Apocryphal Acts Homepage

Introduction and Resources

Helsinki Collegium for Advanced Studies

© 2002–2009
I. Czachesz

Acts of John

Recent opinions about the date and provenance of the Acts of John largely differ. Junod and Kaestli, Acta Iohannis, pp. 692ff and Histoire, p. 4, suggest the second half of the second century in Egypt; Schäferdiek, "Acts of John", pp. 166f, the first half of the third century in East Syria; Lalleman, Acts of John, pp. 244-70, the second quarter of the second century in Asia Minor. Recently Bremmer,"Apocryphal Acts" (Printed Resources ), pp. 158f, confirmed Asia Minor as a place of origin and suggested c. 150 as the date of writing (pp. 153f). Cf. Czachesz, Apostolic Commission, pp. 117f. Chapters 94-102 and 109 probably were added later, cf. Junod and Kaestli, Acta Iohannis, pp. 700ff and Histoire , p. 4; Lalleman, Acts of John, pp. 59-66 and 266ff; Luttikhuizen, "Gnostic Reading". For the reconstruction of the text, see Czachesz, Apostolic Commission, pp. 91-96.

Texts

(See also under the General Resources.)

• Bonnet, M., Acta apostolorum apocrypha, vol 2/1, Leipzig: 1898 (repr. Darmstadt: 1959), pp. 151-216.
• Junod and Kaestli, Acta Iohannis, vol 1 (see below).
• James, M.R., Apocrypha Anecdota. A Collection of Thirteen Apocryphical Books and Fragments, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1893, vol 1.

Related Texts

• Zahn, Th., Acta Joannis, Erlangen: 1880 (repr. Hildesheim: 1975). The so-called "Acts of John by Pseudo-Prochorus".
• Wright, W., Apocryphal Acts of the Apostles, 2 vols, London: 1871. The Syrian "History of John, the Son of Zebedee".
• Smith Lewis, A., Acta Mythologica Apostolorum, London: 1904. Related Arabic texts, with an English translation in The Mythological Acts of the Apostles

Translations

Printed translations:

See under the General Resources

Translations online:

• The Acts of John. Translation and Notes by M.R. James. http://www.gnosis.org/library/actjohn.htm
• http://wesley.nnu.edu/noncanon/acts/actjohn.htm
• The Acts of the Holy Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian: About His Exile and Departure. (Translation by A. Walker?) http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/0827.htm

Selected Bibliography

• Bremmer, J.N., ed, The Apocryphal Acts of John, Leuven: 1995.
• I. Czachesz, "Eroticism and Epistemology in the Apocryphal Acts of John"
• Jakab, A., "Actes de Jean: état de la recherche (1982-1999)", Rivista di Storia e Letteratura Religiosa 36 (2000), pp. 299-334.
• Junod, E. and Kaestli, J.-D., L’Histoire des Actes apocryphes des apôtres du IIIe au IXe siècle: Le cas des Actes de Jean , Genève - Lausanne: 1982.
• Junod, E. and Kaestli, J.-D., Acta Iohannis, 2 vols, Turnhout: 1983.
• Lalleman, P.J., The Acts of John. A Two-Stage Initiation into Johannine Gnosticism (Leuven: Peeters, 1998).
• Luttikhuizen, G.P., "A gnostic reading of the Acts of John", in Bremmer, ed, Acts of John, pp. 119-152.
• Schäferdiek, K., "The Acts of John", in Schneemelcher, New Testament Apocrypha, vol 2 (see General Resources), pp. 152-212.
• Schneider, P.G., The Mystery of the Acts of John. An Interpretation of the Hymn and the Dance in Light of the Acts' Theology, San Francisco: 1991.
• Trowbridge, G., "The Acts of John" at http://www.maplenet.net/%7Etrowbridge/actsjohn.htm