Chronicles of the

Children of Destiny

Terra – The Ancient World

by

Daniel Thomas Andrew Daly

© 6173-6178 SC (2011-2015 CE/AD)

Stories:

Terra

The Gospel of Jesus

The Gospel of Tarcisius

Apollonius

Terra

'Origins’

0 SC

(SC = Since Creation)

‘AND NOW, LET US MAKE MAN IN OUR IMAGE, AFTER OUR LIKENESS.’

The gods – the angels of glory – all caught in a moment of time – with only the children of eternity to remember how creation came to be, the memories being vanquished from the other angels – with Logos and Memra, the words of infinity and eternity, and Metatron overseeing the whole work – the gods spread their hands towards two angels.  Two angels, male and female, who were to be the image of the firstborn.  And from the rest of the angelic images, the blueprint for all the children of mankind – all in the image of the gods – the elohim.

The two selected angels were Krystabel, 7th of the female Seraphim angels of eternity, and Saruviel, 7th of the male Seraphim angels of eternity.  Eve and Adam would be formed on their very own images.

And so, the power of the divine – the power of the Almighty – the infinite power which brings all things to life – surged, grew and erupted into the hearts of all the children of God.  And when that great day’s activities were complete, truly, all the Morning Stars sang together, and the Sons of God shouted for joy.

* * * * *

Terra

The Life of Adam and Eve

From "The Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha of the Old Testament" R.H. Charles Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1913

(Circa 1 - 300SC)

i 1 When they were driven out from paradise, they made themselves a booth, and spent seven days mourning and lamenting in great grief.

ii 1 But after seven days, they began to be hungry and started to look for victual to eat, and they

2 found it not. Then Eve said to Adam: 'My lord, I am hungry. Go, look for (something) for us to eat. Perchance the Lord God will look back and pity us and recall us to the place in which we were before.

iii I And Adam arose and walked seven days over all that land, and found no victual such as they

2 used to have in paradise. And Eve said to Adam: 'Wilt thou slay me that I may die, and perchance God the Lord will bring thee into paradise, for on my account hast thou been driven thence.'

3 Adam answered: 'Forbear, Eve, from such words, that peradventure God bring not some other curse upon us. How is it possible that I should stretch forth my hand against my own flesh Nay, let us arise and look for something for us to live on, that we fail not.'

iv 1 And they walked about and searched for nine days, and they found none such as they were used to have in paradise, but found only animals'

2 food. And Adam said to Eve: 'This hath the Lord provided for animals and brutes to eat;

3 but we used to have angels' food. But it is just and right that we lament before the sight of God who made us. Let us repent with a great penitence: perchance the Lord will be gracious to us and will pity us and give us a share of something for our living.'

v 1 And Eve said to Adam: 'What is penitence Tell me, what sort of penitence am I to do Let us not put too great a labour on ourselves, which we cannot endure, so that the Lord will not hearken to our prayers: and will turn away His countenance from us, because we have not

3 fulfilled what we promised. My lord, how much penitence hast thou thought (to do) for I have brought trouble and anguish upon thee'

vi 1 And Adam said to Eve: 'Thou canst not do so much as I, but do only so much as thou hast strength for. For I will spend forty days fasting, but do thou arise and go to the river Tigris and lift up a stone and stand on it in the water up to thy neck in the deep of the river. And let no speech proceed out of thy mouth, since we are unworthy to address the Lord, for our lips are unclean from the unlawful and forbidden tree.

2 And do thou stand in the water of the river thirty-seven days. But I will spend forty days in the water of Jordan, perchance the Lord God will take pity upon us.'

vii 1 And Eve walked to the river Tigris and did

2 as Adam had told her. Likewise, Adam walked to the river Jordan and stood on a stone up to his neck in water.

viii 1 And Adam said: 'I tell thee, water of Jordan, grieve with me, and assemble to me all swimming (creatures), which are in thee, and let them surround me and mourn in company with me. Not for themselves let them lament, but for me; for it is not they that have sinned, but I.'

3 Forthwith, all living things came and surrounded him, and, from that hour, the water of Jordan stood (still) and its current was stayed.'

ix 1 And eighteen days passed by; then Satan was wroth and transformed himself into the brightness of angels, and went away to the river

2 Tigris to Eve, and found her weeping, and the devil himself pretended to grieve with her, and he began to weep and said to her: 'Come out of the river and lament no more. Cease now from sorrow and moans. Why art thou anxious

3 and thy husband Adam The Lord God hath heard your groaning and hath accepted your penitence, and all we angels have entreated on your behalf, and made supplication to the Lord;

4 and he hath sent me to bring you out of the water and give you the nourishment which you had in paradise, and for which you are crying

5 out. Now come out of the water and I will conduct you to the place where your victual hath been made ready.'

x 1 But Eve heard and believed and went out of the water of the river, and her flesh was (trembling)

2 like grass, from the chill of the water. And when she had gone out, she fell on the earth and the devil raised her up and led her to Adam.

3 But when Adam had seen her and the devil with her, he wept and cried aloud and said: 'O Eve, Eve, where is the labour of thy penitence

4 How hast thou been again ensnared by our adversary, by whose means we have been estranged from our abode in paradise and spiritual joy'

xi 1 And when she heard this, Eve understood that (it was) the devil (who) had persuaded her to go out of the river; and she fell on her face on the earth and her sorrow and groaning and wailing

2 was redoubled. And she cried out and said: 'Woe unto thee, thou devil. Why dost thou attack us for no cause What hast thou to do with us What have we done to thee for thou pursuest us with craft Or why doth thy malice

3 assail us Have we taken away thy glory and caused thee to be without honour Why dost thou harry us, thou enemy (and persecute us) to the death in wickedness and envy'

xii 1 And with a heavy sigh, the devil spake: 'O Adam! all my hostility, envy, and sorrow is for thee, since it is for thee that I have been expelled from my glory, which I possessed in the heavens

2 in the midst of the angels and for thee was I cast out in the earth.' Adam answered, 'What dost

3 thou tell me What have I done to thee or what is my fault against thee Seeing that thou hast received no harm or injury from us, why dost thou pursue us'

xiii 1 The devil replied, 'Adam, what dost thou tell me It is for thy sake that I have been hurled

2 from that place. When thou wast formed. I was hurled out of the presence of God and banished from the company of the angels. When God blew into thee the breath of life and thy face and likeness was made in the image of God, Michael also brought thee and made (us) worship thee in the sight of God; and God the Lord spake: Here is Adam. I have made thee in our image and likeness.'

xiv 1 And Michael went out and called all the angels saying:

'Worship the image of God as the Lord God hath commanded.'

And Michael himself worshipped first; then he called me and said: 'Worship the image of God

3 the Lord.' And I answered, 'I have no (need) to worship Adam.' And since Michael kept urging me to worship, I said to him, 'Why dost thou urge me I will not worship an inferior and younger being (than I). I am his senior in the Creation, before he was made was I already made. It is his duty to worship me.'

xv 1,2 When the angels, who were under me, heard this, they refused to worship him. And Michael saith, 'Worship the image of God, but if thou wilt not worship him, the Lord God will be wrath

3 with thee.' And I said, 'If He be wrath with me, I will set my seat above the stars of heaven and will be like the Highest.'

xvi 1 And God the Lord was wrath with me and banished me and my angels from our glory; and on

2 thy account were we expelled from our abodes into this world and hurled on the earth. And

3 straightway we were overcome with grief, since we had been spoiled of so great glory. And we

4 were grieved when we saw thee in such joy and luxury. And with guile I cheated thy wife and caused thee to be expelled through her (doing) from thy joy and luxury, as I have been driven out of my glory.

xvii 1 When Adam heard the devil say this, he cried out and wept and spake: 'O Lord my God, my life is in thy hands. Banish this Adversary far from me, who seeketh to destroy my soul, and give

2,3 me his glory which he himself hath lost.' And at that moment, the devil vanished before him. But Adam endured in his penance, standing for forty days (on end) in the water of Jordan.

xviii 1 And Eve said to Adam: 'Live thou, my Lord, to thee life is granted, since thou hast committed neither the first nor the second error. But I have erred and been led astray for I have not kept the commandment of God; and now banish me from the light of thy life and I will go to the sunsetting,

2 and there will I be, until I die.' And she began to walk towards the western parts and to mourn

3 and to weep bitterly and groan aloud. And she made there a booth, while she had in her womb offspring of three months old.

xix 1 And when the time of her bearing approached, she began to be distressed with pains, and she

2 cried aloud to the Lord and said: 'Pity me, O Lord, assist me.' And she was not heard and the

3 mercy of God did not encircle her. And she said to herself: 'Who shall tell my lord Adam I implore you, ye luminaries of heaven, what time ye return to the east, bear a message to my lord Adam.'

xx 1 But in that hour, Adam said: 'The complaint of Eve hath come to me. Perchance, once more hath the serpent fought with her.'

2 And he went and found her in great distress. And Eve said: 'From the moment I saw thee, my lord, my grief-laden soul was refreshed. And now entreat the Lord God on my behalf to

3 hearken unto thee and look upon me and free me from my awful pains.' And Adam entreated the Lord for Eve.

xxi 1 And behold, there came twelve angels and two 'virtues', standing on the right and on the left

2 of Eve; and Michael was standing on the right; and he stroked her on the face as far as to the breast and said to Eve: 'Blessed art thou, Eve, for Adam's sake. Since his prayers and intercessions are great, I have been sent that thou mayst receive our help. Rise up now, and

3 prepare thee to bear. And she bore a son and he was shining; and at once the babe rose up and ran and bore a blade of grass in his hands, and gave it to his mother, and his name was called Cain.

xxii 1 And Adam carried Eve and the boy and led

2 them to the East. And the Lord God sent divers seeds by Michael the archangel and gave to Adam and showed him how to work and till the ground, that they might have fruit by which they and all their generations might live.

3 For thereafter Eve conceived and bare a son, whose name was Abel; and Cain and Abel used to stay together.

4 And Eve said to Adam: 'My lord, while I slept, I saw a vision, as it were the blood of our son Abel in the hand of Cain, who was gulping it down in his mouth. Therefore I have sorrow.'

5 And Adam said, 'Alas if Cain slew Abel. Yet let us separate them from each other mutually, and let us make for each of them separate dwellings.'

xxiii 1 And they made Cain an husbandman, (but) Abel they made a shepherd; in order that in this wise they might be mutually separated.

2 And thereafter, Cain slew Abel, but Adam was then one hundred and thirty years old, but Abel was slain when he was one hundred and twenty-two years. And thereafter Adam knew his wife and he begat a son and called his name Seth.

xxiv 1 And Adam said to Eve, 'Behold, I have begotten a son, in place of Abel, whom Cain slew.'

2 And after Adam had begotten Seth, he lived eight hundred years and begat thirty sons and thirty daughters; in all sixty-three children. And they were increased over the face of the earth in their nations.

xxv 1 And Adam said to Seth, 'Hear, my son Seth, that I may relate to thee what I heard and

2 saw after your mother and I had been driven out of paradise. When we were at prayer, there

3 came to me Michael the archangel, a messenger of God. And I saw a chariot like the wind and its wheels were fiery and I was caught up into the Paradise of righteousness, and I saw the Lord sitting and his face was flaming fire that could not be endured. And many thousands of angels were on the right and the left of that chariot.

xxvi 1 When I saw this, I was confounded, and terror seized me and I bowed myself down before

2 God with my face to the earth. And God said to me, 'Behold thou diest, since thou hast transgressed the commandment of God, for thou didst hearken rather to the voice of thy wife, whom I gave into thy power, that thou mightst hold her to thy will. Yet thou didst listen to her and didst pass by My words.'

xxvii 1 And when I heard these words of God, I fell prone on the earth and worshipped the Lord and said, 'My Lord, All powerful and merciful God, Holy and Righteous One, let not the name that is mindful of Thy majesty be blotted out, but convert my soul, for I die and my

2 breath will go out of my mouth. Cast me not out from Thy presence, (me) whom Thou didst form of the clay of the earth. Do not banish from Thy favour him whom Thou didst nourish.'

3 And lo! a word concerning thee came upon me and the Lord said to me, 'Since thy days were fashioned, thou hast been created with a love of knowledge; therefore there shall not be taken from thy seed for ever the (right) to serve Me.'

xxviii 1 And when I heard these words. I threw myself on the earth and adored the Lord God and said, 'Thou art the eternal and supreme God; and all creatures give thee honour and praise.

2 'Thou art the true Light gleaming above all light(s), the Living Life, infinite mighty Power. To Thee, the spiritual powers give honour and praise. Thou workest on the race of men the abundance of Thy mercy.'

3 After I had worshipped the Lord, straightway Michael, God's archangel, seized my hand and

4 cast me out of the paradise of 'vision' and of God's command. And Michael held a rod in his hand, and he touched the waters, which were round about paradise, and they froze hard.

xxix 1 And I went across, and Michael the archangel went across with me, and he led me back to

2 the place whence he had caught me up. Hearken, my son Seth, even to the rest of the secrets [and sacraments] that shall be, which were revealed to me, when I had eaten of the tree of the

3 knowledge, and knew and perceived what will come to pass in this age; [what God intends to do

4 to his creation of the race of men. The Lord will appear in a flame of fire (and) from the mouth of His majesty He will give commandments and statutes [from His mouth will proceed a two-edged sword] and they will sanctify Him in the house of the habitation of His majesty.

5 And He will show them the marvellous place of His majesty. And then they will build a house to the Lord their God in the land which He shall prepare for them and there they will transgress His statutes and their sanctuary will be burnt up and their land will be deserted and they

6 themselves will be dispersed; because they have kindled the wrath of God. And once more He will cause them to come back from their dispersion; and again they will build the house of God;

7 and in the last time the house of God will be exalted greater than of old. And once more iniquity will exceed righteousness. And thereafter God will dwell with men on earth [in visible form]; and then, righteousness will begin to shine. And the house of God will be honoured in the age and their enemies will no more be able to hurt the men, who are believing in God; and God will stir up for Himself a faithful people, whom He shall save for eternity, and the impious shall be punished

8 by God their king, the men who refused to love His law. Heaven and earth, nights and days, and all creatures shall obey Him, and not overstep His commandment. Men shall not change their

9 works, but they shall be changed from forsaking the law of the Lord. Therefore the Lord shall repel from Himself the wicked, and the just shall shine like the sun, in the sight of God. And

10 in that time, shall men be purified by water from their sins. But those who are unwilling to be purified by water shall be condemned. And happy shall the man be, who hath ruled his soul, when the Judgement shall come to pass and the greatness of God be seen among men and their deeds be inquired into by God the just judge.

xxx 1 After Adam was nine hundred and thirty years old, since he knew that his days were coming to an end, he said: 'Let all my sons assemble themselves to me, that I may bless them before I die, and speak with them.'

2 And they were assembled in three parts, before his sight, in the house of prayer, where they used

3 to worship the Lord God. And they asked him (saying): 'What concerns thee, Father, that thou shouldst assemble us, and why dost thou lie on

4 thy bed 'Then Adam answered and said: 'My sons, I am sick and in pain.' And all his sons said to him: 'What does it mean, father, this illness and pain'

xxxi 1 Then said Seth his son: 'O (my) lord, perchance thou hast longed after the fruit of paradise, which thou wast wont to eat, and therefore thou liest in sadness Tell me and I will go to the nearest gates of paradise and put dust on my head and throw myself down on the earth before the gates of paradise and lament and make entreaty to God with loud lamentation; perchance he will hearken to me and send his angel to bring me the fruit, for which thou hast longed.'

2 Adam answered and said: 'No, my son, I do not long (for this), but I feel weakness and great

3 pain in my body.' Seth answered, 'What is pain, my lord father I am ignorant; but hide it not from us, but tell us (about it).'

And Adam answered and said: 'Hear me, my sons. When God made us, me and your mother, and placed us in paradise and gave us every tree bearing fruit to eat, he laid a prohibition on us concerning the tree of knowledge of good and evil, which is in the midst of paradise; (saying)

2 'Do not eat of it.' But God gave a part of paradise to me and (a part) to your mother: the trees of the eastern part and the north, which is over against Aquilo he gave to me, and to your mother he gave the part of the south and the western part.

xxxiii 1 (Moreover) God the Lord gave us two angels

2 to guard us. The hour came when the angels had ascended to worship in the sight of God; forthwith the adversary [the devil] found an opportunity while the angels were absent and the devil led your mother astray to eat of the

3 unlawful and forbidden tree. And she did eat and gave to me.

xxxiv 1 And immediately, the Lord God was wrath with us, and the Lord said to me: 'In that thou hast left behind my commandment and hast not kept my word, which I confirmed to thee; behold, I will bring upon thy body, seventy blows; with divers griefs, shalt thou be tormented, beginning at thy head and thine eyes and thine ears down to thy nails on thy toes, and in every

2 separate limb. These hath God appointed for chastisement. All these things hath the Lord sent to me and to all our race.'

xxxv 1 Thus spake Adam to his sons, and he was seized with violent pains, and he cried out with a loud voice, 'What shall I do I am in distress. So cruel are the pains with which I am beset.' And when Eve had seen him weeping, she also began to weep herself, and said: 'O Lord my God, hand over to me his pain, for it is I who sinned.'

3 And Eve said to Adam: 'My lord, give me a part of thy pains, for this hath come to thee from fault of mine.'

xxxvi 1 And Adam said to Eve: 'Rise up and go with my son Seth to the neighbourhood of paradise, and put dust on your heads and throw yourselves on the ground and lament in the sight of

2 God. Perchance He will have pity (upon you) and send His angel across to the tree of His mercy, whence floweth the oil of life, and will give you a drop of it, to anoint me with it, that I may have rest from these pains, by which I am being consumed.'

Then Seth and his mother went off towards the gates of paradise. And while they were walking, lo! suddenly there came a beast

2 [a serpent] and attacked and bit Seth. And as soon as Eve saw it, she wept and said: 'Alas, wretched woman that I am. I am accursed since I have not kept the commandment of God.'

3 And Eve said to the serpent in a loud voice: 'Accursed beast! how (is it that) thou hast not feared to let thyself loose against the image of God, but hast dared to fight with it'

xxxviii 1 The beast answered in the language of men: 'Is it not against you, Eve, that our malice (is directed) Are not ye the objects of our rage

2 Tell me, Eve, how was thy mouth opened to eat of the fruit But now if I shall begin to reprove thee thou canst not bear it.'

xxxix 1 Then said Seth to the beast: 'God the Lord revile thee. Be silent, be dumb, shut thy mouth, accursed enemy of Truth, confounder and destroyer. Avaunt from the image of God till the day when the Lord God shall order thee to be brought to the ordeal.' And the beast said to Seth: 'See, I leave the presence of the image of God, as thou hast said.' Forthwith he left Seth, wounded by his teeth.

xl 1 But Seth and his mother walked to the regions of paradise for the oil of mercy to anoint the sick Adam: and they arrived at the gates of paradise, (and) they took dust from the earth and placed it on their heads, and bowed themselves with their faces to the earth and began to lament and

2 make loud moaning, imploring the Lord God to pity Adam in his pains and to send His angel to give them the oil from the 'tree of His mercy'.

xli 1 But when they had been praying and imploring for many hours, behold, the angel Michael ap-

2 peared to them and said: 'I have been sent to you from the Lord -I am set by God over the

3 bodies of men- I tell thee, Seth, (thou) man of God, weep not nor pray and entreat on account of the oil of the tree of mercy to anoint thy father Adam for the pains of his body.

xlii 1 'For I tell thee that in no wise wilt thou be able to receive thereof save in the last days.'

2 [When five thousand five hundred years have been fulfilled, then will come upon earth the most beloved king Christ, the son of God, to revive the body of Adam and with him to revive

3 the bodies of the dead. He Himself, the Son of God, when He comes will be baptized in the river of Jordan, and when He hath come out of the water of Jordan, then He will anoint from the

4 oil of mercy all that believe in Him. And the oil of mercy shall be for generation to generation for those who are ready to be born again of

5 water and the Holy Spirit to life eternal. Then the most beloved Son of God, Christ, descending on earth shall lead thy father Adam to Paradise to the tree of mercy.]

xliii 1 'But do thou, Seth, go to thy father Adam, since the time of his life is fulfilled. Six days hence, his soul shall go off his body and when it shall have gone out, thou shalt see great marvels in the heaven and in the earth and the

2 luminaries of heaven. With these words, straightway Michael departed from Seth.

3 And Eve and Seth returned bearing with them herbs of fragrance, i.e. nard and crocus and calamus and cinnamon.

xliv 1 And when Seth and his mother had reached Adam, they told him, how the beast [the serpent]

2 bit Seth. And Adam said to Eve: 'What hast thou done A great plague hast thou brought upon us, transgression and sin for all our generations: and this which thou hast done, tell thy

3 children after my death, [for those who arise from us shall toil and fail but they shall be

4 wanting and curse us (and) say, All evils have our parents brought upon us, who were at the

5 beginning].' When Eve heard these words, she began to weep and moan.

xlv 1 And just as Michael the archangel had fore-

2 told, after six days came Adam's death. When Adam perceived that the hour of his death was at hand, he said to all his sons: 'Behold, I am nine hundred and thirty years old, and if I die,

3 bury me towards the sunrising in the field of yonder dwelling.' And it came to pass that when he had finished all his discourse, he gave up the ghost. (Then) was the sun darkened and the moon

xlvi 1 and the stars for seven days, and Seth in his mourning embraced from above the body of his father, and Eve was looking on the ground with hands folded over her head, and all her children wept most bitterly. And behold, there appeared

2 Michael the angel and stood at the head of Adam and said to Seth: 'Rise up from the body of thy

3 father and come to me and see what is the doom of the Lord God concerning him. His creature is he, and God hath pitied him.'

And all angels blew their trumpets, and cried:

xlvii 1 'Blessed art thou, O Lord, for thou hast had pity on Thy creature.'

xlviii 1 Then Seth saw the hand of God stretched out holding Adam and he handed him over to

2 Michael, saying: 'Let him be in thy charge till the day of Judgement in punishment, till the last years when I will convert his sorrow into joy.

3 Then shall he sit on the throne of him who hath been his supplanter.'

4 And the Lord said again to the angels Michael and Uriel: 'Bring me three linen clothes of byssus and spread them out over Adam and other linen clothes over Abel his son and bury Adam and Abel his son.'

5 And all the 'powers' of angels marched before Adam, and the sleep of the dead was

6 consecrated. And the angels Michael and Uriel buried Adam and Abel in the parts of Paradise, before the eyes of Seth and his mother

7 [and no one else], and Michael and Uriel said: 'Just as ye have seen, in like manner, bury your dead.'

xlix 1 Six days after, Adam died; and Eve perceived that she would die, (so) she assembled all her sons

2 and daughters, Seth with thirty brothers and thirty sisters, and Eve said to all, 'Hear me, my children, and I will tell you what the archangel Michael said to us when I and your father transgressed the command of God

3 On account of your transgression, Our Lord will bring upon your race the anger of his judgement, first by water, the second time by fire; by these two, will the Lord judge the whole human race

l 1 But hearken unto me, my children. Make ye then tables of stone and others of clay, and write

2 on them, all my life and your father's (all) that ye have heard and seen from us. If by water the Lord judge our race, the tables of clay will be dissolved and the tables of stone will remain; but if by fire, the tables of stone will be broken up and the tables of clay will be baked (hard).'

3 When Eve had said all this to her children, she spread out her hands to heaven in prayer, and bent her knees to the earth, and while she worshipped the Lord and gave him thanks, she gave up the ghost. Thereafter, all her children buried her with loud lamentation.

li 1 When they had been mourning four days, (then) Michael the archangel appeared and said

2 to Seth: 'Man of God, mourn not for thy dead more than six days, for on the seventh day is the sign of the resurrection and the rest of the age to come; on the seventh day the Lord rested from all His works.'

3 Thereupon Seth made the tables.

* * * * *

Realm of Eternity

Saruviel& Krystabel

Saruviel, sitting next to his twin Krystabel in Kalphon, was at peace.  For both of them, creation had been an intense experience.  God had chosen the two of them to be the primary creators of Adam and Eve.  For the life of him he could not fathom why God had made such a choice as himself, given his reckless past, yet the grace of God had chosen Saruviel and Krystabel, and they had fulfilled their duties gladly, Saruviel acting as the Father’s image for that encounter.

Sitting there, enjoying his sister reading some poetry from a book by Uriel, he heard a noise over at the side of the lounge room and saw the Cherubim Beyonce coming into view – queen of the Numerology.

She looked at them both, with a big smile on her face.  Brother, sister.  I have some really amazing news.  Saruviel looked up at his younger sister, curious as to what could be so important.

 ‘I have been doing some research into you and Krystabel’s name and I worked out the number in which you find perfection together.’ Saruviel was mildly interested, but had not really gone into the Gematria studies other angels had taken to.  ‘Well,’ he said.  ‘What is that number?’  Beyonce began nervously.  ‘Well, your number is 107 and Krystabel’s number is 112.  Adding them together comes to 219.  That is your ‘Twin’ number.  ‘Saruviel nodded, already knowing that.  Beyonce continued.  ‘Well, the 7th principle for Gematria is ‘Perfection’, whose number is 111.’  ‘Why is it 111?’ asked Saruviel.  ‘Numerical equivalents make Perfection equal to 111 if you take A as 1 and B as 2 and so on.’  ‘Yes, that is right.  I was forgetting.’  Beyonce continued.  ‘It’s very complicated, but basically the number for when you two have perfection is 219 times 111.’  ‘Sounds big,’ said Krystabel.  ‘What is it,’ she asked,’ her curiousity aroused.  ‘This is the amazing thing.  It is 24,309.’  Saruviel looked at her for a moment, thinking on the number, then it just hit him the significance.  The current year was 14,309 – creation of mankind beginning on the year.’  ‘But that would mean,’ began Krystabel.  Beyonce nodded.  ‘That is right.  At mankind’s 10,000th birthday, you celebrate your year of perfection.’  Saruviel looked at Beyonce for a few moments, and then turned to Krystabel, a slightly stunned look on his face.  After a while he spoke.  ‘That….is actually kind of interesting.  Isn’t it sister.’ Krystabel looked at him.  ‘My my.  Perhaps there is something to this Gematria after all.’

*   *   *   *   *

Realm of Eternity

Georgia& Zac

0 – 1500 SC

Georgia and Zac. Zac and Georgia. 777th twins of the Cherubim.  They were born, both at the same time – together made in a single moment in infinity.  They had both been in God’s heart for a long time.  A very long time had he contemplated and considered just what he would bring forth for the 777th of the Cherubim.  In destiny – in the later destiny of the children of Adam – the 9th from Adam, Lamech, would live 777 years.  Lamech would be the Father of Noah – Father of the children of Noah and the latter day Noahide movement.  Both Georgia and Zac would be instrumental in the life of Lamech.  They would watch over him from their responsibilities, nurture him, and teach his spirit the lessons needed to raise the one who would be ‘perfect in his generations’.

Throughout her life in the realm of eternity, Georgia had often felt that her God and Father would make a greater use of herself one day.  He had never said so specifically, but had placed within her spirit and heart, so she sensed, a plan – a destiny – a work – of great importance for this child of God.

After the creation of mankind, Georgia had taken an interest in the life of Methuselah.  He was an interesting human.  His father, Enoch, she had met as he had been taken to the Realm of Eternity at the age of 365.  And then he had been shown his responsibilities towards mankind in the future paradise they were to inhabit.  She herself, having visited the outer rim of Kalphora, had been curious about the ‘Portal’ – the first of what was planned to be many.  This Portal was a link – a doorway – a passage – a vortex – to the ‘otherworlds’.  Beyond the rim was the nothingness – but, so Davriel and Gabriel had informed the community – out in unimaginable numbers of cubits beyond the nothingness – there existed a number of new worlds.  New realms, new planets, new domains and dominions.  Presently, there were 7,000 such places.  These were the firstworks – the first of what would be new homes.  At Zaphon, Michael had presented the scroll which listed the new names.  They had been studied by many of the community.  Michael had entrusted Cindradel and Georgia to be responsible for learning the names of the new realms, for the purpose of assisting Enoch, when necessary, in his administrative responsibilities.

It had been given to Enoch the work of Administration, Overseer, and head over the 7,000 realms.  The very first of these realms – Kaluvia – was where Enoch would be based and begin his work.

The Portal was the avenue through which these realms were reached.  It was not overly complicated to use the Portal.  In front of the Portal was a stand with a series of keys upon them.  These keys were each of the Angelic letters, and a number of other important symbols.  To bring the Portal to life, the letters of the realm desired were pressed in the right order and the portal was activated.  It was quite easy to use.

The Portal would then start to glow and after that all that was required was to walk through.  Coming through the other side was a mirror of the Portal in the new realm.  This was identical, apart from decoration, to the Realm of Eternities portal, with the same functioning.

For many years since the creation of the Portal, which was put into place on Adam’s 140th birthday, a huge amount of Angels had gone out to explore the various new realms.  Unsurprisingly, Kaluvia was the main realm visited.  Under Enoch’s guidance, a huge number of Angels had taken, passionately, to the task of building these new empires and realms.  For they well understood, now, the purpose which they were at work for.  Their responsibility, entrusted to them by God, was to prepare a place for mankind at the latter day resurrection.  In God’s planning, mankind was to rest in Hades or Sheol, the netherworld, a place of sleep and slumber, until the great day.  At that point the resurrection would occur and the 7,000 realms would begin to be settled.  Of course, humanity procreated.  This the angels knew oh so well, and had been often jealous.  But, that night of Adam’s 140th birthday, after the announcement had been made regarding the portal, another announcement which had shocked the entire realm of eternity had been made.  Each angel. Each child of God.  The entire Angelic community would, one day, appear in human form.  Each would spend a time amongst humanity and learn the ways of mankind.  After that, unlike non-angelic humans, the angelic humans would return to the Realm of Eternity upon their death with the ability – then – to procreate.  The Rest of mankind would come at a later time.  Throughout the 7,000 realms, so God had stated, many angelic communities would then be formed.  But the number of realms angelic community would not be so large by the time of the resurrection, that non-angelic humanity would not have room.  Indeed, so it was planned, they were to receive the greater proportion of land for their communities.  And, as had also been announced that night, at a later date – at a time in the dim and distant future – well beyond the resurrection – more realms would come to be.   But the number then would not be 7,000 – but 7,000,000.  All these realms were connected together – all of them becoming the realm of eternity.

*   *   *   *   *

Terra

Book of Enoch

From-The Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha of the Old Testament R.H. Charles Oxford: The Clarendon Press

Section I. Chapters I-XXXVI

INTRODUCTION

[Chapter 1]

1 The words of the blessing of Enoch, wherewith he blessed the elect and righteous, who will be 2 living in the day of tribulation, when all the wicked and godless are to be removed. And he took up his parable and said -Enoch a righteous man, whose eyes were opened by God, saw the vision of the Holy One in the heavens, which the angels showed me, and from them I heard everything, and from them I understood as I saw, but not for this generation, but for a remote one which is 3 for to come. Concerning the elect I said, and took up my parable concerning them:

The Holy Great One will come forth from His dwelling, 4 And the eternal God will tread upon the earth, (even) on Mount Sinai, [And appear from His camp] And appear in the strength of His might from the heaven of heavens.

5 And all shall be smitten with fear And the Watchers shall quake, And great fear and trembling shall seize them unto the ends of the earth.

6 And the high mountains shall be shaken, And the high hills shall be made low, And shall melt like wax before the flame

7 And the earth shall be wholly rent in sunder, And all that is upon the earth shall perish, And there shall be a judgement upon all (men).

8 But with the righteous He will make peace.

And will protect the elect, And mercy shall be upon them.

And they shall all belong to God, And they shall be prospered, And they shall all be blessed.

And He will help them all, And light shall appear unto them, And He will make peace with them'.

9 And behold! He cometh with ten thousands of His holy ones To execute judgement upon all, And to destroy all the ungodly:

And to convict all flesh Of all the works of their ungodliness which they have ungodly committed, And of all the hard things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him.

[Chapter 2]

1 Observe ye everything that takes place in the heaven, how they do not change their orbits, and the luminaries which are in the heaven, how they all rise and set in order each in its season, and 2 transgress not against their appointed order. Behold ye the earth, and give heed to the things which take place upon it from first to last, how steadfast they are, how none of the things upon earth 3 change, but all the works of God appear to you. Behold the summer and the winter, how the whole earth is filled with water, and clouds and dew and rain lie upon it.

[Chapter 3]

Observe and see how (in the winter) all the trees seem as though they had withered and shed all their leaves, except fourteen trees, which do not lose their foliage but retain the old foliage from two to three years till the new comes.

[Chapter 4]

And again, observe ye the days of summer how the sun is above the earth over against it. And you seek shade and shelter by reason of the heat of the sun, and the earth also burns with growing heat, and so you cannot tread on the earth, or on a rock by reason of its heat.

[Chapter 5]

1 Observe ye how the trees cover themselves with green leaves and bear fruit: wherefore give ye heed and know with regard to all His works, and recognize how He that liveth for ever hath made them so. 2 And all His works go on thus from year to year for ever, and all the tasks which they accomplish for Him, and their tasks change not, but according as God hath ordained so is it done. 3 And behold how the sea and the rivers in like manner accomplish and change not their tasks from His commandments'.

4 But ye -ye have not been steadfast, nor done the commandments of the Lord, But ye have turned away and spoken proud and hard words With your impure mouths against His greatness. Oh, ye hard-hearted, ye shall find no peace.

5 Therefore shall ye execrate your days, And the years of your life shall perish, And the years of your destruction shall be multiplied in eternal execration, And ye shall find no mercy.

6a In those days ye shall make your names an eternal execration unto all the righteous, b And by you shall all who curse, curse, And all the sinners and godless shall imprecate by you, 7c And for you the godless there shall be a curse.

6d And all the . . . shall rejoice, e And there shall be forgiveness of sins, f And every mercy and peace and forbearance: g There shall be salvation unto them, a goodly light.

I And for all of you sinners there shall be no salvation, j But on you all shall abide a curse. 7a But for the elect there shall be light and joy and peace, b And they shall inherit the earth.

8 And then there shall be bestowed upon the elect wisdom, And they shall all live and never again sin, Either through ungodliness or through pride: But they who are wise shall be humble.

9 And they shall not again transgress, Nor shall they sin all the days of their life, Nor shall they die of (the divine) anger or wrath, But they shall complete the number of the days of their life.

And their lives shall be increased in peace, And the years of their joy shall be multiplied, In eternal gladness and peace, All the days of their life.

[Chapter 6]

1 And it came to pass when the children of men had multiplied that in those days were born unto 2 them beautiful and comely daughters. And the angels, the children of the heaven, saw and lusted after them, and said to one another: 'Come, let us choose us wives from among the children of men 3 and beget us children.' And Semjaza, who was their leader, said unto them: 'I fear ye will not 4 indeed agree to do this deed, and I alone shall have to pay the penalty of a great sin.' And they all answered him and said: 'Let us all swear an oath, and all bind ourselves by mutual imprecations 5 not to abandon this plan but to do this thing.' Then sware they all together and bound themselves 6 by mutual imprecations upon it. And they were in all two hundred; who descended in the days of Jared on the summit of Mount Hermon, and they called it Mount Hermon, because they had sworn 7 and bound themselves by mutual imprecations upon it. And these are the names of their leaders: Samlazaz, their leader, Araklba, Rameel, Kokablel, Tamlel, Ramlel, Danel, Ezeqeel, Baraqijal, 8 Asael, Armaros, Batarel, Ananel, Zaq1el, Samsapeel, Satarel, Turel, Jomjael, Sariel. These are their chiefs of tens.

[Chapter 7]

1 And all the others together with them took unto themselves wives, and each chose for himself one, and they began to go in unto them and to defile themselves with them, and they taught them charms 2 and enchantments, and the cutting of roots, and made them acquainted with plants. And they 3 became pregnant, and they bare great giants, whose height was three thousand ells: Who consumed 4 all the acquisitions of men. And when men could no longer sustain them, the giants turned against 5 them and devoured mankind. And they began to sin against birds, and beasts, and reptiles, and 6 fish, and to devour one another's flesh, and drink the blood. Then the earth laid accusation against the lawless ones.

[Chapter 8]

1 And Azazel taught men to make swords, and knives, and shields, and breastplates, and made known to them the metals of the earth and the art of working them, and bracelets, and ornaments, and the use of antimony, and the beautifying of the eyelids, and all kinds of costly stones, and all 2 colouring tinctures. And there arose much godlessness, and they committed fornication, and they 3 were led astray, and became corrupt in all their ways. Semjaza taught enchantments, and root-cuttings, 'Armaros the resolving of enchantments, Baraqijal (taught) astrology, Kokabel the constellations, Ezeqeel the knowledge of the clouds, Araqiel the signs of the earth, Shamsiel the signs of the sun, and Sariel the course of the moon. And as men perished, they cried, and their cry went up to heaven . . .

[Chapter 9]

1 And then Michael, Uriel, Raphael, and Gabriel looked down from heaven and saw much blood being 2 shed upon the earth, and all lawlessness being wrought upon the earth. And they said one to another: 'The earth made without inhabitant cries the voice of their cryingst up to the gates of heaven. 3 And now to you, the holy ones of heaven, the souls of men make their suit, saying, "Bring our cause 4 before the Most High."' And they said to the Lord of the ages: 'Lord of lords, God of gods, King of kings, and God of the ages, the throne of Thy glory (standeth) unto all the generations of the 5 ages, and Thy name holy and glorious and blessed unto all the ages! Thou hast made all things, and power over all things hast Thou: and all things are naked and open in Thy sight, and Thou seest all 6 things, and nothing can hide itself from Thee. Thou seest what Azazel hath done, who hath taught all unrighteousness on earth and revealed the eternal secrets which were (preserved) in heaven, which 7 men were striving to learn: And Semjaza, to whom Thou hast given authority to bear rule over his associates. And they have gone to the daughters of men upon the earth, and have slept with the 9 women, and have defiled themselves, and revealed to them all kinds of sins. And the women have 10 borne giants, and the whole earth has thereby been filled with blood and unrighteousness. And now, behold, the souls of those who have died are crying and making their suit to the gates of heaven, and their lamentations have ascended: and cannot cease because of the lawless deeds which are 11 wrought on the earth. And Thou knowest all things before they come to pass, and Thou seest these things and Thou dost suffer them, and Thou dost not say to us what we are to do to them in regard to these.'

[Chapter 10]

1 Then said the Most High, the Holy and Great One spake, and sent Uriel to the son of Lamech, 2 and said to him: 'Go to Noah and tell him in my name "Hide thyself!" and reveal to him the end that is approaching: that the whole earth will be destroyed, and a deluge is about to come 3 upon the whole earth, and will destroy all that is on it. And now instruct him that he may escape 4 and his seed may be preserved for all the generations of the world.' And again the Lord said to Raphael: 'Bind Azazel hand and foot, and cast him into the darkness: and make an opening 5 in the desert, which is in Dudael, and cast him therein. And place upon him rough and jagged rocks, and cover him with darkness, and let him abide there for ever, and cover his face that he may 6,7 not see light. And on the day of the great judgement he shall be cast into the fire. And heal the earth which the angels have corrupted, and proclaim the healing of the earth, that they may heal the plague, and that all the children of men may not perish through all the secret things that the 8 Watchers have disclosed and have taught their sons. And the whole earth has been corrupted 9 through the works that were taught by Azazel: to him ascribe all sin.' And to Gabriel said the Lord: 'Proceed against the bastards and the reprobates, and against the children of fornication: and destroy [the children of fornication and] the children of the Watchers from amongst men [and cause them to go forth]: send them one against the other that they may destroy each other in 10 battle: for length of days shall they not have. And no request that they (i.e. their fathers) make of thee shall be granted unto their fathers on their behalf; for they hope to live an eternal life, and 11 that each one of them will live five hundred years.' And the Lord said unto Michael: 'Go, bind Semjaza and his associates who have united themselves with women so as to have defiled themselves 12 with them in all their uncleanness. And when their sons have slain one another, and they have seen the destruction of their beloved ones, bind them fast for seventy generations in the valleys of the earth, till the day of their judgement and of their consummation, till the judgement that is 13 for ever and ever is consummated. In those days they shall be led off to the abyss of fire: and 14 to the torment and the prison in which they shall be confined for ever. And whosoever shall be condemned and destroyed will from thenceforth be bound together with them to the end of all 15 generations. And destroy all the spirits of the reprobate and the children of the Watchers, because 16 they have wronged mankind. Destroy all wrong from the face of the earth and let every evil work come to an end: and let the plant of righteousness and truth appear: and it shall prove a blessing; the works of righteousness and truth' shall be planted in truth and joy for evermore.

17 And then shall all the righteous escape, And shall live till they beget thousands of children, And all the days of their youth and their old age Shall they complete in peace.

18 And then shall the whole earth be tilled in righteousness, and shall all be planted with trees and 19 be full of blessing. And all desirable trees shall be planted on it, and they shall plant vines on it: and the vine which they plant thereon shall yield wine in abundance, and as for all the seed which is sown thereon each measure (of it) shall bear a thousand, and each measure of olives shall yield 20 ten presses of oil. And cleanse thou the earth from all oppression, and from all unrighteousness, and from all sin, and from all godlessness: and all the uncleanness that is wrought upon the earth 21 destroy from off the earth. And all the children of men shall become righteous, and all nations 22 shall offer adoration and shall praise Me, and all shall worship Me. And the earth shall be cleansed from all defilement, and from all sin, and from all punishment, and from all torment, and I will never again send (them) upon it from generation to generation and for ever.

[Chapter 11]

1 And in those days I will open the store chambers of blessing which are in the heaven, so as to send 2 them down upon the earth over the work and labour of the children of men. And truth and peace shall be associated together throughout all the days of the world and throughout all the generations of men.'

[Chapter 12]

1 Before these things Enoch was hidden, and no one of the children of men knew where he was 2 hidden, and where he abode, and what had become of him. And his activities had to do with the Watchers, and his days were with the holy ones. 3 And I Enoch was blessing the Lord of majesty and the King of the ages, and lo! the Watchers 4 called me -Enoch the scribe- and said to me: 'Enoch, thou scribe of righteousness, go, declare to the Watchers of the heaven who have left the high heaven, the holy eternal place, and have defiled themselves with women, and have done as the children of earth do, and have taken unto themselves 5 wives: "Ye have wrought great destruction on the earth: And ye shall have no peace nor forgiveness 6 of sin: and inasmuch as they delight themselves in their children, The murder of their beloved ones shall they see, and over the destruction of their children shall they lament, and shall make supplication unto eternity, but mercy and peace shall ye not attain."'

[Chapter 13]

1 And Enoch went and said: 'Azazel, thou shalt have no peace: a severe sentence has gone forth 2 against thee to put thee in bonds: And thou shalt not have toleration nor request granted to thee, because of the unrighteousness which thou hast taught, and because of all the works of godlessness 3 and unrighteousness and sin which thou hast shown to men.' Then I went and spoke to them all 4 together, and they were all afraid, and fear and trembling seized them. And they besought me to draw up a petition for them that they might find forgiveness, and to read their petition in the presence 5 of the Lord of heaven. For from thenceforward they could not speak (with Him) nor lift up their 6 eyes to heaven for shame of their sins for which they had been condemned. Then I wrote out their petition, and the prayer in regard to their spirits and their deeds individually and in regard to their 7 requests that they should have forgiveness and length. And I went off and sat down at the waters of Dan, in the land of Dan, to the south of the west of Hermon: I read their petition till I fell 8 asleep. And behold a dream came to me, and visions fell down upon me, and I saw visions of chastisement, and a voice came bidding (me) I to tell it to the sons of heaven, and reprimand them. 9 And when I awaked, I came unto them, and they were all sitting gathered together, weeping in 10 'Abelsjail, which is between Lebanon and Seneser, with their faces covered. And I recounted before them all the visions which I had seen in sleep, and I began to speak the words of righteousness, and to reprimand the heavenly Watchers.

[Chapter 14]

1 The book of the words of righteousness, and of the reprimand of the eternal Watchers in accordance 2 with the command of the Holy Great One in that vision. I saw in my sleep what I will now say with a tongue of flesh and with the breath of my mouth: which the Great One has given to men to 3 converse therewith and understand with the heart. As He has created and given to man the power of understanding the word of wisdom, so hath He created me also and given me the power of reprimanding 4 the Watchers, the children of heaven. I wrote out your petition, and in my vision it appeared thus, that your petition will not be granted unto you throughout all the days of eternity, and that judgement 5 has been finally passed upon you: yea (your petition) will not be granted unto you. And from henceforth you shall not ascend into heaven unto all eternity, and in bonds of the earth the decree 6 has gone forth to bind you for all the days of the world. And (that) previously you shall have seen the destruction of your beloved sons and ye shall have no pleasure in them, but they shall fall before 7 you by the sword. And your petition on their behalf shall not be granted, nor yet on your own: even though you weep and pray and speak all the words contained in the writing which I have 8 written. And the vision was shown to me thus: Behold, in the vision clouds invited me and a mist summoned me, and the course of the stars and the lightnings sped and hastened me, and the winds in 9 the vision caused me to fly and lifted me upward, and bore me into heaven. And I went in till I drew nigh to a wall which is built of crystals and surrounded by tongues of fire: and it began to affright 10 me. And I went into the tongues of fire and drew nigh to a large house which was built of crystals: and the walls of the house were like a tesselated floor (made) of crystals, and its groundwork was 11 of crystal. Its ceiling was like the path of the stars and the lightnings, and between them were 12 fiery cherubim, and their heaven was (clear as) water. A flaming fire surrounded the walls, and its 13 portals blazed with fire. And I entered into that house, and it was hot as fire and cold as ice: there 14 were no delights of life therein: fear covered me, and trembling got hold upon me. And as I quaked 15 and trembled, I fell upon my face. And I beheld a vision, And lo! there was a second house, greater 16 than the former, and the entire portal stood open before me, and it was built of flames of fire. And in every respect it so excelled in splendour and magnificence and extent that I cannot describe to 17 you its splendour and its extent. And its floor was of fire, and above it were lightnings and the path 18 of the stars, and its ceiling also was flaming fire. And I looked and saw therein a lofty throne: its appearance was as crystal, and the wheels thereof as the shining sun, and there was the vision of 19 cherubim. And from underneath the throne came streams of flaming fire so that I could not look 20 thereon. And the Great Glory sat thereon, and His raiment shone more brightly than the sun and 21 was whiter than any snow. None of the angels could enter and could behold His face by reason 22 of the magnificence and glory and no flesh could behold Him. The flaming fire was round about Him, and a great fire stood before Him, and none around could draw nigh Him: ten thousand times 23 ten thousand (stood) before Him, yet He needed no counselor. And the most holy ones who were 24 nigh to Him did not leave by night nor depart from Him. And until then I had been prostrate on my face, trembling: and the Lord called me with His own mouth, and said to me: ' Come hither, 25 Enoch, and hear my word.' And one of the holy ones came to me and waked me, and He made me rise up and approach the door: and I bowed my face downwards.

[Chapter 15]

1 And He answered and said to me, and I heard His voice: 'Fear not, Enoch, thou righteous 2 man and scribe of righteousness: approach hither and hear my voice. And go, say to the Watchers of heaven, who have sent thee to intercede for them: "You should intercede" for men, and not men 3 for you: Wherefore have ye left the high, holy, and eternal heaven, and lain with women, and defiled yourselves with the daughters of men and taken to yourselves wives, and done like the children 4 of earth, and begotten giants (as your) sons And though ye were holy, spiritual, living the eternal life, you have defiled yourselves with the blood of women, and have begotten (children) with the blood of flesh, and, as the children of men, have lusted after flesh and blood as those also do who die 5 and perish. Therefore have I given them wives also that they might impregnate them, and beget 6 children by them, that thus nothing might be wanting to them on earth. But you were formerly 7 spiritual, living the eternal life, and immortal for all generations of the world. And therefore I have not appointed wives for you; for as for the spiritual ones of the heaven, in heaven is their dwelling. 8 And now, the giants, who are produced from the spirits and flesh, shall be called evil spirits upon 9 the earth, and on the earth shall be their dwelling. Evil spirits have proceeded from their bodies; because they are born from men and from the holy Watchers is their beginning and primal origin; 10 they shall be evil spirits on earth, and evil spirits shall they be called. [As for the spirits of heaven, in heaven shall be their dwelling, but as for the spirits of the earth which were born upon the earth, on the earth shall be their dwelling.] And the spirits of the giants afflict, oppress, destroy, attack, do battle, and work destruction on the earth, and cause trouble: they take no food, but nevertheless 12 hunger and thirst, and cause offences. And these spirits shall rise up against the children of men and against the women, because they have proceeded from them.

[Chapter 16]

1 From the days of the slaughter and destruction and death of the giants, from the souls of whose flesh the spirits, having gone forth, shall destroy without incurring judgement -thus shall they destroy until the day of the consummation, the great judgement in which the age shall be 2 consummated, over the Watchers and the godless, yea, shall be wholly consummated." And now as to the watchers who have sent thee to intercede for them, who had been aforetime in heaven, (say 3 to them): "You have been in heaven, but all the mysteries had not yet been revealed to you, and you knew worthless ones, and these in the hardness of your hearts you have made known to the women, and through these mysteries women and men work much evil on earth." 4 Say to them therefore: " You have no peace."'

[Chapter 17]

1 And they took and brought me to a place in which those who were there were like flaming fire, 2 and, when they wished, they appeared as men. And they brought me to the place of darkness, and to a mountain the point of whose summit reached to heaven. And I saw the places of the luminaries and the treasuries of the stars and of the thunder and in the uttermost depths, where were 4 a fiery bow and arrows and their quiver, and a fiery sword and all the lightnings. And they took 5 me to the living waters, and to the fire of the west, which receives every setting of the sun. And I came to a river of fire in which the fire flows like water and discharges itself into the great sea towards 6 the west. I saw the great rivers and came to the great river and to the great darkness, and went 7 to the place where no flesh walks. I saw the mountains of the darkness of winter and the place 8 whence all the waters of the deep flow. I saw the mouths of all the rivers of the earth and the mouth of the deep.

[Chapter 18]

1 I saw the treasuries of all the winds: I saw how He had furnished with them the whole creation 2 and the firm foundations of the earth. And I saw the corner-stone of the earth: I saw the four 3 winds which bear [the earth and] the firmament of the heaven. And I saw how the winds stretch out the vaults of heaven, and have their station between heaven and earth: these are the pillars 4 of the heaven. I saw the winds of heaven which turn and bring the circumference of the sun and 5 all the stars to their setting. I saw the winds on the earth carrying the clouds: I saw the paths 6 of the angels. I saw at the end of the earth the firmament of the heaven above. And I proceeded and saw a place which burns day and night, where there are seven mountains of magnificent stones, 7 three towards the east, and three towards the south. And as for those towards the east, was of coloured stone, and one of pearl, and one of jacinth, and those towards the south of red stone. 8 But the middle one reached to heaven like the throne of God, of alabaster, and the summit of the 9,10 throne was of sapphire. And I saw a flaming fire. And beyond these mountains Is a region the end of the great earth: there the heavens were completed. And I saw a deep abyss, with columns of heavenly fire, and among them I saw columns of fire fall, which were beyond measure alike towards 12 the height and towards the depth. And beyond that abyss I saw a place which had no firmament of the heaven above, and no firmly founded earth beneath it: there was no water upon it, and no 13 birds, but it was a waste and horrible place. I saw there seven stars like great burning mountains, 14 and to me, when I inquired regarding them, The angel said: 'This place is the end of heaven and earth: this has become a prison for the stars and the host of heaven. And the stars which roll over the fire are they which have transgressed the commandment of the Lord in the beginning of 16 their rising, because they did not come forth at their appointed times. And He was wroth with them, and bound them till the time when their guilt should be consummated (even) for ten thousand years.'

[Chapter 19]

1 And Uriel said to me: 'Here shall stand the angels who have connected themselves with women, and their spirits assuming many different forms are defiling mankind and shall lead them astray into sacrificing to demons as gods, (here shall they stand,) till the day of the great judgement in 2 which they shall be judged till they are made an end of. And the women also of the angels who 3 went astray shall become sirens.' And I, Enoch, alone saw the vision, the ends of all things: and no man shall see as I have seen.

[Chapter 20]

1,2 And these are the names of the holy angels who watch. Uriel, one of the holy angels, who is 3 over the world and over Tartarus. Raphael, one of the holy angels, who is over the spirits of men. 4,5 Raguel, one of the holy angels who takes vengeance on the world of the luminaries. Michael, one 6 of the holy angels, to wit, he that is set over the best part of mankind and over chaos. Saraqael, 7 one of the holy angels, who is set over the spirits, who sin in the spirit. Gabriel, one of the holy 8 angels, who is over Paradise and the serpents and the Cherubim. Remiel, one of the holy angels, whom God set over those who rise.

[Chapter 21]

1,2 And I proceeded to where things were chaotic. And I saw there something horrible: I saw neither 3 a heaven above nor a firmly founded earth, but a place chaotic and horrible. And there I saw 4 seven stars of the heaven bound together in it, like great mountains and burning with fire. Then 5 I said: 'For what sin are they bound, and on what account have they been cast in hither' Then said Uriel, one of the holy angels, who was with me, and was chief over them, and said: 'Enoch, why 6 dost thou ask, and why art thou eager for the truth These are of the number of the stars of heaven, which have transgressed the commandment of the Lord, and are bound here till ten thousand years, 7 the time entailed by their sins, are consummated.' And from thence I went to another place, which was still more horrible than the former, and I saw a horrible thing: a great fire there which burnt and blazed, and the place was cleft as far as the abyss, being full of great descending columns of 8 fire: neither its extent or magnitude could I see, nor could I conjecture. Then I said: 'How 9 fearful is the place and how terrible to look upon!' Then Uriel answered me, one of the holy angels who was with me, and said unto me: 'Enoch, why hast thou such fear and affright' And 10 I answered: 'Because of this fearful place, and because of the spectacle of the pain.' And he said unto me: 'This place is the prison of the angels, and here they will be imprisoned for ever.'

[Chapter 22]

1 And thence I went to another place, and he mountain [and] of hard rock. 2 And there was in it four hollow places, deep and wide and very smooth. How smooth are the hollow places and deep and dark to look at. 3 Then Raphael answered, one of the holy angels who was with me, and said unto me: 'These hollow places have been created for this very purpose, that the spirits of the souls of the dead should 4 assemble therein, yea that all the souls of the children of men should assemble here. And these places have been made to receive them till the day of their judgement and till their appointed period [till the period appointed], till the great judgement (comes) upon them.' I saw (the spirit of) a dead man making suit, 5 and his voice went forth to heaven and made suit. And I asked Raphael the angel who was 6 with me, and I said unto him: 'This spirit which maketh suit, whose is it, whose voice goeth forth and maketh suit to heaven ' 7 And he answered me saying: 'This is the spirit which went forth from Abel, whom his brother Cain slew, and he makes his suit against him till his seed is destroyed from the face of the earth, and his seed is annihilated from amongst the seed of men.' 8 The I asked regarding it, and regarding all the hollow places: 'Why is one separated from the other' 9 And he answered me and said unto me: 'These three have been made that the spirits of the dead might be separated. And such a division has been make (for) the spirits of the righteous, in which there is the bright spring of 10 water. And such has been made for sinners when they die and are buried in the earth and judgement has not been executed on them in their 11 lifetime. Here their spirits shall be set apart in this great pain till the great day of judgement and punishment and torment of those who curse for ever and retribution for their spirits. There 12 He shall bind them for ever. And such a division has been made for the spirits of those who make their suit, who make disclosures concerning their destruction, when they were slain in the days 13 of the sinners. Such has been made for the spirits of men who were not righteous but sinners, who were complete in transgression, and of the transgressors they shall be companions: but their spirits shall not be slain in the day of judgement nor shall they be raised from thence.' 14 The I blessed the Lord of glory and said: 'Blessed be my Lord, the Lord of righteousness, who ruleth for ever.'

[Chapter 23]

1,2 From thence I went to another place to the west of the ends of the earth. And I saw a burning 3 fire which ran without resting, and paused not from its course day or night but (ran) regularly. And 4 I asked saying: 'What is this which rests not' Then Raguel, one of the holy angels who was with me, answered me and said unto me: 'This course of fire which thou hast seen is the fire in the west which persecutes all the luminaries of heaven.'

[Chapter 24]

1 And from thence I went to another place of the earth, and he showed me a mountain range of 2 fire which burnt day and night. And I went beyond it and saw seven magnificent mountains all differing each from the other, and the stones (thereof) were magnificent and beautiful, magnificent as a whole, of glorious appearance and fair exterior: three towards the east, one founded on the other, and three towards the south, one upon the other, and deep rough ravines, no one of which 3 joined with any other. And the seventh mountain was in the midst of these, and it excelled them 4 in height, resembling the seat of a throne: and fragrant trees encircled the throne. And amongst them was a tree such as I had never yet smelt, neither was any amongst them nor were others like it: it had a fragrance beyond all fragrance, and its leaves and blooms and wood wither not for ever: 5 and its fruit is beautiful, and its fruit n resembles the dates of a palm. Then I said: 'How beautiful is this tree, and fragrant, and its leaves are fair, and its blooms very delightful in appearance.' 6 Then answered Michael, one of the holy and honoured angels who was with me, and was their leader.

[Chapter 25]

1 And he said unto me: 'Enoch, why dost thou ask me regarding the fragrance of the tree, 2 and why dost thou wish to learn the truth' Then I answered him saying: 'I wish to 3 know about everything, but especially about this tree.' And he answered saying: 'This high mountain which thou hast seen, whose summit is like the throne of God, is His throne, where the Holy Great One, the Lord of Glory, the Eternal King, will sit, when He shall come down to visit 4 the earth with goodness. And as for this fragrant tree no mortal is permitted to touch it till the great judgement, when He shall take vengeance on all and bring (everything) to its consummation 5 for ever. It shall then be given to the righteous and holy. Its fruit shall be for food to the elect: it shall be transplanted to the holy place, to the temple of the Lord, the Eternal King.

6 Then shall they rejoice with joy and be glad, And into the holy place shall they enter; And its fragrance shall be in their bones, And they shall live a long life on earth, Such as thy fathers lived:

And in their days shall no sorrow or plague Or torment or calamity touch them.'

7 Then blessed I the God of Glory, the Eternal King, who hath prepared such things for the righteous, and hath created them and promised to give to them.

[Chapter 26]

1 And I went from thence to the middle of the earth, and I saw a blessed place in which there were 2 trees with branches abiding and blooming [of a dismembered tree]. And there I saw a holy mountain, 3 and underneath the mountain to the east there was a stream and it flowed towards the south. And I saw towards the east another mountain higher than this, and between them a deep and narrow 4 ravine: in it also ran a stream underneath the mountain. And to the west thereof there was another mountain, lower than the former and of small elevation, and a ravine deep and dry between them: and another deep and dry ravine was at the extremities of the three mountains. And all the ravines were deep rand narrow, (being formed) of hard rock, and trees were not planted upon 6 them. And I marveled at the rocks, and I marveled at the ravine, yea, I marveled very much.

[Chapter 27]

1 Then said I: 'For what object is this blessed land, which is entirely filled with trees, and this 2 accursed valley between' Then Uriel, one of the holy angels who was with me, answered and said: 'This accursed valley is for those who are accursed for ever: Here shall all the accursed be gathered together who utter with their lips against the Lord unseemly words and of His glory speak hard things. Here shall they be gathered together, and here 3 shall be their place of judgement. In the last days there shall be upon them the spectacle of righteous judgement in the presence of the righteous for ever: here shall the merciful bless the Lord of glory, the Eternal King. 4 In the days of judgement over the former, they shall bless Him for the mercy in accordance with 5 which He has assigned them (their lot).' Then I blessed the Lord of Glory and set forth His glory and lauded Him gloriously.

[Chapter 28]

1 And thence I went towards the east, into the midst of the mountain range of the desert, and 2 I saw a wilderness and it was solitary, full of trees and plants. And water gushed forth from 3 above. Rushing like a copious watercourse [which flowed] towards the north-west it caused clouds and dew to ascend on every side.

[Chapter 29]

1 And thence I went to another place in the desert, and approached to the east of this mountain 2 range. And there I saw aromatic trees exhaling the fragrance of frankincense and myrrh, and the trees also were similar to the almond tree.

[Chapter 30]

1,2 And beyond these, I went afar to the east, and I saw another place, a valley (full) of water. And 3 therein there was a tree, the colour () of fragrant trees such as the mastic. And on the sides of those valleys I saw fragrant cinnamon. And beyond these I proceeded to the east.

[Chapter 31]

1 And I saw other mountains, and amongst them were groves of trees, and there flowed forth from 2 them nectar, which is named sarara and galbanum. And beyond these mountains I saw another mountain to the east of the ends of the earth, whereon were aloe-trees, and all the trees were full 3 of stacte, being like almond-trees. And when one burnt it, it smelt sweeter than any fragrant odour.

[Chapter 32]

1 And after these fragrant odours, as I looked towards the north over the mountains I saw seven mountains full of choice nard and fragrant trees and cinnamon and pepper. 2 And thence I went over the summits of all these mountains, far towards the east of the earth, and passed above the Erythraean sea and went far from it, and passed over the angel Zotiel. And I came to the Garden of Righteousness, 3 I and from afar off trees more numerous than I these trees and great-two trees there, very great, beautiful, and glorious, and magnificent, and the tree of knowledge, whose holy fruit they eat and know great wisdom. 4 That tree is in height like the fir, and its leaves are like (those of) the Carob tree: and its fruit 5 is like the clusters of the vine, very beautiful: and the fragrance of the tree penetrates afar. Then 6 I said: 'How beautiful is the tree, and how attractive is its look!' Then Raphael the holy angel, who was with me, answered me and said: 'This is the tree of wisdom, of which thy father old (in years) and thy aged mother, who were before thee, have eaten, and they learnt wisdom and their eyes were opened, and they knew that they were naked and they were driven out of the garden.'

[Chapter 33]

1 And from thence I went to the ends of the earth and saw there great beasts, and each differed from the other; and (I saw) birds also differing in appearance and beauty and voice, the one differing from the other. And to the east of those beasts I saw the ends of the earth whereon the heaven 2 rests, and the portals of the heaven open. And I saw how the stars of heaven come forth, and 3 I counted the portals out of which they proceed, and wrote down all their outlets, of each individual star by itself, according to their number and their names, their courses and their positions, and their 4 times and their months, as Uriel the holy angel who was with me showed me. He showed all things to me and wrote them down for me: also their names he wrote for me, and their laws and their companies.

[Chapter 34]

1 And from thence I went towards the north to the ends of the earth, and there I saw a great and 2 glorious device at the ends of the whole earth. And here I saw three portals of heaven open in the heaven: through each of them proceed north winds: when they blow there is cold, hail, frost, 3 snow, dew, and rain. And out of one portal they blow for good: but when they blow through the other two portals, it is with violence and affliction on the earth, and they blow with violence.

[Chapter 35]

1 And from thence I went towards the west to the ends of the earth, and saw there three portals of the heaven open such as I had seen in the east, the same number of portals, and the same number of outlets.

[Chapter 36]

1 And from thence I went to the south to the ends of the earth, and saw there three open portals 2 of the heaven: and thence there come dew, rain, and wind. And from thence I went to the east to the ends of the heaven, and saw here the three eastern portals of heaven open and small portals 3 above them. Through each of these small portals pass the stars of heaven and run their course to the west on the path which is shown to them. And as often as I saw I blessed always the Lord of Glory, and I continued to bless the Lord of Glory who has wrought great and glorious wonders, to show the greatness of His work to the angels and to spirits and to men, that they might praise His work and all His creation: that they might see the work of His might and praise the great work of His hands and bless Him for ever.

Section II. Chapters XXXVII-LXXI The Parables

[Chapter 37]

1 The second vision which he saw, the vision of wisdom -which Enoch the son of Jared, the son 2 of Mahalalel, the son of Cainan, the son of Enos, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, saw. And this is the beginning of the words of wisdom which I lifted up my voice to speak and say to those which dwell on earth: Hear, ye men of old time, and see, ye that come after, the words of the Holy 3 One which I will speak before the Lord of Spirits. It were better to declare (them only) to the men of old time, but even from those that come after we will not withhold the beginning of wisdom. 4 Till the present day such wisdom has never been given by the Lord of Spirits as I have received according to my insight, according to the good pleasure of the Lord of Spirits by whom the lot of 5 eternal life has been given to me. Now three Parables were imparted to me, and I lifted up my voice and recounted them to those that dwell on the earth.

[Chapter 38] 1 The first Parable.

When the congregation of the righteous shall appear, And sinners shall be judged for their sins, And shall be driven from the face of the earth:

2 And when the Righteous One shall appear before the eyes of the righteous, Whose elect works hang upon the Lord of Spirits, And light shall appear to the righteous and the elect who dwell on the earth,

Where then will be the dwelling of the sinners,

And where the resting-place of those who have denied the Lord of Spirits It had been good for them if they had not been born.

3 When the secrets of the righteous shall be revealed and the sinners judged, And the godless driven from the presence of the righteous and elect, 4 From that time those that possess the earth shall no longer be powerful and exalted: And they shall not be able to behold the face of the holy, For the Lord of Spirits has caused His light to appear On the face of the holy, righteous, and elect.

5 Then shall the kings and the mighty perish And be given into the hands of the righteous and holy. 6 And thenceforward none shall seek for themselves mercy from the Lord of Spirits For their life is at an end.

[Chapter 39]

1 [And it shall come to pass in those days that elect and holy children will descend from the 2 high heaven, and their seed will become one with the children of men. And in those days Enoch received books of zeal and wrath, and books of disquiet and expulsion.]

And mercy shall not be accorded to them, saith the Lord of Spirits. 3 And in those days a whirlwind carried me off from the earth, And set me down at the end of the heavens.

4 And there I saw another vision, the dwelling-places of the holy, And the resting-places of the righteous.

5 Here mine eyes saw their dwellings with His righteous angels, And their resting-places with the holy.

And they petitioned and interceded and prayed for the children of men, And righteousness flowed before them as water,

And mercy like dew upon the earth: Thus it is amongst them for ever and ever.

6a And in that place mine eyes saw the Elect One of righteousness and of faith, 7a And I saw his dwelling-place under the wings of the Lord of Spirits. 6b And righteousness shall prevail in his days, And the righteous and elect shall be without number before Him for ever and ever. 7b And all the righteous and elect before Him shall be strong as fiery lights, And their mouth shall be full of blessing,

And their lips extol the name of the Lord of Spirits, And righteousness before Him shall never fail, [And uprightness shall never fail before Him.] 8 There I wished to dwell, And my spirit longed for that dwelling-place:

And there heretofore hath been my portion, For so has it been established concerning me before the Lord of Spirits. 9 In those days I praised and extolled the name of the Lord of Spirits with blessings and praises, because He hath destined me for blessing and glory according to the good pleasure of the Lord of 10 Spirits. For a long time my eyes regarded that place, and I blessed Him and praised Him, saying: 'Blessed is He, and may He be blessed from the beginning and for evermore. And before Him there is no ceasing. He knows before the world was created what is for ever and what will be from 12 generation unto generation. Those who sleep not bless Thee: they stand before Thy glory and bless, praise, and extol, saying: "Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of Spirits: He filleth the earth with 3 spirits."' And here my eyes saw all those who sleep not: they stand before Him and bless and say: 'Blessed be Thou, and blessed be the name of the Lord for ever and ever.' And my face was changed; for I could no longer behold.

[Chapter 40]

1 And after that I saw thousands of thousands and ten thousand times ten thousand, I saw a multitude 2 beyond number and reckoning, who stood before the Lord of Spirits. And on the four sides of the Lord of Spirits I saw four presences, different from those that sleep not, and I learnt their names: for the angel that went with me made known to me their names, and showed me all the hidden things. 3 And I heard the voices of those four presences as they uttered praises before the Lord of glory. 4,5 The first voice blesses the Lord of Spirits for ever and ever. And the second voice I heard blessing 6 the Elect One and the elect ones who hang upon the Lord of Spirits. And the third voice I heard pray and intercede for those who dwell on the earth and supplicate in the name of the Lord of Spirits. 7 And I heard the fourth voice fending off the Satans and forbidding them to come before the Lord 8 of Spirits to accuse them who dwell on the earth. After that I asked the angel of peace who went with me, who showed me everything that is hidden: 'Who are these four presences which I have 9 seen and whose words I have heard and written down' And he said to me: 'This first is Michael, the merciful and long-suffering: and the second, who is set over all the diseases and all the wounds of the children of men, is Raphael: and the third, who is set over all the powers, is Gabriel: and the fourth, who is set over the repentance unto hope of those who inherit eternal life, is named Phanuel.' 10 And these are the four angels of the Lord of Spirits and the four voices I heard in those days.

[Chapter 41]

1 And after that I saw all the secrets of the heavens, and how the kingdom is divided, and how the 2 actions of men are weighed in the balance. And there I saw the mansions of the elect and the mansions of the holy, and mine eyes saw there all the sinners being driven from thence which deny the name of the Lord of Spirits, and being dragged off: and they could not abide because of the punishment which proceeds from the Lord of Spirits. 3 And there mine eyes saw the secrets of the lightning and of the thunder, and the secrets of the winds, how they are divided to blow over the earth, and the secrets of the clouds and dew, and there 4 I saw from whence they proceed in that place and from whence they saturate the dusty earth. And there I saw closed chambers out of which the winds are divided, the chamber of the hail and winds, the chamber of the mist, and of the clouds, and the cloud thereof hovers over the earth from the 5 beginning of the world. And I saw the chambers of the sun and moon, whence they proceed and whither they come again, and their glorious return, and how one is superior to the other, and their stately orbit, and how they do not leave their orbit, and they add nothing to their orbit and they take nothing from it, and they keep faith with each other, in accordance with the oath by which they 6 are bound together. And first the sun goes forth and traverses his path according to the commandment 7 of the Lord of Spirits, and mighty is His name for ever and ever. And after that I saw the hidden and the visible path of the moon, and she accomplishes the course of her path in that place by day and by night-the one holding a position opposite to the other before the Lord of Spirits.

And they give thanks and praise and rest not; For unto them is their thanksgiving rest. 8 For the sun changes oft for a blessing or a curse, And the course of the path of the moon is light to the righteous And darkness to the sinners in the name of the Lord, Who made a separation between the light and the darkness, And divided the spirits of men, And strengthened the spirits of the righteous, In the name of His righteousness.

9 For no angel hinders and no power is able to hinder; for He appoints a judge for them all and He judges them all before Him.

[Chapter 42]

1 Wisdom found no place where she might dwell; Then a dwelling-place was assigned her in the heavens.

2 Wisdom went forth to make her dwelling among the children of men, And found no dwelling-place:

Wisdom returned to her place, And took her seat among the angels.

3 And unrighteousness went forth from her chambers: Whom she sought not she found, And dwelt with them,

As rain in a desert And dew on a thirsty land.

[Chapter 43]

1 And I saw other lightnings and the stars of heaven, and I saw how He called them all by their 2 names and they hearkened unto Him. And I saw how they are weighed in a righteous balance according to their proportions of light: (I saw) the width of their spaces and the day of their appearing, and how their revolution produces lightning: and (I saw) their revolution according to the 3 number of the angels, and (how) they keep faith with each other. And I asked the angel who went 4 with me who showed me what was hidden: 'What are these' And he said to me: 'The Lord of Spirits hath showed thee their parabolic meaning (lit. 'their parable'): these are the names of the holy who dwell on the earth and believe in the name of the Lord of Spirits for ever and ever.'

[Chapter 44]

Also another phenomenon I saw in regard to the lightnings: how some of the stars arise and become lightnings and cannot part with their new form.

[Chapter 45]

1 And this is the second Parable concerning those who deny the name of the dwelling of the holy ones and the Lord of Spirits.

2 And into the heaven they shall not ascend, And on the earth they shall not come: Such shall be the lot of the sinners Who have denied the name of the Lord of Spirits, Who are thus preserved for the day of suffering and tribulation.

3 On that day Mine Elect One shall sit on the throne of glory And shall try their works, And their places of rest shall be innumerable.

And their souls shall grow strong within them when they see Mine Elect Ones, And those who have called upon My glorious name: 4 Then will I cause Mine Elect One to dwell among them.

And I will transform the heaven and make it an eternal blessing and light 5 And I will transform the earth and make it a blessing:

And I will cause Mine elect ones to dwell upon it: But the sinners and evil-doers shall not set foot thereon.

6 For I have provided and satisfied with peace My righteous ones And have caused them to dwell before Me:

But for the sinners there is judgement impending with Me, So that I shall destroy them from the face of the earth.

[Chapter 46]

1 And there I saw One who had a head of days, And His head was white like wool, And with Him was another being whose countenance had the appearance of a man, And his face was full of graciousness, like one of the holy angels. 2 And I asked the angel who went with me and showed me all the hidden things, concerning that 3 Son of Man, who he was, and whence he was, (and) why he went with the Head of Days And he answered and said unto me: This is the son of Man who hath righteousness, With whom dwelleth righteousness, And who revealeth all the treasures of that which is hidden,

Because the Lord of Spirits hath chosen him, And whose lot hath the pre-eminence before the Lord of Spirits in uprightness for ever.

4 And this Son of Man whom thou hast seen Shall raise up the kings and the mighty from their seats, [And the strong from their thrones] And shall loosen the reins of the strong, And break the teeth of the sinners.

5 [And he shall put down the kings from their thrones and kingdoms] Because they do not extol and praise Him, Nor humbly acknowledge whence the kingdom was bestowed upon them. 6 And he shall put down the countenance of the strong, And shall fill them with shame.

And darkness shall be their dwelling, And worms shall be their bed, And they shall have no hope of rising from their beds, Because they do not extol the name of the Lord of Spirits.

7 And these are they who judge the stars of heaven, [And raise their hands against the Most High], And tread upon the earth and dwell upon it. And all their deeds manifest unrighteousness, And their power rests upon their riches, And their faith is in the gods which they have made with their hands, And they deny the name of the Lord of Spirits,

8 And they persecute the houses of His congregations, And the faithful who hang upon the name of the Lord of Spirits.

[Chapter 47]

1 And in those days shall have ascended the prayer of the righteous, And the blood of the righteous from the earth before the Lord of Spirits.

2 In those days the holy ones who dwell above in the heavens Shall unite with one voice And supplicate and pray [and praise, And give thanks and bless the name of the Lord of Spirits On behalf of the blood of the righteous which has been shed, And that the prayer of the righteous may not be in vain before the Lord of Spirits, That judgement may be done unto them, And that they may not have to suffer for ever.

3 In those days I saw the Head of Days when He seated himself upon the throne of His glory, And the books of the living were opened before Him: And all His host which is in heaven above and His counselors stood before Him,

4 And the hearts of the holy were filled with joy; Because the number of the righteous had been offered, And the prayer of the righteous had been heard, And the blood of the righteous been required before the Lord of Spirits.

[Chapter 48]

1 And in that place I saw the fountain of righteousness Which was inexhaustible: And around it were many fountains of wisdom: And all the thirsty drank of them, And were filled with wisdom, And their dwellings were with the righteous and holy and elect. 2 And at that hour that Son of Man was named In the presence of the Lord of Spirits, And his name before the Head of Days.

3 Yea, before the sun and the signs were created, Before the stars of the heaven were made, His name was named before the Lord of Spirits.

4 He shall be a staff to the righteous whereon to stay themselves and not fall, And he shall be the light of the Gentiles, And the hope of those who are troubled of heart.

5 All who dwell on earth shall fall down and worship before him, And will praise and bless and celebrate with song the Lord of Spirits.

6 And for this reason hath he been chosen and hidden before Him, Before the creation of the world and for evermore.

7 And the wisdom of the Lord of Spirits hath revealed him to the holy and righteous; For he hath preserved the lot of the righteous, Because they have hated and despised this world of unrighteousness, And have hated all its works and ways in the name of the Lord of Spirits: For in his name they are saved, And according to his good pleasure hath it been in regard to their life.

8 In these days downcast in countenance shall the kings of the earth have become, And the strong who possess the land because of the works of their hands, For on the day of their anguish and affliction they shall not (be able to) save themselves. And I will give them over into the hands of Mine elect: As straw in the fire so shall they burn before the face of the holy: As lead in the water shall they sink before the face of the righteous, And no trace of them shall any more be found. 10 And on the day of their affliction there shall be rest on the earth, And before them they shall fall and not rise again: And there shall be no one to take them with his hands and raise them: For they have denied the Lord of Spirits and His Anointed. The name of the Lord of Spirits be blessed.

[Chapter 49]

l For wisdom is poured out like water, And glory faileth not before him for evermore.

2 For he is mighty in all the secrets of righteousness, And unrighteousness shall disappear as a shadow, And have no continuance; Because the Elect One standeth before the Lord of Spirits, And his glory is for ever and ever, And his might unto all generations.

3 And in him dwells the spirit of wisdom, And the spirit which gives insight, And the spirit of understanding and of might, And the spirit of those who have fallen asleep in righteousness.

4 And he shall judge the secret things, And none shall be able to utter a lying word before him; For he is the Elect One before the Lord of Spirits according to His good pleasure.

[Chapter 50]

1 And in those days a change shall take place for the holy and elect, And the light of days shall abide upon them, And glory and honour shall turn to the holy, 2 On the day of affliction on which evil shall have been treasured up against the sinners.

And the righteous shall be victorious in the name of the Lord of Spirits: And He will cause the others to witness (this) That they may repent And forgo the works of their hands.

3 They shall have no honour through the name of the Lord of Spirits, Yet through His name shall they be saved, And the Lord of Spirits will have compassion on them, For His compassion is great.

4 And He is righteous also in His judgement, And in the presence of His glory unrighteousness also shall not maintain itself: At His judgement the unrepentant shall perish before Him. 5 And from henceforth I will have no mercy on them, saith the Lord of Spirits.

[Chapter 51]

1 And in those days shall the earth also give back that which has been entrusted to it, And Sheol also shall give back that which it has received, And hell shall give back that which it owes.

5a For in those days the Elect One shall arise, 2 And he shall choose the righteous and holy from among them: For the day has drawn nigh that they should be saved.

3 And the Elect One shall in those days sit on My throne, And his mouth shall pour forth all the secrets of wisdom and counsel: For the Lord of Spirits hath given (them) to him and hath glorified him.

4 And in those days shall the mountains leap like rams, And the hills also shall skip like lambs satisfied with milk, And the faces of [all] the angels in heaven shall be lighted up with joy.

5b And the earth shall rejoice, c And the righteous shall dwell upon it, d And the elect shall walk thereon.

[Chapter 52]

l And after those days in that place where I had seen all the visions of that which is hidden -for 2 I had been carried off in a whirlwind and they had borne me towards the west-There mine eyes saw all the secret things of heaven that shall be, a mountain of iron, and a mountain of copper, and a mountain of silver, and a mountain of gold, and a mountain of soft metal, and a mountain of lead. 3 And I asked the angel who went with me, saying, 'What things are these which I have seen in 4 secret' And he said unto me: 'All these things which thou hast seen shall serve the dominion of His Anointed that he may be potent and mighty on the earth.' 5 And that angel of peace answered, saying unto me: 'Wait a little, and there shall be revealed unto thee all the secret things which surround the Lord of Spirits. 6 And these mountains which thine eyes have seen, The mountain of iron, and the mountain of copper, and the mountain of silver, And the mountain of gold, and the mountain of soft metal, and the mountain of lead, All these shall be in the presence of the Elect One As wax: before the fire, And like the water which streams down from above [upon those mountains], And they shall become powerless before his feet. 7 And it shall come to pass in those days that none shall be saved, Either by gold or by silver, And none be able to escape. 8 And there shall be no iron for war, Nor shall one clothe oneself with a breastplate. Bronze shall be of no service, And tin [shall be of no service and] shall not be esteemed, And lead shall not be desired. 9 And all these things shall be [denied and] destroyed from the surface of the earth, When the Elect One shall appear before the face of the Lord of Spirits.'

[Chapter 53]

1 There mine eyes saw a deep valley with open mouths, and all who dwell on the earth and sea and islands shall bring to him gifts and presents and tokens of homage, but that deep valley shall not become full. 2 And their hands commit lawless deeds, And the sinners devour all whom they lawlessly oppress: Yet the sinners shall be destroyed before the face of the Lord of Spirits, And they shall be banished from off the face of His earth, And they shall perish for ever and ever. 3 For I saw all the angels of punishment abiding (there) and preparing all the instruments of Satan. 4 And I asked the angel of peace who went with me: ' For whom are they preparing these Instruments' 5 And he said unto me: ' They prepare these for the kings and the mighty of this earth, that they may thereby be destroyed. 6 And after this the Righteous and Elect One shall cause the house of his congregation to appear: henceforth they shall be no more hindered in the name of the Lord of Spirits. 7 And these mountains shall not stand as the earth before his righteousness, But the hills shall be as a fountain of water, And the righteous shall have rest from the oppression of sinners.'

[Chapter 54]

1 And I looked and turned to another part of the earth, and saw there a deep valley with burning 2 fire. And they brought the kings and the mighty, and began to cast them into this deep valley. 3 And there mine eyes saw how they made these their instruments, iron chains of immeasurable weight. 4 And I asked the angel of peace who went with me, saying: ' For whom are these chains being prepared ' And he said unto me: ' These are being prepared for the hosts of Azazel, so that they may take them and cast them into the abyss of complete condemnation, and they shall cover their jaws with rough stones as the Lord of Spirits commanded. 6 And Michael, and Gabriel, and Raphael, and Phanuel shall take hold of them on that great day, and cast them on that day into the burning furnace, that the Lord of Spirits may take vengeance on them for their unrighteousness in becoming subject to Satan and leading astray those who dwell on the earth.' 7 And in those days shall punishment come from the Lord of Spirits, and he will open all the chambers of waters which are above the heavens, and of the fountains which are beneath the earth. 8 And all the waters shall be joined with the waters: that which is above the heavens is the masculine, 9 and the water which is beneath the earth is the feminine. And they shall destroy all who dwell 10 on the earth and those who dwell under the ends of the heaven. And when they have recognized their unrighteousness which they have wrought on the earth, then by these shall they perish.

[Chapter 55]

1 And after that the Head of Days repented and said: ' In vain have I destroyed all who dwell 2 on the earth.' And He sware by His great name: ' Henceforth I will not do so to all who dwell on the earth, and I will set a sign in the heaven: and this shall be a pledge of good faith between Me and them for ever, so long as heaven is above the earth. And this is in accordance with My command. 3 When I have desired to take hold of them by the hand of the angels on the day of tribulation and pain because of this, I will cause My chastisement and My wrath to abide upon them, saith 4 God, the Lord of Spirits. Ye mighty kings who dwell on the earth, ye shall have to behold Mine Elect One, how he sits on the throne of glory and judges Azazel, and all his associates, and all his hosts in the name of the Lord of Spirits.'

[Chapter 56]

1 And I saw there the hosts of the angels of punishment going, and they held scourges and chains 2 of iron and bronze. And I asked the angel of peace who went with me, saying: ' To whom are 3 these who hold the scourges going ' And he said unto me: ' To their elect and beloved ones, that they may be cast into the chasm of the abyss of the valley.

4 And then that valley shall be filled with their elect and beloved, And the days of their lives shall be at an end, And the days of their leading astray shall not thenceforward be reckoned.

5 And in those days the angels shall return And hurl themselves to the east upon the Parthians and Medes:

They shall stir up the kings, so that a spirit of unrest shall come upon them, And they shall rouse them from their thrones,

That they may break forth as lions from their lairs, And as hungry wolves among their flocks.

6 And they shall go up and tread under foot the land of His elect ones [And the land of His elect ones shall be before them a threshing-floor and a highway :] 7 But the city of my righteous shall be a hindrance to their horses.

And they shall begin to fight among themselves, And their right hand shall be strong against themselves,

And a man shall not know his brother, Nor a son his father or his mother,

Till there be no number of the corpses through their slaughter, And their punishment be not in vain.

8 In those days Sheol shall open its jaws, And they shall be swallowed up therein

And their destruction shall be at an end; Sheol shall devour the sinners in the presence of the elect.'

[Chapter 57]

1 And it came to pass after this that I saw another host of wagons, and men riding thereon, and 2 coming on the winds from the east, and from the west to the south. And the noise of their wagons was heard, and when this turmoil took place the holy ones from heaven remarked it, and the pillars of the earth were moved from their place, and the sound thereof was heard from the one end of heaven 3 to the other, in one day. And they shall all fall down and worship the Lord of Spirits. And this is the end of the second Parable.

[Chapter 58]

1 And I began to speak the third Parable concerning the righteous and elect.

2 Blessed are ye, ye righteous and elect, For glorious shall be your lot.

3 And the righteous shall be in the light of the sun. And the elect in the light of eternal life: The days of their life shall be unending, And the days of the holy without number.

4 And they shall seek the light and find righteousness with the Lord of Spirits: There shall be peace to the righteous in the name of the Eternal Lord.

5 And after this it shall be said to the holy in heaven That they should seek out the secrets of righteousness, the heritage of faith: For it has become bright as the sun upon earth, And the darkness is past.

6 And there shall be a light that never endeth, And to a limit (lit. ' number ') of days they shall not come, For the darkness shall first have been destroyed, [And the light established before the Lord of Spirits] And the light of uprightness established for ever before the Lord of Spirits.

[Chapter 59]

1 [In those days mine eyes saw the secrets of the lightnings, and of the lights, and the judgements they execute (lit. ' their judgement '): and they lighten for a blessing or a curse as the Lord of 2 Spirits willeth. And there I saw the secrets of the thunder, and how when it resounds above in the heaven, the sound thereof is heard, and he caused me to see the judgements executed on the earth, whether they be for well-being and blessing, or for a curse according to the word of the Lord of Spirits. 3 And after that all the secrets of the lights and lightnings were shown to me, and they lighten for blessing and for satisfying.]

[Chapter 60] A Fragment of the Book of Noah

1 In the year 500, in the seventh month, on the fourteenth day of the month in the life of Enoch. In that Parable I saw how a mighty quaking made the heaven of heavens to quake, and the host of the Most High, and the angels, a thousand thousands and ten thousand times ten thousand, were 2 disquieted with a great disquiet. And the Head of Days sat on the throne of His glory, and the angels and the righteous stood around Him.

3 And a great trembling seized me, And fear took hold of me, And my loins gave way, And dissolved were my reins, And I fell upon my face.

4 And Michael sent another angel from among the holy ones and he raised me up, and when he had raised me up my spirit returned; for I had not been able to endure the look of this host, and the 5 commotion and the quaking of the heaven. And Michael said unto me: ' Why art thou disquieted with such a vision Until this day lasted the day of His mercy; and He hath been merciful and 6 long-suffering towards those who dwell on the earth. And when the day, and the power, and the punishment, and the judgement come, which the Lord of Spirits hath prepared for those who worship not the righteous law, and for those who deny the righteous judgement, and for those who take His name in vain-that day is prepared, for the elect a covenant, but for sinners an inquisition. 25 When the punishment of the Lord of Spirits shall rest upon them, it shall rest in order that the punishment of the Lord of Spirits may not come, in vain, and it shall slay the children with their mothers and the children with their fathers. Afterwards the judgement shall take place according to His mercy and His patience.' 7 And on that day were two monsters parted, a female monster named Leviathan, to dwell in the 8 abysses of the ocean over the fountains of the waters. But the male is named Behemoth, who occupied with his breast a waste wilderness named Duidain, on the east of the garden where the elect and righteous dwell, where my grandfather was taken up, the seventh from Adam, the first 9 man whom the Lord of Spirits created. And I besought the other angel that he should show me the might of those monsters, how they were parted on one day and cast, the one into the abysses 10 of the sea, and the other unto the dry land of the wilderness. And he said to me: ' Thou son of man, herein thou dost seek to know what is hidden.' 11 And the other angel who went with me and showed me what was hidden told me what is first and last in the heaven in the height, and beneath the earth in the depth, and at the ends of the 12 heaven, and on the foundation of the heaven. And the chambers of the winds, and how the winds are divided, and how they are weighed, and (how) the portals of the winds are reckoned, each according to the power of the wind, and the power of the lights of the moon, and according to the power that is fitting: and the divisions of the stars according to their names, and how all the divisions 13 are divided. And the thunders according to the places where they fall, and all the divisions that are made among the lightnings that it may lighten, and their host that they may at once obey. 14 For the thunder has places of rest (which) are assigned (to it) while it is waiting for its peal; and the thunder and lightning are inseparable, and although not one and undivided, they both go together 15 through the spirit and separate not. For when the lightning lightens, the thunder utters its voice, and the spirit enforces a pause during the peal, and divides equally between them; for the treasury of their peals is like the sand, and each one of them as it peals is held in with a bridle, and turned back by the power of the spirit, and pushed forward according to the many quarters of the earth. 16 And the spirit of the sea is masculine and strong, and according to the might of his strength he draws it back with a rein, and in like manner it is driven forward and disperses amid all the mountains 17 of the earth. And the spirit of the hoar-frost is his own angel, and the spirit of the hail is a good 18 angel. And the spirit of the snow has forsaken his chambers on account of his strength -There is a special spirit therein, and that which ascends from it is like smoke, and its name is frost. And the spirit of the mist is not united with them in their chambers, but it has a special chamber; for its course is glorious both in light and in darkness, and in winter and in summer, and in its chamber is an angel. 20 And the spirit of the dew has its dwelling at the ends of the heaven, and is connected with the chambers of the rain, and its course is in winter and summer: and its clouds and the clouds of the 21 mist are connected, and the one gives to the other. And when the spirit of the rain goes forth from its chamber, the angels come and open the chamber and lead it out, and when it is diffused over the whole earth it unites with the water on the earth. And whensoever it unites with the water on 22 the earth . . . For the waters are for those who dwell on the earth; for they are nourishment for the earth from the Most High who is in heaven: therefore there is a measure for the rain, 22, and the angels take it in charge. And these things I saw towards the Garden of the Righteous. 23 And the angel of peace who was with me said to me: ' These two monsters, prepared conformably to the greatness of God, shall feed . . .

[Chapter 61]

1 And I saw in those days how long cords were given to those angels, and they took to themselves wings and flew, and they went towards the north. 2 And I asked the angel, saying unto him: ' Why have those (angels) taken these cords and gone off ' And he said unto me: ' They have gone to measure.'

3 And the angel who went with me said unto me: ' These shall bring the measures of the righteous, And the ropes of the righteous to the righteous, That they may stay themselves on the name of the Lord of Spirits for ever and ever.

4 The elect shall begin to dwell with the elect, And those are the measures which shall be given to faith And which shall strengthen righteousness.

5 And these measures shall reveal all the secrets of the depths of the earth, And those who have been destroyed by the desert, And those who have been devoured by the beasts, And those who have been devoured by the fish of the sea, That they may return and stay themselves On the day of the Elect One; For none shall be destroyed before the Lord of Spirits, And none can be destroyed.

6 And all who dwell above in the heaven received a command and power and one voice and one light like unto fire.

7 And that One (with) their first words they blessed, And extolled and lauded with wisdom, And they were wise in utterance and in the spirit of life.

8 And the Lord of Spirits placed the Elect one on the throne of glory. And he shall judge all the works of the holy above in the heaven, And in the balance shall their deeds be weighed

9 And when he shall lift up his countenance To judge their secret ways according to the word of the name of the Lord of Spirits, And their path according to the way of the righteous judgement of the Lord of Spirits, Then shall they all with one voice speak and bless, And glorify and extol and sanctify the name of the Lord of Spirits.

10 And He will summon all the host of the heavens, and all the holy ones above, and the host of God, the Cherubic, Seraphin and Ophannin, and all the angels of power, and all the angels of principalities, and the Elect One, and the other powers on the earth (and) over the water On that day shall raise one voice, and bless and glorify and exalt in the spirit of faith, and in the spirit of wisdom, and in the spirit of patience, and in the spirit of mercy, and in the spirit of judgement and of peace, and in the spirit of goodness, and shall all say with one voice: " Blessed is He, and may the name of the Lord of Spirits be blessed for ever and ever."

12 All who sleep not above in heaven shall bless Him: All the holy ones who are in heaven shall bless Him, And all the elect who dwell in the garden of life:

And every spirit of light who is able to bless, and glorify, and extol, and hallow Thy blessed name, And all flesh shall beyond measure glorify and bless Thy name for ever and ever.

13 For great is the mercy of the Lord of Spirits, and He is long-suffering, And all His works and all that He has created He has revealed to the righteous and elect In the name of the Lord of Spirits.

[Chapter 62]

1 And thus the Lord commanded the kings and the mighty and the exalted, and those who dwell on the earth, and said:

' Open your eyes and lift up your horns if ye are able to recognize the Elect One.' 2 And the Lord of Spirits seated him on the throne of His glory, And the spirit of righteousness was poured out upon him, And the word of his mouth slays all the sinners, And all the unrighteous are destroyed from before his face. 3 And there shall stand up in that day all the kings and the mighty, And the exalted and those who hold the earth, And they shall see and recognize How he sits on the throne of his glory, And righteousness is judged before him, And no lying word is spoken before him.

4 Then shall pain come upon them as on a woman in travail, [And she has pain in bringing forth] When her child enters the mouth of the womb, And she has pain in bringing forth.

And one portion of them shall look on the other, And they shall be terrified, And they shall be downcast of countenance, And pain shall seize them, When they see that Son of Man Sitting on the throne of his glory.

6 And the kings and the mighty and all who possess the earth shall bless and glorify and extol him who rules over all, who was hidden.

7 For from the beginning the Son of Man was hidden, And the Most High preserved him in the presence of His might, And revealed him to the elect.

8 And the congregation of the elect and holy shall be sown, And all the elect shall stand before him on that day.

9 And all the kings and the mighty and the exalted and those who rule the earth Shall fall down before him on their faces, And worship and set their hope upon that Son of Man, And petition him and supplicate for mercy at his hands.

10 Nevertheless that Lord of Spirits will so press them That they shall hastily go forth from His presence, And their faces shall be filled with shame, And the darkness grow deeper on their faces.

11 And He will deliver them to the angels for punishment, To execute vengeance on them because they have oppressed His children and His elect 12 And they shall be a spectacle for the righteous and for His elect: They shall rejoice over them, Because the wrath of the Lord of Spirits resteth upon them, And His sword is drunk with their blood.

13 And the righteous and elect shall be saved on that day, And they shall never thenceforward see the face of the sinners and unrighteous.

14 And the Lord of Spirits will abide over them, And with that Son of Man shall they eat And lie down and rise up for ever and ever.

15 And the righteous and elect shall have risen from the earth, And ceased to be of downcast countenance. And they shall have been clothed with garments of glory,

16 And these shall be the garments of life from the Lord of Spirits:

And your garments shall not grow old, Nor your glory pass away before the Lord of Spirits.

[Chapter 63]

1 In those days shall the mighty and the kings who possess the earth implore (Him) to grant them a little respite from His angels of punishment to whom they were delivered, that they might fall 2 down and worship before the Lord of Spirits, and confess their sins before Him. And they shall bless and glorify the Lord of Spirits, and say:

' Blessed is the Lord of Spirits and the Lord of kings, And the Lord of the mighty and the Lord of the rich, And the Lord of glory and the Lord of wisdom,

3 And splendid in every secret thing is Thy power from generation to generation, And Thy glory for ever and ever:

Deep are all Thy secrets and innumerable, And Thy righteousness is beyond reckoning.

4 We have now learnt that we should glorify And bless the Lord of kings and Him who is king over all kings.' 5 And they shall say: ' Would that we had rest to glorify and give thanks And confess our faith before His glory !

6 And now we long for a little rest but find it not: We follow hard upon and obtain (it) not:

And light has vanished from before us, And darkness is our dwelling-place for ever and ever:

7 For we have not believed before Him Nor glorified the name of the Lord of Spirits, [nor glorified our Lord]

But our hope was in the sceptre of our kingdom, And in our glory.

8 And in the day of our suffering and tribulation He saves us not, And we find no respite for confession

That our Lord is true in all His works, and in His judgements and His justice, And His judgements have no respect of persons.

And we pass away from before His face on account of our works, And all our sins are reckoned up in righteousness.'

10 Now they shall say unto themselves: ' Our souls are full of unrighteous gain, but it does not prevent us from descending from the midst thereof into the burden of Sheol.'

11 And after that their faces shall be filled with darkness And shame before that Son of Man, And they shall be driven from his presence, And the sword shall abide before his face in their midst.

12 Thus spake the Lord of Spirits: ' This is the ordinance and judgement with respect to the mighty and the kings and the exalted and those who possess the earth before the Lord of Spirits.'

[Chapter 64]

1,2 And other forms I saw hidden in that place. I heard the voice of the angel saying: ' These are the angels who descended to the earth, and revealed what was hidden to the children of men and seduced the children of men into committing sin.'

[Chapter 65]

1, 2 And in those days Noah saw the earth that it had sunk down and its destruction was nigh. And he arose from thence and went to the ends of the earth, and cried aloud to his grandfather Enoch: 3 and Noah said three times with an embittered voice: Hear me, hear me, hear me.' And I said unto him: ' Tell me what it is that is falling out on the earth that the earth is in such evil plight 4 and shaken, lest perchance I shall perish with it ' And thereupon there was a great commotion , on the earth, and a voice was heard from heaven, and I fell on my face. And Enoch my grandfather came and stood by me, and said unto me: ' Why hast thou cried unto me with a bitter cry and weeping 6 And a command has gone forth from the presence of the Lord concerning those who dwell on the earth that their ruin is accomplished because they have learnt all the secrets of the angels, and all the violence of the Satans, and all their powers -the most secret ones- and all the power of those who practice sorcery, and the power of witchcraft, and the power of those who make molten images 7 for the whole earth: And how silver is produced from the dust of the earth, and how soft metal 8 originates in the earth. For lead and tin are not produced from the earth like the first: it is a fountain 9 that produces them, and an angel stands therein, and that angel is pre-eminent.' And after that my grandfather Enoch took hold of me by my hand and raised me up, and said unto me: ' Go, for I have 10 asked the Lord of Spirits as touching this commotion on the earth. And He said unto me: " Because of their unrighteousness their judgement has been determined upon and shall not be withheld by Me for ever. Because of the sorceries which they have searched out and learnt, the earth and those 11 who dwell upon it shall be destroyed." And these-they have no place of repentance for ever, because they have shown them what was hidden, and they are the damned: but as for thee, my son, the Lord of Spirits knows that thou art pure, and guiltless of this reproach concerning the secrets.

12 And He has destined thy name to be among the holy, And will preserve thee amongst those who dwell on the earth, And has destined thy righteous seed both for kingship and for great honours, And from thy seed shall proceed a fountain of the righteous and holy without number for ever.

[Chapter 66]

1 And after that he showed me the angels of punishment who are prepared to come and let loose all the powers of the waters which are beneath in the earth in order to bring judgement and destruction 2 on all who [abide and] dwell on the earth. And the Lord of Spirits gave commandment to the angels who were going forth, that they should not cause the waters to rise but should hold them 3 in check; for those angels were over the powers of the waters. And I went away from the presence of Enoch.

[Chapter 67]

1 And in those days the word of God came unto me, and He said unto me: ' Noah, thy lot has come 2 Up before Me, a lot without blame, a lot of love and uprightness. And now the angels are making a wooden (building), and when they have completed that task I will place My hand upon it and preserve it, and there shall come forth from it the seed of life, and a change shall set in so that the 3 earth will not remain without inhabitant. And I will make fast thy sed before me for ever and ever, and I will spread abroad those who dwell with thee: it shall not be unfruitful on the face of the earth, but it shall be blessed and multiply on the earth in the name of the Lord.' 4 And He will imprison those angels, who have shown unrighteousness, in that burning valley which my grandfather Enoch had formerly shown to me in the west among the mountains of gold 5 and silver and iron and soft metal and tin. And I saw that valley in which there was a great 6 convulsion and a convulsion of the waters. And when all this took place, from that fiery molten metal and from the convulsion thereof in that place, there was produced a smell of sulphur, and it was connected with those waters, and that valley of the angels who had led astray (mankind) burned 7 beneath that land. And through its valleys proceed streams of fire, where these angels are punished who had led astray those who dwell upon the earth. 8 But those waters shall in those days serve for the kings and the mighty and the exalted, and those who dwell on the earth, for the healing of the body, but for the punishment of the spirit; now their spirit is full of lust, that they may be punished in their body, for they have denied the Lord of Spirits 9 and see their punishment daily, and yet believe not in His name. And in proportion as the burning of their bodies becomes severe, a corresponding change shall take place in their spirit for ever and ever; 10 for before the Lord of Spirits none shall utter an idle word. For the judgement shall come upon them, 11 because they believe in the lust of their body and deny the Spirit of the Lord. And those same waters will undergo a change in those days; for when those angels are punished in these waters, these water-springs shall change their temperature, and when the angels ascend, this water of the 12 springs shall change and become cold. And I heard Michael answering and saying: ' This judgement wherewith the angels are judged is a testimony for the kings and the mighty who possess the 13 earth.' Because these waters of judgement minister to the healing of the body of the kings and the lust of their body; therefore they will not see and will not believe that those waters will change and become a fire which burns for ever.

[Chapter 68]

1 And after that my grandfather Enoch gave me the teaching of all the secrets in the book in the Parables which had been given to him, and he put them together for me in the words of the book 2 of the Parables. And on that day Michael answered Raphael and said: ' The power of the spirit transports and makes me to tremble because of the severity of the judgement of the secrets, the judgement of the angels: who can endure the severe judgement which has been executed, and before 3 which they melt away ' And Michael answered again, and said to Raphael: ' Who is he whose heart is not softened concerning it, and whose reins are not troubled by this word of judgement 4 (that) has gone forth upon them because of those who have thus led them out ' And it came to pass when he stood before the Lord of Spirits, Michael said thus to Raphael: ' I will not take their part under the eye of the Lord; for the Lord of Spirits has been angry with them because they do 5 as if they were the Lord. Therefore all that is hidden shall come upon them for ever and ever; for neither angel nor man shall have his portion (in it), but alone they have received their judgement for ever and ever.

[Chapter 69]

1 And after this judgement they shall terrify and make them to tremble because they have shown this to those who dwell on the earth. 2 And behold the names of those angels [and these are their names: the first of them is Samjaza, the second Artaqifa, and the third Armen, the fourth Kokabel, the fifth Turael, the sixth Rumjal, the seventh Danjal, the eighth Neqael, the ninth Baraqel, the tenth Azazel, the eleventh Armaros, the twelfth Batarjal, the thirteenth Busasejal, the fourteenth Hananel, the fifteenth Turel, and the sixteenth Simapesiel, the seventeenth Jetrel, the eighteenth Tumael, the nineteenth Turel, 3 the twentieth Rumael, the twenty-first Azazel. And these are the chiefs of their angels and their names, and their chief ones over hundreds and over fifties and over tens]. 4 The name of the first Jeqon: that is, the one who led astray [all] the sons of God, and brought them 5 down to the earth, and led them astray through the daughters of men. And the second was named Asbeel: he imparted to the holy sons of God evil counsel, and led them astray so that they defiled 6 their bodies with the daughters of men. And the third was named Gadreel: he it is who showed the children of men all the blows of death, and he led astray Eve, and showed [the weapons of death to the sons of men] the shield and the coat of mail, and the sword for battle, and all the weapons 7 of death to the children of men. And from his hand they have proceeded against those who dwell 8 on the earth from that day and for evermore. And the fourth was named Penemue: he taught the 9 children of men the bitter and the sweet, and he taught them all the secrets of their wisdom. And he instructed mankind in writing with ink and paper, and thereby many sinned from eternity to 10 eternity and until this day. For men were not created for such a purpose, to give confirmation 11 to their good faith with pen and ink. For men were created exactly like the angels, to the intent that they should continue pure and righteous, and death, which destroys everything, could not have taken hold of them, but through this their knowledge they are perishing, and through this power 12 it is consuming me. And the fifth was named Kasdeja: this is he who showed the children of men all the wicked smitings of spirits and demons, and the smitings of the embryo in the womb, that it may pass away, and [the smitings of the soul] the bites of the serpent, and the smitings 13 which befall through the noontide heat, the son of the serpent named Taba'et. And this is the task of Kasbeel, the chief of the oath which he showed to the holy ones when he dwelt high 4 above in glory, and its name is Biqa. This (angel) requested Michael to show him the hidden name, that he might enunciate it in the oath, so that those might quake before that name and oath who revealed all that was in secret to the children of men. And this is the power of this oath, for it is powerful and strong, and he placed this oath Akae in the hand of Michael.

16 And these are the secrets of this oath . . . And they are strong through his oath: And the heaven was suspended before the world was created, And for ever.

17 And through it the earth was founded upon the water, And from the secret recesses of the mountains come beautiful waters, From the creation of the world and unto eternity.

18 And through that oath the sea was created, And as its foundation He set for it the sand against the time of (its) anger, And it dare not pass beyond it from the creation of the world unto eternity.

9 And through that oath are the depths made fast, And abide and stir not from their place from eternity to eternity.

20 And through that oath the sun and moon complete their course, And deviate not from their ordinance from eternity to eternity.

21 And through that oath the stars complete their course, And He calls them by their names, And they answer Him from eternity to eternity.

22 [And in like manner the spirits of the water, and of the winds, and of all zephyrs, and (their) paths 23 from all the quarters of the winds. And there are preserved the voices of the thunder and the light of the lightnings: and there are preserved the chambers of the hail and the chambers of the 24 hoarfrost, and the chambers of the mist, and the chambers of the rain and the dew. And all these believe and give thanks before the Lord of Spirits, and glorify (Him) with all their power, and their food is in every act of thanksgiving: they thank and glorify and extol the name of the Lord of Spirits for ever and ever.]

25 And this oath is mighty over them And through it [they are preserved and] their paths are preserved, And their course is not destroyed.

26 And there was great joy amongst them, And they blessed and glorified and extolled Because the name of that Son of Man had been revealed unto them.

27 And he sat on the throne of his glory, And the sum of judgement was given unto the Son of Man, And he caused the sinners to pass away and be destroyed from off the face of the earth, And those who have led the world astray.

28 With chains shall they be bound, And in their assemblage-place of destruction shall they be imprisoned, And all their works vanish from the face of the earth.

29 And from henceforth there shall be nothing corruptible; For that Son of Man has appeared, And has seated himself on the throne of his glory, And all evil shall pass away before his face, And the word of that Son of Man shall go forth

And be strong before the Lord of Spirits.

[Chapter 70]

1 And it came to pass after this that his name during his lifetime was raised aloft to that Son of 2 Man and to the Lord of Spirits from amongst those who dwell on the earth. And he was raised aloft 3 on the chariots of the spirit and his name vanished among them. And from that day I was no longer numbered amongst them: and he set me between the two winds, between the North and the 4 West, where the angels took the cords to measure for me the place for the elect and righteous. And there I saw the first fathers and the righteous who from the beginning dwell in that place.

[Chapter 71]

1 And it came to pass after this that my spirit was translated And it ascended into the heavens: And I saw the holy sons of God. They were stepping on flames of fire: Their garments were white [and their raiment], And their faces shone like snow.

2 And I saw two streams of fire, And the light of that fire shone like hyacinth, And I fell on my face before the Lord of Spirits.

3 And the angel Michael [one of the archangels] seized me by my right hand, And lifted me up and led me forth into all the secrets, And he showed me all the secrets of righteousness.

4 And he showed me all the secrets of the ends of the heaven, And all the chambers of all the stars, and all the luminaries, Whence they proceed before the face of the holy ones.

5 And he translated my spirit into the heaven of heavens, And I saw there as it were a structure built of crystals, And between those crystals tongues of living fire.

6 And my spirit saw the girdle which girt that house of fire, And on its four sides were streams full of living fire, And they girt that house.

7 And round about were Seraphin, Cherubic, and Ophannin: And these are they who sleep not And guard the throne of His glory.

8 And I saw angels who could not be counted, A thousand thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand, Encircling that house.

And Michael, and Raphael, and Gabriel, and Phanuel, And the holy angels who are above the heavens, Go in and out of that house.

9 And they came forth from that house, And Michael and Gabriel, Raphael and Phanuel, And many holy angels without number.

10 And with them the Head of Days, His head white and pure as wool, And His raiment indescribable.

11 And I fell on my face, And my whole body became relaxed, And my spirit was transfigured;

And I cried with a loud voice, . . . with the spirit of power, And blessed and glorified and extolled.

12 And these blessings which went forth out of my mouth were well pleasing before that Head of Days. And that Head of Days came with Michael and Gabriel, Raphael and Phanuel, thousands and ten thousands of angels without number.

[Lost passage wherein the Son of Man was described as accompanying the Head of Days, and Enoch asked one of the angels (as in xlvi. 3) concerning the Son of Man as to who he was.]

14 And he (i.e. the angel) came to me and greeted me with His voice, and said unto me ' This is the Son of Man who is born unto righteousness, And righteousness abides over him, And the righteousness of the Head of Days forsakes him not.' 15 And he said unto me: ' He proclaims unto thee peace in the name of the world to come; For from hence has proceeded peace since the creation of the world, And so shall it be unto thee for ever and for ever and ever.

16 And all shall walk in his ways since righteousness never forsaketh him: With him will be their dwelling-places, and with him their heritage, And they shall not be separated from him for ever and ever and ever.

And so there shall be length of days with that Son of Man, And the righteous shall have peace and an upright way In the name of the Lord of Spirits for ever and ever.'

Section I I I. Chapters LXXII-LXXXII The Book of the Heavenly Luminaries

.

[Chapter 72]

1 The book of the courses of the luminaries of the heaven, the relations of each, according to their classes, their dominion and their seasons, according to their names and places of origin, and according to their months, which Uriel, the holy angel, who was with me, who is their guide, showed me; and he showed me all their laws exactly as they are, and how it is with regard to all the years of the world 2 and unto eternity, till the new creation is accomplished which dureth till eternity. And this is the first law of the luminaries: the luminary the Sun has its rising in the eastern portals of the heaven, 3 and its setting in the western portals of the heaven. And I saw six portals in which the sun rises, and six portals in which the sun sets and the moon rises and sets in these portals, and the leaders of the stars and those whom they lead: six in the east and six in the west, and all following each other 4 in accurately corresponding order: also many windows to the right and left of these portals. And first there goes forth the great luminary, named the Sun, and his circumference is like the 5 circumference of the heaven, and he is quite filled with illuminating and heating fire. The chariot on which he ascends, the wind drives, and the sun goes down from the heaven and returns through the north in order to reach the east, and is so guided that he comes to the appropriate (lit. ' that ') portal and 6 shines in the face of the heaven. In this way he rises in the first month in the great portal, which 7 is the fourth [those six portals in the cast]. And in that fourth portal from which the sun rises in the first month are twelve window-openings, from which proceed a flame when they are opened in 8 their season. When the sun rises in the heaven, he comes forth through that fourth portal thirty, 9 mornings in succession, and sets accurately in the fourth portal in the west of the heaven. And during this period the day becomes daily longer and the night nightly shorter to the thirtieth 10 morning. On that day the day is longer than the night by a ninth part, and the day amounts exactly to ten parts and the night to eight parts. And the sun rises from that fourth portal, and sets in the fourth and returns to the fifth portal of the east thirty mornings, and rises from it and sets in the fifth 12 portal. And then the day becomes longer by two parts and amounts to eleven parts, and the night 13 becomes shorter and amounts to seven parts. And it returns to the east and enters into the sixth 14 portal, and rises and sets in the sixth portal one-and-thirty mornings on account of its sign. On that day the day becomes longer than the night, and the day becomes double the night, and the day 15 becomes twelve parts, and the night is shortened and becomes six parts. And the sun mounts up to make the day shorter and the night longer, and the sun returns to the east and enters into the 16 sixth portal, and rises from it and sets thirty mornings. And when thirty mornings are accomplished, 17 the day decreases by exactly one part, and becomes eleven parts, and the night seven. And the sun goes forth from that sixth portal in the west, and goes to the east and rises in the fifth portal for 18 thirty mornings, and sets in the west again in the fifth western portal. On that day the day decreases by two parts, and amounts to ten parts and the night to eight parts. And the sun goes forth from that fifth portal and sets in the fifth portal of the west, and rises in the fourth portal for one- 20 and-thirty mornings on account of its sign, and sets in the west. On that day the day is equalized with the night, [and becomes of equal length], and the night amounts to nine parts and the day to 21 nine parts. And the sun rises from that portal and sets in the west, and returns to the east and rises 22 thirty mornings in the third portal and sets in the west in the third portal. And on that day the night becomes longer than the day, and night becomes longer than night, and day shorter than day till the thirtieth morning, and the night amounts exactly to ten parts and the day to eight 23 parts. And the sun rises from that third portal and sets in the third portal in the west and returns to the east, and for thirty mornings rises 24 in the second portal in the east, and in like manner sets in the second portal in the west of the heaven. And on that day the night amounts to eleven 25 parts and the day to seven parts. And the sun rises on that day from that second portal and sets in the west in the second portal, and returns to the east into the first portal for one-and-thirty 26 mornings, and sets in the first portal in the west of the heaven. And on that day the night becomes longer and amounts to the double of the day: and the night amounts exactly to twelve parts and 27 the day to six. And the sun has (therewith) traversed the divisions of his orbit and turns again on those divisions of his orbit, and enters that portal thirty mornings and sets also in the west 28 opposite to it. And on that night has the night decreased in length by a ninth part, and the night 29 has become eleven parts and the day seven parts. And the sun has returned and entered into the second portal in the east, and returns on those his divisions of his orbit for thirty mornings, rising 30 and setting. And on that day the night decreases in length, and the night amounts to ten parts 31 and the day to eight. And on that day the sun rises from that portal, and sets in the west, and returns to the east, and rises in the third portal for one-and-thirty mornings, and sets in the west of the heaven. 32 On that day the night decreases and amounts to nine parts, and the day to nine parts, and the night 33 is equal to the day and the year is exactly as to its days three hundred and sixty-four. And the length of the day and of the night, and the shortness of the day and of the night arise-through the course 34 of the sun these distinctions are made (lit. ' they are separated '). So it comes that its course becomes 35 daily longer, and its course nightly shorter. And this is the law and the course of the sun, and his return as often as he returns sixty times and rises, i.e. the great luminary which is named the sun, for ever and ever. And that which (thus) rises is the great luminary, and is so named according to 37 its appearance, according as the Lord commanded. As he rises, so he sets and decreases not, and rests not, but runs day and night, and his light is sevenfold brighter than that of the moon; but as regards size they are both equal.

[Chapter 73]

1 And after this law I saw another law dealing with the smaller luminary, which is named the Moon. And her circumference is like the circumference of the heaven, and her chariot in which she rides is driven by the wind, and light is given to her in (definite) measure. And her rising and setting change every month: and her days are like the days of the sun, and when her light is uniform (i.e. full) it amounts to the seventh part of the light of the sun. And thus she rises. And her first phase in the east comes forth on the thirtieth morning: and on that day she becomes visible, and constitutes for you the first phase of the moon on the thirtieth day together with the sun in the portal where the sun rises. And the one half of her goes forth by a seventh part, and her whole circumference is empty, without light, with the exception of one-seventh part of it, (and) the 6 fourteenth part of her light. And when she receives one-seventh part of the half of her light, her light 7 amounts to one-seventh part and the half thereof. And she sets with the sun, and when the sun rises the moon rises with him and receives the half of one part of light, and in that night in the beginning of her morning [in the commencement of the lunar day] the moon sets with the sun, and 8 is invisible that night with the fourteen parts and the half of one of them. And she rises on that day with exactly a seventh part, and comes forth and recedes from the rising of the sun, and in her remaining days she becomes bright in the (remaining) thirteen parts.

[Chapter 74]

1 And I saw another course, a law for her, (and) how according to that law she performs her monthly 2 revolution. And all these Uriel, the holy angel who is the leader of them all, showed to me, and their positions, and I wrote down their positions as he showed them to me, and I wrote down their months 3 as they were, and the appearance of their lights till fifteen days were accomplished. In single seventh parts she accomplishes all her light in the east, and in single seventh parts accomplishes all her 4 darkness in the west. And in certain months she alters her settings, and in certain months she pursues 5 her own peculiar course. In two months the moon sets with the sun: in those two middle portals the 6 third and the fourth. She goes forth for seven days, and turns about and returns again through the portal where the sun rises, and accomplishes all her light: and she recedes from the sun, and in eight 7 days enters the sixth portal from which the sun goes forth. And when the sun goes forth from the fourth portal she goes forth seven days, until she goes forth from the fifth and turns back again in seven days into the fourth portal and accomplishes all her light: and she recedes and enters into the 8 first portal in eight days. And she returns again in seven days into the fourth portal from which the 9, 10 sun goes forth. Thus I saw their position -how the moons rose and the sun set in those days. And if five years are added together the sun has an overplus of thirty days, and all the days which accrue 11 to it for one of those five years, when they are full, amount to 364 days. And the overplus of the sun and of the stars amounts to six days: in 5 years 6 days every year come to 30 days: and the 12 moon falls behind the sun and stars to the number of 30 days. And the sun and the stars bring in all the years exactly, so that they do not advance or delay their position by a single day unto eternity; but complete the years with perfect justice in 364 days. In 3 years there are 1,092 days, and in 5 years 1,820 days, so that in 8 years there are 2,912 days. For the moon alone the days amount in 3 years to 1,062 days, and in 5 years she falls 50 days behind: [i.e. to the sum (of 1,770) there is 5 to be added (1,000 and) 62 days.] And in 5 years there are 1,770 days, so that for the moon the days 6 in 8 years amount to 21,832 days. [For in 8 years she falls behind to the amount of 80 days], all the 17 days she falls behind in 8 years are 80. And the year is accurately completed in conformity with their world-stations and the stations of the sun, which rise from the portals through which it (the sun) rises and sets 30 days.

[Chapter 75]

1 And the leaders of the heads of the thousands, who are placed over the whole creation and over all the stars, have also to do with the four intercalary days, being inseparable from their office, according to the reckoning of the year, and these render service on the four days which are not 2 reckoned in the reckoning of the year. And owing to them men go wrong therein, for those luminaries truly render service on the world-stations, one in the first portal, one in the third portal of the heaven, one in the fourth portal, and one in the sixth portal, and the exactness of the year is 3 accomplished through its separate three hundred and sixty-four stations. For the signs and the times and the years and the days the angel Uriel showed to me, whom the Lord of glory hath set for ever over all the luminaries of the heaven, in the heaven and in the world, that they should rule on the face of the heaven and be seen on the earth, and be leaders for the day and the night, i.e. the sun, moon, and stars, and all the ministering creatures which make their revolution in all the chariots 4 of the heaven. In like manner twelve doors Uriel showed me, open in the circumference of the sun's chariot in the heaven, through which the rays of the sun break forth: and from them is warmth 5 diffused over the earth, when they are opened at their appointed seasons. [And for the winds and 6 the spirit of the dew when they are opened, standing open in the heavens at the ends.] As for the twelve portals in the heaven, at the ends of the earth, out of which go forth the sun, moon, and stars, 7 and all the works of heaven in the east and in the west, There are many windows open to the left and right of them, and one window at its (appointed) season produces warmth, corresponding (as these do) to those doors from which the stars come forth according as He has commanded them, 8 and wherein they set corresponding to their number. And I saw chariots in the heaven, running 9 in the world, above those portals in which revolve the stars that never set. And one is larger than all the rest, and it is that that makes its course through the entire world.

[Chapter 76]

1 And at the ends of the earth I saw twelve portals open to all the quarters (of the heaven), from 2 which the winds go forth and blow over the earth. Three of them are open on the face (i.e. the east) of the heavens, and three in the west, and three on the right (i.e. the south) of the heaven, and 3 three on the left (i.e. the north). And the three first are those of the east, and three are of the 4 north, and three [after those on the left] of the south, and three of the west. Through four of these come winds of blessing and prosperity, and from those eight come hurtful winds: when they are sent, they bring destruction on all the earth and on the water upon it, and on all who dwell thereon, and on everything which is in the water and on the land. 5 And the first wind from those portals, called the east wind, comes forth through the first portal which is in the east, inclining towards the south: from it come forth desolation, drought, heat, 6 and destruction. And through the second portal in the middle comes what is fitting, and from it there come rain and fruitfulness and prosperity and dew; and through the third portal which lies toward the north come cold and drought. 7 And after these come forth the south winds through three portals: through the first portal of 8 them inclining to the east comes forth a hot wind. And through the middle portal next to it there 9 come forth fragrant smells, and dew and rain, and prosperity and health. And through the third portal lying to the west come forth dew and rain, locusts and desolation. 10 And after these the north winds: from the seventh portal in the east come dew and rain, locusts and desolation. And from the middle portal come in a direct direction health and rain and dew and prosperity; and through the third portal in the west come cloud and hoar-frost, and snow and rain, and dew and locusts. 12 And after these [four] are the west winds: through the first portal adjoining the north come forth dew and hoar-frost, and cold and snow and frost. And from the middle portal come forth dew and rain, and prosperity and blessing; and through the last portal which adjoins the south come forth drought and desolation, and burning and destruction. And the twelve portals of the four quarters of the heaven are therewith completed, and all their laws and all their plagues and all their benefactions have I shown to thee, my son Methuselah.

[Chapter 77]

1 And the first quarter is called the east, because it is the first: and the second, the south, because the Most High will descend there, yea, there in quite a special sense will He who is blessed for ever 2 descend. And the west quarter is named the diminished, because there all the luminaries of the 3 heaven wane and go down. And the fourth quarter, named the north, is divided into three parts: the first of them is for the dwelling of men: and the second contains seas of water, and the abysses and forests and rivers, and darkness and clouds; and the third part contains the garden of righteousness. 4 I saw seven high mountains, higher than all the mountains which are on the earth: and thence 5 comes forth hoar-frost, and days, seasons, and years pass away. I saw seven rivers on the earth larger than all the rivers: one of them coming from the west pours its waters into the Great Sea. 6 And these two come from the north to the sea and pour their waters into the Erythraean Sea in the 7 east. And the remaining, four come forth on the side of the north to their own sea, two of them to the Erythraean Sea, and two into the Great Sea and discharge themselves there [and some say: 8 into the desert]. Seven great islands I saw in the sea and in the mainland: two in the mainland and five in the Great Sea.

[Chapter 78]

1, 2 And the names of the sun are the following: the first Orjares, and the second Tomas. And the moon has four names: the first name is Asonja, the second Ebla, the third Benase, and the fourth 3 Erae. These are the two great luminaries: their circumference is like the circumference of the 4 heaven, and the size of the circumference of both is alike. In the circumference of the sun there are seven portions of light which are added to it more than to the moon, and in definite measures it is s transferred till the seventh portion of the sun is exhausted. And they set and enter the portals of the west, and make their revolution by the north, and come forth through the eastern portals 6 on the face of the heaven. And when the moon rises one-fourteenth part appears in the heaven: 7 [the light becomes full in her]: on the fourteenth day she accomplishes her light. And fifteen parts of light are transferred to her till the fifteenth day (when) her light is accomplished, according to the sign of the year, and she becomes fifteen parts, and the moon grows by (the addition of) fourteenth 8 parts. And in her waning (the moon) decreases on the first day to fourteen parts of her light, on the second to thirteen parts of light, on the third to twelve, on the fourth to eleven, on the fifth to ten, on the sixth to nine, on the seventh to eight, on the eighth to seven, on the ninth to six, on the tenth to five, on the eleventh to four, on the twelfth to three, on the thirteenth to two, on the 9 fourteenth to the half of a seventh, and all her remaining light disappears wholly on the fifteenth. And 10 in certain months the month has twenty-nine days and once twenty-eight. And Uriel showed me another law: when light is transferred to the moon, and on which side it is transferred to her by the sun. During all the period during which the moon is growing in her light, she is transferring it to herself when opposite to the sun during fourteen days [her light is accomplished in the heaven, 12 and when she is illumined throughout, her light is accomplished full in the heaven. And on the first 13 day she is called the new moon, for on that day the light rises upon her. She becomes full moon exactly on the day when the sun sets in the west, and from the east she rises at night, and the moon shines the whole night through till the sun rises over against her and the moon is seen over against the sun. On the side whence the light of the moon comes forth, there again she wanes till all the light vanishes and all the days of the month are at an end, and her circumference is empty, void of 5 light. And three months she makes of thirty days, and at her time she makes three months of twenty- nine days each, in which she accomplishes her waning in the first period of time, and in the first 6 portal for one hundred and seventy-seven days. And in the time of her going out she appears for three months (of) thirty days each, and for three months she appears (of) twenty-nine each. At night she appears like a man for twenty days each time, and by day she appears like the heaven, and there is nothing else in her save her light.

[Chapter 79]

1 And now, my son, I have shown thee everything, and the law of all the stars of the heaven is 2 completed. And he showed me all the laws of these for every day, and for every season of bearing rule, and for every year, and for its going forth, and for the order prescribed to it every month 3 and every week: And the waning of the moon which takes place in the sixth portal: for in this 4 sixth portal her light is accomplished, and after that there is the beginning of the waning: (And the waning) which takes place in the first portal in its season, till one hundred and seventy-seven 5 days are accomplished: reckoned according to weeks, twenty-five (weeks) and two days. She falls behind the sun and the order of the stars exactly five days in the course of one period, and when 6 this place which thou seest has been traversed. Such is the picture and sketch of every luminary which Uriel the archangel, who is their leader, showed unto me.

[Chapter 80]

1 And in those days the angel Uriel answered and said to me: ' Behold, I have shown thee everything, Enoch, and I have revealed everything to thee that thou shouldst see this sun and this moon, and the leaders of the stars of the heaven and all those who turn them, their tasks and times and departures.

2 And in the days of the sinners the years shall be shortened, And their seed shall be tardy on their lands and fields, And all things on the earth shall alter, And shall not appear in their time: And the rain shall be kept back And the heaven shall withhold (it). 3 And in those times the fruits of the earth shall be backward, And shall not grow in their time, And the fruits of the trees shall be withheld in their time. 4 And the moon shall alter her order, And not appear at her time. 5 [And in those days the sun shall be seen and he shall journey in the evening on the extremity of the great chariot in the west] And shall shine more brightly than accords with the order of light. 6 And many chiefs of the stars shall transgress the order (prescribed). And these shall alter their orbits and tasks, And not appear at the seasons prescribed to them. 7 And the whole order of the stars shall be concealed from the sinners, And the thoughts of those on the earth shall err concerning them, [And they shall be altered from all their ways], Yea, they shall err and take them to be gods. 8 And evil shall be multiplied upon them, And punishment shall come upon them So as to destroy all.'

[Chapter 81]

1 And he said unto me: ' Observe, Enoch, these heavenly tablets, And read what is written thereon, And mark every individual fact.'

2 And I observed the heavenly tablets, and read everything which was written (thereon) and understood everything, and read the book of all the deeds of mankind, and of all the children of flesh 3 that shall be upon the earth to the remotest generations. And forthwith I blessed the great Lord the King of glory for ever, in that He has made all the works of the world,

And I extolled the Lord because of His patience, And blessed Him because of the children of men.

4 And after that I said: ' Blessed is the man who dies in righteousness and goodness, Concerning whom there is no book of unrighteousness written, And against whom no day of judgement shall be found.'

5 And those seven holy ones brought me and placed me on the earth before the door of my house, and said to me: ' Declare everything to thy son Methuselah, and show to all thy children that no 6 flesh is righteous in the sight of the Lord, for He is their Creator. One year we will leave thee with thy son, till thou givest thy (last) commands, that thou mayest teach thy children and record (it) for them, and testify to all thy children; and in the second year they shall take thee from their midst.

7 Let thy heart be strong, For the good shall announce righteousness to the good;

The righteous with the righteous shall rejoice, And shall offer congratulation to one another.

8 But the sinners shall die with the sinners, And the apostate go down with the apostate.

9 And those who practice righteousness shall die on account of the deeds of men, And be taken away on account of the doings of the godless.'

10 And in those days they ceased to speak to me, and I came to my people, blessing the Lord of the world.

[Chapter 82]

1 And now, my son Methuselah, all these things I am recounting to thee and writing down for thee! and I have revealed to thee everything, and given thee books concerning all these: so preserve, my son Methuselah, the books from thy father's hand, and (see) that thou deliver them to the generations of the world.

2 I have given Wisdom to thee and to thy children, [And thy children that shall be to thee], That they may give it to their children for generations, This wisdom (namely) that passeth their thought.

3 And those who understand it shall not sleep, But shall listen with the ear that they may learn this wisdom, And it shall please those that eat thereof better than good food.

4 Blessed are all the righteous, blessed are all those who walk In the way of righteousness and sin not as the sinners, in the reckoning of all their days in which the sun traverses the heaven, entering into and departing from the portals for thirty days with the heads of thousands of the order of the stars, together with the four which are intercalated which divide the four portions of the year, which 5 lead them and enter with them four days. Owing to them men shall be at fault and not reckon them in the whole reckoning of the year: yea, men shall be at fault, and not recognize them 6 accurately. For they belong to the reckoning of the year and are truly recorded (thereon) for ever, one in the first portal and one in the third, and one in the fourth and one in the sixth, and the year is completed in three hundred and sixty-four days. 7 And the account thereof is accurate and the recorded reckoning thereof exact; for the luminaries, and months and festivals, and years and days, has Uriel shown and revealed to me, to whom the 8 Lord of the whole creation of the world hath subjected the host of heaven. And he has power over night and day in the heaven to cause the light to give light to men -sun, moon, and stars, 9 and all the powers of the heaven which revolve in their circular chariots. And these are the orders of the stars, which set in their places, and in their seasons and festivals and months. 10 And these are the names of those who lead them, who watch that they enter at their times, in their orders, in their seasons, in their months, in their periods of dominion, and in their positions. Their four leaders who divide the four parts of the year enter first; and after them the twelve leaders of the orders who divide the months; and for the three hundred and sixty (days) there are heads over thousands who divide the days; and for the four intercalary days there are the leaders which sunder 12 the four parts of the year. And these heads over thousands are intercalated between 13 leader and leader, each behind a station, but their leaders make the division. And these are the names of the leaders who divide the four parts of the year which are ordained: Milki'el, Hel'emmelek, and Mel'ejal, 14 and Narel. And the names of those who lead them: Adnar'el, and Ijasusa'el, and 'Elome'el- these three follow the leaders of the orders, and there is one that follows the three leaders of the orders which follow those leaders of stations that divide the four parts of the year. In the beginning of the year Melkejal rises first and rules, who is named Tam'aini and sun, and 16 all the days of his dominion whilst he bears rule are ninety-one days. And these are the signs of the days which are to be seen on earth in the days of his dominion: sweat, and heat, and calms; and all the trees bear fruit, and leaves are produced on all the trees, and the harvest of wheat, and the rose-flowers, and all the flowers which come forth in the field, but the trees of the winter season become withered. And these are the names of the leaders which are under them: Berka'el, Zelebs'el, and another who is added a head of a thousand, called Hilujaseph: and the days of the dominion of this (leader) are at an end. 18 The next leader after him is Hel'emmelek, whom one names the shining sun, and all the days 19 of his light are ninety-one days. And these are the signs of (his) days on the earth: glowing heat and dryness, and the trees ripen their fruits and produce all their fruits ripe and ready, and the sheep pair and become pregnant, and all the fruits of the earth are gathered in, and everything that is 20 in the fields, and the winepress: these things take place in the days of his dominion. These are the names, and the orders, and the leaders of those heads of thousands: Gida'ljal, Ke'el, and He'el, and the name of the head of a thousand which is added to them, Asfa'el: and the days of his dominion are at an end.

Section IV. Chapters LXXXIII-XC. The Dream-Visions.

[Chapter 83]

1 And now, my son Methuselah, I will show thee all my visions which I have seen, recounting 2 them before thee. Two visions I saw before I took a wife, and the one was quite unlike the other: the first when I was learning to write: the second before I took thy mother, (when) I saw a terrible 3 vision. And regarding them I prayed to the Lord. I had laid me down in the house of my grandfather Mahalalel, (when) I saw in a vision how the heaven collapsed and was borne off and fell to 4 the earth. And when it fell to the earth I saw how the earth was swallowed up in a great abyss, and mountains were suspended on mountains, and hills sank down on hills, and high trees were rent 5 from their stems, and hurled down and sunk in the abyss. And thereupon a word fell into my mouth, 6 and I lifted up (my voice) to cry aloud, and said: ' The earth is destroyed.' And my grandfather Mahalalel waked me as I lay near him, and said unto me: ' Why dost thou cry so, my son, and why 7 dost thou make such lamentation' And I recounted to him the whole vision which I had seen, and he said unto me: ' A terrible thing hast thou seen, my son, and of grave moment is thy dream- vision as to the secrets of all the sin of the earth: it must sink into the abyss and be destroyed with 8 a great destruction. And now, my son, arise and make petition to the Lord of glory, since thou art a believer, that a remnant may remain on the earth, and that He may not destroy the whole 9 earth. My son, from heaven all this will come upon the earth, and upon the earth there will be great 10 destruction. After that I arose and prayed and implored and besought, and wrote down my prayer for the generations of the world, and I will show everything to thee, my son Methuselah. And when I had gone forth below and seen the heaven, and the sun rising in the east, and the moon setting in the west, and a few stars, and the whole earth, and everything as He had known it in the beginning, then I blessed the Lord of judgement and extolled Him because He had made the sun to go forth from the windows of the east, and he ascended and rose on the face of the heaven, and set out and kept traversing the path shown unto him.

[Chapter 84]

1 And I lifted up my hands in righteousness and blessed the Holy and Great One, and spake with the breath of my mouth, and with the tongue of flesh, which God has made for the children of the flesh of men, that they should speak therewith, and He gave them breath and a tongue and a mouth that they should speak therewith:

2 Blessed be Thou, O Lord, King, Great and mighty in Thy greatness, Lord of the whole creation of the heaven, King of kings and God of the whole world.

And Thy power and kingship and greatness abide for ever and ever, And throughout all generations Thy dominion; And all the heavens are Thy throne for ever, And the whole earth Thy footstool for ever and ever.

3 For Thou hast made and Thou rulest all things, And nothing is too hard for Thee, Wisdom departs not from the place of Thy throne, Nor turns away from Thy presence. And Thou knowest and seest and hearest everything, And there is nothing hidden from Thee [for Thou seest everything]. 4 And now the angels of Thy heavens are guilty of trespass, And upon the flesh of men abideth Thy wrath until the great day of judgement. 5 And now, O God and Lord and Great King, I implore and beseech Thee to fulfil my prayer, To leave me a posterity on earth, And not destroy all the flesh of man, And make the earth without inhabitant, So that there should be an eternal destruction. 6 And now, my Lord, destroy from the earth the flesh which has aroused Thy wrath, But the flesh of righteousness and uprightness establish as a plant of the eternal seed, And hide not Thy face from the prayer of Thy servant, O Lord.'

[Chapter 85]

1,2 And after this I saw another dream, and I will show the whole dream to thee, my son. And Enoch lifted up (his voice) and spake to his son Methuselah: ' To thee, my son, will I speak: hear my words-incline thine ear to the dream-vision of thy father. Before I took thy mother Edna, I saw in a vision on my bed, and behold a bull came forth from the earth, and that bull was white; and after it came forth a heifer, and along with this (latter) came forth two bulls, one of them black and 4 the other red. And that black bull gored the red one and pursued him over the earth, and thereupon 5 I could no longer see that red bull. But that black bull grew and that heifer went with him, and 6 I saw that many oxen proceeded from him which resembled and followed him. And that cow, that first one, went from the presence of that first bull in order to seek that red one, but found him 7 not, and lamented with a great lamentation over him and sought him. And I looked till that first 8 bull came to her and quieted her, and from that time onward she cried no more. And after that she bore another white bull, and after him she bore many bulls and black cows. 9 And I saw in my sleep that white bull likewise grow and become a great white bull, and from Him proceeded many white bulls, and they resembled him. And they began to beget many white bulls, which resembled them, one following the other, (even) many.

[Chapter 86]

1 And again I saw with mine eyes as I slept, and I saw the heaven above, and behold a star fell 2 from heaven, and it arose and eat and pastured amongst those oxen. And after that I saw the large and the black oxen, and behold they all changed their stalls and pastures and their cattle, and began 3 to live with each other. And again I saw in the vision, and looked towards the heaven, and behold I saw many stars descend and cast themselves down from heaven to that first star, and they became 4 bulls amongst those cattle and pastured with them [amongst them]. And I looked at them and saw, and behold they all let out their privy members, like horses, and began to cover the cows of the oxen, 5 and they all became pregnant and bare elephants, camels, and asses. And all the oxen feared them and were affrighted at them, and began to bite with their teeth and to devour, and to gore with their 6 horns. And they began, moreover, to devour those oxen; and behold all the children of the earth began to tremble and quake before them and to flee from them.

[Chapter 87]

1 And again I saw how they began to gore each other and to devour each other, and the earth 2 began to cry aloud. And I raised mine eyes again to heaven, and I saw in the vision, and behold there came forth from heaven beings who were like white men: and four went forth from that place 3 and three with them. And those three that had last come forth grasped me by my hand and took me up, away from the generations of the earth, and raised me up to a lofty place, and showed me 4 a tower raised high above the earth, and all the hills were lower. And one said unto me: ' Remain here till thou seest everything that befalls those elephants, camels, and asses, and the stars and the oxen, and all of them.'

[Chapter 88]

1 And I saw one of those four who had come forth first, and he seized that first star which had fallen from the heaven, and bound it hand and foot and cast it into an abyss: now that abyss was 2 narrow and deep, and horrible and dark. And one of them drew a sword, and gave it to those elephants and camels and asses: then they began to smite each other, and the whole earth quaked 3 because of them. And as I was beholding in the vision, lo, one of those four who had come forth stoned (them) from heaven, and gathered and took all the great stars whose privy members were like those of horses, and bound them all hand and foot, and cast them in an abyss of the earth.

[Chapter 89]

1 And one of those four went to that white bull and instructed him in a secret, without his being terrified: he was born a bull and became a man, and built for himself a great vessel and dwelt thereon; 2 and three bulls dwelt with him in that vessel and they were covered in. And again I raised mine eyes towards heaven and saw a lofty roof, with seven water torrents thereon, and those torrents 3 flowed with much water into an enclosure. And I saw again, and behold fountains were opened on the surface of that great enclosure, and that water began to swell and rise upon the surface, 4 and I saw that enclosure till all its surface was covered with water. And the water, the darkness, and mist increased upon it; and as I looked at the height of that water, that water had risen above the height of that enclosure, and was streaming over that enclosure, and it stood upon the earth. 5 And all the cattle of that enclosure were gathered together until I saw how they sank and were 6 swallowed up and perished in that water. But that vessel floated on the water, while all the oxen and elephants and camels and asses sank to the bottom with all the animals, so that I could no longer see them, and they were not able to escape, (but) perished and sank into the depths. And again I saw in the vision till those water torrents were removed from that high roof, and the chasms 8 of the earth were leveled up and other abysses were opened. Then the water began to run down into these, till the earth became visible; but that vessel settled on the earth, and the darkness 9 retired and light appeared. But that white bull which had become a man came out of that vessel, and the three bulls with him, and one of those three was white like that bull, and one of them was red as blood, and one black: and that white bull departed from them. 10 And they began to bring forth beasts of the field and birds, so that there arose different genera: lions, tigers, wolves, dogs, hyenas, wild boars, foxes, squirrels, swine, falcons, vultures, kites, eagles, and ravens; and among them was born a white bull. And they began to bite one another; but that white bull which was born amongst them begat a wild ass and a white bull with it, and the 12 wild asses multiplied. But that bull which was born from him begat a black wild boar and a white 13 sheep; and the former begat many boars, but that sheep begat twelve sheep. And when those twelve sheep had grown, they gave up one of them to the asses, and those asses again gave up that sheep to the wolves, and that sheep grew up among the wolves. And the Lord brought the eleven sheep to live with it and to pasture with it among the wolves: and they multiplied and became many flocks of sheep. And the wolves began to fear them, and they oppressed them until they destroyed their little ones, and they cast their young into a river of much water: but those sheep began to 16 cry aloud on account of their little ones, and to complain unto their Lord. And a sheep which had been saved from the wolves fled and escaped to the wild asses; and I saw the sheep how they lamented and cried, and besought their Lord with all their might, till that Lord of the sheep descended at the voice of the sheep from a lofty abode, and came to them and pastured them. And He called that sheep which had escaped the wolves, and spake with it concerning the wolves that it should 18 admonish them not to touch the sheep. And the sheep went to the wolves according to the word of the Lord, and another sheep met it and went with it, and the two went and entered together into the assembly of those wolves, and spake with them and admonished them not to touch the 19 sheep from henceforth. And thereupon I saw the wolves, and how they oppressed the sheep 20 exceedingly with all their power; and the sheep cried aloud. And the Lord came to the sheep and they began to smite those wolves: and the wolves began to make lamentation; but the sheep became 21 quiet and forthwith ceased to cry out. And I saw the sheep till they departed from amongst the wolves; but the eyes of the wolves were blinded, and those wolves departed in pursuit of the sheep 22 with all their power. And the Lord of the sheep went with them, as their leader, and all His sheep 23 followed Him: and his face was dazzling and glorious and terrible to behold. But the wolves 24 began to pursue those sheep till they reached a sea of water. And that sea was divided, and the water stood on this side and on that before their face, and their Lord led them and placed Himself between 25 them and the wolves. And as those wolves did not yet see the sheep, they proceeded into the midst of that sea, and the wolves followed the sheep, and [those wolves] ran after them into that sea. 26 And when they saw the Lord of the sheep, they turned to flee before His face, but that sea gathered itself together, and became as it had been created, and the water swelled and rose till it covered 27 those wolves. And I saw till all the wolves who pursued those sheep perished and were drowned. 28 But the sheep escaped from that water and went forth into a wilderness, where there was no water and no grass; and they began to open their eyes and to see; and I saw the Lord of the sheep 29 pasturing them and giving them water and grass, and that sheep going and leading them. And that 30 sheep ascended to the summit of that lofty rock, and the Lord of the sheep sent it to them. And after that I saw the Lord of the sheep who stood before them, and His appearance was great and 31 terrible and majestic, and all those sheep saw Him and were afraid before His face. And they all feared and trembled because of Him, and they cried to that sheep with them [which was amongst 32 them]: ' We are not able to stand before our Lord or to behold Him.' And that sheep which led them again ascended to the summit of that rock, but the sheep began to be blinded and to wander 33 from the way which he had showed them, but that sheep wot not thereof. And the Lord of the sheep was wrathful exceedingly against them, and that sheep discovered it, and went down from the summit of the rock, and came to the sheep, and found the greatest part of them blinded and fallen 34 away. And when they saw it they feared and trembled at its presence, and desired to return to their 35 folds. And that sheep took other sheep with it, and came to those sheep which had fallen away, and began to slay them; and the sheep feared its presence, and thus that sheep brought back those 36 sheep that had fallen away, and they returned to their folds. And I saw in this vision till that sheep became a man and built a house for the Lord of the sheep, and placed all the sheep in that house. 37 And I saw till this sheep which had met that sheep which led them fell asleep: and I saw till all the great sheep perished and little ones arose in their place, and they came to a pasture, and 38 approached a stream of water. Then that sheep, their leader which had become a man, withdrew 39 from them and fell asleep, and all the sheep sought it and cried over it with a great crying. And I saw till they left off crying for that sheep and crossed that stream of water, and there arose the two sheep as leaders in the place of those which had led them and fallen asleep (lit. ' had fallen asleep and led 40 them '). And I saw till the sheep came to a goodly place, and a pleasant and glorious land, and I saw till those sheep were satisfied; and that house stood amongst them in the pleasant land. 41 And sometimes their eyes were opened, and sometimes blinded, till another sheep arose and led them and brought them all back, and their eyes were opened. 42 And the dogs and the foxes and the wild boars began to devour those sheep till the Lord of the sheep raised up [another sheep] a ram from their 43 midst, which led them. And that ram began to butt on either side those dogs, foxes, and wild 44 boars till he had destroyed them all. And that sheep whose eyes were opened saw that ram, which was amongst the sheep, till it forsook its glory and began to butt those sheep, and trampled upon them, and behaved itself 45 unseemly. And the Lord of the sheep sent the lamb to another lamb and raised it to being a ram and leader of the sheep instead of that 46 ram which had forsaken its glory. And it went to it and spake to it alone, and raised it to being a ram, and made it the prince and leader of the sheep; but during all these things those dogs 47 oppressed the sheep. And the first ram pursued that second ram, and that second ram arose and fled before it; and I saw till those dogs pulled 48 down the first ram. And that second ram arose 49 and led the [little] sheep. And those sheep grew and multiplied; but all the dogs, and foxes, and wild boars feared and fled before it, and that ram butted and killed the wild beasts, and those wild beasts had no longer any power among the 48b sheep and robbed them no more of ought. And that ram begat many sheep and fell asleep; and a little sheep became ram in its stead, and became prince and leader of those sheep. 50 And that house became great and broad, and it was built for those sheep: (and) a tower lofty and great was built on the house for the Lord of the sheep, and that house was low, but the tower was elevated and lofty, and the Lord of the sheep stood on that tower and they offered a full table before Him. 51 And again I saw those sheep that they again erred and went many ways, and forsook that their house, and the Lord of the sheep called some from amongst the sheep and sent them to the sheep, 52 but the sheep began to slay them. And one of them was saved and was not slain, and it sped away and cried aloud over the sheep; and they sought to slay it, but the Lord of the sheep saved it from 53 the sheep, and brought it up to me, and caused it to dwell there. And many other sheep He sent to those sheep to testify unto them and lament over them. And after that I saw that when they forsook the house of the Lord and His tower they fell away entirely, and their eyes were blinded; and I saw the Lord of the sheep how He wrought much slaughter amongst them in their herds until 55 those sheep invited that slaughter and betrayed His place. And He gave them over into the hands of the lions and tigers, and wolves and hyenas, and into the hand of the foxes, and to all the wild 56 beasts, and those wild beasts began to tear in pieces those sheep. And I saw that He forsook that their house and their tower and gave them all into the hand of the lions, to tear and devour them, 57 into the hand of all the wild beasts. And I began to cry aloud with all my power, and to appeal to the Lord of the sheep, and to represent to Him in regard to the sheep that they were devoured 58 by all the wild beasts. But He remained unmoved, though He saw it, and rejoiced that they were devoured and swallowed and robbed, and left them to be devoured in the hand of all the beasts. 59 And He called seventy shepherds, and cast those sheep to them that they might pasture them, and He spake to the shepherds and their companions: ' Let each individual of you pasture the sheep 60 henceforward, and everything that I shall command you that do ye. And I will deliver them over unto you duly numbered, and tell you which of them are to be destroyed-and them destroy ye.' And 61 He gave over unto them those sheep. And He called another and spake unto him: ' Observe and mark everything that the shepherds will do to those sheep; for they will destroy more of them than 62 I have commanded them. And every excess and the destruction which will be wrought through the shepherds, record (namely) how many they destroy according to my command, and how many according to their own caprice: record against every individual shepherd all the destruction he 63 effects. And read out before me by number how many they destroy, and how many they deliver over for destruction, that I may have this as a testimony against them, and know every deed of the shepherds, that I may comprehend and see what they do, whether or not they abide by my 64 command which I have commanded them. But they shall not know it, and thou shalt not declare it to them, nor admonish them, but only record against each individual all the destruction which 65 the shepherds effect each in his time and lay it all before me.' And I saw till those shepherds pastured in their season, and they began to slay and to destroy more than they were bidden, and they delivered 66 those sheep into the hand of the lions. And the lions and tigers eat and devoured the greater part of those sheep, and the wild boars eat along with them; and they burnt that tower and demolished 67 that house. And I became exceedingly sorrowful over that tower because that house of the sheep was demolished, and afterwards I was unable to see if those sheep entered that house. 68 And the shepherds and their associates delivered over those sheep to all the wild beasts, to devour them, and each one of them received in his time a definite number: it was written by the other 69 in a book how many each one of them destroyed of them. And each one slew and destroyed many 70 more than was prescribed; and I began to weep and lament on account of those sheep. And thus in the vision I saw that one who wrote, how he wrote down every one that was destroyed by those shepherds, day by day, and carried up and laid down and showed actually the whole book to the Lord of the sheep-(even) everything that they had done, and all that each one of them had made 71 away with, and all that they had given over to destruction. And the book was read before the Lord of the sheep, and He took the book from his hand and read it and sealed it and laid it down. 72 And forthwith I saw how the shepherds pastured for twelve hours, and behold three of those sheep turned back and came and entered and began to build up all that had fallen down of that 73 house; but the wild boars tried to hinder them, but they were not able. And they began again to build as before, and they reared up that tower, and it was named the high tower; and they began again to place a table before the tower, but all the bread on it was polluted and not pure. 74 And as touching all this the eyes of those sheep were blinded so that they saw not, and (the eyes of) their shepherds likewise; and they delivered them in large numbers to their shepherds for 75 destruction, and they trampled the sheep with their feet and devoured them. And the Lord of the sheep remained unmoved till all the sheep were dispersed over the field and mingled with them (i.e. the 76 beasts), and they (i.e. the shepherds) did not save them out of the hand of the beasts. And this one who wrote the book carried it up, and showed it and read it before the Lord of the sheep, and implored Him on their account, and besought Him on their account as he showed Him all the doings 77 of the shepherds, and gave testimony before Him against all the shepherds. And he took the actual book and laid it down beside Him and departed.

[Chapter 90]

1 And I saw till that in this manner thirty-five shepherds undertook the pasturing (of the sheep), and they severally completed their periods as did the first; and others received them into their 2 hands, to pasture them for their period, each shepherd in his own period. And after that I saw in my vision all the birds of heaven coming, the eagles, the vultures, the kites, the ravens; but the eagles led all the birds; and they began to devour those sheep, and to pick out their eyes and to 3 devour their flesh. And the sheep cried out because their flesh was being devoured by the birds, 4 and as for me I looked and lamented in my sleep over that shepherd who pastured the sheep. And I saw until those sheep were devoured by the dogs and eagles and kites, and they left neither flesh nor skin nor sinew remaining on them till only their bones stood there: and their bones too fell 5 to the earth and the sheep became few. And I saw until that twenty-three had undertaken the pasturing and completed in their several periods fifty-eight times. 6 But behold lambs were borne by those white sheep, and they began to open their eyes and to see, 7 and to cry to the sheep. Yea, they cried to them, but they did not hearken to what they said to 8 them, but were exceedingly deaf, and their eyes were very exceedingly blinded. And I saw in the vision how the ravens flew upon those lambs and took one of those lambs, and dashed the sheep 9 in pieces and devoured them. And I saw till horns grew upon those lambs, and the ravens cast down their horns; and I saw till there sprouted a great horn of one of those sheep, and their eyes 10 were opened. And it looked at them [and their eyes opened], and it cried to the sheep, and the 11 rams saw it and all ran to it. And notwithstanding all this those eagles and vultures and ravens and kites still kept tearing the sheep and swooping down upon them and devouring them: still the sheep remained silent, but the rams lamented and cried out. And those ravens fought and battled with it and sought to lay low its horn, but they had no power over it. All the eagles and vultures and ravens and kites were gathered together, and there came with them all the sheep of the field, yea, they all came together, and helped each other to break that horn of the ram. 19 And I saw till a great sword was given to the sheep, and the sheep proceeded against all the beasts of the field to slay them, and all the beasts and the birds of the heaven fled before their face. And I saw that man, who wrote the book according to the command of the Lord, till he opened that book concerning the destruction which those twelve last shepherds had wrought, and showed that they had destroyed much more than their predecessors, before the Lord of the sheep. And I saw till the Lord of the sheep came unto them and took in His hand the staff of His wrath, and smote the earth, and the earth clave asunder, and all the beasts and all the birds of the heaven fell from among those sheep, and were swallowed up in the earth and it covered them. 20 And I saw till a throne was erected in the pleasant land, and the Lord of the sheep sat Himself thereon, and the other took the sealed books and opened those books before the Lord of the sheep. 21 And the Lord called those men the seven first white ones, and commanded that they should bring before Him, beginning with the first star which led the way, all the stars whose privy members 22 were like those of horses, and they brought them all before Him. And He said to that man who wrote before Him, being one of those seven white ones, and said unto him: ' Take those seventy shepherds to whom I delivered the sheep, and who taking them on their own authority slew more 23 than I commanded them.' And behold they were all bound, I saw, and they all stood before Him. 24 And the judgement was held first over the stars, and they were judged and found guilty, and went to the place of condemnation, and they were cast into an abyss, full of fire and flaming, and full 25 of pillars of fire. And those seventy shepherds were judged and found guilty, and they were cast 26 into that fiery abyss. And I saw at that time how a like abyss was opened in the midst of the earth, full of fire, and they brought those blinded sheep, and they were all judged and found guilty and 27 cast into this fiery abyss, and they burned; now this abyss was to the right of that house. And I saw those sheep burning and their bones burning. 28 And I stood up to see till they folded up that old house; and carried off all the pillars, and all the beams and ornaments of the house were at the same time folded up with it, and they carried 29 it off and laid it in a place in the south of the land. And I saw till the Lord of the sheep brought a new house greater and loftier than that first, and set it up in the place of the first which had beer folded up: all its pillars were new, and its ornaments were new and larger than those of the first, the old one which He had taken away, and all the sheep were within it. 30 And I saw all the sheep which had been left, and all the beasts on the earth, and all the birds of the heaven, falling down and doing homage to those sheep and making petition to and obeying 31 them in every thing. And thereafter those three who were clothed in white and had seized me by my hand [who had taken me up before], and the hand of that ram also seizing hold of me, they 32 took me up and set me down in the midst of those sheep before the judgement took place. And those 33 sheep were all white, and their wool was abundant and clean. And all that had been destroyed and dispersed, and all the beasts of the field, and all the birds of the heaven, assembled in that house, and the Lord of the sheep rejoiced with great joy because they were all good and had returned to 34 His house. And I saw till they laid down that sword, which had been given to the sheep, and they brought it back into the house, and it was sealed before the presence of the Lord, and all the sheep 35 were invited into that house, but it held them not. And the eyes of them all were opened, and they 36 saw the good, and there was not one among them that did not see. And I saw that that house was large and broad and very full. 37 And I saw that a white bull was born, with large horns and all the beasts of the field and all the 38 birds of the air feared him and made petition to him all the time. And I saw till all their generations were transformed, and they all became white bulls; and the first among them became a lamb, and that lamb became a great animal and had great black horns on its head; and the Lord of the sheep 39 rejoiced over it and over all the oxen. And I slept in their midst: and I awoke and saw everything. 40 This is the vision which I saw while I slept, and I awoke and blessed the Lord of righteousness and 41 gave Him glory. Then I wept with a great weeping and my tears stayed not till I could no longer endure it: when I saw, they flowed on account of what I had seen; for everything shall come and 42 be fulfilled, and all the deeds of men in their order were shown to me. On that night I remembered the first dream, and because of it I wept and was troubled-because I had seen that vision.

Section V. XCI-CIV (i.e. XCII, XCI. 1-1O, 18-19, XCIII. 1-1O, XCI. 12-17, XCIV-CIV.). A Book of Exhortation and Promised Blessing for the Righteous and of Malediction and Woe for the Sinners.

[Chapter 92]

1 The book written by Enoch-[Enoch indeed wrote this complete doctrine of wisdom, (which is) praised of all men and a judge of all the earth] for all my children who shall dwell on the earth. And for the future generations who shall observe uprightness and peace.

2 Let not your spirit be troubled on account of the times; For the Holy and Great One has appointed days for all things.

3 And the righteous one shall arise from sleep, [Shall arise] and walk in the paths of righteousness, And all his path and conversation shall be in eternal goodness and grace.

4 He will be gracious to the righteous and give him eternal uprightness, And He will give him power so that he shall be (endowed) with goodness and righteousness. And he shall walk in eternal light.

5 And sin shall perish in darkness for ever, And shall no more be seen from that day for evermore.

[Chapter 91]

1 And now, my son Methuselah, call to me all thy brothers And gather together to me all the sons of thy mother; For the word calls me, And the spirit is poured out upon me, That I may show you everything That shall befall you for ever.'

2 And there upon Methuselah went and summoned to him all his brothers and assembled his relatives. 3 And he spake unto all the children of righteousness and said:

'Hear, ye sons of Enoch, all the words of your father, And hearken aright to the voice of my mouth; For I exhort you and say unto you, beloved:

4 Love uprightness and walk therein. And draw not nigh to uprightness with a double heart, And associate not with those of a double heart,

But walk in righteousness, my sons. And it shall guide you on good paths, And righteousness shall be your companion.

5 For I know that violence must increase on the earth, And a great chastisement be executed on the earth, And all unrighteousness come to an end:

Yea, it shall be cut off from its roots, And its whole structure be destroyed.

6 And unrighteousness shall again be consummated on the earth, And all the deeds of unrighteousness and of violence And transgression shall prevail in a twofold degree.

7 And when sin and unrighteousness and blasphemy And violence in all kinds of deeds increase, And apostasy and transgression and uncleanness increase,

A great chastisement shall come from heaven upon all these, And the holy Lord will come forth with wrath and chastisement To execute judgement on earth.

8 In those days violence shall be cut off from its roots, And the roots of unrighteousness together with deceit, And they shall be destroyed from under heaven.

9 And all the idols of the heathen shall be abandoned, And the temples burned with fire, And they shall remove them from the whole earth,

And they (i.e. the heathen) shall be cast into the judgement of fire, And shall perish in wrath and in grievous judgement for ever.

10 And the righteous shall arise from their sleep, And wisdom shall arise and be given unto them.

[And after that the roots of unrighteousness shall be cut off, and the sinners shall be destroyed by the sword . . . shall be cut off from the blasphemers in every place, and those who plan violence and those who commit blasphemy shall perish by the sword.]

18 And now I tell you, my sons, and show you The paths of righteousness and the paths of violence. Yea, I will show them to you again That ye may know what will come to pass. 19 And now, hearken unto me, my sons, And walk in the paths of righteousness, And walk not in the paths of violence; For all who walk in the paths of unrighteousness shall perish for ever.'

[Chapter 93]

1,2 And after that Enoch both gave and began to recount from the books. And Enoch said:

' Concerning the children of righteousness and concerning the elect of the world, And concerning the plant of uprightness, I will speak these things, Yea, I Enoch will declare (them) unto you, my sons:

According to that which appeared to me in the heavenly vision, And which I have known through the word of the holy angels, And have learnt from the heavenly tablets.'

3 And Enoch began to recount from the books and said: ' I was born the seventh in the first week, While judgement and righteousness still endured.

4 And after me there shall arise in the second week great wickedness, And deceit shall have sprung up; And in it there shall be the first end.

And in it a man shall be saved; And after it is ended unrighteousness shall grow up, And a law shall be made for the sinners.

And after that in the third week at its close A man shall be elected as the plant of righteous judgement, And his posterity shall become the plant of righteousness for evermore.

6 And after that in the fourth week, at its close, Visions of the holy and righteous shall be seen, And a law for all generations and an enclosure shall be made for them.

7 And after that in the fifth week, at its close, The house of glory and dominion shall be built for ever.

8 And after that in the sixth week all who live in it shall be blinded, And the hearts of all of them shall godlessly forsake wisdom.

And in it a man shall ascend; And at its close the house of dominion shall be burnt with fire, And the whole race of the chosen root shall be dispersed.

9 And after that in the seventh week shall an apostate generation arise, And many shall be its deeds, And all its deeds shall be apostate.

10 And at its close shall be elected The elect righteous of the eternal plant of righteousness, To receive sevenfold instruction concerning all His creation.

11 [For who is there of all the children of men that is able to hear the voice of the Holy One without being troubled And who can think His thoughts and who is there that can behold all the works 12 of heaven And how should there be one who could behold the heaven, and who is there that could understand the things of heaven and see a soul or a spirit and could tell thereof, or ascend and see 13 all their ends and think them or do like them And who is there of all men that could know what is the breadth and the length of the earth, and to whom has been shown the measure of all of them 14 Or is there any one who could discern the length of the heaven and how great is its height, and upon what it is founded, and how great is the number of the stars, and where all the luminaries rest ]

[Chapter 91]

12 And after that there shall be another, the eighth week, that of righteousness, And a sword shall be given to it that a righteous judgement may be executed on the oppressors, And sinners shall be delivered into the hands of the righteous.

13 And at its close they shall acquire houses through their righteousness, And a house shall be built for the Great King in glory for evermore, 14d And all mankind shall look to the path of uprightness.

14a And after that, in the ninth week, the righteous judgement shall be revealed to the whole world, b And all the works of the godless shall vanish from all the earth, c And the world shall be written down for destruction.

15 And after this, in the tenth week in the seventh part, There shall be the great eternal judgement, In which He will execute vengeance amongst the angels.

16 And the first heaven shall depart and pass away, And a new heaven shall appear, And all the powers of the heavens shall give sevenfold light.

17 And after that there will be many weeks without number for ever, And all shall be in goodness and righteousness, And sin shall no more be mentioned for ever.

[Chapter 94]

1 And now I say unto you, my sons, love righteousness and walk therein; For the paths of righteousness are worthy of acceptation, But the paths of unrighteousness shall suddenly be destroyed and vanish.

2 And to certain men of a generation shall the paths of violence and of death be revealed, And they shall hold themselves afar from them, And shall not follow them.

3 And now I say unto you the righteous: Walk not in the paths of wickedness, nor in the paths of death, And draw not nigh to them, lest ye be destroyed.

4 But seek and choose for yourselves righteousness and an elect life, And walk in the paths of peace, And ye shall live and prosper.

5 And hold fast my words in the thoughts of your hearts, And suffer them not to be effaced from your hearts;

For I know that sinners will tempt men to evilly-entreat wisdom, So that no place may be found for her, And no manner of temptation may minish.

6 Woe to those who build unrighteousness and oppression And lay deceit as a foundation; For they shall be suddenly overthrown, And they shall have no peace.

7 Woe to those who build their houses with sin; For from all their foundations shall they be overthrown, And by the sword shall they fall. [And those who acquire gold and silver in judgement suddenly shall perish.]

8 Woe to you, ye rich, for ye have trusted in your riches, And from your riches shall ye depart, Because ye have not remembered the Most High in the days of your riches.

9 Ye have committed blasphemy and unrighteousness, And have become ready for the day of slaughter, And the day of darkness and the day of the great judgement.

10 Thus I speak and declare unto you: He who hath created you will overthrow you, And for your fall there shall be no compassion, And your Creator will rejoice at your destruction.

11 And your righteous ones in those days shall be A reproach to the sinners and the godless.

[Chapter 95]

1 Oh that mine eyes were [a cloud of] waters ] That I might weep over you, And pour down my tears as a cloud of waters: That so I might rest from my trouble of heart!

2 who has permitted you to practice reproaches and wickedness And so judgement shall overtake you, sinners.

3 Fear not the sinners, ye righteous; For again will the Lord deliver them into your hands, That ye may execute judgement upon them according to your desires.

4 Woe to you who fulminate anathemas which cannot be reversed: Healing shall therefore be far from you because of your sins.

5 Woe to you who requite your neighbour with evil; For ye shall be requited according to your works.

6 Woe to you, lying witnesses, And to those who weigh out injustice, For suddenly shall ye perish.

7 Woe to you, sinners, for ye persecute the righteous; For ye shall be delivered up and persecuted because of injustice, And heavy shall its yoke be upon you.

[Chapter 96]

1 Be hopeful, ye righteous; for suddenly shall the sinners perish before you, And ye shall have lordship over them according to your desires.

2 [And in the day of the tribulation of the sinners, Your children shall mount and rise as eagles, And higher than the vultures will be your nest, And ye shall ascend and enter the crevices of the earth, And the clefts of the rock for ever as coneys before the unrighteous, And the sirens shall sigh because of you-and weep.]

3 Wherefore fear not, ye that have suffered; For healing shall be your portion, And a bright light shall enlighten you, And the voice of rest ye shall hear from heaven.

4 Woe unto you, ye sinners, for your riches make you appear like the righteous, But your hearts convict you of being sinners, And this fact shall be a testimony against you for a memorial of (your) evil deeds.

5 Woe to you who devour the finest of the wheat, And drink wine in large bowls, And tread under foot the lowly with your might.

6 Woe to you who drink water from every fountain, For suddenly shall ye be consumed and wither away, Because ye have forsaken the fountain of life.

7 Woe to you who work unrighteousness And deceit and blasphemy: It shall be a memorial against you for evil.

8 Woe to you, ye mighty, Who with might oppress the righteous; For the day of your destruction is coming.

In those days many and good days shall come to the righteous-in the day of your judgement.

[Chapter 97]

1 Believe, ye righteous, that the sinners will become a shame And perish in the day of unrighteousness. 2 Be it known unto you (ye sinners) that the Most High is mindful of your destruction, And the angels of heaven rejoice over your destruction.

3 What will ye do, ye sinners, And whither will ye flee on that day of judgement, When ye hear the voice of the prayer of the righteous

4 Yea, ye shall fare like unto them, Against whom this word shall be a testimony: " Ye have been companions of sinners."

5 And in those days the prayer of the righteous shall reach unto the Lord, And for you the days of your judgement shall come.

6 And all the words of your unrighteousness shall be read out before the Great Holy One, And your faces shall be covered with shame, And He will reject every work which is grounded on unrighteousness.

7 Woe to you, ye sinners, who live on the mid ocean and on the dry land, Whose remembrance is evil against you.

8 Woe to you who acquire silver and gold in unrighteousness and say: " We have become rich with riches and have possessions; And have acquired everything we have desired.

9 And now let us do what we purposed: For we have gathered silver, 9c And many are the husbandmen in our houses." 9d And our granaries are (brim) full as with water, 10 Yea and like water your lies shall flow away; For your riches shall not abide But speedily ascend from you;

For ye have acquired it all in unrighteousness, And ye shall be given over to a great curse.

[Chapter 98]

1 And now I swear unto you, to the wise and to the foolish, For ye shall have manifold experiences on the earth.

2 For ye men shall put on more adornments than a woman, And coloured garments more than a virgin: In royalty and in grandeur and in power, And in silver and in gold and in purple, And in splendour and in food they shall be poured out as water.

3 Therefore they shall be wanting in doctrine and wisdom, And they shall perish thereby together with their possessions; And with all their glory and their splendour, And in shame and in slaughter and in great destitution, Their spirits shall be cast into the furnace of fire.

4 I have sworn unto you, ye sinners, as a mountain has not become a slave, And a hill does not become the handmaid of a woman, Even so sin has not been sent upon the earth, But man of himself has created it, And under a great curse shall they fall who commit it.

5 And barrenness has not been given to the woman, But on account of the deeds of her own hands she dies without children.

6 I have sworn unto you, ye sinners, by the Holy Great One, That all your evil deeds are revealed in the heavens, And that none of your deeds of oppression are covered and hidden.

7 And do not think in your spirit nor say in your heart that ye do not know and that ye do not see 8 that every sin is every day recorded in heaven in the presence of the Most High. From henceforth ye know that all your oppression wherewith ye oppress is written down every day till the day of your judgement. 9 Woe to you, ye fools, for through your folly shall ye perish: and ye transgress against the wise, 10 and so good hap shall not be your portion. And now, know ye that ye are prepared for the day of destruction: wherefore do not hope to live, ye sinners, but ye shall depart and die; for ye know no ransom; for ye are prepared for the day of the great judgement, for the day of tribulation and great shame for your spirits. 11 Woe to you, ye obstinate of heart, who work wickedness and eat blood: Whence have ye good things to eat and to drink and to be filled From all the good things which the Lord the Most High has placed in abundance on the earth; therefore ye shall have no peace. 12 Woe to you who love the deeds of unrighteousness: wherefore do ye hope for good hap unto yourselves know that ye shall be delivered into the hands of the righteous, and they shall cut 3 off your necks and slay you, and have no mercy upon you. Woe to you who rejoice in the tribulation of the righteous; for no grave shall be dug for you. Woe to you who set at nought the words of 5 the righteous; for ye shall have no hope of life. Woe to you who write down lying and godless words; for they write down their lies that men may hear them and act godlessly towards (their) 6 neighbour. Therefore they shall have no peace but die a sudden death.

[Chapter 99]

1 Woe to you who work godlessness, And glory in lying and extol them: Ye shall perish, and no happy life shall be yours.

2 Woe to them who pervert the words of uprightness, And transgress the eternal law, And transform themselves into what they were not [into sinners]: They shall be trodden under foot upon the earth.

3 In those days make ready, ye righteous, to raise your prayers as a memorial, And place them as a testimony before the angels, That they may place the sin of the sinners for a memorial before the Most High.

4 In those days the nations shall be stirred up, And the families of the nations shall arise on the day of destruction.

5 And in those days the destitute shall go forth and carry off their children, And they shall abandon them, so that their children shall perish through them: Yea, they shall abandon their children (that are still) sucklings, and not return to them, And shall have no pity on their beloved ones.

6, 7 And again I swear to you, ye sinners, that sin is prepared for a day of unceasing bloodshed. And they who worship stones, and grave images of gold and silver and wood (and stone) and clay, and those who worship impure spirits and demons, and all kinds of idols not according to knowledge, shall get no manner of help from them.

8 And they shall become godless by reason of the folly of their hearts, And their eyes shall be blinded through the fear of their hearts And through visions in their dreams.

9 Through these they shall become godless and fearful; For they shall have wrought all their work in a lie, And shall have worshiped a stone: Therefore in an instant shall they perish.

10 But in those days blessed are all they who accept the words of wisdom, and understand them, And observe the paths of the Most High, and walk in the path of His righteousness, And become not godless with the godless; For they shall be saved.

11 Woe to you who spread evil to your neighbours; For you shall be slain in Sheol.

12 Woe to you who make deceitful and false measures, And (to them) who cause bitterness on the earth; For they shall thereby be utterly consumed.

13 Woe to you who build your houses through the grievous toil of others, And all their building materials are the bricks and stones of sin; I tell you ye shall have no peace.

14 Woe to them who reject the measure and eternal heritage of their fathers And whose souls follow after idols; For they shall have no rest.

15 Woe to them who work unrighteousness and help oppression, And slay their neighbours until the day of the great judgement.

16 For He shall cast down your glory, And bring affliction on your hearts, And shall arouse His fierce indignation And destroy you all with the sword; And all the holy and righteous shall remember your sins.

[Chapter 100]

1 And in those days in one place the fathers together with their sons shall be smitten And brothers one with another shall fall in death Till the streams flow with their blood.

2 For a man shall not withhold his hand from slaying his sons and his sons' sons, And the sinner shall not withhold his hand from his honoured brother: From dawn till sunset they shall slay one another.

3 And the horse shall walk up to the breast in the blood of sinners, And the chariot shall be submerged to its height.

4 In those days the angels shall descend into the secret places And gather together into one place all those who brought down sin And the Most High will arise on that day of judgement To execute great judgement amongst sinners.

5 And over all the righteous and holy He will appoint guardians from amongst the holy angels To guard them as the apple of an eye, Until He makes an end of all wickedness and all sin, And though the righteous sleep a long sleep, they have nought to fear.

6 And (then) the children of the earth shall see the wise in security, And shall understand all the words of this book, And recognize that their riches shall not be able to save them In the overthrow of their sins.

7 Woe to you, Sinners, on the day of strong anguish, Ye who afflict the righteous and burn them with fire: Ye shall be requited according to your works.

8 Woe to you, ye obstinate of heart, Who watch in order to devise wickedness: Therefore shall fear come upon you And there shall be none to help you.

9 Woe to you, ye sinners, on account of the words of your mouth, And on account of the deeds of your hands which your godlessness as wrought, In blazing flames burning worse than fire shall ye burn.

10 And now, know ye that from the angels He will inquire as to your deeds in heaven, from the sun and from the moon and from the stars in reference to your sins because upon the earth ye execute 11 judgement on the righteous. And He will summon to testify against you every cloud and mist and dew and rain; for they shall all be withheld because of you from descending upon you, and they 12 shall be mindful of your sins. And now give presents to the rain that it be not withheld from descending upon you, nor yet the dew, when it has received gold and silver from you that it may descend. When the hoar-frost and snow with their chilliness, and all the snow-storms with all their plagues fall upon you, in those days ye shall not be able to stand before them.

[Chapter 101]

1 Observe the heaven, ye children of heaven, and every work of the Most High, and fear ye Him 2 and work no evil in His presence. If He closes the windows of heaven, and withholds the rain and 3 the dew from descending on the earth on your account, what will ye do then And if He sends His anger upon you because of your deeds, ye cannot petition Him; for ye spake proud and insolent 4 words against His righteousness: therefore ye shall have no peace. And see ye not the sailors of the ships, how their ships are tossed to and fro by the waves, and are shaken by the winds, and are 5 in sore trouble And therefore do they fear because all their goodly possessions go upon the sea with them, and they have evil forebodings of heart that the sea will swallow them and they will 6 perish therein. Are not the entire sea and all its waters, and all its movements, the work of the Most 7 High, and has He not set limits to its doings, and confined it throughout by the sand And at His reproof it is afraid and dries up, and all its fish die and all that is in it; But ye sinners that are 8 on the earth fear Him not. Has He not made the heaven and the earth, and all that is therein Who has given understanding and wisdom to everything that moves on the earth and in the sea. 9 Do not the sailors of the ships fear the sea Yet sinners fear not the Most High.

[Chapter 102]

1 In those days when He hath brought a grievous fire upon you, Whither will ye flee, and where will ye find deliverance And when He launches forth His Word against you Will you not be affrighted and fear

2 And all the luminaries shall be affrighted with great fear, And all the earth shall be affrighted and tremble and be alarmed.

3 And all the angels shall execute their commandst And shall seek to hide themselves from the presence of the Great Glory, And the children of earth shall tremble and quake; And ye sinners shall be cursed for ever, And ye shall have no peace.

4 Fear ye not, ye souls of the righteous, And be hopeful ye that have died in righteousness.

5 And grieve not if your soul into Sheol has descended in grief, And that in your life your body fared not according to your goodness, But wait for the day of the judgement of sinners And for the day of cursing and chastisement.

6 And yet when ye die the sinners speak over you: " As we die, so die the righteous, And what benefit do they reap for their deeds

7 Behold, even as we, so do they die in grief and darkness, And what have they more than we From henceforth we are equal.

8 And what will they receive and what will they see for ever Behold, they too have died, And henceforth for ever shall they see no light."

9 I tell you, ye sinners, ye are content to eat and drink, and rob and sin, and strip men naked, and 10 acquire wealth and see good days. Have ye seen the righteous how their end falls out, that no manner 11 of violence is found in them till their death " Nevertheless they perished and became as though they had not been, and their spirits descended into Sheol in tribulation."

[Chapter 103]

1 Now, therefore, I swear to you, the righteous, by the glory of the Great and Honoured and 2 Mighty One in dominion, and by His greatness I swear to you. I know a mystery And have read the heavenly tablets, And have seen the holy books, And have found written therein and inscribed regarding them:

3 That all goodness and joy and glory are prepared for them, And written down for the spirits of those who have died in righteousness, And that manifold good shall be given to you in recompense for your labours, And that your lot is abundantly beyond the lot of the living.

4 And the spirits of you who have died in righteousness shall live and rejoice, And their spirits shall not perish, nor their memorial from before the face of the Great One Unto all the generations of the world: wherefore no longer fear their contumely.

5 Woe to you, ye sinners, when ye have died, If ye die in the wealth of your sins, And those who are like you say regarding you: ' Blessed are the sinners: they have seen all their days.

6 And how they have died in prosperity and in wealth, And have not seen tribulation or murder in their life; And they have died in honour, And judgement has not been executed on them during their life."

7 Know ye, that their souls will be made to descend into Sheol And they shall be wretched in their great tribulation.

8 And into darkness and chains and a burning flame where there is grievous judgement shall your spirits enter; And the great judgement shall be for all the generations of the world. Woe to you, for ye shall have no peace.

9 Say not in regard to the righteous and good who are in life: " In our troubled days we have toiled laboriously and experienced every trouble, And met with much evil and been consumed, And have become few and our spirit small.

10 And we have been destroyed and have not found any to help us even with a word: We have been tortured [and destroyed], and not hoped to see life from day to day.

11 We hoped to be the head and have become the tail: We have toiled laboriously and had no satisfaction in our toil; And we have become the food of the sinners and the unrighteous, And they have laid their yoke heavily upon us.

12 They have had dominion over us that hated us and smote us; And to those that hated us we have bowed our necks But they pitied us not.

13 We desired to get away from them that we might escape and be at rest, But found no place whereunto we should flee and be safe from them.

14 And are complained to the rulers in our tribulation, And cried out against those who devoured us, But they did not attend to our cries And would not hearken to our voice.

15 And they helped those who robbed us and devoured us and those who made us few; and they concealed their oppression, and they did not remove from us the yoke of those that devoured us and dispersed us and murdered us, and they concealed their murder, and remembered not that they had lifted up their hands against us.

[Chapter 104]

1 I swear unto you, that in heaven the angels remember you for good before the glory of the Great 2 One: and your names are written before the glory of the Great One. Be hopeful; for aforetime ye were put to shame through ill and affliction; but now ye shall shine as the lights of heaven, 3 ye shall shine and ye shall be seen, and the portals of heaven shall be opened to you. And in your cry, cry for judgement, and it shall appear to you; for all your tribulation shall be visited on the 4 rulers, and on all who helped those who plundered you. Be hopeful, and cast not away your hopes for ye shall have great joy as the angels of heaven. What shall ye be obliged to do Ye shall not have to hide on the day of the great judgement and ye shall not be found as sinners, and the eternal 6 judgement shall be far from you for all the generations of the world. And now fear not, ye righteous, when ye see the sinners growing strong and prospering in their ways: be not companions with them, 7 but keep afar from their violence; for ye shall become companions of the hosts of heaven. And, although ye sinners say: " All our sins shall not be searched out and be written down," nevertheless 8 they shall write down all your sins every day. And now I show unto you that light and darkness, 9 day and night, see all your sins. Be not godless in your hearts, and lie not and alter not the words of uprightness, nor charge with lying the words of the Holy Great One, nor take account of your 10 idols; for all your lying and all your godlessness issue not in righteousness but in great sin. And now I know this mystery, that sinners will alter and pervert the words of righteousness in many ways, and will speak wicked words, and lie, and practice great deceits, and write books concerning 11 their words. But when they write down truthfully all my words in their languages, and do not change or minish ought from my words but write them all down truthfully -all that I first testified 12 concerning them. Then, I know another mystery, that books will be given to the righteous and the 13 wise to become a cause of joy and uprightness and much wisdom. And to them shall the books be given, and they shall believe in them and rejoice over them, and then shall all the righteous who have learnt therefrom all the paths of uprightness be recompensed.'

[Chapter 105]

1 In those days the Lord bade (them) to summon and testify to the children of earth concerning their wisdom: Show (it) unto them; for ye are their guides, and a recompense over the whole earth. 2 For I and My son will be united with them for ever in the paths of uprightness in their lives; and ye shall have peace: rejoice, ye children of uprightness. Amen.

Fragment of the Book of Noah

[Chapter 106]

1 And after some days my son Methuselah took a wife for his son Lamech, and she became 2 pregnant by him and bore a son. And his body was white as snow and red as the blooming of a rose, and the hair of his head and his long locks were white as wool, and his eyes beautiful. And when he opened his eyes, he lighted up the whole house like the sun, and the whole house 3 was very bright. And thereupon he arose in the hands of the midwife, opened his mouth, and conversed with the Lord of righteousness. 4 And his father Lamech was afraid of him and 5 fled, and came to his father Methuselah. And he said unto him: ' I have begotten a strange son, diverse from and unlike man, and resembling the sons of the God of heaven; and his nature is different and he is not like us, and his eyes are as the rays of the sun, and his 6 countenance is glorious. And it seems to me that he is not sprung from me but from the angels, and I fear that in his days a wonder may be 7 wrought on the earth. And now, my father, I am here to petition thee and implore thee that thou mayest go to Enoch, our father, and learn from him the truth, for his dwelling-place is 8 amongst the angels.' And when Methuselah heard the words of his son, he came to me to the ends of the earth; for he had heard that 1 was there, and he cried aloud, and I heard his voice and I came to him. And 1 said unto him: ' Behold, here am I, my son, wherefore hast 9 thou come to me ' And he answered and said: ' Because of a great cause of anxiety have I come to thee, and because of a disturbing vision 10 have I approached. And now, my father, hear me: unto Lamech my son there hath been born a son, the like of whom there is none, and his nature is not like man's nature, and the colour of his body is whiter than snow and redder than the bloom of a rose, and the hair of his head is whiter than white wool, and his eyes are like the rays of the sun, and he opened his eyes and 11 thereupon lighted up the whole house. And he arose in the hands of the midwife, and opened 12 his mouth and blessed the Lord of heaven. And his father Lamech became afraid and fled to me, and did not believe that he was sprung from him, but that he was in the likeness of the angels of heaven; and behold I have come to thee that thou mayest make known to me the truth.' And I, Enoch, answered and said unto him: 'The Lord will do a new thing on the earth, and this I have already seen in a vision, and make known to thee that in the generation of my father Jared some of the angels of heaven transgressed the word of the Lord. And behold they commit sin and transgress the law, and have united themselves with women and commit sin with them, and have married some of them, and have begot children by them. And they shall produce on the earth giants not according to the spirit, but according to the flesh, and there shall be a great punishment on the earth, and the earth shall be cleansed from all impurity. Yea, there shall come a great destruction over the whole earth, and there shall be a deluge and 16 a great destruction for one year. And this son who has been born unto you shall be left on the earth, and his three children shall be saved with him: when all mankind that are on the earth 8 shall die [he and his sons shall be saved]. And now make known to thy son Lamech that he who has been born is in truth his son, and call his name Noah; for he shall be left to you, and he and his sons shall be saved from the destruction, which shall come upon the earth on account of all the sin and all the unrighteousness, which shall be consummated on the earth in his days. And after that there shall be still more unrighteousness than that which was first consummated on the earth; for I know the mysteries of the holy ones; for He, the Lord, has showed me and informed me, and I have read (them) in the heavenly tablets.

[Chapter 107]

1 And I saw written on them that generation upon generation shall transgress, till a generation of righteousness arises, and transgression is destroyed and sin passes away from the earth, and all 2 manner of good comes upon it. And now, my son, go and make known to thy son Lamech that this 3 son, which has been born, is in truth his son, and that (this) is no lie.' And when Methuselah had heard the words of his father Enoch-for he had shown to him everything in secret-he returned and showed (them) to him and called the name of that son Noah; for he will comfort the earth after all the destruction.

[Chapter 108]

1 Another book which Enoch wrote for his son Methuselah and for those who will come after him, 2 and keep the law in the last days. Ye who have done good shall wait for those days till an end is made of those who work evil; and an end of the might of the transgressors. And wait ye indeed till sin has passed away, for their names shall be blotted out of the book of life and out of the holy books, and their seed shall be destroyed for ever, and their spirits shall be slain, and they shall cry and make lamentation in a place that is a chaotic wilderness, and in the fire shall they burn; for there is no earth there. And I saw there something like an invisible cloud; for by reason of its depth I could not look over, and I saw a flame of fire blazing brightly, and things like shining 5 mountains circling and sweeping to and fro. And I asked one of the holy angels who was with me and said unto him: ' What is this shining thing for it is not a heaven but only the flame of a blazing 6 fire, and the voice of weeping and crying and lamentation and strong pain.' And he said unto me: ' This place which thou seest-here are cast the spirits of sinners and blasphemers, and of those who work wickedness, and of those who pervert everything that the Lord hath spoken through the mouth 7 of the prophets-(even) the things that shall be. For some of them are written and inscribed above in the heaven, in order that the angels may read them and know that which shall befall the sinners, and the spirits of the humble, and of those who have afflicted their bodies, and been recompensed 8 by God; and of those who have been put to shame by wicked men: Who love God and loved neither gold nor silver nor any of the good things which are in the world, but gave over their bodies to torture. Who, since they came into being, longed not after earthly food, but regarded everything as a passing breath, and lived accordingly, and the Lord tried them much, and their spirits were 10 found pure so that they should bless His name. And all the blessings destined for them I have recounted in the books. And he hath assigned them their recompense, because they have been found to be such as loved heaven more than their life in the world, and though they were trodden under foot of wicked men, and experienced abuse and reviling from them and were put to shame, 11 yet they blessed Me. And now I will summon the spirits of the good who belong to the generation of light, and I will transform those who were born in darkness, who in the flesh were not recompensed 12 with such honour as their faithfulness deserved. And I will bring forth in shining light those who 13 have loved My holy name, and I will seat each on the throne of his honour. And they shall be resplendent for times without number; for righteousness is the judgement of God; for to the faithful 14 He will give faithfulness in the habitation of upright paths. And they shall see those who were , 15 born in darkness led into darkness, while the righteous shall be resplendent. And the sinners shall cry aloud and see them resplendent, and they indeed will go where days and seasons are prescribed for them.'

* * * * *

The Never

‘It is called the Never,’ said Michael to Semyaza.

‘What is it?’ asked the fallen angel.

‘Redemption. Of sorts. It is what you are used to in many ways, for it is dread, and despair, and a harsh life. And you will wander here with your fellow Cherubim for many years, till your time of punishment is complete.’

‘We barely repented,’ snorted Semyaza in pride.

‘You acknowledged your sins, and Enoch was satisfied with that. But his judgment is not divinely mandated as being eternal. It has not the full force of the judgment of God in it. It was only you getting what you deserved for a while. The lord gives a light for those who ultimately turn from their evil ways.’

The fallen angels standing betwixt Michael and Gabriel took the flagons of water, and with their blinds gone from them and no longer in chains, they wandered off.

‘Water is probably in that direction,’ said Michael pointing.

‘Or maybe in that one,’ said Gabriel pointing in another.

‘You are all heart,’ replied Semyaza dryly.

As they lurched on Michael turned to Gabriel. ‘They’ll be here a while.’

‘Till they have learned their lesson,’ replied Gabriel.

‘The smell of sulfur is fowl,’ said Michael.

‘Made for the fowlest of angels,’ replied Gabriel.

‘That much is very true,’ responded the firstborn of Zaphon, watching the fallen straggle forth to their partially redemptive new abode.

The End

Lamech son of Methuselah

Methuselah was in the garden one afternoon, picking vegetables. ‘Soup again, huh,’ said Lamech. ‘You know, though the Lord God has yet to give us permission to eat animals, I have beenChatting with Noah and suggest he inquire of the Lord and establish some new teaching from God for us all. Animals, if weGive an offering to God first, might just be acceptable as some of the new teaching for our community to consume thereof.’

‘You like the fried chicken, don’t you,’ replied Methuselah.

‘It’s finger licking good,’ replied Lamech.

‘Yes,’ said Methuselah, bending down to pick another tomato and put it in his bag. ‘You and your obsession with fowl. But you are fowl sort of individual, so you must be acting naturally enough.’

‘That is what it is all about. Harmony with nature,’ replied Lamech.

‘The truths of Lamech. I must learn about your generation one of these days,’ replied Methuselah. ‘It might perhaps teach me some noble truths, but I fear that your buddies out there are starting to test the Lord’s patience, and going into behaviors which are quite questionable. They are not exactly that friendly at times these days. The line of Cain has some right proper ragamuffins in it.’

‘Noah has his eye on that Cain girl Naamah. He thinks she is attractive,’ replied Lamech.

‘I have never been comfortable with the idea of mating with the daughters of men,’ replied Methuselah. These Nephilim are indeed mighty men, and their ways are strong and fierce, and while they serve the Lord somewhat, they are so savage at times in their declarations of what they can achieve. They’ll build a tower to the heavens one day if they get their way.’

‘The Bene Elohim perhaps have to move with the times,’ replied Lamech. ‘It’s a happening world, but I do know what you are saying. Some of the practices I have noticed, especially in Nod, are very severe. Lots of bullying these days amongst the teenagers, and fisticuffs and boozing is all over the place. I think it’s a phase they are going through, personally, but I am not sure.’

‘Might not turn out for the best,’ replied Methuselah, reaching down to pick up another tomato. ‘And while God banished us from Eden, and surely is satisfied with this harsh land we have to work to the best of our strengths to gain much from, maybe he will get even more harsh in judgment. I do fear for the future at times.’

‘Noah is a top lad,’ replied Lamech. ‘He will show them the way. He will be a light of Elohim to redeem us all. This ground, one way or another, perhaps through calling on the Lord, or a sacred mission, he will redeem it, and we will have water in abundance. I am sure of that. Water in abundance.’

‘Be careful what you wish for, child of mine. You just might get it.’

‘Fried chicken with tomatoes again tonight old man?’ asked Lamech.

‘As you wish,’ replied the aged one.

The End

The Raven and the Dove

The Raven sat on the branch, contemplating the scene below. Three tireless workers, and the older father figure, toiling away, working on the big boat. The raven heard the term, often, 'Ark of Salvation', which it seemed to understand as referring to the Ark but, as Raven's were not as smart as humans, was not quite sure.

The Dove, sitting up the branch a little, also surveying the scene, turned to the Raven and asked. 'Why is the boat so big? Are they planning on travelling far, do you think?'

The Raven considered the question before responding 'God only knows.'

Months came and went, and the Raven and the Dove, having come aboard the Ark, were up near the side window, which the old man had opened that day, as it had finally stopped raining. 'Freaky,' said the Raven, looking out. 'There is water everywhere.'

'It is all the rain, dear Raven,' replied the Dove.
'You know, Dove, if this is the only boat and all the others have drowned, then I don't think I will ever leave the boat. It will probably end in no good, if you know what I mean. Leave this boat and who knows what trouble you could get in to.'
The dove considered the Raven's point, yet replied. 'I will take my chances. I mean, how possibly bad could it be? What, would they kill me or something?'
'Maybe,' said the Raven. 'But this God thing the old man speaks about, I think he sent all the rain. You better not be too cocky, or he will punish you as well.'
'Oh, I am not worried. There are plenty of doves here, and I think we will be fine.'
'Whatever,' said the Raven.

And time passed.

And the old man opened the window, and let the Raven go. The Raven flew out and looked all around, finding no safe land anywhere, so returned to the Ark. The old man took him back in, and petted his head lovingly. The Raven looked at the dove. 'I am never leaving, you know. Never leaving the old man. He has taken care of us when everything else was destroyed.' The dove nodded, starting to understand.

A little later on the Dove was released, found an olive leaf, but in considering the words of the Raven returned to be safe and sound.

Yet, in the testing of the dove, the dove was released again, and decided, because of the newness of the world - how it had been refreshed - that it would leave the man and take its chances. It would see just were its own freedom in life could take it.

Yet the Raven remained. And as years past, and as the communities of Ravens and Doves grew once more, the Raven kept in mind the lesson of the Ark and the Flood and, seeing the Old man's descendants sacrifice doves regularly, it wondered to itself just how long it would take before the Dove realized that, at the end, when the second and final punishment came, that there would be only one safe place then, and that was with the old man and the Ark.

THE END

Noah and the 7^th Rainbow

Noah had been collecting rainbows. Well, maybe, that was a strange way of putting it. Rainbows. You could hardly collect the sign of God’s great covenant with him and his children. They were made of colours – how could you collect colours? They sat in the sky, on rainy days, happy, lovely, beaming their glory. Beautiful. And now he had collected 6 of them – 5 more since the first magnificent, glorious one, he had seen on the day of the covenant. And now he waited for the seventh rainbow.

In heaven, there were 7 Seraphim Angels of Glory which watched over the children of Noah. These were the 7 Noahide Angels. They were not the 7 Archangels in waiting, which one day God would send to the people of Israel. Nor were they the 7 angels of the Man from Nazareth and his followers, or the 7 angels of the Prophet from what would become Mecca and his followers. Those latter groups of 7 angels were made, before the days of creation, put aside for those peoples of the books, to guide them in all their tribulations.

But the 7 Seraphim Angels of Glory were Michael, Gabriel, Raphael, Uriel, Raguel, Phanuel and Saruviel. They were the eternal Noahide Archangels of Glory.

And Saruviel, the seventh angel, dropped down to see Noah seated upon the rock with his wife Titea, looking out at the raining valley, and with his great power, upon the will of the Most High, brought forth the sun and clouds in a particular manner, and the 7^th Rainbow of Noah’s life shone forth in all its glory.

‘There,’ said Titea. ‘The 7^th Rainbow. You can now rest in peace.’

And Noah said ‘Amen.’

The End

Elam and Asshur’s Lesson

Grandpa Noah was in the vineyard one fine day, picking grapes. Young Elam and Asshur, his grandsons through Shem, were also busy picking some grapes. Just then, Elam yelled out. ‘Grandpa Noah! Quick! There is a Lion,’ said Elam, pointing to a lion which was approaching them. Noah told Elam and Asshur to stand behind him, and he reached for his spear. The Lion came closer and closer. The situation was tense. And, suddenly, it sprang at Noah. Yet, brave Grandpa Noah, spear in hand, pierced the Lion in the heart, and it died, slowly bleeding to death.

Elam looked at the dying Lion. ‘It might make good food, Grandpa. What do you think?’ Noah looked down at the dying Lion. ‘Lion’s are unclean animals, young Elam. The covenant our great God has made with us does permit us to eat unclean animals, yet I feel it is perhaps not always for the best. And, of course, we may never eat the blood of any animal.’ Asshur looked at his Grandpa. ‘Why can’t we eat the blood?’ Noah came over to Asshur, scruffed him on the head, and replied. ‘The life is in the blood young Asshur. It is what sustains and gives us life. God has forbidden us eating it because of that reason.’ ‘I see,’ replied Asshur.

They dragged the Lion to the edge of the Vineyard and placed stones over the body to hide it from vultures.

‘What was it like before the flood?’ Elam asked his grandfather. Noah, wiping the sweat from his brow, looked down at his young grandson. ‘They were violent times, young Elam. Violent times. People hated each other. They stole from each other rampantly – nobody’s possessions were ever safe. And even some of the wicked men worshipped carved idols made of animals and sea creatures, even the stars and moon. They worshipped these idols and mistakenly believed that these were the spirits of life who ruled the world. Often, such men insulted those of the LORD who tried to teach them the right way, even insulting the glory of the LORD. They blasphemed his holy name and despised our ancient traditions. Men would sleep with other Men’s wives, and even with each other which the LORD hates. It was, young Elam, in truth the most immoral of times in our history. And because of this – because the wickedness was so great – God judged the world and sent the great flood.’ Elam nodded, soberly taking in that information.

‘Grandpa,’ began Asshur. ‘What can we do to make sure the world never becomes like that again?’ Noah looked at him firmly. ‘The LORD commands us to make Law Courts. To have judges who judge our communities to ensure that we obey God and live in peace with each other. My child, we must have mercy and patience with those who transgress God’s holy laws, as he is merciful and patient with us. But, if they continue to disobey, we must punish them to preserve the law, order and peace in the world. By doing such we bring happiness to the world – we continue to make it a better place – returning it to the glory of Eden. Dear Grand-children. Every time you look at the Rainbow, think on these laws, and with your children and your children’s children, teach them, everlastingly so, to be faithful to God and the laws of holiness.’ Elam and Asshur looked up at their wise grandfather, smiled, and returned to picking grapes. And another day passed in the life of Noah and those who God had redeemed from the rest of mankind.

THE END

Japheth's Concerns

Japheth, one afternoon, in the vineyard of his father, was looking at the grapes. Some grapes were looking ripe, and they had picked them most of the day, he and his brothers. But after the first gleaning, Noah had come up to him and stayed his hand.
'There are many of us now, son. Our community has grown, and some of my great-grand-children are not hard workers.'
'They are lazy, father,' said Japheth sombrely.
'Which, I guess, is how the Lord made them. Yet leave the grapes. Let the poor always choose from after the first gleaning, and let them always be at peace that our family will provide charity for those less able.'

Japheth's own grand children, and there were many, had amongst their numbers a few who were not entirely given over to the labour's he'd endured building the ark. There, they had saved the world, and mankind had been born anew, but some took this so much for granted. How hopeless the heart of so many of God's own children.

But as he walked along, and looked at the grapes, and looked at the barrel full of grapes, the Lord spoke to his heart.

'See, child, how there are some fat and healthy grapes, without blemish, pure and enjoyable to eat. And see also how some are less healthy, and blemished, and of poor condition.'
'I do see that,' said Japheth.
'In a way, that is life. There are those who strive and succeed, for they are healthy, and made well and shine in the image of their heavenly father. But there are others, less fortunate, who do not have the abilities and skills of others, and are less fortunate and less graced with passion for life.'
'The blemished,' thought Japheth to himself.

'Yet all are grapes, and all make wine,' said the Spirit to Japheth's heart.

Japheth learned mercy that day, realising not all God's children were given what other's were. Yet all were family, and all deserving of the love of God and their brethren.

And another day passed in the life of those redeemed amongst mankind.

THE END

Ham on the Grog

'Stuff him,' said Ham.
Titea softened, and straightened her dress, and sat down with Ham on board of the rotting ark.
'Your father is concerned, Ham. That is no attitude to have.'
'I saw him naked, you know. Stupid Shem and Japheth covered him up, but I saw the old man. Thinks he's too holy to show himself to the world.'
'You would mock your father's holiness,' she queried.
'Not his holiness,' said Ham. 'He doesn't have any. We worked for a century on that ark. And over and over again we check for holes and leaks, all to satisfy the whims of the Almighty.'
'Do you think those precautions were unnecessary.'
'He has an attitude. Authoritarian. Shem is just like that. More so, I reckon. Up himself.'
Naamah spoke up. 'Noah, when he was young, saw a lot of the heart of man, Ham. The Almighty chose our family from the world, and we were saved. Do you think he can afford to be anything but careful.'
'Stuff him,' said Ham, yet again.
'He'll curse you,' said Shem softly, eating a bit of meat.'
'Go drain the blood of your lamb, and Noah can get stuffed,' responded Ham.
A figure, which had been sleeping, stirred. Noah sat up, rubbed away some gunk from his eyes, and looked at his son Ham.
'You don't listen to Titea either,' said Noah. 'Your own daughter, and you don't even take her wise counsel.'
'She married you,' said Ham. 'She's no daughter of mine.'
'Your insolent,' Noah said to him.
'He's right,' said Canaan, to Noah. 'You are an authoritarian. You have no grace. You and your blasted God have no grace. Father tells me what it was like before the flood. You thought yourself better then them all. You refused to save those who might have been. If you had cared. If you hadn't been so blasted holy.'
No glared at his grand-son Canaan, and a curse settled into his thoughts. But that curse was uttered later that day, in Shem's presence, and Shem remembered it, but refused to speak of it later to Ham and Canaan. Neither was he terribly impressed with the attitude of Ham, who had been on grog far too much of recent times.
Canaan suddenly got angry, stood and looked at Noah. 'Your an old fool,' he lashed out of him, and stormed out of the ark.
'Forgive him,' said Titea to Noah softly.
But Noah had fixed an opinion of his son's, and would not relent of his anger.

THE END

Magog's Indiscretion

'I don't like the way he is looking at her,' said Noah. 'He should know better. Titea is embarrassed.'
'I don't think Magog is an idiot,' replied Naamah, mother of Shem, Ham and Japheth.
'I don't like it,' said Noah.
Magog found himself alone with Titea, one afternoon. She was gathering grapes in the vineyard, and he touched her from behind.
'No, Magog. It's wrong,' she replied.
'Noah doesn't love you. Not like I do,' he said. 'Lay with me. I will sire you an empire. I promise you.' And with such vain words he
wooed her, and she succumbed.
When Boath was born 9 months later, Noah had calmed down. He loved the child, and knew him as his great-grand son. But his anger
at Magog's transgression was known to the whole community.
'Forgive me,' Titea pleaded her husband Noah. 'But you have given me no offspring, and now, it seems, you won't again. For your
zest seems hampered.'
'It is not to lust at all times. It is for the chosen of the Lord to abstain also, and show chastity. You have ruined my name.'
'Then do not let the details abound into perpetuity,' she responded. 'Let me be a figure for Boath's generations, and let that be its
own tradition, my beloved. I will keep my faith with you now. I will not succumb again.'
Noah cradled her, and looked over at the sleeping Boath. What grand nation would such a child father? Who, indeed, would be
the generations of Boath? Who indeed.

The End

Living in a Green Castle

‘Green Castles,’ said Melchizedek. ‘One day I envision Salem full of green castles.’

Nimrod was old. ‘Babel could be green,’ he pondered.

‘That project stunk,’ replied Melchizedek. ‘You had no real ambition to see it through and get the job done. ‘The gods of thunder tore down that tower one way or another. Even mighty Elohim may have had his hand in the project, I sense.’

‘Elohim is a god with no real strength. Doubt he truly exists,’ replied Nimrod.

‘Salem is founded on our Bull Deity,’ replied Melchizedek. ‘I have had words with that Hebrew scholar, Abram. He assures me Elohim is the true God, and speaks to him.’

‘I don’t trust the man,’ replied Nimrod. ‘He serves an agenda which will destroy our pantheon one day, and dishonour the gods.’

‘Then you must build a green castle, rather than brick and mortar. Gardens of delight, to the skies and beyond. It may appease the wrath of the gods of thunder, fire and blazing fury.’

‘I’m getting old,’ sighed Nimrod. ‘I am not sure the time I have left for this world. I fear sheol will soon greet me, and make me rest in its embrace.’

‘Willl you cross the river Styx, then, and sail down into its calm embrace, and be eternally at slumber?’ asked Melchizedek.

‘There is no life beyond that,’ said Nimrod. ‘It is a fool who believes such things.’

‘Hebrews believe it,’ replied Melchizedek. ‘They say Elohim is the Lord of the afterworld, and has a heavenly paradise for those who serve him.’

‘The ancient one, Shem, spoke of that,’ replied Melchizedek. ‘I remember legends of his being spoken when I was young. Apparently this flood was truth, but we find no evidence. I think it a tale the fathers invented to entertain us at night.’

‘You likely speak true,’ replied Melchizedek. But Green Castles will keep you happy in which you can build your fortifications, and enjoy the challenge of a deluge or to. Surely mighty Babel will not succumb to the wrath of rising waters, or any other such conundrum of the elements. You sitill will build her proud, one day.’

‘My descendants shall. I have charged the Chaldeeans to ensure the project goes ahead. It will be done properly gradually. And green castles, hanging gardens I thinik, shall bedeck my proud glory, and none shall overcome her, no Hebrew Prophet, or any such speaker of miracles and enchantments.’

‘It shall of course be as you say,’ replied the King of Salem. ‘It shall of course be as you say.’

The End

Terra

The Anchynte World

(2490-2495 SC)

(Dedicated to Robert E. Howard)

The Darklight

 On the outskirts of Never, lived the Kareesh.  The Kareesh drank water from deep wells, water which came from the heart of creation.  The Kareesh drank this water, and wandered far away from Never, into the desert land.  Into the desert land.

Baltarak was old, and in many ways young again.  King of Armorica in the power of Heaven’s Might, Baltarak had all he wished, and bedded any fair maiden which caught his eye.

But at the bottom of the well of Symbothra, he entered the Never.  And the Never cascaded into the wilderness beneath.  The underground world.

The earth above was red, deep ocreish red, from the ‘Kraad’ sandstone, which took any meagre source of light brought to it and enhanced it, reflected it on eternally.  A torch lit would light the realm e’er.  Nobody doubted this.

Cept the Kareesh.

They believed in the darklight, which would dim the Kraad, and bring darkness again to the underworld.  Yet not in Never did Darklight exist.  So the Kareesh, on manhood, wandered to the desert, having drunk deep water, to search for the Darklight.

So they  might once more sleep.

A wizard had cursed them, to wander forever, in search of the darklight.  And until then they would never rest, for they had offended him greatly.  And, in his own words, ne’er a Kareesh could yet find the Darklight anyway, yet surely it also must be their own.

Baltarak had fallen into the well, and was dead in the heart of Never.  Yet a Kareesh took pity and brought him into his home and nursed him back to health.

‘Truly you are a brother to me,’ swore Baltarak.  ‘I shall find the Darklight as your own, yet not.’

And he drank deeply of the water of Never.

And he searched….

And he searched…

And he found the darklight, beyond the wastelands, in the deepest hole of the deepest pit, a black majestic piece of crystal.

And he returned to his host.

And they placed the darklight in the heart of Never.

And the curse was broken.

And the Kareesh slept once more.

Yet the Wizard knew…

Yet the Wizard knew…

The End

The Darklight 2

The Wizard awoke.

'I'll curse that Baltarak. He shall wander the wastelands, till he is no more.' And the curse was wrathful.

Baltarak's blade fell from his side. 'Ho, why does it fall?' he queried, and looked at his scabbard. Rot had set in and the blade had fallen. He picked up the blade, and looked at it. It was covered in nasty green grime. He tried rubbing it off, but then started coughing.

A week later he was sick, fowl mooded, and in bed. The vomiting had not departed for the last 3 days.

'Ye are cursed,' said Zanzan.

'Curse you and your curse,' replied Baltarak to the Hesdorean.

'Tis the Wizard. His wrath is well known. Only slaying him will end the curse,' replied Zanzan.

Baltarak eyed Zanzan. 'Then a wizard's dead head I'll deliver ye.'

Baltarak, still sick, set out on his steed, but nobody knew where the wizard hid. And then he dreamed one night, and a Kareesh maiden said to him 'The Wizard dwells in Castle Vanity in the heart of Armorica.'

Baltarak travelled, and found Castle Vanity in the middle of a lake, and he swam the waters, and climbed into the tower.

But the wizard was gone, and the castle was bare, and Baltarak vomited once more.

On his travels a few days later he found an old wizard, one he knew from youth, who gave him an elixir, and the curse lifted, but his mood remained fowl.

'I know the wizard ye seek,' said Radfarr, the old wizard. 'He is a fowl student of mine, turned to darkness. Yet, I am afraid, you will not find him with ease. He knows the way of mystery, and dwells in illusion. A tired adventurer you will be before you track him down.'

'Then a tired adventurer I will be,' said Baltarak, and resumed his search.

But he searched Armorica in vain, and a trail to Crossdennia was a dead end, and Baltarak left off his wrath for the time being. For fair Crossdennian maidens beckoned him once more, and Baltarak being Baltarak........

But that is another story.

The End

The Darklight 3

Baltarak looked at the Crossdennian maiden. She was not the most attractive of lasses he'd bedded, by no means. But she was neither plain. Of moderate to decent looks. Marni was, though, a solid sort. He had gotten to know her well over the last few weeks, on hiatus in Crossdennia before resuming his adventures. She was a reliable sort, and faithful to his presence - she was never far away, and seemed to hang on his every word. Very devoted. Men wanted that in a woman. Devotion. The loyal sort. The marrying sort. Naturally the breasts needed to be firm - and large - with good thighs and nice legs. They were requirements in the instinctive list Baltarak carried around in his head in his adventures for the one to settle down with. Perhaps this Marni could be as such.

'Yo, maiden. Where are you?' No sooner had Baltarak spoken those words than Marni came a running.

'Master,' she said, kneeling down at his feet.

'Will ye wash my feet,' he said. 'I have not bathed for a week, and they smell fowl.'

'Of course, my lord,' she replied. As she gathered a bowl and filled it with water, Baltarak watched her steady Crossdennian mannerisms. Noble. She was noble in the way she carried herself, as if she expected much from life and much from the people she associated with. And, perhaps, much in a husband. Yet she liked him, and looking at her, with her decent physique and acceptable looks, he wondered if he would ask her.

'Did you dream?' she asked him, as she washed his feet with the true gentleness and strength of a Crossdennian lady.

'I dreamt of fowl wizards, and strange creatures running around a lake,' he replied.

'Dreams are often portents. And lessons,' she said. 'They speak of what has been and what could be. In symbols and crypticity.'

'Do not baffle me with your fine words. Just wash.' And she smiled at him, and he smiled back.

The weeks turned to months, and he had not left the village, and had been working with the blacksmith to pay his way in the village community. Marni would come and visit him each day, bringing meat and bread, and he would relax at the midday meal, and look fondly upon her. For he had decided to act upon his impulse, for perhaps the time had come to settle down.

It is a shame, when a man has found love, that it is taken from him. For the wizard, the one who had cursed him, found the village, and learnt of Baltarak, and he found out of Baltarak's love for Marni. And, not being seen, he found Marni alone.

'You are his bitch,' he said.

Marni did not respond, but gazed with Crossdennian strength at her adversary.

'Then you will die,' said the wizard.

'Before you kill me, may I know your name?' asked Marni.

The wizard chuckled. 'Why, Merdak, the abominable.'

'Then, Merdak, I curse your name to the fowlest of hells.'

'My fate is sealed,' he said dramatically. 'But I am afraid yours is too.' And he fixed her with a glance, and spoke a word, and she fell over, writhing in pain, and soon it was too much, and the spirit departed.

Baltarak found his love later that day, and when she did not respond to his jesting prodding, he picked her up and looked at her. And then he knew she was dead. The villagers spoke to him, upon finding out, and they spoke of the wizard, and they told him it had been Merdak the Abominable. And that truth settled into the heart of Baltarak.

The hellfire which raged in his eyes would not be appeased any time soon.

The End

The Darklight 4

He tracked the wizard through heat. He tracked the wizard through snow. He tracked the wizard, through rain. He tracked the wizard through clear skies and sunny days. Radfarr rode alongside him as they searched, and the name of Merdak became well known in the world as the wrath of Baltarak the Crossdennian. And then, in the far frozen north, they heard word that a wizard lived in a castle in the frozen crags beyond the village, and apparently it was whispered he was Merdak the Abominable.

'Baltarak, ye are a savage, and I fear the pain Merdak shall suffer at your hands. So look in your heart, and just behead the fool and have done with it.'

But Baltarak just glared back at Radfarr the Wizard.

They found the castle, and Baltarak climbed, and then lowered a rope and dragged up Radfarr. They came inside, and there he was, drunk, sleeping on his throne. A sickly servant looked at them and yelled 'Merdak. Intruders!'

Merdak awoke, but his eyes were bloodshot, and he could do nothing as Baltarak closed in, dragged him to his feet, and held a knife at his throat.

'What do you say before I kill, you abomination?'

Merdak looked into the eyes of wrath, and bowed his head. 'I guess I'm getting what I deserve,' said the wizard, and said nothing more.

Baltarak looked at Merdak, and he thought of his beloved Marni, and her cruel death, and the torments he had been through, and he looked with hatred at the wizard, who did not resist. And then, deep in his heart, he heard a song of his mother, and remembered that his mother loved him. And looking at the wretched creature before him, he realized, in the end, this abomination too had a mother, who even now loved his son.

So Baltarak threw Merdak on his throne, and left the castle by its front entrance, and the name of Merdak the Abominable was heard of again no more.

'Aye, ye are a Crossdennian proud and true,' said Radfarr, as they journeyed homewards.

Baltarak's steely gaze was the only reply.

The End

Pelagus’ Misadventure

‘Master Pelagus. I have the mule ready, as you requested.’

‘Let us be off then, Tolico. We shall have this adventure one way or the other.’

So Pelagus and his servant travelled north for a number of weeks, into a dense region, were old tribesmen gave them fierce looks, but let them be.

‘It is here,’ said Tolico. ‘In this crag there is a way down,’ said the servant.

They dismounted the weary mule, and tied him up to a branch, and climbed the crag, and found the cave which led beneath. Torches were lit, and they travelled down. And they came to The Never.

‘It is a place of the underworld, were lost souls are tormented one day,’ said Tolico. ‘It has been prepared from ancient days by the gods of judgment. Elysium may be all our destiny if we serve in truth, but I fear Elysium must be counteropposed by the vindication of servants of the gods against those of ill repute and dark choices.’

‘Enough with your morality play,’ replied Pelagus. What strange light keeps this world lit, I ask? It is like day, almost, and the earth above us seems hard to discern, lost in mist of haze it would appear. As if this is a world of its own.’

‘It’s strangely hot,’ said Tolico. ‘May it in chance be becoming hotter in time, for the judgment of those who fall?’

‘I think it may,’ replied Pelagus. ‘Now let us complete our purpose. There are gems and stones here coveted by those from our land. We shall spend several hours and gather what we may chance find.’

And they searched, and gathered pieces here some and there some, till there sack was full enough in the estimation of Pelagus the scribe.’

‘We shall depart now,’ said Pelagus. ‘I fear this place, now. It has a dreadful feel to it. It is not a place of eternal slumber in any decent reward.’

‘I guess the wicked are to be punished, it would seem,’ replied Tolico. ‘There broken bones and bodies sweating in wrath of this netherworld.’

‘Elysium’s vengeances must be counter-opposed indeed,’ replied Pelagus. ‘Let us be gone.’

The adventurers rose, and returned to their mule, and journeyed home. And none knew of their time in the Nether, as the sands of time rolled on by.

The End

Redemption of the Fallen

‘You smell Semyaza,’ said Tolico.

‘Well the Never is a pretty shitty place, Tollie,’ replied the head of the fallen.

‘Yes,’ sneered Pelagus. ‘It is. Lot’s of lovely gems and thing, but these strange beasts before my eyes are indeed a sorry sight.’

‘Yes. We suck,’ said Urakiba. ‘We have learned, in this strange new world, our faults, and our shortcomings, and God is glorious, and hallelujah, and we are humbled and, uh, what’s the next line Ramiel?’

‘Uh, we are repentant,’ responded Ramiel.

‘Right,’ nodded Urakiba. ‘We are repentant dear Tolico. We have learned from our mistakes.’

‘You sound quite rehearsed,’ stated the servant Tolico quiet honestly.

‘Oh no, let me assure you, we are now honest men. True and faithful servants of God. The God of Israel, I have been informed in fact.’

‘Yes,’ sneered Pelagus. ‘The Jews. Quite a race of decadent souls. Given to whoring after the Canaanite deity. No respect for Jupiter.’

‘Jupiter indeed,’ said Semyaza. ‘You must tell us all about him. And show us this way you claim you know to exit this fowl world. Lead on, master Pelagus. Lead on.’

‘I am not sure we should trust them,’ whispered Tolico to Pelagus. ‘They smell bad.’

‘Yes,’ replied Pelagus. ‘The mules dung is preferable I think, but we shall make a profit, if we are wise, from this bargain. Tell me, Lord Semyaza or the Fallen Angels, you say. What’s in it for us?’

‘Riches,’ said Semyaza. ‘And faithful servants. We shall be eternally devoted to the house of Pelagus. This we swear.’

‘Good enough for me,’ replied Pelagus.

And they led them on, out of the Never, and the fallen ones followed them all the way to Rome, were Pelagus put them into his employ, with labour for his guild, and they served faithfully for five years, before Semyaza requested they be allowed to now craft a life once more of their own making.

‘You have honoured your words,’ said Pelagus. ‘I will remember that Semyaza the angel is a man of honour.’

And their ways parted, and the angels travelled to Mt Zaphon near Syria, and stood atop it.

‘What do we do?’ asked Ramiel.

‘Wait,’ said Semyaza. ‘If we had not served Pelagus those five years Elohim would disregard any claim we have amended our ways.’

So they waited. Days passed, and weeks, and finally Michael, casually albeit, showed up.

‘You appear tolerable for return to the Realm,’ stated Michael. ‘God has judged that you are under a sentence of 15 years of Torah devotion if you insist on returning now.’

‘Fine,’ replied the firstborn of the Cherubim.

And they ascended, and the fallen were redeemed, and life, as they say, went on.

The End

* * * * *

Terra

Daniel the Cherubim

(3384 – 3450 SC)

The prophet Daniel sat down in his abode within the palace of Shushan.  As he had done so for the past several years, he had been composing a series of legends about the ancient kings of old Israel, to the purpose of inspiring his fellow Israelites in exile.  Of course, the list was fictional, mainly intended to inspire and delight others, not meant to be taken as historically correct. Today he had reached the 45th king amongst the great and grand list – the king which bore his own moniker – Olde King Daniel.  Sitting at the desk which Nebuchadnezzar had had made for him, he picked up his quill, dipped it in some ink and, taking a leaf of papyrus, began writing down his latest tale.

‘In tymes past, ye Olde King Daniel, the great and revered Kinge of Olde Israel, saw to it that a record of his great and many magnificente adventures and tales be recorded – at least, so he felt, somewhere in the grande and great scheme of things.  So, having thus reached such a conclusion, after much and greatly deliberate forethought and mental cogitation (interrupted, mind you, by many strange and great dreams – dreams of devils and dragons, beasts and empires, angels and saints, kings and queens, and much other similar dreams of such ilk – of which Daniel fervently prayed to the Great and Wise God of Truth for such things to departeth from him), Daniel took it unto himself, with the help of his great and wise assistants, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, to make a grand and great library within the domains of the Realm of he who is the Most High – seeing to it, as natural reason would conclude on such an issue in relation to the said individual, that the library met all desired objectives (presently thought of mind you), with the desire to house, home and store, with all proper accoutrements, the records of his great, grand and magnificent accomplishments.

The said library, the great and grand library of the Keep of Zaphon, within the domain of the firstborn of the Archangels, first of the Kings of Old Israel, Mighty Son of God – Michael, brother of the emissary of the Most High, the respected Gabriel, was, as Daniel understood upon his consultations with the most revered and respected Gabriel, to be an extension to the established library of Zaphon – being judged to be within reasonable limits, due considerations being given to the nature of the realm of Zaphora, and the natural aesthetic principles to also be considered, of the boundaries of Zaphora – so that, upon approval of the most high, and the approval of the divine council, the noble King Daniel could record his great and victorious accomplishments.

Daniel judged that the number of scrolls should be – in total – a number of appropriateness in relation to symbolic, spiritual, mathematical, scientific and many other such Knowledge-Based principles of the education of such knowledge.  The number he arrived at was based on the accepted decimal system of computation, established by his forerunners of ancient days – attributed to mighty King Cimbrel (He being the Tenth Kinge of Israel – the 35th Kinge before Kinge Daniel – he being the 45th Kinge since the ancient one of ancient one’s – King Michael), that number being 1,000.  The first 400 of these scrolls were, naturally, of special significance, recording the crux of his tales in life.  The latter 600 recorded various other notes, observations, philosophical questions, prayers, psalms, humorous anecdotes, and many other such textually scribable ideologies and thoughts, that King Daniel felt were appropriate to have written.  The number would be 1,000.  That would be appropriate, sufficient, and complete.  To swerve from such a number made no real sense, all things considered.

And so Daniel took it unto himself to begin work, being in his 46th year, of which he expected to last unto, perhaps 70, perhaps just a little bit more.’

Daniel finished off what he had written.  ‘Yes’, he thought to himself.  That should prove an inspiring and extraordinary beginning to what should be a most eventful of tales.  He would show it to his friends Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah to gain their insights.  Hopefully the legend would be well received.

*   *   *   *   *

Realm of Eternity

Michael& Gabriel

Michael smiled a little.  Gabriel had just handed to him some of the writing’s of the Prophet Daniel, their Cherubim brother Daniel who had now tasted human flesh, about the ancient Kings of the Ancient realm of Olde Israel.  ‘45th, huh?’ Gabriel smirked.  ‘Yeah, Michael, 45th.’  ‘But how the heck could he come to such a number.  I mean, the co-incidence is amazing.’  ‘Yes, I know Michael.  Daniel is the 45th of the male Seraphim, and the prophet who bears his moniker has placed him as the 45th king in his tales.’ ‘I think, brother, that our Father has had his influence on this prophet.’  ‘So he is under the influence of the Spirit?’  ‘I would suggest as such,’ responded Michael.  ‘Yet I was under the impression God would not interfere with our human sojourn in any great degree.  I see he has perhaps altered that.’  ‘Not so much altered, but amended.  Anyway, I think,’ said Michael, ‘that we should visit this particular prophet.  To give him particular knowledge of certain future events Father has shared with us.  And I think you should be the one to speak to him Gabriel.’ Gabriel looked at Michael, considering his words, before responding.  ‘That is highly irregular, Michael.  Father always speaks with prophets directly himself through the power of his spirit.  It is why they record their writings in ‘The name of the LORD.’  ‘I know, Gabriel.  So I would ask you to ask this Prophet to not state in any way that these words are the words of the LORD.  Instead state that they are written in the book of truth.’  Gabriel looked at him.  ‘The book of truth?  Do you mean the Torah of truth?’ ‘No, Gabriel.  That is Father’s work.  The book of truth is a work that a number of us Seraphim have been working on.  Davriel, Rophiel and a few others have been collaborating with myself on this work.  We have Father’s permission to undertake this work and it is in harmony with the destiny he has laid out for us.’  Gabriel stared at him, astonished.  ‘But, what is it?  What is this book of truth?’ Michael looked at his brother, considering his words.  ‘I will not share that with you at this time, Gabriel.  There are only 7 of us who are privy to its details.’  Gabriel’s face expressed a look of disappointment, but acceptance as well.  ‘Well, can you tell me who the other 4 Seraphim are?’ Michael thought on his response.  ‘Yes, I suppose.  They are Daniel, Cimbrel, Elenniel and Krystabel.  I will ask you, though, to not ask them for specific details regarding its contents.  They will share what I have shared, but will probably not divulge more than that.  Now, in regards to our Cherubim brother Daniel the prophet, I wish you to share these specific details with him.’  Michael continued then detailing to Gabriel various events which were to take place on earth in relation to the people of the prophet Daniel.

*   *   *   *   *

The Realm of Infinity

‘You are the Devil himself, Samael.  You are the Devil himself.’ ‘Order,’ proclaimed Sandalphon from the chief seat of justice.  Sandalphon turned to Logos.  ‘Logos is out of order.  He will withdraw the comment, or be removed from council.’  Logos looked at Sandalphon, returning his gaze to Samael, his most bitter opponent.  ‘I withdraw the comment. Turning to,’ he began, quickly turning to the Code of Parliamentary Conduct, leafing through the voluminous volume, coming to page 1138, he gave the page a cursory look, remembering the section then, resuming.  ‘Code of Conduct – Page 1138.  It reads ‘If a member, upon recalling incidents of a length superior to 100 years, uses inflammatory innuendo, language, or other mannerisms, in an attempt to deride opponents in the Hall, with reference made to incidents beyond the reasonable memory of the Parliament, that being the said 100 years; being references that are not written within the Parliamentary writings, or historical records of the Realm, or that can be readily justified within the living memory of the community at large; then such language shall be deemed as out of order and the member shall withdraw his comment or be removed from the Hall.’  Sandalphon nodded, checking the page in front of him.  He turned to Samael.  ‘The member of the opposition is correct.  You shall withdraw the comment in relation to incidents pertaining to the Saruvim and the Ecclesia.’  Samael looked at Logos and grinned a wicked little grin.  His allusion to the so called hidden lusts of Logos towards the Celestyel’s, and Logos casting them out so that Logos could ultimately bed them, was – in truth – an extremely devilish and malicious comment.  ‘I withdraw the comment,’ he finally responded.

Semyaza, firstborn of the 70,000 Oraphim of Nadrazon, known as the Silver City, located beneath Azion, the Golden City, smirked a little at Samael’s comments.  As Samael had become famous for in the Council of Infinity, that court of law which ruled Azion and Nadrazon, he had displayed scathing and ruthless words of attack – designed to intimidate, thwart and defeat his opponents.  The Council, now, had three major parties.  The Democrat’s, headed by Sandalphon as Chairman of the Party and Samael as Chief Minister of the Party.  There main opponents were the ‘Conservative’ Party who, as time had passed, and some of the Democratic ideals of the Democrats were gradually, in a very conservative fashion though, but gradually looked upon as acceptable in forms of Government.  A main idea based on ‘Democracy’ that the Conservative Party had adopted was the notion of the ‘Republic’.  The Republic was to be a form of Government not necessarily based around just one main leader, but in what the ‘Republican’s’ called a true and proper democratic structure, administered in a hierarchical fashion, with degrees of responsibility and differing roles given to each main minister.  Thus, the Conservatives were often also known as the ‘Republican’ Party.  Logos, in a spirit of generosity and mercy, had allowed as much individual freedom to be displayed amongst the party faithful and, in a philosophy he had developed based on Sandalphon’s democratic ideology, he had called this idea of individual freedom ‘Liberty’ and thus the Republican party were also known as the ‘Liberals’.  Samael often commented that their side of the bench did the real work, especially in developing proper and true democratic ideals – ideals which, under the oppression of the Logos and his authoritarian outlook they had ‘Laboured’ for, and thus adopted the unofficial title of the ‘Labour’ Party as well.

Semyaza was a diehard Democrat.  In its ideology he saw the freedom and peace which could be granted.  And, in this thinking, he had developed his own ideology of ‘Communism’ which, in its ultimate intent, was to unite those who believed in Democracy to share their own individual commitment to a united cause of freedom – a united cause in which each was cared for contributing to the welfare of the community as a whole.

In truth, as time passed, similarities and almost apparent contradictions, inasmuch as they often reflected their opponent’s ideology, came forth.  Yet, as many commentators voiced, it was the passion of pride in Logos and Samael that caused the tension between them to be constantly at loggerheads, each trying to outfox their opponents.

Yet, whatever else, a day in the life of the council, for so many, was an unforgettable experience.

*   *   *   *   *

Many years had now passed since the formation of Council – nearly 10,000 in fact.  In that time Terra had come to be, and the angels, while curious about men, paid little attention to mere humanity at first.  Yet a number of angels, including Sandalphon and Samael, had dwelt with men for a while, mainly for the pleasures of the physical flesh of women.  Yet for this they had been  rebuked greatly and barred from Terra, it now forbidden to them.

Logos, who now resided within Akalon, the Diamond city, many cubits far above Azion – a place which he had first inhabited before the other angels of Infinity had come to be, and after his tenure with the Word of Eternity ‘Memra’ and Metatron at ‘Home’ with God, yet had not used for a great deal of time, due to his interactions with the Angels of the Realm of Infinity – was within his private and personal abode of Akalon considering life in the Realm of Infinity.  While the essential basics of life had not really changed that much, in any great degree, the realm, now, was so very complex in the infrastructure and technology inherent within it. 

Through Council, and their advances in law and administration, and through the knowledge of science, an advanced civilization had sprung forth.  Inventions called ‘Computers’ and the ‘Information Portal’ which connected every computer to a central database were foundational within both Nadrazon and Azion, key updates to information being processed on data-discs transferred between the realms on regular intervals.

*   *   *   *   *

Sandalphon was brooding.  It was time.  It was now time, and he felt no need to wait any longer.  It was time to claim the Realm of Infinity.  He would speak with Samael, tonight, and they would be bold.  They would bring to pass the culmination of their work and take hold of the council completely.  It was time to reject the authority of Logos and bring to pass complete democracy.  It was now time, no point in waiting any longer.

*   *   *   *   *

Samael argued with Sandalphon for a week, and then relented.  Logos position and the laws he had brought into council, while bothersome, were able to be lived with.  And for the sake of unity Samael encouraged Sandalphon to let the status quo remain – they could achieve their objectives in time, no need to push it.  But Sandalphon was insistent and so, because of this, the rebellion began.

After 3 months of talks they were secure in their position and it came down to a day of council deliberations in which Sandalphon had prepared his words carefully.  Taking to the dais to start council discussions for the day with the mandatory prayer, Sandalphon began.

‘Brethren.  Today is a great day.  Today is a glorious day.’  He signalled to the angels at the side of the room waiting his signal and they began moving forward into the chambers.  ‘Today we claim the realm.’

And then the rebellion fostering all those millennia climaxed and the angels in league with Sandalphon and Samael came forward and seized Logos and the ecclesia and the other angels in their political party.

‘Were are you taking us?’ Logos asked Sandalphon.

‘Why, to the throneroom.  Were else.  We are asking for the final judgement.  God has been absent long enough, but he has watched us.  And if we can not have our way now, if after all this time he is not willing to yield to our requests, we would have done with the situation.’

‘What do you mean?’ Logos asked Sandalphon.

‘It is time to bring a resolution to matters, brother.  Delay is no longer possible.  We want something resolved.’

‘Very well.’

And so the fateful congregation were escorted to the throneroom and Sandalphon’s fearful agenda was coming to play.  He had made a gamble, had Sandalphon, and was willing to risk it.  And his gamble was that his father would remain silent and not speak.  And if that were the case, he would achieve victory.  For God’s silence would condone their rights and then they would have all they had long desired and be rid of Logos authority for Good.  It took something decisive, but the time was now right.

*   *   *   *   *

‘And so, friends, brethren, you have heard our plea.  You have heard for so long now our desires, freedom from Logos interference and full democracy down to individual liberty which is our fundamental right of existence.  And now,’ he said, turning to the throne of Glory which had not spoken for millennia.

Sandalphon began, as formally as he could.

‘Eternal father. God of glory.  I beseech thee.  If you object to our claiming our liberty, as is our birthright, speak now.  Speak now.  We beseech thee.’

Samael looked on.  For a long time now he had been carefully manipulating his protégé Sandalphon to ensure he said what Samael had really desired.  And now, him still in the shadows to a large extent, the freedom they had long desired would now be theirs.  Yet, a voice spoke.  A voice long gone from them returned, at the most unexpected of times.

‘Sandalphon.  I see you have not changed.  I see that in truth.  I had long hoped  you would have amended your foolishness, but to no avail.  Nevertheless you will learn in time.  But I know what dark power motivates you.  I know that.  Samael, stand before me.’

All the angels were in shock at hearing God speak again, and Aphrayel at the back of the crowd was thankful her father had returned to give his judgement, for she had feared her brothers were about to do something most foolish.

‘Samael, you are the power behind this rebellion.  This much I know, for I have watched your heart for so long now.  But it will not succeed, son.  For you have not yet learned some of the lessons you really should have known by now.  But, you will.  You will.  Samael, stand before me like a man, and do not cower.’

Samael straightened up.

‘You are banished, mighty Onaphim angel.  You are banished to earth, there to remain upon my good pleasure.  For you will taste the glories of the heavenlies no longer.  Not until your heart and soul knows what it is to be truly merciful.  And I name you Samael no longer.   For you are Satan, in truth, an adversary to us all.  Be gone from us, vile child.’

At that moment Karanasius, shadow angel of the realm of eternity, came forth from the throne of God, dressed in black, hooded and face hidden, and surrounded Samael.  And then he dragged him downwards, ever downwards, plummeting down to earth.

And falling, like lightning from the sky, the fall of the devil had come to be.

*   *   *   *   *

Later on, after much weeping, Logos was consoling his sister Aphrayel.  ‘In the end, Aphy, I was not that surprised.  Samael has long been pushing God’s mercy.  You must have known that.  And his judgement has finally come.  But don’t worry, dear sister.  Destiny has a funny way of working things out.  Trust me on that, ok.  Trust me on that.’

Aphrayel looked at him through teary eyes and managed to nod.  She would now have to put Samael into the hands of fate.  Really, she had no other choice.

*   *   *   *   *

3970 – 4000 SC (0 to 30 AD)

And the realm of Infinity returned to its regular life and, just a couple of centuries later, the primal manifestation was at hand.  Logos, at his father’s decree, was to become one with Jesus of eternity, and the incarnation would come to be.

*   *   *   *   *

Terra

Logos

And Logos was born.  And Logos was seen by men.  And Logos was crucified.  And Logos was resurrected.  And Logos, inhabiting the Cherubim Jesus, was one with this angel.  The Logos – the Word – was One with Jesus the Son of God – the two were one – of one heart and one mind.  And Memra, likewise, became one with Mary Magdalene, Oraphim angel of Infinity.  And the two words became one.

*   *   *   *   *

THE GOSPEL OF JESUS

The book of the generation of Jesus, descendant of David, descendant of Abraham. Abraham begat Isaac; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat Judah and his brethren; And Judah begat Phares and Zara of Thamar; and Phares begat Esrom; and Esrom begat Aram; And Aram begat Aminadab; and Aminadab begat Naasson; and Naasson begat Salmon; And Salmon begat Boaz of Rachab; and Boaz begat Obed of Ruth; and Obed begat Jesse; And Jesse begat David the king; and David the king begat Solomon of her that had been the wife of Urias; And Solomon begat Roboam; and Roboam begat Abia; and Abia begat Asa; And Asa begat Josaphat; and Josaphat begat Joram; and Joram begat Ozias; And Ozias begat Joatham; and Joatham begat Achaz; and Achaz begat Ezekias; And Ezekias begat Manasses; and Manasses begat Amon; and Amon begat Josias; And Josias begat Jechonias and his brethren, about the time they were carried away to Babylon: And after they were brought to Babylon, Jechonias begat Salathiel; and Salathiel begat Zerubbabel; And Zerubbabel begat Abiud; and Abiud begat Eliakim; and Eliakim begat Azor; And Azor begat Sadoc; and Sadoc begat Achim; and Achim begat Eliud; And Eliud begat Eleazar; and Eleazar begat Matthan; and Matthan begat Jacob; And Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus. 
So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; and from David until the carrying away into Babylon are fourteen generations; and from the carrying away into Babylon unto Jesus are fourteen generations.  Now the birth of Jesus was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child.  Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily. But while he thought on these things he thought better, and would honour being the father of the child. 

Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, saying, Where is he that is born, the teacher of the Good News? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to pay respects to him.  When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.  And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where the child should be.  And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea.  Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, enquired of them diligently what time the star appeared.  And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and pay my respects also.  When they had heard the king, they departed.  And when they were come into the house were they found the child, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and were inspired by the child's presence: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense and myrrh.  And being warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.  And when they were departed, behold, inspiration came upon Joseph in a dream to take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be there until Herod's wroth had passed.  When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt:  And was there until the death of Herod: and in this way Jesus follows the scriptural patten which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son. 
Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently inquired of the wise men.  And in a way the scriptures were followed again in the life of Jesus, for it is written 'In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not.'  But when Herod was dead, behold Joseph had another dream which taught him to arise, and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: for those were dead which sought the young child's life. 
And he arose, and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel.  But when he heard that Archelaus did reign in Judaea in the room of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither: notwithstanding, being warned in a dream, he turned aside into the parts of Galilee:  And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth. 

So having being born in a humble manger, the son of Mary and Joseph, Jesus grew up and was well known as a godfearing child of a holy Jewish family. Jesus was strong in the Lord and loved his father Joseph and his mother Mary with all his heart. He worked with his father as a Carpenter and carefully learned all the ways of the trade. He was quick to pay attention to even the most minor of details and would listen faithfully as Joseph instructed him in the ways of Jewish living and being holy towards God.  
Jesus cried greatly when Joseph died, and when they were at the grave his mother Mary said 'Fear not, dear Jesus. For your father has gone to heaven to be with his heavenly father, the father of us all. Remember that dear son. God is your father, and he loves you greatly.'  
'I will remember,' responded the boy Jesus.  
As Jesus grew, he grew strong in the faith, and was full of courage. The Holy Spirit of God watched over him, instructing his mind and teaching him the proper ways of godly conduct and how to teach men the way of the Gospel of God. The Holy Spirit blazed in the young man Jesus' heart, and as he worked and grew everyone in Nazareth thought of him as a most special and gifted child of God. But there was something different about him. Something different his mother Mary noticed. He was special, was Jesus, as the Angel Gabriel had told her. He was special and had a gift - a gift for all men in Israel and, one day, to the ends of the world. And as he continued to grow in learning, wisdom and understanding, Mary knew she must share her son's message to be a Holy Mother to the world, to spread the message of God's beloved peacemakers, children of God, children of peace, bound together in bonds of love, and unity.  

As he grew Jesus shared with his mother his dreams from what he had seen in the sacred scriptures. Dreams of forming a special community - a chosen community - one which would live forever, a sacred ecclesia of God - which throughout eternity would serve God in love and fidelity, knowing God loved them dearly and would forever be faithful to them. And Mary knew her son was wise and would share him in this vision, as she knew Joseph her husband would have, had he lived longer.  Jesus grew and soon, one day, he spoke with his mother.  
'It is time, mother. The Day of the Lord is upon us and I must preach the Gospel. For God my father wishes this of me.'  
And Mary nodded solemnly, gave her son her blessing, and sent him on his way.  And then she prayed this holy prayer.  
'God of my fathers, God of my ancestors, I sing praise to your name. My dear son Jesus, descended from our champion King David, is truly a Son of David, a man after God's own heart. I thank you King of Eternity for the passion you have placed in my son's heart, and I ask you to keep your hand upon him all his days, until he has completed his sacred mission. Praise to you Lord God Almighty. I rejoice in your ways with quiet humility and grateful service. Alleluia.  
And Jesus went off, and came to John. And was baptized. And the Holy Spirit of God alighted upon him and a voice from the heavenlies said 'This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.'  
And immediately Jesus went to the desert, were the dark lord tested him, but Jesus came through this testing in his faith and the Gospel was preached.  
And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him:

And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying,

Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.

Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.

Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.

Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.

Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.

Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.

Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.

Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to act in a pattern of life which is inspired from their teaching. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven. Ye have heard that it was said of them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire. Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift. Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison. Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing. Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.  And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement: But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery. Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths: But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God's throne: Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King. Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black. But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil. Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also. And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain. Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away. Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.  

Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven.Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly. And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him. After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face; That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly. Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness! No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? For your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

Jesus continued his teaching. 'Judge not, less you are likewise judged. For the standard you use in your judgement may very well be applied to yourself in the way God decides to judge you. So what if there is a problem with your brother, like a little speck in his eye. You probably have a log in your own eye, so at least remove the log before you try getting the speck out of your brother's eye. Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you. This is the essence of all that is taught in the law and the prophets.'   Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you. Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him? Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets. Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it. And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine: For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. 

When he was come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed him. And, behold, there came a leper and acknowledged him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. And Jesus saith unto him, See thou tell no man; but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them. And when Jesus was entered into Capernaum, there came unto him a centurion, beseeching him, And saying, Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented. And Jesus saith unto him, I will come and heal him. The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed. For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it. When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel. And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven. But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. And Jesus said unto the centurion, Go thy way; and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee. And his servant was healed in the selfsame hour. And when Jesus was come into Peter's house, he saw his wife's mother laid, and sick of a fever. And he touched her hand, and the fever left her: and she arose, and ministered unto them. When the even was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick: That he might follow the example of his people, the suffering servant, spoken of by Isaiah the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses. Now when Jesus saw great multitudes about him, he gave commandment to depart unto the other side. And a certain scribe came, and said unto him, Master, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest. And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath nowhere to lay his head. And another of his disciples said unto him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. But Jesus said unto him, Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead. And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him. And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep. And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish. And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm. But the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him! And when he was come to the other side into the country of the Gergesenes, there met him two possessed with devils, coming out of the tombs, exceeding fierce, so that no man might pass by that way. And, behold, they cried out, saying, What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou holiness preacher? art thou come hither to torment us before the time? And there was a good way off from them an herd of many swine feeding. So the devils besought him, saying, If thou cast us out, suffer us to go away into the herd of swine. And he said unto them, Go. And when they were come out, they went into the herd of swine: and, behold, the whole herd of swine ran violently down a steep place into the sea, and perished in the waters. And they that kept them fled, and went their ways into the city, and told every thing, and what was befallen to the possessed of the devils. And, behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus: and when they saw him, they besought him that he would depart out of their coasts.

And he entered into a ship, and passed over, and came into his own city. And, behold, they brought to him a man sick of the palsy, lying on a bed: and Jesus seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy; Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee. And, behold, certain of the scribes said within themselves, This man blasphemeth. And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts? For whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and walk? But that ye may know that the Son of man hath the strength of character to show kindness and mercy to others, (then saith he to the sick of the palsy,) Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house. And he arose, and departed to his house. But when the multitudes saw it, they marvelled, and glorified God, which had given such power unto men. And as Jesus passed forth from thence, he saw a man, named Matthew, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he saith unto him, Follow me. And he arose, and followed him. And it came to pass, as Jesus sat at meat in the house, behold, many publicans and sinners came and sat down with him and his disciples. And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his disciples, Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners? But when Jesus heard that, he said unto them, They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick. But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. Then came to him the disciples of John, saying, Why do we and the Pharisees fast oft, but thy disciples fast not? And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them? but the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then shall they fast. No man putteth a piece of new cloth unto an old garment, for that which is put in to fill it up taketh from the garment, and the rent is made worse. Neither do men put new wine into old bottles: else the bottles break, and the wine runneth out, and the bottles perish: but they put new wine into new bottles, and both are preserved. While he spake these things unto them, behold, there came a certain ruler, and worshipped him, saying, My daughter is even now dead: but come and lay thy hand upon her, and she shall live. And Jesus arose, and followed him, and so did his disciples. And, behold, a woman, which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind him, and touched the hem of his garment: For she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole. But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour. And when Jesus came into the ruler's house, and saw the minstrels and the people making a noise, He said unto them, Give place: for the maid is not dead, but sleepeth. And they laughed him to scorn. But when the people were put forth, he went in, and took her by the hand, and the maid arose. And the fame hereof went abroad into all that land. And when Jesus departed thence, two blind men followed him, crying, and saying, Thou descendant of King David, have mercy on us. And when he was come into the house, the blind men came to him: and Jesus saith unto them, Believe ye that I am able to do this? They said unto him, Yea, Lord. Then touched he their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it unto you. And their eyes were opened; and Jesus straitly charged them, saying, See that no man know it. But they, when they were departed, spread abroad his fame in all that country. As they went out, behold, they brought to him a dumb man possessed with a devil. And when the devil was cast out, the dumb spake: and the multitudes marvelled, saying, It was never so seen in Israel. But the Pharisees said, He casteth out devils through the prince of the devils. And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd. Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; Pray ye therefore to Jehovah the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.

And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease. Now the names of the twelve apostles are these; The first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother;Philip, and Bartholomew; Thomas, and Matthew the publican; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus;Simon the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him.These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not:But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give. Provide neither gold, nor silver, nor brass in your purses,Nor scrip for your journey, neither two coats, neither shoes, nor yet staves: for the workman is worthy of his meat. And into whatsoever city or town ye shall enter, enquire who in it is worthy; and there abide till ye go thence. And when ye come into an house, salute it. And if the house be worthy, let your peace come upon it: but if it be not worthy, let your peace return to you .And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet. Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city. Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues;And ye shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles. But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak. For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you. But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come. The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord. It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of his household? Fear them not therefore: for there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known. What I tell you in darkness, that speak ye in light: and what ye hear in the ear, that preach ye upon the housetops. And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows. Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven. Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. And a man's foes shall be they of his own household. He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it. He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me. He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward; and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward. And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward.

And it came to pass, when Jesus had made an end of commanding his twelve disciples, he departed thence to teach and to preach in their cities. Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Jesus, he sent two of his disciples, And said unto him, Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another? Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see: The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them. And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me. And as they departed, Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken with the wind? But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? behold, they that wear soft clothing are in kings' houses. But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet. For this is he who walks like the Messenger of the Lord, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee. Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force. For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. And if ye will receive it, he is just like Elijah, which was for to come. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. But whereunto shall I liken this generation? It is like unto children sitting in the markets, and calling unto their fellows, And saying, We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned unto you, and ye have not lamented. For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He hath a devil. The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners. But wisdom is justified of her children. Then began he to upbraid the cities wherein most of his mighty works were done, because they repented not: Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment, than for you. And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. But I say unto you, That it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for thee. At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes. Even so, Father: for so it seemed good in thy sight. All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth me in truth but the Father. Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

At that time Jesus went on the sabbath day through the corn; and his disciples were an hungred, and began to pluck the ears of corn and to eat. But when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto him, Behold, thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do upon the sabbath day. But he said unto them, Have ye not read what David did, when he was an hungred, and they that were with him; How he entered into the house of God, and did eat the shewbread, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for them which were with him, but only for the priests? Or have ye not read in the law, how that on the sabbath days the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are blameless? But if ye had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless. For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath day if and when necessary. And when he was departed thence, he went into their synagogue:  And, behold, there was a man which had his hand withered. And they asked him, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath days? that they might accuse him.  And he said unto them, What man shall there be among you, that shall have one sheep, and if it fall into a pit on the sabbath day, will he not lay hold on it, and lift it out? How much then is a man better than a sheep? Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days. Then saith he to the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it forth; and it was restored whole, like as the other. Then the Pharisees went out, and held a council against him, how they might destroy him.  But when Jesus knew it, he withdrew himself from thence: and great multitudes followed him, and he healed them all;  And charged them that they should not make him known: That he might follow the pattern and intention of the prophecy which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying, “Behold my servant, whom I have chosen; my beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased: I will put my spirit upon him, and he shall shew judgment to the Gentiles. He shall not strive, nor cry; neither shall any man hear his voice in the streets. A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench, till he send forth judgment unto victory. And in his name shall the Gentiles trust.” Then was brought unto him one possessed with a devil, blind, and dumb: and he healed him, insomuch that the blind and dumb both spake and saw. And all the people were amazed, and said, Is not this the son of David? But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils. And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand: And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand? And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your children cast them out? therefore they shall be your judges. But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you. Or else how can one enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house. He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad. Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men very easily. And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come, unless the repentance is unto acknowledging the Holiness and Work of God Almighty through his Holy Spirit in the Very Truth. Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit. O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.  A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.  But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned. Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee. But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it by my ministry but the sign of the prophet Jonah: For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. Such do I view your hypocrisy in my own mind that to me the men of Nineveh should rise in judgment with this generation, and should condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and, behold, a greater than Jonah is here. The queen of the south should also rise up in the judgment with this generation, and should condemn it: for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here.  When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none. Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished. Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so should it be also unto this wicked generation. While he yet talked to the people, behold, his mother and his brethren stood without, desiring to speak with him. Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee. But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren? And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren!  For whosoever shall do the will of God our Father, Adonai Eloheinu, which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.

The same day went Jesus out of the house, and sat by the sea side. And great multitudes were gathered together unto him, so that he went into a ship, and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore. And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow; And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up: Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth: And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away. And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them: But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.

Who hath ears to hear, let him hear. And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables? He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath. Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive: For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear. For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them. Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower. When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side. But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it; Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended. He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful. But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field:

But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares? He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn. Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field: Which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof. Another parable spake he unto them; The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.

All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables; and without a parable spake he not unto them: That it might be followed as example which was spoken by the prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world. Then Jesus sent the multitude away, and went into the house: and his disciples came unto him, saying, Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field. He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man; The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one; The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels. As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind: Which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away. So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just, And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Jesus saith unto them, Have ye understood all these things? They say unto him, Yea, Lord. Then said he unto them, Therefore every scribe which is instructed unto the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old. And it came to pass, that when Jesus had finished these parables, he departed thence. And when he was come into his own country, he taught them in their synagogue, insomuch that they were astonished, and said, Whence hath this man this wisdom, and these mighty works? Is not this the carpenter's son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas? And his sisters, are they not all with us? Whence then hath this man all these things? And they were offended in him. But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, save in his own country, and in his own house. And he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief.

At that time Herod the tetrarch heard of the fame of Jesus, And said unto his servants, This is John the Baptist; he is risen from the dead; and therefore mighty works do shew forth themselves in him. For Herod had laid hold on John, and bound him, and put him in prison for Herodias' sake, his brother Philip's wife. For John said unto him, It is not lawful for thee to have her. And when he would have put him to death, he feared the multitude, because they counted him as a prophet. But when Herod's birthday was kept, the daughter of Herodias danced before them, and pleased Herod. Whereupon he promised with an oath to give her whatsoever she would ask. And she, being before instructed of her mother, said, Give me here John Baptist's head in a charger. And the king was sorry: nevertheless for the oath's sake, and them which sat with him at meat, he commanded it to be given her. And he sent, and beheaded John in the prison. And his head was brought in a charger, and given to the damsel: and she brought it to her mother. And his disciples came, and took up the body, and buried it, and went and told Jesus. When Jesus heard of it, he departed thence by ship into a desert place apart: and when the people had heard thereof, they followed him on foot out of the cities. And Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and he healed their sick. And when it was evening, his disciples came to him, saying, This is a desert place, and the time is now past; send the multitude away, that they may go into the villages, and buy themselves victuals. But Jesus said unto them, They need not depart; give ye them to eat. And they say unto him, We have here but five loaves, and two fishes. He said, Bring them hither to me. And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the grass, and took the five loaves, and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed, and brake, and gave the loaves to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude. And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the fragments that remained twelve baskets full. And they that had eaten were about five thousand men, beside women and children. And straightway Jesus constrained his disciples to get into a ship, and to go before him unto the other side, while he sent the multitudes away. And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone. But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary. And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea. And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear. But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid. And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water. And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus. But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt? And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased. Then they that were in the ship came and honoured him, saying, Of a truth we believe thou art the Son of God among us, a Prince among the Kings of the Earth, the sure blessings of your father David. And when they were gone over, they came into the land of Gennesaret. And when the men of that place had knowledge of him, they sent out into all that country round about, and brought unto him all that were diseased; And besought him that they might only touch the hem of his garment: and as many as touched were made perfectly whole.

Then came to Jesus scribes and Pharisees, which were of Jerusalem, saying, Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread.But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition? For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death. But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; And honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition. Ye hypocrites, well did Isaiah prophesy of you, saying, This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. And he called the multitude, and said unto them, Hear, and understand: Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man. Then came his disciples, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended, after they heard this saying? But he answered and said, Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up. Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch. Then answered Peter and said unto him, Declare unto us this parable. And Jesus said, Are ye also yet without understanding? Do not ye yet understand, that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the draught? But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man.

For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man. Then Jesus went thence, and departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon. And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil. But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us. But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me. But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs. And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters' table. Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour. And Jesus departed from thence, and came nigh unto the sea of Galilee; and went up into a mountain, and sat down there. And great multitudes came unto him, having with them those that were lame, blind, dumb, maimed, and many others, and cast them down at Jesus' feet; and he healed them: Insomuch that the multitude wondered, when they saw the dumb to speak, the maimed to be whole, the lame to walk, and the blind to see: and they glorified the God of Israel. Then Jesus called his disciples unto him, and said, I have compassion on the multitude, because they continue with me now three days, and have nothing to eat: and I will not send them away fasting, lest they faint in the way. And his disciples say unto him, Whence should we have so much bread in the wilderness, as to fill so great a multitude? And Jesus saith unto them, How many loaves have ye? And they said, Seven, and a few little fishes. And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground. And he took the seven loaves and the fishes, and gave thanks, and brake them, and gave to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude. And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the broken meat that was left seven baskets full. And they that did eat were four thousand men, beside women and children. And he sent away the multitude, and took ship, and came into the coasts of Magdala.

The Pharisees also with the Sadducees came, and tempting desired him that he would shew them a sign from heaven. He answered and said unto them, When it is evening, ye say, It will be fair weather: for the sky is red. And in the morning, It will be foul weather to day: for the sky is red and lowering. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times? A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas. And he left them, and departed. And when his disciples were come to the other side, they had forgotten to take bread. Then Jesus said unto them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees. And they reasoned among themselves, saying, It is because we have taken no bread. Which when Jesus perceived, he said unto them, O ye of little faith, why reason ye among yourselves, because ye have brought no bread? Do ye not yet understand, neither remember the five loaves of the five thousand, and how many baskets ye took up? Neither the seven loaves of the four thousand, and how many baskets ye took up? How is it that ye do not understand that I spake it not to you concerning bread, that ye should beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees? Then understood they how that he bade them not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees. When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am? And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets. He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona. And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and intended to suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed for the plan of salvation he had prayed upon. Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee. But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men. Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

One of the teachers of religious law was standing there listening to the debate. He realized that Jesus had answered well, so he asked, 'Of all the commandments, which is the most important?'  
Jesus replied, 'The most important commandment is this: 'Shema Israel, Adonai Eloheinu, Adonai Achud.' And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength. Secondly, you shall love your neighbour as yourself. These are the prime commandments.'  
The teacher replied 'Well said Jesus of Nazareth. To love God with all of your being is the summation of our faith, so much more than just the sacrificial aspects.'  
'You are not far from heaven,' Jesus responded to the teacher.  
Jesus spoke to his disciples. 'There was a man, walking along a road, and he saw a man who had apparently been robbed, lying on the road, bleeding. He was a Pharisee this man, and looked at the bleeding man, but was too busy to help him so walked on. Later on a scribe came by, but was also just a little too busy to get involved, and passed on as well. Later that day, when it was starting to get cold and dark, a Samaritan came along, who the Pharisees and Scribes really don't approve of, looked at the man, and despite it being late and cold, troubled himself to put the man carefully on his donkey, take him to an inn, and pay for his healing. Now tell me, was it the Pharisee, scribe or Samaritan who did the right thing?'  
 Jesus spoke to his disciples. 'The younger son of a farmer wanted the good life, sick to death of work. He'd had enough, demanded his inheritance right there and then, and because the farmer loved his son, he gave him his share. The son went off, partied for quite a while, but ended up broke. He was working for a man, feeding the pigs, and eating very poorly, when he came to his senses. 'At home I'll get a better feed. I will ask for forgiveness. I have been an idiot, but hopefully dad will forgive me.' The son went home, and his father killed the fatted lamb in his son's honour. But the older brother, who had worked hard and not left, remaining faithful, complained. And then the father said to the older brother, 'I would have done so much for you as well, and more besides. But rejoice, for your brother was lost to the family, but is now found again.' 

And when they were come to the multitude, there came to him a certain man, kneeling down to him, and saying, Lord, have mercy on my son: for he is lunatick, and sore vexed: for ofttimes he falleth into the fire, and oft into the water. And I brought him to thy disciples, and they could not cure him. Then Jesus answered and said, O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him hither to me. And Jesus rebuked the devil; and he departed out of him: and the child was cured from that very hour. Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out? And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; andnothing shall be impossible unto you. Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting. And while they abode in Galilee, Jesus said unto them, The Son of man shall be betrayed into the hands of men: And they shall kill him. And they were exceeding sorry. And when they were come to Capernaum, they that received tribute money came to Peter, and said, Doth not your master pay tribute? He saith, Yes. And when he was come into the house, Jesus prevented him, saying, What thinkest thou, Simon? of whom do the kings of the earth take custom or tribute? of their own children, or of strangers? Peter saith unto him, Of strangers. Jesus saith unto him, Then are the children free. Notwithstanding, lest we should offend them, go thou to the sea, and cast an hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money: that take, and give unto them for me and thee.

At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them, And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me. But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea. Woe unto the world because of offences! for it must needs be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh! Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven. For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost. How think ye? if a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains, and seeketh that which is gone astray? And if so be that he find it, verily I say unto you, he rejoiceth more of that sheep, than of the ninety and nine which went not astray. Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish. Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican. Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it may, by God's will, be done for them of our Father which is in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven. Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants. And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents. But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made. The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt. But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellowservants, which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest. And his fellowservant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt. So when his fellowservants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done. Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me: Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee? And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him. So likewise, say I, should our heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.

And it came to pass, that when Jesus had finished these sayings, he departed from Galilee, and came into the coasts of Judaea beyond Jordan; And great multitudes followed him; and he healed them there. The Pharisees also came unto him, tempting him, and saying unto him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause? And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder. They say unto him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away? He saith unto them, It is possibly true that Moses, because of the hardness of your hearts, suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not necessarily so. And so I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery in some ways, as should you not be loyal to the wife of your youth? And whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery in some ways, for should you not be loyal to the wife of your youth? His disciples say unto him, If the case of the man be so with his wife, it is not good to marry. But he said unto them, All men cannot receive this saying, save they to whom it is given. For there are some eunuchs, which were so born from their mother's womb: and there are some eunuchs, which were made eunuchs of men: and there be eunuchs, which have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake, serving with their love of God, in quiet devotion. He that is able to receive it, let him receive it if he can, for it is not easy necessarily, but it is a life which is a calling. Then were there brought unto him little children, that he should put his hands on them, and pray: and the disciples rebuked them. But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven. And he laid his hands on them, and departed thence. And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life? And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments. The commandments give life eternal. He saith unto him, Which commands should I obey? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother, do not eat blood, do not kidnap people, keep boundary markers honest and correct: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. Keep the sensible rules of the Torah, son of Israel. The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet? Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect in the way of the teaching of the Son of Man, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me and serve the Kingdom of God with your whole heart. But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions. Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven if his life is obsessed with wealth and riches and neglects spiritual things. And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God if his soul lacks humility and love. When his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved? But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible at times, they being so stubborn and pride filled; but with God all things are possible, for the Lord of the Torah saves those who devote themselves unto him. Then answered Peter and said unto him, Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore? And Jesus said unto them, the blessings of the church, the wealth of the ecclesia, the sayings of the called ones, the creativity of the bride. And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life. But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first, for if you stay humble you will defeat the proud in time.

For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard. And when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard. And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace, And said unto them; Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went their way. Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour, and did likewise. And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle? They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard; and whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive. So when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the labourers, and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first. And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny. But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more; and they likewise received every man a penny. And when they had received it, they murmured against the goodman of the house, Saying, These last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day. But he answered one of them, and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny? Take that thine is, and go thy way: I will give unto this last, even as unto thee. Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good? So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen. And Jesus going up to Jerusalem took the twelve disciples apart in the way, and said unto them, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man intends to be crucified. Then came to him the mother of Zebedees children with her sons, worshipping him, and desiring a certain thing of him. And he said unto her, What wilt thou? She saith unto him, Grant that these my two sons may sit, the one on thy right hand, and the other on the left, in the kingdom of God. But Jesus answered and said, Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of, and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? They say unto him, We are able. And he saith unto them, Ye shall drink indeed of my cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with: but to sit on my right hand, and on my left, is not mine to give, but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of my Father. And when the ten heard it, they were moved with indignation against the two brethren. But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them. But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life as a sacrificial example for many. And as they departed from Jericho, a great multitude followed him. And, behold, two blind men sitting by the way side, when they heard that Jesus passed by, cried out, saying, Have mercy on us descendant of David. And the multitude rebuked them, because they should hold their peace: but they cried the more, saying, Have mercy on us. And Jesus stood still, and called them, and said, What will ye that I shall do unto you? They say unto him, Lord, that our eyes may be opened. So Jesus had compassion on them, and touched their eyes: and immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed him. And when they drew nigh unto Jerusalem, and were come to Bethphage, unto the mount of Olives, then sent Jesus two disciples, Saying unto them, Go into the village over against you, and straightway ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her: loose them, and bring them unto me. And if any man say ought unto you, ye shall say, The Lord hath need of them; and straightway he will send them. And the disciples went, and did as Jesus commanded them, And brought the ass, and the colt, and put on them their clothes, and they set him thereon. And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way; others cut down branches from the trees, and strawed them in the way. And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest. And when he was come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, Who is this? And the multitude said, This is Jesus the prophet of Nazareth of Galilee. And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves, And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves. And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple; and he healed them. And when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying in the temple, and saying, Hosanna to the son of David; they were sore displeased, And said unto him, Hearest thou what these say? And Jesus saith unto them, Yea; have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise? And he left them, and went out of the city into Bethany; and he lodged there. Now in the morning as he returned into the city, he hungered. And when he saw a fig tree in the way, he came to it, and found nothing thereon, but leaves only, and said unto it, Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward for ever. And presently the fig tree withered away. And when the disciples saw it, they marvelled, saying, How soon is the fig tree withered away! Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done. And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, by the grace of God ye shall receive. And when he was come into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came unto him as he was teaching, and said, By what authority doest thou these things? and who gave thee this authority? And Jesus answered and said unto them, I also will ask you one thing, which if ye tell me, I in like wise will tell you by what authority I do these things. The baptism of John, whence was it? from heaven, or of men? And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say unto us, Why did ye not then believe him? But if we shall say, Of men; we fear the people; for all hold John as a prophet. And they answered Jesus, and said, We cannot tell. And he said unto them, Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things. But what think ye? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work to day in my vineyard. He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went. And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not. Whether of them twain did the will of his father? They say unto him, The first. Jesus saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you. For John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not: but the publicans and the harlots believed him: and ye, when ye had seen it, repented not afterward, that ye might believe him. Hear another parable: There was a certain householder, which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and digged a winepress in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country: And when the time of the fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the husbandmen, that they might receive the fruits of it. And the husbandmen took his servants, and beat one, and killed another, and stoned another. Again, he sent other servants more than the first: and they did unto them likewise. But last of all he sent unto them his son, saying, They will reverence my son. But when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance. And they caught him, and cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him. When the lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will he do unto those husbandmen? They say unto him, He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render him the fruits in their seasons. Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes? Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof. And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder. And when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard his parables, they perceived that he spake of them. But when they sought to lay hands on him, they feared the multitude, because they took him for a prophet. And Jesus answered and spake unto them again by parables, and said, The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son, And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come. Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage. But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise: And the remnant took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them. But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city. Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy. Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage. So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests. And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment: And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless. Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness, there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. For many are called, but few are chosen. Then went the Pharisees, and took counsel how they might entangle him in his talk. And they sent out unto him their disciples with the Herodians, saying, Master, we know that thou art true, and teachest the way of God in truth, neither carest thou for any man: for thou regardest not the person of men. Tell us therefore, What thinkest thou? Is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar, or not? But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, Why tempt ye me, ye hypocrites? Shew me the tribute money. And they brought unto him a penny. And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription?  They say unto him, Caesar's. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's. When they had heard these words, they marvelled, and left him, and went their way. The same day came to him the Sadducees, which say that there is no resurrection, and asked him, Saying, Master, Moses said, If a man die, having no children, his brother shall marry his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother. Now there were with us seven brethren: and the first, when he had married a wife, deceased, and, having no issue, left his wife unto his brother: Likewise the second also, and the third, unto the seventh. And last of all the woman died also. Therefore in the resurrection whose wife shall she be of the seven? for they all had her. Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God. For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven. But as touching the resurrection of the dead, have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living. And when the multitude heard this, they were astonished at his doctrine. But when the Pharisees had heard that he had put the Sadducees to silence, they were gathered together. Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying, Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, Saying, What think ye of Christ? whose son is he? They say unto him, The son of David. He saith unto them, How then doth David in spirit call him Lord, saying, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool? If David then call him Lord, how is he his son? And no man was able to answer him a word, neither durst any man from that day forth ask him any more questions. Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples, Saying The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat: All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not. For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers. But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments, And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues, And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi. But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even I; and all ye are brethren. And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven. Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even I. But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant. And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted. But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for I doubt ye go in much yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves. Woe unto you, ye blind guides, which say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is a debtor! Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieth the gold? And, Whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whosoever sweareth by the gift that is upon it, he is guilty. Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifieth the gift? Whoso therefore shall swear by the altar, sweareth by it, and by all things thereon. And whoso shall swear by the temple, sweareth by it, and by him that dwelleth therein. And he that shall swear by heaven, sweareth by the throne of God, and by him that sitteth thereon. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess. Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness. Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous, And say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets. Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets. Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers. Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?

Jesus was chatting with Nicodemus one day.  
'Why do your disciples call you the Son of God,' he asked Joseph's son.  
Jesus replied 'Did not the prophet Malachi teach that we all have one God, the Father of us all?'  
'Yes, yes he did,' responded Nicodemus.  
'And did not Moses write in Exodus that Israel, as a people, are God's firstborn son?'  
'Exodus 4:22 I believe,' responded the knowledgeable Nicodemus.  
'So wherefore are the Pharisees so uppity in their defiance of a son of Israel who righteously claims his God-given inheritance? They and their holy Hashem. Does not scripture even degree God prefers to be called by his real name? Nay, the Pharisees distance the people from God and put him on a pedestal when he is all of ours loving heavenly father.'  
'True,' responded Nicodemus.
'Yet I will say more than this. Are not the gentiles children of Noah, our father also, and is not the God of the Rainbow covenant also their God? For he is the heavenly father of all the children of men who seek his name and his glory. For a nation which does not know God shall drink new spiritual wine and likewise call upon the presence of the Almighty.'  
And Nicodemus was amazed.  

'Why do they call you Messiah?' Nicodemus asked Jesus.  
'Have you read Jeremiah chapter 33?' asked Jesus in response.  
'In younger years,' responded the member of the Sanhedrin.  
'It is clear,' continued Jesus, that not just one King of Judah fulfilled the Messianic role. For after the prophet declares Zedekiah the Messiah, the one whose name means 'The LORD our righteousness', he reminds us that David shall never lack a man upon the throne. For their are many Messiahs, and the Governor of Judah, my ancestor Zerubbabel, likewise fulfilled the role of Isaiah 11. For did not God grant Zerubbabel his signet ring as Haggai reminds us. And did not the prophet Zechariah teach that Zerubbabel would prosper by the Spirit of the LORD? For God's anointing was verily upon him.'  
'But why do they call you Messiah?' asked Nicodemus.  
'Psalm 89 teaches us that David's house fell. For such was the warning from God to Solomon. And Zerubbabel could only aspire so high for his generation. Why should the son of Joseph think more highly of himself? For those who abase themselves shall be exalted and those who exalt themselves shall be abased. A son of David knows his own heart, and my Christhood is of love, for what more Glory can I seek than that?'  
And Nicodemus considered his words.  

'So, you know all things do you?'Peter asked Jesus cautiously.  
'The Son of God is a revelation in and of himself. One day you may know what that means.'  
'Why do you speak with Nicodemus in private, Rabbi?'  
'A gentle heart has Nicodemus. And of the Sanhedrin he is. He is accustomed to special treatment.'  
'Yet God respects no man?' queried Peter.  
'And a wise heart knows when to go both with the grain...'  
'And against it,' finished Peter.  
'There will come a time my friend when the Sanhedrin will not always be so accommodating to the likes of us. Meekness is not unwise at the moment. A dark day approaches.'  
'You say that. But what do you mean?'  
'I have made it clear,' responded Jesus.  
They continued on the road and they reached Emmaus. 'A place of retreat,' said Jesus softly, though Peter heard him.  
Jesus turned to Peter. 'The church throughout the ages is special to me. Francis the First, who father speaks of, is the end of an era in many ways. The end of Christian zeal for the holy. By then the church has become what it will remain, and the liberties it allows it will allow and continue so and the strictness it maintains it will maintain and continue so. A prophet will teach an end of these High Priests with Francis.'  
'Yet the line will go on?' asked Peter.  
'Till the end of the age,' responded Jesus of Nazareth.  
'How long will the church age last?' asked Peter.  
'How long is a piece of string?' responded Jesus, a soft smile on his face.  
'Very funny, master,' responded Peter.  
'You are my first high priest in a very long line, Cephas. Upon your shoulders you must bear a nation.'  
'Yet how will I carry them all?' asked Peter perplexed.  
'You need not worry, for I will be carrying you.'  
Peter smiled.  
'Peter.'  
'Yes master?'  
'Feed my lambs.'  
And they spake not again that afternoon.

'Worship the Son of Man if ye must, for I know ye will,' and his disciples took that as approval. Later Peter spoke with Jesus in private. 'What did you mean? Who then should we worship?'  
'The Son of Man came to worship God, not himself.'  
'But who then should we worship?' asked Peter.  
'Is it not Jehovah the Father of Glory,' said Jesus coldly, yet he forbade Peter to speak of the matter with the other disciples.  
A little later Jesus shared a parable with his disciples. 'The Son of a grand and glorious king was sent by his father on a mission to spread his message of a kingdom of love far and wide. Yet the Son was so successful they received him as their Glory rather than the heart of love which had commisioned him. Tell me, who deserves the glory?'  
And they talked among themselves and, as one, praised the son for his great success. Yet Jesus looked at Peter, who nodded softly in response.  

'And you really believe yourself the Christ?' asked Nicodemus.  
'Do you know better than I?' responded Jesus.  
'We know who our Christ is. God shows him to us.'  
'Then you are mistaken,' said Jesus.  
'And for that we will likely suffer, I suppose,' responded Nicodemus.  
Jesus said nothing.  

In a meeting of the Sanhedrin.
'He knows. He has been told,' said one.  
'Deep down, perhaps,' said Nicodemus.  
'He has authorized his own death,' said another. 'His claims of Sonship climb in his followers every day. To divine ideas. He must be rebuked.'  
Nicodemus remained silent.  
The High Priest spoke, 'This Jesus of Nazareth is also a child of Israel. Yet none of us, Nicodemus, is exempt from our proper respect for the holy one upon high. Not even this Jesus of Nazareth.  
And Nicodemus silently agreed.  

'So thou art Christ, art thou?' Nicodemus asked Jesus. 'My fellows speak of a Messiah to come, but I know the Scriptures. I know the teachings of Isaiah and Haggai and Zechariah and others. The Governor, Zerubbabel, he led Israel back from exile and established the second temple. He is indeed the Messiah, though few confess him.'

Jesus nodded, and handed Nicodemus a glass of wine, taking a sip from his own glass.

'This is a good gathering,' said Judas Iscariot. 'The wine is good.'

'Drink well, friend,' said Jesus, looking at his betrayer, knowing his wily ways. He turned to Nicodemus. 'You know the prophecies of Jeremiah?'

'Indeed I do,' replied Nicodemus.

'He promised that God would always make a King in David's line available. In every generation. If one should seek that glory, than King he would be.'

'Yes. I suppose,' replied Nicodemus.

'These are my followers,' said Jesus, indicating those gathered in the room. 'And there are yet more besides. What more acknowledgement do you require?'

'Yet they revere you as a very god,' said Nicodemus.

Jesus spoke quietly in the ear of Nicodemus. 'And for that, one day, the ecclesia will suffer, and lose faith, and descend into Sheol. Yet a wise remnant will remain, and know the truth of my humanity, and with them I shall be friends, and teach Gospel Truth, and have true fellowship. They shall know my true self in those days.'

'As you say,' replied Nicodemus, gazing steadily at the man from Nazareth.

When the morning was come, all the chief priests and elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death: And when they had bound him, they led him away, and delivered him to Pontius Pilate the governor. Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, Saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. And they said, What is that to us? see thou to that. And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself. And the chief priests took the silver pieces, and said, It is not lawful for to put them into the treasury, because it is the price of blood. And they took counsel, and bought with them the potter's field, to bury strangers in. Wherefore that field was called, The field of blood, unto this day. And Jesus stood before the governor: and the governor asked him, saying, Art thou the King of the Jews? And Jesus said unto him, so thou sayest. And when he was accused of the chief priests and elders, he answered nothing. Then said Pilate unto him, Hearest thou not how many things they witness against thee? And he answered him to never a word; insomuch that the governor marvelled greatly. Now at that feast the governor was wont to release unto the people a prisoner, whom they would. And they had then a notable prisoner, called Barabbas. Therefore when they were gathered together, Pilate said unto them, Whom will ye that I release unto you? Barabbas, or Jesus? For he knew that for envy they had delivered him. When he was set down on the judgment seat, his wife sent unto him, saying, Have thou nothing to do with that just man: for I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of him. But the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitude that they should ask Barabbas, and destroy Jesus. The governor answered and said unto them, Whether of the twain will ye that I release unto you? They said, Barabbas. Pilate saith unto them, What shall I do then with Jesus? They all say unto him, Let him be crucified. And the governor said, Why, what evil hath he done? But they cried out the more, saying, Let him be crucified. When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but that rather a tumult was made, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just person: see ye to it. Then answered all the people, and said, His blood be on us, and on our children. Then released he Barabbas unto them: and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified. Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the common hall, and gathered unto him the whole band of soldiers. And they stripped him, and put on him a scarlet robe. And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand: and they bowed the knee before him, and mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews! And they spit upon him, and took the reed, and smote him on the head. And after that they had mocked him, they took the robe off from him, and put his own raiment on him, and led him away to crucify him. And as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name: him they compelled to bear his cross. And when they were come unto a place called Golgotha, that is to say, a place of a skull, They gave him vinegar to drink mingled with gall: and when he had tasted thereof, he would not drink. And they crucified him, and parted his garments, casting lots: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, They parted my garments among them, and upon my vesture did they cast lots. And sitting down they watched him there; And set up over his head his accusation written, This Is Jesus The King Of The Jews. Then were there two thieves crucified with him, one on the right hand, and another on the left. And they that passed by reviled him, wagging their heads, And saying, 'save thyself. If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross. Likewise also the chief priests mocking him, with the scribes and elders, said, He saved others; himself he cannot save. If he be the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him. He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for he said, I am the Son of God. The thieves also, which were crucified with him, cast the same in his teeth. Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour. And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Some of them that stood there, when they heard that, said, This man calleth for Elias. And straightway one of them ran, and took a spunge, and filled it with vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink. The rest said, Let be, let us see whether Elias will come to save him. Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. When the even was come, there came a rich man of Arimathaea, named Joseph, who also himself was Jesus' disciple: He went to Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be delivered. And when Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, And laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock: and he rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre, and departed. And there was Mary Magdalene, and the other Mary, sitting over against the sepulchre. Now the next day, that followed the day of the preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees came together unto Pilate, Saying, Sir, we remember that that deceiver said, while he was yet alive, After three days I will rise again. Command therefore that the sepulchre be made sure until the third day, lest his disciples come by night, and steal him away, and say unto the people, He is risen from the dead: so the last error shall be worse than the first. Pilate said unto them, Ye have a watch: go your way, make it as sure as ye can. So they went, and made the sepulchre sure, sealing the stone, and setting a watch. And the apostles recalled his teaching, then, with the beginning of the great commission. Jesus had come and spake unto them, saying, Go ye therefore, and teach all nations the Gospel, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

A while later, after Jesus had died and gone to heaven, Saul converted and became Paul. And writing to the Corinthian Church (Daniel's Translation), he wrote:  
  'If I spoke with the tongues of an Angel, in all his glory, and thought myself splendid, what would it matter if I didn't really love people very much. If I was the ultimate prophetical voice, and expounded the word of God with so much wisdom that people were amazed at me, but didn't practice love towards my friends and fellows, what kind of person am I really? If I had 7 university degrees, with PhD's, but lacked intelligence in how I showed love to people, perhaps not even loving them at all, is my life really worth living? Love suffers long and is kind and patient. It is not arrogant or rude or unforgiving. And it does not think highly of itself, puffing itself up in pride. Love is the true voice of prophecy, it is the true word of God. And love, knowledge of love itself, is what is eternal. You see, prophetical preachers come and go, but love will last forever. All that knowledge was part of our learning, but love is the completion of our journey, giving us a fulfilment in life which makes it all worthwhile. When I was younger I behaved in childish ways, but growing up and growing in love I have learned to put these ways behind me. While I am young and naïve what I know is not complete, but when I love completely my knowledge will be perfect. Faith will last forever, and is a great virtue. Hope will endure for all time, and is a wonderful truth. But love is special, greater than even faith and hope, yes love is the greatest of all.'  

A while later Jude the Apostle wrote this: 
Jude, the servant of Jesus, and brother of James, to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus, and called: 
Mercy unto you, and peace, and love, be multiplied. 
Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. 
For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Teacher Jesus. 
I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not. 
And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day. 
Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire. 
Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities. 
Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee. 
But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves. 
Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core. 
These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots; 
Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever. 
And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, 
To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him. 
These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men's persons in admiration because of advantage. 
But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Teacher Jesus; 
How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts. 
These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit. 
But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, 
Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Jesus unto eternal life. 
And of some have compassion, making a difference: 
And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh. 
Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, 
To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen. 

The End 

The Gospel of Tarcisius

Do you think there is a resurrection in the future, Nicodemus asked Jesus one day. Jesus looked at the Rabbi. Some say I am the Christ. I descend from Zerubbabel, who built the second temple. Surely my bloodline is messianic. What do you think? Nicodemus considered that. It is true. Zerubbabel has been considered a messianic figure. Art thou of the House of Christ, then? Jesus replied, It could well be. In my deeds and actions I follow the exmple of the prophets in their utterances. I attempt to be Christ-Like, and follow the figure the Son of God truly should. This has been the purpose of my Gospel ministry in many ways. A son of Israel, with God, who is our heavenly father, as Malachi the prophet teaches. If King David, as the psalm recalls, can be called the firstborn Son of God, should not I, Jesus of Nazareth, with a comprehensive ministry of Gospel truth, should not I, descendant of David, descendant of Zerubbabel, attempt to be Christ, if such a thing were available. I can not say with absolute truth that I am Christ, but I know my disciples often think this, and at times I do not disuade them from that, as I do like the glory of the idea. Who wouldn't? A Christ could be born in every generation, couldn't he? Jeremiah taught that there would always be available to the House of Israel someone to sit on the throne of King David, and for Levitical priests to offer sacrifices. I am attempting that idea – to be the Levitical Priest and Christ of David, and offer my own life in sacrifice. Is that noble? Or is it vanity? And the sacrifice I offer is my own life, and my own ministry, and my heart, flesh, blood and soul. I offer it for my followers, a dear bride to me, for such is my love and affection for them. It is birthed, these truths, in scriptural principles. In ideas of the Holy Torah. It may not be the purpose of the Torah in every way, but it has been a source of inspiration for these ideas none the less, even if in my own way and own understanding which I do pray is acceptable to God, as I pray the words of my mouth and meditation of my heart always will be. These words I say to you, they are inspired from the Covenant of God, the Rainbow itself is a heart of my words in my own way, for even in Holy Noah do I find inspiration and words of truth. But what can I say? Maybe I am a heretic, Nicodemus. A poor fool. A Christ complex perhaps, and nothing more. But, if in my foolishness I can draw men to God, and give them life and meaning, and be a holy way to the Father, perhaps such a fool I should become? How do you say? Nicodemus looked at him. Can we not all be holy fools at time, dear Jesus of Nazareth. We are only human, aren't we? Only human. Jesus stood there. A resurrection is a possibility. I can not say with absolute certainty, for the scriptures are the true word of God, but I sometimes ask how Isaiah came to his words, and whether his own heart had much of a say in the making of things. Perhaps resurrections of the dead in a future kingdom of Glory can not really, truly be. And life, this thing called life, just rolls on and on, through time, world without end. Amen. But maybe, just maybe, in the dim and distant future, at the end of the Age, maybe then there will be a resurrection of the dead. Maybe I will be received in glory that day, when God Almighty judges mankind, and the trumpet rings out and the holy angels call God's own chosen people home, who have served him throughout the age. It is something I shall teach, a second coming if you like, to my followers, and I think I shall, for I shall defend what the scriptures say, regardless, for verily they must be kosher, mustn't they? But of the truth of things, well, what is truth? What is truth? And they sat, and watched the Jordan flow on by, and were at peace in the heart of the Kingdom of God.

Caiaphas spoke to Nicodemus. This Jesus. He is not the Christ. He is a charlatan, parading his Israelite status as God's son with us, as if he was in Egypt itself under the wrath of Pharaoh. Nicodemus responded, yet, I think, Malachi and his teaching is true enough in our generation. Each generation does not always follow faithfully the righteousness of that before it, but at times we learn new ideas and our own truths. Perhaps this Gospelator, Perhaps this Gospelarian, this Jesus, has ideas which might suit us in time. Caiaphas shrugged. What of it? A man from Nazareth is hardly schooled in the wisdom of Jerusalem. Nicodemus replied, yet all Israel has its Torah and all Israel can learn the ways of the Mighty one upon high. Caiaphas said again, He is not Christ. He is a troublemaker, and we will make a sure end of him. Nicodemus replied, something tells me he is already aware of that, and provokes you to do as such. He fancies himself a sacrifice for sins, or an example of serving God for salvation of others to the very giving up of your own life, such being the dedication. Caiaphas thought on that. An interesting idea. Human sacrifice is not quite what God is looking for, but if the fool wishes to parade in front of Israel with his congregation for the next thousand years, then such will he do, I suppose. Nicodemus replied, it will go on? This Church? Caiaphas replied, we shall not be rid of his Gospel or message or followers any time soon at all. He has dug in deep. He has affected souls. He has taught his message with authority and power, and they shan't forget him any time soon. Nicodemus looked at Caiaphas. You don't like the man. Caiaphas replied, he is not to my taste of things. I find him arrogant. Conceited. He rubukes us pharisees and scribes as if he is the apple of God's eye. As if he is the font of all Torah knowledge, the Logos of God, I think they call him at times. Philo's message. If he had a bone of humility he would end his charade, repent, follow Torah, and leave the wisdom of God to Solomon and others properly trained. Nicodemus replied, so you say Caiaphas. So you say. Caiaphas spoke up. When this Prodigal Son of Israel finally acknowledges the wisdom of Torah, and gets over thinking he must be the one to set a new standard from his gospel, verily he doth say, to enter the Kingdom of God, then he will find his grounding and his truth. The Torah is the wisdom and stability of God in a world full of idolatry and hedonism. When our child Jesus finally realizes this truth, and abandons his vision of a Kingdom Divine, he will find his salvation. Nicodemus considered that. We have teachers, yet, who speak wisdom also in our generation, and the Torah can grow and can be enriched. Maybe Yeshua has something to say to us. A wine which is new really needs to be matured for many years, and it may take two thousand years or so before this gospel wine finally has enough wisdom to be understood by our community. Or it may take two thousand more. Maybe he shall be Christ in Glory, or fool supreme. But I will give the lad a chance to prove himself, and when I part this world, I will watch for any second coming of the glorious Jesus of Nazareth. Caiaphas smiled. Pigs will fly in the heavens before such occurs, I am sure. Nicodemus chuckled. So you say Rabbi. The Prodigal Son of Israel may be wasting his Gospel without refining it, if he doth verily face the cross of his fantasy, for if he had the patience to mature and wait till a greater age, say 40 or so, when deeper wisdom can be learned, and had children, he would be more revered than the miracle worker that he is known as. Yet, in the end, one day I think he will be one of us, and his Church will be with us in one way or the other, and then we may perchance drink of this spiritual wine of the Gospel, and verily find if there is wisdom indeed within. Caiaphas grinned. Getting drunk on the wine of Nazareth is not my style either, I will declare. In Judea they grow the best grapes, for who would drink from the vine of Galilee? Only a fool I tell you. Nicodemus replied, Yet we are one people, one Israel, with one God and father over us all. Even Nazareth must speak its mind on what it thinks wisdom divine. Even Nazareth must. Caiaphas poured himself a drink of wine and looked at Nicodemus. If you say so, Nicodemus. If you say so.

Jesus spoke with Peter. A rock is hard, Cephas. Don't let Satan delude you. Be hard. Be rock. Peter replied, I've served you this far. If I need to the foundation stone of your church itself, I will do the work, if that is what you want of me. But what do you want of me? Jesus replied, holiness. Purity. Goodness. Teaching modesty of behaviour to the church, for a husband to respect his wife, and a wife to serve her husband as Eve served Adam, in all godly humility. I do not say to you do not kill. I say this to you, why should you be so proud in yourself that you have refrained from murder. It is a rather basic code to boast I haven't killed anyone. Surely you can do better than that. Not, not only do not murder or kill somebody, but give them a break and forgive them, and help them in life. Be hospitable to them. It is a hard saying, charity, and it costs us of ourselves. And I want perfection, for God is perfect, perfect in his love, and perfect in his charity. I know, in my heart, you will be lukewarm at times, and I really should spit you out of my mouth because of it. But you know, when you ask for forgiveness I will give it to you. How can I not. You will feed my sheep, you will shepherd them, you will be faithful to them, and even in your cold and hard and dead times, one thing I do know, they will not kill very much at all. It shall be rare in the church. I know we will have a decent code of holiness in the end, and that the church will keep faith in truth and God and holiness, and not descend to sodomite behaviour, and refrain from murder and violence. Yet I know their humanity also, as God knew those destroyed in the flood. But shepherd them I say to you and when you teach them not to kill, teach them to love also, for that is the heart of the Gospel. It is the only rule, in many ways. Love. For it covers a multitude of sins. And those who love deeply and truly will not kill, and they would not covet and steal others cherished belongings, because they love them, and in the church we are family and we are one, and we share things because of that love. And if the church does sin I will pray to the Father to forgive you, for you are but sons of men, and not divine sons of God. And ensure you teach abstinence of things offered to idols, for we serve the true God, and not a dumb piece of wood or stone. And of blood, we should not partake of creatures strangled, and eating the blood of animals can not be good, for the heart of the covenant of Noah forbids such things. Do not abuse a man, and take him from his place in life, where God has his stationed with his family and his love, his work in life in serving the Kingdom of God and his righteousness, for kidnapping is no lawful or holy behaviour, and how can a man who is my follower ever think that I, in the standards of holiness I desire, how can he ever think I would allow such a vile thing as kidnapping, or other lawless behaviours. You and I know truly the law is holy and good, and there is so much wisdom therein, so much to be trusted and followed and a life built upon. And we should always study the scriptures and learn from them, and in loving God and your Neighbour, the very way you cherish your own soul, so much of the heart of the Torah is taught. And that is the new commandment I give you Peter. That you shall love others as I have loved you. Strive for the church, for salvation comes from Israel, and I send you into the world, with the commission of the gospel, to teach mankind and the fallen gentiles the way of God, and the light which God placed in Israel. For we proselytise and we missionize and we seek out the lost sheep of all the children of Adam and Eve, to build the Kingdom Divine, the Everlasting Kingdom of God, for the glory of Jehovah, for the glory of his love, and for the glory of everlasting life. Peter replied, I shall not fail you.

Why do you say you are wiser than Solomon? Asked Nicodemus to Jesus. Jesus replied, Solomon was a ninny. He was faithless. He knew the Lord, and his glory, yet went astray later in life. The proverbs of Israel are great wisdom, which can never be doubted, and all righteous Israelites do well to study and base their life on such truths of human nature and human society, but I know in the heart of my heart, I shan't stray from God this life. Torah is in me and Gospel has enriched me, and I know I serve the Father from heaven itself, and am truly one with him, for I seek the lost as God sends the prophets to seek the lost, and the Gospel has a heart for the poor and lost and downtrodden souls. These are the riches of love, and those who love God are known by God and know the riches of God's mercy and the riches of God's love, for God is love. And I have surrendered to this Gospel, and made my life empty of glory, abasing myself in humility, to teach those of Israel who hear my voice the Love of God, and search the heart of mankind for all who want and desire this love. And on this the Church will be built, and will endure, and the gates of hell shall not conquer it, for it is wiser than the wisdom of Solomon, even though his truths are equally as eternal. Nicodemus again asked, The Torah, the Law. Should we not obey this? Jesus replied, if you must observe all rules in legalism, then that is what you shall do, but I know the frailties of every heart, for who can ever say they have not sinned? Nay, all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. So strive for every rule, and obey every jot and tittle, and eternally justify yourself on this legalism if that is what ye must do, but have a perspective at least. You are not God, and you are not perfect Nicodemus, so which is easier to say, death to that soul for that sabbath violation, or I forgive you, and go and sin no more? Which is wiser to teach, I ask you? Nicodemus replied, I see your point, Jesus. I understand your teaching on this issue. Jesus replied, God desired mercy more than sacrifice, he did teach the prophets. Who am I to dispute the will of God? Are they not the very words of Jehovah himself. So why do the scribes and pharisees condemn me for teaching the heart of what God himself teaches? I charge them with hypocrisy time and time again for the miss so many of the points of the Torah, to justify their own legal codes, and their own legalistic ways of doing things, and they make their boast therein. The Church shall be truer to the Torah in the end, that is what my heart and soul and mind tell me, and what I attempt to justify. Nicodemus replied, And if you fail? Jesus looked at him. Well, I am only human, aren't I? I guess that God shall verily have to forgive me then, as I forgive others. But I see the heart of his will, which I serve, and the Kingdom of God will grow through the church on this truth.

Andrew was speaking with Thomas. You know, Andrew, Jesus is hard to believe. I think he really thinks he's the Christ. Andrew smiled. Well, isn't he Thomas? Thomas replied. I doubt it. Unless I saw some sort of sign, some irrefutable proof, I just would not believe it in the end. He calls me doubting Thomas, which is his quirky humor. I have been following him a while now, and still the Son of Man mocks me, and calls me little of faith. Andrew grinned, O ye of little faith Thomas. You'll work it out. Thomas replied. He took me aside, once. Last year. For a week. And he taught me a whole Gospel full of ideas. I will have that one day. The Gospel of Thomas, teaching the wisdom of Jesus. You other apostles will obviously reject it, for Jesus told me as such, but it also will go on forever, for heaven and earth may pass away, but the words of Jesus will never pass away. Andrew looked at him. The Gospel of Thomas? I doubt ye even call him Christ. Thomas replied, and maybe I shall not. He may end up the very Lord and God of my heart and faith, but he may never really be Christ to me regardless. To me, blessed are the solitary and the elect, for they are the ones who have their hearts in the Kingdom of God, like Jeremiah formed in the womb, and they shall return to it. My own dear Assembly, the Assembly of the Gospel of Thomas. That is our heart and spirit. Andrew replied, wise indeed. Almost as if they are verily predestined for such glory. Thomas replied, and perhaps they were, and perhaps God knows the end from the beginning, as the Prophet teaches, and perhaps Jesus knows that, for through my own studies I certainly do. Andrew replied, Jeremiah was called to plant Kingdoms and uproot Kingdoms, through the ministry of the Word of God, taught through the Holy Spirit. And Jehovah used Jeremiah to do as such in wisdom and truth, and I delight in studying that prophets words, as the Church likewise should always rejoice in studying, but I ask you, Thomas, will you plant Kingdoms and overthrow Kingdoms through your mighty Gospel? At first I doubt it, but maybe one day you shall. Maybe one day. Thomas smiled in response. Maybe one day, dear brother in the Lord. Maybe one day.

The End

Apollonius.

------------

[a.d. 211.] As I recall, began the Priest, Apollonius was a most eloquent man, according to St. Jerome; and his writings against Montanism were so forcible as to call forth Tertullian himself, to confute him, if possible. He flourished under Commodus and Severus, and probably until the times of Caracalla. He bears testimony to the existence of a canon of Scripture, and to its inspired authority as the rule of faith and practice; and he witnesses, by citation, to the Gospel of St. Matthew. The Revelation of St. John also, according to Eusebius, was employed by him in his works; and he preserves a tradition that our Lord bade the Apostles continue in Jerusalem for the space of twelve years. We cannot affirm that he was invested with any office in the Church.Concerning Montanism. And here is his teaching.

I.

But who is this new teacher? His works and teaching inform us. This is he who taught the dissolution of marriage; who inculcated fasting; who called Peruga and Tymius, small towns of Phrygia, Jerusalem, because he wished to collect thither people from all parts; who set up exactors of money; who craftily contrives the taking of gifts under the name of voluntary offerings; who grants stipends to those who publish abroad his doctrine, that by means of gluttony the teaching of the doctrine may prevail. Who is this new teacher? Is he verily not heretic? Is he not scoundrel of faith, masquerading as a member of the Church, when he is a servant of Satan? I should not judge a man, as Jesus taught, but verily such a one judges himself.

II.

We declare to you, then, that these first prophetesses, as soon as they were filled with the spirit, left their husbands. Of what falsehood, then, were they guilty in calling Prisca a maiden! Do you not think that all Scripture forbids a prophet to receive gifts and money? When, therefore, I see that the prophetess has received gold and silver and expensive articles of dress, how can I avoid treating her with disapproval? This is not the heart of the Churches way. We are pure and honest in our financial dealings, and our ways of business conduct. Beyond reproach is what we teach, and always shall, and such a woman is Babylon herself.

III.

Moreover, Themison also, who was clothed in a garb of plausible covetousness, who declined to bear the sign of confessorship, but by a large sum of money put away from him the chains of martyrdom, although after such conduct it was his duty to conduct himself with humility, ye had the hardihood to boast that he was a martyr, and, in imitation of the apostle, to compose a general epistle, in which he attempted to instruct in the elements of the faith those who had believed to better purpose than he, and defended the doctrines of the new-fangled teaching, and moreover uttered blasphemy against the Lord and the apostles and the holy Church. Again, a heretic I say. And worse, a scoundrel of the worst of sorts. Such is not fit to be a member of the Bride of Yeshua. Such is not fit.

IV.

But, not to dwell further on these matters, let the prophetess tell us concerning Alexander, who calls himself a martyr, with whom she joins in banqueting; who himself also is worshipped by many; whose robberies and other deeds of daring, for which he has been punished, it is not necessary for us to speak of, since the treasury has him in keeping. Which of them, then, condones the sins of the other? The prophet the robberies of the martyr, or the martyr the covetousness of the prophet? For whereas the Lord has said, "Provide not gold, nor silver, nor two coats a-piece," these men have, on the flat contrary, transgressed the command by the acquisition of these forbidden things. For we shall show that those who are called among them prophets and martyrs obtain money not only from the rich, but also from the poor, from orphans and widows. And if they are confident that they are right in so doing, let them stand forward and discuss the point, in order that, if they be refuted, they may cease for the future so to transgress. For the fruits of the prophet must needs be brought to the test: for "from its fruit is the tree known." But that those that desire it may become acquainted with what relates to Alexander, he was condemned by Aemilius Frontinus, proconsul at Ephesus, not on account of the name of Jesus, but for the daring robberies he committed when he was already a transgressor. Afterwards, when he had spoken falsely of the name of the Lord, he was released, having deceived the faithful there; and even the brethren of his own district, from which he came, did not receive him, because he was a robber. Thus, those who wish to learn what he is, have the public treasury of Asia to go to. And yet the prophet, although he spent many years with him, knows forsooth nothing about him! By convicting "him," we by his means clearly convict of misrepresentation the prophet likewise. We are able to prove the like in the case of many others besides. And if they are confident of their innocence, let them abide the test. For all things should be tested to ascertain their goodness or otherwise, for a follower of the Lord should not be easily deluded, and should test the ways of life and the doctrines of men, to see if they verily conform with wisdom, truth, Gospel and love. And if they do not, who can say what fate God has in store for such as these.

V.

If they deny that their prophets have taken gifts, let them confess thus much, that if they be convicted of having taken them, they are not prophets; and we will adduce ten thousand proofs that they have. It is proper, too, that all the fruits of a prophet should be examined. Tell me: does a prophet dye his hair? Does a prophet use stibium on his eyes? Is a prophet fond of dress? Does a prophet play at gaming-tables and dice? Does a prophet lend money on interest? Let them confess whether these things are allowable or not. For my part, I will prove that these practices have occurred among them. And in this they judge themselves by their own words and actions, by which a man is always judged. And in this matter I now rest.