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In this third century Syrian work, the author pictured the apostle Thomas as receiving a

report from an unsaved woman who had just been raised from the dead concerning what she had
seen.

Even though she had been murdered, her narrative was essentially a Tour of Hell, from

which she had been delivered by her resurrection. This is what she saw.

A man received me, hateful of countenance, entirely black, and his clothing exceedingly
dirty. And he led me to a place in which there were many chasms [Lk 16:36], and much
ill odour and a hateful vapour was given off thence. And he made me look down into
each chasm, and I saw in the (first) chasm a flaming fire, and wheels of fire were running
<hither and> thither, and souls were hung upon those wheels, dashed against each other.
And there was a cry there and a very great lamentation, but there was none to deliver.
And that man said to me: "These souls are kindred to thee. . . and in the days of reckoning
they were delivered for punishment and destruction. And then (when the chastisement of
each is ended) others are brought in their stead, and likewise these again to another
(chasm). These are they who perverted the intercourse of man and woman" And when I
looked, I saw (new-born) infants heaped one upon another, and struggling with one
another as they lay upon them. And he answered and said: "These are their children and
therefore are they set here for a testimony against them." And he led me to another
chasm, and looking in I saw mire and worms welling up, and souls wallowing there, and
(heard) a great gnashing break out thence from among them. And that man said to me:
"These are the souls of women who forsook their husbands (and men who left their
wives) and committed adultery with others and have been brought to this torment."
Another chasm he showed me, and when I looked into it, I saw souls, some hanging by
the tongue, some by the hair, some by the hands, some by the feet head downwards, and
(all) reeking with fire and brimstone. Concerning these, that man who was with me
answered me: "These souls which are hung by the tongue are slanderers, and such as utter
lying and infamous words, and are not ashamed. And those that are being hung by the
hair are the shameless who have no modesty at all. . . and go about in the world bare-
headed. And those which are hung by the hands, these are they who took away and stole
the goods of others, and never gave anything to the needy or gave help to the afflicted
<and> did this because they wished to take everything, and paid no heed whatever to
justice and the law. And those who hung upside down by the feet, these are they who
lightly and eagerly run <upon> evil ways and disorderly paths, not visiting the sick and
not escorting them that depart this life. And for this cause each several soul receives what
was done by it." (Sixth Act: 55-56).

Some of these punishments are similar to and doubtless reflect the influence of the Apocalypse of
Peter. In both Tours punishments were often depicted as some form of hanging. Their pictures of
Hell are extremely gloomy and depressing.

C. APOCALYPSE OF PAUL

Although difficult to determine, the date of this work was probably late fourth century.