Recently, a friend of the את CEPHER wrote and asked a few especially important questions …

My brothers and I have been engaged in a weekly Bible study.  My brother gave me a beautiful copy of your את CEPHER.  We finished reading the book of Acts last week and the את CEPHER version includes chapter 29 which is missing from the other versions of the Bible that I have.  I’ve been stewing on this for the last week, and I’m wondering if you can answer a few questions to clarify:

I assume this was originally written in Greek like the rest of the book.  Are there any manuscripts to validate the authenticity?  If so, can you provide some references?

Can you explain why other translations do not include this book?

Chapter 29:13 describes an encounter between Pa’al and certain Druids.  I don’t know much about Druids but from what I have read they seem to be a priestly class of pagan worshipers.  The text says that they descended from the Yahudiym and that Pa’al gave them the kiss of peace.  Can you explain how this encounter is consistent with Pa’al’s ministry as described in the previous chapters in the book of Acts?

We will take the time to answer these great questions here.

A: Yes, Chapter 29 was originally found in Greek.  

T.G. Cole, writing in 1801, said this about Acts Chapter 29: “In bringing to the notice of the Christian public the document known by the name of the Long-Lost chapter of the Acts of the Apostles, we felt that we are fulfilling a duty to Christ and rendering a service to our fellows.” In all probability, not one percent of Christian believers, not to speak of the general public, have ever heard of the Sonnini Manuscript; yet how many earnest believers would be delighted to have corroborative evidence of the visit of the Great Apostle to the other nations of these lands. The document referred to purports to be the concluding portion of the Acts of the Apostles and gives an account of Pa’al’s journeys after his two years enforced residence in Rome in his own hired house. It is written in the style of the Acts and reads like a continuation of it.

The manuscript itself was found interleaved in a copy of manuscripts from Sonnini’s travels in Turkey and Greece, and purchased at the sale of the library and effects of the late Right Hon. Sir John Newport, Bart., in Ireland, whose family arms were engraved on the cover of the book, and in whose possession it had been for more than thirty years, with a copy of the firman (seal) of the sultan of Turkey, which granted to C.S. Sonnini an original Greek manuscript which was found in the Archives at Constantinople, and was presented to him by the Sultan Abdoul Achmet.

In Sonnini’s work, the English translation of the document was found: “Travels in Turkey and Greece undertaken by order of Louis XVI, and with the authority of the Ottoman Court by C.S. Sonnini, member of several scientific or literary societies of the Society of Agriculture of Paris, and of the Observers of Men”. Mores moltorum videt et ubes. Hor., London; Printed for T.N. Longman and O. Rees, Patermoster Row, 1801.

One of the chief claims made in the 29th chapter of Acts is that Pa’al traveled into Spain, surviving his trial before Nero. We at Cepher Publishing Group relied on three witnesses to corroborate this chapter.

First is a statement from the Muratorian Fragment from the 5th century: 

Here is the English translation of this archaic Latin fragment:

What (27) marvel is it then, if John so consistently (28) mentions these particular points also in his Epistles, (29) saying about himself, 'What we have seen with our eyes (30) and heard with our ears and our hands (31) have handled, these things we have written to you? (32) For in this way he professes [himself] to be not only an eyewitness and hearer, (33) but also a writer of all the marvelous deeds of the Lord, in their order. (34) Moreover, the acts of all the apostles (35) were written in one book. For 'most excellent Theophilus' Luke compiled (36) the individual events that took place in his presence — (37) as he plainly shows by omitting the martyrdom of Peter (38) as well as the departure of Paul from the city [of Rome] (39) when he journeyed to Spain.

Second, Pa’al intended to travel into Spain. Consider his discussion in Romaiym (Romans):

Romaiym (Romans) 15:23-24
But now having no more place in these parts, and having a great desire these many years to come unto you; 24 Whensoever I take my journey into Spain, I will come to you: for I trust to see you in my journey, and to be brought on my way thitherward by you, if first I be somewhat filled with your company.

Third, a witness is found in Acts 28, which, unlike the other Scriptures of the New Testament, does not end with the resounding Amein. This difficulty is cured with the addition of the 29th chapter.

We have since learned other things from history which have corroborated this account.

For instance, it is now known that in the first century AD, Apostle Pa’al, along with his disciples and many converts disciples assisting, preached in the Roman city of Italica, and in Seville. He ordained the early first bishop of Italica, near the native Roman city of (Hispalis) Seville, that would remain a larger city. In this location of Apostle Pa’al’s “lot” were the Turduli who were Anatolians, Ligurians, and Illyricans, of the West Balkans, among many others who heard the Gospel.

The name Italica reflected the veterans' Italian origins. The Turduli in Italica spoke an Indo-European language. Some scholars put forth evidence that the language belonged to the Anatolian branch of Indo Europeans similar to Anatolia, Mysia, Ligurian, and Illyrian, natives of the west Balkans. Pa’al was already well-acquainted with these tribes in his “lot” in Europe. Later they were regarded Celts, suggesting a significant influence of region and neighboring tribes. We have since come to conclude that these Celts or “Kelti” were actually derived from a group called Chaldi or Chaldeans, which we know as Kasdiym whose city of excellence was Babylon.

A:  The reasons why other translations do not include this book.

Translations which were initially created in the 1500s (the Bishop’s Bible, the 1535 Tyndale, the 1537 Coverdale, the 1560 Geneva) or 1600s (the 1611 KJV-AV) necessarily would not have access to this text, given its discovery after they were published.   

Most translations of the 20th century are based on the forged documents used by Westcott & Hort (Codex Sinaiticus), which excluded all of the Apocrypha and did not include Acts 29, since the forger of the Codex Sinaiticus was using a 16th century Textus Receptus as a source for his document. Westcott & Hort published their New Testament in 1881, known as the Westcott and Hort text, or the WH. The Codex Sinaiticus was forged by Constantine Simonides, who repeatedly confessed his forgery in the London press for two years following the publication of the WH, all to no avail. He died of Leprosy in Egypt in 1890.

A: The Druids were a priestly class operating among the Gaelic people who were direct descendants of Zerach of the house of Yahudah.

As for the Druids, it appears they were in fact descendants of the house of Yahudah (Judah) through Zerach, the first born, and his lineage being traced through his son Calcol (the founder of Athens), and his son Galethus (the father of the Gaelic people), who would come to inhabit Spain, Portugal, Ireland, Wales, and Scotland.

According to the Jewish Virtual Library, “An ancient tradition places Jews in Seville at the time of the destruction of the first temple (586 BC). Another legend in Seville that some of the Jews who were exiled by Nebuchadnezzar (586 BC) settled in Granada., having arrived on the Iberian Peninsula at the destruction of the First Temple. Amazingly, there is even some speculation that Jews settled in this region as far back as the 11th century BC.  In fact, several influential Jewish families of Seville (Abrabame; included) claim to be descendants of King David.”

According to another report, a tombstone was found there bearing the inscription in Hebrew “Adoniram, treasurer of King Solomon, who came to collect the tax tribute and died." A source of this belief rests on the identification of Seville with the distant port of “Tarshish” which is mentioned in the Bible.

Melekiym Ri’shon (I Kings) 10:21-23
And all King Shalomah's drinking vessels were of gold, and all the vessels of the house of the forest of Lebanon were of pure gold; none were of silver: it was nothing ac-counted of in the days of Shalomah. 22 For the king had at sea a navy of Tarshiysh with the navy of Chiyram: once in three years came the navy of Tarshiysh, bringing gold, and silver, ivory, and apes, and peacocks. 23 So King Shalomah exceeded all the kings of the earth for riches and for wisdom.

While the modern Druids are “pagan” worshippers, the record is not as clear concerning the ancient Druids. For instance, the Druids required 20 years of training before they could enter leadership, and their course of study was well-respected throughout Europe. Julius Caesar claimed they sacrificed humans by burning people alive; however, that very same practice was employed by the Spanish through to the 19th century (Auto-da-fé). What appeared as “human sacrifice” may have been the death penalty inflicted on the “guilty” (you recall Judah intended to “burn” Tamar).

Ma’asiym (Acts) 29:13
And it came to pass that certain of the Druids came unto Pa’al privately, and showed by their rites and ceremonies they were descended from the Yahudiym which escaped from bondage in the land of Mitsrayim, and the apostle believed these things, and he gave them the kiss of peace.

The record within scripture and without, demonstrates that in fact, the sons of Zerach were found in Mitsrayim, although many of the tribes of his sons were already departed.

Divrei Hayamiym Ri’shon (1 Chronicles) 2:3-6
The sons of Yahudah; Er, and Onan, and Shelach: which three were born unto him of the daughter of Shua the Kena`aniyth. And Er, the firstborn of Yahudah, was evil in the sight of Yahuah; and he slew him. 4 And Tamar his daughter in law bore him את eth-Perets and את eth-Zerach. All the sons of Yahudah were five. 5 The sons of Perets; Chetsron, and Chamul. 6 And the sons of Zerach; Zimriy, and Eythan, and Heyman, and Kalkol, and Darda: five of them in all.

There is a second witness to this effect:

Melekiym Ri’shon (First Kings) 5:11
For he was wiser than all men; than Eythan the Ezrachiy, and Heyman, and Kalkol, and Darda, the sons of machol (round dancing): and his fame was in all nations round about.

As for Pa’al’s kiss of peace – what exactly does that mean? He showed respect for their lineage as part of the tribe of Yahudah. The Druids were well-respected for maintaining the peace between disparate tribes in the area where Pa’al was preaching, and they had the substantial authority to summarily exclude him (as they did Julius Caesar).  While he did not have the means to war against them, he did not endorse their teaching or doctrine but continued with the “gospel” as he had preached it elsewhere.  Unknown to many is the possibility that his Cepher Galatiym (epistle to the Galatians) may have been written to the Gaelic people in Northern Spain and Western France, and not at all to any “tribe” in Central Turkey, the region latter day historians have called Galatia. 

There is much to seek in terms of history.  The Roman Church has denied much to many.  We have several extensive proofs that Pa’al not only visited Spain but established nearly a dozen bishopries while he was there.  There is an extensive record of his visit(s) to Britain (in fact, his bones were moved to Canterbury in AD 686), and the remainder of the record set forth in Acts 29 has been well-established historically. 

In addition, it is well-documented that Pa’al was the one who ordained Lucius as the first bishop of Rome. Lucius was the grandson of Bran the Blessed, the first believing King of Britain (Siluria). Lucius would be known as a “healer” and would go on to write the Gospel of Luke, the Book of Acts, 1 Corinthians and Hebrews.

There are many things being revealed now which were heretofore well-hidden, and Acts 29 is an accurate but terse record of at least some of this.