In the earliest centuries of the church, stories of faith circulated that would surprise many modern believers. While the New Testament gives us the letters of Paul, other ancient texts paint a broader, more colorful picture of the apostolic age. One of the most captivating and controversial of these is the Acts of Paul and Thecla. This dramatic narrative does not just recount missionary travels. Instead, it tells the story of a young noblewoman who defies society, rejects marriage, and even baptizes herself to follow the Apostle Paul.

This text offers a fascinating glimpse into early Christianity. It highlights themes of celibacy, female empowerment, and the high cost of discipleship. By exploring this narrative, we gain a deeper understanding of the diverse traditions that shaped the early church.

What Are the Acts of Paul and Thecla?

The Acts of Paul and Thecla is an apocryphal text from the 2nd century AD. It was originally part of a larger work called the Acts of Paul. Unlike the canonical Acts of the Apostles, this text focuses heavily on the personal journey of Thecla, a virgin from Iconium (modern-day Turkey).

For centuries, this story was incredibly popular. Church Fathers like Tertullian and Jerome mentioned it. In fact, Thecla became extremely famous as a saint and a model for female ascetics. Her shrine in Turkey was a major pilgrimage site. However, the text eventually fell out of favor with church authorities. They were uncomfortable with its depiction of a woman preaching and administering baptism. Consequently, it was not included in the New Testament canon, finding its place instead among the Apocryphal Acts of the Apostles.

The Meeting: Paul Preaches in Iconium

The story begins with the Apostle Paul arriving in the city of Iconium. He preaches in the house of a man named Onesiphorus. His message, however, is strikingly specific. He focuses almost entirely on the virtue of celibacy and the “resurrection” found in living a pure, ascetic life. He declares, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see Godhttps://www.google.com/search?q=… Blessed are the bodies of the virgins, for they shall not be well pleasing to men, but they shall be well pleasing to God.”

Thecla, a young noblewoman engaged to a prominent man named Thamyris, sits at her window nearby. She listens intently to Paul’s words. The narrative describes her as mesmerized. She sits “like a spider” at the window, refusing to move, eat, or drink. She is completely captivated by the “new teaching” of the stranger.

This moment marks the beginning of her transformation. She decides to reject her fiancé, her wealth, and her social status. She chooses instead a life of devotion to God. This radical decision sets off a chain of events that leads to persecution, miracles, and ultimate liberation.

The Trials of Thecla: Persecution and Miracles

Thecla’s rejection of marriage was a scandalous act in the ancient world. It threatened the social order and the honor of her family. Her mother, Theocleia, furious at her daughter’s disobedience, demands that the governor burn Thecla at the stake. She shouts, “Burn the wicked one!” intending to make her an example to other women.

The Fire and the Storm

The governor condemns Thecla to death by fire. She is stripped and placed on a pyre. However, as the flames rise, Thecla makes the sign of the cross. God intervenes immediately. A miraculous storm creates a massive downpour, extinguishing the fire and saving her life. Paul, meanwhile, has been expelled from the city. Thecla seeks him out, finding him in a tomb where he was praying for her safety.

The Beasts in Antioch

Thecla travels with Paul to Antioch. There, another prominent man, Alexander, attempts to seduce her. Thecla violently rejects him, tearing his cloak and knocking the crown from his head. This act of public humiliation leads to another death sentence. This time, the authorities condemn her to face wild beasts in the arena.

The narrative describes a series of miraculous events in the arena:

• A lioness, instead of attacking her, licks her feet and protects her from other animals.
• The other beasts refuse to touch her.
• The women of the city cry out in her defense, protesting the unjust judgment.

This section of the text powerfully illustrates The Role of Women in Apocryphal Texts. Thecla is not a passive victim. She is a courageous protagonist who fights for her bodily autonomy and her faith against a patriarchal system.

A Radical Act: Thecla Baptizes Herself

Perhaps the most controversial moment in the text occurs during her trial in the arena. Seeing a pit of water containing seals (or sea monsters), Thecla realizes she has not yet been baptized. She decides to take matters into her own hands.

She declares, “In the name of Jesus Christ, I baptize myself on the last day!” She throws herself into the water. The lightning strikes the water, killing the beasts, and she emerges unharmed and baptized.

This scene was a major point of contention for early church leaders. Tertullian, writing in the late 2nd century, explicitly condemned the text because some women used it to defend their right to teach and baptize. Nevertheless, the story survived, celebrating a woman who claimed spiritual authority directly from God when male authorities (even Paul) were absent or hesitant.

Paul’s Role: A Complex Relationship

Interestingly, the Acts of Paul and Thecla portrays Paul in a somewhat ambiguous light. While he inspires Thecla’s conversion, he often appears passive during her trials. When Alexander confronts Thecla in Antioch, Paul denies knowing her to avoid trouble, saying, “I do not know the woman of whom you speak, nor is she mine.”

Thecla, in contrast, faces her trials alone, relying solely on God. By the end of the story, her spiritual stature seems to equal, or perhaps even surpass, that of the apostle in terms of miraculous power and courage. She eventually reunites with Paul, tells him of her baptism, and announces her intention to go preach. Paul does not stop her. He simply says, “Go, and teach the word of God.”

This dynamic offers a unique perspective compared to other texts. It suggests a tradition where female discipleship was independent and highly valued. It resonates with themes found in The Gospel of Mary, where Mary Magdalene asserts her own spiritual understanding against the doubts of male disciples.

Themes of Celibacy and Resistance

The core message of the Acts of Paul and Thecla is the spiritual power of celibacy. In this narrative, virginity is not just a moral virtue. It is a form of rebellion. By refusing marriage, Thecla removes herself from the Roman economy of household and reproduction. She becomes a “bride of Christ,” answerable only to God.

This theme connects deeply with the Exploring the Apocrypha traditions, where withdrawal from the world often signals a higher spiritual calling. For early Christian women, this story offered a radical alternative to the traditional roles of wife and mother. It promised that through faith, they could transcend gender expectations and achieve a “male” spiritual status, a concept also explored in Gnostic Jesus vs Canonical Jesus: How the Secret Gospels Portray Christ.

Why Is It Apocryphal?

Despite its popularity, the Acts of Paul and Thecla never made it into the New Testament. Several factors contributed to this:

1. Late Authorship: Scholars believe a presbyter in Asia Minor wrote it in the 2nd century, long after the authentic letters of Paul.
2. Theological Issues: The emphasis on extreme asceticism and the rejection of marriage clashed with the more moderate views found in canonical letters like 1 Timothy.
3. Ecclesiastical Politics: As the church hierarchy solidified, stories of women baptizing themselves and preaching became increasingly inconvenient for male leadership.

However, the text remains a vital part of Christian history. It survives in numerous manuscripts and languages, proving its enduring appeal.

The Legacy of Thecla

Thecla’s story did not end with the apocryphal text. She became the prototype for the female martyr and saint. For centuries, Christians invoked her name in prayers for the dying. Her sanctuary at Seleucia became one of the largest religious complexes in the ancient world.

Today, the Acts of Paul and Thecla is experiencing a rediscovery. Scholars and believers alike are turning to it to recover the voices of women in the early church. It stands as a testament to a time when the boundaries of faith were still being drawn, and when a young woman could capture the imagination of the world by declaring her total allegiance to Christ.

Check out the author’s book here: The Apocrypha.