the brief framing letter appears independent of the remainder of the text, suggesting to some that the apocryphon may have originated as multiple separate texts redacted together. this framing letter references a previous "secret gospel", which has apparently been lost. within the apocryphon, the discussions of martyrdom and prophecy also appear to be somewhat separate, indicating an original text, for the main body of the document, which was composed of brief sayings. it is still debated whether the closest parallels to the new testament canon are part of the apocryphon's last redactional hand or else part of its sources.