At the end of the second century, Irenaeus of Lyon wrote that those who had apostatized from Christianity had “an unspeakable number of apocryphal and spurious writings, ” including gospels that“ they themselves have forged, to bewilder the minds of foolish men. ”
ამიტომ, აპოკრიფული სახარებების არათუ წაკითხვა, მათი შენახვაც სახიფათოდ ითვლებოდა.