The Apostolic Age · AD 4–70 · External witness
Pontius Pilate's Wife (Procula)
fl. AD 33 (death unrecorded) · Roman noblewoman · Warned Pilate at the trial · Jerusalem
External witness
Who Pontius Pilate's Wife (Procula) was
The woman who, in Matthew 27:19, sent word to her husband on the judgment seat — 'Have thou nothing to do with that just man: for I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of him.' The canonical notice is a single verse; the Acts of Pilate name her Procula and the Greek churches came to venerate her, making the one pagan household voice raised for Christ at his trial a witness the tradition would not let go.
Also listed in non-christian witnesses and women.
Common questions
When was Pontius Pilate's Wife active?
Pontius Pilate's Wife (Procula) is dated fl. AD 33 (death unrecorded) in the archive, which places Pontius Pilate's Wife in the Apostolic Age (AD 4–70).
Which early sources mention Pontius Pilate's Wife?
Pontius Pilate's Wife (Procula) is named in 2 primary-source passages catalogued here, drawn from Acts of Pilate and Matthew. Every passage is quoted from a named public-domain translation, earliest first.
Where was Pontius Pilate's Wife from?
The archive associates Pontius Pilate's Wife (Procula) with Jerusalem.
Who were Pontius Pilate's Wife’s contemporaries?
The archive links Pontius Pilate's Wife (Procula) to 1 other figure, including Pontius Pilate. Each connection is drawn from a source that places them together, not from inference.
Primary-source mentions (2)
Every passage below is quoted from a named public-domain translation, earliest first.
Acts of Pilate (Gospel of Nicodemus) II (apocryphal acta, c. 4th century; original Greek, working translation)
c. AD 34[The apocryphon that supplies her traditional name.] Pilate, calling to him his wife, who was named Procla, said: 'Thou knowest that my wife is God-fearing, and favors rather the customs of the Jews.'... And she had sent unto him, saying: 'Have thou nothing to do with that just man, for I have suffered much because of him by night.'Acts of Pilate · source text
Matthew 27:19
c. AD 80When he was set down on the judgment seat, his wife sent unto him, saying, Have thou nothing to do with that just man: for I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of him.Matthew · read ↗
Connected in the archive
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Places served
The one place the sources put Pontius Pilate's Wife.