Apocrypha
Acts of Thaddaeus
Apocryphal Acts
1 chapter · 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 legend of Abgar, king of Edessa: ill, he writes to Jesus asking for healing, receives a reply and, after the resurrection, is cured by Thaddaeus.
Where this text comes from
Greek, 6th or 7th century AD, a late version of a much older tradition recorded by Eusebius of Caesarea in the 4th century.
Why it is not in the Bible
Outside every canon.
What you will find
- The exchange of letters between Abgar and Jesus is among the most famous apocryphal documents of antiquity.
- The image of Christ sent to Abgar lies at the origin of the Mandylion tradition.
- The healing of the king and the conversion of Edessa close the narrative.
Frequently asked questions
- Did Jesus write a letter to King Abgar?
- The correspondence is regarded as apocryphal. Eusebius reproduces it in the 4th century, saying he found it in the archives of Edessa, but scholars date it well after the time of Jesus.