The Apocalypse of Paul is a Christian writing from the late fourth century AD. The story expands on the brief description in 2 Corinthians 12:2–4, where Paul mentions a man who was taken up into the “third heaven.” The unknown author assumes that Paul was describing his own experience and imagines what he might have seen and heard during that vision.
The author describes in detail the punishments in hell suffered by a presbyter, a bishop, and a deacon (chapters 34–36). He also praises the faith and devotion of monks and nuns (chapters 7–9) and of those who live as virgins or remain chaste (chapter 22). From this, it seems likely that the author was a monk who disliked the false and hypocritical religion he saw among both ordinary people and church leaders.
The Apocalypse of Paul was first written in Greek. It survives in a relatively complete form in Latin. The fact that it was translated into Ethiopic, Coptic, Syriac, and Latin shows that it was popular.
The book is loosely structured in seven sections.
It starts with a brief introduction explaining why the book was unknown from the first to the fourth century AD (chapters 1–2). The story takes place during the rule of Emperor Theodosius I "the Great" and Cynegius, showing the document was probably written in AD 388. According to the story, an unknown respected person received a revelation from an angel at that time. That man lived in Tarsus, in a house he claims was once occupied by the apostle Paul. The angel instructed him to dig up the foundations and to publish what he would find. The angel punished him for not obeying. Then he finally dug up the foundations and discovered a marble box. He immediately delivered it to the emperor. The emperor opened the box and found the original version of the Apocalypse of Paul (which he copied), along with a pair of shoes Paul used on his missionary journeys. The book continues by detailing the content of the mysterious document.
In chapters 3–6, Paul receives a message from God. It says all creation is under God's control, except for humans.
Chapters 7–10 describe how guardian angels of every man and woman report to God every morning and evening about their deeds. Some people are very good, while others are exceedingly wicked.
In chapters 11–18, Paul is taken up to the third heaven in the Holy Spirit. He asks to see the souls of the righteous and sinners as they leave the world. The angel who is with Paul shows him a righteous man leaving the world, an ungodly man, and the soul of someone who thought he was righteous but was not.
Chapters 19–30 describe Paul lifted up to the third heaven (see 2 Corinthians 12:2–4). There he saw a golden gate between golden pillars. Golden tablets on top of the pillars contained the names of the righteous.
In "Paradise," Enoch and Elijah welcomed him and showed him things he could not share with others (chapter 21; compare with 2 Corinthians 12:4). From there, he went to the second heaven and then to the firmament surrounded by Ocean (chapter 21). At that place, he saw the waters of Lake Acherusia that were white like milk. There was the city of Christ. He was brought to the city in a golden boat while 3,000 angels sang a hymn. At the river of honey, he met Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and other prophets (chapter 25).
At the river of milk, he saw the infants killed by Herod (chapter 26). At the river of wine, he met Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Lot, and Job (chapter 27). At the river of oil, he met those fully dedicated to God (chapter 28). In the center of the city, by a great altar, King David sang the hallelujah to God.
Paul's tour of hell is described in chapters 31–44. It is a place of sorrow and distress, in which flows a river of boiling fire. In the river, some of those condemned to hell have water going up to their knees. For others, the river goes up to their stomach or lips, depending on their sins (chapter 31). Chapters 34–36 describe the tortures of a priest, a bishop, and a deacon. This section seems to enjoy detailing the most horrible tortures a person could imagine. Finally, in chapter 44, Christ decides that, for Paul's sake, there would be no torture on Sundays from that time on.
Paul's travel guide is an angel who takes him to Paradise (chapters 45–51). There the righteous from all times are eager to meet him. He meets the Virgin Mary (chapter 46), Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, along with his 12 sons (chapter 47).
He also meets Moses, who weeps for the Jews who have not become Christians (chapter 48). He meets Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel, each describing their martyrdom. In addition, he meets Lot and Job (chapter 49), Noah (chapter 50), Elijah, Elisha, Zechariah and his son, John the Baptist, and Adam (chapter 51).
The document may end here. In other versions, it ends with Paul's miraculous journey to the Mount of Olives, where he and the other disciples receive a divine mission.
The document contains many contradictions and inconsistencies. Many translated versions do not agree with each other in all the details. This document is mostly useful in providing insights into the way some late fourth-century AD Christians thought.
See also Apocrypha; Paul, the Apostle.