Conybeare begins by noting that two main recensions of the Acts of Pilate exist, with recension A being earlier than B. The base version in this essay is recension A. Incorporating Armenian versions of the text, Conybeare translates these versions into Greek and Latin for comparison with the Greek original. With these resources, a critical edition of the Acts of Pilate is produced. This apocryphal document in sixteen chapters provides insight into views of Jesus and Christianity from as early as the fourth century.

Frederick Cornwallis Conybeare (1856-1924) was a recognized authority on the Armenian Church. He was a Fellow of University College, Oxford and a prolific writer. He is especially known for his classic The Origins of Christianity.