina, you are not coming to the altar of God as one worthy, for you rise from the side not of a husband but of an adulterer, and you try to receive the eucharist of God. See, Satan will crush your heart and cast you down before the eyes of all who believe in the Lord, so that those who see and believe may know that they have believed in the living God, the searcher of hearts. But if you repent of your deed, he is faithful, who can wipe out your sins and set you free from this sin. But if you do not repent while you are still in the body, devouring fire and the outer darkness will receive you for all ages.' And at once Rufina fell down, paralysed on her left side from her head to the nails of her feet; nor was she given power to speak, for her tongue was bound. When they saw this, those who believed in the faith and the newly baptized beat their breasts, remembering their former sins, lamenting and saying: 'We do not know whether God will forgive us the former sins we have committed.' Then Paul asked for silence and said: 'Men, brothers, who have now begun to believe in Christ, if you do not continue in your former works and the tradition of your fathers, and keep yourselves from all deceit and anger and cruelty and adultery and defilement, and from pride and jealousy, contempt and enmity, Jesus the living God will forgive you what you did in ignorance. Therefore, servants of God, let each of you arm your inner man with peace, calmness, gentleness, faith, love, knowledge, wisdom, love of the brotherhood, hospitality, mercy, self-control, chastity, goodness and righteousness. Then you will have for ever as your leader the firstborn of all creation, and strength in peace with our Lord.' When they had heard this from Paul, they asked him to pray for them. And Paul lifted up his voice and said: 'Eternal God, God of the heavens, God of unspeakable majesty, who established all things by your word, who bound upon every age the bond of your grace, Father of your holy Son Jesus Christ, we pray to you together through your Son Jesus Christ: strengthen the souls that were once unbelieving but are now faithful. Once I was a blasphemer, now I am blasphemed; once I was a persecutor, now I suffer persecution from others; once an enemy of Christ, now I pray to be his friend. For I trust in his promise and his mercy; I count myself faithful and believe I have received forgiveness of my former offences. Therefore I urge you too, brothers, to believe in the Lord, the Father almighty, and to put all your hope in our Lord Jesus Christ his Son, believing in him; and no one will be able to tear you away from his promise. Kneel together and commend me to the Lord, as I am setting out for another nation, that his grace may go before me and order my journey well, so that it may receive his holy and faithful vessels.' And giving thanks they made their requests of blessed Paul, and kissing his feet they escorted him to the harbour. But Dionysius and Balbus from Asia, Roman knights and distinguished men, and a senator named Demetrius, keeping close to Paul at his right hand, said: 'Paul, I would wish to flee from the city, if I were not a magistrate, so as not to leave you.' Likewise from Caesar's household, Cleobius, Iphitus, Lysimachus and Aristeus, and two matrons, Berenice and Philostrate, with the presbyter Narcissus, escorted him to the harbour; but since a storm at sea threatened, he sent the brothers back to Rome, so that anyone who wished might come down and hear Paul until he sailed. Hearing this, the brothers went up to the city. When the brothers who had stayed in the city were told, the news spread at once, and some on beasts, some on foot, others by the Tiber came down to the harbour; and they were strengthened in the faith for three days, and on the fourth day until the fifth hour, praying together with Paul and bringing the offering. And they put on board whatever was needed and gave him two faithful young men to sail with him, and bade him farewell in the Lord and returned to Rome.

After a few days there was a great commotion in the midst of the church, as some said they had seen wonders done by a man whose name was Simon, and that he was at Aricia. They added that he said he was the great power of God and did nothing without God. 'Is he himself the Christ? But we believe in him whom Paul preached to us; for through him we have seen the dead raised and people set free from various illnesses. But this man is seeking conflicts; we know it, for no small disturbance has come upon us. Perhaps he will soon come into Rome.' For the day before, people had been entreating him with great acclamations, saying to him: 'You are God in Italy, you are the saviour of the Romans; hasten quickly to Rome.' And he addressed the people in a thin voice, saying: 'Tomorrow, about the seventh hour, you will see me flying over the city gate, in the same form in which you now see me speaking with you.' 'So, brothers, if it seems good to you, let us go and wait carefully for the outcome.' So they all ran together and came to the gate. When the seventh hour came, see, suddenly a cloud of dust was seen in the sky far off, like smoke shining with rays; and when it came near the gate it suddenly vanished. And then he appeared standing in the middle of the people; and they all worshipped him and recognized that he was the one who had been seen by them the day before. And the brothers were not a little offended among themselves, especially since Paul was not in Rome, nor Timothy nor Barnabas, for they had been sent to Macedonia by Paul, and there was no one to strengthen us, especially those who had recently been instructed. And as Simon exalted himself more and more by what he did, and some of them every day called Paul a magician, others a deceiver, of so great a multitude established in the faith all fell away, except the presbyter Narcissus and two women in the lodging-house of the Bithynians, and four who could no longer go out of the house; and shut in day and night they gave themselves to prayer, asking the Lord that Paul might return quickly, or someone else to visit his servants, since … of our brothers. … [5] And he went down to Caesarea and at once boarded a ship, though the ladder had already been drawn up. The captain, whose name was Theon, looking at Peter, said: 'All that we have is yours. What kindness would it be on our part, if we took on board a man like ourselves in an uncertain plight and did not share with you all that we have? Only let us have a good voyage.' Peter thanked him for his offer; but he himself fasted on the ship, grieving in his mind and yet encouraging himself, that God had counted him worthy to be a minister in his ministry. After a few days the captain rose at the hour of his meal and asked Peter to eat with him, and said to him: 'Whoever you are, I hardly know you, whether you are a god or a man; but as far as I understand, I think you are a servant of God. For in the middle of the night, while I was steering my ship and had fallen asleep, a human voice seemed to me to speak from heaven, saying to me: Theon, Theon! It called me twice by my name and said to me: Among the others who sail with you, let Peter be the most honoured by you; for through him you and the others will be kept safe from an unexpected course without any harm.' Peter, believing that God wished to show his providence at sea to those who were in the ship, then began to set out to Theon the great works of God, how the Lord had chosen him among the apostles, and for what purpose he was sailing to Italy. Every day he shared the words of God with him. And observing him, he learned that he was of one mind with him in the faith and a worthy minister by his way of life. In the Adriatic, when the ship was becalmed, Theon pointed out the calm to Peter and said to him: 'If you would think me worthy to be dipped in the sign of the Lord, you have the opportunity.' For all who were on the ship had fallen asleep drunk. Peter went down by a rope and baptized Theon in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. He came up out of the water rejoicing with great joy, and Peter too was the more cheerful, because God had counted Theon worthy of his name. And it happened that in the same place where Theon was baptized there appeared a young man shining in beauty, saying to them: 'Peace be with you.' And at once Peter and Theon went up and entered the cabin, and Peter took bread and gave thanks to the Lord, who had counted him worthy of his holy ministry, and because a young man had appeared to them saying 'Peace be with you': 'Best and only holy one, for it is you who appeared to us, God Jesus Christ; in your name he has just been washed and sealed with your holy sign. So in your name I give him your eucharist, that he may be your perfect servant without blame for ever.' As they feasted and rejoiced in the Lord, suddenly a wind, not violent but moderate, rose at the prow of the ship, and did not cease for six days and as many nights, until they reached Puteoli.

When they had landed at Puteoli, Theon jumped off the ship and went to the inn where he usually stayed, to make it ready to receive Peter. The man he stayed with was named Ariston; he always feared the Lord, and Theon trusted himself to him because of the Name. When he reached the inn and saw Ariston, Theon said to him: 'God, who has counted you worthy to serve him, has also shared his grace with me through his holy servant Peter, who has just sailed with me from Judea, ordered by our Lord to come to Italy.' When Ariston heard this, he fell on Theon's neck, embraced him, and begged him to take him to the ship and show him Peter. For Ariston said that since Paul set out for Spain there had been none of the brothers with whom he could find refreshment; and besides, a certain Jew named Simon had burst into the city. 'By magic spells and his own wickedness he has broken up the whole brotherhood on every side, so that I too fled from Rome, hoping that Peter would come. For Paul had told us of him, and I had seen many things in a vision. So now I believe in my Lord that he is rebuilding his ministry, and that every seduction will be rooted out from his servants. For our Lord Jesus Christ is faithful, who can restore our minds.' When Theon heard this from Ariston, who was weeping, his spirit grew still more within him and he was strengthened further, for he understood that he had believed in the living God. When they came together to the ship, Peter looked at them, filled with the Spirit, and smiled; and Ariston fell on his face at Peter's feet and said: 'Brother and lord, sharer in the holy mysteries and shower of the right way that is in the Lord Jesus Christ our God, who through you has shown us his coming: we have lost all those whom Paul had handed over to us, through the working of Satan. But now I hope in the Lord, who sent his messenger and commanded you to come to us, since he has counted us worthy to see his great and wonderful works through you. I beg you, then, make haste to the city. For I left the brothers who were being made to stumble, whom I had seen fall into the temptation of the devil, and fled here, saying to them: Brothers, stand firm in the faith; for within these two months the mercy of our Lord must bring you his minister. For I had seen a vision, Paul saying to me: Ariston, flee from the city. When I heard this I believed without delay and went forth in the Lord, though I bear weak flesh, and came here, standing every day on the shore and asking the sailors: Has Peter sailed with you? But now, since the grace of the Lord abounds, I ask that we go up to Rome without any delay, lest the teaching of that most wicked man grow stronger.' As Ariston said this with tears, Peter gave him his hand and raised him from the ground, and groaning with tears himself, Peter said: 'He who tempts the world by his angels has got ahead of us; but he will quench his seductions and put them under the feet of those who have believed in Christ whom we preach, who has power to rescue his servants from every temptation.' As they were going in at the gate, Theon begged Peter, saying: 'Not one day did you rest on the ship on so great a sea; and now do you want to set out straight from the ship on a very rough road? Stay and refresh yourself, and so set out. For from here to Rome the road is paved with flint, and I fear you may suffer from the jolting.' Peter answered them: 'What if it should befall me, through the enemy of our Lord, to have a millstone hung on me, as my Lord said to us, if any of the brothers caused offence, and to be drowned in the deep? It will be not only a millstone, but, what is worse, I shall be found an adversary of those who have believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, if this persecutor of his servants is allowed to finish his work.' But Theon could not persuade him by any means to stay there even one day. Theon himself gave instructions about everything that was on the ship, and followed Peter to Rome, as Ariston was bringing him to the dwelling of the presbyter Narcissus.

The news flew through the city to the scattered brothers that Peter had come to Rome because of Simon, to show that he was a deceiver and a persecutor of good men. So the whole multitude ran together to see the apostle of the Lord. On the first day of the week, when the multitude gathered to see Peter, Peter began to speak in a very loud voice: 'Men who are here, who hope in Christ, you who for a short time have suffered temptation: learn why God sent his Son into the world, or why he brought him forth through the Virgin Mary, if not to bestow some grace or provision; for he wished to take away every offence and all ignorance and every working of the devil, his beginnings and the powers by which he once prevailed, before our God shone forth into the world. Since men through ignorance were rushing into death through many and various infirmities, Almighty God, moved with mercy, sent his Son into the world; and I was with him. I walked on the water, and I myself remain a witness of it; I testify that he worked in the world at that time by signs and wonders, all of which he did. I confess, dearest brothers, that I was with him; yet I denied him, our Lord Jesus Christ, and not only once but three times; for those who had surrounded me were wicked dogs, as they were with the prophets of the Lord. And the Lord did not hold it against me; he turned to me and had mercy on the weakness of my flesh, so that afterwards I wept bitterly and mourned my faith that was so weak, because I had been robbed of my senses by the devil and did not keep in mind the word of my Lord. And now I tell you, men, brothers, who have gathered in the name of Jesus Christ: Satan the deceiver aims his arrows at you too, to make you leave the way. But do not lose heart, brothers, nor fall in spirit, but be strong, stand firm and do not doubt. For if Satan made me stumble, whom the Lord held in the highest honour, so that I denied the light of my hope, overthrowing me and persuading me to flee, as though I had believed in a man, what do you think of yourselves, who are newly baptized? Did you suppose that he would not overturn you, to make you enemies of the kingdom of God and hurl you into perdition in the last error? For whomever he casts out from the hope of our Lord Jesus Christ is a son of perdition for ever. Turn back, then, brothers chosen by the Lord, and be strong in the Lord almighty, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, whom no one has ever seen nor can see except the one who has believed in him. And understand where the temptation has come upon you from. It was not only to persuade you by words that this man is the Christ whom I preach, but also by deeds and great works of power. I exhort you, by the faith that is in Christ Jesus, that none of you look for any other than this one who was despised and insulted by the Jews, this crucified Nazarene, who died and on the third day rose again.'

The brothers repented and begged Peter to fight Simon, who said he was the power of God and was staying in the house of the senator Marcellus, whom he had won over by his spells. They said: 'Believe us, brother Peter, no one among men was as wise as this Marcellus. All the widows who hoped in Christ had their refuge with him; all the orphans were fed by him. Why say more, brother? All the poor called Marcellus their patron; his house was called the house of strangers and of the poor. The emperor said to him: I remove you from every office, lest you plunder the provinces to give to the Christians. Marcellus answered: All that I have is yours. Caesar said to him: It would be mine if you kept it for me; but now it is not mine, since you give it to whom you please, and to I know not what low people. With this before our eyes, brother Peter, we tell you how the great mercy of this man has been turned into blasphemy. For if he had not been turned aside, neither would we have been drawn away from the holy faith of God our Lord. Now Marcellus in his rage repents of his good works, saying: So much wealth I have spent over so long a time, believing in vain that I was giving it for the knowledge of God! So much so that if any stranger comes to the door of his house, he beats him with a stick and has him driven off, saying: Would that I had not spent so much money on those impostors! And he says many more blasphemous things. But if any mercy of our Lord and goodness of his commandments remains in you, help this man in his error, who has given so much alms to the servants of God.' When Peter learned this, he was struck with deep grief and said: 'O the various arts and temptations of the devil! O the devices and inventions of evil! He feeds for himself the greatest fire for the day of wrath, the destroyer of simple men, a ravening wolf, devourer and scatterer of eternal life! You ensnared the first man with lust and bound him with your old wickedness and with the chain of the body; you are the fruit of the tree of bitterness, wholly most bitter, who send in desires of every kind. You drove Judas, my fellow disciple and fellow apostle, to act wickedly and betray our Lord Jesus Christ, who must exact punishment from you. You hardened the heart of Herod, inflamed Pharaoh and drove him to fight against Moses the holy servant of God; you gave boldness to Caiaphas to hand over our Lord Jesus Christ to the wicked multitude; and to this day you shoot innocent souls with your poisoned arrows. Wicked enemy of all, be accursed from the church of the Son of the holy almighty God; like a firebrand thrown out of the hearth you will be quenched by the servants of our Lord Jesus Christ. May your blackness turn on you and on your sons, that most evil seed; may your wickednesses turn on you, and your threats and your temptations, and on your angels, you beginning of malice, abyss of darkness! May the darkness you have be with you and with your vessels which you possess. Depart, then, from those who are about to believe in God; depart from the servants of Christ and from those who wish to serve as his soldiers. Keep your garments of darkness for yourself; without cause you knock at doors that belong to others, which are not yours but Christ Jesus's, who guards them. For you, ravening wolf, wish to carry off sheep that are not yours but Christ Jesus's, who guards them with the greatest care.'

While Peter was saying this with great grief of soul, many more were added, believing in the Lord. The brothers begged Peter to engage with Simon and not to allow him to unsettle the people any longer. Without delay Peter went quickly out of the synagogue and went to the house of Marcellus where Simon was staying, and great crowds followed him. When he came to the door, he called the doorkeeper and said to him: 'Go and say to Simon: Peter, on whose account you fled from Judea, is waiting for you at the door.' The doorkeeper answered Peter: 'Whether you are Peter, sir, I do not know; but I have an order. For he learned that you entered the city yesterday, and he said to me: Whether by day or by night, at whatever hour he comes, say that I am not in.' Peter said to the young man: 'You have done well to tell me this, since he forced you.' And Peter turned to the people who were following him and said: 'You are about to see a great and wonderful sign.' And Peter, seeing a large dog tied with a great chain, went up and loosed it. And the dog, once loosed, received a human voice and said to Peter: 'What do you order me to do, servant of the unspeakable living God?' Peter said to it: 'Go in and say to Simon in the midst of his company: Peter says to you, Come out in public; for it is on your account that I have come to Rome, you wicked man and troubler of simple souls.' And at once the dog ran in, and rushing into the midst of those who were with Simon, it raised its front feet and in a very loud voice said: 'You, Simon, Peter the servant of Christ, who is standing at the door, says to you: Come out in public; for it is on your account that I have come to Rome, you most wicked man and deceiver of simple souls.' When Simon heard this and saw the incredible sight, he lost the words with which he was deceiving those standing round him, and all were astounded.

When Marcellus saw this, he went out to the door and threw himself at Peter's feet and said: 'Peter, I embrace your feet, holy servant of the holy God; I have sinned greatly. Do not punish my sins, if the true faith of Christ whom you preach is in you, if you remember his commandments, to hate no one and to do evil to no one, as I learned from Paul your fellow apostle. Do not hold my offences in your mind, but pray for me to the Lord, the holy Son of God, whom I provoked to anger by persecuting his servants. Pray for me, then, as a good steward of God, that I may not be handed over with the sins of Simon to the eternal fire; for he so persuaded me that I set up a statue to him with this inscription: To Simon, the young god. If I knew, Peter, that this could be won with money, I would give all my property; I would have given it to you, despising it, to gain my soul. If I had sons, I would count them as nothing, if only I might believe in the living Lord. I confess that he would not have led me astray, had he not said that he was the power of God. And yet I will tell you, sweetest Peter: I was not worthy to hear you, servant of God, nor was I firmly established in the faith of God which is in Christ; that is why I stumbled. So I ask you not to take amiss what I am about to say. Christ our Lord, whom you preach in truth, said to your fellow apostles in your presence: If you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, Move, and at once it will move. But this Simon said that you, Peter, were faithless, since you doubted on the water. And I heard that he had said this too: Those who are with me have not understood me. If, then, you on whom he laid his hands, whom he chose, with whom he worked wonders, were doubting, I, having this testimony, repent and take refuge in your prayers. Receive my soul, which has fallen away from our Lord and from his promise. But I believe that he will have mercy on me as I repent; for the Almighty is faithful to forgive me my sins.' And Peter said with a loud voice: 'To you, our Lord, be glory and splendour, God almighty, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ; to you be praise and glory and honour for ever and ever. Amen. Since you have now fully strengthened us and established us in you before the eyes of all who see, holy Lord, confirm Marcellus and send your peace on him and his house today. Whatever is lost or straying, you alone can turn them all back. We beseech you, Lord, shepherd of the sheep once scattered, who now through you will be gathered together: so receive Marcellus too as one of your lambs, and do not let him wander any longer in error or ignorance, but take him back into the number of your sheep. Yes, Lord, receive him, as he entreats you with grief and tears.'

While Peter was saying this and embracing Marcellus, he turned to the crowd standing by and saw a man in the crowd smiling, in whom was a most wicked demon. Peter said to him: 'Whoever you are who laughed, show yourself openly to all who are present.' Hearing this, the young man rushed into the courtyard of the house, and crying out with a loud voice and dashing himself against the wall, said: 'Peter, there is a great contest between Simon and the dog you sent; for Simon says to the dog: Say that I am not here. And the dog says more to him than you charged it with. And when it has finished the mystery you commanded it, it will die at your feet.' Peter said: 'And you too, demon, whoever you are, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ come out of the young man without harming him; show yourself to all who are present.' Hearing this, the young man rushed out, and seizing a great marble statue that stood in the courtyard of the house, smashed it with his heels; it was a statue of Caesar. When Marcellus saw this, he struck his forehead and said to Peter: 'A great crime has been done; if Caesar learns of it through some informer, he will afflict us with heavy punishments.' Peter said to him: 'I do not see you as you were a little while ago, for you said you were ready to spend all your property to save your soul. But if you truly repent, believing in Christ with all your heart, take running water in your hands, pray to the Lord, and in his name sprinkle it over the pieces of the statue, and it will be whole as it was before.' Marcellus, not doubting at all but believing with all his heart, before he took the water lifted up his hands and said: 'I believe in you, Lord Jesus Christ; for I am being tested by your apostle Peter, whether I truly believe in your holy name. So I take water in my hands, and in your name I sprinkle these stones, that the statue may become whole as it was before. If, then, Lord, it is your will that I remain in the body and suffer nothing from Caesar, let this stone be whole as it was before.' And he sprinkled the water on the stones, and the statue became whole. So Peter gloried that he had not doubted in asking the Lord, and Marcellus was exalted in spirit that such a sign had been done by his hands for the first time. He believed, then, with his whole heart in the name of Jesus Christ the Son of God, through whom all impossible things are possible.

But Simon, inside, said to the dog: 'Tell Peter that I am not in.' The dog said to him in the presence of Marcellus: 'Most wicked and shameless one, most hostile of all living things to those who believe in Christ Jesus, a dumb animal has been sent to you and has received a human voice, to convict you and prove you a deceiver and a cheat. After all these hours of thought you have said: Say that I am not here. Were you not ashamed to lift your weak and useless voice against Peter, the minister and apostle of Christ, as if you could hide from him who commanded me to speak to your face? And this is not for your sake, but for the sake of those whom you were deceiving and sending to destruction. Cursed, then, will you be, enemy and corrupter of the way of the truth of Christ, who will try with undying fire the iniquities you have committed, and you will be in the outer darkness.' When the dog had said these words, it went away, and the crowd followed it, leaving Simon alone. The dog came to Peter, who was sitting with the crowd that had come to see his face, and reported what it had done with Simon. And this is what the dog said to the messenger and apostle of the true God: 'Peter, you will have a great contest with Simon, the enemy of Christ, and with those who serve him; but you will turn to the faith many who were deceived by him. For this you will receive from God the reward of your work.' When the dog had said this, it fell down before the feet of the apostle Peter and gave up its spirit. When the great crowd saw with amazement the dog speaking, some began to throw themselves at Peter's feet, while others said: 'Show us another sign, so that we may believe in you as a minister of the living God; for Simon too did many signs in our presence, and that is why we followed him.'

Peter turned and saw a smoked fish hanging in a window; he took it and said to the people: 'If you now see this swimming in the water like a fish, will you be able to believe in him whom I preach?' They said with one voice: 'Truly we will believe you.' Then he said, at the swimming pool nearby: 'In your name, Jesus Christ, since you are not yet believed, before all these people live and swim like a fish.' And he threw the smoked fish into the pool, and it came to life and began to swim. The multitude saw the fish swimming; and he made it swim not only for that hour, lest it be said to be an illusion, but for a long time, so that it drew crowds from all sides and showed that the smoked fish had become a living fish, so much so that some of the people threw it bread; and they saw that it was whole. Very many followed when they saw this and believed in the Lord, and they gathered day and night in the house of the presbyter Narcissus. Peter discussed with them the prophetic Scriptures and what our Lord Jesus Christ had done in word and in deeds.

Marcellus was being established more firmly every day by the signs he saw done through Peter by the grace of Jesus Christ, which Christ had given him. And Marcellus burst in on Simon as he sat in the dining room of his house, and cursing him said: 'Most hostile and most pestilent of men, corrupter of my soul and of my house, who wanted to drive me away from Christ my Lord and Saviour!' And laying hands on him he ordered him to be thrown out of his house. The servants, given leave, heaped insults on him: some slapped his face, others beat him with a stick, others with a stone, and others poured pots full of filth over his head; these were the ones who because of him had run away from their master and had long been in chains. Other fellow servants, of whom he had spoken ill to their master, reproached him and said: 'Now we pay you a worthy reward, by the will of God, who has had mercy on us and on our master.' Simon, badly beaten and thrown out of the house, ran to the house where Peter was staying, the house of the presbyter Narcissus, and standing at the door he shouted: 'Here I am, Simon. Come down, then, Peter, and I will prove that you have believed in a Jewish man and the son of a carpenter.'

It was reported to Peter that Simon had said this. Peter sent down to him a woman who had a nursing infant, saying to her: 'Go down quickly and you will see someone looking for me. You need not answer; keep silent and listen to what the child you are holding says to him.' So the woman went down. The child she was nursing was seven months old; and receiving a man's voice, it said to Simon: 'You abomination to God and men, destruction of the truth, most wicked seed of all corruption, fruitless fruit of nature! You appear for a short time and in a small way, and after this eternal punishment awaits you. Son of a shameless father, you never put down roots in good, but in poison; faithless breed, empty of all hope! You were not put to shame when a dog convicted you; I, an infant, am compelled by God to speak, and even so you do not blush. But against your will, on the coming sabbath day, another will bring you into the Forum of Julius, so that it may be shown what you are. Depart, then, from the door where the footsteps of the saints come and go. For you shall no longer corrupt the innocent souls you were overthrowing and grieving in Christ. Your most depraved nature is being shown, and your scheming will be cut down. And now I say my last word: Jesus Christ says to you: Be dumb, constrained by my name, and leave Rome until the coming sabbath.' At once he became dumb and, constrained, left Rome until the sabbath, and stayed in a stable. The woman went back with the child to Peter and told him and the other brothers what the child had said to Simon; and they magnified the Lord who had shown these things to men.

When night came, Peter, still awake, saw Jesus clothed in a robe of brightness, smiling and saying to him: 'Already a very large crowd of the brotherhood has come back through me and through you, by whom I have done signs in my name. You will have a contest of faith on the coming sabbath, and many more of the Gentiles and of the Jews will be converted in my name to me, who was insulted, mocked and spat upon. For I will stand by you when you ask for signs and wonders, and you will convert many; but you will have Simon opposing you by the works of his father. But all his spells and magical illusions will be exposed. And now do not cease; and whomever I send to you, you will establish in my name.' When day came, he told the brothers that the Lord had appeared to him and what he had commanded him.

'Believe me, men, brothers: I drove this Simon out of Judea, where he was doing many evils by magic spells. He was staying in Judea with a woman named Eubula, highly respected in this world, who had plenty of gold and pearls of no small value. This Simon slipped in with two others like himself. No one of the household saw those two, only Simon. By working magic they carried off all the woman's gold and vanished. When Eubula found out what had been done, she began to torture her household, saying: You have robbed me, taking advantage of the visits of this godly man, because you saw him coming in to me to honour a simple woman … the name of the Lord. While I was fasting three days and praying that this deed might be brought to light, I saw in a vision Italicus and Antulus, whom I had instructed in the name of the Lord, and a naked boy in chains, giving me a wheaten loaf and saying to me: Peter, wait two days and you will see the great works of God. For the things that have been lost from Eubula's house, Simon carried off with two others, using magic art and making illusions. On the third day, at the ninth hour, you will see them at the gate that leads to Neapolis, selling to a goldsmith named Agrippinus a golden figure of a satyr weighing two pounds, with a precious stone set in it. You are not to touch it, lest you be defiled; but let some of the matron's servants be with you. You will show them the goldsmith's shop and leave them. For through this deed many will believe in the name of the Lord, since the things they have often carried off by their cunning and malice will be exposed in public. When I heard this, I came to Eubula and found her sitting, her clothes torn and her hair dishevelled, mourning. I said to her: Eubula, rise from your mourning, compose your face, put up your hair and put on clothing fitting for you, and pray to the Lord Jesus Christ, who judges every soul. For he is the Son of the invisible God, by whom you must be saved, if you repent with all your heart of your former sins; and receive power from him. For see, through me the Lord says to you: All that you have lost you will find. And after you have recovered it, see that he finds you, so that you may renounce this present world and seek eternal refreshment. So hear this: let some of your people watch at the gate that leads to Neapolis. The day after tomorrow, about the ninth hour, they will see two young men with a golden satyr of two pounds set with stones, as the vision showed me, which they will offer for sale to a certain Agrippinus, a man of piety and of the faith that is in the Lord Jesus Christ. Through him it is shown to you that you should believe in the living God and not in the magician Simon, an unstable demon, who wanted you to remain in mourning and your innocent household to be tortured; who deceived you with flattering speech, with words only, and spoke of the piety of God with his mouth only, while he himself is wholly possessed by impiety. For when you thought to celebrate a festive day, and set up your idol and veiled it, and laid out all your ornaments on tables, he brought in two young men whom none of you saw, worked a magic spell, carried off your ornaments, and they vanished. But his scheme did not succeed; for my God has made it known to me, so that you may not be deceived nor perish in Gehenna, for all the wicked things you have done against God, who is full of all truth, the righteous judge of the living and the dead; and there is no other hope of life for men except through him, through whom what you had lost has been kept safe for you. And now gain your soul. At this she threw herself at my feet and said: Man, whoever you are I do not know; I had received him as a minister of God, and whatever he asked of me for the care of the poor, I gave, much through his hand, and I gave him much besides. What harm did I do him, that he should plot so much against my house? Peter said to her: Faith is not to be placed in words but in works and deeds. But we must go on with what we have begun. So I left her and went with two of Eubula's stewards to Agrippinus and said to him: Take note of these men. Tomorrow two young men will come to you wishing to sell you a golden satyr set with stones, which belongs to their mistress. Take it as if to examine it and praise the craftsman's work. When they come, God will bring the rest to proof. The next day the matron's stewards came about the ninth hour, and those young men wishing to sell Agrippinus the golden satyr. They were seized at once, and it was reported to the matron. In distress of mind she went to the governor and in a loud voice reported what had happened to her. When the governor Pompeius saw her in distress, she who had never come out in public, he rose at once from the tribunal, went into the praetorium, and ordered them to be brought in and examined. Under torture they confessed that they served Simon, who had hired them for money; and when examined further, they disclosed that everything Eubula had lost had been deposited underground in a cave beyond the gate, along with many other things. When Pompeius heard this, he rose to go to the gate, with the two men bound in double chains. And see, Simon was coming in at the gate looking for them, because they were late; and he saw a great crowd coming and the two bound in chains. At once he understood and took flight, and he has not appeared in Judea to this day. Eubula, when she had recovered all her goods, gave them to the care of the poor; and believing in the Lord Jesus Christ, strengthened, despising and renouncing this world, she gave to widows and orphans and clothed the poor, and after a long time she fell asleep. These things, dearest brothers, happened in Judea, and from there the one called the angel of Satan was driven out.'

'Dearest and most beloved brothers, let us fast together, praying to the Lord. He who drove Simon out from there is able to root him out from here too; and may he give us power to resist him and his magic spells, and to prove that he is an angel of Satan. For on the sabbath our Lord will bring him, against his will, into the Forum of Julius. Let us, then, bend our knees to Christ: he hears us even if we do not cry out. There is one who sees us, even if he is not seen with these eyes, for he is in us; if we will, he will not depart from us. Let us cleanse our souls from every most evil temptation, and God will not depart from us; even if we only nod with our eyes, he is present with us.'

After Peter had said these things, Marcellus too came up and said: 'Peter, I have cleansed my whole house for you from the traces of Simon and rooted out his wicked dust. For I took water, and calling on the holy name of Jesus Christ, with the rest of the servants who belong to him, I sprinkled my whole house and all the dining rooms and the whole colonnade, out to the door, and I said: I know, Lord Jesus Christ, that you are clean and untouched by any uncleanness; so may my enemy and adversary be driven from your sight. And now, most blessed one, I have ordered the widows and the old women to gather in the common house to meet you, so that they may pray with us. They will each receive a gold piece by way of service, so that they may truly be called servants of Christ. Everything else has been prepared for the service. So I ask you, most blessed Peter, to seal their prayers, so that you too may grace their prayers for me. Let us go, then, and take Narcissus too and whatever brothers are here.' Peter, consenting to his simplicity in order to fulfil his wish, went out with him and the other brothers.

Peter went in and saw one of the old women, a widow who was blind, and her daughter giving her her hand and leading her into the house of Marcellus. Peter said to her: 'Come here, mother. From this day Jesus gives you his right hand, through whom we have light unapproachable, which no darkness covers; and he says to you through me: Open your eyes, see, and walk alone.' And at once the widow saw, as Peter laid his hand on her. Then Peter went into the dining room and saw that the Gospel was being read. He rolled it up and said: 'Men who believe and hope in Christ, learn how the holy Scripture of our Lord ought to be proclaimed. What we have written down by his grace, as far as we could take it in, even if it still seems weak to you, nevertheless conveys what can be borne in human flesh. We ought first to know the will of God, or his goodness: when error had once spread abroad, and many thousands of men were sinking into destruction, the Lord, moved by his mercy, showed himself in another form and was seen in the likeness of a man; and neither the Jews nor we were worthy to be enlightened. For each of us saw as he was able to see, as far as he could. Now I will explain to you what has just been read to you. Our Lord wished me to see his majesty on the holy mountain; but when I saw the splendour of his light with the sons of Zebedee, I fell as if dead and closed my eyes, and I heard his voice, such as I cannot describe, and I thought I had been blinded by his splendour. And when I had breathed again a little, I said within myself: Perhaps my Lord has brought me here to blind me. And I said: If this is your will, I do not oppose it, Lord. And he gave me his hand and raised me up. And when I rose I saw him again in such a form as I could take in. So then, as the merciful God, dearest brothers, he carried our infirmities and bore our offences, as the prophet says: He bears our sins and suffers for us; but we thought him to be in pain and held by wounds. For he is in the Father and the Father in him; he is himself also … He ate and drank for our sake, though he was neither hungry nor thirsty; he carried reproaches and suffered them for our sake; he died and rose again for us. He who defended me when I sinned and strengthened me by his greatness will comfort you too, so that you may love him: this great one and least, beautiful and ugly, young and old, appearing in time and in eternity wholly invisible; whom a human hand did not hold, yet he is held by his servants; whom flesh had not seen and now sees; who was not heard but is now known, the Word that is heard …; never chastised, but now chastised; who is before the ages and was perceived in time; the greatest beginning of all rule, yet handed over to rulers; glorious, yet lowly among us; ugly to see, yet foreseeing. This Jesus you have, brothers: the door, the light, the way, the bread, the water, the life, the resurrection, the refreshment, the pearl, the treasure, the seed, the abundance, the grain of mustard seed, the vine, the plough, the grace, the faith, the word. He is all things, and there is no other greater than he. To him be praise for ever and ever. Amen.'

And when the ninth hour was over, they rose to make their prayer. And see, suddenly some of the old widows who were sitting there, blind and unbelieving, unknown to Peter, cried out and said to Peter: 'We are sitting here together, Peter, hoping and believing in Christ Jesus. As you have made one of us see, we beg you, lord Peter, grant his mercy and pity to us too.' Peter said to them: 'If the faith that is in Christ is in you, if it is firmly established in you, see with the mind what you do not see with your eyes; and though your ears are closed, let them be opened within, in your mind. These eyes will close again, seeing nothing but men and oxen and dumb animals and stones and wood; but not every eye sees Jesus Christ. But now, Lord, let your sweet and holy name come to the help of these women; touch their eyes, for you are able, so that they may see with their own eyes.' When all had prayed, the dining room in which they were shone as if with lightning, such as is seen in the clouds; yet not a light such as there is by day, but unspeakable, invisible, which no man could describe; such a light that shone on us so that we were driven out of our senses from prayer, crying out to the Lord and saying: Have mercy on us, your servants, Lord. Grant us, Lord, what we can bear; for this we can neither see nor bear. While we lay there, only those widows who were blind stood up. And the bright light that appeared to us entered their eyes and made them see. Peter said to them: 'Tell what you saw.' They said: 'We saw an old man, with such an appearance as we cannot describe to you.' Others said: 'A young man.' Others said: 'We saw a boy who gently touched our eyes, and so our eyes were opened.' So Peter magnified the Lord, saying: 'You alone are the Lord God; what lips would we need to give you praise, so as to thank you as your mercy deserves? So, brothers, as I told you a little while ago, God is greater than our thoughts, as we have learned from the old widows, how they saw the Lord in different forms.'

Having urged them all to understand the Lord with their whole heart, he began, with Marcellus and the other brothers, to serve the virgins of the Lord and to rest until morning. Marcellus said to them: 'Holy and undefiled virgins of the Lord, listen: you have a place to stay. For whose are the things called mine, if not yours? Do not go away from here, but refresh yourselves; for on the sabbath, which comes tomorrow, Simon has a contest with Peter, the holy one of God. As the Lord has always been with him, so now may Christ the Lord stand by him as his apostle. For Peter has kept on without tasting anything, adding fast to fast, that he may conquer the evil enemy and persecutor of the truth of the Lord. For see, my young men have come and report that they saw benches being set up in the forum, and a crowd saying: Tomorrow at dawn two Jews are to contend here about the worship of God. So now let us keep watch until morning, asking and entreating our Lord Jesus Christ to hear our prayers for Peter.' Marcellus fell asleep for a short time, and on waking said to Peter: 'Peter, apostle of Christ, let us go boldly to what lies before us. For just now, when I had fallen asleep for a moment, I saw you sitting in a high place, and before you a great crowd, and a most hideous woman, in appearance an Ethiopian, snub-nosed, not an Egyptian, but all black with filth, wrapped in rags, with an iron collar on her neck and chains on her hands and feet, dancing. Seeing her, you said to me in a loud voice: Marcellus, the whole power of Simon and of his god is this woman who is dancing; cut off her head. And I said to you: Brother Peter, I am a senator of noble family, and I have never stained my hands, nor ever killed so much as a sparrow. When you heard this you began to cry out more loudly: Come, our true sword, Jesus Christ, and not only cut off the head of this demon but cut all her limbs to pieces, in the sight of all these whom I have proved in your service. And at once one like you, Peter, holding a sword, cut her all to pieces, so that I gazed at you both, at you and at the one who was cutting up that demon, so alike, to my great amazement. When I woke I told you these signs of Christ.' When Peter heard this, he was the more encouraged, because Marcellus had seen these things, since the Lord everywhere provides for his own. So, glad and refreshed by these words, he rose to go to the forum.

The brothers and all who were at Rome gathered together, taking places for a gold piece each. Senators, prefects and officials also flocked together. Peter arrived and stood in the middle. All cried out: 'Show us, Peter, who your God is, or what majesty it is that has given you confidence. Do not grudge the Romans: they are lovers of the gods. We have had proofs from Simon, we have had them from you too; prove to us, both of you, whom we should truly believe.' And while they were saying this, Simon too arrived. Troubled, he stood at Peter's side and at first kept looking at him. After a long silence Peter said: 'Men of Rome, be true judges for us. I say that I have believed in the living and true God, and I promise to give you proofs of him that are already known to me, as many among you also bear witness. For you see that this man is silent, having been rebuked; that I drove him out of Judea because of the frauds he practised by magic art on Eubula, a respectable and very simple woman. Driven out by me from there, he came here, thinking that he could hide among you; and see, he stands face to face with me. Tell me, Simon, did you not fall at the feet of Paul and me in Jerusalem, when you saw the healings that were done by our hands, and say: I beg you, take from me as much payment as you want, so that I may be able to lay on hands and do such works of power? When we heard this from you, we cursed you: Do you think to tempt us, as though we wanted to possess money? And now are you afraid of nothing? My name is Peter, because the Lord Christ deigned to call me ready in everything. For I believe in the living God, through whom I will bring down your magic arts. Now let him do in your presence the wonders he used to do. Will you not believe what I have just said about him?' Simon said: 'Have you the boldness to speak of Jesus the Nazarene, the son of a carpenter and a carpenter himself, whose family is in Judea? Listen, Peter: the Romans have sense; they are not fools.' And turning to the people he said: 'Men of Rome, is a God born? Is he crucified? Whoever has a master is not God.' While he was saying this, many said: 'You speak well, Simon.'

Peter said: 'Anathema on your words against Christ! You have dared to say this, when the prophet says of him: Who shall declare his generation? And another prophet says: And we saw him, and he had no form nor beauty. And: In the last times a child is born of the Holy Spirit; his mother does not know a man, nor does anyone say that he is his father. And again he says: She has borne and has not borne. And again: Behold, a virgin shall conceive in the womb. And another prophet says, honouring the Father: We have not heard her voice, nor has a midwife come in. Another prophet says: He was not born from the womb of a woman, but came down from a heavenly place. And: A stone was cut out without hands and struck all the kingdoms. And: The stone which the builders rejected, this has become the head of the corner; and he calls him a stone, chosen and precious. And again the prophet says of him: And behold, I saw one like a son of man coming on a cloud. What more? Men of Rome, if you knew the prophetic Scriptures, I would explain everything to you; through them it was necessary that all this be fulfilled in mystery, and the kingdom of God. But these things will be opened to you later. Now to you, Simon: do one of the things by which you used to deceive them, and I will undo it through my Lord Jesus Christ.' Simon took courage and said: 'If the prefect permits, I will show you no small contest.'

The prefect wished to show patience to both, so as not to seem to act unjustly. The prefect brought forward one of his own servants and said to Simon: 'Take this one and put him to death.' To Peter he said: 'And you raise him up.' And the prefect said to the people: 'It is now for you to judge which of them is accepted by God, the one who kills or the one who makes alive.' At once Simon spoke into the boy's ear and, without a sound, made him fall silent and die. When the people began to murmur, one of the widows who found refreshment at the house of Marcellus cried out from behind the crowd: 'Peter, servant of God, my son is dead, the only one I had.' The people made room for her and brought her to Peter. She threw herself at his feet and said: 'I had an only son; he earned my food by the work of his shoulders; he lifted me up, he carried me. Now that he is dead, who will give me a hand?' Peter said to her: 'Go, with these men as witnesses, and bring your son, so that they may see and be able to believe that he rose by the power of God.' But she, on seeing this, fell down. Peter said to the young men: 'Young men are needed here, especially those who wish to believe.' At once thirty young men rose, ready to carry her or to bring her dead son. The widow had scarcely come to herself when the young men lifted her up. And she cried out, tearing her hair and her face: 'See, my son, the servant of Christ has sent to you.' The young men who came examined the boy's nostrils to see whether he was really dead; and seeing that he was dead, they comforted his mother, saying: 'If you truly believe in the God of Peter, we will lift him and carry him to Peter, so that he may raise him and give him back to you.'

While the young men were saying this, the prefect in the forum looked at Peter and said: 'What do you say, Peter? See, the boy lies dead, whom the emperor too holds dear, and I did not spare him. I had many other young men; but I trusted in you and in your Lord whom you preach, if you are truly sure and true; that is why I wanted this one to die.' Peter said: 'God is not tempted nor weighed; but, loved and worshipped from the heart, he will hear those who are worthy. But since my God and Lord Jesus Christ is now being tempted among you, he who does so many signs and wonders through me for the conversion of sinners: now, Lord, in the sight of all, by my voice raise up by your power the one whom Simon killed by his touch.' And Peter said to the boy's master: 'Go, take his right hand, and you will have him alive and walking with you.' And Agrippa the prefect ran to the boy, and taking his hand raised him up. When all the crowds saw it, they cried out: 'One God, one God of Peter!'

Meanwhile the widow's son too was brought, carried by the young men, and the people made room and they brought him to Peter. Peter raised his eyes to heaven, stretched out his hands and said: 'Holy Father of your Son Jesus Christ, who have given us your power, that through you we may ask and obtain, and may despise all that is in the world and follow you alone, who are seen by few and wish to be known by many: shine round about, Lord, give light, appear, raise the son of the aged widow, who cannot help herself without her son. And I, taking up the word of Christ my Lord, say to you: Young man, rise and walk with your mother as long as you can be of use to her. Afterwards you will be free to serve me in a higher way, in the office of deacon and bishop.' And at once the dead man raised himself, and the crowds who saw it were amazed, and the people cried out: 'You are the saving God, you are the God of Peter, the invisible God and Saviour.' And they said among themselves, truly marvelling at the power of a man who called on his Lord with a word; and they received it for their sanctification.

As the news flew through the whole city, the mother of a certain senator came, pushed her way through the middle of the crowd and fell at Peter's feet, saying: 'I have learned from my people that you are a minister of the merciful God, and that by his grace you share this light with all who desire it. Share the light, then, with my son too, for I know that you begrudge no one; do not turn away from a matron who begs you.' Peter said to her: 'Will you believe in my God, through whom your son will rise?' The mother said with a loud voice and with tears: 'I believe, Peter, I believe.' The whole people cried out: 'Give the mother her son.' Peter said: 'Let him be brought here openly before all these.' And Peter turned to the people and said: 'Men of Rome, I too am one of you, bearing human flesh, and a sinner; but I have obtained mercy. Do not look at me as though I did what I do by my own power, but by the power of my Lord Jesus Christ, who is the judge of the living and the dead. Believing in him and sent by him, I trust that when I call on him I can raise the dead. Go, then, woman, and have your son brought here and raised.' The woman pushed through the crowd and went out into the street running with great joy, and believing in her heart she came to her house, had him carried by her young men, and came to the forum. She told the young men to put caps on their heads and walk before the bier, and that whatever she had meant to spend on her son's body should be carried before his bier, so that Peter, seeing it, might have mercy on the body and on her. With all of them mourning, she came into the crowd; and a company of senators and matrons followed, to see the wonders of God. Nicostratus, who had died, was a man of free birth and very dear in the senate. They brought him and set him before Peter. Peter asked for silence and said in a very loud voice: 'Men of Rome, now let there be a just judgement between me and Simon; judge which of us believes in the living God, he or I. Let him raise the body that lies here, and then believe him as an angel of God. But if he cannot, I will call on my God; I will give the son back alive to his mother, and then believe that this man who is your guest is a magician and a deceiver.' When they all heard this, what Peter had said seemed just to them. They urged Simon, saying: 'Now, if there is anything in you, show it openly: either expose him or be exposed. Why do you stand there? Come, begin!' When Simon saw them all pressing on him, he stood silent. When he saw that the people had fallen silent and were looking at him, Simon cried out: 'Men of Rome, if you see the dead man raised, will you throw Peter out of the city?' And the whole people said: 'We will not only throw him out, but burn him with fire that very hour.' Simon went to the dead man's head, bent down three times, and showed the people that he had raised his head and moved it and opened his eyes … And at once they began to look for wood and brushwood to burn Peter with fire. But Peter, having received the power of Christ, raised his voice and said to those who were shouting against him: 'Now I see, people of Rome, that I must not call you foolish and empty, so long as your eyes and ears and hearts are blinded. How long has your understanding been darkened? You do not see that you have been bewitched, since you think that a dead man has risen who has not raised himself. It would have been enough for me, men of Rome, to keep silent and die in silence, and leave you among the illusions of this world. But I have before my eyes the punishment of unquenchable fire. If, then, you think so, let the dead man speak, let him rise if he is alive; let him untie the band from his chin with his own hands, call his mother, and say to you who are shouting: Why are you shouting? Let him beckon to you with his hand. If you wish to see that he is dead and that you are spellbound, let this man stand back from the bier, who has persuaded you to stand back from Christ, and you will see him such as you saw him when you brought him.' Agrippa the prefect, no longer able to bear it, rose and pushed Simon away with his hands. And the dead man lay dead again, as he was before. The people, turned to fury against the magic of Simon, began to cry out: 'Hear, Caesar: if the dead man does not rise now, let Simon burn instead of Peter, since he has truly blinded us.' Peter stretched out his hand and said: 'Men of Rome, be patient now. I do not tell you to burn Simon when the boy is raised; for if I say it, you will do it.' The people cried out: 'Even if you do not wish it, Peter, we will do it.' Peter said to them: 'If you persist in this, the boy will not rise. We have not learned to repay evil for evil, but we have learned to love our enemies and to pray for those who persecute us. For if even this man can repent, so much the better; for God will not remember evil. Let him come, then, into the light of Christ. But if he cannot, let him have the portion of his father the devil. But let your hands not be defiled.' When he had said this to the people, he went to the boy, and before raising him he said to his mother: 'These young men whom you set free in honour of your son can, as free men, render service to their living master. For I know that some of them are troubled to see your son risen, because they will be his slaves again. But let them all remain free, receiving their allowances as they received them before, for your son is going to rise; and let them be with him.' And Peter looked at her a long time to see what she was thinking. The boy's mother said: 'What else can I do? So before the prefect I say: whatever I was to spend on the body of my son, let them have it.' Peter said to her: 'Let the rest be distributed to the widows.' Then Peter, rejoicing in his soul, said in the Spirit: 'Lord Jesus Christ, who are merciful, appear to your Peter who calls on you, as you have always shown mercy and goodness: in the presence of all these who have gained their freedom, so that they may be able to serve, let Nicostratus rise now.' And Peter touched the boy's side and said: 'Rise.' And the boy rose, took up his clothes, sat up and untied his chin; he asked for other clothes, came down from the bier and said to Peter: 'I beg you, man, let us go to our Lord Christ, whom I saw talking with you; who said to you, pointing me out to you: Bring him here to me, for he is mine.' When Peter heard this from the boy, he was still more strengthened in mind by the Lord's help, and Peter said to the people: 'Men of Rome, so are the dead raised, so they talk, so they walk when they rise, and they live for the time God wills. Now, then, you who have gathered for the spectacle, if you turn from these evil ways of yours, from all your gods made by hands, and from all uncleanness and lust, receive the fellowship of Christ, believing, so that you may obtain eternal life.' [29] From that hour they worshipped him as a god, falling at his feet, and brought the sick they had at home for him to heal. The prefect, seeing so great a multitude attending to Peter, signed to Peter to withdraw. Peter told the people to come to the house of Marcellus. The boy's mother begged Peter to set foot in her house; but Peter had arranged to be with Marcellus on the Lord's day, to see the widows, as Marcellus had promised, so that they might be served by his own hand. The boy who had risen said: 'I will not leave Peter.' His mother, glad and cheerful, went to her house; and on the day after the sabbath she came to the house of Marcellus, bringing Peter two thousand pieces of gold, and said to Peter: 'Divide these among the virgins of Christ who serve him.' The boy who had risen from the dead, when he saw that he had given nothing to anyone, went home, opened his chest, and himself brought four thousand pieces of gold, saying to Peter: 'See, I too, who was raised, offer a double offering, and myself from this day as a speaking sacrifice to God.' [30] … thousand pieces of gold; for you owe it to him. I was afraid that I might suffer some harm from him whom I saw looking down from heaven.' Saying this, she laid the money at his feet and went away. Peter magnified the Lord, because the poor would be refreshed. But some of the brothers said to Peter: 'Take care, brother, that you have not done wrong in accepting this money. For it is said that she is a fornicator and has left no man alone; she does not even spare her own slaves. If it seems good to you, do not let her share in the table of our Lord Jesus Christ, but let her money be sent back to her.' When Peter heard this, he smiled and said: 'What this woman is otherwise, I do not know. I received this money as from a debtor to Christ; I give it to the servants of Christ, for he himself has provided for them.'

They brought the sick to Peter on the sabbath, so that he might heal them of their infirmities, and all were healed: those with gout in the feet and in the hands, those with quartan fevers, and those with every infirmity were healed, believing in the name of Jesus Christ. And every day more were added, believing in the grace of the Lord. But after a few days Simon said that he would prove Peter to be one who believed not in the living God but in an empty persuasion, and that he did everything by illusions. Those who were already firmly established in God and in Christ, however, he did not lead astray. For Simon performed in the dining room, but nothing was real: he made some who had already been carried out for burial seem alive, made the lame walk straight, but only for a short time, and the blind see, but not truly, because he did it by illusion, so that it seemed so to people for an hour; then they returned to the same sickness. Nothing was lasting, as when Peter had made Nicostratus and the others well. For Peter, following Simon the magician, undid his work, so that he was baffled by everyone, and no one any longer believed him at all. At last Simon says: 'Men of Rome, do you think that Peter has defeated me, as though he were stronger than I? Do you look to him as the more powerful? He has led you astray. But tomorrow I will fly to the Lord whose power I know, since you have failed me; and I am going to the Father of all, and I will say to him: Your sons have wronged me; that is why I have come back to you.'

The next day a great crowd gathered at the street called the Sacred Way, to see him fly. And Peter came too, to be present. And Simon came and said in a loud voice to Peter: 'Look, Peter, I am going up to the Lord before the people who are watching me. I tell you, Peter, if your God can do anything (he whom the Jews killed, and who stoned you who were gathered under him), let it now appear what your faith is; for I am going to him.' And suddenly he was seen high up by everyone in the whole city, above all the temples and hills; and Peter, looking up, also marvelled at such a sight. And Peter cried out to the Lord Jesus Christ, saying: 'If you allow this man to do what he has attempted, all who have believed in you will be made to stumble, and all the signs you have given through me will be thought false. Quickly, then, Lord, show your grace and show your power to all who are watching me. Yet I do not ask that he die, but that he be hurt somewhat in his limbs.' And at once he fell to the ground and broke his leg in three places. Then they all stoned him, believing and praising the Lord. A certain friend of Simon named Gemellus, coming up from the road, from whom Simon had received much, saw him with his leg broken, smiled, and said to him: 'Are you the power of God? Who broke your leg? Was it God himself, whose power you say you are?' And Gemellus himself ran to Peter and said: 'See, I too wish to be one of those who believe in Jesus Christ.' Peter said to him: 'What grudge could there be here, brother? Come and keep company with us.' Simon, badly hurt, found people to carry him on a stretcher out of Rome to Aricia; he stayed there a few days, and from there he was carried to Terracina, to a certain Castor who had been banished from the city. And there two doctors operated on him, and at last, on the final day, the angel of Satan breathed his last. [33] Peter stayed in Rome with the brothers, glorious in the Lord, and giving thanks day and night as a crowd of believers in the name of Christ kept coming. The concubines of the prefect also came to him, hearing that chastity must be kept; and having talked among themselves, they kept away from intercourse with the prefect Agrippa; and when he troubled them, they put him off with excuses. Since he was angry, and yet loved them, he set spies on them to learn where they went; and they found that they went to Peter. Agrippa said to them: 'Peter has forbidden you to have intercourse with me; he has taught you this. Know that I will destroy both you and him.' But they were ready to suffer every evil rather than give themselves to him, as the Lord strengthened them.

One woman, very beautiful, Xanthippe by name, the wife of Albinus, a most distinguished man and friend of Caesar, came with the other matrons to Peter and, hearing about keeping chastity, withdrew from her husband. He, raging and loving her, was amazed that she would not even stay in the same bed with him; and like a wild beast he raged …, seeking how he might destroy Peter. Many other honourable women too, hearing the word about chastity, withdrew from their husbands, and husbands from their wives, because they wished to serve God chastely and purely. When no small uproar had been stirred up, Albinus told the prefect about his wife and said to him: 'Either you defend me against Peter, who has persuaded these women to become Christians, or I will take my own revenge.' And the prefect, who had suffered the same, told this to Albinus, and Albinus said to the prefect: 'Why then are you silent? Why do you not defend yourself and all of us? Let us kill him, so that we may have our wives.'

So Xanthippe learned of the plot. She told Peter and begged him to leave Rome, so that for the present the evil might find no opportunity. All the brothers too said this to him … [36] … when he comes and repays each according to his deeds. And now do not rage against Agrippa the prefect; he is a minister of his father's working and of its tradition. And what has happened to me, my Lord showed me beforehand.

'But why do I hesitate and not go to the cross? O name of the cross, hidden mystery! O incomparable grace, spoken in the name of the cross! O nature of men, who do not depart from it and do not withdraw from it! O love that cannot be withdrawn, which cannot be named by unclean lips! I grasp you now, at the end of my stay in this place. I will not hide that I have long wished to enjoy the mystery of the cross. Brothers who hope in Christ, do not think that this which is seen openly is the cross; for besides this there is another, hidden and great mystery. Now hear from me the greatest thing, on my last day: do not look at these things with human eyes; shut your eyes and ears to these sufferings that you see openly; but let it be in your knowledge to abide in the whole mystery of eternal life. But it is now time to hand over my body.' And turning to those who were about to hang him, he said to them: 'Crucify me head downward; and why I ask to be fixed so, I will tell those who are listening.' [38] When they had hung him up as he himself had asked, he began to speak: 'You who wish to hear, hear what I now above all announce to you as I hang. Understand the mystery of the whole beginning, how it came about. For the first man, whose likeness I have taken on, was cast head downward, and casting his whole race to the earth … So this likeness of his, hanging … and man looking upward … exchanging right for left, so that good things seemed evil and evil things good. And the Lord himself said: Unless you make the right as the left and the left as the right, and what is above as below and what is behind as before, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. This understanding of the Lord I have brought to you; and the sign you see in me is the image of the first man's begetting. And you, dearest brothers, who hear now for the first time, who are beginning to hear: I have shown you the first error, so that you may be on your guard. They have set me, then, on the same cross as my Lord Jesus Christ, which is the stretched-out Word, one and only, of whom the Spirit says: For what is the Word but this wood on which I am crucified? The nail in the crossbeam is a figure of man; the nail that holds the crossbeam in the middle of the upright is the conversion and repentance of man.'

'These things, Lord, you have brought to my knowledge; you have revealed what the word of life is, now called by me wood. I give you thanks, not with these lips fastened with nails, nor with the tongue through which truth and falsehood come out, nor with this word …; but, O Christ, I give you thanks with the silence of the voice that is in me, loving you as Christ, speaking to you and seeing you, giving back to you, a spirit set free. All things are known to you. You are my father, you my mother, you my brother, you my friend, you servant, you steward; all things are in you, and whatever you are, and there is no other but you. To him, then, you too must flee for refuge, and hope for all things in him; let this be fixed in you, that what you have learned may remain in you, so that you may come to the things he has promised to give, which eye has not seen nor ear heard, nor have they entered the heart of sinful man, praying to him for the things he has promised to give. We pray to you, Lord Jesus, and call on you, glorying and entreating; we confess to you, honouring you, we who are still weak men, because you alone are Lord and there is no other. To you be honour, glory and power, now and for ever and ever. Amen.'

Those standing round said Amen with a very loud voice. And Marcellus, without asking anyone's leave (though it was not allowed unless one asked), when he saw that blessed Peter had given up his spirit, took down his body with his own hands and washed it … with milk and wine, and with nearly fifty pounds of myrrh … he filled a stone coffin, poured Attic honey over it, and laid him in his own tomb. But Peter came to Marcellus by night and said: 'Marcellus, how did you hear the word: Let the dead bury their own dead?' While Marcellus was pondering this, Peter said to him again in a dream: 'What you spent on the dead man you have lost.' And Marcellus, waking, told the brothers how Peter the apostle of Christ had appeared to him.

When the emperor learned that Peter was dead, he blamed Agrippa the prefect for having done it without consulting him; for he had wanted to destroy Peter with various tortures. For Nero had at hand some who had believed in Christ and had withdrawn from Nero's side, and Nero was raging greatly. He sought, then, to destroy them all cruelly. And while he was thinking of this, he sees an angel of God scourging him and saying to him: 'Nero, listen: you cannot persecute the servants of Christ. Keep your hands off my servants, or you will feel my power, if you despise me.' So Nero, seized with fear, kept his hands off the disciples of God and of Christ from the time when Peter was taken away. Peace to all the brothers, both those who read and those who hear. Here end the Acts of Peter the apostle, in peace, and of Simon. Amen.