Pseudonymous, apocryphal and doubtful writings
Writings put under an apostle’s or Father’s name that he did not write, apocryphal gospels and acts, and works of doubtful authorship. They are kept apart so that no one mistakes them for the genuine works.
Psalms of Solomon
Eighteen psalms written in Jerusalem after Pompey’s conquest in 63 BC, praying for a righteous Messiah of David’s line; they survive in Greek and Syriac, and the Syriac version is the one translated here.
1 workApocalypse of Abraham
A Jewish apocalypse of Abraham's visions, kept in Old Slavonic.
1 workTestament of Abraham
A Jewish-Christian tale of Abraham's death.
1 workOdes of Solomon
Forty-two short Christian hymns of praise, preserved in Syriac and (in part) in Greek and Coptic and ascribed to Solomon; they are among the earliest Christian songs and their date and origin are still debated.
1 workApocalypse of Peter
A second-century vision of heaven and hell put under Peter's name.
2 worksGospel of Peter
A second-century account of the passion and resurrection, found in Egypt in 1886.
1 workProtoevangelium of James
An apocryphal gospel of the birth and childhood of Mary.
1 workTestaments of the Twelve Patriarchs
Farewell speeches of Jacob’s twelve sons, with a Jewish core and later Christian additions.
1 workActs of John
An apocryphal account of the travels and miracles of the apostle John.
2 worksActs of Thomas
An apocryphal account of Thomas in India, written in Syriac or Greek.
1 workPseudo-Tertullian
A list of heresies that was printed with Tertullian’s works.
4 worksPseudo-Hippolytus
Dubious and spurious pieces once ascribed to Hippolytus of Rome.
1 workPseudo-Melito of Sardis
A Syriac apology addressed to an emperor.
1 workPseudo-Origen of Alexandria
Writings put under the name of Origen of Alexandria that are spurious or of doubtful authorship.
3 worksLives of the Prophets
A short Greek collection of legends about the lives and deaths of the Old Testament prophets.
4 worksPseudo-Cyprian
Short works that were handed down with Cyprian’s writings but are not his.
22 worksStatutes of the Apostles (Apostolic Church Order)
An early church order, ascribed to the twelve apostles, on the offices of bishop, presbyter, deacon, reader and widow, on baptism, fasting, prayer and the Lord’s Supper. It survives in Greek fragments and in Ethiopic, Arabic and Sahidic Coptic translations.
1 workSyriac apocryphal psalms
Psalms outside the Bible found in Syriac manuscripts.
1 workPseudo-Clement (the Clementine writings)
The Clementine Homilies, Recognitions and Epistles on Virginity, written under the name of Clement of Rome.
3 worksPseudo-Clement (the Clementine writings)
The Clementine Homilies, Recognitions and Epistles on Virginity, written under the name of Clement of Rome.
8 worksActs of Philip
An apocryphal account of the work and martyrdom of the apostle Philip.
1 workNew Testament apocrypha
Apocryphal gospels, acts and revelations of the early Church, in the translation of the Ante-Nicene Fathers.
41 worksPseudo-Athanasius of Alexandria
Writings put under the name of Athanasius of Alexandria that are spurious or of doubtful authorship.
1 workVision of Paul
A fourth-century tale of Paul's journey through heaven and hell.
1 workActs of Xanthippe and Polyxena
A romance about two women converted by the apostle Paul's preaching in Spain.
1 workNarrative of Zosimus
A story of a hermit who visits the Rechabites, the 'Blessed Ones'.
1 workPseudo-Epiphanius
Writings handed down under the name of Epiphanius.
1 workPseudo-Hilary
Writings handed down under the name of Hilary.
3 worksPseudo-Ignatius
Spurious letters written in the name of Ignatius of Antioch.
2 worksPseudo-Pionius
A Greek life of Polycarp ascribed to a certain Pionius.
1 workPseudo-Sulpicius Severus (the Doubtful Letters)
Letters of doubtful authorship once printed with Sulpicius Severus.
1 workPseudo-Sulpicius Severus (the Doubtful Letters)
Letters of doubtful authorship once printed with Sulpicius Severus.
1 workActs of Barnabas
An apocryphal account of the later life and death of Barnabas.
1 workApocalypse of Sedrach
A dialogue of the saint Sedrach with God on mercy for sinners.
1 workPseudo-Eucherius
A short description of Jerusalem put under the name of Eucherius.
1 workPseudo-John Chrysostom (Coptic)
Coptic homilies put under the name of John Chrysostom.
1 workActs of Peter and Paul
A legendary account of the last days of the two apostles in Rome.
1 workApocryphal Acts of the Apostles (Syriac)
Syriac apocryphal acts of the apostles, edited and translated by William Wright in 1871.
1 workPseudo-Linus
Latin accounts of the martyrdom of Peter and Paul put under the name of Linus of Rome.
1 workPseudo-Victor of Vita
Writings handed down with Victor of Vita's history.
2 worksChronicle of Arbela
A Syriac chronicle of the church of Arbela whose authenticity is disputed.
1 workPseudo-Polycarp
Fragments put under Polycarp’s name, preserved by Victor of Capua.
1 workContendings of the Apostles
A large Ethiopic collection of the preachings, miracles and martyrdoms of the apostles, made from Greek, Syriac, Coptic and Arabic legends. It is legendary and is not scripture; it is kept with the pseudonymous writings.
2 worksCoptic Apocalypse of Daniel
A Coptic apocalypse put under the name of Daniel.
1 workSyriac and Arabic apocrypha (anonymous)
Anonymous apocryphal and devotional writings that survive only in Syriac, Arabic or Garshuni (Arabic written in Syriac letters) manuscripts, edited and translated for the Woodbrooke Studies.
5 worksApocalypse of the Virgin
A Byzantine vision of the punishments of the damned shown to Mary.
1 workEarly papal decretals (Pseudo-Isidore)
Letters put under the names of the early popes of the third century.
7 works