On the so-called Gospel of Peter (to the church at Rhossus)
For we, brothers, receive both Peter and the other apostles as we receive Christ; but the writings falsely inscribed with their names we refuse as those who know the tradition, knowing that we did not receive such things.
For when I was among you I supposed that all were walking in the right faith, and without going through the gospel put forward by them under the name of Peter I said that if this alone is what seems to cause small-souledness among you, let it be read.
But now, having learned from what was said to me that their mind was lurking in a certain heresy, I will hurry to come to you again; so expect me soon, brothers.
And we, brothers, having grasped what sort of heresy Marcianus belonged to — who even opposed himself, not understanding what he was saying — you will learn from what was written to you.
For we were able, from others who had practiced this same gospel — that is, from the successors of those who began it, whom we call Docetae (for most of their thoughts belong to that teaching) — to go through it by their help and find that most of it belongs to the right word of the Savior, but some things have been inserted besides, and these also we have appended for you.
Greek
Ἡμεῖς γὰρ, ἀδελφοί, καὶ Πέτρον καὶ τοὺς ἄλλους ἀποστόλους ἀποδεχόμεθα ὡς Χριστόν· τὰ δὲ ὀνόματι αὐτῶν ψευδεπίγραφα ὡς ἔμπειροι παραιτούμεθα, γινώσκοντες ὅτι τὰ τοιαῦτα οὐ παρελάβομεν. ἐγὼ γὰρ γενόμενος παρ᾽ ὑμῖν ὑπενόουν τοὺς πάντας ὀρθῇ πίστει προσφέρεσθαι, καὶ μὴ διελθὼν τὸ ὑπ᾽ αὐτῶν προφερόμενον ὀνόματι Πέτρου εὐαγγέλιον εἶπον ὅτι εἰ τοῦτό ἐστι μόνον τὸ δοκοῦν ὑμῖν παρέχειν μικροψυχίαν, ἀναγινωσκέσθω· νῦν δὲ μαθὼν ὅτι αἱρέσει τινὶ ὁ νοῦς αὐτῶν ἐνεφώλευεν ἐκ τῶν λεχθέντων μοι, σπουδάσω πάλιν γενέσθαι πρὸς ὑμᾶς· ὥστε, ἀδελφοί, προσδοκᾶτέ με ἐν τάχει. ἡμεῖς δὲ, ἀδελφοί, καταλαβόμενοι ὁποίας ἦν αἱρέσεως ὁ Μαρκιανός, ὃς καὶ ἑαυτῷ ἠναντιοῦτο μὴ νοῶν ἃ ἐλάλει, ἃ μαθήσεσθε ἐξ ὧν ὑμῖν ἐγράφη. ἐδυνήθημεν γὰρ παρ᾽ ἄλλων τῶν ἀσκησάντων αὐτὸ τοῦτο τὸ εὐαγγέλιον, τουτέστι παρὰ τῶν διαδόχων τῶν καταρξαμένων αὐτοῦ, οὓς Δοκητὰς καλοῦμεν (τὰ γὰρ φρονήματα τὰ πλείονα ἐκείνων ἐστὶ τῆς διδασκαλίας), χρησάμενοι παρ᾽ αὐτῶν διελθεῖν καὶ εὑρεῖν τὰ μὲν πλείονα τοῦ ὀρθοῦ λόγου τοῦ Σωτῆρος, τινὰ δὲ προσδιεσταλμένα, ἃ καὶ ὑπετάξαμεν ὑμῖν.