top Gospel of Peter

I

1 . . . τῶν δὲ Ἰουδαίων οὐδεὶς ἐνίψατο τὰς χεῖρας , οὐδὲ Ἡρῴδης οὐδὲ τις τῶν κριτῶν αὐτοῦ . καὶ μὴ βουληθέντων νίψασθαι . ἀνέστη Πειλᾶτος , But of the Jews none washed his hands, neither Herod nor one of his judges. And since they did not desire to wash, Pilate stood up.
2 καὶ τότε κελεύει Ἡρῴδης ὁ βασιλεύς παραλημφθήναι τὸν κύριον , εἰπών αὐτοῖς ὅτι , Ὅσα ἐκέλευσα ὑμῖν ποιῆσαι αὐτῷ , ποιήσατε . And then Herod the king orders the Lord to be taken away, having said to them, "What I ordered you to do, do."

II

3 εισηκει δὲ ἐκεῖ Ἰωσήφ ὁ φίλος Πειλατου καὶ τοῦ κυρίου , καὶ εἰδὼς ὅτι σταυρισκειν αὐτὸν μέλλουσιν ἦλθεν πρὸς τὸν Πειλατον καὶ ᾔτησε τὸ σῶμα τοῦ κυρίου πρὸς ταφὴν . But Joseph, the friend of Pilate and of the Lord, had been standing there; and knowing they were about to crucify him, he came before Pilate and requested the body of the Lord for burial.
4 καὶ ὁ Πειλατος πέμψας πρὸς Ηρωδην ᾔτησεν αὐτοῦ τὸ σῶμα , And Pilate, having sent to Herod, requested his body.
5 καὶ ὁ Ἡρῴδης ἔφη , ἀδελφὲ Πειλατε , εἰ καὶ μὴ τις αὐτὸν ᾐτήκει ἡμεῖς αὐτὸν ἐθάπτομεν , ἐπεὶ καὶ σάββατον ἐπιφώσκει . γεγραπται γὰρ ἐν τῷ νόμῳ ἥλιον μὴ δῦναι ἐπὶ πεφονευμενω . καὶ παρέδωκεν αὐτὸν τῷ λαῷ πρὸ μιᾶς τῶν ἀζύμων , τῆς ἑορτῆς αὐτῶν . And Herod said: ’Brother Pilate, even if no one had requested him, we would have buried him, since indeed Sabbath is dawning. For in the Law it has been written: The sun is not to set on one put to death.’ And he gave him over to the people before the first day of their feast of the Unleavened Bread.

III

6 οἱ δὲ λαβόντες τὸν κύριον ὠθοῦν αὐτὸν τρέχοντες , καὶ ἔλεγον , Συρώμεν τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ θεοῦ , ἐξουσίαν αὐτοῦ ἐσχηκότες . But having taken the Lord, running, they were pushing him and saying, ’Let us drag along the Son of God now that we have power over him.’
7 καὶ πορφυραν αὐτὸν περιεβαλον , καὶ ἐκάθισαν αὐτὸν ἐπὶ καθεδραν κρίσεως λεγοντες , Δικαιως κρῖνε , βασιλεῦ τοῦ Ἰσραήλ . And they clothed him with purple and sat him on a chair of judgment, saying: ’Judge justly, King of Israel.’
8 καὶ τις αὐτῶν ἐνεγκὼν στεφανον ἀκάνθινον ἔθηκεν ἐπὶ τῆς κεφαλης τοῦ κυρίου , And a certain one of them, having brought a thorny crown, put it on the head of the Lord.
9 καὶ ἕτεροι ἑστῶτες ἐνέπτυον αὐτοῦ ταῖς ὄψεσι , καὶ ἄλλοι τὰς σιαγονας αὐτοῦ ἐράπισαν , ἕτεροι καλάμῳ ενυσσον αὐτὸν καὶ τινες αὐτὸν ἐμάστιζον λεγοντες , Ταύτῃ τῇ τιμὴ τιμήσωμεν τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ θεοῦ . And others who were standing there were spitting in his face, and others slapped his cheeks. Others were jabbing him with a reed; and some scourged him, saying, ’With such honor let us honor the Son of God.’

IV

10 Καὶ ἤνεγκον δύο κακούργους , καὶ ἐσταύρωσαν ἀνὰ μεσον αὐτῶν τὸν κύριον αὐτὸς δὲ ἐσιώπα , ὡς μηδενα πονον ἔχων . And they brought two wrongdoers and crucified the Lord in the middle of them. But he was silent as having no pain.
11 Καὶ ὅτε ὤρθωσαν τὸν σταυρον επεγραψαν ὅτι ουτος εστιν ὁ βασιλεύς του Ισραηλ . And when they had set the cross upright, they inscribed that THIS IS THE KING OF ISRAEL.
12 καὶ τεθεικοτες τά ἐνδύματα ἔμπροσθεν αὐτοῦ διεμερίσαντο , καὶ λαχμον ἔβαλον ἐπ’ αὐτοῖς . And having put his garments before him, they divided them up and threw as a gamble for them.
13 εἰς δὲ τις τῶν κακούργων ἐκείνων ὠνείδισεν αὐτοὺς λεγων , ἡμεῖς διὰ τά κακὰ ἅ ἐποιήσαμεν ουτω πεπονθαμεν , ουτος δὲ σωτήρ γενόμενος τῶν ἀνθρώπων τι ἠδίκησεν ὑμᾶς ; But a certain one of those wrongdoers reviled them, saying: ’We have been made suffer thus because of the wrong that we have done; but this one, having become Savior of men, what injustice had he done to you?’
14 καὶ ἀγανακτήσαντες ἐπ’ αὐτῷ ἐκέλευσαν ἵνα μὴ σκελοκοπηθη , οπως βασανιζομενος ἀποθάνοι . And having become irritated at him, they ordered that there be no leg-breaking, so that he might die tormented.

V

15 Ἦν δὲ μεσημβρια , καὶ σκοτος κατεσχε πασαν τήν Ιουδαιαν . καὶ ἐθορυβοῦντο , καὶ ηγωνιων μηποτε ὁ ἥλιος ἔδυ ἐπειδή ἔτι ἔζη , γεγραπται αὐτοῖς ηλιον μὴ δῦναι ἐπὶ πεφονευμενω . But is was midday, and darkness held fast all Judea; and they were distressed and anxious lest the sun had set, since he was still living. [For] it is written for them: Let not the sun set on one put to death.
16 καὶ τις αὐτῶν εἶπέν , Ποτισατε αὐτὸν χολήν μετὰ οξους . καὶ κερασαντες ἐπότισαν . And someone of them said: ‘Give him to drink gall with vinegary wine.’ And having made a mixture, they gave to drink.
17 καὶ ἐπλήρωσαν παντα , καὶ ἐτελείωσαν κατὰ τῆς κεφαλης αὐτῶν τά ἁμαρτήματα . And they fulfilled all things and completed the sins on their own head.
18 περιηρχοντο δὲ πολλοι μετὰ λυχνων , νομιζοντες ὅτι νυξ εστιν ἔπεσαν τε . But many went around with lamps, thinking that it was night, and they fell.
19 Καὶ ὁ κύριος ἀνεβόησε λεγων , Ἡ δύναμις μου , ἡ δυναμις , κατελειψας με , καὶ εἰπών ἀνελήφθη . And the Lord screamed out, saying: ’My power, O power, you have forsaken me.’ And having said this, he was taken up.
20 καὶ αὐτῆς ὥρας διεραγη τὸ καταπετασμα τοῦ ναοῦ τῆς Ιερουσαλημ εἰς δύο . And at the same hour the veil of the Jerusalem sanctuary was torn into two.

VI

21 καὶ τότε ἀπέσπασαν τοὺς ἥλους ἀπὸ τῶν χείρων τοῦ κυρίου , καὶ ἔθηκαν αὐτὸν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς . καὶ ἡ γη πασα ἐσείσθη καὶ φόβος μεγας ἐγένετο . And they drew out the nails from the hands of the Lord and placed him on the earth; and all the earth was shaken, and a great fear came about.
22 τότε ἥλιος ἔλαμψε καὶ εὑρέθη ὥρα ἐνάτῃ . Then the sun shone, and it was found to be the ninth hour
23 ἐχάρησαν δὲ οἱ Ιουδαιοι καὶ δεδώκασι τῷ Ἰωσήφ τὸ σῶμα αὐτοῦ ἵνα αὐτὸ θαψη , ἐπειδή θεασάμενος ἣν οσα ἀγαθὰ εποιησεν . And the Jews rejoiced and gave his body to Joseph that he might bury it, since he was one who had seen the many good things he did.
24 λαβὼν δὲ τὸν κύριον ἔλουσε καὶ εἵλησε σινδονι καὶ εἰσήγαγεν εἰς ἴδιον τάφον καλούμενον Κηπον Ἰωσήφ . And having taken the Lord, he washed and tied him with a linen cloth and brought him into his own sepulcher, called the Garden of Joseph.

VII

25 Τότε οἱ Ιουδαιοι καὶ οἱ πρεσβυτεροι καὶ οἱ ἱερεῖς , γνοντες οἷον κακὸν εαυτοις ἐποίησαν , ἤρξαντο κοπτεσθαι καὶ λεγειν , Οὐαὶ ταῖς ἁμαρτίαις ἡμῶν , ἤγγισεν ἡ κρίσις καὶ τὸ τέλος Ιερουσαλημ . Then the Jews and the elders and the priests, having come to know how much wrong they had done themselves, began to beat themselves and say: ’Woe to our sins. The judgment has approached and the end of Jerusalem.’
26 ἐγὼ δὲ μετὰ τῶν ἑταίρων μου ελυπουμην , καὶ τετρωμενοι κατὰ διάνοιαν εκρυβομεθα . εζητουμεθα γὰρ ὑπ’ αὐτῶν ὡς κακοῦργοι καὶ ὡς τὸν ναὸν θέλοντες ἐμπρῆσαι . But I with the companions was sorrowful; and having been wounded in spirit, we were in hiding, for we were sought after by them as wrongdoers and as wishing to set fire to the sanctuary
27 ἐπὶ δὲ τούτοις πασιν ενηστευομεν , καὶ ἐκαθεζόμεθα πενθουντες καὶ κλαίοντες νυκτος καὶ ἡμέρας ἕως τοῦ σαββάτου . In addition to all these things we were fasting; and we were sitting mourning and weeping night and day until the Sabbath.

VIII

28 Συναχθεντες δὲ οἱ γραμματεις καὶ φαρισαιοι καὶ πρεσβυτεροι πρὸς ἀλλήλους , ἀκούσαντες ὅτι ὁ λαος ἅπας γογγυζει καὶ κοπτεται τά στηθη λεγοντες ὅτι εἰ τῷ θανάτῳ αὐτοῦ ταῦτα τά μεγιστα σημεια γέγονεν , ἴδετε ὅτι ποσον δίκαιος εστιν , But the scribes and Pharisees and elders, having gathered together with one another, having heard that all the people were murmuring and beating their breasts, saying that ’If at his death these very great signs happened, behold how just he was,’
29 ἐφοβήθησαν οἱ πρεσβυτεροι , καὶ ἦλθον πρὸς Πειλατον δεόμενοι αὐτοῦ καὶ λεγοντες , feared (especially the elders) and came before Pilate, begging him and saying,
30 Παραδος ἡμῖν στρατιωτας , ἵνα φυλαξωμεν τὸ μνημα αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ τρεῖς ἡμέρας , μηποτε ἐλθόντος οἱ παθηται αὐτοῦ κλεψωσιν αὐτὸν καὶ ὑπολάβῃ ὁ λαος ὅτι ἐκ νεκρῶν ἀνέστη , καὶ ποιησωσιν ἡμῖν κακὰ . ’Give over soldiers to us in order that we may safeguard his burial place for three days, lest, having come, his disciples steal him, and the people accept that he is risen from the death, and they do us wrong.’
31 ὁ δὲ Πειλατος παραδεδωκεν αὐτοῖς Πετρωνιον τὸν κεντυρίωνα μετὰ στρατιωτων φυλάσσειν τὸν τάφον . καὶ σὺν αὐτοῖς ἦλθον πρεσβυτεροι καὶ γραμματεις ἐπὶ τὸ μνημα , But Pilate gave over to them Petronius the centurion with soldiers to safeguard the sepulcher. And with these the elders and scribes came to the burial place.
32 καὶ κυλισαντες λιθον μεγαν μετα τοῦ κεντυρίωνος καὶ τῶν στρατιωτων ομου παντες οἱ οντες ἐκεῖ ἔθηκαν ἐπὶ τῇ θύρα τοῦ μνηματος , And having rolled a large stone, all who were there, together with the centurion and the soldiers, placed it against the door of the burial place.
33 καὶ επεχρισαν ἑπτά σφραγιδας , καὶ σκηνην ἐκεῖ πηξαντες εφυλαξαν . And they marked it with seven wax seals; and having pitched a tent there, they safeguarded it

IX

34 πρωιας δὲ , επιφωσκοντος τοῦ σαββάτου , ἦλθεν ὄχλος ἀπὸ Ιερουσαλημ καὶ τῆς περιχωρου ἵνα ὅραμα ἴδωσι τὸ μνημειον ἐσφραγισμένον . But early when the Sabbath was dawning, a crowd came from Jerusalem and the surrounding area in order that they might see the sealed tomb.
35 Τῇ δὲ νυκτι ἡ ἐπέφωσκεν ἡ κυριακῇ , φυλασσόντων τῶν στρατιωτων ἀνὰ δύο δύο κατὰ φρουράν , μεγαλη , φωνή ἐγένετο ἐν τῷ οὐρανῶ , But in the night in which the Lord’s day dawned, when the soldiers were safeguarding it two by two in every watch, there was a loud voice in heaven;
36 καὶ εἶδον ανοιχθεντας τοὺς οὐρανούς καὶ δύο ἄνδρας κατελθοντας ἐκεῖθε , πολυ φέγγος ἔχοντας καὶ εγγισαντας τῷ τάφῳ . and they saw that the heavens were opened and that two males who had much radiance had come down from there and come near the sepulcher.
37 ὁ δὲ λιθος ἐκεῖνος ὁ βεβλημένος ἐπὶ τῇ θύρα ἀφ’ ἑαυτοῦ κυλισθεις ἐπεχώρησε παρὰ μερος , καὶ ὁ τάφος ἠνοίγη καὶ ἀμφότεροι οἱ νεανίσκοι εἰσῆλθον . But that stone which had been thrust against the door, having rolled by itself, went a distance off the side; and the sepulcher opened, and both the young men entered.

X

38 ἰδόντες ουν οἱ στρατιωται ἐκεῖνοι εξυπνισαν τὸν κεντυρίωνα καὶ τοὺς πρεσβυτερους , παρησαν γὰρ καὶ αυτοι φυλάσσοντές , And so those soldiers, having seen, awakened the centurion and the elders (for they too were present, safeguarding).
39 καὶ ἐξηγουμένων αὐτῶν ἅ εἶδον παλιν ορωσιν ἐξελθόντας ἀπό τοῦ τάφου τρεῖς ἄνδρας , καὶ τούς δύο τὸν ἕνα ὑπορθοῦντας , καὶ σταυρον ἀκολουθοῦντα αὐτοῖς . And while they were relating what they had seen, again they see three males who have come out from they sepulcher, with the two supporting the other one, and a cross following them,
40 καὶ τῶν μεν δύο τήν κεφαλὴν χωρουσαν μεχρι τοῦ οὐρανοῦ , τοῦ δὲ χειραγωγουμενου ὑπ’ αὐτῶν υπερβαινουσαν τοὺς οὐρανούς . and the head of the two reaching unto heaven, but that of the one being led out by a hand by them going beyond the heavens.
41 καὶ φωνῆς ἤκουον ἐκ τῶν οὐρανῶν λεγουσης , Ἐκήρυξας τοῖς κοιμωμενοις ; And they were hearing a voice from the heavens saying, ’Have you made proclamation to the fallen-asleep?’
42 καὶ ὑπακοὴ ἠκούετο ἀπὸ τοῦ σταυρου τὸ Ναὶ . And an obeisance was heard from the cross, ’Yes.’

XI

43 Συνεσκεπτοντο ουν ἀλλήλοις ἐκεῖνοι ἀπελθεῖν καὶ ενφανισαι ταῦτα τῷ Πειλατω . And so those people were seeking a common perspective to go off and make these things clear to Pilate;
44 καὶ ἔτι διανοουμένων αὐτῶν φαινονται παλιν ανοιχθεντες οἱ οὐρανοί καὶ ἄνθρωπος τις κατελθών καὶ εἰσελθών εἰς τὸ μνημα . and while they were still considering it through, there appear again the opened heavens and a certain man having come down and entered into the burial place.
45 ταῦτα ἰδόντες οἱ περὶ τὸν κεντυρίωνα νυκτος ἔσπευσαν πρὸς Πειλατον , ἀφέντες τὸν τάφον ον ἐφύλασσον , καὶ ἐξηγήσαντο παντα ἅπερ εἶδον , ἀγωνιῶντες μεγαλως καὶ λεγοντες Ἀληθῶς υἱὸς ἢν θεοῦ . Having seen these things, those around the centurion hastened at night before Pilate (having left the sepulcher which they were safeguarding) and described all the things that they indeed had seen, agonizing greatly and saying: ’Truly he was God’s Son.’
46 ἀποκριθεὶς ὁ Πειλατος ἔφη Ἐγὼ καθαρευω τοῦ αἵματος τοῦ υἱοῦ τοῦ θεοῦ , ὑμῖν δὲ τοῦτο ἔδοξεν . In answer Pilate said: ’I am clean of the blood of the Son of God, but it was to you that this seemed [the thing to do].’
47 εἶτα προσελθοντες παντες ἐδέοντο αὐτοῦ καὶ παρεκαλουν κελεῦσαι τῷ κεντυρίωνι καὶ τοῖς στρατιωταις μηδεν ειπειν ἅ εἶδον . Then all, having come forward, were begging and exhorting him to command the centurion and the soldiers to say to no one what they had seen.
48 συμφερει γὰρ , φάσιν , ἡμῖν ὄφλησαι μεγιστην ἁμαρτίαν ἔμπροσθεν τοῦ θεοῦ , καὶ μὴ ἐμπεσεῖν εἰς χεῖρας τοῦ λαου τῶν Ἰουδαίων καὶ λιθασθηναι . ’For,’ they said, ’it is better for us to owe the debt of the greatest sin in the sight of God than to fall into the hands of the Jewish people and be stoned.’
49 ἐκέλευσεν ουν ὁ Πειλατος τῷ κεντυρίωνι καὶ τοῖς στρατιωταις μηδεν ειπειν . And so Pilate ordered the centurion and the soldiers to say nothing.

XII

50 Ὁ Ορθρου δὲ τῆς κυριακης Μαριαμ ἡ Μαγδαληνη , μαθητρια τοῦ κυρίου , φοβουμένη διὰ τοὺς Ιουδαιους , ἐπειδή εφλεγοντο ὑπὸ τῆς οργης , ουκ εποιησεν ἐπὶ τῷ μνηματι τοῦ κυρίου ἅ εἰώθεσαν ποιειν αἱ γυναῖκες ἐπὶ τοῖς ἀποθνήσκουσι καὶ τοῖς ἀγαπωμένοις αὐταῖς . Now at the dawn of the Lord’s Day Mary Magdalene, a female disciple of the Lord (who, afraid because of the Jews since they were inflamed with anger, had not done at the tomb of the Lord what women were accustomed to do for the dead beloved by them),
51 λαβοῦσα μεθ εαυτης τὰς φίλας ἤλθε ἐπὶ τὸ μνημειον οπου ἢν τεθείς . having taken with her women friends, came to the tomb where he had been placed.
52 καὶ ἐφοβοῦντο μὴ ἴδωσιν αὐτὰς οἱ Ιουδαιοι , καὶ ἔλεγονto εἰ καὶ μὴ ἐν ἐκείνη τῇ ἤμεθα ἡ ἐσταυρώθη ἐδυνήθημεν κλαῦσαι καὶ κόψασθαι , καὶ νυν ἐπὶ τοῦ μνηματος αὐτοῦ ποιησωμεν ταῦτα . And they were afraid lest the Jews should see them and were saying, ’If indeed on that day on which he was crucified we could not weep and beat ourselves, yet now at his tomb we may do these things.
53 τις δὲ ἀποκυλίσει ἡμῖν καὶ τὸν λιθον τὸν τεθέντα ἐπὶ τῆς θύρας τοῦ μνημειου , ἵνα εἰσελθοῦσαι παρακαθεσθωμεν αὐτῷ καὶ ποινσωμεν τά οφειλομενα But who will roll away for us even the stone placed against the door of the tomb in order that, having entered, we may sit beside him and do the expected things?
54 μεγας ; γὰρ ἢν ὁ λιθος , καὶ φοβούμεθα μὴ τις ἡμᾶς ἴδῃ . καὶ εἰ μὴ δυνάμεθα , κἂν ἐπὶ τῆς θύρας βαλωμεν ἅ φερομεν εἰς μνημοσυνην αὐτοῦ , κλαύσωμεν καὶ κοψομεθα ἕως ἔλθωμεν εἰς τὸν οἶκον ἡμῶν . For the stone was large, and we were afraid lest anyone see us. And if we are unable, let is throw against the door what we bring in memory of him; let us weep and beat ourselves until we come to our homes.’

XIII

55 Καὶ ἀπελθοῦσαι εὗρον τὸν τάφον ἠνεῳγμένον καὶ προσελθουσαι παρεκυψαν ἐκεῖ , καὶ ορωσιν ἐκεῖ τινα νεανίσκον καθεζόμενον μεσω τοῦ τάφου , ὡραῖον καὶ περιβεβλημενον στολην λαμπροτατην οστις ἔφη αὐταῖς And having gone off, they found the sepulcher opened. And having come forward, they bent down there and saw there a certain young man seated in the middle of the sepulcher, comely and clothed with a splendid robe, who said to them:
56 Τι ἤλθατε τινα ; ζητεῖτε μὴ ; τὸν σταυρωθεντα ἐκεῖνον ; ἀνέστη καὶ ἀπῆλθεν εἰ δὲ μὴ πιστευετε , παρακυψατε καὶ ἴδετε τὸν τόπον ἔνθα ἔκειτο , ὅτι ουκ εστιν ἀνέστη γὰρ καὶ ἀπῆλθεν ἐκεῖ οθεν ἀπεστάλη . ’Why have you come? Whom do you seek? Not that one who was crucified? He is risen and gone away. But if you do not believe, bend down and see the place where he lay, because he is not here. For he is risen and gone away to there whence he was sent.
57 τότε αἱ γυναῖκες φοβηθεισαι ἔφυγον . Then the women fled frightened.

XIV

58 ἢν δὲ τελευταία ἤμεθα τῶν ἀζύμων , καὶ πολλοι τινες ἐξήρχοντο , ὑποστρέφοντες εἰς τοὺς οἴκους αὐτῶν τῆς ἑορτῆς παυσαμενης . Now it was the final day of the Unleavened Bread; and many went out returning to their home since the feast was over.
59 ἡμεῖς δὲ οἱ δώδεκα μαθηται τοῦ κυρίου ἐκλαίομεν καὶ ελυπουμεθα , καὶ ἕκαστος λυπουμενος διὰ τὸ συμβάν ἀπηλλάγη εἰς τὸν οἶκον αὐτοῦ . But we twelve disciples of the Lord were weeping and sorrowful; and each one, sorrowful because of what had come to pass, departed to his home.
60 ἐγὼ δὲ Σίμων Πετρος καὶ Ανδρεας ὁ ἀδελφὸς μου λαβόντες ἡμῶν τά λινα απηλθαμεν εἰς τήν θάλασσαν καὶ ἢν σὺν ἡμῖν Λευεις τοῦ Αλφαιου , ον Κύριος . . . But I, Simon Peter, and my brother Andrew, having taken our nets, went off to the sea. And there was with us Levi of Alphaeus whom the Lord ...