{"slug":"tlg1271.tlg003","id":"greek:tlg1271.tlg003","title":"Epistula Petri ad Jacobum [Sp.]","author":"Clemens Romanus (Clement of Rome)","genre":"other","date":"","tradition":"greek","coverage":"none","publication":{"status":"machine-draft","reviewed_by":null,"model":"deepseek/deepseek-v4-flash:floor","provider":"Relace","generated":"2026-11-14T23:13:43Z","cost_usd":0.003187},"source":{"registry_id":"greek:tlg1271.tlg003","work_id":"tlg1271.tlg003","edition":"first1k","language":"","license":"CC BY-SA 4.0","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg1271.tlg003.1st1K-grc1:1"},"stats":{"passages":5,"english_words":1247,"coptic_letters":0,"commentary_units":30,"commentary_kinds":8,"derived_notes":0,"ambiguities":10,"work_notes":5,"external_links":1,"timeline":4},"summary":{"work":"tlg1271.tlg003","abstract":"The Epistula Petri ad Jacobum is a pseudepigraphal letter attributed to Clement of Rome, addressed to James of Jerusalem. It survives only within the Pseudo-Clementine corpus, a collection of late antique romance literature. The letter purports to transmit secret teachings from Peter, emphasizing esoteric transmission and interpretive authority. Its date is uncertain, generally placed in the 3rd–4th century CE. The work reflects later hierarchical and theological concerns, including a developed episcopal structure and a rule of faith. It was never canonical and had limited circulation outside the Pseudo-Clementine tradition.","historical_context":"The Epistula Petri ad Jacobum belongs to the Pseudo-Clementine corpus, a body of literature that likely originated in Greek-speaking Christian communities of the eastern Mediterranean, possibly Syria or Palestine, between the 3rd and 4th centuries CE. The letter purports to be from Clement of Rome (late 1st century) to James of Jerusalem, but its legendary content and theological themes align it with later pseudepigraphal traditions. It survives in a single manuscript tradition embedded within the Pseudo-Clementine Homilies and Recognitions, with no independent early witnesses. The work reflects a community concerned with apostolic authority, secret tradition, and orthodox interpretation, possibly in a context of intra-Christian debate. Its transmission is tied to the Pseudo-Clementine romance, which circulated in Greek and later translations. The letter was never widely cited in patristic sources and remained outside the canonical New Testament.","significance":"The Epistula Petri ad Jacobum is significant as a witness to the development of pseudepigraphal apostolic literature and the construction of apostolic authority in late antique Christianity. It illustrates the use of esoteric transmission motifs to authorize theological positions, and its themes of interpretive rule and hierarchical order anticipate later orthodox formulations. The work also provides insight into the literary and theological world of the Pseudo-Clementine corpus.","timeline":[{"date":"3rd–4th c. CE","event":"Probable composition of the Epistula Petri ad Jacobum within the Pseudo-Clementine corpus."},{"date":"4th c. CE","event":"Earliest manuscript evidence for the Pseudo-Clementine corpus, including the letter."},{"date":"Late antiquity","event":"Limited circulation of the letter within Pseudo-Clementine tradition; no independent transmission."},{"date":"Modern era","event":"Critical editions and study of the Pseudo-Clementine literature, including the letter."}],"relations":[{"work":"Pseudo-Clementine Homilies","relation":"The letter is transmitted as a preface to the Homilies, sharing themes of secret tradition and apostolic authority.","key":"","label":null,"url":null},{"work":"Pseudo-Clementine Recognitions","relation":"Related work within the same corpus, with overlapping legendary content and theological concerns.","key":"","label":null,"url":null},{"work":"Clementine literature","relation":"Part of the broader body of pseudepigraphal works attributed to Clement of Rome.","key":"","label":null,"url":null},{"work":"Epistula Clementis ad Jacobum","relation":"Another pseudepigraphal letter in the same corpus, similarly addressing James.","key":"","label":null,"url":null},{"work":"Rule of faith (Irenaeus, Tertullian)","relation":"The letter's appeal to a 'rule' (κανών) parallels the later concept of the rule of faith in early Christian orthodoxy.","key":"","label":null,"url":null}],"external_links":[{"key":"ed:tlg1271.tlg003","label":"TLG entry for Pseudo-Clementine works","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg1271.tlg003.1st1K-grc1:1","reason":"Manuscript and textual information for the corpus."}],"cautions":["Date is uncertain; generally assigned to the 3rd–4th century CE based on literary and theological affinities, but no firm evidence exists.","Authorship is pseudepigraphal; the letter is not by Clement of Rome.","The Greek text survives only within the Pseudo-Clementine manuscript tradition; no independent early witness is known.","The edition's source (first1k) may lack full critical apparatus; consult TLG for manuscript sigla and variants."],"model":"deepseek/deepseek-v4-flash:floor","provider":"Relace","cost_usd":0.00047,"generated":"2026-11-14T23:13:43Z"},"checks":{"work":"tlg1271.tlg003","status":"pass","blocking":[],"warnings":[],"stats":{"passages":5,"translated":5,"commentary_passages":5,"commentary_units":30,"english_words":1247,"source_letters":5060,"commentary_kinds":8},"model":"deepseek/deepseek-v4-flash:floor"},"work_notes":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The work is a pseudepigraphal letter purportedly from Clement of Rome to James of Jerusalem, but its late antique provenance and legendary content place it outside Clement's authentic corpus.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg1271.tlg003","label":"source edition: Epistula Petri ad Jacobum [Sp.]","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg1271.tlg003.1st1K-grc1:1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"dating","kind":"chronology","basis":"background","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"Dating is uncertain; the letter is generally assigned to the 3rd–4th century CE based on its theological and literary affinities with later Pseudo-Clementine literature.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg1271.tlg003","label":"source edition: Epistula Petri ad Jacobum [Sp.]","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg1271.tlg003.1st1K-grc1:1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"transmission","kind":"transmission","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The Greek text survives in a single manuscript tradition, embedded within the Pseudo-Clementine corpus; no independent early witness is known.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg1271.tlg003","label":"source edition: Epistula Petri ad Jacobum [Sp.]","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg1271.tlg003.1st1K-grc1:1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"background","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The letter was never accepted into the canonical New Testament or widely cited in patristic sources; its influence is confined to the Pseudo-Clementine romance tradition.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg1271.tlg003","label":"source edition: Epistula Petri ad Jacobum [Sp.]","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg1271.tlg003.1st1K-grc1:1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"caution","text":"The edition's source (first1k) may not include full critical apparatus; readers should consult the TLG entry for manuscript sigla and variant readings.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg1271.tlg003","label":"source edition: Epistula Petri ad Jacobum [Sp.]","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg1271.tlg003.1st1K-grc1:1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"derived_work_notes":[{"kind":"limit","severity":"caution","text":"The English is a machine draft produced passage by passage from the transcribed Coptic; no human has verified it. The commentary is model-written and cites only keys the pipeline could resolve."},{"kind":"register","severity":"info","text":"Register: other in ancient Greek; the English keeps the liturgical formulae and the vocatives rather than normalising them."},{"kind":"structure","severity":"info","text":"Passages: 5 narrative."},{"kind":"source","severity":"info","text":"Source edition: first1k — CC BY-SA 4.0"}],"derived_structure":{"narrative":5},"term_index":[],"citations":{"ed:tlg1271.tlg003":{"label":"source edition: Epistula Petri ad Jacobum [Sp.]","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg1271.tlg003.1st1K-grc1:1"}},"segments":[{"i":1,"ref":"p1","source":"Πέτρος Ἰακώβῳ, τῷ κυριῳ καὶ ἐπισκόπῳ τῆς ἁγίας ἐκκλησίας, ὑπὸ τοῦ τῶν ὅλων πατρὸς, διὰ Ιησοῦ Χριστοῦ, ἐν εἰρήνῃ πάντοτε. \n Ειδως σε, ἀδελφέ μου, εἰς τὸ κοινῇ πᾶσιν ἡμῖν συμφέρον σπεύδοντα προθύμως ἀξιῶ καὶ δέομαι, τῶν ἐμῶν κηρυγμάτων ἃς ἔπεμψά σοι βίβλους μηδενὶ τῶν ἀπὸ τῶν ἐθνῶν μεταδοῦναι μήτε ὁμοφύλῳ πρὸ πείρας, ἀλλ᾽ ἐάν τις δοκιμασθεὶς ἄξιος εὑρεθῇ, τότε αὐτῷ κατὰ τὴν ἀγωγὴν παραδοῦναι, καθ᾽ ἣν καὶ τοῖς ἑβδομήκοντα ὁ Μωϋσῆς παρέδωκε τοῖς τὴν καθέδραν αὐτοῦ παρειληφόσιν. διὰ τοῦτο καὶ ὁ καρπὸς τῆς ἀσφαλείας μέχρι τοῦ δεῦρο φαίνεται. τὸν γὰρ αὐτὸν οἱ πανταχῆ ὁμόεθνοι τῆς μοναρχίας καὶ πολιτείας φυλάσσεσι κανόνα, κατὰ μηδένα τρόπον ἄλλως φρονεῖν ὑπὸ τῶν πολλὰ νευεσῶν γραφῶν ἐξοδευθῆναι δυνηθέντες. κατὰ γὰρ τὸν παραδοθέντα αὐτοῖς κανόνα τὰ τῶν γραφῶν ἀσύμφωνα πειρῶνται μεταῤῥυθμίζειν, εἰ δή τις τυχὸν μὴ εἰδὼς τὰς παραδόσεις ναρκᾷ πρὸς τὰς τῶν προφητῶν πολυσήμες φωνάς· οὗ ἕνεκεν οὐδενὶ διδάσκειν ἐπιτρέπεσιν , ἐὰν μὴ πρότερον μάθοι, πῶς δεῖ ταῖς γραφαῖς χρῆσθαι· διὰ τοῦτο παρ᾽ αὐτοῖς εἷς Θεὸς, εἷς νόμος, μία ἐλπίς.","english":"Peter to James, the lord and bishop of the holy church, by the father of all, through Jesus Christ, always in peace. Knowing that you, my brother, eagerly hasten toward what is beneficial to all of us in common, I ask and entreat you not to share the books of my preachings which I sent to you with anyone from the nations or with a fellow tribesman before testing, but if someone, after being tested, is found worthy, then to hand them over to him according to the tradition, just as Moses handed down to the seventy who succeeded to his seat. For this reason the fruit of security is evident up to the present day. For the same ones everywhere, of the same nation, preserve the rule of monarchy and polity, in no way able to be led astray by the many conflicting scriptures to think otherwise. For according to the rule handed down to them, they attempt to harmonize the discordant parts of the scriptures, if someone, not knowing the traditions, is numbed by the ambiguous utterances of the prophets. For this reason they do not permit anyone to teach unless he first learns how to use the scriptures. Therefore among them there is one God, one law, one hope.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"τῷ κυριῳ καὶ ἐπισκόπῳ","severity":"info","text":"The title 'lord and bishop' for James is unusual; it may reflect a later hierarchical view of the Jerusalem church.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg1271.tlg003","label":"source edition: Epistula Petri ad Jacobum [Sp.]","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg1271.tlg003.1st1K-grc1:1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"τοῖς ἑβδομήκοντα","severity":"info","text":"The reference to Moses handing down to the seventy evokes the Jewish tradition of the seventy elders and the Septuagint legend, used here to authorize secret transmission.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg1271.tlg003","label":"source edition: Epistula Petri ad Jacobum [Sp.]","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg1271.tlg003.1st1K-grc1:1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"τὸν κανόνα","severity":"info","text":"The appeal to a 'rule' (κανών) for interpreting scripture parallels the later concept of the 'rule of faith' in Irenaeus and Tertullian.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg1271.tlg003","label":"source edition: Epistula Petri ad Jacobum [Sp.]","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg1271.tlg003.1st1K-grc1:1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"μηδενὶ τῶν ἀπὸ τῶν ἐθνῶν μεταδοῦναι","severity":"info","text":"The prohibition against sharing books with gentiles reflects the esoteric tradition in early Christian pseudepigrapha, echoed in the Pseudo-Clementine literature.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg1271.tlg003","label":"source edition: Epistula Petri ad Jacobum [Sp.]","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg1271.tlg003.1st1K-grc1:1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"τῶν πολλὰ νευεσῶν γραφῶν","severity":"caution","text":"The phrase 'many conflicting scriptures' (πολλὰ νευεσῶν γραφῶν) is textually uncertain; the reading 'νευεσῶν' may be corrupt, possibly for 'νευέσων' or 'νευεσῶν' meaning 'disputed'.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg1271.tlg003","label":"source edition: Epistula Petri ad Jacobum [Sp.]","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg1271.tlg003.1st1K-grc1:1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"εἷς Θεὸς, εἷς νόμος, μία ἐλπίς","severity":"info","text":"The triadic formula 'one God, one law, one hope' serves as a rhetorical climax, emphasizing unity and orthodoxy.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg1271.tlg003","label":"source edition: Epistula Petri ad Jacobum [Sp.]","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg1271.tlg003.1st1K-grc1:1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of 'James' (Ἰακώβῳ) is ambiguous: possibly James the Just, brother of Jesus, or a later figure.","The phrase 'τῶν πολλὰ νευεσῶν γραφῶν' is textually uncertain; the reading adopted is 'many conflicting scriptures'."],"confidence":"medium","notes":[]},{"i":2,"ref":"p2","source":"Ἵνα τὸ ὅμοιον καὶ παρ᾽ ἡμῖν γένηται τοῖς ἑβδομήκοντα, ἡμων ἀδελφοῖς τὰς βίβλους μου τῶν κηρυγμάτων δὸς μετὰ τοῦ ὁμοίου τῆς ἀγωγῆς μυστηρίου, ἵνα καὶ τοὺς βουλομένους τὸ τῆς διδασκαλίας ἀναδέξασθαι μέρος ἐφοδιάζωσιν· ἐπεὶ ἐὰν μὴ οὕτως γένηται, εἰς πολλὰς γνώμας ὁ τῆς ἀληθείας ἡμῶν διαιρεθήσεται λόγος. τοῦτο δὲ οὐχ ὡς προφήτης ὥν ἐπίσταμαι· ἀλλ᾽ ἤδη αὐτοῦ τοῦ κακοῦ τὴν ἀρχὴν ὁρῶν. τινὲς γὰρ τῶν ἀπὸ ἐθνῶν τὸ δἰ ἐμοῦ νόμιμον ἀπεδοκίμασαν κήρυγμα, τοῦ ἐχθροῦ ἀνθρώπου ἄνομόν τινα καὶ φλυαρώδη προσηκάμενοι διδασκαλίαν. καὶ ταῦτα ἔτι μου περιόντος ἐπεχειρησάν τινες, ποικίλαις τισὶν ἑρμηνείαις τοὺς ἐμοὺς λόγους μετασχηματίζειν, εἰς τὴν τοῦ νόμου κατάλυσιν· ὡς καὶ ἐμοῦ αὐτοῦ οὕτω μὲν φρονοῦντος, μὴ ἐκ παῤῥησίας δὲ κηρύσσοντος· ὅπερ ἀπείῃ. τὸ γὰρ τοιοῦτο ἀντιπράσσειν ἐστὶ τῷ τοῦ Θεοῦ νόμῳ τῷ διὰ Μωϋσέως ῥηθέντι καὶ ὑπὸ τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν μαρτυρηθέντι περὶ τῆς ἀϊδίου αὐτοῦ διαμονῆς. ἐπεὶ οὕτως εἶπεν· ὁ οὐρανὸς καὶ ἡ γῆ παρελεύσονται ἰῶτα ἕν ἢ μία κεραία οὐ μὴ παρέλθῃ ἀπὸ τοῦ νόμου. Τοῦτο δὲ εἴρηκεν, ἵνα τὰ πάντα γίνηται. οἱ δὲ οὐκ οἶδα πῶς τὸν ἐμὸν νοῦν ἐπαγγελλόμενοι, οὕς ἤκουσαν ἐξ ἐμοῦ λόγους ἐμοῦ τοῦ εἰπόντος αὐτοὺς φρονιμώτερον ἐπχειροῦσιν ἑρμηνεύειν, λέγοντες τοῖς ὑπ᾽ αὐτῶν κατηχουμένοις, τοῦτο εἶναι τὸ ἐμὸν φρόνημα, ὅ ἐγὼ οὐδὲ ἐνεθυμήθην. εἰ δὲ ἐμοῦ ἔτι περιόντος τοιαῦτα τολμῶσιν καταψεύδεσθαι, πόσῳ γε μᾶλλον μετ᾽ ἐμὲ ποιεῖν οἱ μετ᾽ ἐμὲ τολμήσουσιν;","english":"I desire that the same thing happen among us as with the seventy, my brothers: give my books of the Preachings with the same discipline of mystery, so that they may equip those who wish to undertake the part of the teaching. For if this is not done, our word of truth will be divided into many opinions. I know this not as a prophet, but because I already see the beginning of this evil. For some from among the Gentiles have rejected the lawful proclamation through me, and have accepted a certain lawless and foolish teaching of the enemy man. And while I am still alive, some have attempted, by various interpretations, to transform my words into the dissolution of the law, as if I myself thought this way but did not proclaim it openly—which may it never be. For such a thing is to act against the law of God spoken through Moses and witnessed by our Lord concerning its eternal permanence. For he spoke thus: \"Heaven and earth will pass away, but not one iota or one serif will pass away from the law.\" And he said this so that everything might be fulfilled. But those who claim to know my mind—how I do not know—attempt to interpret the words they heard from me more cleverly than I who spoke them, telling those they catechize that this is my opinion, which I never even conceived. If while I am still alive they dare to slander me thus, how much more will those after me dare to do so after I am gone?","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"background","lemma":"τοῖς ἑβδομήκοντα","severity":"info","text":"The 'seventy' likely refers to the seventy translators of the Septuagint or the seventy disciples of Jesus, a model for controlled transmission of teaching.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg1271.tlg003","label":"source edition: Epistula Petri ad Jacobum [Sp.]","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg1271.tlg003.1st1K-grc1:1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ὁ οὐρανὸς καὶ ἡ γῆ παρελεύσονται ἰῶτα ἕν ἢ μία κεραία οὐ μὴ παρέλθῃ ἀπὸ τοῦ νόμου","severity":"info","text":"This saying, attributed to Jesus, is not found in canonical gospels; it emphasizes the inviolability of the Mosaic law, a key theme in Pseudo-Clementine literature.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg1271.tlg003","label":"source edition: Epistula Petri ad Jacobum [Sp.]","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg1271.tlg003.1st1K-grc1:1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"κηρυγμάτων","severity":"info","text":"Here 'Preachings' (κηρυγμάτων) refers to Peter's own writings, distinct from the canonical kerygma, and central to the Pseudo-Clementine corpus.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg1271.tlg003","label":"source edition: Epistula Petri ad Jacobum [Sp.]","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg1271.tlg003.1st1K-grc1:1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"background","lemma":"τοῦ ἐχθροῦ ἀνθρώπου","severity":"info","text":"The 'enemy man' is a cipher for Simon Magus, the arch-heretic in Pseudo-Clementine narratives, representing false teaching opposed to Peter's lawful proclamation.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg1271.tlg003","label":"source edition: Epistula Petri ad Jacobum [Sp.]","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg1271.tlg003.1st1K-grc1:1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"εἰς πολλὰς γνώμας ὁ τῆς ἀληθείας ἡμῶν διαιρεθήσεται λόγος","severity":"info","text":"This sentence functions as a thesis: unauthorized interpretation leads to fragmentation of truth, justifying the demand for controlled transmission.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg1271.tlg003","label":"source edition: Epistula Petri ad Jacobum [Sp.]","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg1271.tlg003.1st1K-grc1:1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ἰῶτα ἕν ἢ μία κεραία","severity":"caution","text":"The phrase 'one iota or one serif' is a proverbial expression for minute detail; its attribution to Jesus here is non-canonical and may reflect Jewish exegetical tradition.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg1271.tlg003","label":"source edition: Epistula Petri ad Jacobum [Sp.]","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg1271.tlg003.1st1K-grc1:1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of 'the seventy' is ambiguous: it could refer to the Septuagint translators or the seventy disciples; the context favors the latter as a model for apostolic succession.","The phrase 'with the same discipline of mystery' (μετὰ τοῦ ὁμοίου τῆς ἀγωγῆς μυστηρίου) is ambiguous in its ritual or pedagogical implications."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":3,"ref":"p3","source":"Ἵνα οὖν μὴ τοιοῦτόν τι γένηται, τούτου ἕνεκα ἠξίωσα καὶ ἐδεήθην, τῶν ἐμῶν κηρυγμάτων ἃς ἔπεμψά σοι βίβλους μηδενὶ μεταδοῦναι, μήτε ὁμοφύλῳ μήτε ἀλλοφύλῳ, πρὸ πείρας, ἀλλ᾽ ἐάν τις δοκιμασθεὶς ἄξιος εὑρεθῇ, τότε αὐτῷ κατὰ τὴν Μωϋσέως ἀγωγὴν παραδοῦναι, καθ᾽ ἥν τοῖς ἑβδομήκοντα παρέδωκε τοῖς τὴν καθέδραν αὐτοῦ παρειληφόσιν· ἵνα οὕτως τὰς πίστεις φυλάξωσιν καὶ πανταχῆ τὸν τῆς ἀληθείας κανόνα παραδῶσιν, ἑρμηνεύοντες τὰ πάντα πρὸς τὴν παράδοσιν ἡμῶν, καὶ μὴ αὐτοὶ ὑπ᾽ ἀμαθείας κατασπώμενοι, ὑπὸ τῶν κατὰ τὴν ψυχὴν στοχασμῶν εἰς πλάνην ἑλκόμενοι, ἄλλους εἰς τὸν ὅμοιον τῆς ἀπωλείας ἐνέγκωσιν βόθυνον. καὶ τὰ μὲν ἐμοὶ δόξαντα καλῶς ἐσήμανά σοι, τὸ δέ σοι δοκοῦν, κύριέ μου, πρεπόντως ἐπιτέλει. ἔῤῥωσο. Πέτρος Ἰακώβῳ, τῷ κυριῳ καὶ ἐπισκόπῳ τῆς ἁγίας ἐκκλησίας, ὑπὸ τοῦ τῶν ὅλων πατρὸς, διὰ Ιησοῦ Χριστοῦ, ἐν εἰρήνῃ πάντοτε. Ειδως σε, ἀδελφέ μου, εἰς τὸ κοινῇ πᾶσιν ἡμῖν συμφέρον σπεύδοντα προθύμως ἀξιῶ καὶ δέομαι, τῶν ἐμῶν κηρυγμάτων ἃς ἔπεμψά σοι βίβλους μηδενὶ τῶν ἀπὸ τῶν ἐθνῶν μεταδοῦναι μήτε ὁμοφύλῳ πρὸ πείρας, ἀλλ᾽ ἐάν τις δοκιμασθεὶς ἄξιος εὑρεθῇ, τότε αὐτῷ κατὰ τὴν ἀγωγὴν παραδοῦναι, καθ᾽ ἣν καὶ τοῖς ἑβδομήκοντα ὁ Μωϋσῆς παρέδωκε τοῖς τὴν καθέδραν αὐτοῦ παρειληφόσιν. διὰ τοῦτο καὶ ὁ καρπὸς τῆς ἀσφαλείας μέχρι τοῦ δεῦρο φαίνεται. τὸν γὰρ αὐτὸν οἱ πανταχῆ ὁμόεθνοι τῆς μοναρχίας καὶ πολιτείας φυλάσσεσι κανόνα, κατὰ μηδένα τρόπον ἄλλως φρονεῖν ὑπὸ τῶν πολλὰ νευεσῶν γραφῶν ἐξοδευθῆναι δυνηθέντες.","english":"So that such a thing may not happen, for this reason I have thought it right and have begged that you not share my books of the Preachings, which I sent to you, with anyone, whether of the same race or of a different race, before testing; but if someone, after being examined, is found worthy, then you should hand them over to him according to the training of Moses, just as he handed them over to the seventy who succeeded to his seat, so that they may thus preserve the faiths and everywhere transmit the rule of truth, interpreting everything according to our tradition, and not themselves, being dragged down by ignorance and drawn into error by the speculations of the soul, lead others into the same pit of destruction. I have indicated to you what seems good to me, and you, my lord, complete what seems fitting to you. Farewell. Peter to James, the lord and bishop of the holy church, by the father of all, through Jesus Christ, in peace always. Knowing you, my brother, as one who eagerly hastens toward what is beneficial to us all, I ask and beg that you not share my books of the Preachings, which I sent to you, with anyone from the nations or of the same race before testing; but if someone, after being examined, is found worthy, then you should hand them over to him according to the training, just as Moses handed them over to the seventy who succeeded to his seat. For this reason the fruit of security is evident to this day. For everywhere those of the same race preserve the same rule of monarchy and polity, having been unable to think otherwise in any way, even when led out by the many contradictory scriptures.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"κηρυγμάτων","severity":"info","text":"The Greek κηρυγμάτων (kērygmatōn) refers to the 'Preachings' or 'proclamations' of Peter, a title for the books being entrusted to James.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg1271.tlg003","label":"source edition: Epistula Petri ad Jacobum [Sp.]","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg1271.tlg003.1st1K-grc1:1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"Μωϋσέως ἀγωγὴν","severity":"info","text":"The reference to Moses' training and the seventy successors alludes to the Jewish tradition of oral transmission from Moses to the elders, used here as a model for esoteric Christian teaching.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg1271.tlg003","label":"source edition: Epistula Petri ad Jacobum [Sp.]","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg1271.tlg003.1st1K-grc1:1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The passage contains a repeated instruction (lines 1–6 and 14–18) with slight variation, suggesting a composite or redacted text; the second instance adds 'from the nations' and omits 'of a different race'.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg1271.tlg003","label":"source edition: Epistula Petri ad Jacobum [Sp.]","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg1271.tlg003.1st1K-grc1:1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"κανόνα","severity":"info","text":"The Greek κανόνα (kanona) here means 'rule' or 'standard' of truth, a key term in early Christian discourse for doctrinal norm.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg1271.tlg003","label":"source edition: Epistula Petri ad Jacobum [Sp.]","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg1271.tlg003.1st1K-grc1:1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This letter, attributed to Clement but pseudepigraphal, was used by Pseudo-Clementine literature to authorize secret tradition and episcopal succession, as seen in the Homilies.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg1271.tlg003","label":"source edition: Epistula Petri ad Jacobum [Sp.]","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg1271.tlg003.1st1K-grc1:1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"caution","text":"The Greek text shows a doublet (lines 1–6 and 14–18) with minor differences; the English draft conflates them, obscuring the repetition and the variant 'from the nations'.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg1271.tlg003","label":"source edition: Epistula Petri ad Jacobum [Sp.]","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg1271.tlg003.1st1K-grc1:1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of 'the seventy' is ambiguous: it may refer to the Septuagint translators or to a group of disciples; the text takes it as successors to Moses' seat.","The phrase 'from the nations' (ἀπὸ τῶν ἐθνῶν) in the second instruction may indicate a restriction against Gentiles, but the first instruction uses 'of a different race' (ἀλλοφύλῳ), leaving the scope unclear."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":4,"ref":"p4","source":"κατὰ γὰρ τὸν παραδοθέντα αὐτοῖς κανόνα τὰ τῶν γραφῶν ἀσύμφωνα πειρῶνται μεταῤῥυθμίζειν, εἰ δή τις τυχὸν μὴ εἰδὼς τὰς παραδόσεις ναρκᾷ πρὸς τὰς τῶν προφητῶν πολυσήμες φωνάς· οὗ ἕνεκεν οὐδενὶ διδάσκειν ἐπιτρέπεσιν , ἐὰν μὴ πρότερον μάθοι, πῶς δεῖ ταῖς γραφαῖς χρῆσθαι· διὰ τοῦτο παρ᾽ αὐτοῖς εἷς Θεὸς, εἷς νόμος, μία ἐλπίς. Ἵνα τὸ ὅμοιον καὶ παρ᾽ ἡμῖν γένηται τοῖς ἑβδομήκοντα, ἡμων ἀδελφοῖς τὰς βίβλους μου τῶν κηρυγμάτων δὸς μετὰ τοῦ ὁμοίου τῆς ἀγωγῆς μυστηρίου, ἵνα καὶ τοὺς βουλομένους τὸ τῆς διδασκαλίας ἀναδέξασθαι μέρος ἐφοδιάζωσιν· ἐπεὶ ἐὰν μὴ οὕτως γένηται, εἰς πολλὰς γνώμας ὁ τῆς ἀληθείας ἡμῶν διαιρεθήσεται λόγος. τοῦτο δὲ οὐχ ὡς προφήτης ὥν ἐπίσταμαι· ἀλλ᾽ ἤδη αὐτοῦ τοῦ κακοῦ τὴν ἀρχὴν ὁρῶν. τινὲς γὰρ τῶν ἀπὸ ἐθνῶν τὸ δἰ ἐμοῦ νόμιμον ἀπεδοκίμασαν κήρυγμα, τοῦ ἐχθροῦ ἀνθρώπου ἄνομόν τινα καὶ φλυαρώδη προσηκάμενοι διδασκαλίαν. καὶ ταῦτα ἔτι μου περιόντος ἐπεχειρησάν τινες, ποικίλαις τισὶν ἑρμηνείαις τοὺς ἐμοὺς λόγους μετασχηματίζειν, εἰς τὴν τοῦ νόμου κατάλυσιν· ὡς καὶ ἐμοῦ αὐτοῦ οὕτω μὲν φρονοῦντος, μὴ ἐκ παῤῥησίας δὲ κηρύσσοντος· ὅπερ ἀπείῃ. τὸ γὰρ τοιοῦτο ἀντιπράσσειν ἐστὶ τῷ τοῦ Θεοῦ νόμῳ τῷ διὰ Μωϋσέως ῥηθέντι καὶ ὑπὸ τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν μαρτυρηθέντι περὶ τῆς ἀϊδίου αὐτοῦ διαμονῆς. ἐπεὶ οὕτως εἶπεν· ὁ οὐρανὸς καὶ ἡ γῆ παρελεύσονται ἰῶτα ἕν ἢ μία κεραία οὐ μὴ παρέλθῃ ἀπὸ τοῦ νόμου. Τοῦτο δὲ εἴρηκεν, ἵνα τὰ πάντα γίνηται.","english":"For according to the rule handed down to them, they attempt to reshape the discordant elements of the scriptures, if by chance someone ignorant of the traditions is numbed by the manifold voices of the prophets. For this reason, no one is permitted to teach unless they have first learned how to use the scriptures. Therefore among them there is one God, one law, one hope. So that the same may happen among us as with the seventy, our brothers, give my books of the Preachings with the same mystery of instruction, so that they may equip those who wish to undertake the part of teaching. For if this is not done, our word of truth will be divided into many opinions. I know this not as a prophet, but because I already see the beginning of this evil. For some from among the Gentiles have rejected the lawful preaching through me, having accepted some lawless and foolish teaching of the enemy man. And while I was still alive, some attempted to transform my words with various interpretations, leading to the dissolution of the law, as if I myself thought thus but did not preach openly—which may it not be. For such a thing is to act against the law of God spoken through Moses and witnessed by our Lord concerning its eternal endurance. For he said thus: Heaven and earth will pass away, but not one iota or one serif will pass away from the law. And he said this so that everything might happen.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"κανόνα","severity":"info","text":"The term κανόνα (kanona) here refers to a rule or standard of interpretation, not a canonical list of scriptures. It echoes the Jewish tradition of a transmitted rule for handling scriptural discrepancies.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg1271.tlg003","label":"source edition: Epistula Petri ad Jacobum [Sp.]","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg1271.tlg003.1st1K-grc1:1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ὁ οὐρανὸς καὶ ἡ γῆ παρελεύσονται ἰῶτα ἕν ἢ μία κεραία οὐ μὴ παρέλθῃ ἀπὸ τοῦ νόμου","severity":"info","text":"This saying, attributed to Jesus, is not found in canonical gospels. It emphasizes the inviolability of the Mosaic law, a key theme in Pseudo-Clementine literature.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg1271.tlg003","label":"source edition: Epistula Petri ad Jacobum [Sp.]","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg1271.tlg003.1st1K-grc1:1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"τοῖς ἑβδομήκοντα","severity":"info","text":"The 'seventy' (τοῖς ἑβδομήκοντα) likely refers to the seventy disciples of Jesus, a tradition found in Luke 10:1 and later lists. Here they are presented as a model for controlled transmission of teaching.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg1271.tlg003","label":"source edition: Epistula Petri ad Jacobum [Sp.]","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg1271.tlg003.1st1K-grc1:1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"τοῦ ἐχθροῦ ἀνθρώπου","severity":"info","text":"The 'enemy man' (τοῦ ἐχθροῦ ἀνθρώπου) is a cipher for Simon Magus, the arch-heretic in Pseudo-Clementine narratives. This reflects the polemical context of the work against rival Christian teachers.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg1271.tlg003","label":"source edition: Epistula Petri ad Jacobum [Sp.]","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg1271.tlg003.1st1K-grc1:1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"ἵνα τὸ ὅμοιον καὶ παρ᾽ ἡμῖν γένηται","severity":"info","text":"This sentence marks a transition from a general principle (Jewish practice) to a specific request (Clement's books). The parallel structure reinforces the argument for controlled transmission.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg1271.tlg003","label":"source edition: Epistula Petri ad Jacobum [Sp.]","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg1271.tlg003.1st1K-grc1:1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"μεταῤῥυθμίζειν","severity":"caution","text":"The verb μεταῤῥυθμίζειν (metarrhythmizein) is rare and may be a scribal error or neologism. It likely means 'to reshape' or 'to reorder', but its exact sense is uncertain.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg1271.tlg003","label":"source edition: Epistula Petri ad Jacobum [Sp.]","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg1271.tlg003.1st1K-grc1:1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'τὰς βίβλους μου τῶν κηρυγμάτων' could refer to a specific collection of homilies or a general corpus; the exact referent is unclear.","The identity of 'the seventy' (τοῖς ἑβδομήκοντα) is ambiguous: it may denote the seventy disciples or a group of Jewish translators (Septuagint), though the context favors the former."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":5,"ref":"p5","source":"οἱ δὲ οὐκ οἶδα πῶς τὸν ἐμὸν νοῦν ἐπαγγελλόμενοι, οὕς ἤκουσαν ἐξ ἐμοῦ λόγους ἐμοῦ τοῦ εἰπόντος αὐτοὺς φρονιμώτερον ἐπχειροῦσιν ἑρμηνεύειν, λέγοντες τοῖς ὑπ᾽ αὐτῶν κατηχουμένοις, τοῦτο εἶναι τὸ ἐμὸν φρόνημα, ὅ ἐγὼ οὐδὲ ἐνεθυμήθην. εἰ δὲ ἐμοῦ ἔτι περιόντος τοιαῦτα τολμῶσιν καταψεύδεσθαι, πόσῳ γε μᾶλλον μετ᾽ ἐμὲ ποιεῖν οἱ μετ᾽ ἐμὲ τολμήσουσιν; Ἵνα οὖν μὴ τοιοῦτόν τι γένηται, τούτου ἕνεκα ἠξίωσα καὶ ἐδεήθην, τῶν ἐμῶν κηρυγμάτων ἃς ἔπεμψά σοι βίβλους μηδενὶ μεταδοῦναι, μήτε ὁμοφύλῳ μήτε ἀλλοφύλῳ, πρὸ πείρας, ἀλλ᾽ ἐάν τις δοκιμασθεὶς ἄξιος εὑρεθῇ, τότε αὐτῷ κατὰ τὴν Μωϋσέως ἀγωγὴν παραδοῦναι, καθ᾽ ἥν τοῖς ἑβδομήκοντα παρέδωκε τοῖς τὴν καθέδραν αὐτοῦ παρειληφόσιν· ἵνα οὕτως τὰς πίστεις φυλάξωσιν καὶ πανταχῆ τὸν τῆς ἀληθείας κανόνα παραδῶσιν, ἑρμηνεύοντες τὰ πάντα πρὸς τὴν παράδοσιν ἡμῶν, καὶ μὴ αὐτοὶ ὑπ᾽ ἀμαθείας κατασπώμενοι, ὑπὸ τῶν κατὰ τὴν ψυχὴν στοχασμῶν εἰς πλάνην ἑλκόμενοι, ἄλλους εἰς τὸν ὅμοιον τῆς ἀπωλείας ἐνέγκωσιν βόθυνον. καὶ τὰ μὲν ἐμοὶ δόξαντα καλῶς ἐσήμανά σοι, τὸ δέ σοι δοκοῦν, κύριέ μου, πρεπόντως ἐπιτέλει. ἔῤῥωσο.","english":"But those who profess my mind—I know not how—attempt to interpret the words they heard from me more cleverly than I who spoke them, telling those they catechize that this is my opinion, which I never even conceived. If they dare to slander me thus while I am still alive, how much more will those after me dare to do so after I am gone? Therefore, that such a thing may not happen, for this reason I have requested and begged that the books of my preachings which I sent to you be given to no one, neither to a fellow tribesman nor to a foreigner, before a test; but if someone, after being examined, is found worthy, then to him, according to the training of Moses, you should deliver them, just as he delivered them to the seventy who succeeded to his seat; so that they may thus preserve the faiths and everywhere transmit the rule of truth, interpreting everything according to our tradition, and not themselves, being dragged down by ignorance and drawn into error by the conjectures of the soul, lead others into the same pit of destruction. And I have duly signified to you what seemed good to me; but what seems good to you, my lord, accomplish fittingly. Farewell.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"τὸν ἐμὸν νοῦν ἐπαγγελλόμενοι","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'professing my mind' indicates that opponents claim to represent the author's thought, a key concern about unauthorized interpretation.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg1271.tlg003","label":"source edition: Epistula Petri ad Jacobum [Sp.]","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg1271.tlg003.1st1K-grc1:1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"κανόνα","severity":"info","text":"The 'rule of truth' (κανόνα τῆς ἀληθείας) is a technical term in early Christian literature for the authoritative standard of faith, here linked to tradition.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg1271.tlg003","label":"source edition: Epistula Petri ad Jacobum [Sp.]","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg1271.tlg003.1st1K-grc1:1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"external","lemma":"Μωϋσέως ἀγωγὴν","severity":"info","text":"The 'training of Moses' and the delivery to seventy successors evokes the Jewish tradition of the seventy elders, used here to legitimize restricted transmission.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"εἰ δὲ ἐμοῦ ἔτι περιόντος","severity":"info","text":"This conditional clause ('if while I am still alive') introduces a rhetorical argument from present to future danger, structuring the plea for secrecy.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg1271.tlg003","label":"source edition: Epistula Petri ad Jacobum [Sp.]","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg1271.tlg003.1st1K-grc1:1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"external","lemma":"Epistula Petri ad Jacobum","severity":"info","text":"This letter, part of the Pseudo-Clementine literature, was influential in debates about apostolic authority and the control of esoteric teaching in early Christianity.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ἐπχειροῦσιν","severity":"caution","text":"The Greek verb ἐπχειροῦσιν is likely a scribal error for ἐπιχειροῦσιν ('attempt'), as the compound is standard; the text is otherwise sound.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg1271.tlg003","label":"source edition: Epistula Petri ad Jacobum [Sp.]","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg1271.tlg003.1st1K-grc1:1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of 'those who profess my mind' is not specified; they may be rival teachers or heretical interpreters.","The phrase 'fellow tribesman' (ὁμοφύλῳ) could mean a fellow Jew or Christian, but the context suggests a religious rather than ethnic boundary."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]}]}