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Lives of the Prophets

A first-century CE Jewish document containing folk stories and legends about the major and minor biblical prophets.|||The most ancient witness is Codex Marchalianus (Vat. gr. 2125), from the 6th century CE. Two versions preserved among the writings of Epiphanios of Salamis. Extant in Greek, Syriac, Latin, and Ethiopic.|||First century CE. Originally written in Hebrew.|||Not canonical in any tradition.|||Folk stories and legends about the major and minor biblical prophets. Contains information about their lives, deaths, and burial places.|||Hare, D. R. A. " Lives of the Prophets." In The Old Testament Pseudepigrapha, vol. 2. Doubleday, 1985.|||Schwemer, A. M. Studien zu den frühjüdischen Prophetenlegenden. Mohr Siebeck, 1995.|||Lives of the Prophets — Early Jewish Writings|https://www.earlyjewishwritings.com/livesprophets.html|Full translation and scholarly resources.;; Lives of the Prophets — Wikipedia|https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lives_of_the_Prophets|Background and scholarly discussion.|||" And Isaiah was sawn asunder by Manasseh, and he did not cry out, but his lips moved in prayer." — Lives of the Prophets (paraphrase)

Collection: Jewish Pseudepigrapha Canon: varies

Canon Status

Not canonical in any tradition.

Date & Provenance

First century CE. Originally written in Hebrew.

Language & Manuscripts

The most ancient witness is Codex Marchalianus (Vat. gr. 2125), from the 6th century CE. Two versions preserved among the writings of Epiphanios of Salamis. Extant in Greek, Syriac, Latin, and Ethiopic.

Why It Matters for Study

Folk stories and legends about the major and minor biblical prophets. Contains information about their lives, deaths, and burial places.

" And Isaiah was sawn asunder by Manasseh, and he did not cry out, but his lips moved in prayer." — Lives of the Prophets (paraphrase)

Read the Text & External Resources

Public-domain translations and scholarly databases where the text can be read online or downloaded.

  • " And Isaiah was sawn asunder by Manasseh, and he did not cry out, but his lips moved in prayer." — Lives of the Prophets (paraphrase) " And Isaiah was sawn asunder by Manasseh, and he did not cry out, but his lips moved in prayer." — Lives of the Prophets (paraphrase)

External links open in a new tab. Sources are chosen for public-domain or open-access availability; always verify edition and translation when citing in academic work.

Further Reading

Hare, D. R. A. " Lives of the Prophets." In The Old Testament Pseudepigrapha, vol. 2. Doubleday, 1985.
Schwemer, A. M. Studien zu den frühjüdischen Prophetenlegenden. Mohr Siebeck, 1995.
Lives of the Prophets — Early Jewish Writings|https://www.earlyjewishwritings.com/livesprophets.html|Full translation and scholarly resources.;; Lives of the Prophets — Wikipedia|https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lives_of_the_Prophets|Background and scholarly discussion.