Apocrypha
Acts and Martyrdom of Andrew
Apocryphal Acts
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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 martyrdom of Andrew at Patras: crucified on a cross to which he is tied, he preaches from it for days while the crowd demands his release.
Where this text comes from
Greek, 2nd or 3rd century AD in origin, in a form later reworked. It belongs to the great Acts of Andrew, now mostly lost.
Why it is not in the Bible
Outside every canon.
What you will find
- Andrew's greeting to the cross, spoken on seeing it from a distance, is one of the most quoted passages in the apocryphal acts.
- He preaches while bound for days, and the people turn against the proconsul.
- When they try to release him, the hands of those untying him are paralysed — at his own request.
Frequently asked questions
- Was Andrew's cross X-shaped?
- The saltire, now called Saint Andrew's cross, is a medieval tradition. This ancient text does not describe that shape.