Agrapha (; Greek for "non written"; singular ) are sayings of Jesus that are not found in the canonical Gospels. The term was used for the first time by J.G. Körner, a German Bible scholar, in 1776. Definition of agrapha The definition of agrapha posits that they must satisfy three conditions: They must be sayings, not discourses – works like the "Didascalia" and the "Pistis Sophia", that speak of Jesus, but do not quote him, are not considered agrapha They must be sayings of Jesus – agrapha are not sayings found in religious romances such as those found in apocryphal Gospels, the apocryphal Acts, or the Letter of Christ to Abgar, etc. They must not be in the canonical Gospels Mere additions to pre-existing sayings are not considered agrapha. Examples According to the Roman Catholic Church, for agrapha to be genuine, they must be supported by external and internal evidence. This means that early writers, like Papias, Clement, Irenaeus, and Justin Martyr would have quoted them, and the message of the agrapha must not conflict with the teachings of Jesus contained in the canonical Gospels. New Testament Acts 20:35: "Remember the word of the Lord Jesus, how he said: It is a more blessed thing to give, rather than to receive." Apocryphal Scriptures Apostolic Church Order, 26: "For he said to us before, when he was teaching: That which is weak shall be saved through that which is strong." Acts of Philip 34: "For the Lord said to me: Except ye make the lower into the upper and the left into the right, ye shall not enter into my kingdom." Patristic citations Clement of Rome, First Epistle of Clement, 13: "For thus He spoke: 'Be ye merciful, that ye may obtain mercy; forgive, that it may be forgiven to you; as ye do, so shall it be done unto you; as ye judge, so shall ye be judged; as ye are kind, so shall kindness be shown to you; with what measure ye mete, with the same it shall be measured to you.'" Polycarp of Smyrna, Epistle of Polycarp to the Philippians, 2, "but being mindful of what the Lord said in His teaching: 'Judge not, that ye be not judged; forgive, and it shall be forgiven unto you; be merciful, that ye may obtain mercy; with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again;' and once