Feast of Saints Peter and Paul

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XXVI. III Kalendas Iulii: Passio Apostolorum Petri et Pauli
26. June 29: The Passion of the Apostles Peter and Paul
 Preface_Align_Text-Preface_Align 1. Venit Iesus in partes Cæsareae Philippi: et reliqua.[1] 1. Jesus came into the regions of Caesarea Philippi: and the rest…. PrefaceOE-PrefaceME 2. Matheus se Godspellere[2] awrat on ðære godspellican gesetnysse, ðus cweðende, “Drihten com to anre burhscire, ðe is geciged Cesarea Philippi, and befran his gingran hu menn be him cwyddedon. Hi andwyrdon, ‘Sume menn cweðað þæt ðu sy Iohannes se Fulluhtere, sume secgað þæt ðu sy Helias, sume Hieremias, oððe sum oðer witega.’ Se Hælend ða cwæð, ‘Hwæt secge ge þæt ic sy?’ Petrus him andwyrde, ‘Þu eart Crist, ðæs lifigendan Godes Sunu.’ Drihten him cwæð to andsware, ‘Eadig eart ðu, Simon, culfran bearn, forðan ðe flæsc and blod þe ne onwreah ðisne geleafan, ac min Fæder seðe on heofonum is. Ic ðe secge, þæt þu eart stænen,[3] and ofer ðysne stan ic timbrige mine cyrcan, and helle gatu naht ne magon ongean hi. Ic betæce ðe heofonan rices cæge; and swa hwæt swa ðu bintst on eorðan, þæt bið gebunden on heofonum; and swa hwæt swa ðu unbintst ofer eorðan, þæt bið unbunden on heofonum.’” 2. Matthew the Evangelist wrote in his telling of this gospel, saying: “The Lord came into a city called Caesarea Philippi, and asked His disciples what people were saying about Him. They answered, ‘Some men say that you are John the Baptist, and some say that you are Elijah. Some call you Jeremiah, or else some other prophet.’ Then the Savior said, ‘What do you say that I am?’ Peter answered Him, ‘You are Christ, Son of the living God.’ The Lord replied to him, ‘You are blessed, Simon son of the Dove, because flesh and blood did not reveal this faith to you, but my Father who is in Heaven. I tell you, that you are sturdy as stone, and on this stone I will build my church. And the gates of hell can do nothing against it. I will entrust to you the keys of the heavenly kingdom: whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven; and whatever you unbind on earth will be unbound in heaven.’”[4] PeterPaulOE-PeterPaulME 3. Beda se trahtnere us onwrihð þa deopnysse ðysre rædinge, and cwyð, þæt Philippus se fyðerrica ða buruh Cesarea getimbrode, and on wurðmynte þæs caseres Tiberii, ðe he under rixode, ðære byrig naman gesceop, ‘Cesaream,’ and for his agenum gemynde to ðam naman geyhte, ‘Philippi,’ ðus cweðende, ‘Cesarea Philippi,’ swilce seo burh him bam to wurðmynte swa genemned wære. 3. The commentator Bede[5] explains the depth and mystery of this reading, telling us that Philip the Tetrarch built the city of Caesarea, and in honor of Caesar Tiberius (whom he reigned under), he coined the name Caesarea, while for his own legacy he added the name Philippi; by calling the place Caesarea Philippi, the city was named in honor of them both. PeterPaulOE-PeterPaulME 4. Ða ða se Hælend to ðære burhscire genealæhte, þa befran he, hu woruldmenn be him cwyddedon: na swilce he nyste manna cwyddunga be him, ac he wolde, mid soðre andetnysse ðæs rihtan geleafan, adwæscan ðone leasan wenan dweligendra manna. His apostoli him andwyrdon, “Sume men cwyddiað þæt ðu sy Iohannes se Fulluhtere, sume secgað þæt ðu sy Helias, sume Hieremias, oððe an ðæra witegena.” Drihten ða befran, “Hwæt secge ge þæt ic sy?” swylce he swa cwæde, “Nu woruldmenn ðus dwollice me oncnawað, ge ðe godas sind, hu oncnawe ge me?” Se trahtnere cwæð ‘godas,’ for þan ðe se soða God, se þe ana is Ælmihtig, hæfð geunnen ðone wurðmynt his gecorenum, þæt he hi godas gecigð. Him andwyrde se gehyrsuma Petrus, “Þu eart Crist, þæs lifigendan Godes Sunu.” He cwæð ‘þæs lifigendan Godes,’ for twæminge ðæra leasra goda, þa ðe hæþene þeoda, mid mislicum gedwylde bepæhte, wurþodon. 4. When the Savior approached this city, He asked how the men of the world spoke about Him; not because He didn’t know what people were saying, but because He wanted to put an end to the false beliefs of misled men with a true confession of the right belief. His apostles answered Him, “Some men say that you are John the Baptist, and some say Elijah, or Jeremiah, or another of the prophets.” Then the Lord asked, “What do you say that I am?” It’s as if He were asking them, “Now that worldly men know me incorrectly, how do you who are gods know me?” The commentator uses ‘gods’ because the true God, the only Almighty, has given that honor to His chosen people, calling them gods.[6] Obedient Peter answered him, “You are Christ, Son of the living God.” He said, “of the living God” to distinguish from the lesser gods worshiped by heathen, who are deceived by various heresies. PeterPaulOE-PeterPaulME 5. Sume hi gelyfdon on deade entas, and him deorwurðlice anlicnyssa arærdon, and cwædon þæt hi godas wæron, for ðære micelan strencðe ðe hi hæfdon: wæs ðeah heora lif swiðe manfullic and bysmurfull; be ðam cwæð se witega, “Ðæra hæðenra anlicnyssa sind gyldene and sylfrene, manna handgeweorc: hi habbað dumne muð and blinde eagan, deafe earan and ungrapigende handa, fet butan feðe, bodig butan life.” Sume hi gelyfdon on ða sunnan, sume on ðone monan, sume on fyr, and on manega oðre gesceafta: cwædon þæt hi for heora fægernysse godas wæron. 5. Some of them had faith in dead giants,[7] and lifted up costly idols to them, and said that they were gods because of the great strength which they had; but the people’s lives were still wicked and polluted. The prophet said of them, “The idols of the heathens are silver and gold, the handiwork of men; they have dumb mouths and blind eyes, deaf ears and weak hands, feet without motion, bodies without life.”[8] Some of them worshiped the sun, some the moon, some fire, and many other created things—the heathens said that the beauty of those things made them gods. PeterPaulOE-PeterPaulME 6. Nu todælde Petrus swutelice ðone soðan geleafan, þa ða he cwæð, “Þu eart Crist, ðæs lifigendan Godes Sunu.” Se is lybbende God þe hæfð lif and wununge ðurh hine sylfne, butan anginne, and seðe ealle gesceafta þurh his agen Bearn, þæt is, his Wisdom, gesceop, and him eallum lif forgeaf ðurh ðone Halgan Gast. On ðissum ðrym hadum is an Godcundnys, and an gecynd, and an weorc untodæledlice. 6. But Peter plainly explained the true faith when he said, “You are Christ, Son of the living God.” He is the living God who has life and being through Himself, without beginning, and Who created all things through His own Son, that is, His Wisdom, and gave life to them all through the Holy Ghost. In these three persons is one Godkind, and one nature, and one indivisible work. PeterPaulOE-PeterPaulME 7. Drihten cwæð to Petre, “Eadig eart þu, culfran sunu.” Se Halga Gast wæs gesewen ofer Criste on culfran anlicnysse. Nu gecigde se Hælend Petrum culfran bearn,[9] forðan ðe he wæs afylled mid bilewitnysse and gife ðæs Halgan Gastes. He cwæð, “Ne onwreah ðe flæsc ne blod þisne geleafan, ac min Fæder seðe on heofenum is.” Flæsc and blod is gecweden, his flæsclice mæigð. Næfde he þæt andgit þurh mæiglicere lare, ac se Heofenlica Fæder, ðurh ðone Halgan Gast, ðisne geleafan on Petres heortan forgeaf. 7. The Lord said to Peter, “You are blessed, son of the Dove.” The Holy Ghost was seen descending upon Christ in the likeness of a dove. Here, the Savior named Peter the son of the Dove, because he was filled with gentleness and grace of the Holy Ghost. He said, “Flesh and blood did not reveal this faith to you, but my Father who is in Heaven.” Peter’s ability in his flesh is called “flesh and blood.” He did not have this understanding through human instruction; instead, the Heavenly Father, through the Holy Ghost, guided Peter’s heart to this belief. PeterPaulOE-PeterPaulME 8. Drihten cwæð to Petre, “Þu eart stænen.” For ðære strencðe his geleafan, and for anrædnysse his andetnysse he underfencg ðone naman, for ðan ðe he geþeodde hine sylfne mid fæstum mode to Criste, se ðe is ‘stan’ gecweden fram ðam apostole Paule. “And ic timbrige mine cyrcan uppon ðisum stane:” þæt is, ofer ðone geleafan ðe ðu andetst. Eal Godes gelaðung is ofer ðam stane gebytlod, þæt is ofer Criste; for ðan ðe he is se grundweall ealra ðæra getimbrunga his agenre cyrcan. Ealle Godes cyrcan sind getealde to anre gelaðunge, and seo is mid gecorenum mannum getimbrod, na mid deadum stanum; and eal seo bytlung ðæra liflicra stana is ofer Criste gelogod; for ðan ðe we beoð, þurh ðone geleafan, his lima getealde, and he ure ealra heafod. Se ðe ne bytlað of ðam grundwealle, his weorc hryst to micclum lyre. 8. The Lord said to Peter, “You are sturdy as stone.” For the strength of his faith, and for the steadfastness of his confession, Peter received this title, because he had firmly fixed his mind on Christ, who is himself called ‘stone’ by the Apostle Paul.[10] “And I will build my church on this stone”: that is, on the faith which Peter confessed. All of God’s assembly is built on that stone, that is, on Christ, because He is the foundation of the whole structure of His own church. All of God’s church is counted as one assembly, and it is composed of chosen people, not with dead stones; and the whole building of those living stones is lodged on Christ.[11] For we are, through this faith, considered His arms and legs, and He is the head of us all. He who does not build on that foundation, his work falls to great destruction.[12] PeterPaulOE-PeterPaulME 9. Se Hælend cwæð, “Ne magon hellegatu naht togeanes minre cyrcan.” Leahtras and dwollic lar sindon hellegatu, for ðan ðe hi lædað þone synfullan swilce ðurh get into hellewite. Manega sind ða gatu, ac heora nan ne mæg ongean ða halgan gelaðunge, ðe is getimbrod uppon ðam fæstan stane, Criste; for ðan ðe se gelyfeda, þurh Cristes gescyldnysse, ætwint ðam frecednyssum ðæra deoflicra costnunga. 9. The Saviour said, “The gates of hell can do nothing against my church.” Sin and heresy are the gates of hell, because like a gate, they lead the sinful into the punishment of hell. There are many gates, but none of them can do anything against the holy assembly, which is built upon that steadfast stone, Christ. Therefore, the faithful will escape the dangers of devilish temptations, through Christ’s protection.[13] PeterPaulOE-PeterPaulME 10. He cwæð, “Ic ðe betæce heofonan rices cæge.” Nis seo cæig gylden, ne sylfren, ne of nanum antimbre gesmiðod, ac is se anweald þe him Crist forgeaf, þæt nan man ne cymð into Godes rice, buton se halga Petrus him geopenige þæt infær. “And swa hwæt swa ðu bintst ofer eorðan, þæt bið gebunden on heofonum; and swa hwæt swa ðu unbintst ofer eorðan, þæt bið unbunden on heofenan.” Þisne anweald he forgeaf nu Petre, and eac syððan, ær his upstige, eallum his apostolum, þa ða he him on ableow, þus cwæðende, “Onfoð Haligne Gast: ðæra manna synna þe ge forgyfað, beoð forgyfene; and ðam ðe ge forgifenysse ofunnon, him bið oftogen seo forgyfenys.” 10. He said, “I will entrust to you the keys of the heavenly kingdom.” This key is not made of gold, or of silver, or forged of any material, but is the power which Christ gave him, that no one will come into God’s kingdom, unless St. Peter opens the entrance to him. “And whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven; and whatever you unbind on earth will be unbound in heaven.” He gives this power to Peter here, and, once He ascended, to all His apostles when He breathed on them, saying, “Take the Holy Ghost: the sins of the men which you forgive will be forgiven; and from those from whom you withhold forgiveness, forgiveness will be withdrawn.”[14] PeterPaulOE-PeterPaulME 11. Nellað þa apostoli nænne rihtwisne mid heora mansumunge gebindan, ne eac ðone manfullan miltsigende unbindan, butan he mid soðre dædbote gecyrre to lifes wege. Þone ylcan andweald hæfð se Ælmihtiga getiðod biscopum and halgum mæssepreostum, gif hi hit æfter ðære godspellican gesetnysse carfullice healdað. Ac for þi is seo cæig Petre synderlice betæht, þæt eal þeodscipe gleawlice tocnawe, þæt swa hwa swa oðscyt fram annysse ðæs geleafan þe Petrus þa andette Criste, þæt him ne bið getiþod naþor ne synna forgyfenys ne infær þæs heofenlican rices. 11. The apostles will not bind any righteous man with their excommunication, nor will they be moved by pity to unbind the sinful man, unless he turns back to the way of life with true repentance. The Almighty has granted the same power to bishops and holy mass-priests, if they are careful to wield it according to the gospel of the New Testament. But the key is specially given to Peter, so that all people may clearly know that whoever turns away from the unity of the faith which Peter confessed to Christ, to him will be granted neither the forgiveness of sins nor entry into the kingdom of heaven. PeterPaulOE-PeterPaulME De Passione Apostolorum Petri et Pauli. Concerning the Passion of the Apostles Peter and Paul. PeterPaulOE-PeterPaulME 12. We wyllað æfter ðisum godspelle eow gereccan ðæra apostola drohtnunga and geendunge, mid scortre race; forðan ðe heora ðrowung is gehwær on Engliscum gereorde fullice geendebyrd. 12. After teaching the gospel, we would like to tell you the story of the lives and deaths of these apostles briefly, because their passion has already been outlined everywhere in the English language.[15] PeterPaulOE-PeterPaulME 13. Æfter Drihtnes upstige wæs Petrus bodigende geleafan ðam leodscipum ðe sind gecwedene Galatia, Cappadocia, Bithinia, Asia, Italia. Syððan, ymbe tyn geara fyrst, he gewende to Romebyrig, bodigende godspel; and on ðære byrig he gesette his biscopsetl, and ðær gesæt fif and twentig geara, lærende ða Romaniscan ceastregewaran Godes mærða, mid micclum tacnum. His wiðerwinna wæs on eallum his færelde sum dry, se wæs Simon gehaten. Þes dry wæs mid ðam awyrgedum gaste to ðam swyðe afylled, þæt he cwæð þæt he wære Crist, Godes Sunu, and mid his drycræfte[16] ðæs folces geleafan amyrde. 13. After the Lord’s ascension, Peter proclaimed the faith to the people in the regions of Galatia, Cappadocia, Bithynia, Asia, and Italy. After about ten years, he went to the city of Rome, proclaiming the gospel, and in that city he established the seat of his bishopric; he sat there for twenty-five years, teaching the people of Rome of the glories of God with many miracles. His adversary in all his doings was a magician named Simon: this magician was so filled with a cursed spirit that he said he was Christ, the son of God, and with his witchcraft he corrupted the faith of the people.[17] PeterPaulOE-PeterPaulME 14. Þa gelamp hit þæt man ferede anre wuduwan suna lic ðær Petrus bodigende wæs. He ða cwæð to ðam folce and to ðam dry, “Genealæcað ðære bære, and gelyfað þæt ðæs bodung soð sy, ðe ðone deadan to life arærð.” Hwæt ða Simon wearð gebyld þurh deofles gast, and cwæð, “Swa hraðe swa ic þone deadan arære, acwellað minne wiðerwinnan Petrum.” Þæt folc him andwyrde, “Cucenne we hine forbærnað.” Simon ða mid deofles cræfte dyde þæt ðæs deadan lic styrigende wæs. Þa wende þæt folc þæt he geedcucod wære. Petrus ða ofer eall clypode, “Gif he geedcucod sy, sprece to us, and astande; onbyrige metes, and ham gecyrre.” Þæt folc ða hrymde hluddre stemne, “Gif Simon ðis ne deð, he sceal þæt wite ðolian ðe he ðe gemynte.” Simon to ðisum wordum hine gebealh and fleonde wæs, ac þæt folc mid ormætum edwite hine gehæfte. 14. It happened that the corpse of the son of a certain widow was brought to the place where Peter was preaching; he said to the people and to the magician, “Come close to the bier, and believe the truth about the preaching of the one who can raise the dead to life.” But Simon was emboldened by the spirit of the devil and said, “As soon as I raise the dead, you must kill my adversary Peter.” The people answered him, “We will burn him alive!” Simon, through his devilcraft, caused the dead body to stir, and the people believed the boy had been brought to life. Peter called out over the noise, “If he has indeed been brought back to life, let him speak to us, and stand up, and taste food, and return home.” The people cried with a loud voice, “If Simon cannot do this, he should suffer the punishment he came up with for you.” Simon was enraged by these words and tried to escape, but the people caught him with immense scorn. PeterPaulOE-PeterPaulME 15. Se Godes apostol ða genealæhte ðam lice mid aðenedum earmum, ðus biddende, “Ðu, leofa Drihten, ðe us sendest to bodigenne ðinne geleafan, and us behete þæt we mihton, ðurh ðinne naman, deoflu todræfan, and untrume gehælan, and ða deadan aræran, arær nu ðisne cnapan, þæt ðis folc oncnawe þæt nan God nys buton ðu ana, mid ðinum Fæder, and ðam Halgan Gaste.” Æfter ðisum gebede aras se deada, and gebigedum cneowum to Petre cwæð, "Ic geseah Hælend Crist, and he sende his englas forð for ðinre bene, þæt hi me to life gelæddon." Þæt folc ða mid anre stemne clypigende cwæð, “An God is ðe Petrus bodað:” and woldon forbærnan ðone dry, ac Petrus him forwyrnde; cwæð, þæt se Hælend him tæhte ðone regol, þæt hi sceoldon yfel mid gode forgyldan. 15. Then the apostle of God went up to the body with outstretched arms, praying: “You, beloved Lord, Who has sent us to proclaim Your faith and has promised us that we will be able to drive out devils and heal the sick and raise the dead through Your name, raise up this child now; so that these people may know that there is no god but You alone, with Your Father and the Holy Ghost.” With this prayer, the dead boy arose and on bended knee said to Peter, “I saw Christ the Savior, and he sent forth his angels at your prayer, that they would lead me back to life.” With one voice, the people then cried out, saying, “There is one God, whom Peter proclaims.” And they would have burned the magician, but Peter stopped them and said that the Savior had taught them the rule that they should repay evil with good. PeterPaulOE-PeterPaulME 16. Simon, þa ða he ðam folce ætwunden wæs, getigde ænne ormætne ryððan innan ðam geate þær Petrus inn hæfde, þæt he færlice hine abitan sceolde. Hwæt ða Petrus com, and ðone ryððan untigde mid ðisum bebode, “Yrn, and sege Simone, þæt he leng mid his drycræfte Godes folc ne bepæce, ðe he mid his agenum blode gebohte.” And he sona getengde wið þæs drys, and hine on fleame gebrohte. Petrus wearð æfterweard þus cweðende, “On Godes naman ic ðe bebeode, þæt ðu nænne toð on his lice ne gefæstnige.” Se hund, þa ða he ne moste his lichaman derian, totær his hæteru sticmælum of his bæce, and hine draf geond ða weallas, ðeotende swa swa wulf, on ðæs folces gesihðe. He ða ætbærst ðam hunde, and to langum fyrste siððan, for ðære sceame, næs gesewen on Romana byrig. 16. Simon, when he had escaped from the people, locked an immense mastiff inside the gates of Peter’s dwelling, intending for it to devour him by surprise. But Peter came and untied the hound with this command: “Run and tell Simon that he and his witchcraft will no longer deceive God’s people, whom He has bought with His blood.” And he hurried off to the magician and put him to flight. Later, Peter said, “In the name of God I command you: do not fasten a single tooth on his body.” The hound, when it found it could not harm his body, tore his clothes off his back bit by bit and chased him around the walls, howling like a wolf, for everyone to see. He eventually got away from the hound, and was not seen in the city of Rome for a long time after, because of his shame. PeterPaulOE-PeterPaulME 17. Syððan eft on fyrste he begeat sumne ðe hine bespræc to ðam casere Nerone, and gelamp ða þæt se awyrgeda ehtere þone deofles ðen his freondscipum geðeodde. Mid ðam ðe hit ðus gedón wæs, ða æteowde Crist hine sylfne Petre on gastlicere gesihðe, and mid ðyssere tihtinge hine gehyrte, “Se dry Simon and se wælhreowa Nero sind mid deofles gaste afyllede, and syrwiað ongean ðe; ac ne beo ðu afyrht; ic beo mid þe, and ic sende minne ðeowan Paulum ðe to frofre, se stæpð to merigen into Romana byrig, and gyt mid gastlicum gecampe winnað ongean ðone dry, and hine awurpað into helle grunde: and gyt siððan samod to minum rice becumað mid sige martyrdomes.” 17. After some time he found someone to speak to Emperor Nero on his behalf, and it happened that that cursed persecutor brought the devil’s servant into his friendship.[18] When this had been done, Christ showed Himself to Peter in a ghostly vision, and encouraged him with this exhortation: “The magician Simon and the cruel Nero are filled with the spirit of the devil, and are plotting against you. But do not be afraid—I will be with you, and I will send my servant Paul to comfort you. He will come into the city of Rome tomorrow, and the two of you will engage in spiritual warfare against the magician and cast him into the depths of hell. After this you both will come together into my kingdom with the victory of martyrdom.” PeterPaulOE-PeterPaulME 18. Non passus est Paulus, quando uinctus Romam perductus est, sed post aliquot annos, quando sponte illuc iterum reuersus est.[19] Þis gelamp swa soðlice. On ðone oðerne dæg com Paulus into ðære byrig, and heora ægðer oðerne mid micelre blisse underfeng, and wæron togædere bodigende binnan ðære byrig seofon monðas þam folce lifes weig. Beah ða ungerim folces to cristendome þurh Petres lare; and eac ðæs caseres gebedda Libia, and his heahgerefan wif Agrippina wurdon swa gelyfede þæt hi forbugon heora wera neawiste. Þurh Paules bodunge gelyfdon ðæs caseres ðegnas and hiredcnihtas, and æfter heora fulluhte noldon gecyrran to his hirede. 18. Paul did not suffer when he was led to Rome defeated, but after some years, when he returned again of his own accord. This all happened in truth. On the next day, Paul came into the city, and he and Peter met each other with great joy. Together they preached the way of life to the people of the city for seven months. Countless people were converted to Christianity by Peter’s teaching, including Livia, the emperor’s consort,[20] and Agrippina, the wife of his chief prefect,[21] who were so faithful that they avoided intercourse with their husbands. Through Paul’s preaching, the servants and members of the emperor’s household believed, and after their baptism they would not return to his house. PeterPaulOE-PeterPaulME 19. Simon se dry worhte ða ærene næddran, styrigende swylce heo cucu wære; and dyde þæt ða anlicnyssa ðæra hæðenra hlihhende wæron and styrigende; and he sylf wearð færlice upp on ðære lyfte gesewen. Þærtogeanes gehælde Petrus blinde, and healte, and deofolseoce, and ða deadan arærde, and cwæð to ðam folce þæt hi sceoldon forfleon þæs deofles drycræft, ðylæs ðe hi mid his lotwrencum bepæhte wurdon. Þa wearð ðis ðam casere gecydd, and he het ðone dry him to gefeccan, and eac ða apostolas. Simon bræd his hiw ætforan ðam casere, swa þæt he wearð færlice geðuht cnapa, and eft harwenge; hwiltidum on wimmannes hade, and eft ðærrihte on cnihthade. 19. Then Simon the Magician crafted a bronze serpent, and caused it to move as if it were alive, and made the idols of the heathens laugh and dance; he made himself suddenly fly up into the sky. Peter, in turn, healed the blind and lame and devil-possessed, and raised the dead, and said to the people that they should flee from the devil’s witchcraft, lest they be deceived by his cunning. The emperor was told about this, and he commanded that the magician be fetched, as well as the apostles. Simon transformed himself before the emperor, so that in quick succession he appeared as a child, and then an old man, for a moment in a woman’s body, and in an instant a man again. PeterPaulOE-PeterPaulME 20. Þa Nero þæt geseah, ða wende he þæt he Godes Sunu wære. Petrus cwæð þæt he Godes wiðersaca wære, and mid leasum drycræfte forscyldigod, and cwæð þæt he wære gewiss deofol on menniscre edwiste. Simon cwæð, “Nis na gedafenlic þæt ðu, cyning, hlyste anes leases fisceres wordum; ac ic ðisne hosp leng ne forbere: nu ic beode minum englum þæt hi me on ðisum fiscere gewrecon.”[22] Petrus cwæð, “Ne ondræde ic ðine awyrgedan gastas, ac hi weorðað afyrhte þurh mines Drihtnes geleafan.” Nero cwæð, “Ne ondrætst ðu ðe, Petrus, Simones mihta, ðe mid wundrum his godcundnysse geswutelað?” Petrus cwæð, “Gif he godcundnysse hæbbe, ðonne secge he hwæt ic ðence, oððe hwæt ic don wylle.” Nero cwæð, “Sege me, Petrus, on sundorspræce hwæt ðu ðence.” He ða leat to ðæs caseres eare, and het him beran diglice berenne hlaf; and he bletsode ðone hlaf, and tobræc, and bewand on his twam slyfum, ðus cweðende, “Sege nu, Simon, hwæt ic ðohte, oððe cwæde, oþþe gedyde.” He ða gebealh hine, forðan þe he ne mihte geopenian Petres digelnysse, and dyde þa mid drycræfte þæt ðær comon micele hundas, and ræsdon wið Petres weard; ac Petrus æteowde ðone gebletsodan hlaf ðam hundum, and hi ðærrihte of heora gesihðe fordwinon. He ða cwæð to ðam casere, “Simon me mid his englum geðiwde, nu sende he hundas to me; forðan ðe he næfð godcundlice englas, ac hæfð hundlice.” Nero cwæð, “Hwæt is nu, Simon? Ic wene wit sind oferswiðde.” Simon andwyrde, “Þu goda cyning, nat nan man manna geðohtas buton Gode anum.” Petrus andwyrde, “Untwylice þu lihst þæt þu God sy, nu ðu nast manna geðohtas.” 20. When Nero saw this, he thought that he was the Son of God. Peter said that he was an adversary of God, and guilty of false witchcraft, and said that he was surely a devil in the guise of a man. Simon said, “It is not right that you, O King, should listen to the words of an untruthful fisherman; but I will not tolerate these insults. I will now command my angels to punish this angler on my behalf.” Peter replied, “I do not fear your cursed spirits, but they will be terrified by the faith of my Lord.” Nero said, “Peter, do you not fear the power of Simon, who has proven his divinity through his miracles?” Peter answered, “If he has divinity, then let him predict what I am thinking, or else what I will do next.” Nero said, “Whisper to me privately, Peter, what you are thinking.” Peter bent down to the emperor’s ear, and asked that a barley loaf be brought to him in secret; and he blessed the loaf and broke it, and hid it in his sleeves. Then he said, “Tell me now, Simon, what I thought, or what I said, or what I did.” Simon was enraged, because he could not reveal Peter’s secret; with his witchcraft, he summoned large hounds which rushed at Peter. But Peter presented the blessed loaf before the hounds, and they immediately vanished from their sight. Then he said to the emperor, “Simon threatened me with his angels, but instead he sent hounds after me—he does not have god-like angels, but dog-like!”[23] Nero said, “What now, Simon? I believe we are beaten.” Simon answered, “Good king, no one knows the thoughts of men except for God alone.” Peter replied, “Then without doubt, you lied that you are God, because you do not know the thoughts of men.” PeterPaulOE-PeterPaulME 21. Þa bewende Nero hine to Paulum, and cwæð, “Hwi ne cwest ðu nan word? Oððe hwa teah ðe? oððe hwæt lærdest ðu mid þinre bodunge?” Paulus him andwyrde, “La leof, hwæt wille ic ðisum forlorenum wiðersacan geandwyrdan? Gif ðu wilt his wordum gehyrsumian, þu amyrst ðine sawle and eac ðinne cynedom. Be minre lare, þe ðu axast, ic ðe andwyrde. Se Hælend, þe Petrum lærde on his andweardnysse, se ylca me lærde mid onwrigenysse; and ic gefylde mid Godes lare fram Hierusalem, oðþæt ic com to Iliricum. Ic lærde þæt men him betweonan lufodon and gearwurðedon. Ic tæhte ðam rican, þæt hi ne onhofon hi, ne heora hiht on leasum welan ne besetton, ac on Gode anum. Ic tæhte ðam medeman mannum, þæt hi gehealdene wæron on heora bigwiste and scrude. Ic bebead þearfum, þæt hi blissodon on heora hafenleaste. Fæderas ic manode, þæt hi mid steore Godes eges heora cild geðeawodon. Þam cildum ic bead, þæt hi gehyrsume wæron fæder and meder to halwendum mynegungum. Ic lærde weras, þæt hi heora æwe heoldon, forðan þæt se wer gewitnað on æwbræcum wife, þæt wrecð God on æwbræcum were. Ic manode æwfæste wif, þæt hi heora weras inweardlice lufodon, and him mid ege gehyrsumodon, swa swa hlafordum. Ic lærde hlafordas, þæt hi heora ðeowum liðe wæron; forðan ðe hi sind gebroðru for Gode, se hlaford and se ðeowa. Ic bebead ðeowum mannum, þæt hi getreowlice, and swa swa Gode heora hlafordum þeowdon. Ic tæhte eallum geleaffullum mannum, þæt hi wurðian ænne God Ælmihtigne and ungesewenlicne. Ne leornode ic ðas lare æt nanum eorðlicum menn, ac Hælend Crist of heofonum me spræc to, and sende me to bodigenne his lare eallum ðeodum, ðus cweðende, ‘Far ðu geond þas woruld, and ic beo mid þe; and swa hwæt swa ðu cwyst oþþe dest, ic hit gerihtwisige.’’ 21. Then Nero turned to Paul and asked, “Why haven’t you said anything? Either about who has taught you, or about what you have taught with your preaching?” Paul answered him, “Ah, sir, what would I say to this lost adversary? If you adhere to his words, you will defile your soul and also your kingdom. Regarding my teaching, since you asked, I will give you an answer. The Savior, who taught Peter while in the flesh, taught me the same things by revelation. And I have followed God’s teaching from Jerusalem to Illyricum.[24] I have taught men to love and honor one another. I have taught the rich man not to exalt himself, nor to put his hope and joy in false riches, but in God alone. I have taught the common man to be reserved in his spending on food and clothing. I have commended the poor man to rejoice in his need. I exhort fathers to guide and direct their children in the fear of God. I bid children to be obedient to the admonitions of their fathers and mothers, who have been given for their benefit. I teach husbands to maintain their marriage vows, because what a man punishes an adulterous wife for, the same will God avenge in an adulterous husband. I exhort pious wives to love their husbands inwardly, and to obey them with reverence, as they would masters. I teach masters to be gentle with their servants, because masters and servants are brothers before God. I commend servants to serve their masters faithfully, as they would God. I have taught all believing men to worship the single, invisible God Almighty. I did not learn these precepts from any earthly man, but Jesus Christ spoke to me from heaven, and sent me to preach this doctrine to all people, saying, ‘Go throughout the world, and I will be with you; and whatever you say or do, I will justify it.’”[25] PeterPaulOE-PeterPaulME 22. Se casere wearð þa ablicged mid þisum wordum. Simon cwæð, “Ðu goda cyning, ne understenst ðu ðisra twegra manna gereonunge ongean me. Ic com Soðfæstnys, ac ðas ðweorigað wið me. Hat nu aræran ænne heahne torr, þæt ic ðone astige; forðan ðe mine englas nellað cuman to me on eorðan betwux synfullum mannum: and ic wylle astigan to minum fæder, and ic bebeode minum englum, þæt hi ðe to minum rice gefeccan.” Nero ða cwæð, “Ic wylle geseon gif ðu ðas behat mid weorcum gefylst;” and het ða ðone torr mid micclum ofste on smeðum felda aræran, and bebead eallum his folce þæt hi to ðyssere wæfersyne samod comon. Se dry astah ðone torr ætforan eallum ðam folce, and astrehtum earmum ongann fleogan on ða lyft. 22. The emperor was then astonished by these words. Simon said, “Good king, you do not understand the conspiracy between these two men against me. I am Truth, but these men were already opposed to me. Command that a high tower be built at once, that I might climb up, because my angels will not come down to me on earth near these sinful men. Then I will ascend to my father and order my angels to fetch you to my kingdom.” Nero replied, “I will see if you actually fulfill this promise.” So he commanded that the tower be built quickly on a flat plain, and ordered all his people to gather to see this spectacle. The magician climbed the tower in front of all the people, and with outstretched arms he flew up into the sky as with wings. PeterPaulOE-PeterPaulME 23. Paulus cwæð to Petre, “Broðer, þu wære Gode gecoren ær ic, ðe gedafnað þæt þu ðisne deofles ðen mid ðinum benum afylle; and ic eac mine cneowu gebige to ðære bene.” Þa beseah Petrus to ðam fleondan dry, þus cweðende, “Ic halsige eow awirigede gastas, on Cristes naman, þæt ge forlæton ðone dry ðe ge betwux eow feriað;” and ða deoflu þærrihte hine forleton, and he feallende tobærst on feower sticca. Þa feower sticca clifodon to feower stanum, ða sind to gewitnysse ðæs apostolican siges oð þisne andweardan dæg. Petres geðyld geðafode þæt ða hellican fynd hine up geond þa lyft sume hwile feredon, þæt he on his fylle þy hetelicor hreosan sceolde; and se ðe lytle ær beotlice mid deoflicum fiðerhaman fleon wolde, þæt he ða færlice his feðe forlure.[26] Him gedafenode þæt he on heannysse ahafen wurde, þæt he on gesihðe ealles folces hreosende ða eorðan gesohte. 23. Paul said to Peter, “Brother, you were chosen by God before me: it is fitting that you bring down this servant of the devil with your prayers. I will also bend my knees in the same prayer.” Then Peter looked up at the flying magician and said, “I exorcize you cursed spirits, in the name of Christ, that you forsake this magician whom you carry between yourselves.” The devils abandoned him at once, and Simon fell and broke into four pieces; and those four pieces were impaled on four stones, which are a testament to the apostolic victory on this day. Peter’s initial hesitation allowed these hellish fiends to carry Simon up into the air for quite a distance, so that his failure would be more severe; so that he who had arrogantly flown with devilish wings just a second before might promptly plummet down. It was appropriate that he was lifted up high, so that in the sight of all people he would fall headlong to the earth. PeterPaulOE-PeterPaulME 24. Hwæt ða, Nero bebead Petrum and Paulum on bendum gehealdan, and ða sticca Simones hreawes mid wearde besettan: wende þæt he of deaðe on ðam ðriddan dæge arisan mihte. Petrus cwæð, “Ðes Simon ne geedcucað ær ðam gemænum æriste, ac he is to ecum witum geniðerod.” Se Godes wiðerwinna ða, Nero, mid geðeahte his heahgerefan Agrippan, het Paulum beheafdian, and Petrum on rode ahon. Paulus ða, be ðæs cwelleres hæse, underbeah swurdes ecge, and Petrus rodehengene astah. Þaða he to ðære rode gelæd wæs, he cwæð to ðam cwellerum, “Ic bidde eow, wendað min heafod adune, and astreccað mine fet wið heofonas weard: ne eom ic wyrðe þæt ic swa hangige swa min Drihten. He astah of heofonum for middangeardes alysednysse, and wæron for þi his fet niðer awende. Me he clypað nu to his rice; awendað for þi mine fotwelmas to ðan heofonlican wege.” And ða cwelleras him ða þæs getiðodon. 24. Then Nero commanded Peter and Paul to be held in bonds, and the pieces of Simon’s corpse to be placed under watch—he supposed that the magician might rise from the dead on the third day. Peter said, “Simon will not return to life before the general resurrection; instead, he is condemned to eternal torment.” Nero, the enemy of God, consulted with his chief prefect Agrippa and ordered Paul to be beheaded and Peter to be crucified. Paul, at the executioner’s word, submitted to the edge of the sword; Peter ascended to the crucifixion. As he was led to the cross, Peter said to the executioner, “I ask you, turn my head down and stretch my feet toward heaven. I am not worthy to hang as my Lord did. He descended from heaven for the redemption of the world, and therefore His feet were turned downward. Now He is calling me to His kingdom; therefore turn the soles of my feet toward the way of heaven.” The executioner granted him this. PeterPaulOE-PeterPaulME 25. Þa wolde þæt cristene folc ðone casere acwellan, ac Petrus mid þisum wordum hi gestilde: “Min Drihten for feawum dagum me geswutelode þæt ic sceolde mid þysre ðrowunge his fotswaðum fylian: nu, mine bearn, ne gelette ge minne weg. Mine fet sind nu awende to ðam heofenlican life. Blissiað mid me; nu todæg ic onfo minre earfoðnysse edlean.” He wæs ða biddende his Drihten mid þisum wordum: “Hælend min, ic ðe betæce ðine scep, þe ðu me befæstest: ne beoð hi hyrdelease þonne hi ðe habbað.” And he mid þisum wordum ageaf his gast. 25. Then the Christian people would have killed the emperor, but Peter stilled them with this word: “My Lord revealed to me a few days ago that with this suffering I should follow in His footsteps. Now, my children, do not hinder my journey; my feet are turned toward that heavenly life. Rejoice with me, for today I receive the reward of my hardships.” He then prayed to his Lord, saying, “My Savior, I leave Your sheep with You, which You entrusted to me. They will not be shepherdless when they have You.”[27] And with these words he gave up his ghost. PeterPaulOE-PeterPaulME 26. Æfter heora ðrowunge þærrihte comon wlitige weras, and uncuðe eallum folce: cwædon þæt hi comon fram Hierusalem, to ðy þæt hi woldon ðæra apostola lic bebyrian; and swa dydon mid micelre arwurðnysse, and sædon þam folce, þæt hi micclum blissian mihton, forðan ðe hi swylce mundboran on heora neawiste habban moston. 26. On this day, Peter and Paul went together victorious to their heavenly home, in the thirty-sixth year after Christ’s passion, with Whom they dwell in eternity. Immediately after their passion, beautiful men, strangers to the people, came and said they were from Jerusalem, and that they would bury the apostles’ bodies; they did so with much reverence, and said to the people that they should greatly rejoice because they had been blessed to have such saints in their midst. PeterPaulOE-PeterPaulME 27. Wite ge eac þæt ðes wyrresta cyning Nero rice æfter cwale þisra apostola healdan ne mot. Hit gelamp ða þæt eal ðæs wælhreowan caseres folc samod hine hatode, swa þæt hi ræddon anmodlice þæt man hine gebunde, and oð deað swunge. Nero, þa ða he ðæs folces ðeaht geacsode, wearð to feore afyrht, and mid fleame to wuda getengde. Þa sprang þæt word þæt he swa lange on ðam holte on cyle and on hungre dwelode, oðþæt hine wulfas totæron. Þa gelamp hit æfter ðam, þæt Grecas gelæhton ðæra apostola lichaman, and woldon east mid him lædan. Þa færinga gewearð micel eorðstyrung, and þæt Romanisce folc ðyder onette, and ða lic ahreddan, on ðære stowe ðe is gehaten Catacumbas; and hi ðær heoldon oðer healf gear, oðþæt ða stowa getimbrode wæron, ðe hi siððan on alede wæron, mid wuldre and lofsangum. Cuð is geond ealle ðeodscipas þæt fela wundra gelumpon æt ðæra apostola byrgenum, ðurh ðæs Hælendes tiðe, ðam sy wuldor and lof a on ecnysse. Amen. 27. You should know that this worst of kings, Nero, could not govern his kingdom after the death of these apostles. It so happened that all the people under that bloodthirsty emperor hated him, and so they unanimously decided to bind him and beat him to death. When Nero learned of the people’s resolve, he feared for his life and fled in haste to the woods. Then word spread that he dwelled there so long, cold and hungry, until wolves tore him apart. After this, the Greeks took the bodies of the apostles and would have carried them off to the East; but all of a sudden there was a great earthquake, and the Roman people rushed forward and secured the bodies in the place which is called the Catacombs. They held them there for a year and a half, until the places were built where the saints’ bodies would later be laid with glory and songs of praise. It is known among all people that many miracles happened at the tombs of the apostles, at the Savior’s permission. To Him be glory and praise always until eternity. Amen.

Notes

  1. The Gospel reading for this feast day, the Latin reads: ‘Jesus came into the regions of Caesarea Philippi: and the rest…’ (Matthew 16:13). ^

  2. This is literally ‘Gospell-er’ or ‘one who does Gospels.’ It seems a shame to lose a lovely little word like ‘Gospeller.’ ^

  3. Curiously, Ælfric uses an adjectival form (‘stony; stone-like’) instead of a nominative. Most translations of this Gospel say that Peter is not just like a stone, but that he is the stone. Here, Ælfric emphasizes the stone-like qualities of Peter. ^

  4. Matthew 16:13–19. ^

  5. The Venerable Saint Bede (c. 672–735) was well-known for his extensive ecumenical writings, including his commentaries on both the Old and New Testaments. He’s best remembered, however, for his Ecclesiastical History of the English People. ^

  6. Cf. Psalm 82:6 and John 10:34. ^

  7. I can’t help but see this as a reference to the Cerne Abbas Giant, a large chalk hill figure near Cerne Abbey, where Ælfric was writing. The age of the giant is uncertain, and scholars have posited dates ranging from the 700s to the 17th century. However, Ælfric makes frequent reference throughout his homilies to the pagan worship of giants, and the proximity of the hill figure to the abbey seems too much of a coincidence to me. Ælfric, a product of and participant in the early English Benedictine Reform, admits in his Preface to this collection that correcting popular heresy was a primary motivation of these homilies. ^

  8. Psalm 115:4–7; Psalm 135:15–17. ^

  9. OE culfran ‘of the dove’ is a translation of Peter’s title in the Bible, bar Jonah ‘son of Jonah’ or ‘son of the dove.’ It’s unclear if Ælfric would understand Jonah as the literal name of Peter’s father as well, or if the metaphorical interpretation is the primary one.^

  10. 1 Corinthians 10:4. However, this is not unique to Paul, and clearer references seem to be made by Luke, Peter, and Jesus himself throughout the New Testament. ^

  11. Cf. 1 Peter 2:4–10. ^

  12. Cf. 1 Corinthians 3:10–15. ^

  13. Cf. 1 Corinthians 10:13. ^

  14. John 20:22–23. In this reference to John, Jesus breathes only on his disciples; it’s not until Pentecost in the book of Acts that all the apostles receive the Spirit. ^

  15. The following story is drawn from the apocryphal text The Acts of Peter and Paul. Various versions of this pseudepigraphical story circulated during the Middle Ages, including a version called (as here) Passio sanctorum Petri et Pauli. See also Blickling Homily 15 Spel be Petrus & Paulus. ^

  16. Ælfric uses a handful of different terms to describe Simon and what he does. ‘Magician’ is certainly the easiest solution, but I’m not pleased with translating drycræft as ‘magic’; ‘sorcerer’ and ‘sorcerery’ offer a nice pair, but the suffix -craft is particularly evocative, so ‘magician’ and ‘witchcraft’ seems like a suitable balance. I also toyed with using ‘druid/druidcraft,’ to illustrate how the church might use the paganism of England in their Christian teaching. ^

  17. Simon Magus, or Simon the Sorcerer, is first mentioned as an opponent of Peter in Acts 8:9–24. He developed a kind of mythology over time. ^

  18. The ‘cursed persecutor’ is Nero; Simon Magus is ‘the devil’s servant.’ ^

  19. Here Ælfric follows Eusebius’ traditional claim in Historia Ecclesiastica that Paul was not martyred when he was first brought to Rome as a prisoner (recounted throughout the book of Acts), but that he returned some years later of his own accord. It’s curious that this Latin explanation is not glossed or explained for a lay congregation, while the rest of the story is thoroughly described. ^

  20. Nero’s official wives include Claudia Octavia, Poppaea Sabina, and Statilia Messalina. Perhaps this is a reference to Poppaea Sabina (also known as Ollia), the second wife of Nero. The historian Josephus notes that that Poppaea was a θεοσεβής [theosebês] ‘worshiper of God,’ though even this epithet is uncertain (see Baughman et al.’s “Poppaea Sabina, Jewish Sympathies, and the Fire of Rome”). ^

  21. As with Livia above, the reference is uncertain. Agrippina and Livia were exceptionally common names, and perhaps the original source of this account, the Acts of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul, chose them as suitable every-women, with the added emphasis of them being members of Nero’s own household. ^

  22. The OE uses the same word for ‘fisherman’ twice in this passage. However, I wanted to capture both the disdain of ‘fisherman’ and the accused craftiness of ‘angler.’ The pun on "angel" and "angler" is a nice bonus. ^

  23. The inversion of 'god' to 'dog' is wholly coincidental in translation. The OE reads godcundlice and hundlice. ^

  24. Cf. Romans 15:19. This is a distance of about 1,000 miles. ^

  25. Compare this last sentence with Matthew 28:18–19. ^

  26. This phrase, þæt he ða færlice his feðe forlure ‘that he might suddenly lose his footing,’ displays uncharacteristic alliteration. I wanted to maintain this alliteration in translation. ^

  27. Cf. 1 Peter 5:2–4. ^

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