Fragment 20

1While they were still speaking in this way, Nero sent Parthenius and Pheres to see whether Paul had already been beheaded, and they found him still alive. Paul called them to himself and said, “Believe in the living God, who raises me and all who believe in him from the dead.” They said, “We are going to Nero now, but when you die and rise again, then we will believe in your God.” As Longus and Cestus continued pleading with him concerning salvation, he said to them, “Come quickly to my grave in the morning, and you will find two men praying, Titus and Luke. They will give you the seal in the Lord.”

2Then Paul stood facing east, raised his hands to heaven, and prayed for a long time. During his prayer he conversed in the Hebrew language with the fathers. Then, without speaking, he stretched out his neck. When the executioner struck off his head, milk spurted onto the soldier’s cloak. When the soldier and everyone present saw this, they marveled and glorified God, who had given such glory to Paul. Then they went and told Caesar what had happened.