The Acts of Peter

Five major apocryphal Acts survive from the early period of the Christian church, the so-called Acts of Andrew, Paul, Peter, John, and Thomas. The Acts of Peter deals primarily with the conflict between the apostle Peter and Simon Magus, and the apostle's martyrdom. It employs traditional stories and the literary conventions of its day in a free manner to assure believers that they have ample reason to remain loyal to Christ, or return to faith if they have faltered. This study edition of The Acts of Peter presents a fresh, new translation of the text with cross-references, notes, and commentary. An extensive introduction also sets out the challenges of reconstructing the original text.