Trying to find that obscure document for a homework assignment? It just might be here. I’ve collected a pretty sizeable group of documents from the early Christian church and the rest of the ancient world. Let me know if you think I should add something… and let me know if I’ve misattributed a text.
Ancient Christian Texts
Adrian 700 – 795 AD
- TEXT The Epistle of Adrian
Africanus ~ 160 – 240 AD
- TEXT A Letter to Origen from Africanus about the History of Susanna
Antoninus September 18, 86 AD – March 7, 161 AD
- TEXT The Epistle of Antoninus to the Common Assembly of Asia
Aristides Died ~134 AD
Athenagoras ~ 133 – 190 AD
- TEXT A Plea for the Christians by Athenagoras the Athenian: Philosopher and Christian
- TEXT The Treatise of Athenagoras the Athenian… On the Resurrection of the Dead
Barnabas 1st century AD
Clement of Alexandria ~ 150 – 215 AD
- TEXT Praise of the Corinthians Before the Breaking Forth of Schism Among Them
- TEXT A Hymn to Christ the Saviour
- TEXT Fragments from Antonius Melissa
- TEXT Exhortation to the Heathen
- TEXT Fragments of Clemens Alexandrinus
- TEXT The Stromata, or Miscellanies: Book I (Chap. I to Chap. XV)
- TEXT The Stromata, or Miscellanies: Book II
- TEXTThe Stromata, or Miscellanies: Book III
- TEXT The Stromata, or Miscellanies: Book IV (Chap. I to Chap. XIII)
- TEXT The Stromata, or Miscellanies: Book V (Chap. I to Chap. XII)
- TEXT The Stromata, or Miscellanies: Book VI (Chap. I to Chap. X)
- TEXT The Stromata, or Miscellanies: Book VII (Chap. I to Chap. X)
- TEXT The Stromata, or Miscellanies: Book VIII
- TEXT Who Is the Rich Man That Shall Be Saved?
Commodianus ~ 250 AD
- TEXT The Instructions of Commodianus In Favour of Christian Discipline
Corderius~1479 – 1564 AD
- TEXT The Catena on Luke
The Didache ~ 90 – 100 AD
Eusebius ~ 260 – 340 AD
- TEXT Eusebius — Ecclesiastical History Book 1
- TEXT Eusebius — Ecclesiastical History Book 2
- TEXT Eusebius — Ecclesiastical History Book 3
- TEXT Eusebius — Ecclesiastical History Book 4
- TEXT Eusebius — Ecclesiastical History Book 5
- TEXT Eusebius — Ecclesiastical History Book 6
- TEXT Eusebius — Ecclesiastical History Book 7
- TEXT Eusebius — Ecclesiastical History Book 8
- TEXT Eusebius — Ecclesiastical History Book 8 (Appendix) – The Martyrs of Palestine
- TEXT Eusebius — Ecclesiastical History Book 9
- TEXT Eusebius — Ecclesiastical History Book 10
Ignatius ~ Late 1st century – 140 AD
- TEXT The Second Epistle of Ignatius to the Ephesians
- TEXT The Third Epistle of the Same St. Ignatius
- TEXT The Epistle of Ignatius to the Antiochians
- TEXT The Epistle of Ignatius to the Ephesians
- TEXT The Epistle of Ignatius to Hero
- TEXT The Epistle of Ignatius to the Magnesians
- TEXT The Epistle of Ignatius to Mary At Neapolis, Near Zarbus
- TEXT The Epistle of Ignatius to the Philadelphians
- TEXT The Epistle of Ignatius to the Philippians
- TEXT The Epistle of Ignatius to Polycarp
- TEXT The Epistle of Ignatius to the Romans
- TEXT The Epistle of Ignatius to the Smyraeans
- TEXT The Epistle of Ignatius to St. John the Apostle
- TEXT A Second Epistle of Ignatius to St. John
- TEXT The Epistle of Ignatius to the Tarsians
- TEXT The Epistle of Ignatius to the Trallians
- TEXT The Epistle of Ignatius to the Virgin Mary
Irenaeus 130 – 202 AD
- TEXT Irenaeus Against Heresies — Book I
- TEXT Irenaeus Against Heresies — Book II
- TEXT Irenaeus Against Heresies — Book III
- TEXT Irenaeus Against Heresies — Book IV
- TEXT Irenaeus Against Heresies — Book V
- TEXT Fragments from the Lost Writings of Irenaeus
Justin Martyr 100 – 165 AD
- TEXT The First Apology of Justin Martyr
- TEXT The Second Apology of Justin Martyr
- TEXT Justin Describes His Studies In Philosophy and Other Articles
- TEXT Other Fragments from the Lost Writings of Justin
- TEXT Fragments of the Lost Work of Justin on the Resurrection
- TEXT It Is Proved That This Prophecy Has Been Fulfilled and Other Articles
- TEXT Christ Refers All Things to the Father and Other Articles
- TEXT Justin’s Hortatory Address to the Greeks
- TEXT Justin on the Sole Government of God
- TEXT The Discourse to the Greeks
- TEXT Dialog with Trypho
Marcion of Smyrna Authorship unknown, written ~ 160 – 200 AD
- TEXT The Encyclical Epistle of the Church At Smyrna Concerning the Martyrdom of the Holy Polycarp
Marcus Aurelius April 26, 121 – March 17, 180 AD
- TEXT The Epistle of Marcus Aurelius
Mary of Cassobelae ~ Early 2nd century
- TEXT The Epistle of Maria the Proselyte to Ignatius
Martin Luther Nov 10, 1483 – Feb 18, 1546
Melito of Sardis Died ~ 80 AD
MethetesWritten ~ 130 – 200 AD
Minucius Felix Died ~ 250 AD
- TEXT The Octavius of Minucius Felix (Chap. I to Chap. XXI)
Nicetas ~ 1000 AD
- TEXT Nicetas Bishop of Heraclea — from His Catena
Origen ~ 184 – 253 AD
- TEXT Origen Against Celsus — Book I
- TEXT Origen Against Celsus — Book II
- TEXT Origen Against Celsus — Book III
- TEXT Origen Against Celsus — Book IV
- TEXT Origen Against Celsus — Book V
- TEXT Origen Against Celsus — Book VI
- TEXT Origen Against Celsus — Book VII
- TEXT Origen Against Celsus — Book VIII
- TEXT Origen De Principiis
- TEXT A Letter from Origen to Africanus
- TEXT A Letter from Origen to Gregory
Papias, St. ~ 60 – 130 AD
- TEXT Fragments of Papias
Pastor, the
- TEXT The Pastor: Book First — Visions
- TEXT The Pastor: Book Second — Commandments
- TEXT The Pastor: Book Third — Similitudes
- TEXT The Pastor: Book First — Visions
Pliny the Younger 61 – 113 AD
Polycarp 69 – 155 AD
- TEXT The Epistle of Polycarp to the Philippians
Tatian ~ 120 – 180 AD
- TEXT Tatian’s Address to the Greeks
Tertullian 155 – 220 AD
- TEXT Ad Martyras
- TEXT Against All Heresies
- TEXT Against Hermogenes
- TEXT The Five Books Against Marcion — Book I
- TEXT The Five Books Against Marcion — Book II
- TEXT The Five Books Against Marcion — Book III
- TEXT The Five Books Against Marcion — Book IV
- TEXT The Five Books Against Marcion — Book V
- TEXT Against Praxeas
- TEXT Against the Valentinians
- TEXT De Fuga In Persecutione
- TEXT Of Patience
- TEXT On Baptism
- TEXT On Exhortation to Chastity
- TEXT On Fasting
- TEXT On Modesty
- TEXT On Monogamy
- TEXT On Prayer
- TEXT On Repentance
- TEXT On the Apparel of Women
- TEXT On the Flesh of Christ
- TEXT On the Pallium
- TEXT On the Resurrection of the Flesh
- TEXT On the Veiling of Virgins
- TEXT Scorpiace: Antidote for the Scorpion’s Sting
- TEXT Ad Nationes — Book I
- TEXT Ad Nationes — Book II
- TEXT An Answer to the Jews
- TEXT The Apology (Chap. I to Chap. XXIII)
- TEXT On Idolatry
- TEXT The Prescription Against Heretics
- TEXT The Chaplet, or de Corona
- TEXT The Shows, or de Spectaculis
- TEXT The Soul’s Testimony
- TEXT To Scapula
- TEXT A Treatise on the Soul
- TEXT To His Wife
Instructor, The Clement of Alexandria ~ 150 – 215 AD
- TEXT The Instructor — Book I
- TEXT The Instructor — Book II
- TEXT The Instructor — Book III
- TEXT The Instructor — Elucidations and Hymns
Theophilus of Antioch Died ~ 184 AD
- TEXT Theophilus to Autolycus — Book I
- TEXT Theophilus to Autolycus — Book II
- TEXT Theophilus to Autolycus — Book III
Thomas a Kempis 1380 – July 25, 1471
- TEXT The Imitation of Christ
Wesley, John June 28, 1703 – March 2, 1791
- TEXT A Plain Account of Christian Perfection
Misc
- TEXT The Martyrdom of Ignatius
- TEXT The Martyrdom of the Holy Martyrs: Justin, Chariton, Charites, Paeon, and Liberianus
- TEXT Prayer to the Paedagogus
- TEXT To the Paedagogus
- TEXT Fragments Found In Greek Only In the Oxford Edition / Not Given In the Oxford Edition
- TEXT The Martyrdom of Perpetua and Felicitas
- TEXT Reply of the Blessed Virgin to This Letter
- TEXT Maximus and Antonius Melissa
- TEXT Didache
- TEXT Pistis Sophia: The Books of the Savior
- TEXT The Story of Ahikar
- TEXT The Legends of the Jews
- TEXT The Genuine Works of Flavius Josephus
Pseudepigrapha
- HTML Old Testament Pseudepigrapha
- HTML New Testament Pseudepigrapha
- TEXT HTML The Book of Enoch
- TEXT The Testament of Solomon
- TEXT The Damascus Document
- TEXT 3 Baruch
- TEXT 2 Baruch
- TEXT The Letter of Aristeas
- TEXT Tales of the Patriarchs
- TEXT Book of Jubilees
- TEXT Word and Revelation of Esdras
- TEXT The Ascension of Isaiah
- TEXT The Martyrdom of Isaiah
- TEXT The Assumption of Moses
- TEXT Revelation of Moses
- TEXT Joseph and Aseneth
- TEXT The Apocalypse of Abraham
- TEXT The Testament of Abraham
- TEXT Melchizedek
- TEXT Book of Enoch
- TEXT The Book of the Secrets of Enoch
- TEXT The Second Treatise of the Great Seth
- TEXT The Book of Adam and Eve
- TEXT The Book Adam
- TEXT The Apocalypse of Adam
- TEXT Apocalypsis Mosis
- TEXT Slavoniv Vita Adae et Evae
- TEXT Vita Adae et Evae
- TEXT The Book of Jasher
- TEXT The Testament of Levi
New Testament Apocrypha
- TEXT The Book of Thomas the Contender
- TEXT The Sentences of the Sextus, from NH codex XII
- TEXT The Apocryphon of John (long version)
- TEXT The Avenging of the Saviour
- TEXT Ptolemy’s Commentary On The Gospel Of John Prologue
- TEXT Book of John the Evangelist
- TEXT The Letter of Peter to Philip
- TEXT The Apocryphon of James
- TEXT The History of Joseph the Carpenter
- TEXT The Report of Pontius Pilate
- TEXT Epistle of the Apostles
- TEXT The Narrative of Joseph of Arimathaea
- TEXT The ‘Zadokite’ Document – Dead Sea Scrolls
- TEXT Dead Sea Scrolls – Community Rule
- TEXT The Gospel of Judas
- TEXT Diatessaron
