Publisher's Synopsis
The apocryphal Apocalypse of Paul (Visio Pauli) plunges us right into the heart of early-Christian conceptions of heaven and hell. Its vivid eyewitness account of otherworldly punishment and reward was translated into many different languages and inspired numerous later authors, among whom Dante. This book offers a re-edition and English translation of the ancient Coptic version. An exhaustive commentary makes the text accessible and situates it in the time and place where it was written, fourth-century Egypt. As this new study shows, the Coptic version is by far the best available witness of the original Apocalypse of Paul.
