# Fragments on Acts and the Catholic Epistles

- Author: [Hesychius of Jerusalem](https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/authors/hesychius-of-jerusalem/)
- Latin title: *Fragmenta in Acta et epistolas catholicas*
- Date: ca. 412-450 (approximate)
- Source: J.-P. Migne, ed., Patrologia Graeca 93 (Paris, 1860)

- Translation: Claude, from the original text, unless a passage says otherwise; each passage below gives the translator
- Work page: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/hesychius-jerusalem-fragmenta-acta-epistulas/
- Passages: 12

## Fragment 1 (on Acts)

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/hesychius-jerusalem-fragmenta-acta-epistulas/1/#p-1
- Source: PG 93:1388
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-11-12

Summary: A badly damaged fragment on Acts, apparently commenting on the apostles’ prayer against those gathered “against your holy servant Jesus.”

### Greek text

« Ὅτι οὐκ ἐγχαταλείψεις τὴν Ψυχὴν μου εἰς t0& cou Ἰησοῦν. » Κύρ ἀληθείας ἐπὶ τὸν ἅγιον ρίον χαλεῖ τὸν Πατέρα. Xo: στὸν εἰχότως τὸν Υἱόν" τῇ γὰρ χατὰ τοῦ ὑδριζόμενον ἐν αὐτῷ, τὸν Πατέρα συνέπλεξεν" ἐπειδήπερ εὐδοχίᾳ τοῦ Πατρὸς, ὅλον τὸ ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν μυστήριον

### English translation (Claude)

“For you will not abandon my soul to [Hades].” … the Lord of truth … “against your holy [servant] Jesus” … He calls the Father …, and fittingly calls the Son Christ; for in the … against …, outraged in him, he included the Father; since by the Father’s good pleasure the whole mystery on our behalf …

### Scripture references

- Acts 2:27: quotation, high confidence
- Acts 4:27: allusion, medium confidence

### Translation notes

- Catena fragment, from the uncorrected OCR of Migne PG 93; most of it is lost or jumbled, and illegible stretches are marked “…”. The lemma is Acts 2:27 (Ps 15:10 LXX), but the surviving comment seems to concern Acts 4:27.

### Citation (SBL)

Hesychius of Jerusalem, Frag. Act. 1 (PG 93:1388; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/hesychius-jerusalem-fragmenta-acta-epistulas/1).

## Fragment 2 (on Acts)

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/hesychius-jerusalem-fragmenta-acta-epistulas/1/#p-2
- Source: PG 93:1388
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-11-12

Summary: On Stephen’s vision of Jesus standing at God’s right hand, read as a sign that the Son shares the Father’s dignity.

### Greek text

« Κράζοντες νοῦς ἐπιθουλῇ, ὡς ὁ Μονογενὴς ἔπραξεν. [(πκ- OE φωνῇ. Ἰο-.δαίοις χείνων ἀπιστίαν πενόμενον πλουτεῖν χεν ἐν τοῖς ἔθνεσιν, ἐχ δεξ ) Ἐν γὰρ τοῖς αὐτὴν διὰ τὴν Ex πεποίη Ξιῶν αὑτοῦ παρà ἔστι δὲ καὶ περὶ μόνου Υἱοῦ ὡς Θεοῦ καὶ Ὥσπερ γὰρ ὁ Υἱὸς οὐ μόνον χάθηται Ex δεξιῶν τοῦ Πατρὺς, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἱστὰς, ὅπερ σὺ μὲν δοχεῖς εἶναι ταπεινὸν, σφόδρα ὑψηλὸν, ὁμοουσίου δυνάμενον λέγεσθαι. £x δεξιῶν ἵσταται. Φησὶ γὰρ ὁ Στέφανος" Εἶδον τοὺς οὐραγοὺς ἀνεῳγμέγους οὕτω καὶ ὁ Πατὴρ ἴστασθαι &x δεξιῶν λέγεται τοῦ Υἱοῦ, ἵνα μίαν ἡμεῖς ἀξίαν Υἱοῦ καὶ Πατρὸς μάθωμεν.

### English translation (Claude)

“Crying out with a [loud] voice.” … with plotting, as the Only-begotten did. … For among the Jews … he made him, who was needy because of their unbelief, rich among the nations, [standing] at his right hand; which seems lowly to you, but is very lofty, and can be said only of the Son as God and of one essence. For as the Son not only sits at the right hand of the Father, but also stands at the right hand (for Stephen says, “I saw the heavens opened …”), so the Father too is said to stand at the right hand of the Son, so that we may learn that the dignity of Son and Father is one.

### Scripture references

- Acts 7:57: quotation, high confidence
- Acts 7:56: quotation, high confidence
- Ps 109:31 (108:31 LXX): allusion, medium confidence

### Translation notes

- Catena fragment, from the uncorrected OCR of Migne PG 93; the opening is jumbled and illegible stretches are marked “…”.
- The comment repeats almost word for word Hesychius’s note on Ps 108:31 LXX (Psalm fragments, ref 104).
- The lemma: Acts 7:57. Stephen: Acts 7:55–56.

### Citation (SBL)

Hesychius of Jerusalem, Frag. Act. 2 (PG 93:1388; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/hesychius-jerusalem-fragmenta-acta-epistulas/2).

## Fragment 3 (on Acts)

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/hesychius-jerusalem-fragmenta-acta-epistulas/1/#p-3
- Source: PG 93:1388
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-11-12

Summary: Hesychius applies “today I have begotten you” to Christ’s coming as man in time, since his birth from the Father is timeless.

### Greek text

« Ὡς; καὶ ἐν ψαλμῷ γέγραπται " Υἱός μον cl. σὺ, ἐγὼ σήμερον γεγέννηχά σε. » Ταῦτα τῇ ἐνανθρωπήσει τοῦ Χριστοῦ πρέπει δήπου τὰ ῥήματα, ἥτις χρονιχὴν εἶχε τὴν ἐπιφοίτησιν. Τὰ γὰρ σήμερον καὶ αὔριον ἡμερῶν ἔστι παραστατιχόν. ᾿Αχρόνως ᾿ ποῦ Πατρὸς ὡς καὶ παῖδες αἰἱρετιχῶν γὰρ παρὰ ὁμολογοῦσι, τίχτεται.

### English translation (Claude)

“As it is also written in the psalm, You are my Son, today I have begotten you.” These words surely befit the becoming man of Christ, which had a coming in time. For “today” and “tomorrow” indicate days. For he is born of the Father without time, as even the children of the heretics confess.

### Scripture references

- Acts 13:33: quotation, high confidence
- Ps 2:7: quotation, high confidence

### Translation notes

- Catena fragment, from the uncorrected OCR of Migne PG 93. The lemma: Acts 13:33, quoting Ps 2:7.
- On the Son’s timeless birth from the Father, Hesychius is translated exactly as written.

### Citation (SBL)

Hesychius of Jerusalem, Frag. Act. 3 (PG 93:1388; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/hesychius-jerusalem-fragmenta-acta-epistulas/3).

## Fragment 4 (on Acts)

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/hesychius-jerusalem-fragmenta-acta-epistulas/1/#p-4
- Source: PG 93:1388
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-11-12

Summary: On Acts 13:35: Christ, as God, kept his body from corruption in the passion.

### Greek text

« Οὐ δῴσεις τὸν ὅσιόν σου ἰδεῖν διαφθοράν. » Ὁ γὰρ Χριστὸς χατὰ τὸν χαιρὸν τοῦ πάθους καὶ "τὴν

### English translation (Claude)

“You will not let your holy one see corruption.” For Christ at the time of the passion [kept] … his own, and the body without corruption, as God.

### Scripture references

- Acts 13:35: quotation, high confidence
- Ps 16:10 (15:10 LXX): quotation, high confidence

### Translation notes

- Catena fragment, from the uncorrected OCR of Migne PG 93. The fragment breaks off in the scan; its last words (“his own, and the body without corruption, as God”) stand displaced at the beginning of fragment 11 and are translated here.
- The lemma: Acts 13:35, quoting Ps 15:10 LXX (16:10).

### Citation (SBL)

Hesychius of Jerusalem, Frag. Act. 4 (PG 93:1388; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/hesychius-jerusalem-fragmenta-acta-epistulas/4).

## Fragment 5 (on James)

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/hesychius-jerusalem-fragmenta-acta-epistulas/1/#p-5
- Source: PG 93:1390
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-11-12

Summary: On James 1:14: the desires of sinners are the gates of death.

### Greek text

πειράζεται, ὑπὸ τῆς ἵνες θανάτου αἱ τῶ"

### English translation (Claude)

… is tempted, by [his own desire] … The gates of death are the desires of sinners.

### Scripture references

- Jas 1:14: allusion, high confidence
- Jas 1:15: allusion, medium confidence

### Translation notes

- Catena fragment, from the uncorrected OCR of Migne PG 93. This fragment and the next are two halves of one comment split across columns in the scan; the sentence on the gates of death is completed from the words that stand in fragment 6 and is translated here.
- James 1:13–15.

### Citation (SBL)

Hesychius of Jerusalem, Frag. Act. 5 (PG 93:1390; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/hesychius-jerusalem-fragmenta-acta-epistulas/5).

## Fragment 6 (on James)

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/hesychius-jerusalem-fragmenta-acta-epistulas/1/#p-6
- Source: PG 93:1390
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-11-12

Summary: The lemma of James 1:14 with the end of the comment on it.

### Greek text

« Ἕχαστος δὲ μίας ἐξελχόμενος. » τωλῶν ἐπιθυμίαι τυγχάνουσι.

### English translation (Claude)

“But each one … dragged away [by his own desire].” … are the desires of sinners.

### Scripture references

- Jas 1:14: quotation, high confidence

### Translation notes

- Catena fragment, from the uncorrected OCR of Migne PG 93. The comment is split between this fragment and the previous one, where it is given in full.
- The lemma: Jas 1:14.

### Citation (SBL)

Hesychius of Jerusalem, Frag. Act. 6 (PG 93:1390; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/hesychius-jerusalem-fragmenta-acta-epistulas/6).

## Fragment 7 (on James)

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/hesychius-jerusalem-fragmenta-acta-epistulas/1/#p-7
- Source: PG 93:1390
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-11-12

Summary: On James 2:13: as oil makes a wrestler slip from his opponent’s grip, mercy makes the demons slip away.

### Greek text

« Καταχαυχᾶται ἔλεος χρίσεως. » τὸ ἔλαιον ἐξολισθαίνειν τοὺς ἀθλητὰς τὰς χεῖρας τῶν ἀντιδίκων ποιεῖ, οὕτως ἡ ἐλεημοσύνη τοὺς ταύτης ἀσχουμένους ἐχχλίνειν καὶ ἀποφεύγειν παρασχευάζει τοὺς δαίμονας.

### English translation (Claude)

“Mercy triumphs over judgment.” [As] oil makes the hands of opponents slip off athletes, so almsgiving makes the demons swerve aside and flee from those who practise it.

### Scripture references

- Jas 2:13: quotation, high confidence

### Translation notes

- Catena fragment, from the uncorrected OCR of Migne PG 93. The image plays on ἔλεος (mercy) and ἔλαιον (oil). The lemma: Jas 2:13.

### Citation (SBL)

Hesychius of Jerusalem, Frag. Act. 7 (PG 93:1390; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/hesychius-jerusalem-fragmenta-acta-epistulas/7).

## Fragment 8 (on James)

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/hesychius-jerusalem-fragmenta-acta-epistulas/1/#p-8
- Source: PG 93:1390
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-11-12

Summary: The start of a comment on James 3:8, comparing the tongue to a whetted sword.

### Greek text

« Τὴν δὲ γλῶσσαν οὐδείς. » Καθάπερ γὰρ ἡ ῥομφαία ἑτοιμοτέρα πρὸς τομὴν, ἂν ἀχονηθῇ, καὶ ὀξυ-

### English translation (Claude)

“But no one [can tame] the tongue.” For as a sword is readier for cutting if it is whetted, and sharper …

### Scripture references

- Jas 3:8: quotation, high confidence

### Translation notes

- Catena fragment, from the uncorrected OCR of Migne PG 93; the comment continues in fragment 9. The lemma: Jas 3:8.

### Citation (SBL)

Hesychius of Jerusalem, Frag. Act. 8 (PG 93:1390; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/hesychius-jerusalem-fragmenta-acta-epistulas/8).

## Fragment 9 (on James)

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/hesychius-jerusalem-fragmenta-acta-epistulas/1/#p-9
- Source: PG 93:1390
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-11-12

Summary: The end of the comment on James 3:8: the tongue, hard to restrain by nature, becomes worse when trained to slander.

### Greek text

“Ὥσπερ τέρα πρὺς ἀναίρεσιν γίνεται, οὕτως ἡ γλῷσσα δυσχερὴς, καὶ xa0 ἑαυτὴν εἰ 5 ἠρεμεῖν τυγχάνουσα τὸ ἣι δυσχάθεχτος, τότε χαλεπωτέρα γίνεται, ὅταν παρὰ τῶν πονηρῶν συχοφαντεῖν καὶ λοιδορεῖν καὶ διαθάλλειν ἐθίζηται.

### English translation (Claude)

… [sharp]er for killing, so the tongue is hard [to tame]; and even by itself, though it …, being hard to restrain, it becomes more grievous when it is trained by the wicked to slander, revile and accuse.

### Scripture references

- Jas 3:8: allusion, high confidence

### Translation notes

- Catena fragment, from the uncorrected OCR of Migne PG 93; it continues fragment 8. Jas 3:8.

### Citation (SBL)

Hesychius of Jerusalem, Frag. Act. 9 (PG 93:1390; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/hesychius-jerusalem-fragmenta-acta-epistulas/9).

## Fragment 10 (on James)

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/hesychius-jerusalem-fragmenta-acta-epistulas/1/#p-10
- Source: PG 93:1390
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-11-12

Summary: On James 4:10 and 5:1: God rescues the humble who keep his law, and the threat to the rich is given in love so that they may repent.

### Greek text

« Ταπεινώθητε ἐνώπιον τοῦ Κυρίου. » Μαχάριον ἐνώπιον Θεοῦ ταπεινοῦσθαι. Φησὶ γὰρ ὁ Ἰάχωθος" Ταπειγώθητε ἐνώπιον Κυρίου, καὶ ὑψώσει ὑμᾶς. Ὅταν τοίνυν οὕτω ταπεινωθῶμεν, χἂν ὑπὸ ἀνθρώπων μισούντων τὰς ἀρετὰς πολεμηθῶμεν, ἔχομεν τὸν Θεὸν ἐξαιρούμενον, μόνον ἵνα τοῦ νόμου αὐτοῦ uid ἐπιλαθώμεθα, μηδὲ ἀποχαχῶμεν ἐν ταῖς θλίψεσ!. Φησὶ γὰρ ὁ Δαδίδ" "Ἴδε τὴν ταπείνωσίν μου, καὶ ἐξελοῦ με, ὅτι τοῦ γόμου σου οὐκ ἐπειαθόμην. € "Ayc νῦν, οἱ πλούσιοι. » Προλέγει τὴν τιμωρίαν, διὰ φιλανθρωπίαν, ἵνα μετανοήσαντες ἔξω γένοιντ τῶν ἀπειλουμένων.

### English translation (Claude)

“Humble yourselves before the Lord.” It is a blessed thing to be humbled before God. For James says, “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.” When, then, we are humbled in this way, even if we are warred upon by men who hate the virtues, we have God to rescue us, provided only that we do not forget his law nor lose heart in afflictions. For David says, “See my humiliation and rescue me, for I have not forgotten your law.”

“Come now, you rich.” He foretells the punishment out of love for mankind, so that by repenting they may escape what is threatened.

### Scripture references

- Jas 4:10: quotation, high confidence
- Ps 119:153 (118:153 LXX): quotation, high confidence
- Jas 5:1: quotation, high confidence

### Translation notes

- Catena fragments, from the uncorrected OCR of Migne PG 93. The lemmas: Jas 4:10; 5:1. David: Ps 118:153 LXX (119:153).

### Citation (SBL)

Hesychius of Jerusalem, Frag. Act. 10 (PG 93:1390; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/hesychius-jerusalem-fragmenta-acta-epistulas/10).

## Fragment 11 (on 1 Peter)

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/hesychius-jerusalem-fragmenta-acta-epistulas/1/#p-11
- Source: PG 93:1390
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-11-12

Summary: On 1 Peter 3:10, quoting Psalm 33: the psalmist’s “Who?” urges us toward the true life of the age to come.

### Greek text

ξαυτοῦ xaY τὸ σῶμα χωρὶς φθορᾶς ὡς Θεὸς A «'O γὰρ θέλων ζωὴν ἀγαπᾷν. » Ἐνταῦθα τὸ D Τίς; οὐχ ὡς ἀποροῦντος τοῦ προφήτου χεῖται, ἀλλὰ μαχαρίζοντος, καὶ μᾶλλον προτρέποντος, ἴσως καὶ ἀποροῦντος. Οἱ γὰρ πολλοὶ οὐ θέλουσι τὴν ὄντως ζωὴν ὑπὸ τῆς τοῦ προσκαίρου δελεαζόμενο!, οὐδὲ ἰδεῖν ἀγαπῶσιν ἡμέρας ἀγαθὰς τὰς τοῦ μέλλοντος τῇ χατὰ τὰν παρόντα βίον εὐημερίᾳ προσέχοντες. Τίς ἐστιν ἄνθρωπος ὁ θέλων ζωὴν; In

### English translation (Claude)

“For whoever wants to love life.” Here the “Who” [in the psalm] does not stand as of the prophet at a loss, but as of one who calls blessed and rather urges on, though perhaps also as one at a loss. For most people do not want the true life, being lured by the temporary one, nor do they love to see good days, those of the age to come, attending to prosperity in the present life. “Who is the man who wants life?”

### Scripture references

- 1 Pet 3:10: quotation, high confidence
- Ps 34:12 (33:13 LXX): quotation, high confidence

### Translation notes

- Catena fragment, from the uncorrected OCR of Migne PG 93. The opening words in the scan (“his own, and the body without corruption, as God”) belong to fragment 4 and are translated there.
- The lemma: 1 Pet 3:10, quoting Ps 33:13 LXX (34:12).

### Citation (SBL)

Hesychius of Jerusalem, Frag. Act. 11 (PG 93:1390; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/hesychius-jerusalem-fragmenta-acta-epistulas/11).

## Fragment 12 (on Jude)

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/hesychius-jerusalem-fragmenta-acta-epistulas/1/#p-12
- Source: PG 93:1391
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-11-12

Summary: On Jude 6: God’s truth did not spare the fallen angels, while his love for mankind brought prostitutes and tax collectors into the kingdom.

### Greek text

€ ᾿Αγγέλους τε τοὺς μὴ τηρήσαντας τὴν ἑαυτῶν ἀρχήν. » Ῥητὰ προχείμενα" "Ἔλεος καὶ ἀλήθειαν αὐτῶν τίς ἐκζητήσει; Τίς γὰρ αὐτοῦ τὴν φιλανθρωπίαν χαταλαθεῖν, ἣ τίς λογιστεῦσαι τὴν ἀλήθειαν δύναται; ᾿Απὸ μὲν γὰρ τῆς ἀληθείας ἀγγέλων ἁμαρτησάντων οὐχ ἐφείσατο' διὰ δὲ τὴν φιλανθρωπίαν πόρνας καὶ τελώνας εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν εἰσήγαγεν.

### English translation (Claude)

“And the angels who did not keep their own rule.” Words set before: “Who will seek out his mercy and truth?” For who can grasp his love for mankind, or reckon up his truth? For because of truth he did not spare the angels who sinned; but because of his love for mankind he brought prostitutes and tax collectors into the kingdom.

### Scripture references

- Jude 1:6: quotation, high confidence
- Ps 61:7 (60:8 LXX): quotation, high confidence
- 2 Pet 2:4: allusion, high confidence
- Matt 21:31: allusion, high confidence

### Translation notes

- Catena fragment, from the uncorrected OCR of Migne PG 93. The lemma: Jude 6. “Who will seek out his mercy and truth?”: Ps 60:8 LXX (61:7). The angels who sinned: 2 Pet 2:4. Prostitutes and tax collectors: Matt 21:31.

### Citation (SBL)

Hesychius of Jerusalem, Frag. Act. 12 (PG 93:1391; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/hesychius-jerusalem-fragmenta-acta-epistulas/12).