Apocalypse of Peter

Apocalypse of Peter

Peter said to the Master:

“What will become of the righteous in the day of the Lord?

And what of the wicked?”

Yeshua answered:

“I will show you.

Come and see.”

And I, Peter, was lifted up

and taken to a great valley.

It was divided in two —

one side radiant with peace,

the other covered in smoke and sorrow.

The Master said:

“This is what becomes of the soul

after the body sleeps.”

I saw a garden filled with light —

trees bearing twelve kinds of fruit,

waters flowing like crystal.

Children played without fear.

The elders sang in peace.

Each soul bore the mark of the Anointed,

and their faces shone like the stars.

The Master said:

“These are they who trusted Me.

They walked with kindness,

clothed the poor,

lifted the wounded,

and bore My name in truth.”

Then I turned,

and I saw the place of shadows.

I saw those who had cursed mercy,

mocked the innocent,

sold truth for gold,

and brought pain to the weak.

They wandered without rest —

some in flames,

some in chains,

others in silence.

The Master said:

“These are not punished by Me —

they reap what they sowed.”

“Their torment is the fruit of their own hands,

not the desire of the Father.”

Then I heard cries from the place of shadows.

Some wept not for themselves,

but for the ones they had hurt.

Others whispered,

“O Lord, can this pain make us clean?”

Peter asked,

“Will they suffer forever?”

The Master said:

“My Father is just —

but His mercy is deeper than the sea.”

“Some will awaken through the fire.

Some will choose the light.

And the gates will not be shut forever.”

Then I saw the heavens open,

and the Son of Man came in light.

He stretched out His hand,

and those who turned toward Him

were lifted from the valley of sorrow.

He wiped their eyes

and clothed them in white.

He said:

“You were dead —

but now you live.”

Peter asked,

“What is the end of all things?”

And the Master said:

“The end is when all things return.

The wound will be healed.

The scattered gathered.

And the fire shall be no more.”

Then I awoke.

I was back on the mountain.

And the Master said:

“Write what you have seen,

so that others may turn

before the valley becomes their rest.”

This restored version includes every meaningful portion of the Greek and Ethiopic texts of the Apocalypse of Peter. Where the text contains graphic depictions of post-death punishments, these were preserved in essence, but rendered symbolically — as internal consequence, spiritual sorrow, and soul refinement.

This choice is based on:

The earliest manuscript traditions, especially the Ethiopic version, which ends with a divine act of mercy and restoration for even the condemned.

The scroll’s alignment with Jewish apocalyptic traditions (like 1 Enoch) that often used symbolic punishments to provoke repentance, not to teach eternal torment.

The project’s core commitment (see section 12 of your translation guidelines) to present judgment through the lens of setting things right, not fear-based retribution.