The Book of the Resurrection of Christ (Paris Fragments) 1

Fragments of another copy of the Book of the Resurrection of Christ by Bartholomew, from leaves in the Bibliothèque Nationale, Paris (first published by Pierre Lacau), in E.A. Wallis Budge's translation (1913), printed as an appendix to the British Museum text. They cover the cursing of Judas, Death finding Amente empty, the holy women at the garden (the gardener is here called Philoges), Christ's greeting to Mary, the Father's blessing of Peter and the other Apostles, the forgiveness of Adam and Eve, and the risen Christ breathing the Holy Spirit on the disciples, often in wording that differs from the British Museum copy. Chapters are Budge's fragment labels in order (A i, A ii, A iii, B i, B ii = 1-5); each paragraph is a verse. Budge's footnotes, which give the Greek words used in the Coptic, are not reproduced. Not part of any church's canon.

1[Be]liar, he trampled Melkhir under foot, and he bound him with a chain of iron and steel. Now whilst Death was talking with the shroud of Jesus in the tomb, Jesus set free the whole race of mankind, He healed the sons of Adam whom the Enemy had smitten, He brought back into the fold again the sheep which had strayed, He brought back again Adam to his former state, and He forgave him his sins. In peace. Amen.

2Then Jesus turned Himself towards the man who had betrayed Him; it was Judas Iscariot, and He said unto him, 'In what way didst thou profit, O Judas, by betraying Me into the hands of the chief priests, seeing that I only endured every kind of suffering in order that I might save (or, redeem) My image? As for thee, woe be unto thee, woe twofold, and rebukings innumerable, and cursings most terrible. Now moreover, the lot of Judas is with his father the Devil. His name hath been blotted out from the Book of Life, and his portion hath been removed from the number of the living. His tablet hath been broken in pieces, his memorial tablet hath been smashed. Satan hath entered into judgement with him, and he hath come forth therefrom condemned utterly. His office hath been taken away from him, his crown hath been snatched away. Those who were strangers unto him have made a mock of his sufferings. He hath put on cursing as a garment. He hath been polluted like water. His glorious raiment hath been snatched away from him. The light of his lamp hath been put out. His house hath been forsaken, and it hath become a desert. His days have become few, his term of life hath drawn towards its close. The rest which refresheth is far from him, [and] affliction hath drawn nigh unto him. The darkness hath taken possession of him, [and] the worm hath gotten him as an inheritance. Lice cover him as a garment. The angels who are gathered together about the Lord have driven him forth …'