Acts of Paul

Acts of Paul is an early Christian work in Koine Greek, attributed to Paul but not written by him. It belongs to the New Testament apocrypha, and is one of the earliest and most notable texts in the apocryphal Acts tradition. The data dates it to around 200. Rather than drawing on the canonical Acts of the Apostles, it reflects oral traditions about Paul’s missionary activity, and what survives is known mainly through Greek manuscripts. The work is usually understood as a collection of linked pieces rather than a single continuous narrative.

This book fits readers interested in early Christianity, non-canonical texts, and the way Paul’s image developed outside the New Testament. It is especially useful if you want to see how an early Christian community could shape stories, letters, and religious writing around one central figure without following a straightforward plot. Its closest context is apocryphal literature and apostolic acts, with a focus on tradition, authority, and texts that extend beyond the canonical writings.