Arabic Apocalypse of Peter

The Apocalypse of Peter or Vision of Peter (Arabic: Ru'ya Buṭrus), also known as the Book of the Rolls (Arabic: Kitāb al-Magāll) and other titles,^[a] is an Arab Christian work probably written in the 10th century; the late 9th century and 11th century are also considered plausible. Around 40 manuscripts of it have been preserved and found. It is pseudepigraphically attributed to Clement of Rome, relating a vision experienced by the Apostle Peter of the resurrected Jesus; the actual author is unknown. The work was originally written in Arabic; many Ethiopic manuscripts exist as well, with the reworked Ethiopic version in the work Clement (Ethiopic: Qalēmenṭos or Kalamentos) along with other stories of Clementine literature.

While the framing story is similar to Clementine literature, the work bears little in common with most Clementine work, and is instead closer to Jewish and Christian apocalyptic literature. Interpretations of Bible stories are given by Peter, and versions of other stories popular in Syriac literature are told, including the Cave of Treasures and the Testament of Adam. The work goes into detail on Christian angelology and offers various pronouncements on issues of doctrine and practice, such as strictly forbidding honoring the Jewish Sabbath or partaking in cultural practices associated with Islam. The last section features prophecies of future rulers and kingdoms and loosely describes 2nd–10th-century history, while also giving reassurance that the non-Christian governments foreseen by Peter will only rule for a limited period, and will eventually fall.

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