The Apocalypse of Peter is a second-century pseudepigraphal text describing vivid scenes of final judgment, echoing biblical prophecies of God’s justice and the end of the age. Though once respected by some early Christians, the Apocalypse of Peter was never accepted as Scripture and serves mainly as a reminder of false teaching and the reality of coming judgment.
The Apocalypse of Peter is a second-century pseudepigraphal text that offers a dramatic portrayal of divine judgment and the fate of the unrighteous. Written under the name of the apostle Peter, it vividly describes scenes of fire, cosmic destruction, and eternal punishment for false teachers and sinners—imagery that parallels but exaggerates biblical passages such as Isaiah 13:10, Joel 2:30-31, and Matthew 24. Although it reflects authentic scriptural themes of God’s justice, repentance, and readiness for Christ’s return, its elaborate and imaginative depictions go beyond the inspired writings of Scripture. While some early Christians valued the text and even included it in limited church readings, it was ultimately rejected from the biblical canon due to doubts about its authorship and doctrinal reliability. Today, the Apocalypse of Peter stands as a historical witness to early Christian thought about judgment and the end times. It reminds us of the seriousness of sin, the certainty of God’s justice, and the hope found only in those faithful to Christ.
The Apocalypse of Peter (also known as the Revelation of Peter) is a pseudepigraphal writing alleged as authored by the apostle Peter that was written in the second century. It exists in three Greek manuscripts (two are incomplete) and in one Ethiopian manuscript, which differs greatly from the Greek text.
The origin of the Apocalypse of Peter can be safely assigned to the second century due to the Muratorian Canon. The Muratorian Canon is the oldest known list of New Testament books from as early as AD 170. It notes the Apocalypse of Peter as a book received yet about which there was disagreement as to its use for common reading. Since it likely quotes 4 Esdras (written about AD 100), the Apocalypse of Peter is often believed to have been written about this time. Its author was not the apostle Peter (who died in the 60s AD) and remains unknown.
The book was quoted frequently in early ancient writings as well as by the church fathers. Due to this, some felt it was an authoritative writing, yet by the end of the second century its popularity had waned. However, in the fifth-century a church historian named Sozomen wrote that to his knowledge the Apocalypse of Peter was still read each year in some churches in Palestine on Good Friday. Of major concern is that the existing manuscripts vary greatly, indicating that the original text of this document cannot be determined with a high degree of confidence.
While many notable features are found in this writing, the Apocalypse of Peter was not authored by the apostle Peter nor is it part of the biblical canon. It has, however, played a strong role in church history as a reminder of false teaching and as a reminder of God's coming judgment at the end of time.