Lost scriptures: books that did not make it into the New Testament (30 page)

departed into heaven.

them and found her, in a manner of

speaking, bound together with Paul in

22

affection. Coming out from there they

The children and virgins

brought wood and hay for

roused the crowds and revealed what had

Thecla’s burning. When she was

happened to the governor.

brought into the arena naked, the governor wept, marveling at the power he 20 He commanded Paul to be saw in her. They spread out the wood, brought before the judgment

and the leaders of the people ordered

seat. But Thecla was rolling around on

her to mount the pyre. Making the

the place where Paul had been teaching

shape of the cross she went up onto the

while sitting in the jail. The governor

wood. And they lit it. But when it

ordered her to be brought to the judgment

roared into a great fire, the flames did

seat as well. She came gladly, filled with

not touch her. For God out of his comjoy. When Paul was brought forward passion caused a great roar underagain, the crowd began crying out more ground, and overhead a cloud full of

fervently, “He is a magician; away with

water and hailstones overshadowed the

118

NON-CANONICAL ACTS OF THE APOSTLES

place; and there was an immense cloudthey rejoiced in the holy deeds of Christ.

burst so that many people were in dan

Thecla said to Paul, “I will cut off my

ger of dying. The fire was extinguished

hair and follow you wherever you go.”

and Thecla was saved.

He replied, “The time is shameful and

you are beautiful; another temptation

But Paul was fasting with One23

may overtake you worse than the first,

siphorus and his wife and chiland you may not be able to endure but dren in an open tomb on the path they

behave like a cowardly man.” Thecla

were taking from Iconium to Daphne.

said, “Only give me the seal in Christ,

After many days had passed and they

and no temptation will touch me!” Paul

were still fasting, the children said to

replied, “Thecla, be patient and you will

Paul, “We are hungry.” They had no

receive the water.”

money to buy bread, because Onesiphorus had left the things of the world in 26

order to follow Paul, along with his entire

Paul sent Onesiphorus and his

entire household back to Iconhousehold. So Paul took off his outer ium, and took Thecla with him into Angarment and said, “Go, child, buy plenty tioch. As they were entering the city, a

of bread and bring it back here.” As the

certain leader of the Syrians named Alchild was making his purchases, he saw exander saw Thecla and was inflamed

his neighbor, Thecla. He was amazed and

with passion for her, and began entreating

said to her, “Where are you going?” She

Paul with money and gifts. But Paul said,

replied, “I have been saved from the fire

“I do not know the woman you are speakand am looking for Paul.” The child said, ing of, nor is she mine.” Since Alexander

“Come, I will take you to him. For he is

was a powerful man, he began embracing

mourning you, praying and fasting for

her in the street. But she resisted him and

six days already.”

was looking for Paul. Bitterly she cried

out, “Do not force yourself on a stranger,

As she approached the tomb,

24

do not force yourself on a slave of God.

Paul was kneeling and praying,

I am a leading citizen of the Iconians,

“Father of Christ, do not allow the fire to

and since I did not wish to marry Thatouch Thecla, but be present with her, myris, I have been exiled from my city.”

because she is yours.” But she, standing

She grabbed hold of Alexander, ripped

behind him, cried out, “Father, maker of

his mantle, and pulled the crown from

heaven and earth, Father of your beloved

his head, making him an object of

child Jesus Christ, I bless you because

derision.

you have saved me from the fire, that I

might see Paul.” When Paul rose up he

Even though Alexander loved

27

saw her and said, “O God who knows the

her, he was ashamed of what

heart, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, I

had happened to him; and so he led her

bless you because you have so quickly

to the governor. When she admitted she

heard what I had to ask.”

had done these things, he condemned her

to the wild beasts. But the women there

There was great love inside the

25

were astonished and cried out before the

tomb, with Paul, Onesiphorus,

judgment seat, “A wicked judgment! An

and everyone filled with joy. They had

unholy judgment!” Thecla asked the govfive loaves, vegetables, and water, and ernor to be allowed to remain chaste until

THE ACTS OF THECLA

119

she had to fight the wild beasts. A certain

us problems. Hand over the one who is

wealthy queen named Tryphaena, whose

to fight the beasts and I will take her

daughter had died, took her into her care

away.” But Tryphaena put him to flight

and was comforted by her.

by crying out: “Our household has

mourned a second time for my Falconilla;

For the procession of the wild

28

and there is no one to help us—not my

beasts, they bound Thecla to a

child, for she has died, nor a relative, for

fierce lioness; and Queen Tryphaena fol

I am a widow. O God of my child Thecla,

lowed her. But while Thecla was sitting

help her!”

on the lioness, it began licking her feet,

to the amazement of the entire crowd.

The governor then sent soldiers

31

The charge against her was inscribed:

to bring Thecla. But Tryphaena

“Sacrilegious.” The women with their

did not leave her but led her out by the

children were crying out again, “O God,

hand, saying, “I took my daughter Falwhat an unholy judgment has occurred conilla away to the tomb; but you, Thein this city!” Tryphaena then took her cla, I take away to fight the wild beasts.”

home from the procession; for her daugh

And Thecla wept bitterly and moaned to

ter Falconilla had died and appeared to

the Lord, saying, “O Lord God, in whom

her in a dream, and said to her, “Mother,

I believe, to whom I have fled for refuge,

you should take this desolate stranger,

the one who saved me from the fire: Give

Thecla, in my place, that she may pray

Tryphaena her reward for showing symfor me and I be moved to the place of the pathy to your servant and for keeping me

righteous.”

chaste.”

And so, when Tryphaena took

29

32

her from the procession, she

Then there was a disturbance,

a roaring of the wild beasts

both grieved that she had to fight the wild

and a cry of the people and of the

beasts the next day and loved her deeply

women who were sitting together, some

just as her daughter Falconilla. She said,

of them saying, “Bring in the one who

“My second child Thecla, come, pray for

has committed sacrilege,” and others

my child, that she may live forever. For

saying, “Let this city be destroyed for

I saw her in a dream.” And without a

this lawless act. Destroy us all, O Promoment’s delay, Thecla raised her voice consul. This is a bitter sight, a wicked

and said, “O my God, Son of the Highest,

judgment!”

you who are in heaven: Give her what

she desires, that her daughter Falconilla

33

may live forever.” When Thecla said

Thecla was then taken from

the hand of Tryphaena and

these things, Tryphaena began to mourn

stripped, given an undergarment to wear,

realizing that such beauty was to be cast

and cast into the stadium. Lions and bears

to the wild beasts.

were cast in to attack her. And a fierce

lioness ran up and lay down at her feet.

30 When early morning arrived, The crowd of women uttered a great cry.

Alexander came to take her

A bear ran up to attack her; but the liaway, for he was staging the hunting oness ran up, met the bear, and ripped

games. He said, “The governor has taken

him apart. Then a lion owned by Alexhis seat and the crowd is starting to cause ander and trained to fight humans ran up

120

NON-CANONICAL ACTS OF THE APOSTLES

to attack her; the lioness tangled with the

wooden bindings, so that she was no

lion and was destroyed along with it. The

longer bound.

women were even more grief stricken,

since the lioness that had been protecting

Tryphaena, however, passed

36

her died.

out on the walkway beside the

arena, so that her female slaves said, “The

Then they cast in a large num34

Queen Tryphaena has died.” The goverber of wild beasts, while she nor stopped the festivities and the entire

stood, reaching out her hands and praycity was terrified. Alexander fell before ing. When she finished her prayer she

the governor’s feet and said, “Have mercy

turned and saw a large vat filled with

on me and the city, and set the prisoner

water, and said, “Now is the time for me

free, lest the entire city be destroyed. For

to be cleaned!” She threw herself in, sayif Caesar hears about this, he will quickly ing, “In the name of Jesus Christ, on this

destroy both us and the city, because his

final day I am baptized!” When the

relative, the Queen Tryphaena, died on

women and the entire crowd saw what

the walkway.”

she was doing, they wailed aloud and

said, “Do not throw yourself into the wa37

ter!” Even the governor began to weep,

The governor called Thecla

over from the midst of the wild

because seals were about to devour such

beasts and asked, “Who are you? And

beauty. But she threw herself into the

what is there about you that none of the

water in the name of Jesus Christ; and

wild beasts has touched you?” She rethe seals saw a lightning bolt and floated plied, “I am a slave of the living God. As

on the water, dead. Then a cloud of fire

to what there is about me: I have believed

surrounded her, so that the beasts could

in God’s Son, in whom he is well pleased.

not attack her and no one could see her

That is why none of the beasts has

naked.

touched me. For this one alone is a

boundary marker of God’s salvation and

When yet more fearsome beasts

35

a foundation of life immortal. For he is a

were cast in, the women cried

refuge to those caught in the storm, a rest

aloud; and some tossed leaves into the

for those who are afflicted, a shelter for

arena, others threw in nard, others cassia,

those who have despaired, and to put

and others cardamon, so that the whole

it most simply: whoever does not believe

place was filled with the sweet smell of

in him will not live but will die forperfume. All the beasts that had been cast ever.”

in appeared to be overcome with sleep

and did not touch her. Then Alexander

When the governor heard these

38

told the governor, “I have some truly

things he ordered her clothes

fearful bulls; let us bind her to them.”

brought, and he said, “Put on your

The governor sullenly gave his consent,

clothes.” But she replied, “The one who

saying, “Do what you want.” They bound

clothed me when I was naked among the

her between the bulls by her feet and put

wild beasts will clothe me with salvation

red-hot irons under their genitals so that

on the day of judgment.” Then she took

they would tear about and kill her. And

her clothes and put them on. The goverthey did begin to leap about, but the flame nor immediately sent forth an edict, sayrose up around them and burned the ing, “I release to you Thecla, the pious

THE ACTS OF THECLA

121

slave of God.” All the women cried out

Paul took her hand and led her

41

with a great voice and with one accord

away to the house of Hermias,

gave praise to God, “The One God! The

and heard everything from her, so that he