Acts of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul.
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It came to pass, after
Paul went out of the island Gaudomeleta, that he came to Italy; and it was heard of by the Jews who were in Rome, the elder of the cities, that Paul demanded to come to Cæsar. Having fallen, therefore, into great grief and much despondency, they said among themselves: It does not please him that he alone has afflicted all our brethren and parents in Judæa and Samaria, and in all Palestine; and he has not been pleased with these, but, behold, he comes here also, having through imposition asked Cæsar to destroy us.
Having therefore made an assembly against Paul, and having considered many proposals, it seemed good to them to go to Nero the emperor, to ask him not to allow Paul to come to Rome. Having therefore got in readiness not a few presents, and having carried them with them, with supplication they came before him, saying: We beseech thee, O good emperor, send orders into all the governments of your worship, to the effect that Paul is not to come near these parts; because this Paul, having afflicted all the nation of our fathers, has been seeking to come hither to destroy us also. And the affliction, O most worshipful emperor, which we have from Peter is enough for us.
And the Emperor Nero, having heard these things, answered them: It is according to your wish. And we write to all our governments that he shall not on any account come to anchor in the parts of Italy. And they also informed Simon the magian, having sent for him, that, as has been said, he should not come into the parts of Italy.
And while they were thus doing, some of those that had
repented out of the nations, and that had been baptized at the
preaching of Peter, sent elders to Paul with a letter to the following
effect: Paul, dear servant of our Lord Jesus Christ, and brother
of Peter, the first of the apostles, we have heard from the rabbis of
the Jews that are in this Rome, the greatest of the cities, that they
have asked Cæsar to send into all his governments, in order that, wherever thou mayst be found, thou mayst be put to death. But we have believed, and do believe, that as God does not separate the two great lights which He has made, so He is not to part you from each other, that is, neither Peter from Paul, nor Paul from Peter; but we positively believe in our Lord Jesus Christ, into whom we have been baptized, that we have become worthy also of your teaching.
And Paul, having received the two men sent with
the letter on the twentieth of the month of May, became eager to
go, and gave thanks to the Lord and Master Jesus Christ. And
having sailed from Gaudomeleta, he did not now come through Africa to
the parts of Italy, but ran to Sicily, until he came to the city of
Syracuse with the two men who had been sent from Rome to him. And
having sailed thence, he came to Rhegium of Calabria, and from Rhegium
he crossed to Mesina, and there ordained a bishop, Bacchylus by
name. And when he came out of Mesina he sailed to Didymus, and
remained there one night. And having sailed thence, he came to
Pontiole on the second
day.
And Dioscorus the shipmaster, who brought him to
Syracuse, sympathizing with Paul because he had delivered his son from
death, having left his own ship in Syracuse, accompanied him to
Pontiole. And some of Peter’s disciples having been found
there, and having received Paul, exhorted him to stay with them. And he stayed a week, in hiding, because of the command of Cæsar. And all the toparchs were watching to seize and kill him. But Dioscorus the shipmaster, being himself also bald, wearing his shipmaster’s dress, and speaking boldly, on the first day went out into the city of Pontiole. Thinking therefore that he was Paul, they seized him, and beheaded him, and sent his head to Cæsar.
Cæsar therefore, having summoned the first men of
the Jews, announced to them, saying: Rejoice with great joy, for
Paul your enemy is dead. And he showed them the head. Having therefore made great rejoicing on that day, which was the fourteenth of the month of June, each of the Jews fully believed it.