There is an interesting fourth-century text called Discourse on Abbatôn by Timothy, Archbishop of Alexandria. The author of the discourse is Timothy, Patriarch of Alexandria (d. 385) who transcribes a legend which he found in ancient volume in the library of Jerusalem. It is of interest to Latter-day Saints as it affirms the teaching found in the Book of Mormon (3 Nephi 28:6-9) and Doctrine and Covenants (sec. 7) that John the Apostle did not die but instead was translated.
E.A. Wallis Budge provided a translation of this document in his Coptic Martyrdoms Etc. In the Dialect of Upper Egypt (1914). In the preface, we read the following:
. . . concerning the Holy Apostle Saint John, theologian and virgin, who is not to taste death until the thrones are set in the Valley of Jehosaphat, which is the place wherein the last strife of the world shall take place. (p. 475)
In fol. 27 a, Jesus is reported to have said the following to John:
'And as for thee, O My beloved John, thou shalt not die until the thrones have been prepared on the Day of the Resurrection, because the thrones of glory shall come down from heaven, and ye shall sit upon them, and I will sit in your midst. All the saints shall see the honour which I will pay unto thee, O My Beloved John . . . ' (p. 492)
