Gospel of Peter 1 The title was given by the publishers based on the last phrase of the surviving passage - “I am Simon Peter...”. The division into chapters and verses is conditional, it was made by scientists of modern times (Robinson J.A., James M.K. The Gospel according to Peter and Revelation of Peter. L., 1892; Harnack A. var. Bruchsstucke des Evangeliens und Apocalyps des Petrus. Leipzig , 1893). 2 In the previous phrase, it was, in all likelihood, that Pilate washed his hands (cf.: “Pilate, seeing that nothing was helping, but the confusion was increasing, took water and washed his hands before the people, and said: I am innocent of the blood of this righteous man; see you." - Matthew 27.24). Unlike the New Testament gospels, the trial does not take place before the people, but in the praetorium - the house of the Roman provincial governor, in this case Pilate, or in the palace of Herod. 3 Herod Antipas, the ruler of Galilee, is mentioned among the judges in “The Acts of the Apostles”: “For truly Herod and Pontius Pilate with the Gentiles and the people of Israel were gathered in this city (i.e. Jerusalem) against the Holy Son Jesus, anointed by You ..." (4.27. Compare: Luke 23. 6 - 11). 4 Joseph of Arimatea, who asked to give him the body of Jesus, is mentioned in the New Testament gospels (Matt. 27.57; Mark 15.43; Luke 23.50; John 19.38). There he is named as a member of the Sanhedrin (the judicial body of the Jews), who did not, however, participate in the trial of Jesus; but nothing is said about his friendship with Pilate in the New Testament gospels (Mark says that Joseph “dared” to come to Pilate). Apparently, using a tradition common to the canonical gospels, the author of the Gospel of Peter, following his negative attitude towards the Jewish elite, omitted mention of the fact that Joseph was a member of the Sanhedrin. 5 The address “brother Pilate” should indicate friendly relations between Herod and Pilate; The Gospel of Luke says that Pilate and Herod “became friends” during the trial of Jesus, although they had previously been at enmity (23.12). Both cases reflect the tradition that united Herod and Pilate as the main characters trial of Jesus. "Brother" was a common way of addressing one another among Hellenistic kings; however, it is unlikely that the ruler of Galilee could have addressed the Roman procurator in this way: the author, apparently, was far from the official language used in the government system. In introducing direct speech to enliven his narrative, he used the Hellenistic tradition known in the eastern provinces. Such an address used in the gospels may indicate that the author of the passage was using the oral accounts of Christian preachers. 6 In fact, based on the logic of the story, we were talking about the onset of Friday. In general, it seems that this chapter should have been located elsewhere in the gospel (before the phrase: “and he delivered Him to the crowd before the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread,” which is more likely connected with the end of the previous chapter). It is possible that this piece was inserted here by a medieval scribe, especially since, as indicated, the scribe did not know the full text of the gospel; if he had fragments at his disposal, he could arrange them according to his own understanding. 7 This refers to the injunction of the Old Testament book “Deuteronomy”: “If anyone is found guilty of a crime worthy of death, and he is killed, and you hang him on a tree, then his body should not spend the night on the tree, but bury him on the same day.” (21.22 - 23): this is the only, very approximate reference to Old Testament in the following passage. 8 In the New Testament gospels, in the story of the mockery of Jesus, he is “welcomed” as the “king of the Jews” (see, for example: Mark 15.18); It is the warriors who commit bullying, not the crowd. 9 This passage also has parallels in the New Testament gospels; From the context of Peter's story it is unclear who divided the clothes and who ordered that the legs should not be broken. However, only Roman soldiers and guards could do this (that executions were carried out only under the control of Roman provincial authorities, a resident of any province could not help but know). But for the author in this case this is not significant, he uses it both in relation to the Jews who mocked Jesus and in In relation to the soldiers, the same pronoun is “they” - that is, all those who opposed Jesus, who were responsible for his death. 10 Here by “they” are meant the Jews: this phrase shows that the author himself hardly came from the Jews, in any case he separates himself from them; the repeated mention of the injunction suggests that the audience for whom the gospel was intended also needed clarification regarding the norms of the Jewish Law. 11 The use of this word may mean that Jesus immediately ascended into heaven, but it may be taken as a solemn synonym for “died” (cf. Russian “departed”). 12 This is one of the few references to nailing as a method of crucifixion. Of the New Testament gospels, nails are mentioned only in the Gospel of John (Thomas speaks there of wounds from nails. - 20.25). The Acts of the Apostles says that Jesus was “killed by hanging on a tree” (10.39; another possible translation is “on a stake”). Thus, in the early Christian tradition There were disagreements about the manner in which Jesus was executed. 13 “... it’s still nine o’clock...” - three hours after noon. 14 The original uses a word meaning thin fabric like muslin; in the Russian translation the word “shroud” is used (Mark 15.46). 15 In ancient times, it was common to prepare a burial place, tomb, and crypt during life. As a rule, such tombs were family ones; in some cases, at the request of the owner of the grave, friends could also be buried in them. In the Gospel of Peter, different names are used to designate the tomb. greek words(“taphos”, “mnemeion”), as in the New Testament gospels (for example: Matthew 27.62; Mark 15.4, etc.). The closest thing to the meaning of these words is the Russian word “tomb”, and not “coffin”, as given in the Synodal translation of the New Testament gospels. 16 “Joseph’s Garden” is the name not of the tomb, but of the place where it was located, then transferred to the tomb itself (cf.: “... in the garden there is a tomb in the New Testament - John l9.21). Subsequently, sacralization occurs in Christianity the image of the garden. This is especially evident in the Gnostic Gospel of Philip; here Joseph of Arimatea, whose image did not carry any sacred meaning, was replaced by Joseph, the father of Jesus. In this gospel it is said that Joseph the carpenter planted a garden because he needed trees for his craft. . It was he who made the cross from the trees that he planted, and his seed was suspended from what he planted... (17) The charges brought against Jesus were, according to. canonical gospels, and the accusation of the intention to destroy the Temple of Jerusalem (Matt. 27.40; Mark 15.29), probably the same accusation was mentioned in the Gospel of Peter, only in it it is concretized and also transferred to the disciples (the only possible real way to destroy the temple is to set fire his). 18 "The Lord's Day" is Sunday. 19 This question and answer assume that between the crucifixion and resurrection Jesus was in the afterlife. The Apocrypha, thus, reflects the legend that began to take shape about the descent of Christ into hell, which will then be told in the later Gospel of Nicodemus, created no earlier than the 3rd century. and extant in Latin translation. The last part of the Gospel of Nicodemus paints an absolutely fantastic picture of Jesus’ journey to hell, where he grabs Satan and orders him to be chained. In the Gospel of Peter there is only a hint that Christ preached not only to the living, but also to the dead (probably, according to the author, in order to save them too). 20 A similar story is contained in the Gospel of Matthew, only in it the Jewish elders turn to Pilate once to give a guard to the tomb; the second time, having learned about the resurrection, they ask not Pilate, but the soldiers, so that they do not talk about miracles, but spread the rumor that the disciples stole the body (Matthew 28.12 - 14). 21 Here, as in some other places, Jews do not mean the whole people, but the elite (elders, priests, Pharisees). 22 The author, apparently, is not entirely clear about what exactly the Jewish women were supposed to do at the grave of the deceased. The most important thing for him was that they had to mourn him. 23 In fact, if we follow the logic of the Gospel legend, there should have been eleven disciples of Jesus at that time. However, in certain places the New Testament speaks of “the twelve” after the death of Jesus (John 20.24: “And Thomas is one of the twelve...”; in the First Epistle to the Corinthians it is said that Jesus “appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.” - 15.5 ). The number "twelve" was perceived in the Jewish environment as sacred; it was associated with the twelve tribes of Israel: the Gospel of Matthew says that during Last Judgment Jesus' disciples will sit "on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel" (19.28). In the Apocalypse of John, the city of Jerusalem, descending from heaven, has twelve gates, and on the gates are written the names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel (21.12); the Qumran community also had twelve elders. In the “Acts of the Apostles” (1.26) it is said that in order to preserve the “twelve”, a certain Matthias (Matthias - in Greek) was chosen among them by lot, which, however, does not act in further stories. This election took place, according to the story of Acts, after the appearance of Jesus to the apostles. 24 Levi Alpheus is mentioned in Mark (2.14), but then Jacob is named the son of Alpheus (3.12), as in the gospels of Luke and Matthew. The lists of apostles in the canon are not identical (cf. Luke 6.14 16; Matthew 10.2 - 4; to eliminate contradictions in the lists of apostles church tradition identifies Thaddeus with Judas Jacob). 25 Apparently, what followed were words about how Levi was called (according to the Gospel of Mark, he was a tax collector), and then it was supposed to be told about the appearance of Jesus to the disciples while fishing (cf. John 2 I.1 , which talks about the appearance of Jesus at the Sea of ​​​​Tiberias, although this was not his first appearance); The gospel tradition differs in the description of which disciples, where and when Jesus appeared (cf. Mark 16.14; Luke 24.34). There were probably many stories about the appearance of Jesus among the early Christians, and each evangelist chose the one that corresponded to the tradition he most revered. Among the apocrypha of the New Testament tradition, a fragment of the Gospel of Peter occupies a special place. It was discovered in Egypt in 1886 in the tomb of a medieval monk; the Apocalypse of Peter and the Book of Enoch were also located there. The manuscript itself on parchment dates back, in all likelihood, to the 8th - 9th centuries, but the text was created much earlier; the language and style of the fragment of the Gospel and the Apocalypse of Peter are associated with the circle of early Christian literature. Apparently, these texts were placed in the monk’s grave as a kind of amulets, and perhaps the owner and admirer of texts precious to him, prohibited by the Orthodox Church, did not want to part with them even after death... An excerpt from the Gospel of Peter begins with half-sentence and also breaks off mid-sentence. However, the copyist did not know more than what was preserved; before the beginning and after the end of the passage, an ornament of woven ribbons and crosses was drawn. The identification of the found fragment with the Gospel of Peter is made on the basis that the text is written in the first person and the author calls himself “Simon Peter.” In order to correctly assess the place of the apocryphal writings associated with the name of Peter in the total mass of early Christian literature, a few words should be said about how Peter is depicted in various works of Christians. Peter (Greek - stone, Aramaic - Cephas) ​​plays a significant role in Christian writings and legends. According to the New Testament gospels, he and his brother Andrew were the first to be called by Jesus to be among his disciples." The list of the twelve apostles in the canonical gospels begins with the name Peter (Mark 3.16 19; Matt. 10.2 - 4; Luke 6.14 - 16). Peter was , according to the gospels, a fisherman, and it was to him and his brother that when they were called, Jesus said: “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men” (MK. 1.17) There is a phrase in the Gospel of Matthew that exalts Peter among all the disciples. : ". .. you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My Church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it; And I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven; and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven" (16.18 - 19). This phrase is not in the other gospels," and even in the Gospel of Matthew it appears out of context; the next verse (20): “Then (Jesus) commanded his disciples that they should not tell anyone that he was Jesus Christ” - should be adjacent to verse 16 or 17 rather than to 19. Therefore, it is possible that the maxim about Peter was included in the text of the Gospel of Matthew during its next rewrite in the 2nd century. and was an echo of the struggle around the priority of tradition (oral and written), associated with the name of Peter and which served as the basis for claims to the primacy of the leaders of the Roman Christian community, the founder of which, according to legend, was Peter. However, in the Gospel of John, in which John himself is presented as the “beloved disciple,” the tradition of Peter’s special position is preserved. Thus, Jesus, who appeared to the disciples after the resurrection, says three times to Peter: “...feed my sheep” (21.15 - 17). In the Acts of the Apostles, Peter, along with James, the brother of Jesus, appears as the head of the Jerusalem Christian community; this work tells about Peter's sermons and many miracles performed by Peter (including the resurrection dead girl motif borrowed from the stories of miracles performed by Jesus). A reflection of the oral tradition can be seen in the references to the fact that Jesus, after the resurrection, first appeared to Peter: “... The Lord was truly risen and appeared to Simon” (Luke 24.34); “And that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve” (1 Cor. 15.5). Peter's special position in the Jerusalem community created the idea that he was called to preach Christianity among the Jews. Paul insists on this in his Epistle to the Galatians: “For he who helped Peter in his apostleship to the circumcision also worked for me among the Gentiles.” So, Peter emerges as one of the most revered apostles among the early Christians. However, one can trace a different attitude towards the image of Peter. The New Testament gospels tell the story of how Peter denied his teacher three times after the latter's arrest. According to this account, Peter followed Jesus and was in the courtyard during the interrogation. One of the maids recognized him as Jesus' companion, but Peter declared that he did not know who she was talking about. Others who were there recognized him by his accent as a resident of Galilee, but even then Peter denied Jesus (Mark 14.15; Matt. 26.69 - 74). The description of this episode is replete with realistic details: Peter warming himself by the fire in the courtyard, people recognizing the Galilean pronunciation, Peter's fear and repentance. True, in the Gospel of John, which attaches much more importance to the sacred meaning of events than in the other gospels of the New Testament, this triple renunciation is, as it were, removed by the triple question of the resurrected Jesus to Peter: “Do you love me?” - and Peter’s triple “yes” (21.15 - 17). And yet, Peter turns out to be the only disciple of Jesus who renounced his teacher (in the Gospel of John, another disciple goes to the high priest’s courtyard with Peter, but nothing is said about his behavior). The attitude of the Apostle Paul towards Peter is complex. Paul recognized the special role of Peter, but was in opposition to him and clearly tried to reduce his veneration. In Galatians, Paul explicitly writes that he confronted Peter, who was “reproached”; Paul accuses Peter of hypocrisy, for he ate and drank with the pagans, and when some Christians arrived from James (from Jerusalem), “he began to hide and withdraw, fearing those of the circumcision.” Indirectly, the conflict between the supporters of Peter and Paul was reflected in the canonical Second Epistle of Peter. It was written relatively late - not earlier than the beginning of the 2nd century, since it shows familiarity with the gospels and contains a direct reference to the letters of Paul. The mention of Paul appears in the context somewhat unexpectedly: “And consider the longsuffering of our Lord salvation, just as our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, wrote to you. As he speaks about this in all his letters, in which there is something difficult to understand, that the ignorant and unstable , to their own destruction, they turn, like the other Scriptures" (2 Pet. 3.15 - 16). So, on the one hand, Paul is a “beloved brother,” and on the other, there is something “difficult to understand” in his epistles, which gives grounds for misinterpreting Christian teaching. The essence of these discrepancies from the Second Epistle of Peter is unclear, but it is quite possible that it concerned the attitude towards Judaism (Judeo-Christians, as indicated, did not recognize Paul). The image of Peter is also reduced in the Gospel of Thomas from Nag Hammadi, in which, naturally, the most Thomas is a close disciple. So, according to this gospel, Jesus asked the disciples who he is like. In response, Peter compares him to an angel, Matthew - to a philosopher, and only Thomas says: “My lips will not be able to say who you are like.” (I.4). It is interesting that in the Gospel of Matthew it is Peter who answers a similar question: “You, Christ, are the Son of the living God” (16.15 - 16); in the Gospel of Thomas, Peter does not understand the true nature of Jesus. so that Mary Magdalene leaves them: “For women are not worthy of life” (118); in response to this, Jesus pronounces the words that Mary will become a living spirit, like men: “For every woman who becomes a man will enter the kingdom of heaven” This maxim reflects a purely Gnostic idea of ​​overcoming and uniting opposites in the “kingdom of the Father,” however, it is hardly accidental that the demand to expel Mary, exposing a misunderstanding of the essence of gnosis, was put into the mouth of Peter. Peter also speaks against Mary Magdalene in the Gospel of Mary of Nag Hammadi: the Gnostics apparently did not recognize the tradition that exalts his role in the spread of Christianity. However, as a result of the activities of the preachers of the Roman community in later apocryphal literature - in the “Acts of Peter”, in the legends associated with Peter’s stay in Rome, a mainly apologetic tradition developed, and the contradictions between Paul and Peter were softened. The veneration that Peter enjoyed among the first followers of Christianity should naturally have led to the appearance of books conveying the tradition associated with his name. Meanwhile in New Testament only two letters are included, the authorship of which is attributed to Peter and which do not contain stories about his participation in preaching the teachings of Jesus. According to Christian legends, the Evangelist Mark was a disciple of Peter. Thus, it is assumed that Mark related Peter's stories. But for a figure like Peter, this is clearly not enough. And indeed, even before the discoveries in Egypt, it was known about the existence of books not recognized by the church, written directly in the name of the Apostle Peter. Mentions of the Gospel of Peter are found in Origen "and in" Church history "Eusebius of Caesarea. Origen, discussing the problem of the brothers of Jesus mentioned in the gospels (Mark 6.3; Matt. 13.55), says that the idea of ​​these brothers as the sons of Joseph from his first wife goes back to the gospel written from Peter and the Book of James." Origen supports this version, without thereby rejecting the Gospel of Peter. Eusebius talks about this gospel in more detail. He speaks of Serapion (c. 200), bishop of Rosos (Cilicia), who also led the Christian communities of Syria. According to Eusebius, Serapion discovered that his flock was using the Gospel of Peter. At first he allowed this, but then, having familiarized himself with the contents, he sent a special message to the believers regarding this gospel. Serapion pointed out that this gospel was used by the Docetes, “the successors of those from whom it originated.” Further, the bishop writes that much of it “is in agreement with the true teaching of the Savior, but some commandments have been added, which we note for you” (HE. VI. 12). In two more places in his Ecclesiastical History, Eusebius mentions the Gospel of Peter among the forged writings (111.3,25). So, according to this version, the Gospel of Peter was created by some predecessors of the Docet sect, whose teaching was widespread in Syria in the 2nd century. The name of this sect comes from the Greek word xxxxx - to appear; according to the Docetists, Christ’s presence on earth was only apparent, unreal; they denied the human nature of Jesus. However, Christian writers associated the Gospel of Peter not only with the Docetians, but also with the Jewish Christians. Thus, Theodorit (IV - V centuries) wrote: “The Nazarenes are Jews who honor Christ as a just man and use the so-called Gospel of Peter.” “Theodorit’s version contradicts the teachings of the Docetes and reflects one of the earliest Judeo-Christian ideas about Christ, which was discussed above. Can an analysis of the content of the fragment that has come down to us explain this contradictory information from Christian writers? To a certain extent, it can, but, unfortunately, the passage is small and does not give a complete picture of the content of the entire gospel. Judging by Origen’s remark, in the Gospel of. Peter described the birth of Jesus, since it dealt with the sons of Joseph from his first marriage. The sermon of Jesus did not reach at all, but, according to the words of Serapion, much of it coincided with the writings accepted by the orthodox bishops. The surviving passage describes the trial of Jesus. execution, resurrection and behavior of the disciples, Jewish elders, Pilate, and the people. The washing of hands by Pilate, the mocking of Jesus before execution, addressing him as a king, the crucifixion between two thieves, the division of clothes by lot - all these details can be found in the canonical gospels. Peter describes the trial of Jesus differently than there: it does not take place before the people, but probably in the praetorium (or in Herod’s palace). Herod Antipas plays the main role in the condemnation of Jesus." The fact that the version of Herod's participation in the trial of Jesus was widespread in the Christian tradition is evidenced by the words from the "Acts of the Apostles" (4.27). In the Gospel of Luke there is a story about how Pilate Having learned that Jesus was a Galilean, he sent him to the ruler (tetrarch) of Galilee, Herod Antipas, who was in Jerusalem at that time. Herod interrogated Jesus, but he remained silent. Then “... Herod and his soldiers humiliated Him and mocked Him. Him, dressed Him in light clothes and sent him back to Pilate" (Luke 23.11). Then follows a story corresponding to other canonical gospels about how Pilate wanted to let Jesus go (Luke puts into Pilate’s mouth the phrase that Herod did not find him “worthy” of death), but the people demanded his execution. It seems that in Luke there was a duplication of the episodes of the trial and unification. different traditions - the one that is reflected in the other New Testament gospels, and the one that is reflected in the Gospel of Peter, as well as in the mention of Herod among the judges in the Acts of the Apostles. To what extent the appearance of Herod among the judges is connected with the real historical situation of the execution of the preacher Jesus is difficult to say now; Herod being brought to trial by Pilate, who may have been reluctant to get involved in another religious conflict, seems likely since Jesus came from an area under Herod's rule. It seems even more likely that Herod's participation in the condemnation of Jesus was already spoken of in the early Judeo-Christian tradition. His father, King Herod, aroused the intense hatred of many layers of Jewish society with his pro-Roman policies and brutal persecution of all those who were dissatisfied. The early Christians also shared their hatred of Herod; its reflection was the New Testament legend that Herod ordered the killing of all male babies, having learned that the future king of the Jews was born in Bethlehem. His son is also depicted in black colors in the New Testament: Herod Antipas ordered John the Baptist to be thrown into prison "~, but for fear of the people he did not dare to execute him. Then, at a feast, the daughter of his wife (and sister) Herodias asked Herod for the head of John - and the tetrarch ordered execute him (Matthew 14.3 - 11). Thus, the guilt of Herod, who executed John the Baptist, in the death of Jesus should have seemed obvious to the first Christians; the story of Herod in the Gospel of Peter, from our point of view, reflects a fairly early tradition. In the description of the torment to which Jesus was subjected after his condemnation, there are certain details that diverge from the New Testament stories, although in general the author of the apocrypha follows the general narrative line with them. The discrepancy lies in the fact that in the Gospel of Peter Jesus is placed in the judgment seat and is converted. to him with the words: “Judge righteously, king of Israel”; in the New Testament gospels Jesus is greeted as the king of the Jews, but it is not indicated that Jesus was seated in the judgment seat (John also uses the word xxxx judgement seat, but Pilate sits on it. , not Jesus.19.13). This detail is important for us because Justin mentions it in his Apology (1.35). Justin's phraseology is close to the phraseology of the apocrypha: apparently, he knew and revered the Gospel of Peter. In the New Testament gospels, Jesus is mocked by soldiers, while in Peter this is done by vague “they”, which, judging by the context, means both the Jewish enemies of Jesus and the Roman soldiers. The style of the gospel is such that the author does not separate the Jews and the Romans: only from their actions can one determine who, in fact, we are talking about - they ordered not to break the robber’s legs, naturally, the heads of the Roman guards, the guards also gave Jesus vinegar and bile to drink; “they” who were worried whether the Sabbath day had come, “they” who ran to Pilate are Jews. At the same time, with this generalized image of “they are enemies” in the Gospel of Peter, the opposition between the people and the elite of the Jews is clearly visible - the elders, priests, scribes, and Pharisees are identified as the main opponents of Jesus. Sometimes they are called by the general term "Jews", but from the context it is clear that "Jews" is not the whole people (it is designated by the Greek word xxxx), but a collective name for the Jewish enemies of Jesus (see, for example: 12.50). After the death of Jesus, the people begin to grumble and beat their chests, believing in the righteousness of the executed man. The elders, scribes and Pharisees ask Pilate to guard the grave so that the disciples do not steal the body and the people do not believe that he has risen (8.28.29). Finally, convinced that Jesus has indeed risen, they beg Pilate to order the soldiers to remain silent about what they saw (11.48). This contrast between the people and the Jewish elders fits into the context of the passage - after all, the people did not take part in the condemnation of Jesus; his fame among the people is emphasized by the fact that after his burial a crowd flocks from Jerusalem and the surrounding area to the sealed tomb. It cannot be said that such an interpretation belongs entirely to the author of the Gospel of Peter: and in the Gospel of Matthew, the Jewish elders ask Pilate: “So, order that the tomb be guarded until the third day, so that His disciples, coming at night, do not steal Him and tell the people: “He is risen.” from the dead"; and the last deception will be worse than the first" (27.64). Here, as in the Gospel of Peter, there is a version that was spread by Orthodox Jews that the disciples stole the body of Jesus." In a hidden form there is also fear of the people who might believe in the resurrection of Jesus: "the final deception" (i.e. . deception of the people) is worse than the first (i.e. theft of the body); although in this case the fear of the elders does not quite fit with the active demand for the execution of Jesus specifically on the part of the Jewish people (“And all the people answered: His blood be on us and on the children.” ours." - Matt. 27.25). But in the Gospel of Matthew there is no such clearly expressed secondary statement of the elders, who, having already witnessed the resurrection, still prefer to deceive the people and commit the “greatest sin”, rather than be stoned by the people who (implied) will consider them the main culprits of the crime. The Gospel of Luke also speaks of the grief and repentance of the people. It tells us that after Jesus, as he was being led to execution, there followed “a great multitude of people and women, who wept and lamented for Him” (23.27). After the execution, according to this gospel, all the people “returned, beating their chests” (23.48). In one of the early Latin translations of the Gospel of Luke, in the story of the repentance of the people there are words about the coming retribution to Jerusalem, "which corresponds to the description of the Gospel of Peter. I knew the description of the repentance of the people with the words: "0, woe to Jerusalem" (perhaps precisely from the Gospel of Peter or, according to a more detailed version of the Gospel of Luke) Tatian, since a similar story is given in his Diatessaron. This opposition between the people and the priesthood could go back to the Judeo-Christians and even to earlier Jewish sectarian groups, for example the Qumranites, who had a sharply negative attitude towards the Jewish high priests. and to the Temple of Jerusalem itself." In this regard, it should be said that the point of view expressed in scientific literature"about the anti-Jewish tendency of the Gospel of Peter seems unfounded: the accusation of the hated Herod and the Jewish elite, and not the entire people, rather reflects heated debates within Judaism than the opposition of Jews and Christians. A specific feature of the Gospel of Peter seems to be the description of the life and resurrection of Jesus. Jesus on the cross does not experience suffering; the only phrase he uttered is “My strength, my strength, you have forsaken me!” After this exclamation, he “ascended” (died). In the New Testament gospels, the last words of Jesus are conveyed in different ways: in the Gospel of Luke he says: "Father! Into Your hands I commit My spirit" (23.46), in the Gospel of John, Jesus, after talking with the disciple to whom he entrusted his mother, says: “I thirst” (the evangelist adds: “that the Scripture might be fulfilled”) - and then says the last word: “It is finished "(19.28 - 30). The Gospels of Mark and Matthew quote in Aramaic a quotation from the Old Testament psalm, which Jesus said before his death: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27.46; Mark. 15.34), - a dramatic episode that dates back, in all likelihood, to the ancient Aramaic tradition of the execution of Jesus. The fragment of the Gospel of Peter gives a kind of paraphrase, going back to the earlier tradition reflected in Mark and Matthew; the author of the Gospel of Peter replaced God with “power” , which was, like completely different editions of the last words of Jesus in Luke and John, a consequence of the sacralization of his image. So, according to the Gospel of Peter, while a certain power was with Jesus, he did not experience suffering, but as soon as it left him, he. died. This exclamation does not have the bitter meaning that an appeal to someone who left him (i.e. e. as if he had forgotten about him) to God: divine power leaves the body, and he ceases to live earthly life. The concept of divine power existed in Gnostic teachings (see, for example, the Apocrypha of John, which speaks of the power of the invisible spirit, which it gives to the aeons). However, it is unlikely that on this basis the “power” of the Gospel of Peter should be identified with the Gnostic concept. Clement of Alexandria wrote about the power that entered into Christ at baptism (Excerpta ex Thedot. Opera. 61), which corresponded to the teaching of the Judeo-Christians that the spirit entered into the preacher Jesus at baptism. In the Acts of the Apostles, Peter says that God anointed Jesus “with the Holy Spirit and with power” (10.38). It is possible that it was no coincidence that the words about power were put into Peter’s mouth by the author of the Acts of the Apostles; such a sermon was associated in the Christian tradition (perhaps already written down) with his name. The text of the fragment also gives no reason to talk about the direct influence of the Docetes, who, according to Serapion, revered this gospel, although they did not write it. The Docetes, like a number of Gnostic authors, considered Jesus’ presence on earth to be apparent (in the Gnostic Gospel of Truth it is said about Christ that he came in “the likeness of a body”); but the absence of suffering did not mean apparent bodily existence, but only presence in the body divine power , which relieved this suffering. The reality of the body is emphasized in the Gospel of Peter by the fact that when it was taken down from the cross and laid on the ground, the earth shook. It is also characteristic that the author continues to apply the word “Lord” to the deceased Jesus (“And then they pulled the nails out of the hands of the Lord and laid him on the ground.” - 6.21). The description of the resurrection of Jesus in the Gospel of Peter looks absolutely fantastic. In the New Testament gospels, the very moment of the resurrection takes place in secret: the disciples see an empty tomb, angels (an angel) announcing the resurrection, and then the already risen Jesus appears to them. Peter describes all the details of the resurrection, and it takes place before the eyes of many witnesses: first the heavens opened, and two angels (men) descended from there, who entered the tomb and brought out a third one, but not in the previous, human, but in a fantastic form (head his was “higher than the sky”). The cross follows them, and from the cross comes the answer to the question sounded from heaven: “Have You preached to the dead?” The description of the resurrection has no parallels in other gospels known to us (it is possible that some similar story was included in other apocrypha that has not reached us). But the very idea of ​​​​the resurrection of the body in a transformed form was not alien to Christian groups. In the Apocalypse of John, the work of the New Testament closest to Judeo-Christianity, Christ also has a fantastic appearance. He appears in the form of a lamb “as if slain, having seven horns and seven eyes” (5.6), which symbolized the seven spirits of God, i.e. the risen Christ could appear in any form, which not so much revealed, but hinted at the true, its incomprehensible essence. In the Gnostic Gospel of Philip, bodily resurrection is interpreted in a special way: “Neither flesh nor blood can inherit the kingdom of God.” According to this saying, the flesh of Jesus is the Logos, and his blood is the Holy Spirit (23). The entire description of the resurrection of Jesus is close to apocalyptic literature. The living cross in this story. - not just a fantastic detail. The cross accompanies Jesus to heaven in the Apocalypse of Peter, thereby acquiring the meaning of a sacred symbol. "The shameful instrument of execution, so often used in reality, is also transformed, becoming the 'tree' of eternal life." At the very end of the fragment, the story begins of the appearance of the resurrected Jesus to his disciples (or only to Peter). The phenomenon on the Tiberias Sea (lake) is described in the Gospel of John (21.1), but it is not the first there. Luke describes in detail the appearance of Jesus to the disciples on the road to the village of Emmaus (24. 13 - 15; cf.: Mx.16.12), but when these disciples returned and told the others, they in turn said that “the Lord has truly risen and appeared to Simon” (24.34). It seems that in this case, in Luke's Gospel, as in the account of Jesus' trial, there was a fusion of the tradition going back to the earliest of the synoptic gospels (Mark) and the tradition that was used in the Gospel of Peter. So, an analysis of the content of the surviving fragment of the Gospel of Peter indicates that it was based on the ancient Christian tradition, which was also used in the New Testament; however, we can also talk about the existence of a special tradition, which was associated specifically with the Apostle Peter and which is reflected in the canonical writings only in isolated references. The author of the Gospel of Peter could have been familiar with the New Testament writings, but he could also have used some other sources, which the author of the unknown gospel also used; extant in fragments on papyrus (see above). However, this ancient tradition was reworked in the Gospel of Peter for certain doctrinal purposes. If you do not try to break down the passage that has come down to us into its component parts and do not find out which phrase reflects which tradition, then it gives the impression of an integral story developing two main themes - the theme of the manifestation of a miracle, the manifestation of the divinity of Christ, and the theme of the guilt of those who gave him up. torment and did not recognize him, despite this manifestation. The surviving text does not contain the theme of salvation and redemption so important in other Christian books; there are no references here to prophecies that are fulfilled in the fate of Jesus; the only Old Testament reference, and even then not entirely accurate, refers to the prescription of the Jewish law, which the Jews must observe. The divinity of Jesus is revealed through signs and wonders, and not through the fulfillment of prophecies, which fundamentally distinguishes the Gospel of Peter - despite the similarity of factual details used - from the works of the New Testament. Thus, in the Gospel of Mark, after the words that Jesus was crucified among thieves, an explanation is given: “and the word of Scripture was fulfilled: “And he was numbered among the evildoers”” (15.28); in the Gospel of John, both the division of Jesus’ clothes by lot and his words “I thirst” are associated with the fulfillment of Scripture (19.24, 29). And in the Acts of the Apostles, Peter, speaking about Jesus, emphasizes that “about him all the prophets testify that whoever believes in him will receive forgiveness of sins through his name” (10.43). The “authenticity” of the miracles in the Gospel of Peter is emphasized by the fact that the narration is told in the first person, which is not typical for the authors of the canonical gospels.” It is characteristic that throughout the surviving text the author never uses the name of Jesus, but only “Lord”, and even the dead body is the body of the “Lord”; thereby the text is sacralized, those reading and listening to this text should have realized that no matter what torment and humiliation Jesus was subjected to, he is always the Lord and the contrast between the description of the bullying of the crowd and the guards and the persistently repeated word; "Lord" creates a feeling of tension and impending retribution. The same purpose is served by the fact that the first day of the week - the day of resurrection - is called "the day of the Lord", as Christians later began to call it - even before the story of the resurrection, the villain who believed in Jesus calls it. the savior of people, although the act of salvation - the atoning death of Christ - has not yet occurred." But true believers knew this with their faith, while those responsible for his death do not want to believe, even when the resurrection itself occurs before their eyes. This contrast brings us to the second theme, closely intertwined with the first, the theme of guilt. Perhaps the refusal to refer to Scripture is determined not only by a reluctance to connect Christian teachings with Jewish ones, as those who see an anti-Jewish orientation in the passage believe, but above all by the desire to highlight the idea of ​​​​guilt and punishment. “They have completed their sins” - this is the main leitmotif of the description of the actions directed against Jesus. The problem of guilt did not actually confront the first supporters of Christian teaching. For them, his death and resurrection were a sign of redemption and salvation: they were waiting for the second coming, the establishment of the kingdom of God on earth and the destruction not so much of his personal enemies as of all carriers of evil; as it is said in the Apocalypse of John, retribution will be received by all those who have not repented of their worship of idols, “of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their theft” (9.20 - 21). But then, after the destruction of the Jerusalem temple as a result of the defeat of the 1st Jewish uprising and, to an even greater extent, after the suppression of the 2nd Jewish uprising (131 - 134) under the leadership of Bar Kochba, which raised hopes for a quick end of the world, the question arose about the causes of these disasters , about guilt and retribution. Echoes of the destruction of Jerusalem are found in the Gospel of Luke, which, as already indicated, uses a tradition common to the Gospel of Peter: during the way of the cross, Jesus says to the weeping women: “Daughters of Jerusalem! Weep not for Me, but weep for yourselves and for the children yours, for the days are coming in which they will say: “Blessed are the barren and the wombs that have not given birth, and the breasts that have not nursed!”" (23. 28 - 29). But Luke does not have such a clearly emphasized guilt and retribution for this guilt as in the apocrypha under consideration. The guilt of the Jewish elders is especially terrible because they witnessed the resurrection, realized that they had sent the Messiah to death, but out of cowardice they resorted to deception, persuading Pilate not to say anything about the resurrection. The urgency of raising the question of guilt can be associated not only with the desire to give a religious explanation for the disasters that befell Judea, but also with the position of Palestinian Christians during the period of both anti-Roman uprisings. According to Christian tradition, the Ebionites seem to have first joined the first revolt, but then abandoned it and moved beyond the Jordan. The participation of Christians in the Bar Kochba revolt is also possible, but they could not recognize Bar Kokhba as the messiah; Their cooperation with the rebels could hardly last long." After the tragic outcome of the Second Jewish Uprising, when the Roman colony of Aelia Capitalina was founded on the site of Jerusalem, and Emperor Hadrian (117 - 138) forbade Jews to perform their rituals throughout the empire, dissociation from Judaism became a problem for Christians of their survival. Perhaps it was precisely after the defeat of the Bar Kochba rebellion that a phrase appeared in the First Epistle to the Thessalonians containing a sharp condemnation of the Jews, “who killed both the Lord Jesus and His prophets, and drove us out, and do not please God, and oppose all men” (2.15). This phrase does not fit with general context those epistles of Paul which are considered authentic; Although Paul opposed observing the requirements of the Law, he called on believers to be true Jews, that is, Jews in spirit, as it is expressly stated in the Epistle to the Romans: “But he is a Jew who is one inwardly, and that is the circumcision that is in the heart.” , in spirit, and not in letter..." (2.28 - 29). The curses against the Jews from the First Epistle to the Thessalonians, apparently, were not known to Marcion, who processed the letters of Paul and took a sharply anti-Jewish position. In the future, this is sharply a negative attitude towards Jews in general became characteristic of most works of early Christian literature. Thus, Jerome, commenting on biblical prophecies, associated many of them with the defeat of the Bar Kochba rebellion (in one of the comments Jerusalem was called a “bloody city” and a “city of unrighteousness”). The Gospel of Peter differs from these statements in condemning only the top of the Jews, Herod Antipas, the priests, scribes, and elders. They are united together with the Roman soldiers in one group of those responsible for the crucifixion. In this regard, the question arises: in what environment and when could the Gospel of Peter be created? The author of the story that has come down to us was not a Jew: this is indicated by the words that “the law commands them” (i.e., the Jews), as well as his desire to prove the supernaturalism of Jesus not by references to prophecies, but by stories about miracles shown before witnesses . At the same time, as we have tried to show with all the previous analysis of the text, it traces an ancient tradition, in many ways common with the tradition that underlies the canonical gospels, as well as the Judeo-Christian writings. Therefore, it seems most likely that the passage that has come down to us was part of a revised Judeo-Christian gospel, perhaps also called the Gospel of Peter - it is natural that the name of the apostle called to preach among the Jews should have sanctified the Judeo-Christian version of the sermon, death and the resurrection of Jesus. This first version of the gospel, in all likelihood, was meant by Theodoret. The Gospel of Peter was quite well known to Christian writers of the 2nd century. Justin knew it: describing the mockery of Jesus, he says that Jesus was put in the seat of judgement. (bemu), and phraseologically this passage echoes the corresponding passage from the Gospel of Peter (Apologia. I. 35). Justin does not refer to the gospel, but speaks of the “memoirs of the apostles,” this name most suits the Gospel of Peter, since). it is written in the first person. One might think that the fierce critic of Christianity Celsus knew the tradition going back to the Gospel of Peter. According to Origen, who polemicized with him, Celsus said that, according to Christians, “the Jews, by executing Jesus and feeding him bile (our italics - Comp.), incurred the wrath of God." Such an interpretation is absent in the canonical gospels , only Matthew says that Jesus was given vinegar mixed with gall to drink (27.34), in the other three gospels Jesus is given vinegar (John 19.29; Luke 23.16; Mark 15.30. Wed: Matthew 27.48, where it also talks about only about vinegar). In Peter, gall is placed in first place: it was by giving Jesus gall with vinegar that “they” completed their sins (the word “bile” in Greek also means poison). which also ended up in the work of their opponent. All these indirect data allow us to think that the original version of the gospel was created around the same time as the canonical gospels (possibly Luke used this text), after the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 among the Judeo-Christians. Asia Minor, where this gospel was used until the turn of the 2nd - 3rd centuries, or in neighboring Syria. The peculiarities of this gospel, which so acutely posed the problem of guilt and retribution, made it possible to rework it after 134 (the end of the Bar Kokhba revolt), when for the Christians of the empire the question of breaking with Judaism became a question not only of doctrine, but also of self-preservation. The sacralization and spiritualization of the image of Jesus, characteristic of the apocrypha, the absence of suffering on the cross, the resurrection in a fantastic form could have attracted the attention of the Docetes to it, who interpreted it in the spirit of their teaching (and perhaps not only interpreted it, but also revised it during correspondence). Serapion’s reaction also suggests a possible reworking. It is characteristic that Serapion, condemning this gospel, wrote about the addition of some commandments. Subsequently, the Gospel of Peter was found to be a forgery. Eusebius names him among the forgers (NE. III. 25). The Gospel of Peter is of interest to historians of Christianity because it was created at a time when, according to A. Harnack, the gospel material was still in an unformed form, the canon did not exist and this material was freely altered." The very controversy surrounding the direction of this gospel , which were conducted by scientists of modern times, say that this is not a theological treatise, but a work that reflected Christian teaching in its contradictory development and formation, on the one hand, preserving the most revered ancient tradition about Jesus, and on the other, meeting the needs of believers of the time when it was created - the need for a miracle, for fair retribution for those responsible for the death of Jesus, the need to convince unbelieving pagans with the manifestation of the divine nature of their savior with the help of stories no less fantastic than those contained in numerous works of literature of the 1st - 2nd centuries. , dedicated to miraculous signs, soothsayers, sorcerers, mysterious transformations, etc. This gospel is also interesting in that it reflects such details of the early tradition that the New Testament contains only cursory indications (such as, for example, Herod’s participation in the trial of Jesus). The Gospel of Peter seems to be between the Judeo-Christian and New Testament traditions, on the one hand, and the Gnostic teachings (which will be discussed later) on the other. Perhaps this is why it was not recognized by the church: the image of Christ who did not experience suffering was associated with the condemned Gnostic teaching, the direct opposition of the Jewish people to the priesthood and elders connected it with the also condemned Judeo-Christian writings, and the fantastic details diverged from those described in the recognized holy books . But, as the find in Akhmim shows, this gospel (at least excerpts from it) continued to be copied and revered among certain groups of Eastern Christians." Gospel of Peter (1) 1. 1.... Of the Jews, no one washed their hands, neither Herod nor any of the judges. Him(2). And when no one wanted to wash themselves, Pilate stood up. 2. Then King Herod orders the Lord to be taken, saying to them: “What I commanded you to do to Him, do it” (3). 2. 3. Joseph, a friend of Pilate and the Lord, was there (4) and, seeing that the eyes intended to crucify Him, he went to Pilate and asked for the body of the Lord for burial. 4. And Pilate sent to Herod to ask for the body. 5. Herod said: “Brother Pilate (5), even if no one had asked, we would have buried Him, since the Sabbath is coming (6) for it is written in the Law: the sun must not set on the dead (7).” - and gave Him to the crowd before the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread. 3.6. And they, having taken Him, persecuted and fled, pushing Him, and said: “We are persecuting the Son of God, having received power over Him.” 7. And they clothed Him in purple and set Him in the judgment seat, saying: “Judge righteously, O king of Israel” (8). 8. And one of them brought a crown of thorns and laid it on the head of the Lord. 9. And some standing (nearby) spat in His eyes, others beat Him on the cheeks, others poked Him with a reed stick, and some scourged Him, saying: “This is the honor with which we honor the Son of God.” 4.10. And they brought two villains and crucified the Lord between them in the middle: He was silent. It was as if he didn't feel any pain. 11. And when they lifted up the cross, they wrote (on it): “This is the king of Israel.” 12. And having laid His garments before Him, they divided them and cast lots among themselves(9). 13. But one of the villains reproached them, saying: “We suffer so much because of the evil that we have committed, but He, who appeared as the Savior of people, what evil has He done to you?” 14. And, being indignant at him, they ordered that his legs should not be broken, so that he would die in agony. 5.15. It was already midday, and darkness enveloped all of Judea. And they began to worry and fear that the sun had set while He was still alive. For it was prescribed for them (10) that the sun should not set on the dead. 16. Then one of them said: “Give Him gall and vinegar to drink,” and, mixing it, they gave Him to drink. 17. And they fulfilled everything and completed the sins on their heads. 18 But many walked around with lamps, and thinking that night had come, they went to rest. 19. And the Lord cried out: “My strength, my strength, you have forsaken me!” And having said this, he ascended (11). 20 And at that same hour the curtain of the temple in Jerusalem was torn in two. 6. 21. And then they pulled the nails out of the hands of the Lord (12) and laid Him on the ground. And the whole earth shook, and great fear began. 22. Then the sun shone, and it became clear that it was still nine o’clock (13). 23. The Jews rejoiced and gave His body to Joseph so that he could bury the body, for he saw how much good he had done. 24. He took the Lord, washed him and wrapped him in swaddling clothes (14) and carried him to his own tomb (15), called the garden of Joseph (16). 7.25. Then the Jews, and the elders, and the priests, realizing what evil they had caused themselves, began to beat their chests and say: “Alas, our sins! Judgment and the end of Jerusalem are coming.” 26. I and my companions were sad, and, crushed in spirit, we hid, for we were wanted as villains and those who wanted to burn the temple (17). 27. Because of all this we fasted and sat mourning and crying night and day until Saturday. 8.28. The assembled scribes, and Pharisees, and elders heard that the whole people were grumbling and beating their chests, saying: “If such great signs appeared at His death, then you see how righteous He is.” 29. They were afraid and went to Pilate, asking him and saying: 30. “Give us soldiers so that we can guard His grave for three days, so that His disciples do not come and steal Him and the people do not think that He has risen from the dead and would not harm us." 31. Pilate gave them Petronius the centurion to guard the tomb. And the elders and scribes went with them to the tomb. 32. And, having rolled a large stone, together with the centurion and the soldiers they rolled it to the entrance to the tomb. 33. And having sealed it with seven seals, they pitched the tent and began to guard it. 9.34. Early in the morning, when the Sabbath dawn began, a crowd came from Jerusalem and its surroundings to see the sealed tomb. 35. And on the same night, when the day of the Lord dawned (18), - the soldiers were guarding each guard, two at a time - a loud voice was heard in the sky. 36. And they saw the heavens open and two men descending from there, emitting a radiance, and approaching the tomb. 37. The stone that was rolled against the door, falling off by itself, moved away, and the tomb opened, and both young men entered. 10.38. And when the soldiers saw this, they woke up the centurion and the elders, for they too were there, guarding (the tomb). 39. And as they related what they had seen, they again saw three men coming out of the tomb, two supporting one, and a cross following them. 40. And the heads of two reached to the sky, but the one who was led by the hand had a head higher than the sky. 41. And they heard a voice from heaven: “Have You told them who have fallen asleep?” 42. And the answer from the cross was: “Yes” (19). 11.43. And they discussed with each other to go and inform Pilate. 44. And while they were pondering, the heavens opened again, and a certain man came down and entered the tomb. 45. Those who saw this, together with the centurion, hastened to Pilate (20), leaving the tomb, which they were guarding, and announced everything that they saw, in great confusion and excitement, saying: “Truly, this was the Son of God.” 46. ​​Answering, Pilate said: “I am clean from the blood of the Son of God, but you have decided so.” 47. Then everyone asked him to order the centurion and the soldiers not to tell anyone about what they had seen. 48. For it is better, they said, for us to be guilty of the greatest sin before God, but not to fall into the hands of the Jewish people and not be stoned. 49. And then Pilate ordered the centurion and the soldiers not to tell anything. 12.50. Early in the morning of the Lord's Day, Mary Magdalene, a disciple of the Lord, fearing the Jews (21), overcome with anger, did not do at the tomb of the Lord (what women usually do to their loved ones who have died). 51. Taking her friends with her, she went to the tomb where she was laid. 52. And they were afraid that the Jews would see them, and said: “Even if we could not weep and groan on the day when He was crucified, now we will do this at His tomb. 53. Who will roll away the stone for us? closing the entrance to the tomb, so that when we enter, we sit down near Him and do what is required? (22) 54. For the stone was large, and we are afraid that someone might see us, and if we cannot, we will lay it at the entrance. that they brought in His memory, we will weep and beat our breasts all the way to our home.” 13.55. And they went and saw the tomb open, and when they came, they bowed down there, and there they saw a certain young man sitting in the middle of the tomb, handsome and dressed in shining clothes, who said to them: 56. Whom are you looking for? Is it not the One who was crucified? He rose up and left. If you don’t believe, bend down and look at the place where He lay, He is not there. For he rebelled and went away from where he was sent. 57. Then the women, overcome with horror, ran away. 14.58. Now it was the last day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, and many dispersed, returning to their homes, since the Feast was over. 59. We, the twelve (23) disciples of the Lord, wept and grieved, and each, depressed by what had happened, went to his home. 6O. I, Simon Peter, and Andrey, my brother, took nets and went to the sea. And Levi the son of Llthe was with us (24), whom the Lord...(25) Comments

Pyotr Nikolaevich Pluzhnikov.

Gospel of Peter.

The last testament.

Battle for Russia.

“Christ asked: “Who are you?”
- We are from Russia".

The phone rang in St. Peter's office. Peter picked up the phone.

I'm listening to.

This is Andrey. We have problems. We have big problems.

Speak.

Our intelligence officer was caught in the Russian sector of the underworld. Our angel.

What about him?

Why are you calling on an open line?

Everyone knows that. The devils are having a holiday.

All. I'm waiting at my place.

Half an hour later, Apostle Andrew was there.

Tell everything in detail,” St. Peter ordered.

About six months ago, we noticed that something wrong was happening in Russia. Angels began to report that there were people without souls or with old souls.

Like this? - asked Peter.

And like this. No soul or old used soul. And a lot of devils got divorced. They inhabit soulless people.

Andrey fell silent. There was a painful pause.

And also,” continued Apostle Andrew, “after soulless people visit temples and churches, the faces of saints on icons with gold frames turn black. Even the priests took notice of this. If this continues, panic will rise.

“It’s clear,” Peter interrupted him, “but I think that the flow of souls to heaven from Russia has decreased. Only children and young people. Now everything is falling into place. Continue….

Three days ago we threw our angel scout into the underworld. In the guise of the devil, of course. But he was quickly discovered. He only managed to convey that the devils had introduced a new rule for souls with mild and moderate sins. Parole rule. Grant of parole. Once a month, they complete an information block with parole souls and transport them to Earth at the time of launch or landing of a spacecraft, when all atmospheric protection is broken. And on Earth these souls inhabit soulless people. The devils already have legends about souls that have several walks. What do we do? We must report to Christ,” Apostle Andrew fell silent.

He's not here now, I called several times. The answering machine answers. So you will have to solve this problem yourself.

After a short silence, he continued:

This means Satan has learned to kill souls.

And mind you, together with the guardian angels,” Andrey added.

Saint Peter looked at him.

Well, we can’t cope with this ourselves, but as for souls on parole, it’s a different matter. Reincarnation is forbidden by God. For this, Satan will get the full price. We need to meet with the head of the Russian sector of the underworld, Elder Devil Boris.
Okay, mind your own business,” St. Peter ordered, “and I’ll make an appointment with Boris.”
The meeting took place on neutral territory and was not of an official nature.
The elder devil Boris was not young. At first glance, he could be mistaken for an ordinary average devil, of average height, overgrown with week-old stubble. Only the unnaturally large horns and a one and a half meter, two-inch thick tail indicated that this was not an ordinary devil, but an elite one, with a high status. But he was especially distinguished by his eyes, burning like coals; hellish fire was blazing in them.
He reeked of alcohol for a kilometer.

As always, he is unshaven and very drunk,” Peter said instead of greeting.

What do you want? - the devil Boris snapped.

“You are playing with fire,” Peter continued, “souls on parole and reincarnation are prohibited by God himself.

“Playing with fire is my direct occupation,” answered Boris.

After thinking a little, he said:

This means your intelligence officer managed to report before his death.

Why did you kill him? We have an agreement on the exchange of spies.

I don't know in Lately The devils went completely wild. So what do you need? This is all?

What did the angel get caught on?

I didn't go to the toilet like we did. This is all?

No, not everything. The conditional early release of sinful souls and their transfer to soulless people is serious.
If he finds out himself, then most likely he will close this Project. End of the world. And what awaits you devils in this situation? Complete destruction. Do you need it?

“If Satan finds out about the leak of information from my sector, then the end of the world will come for me even earlier,” thought Boris.

This thought quickly cleared his head and knocked out the alcohol. “It’s good that he’s not here now, he’s gone somewhere.”

There’s no need to enlighten me,” Boris said to Saint Peter, “we swam, we know.”

Well, once you know, then it’s a different matter. And I thought that you had forgotten everything long ago with your drunkenness. This is all.

Saint Peter turned around and walked away. And the elder devil Boris looked after him for a long time, nervously moving his hooves.

Returning to his office in hell, the devil Boris sat for an hour in deep thought, absorbing the current situation from all sides. It was not a pleasant picture.

Wherever you throw a wedge. Man!

He swore, took out a cigarette and lit it.
Then he pulled out a desk drawer and pulled out an empty glass and a bottle of vodka. He uncorked it, poured half a glass and sipped it without taking a bite. He exhaled loudly and sharply. He put the glass down and pressed the button to call the secretary on the intercom.

I'm hearing you.

Call me the head of the boiler room, Yegor.

So he himself came half an hour ago.

Let him come in.

There was a knock on the door and it opened. The devil Yegor stood on the threshold. Yegor was appointed head of the boiler station, in which there were boilers and furnaces for sinners, not so long ago and therefore not everything went smoothly for him.
The contingent in the boiler room was complex, devils of pre- and retirement age, as well as green youth who still needed to be taught a lot.
Drunkenness in the workplace flourished among the old devils, and young people had no idea about labor discipline. Absenteeism, tardiness and leaving work early were commonplace among them.
The devil Yegor stood dejected and looked at the floor.

Where's the greeting? – asked Boris.

“Greetings to you, Senior Devil,” Yegor answered not cheerfully.

Well, tell me. What do you have there?

“I’m talking about this question,” the devil Egor spoke, “according to our regulations, the entire shift in which the spy was caught is supposed to be destroyed by the angel.

Have you applied for a stripping service? What shift is this?

Shift “B”, 35 devils, and I haven’t submitted my application yet.
- Why?
- The eldest devil Boris. You know how tight the staffing situation is now. All adult devils in the field, that is, on earth, hunt for souls. And here, just a week ago, fifty devilish engineers were sent on a business trip to Moscow.

“I know that,” Boris interrupted him. “Our devil Anatoly Sidorov needs them to complete a project to create an installation that kills human souls.” Personnel is not your concern.
Since when did you start worrying about devils? You're darkening something, Egorushka.

Boris stood up, left the table, walked up to Yegor and yelled at him:

Tell me what you have in mind?

The devil Yegor shrank.

My nephew works on shift “B”.

Boris returned to the table and sat down on a chair.

You should have said so from the start. Otherwise you're messing with my mind.

He poured vodka into a glass, drank it, and took a drag from his cigarette.
Then he took out another glass and a bottle from the desk drawer.

Come here,” Boris called, “take a chair and sit down.”

The devil Yegor took a chair that stood to the side and walked up to the table. He sat down carefully.
Boris poured vodka into glasses. The devils clinked glasses and drank.

Well? – Boris drawled.

“He’s still young, just a kid,” Yegor spoke. – I didn’t know and never heard of him. And then two days ago he comes and says that his mother sent him. “Go,” he says, “to your cousin Yegor and tell him to get you a job.”

Damn Yegor fell silent.

Well? – Boris drawled again.

Only somehow he is not like everyone else, he is weak. On the very first day, the shift supervisor complained that he had almost extinguished the furnace in which sinful souls were burned. “It’s a pity,” he says, “for them.”

Yegor fell silent.

Maybe he's not your nephew at all? Maybe another spy. Did you take an analysis of the horns?

Have taken. But the result will be in a day. Although now it doesn’t matter who he is.

Boris opened a new bottle, poured it, and they drank some more. And here the Elder Devil got his brains going.

Listen here,” he turned to Yegor. – On the other side they found out what we are doing here besides fulfilling our direct duties. About souls on parole, about soulless people.
If Satan finds out that the information has left us, you and I are both screwed. I talked with Saint Peter and realized that this information would not go beyond him yet. Soon the devil Anatoly will make a device for removing souls from people, and if it starts working, then the information will reach Christ and then Himself.
Can you imagine what will happen? He will cover the entire project. This is what Satan wants. He definitely has some kind of option for this case. What should we do? Satan hates people, Christ, Himself. He hates everyone.
Why should we hate them? What, do we live badly? And what will happen to us?

What are you getting at Boss? – Yegor interrupted him.

And besides, Yegorushka, you and I are in trouble. We are in a trap. Listen to me. Parole is suspended for now. Second: Anatoly’s trait must be eliminated before he launches his installation.
Without it, everything will stall and fall apart.

How will we do this?

We need to send someone to Moscow.

Your nephew. What do you think?

After a short pause he replied:

Well, I do not know. And we have no other choice. But will he cope?

He wants to live, he can handle it. What's wrong with your parole souls?

One block is ready, today a spacecraft with Glonass satellites will be launched from Earth. We planned to send it.

It is in this block that we will send your nephew to Earth. Go, bring him to me and make a list of all the devils on shift “B”, I’ll sign it. Then you hand it over to the cleaning department.

An hour later the devil Yegor returned with his nephew.
It was a young, nondescript little devil.
The elder devil Boris peered at him carefully.

There's something I don't understand. Either I see double or you are some kind of double.

No. I'm not a double Mr. Senior devil. My number is 017.

After young devil 017 received the task, Boris said to him goodbye:

Avoid a direct meeting with the devil Anatoly ahead of time. He is very educated and experienced like Satan himself. There’s something wrong with you, he’ll see through you right away. And also, beware of red-haired and bald people - they will deceive and rob you.

When 017 left the office, the devil Yegor handed over a list of devils from the station. Boris signed it.

When the liquidation report arrives, I will mark your nephew as well. Go, when you send it, come back to me. Let me know how it went.

After launching the spaceship from Earth into the resulting tunnel, the postal and delivery service successfully sent down an information container with parole souls.
Damn Yegor returned to Boris’s office.

Well, let’s hit the road,” said Boris, pushing a glass of vodka to Yegor.

The devils drank.
And suddenly Yegor grabbed his throat, wheezed and fell to the floor.

Sorry brother,” Boris sighed, “nothing personal.”

A small helicopter flew low over the forest. In addition to the crew, there was a group of five people on board. Avid mushroom pickers went out into nature. Never mind that it was a work day. They didn't care.
First Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Government Alexei Norkovich looked out the window.

There’s a good clearing over there, let’s go there,” he shouted to the pilot.

The pilot turned sharply to the left and the helicopter began to fall on its side.
The engine sneezed twice and died.

We're falling! – the pilot yelled and pressed the emergency beacon button.

The helicopter flew in a curved arc for another fifty meters and fell like a stone into the forest.

After the arrival of the information container with parole souls on the ground and its automatic unpacking, the young devil number 017 barely escaped with his hooves from the freed souls. After a short chase, they fell behind 017 and scattered in different directions in search of soulless people.
Having caught his breath, devil 017 went straight to Moscow to the Sklifosovsky Medical Center in building number 3 in ward number 6. There was only one patient in the ward. Lying on the bed was a mushroom picker, the loser Alexey Norkovich. He was in a coma. The devil sat at his feet. A little further away, two angels were waiting; they were supposed to take the soul of the dying man for judgment and put a mark in the devil’s personal book, confirming that the soul belonged to him. There was not long to wait.
Young devil 017 approached the patient.

What do you want? - asked the devil Alexey.

Give me this soul.

Why on earth? What, you can't grab a healthy one, kid? Weakling.

The patient’s soul, small and weak, sat on the pillow next to his head and cried quietly.

“A game for the soul,” said 017.

The angels watched the devils with interest.
If the devil Alexey refuses to play, then they will definitely find out about this in the court of the Devil’s honor and it will be a great shame.
He thought for a moment.

One to three.

This meant that if the devil 017 lost, he would have to give three of his souls to the devil Alexei within a year.

I agree - answered 017 - the soul is a witness.

Damn Alexey took out a thin deck of cards. These were unusual cards. He fanned them out and turned them face down. Four aces of spades and four tens of spades. 017 checked the shirts to see if they were marked.
Damn Alexey shuffled the deck and held out 017u. He pulled out a card.

Ace, I'm bankin'.

He took the cards from Alexei, shuffled them and handed them back. Alexey moved.
017 shuffled again.

Soul, look. “You are a witness,” he said to the crying soul and handed two cards from the deck to the devil Alexei in turn.

Then 017 easily counted out two cards for himself.

“We’re opening,” he said.

Alexey opened his cards.

Twenty one. Point! - he shouted.

017th opened his.

Two aces!

Damn Alexey cursed and left.

Well, don’t cry, don’t cry,” 017 turned to the soul, “I’ll save you.”
The angels, as if sensing some kind of change, also left.
A few minutes passed and Alexey Norkovich opened his eyes.
The patient was recovering quickly. A week later, his friend Dmitry Poklad, Prime Minister of the Russian Government, visited him. He wished Alexei a speedy recovery.
Two weeks later, Norkovich returned to work. After the next government meeting, Alexey approached Dmitry and asked him:

I heard that you were going to go to the Cathedral of Christ the Savior to Patriarch Kirill for a service. Can I come with you?

Of course you can.

After the patriarch finished the service, Dmitry got ready to go home. Norkovic said goodbye to him:

I'll be late. I want to talk to Kirill.

“I understand,” said Dmitry, “after miraculous salvation gained faith in God.

Yes. One could say so.

Alexey quickly found the priest.

“Vladyka,” he turned to Kirill, “I need to talk to you alone.

Let's go to my office.

Left alone, they began to talk.

I heard about your miraculous healing. The doctors abandoned you, but life takes its toll thanks to our Lord and holy prayer.

Thank you, lord. I came to you for a completely different reason. What I am about to tell you must remain in the strictest confidence, only between us. I am Jesus Christ in the form of this man. I spared his life in order to defeat Satan. Listen and don't interrupt. You will definitely believe me. I will help you with this.

Alexey Norkovich took a short pause and continued.

You probably noticed what's happening last years in the country and around the world. Loss moral principles, decay of society, lawlessness.
All this happens because Satan appeared on earth in human form. And now he is in Russia. Here in Moscow. With the help of the latest technologies, he learned to kill human souls, using quantum radiation from an electronic station in Alaska and the Large Hadron Collider in France and Switzerland, and violated the law of reincarnation of souls.

But how does he do it?

His numerous assistants install receiving antennas and electronic chips with amplifiers into the bodies of newly built Boeing and Airbus aircraft. Everything is made from the best signal conductor, pure gold.
Passengers who wear gold jewelry are Satan's first victims. Quantum radiation burns out the souls of people, dispersing them into nothingness. All over the world there are fewer and fewer people with souls.
We have almost lost North America and Western Europe. It's Russia's turn. Here in Moscow, Satan is creating a device with which he will not only kill souls. Women will begin to give birth to soulless children. By killing souls, Satan creates biorobots. This is the end human history. The end of the Era of Man.

But how can you save your soul? – Patriarch Kirill asked.

Until the Moscow installation starts working, a silver cross blessed with living water is enough. It neutralizes the quantum beam. But when the installation starts working, Satan will loop the entire system through space satellites and nothing will help.
We need to stop him. We need to destroy the installation.

Norkovic fell silent.

You said that Satan is in human form. Who is he?

This is the director of the Nano Technologies Corporation, Anatoly Sidorov,” Alexey answered.

No wonder they call him the Devil. You can’t fool the people,” Kirill sighed. - How to stop him?

Your task, lord, is to find plastic explosives and make a fuse for it. The fuse should be like this,” Alexei took out a folded piece of paper from the inner pocket of his jacket and handed it to the patriarch. Kirill took the piece of paper, unfolded it and looked at the sketch of the fuse.

So simple - he was surprised - water?

Yes, water is the source of life. Nothing should be metal. The bomb will be made in the Vatican. I'll come again in two weeks.

The meeting ended there.

Two days later, Patriarch Kirill was already in Italy in the Vatican with Pope Francis.
Having paid tribute to protocol and etiquette, they retired to one of the secret rooms of the palace. The conversation turned out to be long and very productive. After listening to Cyril’s request, Francis thought about it.

“I agree with you,” he told him, “and I will help.” We, for our part, will also take the necessary measures. How long will you stay with us?

I wanted to visit Orthodox churches.

That's good, I think we'll make it in time. When everything is ready, we will send the Shroud of Turin to Russia, and we will put a bomb in it.

Having said goodbye to Patriarch Kirill, Francis summoned his assistant for special assignments, Vincenzo.

Can we produce this in the shortest possible time? – he handed him a piece of paper.

He looked.

Yes Dad. Our specialists will make the fuse, and I will get the plastic myself. We have someone to put pressure on.

Well, that's good, God bless you.

A call came to the cell phone of the leader of the Sicilian mafia, Giuseppe.

I'm listening to. Who is this?

My name won't tell you anything. We must meet.

Discuss your latest heroin deal.

Who are you?

I repeat, my name will not tell you anything.

Okay, come to my office. Do you know where?

An hour later a man arrived to see Giuseppe. It was Vincenzo from the Vatican.
With a diplomat in his hands, he entered the office.

Who are you? – asked Giuseppe.

“Let’s talk in private,” Vincenzo replied.

He placed the briefcase on the edge of the table and raised his hands up. One of the guards searched him.

Clean.

Everyone left the office. Giuseppe and Vincenzo were left alone.

Who are you? – Giuseppe asked again.

I am an employee of the Vatican Vincenzo, but this must remain between us.

And what do you want, holy man?

Five kilograms of plastic. Here,” Vincenzo pointed to the diplomat, “a deposit, half the amount.” The rest will be after I receive the goods.

I don't work with terrorists.

I'm not a terrorist, I'm from the Inquisition. Your last deal with heroin is your last deal. You made a mistake Giuseppe.

Giuseppe's eyes began to roll.

How do you know?

We know everything. The world is not without good people.

When is it necessary?

I'll come in two days.

Vincenzo turned and left the office. When the door closed behind him, Giuseppe grumbled dissatisfied:

Fanatics...

Then he called Antonio, his faithful dog, my right hand in all dirty matters.

We need to get five kilograms of plastic and quickly. Do we have any Americans?

Eat. There is one colonel quartermaster working at the base. We have him on the hook, he lost in the casino.

Take the money and do it yourself. Nobody needs to know.

Two days later Vincenzo came to collect the goods. Having taken the plastic, he gave the money.

I am always happy to help the Holy See. Maybe we can be friends?

“Satan is your friend,” Vincenzo answered and left.

Giuseppe summoned Antonio.

Where are the drugs?

In a safe deposit box.

Take everything and throw it into the sea.

I obey boss.

Before leaving Rome, Patriarch Kirill and Francis had a conversation.

Yes, Satan is taking over. Looks like he went all in.

Tell Francis, they say you don't have one lung.

This is true. And what?

I asked Jesus how he thought about eliminating Satan, and he replied that Francis knows.

The Pontiff sighed.

I think this is the only way out.

In the morning the church is sparsely crowded and quiet. Anna Ivanovna, a forty-year-old woman stood in front of the icon mother of god and prayed.

God help me. My son Olezhek got involved with bad company and takes drugs. I have no more strength. Lord help, protect.

She crossed herself once again at the icon, bowed and, turning, walked towards the exit.
There was a table at the door. There is a poster taped to the wall above him.

“Dear parishioners, who have children under 20 years old.
Take crosses to save your soul. Let them wear it without taking it off.”

They were laid out on the table silver crosses on silk threads.
Anna Ivanovna turned and approached the priest.

Father. Can I take a cross?

Take it. The patriarch's order is to give crosses to children free of charge. Soon we will exchange the gilded domes for silver ones.

A middle-aged man stood nearby.
Anna Ivanovna returned to the table, took the cross, crossed herself and left the church.
The city was waking up. Passers-by scurried here and there. Cars were running through the streets.
Anna Ivanovna was in a hurry to go home. Approaching pedestrian crossing, she stopped. Here she was caught up by a man who had listened to her conversation with the priest in the church.

What a fool you are, auntie. Look.

And he unclenched his fist. On the palm lay several silver crosses.

Why do you need so much?

Selling.

He walked across the road. Anna Ivanovna follows him.
And then the classic pedestrian trap came into play. The car driving in the first row slowed down and stopped. A jeep was flying along the second row. The brakes squealed. The man crossing the road was confused. He jerked forward, then turned back. The jeep hit him. The man flew up, fell on the hood, and then onto the asphalt. Passers-by hurried to the victim.
Anna Ivanovna clutched her heart in fear.
She came home. The son did not sleep. He rummaged through the drawers of the chest of drawers, in the wardrobe.

What are you looking for?
- Give me money. I can’t, it breaks everything.

Son, we need to stop. You will die.

Well, let! - the son shouted, - give me money.

Let's go to the doctor. He will help.

Nobody will help me. Give me money.

You sold the music center.

Mom give me some money, I feel bad. How can you not understand?

Okay son, okay. Here, take a thousand,” she took a banknote from her wallet, “just put a cross on yourself.” They gave it to me at church.

Why do I need it?

The mother handed the cross to her son. He looked and thought: “Silver, I’ll sell it.”

Then he put it around his neck under his T-shirt and left the apartment.
Anna Ivanovna walked into the kitchen, sat down on a stool and cried bitterly.
An hour later, having put herself in order, she went to the dacha where work awaited her.
In the evening she returned tired. She opened the apartment door and entered. It was quiet. She took off her shoes and walked into the kitchen. There was a thousand dollar bill on the table. Anna Ivanovna became worried. The phone rang in my son's room. She walked to the door.

Hello.
- Wandered around the city.
- Gena. I won't come again. I'm done.
- I found a job and will go back to school. That's it, come on. Do not call me more.

Anna Ivanovna went to her room. I took an icon of the Mother of God from the shelf. She sat down on the bed and pressed it to her heart.
Tears flowed down my cheeks. Tears of little joy and great hope.

Henry Missenger came to Saint Petersburg to the next economic forum.
He was an American citizen and an honored guest of the forum. Henry Missenger - The Devil was the head of the American Sector in Hell. This is the only devil of all the leaders whose ward was still alive. And he was the only one of all the devils who knew that Anatoly Sidorov was Satan.
He came to St. Petersburg to meet with him to receive new orders. During a break between business discussions of the Russian economy, under the pretext of going to a restaurant for lunch, he got into Anatoly Sidorov’s car.

Report, ordered Sidorov. “No one can overhear us here.”

We have everything ready, Master. Our and European satellites are in standby mode.

Glonass satellites are also ready to receive and transmit signals at the right time,” Sidorov added. - What else?

“In the Russian sector, they stopped sending souls with parole to earth,” continued Henry Missenger. – They also caught an angel spy there and killed him. Probably St. Peter and Christ learned about souls on parole. IN Russian churches They hand out silver crosses and begin to replace the gilded domes of churches with silver ones. Over the past week, the number of angels in the Moscow area has increased sharply. Clashes between devils and them became more frequent.

Henry fell silent.

You see how good the combination is, you know what is happening in this and our worlds. You are the best.

Yes, we keep an eye on everyone here and there,” Henry boasted.

How did people know that silver helps save the soul? – asked Sidorov. And he himself answered:

This means that Christ appeared on earth in the form of a man. All my work Henry is aimed not only at creating a facility for destroying people’s souls. My main goal is the soul of Christ himself. This means he is on the ground and somewhere nearby. He came to stop me.
All that remains is to find him and grab him. I will put him on gold, send a quantum beam through the satellites into his soul and burn it out with a quantum arc.
Humanity will lose its protector. Son of God. And I will build new world. I will become a god.

Henry listened to his master humbly with his head down. Sidorov fell silent. After a short pause he continued.

Listen to orders. Bring the devil to Boris and order him on my behalf to send all free devils to Moscow.
Order the devilish leaders of friendly countries to send legions of their devils to Russia. The angels will fiercely defend their Christ. There will be a battle. And further. I sent a carload of gold to France. Manufacture and install receiving chips with microcircuits in cell phones, tablets, iPhones, smartphones, electronic games, computers, laptops, bank cards, passports. We will kill souls.

This ended the meeting.

The next government meeting was coming to an end.

So, what questions have we not yet resolved? – Dmitry Poklad looked around at his ministers.

Dmitry Ivanovich,” the Minister of Social Affairs addressed him. development, - Tuva is asking for money to complete the construction of three kindergartens, one hospital and to repair schools.

How many?

70 million.

The Prime Minister looked at the Minister of Finance.

“There is no money,” he replied.

OK. We'll move it to next year. Please note in the protocol. We will return to this issue at the end of the year.

“I also have a request from Tuva,” the Minister of Nature Protection entered the conversation.

What else is there?

They are asking for money to maintain a protected area for Amur tigers.

Why should they?

To purchase new system video surveillance, new SUVs and doubling the staff of game wardens.

How many?

100 million.

The Prime Minister thought about it. Everyone was waiting. After a long pause, he turned to the Minister of Finance.

Highlight. Take it from somewhere. That's it, the meeting is over. Go and work.

The office was empty. The Prime Minister and Alexey Norkovich remained.

What did you want? – asked Dmitry.

Listen to Dim. I have long wanted to talk to you about the Nano Technologies Corporation. Or rather about Anatoly Sidorov.

Well, speak up.

Do you know what he does? So much money and gold goes there. Like falling into an abyss. What is he doing?

Quantum computer,” the prime minister answered. – If everything works out, if we get quantum technologies, then it will be a huge breakthrough. We will be ahead of everyone.

Not any quantum technologies. As far as I remember, he was never checked.

Well, what do you think he’s doing?

He is making an installation that will be able to kill human souls on a huge scale.

Dmitry looked at Alexei carefully.

Are you joking or serious?

Seriously.

Yes... - Dmitry drawled, - after the accident you changed a lot. There's something wrong with your head. Don’t even think about telling anyone else about this. Take a vacation, rest for at least a week.

“I’ll think about it,” Alexey answered. -Where are you going now?

Home. And you?

I'll go to Lokomotiv, today we have a game with veterans. Bye then.

Narkovich got up and walked towards the exit.
In his free time from work, Alexey Norkovich loved to play football. That evening he arrived at the Lokomotiv stadium, where a football team of politicians and artists was supposed to play with veterans of domestic football.
During the game, Alexei felt unwell and was taken by ambulance to the nearest hospital.
But in fact, all this was planned in advance.
After Patriarch Kirill arrived from the Vatican, Alexey Norkovich met with him, and they discussed and planned all their further actions.
Plastic material and a fuse were removed from the container with the Shroud of Turin, which had double walls, and then specialist doctors were prepared.
Norkovich was taken to the hospital and placed in a separate room.
At night, an emergency operation was performed to remove the left lung. In place of the lung, a plastic bomb of the required shape with a quantum fuse was placed and attached to the collarbone and ribs. Then they closed the shoulder blade and stitched it up. The seam turned out to be big. The established medical history included photographs of a patient who was no longer in this world, diagnosed with lung cancer.
A team of three doctors did their job professionally. After the operation, the patient was placed in the intensive care unit.
After two difficult days, Alexey Norkovich felt a little better. A week later he was transferred to a separate ward.
Dmitry Poklad visited his friend. His mood was not good, and after visiting Alexei it became even worse. Alexey again started talking about Anatoly Sidorov. That he must be stopped before it is too late.

As soon as Henry Missenger returned to America, the first thing he did was leave his ward and go straight to the Russian sector of Hell to see Boris. The devil Henry entered the office, walked past the secretary, opened the door with a kick of his hoof, and entered the office of the Senior Devil.
Damn Boris was sitting at the table and smoking Belomor Canal. Damn Henry took a free chair, placed it and sat down opposite Boris.

Are you still drinking?

Boris was silent.

The owner sent me. “You are ordered to send all free devils to Moscow, to the Devil’s Dome,” Henry continued.

Boris smoked and was silent.

Why are you silent? Why did you destroy the entire shift of devils? And he missed the spy. The owner has finished installing the quantum installation. He wants to lure Christ to earth and destroy him. In the meantime, the Boss is busy, I’m in charge here. I am over two thousand years old.

Why are you twitching? American bitch! - shouted the devil Boris. -What are you commanding here? I have the same status.

He grabbed a massive ashtray from the table and threw it at Henry's head.

Ding... - a piece flew off Henry's horn.

Boris turned the table over. The devils fought hand-to-hand. The secretary and the security guard came running at the noise. They grabbed the devil Henry and dragged him out of the office.

The owner will return, he will show you! - Henry yelled.

When it was all over, the devil Boris picked up a piece of Henry's horn from the floor. Looked at the light. Then he called the secretary.

Basil. Take this sample to the laboratory. Tell him to immediately do an analysis of everything possible. Urgently. And also, announce the mobilization of the old devils. Send them to Moscow. Youth should not be recruited. Let's run.

The secretary hurried to complete the task, and Boris began to restore order. He picked up the table, chairs, and ashtray.
He walked around the office from corner to corner and thought:

Looks like I've gone too far. This creature will snitch on its owner.

He went out into the reception area and opened the secretary's desk drawer. He took out a glass and an unopened bottle of vodka. He returned to his office, sat down at the table and uncorked the bottle. Two hours passed. Secretary Vasily looked into the office.

Then the head of the laboratory, Zaichak, came.

Let him come in.

The head of the laboratory entered the office.

Greetings, Elder Devil.

Well, what did you bring?

I have three messages. Two of mine and one from the Supervision department.

What do they have?

A sinner escaped from deep Hell.
- How did you escape? Who?

Stalin. He carried stones across the pass. There, back under escort. The guard devil periodically beat him with a whip. When they brought lunch to the devil, they found no one. Neither a sinner nor a devil.

What do you have?

First message. The devil's nephew Yegor is not a devil at all. Horn implants.

It doesn't get any easier hour by hour. Who is he? Angel?

No, not an angel. We can't determine.

Second. Analysis of the horn sample showed its age to be more than two thousand years. The early horn rings contain dust typical of soils in the Dead Sea and Temple Mount areas. I guess….

Stop - the devil Boris interrupted him. – Keep your assumptions to yourself. Understood?

I ask again, understand?

OK. You're doing a good job. I praise you.

Glad to try Boss.

Left alone, the devil Boris thought for a long time. Then he pulled the phone towards him, picked up the receiver and dialed the number.

“It’s so good that I found you,” said Boris. “I did an analysis of your horn and something became clear to me.”

What became clear to you?

The angels were knocked off their feet, looking for the devil Pontius Pilate, who handed over the son of God Christ to death two thousand years ago. Everyone was found and destroyed, but the devil Pontius Pilate disappeared into thin air. Isn't that you, our dear Henry?

The devil won't give up.

I'll give it to Henry, I'll give it to him.

What do you want?

The owner has nothing bad to say about me. You will withdraw your candidacy for the election of the chairman of the twenty,” the devil Boris hung up on the phone.

He went out to the reception area.

Vasily, did you hear? The soul of your ward's father has escaped. It has never happened before that the soul was captured by the devil. Now let's have fun. Close the office. We're going to a restaurant.

They went outside. Boris’ chaise, drawn by two sinners, stood outside the office.

“Boss,” Vasily turned to Boris, “why are you all driving a two-wheeler?” Others have threes and fours.

I want to get Misha. You send your request to the office of St. Peter. Once he shows up, let them not delay the trial.

They got into the chaise.

Let me give it a go.

The devil Boris took the reins in one hand and the whip in the other.

Let's go.

The sinners slowly set off along the pavement. Boris whipped one, then the other.

Leonid is more alive, Nikita is moving.

The head of the English sector in hell, the elder devil Churchill, spoke on the phone with his German colleague the devil Adolf.

Adolf. What is your former mentee doing?

He has a day off today. In the morning, a walk through the swamp, where evil herons will chase him and peck at him. And after lunch, skiing down the salt slides. Why are you asking about him?

The big campaign to the East begins. Does he have a desire to remember the past? He could lead our legions of devils. Are you guiding your own?

No. German devils will not participate. We've had enough of last time. And my ward begins to go hysterical when he hears the word Russia. In my opinion, this is an adventurous idea. In addition, they say that Stalin escaped from hell. So good luck to you, and we will look from the outside.

Yes, I myself am not happy about this. But you know, the Master's order.

This ended their conversation. Damn Churchill hung up the phone. He lit a new cigar and called his secretary.

Margaret,” he spoke, “send an order to the commanders of the legions. Immediate performance. We need to help our Russian devils. They began to have serious clashes with angels. Together with the American and French devils, it is necessary to occupy Russia in the coming days.

“It will be done, sir devil,” answered the devil Margaret and began to complete the task.

The damn car started spinning. Events developed rapidly. Legions of English and French devils passed through the countries of Europe to the borders of Russia. Here they stopped to reorganize and prepare for the attack. At the border they were met by Russian squads of angels. The angels were joined by their brethren from other countries. A big war was approaching. It was very difficult for the angels. They also had to fight off their Russian devils.
Devils who came from England and from France, where there are practically no human souls, began to take them away from local devils from Ukraine and Belarus. The situation was heating up. Clashes began between the devils.
And at that moment the devil showed up with a smoking pipe and announced that he was Stalin. A core of devils dissatisfied with the new order immediately formed around him.
Damn Stalin issued an order and sent it by messenger all over the world. The order read:

"Brothers devils! At this hour, when the capital of Russia, Moscow, is captured by Satan, disorder and chaos reign throughout the entire country. There are legions of invaders on our borders. I order! All devils within the former Union should stop attacking angels and direct their anger at the alien devils. Satan's idea to destroy all human souls threatens the devils with unemployment and civil strife. Human souls are our bread. We will not give a single soul to Satan for destruction. Hit and stab the invaders where you are. Let's restore our order. I will destroy anyone who disobeys my order. I’ll rot in the camps.”

And here everything burst into flames. The devil goes to hell. Belarusian and Ukrainian devils launched a guerrilla war against the invaders.
The Turkish devils did not allow the Americans to pass through their territory, saying that they needed to think about it. American devils tried to pass through Iran, but were rebuffed. In the Far East, Japanese and Korean devils attacked the American ones.

The head of the Nano Technologies Corporation, Anatoly Sidorov, aka Satan, was sitting in his office at his desk.
Everything went according to plan. The station in Alaska was working properly, the devils from the Large Hadron Collider were waiting for the signal to launch. All space satellites operated normally.

Where are you Christ? Where? – he thought, “I sense something somewhere nearby.” What are you up to?

Knocking on the door, his assistant entered.

I'm talking about gold, master.

Yes, thanks for reminding me.

Anatoly picked up the phone for direct communication with the president.

Hello Mr. President.

What do you want?

I'm talking about gold. I need one and a half tons for technical development.

Anatoly. Our entire gold mining industry works only for you. When will the results be?

Soon, soon already.

For the last time I give.

Thank you Mr. President. You are my soulless one.

What are you talking about?

Yes, by the way, I had to. Goodbye.

At night he was awakened by a call from America from Henry Missenger.

Well, what do you have?

Our NSA specialists read Dmitry Poklad’s electronic diary. Listen:

“I am very sorry for my comrade. He has some kind of obsession. He tells me that Anatoly Sidorov must be stopped before it’s too late, that he is building a facility for the mass destruction of human souls. There's something wrong with his head. I'm really sorry".

Henry stopped dictating.

After a short silence, Anatoly Sidorov said:

It is he. Christ. Listen Henry. In at least three hours he will be in my hands. From that moment on, keep in constant contact with me. Yes, check out what's going on with us.

Despite the dead of night, Sidorov raised his guards, called a car and went to Dmitry Poklad.

While the Prime Minister was being woken up, he went into his office. He sat down in a chair and began to wait. Ten minutes later, the Prime Minister entered the office, sleepy and not happy.

What are you doing, Anatoly, what happened?

There is a conversation for you.

Is it not possible during the day?

It is forbidden. The conversation is urgent.

Speak.

Dima. You wrote about your friend in your electronic diary. Who is he and where is he now?

How did you know?

Doesn't matter. Who is he and where?

Dmitry thought about it.

Speak up, fellow countryman.

Will you help me become the next president?

What are you talking about? Do you feel bad in the prime minister's chair?

Yes, he constantly presses, presses.

You need to work, and not sit on the Internet all the time. So who is he?

Lyosha Norkovich. He's in the hospital now. After operation. In the fourth city.

That's good.

Sidorov took a cell phone from his jacket pocket and called.

Quickly to city hospital number four, take Alexei Norkovich there and come to our Center.

He put the phone away. He got up from his chair, took out his wallet, pulled out 1 dollar from it and threw it into Dmitry’s lap.

Here you go.

Then he turned and walked towards the exit with the words:

Two thousand years have passed, nothing has changed. Do you hear Judas,” he raised his face up, “you sold him again.”

It was getting light. Anatoly Sidorov's car was driving along the highway. An old man was walking ahead along the side of the road.

“Well, stop,” he ordered the driver.

The car stopped. Sidorov opened the back door.

Where are you going? St. Peter. Sit down, we'll give you a ride.

The old man sat down. The car started moving.

I'm not Peter. I’m going to the neighboring village to visit a relative.

Don't pretend, I recognized you right away. Where is your teacher? Where is Christ?

I don’t understand what you’re talking about.

You understand everything. Your business is bad. Christ is with me. Soon you will lose it. I'm going to kill him.

The old man did not answer.

Stop the car,” he said, “I’ll get out.”

What, have you arrived already?

It stinks in here. You need to wash your hooves.

The car stopped. Two guards dragged my grandfather and threw him to the side of the road.

Half an hour later, Saint Peter was already in his office. He called Apostle Andrew.

I found Satan. This is Anatoly Sidorov. Jesus is his prisoner. Under the dome. Urgently gather all the angels and remove them from the northern borders. Point to Moscow. It is necessary to recapture the sky above the dome and block it from above in order to weaken the effect of the quantum signal from the satellites. Otherwise Christ will perish. Raise everyone up. I'll be there soon too.

Here he was interrupted by a secretary who entered the office:

St. Peter. Here is a parliamentarian from the devils. He says it is very important and urgent.

-...Give your orders and wait by the phone. “I’ll call you back in five minutes,” Peter finished the conversation with Andrey.

“Let him come in,” he told the secretary.

The devil appeared at the door. He walked to the table and took out a smoking pipe and matches from his jacket pocket. I lit my pipe.

We don't smoke.

“You’ll be patient,” the devil answered.

Why did you complain?

Peter, I have full control of all the information and I am no less interested in putting the presumptuous Satan in his place than you. He brought occupiers to Russia and must be stopped. Stop this fratricidal war between devils. And you need to save your Christ before it’s too late. The count goes on for several hours.

How can you help us? - asked Saint Peter.

Satan's Dome is guarded by his guards. These are several thousand selected, well-fed and well-armed devils.
You will put down many thousands of your angels before you clear the sky above the dome and you may not have time

What do you suggest?

In the Russian sector there are camps in which you keep fallen sinful angels. Place them under my command. I will create penal battalions from them. Battalions of black angels. They will sweep away the guard of Satan. Then do whatever you want with them.

Peter thought for a minute and said:

Ok, I agree. Their future fate will depend on how they show themselves in the battle for Moscow.

Saint Peter called Apostle Andrew back.

I am sending one devil to you. He will explain everything to you. We'll issue an order later. Let's meet above Moscow.

The fallen angels lined up in ranks. There was an ominous silence. The devil addressed them:

Black Angels! You are all sinners and criminals, just like me. But you have a chance to wash away your crimes with blood. Everyone, without exception, is enrolled in penal battalions and sent to liberate Moscow from Satan’s guard units.
Cowards and deserters will be destroyed on the spot.

Battalions were quickly formed and sent into the thick of the battle, to the Devil's Dome. There were angels who refused. They were immediately destroyed by devils from the barrage detachments.

Satan Anatoly Sidorov arrived at his work. To the scientific center of Nanotechnology, popularly nicknamed the devil's nest.
He walked into his office and called his first assistant.

Where is Alexey Norkovich?

Under guard in the office of the head of the security service.

Have you checked it? What about him?

According to the hospital card, lung surgery. Cancer. It's too late. They cut it open, looked at it and sewed it back up.

Have you checked for a bomb?

Checked it, it's clean.

Bring him here.

I obey, Master.

A few minutes later Norkovich was brought into the office. He was wearing a long hospital gown white and barefoot.
As soon as Anatoly saw him, all his doubts disappeared. It was Jesus Christ.

Well, here we are. I think for the last time.

Christ was silent.
Satan rose from the table and at that time a video call came from the president.

Anatoly, Dmitry Poklad called me and said that you took Alexei Norkovich from the hospital. For what? He's worried about him.

Good morning Mr. President. I took him to find out what he has against me.

Where is he?

Here in the office.

Let him come to the video camera. I will talk to him.

The guards took Norkovich by the arms and brought him into the video camera coverage area.

Alexei. I'll listen to you. What didn’t you share with Anatoly? What happened to you? - asked the president.

I am Jesus Christ - the king of human souls. And Sidorov is Satan incarnate. I came to stop him because he is building a quantum installation capable of killing people's souls.

What is it like to kill souls? Is it possible? – the president asked.

Maybe. Satan has been doing this for a long time. With the help of quantum radiation from an electronic station in Alaska, more than 80% of souls in North America were destroyed through electronic media, in Western Europe more than 60%. With the commissioning of the Large Hadron Collider and quantum installation in Moscow, the mass destruction of souls around the world will begin.

And how many souls have already been destroyed in Russia,” the president interrupted him.

More than 10%.

What is the threat of losing a soul to a person?

At first, the person feels some relief, even euphoria. The line of worldviews, the line between good and evil, is erased. The sense of responsibility disappears. Man becomes a biomachine. He needs money to gain power and authority, to get money. He finds himself in a vicious circle. Then comes the persistent feeling that he is missing something. Feeling of constant anxiety and loneliness in this world. A person thinks that his soul hurts and he goes to a doctor, to a psychologist. Visits churches and temples. But nothing helps, because he has no soul. He lost her.

Christ fell silent.

Is it possible to return a lost soul? - asked the president.

Bring back yesterday.

The President thought for a moment, and then turned to Sidorov:

Call an ambulance immediately and hand him over to the doctors. He's sick.

“I’ll do it now,” he replied.

You're wrong, Pilate! - Christ shouted.

I'm not Pilate. I'm Putin.

And the president passed out.

Well, you see Jesus, how much time has passed, nothing changes, - said Satan, - and you are trying for them.

Are we all ready? – Satan turned to his assistant.

Everything except the golden crown to regulate the strength of the quantum signal.

Why?

It was brought from the Institute of Radio Electronics last night and left in a box in the lobby, but in the morning it was not there.

Where is she?! - Satan yelled.

We questioned the night shift. They admitted that they had let some homeless boy spend the night. He probably stole it.

Eh, Russia...! - Satan groaned. “You’re lucky, Christ, that they stole your crown.” I wanted to torture. But it’s okay, you’ll die right away.

Boss, call the Minister of Internal Affairs. They will find it quickly,” the assistant advised.

Immediately the phone rang. Sidorov picked up the phone and heard the voice of the Minister of Internal Affairs Koltsov.

“Oh, it’s easy to remember,” said Anatoly.

Why did your people kidnap a man from a hospital at night? – asked Koltsov.

Not kidnapped, but taken away. The President and Prime Minister are aware. I have business with you about Koltsov.

Homeless boys stole a valuable device of national importance from us, containing 1 kilogram of gold. Send your people.

I won't send anyone to you. Write your application as usual.

I will complain to the prime minister.

Complain to whomever you want. And speaking of gold. I gave the command to detain the car with gold at the border. When will you grab it? You keep rushing and rushing out of the country,” Koltsov said.

This is gold under the Skolkovo program, you will answer for it,” Sidorov said irritably and hung up.

Maybe call the president? - the assistant advised.

The President is already aware. Why do you think he's so bold? Now wait for the show mask.

Here Henry Missenger called on his cell phone.

“Master,” he reported, “we have problems.” We have to hurry. The situation has changed dramatically. Damn Stalin formed penal battalions from sinful angels and threw them against your guards units. Black angels fight like hell. The Guard is suffering heavy losses. If this continues, they will be able to capture the entire sky above the Dome and create a multi-layered blockade. The quantum beam will lose power.

Where are the devils from "ER"? - Satan interrupted him.
- The European reserve has been completely destroyed in Belarus. - I got it. Bring the station and the Hadron Collider to full power and send a signal in half an hour. All. The countdown has begun.

Satan stood up from the table. He pointed his finger at Christ.

Take him under the dome.

One of the guards approached the video equipment, disconnected the thick cord, folded it in half, approached Christ, swung it and hit him hard on the back.

Well, off I go. The king of the cattle,” he pushed him. - Let's go!

Satan turned to his assistant:

Close the gate to the Center. Don't let anyone in or out. If necessary, use weapons.

I obey, Master.

Did you come from television?

The film crew arrived, but the presenter did not. I asked a lot.

Okay, I'll lead myself. Gather all personnel under the dome.

And at that time, a battle never seen before and invisible to people flared up over Moscow. Thousands of devils and angels clashed in mortal combat. The forces of good and evil. They stabbed, cut and strangled each other. People's electronic devices were failing. Nobody knew what was happening. Only very young children, who could not yet speak, cried and did not go outside. They saw how white and black angels and terrible devils fell to the ground and died, dissolving in the gray fog. Children hid in horror under tables and in dark corners. We sat there with our eyes closed and our hands over our ears.

Jesus was led along the long corridor of the Nanotechnology Science Center. A guard with a cord periodically hit him on the back. Jesus' post-operative stitches came apart, and his white shirt was slowly soaked in blood.
People poured out of all the offices and laboratories. Many of them filmed everything that happened on cameras of cell phones, smartphones, iPhones and posted the video on the Internet.
He was led into a huge hall with a sliding dome. In the center was a quantum installation. On a golden circle with a diameter of 10 meters and a height of 1 meter lay a large golden cross.
The guards lifted Christ into the circle, escorted him and laid him on the cross. Gold staples clicked on my arms and legs.
Satan entered the hall. He was dressed in a long black shroud. A television crew filmed the event, and the program was broadcast on all channels.
The chief designer explained to Satan:

Master, here are three warning lights. Green, yellow and red. When green is on, the level of the quantum ray is low, yellow is medium, red is maximum, dangerous.
Satan rose to the circle and approached the cross.

Get started! - he ordered.

The servos began to work quietly, and the cross with Christ began to slowly rise. The doors of the dome above the hall began to diverge, revealing gloomy sky over the Devil's nest. Satan raised the microphone to his lips.

Gentlemen! My children. Today you are witnessing the second and final coming of your god Jesus Christ. For in a few minutes he will be executed by me, the Lord of darkness - Satan. Thanks to the latest advances modern science and technology made this possible. The Era of the Kingdom of God and the Human Soul is ending. Begins new era. An era of soulless people without ethical standards and any morality. The era of biorobots. People! I will free you from your souls. They prevent you from living the life you want. Free and happy. There will be no more Jesus Christ, the son of God. Protector of souls. Will not more souls human. We will build a new world.

The green lamp came on. Satan approached the cross and raised his head.

You see, Christ, what kind of cross I have prepared for you - gold. And no nails. Not like people. Soon you will die and never rise again. I won. What do you say in your last hour?

Christ answered him:

You will spend the next thousand years at the bottom of hell, chained.

Bright flashes ran along the golden cross.

“Master,” Satan’s assistant shouted, “go away, it’s dangerous.”

The yellow warning light came on. Satan looked into the eyes of Christ.
And at that moment, a quantum fuse went off in the Savior’s chest. The basis of life - water - gave impetus to the beginning of the destruction of material things.
There was a powerful explosion. The dome above the hall rose for a moment and then collapsed, destroying everything in its path.
It was all over.

At a military base in Sicily there was an American submarine in the roadstead.
Submarine captain John Moody sat at the table in his cabin and looked at a photograph of his wife and two children. There was a knock on the door.

Sign in.

Mister captain, telephone message from NATO headquarters in Europe,” the second mate reported as he entered.

What's there?

Just two words. "The sky is clear".

The captain shuddered.

Combat alert, we urgently go to sea.

But half the crew is on leave.

Fulfill!

When the assistant left, the captain opened the safe, took out a pistol from there, put it in firing position, then hid it under his shirt in his belt. He took the photograph from the table, kissed it, put it down and left the cabin.
Half an hour later the submarine entered the open sea. Captain John Moody and the second officer were at the control panel. John took out a flash drive from his shirt pocket and inserted it into the receiver of the electronic unit. A diagram appeared on the large display. He typed the codes on the keyboard and gave the command:

Six missiles at the target in a checkerboard pattern, launch.

John turned the key and pressed the red button. The countdown has begun.

The assistant looked first at the display and then at the captain.

What are you doing? - he shouted. - This is Switzerland. Large Hadron Collider, and the sixth with a nuclear warhead.

Yes, that's it, Switzerland - a financial prostitute.

The assistant rushed to the control panel. John shot him.
The missiles hit the target at short intervals. The last one left.

For conservation, John said.

Then he put the gun to his head.

“God bless America,” he said and fired.

And at this time, on the other side of the planet, the head of the US Air Force air base took a B-52 bomber into the sky and struck an electronic station in Alaska, destroying it.
This was the Vatican's response, the Holy Inquisition's response.

That's all. It seems like I haven’t forgotten anyone. People! Take care of your souls. Sell ​​gold for scrap metal. Save yourself!

Two drunk and devil-like homeless people were walking along the street of the city at night. They sang a song:

Christ asked: Who are you? - We are goofballs from Russia.

Gospel of Peter

The beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
Gospel of Mark 1:1

Of course, there is no Gospel with this title in the Bible. Today we begin to study the Gospel of Mark. And yet, we will not be mistaken if we give this book such a title. Let it be, so to speak, in parentheses. From the pages of our Gospel, through the lips of Mark, none other than the most famous, as well as the most ardent and impatient disciple of the Lord, addresses us. According to the testimonies of the fathers early church and with the consent of modern researchers, Mark wrote down his Gospel from the words and memories of the Apostle Peter. We will read what the old apostle told his brothers and sisters in Rome, we will feel his impulsive character, his impetuous temperament, his hot breath. We will hear the beating of his restless heart and see his great love for his Lord.

In order not to be unfounded, I will give some testimonies from the ministers of the early church. Here is a quote from the works of Papias, Bishop of Hieropolis (c. 140): “Mark, having become Peter’s interpreter, accurately wrote down everything that he remembered. However, there was no exact consistency in the way Mark related the words or deeds of Christ, for he did not hear the Lord and did not accompany Him. But afterwards, as I have said, he accompanied Peter, who adapted his instructions to the needs of his hearers, without intending to give a consistent account of what the Lord had spoken. Therefore, Darkness did not make any mistake in writing down some events as he recalled them. He was particularly concerned about one thing: not to omit anything from what he heard, and not to add anything fictitious.”(“From the interpretation of the oracles of the Lord”).

Justin Martyr (c. 150) called the Gospel of Mark “the memoirs of Peter.” Irenaeus (c. 185) said that Mark was “the disciple and interpreter of Peter” and noted that his Gospel consists of what the Apostle Peter preached about Christ. Christian historians agree that Peter spent the last years of his life in Rome and was executed there around 68 during the persecution of Nero. At that time, his assistant and secretary was John Mark, Barnabas' nephew. There is a mention of him in the First Epistle of Peter: “The chosen church like [you] in Babylon and Mark my son greet you.”(1 Pet. 5:13). The "Church in Babylon" is undoubtedly the Church in Rome. The first Christians called Rome Babylon. And “Mark, my son” is the companion and assistant of the great apostle. What Timothy was to Paul, Mark became to Peter. Probably the old apostle spoke Greek poorly and did not speak Latin at all, so Mark was his “interpreter,” that is, his translator.

By the way, there are many Aramaic words in the Gospel of Mark. Jesus says to Jairus' daughter: "Talifa-kumi!(Mark 5:41), deaf and tongue-tied: "Ephphatha"(Mark 7:34). A gift to God is "Corvan"(Mark 7:11). In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus says: "Abba, Father" (Mark 14:36), exclaims on the cross: “Eloi, Eloi, lamma sabachthani!”(Mark 15:34). It’s as if we are transported to that place and time, hearing the very words that were spoken then. Peter probably spoke Aramaic, Mark translated, but he left some of the most striking words and phrases as they are.

There is an assumption that of the four Gospels of the New Testament, the Gospel of Mark was written first. Subsequently, Matthew and Luke used these memories of Peter when writing their Gospels. Entire verses and even passages from the Gospel of Mark are found in Matthew and Luke. It must be assumed that the authority of the Apostle Peter played a role here. And if this is indeed the case, then we have before us the very first recorded account of the life and deeds of our Savior.

It is interesting to observe how the character of Peter is reflected in this Gospel. Let us remember some of the striking features of this apostle that make him so human and in many ways similar to us.

Firstly, Peter was what is called a risky person. In modern language there is a borrowed word that suits it well: extreme. This is the name given to people who love risk: they jump with a parachute, go down mountain rivers, in general, they put their lives in danger, they love adrenaline. Last year I was informed that I too am an “adrenaline type.” That’s why I think Peter is so close to me. Here are some of his "extreme" actions: “The boat was already in the middle of the sea, and it was beaten by waves, because the wind was contrary. And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea. And the disciples, seeing Him walking on the sea, were alarmed and said: “This is a ghost”; and they cried out in fear. But Jesus immediately spoke to them and said, “Be of good cheer; It is I, do not be afraid.” Peter answered Him: “Lord! If it is You, command me to come to You on the water.” He said: “Go.” And Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water to come to Jesus” (Matthew 14:24-29). Can we imagine what it was like for Peter to step over the side of the boat, to place his foot on the unsteady surface of the stormy sea? And yet, he got out of the boat and walked on the water! Even thinking about it, I feel a surge of adrenaline. None of the other students decided to do this. And Peter, if he had not decided, he would have reproached himself all his life.

Another example: “Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it, and struck the high priest’s servant, and cut him off. right ear. The name of the servant was Malchus” (John 18:10). Christ settled this matter peacefully, but how could Peter know that this would happen? He was willing to take risks. And then, when all the disciples fled, Peter followed the convoy, entered the courtyard of the high priest, and warmed himself with his enemies by the fire. He entered the open tomb, threw himself into the cold morning waters of Lake Gennesaret, and raised his voice before the thousands of people who came to Jerusalem for the Feast of Pentecost.

And the Gospel of Mark is surprisingly realistic and extreme. Here are two descriptions of demoniacs as an example. “And they came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gadarenes. And when He came out of the boat, He was immediately met by a man who had come out of the tombs, [possessed] by an unclean spirit, he had a dwelling in the tombs, and no one could even bind him with chains, because he was bound with shackles and chains many times, but he broke the chains and he broke his chains, and no one was able to tame him; always, night and day, in the mountains and coffins, he screamed and beat against the stones; seeing Jesus from afar, he ran and worshiped Him, and, crying out in a loud voice, said: “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I conjure You by God, do not torment me!” (Mark 5:1-7). And another case: “One of the people said in response: “Teacher! I brought to You my son, possessed by a dumb spirit: wherever it seizes him, he throws him to the ground, and he emits foam, and grinds his teeth, and becomes numb. I spoke to Your disciples to drive him out, but they could not”... And they brought him to Him. As soon as [the demoniac] saw Him, the spirit shook him; he fell to the ground and lay there, emitting foam. And [Jesus] asked his father, “How long ago did this happen to him?” He said: “Since childhood; and repeatedly [the spirit] threw him into both fire and water to destroy him; but if you can do anything, have pity on us and help us” (Mark 9:17-22).

By the way, the Gospel of Mark talks about demons and the possessed more than others. These descriptions are creepy and frightening, as they say, not for the faint of heart. In addition, there are a lot of harsh and rude words here. For example, in 1:12, God's Spirit in the Greek text does not “lead” but “drives” Jesus into the wilderness. Unclean spirits “fall” before Him (Mark 3:11), and those who had plagues “rush” to touch Him. Jesus Christ in Mark’s description is in a turbulent whirlpool of a variety of events. I dare to say that the Savior is presented here as an extreme sportsman, who is not afraid of anything, boldly steps towards danger, without flinching, and faces the most difficult trials. This is not the Christ who was depicted in pictures in previous years. In the 19th century Romance novels and a generally romantic atmosphere were popular. Then they began to depict Jesus Christ with long brown hair, in a snow-white, ironed tunic, with blush and surrounded by flowers. And after this, Christianity began to be perceived as a kind of community of dreamers who have their head in the clouds and see rosy dreams.

But that's not true. Reading the Gospel of Mark, we understand that Christianity is the faith of strong and strong-willed people. Our Teacher was brave and decisive, firm and courageous. And although we come to Him weak and contrite, with His help we become strong. In my previous life, I had to face the occult world, and I remember that chilling horror that paralyzed my entire being, that indescribable fear of demons, the desire to run anywhere, headlong. Now all this is in the past. Thrillers that feature demons, poltergeists and other world, funny to me. I was in this world, it is much scarier than in the movies. But I am not afraid of demons, because I know that He who is in me is greater than he who is in the world. “The wicked flees when no one is pursuing [him]; but the righteous is bold like a lion” (Prov. 28:1).

What else is remarkable about the Apostle Peter? With your emotionality. He was a passionate man, feelings filled his heart, he could not restrain them, and every now and then they burst out. On the Mount of Transfiguration he said: “ Mentor! It's good for us to be here"(Luke 9:33). At the last supper, at first he did not allow the Savior to wash his feet, and then he offered his hands and even his head. And what is his statement worth: "God! Why can't I follow You now? I will lay down my soul for You"(John 13:37). After his threefold denial, Peter “When he went out, he wept bitterly”(Luke 22:62). And then, to Christ’s threefold question, “Do you love Me?”, he answered with sadness: "God! You know everything; You know that I love You” (John 21:17). According to legend, when Peter was led to be crucified, he told his executioners that he was not worthy to die the same death as his Savior, and then he was crucified upside down. A passionate heart beat in his chest.

And the Gospel of Mark is very emotional, full of a wide variety of feelings. These feelings are visible both in Jesus Christ and in people. Only here does Christ embrace: “And he took the child, placed him in the midst of them, and, embracing him, said to them: “Whoever receives one of these children in My name receives Me”” (Mark 9:36). Or another example: when the disciples did not allow the children to come to Him, “Jesus was indignant and said to them: “Let the children come to Me and do not hinder them, for to such is the Kingdom of God. Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the Kingdom of God like a child will not enter it.” And he embraced them, laid his hands on them and blessed them” (Mark 10:16). When a rich young man approached Him, Mark said: “When Jesus looked at him, he loved him” (Mark 10:21).

There are touching scenes here that will bring tears to your eyes. Let us remember, for example, how the father of an obsessed boy behaves. “Jesus said to him: “If you can believe as long as you can, all things are possible to him who believes.” And immediately the boy’s father exclaimed with tears: “I believe, Lord! Help my unbelief” (Mark 9:23-24). The listeners and disciples of Christ are constantly surprised and horrified: “And everyone was horrified, so they asked each other: “What is this?” What is this new teaching that He commands even the unclean spirits with authority, and they obey Him?’” (Mark 1:27). “Jesus says to His disciples: “How difficult it is for those who have wealth to enter the Kingdom of God!” The disciples were horrified at His words. But Jesus again answers them: “Children! How difficult it is for those who hope for wealth to enter the Kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God.” They were extremely amazed and said to each other: “Who can be saved?” (Mark 10:23-26). “While they were on the way, going up to Jerusalem, Jesus walked ahead of them, and they were terrified and, following Him, were in fear” (Mark 10:32). “And when they entered the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on right side, clothed in white clothes; and were horrified. He tells them: “Do not be alarmed. You are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, crucified; He has risen, He is not here...” And, going out, they ran from the tomb; They were seized with trembling and horror, and they did not say anything to anyone, because they were afraid” (Mark 16:5-8).

Mark has the most vivid description of Christ's condition in the Garden of Gethsemane: “And he took with him Peter, James and John; and began to be horrified and sad. And he said to them: My soul is sorrowful unto death; stay here and watch. And, going away a little, he fell to the ground and prayed that, if possible, this hour would pass from Him; and said: “Abba Father! everything is possible for You; carry this cup past Me; but not what I want, but what You want” (Mark 14:33-36).

Peter was like that, but I think not only he, but all of us need to be on fire in heart and spirit. There are so many stony-faced Christians who show neither sadness nor joy. Dispassionate and cold, like Buddha sitting in his lotus position. This phenomenon can be found especially often in old churches, where everything is settled, order is observed, and traditions have become solidified. From the position of a preacher, I will say that it was very difficult for me to preach in such churches. There is an absent expression on their faces, as if you are turning to a stone wall: no approval, no indignation, no agreement, no objection. But our heart must be alive and warm, our soul open and sincere, our feelings bright and truthful. God wants us to be able to laugh and cry, be delighted and horrified. Praise Him with all your heart, pity each other with all your heart. And the most important thing is that we do not harden our hearts or fall asleep in our souls. They were not covered with a bark of indifference and indifference. Our heart should be able to beat faster, our eyes to moisten, our lips to smile, our hands to open hugs.

What else is remarkable about Peter? With its swiftness. He responded to everything quickly. If the Savior asked anything, Peter answered first. If something needed to be done, the initiative belonged to Peter. When the crowd arrived in the Garden of Gethsemane, Peter was the first to react, drawing his sword and cutting off Malchus' ear. On the day of the resurrection, when Mary Magdalene told the disciples that the body of Christ was not in the tomb, Peter immediately rushed to that place. After the resurrection, seeing the Teacher on the shore, Peter threw himself out of the boat into the sea, unable to wait for it to swim to the shore.

And this swiftness cannot be ignored in the Gospel of Mark. The words “immediately”, “immediately” and “soon” appear regularly here. For example, take the first chapter. There are seven words “immediately”, three “soon”, and one more “immediately”. A narrative is sometimes said to “flow.” The Gospel of Mark does not flow, but rushes swiftly, like a stormy stream. Christ and his disciples do not even have enough time to eat (Mark 3:20).

At the same time, Mark writes almost nothing about the teachings of Christ. It is often said that He “taught,” but little or nothing is said about what He taught. Of course, in the other Gospels the sermons and parables of the Savior are preserved for us. There must be time for them too. However, in the Gospel of Mark we see Jesus Christ in action and understand that Christianity is an action faith. There are “religions of inaction” in the world. For example, Buddhism. This is a religion of contemplation. The highest virtue there is considered a departure from the passions of the world, which is achieved through immersion in oneself, meditation and various exercises. There have been similar attempts in Christianity; I would say that there is something similar in Orthodoxy. However, God does not call us to leave the world for some desert or cell, where we could enjoy solitude and indulge in soul-saving thoughts. No, He calls us to an active life, to active service, to imitation of Christ not only in words and character, but also in practical deeds.

I confess that by nature I am a thinker and a contemplator. I find it much more pleasant to think than to act. And, probably, I would feel best somewhere in a seminary, with books and students. Whenever I happen to be there, I feel blissful. But God put me here in the church, on the front line. And now, looking back on the years I have lived, I understand that it was the most correct and the best. God calls us to an active life. He wants us to act and helps us to do so.

Finally, one more distinctive feature The Gospel of Mark is an emphasis on evangelism. The gospel is good news, good news. Who needs good news? For those who feel bad. Let's imagine the following picture: a patient dies from incurable disease. His body is wasting away, his soul is yearning, his future is dark, his present is painful. And then the doctor comes and says: “I have good news for you. There is a cure." This is good news. So the people around us are terminally ill, disgusting, fatal disease called "sin". Unfortunately, not all of them understand their misfortune; not everyone will believe that there is a way of salvation. But should that hold us back? We need to tell everyone the good news about Jesus Christ. This is the most important and best thing we can do for them. Or here's another picture. Let's imagine a prisoner sentenced to death and waiting for the time when the sentence will be carried out. Life is over, just a few weeks or maybe months left. Usually the condemned are not told when this will happen, just as here on earth we do not know the day of our death. But then the cell door opens, a lawyer comes in and says: “I have good news. Here’s the contract: sign and go free.” And the heart begins to beat hard, the eyes light up with hope. Really? So the people around us are all suicide bombers. All are sentenced and convicted. The deadline is unknown and inevitable. And we have in our hands a contract signed in blood God's Son. Shall we not offer it to people doomed to death? Yes, many will not believe and refuse to make this covenant, but there will be those who will hear, accept and come. We have been entrusted with the Good News, let us not keep it to ourselves.

The Apostle Peter burned with such passion. The word “Gospel” appears 8 times in Mark.

The very first words: “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God” (Mark 1:1). On the same page the Savior comes to Galilee, “preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God and saying that the time is fulfilled and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent and believe in the gospel” (Mark 1:14-15).

Christ in Mark calls us to devote ourselves not only to Him, but also to the work of the Gospel: “Whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the Gospel will save it” (Mark 8:35). “Truly I say to you, there is no one who has left house, or brothers, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or land, for My sake and for the gospel, and will not receive it now in this time, among persecution, a hundred times more houses, and brothers and sisters, and fathers, and mothers, and children, and lands, and in the age to come eternal life” (Mark 10:29-30).

Finally, sending his disciples into the world, He said: “Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; and whoever does not believe will be condemned” (Mark 16:15-16).

By the way, in Luke and John the word “Gospel” does not appear at all, and in Matthew (4 times) there are only repetitions of what was in Mark. We need to be dedicated to the work of the gospel. This is even reflected in the names of our churches. We are evangelical Christians. I think it's better than "Protestants". We are not protesting against anything. But we believe in the Gospel and spread it.

May God bless our study. Let the old apostle Peter, who inspired the writing of this Gospel, become a living example for us, so that we too may be as strong, passionate, active and zealous for the gospel.

Of the Jews, no one washed his hands, neither Herod nor any of His judges * [ * In the previous phrase, it was, in all likelihood, that Pilate washed his hands (cf.: “Pilate, seeing that nothing helps, but the confusion increases, he took water and washed his hands before the people, and said: “I am innocent of the blood of this Righteous One,” Matthew 27.24) Unlike the New Testament gospels, the judgment does not take place before the people, but in the praetorium - the house of the Romans. provincial governor, in this case Pilate, or in the palace of Herod].

And when no one wanted to wash themselves, Pilate stood up.

Then King Herod orders the Lord to be taken, saying to them: “What I commanded you to do to Him, do it.” . e. Jerusalem) on Your Holy Son Jesus, anointed by You, Herod and Pontius Pilate with the pagans and the people of Israel...” (4.27 Compare: Luke 23. 6-11).

Joseph was there, a friend of Pilate and the Lord * [ * Joseph from Arimatea, who asked to give him the body of Jesus, is mentioned in the New Testament gospels (Matt. 27.57, Mark 15.43; Luke 23.50; John 19.38). There he is named as a member of the Sanhedrin (the judicial body of the Jews), who did not, however, participate in the trial of Jesus; but nothing is said about his friendship with Pilate in the New Testament gospels (Mark says that Joseph “dared” to come to Pilate). Apparently, using a tradition common to the canonical gospels, the author of the Gospel of Peter, following his negative attitude towards the Jewish elite, omitted the mention that Joseph was a member of the Sanhedrin], and, seeing that they intended to crucify Him, went to Pilate and asked for the body of the Lord for burial.

And Pilate sent to Herod to ask for the body.

Herod said: “Brother Pilate * [ * The address “brother Pilate” should indicate the friendly relations of Herod and Pilate; The Gospel of Luke says that Pilate and Herod “became friends” during the trial of Jesus, although they had previously been at enmity (23.12). Both cases reflect the tradition that united Herod and Pilate as the main characters in the trial of Jesus. "Brother" was the usual address of Hellenistic kings to each other; however, it is unlikely that the ruler of Galilee could have addressed the Roman procurator in this way: the author, apparently, was far from the official language used in the government system. In introducing direct speech to enliven his narrative, he used the Hellenistic tradition known in the eastern provinces. Such an address used in the gospel may indicate that the author of the passage used oral histories of Christian preachers ], even if no one asked, we would have buried Him, since the Sabbath is coming * [ * In fact, based on logic of the narrative, it should have been about the onset of Friday. In general, it seems that this chapter should have been located elsewhere in the gospel (before the phrase: “and he delivered Him to the crowd before the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread,” which is more likely related to the end of the previous chapter). Perhaps this piece was inserted here by a medieval scribe, especially since, as indicated, the scribe did not know the full text of the gospel; if he had fragments at his disposal, he could arrange them according to his own understanding], for it is written in the Law: the sun should not set on killed * [ * This refers to the injunction of the Old Testament book “Deuteronomy”: “If anyone is found guilty of a crime worthy of death, and he is killed, and you hang him on a tree, then his body should not spend the night on the tree, but bury him in that same day" (21.22-23): this is the only, very approximate reference to the Old Testament in the extant passage]" - and gave It to the crowd before the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread.

And they, having taken Him, persecuted and fled, pushing Him, and said: “We are persecuting the Son of God, having received power over Him.”

And they clothed Him in purple and seated Him in the judgment seat, saying: “Judge righteously, O king of Israel.” 15.18), it is the soldiers who commit bullying, not the crowd].

And one of them, bringing a crown of thorns, laid it on the head of the Lord.

And some standing (nearby) spat in His eyes, others beat Him on the cheeks, others poked Him with a reed stick, and some scourged Him, saying: “This is the honor with which we honor the Son of God.”

And they brought two villains and crucified the Lord between them in the middle: He was silent, as if he did not experience any pain.

And when they lifted up the cross, they wrote (on it); "This is the king of Israel."

And having laid His garments before Him, they divided them and cast lots among themselves * [ * This passage also has analogies in the New Testament gospels; From the context of Peter's story it is unclear who divided the clothes and who ordered that the legs should not be broken. However, only Roman soldiers and guards could do this (a resident of any province could not help but know that executions were carried out only under the control of Roman provincial authorities). But for the author in this case this is not important; he uses both in relation to the Jews who mocked Jesus and in relation to the soldiers the same pronoun “they” - that is, all those who opposed Jesus, who were guilty of his death ].

But one of the villains reproached them, saying: “We suffer so much because of the evil that we have committed, but He, who appeared as the Savior of people, what evil has He done to you?”

And, being indignant at him, they ordered that his legs should not be broken so that he would die in agony.

It was already midday, and darkness enveloped all of Judea.

And they began to worry and fear that the sun had set while He was still alive.

For it was prescribed for them * [ * Here “they” means the Jews: this phrase shows that the author himself hardly came from the Jews, in any case he separates himself from them; the repeated mention of the injunction suggests that the audience for whom the gospel was intended also needed clarification regarding the norms of the Jewish Law] so that the sun would not set on the dead.

Then one of them said: “Give Him bile and vinegar to drink,” and, mixing it, they gave Him to drink.

And they fulfilled everything and completed their sins over their heads.

Many walked with lamps and, believing that night had come, went to rest.

And the Lord cried out: “My strength, my strength, you have abandoned me!” And having said this, he ascended * [ * The use of this word may mean that Jesus immediately ascended into heaven, but may be taken as a solemn synonym for “died” (cf. Russian “departed”)].

And at that same hour the curtain of the temple in Jerusalem was torn in two.

And then they pulled the nails out of the hands of the Lord * [ * This is one of the few mentions of nailing as a method of crucifixion. Of the New Testament gospels, nails are mentioned only in the Gospel of John (Thomas speaks there of wounds from nails. - 20.25). In the Acts of the Apostles it is said that Jesus was “killed by hanging on a tree” (10.39; another possible translation is “on a stake”) . Thus, in the early Christian tradition there was disagreement about the manner in which Jesus was executed and laid on the ground.

And the whole earth shook, and great fear began.

Then the sun shone, and it became clear that it was still nine o’clock * [* “... it’s still nine o’clock...” - the third hour after noon].

The Jews rejoiced and gave His body to Joseph so that he could bury the body, for he saw how much good He had done.

He took the Lord, washed him and wrapped him in a shroud * [ * The original uses a word meaning a thin cloth like muslin; in the Russian translation the word “shroud” is used (Mark 15.46) ] and took it to his own tomb * [ * In ancient times, it was common to prepare a burial place, a tomb, a crypt during one’s lifetime. As a rule, such tombs were family ones; in some cases, at the request of the owner of the grave, friends could also be buried in them. In the Gospel of Peter, different Greek words are used to designate the tomb (“taphos”, “mnemeion”), as in the New Testament gospels (for example: Matthew 27.62; Mark 15.4, etc.). Closest to the meaning of these words is the Russian word “tomb”, and not “coffin”, as given in the Synodal translation of the New Testament gospels], called Joseph’s garden * [ * “Joseph’s Garden” is the name not of the tomb, but of the place where it was located, transferred then to the tomb itself (cf.: “... in the garden there is a new tomb.” - John 19.21). Later in Christianity the image of the garden was sacralized. This is especially evident in the Gnostic Gospel of Philip; here Joseph of Arimatea, whose image did not carry any sacred meaning, was replaced by Joseph, the father of Jesus. This gospel says that Joseph the carpenter planted a garden because he needed trees for his craft. It was he who created the cross from the trees that he planted, and his seed was suspended from what he planted... (91) ].

Then the Jews, and the elders, and the priests, realizing what evil they had caused themselves, began to beat their chests and say: “Alas, our sins! Judgment and the end of Jerusalem are coming.”

I and my comrades were sad, and, crushed in spirit, we hid, for we were wanted as villains and those who wanted to burn the temple * [ * According to the canonical gospels, the accusations brought against Jesus included an accusation of intending to destroy the Temple of Jerusalem (Matthew 27.40; Mark 15.29), probably the same accusation was mentioned in the Gospel of Peter, only in it it is specified and also transferred to the disciples (the only possible real way to destroy the temple is to set it on fire)].

Because of all this, we fasted and sat, grieving and crying night and day until Saturday.

The assembled scribes, Pharisees, and elders heard that the whole people were grumbling and beating their chests, saying: “If such great signs appeared at His death, then you see how righteous He is.”

They were frightened and went to Pilate, asking him and saying: “Give us soldiers so that we can guard His grave for three days, so that His disciples do not come and steal Him and the people do not decide that He rose from the dead and do not we are harmed."

Pilate gave them Petronius the centurion to guard the tomb.

And the elders and scribes went with them to the tomb.

And, rolling a large stone, together with the centurion and the soldiers, they rolled it to the entrance to the tomb.

And having sealed it with seven seals, they pitched the tent and began to guard it.

Early in the morning, when the Sabbath dawn began, a crowd came from Jerusalem and its surroundings to see the sealed tomb.

And on the same night, when the day of the Lord dawned * [ * “The Day of the Lord” is Sunday ], - the soldiers were guarding each guard by two - a loud voice was heard in the sky.

And they saw how the heavens opened and two men came down from there, emitting a radiance and approaching the tomb.

The stone that was rolled against the door, falling off by itself, moved away, and the tomb opened, and both young men entered.

And when the soldiers saw this, they woke up the centurion and the elders, for they too were there, guarding (the tomb).

And when they told what they had seen, they again saw three people coming out of the tomb, two supporting one, and a cross following them.

And the heads of two reached the sky, but the one who was led by the hand had a head higher than the sky.

And the answer from the cross was: “Yes.” * [ * This question and answer assumes that between the crucifixion and resurrection Jesus was in the afterlife. The Apocrypha, thus, reflects the legend that began to take shape about the descent of Christ into hell, which will then be told in the later Gospel of Nicodemus, created no earlier than the 3rd century. and extant in Latin translation. The last part of the Gospel of Nicodemus paints an absolutely fantastic picture of Jesus' journey to hell, where he seizes Satan and orders him to be chained. In the Gospel of Peter there is only a hint that Christ preached not only to the living, but also to the dead (probably, according to the author, in order to save them too).

And they discussed with each other to go and inform Pilate.

And while they were thinking, the heavens opened again, and a certain man came down and entered the tomb.

Those who saw this, together with the centurion, hurried to Pilate * [ * A similar story is contained in the Gospel of Matthew, only in it the Jewish elders turn to Pilate once - so that he would give a guard to the tomb; the second time, having learned about the resurrection, they ask not Pilate, but the soldiers, not to talk about miracles, but to spread the rumor that the disciples stole the body (Matthew 28.12-14) ], leaving the tomb, which they guarded, and announce everything that they saw, in great confusion and excitement, saying: “Truly, the Son was God.”

Answering, Pilate said: “I am clean from the blood of the Son of God, but you have decided so.”

Then everyone asked him to order the centurion and the soldiers not to tell anyone about what they had seen.

For it is better, they said, for us to be guilty of the greatest sin before God, but not to fall into the hands of the Jewish people and not be stoned.

And then Pilate ordered the centurion and the soldiers not to tell anything.