Apocrypha
Apocalypse of Thomas
Revelation of Thomas
6 chapters · read and listen
Reading note
An apocryphal or pseudepigraphal text — outside the canon of the Western churches, yet widely circulated among ancient Jews and Christians. Published here from a public-domain translation, edited for continuous reading.
Chapters
Dossier
The signs of the last seven days of the world, one by one, from the first to the final hour.
Where this text comes from
Latin, with dates estimated between the 2nd and 5th centuries AD. It exists in short and long versions, the latter with added material about kings and wars.
Why it is not in the Bible
Explicitly rejected: the Gelasian decree names it among the apocryphal books to be avoided.
What you will find
- The seven-day structure, each with its own sign, is what made the text popular in the Middle Ages.
- The descriptions are short and concrete: what is heard, what falls, what changes colour.
- It is one of the briefest texts here and the most direct about the end.
Frequently asked questions
- Is this the same as the Gospel of Thomas?
- No. That is a collection of sayings of Jesus; this is a short Latin apocalypse about the last days. The collection has both, plus the Infancy Gospel of Thomas.