Fragment 14

1Those who compiled the travels of Paul related that he did many other things, including the following event, which happened while he was at Ephesus. When Hieronymus was governor, Paul spoke freely, and Hieronymus said that Paul could speak well, but that this was not the time for such words. The people of the city, fiercely enraged, put Paul’s feet in irons and confined him in prison until he could be exposed as prey to the lions. But Eubula and Artemilla, wives of eminent Ephesian men, were devoted disciples of Paul. Visiting him at night, they desired the grace of the divine washing. Through God’s power, with angels escorting them and illuminating the darkness of the night by their overwhelming brightness, Paul was released from his iron chains. He went to the seashore and initiated them into holy baptism. Then he returned to his chains without any of those responsible for the prison noticing, and he was kept as prey for the lions.

2Then a lion of immense size and unmatched strength was released against him. It ran toward him in the stadium and lay down at his feet. When many other savage beasts were also released, none of them was permitted to touch the holy body, which stood like a statue in prayer. At that moment a violent and immense hailstorm suddenly poured down with great force. It shattered the heads of many people and beasts and tore off the ear of Hieronymus himself. Afterward, Hieronymus and his followers came to the God of Paul and received the baptism of salvation. But the lion escaped into the mountains.

3From there Paul sailed to Macedonia and Greece. Afterward, he traveled through Macedonia to Troas and Miletus, and from there he set out for Jerusalem.

4It is not surprising that Luke did not narrate this fight with the beasts among the other Acts. Doubt is not permitted simply because John alone among the evangelists told of the raising of Lazarus. For we know that not everyone writes, believes, or knows everything. Instead, as the Lord has granted to each person, and as the Spirit distributes to each, so each spiritually perceives, believes, and writes the things of the Spirit.