This useful collection and translation of all the surviving fragments of Papias is no longer available in its original web location. Therefore it has been copied here with minimal alterations.
| George Syncellus wrote c800AD | |
| [21] Peter sent the first catholic epistle from Rome, having, according to Eusebius, Mark the evangelist as a follower. At this time, he composed the gospel at the Romans' request, according to Clement in the sixth book of his Hypotyposeis and Papias the bishop of Hierapolis. -Chroniconology of George Syncellus 403 [Checked Greek in George Syncellus vol. 1 CSHB p.627] |
My translation. |
| [22] Irenaeus and others record that John the Theologian and Apostle survived until the times of Trajan; after which Papias of Hierapolis and Polycarp, bishop of Smyrna, both of whom heard him, were becoming known. -Chroniconology of George Syncellus 424 [Checked Greek in George Syncellus vol. 1 CSHB p.656] |
My translation. Syncellus places this passage 97 years after the birth of Jesus. |
| George Hamartolus? (George Monochos/the Sinner) wrote c866-880AD | |
| [23] After Domitian, Nerva reigned one year, who recalled John from the island (i.e. Patmos), and allowed him to dwell in Ephesus. He was at that time the sole survivor of the twelve Apostles, and after writing his Gospel received the honour of martyrdom. For Papias, bishop of Hierapolis, who was an eye-witness of him, in the second book of the Oracles of the Lord says that he was killed by the Jews, and thereby evidently fulfilled, together with his brother, Christ's prophecy concerning them, and their own confession and undertaking on His behalf. For when the Lord said to them; Are ye able to drink of the cup that I drink of?, and they readily assented and agreed, He said; My cup shall ye drink, and with the baptism that I am baptized shall ye be baptized. And reasonably so, for it is impossible for God to lie. So too the learned Origen affirms in his interpretation of S. Matthew's Gospel that John was martyred, declaring that he had learnt the fact from the successors of the Apostles. And indeed the well-informed Eusebius also in his Ecclesiastical History says; `Thomas received by lot Parthia, but John, Asia, where also he made his residence and died at Ephesus.' -Chroniconology of George Hamartolus [Checked Rolte and de Boor] |
LTF translation. This text appears to be a later interpolation and was not written by George Hamartolus. It may be from Codex Coislinianus 305, but I am not sure. See Rolte Theologische Quartalschrift 1862 p466 [checked, but did not read German discussion]. This text is not given in the edition of George Hamartolus's Chronicle by C. De Boor Georgii Monachi Chronicon vol. 2 1904 p.447 [checked] See PG110 p.18-20 for discussion on Codex 305 [checked but did not read Latin discussion] |
| Photius of Constantinople c810-893 | |
| [24] Nor again (does Stephanus follow) Papias, the bishop and martyr of Hierapolis, nor Irenaeus, the holy bishop of Lyons, when they say that the kingdom of heaven will consist in enjoyment of certain material foods. -Bibliothecae # 232, on Stephan Gobarus [Checked LTF and Bekker p.291] |
LTF translation. See Bekker Photii Bibliotheca vol. 1 for Greek [checked]. |
| [25] And the...great Methodius...and also Irenaeus bishop of Lyons and Papias bishop of Heirapolis, Methodius won the crown of martyrdom, the latter were apostolic men....But however, when they diminish the truth and were brought to speak against the common and ecclesiastical dogma, in these things we do not follow them, but we take nothing away from their patristic honor and glory. -From an epistle of Photius to Archbishop and Metropolitan Aquileias [checked Greek of Holmes] |
My translation. See J.N. Barletta Photii Epistolae London 1864 [not checked] |
| John of Dara 9th century | |
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[26] Therefore, at this Apollonarius the heretic, with his companions, abandoned the glorious illumination of the living words and became blind to the faith like the Jews. He dared to speak, like the Pharisees, that after the resurrection of the dead, we shall live again for a thousand years in Jerusalem with the Messiah, with bodily pleasures, and childish sacrifices, and earthly libations before him [the Messiah?]. After these things are fulfilled, at that time we shall be taken up into heaven. And he was not shamed by the voice of Paul who said, "The kingdom of God is not of eating or drinking. But of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit." [Romans 14:17]. Also in like manner Irenaeus bishop of Lyon in Gaul wandered in these matters, which are in the book of Papias as Eusebius narrates. |
My translation from the Syriac of A. Baumstark, "Zwei syrische Papiascitate," Oriens christianus 2 [1902] p.353-57 |
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[27] Papias, bishop of Hierapolis in the Asia, who was educated with John the Evangelist, says in the fourth book of "Interpretations of the Lord" that delights shall exist through foods in the resurrection. What is more, Irenaeus says the same in <his> writing "Against Heresies", from testimony from the book of Papias. Afterwards, he accepted this opinion of Apollonarius. |
My translation from the Syriac of A. BaumstarkA. Baumstark, "Zwei syrische Papiascitate," Oriens christianus 2 [1902] p.353-57 |
| Codex Vaticanus Alexandrinus 14 9th century | |
| [28] The Gospel of John was made known and given to the Churches by John, while he yet remained in the body; as (one) Papias by name, of Hierapolis, a beloved disciple of John, has related in his exoteric, that is, in his last five books; but he wrote down the Gospel at the dictation of John, correctly. But Marcion the heretic, when he had been censured by him because he held heretical opinions, was cast off by John. Now he had brought writings or letters delivered to him from the brethren that were in Pontus. -Locataed as a preface to the Gospel of John [checked Essays On The Work Entitled Supernatural Religion p.210] |
Translation from Lightfoot Essays On The Work Entitled Supernatural Religion. 1889 p210 [checked]. Codex title taken from Holmes. [checked] Latin can be found in J.B. Pitra Analecta Sacra 2.1 p.160 [checked]. |
| Agapius of Menbij (Agapius of Hierapolis) wrote c941AD | |
| [29] And there was at that time in Menbij [Hierapolis] a distinguished master who had many treatises, and he wrote five treatises on the Gospel. And he mentions in his treatise on the Gospel of John, that in the book of John the Evangelist, he speaks of a woman who was adulterous, so when they presented her to Christ our Lord, to whom be glory, He told the Jews who brought her to Him, "Whoever of you knows that he is innocent of what she has done, let him testify against her with what he has." So when He told them that, none of them responded with anything and they left. -Universal History Year 12 of Trajen (110AD) Patrologia Orientalis vol. 7 p.48-49 on the section concerning Agapius [checked Patrolgia Orientalis for Arabic via my kind friend Tamim. |
Translated by a kind friend from the Arabic in Vasiliev Patrologia Orientalis vol. 7 [checked]. See Roger Pearse's translation from the French [checked]. Note that Agapius was from the Hierapolis in Syria, not the Hierapolis of Phyrgia which was where Papias was from. Thanks to Roger Pearse for helping me locate the Arabic text. |
| Vardan Arewelts'i (Vardan Vardapet) c1200-1271AD | |
| Now as regards the aloe which they brought [or bring], some say that it is a mixture of oil and honey. But certainly aloe is a type of incense. The geographer and Papias relate that there are fifteen kinds of aloe in India... -Explanations of Holy Scripture Armenian transltion by Robert Bedrosian |
Robert Bedrosian translation. These two passages were originally written in Armenian. See Folker Siegert Unbeachtete Papiaszitate bei armenischen Schriftstellern. New Testament Studies, Volume 27, Issue 05, October 1981 [checked, but did not read German discussion]. The title of the work by Vardan Arewelts'i was taken from Holmes [checked]. Norelli (2005) p.495 observes that in this second fragment Vardan Arewelts'i is most likely referring not to Papias but Pappus of Alexandria, who is, according to Norelli, quoted by Moses of Chorene, the famous Armenian Historian. |
| The story of that adulterous woman, which other Christians have written in their gospel, was written about by a certain Papias, a student of John, who was declared a heretic and condemned. Eusebius wrote about this. There are laws and that matter which Pilate, the king of the Jews, wrote of. And it is said that he wrote in Hebrew with Latin and Greek above it. -Explanations of Holy Scripture Armenian translation by Robert Bedrosian | |
| Nicephorus Callistus Xanthopoulos c9th century/1320AD | |
| For indeed Eusebius Pamphilius, beginning from the times of Christ until the times of Constantine the Great, traversed the events which happened to the church, collecting events from both Philo and Josephus, Clement the Stromatist and Hegesippus, Hippolytus and Papias, he brought together his history, while teaching the sacred principles one after another. -Ecclesiastical History 1.1.70-76 PG 145 |
My translation for all fragments of Nicephoras. Nicephoras wrote around 1320 AD, but some believe that he simply copied a 9th century historian verbatim. |
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Concerning the holy Gospel According to Mark and how the polity of the monks was first founded by him in Egypt and Alexandria. Peter implanted such a radiance of piety in the hearers that it was not sufficient to have a hearing only nor did he want the word of God to remain unwritten. And Peter allowed Mark, who at this time followed the apostle, to preserve part of the memory of the unwritten teaching for them in writing. And at first he [Peter] did not allow this [lit. deliver], until he was prevailed upon to think the man [Mark] worthy. After the apostle perceived that the Spirit of God instructed him, he delighted in the eagerness of the men and from this ordained the writing to be read in the churches. Clement records this reason [why] the Gospel According to Mark [was written] in the eighth [book] of his Hypotyposeis. And Papias bishop of Hierapolis, agreeing with him, also details [the same]. And on account of this Peter spoke the Gospel According to Mark. But Peter mentions Mark in his first epistle which opinion has that he wrote when he lived in Rome, in which figuratively he also calls Rome "Babylon", saying thusly "She who is chosen with you in Babylon greets you, as does also my son Mark. And Luke in the Acts calls him John. But they say that Mark, having first put in order Egypt and Alexandria, preached the gospel which he composed to the assembled church and there founded the monastic polity of Christians. At first so great a multitude of both men and women, they say, flowed together at the entrance [of the church], that having marked out the entire polity [as it relates] to their philosophy and way of life through asceticism, their diet and conduct, he placed upon them the celebrated philosophies of Philo, whom opinion has that he even entered into the company of Peter while he preached the divine word at Rome |
According to "Die Kirchengeschichte des Nicephorus Callistus Xanthopulus Und Ihre Quellen. Berlin, Akademie-Verlag, 1966 Nicephorus drew all his information of Papias from Eusebius (p.55). |
| But concerning the cause of the writing of the Gospel According to Mark we have pointed out a little above in chapter 15 of the present work; how Peter ended the outrage of that abominable Simon [Magus] who played the man [possible sexual reference]. And at evening the light of faith was implanted [in them] and so great a longing of his words in the souls of the listeners that he did not want the words to remain as [unwritten]. And he entreated Mark who at this time followed the apostle, to leave a written record of the unwritten sayings for him. Accordingly after the apostle was glad at the good eagerness of their faith, he dictated to Mark the Gospel and from this he ordained the writing to be read in the churches. .Clement records this reason [why] the Gospel According to Mark [was written] in the eighth [book] of his Hypotyposeis. And likewise Papias Bishop of Hierapolis, as was clearly described a little ways above in the 15th chapter of the present treatise. -Ecclesiastical History 2.45.83-101 PG 145 |
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| But indeed of the three [epistles] of John, except the first, the following two [epistles] are disputed as far as many [are concerned]. And opinion has it that there was another elder John, who lived with John in Ephesus as Papias the Heirapolitan says, recording that there are two tombs in Ephesus of the same name, John. And he says one is called "Elder" and [one is called] the Disciple [ὁμιλητὴν] himself. For cataloging the Elders of the apostles he also makes mention of these two, asserting in this way, "If one who followed the Elders should come, I inquired about the words of the Elders, what Andrew or Peter said, or Phillip or James or what John or Matthew or any other of the disciples of the Lord [said]. And what Aristion and the Elder John [said]. For I did not think I ought [to receive] so much from books but from a living voice." Indeed the second and third epistle [of John] and also the Apocalypse some imagine that they belong to this Elder who lived in Ephesus -Ecclesiastical History 2.46.18-37 PG 145 |
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| And until the times of Trajan these [successors of the Apostles] continued the priesthood, while the beloved disciple still was present in [this] life. After this time also Polycarp of Smyrna became famous who received the Episcopate from John. And the man Papias of Heirapolis, who was also particularly skillful in scripture, sacredly presided over his city. After them Quadratus became eminent in the prophetic gift, being distinguished together with the daughters of Philip. And there were many more than they who manifested the apostolic gifts, who obtained the succession after the apostles. [This] history, as far as it is possible for me, hands down one after another similar things concerning Clement, Ignatius, Polycarp, and Papias. For now it sets forth as much as [possible] the earliest demonstration of apostolic teaching. -Ecclesiastical History 3.2.40-55 PG 145 |
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| The Martyrdom of the Holy Clement of Rome and Concerning his Writings About this time Clement became eminent in Rome and Ignatius also conversed in Antioch. Papias was also writing in Heirapolis. Pancratius, as well, as Polycarp of Smyrna were also preminent. They were disciples of Peter, but Polycarp of the bosom friend. -Ecclesiastical History 3.18.1-8 PG 145 |
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Concerning Papias of Heirapolis and the marvelous things recorded concerning him It is necessary to indicate that he lists this same name, John, twice in writing, the former which he reckons with the apostles, possibly he means him to be the beloved disciple, but the latter he places next to Aristion and names him as an Elder Some, who are not ignorant, considered the author of the two epistles of John, which come after the first, and of the Apocalypse to be of the same name. For this Elder was living in Ephesus, opinion has it that there are still preserved two graves there which both say the same name of John. Now since Papias has been spoken of, he records some other marvels in his books, as they came to him from those who were before him, bear with me, and let us traverse them for a little while. For indeed in Hierapolis the word distinguished Phillip and his daughters as prophets, he was one of the twelve, not one of the seven deacons, as Luke records in Acts. But he says he also conversed with his daughters from whom he says he learned of a resurrection from the dead which occurred in that time. Concerning Barsabbas who was also called Justus, whom Acts make mention, he says that he, having drunk a poison potion, was aided by that grace of the lord and was triumphant over it.. And he records many other parables and teachings from unwritten tradition of the Savior and some others that are even more mythical. And he says that after a thousand years there will be a resurrection from the dead in the bodily kingdom of Christ which shall be instituted upon this earth, which I suppose he having misunderstood the promises which were spoken mystically, understood them carnally. As such it is clearly possible to draw inferences of his opinion from his words. Later, regarding the antiquity of the man, many derived a similar notion. Just as Irenaeus did and any other who shared similar opinions. But he says he has other traditions which were mentioned above, from Aristion and the Elder John, to which we refer those who are fond of learning. I shall necessarily point of what he says concerning the Gospels of Mark and Matthew. He speaks in this way, " And the Elder John said this, 'Mark, having become the interpreter of Peter, whatever he remembered he wrote accurately, but he did not indeed right the things said or done by Christ in order, for he neither heard the Lord nor followed him, but later, as I said, he followed Peter, and he met the need of teaching, but he did not put the Dominical sayings in order, so that he did not err in any one thing which he wrote, just as he remembered. For the one thing he cared for was not to omit anything which he heard or to lie in some way. But Matthew put in order the oracles in the Hebrew language. And each interpreted them as he was able." But he also proclaims testimonies from the first epistle of John and likewise that of Peter. And he puts forth another story concerning the woman who was charged with many sins before the lord. And the other writings of Papias have this style. |
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| Indeed concerning Papias, Quadratus, Aristides and Castor we have spoken of previously, but now we have to discuss the other writings of Justin. Ecclesiastical History 4.5.72-73 PG 145 |
| Anonymous Catena on John | |
| For the last of these, John, who was called the son of thunder, when he was exceedingly old, as both Irenaeus and Eusebius handed down to us, as well as succession of other believers who were historians, at that time when the terrible heresies were sprouting, dictated the gospel to his respectable disciple Papias the Heirapolitan for the completion of those who preached the word before him to the gentiles throughout all the world. [checked Greek in Holmes] |
My translation. Holmes only says that this catena comes from Balthasar Cordier Catena Patrum Graecorum in Sanctum Joannem Antwerp, 1630[not checked]. Currently [Aug/09] Google books has only a blank file. The manuscript that Cordier found the catena may possibly be Miniscule 56 but this is mostly guess by me. |
-APPENDIX of False Fragments-
| Chronicon Paschale 630AD | |
| 133 years from the ascension of the Lord into the heavens...With the holy Polycarp, 9 others from Philadelphia testified in Smyrna. And in Pergamon others were martyred, among whom was Papias and many others, whose martyrdoms are circulated in writing. -Chronicon Paschale 480.20, 481.17-20 [Checked Greek of CSHB 11] |
My translation. This reference to Papias is certainly an error. Lightfoot shows that the author of this chronicle is following Eusebius and that the name should read Paplyus. Essays On The Work Entitled Supernatural Religion. 1889 p148 [checked]. There seems to be a general agreement with Lightfoot in the scholarly community. |
| Papias the Lexicographer 11th century | |
| (1) Mary the mother of the Lord; (2) Mary the wife of Cleophas or Alphaeus, who was the mother of James the bishop and apostle, and of Simon and Thaddeus, and of one Joseph; (3) Mary Salome, wife of Zebedee, mother of John the evangelist and James; (4) Mary Magdalene. These four are found in the Gospel. James and Judas and Joseph were sons of an aunt (2) of the Lord's. James also and John were sons of another aunt (3) of the Lord's. Mary (2), mother of James the Less and Joseph, wife of Alphaeus was the sister of Mary the mother of the Lord, whom John names of Cleophas, either from her father or from the family of the clan, or for some other reason. Mary Salome (3) is called Salome either from her husband or her village. Some affirm that she is the same as Mary of Cleophas, because she had two husbands. [checked ANCF] |
ANCF translation. This passage was sometimes regarded as written by Papias of Hierapolis, it is not. It was written by a lexicographer in the 11th century who was also named Papias. See Lightfoot Essays On The Work Entitled Supernatural Religion. 1889 p211 [checked]. |
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Selected Bibliography: Hill, Charles. "What Papias Said About John (and Luke). A "New" Fragment," JThS N.S. 49 (1998) 582-629. |
-Update- I added a new fragment from Jerome's Commentary on the Apocalypse, added a comment to Irenaeus' fragment and another to one of Eusebius' fragments, updated the Selected Bibliography, did some basic editing, and eliminated the To Do List because I have done all I can in the short term. ~August 2009.
-Update- After some very helpful tips from William Murphy I have added some extensive notes to the fragment by Irenaeus and to one by Eusebius. I have also added a link to Stephen Carlson's translation of Harnack's research into the existence of Papias' work in the Middle Ages ~September 2009.
~January 2011
-Update-
~October 2011
Attalus' home page | 15.11.17 | Any comments?