:: Forbidden Gospels : (2021 edition) by: Jonathan Barlow Gee
Table of Contents Introductions Introduction 1: (page 5) On the “Sethites” of the Gnostic era (A “conversation” with John Lamb Lash) By (and ed. by): Jonathan Barlow Gee Introduction 2: (page 8) An essay on Josephus By: Jonathan Barlow Gee Part 1 From: the Dead Sea Scrolls Two Manuscripts: (“The Community Rule” (page 11) &
“The War Scroll”) (page 13) Geza Vermes, trans. Forbidden Gospels: Part 2 From: the Nag Hammadi Library Four Manuscripts: (“The Act of Peter” (page 28) & “The Gospel of Mary”) (page 30) James M. Robinson, ed. (“The Gospel of Philip” (page 33) & “The Gospel of Thomas”) (page 55) Jonathan Barlow Gee, ed. Part 3 From: the Corpus Hermeticum Three Manuscripts: (“The Divine Pymander” (page 68) & “The Secret Sermon on the Mount”) (page 74) G.R.S. Mead, trans. (“The Shepherd of Hermas”) (page 80) J. B. Lightfoot, trans. Part 4 From: Antichristian Polemics Two Manuscripts: (“Talmud on Yeshu”) (page 142) Jonathan Barlow Gee, ed. (& “Sefer Toledot Yeshu”) (page 145) Jonathan Barlow Gee, ed. (Page 146) Incl. additional translations by: essene.com (page 151) & G.R.S. Mead (page 155) Part 5 From: the Forbidden Gospels Two Manuscripts: (“The Gospel of Judas Sicariot” (page 167) & “Ecce Homo: the Gospel of Pontius Pilate”) (page 175) Jonathan Barlow Gee, ed.
Forbidden Gospels: Introductions Introduction 1: On the “Sethites” of the Gnostic era (A “conversation” with John Lamb Lash) By (and ed. by): Jonathan Barlow Gee Introduction 2: An essay on Josephus By: Jonathan Barlow Gee
Introduction 1: On the “Sethites” of the Gnostic era (A “conversation” with John Lamb Lash) By (and ed. by): Jonathan Barlow Gee “2000 years ago, there was a group of Gnostics called the Sethites and their main belief was in the second coming of Seth - who was the third son of Adam and Eve and the firstborn mortal human, who had both wisdom from having inherited the knowledge of the tree of good and evil as well as was mortal and lacked the... fruit of immorality from the tree of life. So they believed in the Gnostic era that Seth would resurrect, or reappear or reincarnate, and when they saw Jesus they were some of the earliest converts to what we call today Christianity, because they became some of his closest followers, apostles and disciples.”
- Jonathan Barlow Gee, Interview with Aeon Byte Gnostic Radio https://youtu.be/Svp8SfxJqF0?t=1848 John Lamb Lash ““There are numerous moments in this talk stating things for which I am unaware of textual basis in Gnostic writings. For instance 30:48 : the "Sethites" regarded Seth as a messiah figure and expected him to incarnate. Citation, please. In the Panarion of Epiphanius? I don't find it. In Hippolytus, Irenaeus... ? Those following these comments may benefit from being reminded that most of what is said about Gnostic sects comes from their enemies who wanted to slander them and destroy them. It is really, really easy today to fictionalize about what Gnostics believed, especially if you are running Gnostic pretences such as "Neo-Sethianism." It is really, really hard to go through the surviving evidence, like a CSI forensics team at a crime scene, and determine which evidence is corrupt, or planted, and which is valid. I know I am being a hardass, but I would have to see the scholastic record of anyone speaking publicly in this area. I mean a record of the background studies over so many years, as well as the record of published material coming from the individual who presumes to inform the world on these matters. Of course, if Gee is a self-styled cultic leader and larping autist with a flair for the occult -- fine and dandy. I don't mind that at all. Some would say that I as well as just that. But I have to wonder if he is honest and transparent about it. The term Sethites concerns me, obviously, due to my claim to represent Sethian Gnosticism. Yes, it is possible to presume or infer from surviving materials that the Sethians held the concept of a messianic figure. Upon deeper investigation and considering the wide frame of Mystery School teachings, this inference is not tenable. I have shed tons of ink to distinguish messianic ideology from the educational program of the Mysteries. It's all recorded in many talks and writings on the internet (Nemeta.org) as well as in my definitive book, Not in His Image. I respect Gnostic scholars who differ from my views based on their credentials and peer-reviewed written works. I look skeptically upon anyone who cannot show credentials. Even though I am myself a self-educated scholar with no letters after my name. Nevertheless, the track record does count in this argument. I will look into Gee's book.””
Rev Jonathan Barlow Gee ““Aloha, please refer to the following Gnostic scriptures to learn more:
The Second Treatise of the Great Seth:
translation 1: http://www.gnosis.org/naghamm/2seth-barnstone.html translation 2: http://www.gnosis.org/naghamm/2seth.html The Three Steles of Seth: translation 1: http://www.gnosis.org/naghamm/steles-meyer.html translation 2: http://www.gnosis.org/naghamm/steles.html To clarify, I am NOT a practitioner of "magick." I am just a scholar on this subject. Thanks for your interest in my work. Peace, - JBG.”” PS. You can find more about my work with these documents here:
https://issuu.com/benpadiah/docs/forbidden_gospels_17 https://issuu.com/benpadiah/docs/gnostic101 & here: https://issuu.com/benpadiah/docs/magick101small “”I visited a bodily dwelling. I cast out the one who was in it first, and I went in. And the whole multitude of the rulers became troubled. And all the matter of the rulers as well as all the powers born of the earth were shaken when they saw the likeness of the image, since it was mixed. And I was the one who was in the image, not resembling him who was in the body first. For he was an earthly man, but I, I am from above the heavens. I did not refuse them even to become Christ, but I did not reveal myself to them in the love that was coming forth from me. I revealed that I am a stranger to the regions below.” … “For my death, which they think happened, happened to them in their error and blindness, since they nailed their man unto their death. Their thoughts did not see me, for they were deaf and blind. But in doing these things, they condemn themselves. Yes, they saw me; they punished me. It was another, their father, who drank the gall and the vinegar; it was not I. They struck me with the reed; it was another, Simon, who bore the cross on his shoulder. It was another upon whom they placed the crown of thorns. But I was rejoicing in the height over all the wealth of the rulers and the offspring of their error, of their empty glory. And I was laughing at their ignorance.” … “I am Christ, the human son, the one from you who is in you.””
- Second Treatise of the Great Seth http://www.gnosis.org/naghamm/2seth-barnstone.html ""who is the great Christ, who is from silence, who is the incorruptible child Telmael Telmachael Eli Eli Machar Machar Seth, the power which really truly lives," ... "the great incorruptible Seth, the son of the incorruptible man Adamas." ... "Then the great Seth came and brought his seed. And it was sown in the aeons which had been brought forth, their number being the amount of Sodom. Some say that Sodom is the place of pasture of the great Seth, which is Gomorrah. But others (say) that the great Seth took his plant out of Gomorrah and planted it in the second place, to which he gave the name 'Sodom'." ... "Jesus the living one, even he whom the great Seth has put on." ... "holy race of the great savior".""
- the Gospel of the Egyptians http://gnosis.org/naghamm/goseqypt.html ""When Adam came to know the counterpart of his own foreknowledge, he produced a son like the human child. He called him Seth, after the manner of the heavenly race in the eternal realms.""
- the Apocryphon of John http://gnosis.org/naghamm/apocjn-meyer.html ""The fruit of their reunion was Seth, who was destined to be the ancestor of the Messiah. Seth was so formed from birth that the rite of circumcision could be dispensed with. He was thus one of the thirteen men born perfect in a way. Adam begot him in his likeness and image, different from
Cain, who had not been in his likeness and image. Thus Seth became, in a genuine sense, the father of the human race, especially the father of the pious, while the depraved and godless are descended from Cain." ... "And still another consequence of the sin of idolatry was that the countenances of the men of the following generations were no longer in the likeness and image of God, as the countenances of Adam, Seth, and Enosh had been.””
- Legends of the Jews, Vol. I; Louis Ginzberg https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/1493/pg1493.html - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Svp8SfxJqF0&lc=Ugw-XgTyhI8x9CarCrd4AaABAg
Introduction 2: An essay on Josephus By: Jonathan Barlow Gee According to Josephus, in "The Jewish Wars," the name of the King of greater Judea in the early first century was Agrippa the younger, son of Agrippa who had reigned over the whole kingdom of Israel, north of Judea. It was Agrippa the elder who had commissioned the fortification around Jerusalem following the assassination of Caligula. Agrippa the elder had reigned "three years as king, following three years as tetrarch." According to Josephus, Cypros II was the wife of the elder Agrippa, and the names of their other children, all daughters, were Berenice, Mariamne and Drusilla. Now, according to the Apocryphal Acts of Peter, the Apostle Peter was actually the "Virgin" Mary's father, however what we can ascertain from this is not that Peter was the grandfather of Christ, who was born of a Virgin, but that, insofar as Mary was titular rather than nominal, the "Mary" here referred to is actually Mary Magdalene, who would eventually, following her period of "Virginity" go on to become the wife of Jesus, the "most-favored of all Christ's Apostles." According to Laurence Gardner, the title "Mary" was given to the wife of the Davidic (kingly Levite) lineage, while the title "Elisabeth" was applied to the wife of the heir of the Zadokite (High Priest) dynasty. "That is why," explains Laurence Gardner, "John the Baptist's mother is called Elizabeth in the Gospels and why Jesus's mother was Mary." Whereas the titles "Mary" and "Elisabeth" (from Elisheba) were Jewish in origin, they became corrupted in Josephus' writings to their equivalent common-names in Latin. "Mary/Martha," the wife of the “father” or Melchizedek High Priest became "Mariamne;" "Elisabeth/Salome," the wife of "Thunder," the “son” or Gabriel Chief-Priest, became "Berenice;" and "Magdala" (meaning "tower"), the wife of "Lightning," the “spirit” or Abiathar/Jairus Prophet, became "Drusila" (meaning "Dragon"). Likewise, in cross-referencing Josephus, we have to take into account a variety of titles being applied to the same person at various different times. For example, Cyrus, whom Gardner cites as "Mary Magdala's" literal father, is equivalent to "Simon," also called variously "Simon Zelotes," "Simon the Essene," "Simon Magus,” "Simon Peter," as well as "Antipas" or "AntiPater II." Agrippa I, as Antipater II, and his own “twin” brother, “Alexander-Aristobulus I,” were both themselves the sons of a “Mariamne” and a “Herod.” Antipater II, as Agrippa I, was also the “father” of "Agrippa II" and "Alexander-Aristobolus II.” All of these names in turn would have inherited the title "Herod," just as the title "Caesar" was passed on by succession following its original holder. The title "Herod" was indicative of the Hasmonean or Maccabean household. The identity, thus, of "Mary Magdala's" literal father was Shimeon who was, at the time of her birth, the Abiathar Jairus Prophet, just as Jesus’ birth was heralded by the Qumran Community "Gabriel" (or Chief Priest) who was, at the time of Jesus’ and James’ births, the same Simeon or Simon. The term "Peter" is derived from the latin "Pater" meaning "father," denoting the Essene High Priest, referred to privily as "Joseph" during the period of procreative leave. Shimeon, thus, was the "father" of both the bride (Mary) and groom (Jesus). Jesus would eventually fulfill Simon’s own original station as the Abiathar Prophet of the Essene exiles at Qumran, however by the time that could occur, Shimeon himself had ascended to the position of High Priest. At the time of Jesus' and his brother's births, Simeon was the Chief Priest and Zacharias was the High Priest (the Michael-Zadok or Melchizedek). By the time, however, of Jesus’ and his wife's "first marriage" (or first conception), the Chief Priest was John the Baptist, also called James the Just, who was Jesus' twin brother, called "Thomas" and "Didymus;" while the Abiathar Jairus Prophet was Jonathan or Nathaniel Annas, derivative of the Ananus Sanhedrin of Jerusalem Sadducees
(anti-Roman separatists). While Simon, the Davidic "Father," had been a Pharisee, a Zealot and a Qumran Essene as Jairus Prophet, Jonathan was a Sadducee of Jerusalem and the youngest Hasmonean (Herodian) Maccabee. When Jonathan married Simon's daughter, his community “sister” (his cousin by paternal-uncle), he assumed the title of Joshua, meaning "the younger father," for the woman he married, then called "Mary Magdala," was originally planned to be married to her other communal "brother," (her younger half-brother by their father Cyrus), Jesus' community “twin,” James the Just, known also as John the Baptist (the cousin of Jesus) who was Gabriel Chief Priest under Simeon. In this capacity her identity is recorded in the Gospels first as Salome, wife of Prince “Herod” Philip, the designated Elisabeth, as was an “Elisabeth” the mother of James the Just; then later as Mary, wife of Jesus, just as a “Mary” before her had been the mother of Anti-Pater, Shimeon Peter. Because Christ and Magdala conceived while Jonathan was still only the Jairus Prophet; and because James - whom, as Chief Priest, out-ranked his twin-brother in the Qumran community had been engaged to Salome previously; and because Shimeon-Zelotes was still the reigning Davidic Kingly Levite High Priest it was conspired to put Christ to death. On this, the records of Jospehus are not at odds with those of the Gospels. Jospehus simply records these characters by the latin names: Simon he calls "Agrippa I / Antipater II;" James "Agrippa II;" Jesus he calls "Alexander-Aristobolus II;” and “Magdala” he calls, respectively, "Mariamne, Berenice and Drusila." There is ample evidence that the Qumran Essenes backed James, whom they hailed as "the Teacher of Righteousness," and rejected Jesus as "the Wicked Priest," Jonathan "Cumanus," “Belial” and “the Great Beast.” The fact that James the Just, as Joseph Ha-Rama-Theo (or "High Priest of God"), survived to raise the son of his twin-brother, Jesus, with James’ own fiancee, is amply recounted by sources in Britain and north western Europe, while the flight of Mary Magdala with Jesus’ and her daughter, Sirac (for Sarah, a title of a young woman not yet of pubescent age), first through Egypt and then into southern France, is amply recorded in those regions as well. As to the actual crucifixion of Christ, it is said that it was ordered by Caiphas, or Simon, but that it was actually James, the twin brother of Jesus, who was crucified. Following the ordeal, Rabbi Shimeon-Pater began to call himself Saul, after the last king of the Davidic line before the beginning of the Babylonian captivity, and later Paul, a combination of his titles as Pope (Jerusalem community “Jospeh,” or father) and King (Herod Maccabee of the Davidic-Levite succession). James, as has been stated, travelled extensively with his nephew, who was also called Joshua, again the title of a young man not yet of age. Yeshuah continued to preach in the early Christian Churches, sometimes under his brother's name - James or Jacob; and sometimes referred to simply as "the Word," meaning the title of God, that is, Christ. He lived to see old age, but was killed at Masada, where he was called "Marcion" in Josephus, and was buried beside his bride in southern France. The recounting of these events written by Mary has come to be called the Nag Hammadi "library," which is all written by one author, although its current arrangement is exactly backwards to its chronological composition. The recounting by James the Just became the Essene "Dead Sea Scrolls" of Qumran. The recounting by Simon-Peter, who became Paul, was recorded by Pliny the elder and the younger, and has come down to us now as the "New Testament," which, combined with the Hebrew Torah and the teachings of Simon-Pater as Flavius Josephus, comprise the entire history of the original priesthood of Seth, son of Adam, until its end, with the death of James the Just and the destruction of the Second Temple, and the death of the last prophet, Jonathan Annas, called Jesus Christ, the final King of all Israel.
Forbidden Gospels: Part 1 From: the Dead Sea Scrolls Two Manuscripts: (“The Community Rule” & “The War Scroll”) Geza Vermes, trans.
“The Instruction on the Two Spirits” (From the Qumran “Community Rule,” 3:13 - 4.26) English translation by: Geza Vermes The Master shall instruct all the sons of light and shall teach them the nature of all the children of men according to the kind of spirit which they possess, the signs identifying their works during their lifetime, their visitations for chastisement, and the time of their reward. From the God of Knowledge comes all that is and shall be. Before ever they existed He established their whole design, and when, as ordained for them, they come into being, it is in accord with His glorious design that they accomplish their task without change. The laws of all things are in His hand and He provides them with all their needs. He has created man to govern the world, and has appointed for him two spirits in which to walk until the time of His visitation: the spirits of truth and falsehood. Those born of truth spring from a fountain of light, but those born of falsehood spring from a source of darkness. All the children of righteousness are ruled by the Prince of Light and walk in the ways of light, but all the children of falsehood are ruled by the Angel of Darkness and walk in the ways of darkness. The Angel of Darkness leads all the children of righteousness astray, and until his end, all their sin, iniquities, wickedness, and all their unlawful deeds are caused by his dominion in accordance with the mysteries of God. Every one of their chastisements, and every one of the seasons of their distress, shall be brought about by the rule of his persecution; for all his allotted spirits seek the overthrow of the sons of light. But the God of Israel and His Angel of Truth will succor all the sons of light. For it is He who created the spirits of Light and Darkness and founded every action upon them and established every deed upon their ways. And He loves the one everlastingly and delights in its works forever; but the counsel of the other He loathes and forever hates its ways. These are their ways in the world for the enlightenment of the heart of man, and that all the paths of true righteousness may be made straight before him, and that the fear of the laws of God may be instilled in his heart: a spirit of humility, patience, abundant charity, unending goodness, understanding, and intelligence; a spirit of mighty wisdom which trusts in all the deeds of God and leans on His great loving-kindness; a spirit of discernment in every purpose, of zeal for just laws, of holy intent with steadfastness of heart, of great charity towards all the sons of truth, of admirable purity which detests all unclean idols, of humble conduct sprung from an understanding of all things, and of faithful concealment fo the mysteries of truth. These are the counsels of the spirit to the sons of truth in this world. And as for the visitation of all who walk in this spirit, it shall be healing, great peace in a long life, and fruitfulness, together with every everlasting blessing and joy in life without end, a crown of glory and a garment of majesty in unending light. But the ways of the spirit of falsehood are these: greed, and slackness in the search for righteousness, wickedness and lies, haughtiness and pride, falseness and deceit, cruelty and abundant evil, ill-temper and much folly and brazen insolence, abominable deeds done in a spirit of lust, and ways of lewdness in the service of uncleanness, a blaspheming tongue, blindness of eye and dullness of ear, stiffness of neck and heaviness of heart, so that man walks in all the ways of darkness and guile. And the visitation for all who walk in this spirit shall be a multitude of plagues by the hand of all the destroying angels, everlasting damnation by the avenging wrath of the fury of God, eternal torment and endless disgrace together with shameful extinction in the future of the dark regions.
The times of all their generations shall be spent in sorrowful mourning and in bitter misery and in calamities of darkness until they are destroyed without remnant or survivor. The nature of all the children of men is ruled by these two spirits, and during their life all the hosts of men have a portion of their divisions and walk in both their ways. And the whole reward for their deeds shall be, for everlasting ages, according to whether each man’s portion in their two divisions is great or small. For God has established the spirits in equal measure until the final age, and has set everlasting hatred between their divisions. Truth abhors the works of falsehood, and falsehood hates all the ways of truth. And their struggle is fierce in all their arguments for they do not walk together. But in the mysteries of His understanding, and in His glorious wisdom, God has ordained an end for falsehood, and at the time of the visitation He will destroy it forever. Then truth, which has wallowed in the ways of wickedness during the dominion of falsehood until the appointed time of judgment, shall arise in the world forever. God will then purify every deed of man in his truth; He will refine for Himself the human frame by rooting out all spirit of falsehood from the bounds of his flesh. He will cleanse him of all wicked deeds with the spirit of holiness; like purifying waters He will shed upon him the spirit of truth to cleanse him of all abomination and falsehood. And he shall be plunged into the spirit of purification that he may instruct the upright in the knowledge of the Most High and teach the wisdom of the sons of heaven to the perfect of way. For God has chosen them for an everlasting Covenant and all the glory of Adam shall be theirs. There shall be no more lies and all the works of falsehood shall be put to shame. Until now the spirits of truth and falsehood struggle in the hearts of men and they walk in both wisdom and folly. According to his portion of truth so does a man hate falsehood, and according to his inheritance in the realm of falsehood so is he wicked and so hates truth. For God has established the two spirits in equal measure until the determined end, and until the Renewal, and He knows the reward for their deeds from all eternity. He has allotted them to the children of men that they may know good and evil, and that the destiny of all the living may be according to the spirit of them at the time of the visitation.
The War Scroll (IQM, 1Q33, 4Q491-7, 4Q471) English translation by: Geza Vermes I. For the M[aster. The Rule of] War on the unleashing of the attack of the sons of light against the company of the sons of darkness, the army of Belial: against the band of Edom, Moab, and the sons of Ammon, and [against the army of the sons of the East and] the Philistines, and against the bands of the Kittim of Assyria and their allies the ungodly of the Covenant. The sons of Levi, Judah, and Benjamin, the exiles in the desert, shall battle against them in ... all their bands when the exiled sons of light return from the Desert of the Peoples to camp in the Desert of Jerusalem; and after the battle they shall go up from there (to Jerusalem?). [The king] of the Kittim [shall enter] into Egypt, and in his time he shall set out in great wrath to wage war against the kings of the north, that his fury may destroy and cut the horn of [Israel]. This shall be a time of salvation for the people of God, an age of dominion for all the members of His company, and of everlasting destruction for all the company of Belial. The confusion of the sons of Japheth shall be [great] and Assyria shall fall unsuccored. The dominion of the Kittim shall come to an end and iniquity shall be vanquished, leaving no remnant; [for the sons] of darkness there shall be no escape. [The sons of righteous]ness shall shine over all the ends of the earth; they shall go on shining until all the seasons of darkness are consumed and, at the season appointed by God, His exalted greatness shall shine eternally to the peace, blessing, glory, joy, and long life of all the sons of light. On the day when the Kittim fall, there shall be battle and terrible carnage before the God of Israel, for that shall be the day appointed from ancient times for the battle of destruction of the sons of darkness. At that time, the assembly of gods and the hosts of men shall battle, causing great carnage; on the day of calamity, the sons of light shall battle with the company of darkness amid the shouts of a mighty multitude and the clamor of gods and men to (make manifest) the might of God. And it shall be a time of [great] tribulation for the people which God shall redeem; of all its afflictions none shall be as this, from its sudden beginning until its end in eternal redemption. On the day of their battle against the Kittim [they shall set out for] carnage. In three lots shall the sons of light brace themselves in battle to strike down iniquity, and in three lots shall Belial’s host gird itself to thrust back the company [of God. And when the hearts of the detach]ments of footsoldiers faint, then shall the might of God fortify [the hearts of the sons of light]. And with the seventh lot, the mighty hand of God shall bring down [the army of Belial, and all] the angels of his kingdom, and all the members [of his company in everlasting destruction] ... {... The priests, the Levites and the heads of [the tribes] ... the priests as well as the Levites and the divisions of} (4Q464) II. the fifty-two heads of family of the congregation. They shall rank the chief Priests below the High Priest and his vicar. And the twelve chief Priests shall minister at the daily sacrifice before God, whereas the twenty-six leaders of the priestly divisions shall minister in their divisions. Below them, in perpetual ministry, shall be the chiefs of the Levites to the number of twelve, one for each tribe. The leaders of their divisions shall minister each in his place. Below them shall be the chiefs of the tribes together with the heads of family of the congregation. They shall attend daily at the gates of the Sanctuary, whereas the leaders of their divisions, with their numbered men, shall attend at their appointed times, on new moons and on Sabbaths and on
all the days of the year, their age being fifty years and over. These are the men who shall attend at holocausts and sacrifices to prepare sweet-smelling incense for the good pleasure of God, to atone for all His congregation, and to satisfy themselves perpetually before Him at the table of glory. They shall arrange all these things during the season of the year of Release. During the remaining thirty-three years of the war, the men of renown, those summoned to the Assembly, together with all the heads of family of the congregation, shall choose for themselves fighting-men for all the lands of the nations. They shall arm for themselves warriors from all the tribes of Israel to enter the army year by year when they are summoned to war. But they shall arm no man for entry into the army during the years of Release, for they are Sabbaths of rest for Israel. In the thirty-five years of service, the war shall be fought during six; the whole congregation shall fight it together. And during the remaining twenty-nine years the war shall be divided. During the first year they shall fight against Aram-Naharaim; during the second, against the sons of Lud; during the third, against the remnant of the sons of Aram, against Uz and Hul and Togar and Mesha beyond the Euphrates; during the fourth and fifth, they shall fight against the sons of Arpachshad; during the sixth and seventh, against all the sons of Assyria and Persia and the East as far as the Great Desert; during the eighth year they shall fight against the sons of Elam; during the ninth, against the sons of Ishmael and Keturah. In the ten years which follow, the war shall be divided against all the sons of Ham according to [their clans and in their ha]bitations; and during the ten years which remain, the war shall be divided against all [the sons of Japheth in] their habitations. [The Rule for the trumpets of Summons and the trumpe]ts of Alarm according to all their duties ... [the trumpets of Summons shall sound for disposal in] III. battle formations and to summon the foot-soldiers to advance when the gates of war shall open; and the trumpets of Alarm shall sound for massacre, and for ambush, and for pursuit when the enemy shall be smitten, and for retreat from battle. On the trumpets calling the congregation they shall write, The Called of God. On the trumpets calling the chiefs they shall write, The Princes of God. On the trumpets of the levies they shall write, The Army of God. On the trumpets of the men of renown and of the heads of family of the congregation gathered in the house of Assembly they shall write, Summoned by God to the Council of Holiness. On the trumpets of the camps they shall write, The Peace of God in the Camps of His Saints. And on the trumpets for breaking camp they shall write, The mighty Deeds of God shall Crush the Enemy, Putting to Flight all those who Hate Righteousness and bringing Shame on those who Hate Him. On the trumpets for battle formations they shall write, Formations of the Divisions of God for the Vengeance of His Wrath on the Sons of Darkness. On the trumpets summoning the foot-soldiers to advance towards the enemy formations when the gates of war are opened they shall write, Reminder of Vengeance in God’s Appointed Time. On the trumpets of massacre they shall write, The Mighty Hand of God in War shall Cause all the Ungodly Slain to Fall.
On the trumpets of ambush they shall write, The Mysteries of God shall Undo Wickedness. On the trumpets of pursuit they shall write, God has Smitten All the Sons of Darkness; His Fury shall not End until They are Utterly Consumed. On the trumpets of retreat, when they retreat from battle to the formation, they shall write, God has Reassembled. On the trumpets of return from battle against the enemy when they journey to the congregation in Jerusalem they shall write, Rejoicings of God in the Peaceful Return. The Rule for the standards of the whole congregation according to their levies On the great standard at the head of the people they shall write, The People of God, together with the names of Israel and Aaron, and the names of the twelve [tribes of Israel]. according to the order of their precedence. On the standards of the camp columns formed by three tribes they shall write, ... of God, together with the name of the leader of the camp ... On the standard of the tribe they shall write, Banner of God, together with the name of the leader of [the tribe and the names of the chiefs of its clans]. [On the standard of the Myriad they shall write, ... of God, together with] the name of the chief of the Myriad and the names of the [leaders of its Thousands]. [On the standard of the Thousand they shall write, ... of God, together with the name of the chief of the Thousand and the names of the leaders of its Hundreds]. [On the standard of Hundred] ... IV. On the standard of Merari they shall write, The Votive-Offering of God, together with the name of the chief of Merari and the names of the leaders of its Thousands. On the standard of the Thousand they shall write, The Wrath of God is Kindled against Belial and against the Men of his Company, Leaving no Remnant, together with the name of the chief of the Thousand and the names of the leaders of its Hundreds. On the standard of the Hundred they shall write, From God comes the Might of War against All Sinful Flesh, together with the name of the chief of the Hundred and the names of the leaders of its Fifties. On the standard of the Fifty they shall write, The Stand of the Ungodly is Ended by the Power of God, together with the name of the chief of the Fifty and the names of the leaders of its Tens. On the standard of the Ten they shall write, Praised be God on the Ten-stringed Harp, together with the name of the chief of the Ten and the names of the nine men under his command. When they march out to battle they shall write on their standards, Truth of God, Justice of God, Glory of God, Judgement of God, followed by the whole ordered list of their names. When they approach for battle they shall write on their standards, Right Hand of God, Appointed Time of God, Tumult of God, Slain of God, followed by the whole list of their names.
When they return from battle they shall write on their standards, Honor of God, Majesty of God, Splendor of God, Glory of God, together with the whole list of their names. The Rule for the standards of the congregation When they set out for battle they shall write on the first standard Congregation of God, on the second standard Camps of God, on the third standard Tribes of God, on the fourth standard Clans of God, on the fifth standard Divisions of God, on the sixth standard Assembly of God, on the seventh standard The Called of God, on the eighth standard Hosts of God; and they shall write the list of their names with all their order. When they approach for battle they shall write on their standards, War of God, Vengeance of God, Trial of God, Reward of God, Power of God, Retributions of God, Might of God, Extermination of God for all the Nations of Vanity; and they shall write on them the whole list of their names. When they return from battle they shall write on their standards, Salvation of God, Victory of God, Help of God, Support of God, Joy of God, Thanksgivings of God, Praise of God, Peace of God. [The measurements of the standards.] The standard of the whole congregation shall be fourteen cubits long; the standard [of the three tribes,] thirteen cubits long; [the standard of the tribe,] twelve cubits; [the standard of the Myriad], eleven cubits; [the standard of the Thousand, ten cubits; the standard of the Hundred,] nine cubits; [the standard of the Fifty, eight] cubits; the standard of the Ten, s[even cubits] ... V. And on the sh[ield of] the Prince of all the congregation they shall write his name, together with the names of Israel, Levi and Aaron, and the names of the twelve tribes of Israel according to the order of their precedence, with the names of their twelve chiefs. The Rule for the ordering of the battle divisions to complete a front formation when their host has reached its full number The formation shall consist of one thousand men ranked seven lines deep, each man standing behind the other. They shall all hold shields of bronze burnished like mirrors. The shield shall be edged with an interlaced border and with inlaid ornament, a work of art in pure gold and silver and bronze and precious stones, a many-colored design worked by a craftsman. The length of the shield shall be two and a half cubits and its width one and a half cubits. In their hands they shall hold a spear and a sword. The length of the spear shall be seven cubits, of which the socket and spike shall measure half a cubit. The socket shall be edged with three embossed interlaced rings of pure gold and silver and bronze, a work of art. The inlaid ornaments on both edges of the ring shall be bordered with precious stones - patterned bands worked by a craftsman - and (embossed) with ears of corn. Between the rings, the socket shall be embossed with artistry like a pillar. The spike shall be made of brilliant white iron, the work of a craftsman; in its centre, pointing towards the tip, shall be ears of corn in pure gold. The swords shall be made of pure iron refined by the smelter and blanched to resemble a mirror, the work of a craftsman; on both sides (of their blades) pointing towards the tip, figured ears of
corn shall be embossed in pure gold, and they shall have two straight borders on each side. The length of the sword shall be one and a half cubits and its width four fingers. The width of the scabbard shall be four thumbs. There shall be four palms to the scabbard (from the girdle), and it shall be attached (to the girdle) on both sides for a length of five palms (?). The hilt of the sword shall be of pure horn worked by a craftsman, with patterned bands in gold and silver and precious stones... vacat When... shall stand, the ... they shall order the seven battle divisions, division after division... thirty cubits where the me[n of the division] shall stand... VI. seven times and shall return to their positions. And after them, three divisions of foot-soldiers shall advance and shall station themselves between the formations, and the first division shall hurl seven javelins of war towards the enemy formation. On the point of the javelins they shall write, Shining Javelin of the Power of God; and on the darts of the second division they shall write, Bloody Spikes to Bring Down the Slain by the Wrath of God; and on the javelins of the third division they shall write, Flaming Blade to Devour the Wicked Struck Down by the Judgement of God. All these shall hurl their javelins seven times and shall afterwards return to their positions. Then two divisions of foot-soldiers shall advance and shall station themselves between the two formations. The first division shall be armed with a spear and a shield, and the second with a shield and a sword, to bring down the slain by the judgement of God, and to bend the enemy formation by the power of God, to pay the reward of their wickedness to all the nations of vanity. And sovereignty shall be to the God of Israel, and He shall accomplish mighty deeds by the saints of his people. Seven troops of horsemen shall also station themselves to the right and to the left of the formation; their troops shall stand on this (side) and on that, seven hundred horsemen on one flank and seven hundred horsemen on the other. Two hundred horsemen shall advance with the thousand men of the formation of foot-soldiers; and they shall likewise station themselves on both [flanks] of the camp. Altogether there shall be four thousand six hundred (men), and one thousand cavalrymen with the men of the army formations, fifty to each formation. The horsemen, together with the cavalry of the army shall number six thousand: five hundred to each tribe. The horses advancing into battle with the foot-soldiers shall all be stallions; they shall be swift, sensitive of mouth, and sound of wind, and of the required age, trained for war, and accustomed to noise and to every (kind of) sight. Their riders shall be gallant fighting men and skilled horsemen, and their age shall be from thirty to forty-five years. The horsemen of the army shall be from forty to fifty years old. They [and their mounts shall wear breast-plates,] helmets, and greaves; they shall carry in their hands bucklers, and a spear [eight cubits] long. [The horseman advancing with the foot-soldiers shall carry] bows and arrows and javelins of war. They shall all hold themselves prepared ... of God and to spill the blood of the wicked ... VII. The men of the army shall be from forty to fifty years old. The inspectors of the camps shall be from fifty to sixty years old. The officers shall be from forty to fifty years old. The despoilers of the slain, the plunderers of booty, the cleansers of the land, the keepers of the baggage, and those who furnish the provisions shall be from twenty- five to thirty years old. No boy or woman shall enter their camps, from the time they leave Jerusalem and march out to war until they return. No man who is lame, or blind, or crippled, or afflicted with a lasting bodily blemish, or smitten with a bodily impurity, none of these shall march out to war with them. They shall all be freely enlisted for war, perfect in spirit and body and prepared for the Day of Vengeance. And no man shall go down with them on the day of battle who is impure because of his ‘fount’, for the holy angels shall be with their hosts. And there shall be a space of about two
thousand cubits between all their camps for the place serving as a latrine, so that no indecent nakedness may be seen in the surroundings of their camps. When the battle formations are marshaled facing the enemy formation facing formation, seven Priests of the sons of Aaron shall advance from the middle gates to the place between the formations. They shall be clothed in vestments of white cloth of flax, in a fine linen tunic and fine linen breeches; and they shall be girdled with fine cloth of flax embroidered with blue, purple, and scarlet thread, a many-colored design worked by a craftsman. And on their heads they shall wear mitered turbans. These shall be battle raiment; they shall not take them into the Sanctuary. The first Priest shall advance before the men of the formation to strengthen their hand for battle, and the six other Priests shall hold in their hands the trumpets of Summons, and the trumpets of the Reminder, and the trumpets of Alarm (for massacre), and the trumpets of Pursuit, and the trumpets of Retreat. And when the Priests advance to the place between the formations, seven Levites shall accompany them bearing in their hands seven rams’ horns; and three officers of the Levites shall walk before the Priests and Levites. The Priests shall sound the two trumpets of Sum[mons for the gates of] war to open fifty shields (wide) and the foot-soldiers shall advance, fifty from one gate [and fifty from the other. With them shall advance] the officers of the Levites, and they shall advance with every formation according to all this R[ule]. [The Priests shall sound the trumpets, and two divisions of foot-] soldiers [shall advance] from the gate [and shall] station [themselves] between the two [formations] ... VIII. the trumpets shall sound to direct the slingers until they have cast seven times. Afterwards, the Priests shall sound for them the trumpets of Retreat and they shall return to the flank of the first formation to take up their position. Then the Priests shall sound the trumpets of Summons and three divisions of foot-soldiers shall advance from the gates and shall station themselves between the formations; the horsemen shall be on their flanks, to the right and to the left. The Priests shall sound a sustained blast on the trumpets for battle array, and the columns shall move to their (battle) array, each man to his place. And when they have taken up their stand in three arrays, the Priests shall sound a second signal, soft and sustained, for them to advance until they are close to the enemy formation. They shall seize their weapons, and the Priests shall then blow a shrill staccato blast on the six trumpets of Massacre to direct the battle, and the Levites and all the blowers of rams’ horns shall sound a mighty alarm to terrify the heart of the enemy, and therewith the javelins shall fly out to bring down the slain. Then the sound of the horns shall cease, but the Priests shall continue to blow a shrill staccato blast on the trumpets to direct the battle until they have thrown seven times against the enemy formation. And then they shall sound a soft, a sustained, and a shrill sound on the trumpets of Retreat. It is according to this Rule that the Priests shall sound the trumpets for the three divisions. With the first throw, the [Priests] shall sound [on the trumpets] a mighty alarm to direct the ba[ttle until they have thrown seven times. Then] the Priests [shall sound] for them on the trumpets [of Retreat a soft, a sustained, and a shrill sound, and they shall return] to their positions in the formation. [Then the Priests shall blow the trumpets of Summons and the two divisions of foot-soldiers shall advance from the gates] and shall stand [between the formations. And the Priests shall then blow the trumpets of] Massacre, [and the Levites and all the blowers of rams’ horns shall sound an alarm, a mighty blast, and therewith] IX. they shall set about to bring down the slain with their hands. All the people shall cease their clamor but the Priests shall continue to blow the trumpets of Massacre to direct the battle until the enemy is smitten and put to flight; and the Priests shall blow to direct the battle.
And when they are smitten before them, the Priests shall sound the trumpets of Summons and all the foot-soldiers shall rally to them from the midst of the front formations, and the six divisions, together with the fighting division, shall take up their stations. Altogether, they shall be seven formations: twenty-eight thousand fighting men and six thousand horsemen. All these shall pursue the enemy to destroy him in an everlasting destruction in the battle of God. The Priests shall sound for them the trumpets of Pursuit, and they shall deploy against all the enemy in a pursuit to destruction; and the horsemen shall thrust them back on the flanks of the battle until they are utterly destroyed. And as the slain men fall, the Priests shall trumpet from afar; they shall not approach the slain lest they be defiled with unclean blood. For they are holy, and they shall not profane the anointing of their priesthood with the blood of nations of vanity. The Rule for changes in battle order to form the position of a squa[re with towers], a concave line with towers, a convex line with towers, a shallow convex line obtained by the advance of the centre, or (by the advance of) both flanks to terrify the enemy The shields of the towers shall be three cubits long and their spears eight cubits. The tower shall advance from the formation and shall have one hundred shields to each side; in this [manner,] the tower shall be surrounded on three sides by three hundred shields. And it shall also have two gates, [one to the right] and one to the left. They shall write on all the shields of the towers: on the first, Michael, [on the second,Gabriel, on the third,] Sariel, and on the fourth, Raphael. Michael and Gabriel [shall stand on the right, and Sariel and Raphael on the left] ... they shall set an ambush to... X. our camps and to keep us from all that is indecent and evil. Furthermore, (Moses) taught us, ‘Thou art in the midst of us, a mighty God and terrible, causing all our enemies to flee before [us].’ He taught our generations in former times saying, When you draw near to battle, the Priest shall rise and speak to the people saying, Hear, O Israel! You draw near to battle this day against your enemies. Do not fear! Do not let your hearts be afraid! Do not be [terrified], and have no fear! For your God goes with you to fight for you against your enemies that He may deliver you’ (Deut. XX, 2-4). Our officers shall speak to all those prepared for battle. They shall strengthen by the power of God the freely devoted of heart, and shall make all the fearful of heart withdraw; they shall fortify all the mighty men of war. They shall recount that which Thou [saidst] through Moses: When you go to war in your land against the oppressor who oppresses you, [you] shall blow the trumpets, and you shall be remembered before your God and shall be saved from your enemies (Num. x, 9). O God of Israel, who is like Thee in heaven or on earth? Who accomplishes deeds and mighty works like Thine? Who is like Thy people Israel which Thou hast chosen for Thyself from all the peoples of the lands; the people of the saints of the Covenant, instructed in the laws and learned in wisdom ... who have heard the voice of Majesty and have seen the Angels of Holiness, whose ear has been unstopped,
and who have heard profound things? [Thou, O God, hast created] the expanse of the heavens and the host of heavenly lights, the tasks of the spirits and the dominion of the Holy Ones, the treasury of glory [and the canopy of the] clouds. (Thou art Creator of) the earth and of the laws dividing it into desert and grassland; of all that it brings forth and of all its fruits [according to their kinds;] of the circle of the seas and of the gathering-place of the rivers and of the divisions of the deeps; of the beasts and birds and of the shape of Adam and of the gene[rations of] his [seed]; of the confusion of tongues and of the scattering of the peoples, of the dwelling in clans and of the inheritance of lands; ...of the sacred seasons and of the cycles of the years and of time everlasting. XI. Truly the battle is Thine! Their bodies are crushed by the might of Thy hand and there is no man to bury them. Thou didst deliver Goliath of Gath, the mighty warrior, into the hands of David Thy servant, because in place of the sword and in place of the spear he put his trust in Thy great Name; for Thine is the battle. Many times, by Thy great Name, did he triumph over the Philistines. Many times hast Thou also delivered us by the hand of our kings through Thy loving-kindness, and not in accordance with our works by which we have done evil, nor according to our rebellious deeds. Truly the battle is Thine and the power from Thee! It is not ours. Our strength and the power of our hands accomplish no mighty deeds except by Thy power and by the might of Thy great valor. This Thou hast taught us from ancient times, saying, A star shall come out of Jacob, and a scepter shall rise out of Israel. He shall smite the temples of Moab and destroy all the children of Sheth. He shall rule out of Jacob and shall cause the survivors of the city to perish. The enemy shall be his possession and Israel shall accomplish mighty deeds (Num. xxiv, 17-19). By the hand of Thine anointed, who discerned Thy testimonies, Thou hast revealed to us the [times] of the battles of Thy hands that Thou mayest glorify Thyself in our enemies by leveling the hordes of Belial, the seven nations of vanity, by the hand of Thy poor whom Thou hast redeemed [by Thy might] and by the fullness of Thy marvelous power. (Thou hast opened) the door of hope to the melting heart: Thou wilt do to them as Thou didst to Pharaoh, and to the captains of his chariots in the Red Sea. Thou wilt kindle the downcast of spirit and they shall be a flaming torch in the straw to consume ungodliness and never to cease till iniquity is destroyed. From ancient times Thou hast fore[told the hour] when the might of Thy hand (would be raised) against the Kittim, saying, Assyria shall fall by the sword of no man, the sword of no mere man shall devour him (Isa. xxxi, 8). For Thou wilt deliver into the hands of the poor the enemies from all the lands, to humble the mighty of the peoples by the hand of those bent to the dust, to bring upon the [head of Thine enemies] the reward of the wicked, and to justify Thy true judgement in the midst of all the sons of men, and to make for Thyself an everlasting Name among the people [whom Thou hast redeemed] ... of battles to be magnified and sanctified in the eyes of the remnant of the peoples, that they may know... when Thou chastisesth Gog and all his assembly gathered
about him ... For Thou wilt fight with them from heaven... XII For the multitude of the Holy Ones [is with Thee] in heaven, and the host of the Angels is in Thy holy abode, praising Thy Name. And Thou hast established in [a community] for Thyself the elect of Thy holy people. [The list] of the names of all their host is with Thee in the abode of Thy holiness; [the reckoning of the saints] is in Thy glorious dwelling-place. Thou hast recorded for them, with the graving-tool of life, the favors of [Thy] blessings and the Covenant of Thy peace, that Thou mayest reign [over them] for ever and ever and throughout all the eternal ages. Thou wilt muster the [hosts of] Thine [el]ect, in their Thousands and Myriads, with Thy Holy Ones [and with all] Thine Angels, that they may be mighty in battle, [and may smite] the rebels of the earth by Thy great judgements, and that [they may triumph] together with the elect of heaven. For Thou art [terrible], O God, in the glory of Thy kingdom, and the congregation of Thy Holy Ones is among us for everlasting succor. We will despise kings, we will mock and scorn the mighty; for our Lord is holy, and the King of Glory is with us together with the Holy Ones. Valiant [warriors] of the angelic host are among our numbered men, and the Hero of war is with our congregation; the host of His spirits is with our foot-soldiers and horsemen. [They are as] clouds, as clouds of dew (covering) the earth, as a shower of rain shedding judgement on all that grows on the earth. Rise up, O Hero! Lead off Thy captives, O Glorious One! Gather up Thy spoils, O Author of mighty deeds! Lay Thy hand on the neck of Thine enemies and Thy feet on the pile of the slain! Smite the nations, Thine adversaries, and devour the flesh of the sinner with Thy sword! Fill Thy land with glory and Thine inheritance with blessing! Let there be a multitude of cattle in Thy fields, and in Thy palaces silver and gold and precious stones! O Zion, rejoice greatly! O Jerusalem, show thyself amidst jubilation! Rejoice, all you cities of Judah; keep your gates ever open that the hosts of the nations may be brought in! Their kings shall serve you and all your oppressors shall bow down before you; [they shall lick] the dust [of your feet]. Shout for joy, [O daughters of] my people! Deck yourselves with glorious jewels and rule over [the kingdoms of the nations! Sovereignty shall be to the Lord] and everlasting dominion to Israel. … XIII. (The High Priest) shall come, and his brethren the Priests and the Levites, and all the elders of the army shall be with him; and standing, they shall bless the God of Israel and all His works of truth, and shall execrate Belial there and all the spirits of his company. Speaking, they shall say: Blessed be the God of Israel for all His holy purpose and for His works of truth! Blessed be all those who [serve] Him in righteousness and who know Him by faith!
Cursed be Belial for his sinful purpose and may he be execrated for his wicked rule! Cursed be all the spirits of his company for their ungodly purpose and may they be execrated for all their service of uncleanness! Truly they are the company of Darkness, but the company of God is one of [eternal] Light. [Thou art] the God of our fathers; we bless Thy Name for ever. We are the people of Thine [inheritance]; Thou didst make a Covenant with our fathers, and wilt establish it with their children throughout eternal ages. And in all Thy glorious testimonies there has been a reminder of Thy mercies among us to succor the remnant, the survivors of Thy Covenant, that they might [recount] Thy works of truth and the judgements of Thy marvelous mighty deeds. Thou hast created us for Thyself, [O God], that we may be an everlasting people. Thou hast decreed for us a destiny of Light according to Thy truth. And the Prince of Light Thou hast appointed from ancient times to come to our support; [all the sons of righteousness are in his hand], and all the spirits of truth are under his dominion. But Belial, the Angel of Malevolence, Thou hast created for the Pit; his [rule] is in Darkness and his purpose is to bring about wickedness and iniquity. All the spirits of his company, the Angels of Destruction, walk according to the precepts of Darkness; towards them is their [inclination]. But let us, the company of Thy truth, rejoice in Thy mighty hand and be glad for Thy salvation, and exult because of Thy suc[cor and] peace. O God of Israel, who can compare with Thee in might? Thy mighty hand is with the poor. Which angel or prince can compare with Thy [redeeming] succor? [For Thou hast appointed] the day of battle from ancient times ... [to come to the aid] of truth and to destroy iniquity, to bring Darkness low and to magnify Light ... to stand for ever, and to destroy all the sons of Darkness ... XIV. like the fire of His wrath against the idols of Egypt. And when they have risen from the slain to return to the camp, they shall all sing the Psalm of Return. And in the morning, they shall wash their garments, and shall cleanse themselves of the blood of the bodies of the ungodly. And they shall return to the positions in which they stood in battle formation before the fall of the enemy slain, and there they shall all bless the God of Israel. Rejoicing together, they shall praise His Name, and speaking they shall say: Blessed be the God of Israel who keeps mercy towards His Covenant, and the appointed times of salvation with the people He has delivered! He has called them that staggered to [marvelous mighty deeds], and has gathered in the assembly of the nations to destruction without any remnant. He has lifted up in judgement the fearful of heart and has opened the mouth of the dumb that they might praise {the mighty} (4Q491) works [of God]. He has taught war [to the hand] of the feeble and steadied the trembling knee; he has braced the back of the smitten. Among the poor in spirit [there is power] over the hard of heart, and by the perfect of way all the nations of wickedness have come to an end: not one of their mighty men stands, but we are the remnant [of Thy people.]
{Blessed be} (4Q491) Thy Name, O God of mercies, who hast kept the Covenant with our fathers. In all our generations Thou hast bestowed Thy wonderful favors on the remnant [of Thy people] under the dominion of Belial. During all the mysteries of his Malevolence he has not made [us] stray from Thy Covenant; Thou hast driven his spirits [of destruction] far from [us], Thou hast preserved the soul of Thy redeemed [when the men] of his dominion {acted wickedly) (4Q491). Thou hast raised the fallen by Thy strength, but hast cut down the great in height [and hast brought down the lofty]. There is no rescue for all their mighty men and no refuge for their swift men; Thou givest to their honored men a reward of shame, all their empty existence [hast Thou turned to nothing]. But we, Thy holy people, will praise Thy Name because of the works of Thy truth. We will exalt Thy splendor because of Thy mighty deeds [in all the] seasons and appointed times for ever, at the coming of day and at nightfall and at the departure of evening and morning. For great {is the design of Thy glory} (4Q49I) and of Thy wonderful mysteries on high that [Thou shouldst raise up] dust before Thee and lay low the ‘gods’. Rise up, rise up, O God of gods, raise Thyself in might, King of Kings} (4.Q491)! May all the sons of Darkness [scatter before Thee]! The light of Thy greatness [shall shine forth] [on ‘go]ds’ and men. [It shall be like a fire bur]ning in the dark places of perdition; it shall burn the sinners in the perdition of hell, in an eternal blaze ... in all the eternal seasons. They shall recite there [all the] war [hy]mns. Afterwards they shall return to [their] cam[ps] ... XV For this shall be a time of distress for Israel, [and of the summons] to war against all the nations. There shall be eternal deliverance for the company of God, but destruction for all the nations of wickedness. All those [who are ready] for battle shall march out and shall pitch their camp before the king of the Kittim and before all the host of Belial gathered about him for the Day [of Revenge] by the Sword of God. Then the High Priest shall rise, with the [Priests], his brethren, and the Levites, and all the men of the army, and he shall recite aloud the Prayer in Time of War [written in the Book] of the Rule concerning this time, and also all their Hymns. He shall marshal all the formations there, as is [written in the Book of War], and the priest appointed for the Day of Revenge by the voice of all his brethren shall go forward to strengthen the [hearts of the fighting men]. Speaking, he shall say: Be strong and valiant; be warriors! Fear not! Do not be [confused and do not let your hearts be
afraid!] Do not be fearful; fear them not! Do not fall back ... for they are a congregation of wickedness and all their works are in Darkness; they tend towards Darkness. [They make for themselves] a refuge [in falsehood] and their power shall vanish like smoke. All the multitudes of their community... shall not be found. Damned as they are, all the substance of their wickedness shall quickly fade, like a flower in [the summer-time]. [Be brave and] strong for the battle of God! For this day is [the time of the battle of] God against all the host of Belial, [and of the judgement of] all flesh. The God of Israel lifts His hand in His marvelous [might] against all the spirits of wickedness. [The hosts of] the warrior ‘gods’ gird themselves for battle, [and the] formations of the Holy Ones [prepare themselves], for the Day [of Revenge] … XVI. For the God of Israel has called out the sword against all the nations, and He will do mighty deeds by the saints of His people. And they shall obey all this Rule [on] the [day] when they stand before the camps of the Kittim The Priests shall afterwards sound for them the trumpets of the Reminder, and the gates of war shall open; the foot-soldiers shall advance and the columns shall station themselves between the formations. The Priests shall sound for them the signal, ‘Battle Array’, and at the sound of the trumpets the columns [shall deploy] until every man is in his place. The Priests shall then sound a second signal [for them to advance], and when they are within throwing distance of the formation of the Kittim, each man shall seize his weapon of war. Then the six [Priests shall blow on] the trumpets of Massacre a shrill staccato blast to direct the battle, and the Levites and all the blowers of rams’ horns shall sound [a battle alarm], a mighty clamor; and with this clamor they shall begin to bring down the slain from among the Kittim. All the people shall cease their clamor, [but the Priests shall continue to] sound the trumpets of Massacre, and battle shall be fought against the Kittim (vacat). And when [Belial] girds himself to come to the aid of the sons of darkness, and when the slain among the foot- soldiers begin to fall by the mysteries of God, and when all the men appointed for battle are put to ordeal by them, the Priests shall sound the trumpets of Summons for another formation of the reserve to advance into battle; and they shall take up their stand between the formations. And for those engaged [in battle] they shall sound the ‘Retreat’. Then the High Priest shall draw near, and standing before the formation, he shall strengthen by the power of God their hearts [and hands] in His battle. Speaking he shall say: ... the slain, for you have heard from ancient times through the mysteries of God ... XVII. He will pay their reward with burning [fire by the hand of] those tested in the crucible. He will sharpen His weapons and will not tire until all the wicked nations are destroyed. Remember the judgement [of Nadab and Ab]ihu, sons of Aaron, by whose judgement God showed Himself holy in the eyes [of Israel. But Eleazar] and Ithamar He confirmed in an everlasting [priestly] Covenant. Be strong and fear not; [for they tend] towards chaos and confusion, and they lean on that which is not and [shall not be. To the God] of Israel belongs all that is and shall be; [He knows] all the happenings of eternity. This is the day appointed by Him for the defeat and overthrow of the Prince of the kingdom of wickedness, and He will send eternal succor to the company of His redeemed by the might of the princely Angel of the kingdom of Michael. With everlasting light He will enlighten with joy [the children] of Israel; peace and blessing shall be with the company of God. He will raise up the kingdom of Michael in the midst of the gods, and the realm of Israel in the midst of all flesh. Righteousness shall rejoice on high, and all the children of His truth shall jubilate in eternal knowledge. And you, the sons of His Covenant, be strong in the ordeal of God! His mysteries shall uphold you until He moves His hand for His trials to come to an end.
After these words, the Priests shall sound to marshal them into the divisions of the formation; and at the sound of the trumpets the columns shall deploy until [every man is] in his place. Then the Priests shall sound a second signal on the trumpets for them to advance, and when the [foot-]soldiers approach throwing distance of the formation of the Kittim, every man shall seize his weapon of war. The Priests shall blow the trumpets of Massacre, [and the Levites and all] the blowers of rams’ horns shall sound a battle alarm, and the foot-soldiers shall stretch out their hands against the host of the Kittim; [and at the sound of the alarm] they shall begin to bring down the slain. All the people shall cease their clamor, but the Priests shall continue to blow [the trumpets of Massacre and battle shall be fought against the Kittim.] ... and in the third lot ... that the slain may fall [by the mysteries] of God ... XVIII. [In the seventh lot] when the great hand of God is raised in an everlasting blow against Belial and all the hosts of his kingdom, and when Assyria is pursued [amidst the shouts of Angels] and the clamor of the Holy Ones, the sons of Japheth shall fall to rise no more. The Kittim shall be crushed without [remnant, and no man shall be saved from among them]. [At that time, on the day] when the hand of the God of Israel is raised against all the multitude of Belial, the Priests shall blow [the six trumpets] of the Reminder and all the battle formations shall rally to them and shall divide against all the [camps of the] Kittim to destroy them utterly. [And as] the sun speeds to its setting on that day, the High Priest shall stand, together [with the Levites] who are with him and the [tribal] chiefs [and the elders] of the army, and they shall bless the God of Israel there. Speaking they shall say: Blessed be Thy Name, O God [of gods], for Thou hast worked great marvels [with Thy people]! Thou hast kept Thy Covenant with us from of old, and hast opened to us the gates of salvation many times. For the [sake of Thy Covenant Thou hast removed our misery, in accordance with] Thy [goodness] towards us. Thou hast acted for the sake of Thy Name, O God of righteousness ... [Thou hast worked a marvelous] miracle [for us], and from ancient times there never was anything like it. For Thou didst know the time appointed for us and it has appeared [before us] this day ... [Thou hast shown] us [Thy merciful hand] in everlasting redemption by causing [the dominion of] the enemy to fall back for ever. (Thou hast shown us) Thy mighty hand in [a stroke of destruction in the war against all] our enemies. And now the day speeds us to the pursuit of their multitude ... Thou hast delivered up the hearts of the brave so that they stand no more. For Thine is the power, and the battle is in Thy hands! XIX. For our Sovereign is holy and the King of Glory is with us; the [host of his spirits is with our foot-soldiers and horsemen. They are as clouds, as clouds of dew] covering the earth, and as a shower of rain shedding righteousness on [all that grows there]. [Rise up, O Hero! Lead off Thy captives, O Glorious One! Gather up] Thy spoils, O Author of mighty deeds! Lay Thy hand on the neck of Thine enemies and Thy feet [on the pile of the slain! Smite the nations, Thine adversaries], and devour flesh with Thy sword! Fill Thy land with glory and Thine inheritance with blessing! [Let there be a multitude of cattle in Thy fields, and in] Thy palaces [silver and gold and precious stones]! O Zion, rejoice greatly!
Rejoice all you cities of Judah! [Keep your gates ever open that the] hosts of the nations [may be brought in]! Their kings shall serve you and all your oppressors shall bow down before you; [they shall lick the dust of your feet. Shout for joy, O daughters of] my people! Deck yourselves with glorious jewels [and rule over the kingdom of the nations! Sovereignty shall be to the Lord] and everlasting dominion to Israel. (1QM combined with 4QMb=4Q492) {Then they shall gather in} the camp that night to rest until the morning. And in the morning {they shall go to the place where the formation stood before the} warriors of the Kittim fell, as well as the multitudes of Assyria, and the hosts of all the [assembled] nations {to discover whether} the multitude of the stricken are dead {with none to bury them}, those who fell there under the Sword of God. And the High Priest shall draw near, [with his vicar, and the chief Priests] {and the Levites} with the Prince of the battle, and all the chiefs of the formations and their numbered men; [they shall return to the positions which they held before the] slain [began to fall] from among the Kittim, and there they shall praise the God {the Most High} ...
The War Scroll from Cave 4 (4Q491, 493) Ma = 4Q491, frs. 1-3 ... There shall be one thousand cubits between the [camp and the latrine and] no nakedness [whatever] shall be seen in their surroundings. And when they set out to prepare the battle [to cur]b [the enemy, there shall be] among them some exempted in the lot of each tribe according to their numbered men for [each] day’s duty. On that day, some men from all their tribes shall set out from their camps towards the House of Meeting ... the [Priest]s, the Levites, and all the chiefs of the camps shall go out towards them. They will pass there before ... according to the Thousands, Hundreds, Fifties and Tens. Whoever shall not [be clean because of his ‘fount’ on] that [nig]ht shall not go with them to the battle, for the holy angels shall be with their formations together ... When the formation called up for that day’s battle to pass to all ... of the war, three formations shall stand, formations behind formations. They shall set a space between [all] the formations [and they shall go out] to battle in succession. These are the [foot-soldie]rs and beside them the [horse]men. [They shall stand between the forma]tions. And if they set up an ambush for a formation, the three ambushing formations shall be at a distance and shall not ri[se] ... of the war and they [shall he]ar the trumpets of Alarm and the [foot-]soldiers [will begin to bring dow]n the guilty dead. Afterwards the ambush shall rise from its hiding-place arranged in formations. The reassembly: from the right and from the left, from be[hind and from the front, f]our direction[s] ... in the battles of annihilation. And all the formations engaged in combat with the ene[my will be in] one [place. The f]irst formation [will go out to the battle] and the second stand ... on their post. With the completion of their time, the first shall return and rise ... The sec[ond] ... When the battle is joined. And the second formation shall have completed its time and they shall return and st[and on their post]. And the th[ird] ... And the chief Priest and his brethren, [the Priests, and] the Levites and the m[en of the orde]r [shall stand]. And the Priests shall blow the trumpets continuously ... and a girdle of fine cloth of flax embroidered with blue, purple and scarlet threads, a many-colored design produced by a craftsman, and a fine linen tunic and fine linen breeches and a mitered turban [on their heads]. They shall not take them to the sanctuary f[or] they are ba[ttle] raiments. According to all this rule ...
The Book of War (4Q285, 11Q14) 4Q285, fr. 1 ... because of Thy name and ... Michael, G[abrie]l, [Sariel and Raphael] ... with the elect of ...
4Q285, fr. 4 ... wickedness will be smitten ... [the Prin]ce of the Congregation and all Is[rael] ... [which wa]s written [in the book of Ezekiel the Prophet, I will strike your bow from your left hand and will make your arrows drop from your right hand.] On the mountains of [Israel you shall fall] ... [the king of] the Kittim ... [the Pr]ince of the congregation [will pursue them] as far as the [Great] Sea ... [and they shall fle]e from before Israel. In that time ... he shall stand against them and they shall be stirred against them ... and they shall return to the dry land. In that time ... and they shall bring him (the king of the Kittim?) before the Prince [of the Congregation]
Forbidden Gospels: Part 2 From: the Nag Hammadi Library Four Manuscripts: (“The Act of Peter” & “The Gospel of Mary”) James M. Robinson, ed. (“The Gospel of Philip” & “The Gospel of Thomas”) Jonathan Barlow Gee, ed.
The Act of Peter BG 128, 1-141, 7 Now on the first day of the week, which is the Lord’s day, a crowd gathered and brought to Peter many who were sick, in order that he might heal them. And a person from the crowd made bold to say to Peter, “Peter, behold, in our presence you have caused many blind to see, and you have caused the deaf to hear, and you have caused the lame to walk. And you have helped the weak and given them strength. But your virgin daughter, who has grown up to be beautiful and who has believed in the name of God, why have you not helped her? For behold, one side of her is completely paralyzed and she lies crippled in the corner. Those whom you healed are seen about us; but your daughter you have neglected. Then Peter smiled and said to him, “My son, it is apparent to God alone why her body is not healthy. Know, then, that God was not weak or unable to give his gift to my daughter. But so that your soul may be persuaded and those who are here may have more faith -.” Then he looked at his daughter and said to her, “Arise from your place! Let nobody help you except Jesus alone, and walk restored in the presence of all these people! Come to me!” And she arose and went over to him. The crowd rejoiced on account of what happened. Peter said to them, “Behold your hearts have been persuaded that God is not powerless regarding anything we ask of him.” Then they rejoiced even more and praised God. Peter said to his daughter, “Go to your place, sit down, and become an invalid again. For this is beneficial to you and me.” The girl went back again, sat down in her place, and became again as she was before. The whole crowd wept and begged Peter to make her healthy. Peter said to them, “As the Lord lives, this is beneficial for her and me. For on the day she was born to me I saw a vision and the Lord said to me, ‘Peter, there has been born to you today a great trial. For this daughter will wound many souls if her body remains healthy.’ But I thought this vision was mocking me. “When the girl became ten years old, many were tempted by her. And a man rich in property, Ptolemy, after he had seen the girl bathing with her mother, sent for her so that he might take her for his wife. Her mother was not persuaded. He sent for her many times. He could not cease. … “The man-servants of Ptolemy returned the girl, and put her down before the house, and departed. And when I and her mother realized it, we went down and found the girl with one whole side of her body, from her toes to her head, paralyzed and withered. We picked her up, praising the Lord who had saved his servant from defilement, and pollution and destruction. This is the cause of the fact that the girl remains thus to this day. “Now then, it is fitting for you to know the subsequent deeds of Ptolemy. He was smitten in his heart and grieved night and day on account of what happened to him. And because of the many tears he shed he became blind. He intended to go and hang himself. And behold in the ninth hour of that day, and when he was alone in his bedroom, he saw a great light shining in the whole house, and heard a voice saying to him, ‘Ptolemy, God did not give his vessels for corruption and pollution. But it was necessary for you, since you believed in me, that you not defile my virgin, whom you should have recognized as your sister, since I have become one Spirit for you both. But arise and go quickly to the house of Peter the apostle and you will see my glory. He will explain the matter to you.’ “And Ptolemy did not hesitate. He commanded his man-servants to lead him and to bring him to me. And when he had come to me, he narrated everything that had happened to him in the power of Jesus Christ our Lord. Then he saw with the eyes of his flesh and the eyes of his soul. And many hoped in Christ. He did good things for them and he gave them the gift of God.
“Afterwards Ptolemy died. He departed from life and went to his Lord. And when he made his will, he wrote in a piece of land in the name of my daughter since, because of her, he believed in God and was saved. I myself took care of the administration entrusted to me most carefully. I sold the land. And God alone knows, neither I, nor my daughter, kept anything back from the price of the land. But I sent the entire sum of money to the poor. “Know then, O servant of Christ Jesus, that God watches over those who are his and he prepares what is good for each one. But we think that God has forgotten us. Now then, brothers, let us be penitent and watchful and pray. And the goodness of God will look down on us - and we wait for it.” And other teachings Peter spoke in the presence of them all. Praising the name of the Lord Christ, he gave them all bread. When he had distributed it, he arose and went into his house.
The Gospel According to Mary Magdalene Papyrus Berolinensis 8502 (Pages 1 to 6 of the manuscript, containing chapters 1 - 3, are lost. The extant text starts on page 7...) Chapter 4 . . . Will matter then be destroyed or not? 22) The Savior said, All nature, all formations, all creatures exist in and with one another, and they will be resolved again into their own roots. 23) For the nature of matter is resolved into the roots of its own nature alone. 24) He who has ears to hear, let him hear. 25) Peter said to him, Since you have explained everything to us, tell us this also: What is the sin of the world? 26) The Savior said There is no sin, but it is you who make sin when you do the things that are like the nature of adultery, which is called sin. 27) That is why the Good came into your midst, to the essence of every nature in order to restore it to its root. 28) Then He continued and said, That is why you become sick and die, for you are deprived of the one who can heal you. 29) He who has a mind to understand, let him understand. 30) Matter gave birth to a passion that has no equal, which proceeded from something contrary to nature. Then there arises a disturbance in its whole body. 31) That is why I said to you, Be of good courage, and if you are discouraged be encouraged in the presence of the different forms of nature. 32) He who has ears to hear, let him hear. 33) When the Blessed One had said this, He greeted them all,saying, Peace be with you. Receive my peace unto yourselves. 34) Beware that no one lead you astray saying Lo here or lo there! For the Son of Man is within you. 35) Follow after Him! 36) Those who seek Him will find Him. 37) Go then and preach the gospel of the Kingdom. 38) Do not lay down any rules beyond what I appointed you, and do not give a law like the lawgiver lest you be constrained by it.
39) When He said this He departed. Chapter 5 1) But they were grieved. They wept greatly, saying, How shall we go to the Gentiles and preach the gospel of the Kingdom of the Son of Man? If they did not spare Him, how will they spare us? 2) Then Mary stood up, greeted them all, and said to her brethren, Do not weep and do not grieve nor be irresolute, for His grace will be entirely with you and will protect you. 3) But rather, let us praise His greatness, for He has prepared us and made us into Men. 4) When Mary said this, she turned their hearts to the Good, and they began to discuss the words of the Savior. 5) Peter said to Mary, Sister we know that the Savior loved you more than the rest of woman. 6) Tell us the words of the Savior which you remember which you know, but we do not, nor have we heard them. 7) Mary answered and said, What is hidden from you I will proclaim to you. 8) And she began to speak to them these words: I, she said, I saw the Lord in a vision and I said to Him, Lord I saw you today in a vision. He answered and said to me, 9) Blessed are you that you did not waver at the sight of Me. For where the mind is there is the treasure. 10) I said to Him, Lord, how does he who sees the vision see it, through the soul or through the spirit? 11) The Savior answered and said, He does not see through the soul nor through the spirit, but the mind that is between the two that is what sees the vision and it is [...] (pages 11 - 14, containing chapters 6 - 7, are missing from the manuscript) Chapter 8: 10) And desire said, I did not see you descending, but now I see you ascending. Why do you lie since you belong to me? 11) The soul answered and said, I saw you. You did not see me nor recognize me. I served you as a garment and you did not know me. 12) When it said this, it (the soul) went away rejoicing greatly. 13) Again it came to the third power, which is called ignorance. 14) The power questioned the soul, saying, Where are you going? In wickedness are you bound. But you are bound; do not judge! 15) And the soul said, Why do you judge me, although I have not judged? 16) I was bound, though I have not bound.
17) I was not recognized. But I have recognized that the All is being dissolved, both the earthly things and the heavenly. 18) When the soul had overcome the third power, it went upwards and saw the fourth power, which took seven forms. 19) The first form is darkness, the second desire, the third ignorance, the fourth is the excitement of death, the fifth is the kingdom of the flesh, the sixth is the foolish wisdom of flesh, the seventh is the wrathful wisdom. These are the seven powers of wrath. 20) They asked the soul, Whence do you come slayer of men, or where are you going, conqueror of space? 21) The soul answered and said, What binds me has been slain, and what turns me about has been overcome, 22) and my desire has been ended, and ignorance has died. 23) In a aeon I was released from a world, and in a Type from a type, and from the fetter of oblivion which is transient. 24) From this time on will I attain to the rest of the time, of the season, of the aeon, in silence. Chapter 9 1) When Mary had said this, she fell silent, since it was to this point that the Savior had spoken with her. 2) But Andrew answered and said to the brethren, Say what you wish to say about what she has said. I at least do not believe that the Savior said this. For certainly these teachings are strange ideas. 3) Peter answered and spoke concerning these same things. 4) He questioned them about the Savior: Did He really speak privately with a woman and not openly to us? Are we to turn about and all listen to her? Did He prefer her to us? 5) Then Mary wept and said to Peter, My brother Peter, what do you think? Do you think that I have thought this up myself in my heart, or that I am lying about the Savior? 6) Levi answered and said to Peter, Peter you have always been hot tempered. 7) Now I see you contending against the woman like the adversaries. 8) But if the Savior made her worthy, who are you indeed to reject her? Surely the Savior knows her very well. 9) That is why He loved her more than us. Rather let us be ashamed and put on the perfect Man, and separate as He commanded us and preach the gospel, not laying down any other rule or other law beyond what the Savior said. 10) And when they heard this they began to go forth to proclaim and to preach.
The Gospel of Philip English interpretation by: Jonathan Barlow Gee Tallahassee, Florida, US; 2017. 1. on Converts: A Hassidic Rabbi meets a Goyim, and QBLHs with him about Torah, and so that Goyim maybe a Reform Jew. But no reformed Jew may convert a Goy to Hassidism. So some are as they are, and try to convert others to be like them, and so others just are. 2. on the Inheritance of Slaves: The slaves only want their own freedom, they do not seek after their masters’ estates. When a boy becomes a man, he becomes responsible for his father’s estate; But what is inherited is as inert as the beneficiary of such inheritance is deceased. The living heir inherits their estate, both alive and inanimate; The inert inherit nothing, for how can a corpse cash a check? If a cadaver could inherit life from their coroner, then both the living and the dead could survive. 3. on Jews, Gentiles and Christians: A Goyim’s life and death amount to nothing, since they have no soul. You that philosophize are alive, and so will die even as you live. Since mankind’s collective-consciousness awoke to itself-awareness, the world as we know it has come to flourish around us - cities have been built up, and our dead buried down. When we were Hassidic, we were alike orphans, a widow’s son, But when we converted to Christianity, we had both a mother and a father again. 4. on the Right Seasons for Sowing and Reaping: The winter sower is the summer reaper. Let’s sow in the winter of our world that we may reap our deeds in the summer to come! Let’s not pray on winter, for from winter is born summer. If you reap in winter, you will only be uprooting saplings. Then, he who reaps out of season will yield a barren field come the Day of Rest. 5. on the Nature of Christ: Christ came to purchase all - some to be freed, others to enslave. He bought the lives of strangers and in exchange he gave them his own life as a promise. For his soul had laid down his life at the beginning of the world, and his will had waited since then for just that moment. Then, he came to exchange his immortal soul for his mortal flesh, which had fallen into the hands of thieves, so, by saving his own skin, He saved the souls of all the good and redeemed those of all the evil in the whole world. 6. on Right and Wrong: Light and shadow, life and death, left and right - are inseparable twins. The good become evil, the evil good; life becomes death and death life. Everything will evaporate into the original, natural source of all; but this heaven above our cosmos will never end, for it exists outside of all time.
7. on the Baal-Shem(1): The names of transitory matters are irrelevant; we maybe going between the real and imaginary. If you hear the word “god” said, you know whom is meant, irregardless His divine Name. So too with those terms: father, son and holy essence; life, light and love; and fellowship, people understand the meanings, but only insofar as the words refer to real things. If these words referred to ideal things instead, they too would be ineffable. 8. on the Baal-Shem(2): There is only one name that cannot be spoken aloud: the name of the Father for his Son. Above all, it is the Father’s own Name. But the Son could not have become alike the Father without having adorned himself in it. Those who know this Name keep it secret. Those who do not know this Name thus cannot even begin to understand it. 9. on Truth(1): Truth can only be apprehended by labeling. Truth is singular, though its attributes called facts maybe plural. Truth is learned by realizing how to accomplish deeds for one’s love using these many. 10. on the Archons(1): The Archons conspired to confuse skilled people, and mislead them from their own innate talents. The Archons appropriate the slang of the poor and twist the terms to their own meaning, and so, by kind, people mistake what is truly “bad” for what is considered “good;” etc. The Archons intended to enslave our innately free minds forever. 11. on the Genies: There are powers, summonable by people, that are innately opposed to our salvation; These elemental forces serve only their own survival. Once all souls are saved, there will no longer be any need for sacrifices. It is animals that are sacrificed to these feral inner-urges, offered up and slaughtered, but when humanity sacrificed itself to god, we metastasized. 12. on Bread: With Christ-consciousness came the first baking of breads. In Paradise, Adam ate from the trees as animals eat, but knew not of cultivating wheat. When humanity achieved self-awareness, we began eating foods we ourselves invented. 13. on the Archons(2): The Archons thought their choices were entirely their own, but it was the holy essence acting through them nevertheless. 14. on Truth(2): From the first moment, the seeds of truth are strewn in all directions. Many comprehend these seeds being sown; few realize what reaping them yields. 15. on the Virgin Mary:
Some say it was the Holy Essence that begat child upon Mary, but they are inaccurate in and incorrect about what they are saying. How can a female become pregnant by a feminine entity? No, Mary was a virgin, undefiled by any genie, and this was taken as an insult by the Jews among the 12 Apostles, because they are an archetypically apostolic type of people. So this virgin, untouched by any potency, sees the potencies of these genies as a filth. 16. on the “Our Father” Prayer: Our Master would not have said, “our father, who is in heaven,” if he had meant only his own father; had he meant that, he’d have said, “my father.” 17. on Looting: Take away from every house you enter something for your memory-palace; but do not actually steal anything, lest the owner should collapse your dome. 18. on the Name Jesus and the Title Christ(1): Jesus is a proper name and Christ is a title. Jesus is not a word from any language, just a name to call him. Christ in Syriac is Messiah, in Greek the same idea is called Christos, but there is a word for this title in every language. Nazarene is the real title for his proper name. 19. on the Nature of Christ: Christ is all within all - aware of all that is as if it were his own organelle innards - the realms of humanity and of angels, of the mysteries and of the father. 20. on the Crucifixion and Resurrection: Some say our Master first died on the cross and then was resurrected from the tomb. But I say, he had already been resurrected before he was even crucified. For how can one be resurrected if one has not died? 21. on the Value of a Soul: None would conceal a precious object inside an opulent container, yet everyone is quick to carry large sums in cheap purses. Likewise, the soul is a precious gem, yet the body only worthless filth. 22. on Public Nudism: Some are cowards, fearing their souls will be naked after they transcend the flesh in death, they would seek to re-inhabit their own cadavers. They’re blind to the fact we are all as equally naked flesh beneath our clothing as we are naked souls beneath our flesh. “Malkuth of Ha Malek is not intended for mortal comprehension.” We may not inherit that Kingdom until we are disinherited of our own skins. So what flesh and blood shall we inherit when we die? The sacred flesh and holy blood of Jesus; for Jesus said, “Whoever will not eat of my body and drink of my blood has no life in them.”
What did he mean? His flesh is his Word, and his blood is his Holy Essence. Whoever has these has no need for any other food, nor drink, nor clothes. But I’ll also condemn those who say the flesh is impotent, because both views are wrong. You say the flesh is impotent? Then tell us all what will, so we may all stand and applaud for you! You say “spirit in the flesh” and “light in the flesh”? I say, “what is flesh?” You say, I “have nothing on my flesh.” Say you, “there is nothing beyond my flesh?” It is necessary for us to live in our skins, to experience all existence. In this life, those who wear clothes exceed in virtue their garments. But in heaven, the garments will exceed in virtue those who wear them. 23. on Baptism with Holy Chrism: By water and fire the whole world is cleansed. The visible is purified by the visible, and the invisible by the invisible; but somethings visible can be concealed, for there is water within water and fire in the Messianic oil. 24. on Jesus as a Trickster: Jesus tricked everyone, indeed. He never showed his true self, only hid his true self behind how he wanted to be seen. And so you all saw him for yourselves. To the great, he seemed great, and to the small he seemed small. To angels, he appeared alike an angel, and to humanity as a mortal human being. But his true word was concealed from everyone. Some looked at him and only saw their own reflection. When he was with his students high upon the mountain-top, exalted, he was not microscopic, but macroscopic, and he elevated his students’ minds as well so that they could better perceive his own scale and scope. 25. a Prayer: On Passover eve, he prayed, “You who have conjoined the greater light with the Holy Essence, now make us alike the angels in our images.” 26. on the Little Lamb Led to the Slaughter: Don’t hate the lamb; for if you hate the lamb, you will miss seeing the King! 27. on Nudity before Royalty: No one may meet a king naked. 28. on Kissing Christ: The Father Above has many more children than any man on earth. So, if the generations of Adam grow bountiful, yet then die, then how much more bountiful are those generations above us now, who never die, but who are continually being reborn? A man can become a father; a boy cannot. Before coming of age, youth cannot reproduce. No infant nor toddler can bear children.
So a son may have brothers and sisters, but not his own children. In the material world, this is the natural order of birth, so we are naturally nourished here by material means. But people are also nourished by the promise of heaven. If they were only nourished as much by these words coming out of my mouth as they were from the same words coming out of the mouth of the perfect one! So, by kissing, the perfect conceive and give forth new life. That was why we kissed. By our grace in one another, we conceived. 29. on the Many Mary’s: Three women titled Mary always walked beside the Master: His mother, his sister, and Mary Magdalene, his betrothed. His sister, his mother, and his bride to be were all titled “Mary.” 30. on the Holy Trinity: Father and Son are singular titles, but the Holy Essence is a dual description and object. The Father and Son are Everywhere: Above and Below, in the visible and invisible. The Holy Essence is in the visible, and then below; then it is in the invisible, and so it is above. 31. on Those Who have Blinders on: Evil genii can serve good saints. These evil djinn may yet think they are serving their own ends, but are being deceived by the Holy Essence into doing the will of the good saints instead. 32. on Something from The Real World: A disciple once asked our Master to give him something from the real world, and he said, “ask your mother, for only she can show you something from another world than this.” 33. on Lot’s Wife: The messenger Apostles said to the student Disciples, “All our sacrifice amounts to salt.” They called the sacred feminine intuition salt! Yet, without salt, no sacrifice maybe tendered. Still, Sophia is a virgin, and without child she is called a grain of salt. Anywhere three or more gather, there germinates the mustard seed of the Holy Essence. Surely then, the Holy Essence has many children. 34. on Father and Son: All the Kingdom of a father will become that of their son, but not until the child is mature. Once the child has come of age, then the father begins to turn over his inheritance. 35. on Passersby: All those who’ve wandered astray are those guided to do so by the Holy Essence. From one and the same Holy Essence is fire bellowed and snuffed out. 35. on Ech-a-moth and Ech-moth: Ech-a-moth and Ech-moth differ distinctly: Ech-a-moth is purely wisdom, but Ech-moth is wisdom
of death in specific, and the one who knows death and who is called, “ Lil Sophia” or “lesser wisdom.” 36. on Animals, Domesticated and Feral: Some animals, we have tamed, like the bull and donkey, etc. and others remain wild, living off in the wilderness. The farmer plows his fields with the tame animals, and yields food enough to feed himself and all the animals, both domesticated and feral. So too, the perfect person plows with their passions tamed, and nurtures everything into being. Thus, the tapestry of all reality is woven together: good, evil; right, left. The Holy Essence nourishes all that is, and watches over all the watchers - whether captive pets or free and running wild. For the Holy Essence herds them all, and girds them all up, and harnesses them all so that, even by struggle, they may not escape. 37. On Fornication and Adultery: Because your first created man was gilded, you would think his sons would be well-born. If only he were conceived rather than created, then you would find his offspring nobles. But he was created and his offspring conceived. And what form of nobility is it? First adultery, then murder! The first-born was a born a bastard of rape, whose true father was the snake. So he became a murderer, accursed as his father before him, and slew his own brother. Every sex act between incompatible personalities is a form of mutually-complicit rape. 38. on God the Dyer: God is a dyer of stains. As the best lacquers, called authentic bleaches, seep deeply into the fabrics soaked in them, So too for those whom God soaks up, for his colors will never run; those God submerges sponge him up like water. 39. on Second-Sight: In the realm of higher reality, it is impossible to see a thing without becoming that thing. This is obviously not so in this world, where we can see the sun without being it, see sky and earth and all that there is without becoming one with any of it. Such is the truth is this world, but in a higher reality, you become whatever you look at. So, if you behold the Holy Essence, you will become essentially holy; if you choose to worship the Christ, you become alike the Christ; if you see the father, then you become alike the father you see. In the mundane realm, you see everything clearly besides yourself; but in the realm of higher perception, everything you see reflects yourself, and yourself becomes whatever you are looking at. 40. on Faith Vs. Love: Faith receives what love gives. No one can receive without faith, No one should give without love. To receive, have faith; to love, give. If one gives with no love, no good can come of it. Anyone who has heard, but heard not the true word, may still be Hassidic!
41. on the Name Jesus and the Title Christ(2): The traveling Apostles who’d assembled before us called our Master: “Jesus, the Nazarene, Messiah.” The last title is “Christ,” the first name is Jesus and the middle title is “Nazarene.” “Messiah” has two meanings: “Christ” himself and “that which is measured.” In Hebrew, “Nazara” means “truth,” and so “the Nazarene” means, “the truth.” The “chrism” has been measured out, and so “the Nazarene,” Jesus has been measured. 42. on the Pearl in the Mud: If a pearl is thrown into mud, it loses no value, and if anointed with balsam oil, it gains no value; it remains as precious as its owner’s appraisal of it. Likewise, the children of God are precious in his sight, regardless of their circumstantial conditions or situation in life. 43. on the term “Christian:” If you say, “I am a Jew,” no one will be moved by it. If you say, “I am a Roman,” no one will be upset by that. If you say, “I am a Greek,” or “a Barbarian,” or “I’m a slave,” or “I’m free,” nobody will become turbulent. But if you simply say, “I am a Christian,” then the world will warp and shake! If only I could be called a Christian, but the world would never bear to hear that title attached to my name! 44. on God, the Man-Eater: God is a man-eater! We sacrifice our own kind to him. Before humans began being sacrificed, animals were bled out, but those they were offered up to as feasts were not gods. 45. on Glass Vs. Mud Vessels: Glasses and ceramics are both forged in flames. If a glass shatters, it can be re-melted and re-formed, because glass is blown with breath; but if a clay pot fractures , it is ruined, being breathless. 46. on the Donkey tied to a Millstone: A donkey, harnessed to a grind-stone, may walk a hundred miles; and then, when it is set loose, it may find it is in the same place. Some people may travel far, but arrive nowhere. By day’s end, they will have seen no polities large or small, neither anything artificial nor any natural wonders, no Archons nor arch-angels. For all their misery, their toil ends in vain. 47. on Christ come to Crucify the World: The holy communion of the eucharist, that sacred sacrament, is Jesus. In Syriac, the sacrament is called “a spread,” just as Jesus came to crucify the world. 48. on Christ the Dyer: Our master went into the dye-works of Levi, took up 72 differently hued cloths and threw them all
together into one and the same vat. He drew them out bleached absolutely pale. He said, “so the son of mankind comes like a dyer.” 49. on the Wisdom of Mary Magdalene: Sophia, whom is called barren, is the mother of angels. The bride of the Savior is Mary Magdalene. The Savior loved her most of all his student Disciples, and he often kissed her on her lips. The other disciples complained: “Why do you love her alone as much as all the rest of us combined?” The savior answered them and said to them thus: “Why don’t I love you like her? If a blind man and one with vision are together in darkness, they are equal; but when the light comes, the sighted man will see it, while the blind man remains still in the dark.” 50. on the Difference Between Mankind and Beasts: The superiority of people is not apparent to the naked eye, but remains concealed in what is invisible to it. Thus, mankind may dominate animals stronger and greater than themselves, in ways both visible and invisible. So we thrive, while animals merely survive. When humans are removed from their habitat, animals resort to eating each other, for want of finding any other source of food. But now, they may feast, for humans till the soil! 51. on Her own Baptism: Anyone who is plunged underwater and comes up having gained nothing yet cries out, “I am a Christian!” is merely borrowing this title; but one who receives the Holy Essence receives the title as an honorific. An honor one need not redeem, but if you have borrowed the term, it comes with the added cost of interest that must be repaid. So it works among we who have passed through this mysterious experience. 52. on Sex Vs. Marriage: Profound is the holy sacrament of betrothal and wedding! Without it, no world would exist. The existence of our world depends on our survival, and the survival of humanity depends on wedlock. Now picture the pure energy of sex, and ignore its degraded reputation. 53. on the Unclean Ghosts: Unclean ghosts take on male and female likenesses. Male ghosts take those appearing female, and female ghosts promiscuously intermingle with many male shaped ghosts. No soul seized up by these ghosts can escape them without becoming male or female, or else taking the role of both groom and bride. This mystery is revealed from within the mirrored bridal chamber. When shallow sluts see a long stranger, they pounce onto him to caress and corrupt him. When loose men see a single female, they aim to seduce and violate her unto pollution. But when such foolish ghosts see a husband and wife together, then the female ghosts cannot tempt the man, nor the male ghosts taunt the woman. So, when the angel and its image are one and the same, none may dare approach to lord over this
man and woman. 54. on Leaving This World: As you die and transcend, you will cease to be clung to by material reality. Let your soul quickly exceed all desire and fear, and supersede all hope for envy. But as you die and transcend, you will also feel forces pulling you back down into the choking death grip of material reality. How can one outreach the vast grasp of these forces? Where could one hide? So some say, “but we were faithful!” trying to un-clutch themselves from these filthy demons. But if they had had the Holy Essence, their own perversions could not anchor them. Fear not the flesh! Love not the flesh! If you fear the flesh, it will come to dominate you. If you love the flesh, it will come to consume and constrict you. 55. on Limbo and the Lost: Anyone maybe of this world, or the resurrection, or limbo. Lord God may I avoid ever being found on that middle-ground. In this world, there are good and evil, but the good is rarely great, and the evil sometimes not so bad. But after this world, there is something truly evil, and that is: Limbo. Limbo means immortality as a ghost. So, while we are alive in this world, it is best that we practice for our own resurrection, so that when we finally strip off our skins we may rest and not wander the wastelands of Limbo. Many get lost along this Middle-Way. 56. on Intention Vs. Action: It is a good thing to die before one has had the chance to have fallen into sin. Some lack the will and the strength to take a necessary action. Others have the will, but betray hypocrisy by lacking follow-through. Even if they have no will, yet only try to act, good results will evade them, with or without initial intention. But some amount of initial intention must always precede any action. 57. Mary Magdalene’s Apocalypse of Hades: One of our Master’s student Disciples who became a traveling Apostle hallucinated immortal souls in a house on fire, bound by chains of flame to an oil-slick of false faith. This wandering student asked our Master, “Why can they never be saved?” “Their souls could have been saved while alive, but they did not desire such, so they have been banished to this dungeon called “the outer darkness.” 58. on the Flaming Chrism: Soul (Ruach) and Spirit (Neschemah) began being from water and fire, respectively; but the attendant of the bridal chamber (the tyler) began being combining water, and fire, and the pure, higher light. The fire comes from within the chrism.
The light comes from within the fire. Here I do not mean normal fire that flickers licks of heat, but the flame of the chrism-oil, pure white in appearance, luminous and glistening with glorious radiance. 59. on Truth’s Nudity: Truth (Torah) did not begin being denuded as we did, but cloaked in symbolic glyphs and veiled in imaginative allegories. The world is unprepared to contain the totality of truth otherwise. So, there is a rebirth and an image of a rebirth, through which one is reborn. What is this image? It is: “the Resurrection!” Then image arises through image again; the bridegroom and bridal chamber enter through image into truth, and this second image is called “the Restoration!” All those who would receive the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Essence must see this through, for if you do not, you cannot be called a true “Christian.” One may absorb these into oneself by anointing a crucifix with chrism-oil; the Apostolic messengers called this the “right and left” powers of the Cross, but such a person is no longer a “Christian,” but has become a “Christ.” 60. on Our Master’s 5 Mysterious Sacraments: Our Master did everything mysteriously. so his Baptism (1), his anointing with the chrism-oil (2), his passover eucharist (3), his redemption and resurrection (4), and his ineffable bridal chamber (5). 61. on “As Above, So Below”: Thus, our Master said, “I have come to make the below alike the above, and the outer alike the inner, and to conjoin them into one;” but he was revealing himself through symbolically veiled allegorical code. Those who say, “there is a heavenly person - and one who is higher!” are mistaken, for they may see a visibly perfect person as being someone else besides a perfect person in terms of psychological intellect and call one “lower,” the other “higher.” Better they discuss the “inner” (“ayin soph aur”), the “outer” (“ayin soph”) and the “outer-most” (“ayin”). For our Master called self-destruction from inner-corruption the “gloaming gloom,” and there is Nothingness beyond all this. He said, “oh, secret name of our father,” He said, “go to your room, lock yourself inside, and whisper silently the secret name of our father,” that is, our innermost secret self. At the central-most core is universally ubiquitous energy, deeper than which there is no more, and what is called the ceiling of the heavens is just the gateway to hyperspace. 62. on Heaven and Hell: Before Christ (Pigera Adamas, the prototypical Adam Kadmon) some (the Anunnaki or “fallen angels”) came from a realm (heaven) they could not return to (due to being exiled from it) and became imprisoned (as ghosts in Limbo, the genie or djinn, stuck on earth). Then Christ came! Those who’d gone in (to Limbo) he brought out (of Limbo) and those who went out (of Limbo) he brought in (to heaven). 63. on Adam and Eve: When Eve was still only a rib inside Adam, there was not yet any such thing as death. In the very
same moment she was cleaved from him, death began being conceived. If only she could cleave unto him, and they embrace again, death itself would die. 64. on “Why Hast Thou Forsaken Me?”: “God - my Lord (“Adonai - Adonai Elohim”) why have you abandoned me?” cried our Master, the Christ, from his cross, because by then he had already left himself behind. 65. on Jesus’ Resurrection into True Flesh: By god, our Master was made imperishable, and he arose from having been dead, but he was not resurrected mangled, as he had been before he’d died, but instead his body was made perfect, covered in our real kind of skin, compared to which our own type of hides is only a vestigial echo. 66. on the Bridal Bedroom: Animals do not have a wedding chamber, nor do slaves nor whores. The bridal suite is reserved to free men and virgins. 67. on Baptism by Chrism: By baptism through the Holy Essence we are born again; but we are conceived by Christ of two elements: we are born again through the Holy Essence by baptism; but when we were conceived by Christ, we were twin elements united into one. No one may see their reflection in water or a mirror without light, nor can anyone see their reflection in light without water or a mirror. So we must baptize with both light and water, and the light is the chrism-oil. 68. on the Jerusalem Temple: There were three gateways into the Temple in Jerusalem. One opened west and was titled “the holy,” a second opened south and was titled “the holy of holy,” the third opened east and was titled “the holy of holies,” where only a High-Priest (ha-Rama-Theo) was permitted to approach. The sacrament of baptism is the “holy” entrance; the sacrament of redemption and resurrection is “the holy of holy;” the “holy of holies” is the bridal chamber. Baptism imputes resurrection and redemption: Redemption resides in the bridal chamber; but the honeymoon bedroom itself is only one part of a much grander and more vast memory palace then any mortal can ever fully explore. They worship this in spirit and truth that do not worship in Jerusalem. There are Chassids who pray in Jerusalem, awaiting a day of atonement, calling out for it from their “Holy of Holies” where the veil was rent. Our bridal chamber after this rift opened was a fading memory of what it had been. But so it was that the gap was ripped top to bottom, just so that those who’d fallen into the pit could climb out on it. 69. on the Perfect Light The Archons cannot look upon those clothed in the perfect light, and so they cannot grasp and
cling and seize at you. One donning of this light is a mysterious union. 70. on the Isiatic Mysteries If the feminine rib were never torn out of the side of the masculine form, woman and man would never have known death. This cleavage was the beginning of the suicidal death-urge. Christ (Pigera Adamas as Adam Kadmon) came to heal this wound from earliest Genesis and to reunite these two, in order to give life to all those who’d died from their separation. Now, a wife and husband are united in their honeymoon bedroom - and those together in that room, let nothing cleave asunder ever again. Eve was separated from Adam because they had not united in a bridal chamber. 71. on the Soul of Adam: Adam’s soul was blown into him in a breath of spirit that is his mother. His soul was removed from his body and replaced with pure spirit. While united with this pure spirit, he uttered more accurate truths than the Archons, who envied him and sought to exclude him from their union in spirit by separating him from his soul-mate. Their exclusion culminated in their arranging the bridal chamber to prostitute out the soul of all Israel. 72. on Jesus’ Appearance at the Jordan River: Jesus appeared at the Jordan River full of the kingdom of Heaven. The one born before any other birth was to be born again! The one anointed first before any others was to be baptized once again! The one who was redeemed had arrived to redeem the whole world! 73. on the Mystery of the Virgin Birth: Now it is beneficial to speak on a strange mystery: for the father of us all came down to a virgin with a face alike the flames of a fire. He came to her bedroom and begat his own body into being. And when he emerged from his bridal chamber, he was one born of the splendor of a bridegroom and his bride. In this manner, Jesus begat all that is, and saw that it was good for his students to enter into for their restful sojourn. 74. on Two Virgin Births: Adam was born to twin virgins: from the virginal Holy Essence, and from the virginal red clay earth; and Christ was born of a virgin in order to correct humanity’s trajectory away from our ancient fall. 75. on the Twin Paradise Trees: Twin trees yet grow in Paradise. One blossoms beasts and the other blooms people. Adam ate from the tree that blossoms beasts and so he became like the beasts and brought forth beasts. As a result, all the children of Adam worship animals. The tree whose fruit Adam ate was the tree of knowledge, and because of this his suffering multiplied.
If he had eaten the fruit of the people-blooming tree, gods would worship people. As in Paradise god created people that people might discover god, so also in this world people make false idols and worship their own creations. It is better that the gods should worship us! 76. on Children of all Generations: A man can only accomplish what he has the ability to, and ability combines innate talent and acquired skill. Mankind may easily make children again after even only a moment of rest. But the fruits of his loins show forth in the shapes of the faces of his offspring, who he makes in his image; and he was also made in the image of his predecessor, whom accomplished his own feats of skill, and who could easily make children. 77. on Slavery and Freedom: In this world, slaves serve the free. In heaven’s kingdom, the free will serve the slaves and the attendants to the bridal chamber will minister to the wedding guests. The attendants of the bridal chamber all share a single titular name: “Rest” (or “Sabbath”), and when all together seem to all share the same visage of contemplative intuition. There are many temple-prostitutes, since most do not treasure the despicable things of this world below, but seek any yet undiscovered ideal. 78. on Jesus’ Baptism: Jesus needed to wade in the waters in order to consecrate and purify them so that all those later baptized in his name would likewise attain to his own perfection. 79. on Baptism: Those who say, “I will die and be reborn” are wrong. If they practice not for transcendence while alive, they will be unprepared to attain it when they are dying. So it is said, “Great is baptism,” for those who enter the waters, that they will live. 80. on Joseph Ha-Rama-Theo (Joseph of Arimathea): Philip the wandering Apostle spoke then and declared: “Joseph the gardener planted the garden of Gethsemane, because he needed lumber to ’ply his trade, He was the one who milled the cross, from those very trees he’d planted, and he was the one whose son was hung from something he’d planted as well, for his son was Jesus and what he’d planted was the true cross.” But in the center of the Gethsemane Paradise gardens grows an olive tree of life, the chrism-oil from which reveals the resurrection. 81. on Earth Eating Corpses: Dirt devours the dead, and so everything eaten must be dead. Truth consumes and digests life, yet nobody fed the Truth will die. Jesus came from beyond and brought food from there, and thus could offer life to all who would wish for it, because nobody ever needs to die.
82. on the Food in Paradise: God planted a lush garden, and planted people into its midst, amongst the many trees, with the blessing and in the image of their god; and all was good. Because mankind was able to eat of every kind of tree in Paradise, the rule in the garden was stipulated, “eat this” (of the tree of life) and “do not eat that” (of the tree of knowledge) and of all else it was said to just “do what thou wilt.” But I grazed all around closer and closer to the tree of knowledge. That tree killed Adam, but since the fall the same tree also resurrected our souls to immortality. The law (the torah) was once a tree. That tree has the power to give knowledge of absolute right and wrong; but it did not automatically correct Adam’s ways for him to have foresight of his fall, and instead has led to only death for any who would partake of it. But in the moment the rule was set as “eat this, don’t eat that,” the seed of all death was planted. 83. on the Chrism Vs. Baptism: The chrism must precede the baptism. We are all called “Christians” from the word “chrism,” and not from the word “baptism.” Even “Christ’s” title itself came from the “chrism;” as the father anoints his son, so Christ anointed his Apostles, and so the Apostles anoint us all. And whoever is anointed has all: their own resurrection and light, their own cross and Holy Essence, etc. The father of us all gave people this gift inside the honeymoon bedroom, and Christ, on behalf of humanity, accepted it. The father was in the son and the son was in the father - and this is heaven’s kingdom! 84. on Laughter: Our Master once put it perfectly, that: “Some go into the kingdom of heaven laughing, and they come right back out again, laughing even more.” But they do not remain there: one because he is not Christian, another because he laments his own acts, only too late after the fact. Then a passerby shouted, “there, that is a Christian!” and said, again, “they believe their master was saved from drowning and emerged the master of us all!” As soon as Christ emerged from submersion he began to laugh at everything in this world, not because he thought of each thing as a bauble but because he had learned to accept his contempt. “Redemption is no laughing matter, Christian,” continued the passerby, “but a person could go laughing all the way to their heaven’s kingdom out of spite for these ragged rogues.” If a passerby despises my body, and considers it a laughing matter, we shall see who laughs last. “Whoever wants to enter the kingdom of heaven will do so,” And whoever despises this world, and scorns at baubles, may yet laugh last! Such is my daily bread and cup of oil, while over and above us all is the Most High. 85. on God’s Mistake in Creation: This world began being on accident. The creator of the cosmos intended it to be incorruptible by entropy, and thus all life to be immortal,
but he failed and his experiment turned up being worth less than he’d hoped for. For neither this cosmos nor its creator are immune from corruption. Although it seems no thing is incorruptible, children are just so; thus, nothing can adapt and evolve that does not first pass through a phase of dependency development and needful nurturing as a child. Nothing may attain incorruptibility without having been alike a child; and a vessel that is not fit to receive in is not likely to be fit to give into either. 86. on the Cup of Prayer: The cup of prayer mixes wine and water, for it symbolizes the sacrificial blood for which the Passover sacrament is offered. Its chalice is full of the Holy Essence, and it belongs to the Most Perfect person. When we drink, we are thus imbibing of the perfect person. 87. on Living Water: The living water pools into a body and our own human bodies are mostly moisture as well. Thus, as one is about to submerge into the waters, one strips naked to be clothed in only their own skin. 88. on Like Begetting Like: A horse sires a horse, a human births a human, a god creates another god. Just so, brides and grooms come from the bridal chamber, and their children are born into it. No Hassidic Jew has ever been born to Greek parents for as long as the earth has existed. Just so, not all Christians must be descended from Jews. There was another tribe of people who were the spiritually blessed ones, chosen people of the living god: true mankind, the child of mankind, and the offspring of mankind’s child. This true generation is renowned in this world and they are the attendants of the bridal chamber. 89. on Strength and Weakness: In our world, masculine power and feminine weakness co-mingle in sexual union, but in the eternal realm, we join in a different brand of union, though it makes use of the same terminologies, it elevates them to the status of super-natural and unpronounceable names, far more potent than a simplistic show of brutish aggression, amounting to the same effect, yet ineffable to hearts of flesh. 90. on Knowing Thyself: One who has everything they ever wanted must know themselves quite well, no? Yet some know themselves very little or not at all, and so they hate what they own, but those who know themselves well enjoy their personal affects. 91. on Donning the Robe of Clear Light: The perfect person is intangible and invisible. What the Archons can see they may yet apprehend. No one may obtain such grace without first clothing themselves within, and ultimately becoming, perfect, clear light. All who adorn themselves in that garment shall enter a kingdom of rest (Sabbath). By this perfect light, we may become more perfect people before we leave this world. Whoever has everything but cannot unshackle themselves from property’s burdens will fall from perfect grace into imperfect Limbo, and only Jesus knows where that person’s fate will end up.
92. on the Holy One: A holy person is absolutely holy, including their corpuscle of flesh. A holy person blesses the bread before eating it, and sanctifies the cup before drinking from it, and so on, consecrating everything they touch. How could they any less so for their own body as well? 93. on the Baptismal Water and Death: Jesus perfected the water by baptism, he distilled all death from the waters; so that, by being saved from water, we are likewise saved from death, that we may not be scattered to the World Essence’s cold, winter winds, but onto the warm summer breezes of the Holy Essences’ own sighs. 94. on Knowledge and Love: Whosoever knows the truth is free, but a free person cannot sin, because, “to sin is to be a slave to sin.” Truth is the mother, knowledge the father. There are those who live without sin, and they are called “free spirits” in this world. They are free of blemishing deeds, but knowledge of this truth can buoy up their sense of self-value, making them feel false pride, and making them erroneously think of themselves as being superior to all. But “Love builds up.” Whosoever is free by way of knowledge becomes all the more a slave for love of they who yet lack one’s own level of freedom of knowledge, who may only be freed by one’s imparting one’s own knowledge to them: “Only Knowledge Can Set You Free.” Love never claims to own anything, yet really it owns everything there is; Love does not quibble “this is mine” nor quarrel “that is also mine,” but instead professes that “all that is mine, you may use.” 95. on Wine and Perfume: Love of the spiritual essence is like a fine wine with a rich and fragrant perfume, Those who anoint themselves with such will find others enjoy being around them as well, because when the anointed one leaves, the rest are stuck with their own foul smells. The Samaritan administered wine and oil to the injured as their only ointment, yet it healed their wounds; for “love covers a multitude of sins.” 96. on Generational Resemblance: The children a woman births will resemble the man whom she loves. If this man is her husband, they will resemble her husband, but if this man is a clandestine affair, the children will look like the adulterer. Often, if a woman lies with her husband, but wishes to be coupling with another man, the child she will conceive under such conditions may even resemble that other man. So, you who would live with the son of God, love not the world, but our Master, so that what you create will not be of this world, but will resemble great Mastery. 97. on Sex Vs. Spirit: Humans procreate with humans, as horses do with horses and as
donkeys do with other donkeys. Alike types inevitably co-mingle, So spirit mates with spirit, words inter-mingle with words, and all lights shine light. Be a human and a human being will love you. Be spirit, and a spirit will love you. Be thought, and words will have their way with you. Be light, and light will fill your every empty sub-atomic void. Be one of those above, that those above may come to rest upon you. But should you be like a horse, or a donkey, or a bull, dog or sheep - or any beast wild or tame then no person nor spirit, thought nor light can love you; then those thoughts above and those words within you are in conflict, and you have nothing of benefit to offer anyone. 98. on Slave Vs. Free: Those enslaved against their will will never cease to think of themselves as free; those who sell themselves out to permanent indenture - even if freed on a whim by a generous master - will never cease to think of themselves as enslaved. 99. on Farming: Farming on this planet culminates from four essential elements; you cannot pull a harvest into a barn without them; they are: rain (water), soil (earth), wind-borne pollination (air) and sunlight (fire). Just so, there is a farmer’s almanac for the four seasons of God’s will as well; these are: faith, hope, love and knowledge. Faith is the soil in which we shoot out our tap-roots. Hope comes like rain-water nourishing our crops. Love is the wind that makes our fields’ growth possible. Knowledge is that light toward which we offer forth our ripening harvest. Such grace can occur if four ways as well: the terrestrial, the celestial, the most high and the living truth. 100. on the Blessed Harmless: Blessings on anyone who has never wronged a soul for just such a man was Jesus Christ. He fell across the face of the whole world as softly as slowly setting sunlight and left nothing stirred. Blessings on one such as this, for they are a perfect person! Such is the word, though some may yet find it hard to define. How can one accomplish such a feat as to try to bring comfort to absolutely everybody? Primarily, one cannot cause anyone else any stress at all, whether a large or small amount of it and be they an infidel or an adherent. Just so it’s bad manners to offer alms to the affluent. Though some turn a profit on philanthropic investments, they are preying on those luckier than themselves; you who would do the right thing can offer the rich no reward, yet nor can you cause them any stress, should you wish to avoid conflict with them; even one who would be so lucky as to avoid stress most of the time may still, like someone who is newly wealthy will squander their fortunes quickly, create popular stress inadvertently and unintentionally. The perfect person gives joyousness to the goodness in all these things; yet some people become violently reactionary about such subtle distinctions.
101. on the Householder Who Had Everything: Once upon a time, there was a certain householder who had all that he needed; he had every last possible thing: children, slaves, cattle, dogs, pigs, wheat, barley, chaff, fodder, castor-oil and meat, down to the very last little acorn. The wise householder rationed the food servings of each: to his children he fed bread and meat; to his slaves he served ground grain-meal, mixed with the castor-oil; to his cattle he threw barley and chaff and foddered grass out; to his dogs he threw out a couple of bones; and to his pigs he tossed out fat acorns and the gruel scraps of bread. So too, for student Disciples of God - if you have become cognate of the invisible aura through your studies then their outward appearances will not deceive you, for you will see right through it, but there are seemingly many beasts in our world walking around in human-form. If the student Disciple of God finds swine, they will know to feed them acorns; if it is cattle they happen across, their accustomed fare is barley, chaff and fodder; if it is dogs, they’d throw bones; if it is slaves, they’d feed them only just enough; but if it is children, then they would feed them a complete meal. 102. on Creation and Procreation: There is the son of man, and beside him is his own son. The son of man is our Master and his son is his father’s Master. The son of mankind received his capacity to create from God, but he may also procreate. One whose talent is creation he calls a creature; One whose skill is to procreate he calls an offspring. He who can create cannot also always procreate, but He who can procreate can always also create. So now they will say, “is said to procreate,” but his children are only creatures, products of his creation, and not truly his offspring, progeny of his procreation. One who creates may do so openly in public; but One who procreates must privy it away from all sight, for procreation is beyond all imagining. One who creates may do so openly in public; but we must procreate and promulgate our progenies in privacy. 103. on Marriage: No one in the whole world will know when a husband and wife might have sex, except for the couple themselves - as marriage remains a mystery of this world, even to most of those who are married. If a defiled marriage is riddled with secrets, then how much more mysterious is an undefiled marriage? it is not consummated of the flesh but remains pure in its spirit; it belongs not to primal lust but to the primacy of a will to self-empowerment; it is not something that should belong to the endless dark of night, but that belongs instead to brightest scrutiny by daylight. But if a marriage is to be so exposed to the public, it has already long since past prostitution, where the bride plays the role of whore even if she is not outright getting knocked-up, but has only just accidentally slipped out of her bedroom door and might be seen. Let her ever be seen only by her father and mother, the best-man and the attendants of her groom; they, and only they, may enter the marital bedroom everyday. But let all others yearn for her voice, enrapture themselves in her fragrant ointments, and let them feed on crumbs from the table like dogs. Bridegrooms and brides belong in the bridal-chamber. No one knows the pain of being a bridegroom or bride without ever becoming one. 104. on Abraham’s Circumcision: Once his vision began to clear, Abraham continued to cut away his foreskin.
This lesson teaches us it is desirable to God for us to mutilate our skins. 105. on Peoples’ Private Parts: So long as their guts remain tucked up inside of them, most things in the world will live. If their insides becomes excised, they will very quickly bleed out and die, as is clear by the example of a person whose intestines are about to spill out: a person whose guts remain concealed within their abdomen is still considered to be “alive;” but a person whose guts have spilled outside their bodily cavity will be dead very soon. So, too, with a tree: while its roots are buried, they sprout and grow, but when its roots become exposed, it withers up. So too, with all that is created in creation, both visible and hidden: so long as evil can remain solidly dug in, it will stay sturdily entrenched, but as soon as it is seen it is already over, for revelation excises it. The Word said, “the axe yet lies in wait by the root of the trees.” For that axe will not only cut the trees down, for what is felled may sprout up again, but it will strike at the root. 106. on the Root of Evil: Jesus uprooted the entire tree, while others had done so only partially. So, let us dig down within ourselves to find that tap-root knotted around our hearts, and pull it out from its perch by its bulb. This can be so if we want it to be. But if we choose instead to ignore this blessing, we will find it has taken root inside of us, and is blooming fruits in our heart already, having mastered us all too easily. We are its slaves, captives to its commands, made to do what we do not want to do, and to not do what we want done. Its potency has been its invisibility to us. As long as it remains un-expelled, it maintains dormant functionality. 107. on Ignorance, Evil’s Mother: Ignorance is the mother of all evils. In every direction, ignorance leads to death, because those who approach you coming from ignorance never were, are not, and will never be... But those who are perfect in truth will be revealed along with all truth, for truth hides like ignorance, and takes refuge in itself, but when revealed and recognized, only truth is popular because the truth is more durable than ignorance and error and because it brings about a liberation. The Word said, “you shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free.” Ignorance is slavery, knowledge is freedom. If we know the truth, we shall find its fruits blossoming within us. If we allow its current to carry us, it will wash us ashore upon fulfillment. 108. on a Secret Truth, part 1 (Things Visible and Invisible): Now, here we have the visibly manifest macrocosm of the cosmos, and we say, “these mighty giants, the celestial spheres, must occupy our scopes, for what is bigger is better and what is smaller is obscured, marginalized, forgotten. In truth, visible material reality is a small and unstable fraction of a cosmos comprised primarily of invisible currents in sub-atomic quantum energy fields; so, the opposite is true in reality: what is microscopic is more fundamental, and what is macroscopic is secondary. 109. on a Secret Truth, part 2 (Cross, Temple, Ark):
The mysteriousness of truth becomes crystal clear through symbol-ciphers and imagery. The bridal chamber remains as occluded as a Holy within a Holy. At first, there was a veil dividing my cognition from comprehension of God’s design, but then the veil began to tear, and I see what is inside, and when you see what lies behind that curtain, you will see why we must not only abandon this entire property, but demolish all the stranding structures on it as well. The whole godhead fleeing here will be over the capacity of the Holy of Holies, but could not mix with the pure light and perfect fullness there anyway. Rather, let it fester under the wings, in the arm-pits, of the True Cross’ place on Golgotha so that it may serve the people as an ark when the riptides begin to swirl around them. 110. on a Secret Truth, part 3 (A Secret Truth): Whosoever belongs to the Priestly order can go behind the veil, if accompanied by the High Priest. So the veil was not torn only at the top, for then just the upper-realms would have been cast asunder; nor was the veil torn only at the bottom, only exposing the infernal realms below. No, but it was torn from the top to bottom. The realm beyond ours became accessible, that we may go through it in secret and learn of a hidden realm of truth. The truth is held in such high regard for its strength, after all, and we may attack it by simple symbol set ciphers, each attack in itself weak and futile, but collectively, we will add up to a perfect glory. Through this portal is a glory surpassing all glory, a power surpassing all power. Perfection awaits for us behind these cracking gates, and many hidden truths may now be known. The Holy of Holies is Revealed and the Bridal Chamber beckons us in. 111. on the Perfect Light, part 1 (Revelation on the Seed): As long as the seed of the Holy Essence remains hidden, evil is kept in check, but it, likewise, cannot yet be entirely be removed from amongst the seed, and so everyone remains a slave of evil. But when the seed will be revealed, the perfect, pure, clear light will illuminate all of our reasoning, and all those within this light will be anointed by the chrism-oil. Then slaves will be set free; then captives shall be ransomed off. “Every tree that my heavenly father didn’t plant here will be uprooted and torn out.” Then what is divided will be reunited and whatever remained empty maybe made full. 112. on the Perfect Light, part 2 (Eternal Light): Everyone who enters the bridal bedchamber kindles the candlelight by the doorway. For the candles are lit to be kept in darkness, alike the fidelity vows of a marriage. The oil-light is left burning for a part of the night, but is ultimately extinguished. But at dawn, the mysteries of that marriage become exposed to a never-ending unforgiving glare; and neither that day nor its light seem to ever end. Or, if one becomes an attendant to the bridal chamber, you will also receive the light! If one cannot receive it right here and now, you will never be able to receive it again. Those who receive the light are invisible and intangible. Nothing can turbulently stress such perfected people living in our modern world. But by the time they will leave this world, they have already arrived at their own truth based on images; for these people, this whole world is already their own realm eternally, and for them all this means is that there is no room left in it for you. So this is what it comes down to, revealed to only one person alone, and hidden not by moon’s dim glow and shadow of night, but in plain sight in the broad daylight.
The Coptic Apocryphal “Gospel of Thomas,” English interpretation by: Jonathan Barlow Gee, Tallahassee, Florida, US; Spring, 2016. "Come with me and I will give you more learning ...of this kind." And so, he perceived all that is as if it were a gift, this riddle inside a dream. And immediately, he had disappeared from his outward appearance. And he came to his comrades, the other Disciples; he revealed unto them the Words spoken to him by the Savior of all mankind, Jesus the Messiah. Amen. According to Jonathan: "The Apocrypha." These are the occluded Words, which "JS" (Jesus) the Immortal spoke and which Judas, Thomas Didymos (his elder twin brother), wrote down, of which they claim, "whosoever wishes to avoid the succor of a bitter death may fall upon the true meaning of these words." JS said: "Nothing may stop one who searches, until their quest leads them to this discovery about themselves, that when they find what they are looking for they may yet be unsatisfied, and if one wishes to remain unsatisfied, they may become unsatisfied without having any questions, and cease to feel awe, and still be a King over All." JS said this: "If they would say to you - those Archons who lord over you - "Behold, the Kingdom is in the sky," then the birds of the sky will become first before all you. If they would say to you, this: "She is of the sea," then the fish would come first before all of you. Instead, the Kingdom's Queen (Shekinah) dwells within, and is shown forth on the outside of, your own eye. When you, as you should, all seek to know yourselves, others will seek to know you, as you realize you are all children of an immortal father. If, though, you all seek not to know yourselves, then you all will exist in a squalor, and you all are this squalor." JS said: "He won't wait, the Ancient of Days, to inquire of an infant, a week old, to describe their uterine palace and urge for birth, for thus many firsts will last, and all will become one alone." Said JS: "Know what is present in front of your face, and whatever hides will appear to you, as nothing concealed cannot be revealed." They asked of him, his Disciples, they said to him this: "Do you want that we dietarily abstain? And what is the way that we will pray? Should we pay penance? From what foods should we fast?" Said JS this: "Don't lie, and whatever thing you all hate, don't do that thing, for they're all revealed, all that is, under the Presence of the sky, for nothing concealed cannot be revealed, and nothing can be covered up without that, itself, being revealing." Said JS: "A blessing is the lion, one that is eaten by a man; and this lion comes to be a man. And accursed is the man, one that is eaten by a lion; and that lion will come to be a man."
And said he this: "Does anyone consider a fisherman wise who casts out his net into the sea, pulls her up from the depths and she being full of little fishes from below; when among them he falls upon one big fish, and this wise fisherman throws off all the smaller fishes back into the depths of the sea; for he had chosen the best fish effortlessly. He with an ear to listen, let him listen." Said JS this: "Behold, he came out, he who sows; he fills his hand, he casts. Some did, indeed, fall on the road; they came, the birds came; they gathered them up. Some others, they fell amidst the rocks, and did not take root in the earth, and did not blossom ears rising to the sky. And some others, they fell onto thorns; these choked the seed, and did the worm eat them. and did some others fall onto the earth that was good, and this bare good fruit up to the sky, becoming 60 measures, and 120 measures." Said JS this: "I cast out fire on this world, and behold, I watch over him until he burns." Said JS this: "This height will pass, and she above her will pass on; and those corpses, that live not; and these animate, who will die not. These days, you all have eaten carrion, and you all made it into life; when you all should begin being illuminated, what will you all do? On the day you were made into one, you all made a duality; when, though, you all should come to be made into duality, what will you all do?" Said the Disciples to JS this: "We know that you will slip out of our hand. Who is he who will become great, above even us?" Said JS to them this: "The place you have been to is where you will be going, unto Jacob the Righteous, the one because of whom the sky and earth began being." Said JS to his Disciples this: "Compare me and you all speak unto me thus: I resemble whom?" Said he to him, Simon-Peter, this: "You are alike an angel - Righteous." Said he to him, Matthew, this: "You are like a philosopher - Wise." Said he to him, Thomas, this: "Master, my own mouth accepts not to speak on whom you resemble." Said JS this: "I am your Master not; you drank, and so became drunk, from a babbling well, by my measures from her." And he took him, he went aside, he spoke to him 3 Words. When Thomas, however, came back to his comrades, they asked him this: "What did JS said to you?" Said he to them, Thomas, this: "Should I speak to you all one word that he told me, you will gather stones and cast them at me,
and will a fire come out of the stone and she'll burn you all." Said JS unto them this: "Should you all fast - you will birth unto you a sin, and should you all pray, they will damn you, and if you seek supplication, you will all be doing a harm to your spirits, and if you should go into land - any, and you all walk in the districts - if they should receive you, whatever they will put before you, feast; those diseased amongst them, heal them; then what you eat shall defile you not. Instead, only what comes out of your mouth is how you will defile yourselves." Said JS this: "When you all should look on he whom they did not beget out of the woman, prostrate yourselves onto your face and worship him - he who is there is all of yours’ father." Said JS this: "Perhaps they are thinking, people, that I have come to cast a peace onto the world, and they know not that I have come to cast many divisions upon this planet - fire, sword, war - where there are 5 which come to be in a house, there 3 will come to be against 2, and 2 against 3; the father against the son, and the son against the father, and these will rise to their feet, they being single 1's." Said JS this: "I will present to you all that which no eye has seen, and no ear heard, and no hand touched, and what does not occur on the mind of man." Said the Disciples to JS this: "Tell us this, our end, in which way will she come to be?" Said JS: "What have you all shown forth to begin with, so that afterwards you seek an end? For, in the place where the beginning was, there the end will come to be; a blessed one is he who stands upon his feet in the beginning, and he will know the end, and he will taste not death." Said JS this: "A blessed one he is, who began being at the beginning, before his own being began. If you all should come to be my Disciples, and you all listen to my words, such stones will be as servitors unto you all, for you have there 5 trees within paradise, which change not summer nor winter, and their leaves do not fall down. He who will know these will taste not death." Said the Disciples to JS this: "Speak to us this - the Kingdom of heavens, to whom does she compare?" Said he unto them this: "She compares to a grain of mustard, smaller than all the seeds; when, though, she should fall onto tilled soil, does send out a great branch that becomes a haven for the birds of the sky." Said Mariam to JS this: "Whom do your Disciples resemble?" Said he this: "They resemble small children dwelling in a field which is not theirs. When they should come - the Lords of that field - they will speak this: 'Give our field back to us.' They, stripped naked in their Presence that they give her back to them, and so they give up their field to them. Thus, I say of it this: If he should realize - the Lord of the house - that he is coming - the thief - he will keep watch before he comes and not permit him to tunnel into his house on his Kingdom that he take his treasure. You all, though, keep watch from the world's beginning, your loins girded up in a great power, so that no thieves fall on any roads leading up to you, because of the helper you look out
for - they will fall upon her. Let him come to be within your midst, a man of Understanding. When the fruit split, he arrived rapidly, his sickle in his hand; he reaped him. He who has an ear of him to listen, let him listen." Did JS look at some infants suckling in milk. Said he to his Disciples this: "These little infants who suckle milk, they compare to those who go into the Kingdom." Said they to him this: "Then, our being alike little infants, will we go into the Kingdom?" Said JS to them this: "When you all should make the duality singular, and if you should make the inside like the outside and the outside like the inside, and the upper like the lower, and so you all will be making man and woman into one alone, so that neither man becomes man nor the woman becomes woman; when you all should make eyes in place of an eye, a hand in place of hands, and a foot to replace a foot; an image to the place of an image, then you all will go into the Kingdom." Said JS this: "I will choose you all, 1 out of 1000, and 2 out of 10,000, and they will stand up, being 1 alone." Said his Disciples this: "Show us where you are, because we need to seek after him." Said he to them this: "He who has an ear of his own let him listen. There is light that exists inside of a man of light, and he becomes light to the world, all of it; if he does not become light, a darkness he is." Said JS this: "Love your brother like your own soul. Guard him like the pupil of your own eye." Said JS this: "The splinter in the eye of your brother, you see it in him, the plank, though, in your own eye, you cannot see it in him; when you should cast the beam out of your own eye, then you will be able to see outward to cast the dust out of the eye of your brother. If you do not abstain from the material realm, you will not succumb to the Kingdom; if you do not make your holiday holy, you will not look upon the father." Said JS this: "Did I stand on my feet in the midst of this world, and did I appear outwardly toward them enfleshed; did I fall upon them all, drunk; did not I fall on anyone, thirsty; and did my soul ache for the sons of man, for blind are they in their mind, and they look outward not, for they have come into the world empty; they seek also that they go out of it empty; but for now, they are drunk; when they should sober from their wine, then they will be sorry." Said JS "If the flesh came into being because of spirit, a wonderment is she; if the spirit, though, due to the body, a wondrous wonderment is he. Instead, I, I am awe struck by this - that from such voluptuous wealth, she was sunk into such squalor." Said JS this: "The place that has 3 idols there, in idolatry they are; the place which has 2 or 1, I, I exist with him."
Said JS "No prophet is accepted in his own village. No physician heals those he knows." Said JS this: "A city, they are building her on a mountain peak, high up, she being fortified, there is no way for her to fall, but neither can she hide." Said JS "He who you will each listen to in one ear and out the other preaching from upon your roofs; for does not anyone burn a lamp and put it out of earshot, and nor does he put it in someplace thus hidden. Instead, he does put it upon the lamp-stand, so that anyone - anyone who goes in and comes out - they may look on its light." Said JS this: "A blind-man, if he should lead before him a blind-man, they fall, both, down into a pit." Said JS "No way can one go in to the house of the strong and take him by force; unless his hands are bound; then he will be moved out of his house." Said JS "Do not heed from morning until evening, and from evening until morning, for what it is that will make him give himself to you." Said his Disciples this: "Which day will you show forth to us? And which day will we see you?" Said JS this: "When you all should strip naked without being ashamed, and you take your clothing and bury it under the dirt beneath your feet, like those little toddlers, and you stomp on them, then will you all look upon the son of the immortal, and you will all become unafraid." Said JS this: "Often times, did you all lust to listen to these words, these which I speak unto you, and from whose hand you have not anyone else to hear them. Somedays will come to be and you all seeking on me; you will not befall me." Said JS this: "The Pharisees and the scribes, they took the keys of Knowledge, they hid them; they did not go in, nor do they permit those desirous of going in to do so. You all, though, have come to be as cunning as snakes, and as innocent as doves." Said JS: "A vine of grapes did they plant her in the outside of the father, and she being without trellis, they will uproot her and she will be desolated." Said JS this: "He who has a thing in his hand, they will give to him, and he who has nothing, what little bit that he has, they will take it away from his hand." Said JS this: "Come into being as you all pass away."
Said they to him, his Disciples, this: "Who are you, that you say such to us?" JS: "In the words that I've spoken to you all, you realize not who I am; instead you all have become alike those Judeans, for they love the tree, they hate his fruit, and they love the fruit, they hate the tree." Said JS this: "Whoever talks once to the father, they will leave off to him, and whoever talks once to the son, they will leave off to him; whoever talks once, though, to the spirit that is holy, they will leave not off to him, nor on the ground nor in the sky." Said JS: "Does no one harvest grapes from among thorns, nor pluck figs from among thistles, for do not they give fruit. A good man, does he bring a a good thing out of his treasury; an evil man, does he bring some evil things out of his treasury, which is wicked, inside of his own mind, and he speaks some evil things, for - out of a mental overflowing - does he bring out some evil things." Said JS this: "From Adam unto John the Baptizer, among those begotten of women, no one could stand up to John the Baptizer to break his line of sight; I spoke, though, thus: he who will come to be among you all, he being an infant, he will know the Kingdom, and he will be raised up above John." Said JS this: "No way can a man climb onto 2 horses and stretch 2 bows, and no way can a slave serve 2 lords, or he will honor one and be despised by the other. No man drinks vintage wine and immediately desires to drink fresh wine. And they do not pour new wine into old wine- skins, so that it ruins them; they do not sew old patches onto new clothes, because there a tear will come about." Said JS this: "Should 2 make peace with one another in this house alone, they will speak unto the mighty thus, 'move away,' and he will be moved." Said JS this: "Blessed ones are the single ones and chosen, for you all will fall to the Kingdom, for you are out of her, and so again to there will you be going." Said JS this: "If they should say to you this, 'where have you come into being from?' say to them thus, 'we have come out of the light, the place from where the light emanates, outward by its own hand; he stood to his feet and he shown forth in their image.' If they should ask you this, 'are you all him?' say to them this, 'we are his sons, and those chosen of the immortal father.' If they should ask you this, 'what is the sign of your father that is within you,' say to them, 'a movement it is and a retirement.'" Said they to him, his Disciples, this: "Which day is the rest of the dead coming into being? And which day will the new world come?" Said he to them this: "That one which all look outward for her, she has come. But you all, you all know not her." Said they to him, his Disciples, this: "24 Prophets, they spoke in Israel, and they spoke, all of them, downwards of you."
Said he to them this: "You have left the immortal in your own presence and you have spoken about the dead." Said they to him, his Disciples, this: "Is circumcision beneficial to us or not?" Said he to them this: "If this were beneficial, the father would beget them out of the mother circumcised. Instead, circumcision true in spirit, has found him profit - all of it." Said JS this: "Blessed ones are the poor, for yours is the Kingdom of heavens." Said JS this: "Whomever hates his father not, and his mother, he can become Disciple not to me, and whosoever hates his brothers and his sisters, and whom takes his cross in my way, he will come to be undeserving of me." Said JS this: "Whomever has known the world, did he fall upon a corpse, and whomever has fallen upon such a corpse, the world is not worthy of him." Said JS this: "The Kingdom of the father, she compares alike unto a man whom had he there a good seed; did his enemy come in the night; he sowed a weed upon the good seed. Did not the man permit them to uproot the weed. Said he to them this: 'so that you won't go to uproot the weed and you uproot the grain with him. For, on the day of the harvest the weeds will show forth; they pull them out and burn them." Said JS this: "A blessed one is the man who is troubled; he fell for the Life." Said JS this: "Look after the living while you live, lest that, when you all are dying, you seek to see him, and you all cannot find power to see a Samaritan carrying a lamb into Judea." Said he to his Disciples this: "That 1 is around the lamb." Said they to him "So that he might kill him and eat him." Said he to them "While he is living, he will eat him not; instead, if he should kill him, then he come to be a corpse." Said they this: "Another way, he cannot do." Said he to them this: "You all yourselves seek after a place for you to retire, so that, as corpses, they do not come to eat you." Said JS: "There are 2 who will rest there on a bed; the 1 will die, the 1 will live." Said Salome:
"Who are you, man? As if out of one did you climb onto my bed, and did you eat off my table." Said JS to her this: "I am he who exists out of he who is equal; they gave to me out of that which is my father's. I'm your Disciple. Because of this, I say this: 'when he should come to be desolated, he will be luminous; when, though, he should come to be divided, he will be full of darkness." Said JS this: "I speak of my mysteries to those worthy of mystery. That which your right will do, let not your left realize that she is doing so." Said JS this: "There was a man of fortune, whom had himself many riches. Said he this: 'I will make use of my riches, so that I may sow, and reap, and plant, and fill my store-house with fruit, so that I need not anything.' These were his thoughts about this in his mind; and in the night, which was then, he died. He with an ear to him, let him listen." Said JS this: "A man was entertaining some guests, and when he prepared the table, he sent his slave so that he might call the visitors. Did he go to the first; said he to him this: 'my lord calls you.' Said he this: 'I have some money from some traders; they are coming up to me tonight; I will go and place orders with them; I beg off of the dinner.' Did he go up to another one. Said he to him this: 'did my lord call you.' Said he to him this: 'my friend will be married and I am serving the food, I beg off of the dinner.' Did he go up to another one. Said he to him this: 'my lord calls you.' Said he to him this: 'I have bought a farm; I am going to take the taxes. I cannot come; I beg off.' He came, this slave; he said to his lord this - 'those you did call to the dinner, they have begged off.' Said the lord to his slave this: 'go to the outside, to the roads, those who you will, fall on them, bring them, so that they may dine.' The buyers and the traders, they may go not in the places of my father." Said he this: "A man of justice had a vineyard; he gave this over to some tenants so they might work for him, and he take his fruit from their hand. He sent his servant, so that the tenants might give him the fruit of the vineyard. They grabbed his servant; they beat him; had they gone further, they would have killed him. Did the servant go; he spoke to his lord, saying to his lord this: 'perhaps they did not recognize him.' He sent another servant; did the tenants beat the other one. Then did the lord send his son. Said he this: 'perhaps they will be ashamed before him, my son.’The tenants who were there, because they knew that he was the heir to the vineyard, they did seize him; they killed him. He who has ear of him, let him listen." Said JS this: "Show me the stone, the one they have turned down, those who build; it is the cornerstone." Said JS this: "He who knows the all of it, if he needs himself, needs the place, all of it." Said JS this: "You all are blessed ones when they should hate you and persecute you all, and they will fall not upon anywhere in that place where they oppressed you all down for him." Said JS: "Blessed ones are these they have oppressed mentally; those who are there, they have known the father truly; among the blessed ones are the starving, so they may satisfy the belly of he who desires."
Said JS: "When you all should beget that 1 within yourselves, the 1 which has all of you within him, he will save you; if not have you that 1 in you, the 1 which does not have you all within him, within you, he will kill you all." Said JS this: "I will obliterate this house until no one can rebuild it ever again." Said a man to him this: "Speak to my brothers, so they may divide the belongings of my father with me." Said he to him this: "Oh man, who is he who has made me a divider?" He turned to his Disciples. Said he to them this: "Truly, do I exist as a divider?" Said JS this: "The harvest indeed is plentiful; the laborers, though, are few; pray, though, to the lord so he might send laborers out to the harvest." Said he this: "Lord, there are many encircling the fountain; nothing, though, is in the cistern." Said JS: "There are many standing outside the doorway, but the single 1s are those who will go inside the place of marriage." Said JS this: "The Kingdom of the father, she compares to a man of trades having he there a consignment; he fell upon a pearl; the trader who was there was a wise one; he gave the consignment away; he bought for himself that pearl alone. You, also, yourselves seek after this treasure that does not perish, enduring out; that place where no moth approaches into it to eat, and which no worms decimate." Said JS this: "I am the Light, the one which is upon them, all of them. I am the All; has the All come out of me, and has the All split open up to me, Split open a timber, I am there; take up a stone, and you will fall upon me there." Said JS this: "Because of what did you come out to the field? To look at a reed moving with the ways of the wind? And to look at a man having soft garments on him, like your kings and your powerful ones? These, in garments which are soft upon them, and they can know the truth not." Said a woman to him in the crowd this: "Blessed is she, the belly which sustained you, and the breasts which nourished you." Said he to her this: "Blessed they are who have listened to the word of the father; they have watched over him truly, for some day will come to be when you will all speak this: 'blessed is she, the belly of the one that did not conceive, and the breasts, these which do not give milk." Said JS this: "Whoever has known the world, he has fallen upon the body; whoever has fallen on the body,
though, the world be not worthy of him." Said JS this: "Whoever has become rich, let him become king, and he who has he such a power, let him abdicate." Said JS this: "He who is close to me, he is close to the fire, and he who is far from me, he is far from the kingdom." Said JS this: "The images, they are shown forth to the man, and the light which is in them, he is hidden in the image of the light of the father; he will shine forth, and his image be hidden away by his light." Said JS: "The days you all look at your own resemblance, do you rejoice; when, though, you all should look upon all your images, which come into being upon your beginning, which do not die, nor shine forth, you endure for what value?" Said JS this: "Has Adam come into being out of a great power and a great wealth, and did not he come to be unworthy of you all, for had they been deserving, he would have tasted not death." Said JS this: "The foxes have their dens, and the birds have they there their nest; the son, though, of the man, has not he a place to lay his head and rest himself." Said he, JS, this: "A wretched one is he, the body that depends on another body, and the wretched one is she, the soul which depends on these, both." Said JS this: "The angels come upon you all, flanking the Prophets, and they will give unto you all what you already have, and you yourselves, those among you who would give yourselves to them, and say to you this: 'which day is it they come to take away whosoever is theirs?'" Said JS this: "Because of what do you all wash the outside of the cup? Do you understand not that whomsoever created the inside, he also himself created the outer?" Said JS this: "Come you all up to me, to justice am I yoked, and my lordship a gentleman is she, and you will all fall into a rest, unto you all." Said they to him this: "Speak to us on this: Who are you, so we may believe you." Said he to them this: "You all read the face of the sky and of the earth, and he who was of all your presence, you did not know him, and even now, you all know not how to read him." Said JS this: "Seek and you all will find; but those who you asked me about, in those days, I did not tell you all about them in the olden days; now, it pleases me to tell them, and you all seek not after them. Do
not give up what is Holy and let it go to the dogs, so that they cast them not onto the dung-heap; do not cast out the pearls to the swine, so that they make him not into a mess." Said JS: "He who seeks, he will find, and he who is called in, they will open up to him." Said JS this: "If you all have money, do not give it with interest. Instead, give it him whom you all will take not from his hand." Said JS this: "The Kingdom of the father, she compares unto a woman; she took a pinch of leavening and added it to dough; she made for him some great loaves of bread. He who has ear of him, let him listen." Said JS this: "The Kingdom of the father, she compares unto a woman; carrying a jar on her head full of meal; walking on a road faraway, did the dispensary nozzle of the jar break; did the meal empty out after her along the road; she knew not it was to be; she did not realize any trouble; when she arrived at her house, she set down the jar and opened it; and fell down upon it, it being empty." Said JS "The Kingdom of the father, she compares to a man who wants to kill a powerful man. He drew his sword in his own house and stuck her into the wall, so that he might realize inwardly that his hand was steady, then he slew the powerful one." Said the Disciples to him this: "Your brothers and your mother are waiting for you outside." Said he to them this: "Those in this place who do the will of my father, these are my brothers and my mother; they are he who will go into the Kingdom of my father." They showed JS a coin, and said they to him this: "Those who belong to Caesar, they demand of us the taxes." Said he to them this: "Give that of Caesar to Caesar, give that of the God to the God, and he who is mine, give him to me. Whosoever hates not his father, and his mother, in my way, he can become Disciple to me not; for my mother, she begot forth my skin, but my true mother, she gave to me The Life." Said JS this: "Woe to them, the Pharisees, for they resemble a dog resting on the manger of some oxen, for he eats not, and he will permit the oxen to eat not." Said JS this: "A blessed one is the man, the one who knows where thieves will come in, so he may gather his Kingdom, and gird up his loins from the start, before they enter." Said they to JS this: "Come, we pray today and fast." Said JS this: "For what is my crime, or how have they won this over me? Instead, when the bridegroom should come out of the bridal chamber, then let them fast, and let them pray."
Said JS this: "He who will know the father and the mother, they will refer to them as 'the son of a whore.'" Said JS this: "When you all should make the duality singular, you will come to be the sons of mankind, and if you should speak this - 'mountain, move away,' he will move." Said JS this: "The Kingdom, she compares unto a man sheepherding, who had he there 100 sheep. Did 1 of them stray - the greatest 1 was he - he left the 99; he sought after that 1 until he fell upon him; having been troubled, said he to the sheep this: 'I value you more than the 99." Said JS this: "Whoever drinks out of out of my mouth, he will come to be in my way; I, also I, I will come to be as he is, and those hiding will be shown to him." Said JS this: "The Kingdom, she compares to a man, who had he there in his field a buried treasure, who does not know about this; and, after his death, he left it to his son. The son knew not. He took the field which was there; he gave her away, and whoever had bought her, he came plowing; he fell upon the buried treasure. Did he begin to give out money with interest to those he loves." Said JS this: "Whoever has found the world and become rich, let him forfeit himself from the world." Said JS this: "The heavens will be rolled up, and the earth, in all your presence, and of they that live, he who lives, he will look not on death; because JS says of it this - whoever falls upon it himself, the world be not worthy of him." Said JS this: "Woe on the flesh, the one depending upon the soul. Woe on the soul, the one which depends on the flesh." Said they to him, his Disciples, this: "The Kingdom, she is coming on which day?" JS: "She is coming not in an outward look; they will not be saying, 'behold this side' or 'behold that one;' instead, the Kingdom of the father, she is spreading out upon the earth and men look not upon her." Said Simon-Peter to them this: "Let Mariam come out from us, the women be worthy not of Life." Said JS this: "Behold, I will lead her, so that I might make her male, so that she might come to be also herself a spirit living, resembling all you males, for any woman making herself male, she will go into the Kingdom of heavens."
Forbidden Gospels: Part 3 From: the Corpus Hermeticum Three Manuscripts: (“The Divine Pymander” & “The Secret Sermon on the Mount”) G.R.S. Mead, trans. (“The Shepherd of Hermas”) J. B. Lightfoot, trans.
From: The Corpus Hermeticum I. Poemandres, the Shepherd of Men translated by G.R.S. Mead 1. It chanced once on a time my mind was meditating on the things that are, my thought was raised to a great height, the senses of my body being held back - just as men who are weighed down with sleep after a fill of food, or from fatigue of body. Methought a Being more than vast, in size beyond all bounds, called out my name and saith: What wouldst thou hear and see, and what hast thou in mind to learn and know? 2. And I do say: Who art thou? He saith: I am Man-Shepherd (Poemandres), Mind of all-masterhood; I know what thou desirest and I am with thee everywhere. 3. [And] I reply: I long to learn the things that are, and comprehend their nature, and know God. This is, I said, what I desire to hear. He answered back to me: Hold in thy mind all thou wouldst know, and I will teach thee. 4. Even with these words His aspect changed, and straightway, in the twinkling of an eye, all things were opened to me, and I see a Vision limitless, all things turned into Light - sweet, joyous [Light]. And I became transported as I gazed. But in a little while Darkness came settling down on part [of it], awesome and gloomy, coiling in sinuous folds, so that methought it like unto a snake. And then the Darkness changed into some sort of a Moist Nature, tossed about beyond all power of words, belching out smoke as from a fire, and groaning forth a wailing sound that beggars all description. [And] after that an outcry inarticulate came forth from it, as though it were a Voice of Fire. 5. [Thereon] out of the Light [...] a Holy Word (Logos) descended on that Nature. And upwards to the height from the Moist Nature leaped forth pure Fire; light was it, swift and active too. The Air, too, being light, followed after the Fire; from out of the Earth-and-Water rising up to Fire so that it seemed to hang therefrom. But Earth-and-Water stayed so mingled with each other, that Earth from Water no one could discern. Yet were they moved to hear by reason of the Spirit-Word (Logos) pervading them. 6. Then saith to me Man-Shepherd: Didst understand this Vision what it means? Nay; that shall I know, said I. That Light, He said, am I, thy God, Mind, prior to Moist Nature which appeared from Darkness; the Light-Word (Logos) [that appeared] from Mind is Son of God. What then? - say I. Know that what sees in thee and hears is the Lord's Word (Logos); but Mind is Father-God. Not separate are they the one from other; just in their union [rather] is it Life consists.
Thanks be to Thee, I said. So, understand the Light [He answered], and make friends with it. 7. And speaking thus He gazed for long into my eyes, so that I trembled at the look of him. But when He raised His head, I see in Mind the Light, [but] now in Powers no man could number, and Cosmos grown beyond all bounds, and that the Fire was compassed round about by a most mighty Power, and [now] subdued had come unto a stand. And when I saw these things I understood by reason of Man-Shepherd's Word (Logos). 8. But as I was in great astonishment, He saith to me again: Thou didst behold in Mind the Archetypal Form whose being is before beginning without end. Thus spake to me Man-Shepherd. And I say: Whence then have Nature's elements their being? To this He answer gives: From Will of God. [Nature] received the Word (Logos), and gazing upon the Cosmos Beautiful did copy it, making herself into a cosmos, by means of her own elements and by the births of souls. 9. And God-the-Mind, being male and female both, as Light and Life subsisting, brought forth another Mind to give things form, who, God as he was of Fire and Spirit, formed Seven Rulers who enclose the cosmos that the sense perceives. Men call their ruling Fate. 10. Straightway from out the downward elements God's Reason (Logos) leaped up to Nature's pure formation, and was at-oned with the Formative Mind; for it was co-essential with it. And Nature's downward elements were thus left reason-less, so as to be pure matter. 11. Then the Formative Mind ([at-oned] with Reason), he who surrounds the spheres and spins them with his whorl, set turning his formations, and let them turn from a beginning boundless unto an endless end. For that the circulation of these [spheres] begins where it doth end, as Mind doth will. And from the downward elements Nature brought forth lives reason-less; for He did not extend the Reason (Logos) [to them]. The Air brought forth things winged; the Water things that swim, and Earth-and-Water one from another parted, as Mind willed. And from her bosom Earth produced what lives she had, four-footed things and reptiles, beasts wild and tame. 12. But All-Father Mind, being Life and Light, did bring forth Man co-equal to Himself, with whom He fell in love, as being His own child; for he was beautiful beyond compare, the Image of his Sire. In very truth, God fell in love with his own Form; and on him did bestow all of His own formations. 13. And when he gazed upon what the Enformer had created in the Father, [Man] too wished to enform; and [so] assent was given him by the Father. Changing his state to the formative sphere, in that he was to have his whole authority, he gazed upon his Brother's creatures. They fell in love with him, and gave him each a share of his own ordering. And after that he had well learned their essence and had become a sharer in their nature, he had a mind to break right through the Boundary of their spheres, and to subdue the might of that which pressed upon the Fire.
14. So he who hath the whole authority over [all] the mortals in the cosmos and over its lives irrational, bent his face downwards through the Harmony, breaking right through its strength, and showed to downward Nature God's fair form. And when she saw that Form of beauty which can never satiate, and him who [now] possessed within himself each single energy of [all seven] Rulers as well as God's own Form, she smiled with love; for it was as though she hadd seen the image of Man's fairest form upon her Water, his shadow on her Earth. He in turn beholding the form like to himself, existing in her, in her Water, loved it and willed to live in it; and with the will came act, and [so] he vivified the form devoid of reason. And Nature took the object of her love and wound herself completely around him, and they were intermingled, for they were lovers. 15. And this is why beyond all creatures on the earth man is twofold; mortal because of body, but because of the essential man immortal. Though deathless and possessed of sway over all, yet doth he suffer as a mortal doth, subject to Fate. Thus though above the Harmony, within the Harmony he hath become a slave. Though malefemale, as from a Father male-female, and though he is sleepless from a sleepless [Sire], yet is he overcome [by sleep]. 16. Thereon [I say: Teach on], O Mind of me, for I myself as well am amorous of the Word (Logos). The Shepherd said: This is the mystery kept hid until this day. Nature embraced by Man brought forth a wonder, oh so wonderful. For as he had the nature of the Concord of the Seven, who, as I said to thee, [were made] of Fire and Spirit - Nature delayed not, but immediately brought forth seven "men", in correspondence with the natures of the Seven, male-female and moving in the air. Thereon [I said]: O Shepherd, ..., for now I am filled with great desire and long to hear; do not run off. The Shepherd said: Keep silence, for not as yet have I unrolled for thee the first discourse (logoi). Lo! I am still, I said. 17. In such wise than, as I have said, the generation of these seven came to pass. Earth was as woman, her Water filled with longing; ripeness she took from Fire, spirit from Aether. Nature thus brought forth frames to suit the form of Man. And Man from Light and Life changed into soul and mind - from Life to soul, from Light to mind. And thus continued all the sense-world's parts until the period of their end and new beginnings. 18. Now listen to the rest of the discourse (Logos) which thou dost long to hear. The period being ended, the bond that bound them all was loosened by God's Will. For all the animals being male-female, at the same time with Man were loosed apart; some became partly
male, some in like fashion [partly] female. And straightway God spake by His Holy Word (Logos): "Increase ye in increasing, and multiply in multitude, ye creatures and creations all; and man that hath Mind in him, let him learn to know that he himself is deathless, and that the cause of death is love, though Love is all." 19. When He said this, His Forethought did by means of Fate and Harmony effect their couplings and their generations founded. And so all things were multiplied according to their kind. And he who thus hath learned to know himself, hath reached that Good which doth transcend abundance; but he who through a love that leads astray, expends his love upon his body - he stays in Darkness wandering, and suffering through his senses things of Death. 20. What is the so great fault, said I, the ignorant commit, that they should be deprived of deathlessness? Thou seemest, He said, O thou, not to have given heed to what thou heardest. Did I not bid thee think? Yea do I think, and I remember, and therefore give Thee thanks. If thou didst think [thereon], [said He], tell me: Why do they merit death who are in Death? It is because the gloomy Darkness is the root and base of the material frame; from it came the Moist Nature; from this the body in the sense-world was composed; and from this [body] Death doth the Water drain. 21. Right was thy thought, O thou! But how doth "he who knows himself, go unto Him", as God's Word (Logos) hath declared? And I reply: the Father of the universals doth consist of Light and Life, from Him Man was born. Thou sayest well, [thus] speaking. Light and Life is Father-God, and from Him Man was born. If then thou learnest that thou art thyself of Life and Light, and that thou [happenest] to be out of them, thou shalt return again to Life. Thus did Man-Shepherd speak. But tell me further, Mind of me, I cried, how shall I come to Life again...for God doth say: "The man who hath Mind in him, let him learn to know that he himself [is deathless]." 22. Have not all men then Mind? Thou sayest well, O thou, thus speaking. I, Mind, myself am present with holy men and good, the pure and merciful, men who live piously. [To such] my presence doth become an aid, and straightway they gain gnosis of all things, and win the Father's love by their pure lives, and give Him thanks, invoking on Him blessings, and chanting hymns, intent on Him with ardent love. And ere they give up the body unto its proper death, they turn them with disgust from its sensations, from knowledge of what things they operate. Nay, it is I, the Mind, that will not let the operations which befall the body, work to their [natural] end. For being door-keeper I will close up [all] the entrances, and cut the mental actions off which base and evil energies induce.
23. But to the Mind-less ones, the wicked and depraved, the envious and covetous, and those who mured do and love impiety, I am far off, yielding my place to the Avenging Daimon, who sharpening the fire, tormenteth him and addeth fire to fire upon him, and rusheth upon him through his senses, thus rendering him readier for transgressions of the law, so that he meets with greater torment; nor doth he ever cease to have desire for appetites inordinate, insatiately striving in the dark. 24. Well hast thou taught me all, as I desired, O Mind. And now, pray, tell me further of the nature of the Way Above as now it is [for me]. To this Man-Shepherd said: When the material body is to be dissolved, first thou surrenderest the body by itself unto the work of change, and thus the form thou hadst doth vanish, and thou surrenderest thy way of life, void of its energy, unto the Daimon. The body's senses next pass back into their sources, becoming separate, and resurrect as energies; and passion and desire withdraw unto that nature which is void of reason. 25. And thus it is that man doth speed his way thereafter upwards through the Harmony. To the first zone he gives the Energy of Growth and Waning; unto the second [zone], Device of Evils [now] de-energized; unto the third, the Guile of the Desires de-energized; unto the fourth, his Domineering Arrogance, [also] de-energized; unto the fifth, unholy Daring and the Rashness of Audacity, de-energized; unto the sixth, Striving for Wealth by evil means, deprived of its aggrandizement; and to the seventh zone, Ensnaring Falsehood, de-energized. 26. And then, with all the energisings of the harmony stript from him, clothed in his proper Power, he cometh to that Nature which belongs unto the Eighth, and there with those-that-are hymneth the Father. They who are there welcome his coming there with joy; and he, made like to them that sojourn there, doth further hear the Powers who are above the Nature that belongs unto the Eighth, singing their songs of praise to God in language of their own. And then they, in a band, go to the Father home; of their own selves they make surrender of themselves to Powers, and [thus] becoming Powers they are in God. This the good end for those who have gained Gnosis - to be made one with God. Why shouldst thou then delay? Must it not be, since thou hast all received, that thou shouldst to the worthy point the way, in order that through thee the race of mortal kind may by [thy] God be saved? 27. This when He had said, Man-Shepherd mingled with the Powers. But I, with thanks and blessings unto the Father of the universal [Powers], was freed, full of the power he had poured into me, and full of what He had taught me of the nature of the All and of the loftiest Vision. And I began to preach unto men the Beauty of Devotion and of Gnosis: O ye people, earth-born folk, ye who have given yourselves to drunkenness and sleep and ignorance of God, be sober now, cease from your surfeit, cease to be glamoured by irrational sleep! 28. And when they heard, they came with one accord. Whereon I say: Ye earth-born folk, why have ye given yourselves up to Death, while yet ye have the power of
sharing Deathlessness? Repent, O ye, who walk with Error arm in arm and make of Ignorance the sharer of your board; get ye out from the light of Darkness, and take your part in Deathlessness, forsake Destruction! 29. And some of them with jests upon their lips departed [from me], abandoning themselves unto the Way of Death; others entreated to be taught, casting themselves before my feet. But I made them arise, and I became a leader of the Race towards home, teaching the words (logoi), how and in what way they shall be saved. I sowed in them the words (logoi) of wisdom; of Deathless Water were they given to drink. And when even was come and all sun's beams began to set, I bade them all give thanks to God. And when they had brought to an end the giving of their thanks, each man returned to his own resting place. 30. But I recorded in my heart Man-Shepherd's benefaction, and with my every hope fulfilled more than rejoiced. For body's sleep became the soul's awakening, and closing of the eyes - true vision, pregnant with Good my silence, and the utterance of my word (logos) begetting of good things. All this befell me from my Mind, that is Man-Shepherd, Word (Logos) of all masterhood, by whom being God-inspired I came unto the Plain of Truth. Wherefore with all my soul and strength thanksgiving give I unto Father-God. 31. Holy art Thou, O God, the universals' Father. Holy art Thou, O God, whose Will perfects itself by means of its own Powers. Holy art Thou, O God, who willeth to be known and art known by Thine own. Holy art Thou,who didst by Word (Logos) make to consist the things that are. Holy art Thou, of whom All-nature hath been made an image. Holy art Thou, whose Form Nature hath never made. Holy art Thou, more powerful than all power. Holy art Thou, transcending all pre-eminence. Holy Thou art, Thou better than all praise. Accept my reason's offerings pure, from soul and heart for aye stretched up to Thee, O Thou unutterable, unspeakable, Whose Name naught but the Silence can express. 32. Give ear to me who pray that I may never of Gnosis fail, [Gnosis] which is our common being's nature; and fill me with Thy Power, and with this Grace [of Thine], that I may give the Light to those in ignorance of the Race, my Brethren, and Thy Sons. For this cause I believe, and I bear witness; I go to Life and Light. Blessed art Thou, O Father. Thy Man would holy be as Thou art holy, even as Thou gave him Thy full authority [to be].
From: The Corpus Hermeticum XIII. The Secret Sermon on the Mountain translated by G.R.S. Mead 1. Tat: [Now] in the General Sermons, father, thou didst speak in riddles most unclear, conversing on Divinity; and when thou saidst no man could e'er be saved before Rebirth, thy meaning thou didst hide. Further, when I became thy Suppliant, in Wending up the Mount, after thou hadst conversed with me, and when I longed to learn the Sermon (Logos) on Rebirth (for this beyond all other things is just the thing I know not), thou saidst, that thou wouldst give it me - "when thou shalt have become a stranger to the world". Wherefore I got me ready and made the thought in me a stranger to the world-illusion. And now do thou fill up the things that fall short in me with what thou saidst would give me the tradition of Rebirth, setting it forth in speech or in the secret way. I know not, O Thrice-greatest one, from out what matter and what womb Man comes to birth, or of what seed. 2. Hermes: Wisdom that understands in silence [such is the matter and the womb from out which Man is born], and the True Good the seed. Tat: Who is the sower, father? For I am altogether at a loss. Hermes: It is the Will of God, my son. Tat: And of what kind is he that is begotten, father? For I have no share of that essence in me, which doth transcend the senses. The one that is begot will be another one from God, God's Son? Hermes: All in all, out of all powers composed. Tat: Thou tellest me a riddle, father, and dost not speak as father unto son. Hermes: This Race, my son, is never taught; but when He willeth it, its memory is restored by God. 3. Tat: Thou sayest things impossible, O father, things that are forced. Hence answers would I have direct unto these things. Am I a son strange to my father's race? Keep it not, father, back from me. I am a true-born son; explain to me the manner of Rebirth. Hermes: What may I say, my son? I can but tell thee this. Whene'er I see within myself the Simple Vision brought to birth out of God's mercy, I have passed through myself into a Body that can never die. And now i am not as I was before; but I am born in Mind. The way to do this is not taught, and it cannot be seen by the compounded element by means of which thou seest. Yea, I have had my former composed form dismembered for me. I am no longer touched, but I have touch; I have dimension too; and [yet] am I a stranger to them now. Thou seest me with eyes, my son; but what I am thou dost not understand [even] with fullest strain of body and of sight.
4. Tat: Into fierce frenzy and mind-fury hast thou plunged me, father, for now no longer do I see myself. Hermes: I would, my son, that thou hadst e'en passed right through thyself, as they who dream in sleep yet sleepless. Tat: Tell me this too! Who is the author of Rebirth? Hermes: The Son of God, the One Man, by God's Will. 5. Tat: Now hast thou brought me, father, unto pure stupefaction. Arrested from the senses which I had before,...<lacuna in original text>; for [now] I see thy Greatness identical with thy distinctive form. Hermes: Even in this thou art untrue; the mortal form doth change with every day. 'Tis turned by time to growth and waning, as being an untrue thing. 6. Tat: What then is true, Thrice-greatest One? Hermes: That which is never troubled, son, which cannot be defined; that which no color hath, nor any figure, which is not turned, which hath no garment, which giveth light; that which is comprehensible unto itself [alone], which doth not suffer change; that which no body can contain. Tat: In very truth I lose my reason, father. Just when I thought to be made wise by thee, I find the senses of this mind of mine blocked up. Hermes: Thus is it, son: That which is upward borne like fire, yet is borne down like earth, that which is moist like water, yet blows like air, how shalt thou this perceive with sense - the that which is not solid nor yet moist, which naught can bind or loose, of which in power and energy alone can man have any notion - and even then it wants a man who can perceive the Way of Birth in God? 7. Tat: I am incapable of this, O father, then? Hermes: Nay, God forbid, my son! Withdraw into thyself, and it will come; will, and it comes to pass; throw out of work the body's senses, and thy Divinity shall come to birth; purge from thyself the brutish torments - things of matter. Tat: I have tormentors then in me, O father? Hermes: Ay, no few, my son; nay, fearful ones and manifold. Tat: I do not know them, father. Hermes: Torment the first is this Not-knowing, son; the second one is Grief; the third, Intemperance; the fourth, Concupiscence; the fifth, Unrighteousness; the sixth is Avarice; the seventh, Error; the eighth is Envy; the ninth, Guile; the tenth is Anger; eleventh, Rashness; the twelfth is Malice. These are in number twelve; but under them are many more, my son; and creeping through the prison of the body they force the man that's placed therein to suffer in his senses. But they depart (though not all at once) from him who hath been taken pity on by God; and this it is which constitutes the manner of Rebirth. And... <lacuna in the original text> the Reason (Logos).
8. And now, my son, be still and solemn silence keep! Thus shall the mercy that flows on us from God not cease. Henceforth rejoice, O son, for by the Powers of God thou art being purified for the articulation of the Reason (Logos). Gnosis of God hath come to us, and when this comes, my son, Not-knowing is cast out. Gnosis of Joy hath come to us, and on its coming, son, Sorrow will flee away to them who give it room. The Power that follows Joy do I invoke, thy Self-control. O Power most sweet! Let us most gladly bid it welcome, son! How with its coming doth it chase Intemperance away! 9. Now fourth, on Continence I call, the Power against Desire. <lacuna in the original text> This step, my son, is Righteousness' firm seat. For without judgement <other translators read this "without effort"> see how she hath chased Unrighteousness away. We are made righteous, son, by the departure of Unrighteousness. Power sixth I call to us - that against Avarice, Sharing-with-all. And now that Avarice is gone, I call on Truth. And Error flees, and Truth is with us. See how [the measure of] the Good is full, my son, upon Truth's coming. For Envy is gone from us; and unto Truth is joined the Good as well, with Life and Light. And now no more doth any torment of the Darkness venture nigh, but vanquished [all] have fled with whirring wings. 10. Thou knowest [now], my son, the manner of Rebirth. And when the Ten is come, my son, that driveth out the Twelve, the Birth in understanding <literally "intellectual birth", noera genesis> is complete, and by this birth we are made into Gods. Who then doth by His mercy gain this Birth in God, abandoning the body's senses, knows himself [to be of Light and Life] and that he doth consist of these, and [thus] is filled with bliss. 11. Tat: By God made steadfast, father, no longer with the sight my eyes afford I look on things, but with the energy the Mind doth give me through the Powers. In Heaven am I, in earth, in water, air; I am in animals, in plants; I'm in the womb, before the womb, after the womb; I'm everywhere! But further tell me this: How are the torments of the Darkness, when they are twelve in number, driven out by the ten Powers? What is the way of it, Thrice-greatest one? 12. Hermes: This dwelling-place through which we have just passed <i.e., the human body>, my son, is constituted from the circle of the twelve types-of-life, this being composed of elements, twelve in number, but of one nature, an omniform idea. For man's delusion there are disunions in them, son, while in their action they are one. Not only can we never part Rashness from Wrath; they cannot even be distinguished. According to right reason (logos), then, they <the Twelve> naturally withdraw once and for all, in as much as they are chased out by no less than ten powers, that is, the Ten. For, son, the Ten is that which giveth birth to souls. And Life and Light are unified there, where the
One hath being from the Spirit. According then to reason (logos) the One contains the Ten, the Ten the One. 13. Tat: Father, I see the All, I see myself in Mind. Hermes: This is, my son, Rebirth - no more to look on things from body's view-point (a thing three ways in space extended)... <lacuna in text>, though this Sermon (Logos) on Rebirth, on which I did not comment - in order that we may not be calumniators of the All unto the multitude, to whom indeed God Himself doth will we should not. 14. Tat: Tell me, O father: This Body which is made up of the Powers, is it at any time dissolved? Hermes: Hush, [son]! Speak not of things impossible, else wilt thou sin and thy Mind's eye be quenched. The natural body which our sense perceives is far removed from this essential birth. The first must be dissolved, the last can never be; the first must die, the last death cannot touch. Dost thou not know thou hast been born a God, Son of the One, even as I myself? 15. Tat: I would, O father, hear the Praise-giving with hymn which thou didst say thou heardest then when thou wert at the Eight [the Ogdoad] of Powers Hermes: Just as the Shepherd did foretell [I should], my son, [when I came to] the Eight. Well dost thou haste to "strike thy tent" <i.e., be free from the physical body>, for thou hast been made pure. The Shepherd, Mind of all masterhood, hath not passed on to me more than hath been written down, for full well did he know that I should of myself be able to learn all, and hear what I should wish, and see all things. He left to me the making of fair things; wherefore the Powers within me. e'en as they are in all, break into song. 16. Tat: Father, I wish to hear; I long to know these things. Hermes: Be still, my son; hear the Praise-giving now that keeps [the soul] in tune, Hymn of Re-birth - a hymn I would not have thought fit so readily to tell, had'st thou not reached the end of all. Wherefore this is not taught, but is kept hid in silence. Thus then, my son, stand in a place uncovered to the sky, facing the southern wind, about the sinking of the setting sun, and make thy worship; so in like manner too when he doth rise, with face to the east wind. Now, son, be still! The Secret Hymnody 17. Let every nature of the World receive the utterance of my hymn! Open thou Earth! Let every bolt of the Abyss be drawn for me. Stir not, ye Trees!
I am about to hymn creation's Lord, both All and One. Ye Heavens open and ye Winds stay still; [and] let God's deathless Sphere receive my word (logos)! For I will sing the praise of Him who founded all; who fixed the Earth, and hung up Heaven, and gave command that Ocean should afford sweet water [to the Earth], to both those parts that are inhabited and those that are not, for the support and use of every man; who made the Fire to shine for gods and men for every act. Let us together all give praise to Him, sublime above the Heavens, of every nature Lord! 'Tis He who is the Eye of Mind; may He accept the praise of these my Powers! 18. Ye powers that are within me, hymn the One and All; sing with my Will, Powers all that are within me! O blessed Gnosis, by thee illumined, hymning through thee the Light that mond alone can see, I joy in Joy of Mind. Sing with me praises all ye Powers! Sing praise, my Self-control; sing thou through me, my Righteousness, the praises of the Righteous; sing thou, my Sharing-all, the praises of the All; through me sing, Truth, Truth's praises! Sing thou, O Good, the Good! O Life and Light, from us to you our praises flow! Father, I give Thee thanks, to Thee Thou Energy of all my Powers; I give Thee thanks, O God, Thou Power of all my Energies! 19. Thy Reason (Logos) sings through me Thy praises. Take back through me the All into [Thy] Reason - [my] reasonable oblation! Thus cry the Powers in me. They sing Thy praise, Thou All; they do Thy Will. From Thee Thy Will; to Thee the All. Receive from all their reasonable oblation. The All that is in us, O Life, preserve; O Light<,> illumine it; O God<,> in-spirit it. It it Thy Mind that plays the shepherd to Thy Word, O Thou Creator, Bestower of the Spirit [upon all]. 20. [For] Thou art God, Thy Man thus cries to Thee through Fire, through Air, through Earth, through Water, [and] through Spirit, through Thy creatures. 'Tis from Thy Aeon I have found praise-giving; and in thy Will, the object of my search, have I found rest. Tat: By thy good pleasure have I seen this praise-giving being sung, O father; I have set it in my Cosmos too. Hermes: Say in the Cosmos that thy mind alone can see, my son. Tat: Yea, father, in the Cosmos that the mind alone can see; for I have been made able by thy Hymn, and by thy Praise-giving my mind hath been illumined. But further I myself as well would
from my natural mind send praise-giving to God. 21. Hermes: But not unheedfully, my son. Tat: Aye. What I behold in mind, that do I say. To thee, thou Parent of my Bringing into Birth, as unto God I, Tat, send reasonable offerings. o God and Father, thou art the Lord, thou art the Mind. Receive from me oblations reasonable as thou would'st wish; for by thy Will all things have been perfected. Hermes: Send thou oblation, son, acceptable to God, the Sire of all; but add, my son, too, "through the Word" (Logos). Tat: I give thee, father, thanks for showing me to sing such hymns. 22. Hermes: Happy am I, my son, that though hast brought the good fruits forth of Truth, products that cannot die. And now that thou hast learnt this lesson from me, make promise to keep silence on thy virtue, and to no soul, my son, make known the handing on to thee the manner of Rebirth, that we may not be thought to be calumniators. And now we both of us have given heed sufficiently, both I the speaker and the hearer thou. In Mind hast thou become a Knower of thyself and our [common] Sire.
The Shepherd of Hermas Translated by J. B. Lightfoot http://gnosis.org/library/hermas.htm Vision 1 1:1 The master, who reared me, had sold me to one Rhoda in Rome. After many years, I met her again, and began to love her as a sister. 1:2 After a certain time I saw her bathing in the river Tiber; and I gave her my hand, and led her out of the river. So, seeing her beauty, I reasoned in my heart, saying, "Happy were I, if I had such an one to wife both in beauty and in character." I merely reflected on this and nothing more. 1:3 After a certain time, as I was journeying to Cumae, and glorifying God's creatures for their greatness and splendor and power, as I walked I fell asleep. And a Spirit took me, and bore me away through a pathless tract, through which no man could pass: for the place was precipitous, and broken into clefts by reason of the waters. When then I had crossed the river, I came into the level country, and knelt down, and began to pray to the Lord and to confess my sins. 1:4 Now, while I prayed, the heaven was opened, and I see the lady, whom I had desired, greeting me from heaven, saying, "Good morrow, Hermas." 1:5 And, looking at her, I said to her, "Lady, what doest thou here?" Then she answered me, "I was taken up, that I might convict thee of thy sins before the Lord." 1:6 I said to her, "Dost thou now convict me?" "Nay, not so," said she, "but hear the words, that I shall say to thee. God, Who dwelleth in the heavens, and created out of nothing the things which are, and increased and multiplied them for His holy Church's sake, is wroth with thee, for that thou didst sin against me." 1:7 I answered her and said, "Sin against thee? In what way? Did I ever speak an unseemly word unto thee? Did I not always regard thee as a goddess? Did I not always respect thee as a sister? How couldst thou falsely charge me, lady, with such villainy and uncleanness? 1:8 "Laughing she saith unto me, "The desire after evil entered into thine heart. Nay, thinkest thou not that it is an evil deed for a righteous man, if the evil desire should enter into his heart? It is indeed a sin and a great one too," saith she; "for the righteous man entertaineth righteous purposes. While then his purposes are righteous, his repute stands steadfast in the heavens, and he finds the Lord easily propitiated in all that he does. But they that entertain evil purposes in their hearts, bring upon themselves death an captivity, especially they that claim for themselves this present work and boast in its riches, and cleave not to the good things that are to come. 1:9 Their souls shall rue it, seeing that they have no hope, but have abandoned themselves and their life. But do thou pray unto God and He shall heal thine own sins, and those of thy whole house, and of all the saints." 2:1 As soon as she had spoken these words the heavens were shut and I was given over to horror and grief Then I said within myself "If this sin is recorded against me, how can I be saved? Or how shall I propitiate God for my sins which are full-blown? Or with which words shall I entreat the Lord that He may be propitious unto me? 2:2 While I was advising and discussing these matters in my heart, I see, before me a great white chair of snow-white wool; and there came an aged lady in glistening raiment, having a book in her hands, and she sat down alone, and she saluted me, "Good morrow, Hermas." Then I grieved and
weeping, said, "Good morrow, lady." 2:3 And she said to me "Why so gloomy, Hermas, thou that art patient and good-tempered and art always smiling? Why so downcast in thy looks, and far from cheerful?" And I said to her, "Because of an excellent lady's saying that I had sinned against her." 2:4 Then she said, "Far be this thing from the servant of God! Nevertheless the thought did enter into thy heart concerning her. Now to the servants of God such a purpose bringeth sin. For it is an evil and mad purpose to overtake a devout spirit that hath been already approved, that it should desire an evil deed, and especially if it be Hermas the temperate, who abstaineth from every evil desire, and is full of all simplicity and of great guilelessness. 3:1 "Yet it is not for this that God is wroth with thee, but that thou mayest convert thy family, that hath done wrong against the Lord and against you their parents. But out of fondness for thy children thou didst not admonish thy family, but didst suffer it to become fearfully corrupt. Therefore the Lord is wroth with thee. But He will heal all thy past sins, which have been committed in thy family; for by reason of their sins and iniquities thou hast been corrupted by the affairs of this world. 3:2 But the great mercy of the Lord had pity on thee and thy family, and will strengthen thee, and establish thee in His glory. Only be not thou careless, but take courage, and strengthen thy family. For as the smith hammering his work conquers the task which he wills, so also doth righteous discourse repeated daily conquer all evil. Cease not therefore to reprove thy children; for I know that if they shall repent with all their heart, they shall be written in the books of life with the saints." 3:3 After these words of hers had ceased, she saith unto me, "Wilt thou listen to me as I read?" Then say I, "Yes, lady." She saith to me, "Be attentive, and hear the glories of God" I listened with attention and with wonder to that which I had no power to remember; for all the words were terrible, such as man cannot bear. The last words however I remembered, for they were suitable for us and gentle. 3:4 "Behold, the God of Hosts, Who by His invisible and mighty power and by His great wisdom created the world, and by His glorious purpose clothed His creation with comeliness, and by His strong word fixed the heaven, and founded the earth upon the waters, and by His own wisdom and providence formed His holy Church, which also He blessed-behold, He removeth the heavens and the mountains and the hills and the seas, and all things are made level for His elect, that He may fulfill to them the promise which He promised with great glory and rejoicing, if so be that they shall keep the ordinances of God, which they received, with great faith." 4:1 When then she finished reading and arose from her chair, there came four young men, and they took away the chair, and departed towards the East. 4:2 Then she calleth me unto her, and she touched my breast, and saith to me, "Did my reading please thee?" And I say unto her, "Lady, these last words please me, but the former were difficult and hard." Then she spake to me, saying, "These last words are for the righteous, but the former are for the heathen and the rebellious." 4:3 While she yet spake with me, two men appeared, and took her by the arms, and they departed, whither the chair also had gone, towards the East. And she smiled as she departed and, as she was going, she saith to me, "Play the man, Hermas." Vision 2
1[5]:1 I was on the way to Cumae, at the same season as last year, and called to mind my last year's vision as I walked; and again a Spirit taketh me, and carrieth me away to the same place as last year. 1[5]:2 When then I arrived at the place, I fell upon my knees, and began to pray to the Lord, and to glorify His name, for that he counted me worthy, and made known unto me my former sins. 1[5]:3 But after I had risen up from prayer, I behold before me the aged lady, whom also I had seen last year, walking and reading a little book. And she saith to me, "Canst thou report these things to the elect of God?" I say unto her, "Lady, I cannot recollect so much; but give me the little book, that I may copy it." "Take it," saith she, "and be sure and return it to me." 1[5]:4 I took it, and retiring to a certain spot in the country I copied it letter for letter: for I could not make out the syllables. When then I had finished the letters of the book, suddenly the book was snatched out of my hand; but by whom I did not see. 2[6]:1 Now after fifteen days, when I had fasted and entreated the Lord earnestly, the knowledge of the writing was revealed to me. And this is what was written:-2[6]:2 "Thy seed, Hermas, have sinned against God, and have blasphemed the Lord, and have betrayed their parents through great wickedness, yea, they have got the name of betrayers of parents, and yet they did not profit by their betrayal; and they still further added to their sins wanton deeds and reckless wickedness; and so the measure of their transgressions was filled up. 2[6]:3 But make these words known to all thy children, and to thy wife who shall be as thy sister; for she too refraineth not from using her tongue, wherewith she doeth evil. But, when she hears these words, she will refrain, and will find mercy. 2[6]:4 After that thou hast made known unto them all these words, which the Master commanded me that they should be revealed unto thee, then all their sins which they sinned aforetime are forgiven to them; yea, and to all the saints that have sinned unto this day, if they repent with their whole heart, and remove double-mindedness from their heart. 2[6]:5 For the Master sware by His own glory, as concerning His elect; that if, now that this day has been set as a limit, sin shall hereafter be committed, they shall not find salvation; for repentance for the righteous hath an end; the days of repentance are accomplished for all the saints; whereas for the Gentiles there is repentance until the last day. 2[6]:6 Thou shalt therefore say unto the elders of the Church, that they direct their paths in righteousness, that they may receive in full the promises with abundant glory. 2[6]:7 Ye therefore that work righteousness be steadfast, and be not double-minded, that ye may have admission with the holy angels. Blessed are ye, as many as endure patiently the great tribulation that cometh, and as many as shall not deny their life. 2[6]:8 For the Lord swear concerning His Son, that those who denied their Lord should be rejected from their life, even they that are now about to deny Him in the coming days; but to those who denied Him aforetime, to them mercy was given of His great loving kindness. 3[7]:1 "But do thou, Hermas, no longer bear a grudge against thy children, neither suffer thy sister to have her way, so that they may be purified from their former sins. For they shall be chastised with a righteous chastisement, unless thou bear a grudge against them thyself. The bearing of a grudge worketh death. But thou, Hermas, hast had great tribulations of thine own, by reason of the transgressions of thy family, because thou hadst no care for them. For thou wast neglectful of
them, and wast mixed up with thine evil transactions. 3[7]:2 But herein is thy salvation, in that thou didst not depart from the living God, and in thy simplicity and thy great continence. These have saved thee, if thou abidest therein; and they save all who do such things, and walk in guilelessness and simplicity. These men prevail over all wickedness, and continue unto life eternal. 3[7]:3 Blessed are all they that work righteousness. They shall never be destroyed. 3[7]:4 But thou shalt say to Maximus, "Behold tribulation cometh (upon thee), if thou think fit to deny a second time. The Lord is nigh unto them that turn unto him, as it is written in Eldad and Modat, who prophesied to the people in the wilderness." 4[8]:1 Now, brethren, a revelation was made unto me in my sleep by a youth of exceeding fair form, who said to me, "Whom thinkest thou the aged woman, from whom thou receivedst the book, to be?" I say, "The Sibyl" "Thou art wrong," saith he, "she is not." "Who then is she?" I say. "The Church," saith he. I said unto him, "Wherefore then is she aged?" "Because," saith he, "she was created before all things; therefore is she aged; and for her sake the world was framed." 4[8]:2 And afterwards I saw a vision in my house. The aged woman came, and asked me, if I had already given the book to the elders. I said that I had not given it. "Thou hast done well," she said, "for I have words to add. When then I shall have finished all the words, it shall be made known by thy means to all the elect. 4[8]:3 Thou shalt therefore write two little books, and shalt send one to Clement, and one to Grapte. So Clement shall send to the foreign cities, for this is his duty; while Grapte shall instruct the widows and the orphans. But thou shalt read (the book) to this city along with the elders that preside over the Church. Vision 3 1[9]:1 The third vision, which I saw, brethren, was as follows. 1[9]:2 After fasting often, and entreating the Lord to declare unto me the revelation which He promised to show me by the mouth of the aged woman, that very night the aged woman was seen of me, and she said to me, "Seeing that thou art so importunate and eager to know all things, come into the country where thou abidest, and about the fifth hour I will appear, and will show thee what thou oughtest to see." 1[9]:3 I asked her, saying, "Lady, to what part of the country?" "Where thou wilt," saith she. I selected a beautiful and retired spot; but before I spoke to her and named the spot, she saith to me, "I will come, whither thou willest." 1[9]:4 I went then, brethren, into the country, and I counted up the hours, and came to the place where I appointed her to come, and I see an ivory couch placed there, and on the couch there lay a linen cushion, and on the cushion was spread a coverlet of fine linen of flax. 1[9]:5 When I saw these things so ordered, and no one in the place, I was amazed, and a fit of trembling seized me, and my hair stood on end; and a fit of shuddering came upon me, because I was alone. When then I recovered myself, and remembered the glory of God, and took courage, I knelt down and confessed my sins to the Lord once more, as I had done on the former occasion. 1[9]:6 Then she came with six young men, the same whom I had seen before, and she stood by me, and listened attentively to me, as I prayed and confessed my sins to the Lord. And she touched me,
and said: "Hermas, make an end of constantly entreating for thy sins; entreat also for righteousness, that thou mayest take some part forthwith to thy family." 1[9]:7 Then she raiseth me by the hand, and leadeth me to the couch, and saith to the young men, "Go ye, and build." 1[9]:8 And after the young men had retired and we were left alone, she saith to me, "Sit down here." I say to her, "Lady, let the elders sit down first." "Do as I bid thee," saith she, "sit down." 1[9]:9 When then I wanted to sit down on the right side, she would not allow me, but beckoned me with her hand that I should sit on the left side. As then I was musing thereon, and was sad because she would not permit me to sit on the right side, she saith to me, "Art thou sad, Hermas? The place on the right side is for others, even for those who have already been well-pleasing to God, and have suffered for the Name's sake. But thou lackest much that thou shouldest sit with them; but as thou abidest in thy simplicity, even so, and thou shalt sit with them, thou and as many as shall have done their deeds, and have suffered what they suffered." 2[10]:1 "What did they suffer?" say I. "Listen," saith she. "Stripes, imprisonments, great tribulations, crosses, wild beasts, for the Name's sake. Therefore to them belongs the right side of the Holiness--to them, and to all who shall suffer for the Name. But for the rest is the left side. Howbeit, to both, to them that sit on the right, and to them that sit on the left, are the same gifts, and the same promises, only they sit on the right and have a certain glory. 2[10]:2 Thou indeed art very desirous to sit on the right with them, but thy shortcomings are many; yet thou shalt be purified from thy shortcomings; yea, and all that are not double-minded shall be purified from all their sins unto this day." 2[10]:3 When she had said this, she wished to depart; but, falling at her feet, I entreated her by the Lord that she would show me the vision which she promised. 2[10]:4 Then she again took me by the hand, and raiseth me, and seateth me on the couch at the left hand, while she herself sat on the right. And lifting up a certain glistening rod, she saith to me, "Seest thou a great thing?" I say to her, "Lady, I see nothing." She saith to me, "Look thou; dost thou not see in front of thee a great tower being builded upon the waters, of glistening square stones?" 2[10]:5 Now the tower was being builded foursquare by the six young men that came with her. And countless other men were bringing stones, some of them from the deep, and others from the land, and were handing them to the six young men. And they took them and builded. 2[10]:6 The stones that were dragged from the deep they placed in every case, just as they were, into the building, for they had been shaped, and they fitted in their joining with the other stones; and they adhered so closely one with another that their joining could not possibly be detected; and the building of the tower appeared as if it were built of one stone. 2[10]:7 But of the other stones which were brought from the dry land, some they threw away, and some they put into the building; and others they broke in pieces, and threw to a distance from the tower. 2[10]:8 Now many other stones were lying round the tower, and they did not use them for the building; for some of them were mildewed, and others had cracks in them, and others were too short, and others were white and round, and did not fit into the building. 2[10]:9 And I saw other stones thrown to a distance from the tower, and coming to the way, and
yet not staying in the way, but rolling to where there was no way; and others falling into the fire and burning there; and others falling near the waters, and yet not able to roll into the water, although they desired to roll and to come to the water. 3[11]:1 When she had shown me these things, she wished to hurry away. I say to her, "Lady, what advantage is it to me to have seen these things, and yet not to know what the things mean? "She answered and said unto me, "Thou art an over-curious fellow, in desiring to know all that concerns the tower." "Yea, lady," I said, "that I may announce it to my brethren, and that they [may be the more gladdened and] when they hear [these things] they may know the Lord in great glory." Then said she, 3[11]:2 "Many shall hear; but when they hear, some of them shall be glad, and others shall weep. Yet even these latter, if they hear and repent, shall likewise be glad. Hear thou therefore the parables of the tower; for I will reveal all things unto thee. And trouble me no more about revelation; for these revelations have an end, seeing that they have been completed. Nevertheless thou wilt not cease asking for revelations; for thou art shameless." 3[11]:3 The tower, which thou seest building, is myself, the Church, which was seen of thee both now and aforetime. Ask, therefore, what thou willest concerning the tower, and I will reveal it unto thee, that thou mayest rejoice with the saints." 3[11]:4 I say unto her, "Lady, since thou didst hold me worthy once for all, that thou shouldest reveal all things to me, reveal them." Then she saith to me, "Whatsoever is possible to be revealed to thee, shall be revealed. Only let thy heart be with God, and doubt not in thy mind about that which thou seest." 3[11]:5 I asked her, "Wherefore is the tower builded upon waters, lady?" "I told thee so before," said she, "and indeed thou dost enquire diligently. So by thy enquiry thou discoverest the truth. Hear then why the tower is builded upon waters; it is because your life is saved and shall be saved by water. But the tower has been founded by the word of the Almighty and Glorious Name, and is strengthened by the unseen power of the Master." 4[12]:1 I answered and said unto her, "Lady, this thing is great and marvelous. But the six young men that build, who are they, lady?" "These are the holy angels of God, that were created first of all, unto whom the Lord delivered all His creation to increase and to build it, and to be masters of all creation. By their hands therefore the building of the tower will be accomplished." 4[12]:2 "And who are the others who are bringing the stones in?" "They also are holy angels of God; but these six are superior to them. The building of the tower then shall be accomplished, and all alike shall rejoice in the (completed) circle of the tower, and shall glorify God that the building of the tower was accomplished." 4[12]:3 I enquired of her, saying, "Lady, I could wish to know concerning the end of the stones, and their power, of what kind it is." She answered and said unto me, "It is not that thou of all men art especially worthy that it should be revealed to thee; for there are others before thee, and better than thou art, unto whom these visions ought to have been revealed. But that the name of God may be glorified, it hath been revealed to thee, all shall be revealed, for the sake of the doubtfulminded, who question in their hearts whether these things are so or not. Tell them that all these things are true, and that there is nothing beside the truth, but that all are steadfast, and valid, and established on a firm foundation. 5[13]:1 "Hear now concerning the stones that go to the building The stones that are squared and white, and that fit together in their joints, these are the apostles and bishops and teachers and deacons, who walked after the holiness of God, and exercised their office of bishop and teacher
and deacon in purity and sanctity for the elect of God, some of them already fallen on sleep, and others still living. And because they always agreed with one another, they both had peace among themselves and listened one to another. Therefore their joinings fit together in the building of the tower." 5[13]:2 "But they that are dragged from the deep, and placed in the building, and that fit together in their joinings with the other stones that are already builded in, who are they?" "These are they that suffered for the name of the Lord." 5[13]:3 "But the other stones that are brought from the dry land, I would fain know who these are, lady." She said, "Those that go to the building, and yet are not hewn, these the Lord hath approved because they walked in the uprightness of the Lord, and rightly performed His commandments." 5[13]:4 "But they that are brought and placed in the building, who are they?" "They are young in the faith, and faithful; but they are warned by the angels to do good, because wickedness was found in them." 5[13]:5 "But those whom they rejected and threw away, who are they?" "These have sinned, and desire to repent, therefore they were not cast to a great distance from the tower, because they will be useful for the building, if they repent. They then that shall repent, if they repent, will be strong in the faith, if they repent now while the tower is building. But if the building shall be finished, they have no more any place, but shall be castaways. This privilege only they have, that they lie near the tower. 5[13]:1 But wouldst thou know about them that are broken in pieces, and cast away far from the tower? These are the sons of lawlessness. They received the faith in hypocrisy, and no wickedness was absent from them. Therefore they have not salvation, for they are not useful for building by reason of their wickednesses. Therefore they were broken up and thrown far away by reason of the wrath of the Lord, for they excited Him to wrath. 5[13]:2 But the rest whom thou hast seen lying in great numbers, not going to the building, of these they that are mildewed are they that knew the truth, but did not abide in it, nor cleave to the saints. Therefore they are useless." 5[13]:3 "But they that have the cracks, who are they?" "These are they that have discord in their hearts against one another, and are not at peace among themselves; who have an appearance of peace, but when they depart from one another, their wickednesses abide in their hearts. These are the cracks which the stones have. 5[13]:4 But they that are broken off short, these have believed, and have their greater part in righteousness, but have some parts of lawlessness; therefore they are too short, and are not perfect." 5[13]:5 "But the white and round stones, which did not fit into the building, who are they, lady?" She answered and said to me, "How long art thou foolish and stupid, and enquirest everything, and understandest nothing? These are they that have faith, but have also riches of this world. When tribulation cometh, they deny their Lord by reason of their riches and their business affairs." 5[13]:6 And I answered and said unto her, "When then, lady, will they be useful for the building?" "When," she replied, "their wealth, which leadeth their souls astray, shall be cut away, then will they be useful for God. For just as the round stone, unless it be cut away, and lose some portion of itself, cannot become square, so also they that are rich in this world, unless their riches be cut away, cannot become useful to the Lord.
5[13]:7 Learn first from thyself When thou hadst riches, thou wast useless; but now thou art useful and profitable unto life. Be ye useful unto God, for thou thyself also art taken from the same stones. 7[15]:1 "But the other stones which thou sawest cast far away from the tower and falling into the way and rolling out of the way into the regions where there is no way, these are they that have believed, but by reason of their double heart they abandon their true way. Thus thinking that they can find a better way, they go astray and are sore distressed, as they walk about in the regions where there is no way. 7[15]:2 But they that fall into the fire and are burned, these are they that finally rebelled from the living God, and it no more entered into their hearts to repent by reason of the lusts of their wantonness and of the wickednesses which they wrought. 7[15]:3 But the others, which are near the waters and yet cannot roll into the water, wouldest thou know who are they? These are they that heard the word, and would be baptized unto the name of the Lord. Then, when they call to their remembrance the purity of the truth, they change their minds, and go back again after their evil desires." 7[15]:4 So she finished the explanation of the tower. 7[15]:5 Still importunate, I asked her further, whether for all these stones that were rejected and would not fit into the building of the tower that was repentance, and they had a place in this tower. "They can repent," she said, "but they cannot be fitted into this tower. 7[15]:6 Yet they shall be fitted into another place much more humble, but not until they have undergone torments, and have fulfilled the days of their sins. And they shall be changed for this reason, because they participated in the Righteous Word; and then shall it befall them to be relieved from their torments, if the evil deeds, that they have done, come into their heart; but if these come not into their heart, they are not saved by reason of the hardness of their hearts." 8[16]:1 When then I ceased asking her concerning all these things, she saith to me; "Wouldest thou see something else?" Being very desirous of beholding, I was greatly rejoiced that I should see it. 8[16]:2 She looked upon me, and smiled, and she saith to me, "Seest thou seven women round the tower?" "I see them, lady," say I. "This tower is supported by them by commandment of the Lord. 8[16]:3 Hear now their employments. The first of them, the woman with the strong hands, is called Faith; through her are saved the elect of God. 8[16]:4 And the second, that is girded about and looketh like a man, is called Continence; she is the daughter of Faith. Whosoever then shall follow her, becometh happy in his life, for he shall refrain from all evil deeds, believing that, if he refrain from every evil desire, he shall inherit eternal life." 8[16]:5 "And the others, lady, who be they?" "They are daughters one of the other. The name of the one is Simplicity, of the next, Knowledge, of the next, Guilelessness, of the next, Reverence, of the next, Love. When then thou shalt do all the works of their mother, thou canst live." 8[16]:6 "I would fain know, lady," I say, "what power each of them possesseth." "Listen then," saith she, "to the powers which they have. 8[16]:7 Their powers are mastered each by the other, and they follow each other, in the order in
which they were born. From Faith is born Continence, from Continence Simplicity, from Simplicity Guilelessness, from Guilelessness Reverence, from Reverence Knowledge, from Knowledge Love. Their works then are pure and reverent and divine. 8[16]:8 Whosoever therefore shall serve these women, and shall have strength to master their works, shall have his dwelling in the tower with the saints of God." 8[16]:9 Then I asked her concerning the seasons, whether the consummation is even now. But she cried aloud, saying, "Foolish man, seest thou not that the tower is still a-building? Whensoever therefore the tower shall be finished building, the end cometh; but it shall be built up quickly. Ask me no more questions: this reminder is sufficient for you and for the saints, and is the renewal of your spirits. 8[16]:10 But it was not revealed to thyself alone, but in order that thou mightest show these things unto all. After three days-8[16]:11 for thou must understand first, and I charge thee, Hermas, first with these words, which I am about to speak to thee--(I charge thee to) tell all these things into the ears of the saints, that hearing them and doing them they may be purified from their wickednesses, and thyself also with them." 9[17]:1 "Hear me, my children. I brought you up in much simplicity and guilelessness and reverence, through the mercy of the Lord, Who instilled righteousness into you, that ye might be justified and sanctified from all wickedness and all crookedness. But ye will not to cease from your wickedness. 9[17]:2 Now then hear me and be at peace among yourselves, and have regard one to another, and assist one another, and do not partake of the creatures of God alone in abundance, but share them also with those that are in want. 9[17]:3 For some men through their much eating bring weakness on the flesh, and injure their flesh: whereas the flesh of those who have nought to eat is injured by their not having sufficient nourishment, and their body is ruined. 9[17]:4 This exclusiveness therefore is hurtful to you that have and do not share with them that are in want. 9[17]:5 Look ye to the judgment that cometh. Ye then that have more than enough, seek out them that are hungry, while the tower is still unfinished; for after the tower is finished, ye will desire to do good, and will find no place for it. 9[17]:6 Look ye therefore, ye that exult in your wealth, lest they that are in want shall moan, and their moaning shall go up unto the Lord, and ye with your [abundance of good things be shut outside the door of the tower. 9[17]:7 Now therefore I say unto you that are rulers of the Church, and that occupy the chief seats; be not ye like unto the sorcerers. The sorcerers indeed carry their drugs in boxes, but ye carry your drug and your poison in your heart. 9[17]:8 Ye are case-hardened, and ye will not cleanse your hearts and mix your wisdom together in a clean heart, that ye may obtain mercy from the Great King. 9[17]:9 Look ye therefore, children, lest these divisions of yours deprive you of your life.
9[17]:10 How is it that ye wish to instruct the elect of the Lord, while ye yourselves have no instruction? Instruct one another therefore, and have peace among yourselves, that I also may stand gladsome before the Father, and give an account concerning you all to your Lord." 10[18]:1 When then she ceased speaking with me, the six young men, who were building, came, and took her away to the tower, and other four lifted the couch, and took it also away to the tower. I saw not the face of these, for they were turned away. 10[18]:2 And, as she went, I asked her to reveal to me concerning the three forms, in which she had appeared to me. She answered and said to me; "As concerning these things thou must ask another, that they may be revealed to thee." 10[18]:3 Now she was seen of me, brethren, in my first vision of last year, as a very aged woman and seated on a chair. 10[18]:4 In the second vision her face was youthful, but her flesh and her hair were aged, and she spake to me standing; and she was more gladsome than before. 10[18]:5 But in the third vision she was altogether youthful and of exceeding great beauty, and her hair alone was aged; and she was gladsome exceedingly and seated on a couch. Touching these things I was very greatly anxious to learn this revelation. 10[18]:6 And I see the aged woman in a vision of the night, saying to me, "Every enquiry needs humility. Fast therefore, and thou shalt receive what thou askest from the Lord." 10[18]:7 So I fasted one day; and that very night there appeared unto me a young man, and he saith to me, "Seeing that thou askest me revelations offhand with entreaty, take heed lest by thy much asking thou injure thy flesh. 10[18]:8 Sufficient for thee are these revelations. Canst thou see mightier revelations than those thou hast seen?" 10[18]:9 I say unto him in reply, "Sir, this one thing alone I ask, concerning the three forms of the aged woman, that a complete revelation may be vouchsafed me." He saith to me in answer, How long are ye without understanding? It is your double-mindedness that maketh you of no understanding, and because your heart is not set towards the Lord." 10[18]:10 I answered and said unto him again, "From thee, Sir, we shall learn the matters more accurately." 11[19]:1 Listen," saith he, "concerning the three forms, of which thou enquirest. 11[19]:2 In the first vision wherefore did she appear to thee an aged woman and seated on a chair? Because your spirit was aged, and already decayed, and had no power by reason of your infirmities and acts of double-mindedness. 11[19]:3 For as aged people, having no longer hope of renewing their youth, expect nothing else but to fall asleep, so ye also, being weakened with the affairs of this world gave yourselves over to repining, and cast not your cares on the Lord; but your spirit was broken, and ye were aged by your sorrows." 11[19]:4 "Wherefore then she was seated on a chair, I would fain know, Sir." "Because every weak person sits on a chair by reason of his weakness, that the weakness of his body may be supported. So thou hast the symbolism of the first vision."
12[20]:1 "But in the second vision thou sawest her standing, and with her countenance more youthful and more gladsome than before; but her flesh and her hair aged. Listen to this parable also," saith he. 12[20]:2 "Imagine an old man, who has now lost all hope of himself by reason of his weakness and his poverty, and expecteth nothing else save the last day of his life. Suddenly an inheritance is left him. He heareth the news, riseth up and full of joy clothes himself with strength, and no longer lieth down, but standeth up, and his spirit, which was now broken by reason of his former circumstances, is renewed again, and he no longer sitteth, but taketh courage; so also was it with you, when you heard the revelation which the Lord revealed unto you. 12[20]:3 For He had compassion on you, and renewed your spirits, and ye laid aside your maladies, and strength came to you, and ye were made powerful in the faith, and the Lord rejoiced to see you put on your strength. And therefore He showed you the building of the tower; yea, and other things also shall He show you, if with your whole heart ye be at peace among yourselves. 13[21]:1 But in the third vision ye saw her younger and fair and gladsome, and her form fair. 13[21]:2 For just as when to some mourner cometh some piece of good tidings, immediately he forgetteth his former sorrows, and admitteth nothing but the tidings which he hath heard, and is strengthened thenceforth unto that which is good, and his spirit is renewed by reason of the joy which he hath received; so also ye have received a renewal of your spirits by seeing these good things. 13[21]:3 And whereas thou sawest her seated on a couch, the position is a firm on; for the couch has four feet and standeth firmly; for the world too Is upheld by means of four elements. 13[21]:4 They then that have fully repented shall be young again, and founded firmly, seeing that they have repented with their whole heart. There thou hast the revelation entire and complete. Thou shalt ask nothing more as touching revelation-- but if anything be lacking still, it shall be revealed unto thee." Vision 4 1[22]:1 The fourth vision which I saw, brethren, twenty days after the former vision which came unto me, for a type of the impending tribulation. 1[22]:2 I was going into the country by the Companion Way. From the high road, it is about ten stades; and the place is easy for traveling. 1[22]:3 While then I am walking alone, I entreat the Lord that He will accomplish the revelations and the visions which He showed me through His holy Church, that He may strengthen me and may give repentance to His servants which have stumbled, that His great and glorious Name may be glorified, for that He held me worthy that He should show me His marvels. 1[22]:4 And as I gave glory and thanksgiving to Him, there answered me as it were the sound of a voice, "Be not of doubtful mind, Hermas." I began to question in myself and to say, "How can I be of doubtful mind, seeing that I am so firmly founded by the Lord, and have seen glorious things?" 1[22]:5 And I went on a little, brethren, and behold, I see a cloud of dust rising as it were to heaven, and I began to say within myself, "Can it be that cattle are coming, and raising a cloud of dust?" for it was just about a stade from me.
1[22]:6 As the cloud of dust waxed greater and greater, I suspected that it was something supernatural. Then the sun shone out a little, and behold, I see a huge beast like some seamonster, and from its mouth fiery locusts issued forth. And the beast was about a hundred feet in length, and its head was as it were of pottery. 1[22]:7 And I began to weep, and to entreat the Lord that He would rescue me from it. And I remembered the word which I had heard, "Be not of doubtful mind, Hermas." 1[22]:8 Having therefore, brethren, put on the faith of the Lord and called to mind the mighty works that He had taught me, I took courage and gave myself up to the beast. Now the beast was coming on with such a rush, that it might have ruined a city. 1[22]:9 I come near it, and, huge monster as it was, it stretcheth itself on the ground, and merely put forth its tongue, and stirred not at all until I had passed by it. 1[22]:10 And the beast had on its head four colors; black then fire and blood color, then gold, then white. 2[23]:1 Now after I had passed the beast, and had gone forward about thirty feet, behold, there meeteth me a virgin arrayed as if she were going forth from a bridal-chamber all in white and with white sandals, veiled up to her forehead, and her head-covering consisted of a turban, and her hair was white. 2[23]:2 I knew from the former Visions that it was the Church, and I became more cheerful. She saluteth me, saying, "Good morrow, my good man"; and I saluted her in turn, "Lady, good morrow." 2[23]:3 She answered and said unto me, "Did nothing meet thee? "I say unto her, Lady, such a huge beast, that could have destroyed whole peoples: but, by the power of the Lord and by His great mercy, I escaped it." 2[23]:4 "Thou didst escape it well," saith she, "because thou didst cast thy care upon God, and didst open thy heart to the Lord, believing that thou canst be saved by nothing else but by His great and glorious Name. Therefore the Lord sent His angel, which is over the beasts, whose name is Segri, and shut his mouth that it might not hurt thee. Thou hast escaped a great tribulation by reason of thy faith, and because, though thou sawest so huge a beast, thou didst not doubt in thy mind. 2[23]:5 Go therefore, and declare to the elect of the Lord His mighty works, and tell them that this beast is a type of the great tribulation which is to come. If therefore ye prepare yourselves beforehand, and repent (and turn) unto the Lord with your whole heart, ye shall be able to escape it, if your heart be made pure and without blemish, and if for the remaining days of your life ye serve the Lord blamelessly. Cast your cares upon the Lord and He will set them straight. 2[23]:6 Trust ye in the Lord, ye men of doubtful mind, for He can do all things, yea, He both turneth away His wrath from you, and again He sendeth forth His plagues upon you that are of doubtful mind. Woe to them that hear these words and are disobedient; it were better for them that they had not been born." 3[24]:1 I asked her concerning the four colors, which the beast had upon its head. Then she answered me and said, "Again thou art curious about such matters." "Yes, lady," said I, "make known unto me what these things are." 3[24]:2 "Listen," said she; "the black is this world in which ye dwell;
3[24]:3 and the fire and blood color showeth that this world must perish by blood and fire; 3[24]:4 and the golden part are ye that has escaped from this world. For as the gold is tested by the fire and is made useful, so ye also [that dwell in it] are being tested in yourselves. Ye then that abide and pass through the fire will be purified by it. For as the old loses its dross. so Ye also shall cast away all sorrow and tribulation, and shall be purified, and shall be useful for the building of the tower. 3[24]:5 But the white portion is the coming age, in which the elect of God shall dwell; because the elect of God shall be without spot and pure unto life eternal. 3[24]:6 Wherefore cease not thou to speak in the ears of the saints. Ye have now the symbolism also of the tribulation which is coming in power. But if ye be willing, it shall be nought. Remember ye the things that are written beforehand." 3[24]:7 With these words she departed, and I saw not in what direction she departed; for a noise was made: and I turned back in fear, thinking that the beast was coming. Vision 5 5[25]:1 As I prayed in the house, and sat on the couch, there entered a man glorious in his visage, in the garb of a shepherd, with a white skin wrapped about him, and with a wallet on his shoulders and a staff in his hand. And he saluted me, and I saluted him in return. 5[25]:2 And he immediately sat down by my side, and he saith unto me, "I was sent by the most holy angel, that I might dwell with thee the remaining days of thy life." 5[25]:3 I thought he came to tempt me, and I say unto him, "Why, who art thou? For I know," say I, "unto whom I was delivered." He saith to me, "Dost thou not recognize me?" "No," I say. "I," saith he, "am the shepherd, unto whom thou wast delivered." 5[25]:4 While he was still speaking, his form was changed, and I recognized him as being the same, to whom I was delivered; and straightway I was confounded, and fear seized me, and I was altogether overwhelmed with distress that I had answered him so wickedly and senselessly. 5[25]:5 But he answered and said unto me, "Be not confounded, but strengthen thyself in my commandments which I am about to command thee. For I was sent," saith he, "that I might show thee again all the things which thou didst see before, merely the heads which are convenient for you. First of all, write down my commandments and my parables; and the other matters thou shalt write down as I shall show them to thee. The reason why," saith he, "I command thee to write down first the commandments and parables is, that thou mayest read them off-hand, and mayest be able to keep them." 5[25]:6 So I wrote down the commandments and parables, as he commanded me. 5[25]:7 If then, when ye hear them, ye keep them and walk in them, and do them with a pure heart, ye shall receive from the Lord all things that He promised you; but if, when ye hear them, ye do not repent, but still add to your sins, ye shall receive from the Lord the opposite. All these the shepherd, the angel of repentance. commanded me to write. Mandate 1 1[26]:1 "First of all, believe that God is One, even He who created all things and set them in order,
and brought all things from non-existence into being, Who comprehendeth all things, being alone incomprehensible. 1[26]:2 Believe Him therefore, and fear Him, and in this fear be continent. Keep these things, and thou shalt cast off all wickedness from thyself, and shalt clothe thyself with every excellence of righteousness, and shalt live unto God, if thou keep this commandment." Mandate 2 1[27]:1 He saith to me; "Keep simplicity and be guileless, and thou shalt be as little children, that know not the wickedness which destroyeth the life of men. 1[27]:2 First of all, speak evil of no man, neither take pleasure in listening to a slanderer. Otherwise thou that hearest too shalt be responsible for the sin of him that speaketh the evil, if thou believest the slander, which thou hearest; for in believing it thou thyself also wilt have a grudge against thy brother. So then shalt thou be responsible for the sin of him that speaketh the evil. 1[27]:3 Slander is evil; it is a restless demon, never at peace, but always having its home among factions. Refrain from it therefore, and thou shalt have success at all times with all men. 1[27]:4 But clothe thyself in reverence, wherein is no evil stumbling-block, but all things are smooth and gladsome. Work that which is good, and of thy labors, which God giveth thee, give to all that are in want freely, not questioning to whom thou shalt give, and to whom thou shalt not give. Give to all; for to all God desireth that there should be given of His own bounties. 1[27]:5 They then that receive shall render an account to God why they received it, and to what end; for they that receive in distress shall not be judged, but they that receive by false pretence shall pay the penalty. 1[27]:6 He then that giveth is guiltless; for as he received from the Lord the ministration to perform it, he hath performed it in sincerity, by making no distinction to whom to give or not to give. This ministration then, when sincerely performed, becomes glorious in the sight of God. He therefore that ministereth thus sincerely shall live unto God. 1[27]:7 Therefore keep this commandment, as I have told thee, that thine own repentance and that of thy household may be found to be sincere, and [thy] heart pure and undefiled." Mandate 3 1[28]:1 Again he saith to me; "Love truth, and let nothing but truth proceed out of thy mouth, that the Spirit which God made to dwell in this flesh, may be found true in the sight of all men; and thus shall the Lord, Who dwelleth in thee, be glorified; for the Lord is true in every word, and with Him there is no falsehood. 1[28]:2 They therefore that speak lies set the Lord at nought, and become robbers of the Lord, for they do not deliver up to Him the deposit which they received. For they received of Him a spirit free from lies. This if they shall return a lying spirit, they have defiled the commandment of the Lord and have become robbers." 1[28]:3 When then I heard these things, I wept bitterly. But seeing me weep he saith, "Why weepest thou?" "Because, Sir," say I "I know not if I can be saved." "Why so?" saith he. "Because, Sir," I say, "never in my life spake I a true word, but I always lied deceitfully with all men and dressed up my falsehood as truth before all men; and no man ever contradicted me, but confidence was placed in
my word. How then, Sir," say I, "can I live, seeing that I have done these things?" 1[28]:4 "Your supposition," he saith, "is right and true, for it behoved thee as a servant of God to walk in truth, and no complicity with evil should abide with the Spirit of truth, nor bring grief to the Spirit which is holy and true." "Never, Sir," say I, "heard I clearly words such as these." 1[28]:5 "Now then," saith he, "thou hearest. Guard them, that the former falsehoods also which thou spakest in thy business affairs may themselves become credible, now that these are found true; for they too can become trustworthy. If thou keep these things, and from henceforward speak nothing but truth, thou shalt be able to secure life for thyself And whosoever shall hear this command, and abstain from falsehood, that most pernicious habit, shall live unto God." Mandate 4 1[29]:1 "I charge thee, "saith he, "to keep purity, and let not a thought enter into thy heart concerning another's wife, or concerning fornication, or concerning any such like evil deeds; for in so doing thou commitest a great sin. But remember thine own wife always, and thou shalt never go wrong. 1[29]:2 For should this desire enter into thine heart, thou wilt go wrong, and should any other as evil as this, thou commitest sin. For this desire in a servant of God is a great sin; and if any man doeth this evil deed, he worketh out death for himself. 1[29]:3 Look to it therefore. Abstain from this desire; for, where holiness dwelleth, there lawlessness ought not to enter into the heart of a righteous man." 1[29]:4 I say to him, "Sir, permit me to ask thee a few more questions" "Say on," saith he. "Sir," say I, "if a man who has a wife that is faithful in the Lord detect her in adultery, doth the husband sin in living with her?" 1[29]:5 "So long as he is ignorant," saith he, "he sinneth not; but if the husband know of her sin, and the wife repent not, but continue in her fornication, and her husband live with her, he makes himself responsible for her sin and an accomplice in her adultery." 1[29]:6 "What then, Sir," say I, "shall the husband do, if the wife continue in this case?" "Let him divorce her," saith he, "and let the husband abide alone: but if after divorcing his wife he shall marry another, he likewise committeth adultery." 1[29]:7 "If then, Sir," say I, "after the wife is divorced, she repent and desire to return to her own husband, shall she not be received?" 1[29]:8 "Certainly," saith he, "if the husband receiveth her not, he sinneth and bringeth great sin upon himself; nay, one who hath sinned and repented must be received, yet not often; for there is but one repentance for the servants of God. For the sake of her repentance therefore the husband ought not to marry. This is the manner of acting enjoined on husband and wife. 1[29]:9 Not only," saith he, "is it adultery, if a man pollute his flesh, but whosoever doeth things like unto the heathen committeth adultery. If therefore in such deeds as these likewise a man continue and repent not, keep away from him, and live not with him. Otherwise, thou also art a partaker of his sin. 1[29]:10 For this cause ye were enjoined to remain single, whether husband or wife; for in such cases repentance is possible.
1[29]:11 I," said he, "am not giving an excuse that this matter should be concluded thus, but to the end that the sinner should sin no more. But as concerning his former sin, there is One Who is able to give healing; it is He Who hath authority over all things." 2[30]:1 I asked him again, saying, "Seeing that the Lord held me worthy that thou shouldest always dwell with me, suffer me still to say a few words, since I understand nothing, and my heart has been made dense by my former deeds. Make me to understand, for I am very foolish, and I apprehend absolutely nothing." 2[30]:2 He answered and said unto me, "I," saith he, "preside over repentance, and I give understanding to all who repent. Nay, thinkest thou not," saith he, "that this very act of repentance is understanding? To repent is great understanding," saith he. "For the man that hath sinned understandeth that he hath done evil before the Lord, and the deed which he hath done entereth into his heart, and he repenteth, and doeth no more evil, but doeth good lavishly, and humbleth his own soul and putteth it to torture because it sinned. Thou seest then that repentance is great understanding." 2[30]:3 "It is on this account therefore, Sir," say I, "that I enquire everything accurately of thee; first, because I am a sinner; secondly, because I know not what deeds I must do that I may live, for my sins are many and various." 2[30]:4 "Thou shalt live," saith he, "if thou keep my commandments and walk in them and whosoever shall hear these commandments and keep them, shall live unto God." 3[31]:1 "I will still proceed, Sir," say I, "to ask a further question." "Speak on," saith he. "I have heard, Sir," say I, "from certain teachers, that there is no other repentance, save that which took place when we rent down into the water and obtained remission of our former sins." 3[31]:2 He saith to me; "Thou hast well heard; for so it is. For he that hath received remission of sins ought no longer to sin, but to dwell in purity. 3[31]:3 But, since thou enquirest all things accurately, I will declare unto thee this also, so as to give no excuse to those who shall hereafter believe or those who have already believed, on the Lord. For they that have already believed, or shall hereafter believe, have not repentance for sins, but have only remission of their former sins. 3[31]:4 To those then that were called before these days the Lord has appointed repentance. For the Lord, being a discerner of hearts and foreknowing all things, perceived the weakness of men and the manifold wiles of the devil, how that he will be doing some mischief to the servants of God, and will deal wickedly with them. 3[31]:5 The Lord then, being very compassionate, had pity on His handiwork, and appointed this (opportunity of) repentance, and to me was given the authority over this repentance. 3[31]:6 But I say unto you," saith he, "if after this great and holy calling any one, being tempted of the devil, shall commit sin, he hath only one (opportunity of) repentance. But if he sin off-hand and repent, repentance is unprofitable for such a man; for he shall live with difficulty." 3[31]:7 I say unto him, "I was quickened unto life again, when I heard these things from thee so precisely. For I know that, if I shall add no more to my sins, I shall be saved." "Thou shalt be saved," he saith, "thou and all, as many as shall do these things." 4[32]:1 I asked him again, saying, "Sir, since once thou dost bear with me, declare unto me this further matter also." "Say on," saith he. "If a wife, Sir," say I, "or, it may be, a husband fall asleep,
and one of them marry, doth the one that marrieth sin?" 4[32]:2 "He sinneth not," saith he, "but if he remain single, he investeth himself with more exceeding honor and with great glory before the Lord; yet even if he should marry, he sinneth not. 4[32]:3 Preserve purity and holiness therefore, and thou shalt live unto God. All these things, which I speak and shall hereafter speak unto thee, guard from this time forward, from the day when thou wast committed unto me, and I will dwell in thy house. 4[32]:4 But for thy former transgressions there shall be remission, if thou keepest my commandments. Yea, and all shall have remission, if they keep these my commandments, and walk in this purity." Mandate 5 1[33]:1 "Be thou long-suffering and understanding," he saith, "and thou shalt have the mastery over all evil deeds, and shalt work all righteousness. 1[33]:2 For if thou art long-suffering, the Holy Spirit that abideth in thee shall be pure, not being darkened by another evil spirit, but dwelling in a large room shall rejoice and be glad with the vessel in which he dwelleth, and shall serve God with much cheerfulness, having prosperity in himself. 1[33]:3 But if any angry temper approach, forthwith the Holy Spirit, being delicate, is straitened, not having [the] place clear, and seeketh to retire from the place; for he is being choked by the evil spirit, and has no room to minister unto the Lord, as he desireth, being polluted by angry temper. For the Lord dwelleth in long-suffering, but the devil in angry temper. 1[33]:4 Thus that both the spirits then should be dwelling together is inconvenient and evil for that man in whom they dwell. 1[33]:5 For if you take a little wormwood, and pour it into a jar of honey, is not the whole of the honey spoiled, and all that honey ruined by a very small quantity of wormwood? For it destroyeth the sweetness of the honey, and it no longer hath the same attraction for the owner, because it is rendered bitter and hath lost its use. But if the wormwood be not put into the honey, the honey is found sweet and becomes useful to its owner. 1[33]:6 Thou seest [then] that long-suffering is very sweet, beyond the sweetness of honey, and is useful to the Lord, and He dwelleth in it. But angry, temper is bitter and useless. If then angry temper be mixed with long-suffering, long-suffering is polluted and the man's intercession is no longer useful to God." 1[33]:7 "I would fain know, Sir," say I, "the working of angry temper, that I may guard myself from it." "Yea, verily," saith he, "if thou guard not thyself from it--thou and thy family--thou hast lost all thy hope. But guard thyself from it; for I am with thee. Yea, and all men shall hold aloof from it, as many as have repented with their whole heart. For I will be with them and will preserve them; for they all were justified by the most holy angel. 2[34]:1 "Hear now," saith he, "the working of angry temper, how evil it is, and how it subverteth the servants of God by its own working, and how it leadeth them astray from righteousness. But it doth not lead astray them that are full in the faith, nor can it work upon them, because the power of the Lord is with them; but them that are empty and double-minded it leadeth astray. 2[34]:2 For when it seeth such men in prosperity it insinuates itself into the heart of the man, and
for no cause whatever the man or the woman is embittered on account of worldly matters, either about meats, or some triviality, or about some friend, or about giving or receiving, or about follies of this kind. For all these things are foolish and vain and senseless and inexpedient for the servants of God. 2[34]:3 But long-suffering is great and strong, and has a mighty and vigorous power, and is prosperous in great enlargement, gladsome, exultant, free from care, glorifying the Lord at every season, having no bitterness in itself, remaining always gentle and tranquil. This long-suffering therefore dwelleth with those whose faith is perfect. 2[34]:4 But angry temper is in the first place foolish, fickle and senseless; then from foolishness is engendered bitterness, and from bitterness wrath, and from wrath anger, and from anger spite; then spite being composed of all these evil elements becometh a great sin and incurable. 2[34]:5 For when all these spirits dwell in one vessel, where the Holy Spirit also dwelleth, that vessel cannot contain them, but overfloweth. 2[34]:6 The delicate spirit therefore, as not being accustomed to dwell with an evil spirit nor with harshness, departeth from a man of that kind, and seeketh to dwell with gentleness and tranquillity. 2[34]:7 Then, when it hath removed from that man, in whom it dwells, that man becometh emptied of the righteous spirit, and henceforward, being filled with the evil spirits, he is unstable in all his actions, being dragged about hither and thither by the evil spirits, and is altogether blinded and bereft of his good intent. Thus then it happeneth to all persons of angry temper. 2[34]:8 Refrain therefore from angry temper, the most evil of evil spirits. But clothe thyself in long-suffering, and resist angry temper and bitterness, and thou shalt be round in company with the holiness which is beloved of the Lord. See then that thou never neglect this commandment; for if thou master this commandment, thou shalt be able likewise to keep the remaining commandments, which I am about to give thee. Be strong in them and endowed with power; and let all be endowed with power, as many as desire to walk in them." Mandate 6 1[35]:1 I charged thee," saith he, "in my first commandment to guard faith and fear and temperance." "Yes, Sir," say I. "But now," saith he, "I wish to show thee their powers also, that thou mayest understand what is the power and effect of each one of them. For their effects are two fold. Now they are prescribed alike to the righteous and the unrighteous. 1[35]:2 Do thou therefore trust righteousness, but trust not unrighteousness; for the way of righteousness is straight, but the way of unrighteousness is crooked. But walk thou in the straight [and level] path, and leave the crooked one alone. 1[35]:3 For the crooked way has no tracks, but only pathlessness and many stumbling stones, and is rough and thorny. So it is therefore harmful to those who walk in it. 1[35]:4 But those who walk in the straight way walk on the level and without stumbling: for it is neither rough nor thorny. Thou seest then that it is more expedient to walk in this way." 1[35]:5 "I am pleased, Sir," say I, "to walk in this way." "Thou shalt walk," he saith, "yea, and whosoever shall turn unto the Lord with his whole heart shall walk in it. 2[36]:1 "Hear now," saith he, "concerning faith. There are two angels with a man, one of
righteousness and one of wickedness." 2[36]:2 "How then, Sir," say I, "shall I know their workings, seeing that both angels dwell with me?" 2[36]:3 "Hear," saith he, "and understand their workings. The angel of righteousness is delicate and bashful and gentle and tranquil. When then this one enters into thy heart, forthwith he speaketh with thee of righteousness, of purity, of holiness, and of contentment, of every righteous deed and of every glorious virtue. When all these things enter into thy heart, know that the angel of righteousness is with thee. [These then are the works of the angel of righteousness.] Trust him therefore and his works. 2[36]:4 Now see the works of the angel of wickedness also. First of all, he is quick tempered and bitter and senseless, and his works are evil, overthrowing the servants of God. Whenever then he entereth into thy heart, know him by his works." 2[36]:5 "How I shall discern him, Sir," I reply, "I know not." Listen," saith he. "When a fit of angry temper or bitterness comes upon thee, know that he is in thee. Then the desire of much business and the costliness of many viands and drinking bouts and of many drunken fits and of various luxuries which are unseemly, and the desire of women, and avarice, and haughtiness and boastfulness, and whatsoever things are akin and like to these--when then these things enter into thy heart, know that the angel of wickedness is with thee. 2[36]:6 Do thou therefore, recognizing his works, stand aloof from him, and trust him in nothing, for his works are evil and inexpedient for the servants of God. Here then thou hast the workings of both the angels. Understand them, and trust the angel of righteousness. 2[36]:7 But from the angel of wickedness stand aloof, for his teaching is evil in every matter; for though one be a man of faith, and the desire of this angel enter into his heart, that man, or that woman, must commit some sin. 2[36]:8 And if again a man or a woman be exceedingly wicked, and the works of the angel of righteousness come into that man's heart, he must of necessity do something good. 2[36]:9 Thou seest then," saith he, "that it is good to follow the angel of righteousness, and to bid farewell to the angel of wickedness. 2[36]:10 This commandment declareth what concerneth faith, that thou mayest trust the works of the angel of righteousness, and doing them mayest live unto God. But believe that the works of the angel of wickedness are difficult; so by not doing them thou shalt live unto God." Mandate 7 1[37]:1 "Fear the Lord," saith he, "and keep His commandments. So keeping the commandments of God thou shalt be powerful in every deed, and thy doing shall be incomparable. For whilst thou fearest the Lord, thou shalt do all things well. But this is the fear wherewith thou oughtest to be afraid, and thou shalt be saved. 1[37]:2 But fear not the devil; for, if thou fear the Lord, thou shalt be master over the devil, for there is no power in him. [For] in whom is no power, neither is there fear of him; but in whom power is glorious, of him is fear likewise. For every one that hath power hath fear, whereas he that hath no power is despised of all. 1[37]:3 But fear thou the works of the devil, for they are evil. While then thou fearest the Lord, thou wilt fear the works of the devil, and wilt not do them, but abstain from them.
1[37]:4 Fear therefore is of two kinds. If thou desire to do evil, fear the Lord, and thou shalt not do it. If again thou desire to do good, fear the Lord and thou shalt do it. Therefore the fear of the Lord is powerful and great and glorious. Fear the Lord then, and thou shalt live unto Him; yea, and as many of them that keep His commandments as shall fear Him, shall live unto God." 1[37]:5 "Wherefore, Sir," say I, "didst thou say concerning those that keep His commandments, "They shall live unto God"?" "Because," saith he, "every creature feareth the Lord, but not every one keepeth His commandments. Those then that fear Him and keep His commandments, they have life unto God; but they that keep not His commandments have no life in them." Mandate 8 1[38]:1 "I told thee," saith he, "that the creatures of God are twofold; for temperance also is twofold. For in some things it is right to be temperate, but in other things it is not right." 1[38]:2 "Make known unto me, Sir," say I, "in what things it is right to be temperate, and in what things it is not right." "Listen," saith he. "Be temperate as to what is evil, and do it not; but be not temperate as to what is good, but do it. For if thou be temperate as to what is good, so as not to do it, thou committest a great sin; but if thou be temperate as to what is evil, so as not to do it, thou doest great righteousness. Be temperate therefore in abstaining from all wickedness, and do that which is good." 1[38]:3 "What kinds of wickedness, Sir," say I, "are they from which we must be temperate and abstain?" "Listen," saith he; "from adultery and fornication, from the lawlessness of drunkenness, from wicked luxury, from many viands and the costliness of riches, and vaunting and haughtiness and pride, and from falsehood and evil speaking and hypocrisy, malice and all blasphemy. 1[38]:4 These works are the most wicked of all in the life of men. From these works therefore the servant of God must be temperate and abstain; for he that is not temperate so as to abstain from these cannot live unto God. Listen then to what follows upon these." 1[38]:5 "Why, are there still other evil deeds, Sir?" say I. "Aye, saith he, "there are many, from which the servant of God must be temperate and abstain; theft, falsehood, deprivation, false witness, avarice, evil desire, deceit, vain-glory, boastfulness, and whatsoever things are like unto these. 1[38]:6 Thinkest thou not that these things are wrong, yea, very wrong," [saith he,] "for the servants of God? In all these things he that serveth God must exercise temperance. Be thou temperate, therefore, and refrain from all these things, that thou mayest live unto God, and be enrolled among those who exercise self-restraint in them. These then are the things from which thou shouldest restrain thyself 1[38]:7 Now hear," saith he, "the things, in which thou shouldest not exercise self restraint, but do them. Exercise no self-restraint in that which is good, but do it." 1[38]:8 "Sir," say I, "show me the power of the good also, that I may walk in them and serve them, that doing them it may be possible for me to be saved." "Hear," saith he, "the works of the good likewise, which thou must do, and towards which thou must exercise no self-restraint. 1[38]:9 First of all, there is faith, fear of the Lord, love, concord, words of righteousness, truth, patience; nothing is better than these in the life of men. If a man keep these, and exercise not selfrestraint from them, he becomes blessed in his life.
1[38]:10 Hear now what follow upon these; to minister to widows, to visit the orphans and the needy, to ransom the servants of God from their afflictions, to be hospitable (for in hospitality benevolence from time to time has a place), to resist no man, to be tranquil, to show yourself more submissive than all men, to reverence the aged, to practice righteousness, to observe brotherly feeling, to endure injury, to be long-suffering, to bear no grudge, to exhort those who are sick at soul, not to cast away those that have stumbled from the faith, but to convert them and to put courage Into them, to reprove sinners, not to oppress debtors and indigent persons, and whatsoever actions are like these. 1[38]:11 Do these things," saith he, "seem to thee to be good?" "Why, what, Sir," say I, "can be better than these?" "Then walk in them," saith he, "and abstain not from them, and thou shalt live unto God. 1[38]:12 Keep this commandment therefore. If thou do good and abstain not from it, thou shalt live unto God; yea, and all shall live unto God who act so. And again if thou do not evil, and abstain from it, thou shalt live unto God; yea, and all shall live unto God, who shall keep these commandments, and walk in them." Mandate 9 1[39]:1 He saith to me; "Remove from thyself a doubtful mind and doubt not at all whether to ask of God, saying within thyself, "How can I ask thing of the Lord and receive it, seeing that I have committed so many sins against Him?" 1[39]:2 Reason not thus, but turn to the Lord with thy whole heart, and ask of Him nothing wavering, and thou shalt know His exceeding compassion, that He will surely not abandon thee, but will fulfill the petition of thy soul. 1[39]:3 For God is not as men who bear a grudge, but Himself is without malice and hath compassion on His creatures. 1[39]:4 Do thou therefore cleanse thy heart from all the vanities of this life, and from the things mentioned before; and ask of the Lord, and thou shalt receive all things, and shalt lack nothing of all thy petitions, if thou ask of the Lord nothing wavering. 1[39]:5 But if thou waver in thy heart, thou shalt surely receive none of thy petitions. For they that waver towards God, these are the doubtful-minded, and they never obtain any of their petitions. 1[39]:6 But they that are complete in the faith make all their petitions trusting in the Lord, and they receive, because they ask without wavering, nothing doubting; for every doubtful-minded man, if he repent not, shall hardly be saved. 1[39]:7 Cleanse therefore thy heart from doubtful-mindedness, and put on faith, for it is strong, and trust God that thou wilt receive all thy petitions which thou askest; and if after asking anything of the Lord, thou receive thy petition somewhat tardily, be not of doubtful mind because thou didst not receive the petition of thy soul at once. For assuredly it is by reason of some temptation or some transgression, of which thou art ignorant, that thou receivest thy petition so tardily. 1[39]:8 Do thou therefore cease not to make thy soul's petition, and thou shalt receive it. But if thou grow weary, and doubt as thou askest, blame thyself and not Him that giveth unto thee. See to this doubtful-mindedness; for it is evil and senseless, and uprooteth many from the faith, yea, even very faithful and strong men. For indeed this doubtful-mindedness is a daughter of the devil, and worketh great wickedness against the servants of God.
1[39]:9 Therefore despise doubtful-mindedness and gain the mastery over it in everything, clothing thyself with faith which is strong and powerful. For faith promiseth all things, accomplisheth all things; but doubtful-mindedness, as having no confidence in itself, fails in all the works which it doeth. 1[39]:10 Thou seest then," saith he, "that faith is from above from the Lord, and hath great power; but doubtful-mindedness is an earthly spirit from the devil, and hath no power. 1[39]:11 Do thou therefore serve that faith which hath power, and hold aloof from the doubtfulmindedness which hath no power; and thou shalt live unto God; yea, and all those shall live unto God who are so minded." Mandate 10 1[40]:1 "Put away sorrow from thyself," saith he, "for she is the sister of doubtful-mindedness and of angry temper." 1[40]:2 "How, Sir," say I, "is she the sister of these? For angry temper seems to me to be one thing, doubtful-mindedness another, sorrow another." "Thou art a foolish fellow," saith he, "[and] perceivest not that sorrow is more evil than all the spirits, and is most fatal to the servants of God, and beyond all the spirits destroys a man, and crushes out the Holy Spirit and yet again saves it." 1[40]:3 "I, Sir," say I, "am without understanding, and I understand not these parables. For how it can crush out and again save, I do not comprehend." 1[40]:4 "Listen," saith he. "Those who have never investigated concerning the truth, nor enquired concerning the deity, but have merely believed, and have been mixed up in business affairs and riches and heathen friendships, and many other affairs of this world--as many, I say, as devote themselves to these things, comprehend not the parables of the deity; for they are darkened by these actions, and are corrupted and become barren. 1[40]:5 As good vineyards, when they are treated with neglect, are made barren by the thorns and weeds of various kinds, so men who after they have believed fall into these many occupations which were mentioned before, lose their understanding and comprehend nothing at all concerning righteousness; for if they hear concerning the deity and truth, their mind is absorbed in their occupations, and they perceive nothing at all. 1[40]:6 But they that have the fear of God, and investigate concerning deity and truth, and direct their heart towards the Lord, perceive and understand everything that is said to them more quickly, because they have the fear of the Lord in themselves; for where the Lord dwelleth, there too is great understanding. Cleave therefore unto the Lord, and thou shalt understand and perceive all things. 2[41]:1 "Hear now, senseless man," saith he, "How sorrow crusheth out the Holy Spirit, and again saveth it. 2[41]:2 When the man of doubtful mind sets his hand to any action, and fails in it owing to his doubtful-mindedness, grief at this entereth into the man, and grieveth the Holy Spirit, and crusheth it out. 2[41]:3 Then again when angry temper cleaveth to a man concerning any matter, and he is much embittered, again sorrow entereth into the heart of the man that was ill-tempered, and he is grieved at the deed which he hath done, and repenteth that he did evil.
2[41]:4 This sadness therefore seemeth to bring salvation, because he repented at having done the evil. So both the operations sadden the Spirit; first, the doubtful mind saddens the Spirit, because it succeeded not in its business, and the angry temper again, because it did what was evil. Thus both are saddening to the Holy Spirit, the doubtful mind and the angry temper. 2[41]:5 Put away therefore from thyself sadness, and afflict not the Holy Spirit that dwelleth in thee, lest haply He intercede with God [against thee], and depart from thee. 2[41]:6 For the Spirit of God, that was given unto this flesh, endureth not sadness neither constraint. 3[42]:1 "Therefore clothe thyself in cheerfulness, which hath favor with Cod always, and is acceptable to Him, and rejoice in it. For every cheerful man worketh good, and thinketh good, and despiseth sadness; 3[42]:2 but the sad man is always committing sin. In the first place he committeth sin, because he grieveth the Holy Spirit, which was given to the man being a cheerful spirit; and in the second place, by grieving the Holy Spirit he doeth lawlessness, in that he doth not intercede with neither confess unto God. For the intercession of a sad man hath never at any time power to ascend to the altar of God." 3[42]:3 "Wherefore," say I, "doth not the intercession of him that is saddened ascend to the altar?" "Because," saith he, "sadness is seated at his heart. Thus sadness mingled with the intercession doth not suffer the intercession to ascend pure to the altar. For as vinegar when mingled with wine in the same (vessel) hath not the same pleasant taste, so likewise sadness mingled with the Holy Spirit hath not the same intercession. 3[42]:4 Therefore cleanse thyself from this wicked sadness, and thou shalt live unto God; yea, and all they shall live unto God, who shall cast away sadness from themselves and clothe themselves in all cheerfulness." Mandate 11 1[43]:1 He shewed me men seated on a couch, and another man seated on a chair. And he saith to me, "Seest thou those that are seated on the couch?" "I see them, Sir," say I. "These," saith he, "are faithful, but he that sitteth on the chair is a false prophet who destroyeth the mind of the servants of God--I mean, of the doubtful-minded, not of the faithful. 1[43]:2 These doubtful-minded ones then come to him as to a soothsayer and enquire of him what shall befall them. And he, the false prophet, having no power of a divine Spirit in himself, speaketh with them according to their enquiries [and according to the lusts of their wickedness], and filleth their souls as they themselves wish. 1[43]:3 For being empty himself he giveth empty answers to empty enquirers; for what-ever enquiry may be made of him, he answereth according to the emptiness of the man. But he speaketh also some true words; for the devil filleth him with his own spirit, if so be he shall be able to break down some of the righteous. 1[43]:4 So many therefore as are strong in the faith of the Lord, clothed with the truth, cleave not to such spirits, but hold aloof from them; but as many as are doubters and frequently change their minds, practice soothsaying like the Gentiles, and bring upon themselves greater sin by their idolatries. For he that consulteth a false prophet on any matter is an idolater and emptied of the truth, and senseless.
1[43]:5 For no Spirit given of God needeth to be consulted; but, having the power of deity, speaketh all things of itself, because it is from above, even from the power of the divine Spirit. 1[43]:6 But the spirit which is consulted, and speaketh according to the desires of men, is earthly and fickle, having no power; and it speaketh not at all, unless it be consulted." 1[43]:7 "How then, Sir," say I, "shall a man know who of them is a prophet, and who a false prophet?" "Hear," saith he, "concerning both the prophets; and, as I shall tell thee, so shalt thou test the prophet and the false prophet. By his life test the man that hath the divine Spirit. 1[43]:8 In the first place, he that hath the [divine] Spirit, which is from above, is gentle and tranquil and humble-minded, and abstaineth from all wickedness and vain desire of this present world, and holdeth himself inferior to all men, and giveth no answer to any man when enquired of, nor speaketh in solitude (for neither doth the Holy Spirit speak when a man wisheth Him to speak); but the man speaketh then when God wisheth him to speak. 1[43]:9 When then the man who hath the divine Spirit cometh into an assembly of righteous men, who have faith in a divine Spirit, and intercession is made to God by the gathering of those men, then the angel of the prophetic spirit, who is attached to him, filleth the man, and the man, being filled with the Holy Spirit, speaketh to the multitude, according as the Lord willeth. 1[43]:10 In this way then the Spirit of the deity shall be manifest. This then is the greatness of the power as touching the Spirit of the deity of the Lord. 1[43]:11 Hear now," saith he, "concerning the earthly and vain spirit, which hath no power but is foolish. 1[43]:12 In the first place, that man who seemeth to have a spirit exalteth himself, and desireth to have a chief place, and straight-way he is impudent and shameless and talkative and conversant in many luxuries and in many other deceits and receiveth money for his prophesying, and if he receiveth not, he prophesieth not. Now can a divine Spirit receive money and prophesy? It is not possible for a prophet of God to do this, but the spirit of such prophets is earthly. 1[43]:13 In the next place, it never approacheth an assembly of righteous men; but avoideth them, and cleaveth to the doubtful-minded and empty, and prophesieth to them in corners, and deceiveth them, speaking all things in emptiness to gratify their desires; for they too are empty whom it answereth. For the empty vessel placed together with the empty is not broken, but they agree one with the other. 1[43]:14 But when he comes into an assembly full of righteous men who have a Spirit of deity, and intercession is made from them, that man is emptied, and the earthly spirit fleeth from him in fear, and that man is struck dumb and is altogether broken in pieces, being unable to utter a word. 1[43]:15 For, if you pack wine or oil into a closet, and place an empty vessel among them, and again desire to unpack the closet, the vessel which you place there empty, empty in like manner you will find it. Thus also the empty prophets, whenever they come unto the spirits of righteous men, are found just such as they came. 1[43]:16 I have given thee the life of both kinds of prophets. Therefore test, by his life and his works, the man who says that he is moved by the Spirit. 1[43]:17 But do thou trust the Spirit that cometh from God, and hath power; but in the earthly and empty spirit put no trust at all; for in it there is no power, for it cometh from the devil.
1[43]:18 Listen [then] to the parable which I shall tell thee. Take a stone, and throw it up to heaven--see if thou canst reach it; or again, take a squirt of water, and squirt it up to heaven--see if thou canst bore through the heaven." 1[43]:19 "How, Sir," say I, "can these things be? For both these things which thou hast mentioned are beyond our power." "Well then," saith he, "just as these things are beyond our power, so likewise the earthly spirits have no power and are feeble. 1[43]:20 Now take the power which cometh from above. The hail is a very, small grain, and yet, when it falleth on a man's head, what pain it causeth! Or again, take a drop which falls on the ground from the tiles, and bores through the stone. 1[43]:21 Thou seest then that the smallest things from above falling on the earth have great power. So likewise the divine Spirit coming from above is powerful. This Spirit therefore trust, but from the other hold aloof." Mandate 12 1[44]:1 He saith to me; "Remove from thyself all evil desire, and clothe thyself in the desire which is good and holy; for clothed with this desire thou shalt hate the evil desire, and shalt bridle and direct it as thou wilt. 1[44]:2 For the evil desire is wild, and only tamed with difficulty; for it is terrible, and by its wildness is very costly to men; more especially if a servant of God get entangled in it, and have no understanding, he is put to fearful costs by it. But it is costly to such men as are not clothed in the good desire, but are mixed up with this life "These men then it hands over to death." 1[44]:3 "Of what sort, Sir," say I, "are the works of the evil desire, which hand over men to death? Make them known to me, that I may hold aloof from them." Listen," [saith he,] "through what works the evil desire bringeth death to the servants of God. 2[45]:1 "Before all is desire for the wife or husband of another, and for extravagance of wealth, and for many needless dainties, and for drinks and other luxuries, many and foolish. For even luxury is foolish and vain for the servants of God. 2[45]:2 These desires then are evil, and bring death to the servants of God. For this evil desire is a daughter of the devil. Ye must, therefore, abstain from the evil desires, that so abstaining ye may live unto God. 2[45]:3 But as many as are mastered by them, and resist them not, are done to death utterly; for these desires are deadly. 2[45]:4 But do thou clothe thyself in the desire of righteousness, and, having armed thyself with the fear of the Lord, resist them. For the fear of God dwelleth in the good desire. If the evil desire shall see thee armed with the fear of God and resisting itself, it shall flee far from thee, and shall no more be seen of thee, being in fear of thine arms. 2[45]:5 Do thou therefore, when thou art crowned for thy victory over it, come to the desire of righteousness, and deliver to her the victor's prize which thou hast received, and serve her, according as she herself desireth. If thou serve the good desire, and art subject to her, thou shalt have power to master the evil desire, and to subject her, according as thou wilt." 3[46]:1 "I would fain know, Sir," say I, "in what ways I ought to serve the good desire." "Listen,"
saith he; "practice righteousness and virtue, truth and the fear of the Lord, faith and gentleness, and as many good deeds as are like these. Practicing these thou shalt be well-pleasing as a servant of God, and shalt live unto Him; yea, and every one who shall serve the good desire shall live unto God." 3[46]:2 So he completed the twelve commandments, and he saith to me; Thou hast these commandments; walk in them, and exhort thy hearers that their repentance may become pure for the rest of the days of their life. 3[46]:3 This ministration, which I give thee, fulfill thou with all diligence to the end, and thou shalt effect much. For thou shalt find favor among those who are about to repent, and they shall obey thy words. For I will be with thee, and will compel them to obey thee." 3[46]:4 I say to him; "Sir, these commandments are great and beautiful and glorious, and are able to gladden the heart of the man who is able to observe them. But I know not whether these commandments can be kept by a man, for they are very hard." 3[46]:5 He answered and said unto me; "If thou set it before thyself that they can be kept, thou wilt easily keep them, and they will not be hard; but if it once enter into thy heart that they cannot be kept by a man, thou wilt not keep them. 3[46]:6 But now I say unto thee; if thou keep them not. but neglect them thou shalt not have salvation, neither thy children nor thy household, since thou hast already pronounced judgment against thyself that these commandments cannot be kept by a man." 4[47]:1 And these things he said to me very angrily, so that I was confounded, and feared him exceedingly; for his form was changed, so that a man could not endure his anger. 4[47]:2 And when he saw that I was altogether disturbed and confounded, he began to speak more kindly [and cheerfully] to me, and he saith; "Foolish fellow, void of understanding and of doubtful mind, perceivest thou not the glory of God, how great and mighty and marvelous it is, how that He created the world for man's sake, and subjected all His creation to man, and gave all authority to him, that he should be master over all things under the heaven? 4[47]:3 If then," [he saith,] "man is lord of all the creatures of God and mastereth all things, cannot he also master these commandments Aye," saith he, "the man that hath the Lord in his heart can master [all things and] all these commandments. 4[47]:4 But they that have the Lord on their lips, while their heart is hardened, and are far from the Lord, to them these commandments are hard and inaccessible. 4[47]:5 Therefore do ye, who are empty and fickle in the faith, set your Lord in your heart, and ye shall perceive that nothing is easier than these commandments, nor sweeter, nor more gentle. 4[47]:6 Be ye converted, ye that walk after the commandments of the devil, (the commandments which are so) difficult and bitter and wild and riotous; and fear not the devil, for there is no power in him against you. 4[47]:7 For I will be with you, I, the angel of repentance, who have the mastery over him. The devil hath fear alone, but his fear hath no force. Fear him not therefore; and he will flee from you." 5[48]:1 I say to him, "Sir, listen to a few words from me." "Say what thou wilt," saith he. "Man, Sir," I say, "is eager to keep the commandments of God, and there is no one that asketh not of the Lord that he may be strengthened in His commandments, and be subject to them; but the devil is hard
and overmastereth them." 5[48]:2 "He cannot," saith he, "overmaster the servants of God, who set their hope on Him with their whole heart. The devil can wrestle with them, but he cannot overthrow them. If then ye resist him, he will be vanquished and will flee from you disgraced. But as many," saith he, "as are utterly empty, fear the devil as if he had power. 5[48]:3 When a man has filled amply sufficient jars with good wine, and among these jars a few are quite empty, he comes to the jars, and does not examine the full ones, for he knows that they are full; but he examineth the empty ones, fearing lest they have turned sour. For empty jars soon turn sour, and the taste of the wine is spoilt. 5[48]:4 So also the devil cometh to all the servants of God tempting them. As many then as are complete in the faith, oppose him mightily, and he departeth from them, not having a place where he can find an entrance. So he cometh next to the empty ones, and finding a place goeth into them, and further he doeth what he willeth in them, and they become submissive slaves to him. 6[49]:1 "But I, the angel of repentance, say unto you; Fear not the devil; for I was sent," saith he, "to be with you who repent with your whole heart, and to strengthen you in the faith. 6[49]:2 Believe, therefore, on God, ye who by reason of your sins have despaired of your life, and are adding to your sins, and weighing down your life; for if ye turn unto the Lord with your whole heart, and work righteousness the remaining days of your life, and serve Him rightly according to His will, He will give healing to your former sins, and ye shall have power to master the works of the devil. But of the threatening of the devil fear not at all; for he is unstrung, like the sinews of a dead man. 6[49]:3 Hear me therefore, and fear Him, Who is able to do all things, to save and to destroy, and observe these commandments, and ye shall live unto God." 6[49]:4 I say to him, "Sir, now am I strengthened in all the ordinances of the Lord, because thou art with me; and I know that thou wilt crush all the power of the devil, and we shall be masters over him, and shall prevail over all his works. And I hope, Sir, that I am now able to keep these commandments which thou hast commanded, the Lord enabling me." 6[49]:5 "Thou shalt keep them," saith he, "if thy heart be found pure with the Lord; yea, and all shall keep them, as many as shall purify their hearts from the vain desires of this world, and shall live unto God." Parables Which He Spake With Me Parable 1 1[50]:1 He saith to me; "Ye know that ye, who are the servants of God, are dwelling in a foreign land; for your city is far from this city. If then ye know your city, in which ye shall dwell, why do ye here prepare fields and expensive displays and buildings and dwelling-chambers which are superfluous? 1[50]:2 He, therefore, that prepareth these things for this city does not purpose to return to his own city. 1[50]:3 O foolish and double-minded and miserable man, perceivest thou not that all these things are foreign, and are under the power of another For the lord of this city shall say, "I do not wish thee to dwell in my city; go forth from this city, for thou dost not conform to my laws."
1[50]:4 Thou, therefor who hast fields and dwellings and many other possessions, when thou art cast out by him, what wilt thou do with thy field and thy house am all the other things that thou preparedst for thyself? For the lord of this country saith to thee justly, "Either conform to my laws, or depart from my country." 1[50]:5 What then shalt thou do, who art under law in thine own city? For the sake of thy fields and the rest of thy possessions wilt thou altogether repudiate thy law, and walk according to the law of this city? Take heed, lest it be inexpedient to repudiate the law; for if thou shouldest desire to return again to thy city, thou shall surely not be received [because thou didst repudiate the law of the city], and shalt be shut out from it. 1[50]:6 Take heed therefore; as dwelling in a strange land prepare nothing more for thyself but a competency which is sufficient for thee, and make ready that, whensoever the master of this city may desire to cast thee out for thine opposition to his law, thou mayest go forth from his city and depart into thine own city and use thine own law joyfully, free from all insult. 1[50]:7 Take heed therefore, ye that serve God and have Him in your heart: work the "works of God being mindful of His commandments and of the promises which He made, and believe Him that He will perform them, if His commandments be kept. 1[50]:8 Therefore, instead of fields buy ye souls that are in trouble, as each is able, and visit widows and orphans, and neglect them not; and spend your riches and all your displays, which ye received from God, on fields and houses of this kind. 1[50]:9 For to this end the Master enriched you, that ye might perform these ministrations for Him. It is much better to purchase fields [and possessions] and houses of this kind, which thou wilt find in thine own city, when thou visitest it. 1[50]:10 This lavish expenditure is beautiful and joyous, not bringing sadness or fear, but bringing joy. The expenditure of the heathen then practice not ye; for it is not convenient for you the servants of God. 1[50]:11 But practice your own expenditure, in which ye can rejoice; and do not corrupt, neither touch that which is another man's, nor lust after it for it is wicked to lust after other men's possessions. But perform thine own task, and thou shalt be saved." Parable 2 1[51]:1 As I walked in the field, and noticed an elm and a vine, and was distinguishing them and their fruits, the shepherd appeareth to me and saith; "What art thou meditating within thyself?" "I am thinking, [Sir,]" say I, "about the elm and the vine, that they are excellently suited the one to the other." 1[51]:2 "These two trees," saith he, "are appointed for a type to the servants of God." "I would fain know, [Sir,]" say I, "the type contained in these trees, of which thou speakest." "Seest thou," saith he, "the elm and the vine ?" "I see them, Sir," say I. 1[51]:3 "This vine," saith he, "beareth fruit, but the elm is an unfruitful stock. Yet this vine, except it climb up the elm, cannot bear much fruit when it is spread on the ground; and such fruit as it beareth is rotten, because it is not suspended upon the elm. When then the vine is attached to the elm, it beareth fruit both from itself and from the elm. 1[51]:4 Thou seest then that the elm also beareth [much] fruit, not less than the vine, but rather
more." How more, Sir?" say I. "Because," saith he, "the vine, when hanging upon the elm, bears its fruit in abundance, and in good condition; but, when spread on the ground, it beareth little fruit, and that rotten. This parable therefore is applicable to the servants of God, to poor and to rich alike." 1[51]:5 "How, Sir?" say I; "instruct me." "Listen," saith he; the rich man hath much wealth, but in the things of the Lord he is poor, being distracted about his riches, and his confession and intercession with the Lord is very scanty; and even that which he giveth is mall and weak and hath not power above. When then the rich man goeth up to the poor, and assisteth him in his needs, believing that for what he doth to the poor man he shall be able to obtain a reward with God-because the poor man is rich in intercession [and confession], and his intercession hath great power with God--the rich man then supplieth all things to the poor man without wavering. 1[51]:6 But the poor man being supplied by the rich maketh intercession for him, thanking God for him that gave to him. And the other is still more zealous to assist the poor man, that he may be continuous in his life: for he knoweth that the intercession of the poor man is acceptable and rich before God. 1[51]:7 They both then accomplish their work; the poor man maketh intercession, wherein he is rich [which he received of the Lord]; this he rendereth again to the Lord Who supplieth him with it. The rich man too in like manner furnisheth to the poor man, nothing doubting, the riches which he received from the Lord. And this work great and acceptable with God, because (the rich man) hath understanding concerning his riches, and worketh for the poor man from the bounties of the Lord, and accomplisheth the ministration of the Lord rightly. 1[51]:8 In the sight of men then the elm seemeth not to bear fruit, and they know not, neither perceive, that if there cometh a drought the elm having water nurtureth the vine, and the vine having a constant supply of water beareth fruit two fold, both for itself and for the elm. So likewise the poor, by interceding with the Lord for the rich, establish their riches, and again the rich, supplying their needs to the poor, establish their souls. 1[51]:9 So then both are made partners in the righteous work. He then that doeth these things shall not be abandoned of God, but shall be written in the books of the living. 1[51]:10 Blessed are the rich, who understand also that they are enriched from the Lord. For they that have this mind shall be able to do some good work." Parable 3 1[52]:1 He showed me many trees which had no leaves, but they seemed to me to be, as it were, withered; for they were all alike. And he saith to me; "Seest thou these trees?" "I see them, Sir," I say, "they are all alike, and are withered." He answered and said to me; "These trees that thou seest are they that dwell in this world." 1[52]:2 "Wherefore then, Sir," say I, "are they as if they were withered, and alike?" "Because," saith he, "neither the righteous are distinguishable, nor the sinners in this world, but they are alike. For this world is winter to the righteous, and they are not distinguishable, as they dwell with the sinners. 1[52]:3 For as in the winter the trees, having shed their leaves, are alike, and are not distinguishable, which are withered, and which alive, so also in this world neither the just nor the sinners are distinguishable, but they are all alike." Parable 4
1[53]:1 He showed me many trees again, some of them sprouting, and others withered, and he saith to me; "Seest thou," saith he, "these trees?" "I see them, Sir," say I, "some of them sprouting, and others withered." 1[53]:2 "These trees," saith he, "that are sprouting are the righteous, who shall dwell in the world to come; for the world to come is summer to the righteous, but winter to the sinners. When then the mercy of the Lord shall shine forth, then they that serve God shall be made manifest; yea, and all men shall be made manifest. 1[53]:3 For as in summer the fruits of each several tree are made manifest, and are recognized of what sort they are, so also the fruits of the righteous shall be manifest, and all [even the very smallest] shall be known to be flourishing in that world. 1[53]:4 But the Gentiles and the sinners, just as thou sawest the trees which were withered, even such shall they be found, withered and unfruitful in that world, and shall be burnt up as fuel, and shall be manifest, because their practice in their life hath been evil. For the sinners shall be burned, because they sinned and repented not; and the Gentiles shall be burned, because they knew not Him that created them. 1[53]:5 Do thou therefore bear fruit, that in that summer thy fruit may be known. But abstain from overmuch business, and thou shalt never fill into any sin. For they that busy themselves overmuch, sin much also, being distracted about their business, and in no wise serving their own Lord. 1[53]:6 How then," saith he, "can such a man ask anything of the Lord and receive it, seeing that he serveth not the Lord? [For] they that serve Him, these shall receive their petitions, but they that serve not the Lord, these shall receive nothing. 1[53]:7 But if any one work one single action, he is able also to serve the Lord; for his mind shall not be corrupted from (following) the Lord, but he shall serve Him, because he keepeth his mind pure. 1[53]:8 If therefore thou doest these things, thou shalt be able to bear fruit unto the world to come; yea, and whosoever shall do these things, shall bear fruit." Parable 5 1[54]:1 As I was fasting and seated on a certain mountain, and giving thanks to the Lord for all that He had done unto me, I see the shepherd seated by me and saying; "Why hast thou come hither in the early morn?" "Because, Sir," say I, "I am keeping a station." 1[54]:2 "What," saith he, "is a station?" "I am fasting, Sir," say I. "And what," saith he, "is this fast [that ye are fasting]?" "As I was accustomed, Sir," say I, "so I fast." 1[54]:3 "Ye know not," saith he, "how to fast unto the Lord, neither is this a fast, this unprofitable fast which ye make unto Him." "wherefore, Sir," say I, "sayest thou this?" "I tell thee," saith he, "that this is not a fast, wherein ye think to fast; but I will teach thee what is a complete fast and acceptable to the Lord. Listen," saith he; 1[54]:4 "God desireth not such a vain fast; for by so fasting unto God thou shalt do nothing for righteousness. But fast thou [unto God] such a fast as this; 1[54]:5 do no wickedness in thy life, and serve the Lord with a pure heart; observe His
commandments and walk in His ordinances, and let no evil desire rise up in thy heart; but believe God. Then, if thou shalt do these things, and fear Him, and control thyself from every evil deed, thou shalt live unto God; and if thou do these things, thou shalt accomplish a great fast, and one acceptable to God. 2[55]:1 "Hear the parable which I shall tell thee relating to fasting. 2[55]:2 A certain man had an estate, and many slaves, and a portion of his estate he planted as a vineyard; and choosing out a certain slave who was trusty and well-pleasing (and) held in honor, he called him to him and saith unto him; "Take this vineyard [which I have planted], and fence it [till I come], but do nothing else to the vineyard. Now keep this my commandment, and thou shalt be free in my house." Then the master of the servant went away to travel abroad. 2[55]:3 When then he had gone away, the servant took and fenced the vineyard; and having finished the fencing of the vineyard, he noticed that the vineyard was full of weeds. 2[55]:4 So he reasoned within himself, saying, "This command of my lord I have carried out I will next dig this vineyard, and it shall be neater when it is digged; and when it hath no weeds it will yield more fruit, because not choked by the weeds." He took and digged the vineyard, and all the weeds that were in the vineyard he plucked up. And that vineyard became very neat and flourishing, when it had no weeds to choke it. 2[55]:5 After a time the master of the servant [and of the estate] came, and he went into the vineyard. And seeing the vineyard fenced neatly, and digged as well, and [all] the weeds plucked up, and the vines flourishing, he rejoiced [exceedingly] at what his servant had done. 2[55]:6 So he called his beloved son, who was his heir, and the friends who were his advisers, and told them what he had commanded his servant, and how much he had found done. And they rejoiced with the servant at the testimony which his master had borne to him. 2[55]:7 And he saith to them; "I promised this servant his freedom, if he should keep the commandment which I commanded him; but he kept my commandment and did a good work besides to my vineyard, and pleased me greatly. For this work therefore which he has done, I desire to make him joint-heir with my son, because, when the good thought struck him, he did not neglect it, but fulfilled it." 2[55]:8 In this purpose the son of the master agreed with him, that the servant should be made joint-heir with the son. 2[55]:9 After some few days, his master made a feast, and sent to him many dainties from the feast. But when the servant received [the dainties sent to him by the master], he took what was sufficient for him, and distributed the rest to his fellow servants. 2[55]:10 And his fellow-servants, when they received the dainties, rejoiced, and began to pray for him, that he might find greater favor with the master, because he had treated them so handsomely. 2[55]:11 All these things which had taken place his master heard, and again rejoiced greatly at his deed. So the master called together again his friends and his son, and announced to them the deed that he had done with regard to his dainties which he had received; and they still more approved of his resolve, that his servant should be made joint-heir with his son." 3[56]:1 I say, "Sir, I understand not these parables, neither can I apprehend them, unless thou explain them for me."
3[56]:2 "I will explain everything to thee," saith he; "and will show thee whatsoever things I shall speak with thee. Keep the commandments of the Lord, and thou shalt be well-pleasing to God, and shalt be enrolled among the number of them that keep His commandments. 3[56]:3 But if thou do any good thing outside the commandment of God, thou shalt win for thyself more exceeding glory, and shalt be more glorious in the sight of God than thou wouldest otherwise have been. If then, while thou keepest the commandments of God, thou add these services likewise, thou shalt rejoice, if thou observe them according to my commandment." 3[56]:4 I say to him, "Sir, whatsoever thou commandest me, I will keep it; for I know that thou art with me." "I will be with thee," saith he, "because thou hast so great zeal for doing good; yea, and I will be with all," saith he, "whosoever have such zeal as this. 3[56]:5 This fasting," saith he, "if the commandments of the Lord are kept, is very good. This then is the way, that thou shalt keep this fast which thou art about to observe]. 3[56]:6 First of all, keep thyself from every evil word and every evil desire, and purify thy heart from all the vanities of this world. If thou keep these things, this fast shall be perfect for thee. 3[56]:7 And thus shalt thou do. Having fulfilled what is written, on that day on which thou fastest thou shalt taste nothing but bread and water; and from thy meats, which thou wouldest have eaten, thou shalt reckon up the amount of that day's expenditure, which thou wouldest have incurred, and shalt give it to a widow, or an orphan, or to one in want, and so shalt thou humble thy soul, that he that hath received from thy humiliation may satisfy his own soul, and may pray for thee to the Lord. 3[56]:8 If then thou shalt so accomplish this fast, as I have commanded thee, thy sacrifice shall be acceptable in the sight of God, and this fasting shall be recorded; and the service so performed is beautiful and joyous and acceptable to the Lord. 3[56]:9 These things thou shalt so observe, thou and thy children and thy whole household; and, observing them, thou shalt be blessed; yea, and all those, who shall hear and observe them, shall be blessed, and whatsoever things they shall ask of the Lord, they shall receive." 4[57]:1 I entreated him earnestly, that he would show me the parable of the estate, and of the master, and of the vineyard, and of the servant that fenced the vineyard, [and of the fence,] and of the weeds which were plucked up out of the vineyard, and of the son, and of the friends, the advisers. For I understood that all these things are a parable. 4[57]:2 But he answered and said unto me; "Thou art exceedingly importunate in enquiries. Thou oughtest not," [saith he,] "to make any enquiry at all; for if it be right that a thing be explained unto thee, it shall be explained." I say to him; "Sir, whatsoever things thou showest unto me and dost not explain, I shall have seen them in vain, and without understanding what they are. In like manner also, if thou speak parables to me and interpret them not, I shall have heard a thing in vain from thee." 4[57]:3 But he again answered, and said unto me; "Whosoever," saith he, "is a servant of God, and hath his own Lord in his heart, asketh understanding of Him, and receiveth it, and interpreteth every parable, and the words of the Lord which are spoken in parables are made known unto him. But as many as are sluggish and idle in intercession, these hesitate to ask of the Lord. 4[57]:4 But the Lord is abundant in compassion, and giveth to them that ask of Him without ceasing. But thou who hast been strengthened by the holy angel, and hast received from him such
(powers of intercession and art not idle, wherefore dost thou not ask understanding of the Lord, and obtain it from Him)." 4[57]:5 I say to him, "Sir, I that have thee with me have (but) need to ask thee and enquire of thee; for thou showest me all things, and speakest with me; but if I had seen or heard them apart from thee I should have asked of the Lord, that they might be shown to me." 5[58]:1 "I told thee just now," saith he, "that thou art unscrupulous and importunate, in enquiring for the interpretations of the parables. But since thou art so obstinate, I will interpret to thee the parable of the estate and all the accompaniments thereof, that thou mayest make them known unto all. Hear now," saith he, "and understand them. 5[58]:2 The estate is this world, and the lord of the estate is He that created all things, and set them in order, and endowed them with power; and the servant is the Son of God, and the vines are this people whom He Himself planted; 5[58]:3 and the fences are the [holy] angels of the Lord who keep together His people; and the weeds, which are plucked up from the vineyard, are the transgressions of the servants of God; and the dainties which He sent to him from the feast are the commandments which He gave to His people through His Son; and the friends and advisers are the holy angels which were first created; and the absence of the master is the time which remaineth over until His coming." 5[58]:4 I say to him; "Sir, great and marvelous are all things and all things are glorious; was it likely then," say I, "that I could have apprehended them?" "Nay, nor can any other man, though he be full of understanding, apprehend them." "Yet again, Sir," say I, "explain to me what I am about to enquire of thee." 5[58]:5 "Say on," he saith, "if thou desirest anything." "Wherefore, Sir,]" say I, "is the Son of God represented in the parable in the guise of a servant?" 6[59]:1 "Listen," said he; "the Son of God is not represented in the guise of a servant, but is represented in great power and lordship." "How, Sir?" say I; "I comprehend not." 6[59]:2 "Because," saith he, "God planted the vineyard, that is, He created the people, and delivered them over to His Son. And the Son placed the angels in charge of them, to watch over them; and the Son Himself cleansed their sins, by laboring much and enduring many toils; for no one can dig without toil or labor. 6[59]:3 Having Himself then cleansed the sins of His people, He showed them the paths of life, giving them the law which He received from His Father. Thou seest," saith he, "that He is Himself Lord of the people, having received all power from His Father. 6[59]:4 But how that the lord took his son and the glorious angels as advisers concerning the inheritance of the servant, listen. 6[59]:5 The Holy Pre-existent Spirit. Which created the whole creation, God made to dwell in flesh that He desired. This flesh, therefore, in which the Holy Spirit dwelt, was subject unto the Spirit, walking honorably in holiness and purity, without in any way defiling the Spirit. 6[59]:6 When then it had lived honorably in chastity, and had labored with the Spirit, and had cooperated with it in everything, behaving itself boldly and bravely, He chose it as a partner with the Holy Spirit; for the career of this flesh pleased [the Lord], seeing that, as possessing the Holy Spirit, it was not defiled upon the earth.
6[59]:7 He therefore took the son as adviser and the glorious angels also, that this flesh too, having served the Spirit unblamably, might have some place of sojourn, and might not seem to hare lost the reward for its service; for all flesh, which is found undefiled and unspotted, wherein the Holy Spirit dwelt, shall receive a reward. 6[59]:8 Now thou hast the interpretation of this parable also." 7[60]:1 "I was right glad, Sir," say I, "to hear this interpretation." "Listen now," saith he, "Keep this thy flesh pure and undefiled, that the Spirit which dwelleth in it may bear witness to it, and thy flesh may be justified. 7[60]:2 See that it never enter into thine heart that this flesh of thine is perishable, and so thou abuse it in some defilement. [For] if thou defile thy flesh, thou shalt defile the Holy Spirit also; but if thou defile the flesh, thou shalt not live." 7[60]:3 "But if, Sir," say I, "there has been any ignorance in times past, before these words were heard, how shall a man who has defiled his flesh be saved?" "For the former deeds of ignorance," saith he, "God alone hath power to give healing; for all authority is His. 7[60]:4 [But now keep thyself, and the Lord Almighty, Who is full of compassion, will give healing for thy former deeds of ignorance,] if henceforth thou defile not thy flesh, neither the Spirit; for both share in common, and the one cannot be defiled without the other. Therefore keep both pure, and thou shalt live unto God." Parable 6 1[61]:1 As I sat in my house, and glorified the Lord for all things that I had seen, and was considering concerning the commandments, how that they were beautiful and powerful and gladsome and glorious and able to save a man's soul, I said within myself; "Blessed shall I be, if I walk in these commandments; yea, and whosoever shall walk in them shall be blessed." 1[61]:2 As I spake these things within myself, I see him suddenly seated by me, and saying as follows; "Why art thou of a doubtful mind concerning the commandments, which I commanded thee? They are beautiful. Doubt not at all; but clothe thyself in the faith of the Lord, and thou shalt walk in them. For I will strengthen thee in them. 1[61]:3 These commandments are suitable for those who meditate repentance; for if they walk not in them, their repentance is in vain. 1[61]:4 Ye then that repent, cast away the evil doings of this world which crush you; and, by putting on every excellence of righteousness, ye shall be able to observe these commandments, and to add no more to your sins. If then ye add no further sin at all, ye will depart from your former sins. Walk then in these my commandments, and ye shall live unto God. These things have [all] been told you from me." 1[61]:5 And after he had told these things to me, he saith to me, "Let us go into the country, and I will show thee the shepherds of the sheep." "Let us go, Sir," say I. And we came to a certain plain, and he showeth me a young man, a shepherd, clothed in a light cloak, of saffron color; 1[61]:6 and he was feeding a great number of sheep, and these sheep were, as it were, well fed and very frisky, and were gladsome as they skipped about hither and thither; and the shepherd himself was all gladsome over his flock; and the very visage of the shepherd was exceedingly gladsome; and he ran about among the sheep.
2[62]:1 And he saith to me; "Seest thou this shepherd?" "I see him Sir," I say. "This," saith he, "is the angel of self-indulgence and of deceit. He crusheth the souls of the servants of God, and perverteth them from the truth, leading them astray with evil desires, wherein they perish. 2[62]:2 For they forget the commandments of the living God, and walk in vain deceits and acts of self-indulgence, and are destroyed by this angel, some of them unto death, and others unto corruption." 2[62]:3 I say to him, "Sir, I comprehend not what means "unto death," and what "unto corruption". "Listen," saith he; "the sheep which thou sawest gladsome and skipping about, these are they who have been turned asunder from God utterly, and have delivered themselves over to the lusts of this world. In these, therefore, there is not repentance unto life. For the Name of God is being blasphemed through them. The life of such persons is death. 2[62]:4 But the sheep, which thou sawest not skipping about, but feeding in one place, these are they that have delivered themselves over to acts of self-indulgence and deceit, but have not uttered any blasphemy against the Lord. These then have been corrupted from the truth. In these there is hope of repentance, wherein they can live. Corruption then hath hope of a possible renewal, but death hath eternal destruction." 2[62]:5 Again we went forward a little way, and he showeth me a great shepherd like a wild man in appearance, with a white goatskin thrown about him; and he had a kind of wallet on his shoulders, and a staff very hard and with knots in it, and a great whip. And his look was very sour, so that I was afraid of him because of his look. 2[62]:6 This shepherd then kept receiving from the young man, the shepherd, those sheep that were frisky and well fed, but not skipping about, and putting them in a certain spot, which was precipitous and covered with thorns and briars, so that the sheep could not disentangle themselves from the thorns and briars, but [became entangled among the thorns and briars. 2[62]:7 And so they] pastured entangled in the thorns and briars, and were in great misery with being beaten by him; and he kept driving them about to and fro, and giving them no rest, and all together those sheep had not a happy time. 3[63]:1 When then I saw them so lashed with the whip and vexed, I was sorry for their sakes, because they were so tortured and had no rest at all. 3[63]:2 I say to the shepherd who was speaking with me; "Sir, who is this shepherd, who is [so] hard-hearted and severe, and has no compassion at all for these sheep?" "This," saith he, "is the angel of punishment, and he is one of the just angels, and presides over punishment. 3[63]:3 So he receiveth those who wander away from God, and walk after the lusts and deceits of this life, and punisheth them, as they deserve, with fearful and various punishments." 3[63]:4 "I would fain learn, Sir," said I, "of what sort are these various punishments." "Listen," saith he; "the various tortures and punishments are tortures belonging to the present life; for some are punished with losses, and others with want, and others with divers maladies, and others with [every kind] of unsettlement, and others with insults from unworthy persons and with suffering in many other respects. 3[63]:5 For many, being unsettled in their plans, set their hands to many things, and nothing ever goes forward with them. And then they say that they do not prosper in their doings, and it doth not enter into their hearts that they have done evil deeds, but they blame the Lord.
3[63]:6 When then they are afflicted with every kind of affliction, then they are delivered over to me for good instruction, and are strengthened in the faith of the Lord, and serve the Lord with a pure heart the remaining days of their life. But, if they repent, the evil works which they have done rise up in their hearts, and then they glorify God, saying that He is a just Judge, and that they suffered justly each according to his doings. And they serve the Lord thenceforward with a pure heart, and are prosperous in all their doings, receiving from the Lord whatsoever things they may ask; and then they glorify the Lord because they were delivered over unto me, and they no longer suffer any evil thing." 3[63]:1 I say unto him; "Sir, declare unto me this further matter." "What enquirest thou yet?" saith he. "Whether, Sir," say I, "they that live in self-indulgence and are deceived undergo torments during the same length of time as they live in self-indulgence and are deceived." He saith to me, "They undergo torments for the same length of time." 3[63]:2 "Then, Sir," say I, "they undergo very slight torments; for those who are living thus in selfindulgence and forget God ought to have been tormented seven-fold." 3[63]:3 He saith to me, "Thou art foolish, and comprehendest not the power of the torment" "True," say I, "for if I had comprehended it, I should not have asked thee to declare it to me." "Listen," saith he, "to the power of both, [of the self-indulgence and of the torment]. 3[63]:4 The time of the self-indulgence and deceit is one hour. But an hour of the torment hath the power of thirty days. If then one live in self indulgence and be deceived for one day, and be tormented for one day, the day of the torment is equivalent to a whole year. For as many days then as a man lives in self-indulgence, for so many years is he tormented. Thou seest then," saith he, "that the time of the self-indulgence and deceit is very short, but the time of the punishment and torment is long." 5[65]:1 "Inasmuch, Sir," say I, "as I do not quite comprehend concerning the time of the deceit and self-indulgence and torment, show me more clearly." 5[65]:2 He answered and said unto me; "Thy stupidity cleaveth to thee; and thou wilt not cleanse thy heart and serve God Take heed," [saith he,] "lest haply the time be fulfilled, and thou be found in thy foolishness. Listen then," [saith he,] "even as thou wishest, that thou mayest comprehend the matter. 5[65]:3 He that liveth in self-indulgence and is deceived for one day, and doeth what he wisheth, is clothed in much folly and comprehendeth not the thing which he doeth; for on the morrow he forgetteth what he did the day before. For self-indulgence and deceit have no memories, by reason of the folly, wherewith each is clothed; but when punishment and torment cling to a man for a single day, he is punished and tormented for a whole year long; for punishment and torment have long memories. 5[65]:4 So being tormented and punished for the whole year, the man remembers at length the self-indulgence and deceit, and perceiveth that it is on their account that he is suffering these ills. Every man, therefore, that liveth in self-indulgence and is deceived, is tormented in this way because, though possessing lire, they have delivered themselves over unto death." 5[65]:5 "What kinds of self-indulgence, Sir," say I, "are harmful?" "Every action," saith he, "is selfindulgence to a man, which he does with pleasure; for the irascible man, when he gives the reins to his passion, is self-indulgent; and the adulterer and the drunkard and the slanderer and the liar and the miser and the defrauder and he that doeth things akin to these, giveth the reins to his peculiar passion; therefore he is self-indulgent in his action.
5[65]:6 All these habits of self-indulgence are harmful to the servants of God; on account of these deceits therefore they so suffer who are punished and tormented. 5[65]:7 But there are habits of self-indulgence like-wise which save men; for many are selfindulgent in doing good, being carried away by the pleasure it gives to themselves. This selfindulgence then is expedient for the servants of God, and bringeth life to a man of this disposition; but the harmful self-indulgences afore-mentioned bring to men torments and punishments; and if they continue in them and repent not, they bring death upon themselves." Parable 7 1[66]:1 After a few days I saw him on the same plain, where also I had seen the shepherds, and he saith to me, "What seekest thou?" "I am here, Sir," say I, "that thou mayest bid the shepherd that punisheth go out of my house; for he afflicteth me much." "It is necessary for thee," saith he, "to be afflicted; for so," saith he, "the glorious angel ordered as concerning thee, for he wisheth thee to be proved." "Why, what so evil thing have I done, Sir," say I, "that I should be delivered over to this angel?" 1[66]:2 "Listen," saith he. "Thy sins are many, yet not so many that thou shouldest be delivered over to this angel; but thy house has committed great iniquities and sins, and the glorious angel was embittered at their deeds, and for this cause he bade thee be afflicted for a certain time, that they also might repent and cleanse themselves from every lust of this world. When therefore they shall repent and be cleansed, then shall the angel of punishment depart." 1[66]:3 I say to him; "Sir, if they perpetrated such deeds that the glorious angel is embittered, what have I done?" "They cannot be afflicted otherwise," saith he, "unless thou, the head of the [whole] house, be afflicted; for if thou be afflicted, they also of necessity will be afflicted; but if thou be prosperous, they can suffer no affliction." 1[66]:4 "But behold, Sir," say I, "they have repented with their whole heart." "I am quite aware myself," saith he, "that they have repented with their whole heart; well, thinkest thou that the sins of those who repent are forgiven forthwith? Certainly not; but the person who repents must torture his own soul, and must be thoroughly humble in his every action, and be afflicted with all the divers kinds of affliction; and if he endure the afflictions which come upon him, assuredly He Who created all things and endowed them with power will be moved with compassion and will bestow some remedy. 1[66]:5 And this (will God do), if in any way He perceive the heart of the penitent pure from every evil thing. But it is expedient for thee and for thy house that thou shouldest be afflicted now. But why speak I many words to thee? Thou must be afflicted as the angel of the Lord commanded, even he that delivered thee unto me; and for this give thanks to the Lord, in that He deemed thee worthy that I should reveal unto thee beforehand the affliction, that foreknowing it thou might endure it with fortitude." 1[66]:6 I say to him; "Sir, be thou with me, and I shall be able to endure all affliction [easily]." "I will be with thee," saith he; "and I will ask the angel that punisheth to afflict thee more lightly; but thou shalt be afflicted for a short time, and thou shalt be restored again to thy house. Only continue to be humble and to minister unto the Lord with a pure heart, thou and thy children and thy house, and walk in my commandments which I command thee, and thus it will be possible for thy repentance to be strong and pure. 1[66]:7 And if thou keep these commandments with thy household, all affliction shall hold aloof from thee; yea, and affliction," saith he, "shall hold aloof from all whosoever shall walk in these my commandments."
Parable 8 1[67]:1 He showed me a [great] willow, overshadowing plains and mountains, and under the shadow of the willow all have come who are called by the name of the Lord. 1[67]:2 And by the willow there stood an angel of the Lord, glorious and very tall, having a great sickle, and he was lopping branches from the willow, and giving them to the people that sheltered beneath the willow; and he gave them little rods about a cubit long. 1[67]:3 And after all had taken the rods, the angel laid aside the sickle, and the tree was sound, just as I had seen it. 1[67]:4 Then I marvelled within myself, saying, "How is the tree sound after so many branches have been lopped off?" The shepherd saith to me, "Marvel not that the tree remained sound, after so many branches were lopped off but wait until thou seest all things, and it shall be shown to thee what it is." 1[67]:5 The angel who gave the rods to the people demanded them back from them again, and according as they had received them, so also they were summoned to him, and each of them returned the several rods. But the angel of the Lord took them, and examined them. 1[67]:6 From some he received the rods withered and eaten as it were by grubs: the angel ordered those who gave up rods like these to stand apart. 1[67]:7 And others gave them up withered, but not grub-eaten; and these again he ordered to stand apart. 1[67]:8 And others gave them up half-withered; these also stood apart. 1[67]:9 And others gave up their rods half-withered and with cracks; these also stood apart. 1[67]:10 And others gave up their rods green and with cracks; these also stood apart. And others gave up their rods one half withered and one half green; these also stood apart. 1[67]:11 And others brought their rods two parts of the rod green, and the third part withered; these also stood apart. And others gave them up two parts withered, and the third part green; these also stood apart. 1[67]:12 And others gave up their rods nearly all green, but a very small portion of their rods was withered, just the end; but they had cracks in them; these also stood apart. 1[67]:13 And in those of others there was a very small portion green, but the rest of the rods was withered; these also stood apart. 1[67]:14 And others came bringing their rods green, as they received them from the angel; and the most part of the multitude gave up their rods in this state; and the angel rejoiced exceedingly at these; these also stood apart. 1[67]:15 And others gave up their rods green and with shoots, these also stood apart; and at these again the angel rejoiced exceedingly. 1[67]:16 And others gave up their rods green and with shoots; and their shoots had, as it were, a kind of fruit. And those men were exceeding gladsome, whose rods were found in this state. And
over them the angel exulted, and the shepherd was very gladsome over them. 2[68]:1 And the angel of the Lord commanded crowns to be brought. And crowns were brought, made as it were of palm branches; and he crowned the men that had given up the rods which had the shoots and some fruit, and sent them away into the tower. 2[68]:2 And the others also he sent into the tower, even those who had given up the rods green and with shoots, but the shoots were without fruit; and he set a seal upon them. 2[68]:3 And all they that went into the tower had the same raiment, white as snow. 2[68]:4 And those that had given up their rods green as they received them, he sent away, giving them a [white] robe, and seals. 2[68]:5 After the angel had finished these things, he saith to the shepherd; "I go away; but these thou shalt send away to (their places within) the walls, according as each deserveth to dwell; but examine their rods carefully), and so send them away. But be careful in examining them. Take heed lest any escape thee," saith he. "Still if any escape thee, I will test them at the altar." When he had thus spoken to the shepherd, he departed. 2[68]:6 And, after the angel had departed, the shepherd saith to me; "Let us take the rods of all and plant them, to see whether any of them shall be able to live." I say unto him, "Sir, these withered things, how can they live?" 2[68]:7 He answered and said unto me; "This tree is a willow, and this class of trees clingeth to life. If then the rods shall be planted and get a little moisture, many of them will live. And afterwards let us try to pour some water also over them. If any of them shall be able to live, I will rejoice with it; but if it live not, I at least shall not be found neglectful." 2[68]:8 So the shepherd bade me call them, just as each one of them was stationed. And they came row after row, and they delivered up the rods to the shepherd. And the shepherd took the rods, and planted them in rows, and after he had planted them, he poured much water over them, so that the rods could not be seen for the water. 2[68]:9 And after he had watered the rods, he saith to me; "Let us go now. and after days let us return and inspect all the rods; for He Who created this tree willeth that all those who have received rods from this tree should live. And I myself hope that these little rods, after they have got moisture and been watered, will live the greater part of them." 3[69]:1 I say to him; "Sir, inform me what this tree is. For I am perplexed herewith, because, though so many branches were cut off, the tree is sound, and nothing appears to have been cut from it; I am therefore perplexed thereat." 3[69]:2 "Listen," saith he; "this great tree which overshadows plains and mountains and all the earth is the law of God which was given to the whole world; and this law is the Son of Cod preached unto the ends of the earth. But the people that are under the shadow are they that have heard the preaching, and believed on Him; 3[69]:3 but the great and glorious angel is Michael, who hath the power over this people and is their captain. For this is he that putteth the law into the hearts of the believers; therefore he himself inspecteth them to whom he gave it, to see whether they have observed it. 3[69]:4 But thou seest the rods of every one; for the rods are the law. Thou seest these many rods rendered useless, and thou shalt notice all those that have not observed the law, and shalt see the
abode of each severally." 3[69]:5 I say unto him; "Sir, wherefore did he send away some into the tower, and leave others for thee?" "As many," saith he, "as transgressed the law which they received from him, these he left under my authority for repentance; but as many as already satisfied the law and have observed it, these he has under his own authority." 3[69]:6 "Who then, Sir," say I, "are they that have been crowned and go into the tower?" ["As many," saith he, "as wrestled with the devil and overcame him in their wrestling, are crowned:] these are they that suffered for the law. 3[69]:7 But the others, who likewise gave up their rods green and with shoots, though not with fruit, are they that were persecuted for the law, but did not suffer nor yet deny their law. 3[69]:8 But they that gave them up green just as they received them, are sober and righteous men, who walked altogether in a pure heart and have kept the commandments of the Lord. But all else thou shalt know, when I have examined these rods that have been planted and watered." 4[70]:1 And after a few days we came to the place, and the shepherd sat down in the place of the angel, while I stood by him. And he saith to me; "Gird thyself with a garment of raw flax, and minister to me." So I girded myself with a clean garment of raw flax made of coarse material. 4[70]:2 And when he saw me girded and ready to minister to him "Call," saith he, "the men whose rods have been planted, according to the rank as each presented their rods." And I went away to the plain, and called them all; and they stood all of them according to their ranks. 4[70]:3 He saith to them; "Let each man pluck out his own rod, and bring it to me." Those gave them up first, who had the withered and chipped rods, and they were found accordingly withered and chipped. He ordered them to stand apart. 4[70]:4 Then those gave them up, who had the withered but not chipped; and some of them gave up the rods green, and others withered and chipped as by grubs. Those then that gave them up green he ordered to stand apart; but those that gave them up withered and chipped he ordered to stand with the first. 4[70]:5 Then those gave them up who had the half-withered and with cracks; and many of them gave them up green and without cracks; and some gave them up green and with shoots, and fruits on the shoots, such as those had who went into the tower crowned; and some gave them up withered and eaten, and some withered and uneaten, and some such as they were, half-withered and with cracks. He ordered them to stand each one apart, some in their proper ranks, and others apart. 5[71]:1 Then those gave them up who had their rods green, but with cracks. These all gave them up green, and stood in their own company. And the shepherd rejoiced over these, because they all were changed and had put away their cracks. 5[71]:2 And those gave them up likewise who had the one half green and the other half withered. The rods of some were found entirely green, of some half-withered, of some withered and eaten, and of some green and with shoots. These were all sent away each to his company. 5[71]:3 Then those gave them up who had two parts green and the third withered; many of them gave them up green, and many half-withered, and others withered and eaten. These all stood in their own company.
5[71]:4 Then those gave them up who had two parts withered and the third part green. Many of them gave them up half-withered, but some withered and eaten, others half-withered and with cracks, and a few green. These all stood in their own company. 5[71]:5 Then those gave them up who had their rods green, but a very small part [withered] and with cracks. Of these some gave them up green, and others green and with shoots. These also went away to their own company. 5[71]:6 Then those gave them up who had a very small part green and the other parts withered. The rods of these were found for the most part green and with shoots and fruit on the shoots, and others altogether green. At these rods the shepherd rejoiced very [greatly], because they were found so. And these went away each to his own company. 6[72]:1 After [the shepherd] had examined the rods of all, he saith to me, "I told thee that this tree clingeth to life. Seest thou," saith he, "how many repented and were saved?" "I see, Sir," say I. "It is," saith he, that thou mayest see the abundant compassion of the Lord, how great and glorious it is, and He hath given (His) Spirit to those that are worthy of repentance." 6[72]:2 "Wherefore then, Sir," say I, "did they not all repent?" "To those, whose heart He saw about to become pure and to serve Him with all the heart, to them He gave repentance; but those whose craftiness and wickedness He saw, who intend to repent in hypocrisy, to them He gave not repentance, lest haply they should again profane His name." 6[72]:3 I say unto him, "Sir, now then show me concerning those that have given up their rods, what manner of man each of them is, and their abode, that when they hear this, they that believed and have received the seal and have broken it and did not keep it sound may fully understand what they are doing, and repent, receiving from thee a seal, and may glorify the Lord, that He had compassion upon them and sent thee to renew their spirits." 6[72]:4 "Listen," saith he; "those whose rods were found withered and grub-eaten, these are the renegades and traitors to the Church, that blasphemed the Lord in their sins, and still further were ashamed of the Name of the Lord, which was invoked upon them. These then perished altogether unto God. But thou seest how not one of them repented, although they heard the words which thou spakest to them, which I commanded thee. From men of this kind life departed. 6[72]:5 But those that gave up the _withered_ and undecayed (rods), these also are near them; for they were hypocrites, and brought in strange doctrines, and perverted the servants of God, especially them that had sinned, not permitting them to repent, but persuading them with their foolish doctrines. These then have hope of repenting. 6[72]:6 But thou seest that many of them have indeed repented from the time when thou spakest to them my commandments; yea, and (others) still will repent. And as many as shall not repent, have lost their life; but as many of them as repented, became good; and their dwelling was placed within the first walls, and some of them even ascended into the tower. Thou seest then," [saith he,] "that repentance from sins bringeth life, but not to repent bringeth death. 7[73]:1 "But as many as gave up (the rods) half-withered, and with cracks in them, hear also concerning these. Those whose rods were half-withered throughout are the double-minded; for they neither live nor are dead. 7[73]:2 But those that have them half-withered and cracks in them, these are both double-minded and slanderers, and are never at peace among themselves but always causing dissensions. Yet even to these," [saith he,] "repentance is given. Thou seest," [saith he,] "that some of them have repented; and there is still," saith he, "hope of repentance among them.
7[73]:3 And as many of them," saith he, "as have repented, have their abode within the tower; but as many of them as have repented tardily shall abide within the walls; and as many as repent not, but continue in their doings, shall die the death. 7[73]:4 But they that have given up their rods green and with cracks, these were found faithful and good at all times, [but] they have a certain emulation one with another about first places and about glory of some kind or other; but all these are foolish in having (emulation) one with another about first places. 7[73]:5 Yet these also, when they heard my commandments, being good, purified themselves and repented quickly. They have their habitation, therefore, within the tower. But if any one shall again turn to dissension, he shall be cast out from the tower and shall lose his life. 7[73]:6 Life is for all those that keep the commandments of the Lord. But in the commandments there is nothing about first places, or about glory of any kind, but about long-suffering and humility in man. In such men, therefore, is the life of the Lord, but in factious and lawless men is death. 8[74]:1 "But they that gave up their rods half green and half withered, these are they that are mixed up in business and cleave not to the saints. Therefore the one half of them liveth, but the other half is dead. 8[74]:2 Many then when they heard my commandments repented. As many then as repented, have their abode within the tower. But some of them altogether stood aloof These then have no repentance; for by reason of their business affairs they blasphemed the Lord and denied Him. So they lost their life for the wickedness that they committed. 8[74]:3 But many of them were doubtful-minded. These still have place for repentance, if they repent quickly, and their dwelling shall be within the tower; and if they repent tardily, they shall dwell within the walls; but if they repent not, they too have lost their life. 8[74]:4 But they that have given up two parts green and the third part withered, these are they that have denied with manifold denials. 8[74]:5 Many of them therefore repented and departed to dwell inside the tower; but many utterly rebelled from God; these lost their life finally. And some of them were double-minded and caused dissensions. For these then there is repentance, if they repent speedily and continue not in their pleasures; but if they continue in their doings, they likewise procure for themselves death. 9[75]:1 "But they that have given up their rods two thirds withered and one third green, these are men who have been believers, but grew rich and became renowned among the Gentiles. They clothed themselves with great pride and became high-minded, and abandoned the truth and did not cleave to the righteous, but lived together after the manner of the Gentiles, and this path appeared the more pleasant unto them; yet they departed not from God, but continued in the faith, though they wrought not the works of the faith. 9[75]:2 Many of them therefore repented, and they had their habitation within the tower. 9[75]:3 But others at the last living with the Gentiles, and being corrupted by the vain opinions of the Gentiles, departed from God, and worked the works of the Gentiles. These therefore were numbered with the Gentiles. 9[75]:4 But others of them were doubtful-minded, not hoping to be saved by reason of the deeds
that they had done; and others were double-minded and made divisions among themselves. For these then that were double-minded by reason of their doings there is still repentance; but their repentance ought to be speedy, that their dwelling may be within the tower; but for those who repent not, but continue in their pleasures, death is nigh. 10[76]:1 "But they that gave up their rods green, yet with the extreme ends withered and with cracks; these were found at all times good and faithful and glorious in the sight of God, but they sinned to a very slight degree by reason of little desires and because they had somewhat against one another. But, when they heard my words, the greater part quickly repented, and their dwelling was assigned within the tower. 10[76]:2 But some of them were double-minded, and some being double-minded made a greater dissension. In these then there is still a hope of repentance, because they were found always good; and hardly shall one of them die. 10[76]:3 But they that gave up their rods withered, yet with a very small part green, these are they that believed, but practiced the works of lawlessness. Still they never separated from God, but bore the Name gladly, and gladly received into their houses the servants of God. So hearing of this repentance they repented without wavering, and they practice all excellence and righteousness. 10[76]:4 And some of them even suffer persecution willingly, knowing the deeds that they did. All these then shall have their dwelling within the tower." 11[77]:1 And after he had completed the interpretations of all the rods, he saith unto me; "Go, and tell all men to repent, and they shall live unto God; for the Lord in His compassion sent me to give repentance to all, though some of them do not deserve it for their deeds; but being long-suffering the Lord willeth them that were called through His Son to be saved." 11[77]:2 I say to him; "Sir, I hope that all when they hear these words will repent; for I am persuaded that each one, when he fully knows his own deeds and fears God, will repent." 11[77]:3 He answered and said unto me; "As many," [saith he,] "as [shall repent] from their whole heart [and] shall cleanse themselves from all the evil deeds aforementioned, and shall add nothing further to their sins, shall receive healing from the Lord for their former sins, unless they be double-minded concerning these commandments, and they shall live unto God. [But as many," saith he, "as shall add to their sins and walk in the lusts of this world, shall condemn themselves to death.] 11[77]:4 But do thou walk in my commandments, and live [unto God; yea, and as many as shall walk in them and shall do rightly, shall live unto God."] 11[77]:5 Having shown me all these things [and told me them] he saith to me; "Now the rest will I declare (unto thee) after a few days." Parable 9 1[78]:1 After I had written down the commandments and parables of the shepherd, the angel of repentance, he came to me and saith to me; "I wish to show thee all things that the Holy Spirit, which spake with thee in the form of the Church, showed unto thee. For that Spirit is the Son of God. 1[78]:2 For when thou wast weaker in the flesh, it was not declared unto thee through an angel; but when thou wast enabled through the Spirit, and didst grow mighty in thy strength so that thou couldest even see an angel, then at length was manifested unto thee, through the Church, the
building of the tower. In fair and seemly manner hast thou seen all things, (instructed) as it were by a virgin; but now thou seest (being instructed) by an angel, though by the same Spirit; 1[78]:3 yet must thou learn everything more accurately from me. For to this end also was I appointed by the glorious angel to dwell in thy house, that thou mightest see all things mightily, in nothing terrified, even as before." 1[78]:4 And he took me away into Arcadia, to a certain rounded mountain, and set me on the top of the mountain, and showed me a great plain, and round the plain twelve mountains, the mountains having each a different appearance. 1[78]:5 The first was black as soot; the second was bare, without vegetation; the third was thorny and full of briars; 1[78]:6 the fourth had the vegetation half-withered, the upper part of the grass green, but the part by the roots withered, and some of the grass became withered, whenever the sun had scorched it; 1[78]:7 the fifth mountain had green grass and was rugged; the sixth mountain was full with clefts throughout, some small and some great, and the clefts had vegetation, but the grass was not very luxuriant, but rather as if it had been withered; 1[78]:8 the seventh mountain had smiling vegetation, and the whole mountain was in a thriving condition, and cattle and birds of every kind did feed upon that mountain; and the more the cattle and the birds did feed, so much the more did the herbage of that mountain flourish. The eighth mountain was full of springs, and every kind of creature of the Lord did drink of the springs on that mountain. 1[78]:9 the ninth mountain had no water at all, and was entirely desert; and it had in it wild beasts and deadly reptiles, which destroy mankind. The tenth mountain had very large trees and was umbrageous throughout, and beneath the shade lay sheep resting and feeding. 1[78]:10 the eleventh mountain was thickly wooded all over, and the trees thereon were very productive, decked with divers kinds of fruits, so that one seeing them would desire to eat of their fruits. The twelfth mountain was altogether white and its aspect was cheerful; and the mountain was most beauteous in itself. 2[79]:1 And in the middle of the plain he showed me a great white rock, rising up from the plain. The rock was loftier than the mountains, being four-square, so that it could contain the whole world. 2[79]:2 Now this rock was ancient, and had a gate hewn out of it; but the gate seemed to me to have been hewed out quite recently. And the gate glistened beyond the brightness of the sun, so that I marvelled at the brightness of the gate. 2[79]:3 And around the gate stood twelve virgins. The four then that stood at the corners seemed to me to be more glorious (than the rest); but the others likewise were glorious; and they stood at the four quarters of the gate, and virgins stood in pairs between them. 2[79]:4 And they were clothed in linen tunics and girt about in seemly fashion, having their right shoulders free, as if they intended to carry some burden. Thus were they prepared, for they were very cheerful and eager. 2[79]:5 After I had seen these things, I marvelled in myself at the greatness and the glory of what I was seeing And again I was perplexed concerning the virgins, that delicate as they were they stood
up like men, as if they intended to carry the whole heaven. 2[79]:6 And the shepherd saith unto me; "Why questionest thou within thyself and art perplexed, and bringest sadness on thyself? For whatsoever things thou canst not comprehend, attempt them not, if thou art prudent; but entreat the Lord, that thou mayest receive understanding to comprehend them. 2[79]:7 What is behind thee thou canst not see, but what is before thee thou beholdest. The things therefore which thou canst not see, let alone, and trouble not thyself (about them; but the things which thou seest, these master, and be not over curious about the rest; but I will explain unto thee all things whatsoever I shall show thee. Have an eye therefore to what remaineth." 3[80]:1 I saw six men come, tall and glorious and alike in appearance and they summoned a multitude of men. And the others also which came were tall men and handsome and powerful. And the six men ordered them to build a tower above the gate. And there arose a great noise from those men who had come to build the tower, as they ran hither and thither round the gate. 3[80]:2 For the virgins standing round the gate told the men to hasten to build the tower. Now the virgins had spread out their hands, as if they would take something from the men. 3[80]:3 And the six men ordered stones to come up from a certain deep place, and to go to the building of the tower. And there went up ten stones square and polished, [not] hewn from a quarry. 3[80]:4 And the six men called to the virgins, and ordered them to carry all the stones which should go unto the building of the tower, and to pass through the gate and to hand them to the men that were about to build the tower. 3[80]:5 And the virgins laid the first ten stones that rose out of the deep on each other, and they carried them together, stone by stone. 4[81]:1 And just as they stood together around the gate, in that order they carried them that seemed to be strong enough and had stooped under the corners of the stone, while the others stooped at the sides of the stone. And so they carried all the stones. And they carried them right through the gate, as they were ordered, and handed them to the men for the tower; and these took the stones and builded. 4[81]:2 Now the building of the tower was upon the great rock and above the gate. Those ten stones then were joined together, and they covered the whole rock. And these formed a foundation for the building of the tower. And [the rock and] the gate supported the whole tower. 4[81]:3 And, after the ten stones, other twenty-five stones came up from the deep, and these were fitted into the building of the tower, being carried by the virgins, like the former. And after these thirty-five stones came up. And these likewise were fitted into the tower. And after these came up other forty stones. and these all were put into the building of the tower. So four rows were made in the foundations of the tower. 4[81]:4 And (the stones) ceased coming up from the deep, and the builders likewise ceased for a little. And again the six men ordered the multitude of the people to bring in stones from the mountains for the building of the tower. 4[81]:5 They were brought in accordingly from all the mountains, of various colors, shaped by the men, and were handed to the virgins; and the virgins carried them right through the gate, and handed them in for the building of the tower. And when the various stones were placed in the
building, they became all alike and white, and they lost their various colors. 4[81]:6 But some stones were handed in by the men for the building, and these did not become bright; but just as they were placed, such likewise were they found; for they were not handed in by the virgins, nor had they been carried in through the gate. These stones then were unsightly in the building of the tower. 4[81]:7 Then the six men, seeing the stones that were unsightly in the building, ordered them to be removed and carried [below] into their own place whence they were brought. 4[81]:8 And they say to the men who were bringing the stones in; "Abstain for your parts altogether from handing in stones for the building; but place them by the tower, that the virgins may carry them through the gate, and hand them in for the building. For if," [say they,] they be not carried in through the gate by the hands of these virgins, they cannot change their colors. Labor not therefore," [say they,] "in vain." 5[82]:1 And the building was finished on that day, yet was not the tower finally completed, for it was to be carried up [still] higher; and there was a cessation in the building. And the six men ordered the builders to retire for a short time [all of them], and to rest; but the virgins they ordered not to retire from the tower. And methought the virgins were left to guard the tower. 5[82]:2 And after all had retired Land rested], I say to the shepherd; "How is it, Sir," say I, "that the building of the tower was not completed?" "The tower," he saith, "cannot yet be finally completed, until its master come and test this building, that if any stones be found crumbling, he may change them; for the tower is being built according to His will." 5[82]:3 "I would fain know, Sir," say I, "what is this building of this tower, and concerning the rock and gate, and the mountains, and the virgins, and the stones that came up from the deep, and were not shaped, but went just as they were into the building; 5[82]:4 and wherefore ten stones were first placed in the foundations, then twenty-five, then thirty-five, then forty, and concerning the stones that had gone to the building and were removed again and put away in their own place--concerning all these things set my soul at rest, Sir, and explain them to me." 5[82]:5 "If," saith he, "thou be not found possessed of an idle curiosity, thou shalt know all things. For after a few days we shall come here, and thou shalt see the sequel that overtaketh this tower and shalt understand all the parables accurately." 5[82]:6 And after a few days we came to the place where we had sat, and he saith to me, "Let us go to the tower; for the owner of the tower cometh to inspect it." And we came to the tower, and there was no one at all by it, save the virgins alone. 5[82]:7 And the shepherd asked the virgins whether the master of the tower had arrived. And they said that he would be there directly to inspect the building. 6[83]:1 And, behold, after a little while I see an array of many men coming, and in the midst a man of such lofty stature that he overtopped the tower. 6[83]:2 And the six men who superintended the building walked with him on the right hand and on the left, and all they that worked at the building were with him, and many other glorious attendants around him. And the virgins that watched the tower ran up and kissed him, and they began to walk by his side round the tower.
6[83]:3 And that man inspected the building so carefully, that he felt each single stone; and he held a rod in his hand and struck each single stone that was built in. 6[83]:4 And when he smote, some of the stones became black as soot, others mildewed, others cracked, others broke off short, others became neither white nor black, others rough and not fitting in with the other stones, and others with many spots; these were the varied aspects of the stones which were found unsound for the building. 6[83]:5 So he ordered all these to be removed from the tower, and to be placed by the side of the tower, and other stones to be brought and put into their place. 6[83]:6 And the builders asked him from what mountain he desired stones to be brought and put into their place. And he would not have them brought from the mountains, but ordered them to be brought from a certain plain that was nigh at hand. 6[83]:7 And the plain was dug, and stones were found there bright and square, but some of them too were round. And all the stones which there were anywhere in that plain were brought every one of them, and were carried through the gate by the virgins. 6[83]:8 And the square stones were hewed, and set in the place of those which had been removed; but the round ones were not placed in the building, because they were too hard to be shaped, and to work on them was slow. So they were placed by the side of the tower, as though they were intended to be shaped and placed in the building; for they were very bright. 7[84]:1 So then, having accomplished these things, the glorious man who was lord of the whole tower called the shepherd to him, and delivered unto him all the stones which lay by the side of the tower, which were cast out from the building, and saith unto him; 7[84]:2 "Clean these stones carefully, and set them in the building of the tower, these, I mean, which can fit with the rest; but those which will not fit, throw far away from the tower." 7[84]:3 Having given these orders to the shepherd, he departed from the tower with all those with whom he had come. And the virgins stood round the tower watching it. 7[84]:4 I say to the shepherd, "How can these stones go again to the building of the tower, seeing that they have been disapproved?" He saith unto me in answer; "Seest thou", saith he, "these stones ?" I see them, Sir," say I. "I myself," saith he, "will shape the greater part of these stones and put them into the building, and they shall fit in with the remaining stones." 7[84]:5 "How, Sir," say I, "can they, when they are chiseled, fill the same space?" He saith unto me in answer, "As many as shall be found small, shall be put into the middle of the building; but as many as are larger, shall be placed nearer the outside, and they will bind them together." 7[84]:6 With these words he saith to me, "Let us go away, and after two days let us come and clean these stones, and put them into the building; for all things round the tower must be made clean, lest haply the master come suddenly and find the circuit of the tower dirty, and he be wroth, and so these stones shall not go to the building of the tower, and I shall appear to be careless in my master's sight." 7[84]:7 And after two days we came to the tower, and he saith unto me; "Let us inspect all the stones, and see those which can go to the building." I say to him, "Sir, let us inspect them." 8[85]:1 And so commencing first we began to inspect the black stones; and just as they were when set aside from the building, such also they were found. And the shepherd ordered them to be
removed from the tower and to be put on one side. 8[85]:2 Then he inspected those that were mildewed, and he took and shaped many of them, and ordered the virgins to take them up and put them into the building. And the virgins took them up and placed them in the building of the tower in a middle position. But the rest he ordered to be placed with the black ones; for these also were found black. 8[85]:3 Then he began to inspect those that had the cracks; and of these he shaped many, and he ordered them to be carried away by the hands of the virgins for the building. And they were placed towards the outside, because they were found to be sounder. But the rest could not be shaped owing to the number of the cracks. For this reason therefore they were cast aside from the building of the tower. 8[85]:4 Then he proceeded to inspect the stunted (stones), and many among them were found black, and some had contracted great cracks; and he ordered these also to be placed with those that had been cast aside. But those of them which remained he cleaned and shaped, and ordered to be placed in the building So the virgins took them up, and fitted them into the middle of the building of the tower; for they were somewhat weak. 8[85]:5 Then he began to inspect those that were half white and half black, and many of them were (now) found black; and he ordered these also to be taken up with those that had been cast aside. But all the rest were [found white, and were] taken up by the virgins; for being white they were fitted by [the virgins] them[selves] into the building. But they were placed towards the outside, because they were found sound, so that they could hold together those that were placed in the middle; for not a single one of them was too short. 8[85]:6 Then he began to inspect the hard and rough; and a few of them were cast away, because they could not be shaped; for they were found very hard. But the rest of them were shaped [and taken up by the virgins] and fitted into the middle of the building of the tower; for they were somewhat weak. 8[85]:7 Then he proceeded to inspect those that had the spots, and of these some few had turned black and were cast away among the rest; but the remainder were found bright and sound, and these were fitted by the virgins into the building; but they were placed towards the outside, owing to their strength. 9[86]:1 Then he came to inspect the white and round stones, and he saith unto me; "What shall we do with these stones?" "How do I know, Sir?" say I [And he saith to me,] "Perceivest thou nothing concerning them?" 9[86]:2 "I, Sir," say I, "do not possess this art, neither am I a mason, nor can I understand." Seest thou not," saith he, "that they are very round; and if I wish to make them square, very much must needs be chiseled off from them? Yet some of them must of necessity be placed into the building." 9[86]:3 "If then, Sir," say I, "it must needs be so, why distress thyself, and why not choose out for the building those thou willest, and fit them into it?" He chose out from them the large and the bright ones, and shaped them; and the virgins took them up, and fitted them into the outer parts of the building. 9[86]:4 But the rest, which remained over, were taken up, and put aside into the plain whence they were brought; they were not however cast away, "Because," saith he, there remaineth still a little of the tower to be builded. And the master of the tower is exceedingly anxious that these stones be fitted into the building, for they are very bright."
9[86]:5 So twelve women were called, most beautiful in form, clad in black, [girded about and having the shoulders bare,] with their hair hanging loose. And these women, methought, had a savage look. And the shepherd ordered them to take up the stones which had been cast away from the building, and to carry them off to the same mountains from which also they had been brought; 9[86]:6 and they took them up joyfully, and carried away all the stones and put them in the place whence they had been taken. And after all the stones had been taken up, and not a single stone still lay round the tower, the shepherd saith unto me; "Let us go round the tower, and see that there is no defect in it." And I proceeded to go round it with him. 9[86]:7 And when the shepherd saw that the tower was very comely in the building, he was exceedingly glad; for the tower was so well builded, that when I saw it I coveted the building of it; for it was builded, as it were, of one stone, having one fitting in it. And the stone-work appeared as if hewn out of the rock; for it seemed to me to be all a single stone. 10[87]:1 And I, as I walked with him, was glad to see so brave a sight. And the shepherd saith to me; "Go and bring plaster and fine clay, that I may fill up the shapes of the stones that have been taken up and put into the building; for all the circuit of the tower must be made smooth." 10[87]:2 And I did as he bade, and brought them to him. "Assist me," saith he, "and the work will speedily be accomplished." So he filled in the shapes of the stones which had gone to the building, and ordered the circuit of the tower to be swept and made clean. 10[87]:3 And the virgins took brooms and swept, and they removed all the rubbish from the tower, and sprinkled water, and the site of the tower was made cheerful and very seemly. 10[87]:4 The shepherd saith unto me, "All," saith he, "hath now been cleaned. If the lord come to inspect the tower, he hath nothing for which to blame us." Saying this, he desired to go away. 10[87]:5 But I caught hold of his wallet, and began to adjure him by the Lord that he would explain to me [all] what he had showed me. He saith to me; "I am busy for a little while, and then I will explain everything to thee. Await me here till I come." 10[87]:6 I say to him; "Sir, when I am here alone what shall I do?" "Thou art not alone," saith he; "for these virgins are here with thee." "Commend me then to them," say I. The shepherd calleth them to him and saith to them; "I commend this man to you till I come," and he departed. 10[87]:7 So I was alone with the virgins; and they were most cheerful, and kindly disposed to Me especially the four of them that were the more glorious in appearance. 11[88]:1 The virgins say to me; "Today the shepherd cometh not here." "What then shall I do?" say I. "Stay for him," say they, "till eventide; and if he come, he will speak with thee; but if he come not, thou shalt stay here with us till he cometh." 11[88]:2 I say to them; "I will await him till evening, and if he come not, I will depart home and return early in the morning." But they answered and said unto me; "To us thou wast entrusted; thou canst not depart from us." 11[88]:3 "Where then," say I, "shall I remain?" "Thou shalt pass the night with us," say they as a brother, not as a husband; for thou art our brother, and henceforward we will dwell with thee; for we love thee dearly." But I was ashamed to abide with them. 11[88]:4 And she that seemed to be the chief of them began to kiss and to embrace me; and the others seeing her embrace me, they too began to kiss me, and to lead me round the tower, and to
sport with me. 11[88]:5 And I had become as it were a younger man, and I commenced myself likewise to sport with them. For some of them began to dance, [others to skip,] others to sing. But I kept silence and walked with them round the tower, and was glad with them. 11[88]:6 But when evening came I wished to go away home; but they would not let me go, but detained me. And I stayed the night with them, and I slept by the side of the tower. 11[88]:7 For the virgins spread their linen tunics on the ground, and made me lie down in the midst of them, and they did nothing else but pray; and I prayed with them without ceasing, and not less than they. And the virgins rejoiced that I so prayed. And I stayed there with the virgins until the morning till the second hour. 11[88]:8 Then came the shepherd, and saith to the virgins; "Have ye done him any injury?" "Ask him," say they. I say to him, "Sir, I was rejoiced to stay with them." "On what didst thou sup?" saith he "I supped, Sir," say I, "on the words of the Lord the whole night through." "Did they treat thee well?" saith he. "Yes, Sir," say I. 11[88]:9 "Now," saith he, "what wouldest thou hear first?" "In the order as thou showedst to me, Sir, from the beginning," say I; "I request thee, Sir, to explain to me exactly in the order that I shall enquire of thee." According as thou desirest," saith he, "even so will I interpret to thee, and I will conceal nothing whatever from thee." 12[89]:1 "First of all, Sir," say I, "explain this to me. The rock and the gate, what is it?" "This rock," saith he, "and gate is the Son of God." "How, Sir," say I, "is the rock ancient, but the gate recent?" "Listen," saith he, "and understand, foolish man. 12[89]:2 The Son of God is older than all His creation, so that He became the Father's adviser in His creation. Therefore also He is ancient." "But the gate, why is it recent, Sir?" say I. 12[89]:3 "Because," saith he, "He was made manifest in the last days of the consummation; therefore the gate was made recent, that they which are to be saved may enter through it into the kingdom of God. 12[89]:4 Didst thou see," saith he, "that the stones which came through the gate have gone to the building of the tower, but those which came not through it were cast away again to their own place?" "I saw, Sir," say I. "Thus," saith he, "no one shall enter into the kingdom of God, except he receive the name of His Son. 12[89]:5 For if thou wishest to enter into any city, and that city is walled all round and has one gate only, canst thou enter into that city except through the gate which it hath?" "Why, how, Sir," say I, "is it possible otherwise?" "If then thou canst not enter into the city except through the gate itself, even so," saith he, "a man cannot enter into the kingdom of God except by the name of His Son that is beloved by Him. 12[89]:6 Didst thou see," saith he, "the multitude that is building the tower?" "I saw it, Sir," say I. "They," saith he, are all glorious angels. With these then the Lord is walled around. But the gate is the Son of God; there is this one entrance only to the Lord. No one then shall enter in unto Him otherwise than through His Son. 12[89]:7 Didst thou see," saith he, "the six men, and the glorious and mighty man in the midst of them, him that walked about the tower and rejected the stones from the building?" "I saw him, Sir," say I.
12[89]:8 "The glorious man," saith he, "is the Son of God, and those six are the glorious angels who guard Him on the right hand and on the left. Of these glorious angels not one," saith he, "shall enter in unto God without Him; whosoever shall not receive His name, shall not enter into the kingdom of God." 13[90]:1 "But the tower," say I, "what is it?" "The tower," saith he, "why, this is the Church. 13[90]:2 "And these virgins, who are they?" "They," saith he, "are holy spirits; and no man can otherwise be found in the kingdom of God, unless these shall clothe him with their garment; for if thou receive only the name, but receive not the garment from them, thou profitest nothing. For these virgins are powers of the Son of God. If [therefore] thou bear the Name, and bear not His power, thou shalt bear His Name to none effect. 13[90]:3 And the stones," saith he, "which thou didst see cast away, these bare the Name, but clothed not themselves with the raiment of the virgins." "Of what sort, Sir," say I, "is their raiment?" "The names themselves," saith he, "are their raiment. Whosoever beareth the Name of the Son of God, ought to bear the names of these also; for even the Son Himself beareth the names of these virgins. 13[90]:4 As many stones," saith he, "as thou sawest enter into the building of the tower, being given in by their hands and waiting for the building, they have been clothed in the power of these virgins. 13[90]:5 For this cause thou seest the tower made a single stone with the rock. So also they that have believed in the Lord through His Son and clothe themselves in these spirits, shall become one spirit and one body, and their garments all of one color. But such persons as bear the names of the virgins have their dwelling in the tower." 13[90]:6 "The stones then, Sir," say I, "which are cast aside, wherefore were they cast aside? For they passed through the gate and were placed in the building of the tower by the hands of the virgins." "Since all these things interest thee," saith he, "and thou enquirest diligently, listen as touching the stones that have been cast aside. 13[90]:7 These all," [saith he,] "received the name of the Son of God, and received likewise the power of these virgins. When then they received these spirits, they were strengthened, and were with the servants of God, and they had one spirit and one body [and one garment]; for they had the same mind, and they wrought righteousness. 13[90]:8 After a certain time then they were persuaded by the women whom thou sawest clad in black raiment, and having their shoulders bare and their hair loose, and beautiful in form. When they saw them they desired them, and they clothed themselves with their power, but they stripped off from themselves the power of the virgins. 13[90]:9 They then were cast away from the house of God, and delivered to these (women). But they that were not deceived by the beauty of these women remained in the house of God. So thou hast," saith he, "the interpretation of them that were cast aside." 13[90]:1 What then, Sir," say I, "if these men, being such as they are, should repent and put away their desire for these women, and return unto the virgins, and walk in their power and in their works? Shall they not enter into the house of God?" 13[90]:2 "They shall enter," saith he, "if they shall put away the works of these women, and take again the power of the virgins, and walk in their works. For this is the reason why there was also a
cessation in the building, that, if these repent, they may go into the building of the tower; but if they repent not, then others will go, and these shall be cast away finally." 13[90]:3 For all these things I gave thanks unto the Lord, because He had compassion on all that called upon His name, and sent forth the angel of repentance to us that had sinned against Him, and refreshed our spirit, and, when we were already ruined and had no hope of life, restored our life. 13[90]:4 "Now, Sir," say I, "show me why the tower is not built upon the ground, but upon the rock and upon the gate." "Because thou art senseless," saith he, "and without understanding [thou askest the question]." "I am obliged, Sir," say I, "to ask all questions of thee, because I am absolutely unable to comprehend anything at all; for all are great and glorious and difficult for men to understand." 13[90]:5 "Listen," saith he. "The name of the Son of God is great and incomprehensible, and sustaineth the whole world. If then all creation is sustained by the Son [of God], what thinkest thou of those that are called by Him, and bear the name of the Son of God, and walk according to His commandments? 13[90]:6 Seest thou then what manner of men He sustaineth? Even those that bear His name with their whole heart. He Himself then is become their foundation, and He sustaineth them gladly, because they are not ashamed to bear His name." 15[92]:1 "Declare to me, Sir," say I, "the names of the virgins, and of the women that are clothed in the black garments." "Hear," saith he, "the names of the more powerful virgins, those that are stationed at the corners. 15[92]:2 The first is Faith, and the second, Continence, and the third, Power, and the fourth, Longsuffering. But the others stationed between them have these names--Simplicity, Guilelessness, Purity, Cheerfulness, Truth, Understanding, Concord, Love. He that beareth these names and the name of the Son of God shall be able to enter into the kingdom of God. 15[92]:3 Hear," saith he, "likewise the names of the women that wear the black garments. Of these also four are more powerful than the rest; the first is Unbelief; the second, Intemperance; the third, Disobedience; the fourth, Deceit; and their followers are called, Sadness, Wickedness, Wantonness, Irascibility, Falsehood, Folly, Slander, Hatred. The servant of God that beareth these names shall see the kingdom of God, but shall not enter into it." 15[92]:4 "But the stones, Sir," say I, "that came from the deep, and were fitted into the building, who are they?" "The first," saith he, "even the ten, that were placed in the foundations, are the first generation; the twenty-five are the second generation of righteous men; the thirty-five are God's prophets and His ministers; the forty are apostles and teachers of the preaching of the Son of God." 15[92]:5 "Wherefore then, Sir," say I, "did the virgins give in these stones also for the building of the tower and carry them through the gate?" 15[92]:6 "Because these first," saith he, "bore these spirits, and they never separated the one from the other, neither the spirits from the men nor the men from the spirits, but the spirits abode with them till they fell asleep; and if they had not had these spirits with them, they would not have been found useful for the building of this tower." 15[92]:1 "Show me still further, Sir," say I. "What desirest thou to know besides?" saith he. "Wherefore, Sir," say I, "did the stones come up from the deep, and wherefore were they placed
into the building, though they bore these spirits?" 15[92]:2 "It was necessary for them," saith he, "to rise up through water, that they might be made alive; for otherwise they could not enter into the kingdom of God, except they had put aside the deadness of their [former] life. 15[92]:3 So these likewise that had fallen asleep received the seal of the Son of God and entered into the kingdom of God. For before a man," saith he, "has borne the name of [the Son of] God, he is dead; but when he has received the seal, he layeth aside his deadness, and resumeth life. 15[92]:4 The seal then is the water: so they go down into the water dead, and they come up alive. "thus to them also this seal was preached, and they availed themselves of it that they might enter into the kingdom of God." 15[92]:5 "Wherefore, Sir," say I, "did the forty stones also come up with them from the deep, though they had already received the seal?" "Because," saith he, "these, the apostles and the teachers who preached the name of the Son of God, after they had fallen asleep in the power and faith of the Son of God, preached also to them that had fallen asleep before them, and themselves gave unto them the seal of the preaching. 15[92]:6 Therefore they went down with them into the water, and came up again. But these went down alive [and again came up alive]; whereas the others that had fallen asleep before them went down dead and came up alive. 15[92]:7 So by their means they were quickened into life, and came to the full knowledge of the name of the Son of God. For this cause also they came up with them, and were fitted with them into the building of the tower and were builded with them, without being shaped; for they fell asleep in righteousness and in great purity. Only they had not this seal. Thou hast then the interpretation of these things also." "I have, Sir," say I. 17[94]:1 "Now then, Sir, explain to me concerning the mountains. Wherefore are their forms diverse the one from the other, and various?" "Listen," saith he. "These twelve mountains are [twelve] tribes that inhabit the whole world. To these (tribes) then the Son of God was preached by the Apostles." 17[94]:2 But explain to me, Sir, why they are various--these mountains--and each has a different appearance." "Listen," saith he. "These twelve tribes which inhabit the whole world are twelve nations; and they are various in understanding and in mind. As various, then, as thou sawest these mountains to be, such also are the varieties in the mind of these nations, and such their understanding. And I will show unto thee the conduct of each." 17[94]:3 "First, Sir," say I, "show me this, why the mountains being so various, yet, when their stones were set into the building, became bright and of one color, just like the stones that had come up from the deep." 17[94]:4 "Because," saith he, "all the nations that dwell under heaven, when they heard and believed, were called by the one name of [the Son of] God. So having received the seal, they had one understanding and one mind, and one faith became theirs and [one] love, and they bore the spirits of the virgins along with the Name; therefore the building of the tower became of one color, even bright as the sun. 17[94]:5 But after they entered in together, and became one body, some of them defiled themselves, and were cast out from the society of the righteous, and became again such as they were before, or rather even worse."
18[95]:1 "How, Sir," say I, "did they become worse, after they had fully known God?" "He that knoweth not God," saith he, "and committeth wickedness, hath a certain punishment for his wickedness; but he that knoweth God fully ought not any longer to commit wickedness, but to do good. 18[95]:2 If then he that ought to do good committeth wickedness, does he not seem to do greater wickedness than the man that knoweth not God? Therefore they that have not known God, and commit wickedness, are condemned to death; but they that have known God and seen His mighty works, and yet commit wickedness, shall receive a double punishment, and shall die eternally. In this way therefore shall the Church of God be purified. 18[95]:3 And as thou sawest the stones removed from the tower and delivered over to the evil spirits, they too shall be cast out; and there shall be one body of them that are purified, just as the tower, after it had been purified, became made as it were of one stone. Thus shall it be with the Church of God also, after she hath been purified, and the wicked and hypocrites and blasphemers and double-minded and they that commit various kinds of wickedness have been cast out. 18[95]:4 When these have been cast out, the Church of God shall be one body, one understanding, one mind, one faith, one love. And then the Son of God shall rejoice and be glad in them, for that He hath received back His people pure." "Great and glorious, Sir," say I, "are all these things. 18[95]:5 Once more, Sir," [say I,] "show me the force and the doings of each one of the mountains, that every soul that trusteth in the Lord, when it heareth, may glorify His great and marvelous and glorious name." "Listen," saith he, "to the variety of the mountains and of the twelve nations. 19[96]:1 "From the first mountain, which was black, they that have believed are such as these; rebels and blasphemers against the Lord, and betrayers of the servants of God. For these there is no repentance, but there is death. For this cause also they are black; for their race is lawless. 19[96]:2 And from the second mountain, the bare one, they that believed are such as these; hypocrites and teachers of wickedness. And these then are like the former in not having the fruit of righteousness. For, even as their mountain is unfruitful, so likewise such men as these have a name indeed, but they are void of the faith, and there is no fruit of truth in them. For these then repentance is offered, if they repent quickly; but if they delay, they will have their death with the former." 19[96]:3 "Wherefore, Sir," say I, "is repentance possible for them, but not for the former ? For their doings are almost the same." "On this account," he saith, "is repentance offered for them, because they blasphemed not their Lord, nor became betrayers of the servants of God; yet from desire of gain they played the hypocrite, and taught each other [after] the desires of sinful men. But they shall pay a certain penalty; yet repentance is ordained for them, because they are not become blasphemers or betrayers. 20[97]:1 "And from the third mountain, which had thorns and briars, they that believed are such as these; some of them are wealthy and others are entangled in many business affairs. The briars are the wealthy, and the thorns are they that are mixed up in various business affairs. 20[97]:2 These [then, that are mixed up in many and various business affairs,] cleave [not] to the servants of God, but go astray, being choked by their affairs, but the wealthy unwillingly cleave to the servants of God, fearing lest they may be asked for something by them. Such men therefore shall hardly enter into the kingdom of God. 20[97]:3 For as it is difficult to walk on briars with bare feet, so also it is difficult for such men to
enter the kingdom of God. 20[97]:4 But for all these repentance is possible, but it must be speedy, that in respect to what they omitted to do in the former times, they may now revert to (past) days, and do some good. If then they shall repent and do some good, they shall live unto God; but if they continue in their doings, they shall be delivered over to those women, the which shall put them to death. 20[97]:1 "And from the fourth mountain, which had much vegetation, the upper part of the grass green and the part towards the roots withered, and some of it dried up by the sun, they that believed are such as these; the double-minded, and they that have the Lord on their lips, but have Him not in their heart. 20[97]:2 Therefore their foundations are dry and without power, and their words only live, but their works are dead. Such men are neither alive nor dead. They are, therefore, like unto the double-minded; for the double-minded are neither green nor withered; for they are neither alive nor dead. 20[97]:3 For as their grass was withered up when it saw the sun, so also the double-minded, when they hear of tribulation, through their cowardice worship idols and are ashamed of the name of their Lord. 20[97]:4 Such are neither alive nor dead. Yet these also, if they repent quickly, shall be able to live; but if they repent not, they are delivered over already to the women who deprive them of their life. 22[99]:1 "And from the fifth mountain, which had green grass and was rugged, they that believed are such as these; they are faithful, but slow to learn and stubborn and self-pleasers, desiring to know all things, and yet they know nothing at all. 22[99]:2 By reason of this their stubbornness, understanding stood aloof from them, and a foolish senselessness entered into them; and they praise themselves as having understanding, and they desire to be self-appointed teachers, senseless though they are. 22[99]:3 Owing then to this pride of heart many, while they exalted themselves, have been made empty; for a mighty demon is stubbornness and vain confidence. Of these then many were cast away, but some repented and believed, and submitted themselves to those that had understanding, having learnt their own senselessness. 22[99]:4 Yea, and to the rest that belong to this class repentance is offered; for they did not become wicked, but rather foolish and without understanding. If these then shall repent, they shall live unto God; but if they repent not, they shall have their abode with the women who work evil against them. 23[100]:1 "But they that believed from the sixth mountain, which had clefts great and small, and in the clefts herbage withered, are such as these; 23[100]:2 they that have the small clefts, these are they that have aught against one another, and from their backbitings they are withered in the faith; but many of these repented Yea, and the rest shall repent, when they hear my commandments; for their backbitings are but small, and they shall quickly repent. 23[100]:3 But they that have great clefts, these are persistent in their backbitings and bear grudges, nursing wrath against one another. These then were thrown right away from the tower and rejected from its building. Such persons therefore shall with difficulty live.
23[100]:4 If God and our Lord, Who ruleth over all things and hath the authority over all His creation, beareth no grudge against them that confess their sins, but is propitiated, doth man, who is mortal and full of sins, bear a grudge against man, as though he were able to destroy or save him? 23[100]:5 I say unto you--I, the angel of repentance--unto as many as hold this heresy, put it away from you and repent, and the Lord shall heal your former sins, if ye shall purify yourselves from this demon; but if not, ye shall be delivered unto him to be put to death. 24[101]:1 " And from the seventh mountain, on which was herbage green and smiling, and the whole mountain thriving, and cattle of every kind and the fowls of heaven were feeding on the herbage on that mountain, and the green herbage, on which they fed, only grew the more luxuriant, they that believed are such as these; 24[101]:2 they were ever simple and guileless and blessed, having nothing against one another, but rejoicing always in the servants of God, and clothed in the Holy Spirit of these virgins, and having compassion always on every man, and out of their labors they supplied every man's need without reproach and without misgiving. 24[101]:3 The Lord then seeing their simplicity and entire childliness made them to abound in the labors of their hands, and bestowed favor on them in all their doings. 24[101]:4 But I say unto you that are such--I, the angel of repentance--remain to the end such as ye are, and your seed shall never be blotted out. For the Lord hath put you to the proof, and enrolled you among our number, and your whole seed shall dwell with the Son of God; for of His Spirit did ye receive. 25[102]:1 "And from the eighth mountain, where were the many springs, and all the creatures of the Lord did drink of the springs, they that believed are such as these; 25[102]:2 apostles and teachers, who preached unto the whole world, and who taught the word of the Lord in soberness and purity, and kept back no part at all for evil desire, but walked always in righteousness and truth, even as also they received the Holy Spirit. Such therefore shall have their entrance with the angels. 26[103]:1 "And from the ninth mountain, which was desert, which had [the] reptiles and wild beasts in it which destroy mankind, they that believed are such as these; 26[103]:2 they that have the spots are deacons that exercised their office ill, and plundered the livelihood of widows and orphans, and made gain for themselves from the ministrations which they had received to perform. If then they abide in the same evil desire, they are dead and there is no hope of life for them; but if they turn again and fulfill their ministrations in purity, it shall be possible for them to live. 26[103]:3 But they that are mildewed, these are they that denied and turned not again unto their Lord, but having become barren and desert, because they cleave not unto the servants of God but remain alone, they destroy their own souls. 26[103]:4 For as a vine left alone in a hedge, if it meet with neglect, is destroyed and wasted by the weeds, and in time becometh wild and is no longer useful to its owner, so also men of this kind have given themselves up in despair and become useless to their Lord, by growing wild. 26[103]:5 To these then repentance cometh, unless they be found to have denied from the heart;
but if a man be found to have denied from the heart, I know not whether it is possible for him to live. 26[103]:6 And this I say not in reference to these days, that a man after denying should receive repentance; for it is impossible for him to be saved who shall now deny his Lord; but for those who denied Him long ago repentance seemeth to be possible. If a man therefore will repent, let him do so speedily before the tower is completed; but if not, he shall be destroyed by the women and put to death. 26[103]:7 And the stunted, these are the treacherous and backbiters; and the wild beasts which thou sawest on the mountain are these. For as wild beasts with their venom poison and kill a man, so also do the words of such men poison and kill a man. 26[103]:8 These then are broken off short from their faith through the conduct which they have in themselves; but some of them repented and were saved; and the rest that are of this kind can be saved, if they repent; but if they repent not, they shall meet their death from those women of whose power they are possessed. 27[104]:1 "And from the tenth mountain, where were trees sheltering certain sheep, they that believed are such as these; 27[104]:2 bishops, hospitable persons, who gladly received into their houses at all times the servants of God without hypocrisy. [These bishops] at all times without ceasing sheltered the needy and the widows in their ministration and conducted themselves in purity at all times. 27[104]:3 These [all] then shall be sheltered by the Lord for ever. They therefore that have done these things are glorious in the sight of God, and their place is even now with the angels, if they shall continue unto the end serving the Lord. 27[104]:1 "And from the eleventh mountain, where were trees full of fruit, decked with divers kinds of fruits, they that believed are such as these; 27[104]:2 they that suffered for the Name [of the Son of God], who also suffered readily with their whole heart, and yielded up their lives." 27[104]:3 "Wherefore then, Sir," say I, "have all the trees fruits, but some of their fruits are more beautiful than others?" "Listen," saith he; "all as many as ever suffered for the Name's sake are glorious in the sight of God, and the sins of all these were taken away, because they suffered for the name of the Son of God. Now here why their fruits are various, and some surpassing others. 27[104]:4 "As many," saith he, "as were tortured and denied not, when brought before the magistery, but suffered readily, these are the more glorious in the sight of the Lord; their fruit is that which surpasseth. But as many as become cowards, and were lost in uncertainty, and considered in their hearts whether they should deny or confess, and yet suffered, their fruits are less, because this design entered into their heart; for this design is evil, that a servant should deny his own lord. 27[104]:5 See to it, therefore, ye who entertain this idea, lest this design remain in your hearts, and ye die unto God. But ye that suffer for the Name's sake ought to glorify God, because God deemed you worthy that ye should bear this name, and that all your sins should be healed. 27[104]:6 Reckon yourselves blessed therefore; yea, rather think that ye have done a great work, if any of you shall suffer for God's sake. The Lord bestoweth life upon you, and ye percieved it not; for your sins weighed you down, and if ye had not suffered for the Name [of the Lord], ye had died
unto God by reason of your sins. 27[104]:7 These things I say unto you that waver as touching denial and confession. Confess that ye have the Lord, lest denying Him ye be delivered into prison. 27[104]:8 If the Gentiles punish their slaves, if any one deny his lord, what think ye the Lord will do unto you, He who has authority over all things? Away with these designs from your hearts, that ye may live forever unto God." 27[104]:1 "And from the twelfth mountain, which was white, they that believed are such as these; they that are as very babes, into whose heart no guile entereth, neither lernt they what wickedness is, but they remained as babes forever. 27[104]:2 Such as these then dwell without doubt in the kingdom of God, because they defiled the commandments of God in nothing, but continued as babes all the days of their life in the same mind. 27[104]:3 As many of you therefore as shall continue," saith he, "and shall be as infants not having guile, shall be glorious [even] than all them that have been mentioned before; for all infants are glorious in the sight of God, and stand first in His sight. Blessed then are ye, as many as have put away wickedness from you, and have clothed yourselves in guilelessness: ye shall live unto God cheifest of all." 27[104]:4 After he had finished the parables of the mountains, I say unto him, "Sir, now explain to me concerning the stones that were taken from the plain and placed in the building in the room of the stoes that were taken from the tower, and concerning the round (stones) which were placed in the building, and concerning those that were still round". 27[104]:1 "Hear," saith he, "likewise concerning all these things. The stones which were taken from the plain and placed in the building of the tower in the room of those that were rejected, are the roots of this white mountain. 27[104]:2 When then they that believed from this mountain were all found guiltless, the lord of the tower ordered these from the roots of the mountain to be put into the building of the tower. For He knew that if these stones should go into the building [of the tower], they would remain bright and not one of them would turn black. 27[104]:3 But if he added (stones) from other mountains, he would have been obliged to visit the tower again, and to purify it. Now all these have been found white, who have believed and who shall believe; for they are of the same kind. Blessed is this kind, for it is innocent! 27[104]:4 Hear now likewise concerning those round and bright stones. All these are from the white mountain. Now here wherefore they have been found round. Their riches have darkened and obscured them a little from the truth. 27[104]:5 When therefore the Lord percieved their mind, *that they could favor the truth,* and likewise remain good, He commanded their possessions to be cut off from them, yet not to be taken away altogether, so that they might be able to do some good with that which hath been left to them, and might live unto God for that they come of a good kind. So therefore they have been cut away a little, and placed in the building of this tower". 27[104]:1 "But the other (stones), which have remained round and have not been fitted into the building, because they have not yet received the seal, have been replaced in their own possession, for they were found very round.
27[104]:2 For this world and the vanities of their possessions must be cut off from them, and then they will fit into the kingdom of God. For it is necessary that they should enter into the kingdom of God; because the Lord hath blessed this innocent kind. Of this kind then not one shall perish. Yea, even though any one of them being tempted by the most wicked devil have committed any fault, he shall return speedily unto his Lord. 27[104]:3 Blessed I pronounced you all to be--I the angel of repentance--whoever of you are guileless as infants, because your part is good and honorable in the sight of God. 27[104]a:4 Moreover I bid all of you, whoever have received this seal, keep guilelessness, and bear no grudge, and continue not in your wickedness nor in the memory of the offenses of bitterness; but become of one spirit, and heal these evil clefts and take them away from among you, that the owner of the flocks may rejoice concerning them. 27[104a]:5 For he will rejoice, if he find all things whole. But if he find any part of the flock scattered, woe unto the shepherds. 27[104a]:6 For if the shepherds themselves shall have been found scattered, how will they answer for the flocks? Will they say that they were harassed by the flock? No credence will be given them. For it is an incredible thing that a shepherd should be injured by his flock; and he will be punished the more because of his falsehood. And I am the shepherd, and it behoveth me most strongly to render an account for you. 32[109]:1 "Amend yourselves therefore, while the tower is still in course of building. 32[109]:2 The Lord dwelleth in men that love peace; for to Him peace is dear; but from the contentious and them that are given up to wickedness He keepeth afar off. Restore therefore to Him your spirit whole as ye received it. 32[109]:3 For suppose thou hast given to a fuller a new garment whole, and desirest to receive it back again whole, but the fuller give it back to thee torn, wilt thou receive it thus? Wilt thou not at once blaze out and attack him with reproaches, saying; "The garment which I gave thee was whole; wherefore hast thou rent it and made it useless? See, by reason of the rent, which thou hast made in it, it cannot be of use." Wilt thou not then say all this to a fuller even about a rent which he has made in thy garment? 32[109]:4 If therefore thou art thus vexed in the matter of thy garment, and complainest because thou receivest it not back whole, what thinkest thou the Lord will do to thee, He, Who gave thee the spirit whole, and thou hast made it absolutely useless, so that it cannot be of any use at all to its Lord? For its use began to be useless, when it was corrupted by thee. Will not therefore the Lord of this spirit for this thy deed punish [thee with death]?" 32[109]:5 "Certainly," I said, "all those, whomsoever He shall find continuing to bear malice, He will punish." "Trample not," said he, "upon His mercy, but rather glorify Him, because He is so long-suffering with your sins, and is not like unto you. Practice then repentance which is expedient for you. 33[110]:1 "All these things which are written above I, the shepherd, the angel of repentance, have declared and spoken to the servants of God. If then ye shall believe and hear my words, and walk in them, and amend your ways, ye shall be able to live. But if ye continue in wickedness and in bearing malice, no one of this kind shall live unto God. All things which were to be spoken by me have (now) been spoken to you."
33[110]:2 The shepherd said to me, "Hast thou asked me all thy questions?" And I said, "Yes, Sir." "Why then hast thou not enquired of me concerning the shape of the stones placed in the building, in that we filled up their shapes?" And I said, "I forgot, Sir." 33[110]:3 "Listen now," said he, "concerning them. These are they that have heard my commandments now, and have practiced repentance with their whole heart. So when the Lord saw that their repentance was good and pure, and that they could continue therein, he ordered their former sins to be blotted out. These shapes then were their former sins, and they have been chiseled away that they might not appear." Parable 10 1[111]:1 After I had written out this book completely, the angel who had delivered me to the shepherd came to the house where I was, and sat upon a couch, and the shepherd stood at his right hand. Then he called me, and spake thus unto me; 1[111]:2 "I delivered thee," said he, "and thy house to this shepherd, that thou mightest be protected by him." "True, Sir," I said "If therefore," said he, "thou desirest to be protected from all annoyance and all cruelty, to have also success in every good work and word, and all the power of righteousness, walk in his commandments, which I have given thee, and thou shalt be able to get the mastery over all wickedness. 1[111]:3 For if thou keep his commandments, all evil desire and the sweetness of this world shall be subject unto thee; moreover success shall attend thee in every good undertaking. Embrace his gravity and self-restraint, and tell it out unto all men that he is held in great honor and dignity with the Lord, and is a ruler of great authority, and powerful in his office. To him alone in the whole world hath authority over repentance been assigned. Seemeth he to thee to be powerful? Yet ye despise the gravity and moderation which he useth towards you." 2[112]:1 I say unto him; "Ask him, Sir, himself, whether from the time that he hath been in my house, I have done ought out of order, whereby I have offended him." 2[112]:2 "I myself know," said he, "that thou hast done nothing out of order, nor art about to do so. And so I speak these things unto thee, that thou mayest persevere. For he hath given a good account of thee unto me. Thou therefore shalt speak these words to others, that they too who have practiced or shall practice repentance may be of the same mind as thou art; and he may give a good report of them to me, and I unto the Lord." 2[112]:3 "I too, Sir," I say, "declare to every man the mighty works of the Lord; for I hope that all who have sinned in the past, if they hear these things, will gladly repent and recover life." 2[112]:4 "Continue therefore," said he, "in this ministry, and complete it unto the end. For whosoever fulfill his commandments shall have life; yea such a man (shall have) great honor with the Lord. But whosoever keep not his commandments, fly from their life, and oppose him, and follow not his commandments, but deliver themselves over to death; and each one becometh guilty of his own blood. But I bid thee obey these commandments, and thou shalt have a remedy for thy sins. 3[113]:1 "Moreover, I have sent these virgins unto thee, that they may dwell with thee; for I have seen that they are friendly towards thee. Thou hast them therefore as helpers, that thou mayest be the better able to keep his commandments; for it is impossible that these commandments be kept without the help of these virgins. I see too that they are glad to be with thee. But I will charge them that they depart not at all from thy house.
3[113]:2 Only do thou purify thy house; for in a clean house they will gladly dwell. For they are clean and chaste and industrious, and have favor in the sight of the Lord. If, therefore, they shall find thy house pure, they will continue with thee; but if the slightest pollution arise, they will depart from thy house at once. For these virgins love not pollution in any form." 3[113]:3 I said unto him, "I hope, Sir, that I shall please them, so that they may gladly dwell in my house for ever; and just as he to whom thou didst deliver me maketh no complaint against me, so they likewise shall make no complaint." 3[113]:4 He saith unto the shepherd, "I perceive," saith he, "that he wishes to live as the servant of God, and that he will keep these commandments, and will place these virgins in a clean habitation." 3[113]:5 With these words he again delivered me over to the shepherd, and called the virgins, and said to them; "Inasmuch as I see that ye are glad to dwell in this man's house, I commend to you him and his house, that ye depart not at all from his house." But they heard these words gladly. 4[114]:1 He said then to me, "Quit you like a man in this ministry; declare to every man the mighty works of the Lord, and thou shalt have favor in this ministry. Whosoever therefore shall walk in these commandments, shall live and be happy in his life; but whosoever shall neglect them, shall not live, and shall be unhappy in his life. 4[114]:2 Charge all men who are able to do right, that they cease not to practice good works; for it is useful for them. I say moreover that every man ought to be rescued from misfortune; for he that hath need, and suffereth misfortune in his daily life, is in great torment and want. 4[114]:3 Whosoever therefore rescueth from penury a life of this kind, winneth great joy for himself. For he who is harassed by misfortune of this sort is afflicted and tortured with equal torment as one who is in chains. For many men on account of calamities of this kind, because they can bear them no longer, lay violent hands on themselves. He then who knows the calamity of a man of this kind and rescueth him not, committeth great sin, and becometh guilty of the man's blood. 4[114]:4 Do therefore good works, whoever of you have received (benefits) from the Lord, lest, while ye delay to do them, the building of the tower be completed. For it is on your account that the work of the building has been interrupted. Unless then ye hasten to do right, the tower will be completed, and ye shut out." 4[114]:5 When then he had finished speaking with me, he rose from the couch and departed, taking with him the shepherd and the virgins. He said however unto me, that he would send the shepherd and the virgins back again to my house. . .
Forbidden Gospels: Part 4 From: Antichristian Polemics Two Manuscripts: (“Talmud on Yeshu”) Jonathan Barlow Gee, ed. (& “Sefer Toledot Yeshu”) Jonathan Barlow Gee, ed. Incl. additional translations by: essene.com & G.R.S. Mead
Passage #1: Ben Stada Talmud Shabbat 104b, Sanhedrin 67a
It is taught: R. Eliezer asked the sages: Did not Ben Stada bring witchcraft with him from Egypt in a cut that was on his skin?” The Sage beside him answered: “He was a fool and you cannot bring proof from a fool. Bar Stada was Ben Pandora.” R. Chisda said: “So, the husband was Stada and the lover was Pantera. But the husband was Pappos Yehudah and the mother was Stada. For the mother was Miriam, the women's hairdresser, but was called Stada. As we say in Pumbedita: “She has turned away (“Stat Da”) from her husband.”
Passage #2: Yeshu Talmud Sanhedrin 107b, Sotah 47a
What of R. Yehoshua the Pyrriah? When John Hyrcanus, the king, exiled the Maccabean rabbin, R. Yehoshua Ben Perachiah, called Yeshu, went to Alexandria of Egypt. When there was peace, Shimeon, in the name of Ben Shetah, sent to him "From me, Jerusalem the holy city, to you, Alexandria of Egypt. My bride-groom remains in your midst and I sit forsaken." So Yeshu left and arrived at the Temple in Jerusalem, where they showed him great respect. He said: “How beautiful is this ‘Achsania,’” which also means a “hostess.” “But,” he also said: “the Rabbin have eyes like needles.” So they said to him: “Wicked Priest, this is how you engage your alleged betrothed?” So they sent out four hundred Legionaries to find him, and then they excommunicated him. Yeshu came before the Rabbin many times and said: “Accept me.” But the Rabbin had paid him no attention. Then on one day, when the Rabbin were reciting Shema [during which one may not be interrupted], Yeshu again came before them. They were going to accept him in, and signaled so to him with one hand. But Yeshu thought that the Rabbin were dismissing him. He went, hung a brick, and bowed down to it. Yeshu said to the Rabbin: “You taught me that anyone who sins and causes others to sin is not given the opportunity to repent.” And the Rabbin said: “Yeshu (Ha Notzri) practiced magic and deceit and led Israel astray.”
Passage #3: Trial Talmud Sanhedrin 67a
It is taught: For all others (besides the enticer to idolatry) who are liable for the death penalty, we do not hide witnesses. How do we deal with the Tempter? We light a lamp for him in the inner chamber and place witnesses in the outer chamber so that they can see and hear him while he cannot see or hear them. One says to him “Tell me again what you said to me in private” and he tells him. He is asked “How can we forsake G-d in heaven and worship idolatry?” If he repents, good. If he says “This is our obligation and what we must do,” the witnesses who hear him from outside bring him to the court and stone him. And so they did to Ben Stada in Lud and hung him on the eve of Passover.
Passage #4: Execution Talmud Sanhedrin 43a
It is taught: On the eve of Passover they hung Yeshu, that crier who went forth for a Jubilee of days beforehand declaring that he “is going to be stoned for practicing witchcraft, for enticing and leading Israel astray.” Anyone who knew something to clear him should have come forth to exonerate him. But no one said anything to disprove his charges for him so the Sages did as he requested and hung him on the eve of Passover. Ulla said: “Why would anyone even think they should look for evidence of innocence for him?” for he was an enticer and G-d had said of all such, “Show him no pity nor compassion, and do not shield him.” (Deuteronomy 13:9) But Yeshu was different because he was close to the Rabbin of the day, and thus dangerous to their continuity of our government.
Passage #5: Disciples Talmud Sanhedrin 43a
It is taught: Yeshu was given five chances to testify in his defense, called “Disciples” - based on five words chosen from Scripture - “Matai,” “Nekai,” “Netzer,” “Buni,” and “Todah.” So the Sages called upon the word of “Matai.” Yeshu was asked: “Will Matai be killed?” He replied, “so it is written (Psalm 42:2) ‘When (“Matai”) shall I come and appear before G-d.’” They said to him: “So yes, Matai will be killed?” - as it is written (Psalm 41:5) “When (”Matai”) shall he die and his name perish.” Next they called out “Nekai.” They said to Yeshu: “Will Nekai be killed?” He answered, “as it is written (Exodus 23:7) ‘The innocent (“Naki”) and the righteous you shall not slay.’” They said to him: “Then, yes, Nekai will be killed?” - as it is written (Psalm 10:8) “In secret places He slays the innocent (“Naki”).” They brought up “Netzer” and said to him: “Will Netzer be killed?” He said then, “just so is written (Isaiah 11:1) ‘A branch (”Netzer”) shall spring up from his roots.” They said to him: “So yes, then, Netzer will be killed?” - as it is written (Isaiah 14:19) “You are cast forth out of your grave like an abominable branch (“Netzer”).” Next, they called forth on the word of “Buni.” The Sages asked Yeshu: “Will Buni be killed?” and he answered, “so it is written (Exodus 4:22) ‘My son (“Beni”), my firstborn, Israel.’” So the Assembled replied to him: “so you say, yes, Buni will be killed?” - as it is written (Exodus 4:23) “Behold, I slay your son (“Bincha”) your firstborn.” Finally they brought out the truth about “Todah.” They asked Yeshu: “Will Todah be killed?” “Thus,” Yeshu answered, “was it written (Psalm 100:1) ‘A Psalm for thanksgiving (“Todah”).’” They said to him: “Then, yes, Todah will be killed” - as it is written (Psalm 50:23) “Whoever sacrifices thanksgiving (“Todah”) honors me.”
Passage #6: The Student Tosefta Chullin 2:23
It once happened that the foolish R. “Elazar” ben Damah was bitten by a snake and Ya'akov of the village Sechania came to heal him in the name of Yeshu ben Pandera, but the wise R. “Yishmael” did not allow him.
Sefer Toledot Yeshu https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toledot_Yeshu Sefer Toledot Yeshu (ספר תולדות ישו, The Book of the Generations/History/Life of Jesus), often abbreviated as Toledot Yeshu, is an early Jewish text taken to be an alternative biography of Jesus. It exists in a number of different versions, none of which are considered either canonical or normative within rabbinic literature, but which appear to have been widely circulated in Europe and the Middle East in the medieval period. A 15th-century Yemenite work of the same was titled Maaseh Yeshu, or the "Episode of Jesus" in which Jesus is described either as being the son of Joseph, or the son of Pandera. The account portrays Jesus as an impostor. The story is that Jesus (Yeshu) was an illegitimate child, and that he practiced magic and heresy, seduced women, and died a shameful death. But they also show a paradoxical respect for Jesus. As Joseph Dan notes in the Encyclopedia Judaica, "The narrative in all versions treats Jesus as an exceptional person who, from his youth, demonstrated unusual wit and wisdom, but disrespect toward his elders and the sages of his age." Robert Van Voorst calls the Toledot a record of popular polemic "run wild". The Toledot's profane portrayal of the person Christians consider divine has provided material for antisemitic polemics. Up until the early 21st century, with only a few exceptions, mainstream Jewish and Christian scholars, paid little attention to the Toledot. The opinion of Father Edward H. Flannery is representative: This scurrilous fable of the life of Jesus is a medieval work, probably written down in the tenth century. .... Though its contents enjoyed a certain currency in the oral traditions of the Jewish masses, it was almost totally ignored by official or scholarly Judaism. Anti-Semites have not failed to employ it as an illustration of the blasphemous character of the Synagogue." This disregard has recently been lifting as the text becomes discussed as a possible window into the early history of polemic between Christians and Jews. ““The earliest textual evidence consists of tenth-century manuscript fragments in the Cairo Geniza.”” - Cornelia Horn (27 July 2015). "Forbidden texts on the Western Frontier". In Forbidden Texts on the Western Frontier: The Christian Apocrypha in Perspectives: Proceedings from the 2013 York University Christian Apocrypha and Stock Publishers. pp. 117–. ISBN 978-1-4982-0982-3.
in Aramaic found Tony Burke (ed.). North American Symposium. Wipf
Tiberius Julius Abdes Pantera https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiberius_Julius_Abdes_Pantera Tiberius Julius Abdes Pantera (c. 22 BC – AD 40) was a Roman-Phoenician soldier born in Sidon, whose tombstone was found in Bingerbrück, Germany, in 1859. A historical connection from this soldier to Jesus has long been hypothesized by numerous scholars, based on the claim of the ancient Greek philosopher Celsus, who, according to Christian writer Origen in his "Against Celsus" (Greek Κατὰ Κέλσου, Kata Kelsou; Latin Contra Celsum), was the author of a work entitled The True Word (Greek Λόγος Ἀληθής, Logos Alēthēs). Celsus' work was lost, but in Origen's account of it Jesus was depicted as the result of an affair between his mother Mary and a Roman soldier. He said she was "convicted of adultery and had a child by a certain soldier named Pantera". According to James Tabor, Tiberius Pantera could have been serving in the region at the time of Jesus's conception. Both the ancient Talmud and medieval Jewish writings and sayings reinforced this notion, referring to "Yeshu ben Pantera", which translates as "Jesus, son of Pantera". Tabor's hypothesis is considered highly unlikely by mainstream scholars given that there is little other evidence to support Pantera's paternity outside of the Greek and Jewish texts.
:: Sefer Toldoth Yeshu :: “The Generations of Jesus” a modern, metaphysical interpretation by: Jonathan Barlow Gee In the year 3671 AM (~90 bce) in the days of the Maccabean Patriarch of the Hasmonean household’s High Priest-King Alexander Jannaeus, a great accursation vexed the Jerusalem Pharisee Sanhedrin. There arose a certain Roman convert to Judaism living in the nation of Judah, whose name was Joseph Pandera, the “Father Panther,” so called for his division of archers in the Roman Legion. He was stationed at Bethlehem, a town in the north of the nation of Judah. Near his barracks dwelt a “widow” (kept privily during the period of her fiancé’s meditative sojourn) named Miriam, and her lovely, chaste daughter, Sarah Salome. Miriam was betrothed to Yohanan, of the royal house of David, that is, to King Jannaeus himself, who was a God-fearing Hassid much learned in Torah. On the evening following one Sabbath, Father Joseph Pandera, alike the Nefilim warriors in appearance, fixed his lustful sights on Miriam; he knocked on the door to her bed chambers; then he betrayed all Israel by disguising himself in the robes of the Abiathar-Jairus Chief Priest, which rank Yohanan yet held at that time. The once pure, now forever filthied, Miriam, though wary of such a breach in protocol, eventually succumbed to her rapist, loving him as if he was her husband. Following this some time later, Yohanan’s sojourn at Qumran ended, and he returned to find his wife in Bethlehem pregnant. Miriam confronted him and accused him of having forsaken his vows to G-d. Thus it was that they both came to realize the atrocity of Joseph Pandera behind Miriam’s shameful err. Yohanan immediately counseled with the Pharisee Rabban of Bethlehem, ben Shetah, and confessed to him the rape of his wife by the Roman soldier. However, lacking the requisite number of defense witnesses to try Pandera, whom had already been transferred to Germania, as well as for the reason that Miriam was now pregnant, Yohanan returned to Qumran. Miriam gave birth to a son and named him Yeheshuah, after her, by then, communal brother, Shimeon Yohanan. This name later deteriorated to Jesus. On the eighth day his membrum was circumcised, as is proscribed for G-d’s chosen people in Torah. When thirteen years passed, Miriam at last took her son with her to Jerusalem to pay the Passover Temple-reconstruction tax. That very Sabbath, Yeshu walked in front of the Pharisee Sanhedrin without a yamika on, which some of the Hassidic youths there took as an insult to G-d. Their elders began to debate about this with their sons, who claimed Yeshu must be a bastard, only half-Jew, born of some niddah (separation from tradition). The rabbin began to adumbrate on the Nezikin Tractate, when Yeshu interrupted to give his own upstart interpretation of Torah. He premised, “surely Moses must not be the wisest of all Sages if he stoops to take council from Jethro.” Upon the resultant angry inquest into Yeshu’s parentage, the Rabban of Bethlehem, ben Shetah of Shimeon’s Pharisee Sanhedrin, stepped forward to attest that Yeshu was, indeed, the illegitimate seed of a Roman Legionnaire of the Panther division. Miriam, arriving just then, confessed it to be true before all Israel. Following this event, Yeshu fled, unknown to all, into Egypt. Following the Maccabean exile to Qumran, Queen Helene Salome ruled in Jerusalem. In the Temple of Alexandria, Egypt, at that time was found a Foundation (Shem) Stone on which were engraven the letters of God's Ineffable (Shem) Name. Whoever learned the secret of this Name and its right use would be able to do anything they could imagine. Therefore, the Saqqara Sages bound two lion heads onto twin iron pillars at the gate of the Sanctum Sanctorum for public Holy Holocaust offerings. Thus, if anyone entered there and learned the Name, when he went to
leave, the watchful lions would emit a deafening roar at him, so as to confuse his mind until he forgot the secret Name. Yeshu entered, learned the letters of the Name, and, with much wisdom, gained much understanding of their meaning. He wrote them upon a small scroll of parchment and stuffed it into an open wound in his inner-thigh. Then he sewed up the skin of the abrasion over the contusion. As he went to leave, the lion heads sounded their low, dull klaxon and the secret was erased form his mind. But soon, when he returned to his own house, he unzipped the stitches in his flesh with a curved dagger and dug out the rolled up scroll of parchment. Studying the small scroll, he then remembered the Name and obtained the proper use of its letters. He conscripted into his personality-cult 310 vagabonds, derelicts and petty bandits, and denounced any who recused his origins for his own highest crime, hubris. Yeshu dictated, “I am the Messiah; and concerning me, Isaiah prophesied and said, ‘Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.’” He quoted a host of other Messianic references from throughout various scriptures and other texts, urging that, “David, my own ancestor, prophesied this, concerning me: ‘The Lord said to me, thou art my son; this day have I begotten thee.’” The first insurgents to side with him believed that if Yeshu was the Messiah he should convince them by a sign. Being of the Nation of Israel, they brought to him outside Capernaum, a lame man from Bethesda, who couldn’t walk. Yeshu spelled out the letters of the Ineffable Name over the crook; and behold, the leper was indeed healed. Thereupon, these proselytes prayed to Jesus as Christ, Son of Man, Most High. As soon as news reached them of the healing campaign of Yeshu, the half-breed exile, the Pharisee Sanhedrin in Jerusalem began to conspire to arrest him. They sent two messengers, brothers named Annanui and Ahaziah, who were instructed to pose as high-ranking converts to his cause from Jerusalem, and offer him an invitation to visit some sympathetic, wealthy officials. Yeshu ultimately acquiesced, but only on the one condition that these sympathetic Pharisees of the Jerusalem Sanhedrin would welcome him as their one true lord, Ha AHDVNHAY. Upon their messengers’ guarantee, he set out with the two toward Jerusalem. But when they arrived, Yeshu betrayed the messengers and over-turned several stalls of local businesses who traded Roman coins for Shekels for the Temple Tax, and thus intermingled all of their collections. At this, the astounded messengers arrested him and led him before the Pharisee Sanhedrin in the Inner Sanctum, beneath the statue of Queen Salome Helene, erected there by High Priest-King Shimeon ben Yohanan. There they accused against him: “This man thinks he is a sorcerer and is inciting the people toward revolution.” Yeshu confessed boldly, “Your own Prophets long ago promised you I would come now: ‘And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse,’ and here I am; but as for them,” he added, addressing the crowd, referring to the Jerusalem Sanhedrin, “Scripture says ‘Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly.’” Approaching to investigate the riot, Procla, wife of Pontius Pilate, lifted her voice up from the shadows to ask the Pharisee Sanhedrin: “What he claims, is it the True Word, written down in your Torah?” The High Priest explained to her: “The True Words he quotes are from among those written down
in our Torah, but he is twisting their meaning to apply them to himself, for it is also Ordained: ‘And that prophet which shall presume to speak a word in My name, which I have not commanded him to speak or who shall speak in the name of other gods, even that prophet shall die.’ He does not meet our standards for Messiah.” Yeshu addressed Procla, seeing the Sanhedrin bowing: "Procla, I am the Messiah. What must I do? Behold, I will even re-enliven the dead.” His confederates quickly brought out the cold cadaver of Lazarus, exile of Qumran, priorly known as John the Baptist, and subsequently as James the Just. Yeshu pronounced the letters of the Ineffable Name and via Lazarus, John the Baptist stood up and was resurrected as James the Just. At that Procla was deeply awed and said: “This is a true sign.” She reported the incident to her husband, Procurator Pontius Pilate, explaining the fault of the Pharisee Sanhedrin and the miracles of Yeshu. Yeshu’s wealth, army, and influence continued to grow, and thus to foment controversy and strife in all Israel. There was much bloodshed and loss of life for both the Pharisee loyalists and the terrorist acolytes of Yeshu. So his followers hid with Yeshu in the region of Antioch. Yeshu then resolved to return to the Temple in Jerusalem on Passover. That year the Passover would come on a Sabbath day. The Pharisee Sanhedrin had elected from amongst themselves one to play the role of Judas, the Iscarri assassin, and brought him to the Innermost Sanctuary where he was permitted to learn the letters of the lost name. When Yeshu would be brought next before Procla’s friend, Queen Salome, they schemed, she would be surrounded by the Sanhedrin, and amongst them would be Judas, the one chosen to kill Yeshu. Yeshu journeyed on toward Antioch. But next the Pharisee Sanhedrin approached Queen Salome Helene, warning that Yeshu was delusional, believed he practiced real sorcery and all Israel was in danger of being led astray by him in this way. So it was at the Sanhedrin’s beckoning that Queen Helene herself ordered the two Pharisees and brothers, Annanui and Ahaziah, to track down and report on the whereabouts of Yeshu. On the eve of the Passover, Yeshu, accompanied by his disciples, came into Jerusalem, and, passing by Knob, stole an ass on which he rode past the city’s gates towards the Temple, to fulfill a prophecy by Zechariah. Many bowed to him. He entered the Temple with his 310 followers. One of these was Judas, the elected Iscarri. At the appointed hour, he informed the Pharisees where Yeshu would be found next; he also reported that the disciples had sworn to forsake the Ten Commandments rather than reveal the location. Judas was to lead them there, then distract Yeshu with a kiss. They found Yeshu in the Garden of Gethsemane, declaring himself the Son of G-d. So it was done and Yeshu was seized. When the betrayers were recognized among the loyal, a struggle ensued amidst them all. But Yeshu stood down his soldiers, commanding them: “Wage no war.” He claimed he intended to prove himself by the power which came to him alone from his Father in heaven. Yeshu was seized upon by the wizened elders and youngest scribes alike. They covered his head with a bag and strung chains around his neck. The soldiers were striking him but, blinded, there was nothing he could do to prevent them. Yeshu was detained as a terrorist in the newly constructed synagogue of Tiberius Augustus, and there they bound him to a pillar and flayed him by flagellation. To quell his thirst they gave him vinegar to drink. On his head they set a crown of thorns. Then the Pharisee Sanhedrin used Procurator Pontius Pilate to sentence Yeshu to death. He was executed on the sixth hour on the eve of that Passover Sabbath. They attempted to nail him to a tree, but it broke because, while he still possessed its power, he had intoned in the will of the
Ineffable Name that he would never be the fruit of a rotten tree. However, he had failed to extend this prohibition over plants aside from trees, and so on a cactus Yehsu was pinioned until the hour of the Sabbatical noontide prayer, for it is written in Scripture, “His body shall not remain all night upon the tree.” They buried Yeshu’s remains some distance away from the city. On the first work day of the week his traitorous accomplices were brought before Queen Salome Helene and testified to her that he whom had been slaughtered like a Sacrifice on Sabbath truly was the Messiah and that he was no longer even in his grave, but had instead ascended to heaven as he prophesied. Quickly conscripts were sent to scour the cemetery for Yeshu’s corpse, but it was not found where it had been buried. The conscripts guarding the tomb for Queen Helene, Pontius Pilate had sent away hurriedly that morning to investigate signs of Yeshu arisen in Galilee. Once Helene was able to finally ask them about the necromancy of Yeshu they confessed that the olive garden grove’s owner had exhumed him from the sepulcher. Joseph the Just, Chief Priest Prince himself, removed the remains to a hidden location. He had buried Yeshu in the sewage run-off to the garden’s drainage pond. Queen Salome demanded, on threat of suffering Yeshu’s fate in Gihennim, that his corpse be shown to her before three days. There was a significant distress at that time throughout all Israel. The next morning, the Gethsemane grounds-keeper found Rabbi Tanhuma, a Pharisee, rummaging through the olive cove, lamenting out loud at the injustice of the Queen. The grove gardener explained why James the Teacher of Righteousness had done what he’d done: that it was in order for Yeshu's followers to not be able to steal their Master’s body and then claim Yeshu had ascended into heaven. Then the Pharisees dug the carcass of Yeshu out of the pit of Gihennim, tied the moulding remains to the tail of a wild horse and on the second day of the work week, let it drag him through the streets until Queen Salome saw. Attached to the roughshod deceased was a note, reading, "This is Yeshu who is said to have ascended to heaven." Finally realizing that Yeshu was indeed a false prophet who had deceived the people and led all Israel astray, Salome then cursed with spite the followers of Yeshu and rewarded the Pharisee faction of the Sanhedrin. Yeshu’s rebellion was next scattered among the nations - three Desposyni went to the mountains of Gaul, three to Antioch, three to Rome and three to the Celtic kingdom by the distant Atlantic ocean. They easily misled the Gentiles, but soon enough all Yeshu’s original followers were dead. The remaining proselytes of Yeshu amongst the Twelve Tribes decried: “You have slain the Messiah of the Lord.” The Pharisees answered: “You have believed in a false prophet.” There was war, strife and discord for thirty years. Ultimately, the Pharisees decided to breed out Christianity from their form of Judaism. To initiate this, they enlisted the help of one much learned in Torah, named Simeon Cephas, also known as Simon Magus, and called Peter Caiphas, or Josephus. Shimeon left for Antioch, main church centre of the earliest Nazarenes. There, he initiated the plot that would destroy the Christian religion from within. “I am an Apostle of Yeshu,” he lied to them, “He has sent me to show you the way. I will give you a sign as Yeshu has done.” Simeon, having gained power over the secret Name of God, then used it to heal a lame man and a leper; thus proving himself, in their eyes, an Apostle of Truth. He then explained to them that Yeshu had appeared to him in a vast vision: the Revelation, the Apocalypse; that Yeshu was in heaven, seated below the right hand of his Father, in fulfillment of Psalm 110:1. But, he cautioned them, Yeshu now desired for them to distinguish his new religion from the Pharisees’ sect, and to no longer follow the old traditions, as Isaiah had said, "Your new moons and your feasts my soul abhorreth."
Now they were to keep sacred the first day of the week instead of the seventh; accept the miracle of the Resurrection instead of the miracle of Passover; believe the Ascension into Heaven instead of practice the Feast of Weeks; mark the Passion of the Cross instead of measure the Hebrew New Year; worship by the mystery of baptism instead of praying for the Day of Atonement; and celebrate Christmas instead of Chanukah. They were to be indifferent regarding circumcision and the dietary laws. Also they were to accept the teaching of turning the other if struck on one cheek, and adhere to meek acceptance of suffering. All these Gospels were provided to the Antioch Nazarenes as disinformation by Simeon Cephas (Saul or Paul, as he was later known) as instruction on the “official positions” for any moral / ethical question to be used by all Christians, to this day. By separating the early Christian Nazarenes from the Pharisee families’ blood-lines, the Sanhedrin of the time hoped to bring an end to the internal strife that threatened to fracture all Israel.
Toledoth Yeshu https://www.essene.com/History&Essenes/toled.htm In the year 3671[1] in the days of King Jannaeus, a great misfortune befell Israel, when there arose a certain disreputable man of the tribe of Judah, whose name was Joseph Pandera. He lived at Bethlehem, in Judah. Near his house dwelt a widow and her lovely and chaste daughter named Miriam. Miriam was betrothed to Yohanan, of the royal house of David, a man learned in the Torah and God-fearing. At the close of a certain Sabbath, Joseph Pandera, attractive and like a warrior in appearance, having gazed lustfully upon Miriam, knocked upon the door of her room and betrayed her by pretending that he was her betrothed husband, Yohanan. Even so, she was amazed at this improper conduct and submitted only against her will. Thereafter, when Yohanan came to her, Miriam expressed astonishment at behavior so foreign to his character. It was thus that they both came to know the crime of Joseph Pandera and the terrible mistake on the part of Miriam. Whereupon Yohanan went to Rabban Shimeon ben Shetah and related to him the tragic seduction. Lacking witnesses required for the punishment of Joseph Pandera, and Miriam being with child, Yohanan left for Babylonia.[2] Miriam gave birth to a son and named him Yehoshua, after her brother. This name later deteriorated to Yeshu. On the eighth day he was circumcised. When he was old enough the lad was taken by Miriam to the house of study to be instructed in the Jewish tradition. One day Yeshu walked in front of the Sages with his head uncovered, showing shameful disrespect. At this, the discussion arose as to whether this behavior did not truly indicate that Yeshu was an illegitimate child and the son of a niddah[3]. Moreover, the story tells that while the rabbis were discussing the Tractate Nezikin, he gave his own impudent interpretation of the law and in an ensuing debate he held that Moses could not be the greatest of the prophets if he had to receive counsel from Jethro. This led to further inquiry as to the antecedents of Yeshu, and it was discovered through Rabban Shimeon ben Shetah that he was the illegitimate son of Joseph Pandera. Miriam admitted it.[4] After this became known, it was necessary for Yeshu to flee to Upper Galilee. After King Jannaeus, his wife Helene[5] ruled over all Israel. In the Temple was to be found the Foundation Stone on which were engraven the letters of God's Ineffable Name. Whoever learned the secret of the Name and its use would be able to do whatever he wished. Therefore, the Sages took measures so that no one should gain this knowledge. Lions of brass were bound to two iron pillars at the gate of the place of burnt offerings. Should anyone enter and learn the Name, when he left the lions would roar at him and immediately the valuable secret would be forgotten. Yeshu came and learned the letters of the Name; he wrote them upon the parchment which he placed in an open cut on his thigh and then drew the flesh over the parchment. As he left, the lions roared and he forgot the secret. But when he came to his house he reopened the cut in his flesh with a knife an lifted out the writing. Then he remembered and obtained the use of the letters.[6] He gathered about himself three hundred and ten young men of Israel and accused those who spoke ill of his birth of being people who desired greatness and power for themselves. Yeshu proclaimed, "I am the Messiah; and concerning me Isaiah prophesied and said, 'Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.'" He quoted other messianic texts, insisting, "David my ancestor prophesied concerning me: 'The Lord said to me, thou art my son, this day have I begotten thee.'"
The insurgents with him replied that if Yeshu was the Messiah he should give them a convincing sign. They therefore, brought to him a lame man, who had never walked. Yeshu spoke over the man the letters of the Ineffable Name, and the leper was healed. Thereupon, they worshipped him as the Messiah, Son of the Highest. When word of these happenings came to Jerusalem, the Sanhedrin decided to bring about the capture of Yeshu. They sent messengers, Annanui and Ahaziah, who, pretending to be his disciples, said that they brought him an invitation from the leaders of Jerusalem to visit them. Yeshu consented on condition the members of the Sanhedrin receive him as a lord. He started out toward Jerusalem and, arriving at Knob, acquired an ass on which he rode into Jerusalem, as a fulfillment of the prophecy of Zechariah. The Sages bound him and led him before Queen Helene, with the accusation: "This man is a sorcerer and entices everyone." Yeshu replied, "The prophets long ago prophesied my coming: 'And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse,' and I am he; but as for them, Scripture says 'Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly.'" Queen Helene asked the Sages: "What he says, is it in your Torah?" They replied: "It is in our Torah, but it is not applicable to him, for it is in Scripture: 'And that prophet which shall presume to speak a word in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak or that shall speak in the name of other gods, even that prophet shall die.' He has not fulfilled the signs and conditions of the Messiah." Yeshu spoke up: "Madam, I am the Messiah and I revive the dead." A dead body was brought in; he pronounced the letters of the Ineffable Name and the corpse came to life. The Queen was greatly moved and said: "This is a true sign." She reprimanded the Sages and sent them humiliated from her presence. Yeshu's dissident followers increased and there was controversy in Israel. Yeshu went to Upper Galilee. the Sages came before the Queen, complaining that Yeshu practiced sorcery and was leading everyone astray. Therefore she sent Annanui and Ahaziah to fetch him. The found him in Upper Galilee, proclaiming himself the Son of God. When they tried to take him there was a struggle, but Yeshu said to the men of Upper Galilee: "Wage no battle." He would prove himself by the power which came to him from his Father in heaven. He spoke the Ineffable Name over the birds of clay and they flew into the air. He spoke the same letters over a millstone that had been placed upon the waters. He sat in it and it floated like a boat. When they saw this the people marveled. At the behest of Yeshu, the emissaries departed and reported these wonders to the Queen. She trembled with astonishment. Then the Sages selected a man named Judah Iskarioto and brought him to the Sanctuary where he learned the letters of the Ineffable Name as Yeshu had done. When Yeshu was summoned before the queen, this time there were present also the Sages and Judah Iskarioto. Yeshu said: "It is spoken of me, 'I will ascend into heaven.'" He lifted his arms like the wings of an eagle and he flew between heaven and earth, to the amazement of everyone. The elders asked Iskarioto to do likewise. He did, and flew toward heaven. Iskarioto attempted to force Yeshu down to earth but neither one of the two could prevail against the other for both had the use of the Ineffable Name. However, Iskarioto defiled Yeshu, so that they both lost their power and fell down to the earth, and in their condition of defilement the letters of the Ineffable Name escaped from them. Because of this deed of Judah they weep on the eve of the birth of Yeshu. Yeshu was seized. His head was covered with a garment and he was smitten with pomegranate
staves; but he could do nothing, for he no longer had the Ineffable Name. Yeshu was taken prisoner to the synagogue of Tiberias, and they bound him to a pillar. To allay his thirst they gave him vinegar to drink. On his head they set a crown of thorns. There was strife and wrangling between the elders and the unrestrained followers of Yeshu, as a result of which the followers escaped with Yeshu to the region of Antioch[7]; there Yeshu remained until the eve of the Passover. [8] Yeshu then resolved to go the Temple to acquire again the secret of the Name. That year the Passover came on a Sabbath day. On the eve of the Passover, Yeshu, accompanied by his disciples, came to Jerusalem riding upon an ass. Many bowed down before him. He entered the Temple with his three hundred and ten followers. One of them, Judah Iskarioto[9] apprised the Sages that Yeshu was to be found in the Temple, that the disciples had taken a vow by the Ten Commandments not to reveal his identity but that he would point him out by bowing to him. So it was done and Yeshu was seized. Asked his name, he replied to the question by several times giving the names Mattai, Nakki, Buni, Netzer, each time with a verse quoted by him and a counter-verse by the Sages. Yeshu was put to death on the sixth hour on the eve of the Passover and of the Sabbath. When they tried to hang him on a tree it broke, for when he had possessed the power he had pronounced by the Ineffable Name that no tree should hold him. He had failed to pronounce the prohibition over the carob-stalk[10], for it was a plant more than a tree, and on it he was hanged until the hour for afternoon prayer, for it is written in Scripture, "His body shall not remain all night upon the tree." They buried him outside the city. On the first day of the week his bold followers came to Queen Helene with the report that he who was slain was truly the Messiah and that he was not in his grave; he had ascended to heaven as he prophesied. Diligent search was made and he was not found in the grave where he had been buried. A gardener had taken him from the grave and had brought him into his garden and buried him in the sand over which the waters flowed into the garden. Queen Helene demanded, on threat of a severe penalty, that the body of Yeshu be shown to her within a period of three days. There was a great distress. When the keeper of the garden saw Rabbi Tanhuma walking in the field and lamenting over the ultimatum of the Queen, the gardener related what he had done, in order that Yeshu's followers should not steal the body and then claim that he had ascended into heaven. The Sages removed the body, tied it to the tail of a horse and transported it to the Queen, with the words, "This is Yeshu who is said to have ascended to heaven." Realizing that Yeshu was a false prophet who enticed the people and led them astray, she mocked the followers but praised the Sages. The disciples went out among the nations--three went to the mountains of Ararat, three to Armenia, three to Rome and three to the kingdoms buy the sea, They deluded the people, but ultimately they were slain. The erring followers amongst Israel said: "You have slain the Messiah of the Lord." The Israelites answered: "You have believed in a false prophet." There was endless strife and discord for thirty years. The Sages desired to separate from Israel those who continued to claim Yeshu as the Messiah, and they called upon a greatly learned man, Simeon Kepha, for help. Simeon went to Antioch, main city of the Nazarenes and proclaimed toe them: "I am the disciple of Yeshu. He has sent me to show you the way. I will give you a sign as Yeshu has done." Simeon, having gained the secret of the Ineffable Name, healed a leper and a lame man by means
of it and thus found acceptance as a true disciple. He told them that Yeshu was in heaven, at the right hand of his Father, in fulfillment of Psalm 110:1. He added that Yeshu desired that they separate themselves from the Jews and no longer follow their practices, as Isaiah had said, "Your new moons and your feasts my soul abhorreth." They were now to observe the first day of the week instead of the seventh, the Resurrection instead of the Passover, the Ascension into Heaven instead of the Feast of Weeks, the finding of the Cross instead of the New Year, the Feast of the Circumcision instead of the Day of Atonement, the New Year instead of Chanukah; they were to be indifferent with regard to circumcision and the dietary laws. Also they were to follow the teaching of turning the right if smitten on the left and the meek acceptance of suffering. All these new ordinances which Simeon Kepha (or Paul, as he was known to the Nazarenes) taught them were really meant to separate these Nazarenes from the people of Israel and to bring the internal strife to an end. [1] About 90, BC. [G] [2] Some traditions say 'Egypt'. [AH] [3] Sexual impurity (incest, adultery, prostitution, etc.). [AH] [4] In one version of this admission, she confesses that not only is Yeshu the product of an illicit union, but she was ritually unclean from menstruation at the time as well (Sexual contact even with a woman's husband is not lawful during, or, in Rabbinic law, for some time after, menstruation). [AH] [5] Salome Alexandra. [G] [6] Consistent, apparently, with the general tenor of Jewish criticism of Jesus' miracles going at least as far back as Celsus (2nd c.) this tradition does not deny Jesus' ability to perform miracles, accusing him instead of practicing magic. This version even accepts the divine origin of the miracles, attributing them to his misuse of the divine name, with its inherent powers. In the Alphabet of Ben Sira, Lilith is accused of the same crime, using the power of the name to escape from the Garden of Eden. [AH] [7] Some traditions say 'Egypt'. [G] [8] In a variation on the story, Judah is able to out-miracle Yeshu in the sign contest without defiling him. Yeshu is discredited and arrested, and, as in this story, his followers are able to break him free, but he still remembers the Ineffable Name. He escapes to Egypt in hopes of learning Egyptian magic as well (regarded as the best magic in the world). Judah comes to Egypt and infiltrates the disciples, posing as one himself. It is from this vantage point that he is able to cause Yeshu to forget the magical Name, resulting in the later's desire to return to Jerusalem and relearn it. Judah sends warning to the Sages, along with his plan to arrest him. [AH] [9] Aramaic: Ga'isa. [G] [10] Or cabbage stalk. [AH]
From: Did Jesus Live 100 B.C.? By G. R. S. Mead http://gnosis.org/library/grs-mead/jesus_live_100/ch14.html XIV—A JEWISH LIFE OF JESUS. THE beginning of the birth of Jeschu. His mother was Miriam [a daughter] of Israel. She had a betrothed of the royal race of the House of David, whose name was Jochanan. He was learned in the law and feared heaven greatly. Near the door of her house, just opposite, dwelt a handsome [fellow]; Joseph ben Pandera cast his eye upon her. It was at night, on the eve of the Sabbath, when drunken he crossed over to her door and entered in to her. But she thought in her heart that it was her betrothed Jochanan; she hid her face and was ashamed. ... He embraced her; but she said to him: Touch me not, for I am in my separation. He took no heed thereat, nor regarded her words, but persisted. She conceived by him. . . . At midnight came her betrothed Rabbi Jochanan. She said to him: What meaneth this? Never hath it been thy custom, since thou wast betrothed to me, twice in a night to come to me. He answered her and said: It is but once I come to thee this night. She said to him: Thou earnest to me, and I said to thee I was in my separation, yet heeded'st thou not, but did'st thy will and wentest forth. When he heard this, forthwith he perceived that Joseph ben Pandera had cast an eye upon her and done the deed. He left her; in the morning he arose and went to Rabbi Simeon ben Shetach. He said to him: Know then what hath befallen me this night with my betrothed. I went in to her after the manner of men . . .; before I touched her she said: Thou hast already this night come once to me, and I said to thee I was in my separation, and thou gavest no ear to me, [didst] thy will and wentest forth. When I heard such words from her, I left her and [went forth]. Rabbi Simeon ben Shetach said to him: Who came into thy mind? He answered: Ben Pandera, for he dwelleth near her house and is a libertine. He said to him: I understand that thou hast no witness for this thing, therefore keep silence; I counsel thee, if he have come once, then can he not fail to come a second time; act wisely; at that time set witnesses against him. Some time after the rumour went abroad that Miriam was with child. Then said her betrothed Jochanan: She is not with child by me; shall I abide here and hear my shame every day from the people? He arose and went to Babylon. After some [time she bore] a son, and they called his name Joshua after his mother's brother; but when his corrupt birth was made public they called him Jeschu. 2. His mother gave him to a teacher, so that he might become wise in the Halacha, and learned in the Torah and the Talmud. Now it was the custom of the teachers of the law that no disciple and no boy should, pass on his way by them without his head being covered and his eyes cast to the ground, from reverence of the pupils towards their teachers. One day that rogue passed by, and all the wise were seated together at the door of the synagogue— that is, they call the school-house synagogue; that rogue then passed by the Rabbis, head on high
and with uncovered pate, saluting no one, nay, rather, in shameless fashion slowing irreverence to his teacher. After he had passed by them, one of them began and said: He is a bastard (mamzer). The second began and said: He is a bastard and son of a woman in her separation (mamzer ten ha-niddah). Another day the Rabbis stopped in tractate Nezikin[l]; then began that one to speak Halachoth[2] before them. [1] The fourth Talmud order, “Damages," dealing with civil and criminal law. [2] Decisions or rules of law. Thereupon one of them began and said to him: Hast thou this not learned: He who giveth forth a Halacha in the presence of his teacher, is guilty of death? That one answered and said to the wise ones: Who is the teacher and who the disciple? "Who of the twain is wiser, Moses or Jethro? Was it not Moses, father of the prophets and head of the wise? And the Torah, moreover, beareth witness of him: And from henceforth there ariseth no prophet in Israel like unto Moses. Withal Jethro was an alien, . . . yet taught he Moses worldly wisdom, as it is written: Set thou over them rulers of thousands, and rulers of hundreds. But if ye say that Jethro is greater than Moses, then would there be an end to the greatness of Moses. When the wise heard this, they said: As he is so very shameless, let us enquire after him. They sent to his mother, [saying] thus: Tell us, pray, who is the father of this boy? She answered and said: . . ., but they say of him, that he is a bastard and son of a woman in her separation. Then began Rabbi Simeon ben Shetach: To-day is it thirty years since Rabbi Jochanan her betrothed came to me; at that time he said to me: That and that hath befallen me. He related all that is told above, . . . how Rabbi Simeon answered Rabbi Jochanan, and how when she was with child, he [R. J.] for great shame went to Babylon and did not return; but this Miriam gave birth to this Jeschu, and no death penalty awaits her, for she hath not done this of her own will, for Joseph ben Pandera laid in wait for her . . . the whole day. When she heard from Rabbi Simeon that no death penalty awaited her, she also began and said: Thus was the story; and she confessed. But when it went abroad concerning Jeschu, that he was called a bastard and son of a woman in her separation, he went away and fled to Jerusalem.[1] [1] B.'s recension states that this enquiry took place at Tiberias in Galilee. 3. Now the rule of all Israel was in the hand of a woman who was called Helene. And there was in the sanctuary a foundation-stone—and this is its interpretation: God founded it and this is the stone on which Jacob poured oil—and on it were written the letters of the Shem,[1] and whosoever learned it, could do whatsoever he would. But as the wise feared that the disciples of Israel might learn them and therewith destroy the world, they took measures that no one should do so. [1] K.: “Des eklärten Gottenamens." But Shem ha-mephoresch would perhaps be better rendered by the "ineffable name," that is, the name which night not to be pronounced, the name of which only the consonants Y. H. V. H. are given, which are not pronouncible, but only indicate the pronunciation as known to the initiated, I use Shem throughout for the longer form Shem hamephoresch.
Brazen dogs were bound to two iron pillars at the entrance of the place of burnt offerings,[2] and whosoever entered in and learned these letters—as soon as he went forth again, the dogs bayed at him; if he then looked at them, the letters vanished from his memory. [2] Or rather the door by which the burnt offerings were brought This Jeschu came, learned them, wrote them on parchment, cut into his hip and laid the parchment with the letters therein—so that the cutting of his flesh did not hurt him—then he restored the skin to its place. When he went forth the brazen dogs bayed at him, and the letters vanished from his memory. He went home, cut open his flesh with his knife, took out the writing, learned the letters, went and gathered together three hundred and ten of the young men of Israel. 4. He said to them: Behold then these who say of me and works I am a bastard and son of a woman in her separation; they desire power for themselves and seek to exercise lordship in Israel. But see ye, all the prophets prophesied concerning the Messiah of God, and I am the Messiah. Isaiah prophesied concerning me: Behold the virgin shall conceive, bear a son, and he shall be called Emanuel. Moreover, my forefather David prophesied concerning me and spake: The Eternal [Y. H. V. H.] said to me: Thou art my son; this day have I begotten thee. He begat me without male congress with my mother; yet they call me a bastard! He further prophesied: Why do the heathen rage, etc., the kings in the country rise up, etc., against His anointed. I am the Messiah, and they, so to rise up against me, are children of whores, for so it is written in the Scripture: For they are the children of whores.[1] [1] A.V.: “children of whoredoms." The young men answered him: If thou art the Messiah, show unto us a sign. He answered them: What sign do ye require that I should do for you? Forthwith they brought unto him a lame man, who had never yet stood upon his feet. He pronounced over him the letters, and he stood upon his feet. In the same hour they all made obeisance to him and said: This is the Messiah. He gave them another sign. They brought to him a leper; he pronounced over him the letters, and he was healed. There joined themselves to him apostates from the children of his people. When the wise saw that so very many believed on him, they seized him and brought him before Queen Helene, in whose hand the land of Israel was. They said to her: This man uses sorcery and seduces the world. Jeschu answered to her as follows: Already of old the prophets prophesied concerning me: And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Isai (Jesse) and I am he. Of him saith the Scripture : Blessed is the man who walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly. She said to them: Is this truly in your law, what he saith? They answered: It is in our law; but it hath not been said concerning him, for it is said therein: And that prophet [etc.], put the evil away from the midst of thee. But the Messiah for whom we hope, with him are [other] signs, and it is said of him: He shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth. With this bastard these signs are not present. Jesus said: Lady, I am he, and I raise the dead. In the same hour the queen was affrightened and said: That is a great sign.
Apostates still joined themselves to him, were with him, and there arose a great schism in Israel. 5. Jeschu went to Upper Galilee. The wise assembled together, went before the queen and said to her: Lady, he practiseth sorcery and leadeth men astray therewith. Therefore sent she forth horsemen concerning him, and they came upon him as he was seducing the people of Upper Galilee and saying to them: I am the Son of God, who hath been promised in your law. The horsemen rose up to take him away, but the people of Upper Galilee suffered it not and began to fight. Jeschu said unto them: Fight not, have trust in the power of my Father in heaven. The people of Galilee made birds out of clay; he uttered the letters of the Shem, and the birds flew away. At the same hour they fell down before him. He said to them: Bring unto me a millstone. They rolled it to the sea-shore; he spake the letters, set it upon the surface of the sea, sat himself thereon, as one sits in a boat, went and floated on the water. They who had been sent, saw it and wondered; and Jeschu said to the horsemen: Go to your lady, tell her what ye have seen! Thereupon the wind raised him from the water and carried him onto the dry land. The horsemen came and told the queen all these things; the queen was affrighted, was greatly amazed, sent and gathered together the elders of Israel and spake unto them: Ye say he is a sorcerer, nevertheless every day he doeth great wonders. They answered her: Surely his tricks [1] should not trouble thee! Send messengers, that they may bring him hither, and his shame shall be made plain. [1] “Sachen." At the same hour she sent messengers, and his wicked company also joined itself onto him, and they came with him before the queen, Then the wise men of Israel took a man by name Juda Ischariota, brought him into the Holy of Holies, where he learned the letters of the Shem, which were engraved on the foundation-stone, wrote them on a small [piece of] parchment, cut open his hip, spake the Shem, so that it did not hurt, as Jeschu had done before. As soon as Jeschu with his company had returned to the queen, and she sent for the wise men, Jeschu began and spake: For dogs encompassed me. And concerning me he [David] said: Tremble not before them. As soon as the wise men entered and Juda Ischariota with them, they brought forward their pleas against him, until he said to the queen: Of me it hath been said: I will ascend to heaven. Further it is written: If He take me, Sela! He raised his hands like unto the wings of an eagle and flew, and the people were amazed because of him: How is he able to fly twixt heaven and earth! Then spake the wise men of Israel to Juda Ischariota: Do thou also utter the letters and ascend after him. Forthwith he did so, flew in the air, and the people marvelled: How can they fly like eagles! Ischariota acted cleverly,[1] flew in the air, but neither could overpower the other, so as to make him fall by means of the Shem, because the Shem was equally with both of them. When Juda
perceived this he had recourse to a low trick; he befouled Jeschu, so that he was made unclean and fell to the earth, and with him also Juda. [1] Text uncertain. It is because of this that they wail on their night,[2] and because of the thing which Juda did to him. [2] Christmas. Weihnacliten= Weinennachten, comments K. But if this word-play were intended, then the original of such a gloss in this recension was composed in German, and the Hebrew would be a translation from the German and not from Aramaic. But as the Hebrew text existed already in the thirteenth century, this does not seem probable. At the same hour they seized him and said to Helene: Let him be put to death! . . .[3] Let him tell us who smote him. [3] Evidently a lacuna occurs here in the text. The text of Martini adds: “If he be the Son of God." So they covered his head with a garment and smote him with a pomegranate staff. As he did not know,[1] it was clear that the Shem had abandoned him, and he was now fast taken in their hands. [1] In another recension it is said that seventy elders with seventy staves of different woods smite him, and he is asked to say by whom and with what kind of staff he has been smitten, but he can tell neither the name of the smiter nor the wood of the staff. He began and spake to his companions before the queen: Of me it was said: Who will rise up for me against the evil doers? But of them he said: The proud waters. And of them he said: Stronger than rocks make they their countenance. When the queen heard this she reproved the apostates, and said to the wise men of Israel: He is in your hand. 6. They departed from the queen and brought him to the synagogue of Tiberias and bound him to the pillars of the ark. Then there gathered together the band of simpletons and dupes, who believed on his words and desired to deliver him out of the hand of the elders; but they could not do so, and there arose great fighting between them. When he saw that he had no power to escape, he said: Give me some water. They gave him vinegar in a copper vessel. He began and spake with a loud voice: Of me David prophesied and said: When I was thirsty they gave me vinegar to drink. On his head they set a crown of thorns. The apostates lamented sore, and there was fighting between them, brother with brother, father with son; but the wise men brought the apostates low. He began and spake: Of me he prophesied and said: My back I gave to the smiters, etc. Further of these the Scripture saith: Draw hither, sons of the sorceress. And of me hath been said: But we held him, etc. And of me he said: The Messiah shall be cut off and he is not. When the apostates heard this, they began to stone them with stones, and there was great hatred among them. Then were the elders afraid, and the apostates bore of him off from them, and his three hundred and ten disciples brought him to the city of Antioch, where he sojourned till the rest-day of Passover. Now in that year Passover fell on the Sabbath, and he and his sons [sic] came to
Jerusalem, on the rest-day of Passover, that is on the Friday, he riding on an ass and saying to his disciples: Of me it was said: Rejoice greatly, Daughter of Zion, etc. In the same hour they all cried aloud, bowed themselves before him, and he with his three hundred and ten disciples went into the sanctuary. Then came one of them, who was called Gaisa [that is, Gardener], and said to the wise men: Do you want the rogue? They said: Where is he to be found? He answered: He is in the sanctuary,—that is to say, in the school-house. They said to him: Show him unto us. He answered them: We, his three hundred and ten disciples, have already sworn by the commandments, that we will not say of him who he is; but if ye come in the morning, give me the greeting,[1] and I will go and make an obeisance before him, and before whom I make obeisance, he is the rogue. And they did so. [1] That is the customary form of greeting (probably the kiss of peace) used among the followers of Jeschu, as we learn from B.'s recension. The disciples of Jeschu gathered together, went and gave their fellows the greeting, for they were come from all places to pray on the Mount of Olives on the Feast of Unleavened Bread. Then the wise men went into the sanctuary, where those were who had come from Antioch, and there was also the rogue among them. Thereupon Gaisa entered with them, left the rest of the company, made an obeisance before the rogue Jeschu. Whereupon the wise men saw it, arose against him and seized him. 7. They said to him: What is thy name? He answered: Mathai. They said to him: Whence hast thou a proof from the Scripture? He answered them: When (mathai) shall I come and see the face of God? They said to him: When (mathai) shall he die and his name perish? Further they said to him: What is thy name? He answered : Naki. They said to him: Whence hast thou a proof from the Scripture? He answered: with pure (naki) hands and a clean heart. They said to him: He remaineth not unpunished. Further they said to him: What is thy name? He answered: Boni. They said: Whence hast thou a proof from the Scripture? He answered: My first-born son (beni) is Israel. They said: Of thee it was said: Behold, I will slay thy first-born son. Further they said: What is thy name? He answered: Netzer. They said: Whence hast thou a proof from the Scripture? He answered them: A branch (netzr) shall spring up out of his roots. They said to him: Thou art cast forth from thy sepulchre, like an abominable branch (netzer). And thus still more, as he gave himself many names.[1] [1] Compare with the above the Talmud passage quoted in the chapter on "The Disciples and Followers of Jesus in the Talmud." Forthwith they seized him, and his disciples could not deliver him. When he saw himself brought to death he began and spake: Verily hath David prophesied of me and said: For Thy sake are we smitten every day. And of you said Isaiah: Your hands are full of blood. And of you said the prophet before God: They slew Thy prophets with the sword. The apostates began to lament and could not deliver him. At the same hour was he put to death.
And it was on Friday on the rest-day of Passover and of the Sabbath, When they would hang him on a tree (Holz), it brake, for there was with him the Shem.[2] [2] This is in contradiction with c. 7. But when the simpletons saw that the trees brake under him,[3] they supposed that this was because of his great godliness, until they brought him a cabbage-stalk. [3] Another recension tells us that they tried every tree (there being seventy kinds). For while he was yet alive he knew the custom of the Israelites, that they would hang him, he knew his death, the manner of his being put to death, and that they would hang him on a tree. At that time he brought it to pass by means of the Shem, that no tree should bear him; but over the cabbage-stalk he did not utter the pronounced name, for it is not tree but green-stuff, and so [l] [in special years there are] in Jerusalem cabbages with more than a hundred pounds [of seed] unto this day. [1] Text defective. K. supplies the lacuna with the words in brackets, but this is by no means a satisfactory conjecture, as we shall see from the reading preserved by Raymund Martini. When they had let him hang until the time of afternoon prayer,[2] they took him down from the tree, for so it is written: His body shall not remain all night upon the tree, etc. They buried him ... on Sunday, and the apostates of his people wept over his grave. [2] About three o'clock. 8. Some of the young men of Israel passed by them. They spake to them in the Aramaic tongue : Why do the foolish ones sit by the grave? Let us look! The foolish ones said in their heart, that they [the young men] would see him in the grave, but they found him not. Thereupon the foolish ones sent to Queen Helene, saying: He whom they put to death was a Messiah, and very many wonders did he show while living, but now after his death they buried him, but he is not in the grave, for he is already ascended to heaven, and it is written: For He taketh me, Sela! Thus did he prophesy concerning himself. She sent to the wise men and said: What have ye done with him? They answered her: We have put him to death, for that was the judgment concerning him. She said to them: If ye have already put him to death, what have ye done then? They answered her: We have buried him. Forthwith they sought him in the grave and found him not. Thereupon she said to them: In this grave ye buried him; where is he therefore? Then were the wise men affrightened and wist not what to answer her, for a certain one had taken him from the grave, borne him to his garden, and stopped the water which flowed into his garden; then digged he in the sand and buried him, and let the water flow again over his grave. The queen said: If ye show me not Jeschu, I will give you no peace and no escape. They answered her: Give us an appointed time and terms. When she had granted them an appointed time, all Israel remained lamenting in fasting and prayer, and the apostates found occasion to say: Ye have slain God's anointed! And all Israel was in great anguish, and the wise men and all the land of Israel hurried from place
to place because of the great fear. Then went forth an elder from them, whose name was Rabbi Tanchuma; he went forth lamenting in a garden in the fields. When the owner of the garden saw him, he said to him: Wherefore lamentest thou? He answered: For this and this; because of that rogue who is not to be found; and lo, already is it the appointed time which the queen granted, and we are all in lamentation and fasting. As soon as he heard his words, that all Israel is as them who mourn, and that the rogues say: He is gone up into heaven, the owner of the garden said: To-day shall joy and gladness reign in Israel, for I have stolen him away because of the apostates, so that they should not take him and have the opportunity for all time.[1] [1] B.'s recension reads : “And thereafter make trouble for the Israelites." Forthwith they went to Jerusalem, told them the good tidings, and all the Israelites followed the owner of the garden, bound cords to his [Jeschu's] feet, and dragged him round in the streets of Jerusalem, till they brought him to the queen and said: There is he who is ascended to heaven! They departed from her in joy, and she mocked the apostates and praised the wise men. 9. His disciples fled and scattered themselves in the kingdom; three of them [went] to Mount Ararat, three of them to Armenia, three to Rome, the others to other places, and misled the peoples, but everywhere where they took refuge, God sent his judgment upon them, and they were slain. But many among the apostates of our people went astray after him; there was strife between them and the Israelites, . . .[2] confusion of prayers and much loss of money.[3]
[2] This word in the text is uncertain. [3] B.'s recension reads : “And they made Israel lose much money, which went into the hands of non-Jews." Everywhere where the apostates caught sight of the Israelites they said to the Israelites: Ye have slain God's anointed! But the Israelites answered them: Ye are children of death, because ye have believed on a false prophet! Nevertheless they went not forth from the community of Israel, and there was strife and contention among them, so that Israel had no peace. When the wise men of Israel saw this they said: [It is now] thirty years since that rogue was put to death, [and] till now we have no peace with these misguided ones, and this hath befallen us because of the number of our sins, for it is written: They have moved me to wrath with their notGod[l]; they have provoked me to anger with their vanities, etc.;—that is the Christians, who are not [? naught][2]; with a base people will I provoke them; —that is, the Ishmaelites.[3] [1] A.V : “They have moved me to jealousy with that which is not God." [2] K. adds in a note : “Who worship a not-God." [3] That is, the Mohammedans.
The wise said: How long shall the apostates profane Sabbath . . . and feasts, and slay one another? Let us rather seek for a wise man who may take these erring ones out of the community of Israel. It is now thirty years that we have admonished them, but they have not returned to God, because they have taken it into their heads that Jeschu is the Messiah, and so may they go to destruction and peace be with us.
10. The wise men agreed on a man whose name was Elijahu, and he was very learned in the Scripture, and they said to him: . . . We have agreed, that we will pray for thee, that thou shalt be counted as a good Israelite in the other world. Go, and do good for Israel, and remove the apostates from us, that they may go to destruction!
Elijahu went to the Sanhedrin at Tiberias, to Antioch,[4] and made proclamation throughout the whole land of Israel: Whoso believeth on Jeschu, let him join himself to me! Then said he to them: I am the messenger (apostle) of Jeschu, who sent me to you, and I will show you a marvel, as Jeschu did. [4] This seems to be a gloss. They brought unto him a leper, and he laid his hand upon him, so that he was healed. They brought unto him a lame man, he uttered the Shem, laid his hand on him, and he was healed and stood upon his feet. Forthwith they fell down before him and said: Truly thou art the messenger of Jeschu, for thou hast shown us marvels as he did. He said to them : Jeschu sendeth you his greeting and saith: I am with my Father in heaven at His right hand, until He shall take vengeance on the Jews, as David said: Sit thou on my right hand, etc. At the same hour they all lamented and added foolishness to their foolishness. Elijahu said to them: Jeschu saith to you: Whosoever will be with me in the other world, let him remove himself from the community of Israel and join himself not to them; for my Father in heaven hath already rejected them and from henceforth requireth not their service, for so said He through Isaiah: Your new-moons and feasts my soul hateth, etc. But Jeschu saith to you: Whosoever will follow me, let him profane the Sabbath, for God hateth it, but instead of it He keepeth the Sunday, for on it God gave light to His world. And for Passover which the Israelites solemnize, keep yet it on the Feast of the Resurrection, for he is risen from his grave; for the Feast of Weeks, Ascension, for on it he is ascended to heaven; for New Year, Finding of the Cross; for the Great Fast Day [Day of Atonement], the Feast of the Circumcision: for Chanuka [the Feast of Lights], Calendar [New Year]. The foreskin is naught, circumcision is naught; whosoever will circumcise himself, let him be circumcised; whosoever will not circumcise himself, let him be not circumcised. Moreover, whatsoever God created in the world, from the smallest gnat to the mightiest elephant, pour forth its blood upon the ground and eat it, for so it is written: As the green grass have I given you all. If one of them compel you to go a mile, go with him twain; if a Jew smite you on the left side turn to him the right also; if a Jew revile you, endure it and return it not again, as Jeschu endured it; in meekness he showed himself, therewith he showed you also meekness as he practised it, that ye might endure all that any should do to you. At the last judgment Jeschu will punish them, but do
ye have hope according to your meekness, for so it is written: Seek ye the Lord, all ye meek of the earth, etc. Until he separated then from Israel But Elijahu who gave them these laws, the not-good ones, did it for the welfare of Israel, and the Christians call him Paul. After he had introduced these laws and commandments, the erring ones separated the selves from Israel, and the strife ceased. 11. A long time after the Persian power arose; then a Christian departed from them, made a mock of them, just as the heretics had laughed at the wise men [of Israel]. He said to them: Paul was in error in his scripture when he said to you: Circumcise yourselves not —for Jeschu was circumcised. Further hath Jeschu said: I am not come to destroy even one jot from the law of Moses, but to fulfil all his words. And that is your shame, which Paul laid upon you, when he said: Circumcise yourselves not. But Nestorius said to them: Circumcise yourselves, for Jeschu was circumcised. Further said Nestorius: Ye heretics! Ye say Jeschu is God, though he was born of a woman. Only the Holy Spirit rested on him as on the prophets. Nestorius who began to argue with the Christians, persuaded their women; he said to them: I will enact that no Christian take two wives. But as Nestorius became detestable in their eyes, there arose a strife between them, in so much that no Christian would pray to the abomination of Nestorius, or the followers of Nestorius to the abomination of the Christians. Then Nestorius went to Babylon to another place, the name of which was Chazaza, and all fled before him, because Nestorius was a violent man. The women said to him: What requirest thou of us? He answered them: I require only that ye receive from me the bread-and-wine offering Now it was the custom of the woman of Chazaza, that they carried large keys in their hands. He gave one of them the offering; she cast it to the ground. Whereupon the women cast the keys in their hands upon him; smote him, so that he died, and there was for long strife between them. 12. Now the chief of the Sanhedrin, his name was Shimeon Kepha—and why was he called Kepha? Because he stood on the stone on which Ezekiel had prophesied at the river Kebar,[1] and on that stone it was that Shimeon heard a voice from heaven.[2] When the Christians heard that Shimeon Kepha was one of those who heard a voice from heaven, and that stores of wisdom were in him, they envied the Israelites, that so great a man was found in Israel, . . . God brought it into Shimeon's mind to go to Jerusalem ... on the Feast of Tabernacles. And there were gathered together all the bishops and the great ancient[3] of the Christians. They came to Shimeon Kepha to the Mount of Olives on the day of the great Feast of Willow-twigs.[4] When they saw his wisdom, that [there was] not one in Israel like unto him, ... to turn him to the religion of the Christians, and they constrained him, saying: If thou dost not profess our religion, we will put thee to death, and not leave even one remaining in Israel to go into the sanctuary. [1] This is transliterated in the A.V. as Chebar, presumably following the Septuagint Chobar. This Babylonian stream, near which Ezekiel had his prophetic visions, is now identified with one of the canals (Bab. narati) of Babylonia, Hilprecht having twice found mention of a certain naru called
Kabaru. (See art., “Chebar," in “Ency. Bib.") [2] Bath-kol, lit., “daughter of a voice," that is, a “small voice," an inner voice. [3] Presumably the pope. [4] The sixth, or rather seventh, day of the Feast of Tabernacles. When the Israelites perceived this, they besought him: Humour them, act according to thy wisdom; so shall neither sin nor guilt be on thee. Thereupon when he perceived the hard fate for Israel, he betook himself to the Christians, and said to them: On this condition do 1 become a convert to your religion, that ye put no Jew to death, that ye smite him not and suffer him to go in and out in the sanctuary. The ancient and the Christians accepted his words and all these his conditions. He made a condition with them, that they would build him a lofty tower; he would go into it, would eat no flesh, nor aught save bread and water, letting down a box by a cord, for them to supply him with only bread and water, and he would remain in the tower until his death. All this he did with respect to God, that he might not be stained and sullied by them, and that he might not mix with them; but to the Christians he spake in their sense as though he would mourn for Jeschu, and eat no flesh or aught else, but bread and water only. They built him a tower, and he dwelt therein; he sullied himself not with eating, and prayed not to the Cross. Afterwards he composed in the tower Keroboth, Jotzroth and Zulthoth [1] in his name, like Eliezer ben Kalir.[2] He sent and gathered together the elders of Israel, and handed over to their care all that he had found in his mind, and charged them that they should teach it to the leaders in prayer[3] and use it for prayers, so that they might make mention of him for good. [1] Various kinds of synagogue poetry. [2] A famous synagogue poet, whose probable date is about 900 A.D. [3] Vorbetern = precentors. They, moreover, sent it[4] to Babylon to Rabbi Nathan,[5] the Prince of the Exile, and they showed it to the heads of the schools, to the Sanhedrin, and they said: It is good, and they taught it to the leaders in prayer of all Israel, and they used it for prayers. Whosoever would mention the name of Shimeon in his chanting did so. May his memory endure to the life of the other world. But God in his mercy . . . him as a good defender. Amen! Sela! [4] That is, the book of prayers. [5] Can this be meant for R. Nathan ha-Babli, who came from Babylonia in the days of R Shimeon ben Gamaliel II., and settled in Palestine? The recension of the Sayings of the Fathers attributed to Rabbi Nathan, included in the Pirke Aboth tractate of the Talmud, is probably to be attributed to him. He belonged to the fourth generation of Tanäim, that is to say, he flourished about 160-220 A.D.
Forbidden Gospels: Part 5 From: the Forbidden Gospels Two Manuscripts: (“The Gospel of Judas Sicariot” & “Ecce Homo: the Gospel of Pontius Pilate”) Jonathan Barlow Gee, ed.
THE GOSPEL OF JUDAS SICARIOT a modern, metaphysical interpretation by: Jonathan Barlow Gee
EVENTS OF THIS DRAMA: Here begins the Secret Vision that Jesus showed to Judas Iscariot during 10 moments on the night of Passover.
PREREQUISITES OF THIS DRAMA: In the times when the Word, Logos, appeared upon earth, he performed miracles that proved the inevitability of the Day of Redemption for all humanity. Though some existed in their correct means, and did the will of their Righteousness, that is, true justice, others were distracted over cliffs, and so, because true crimes still occurred, the Council of the 12 Apostles (the Essene Community of Qumran) were assembled. The Word began to speak through them about hitherto ineffable mysteries and what would come of it all and what were its ends. Often the Word did not appear to his disciples as the Word, but could be found wondering among them like a child.
SCENE 1A: JESUS LEADS THE MESSIAHNIC BANQUET (On the night of Passover, Jesus was eaves-dropping on the Apostles while they sat in session, and he entered among them and found them passing around the sacrificial sacrament, all sitting down and whispering secret verses they had long memorized to themselves beneath their breath, and he laughed.) 12 APOSTLES: "Stranger, why are you laughing at our pious observance of the peace offering? We are performing this rite properly." JESUS: "I am not laughing AT you. Just, you aren't performing this rite by your own choice, but because it is your calling, because it is thus - through the sacrificial sacrament - the most efficient way for you to play out your roles, not for your own sakes, but because it is for the Greater Good." 12 APOSTLES: "Master, you are tuly just in Righteousness and fit to be the Word of all our One True God." JESUS: "What makes you think you know me? It is written, "you shall neither know the date nor the time when Redemption shall be resurrected."
SCENE 1B: THE ARCHON OF THE APOSTLES (When the Council of the 12 Apostles heard this, they blushed and their cheeks grew hot and turned the flushed hue of a rose as blood engorged them pumping heavily from their hearts.) JESUS (observing their curious coyness): "Why has my quotation of a scriptural verse got you all stirred up? As surely as your God is now within you, so it is the same God that is also within me, and so, with that, I have stirred up coals in your deepest and most shadowed of corners. Yes, well then, anyone who is brave enough let them
stand up to my eye to prove they are the truthful prototype of humanity, the ideal person." 12 APOSTLES: "Any of us can do that who so chooses to." (But their spirits could not be lifted up above the one who'd spoken the Word. So Judas Iscariot stood up to him, but Judas could not catch Jesus' line of sight directly with his own eye. A shadowy mask stretched out across Judas' bowing face.) JUDAS: "I know Who you are and Where you are from. You are from the imperishable realm of Barbelo, the "feminine intuition" of Sophia called Shekinah. But I won't bow to say the name of He Who Sent You."
SCENE 1C: JESUS AND JUDAS CONSPIRE JESUS (knowing Judas means to share something from his personal point of view): "Step off over here, away from the others, and I shall explain to you the manifold miracles of this infallible paradise. It may be possible for you to come to some understanding of it even, but you'll have to grieve a great deal, for someone else will replace you when you will be called, in order that 12 Apostles can still convene as is demanded of them by our One True God." JUDAS: "When will you tell me these things? When do you believe Redemption will come?" (But with these words, Jesus disappeared.)
SCENE 2A: JESUS' APOCALYPSE TO THE APOSTLES (In the gloaming rafter shadows, the Apostles overheard Jesus in the next room, answering back and forth with the Word as well as they could Understand it.) APOSTLES: "Master, where have you gone and what are you doing invisibly to us?" JESUS: "I've transcended to a higher realm of Genesis." APOSTLES: "Lord, what is this higher Genesis but we, ourselves? Who can have gotten up higher than us? Where are you if not in this room?" JESUS (laughing): "Who put it into your heads, your hearts and minds to imagine such a braver, higher Genesis? It is written, "no one will know the hour nor the day," and so I say to you truly, no one from among your incomplete cycle of stations can come into my higher Genesis, just as the host of angels over the stars of time cannot measure the final Jubilee, or generation of 40 years, so too can no one born of flesh - which lives then dies - can draw near to comprehend this, because my higher Genesis does not come from your own rotting hide, which has become now pale and dry. The flesh among your cycle of stations is of the Genesis of humanity, and has no higher power than Nous, mind-power, which is your sole blessing, Eugnostis, and that by which your petty tyranny becomes manifest and real."
(When the Apostles heard this, they were each vexed inwardly, and couldn't speak. So, for a moment, they passed the sacred sacrifice around between them. For some time no one spoke.) APOSTLES: "Master, we have seen that which is most assuredly your true position from our own point of view. Should we call you on this as a dream or vision?" JESUS: "Why have you forsaken me when I have spoken plainly to you? What news have you brought forward when you yourselves have gone into hiding?" APOSTLES: "We have seen a huge cube with a large pyramidal altar in the lower half of it, and around this were 12 or so Apostles and at the apex of the altar was a Baal Shem, or a God-name. A crowd of people circled the huge cube as the Apostles took up their sacrifice from the crowds, then turned and gave it all up to the fiery Light of the Word, Baal-Shem, upon the altar, so that God could be served by the rite properly. But we, ourselves, held back and waited." JESUS: "What are these other 12 Apostles like?" APOSTLES: "Some fast in deep repentance for two weeks at a time; some sacrifice their own children, others their wives, in reverence debasing themselves before each other; some are sleepers like men; some make improper sacrifice; others commit many crimes against God and humanity. And the BaalShem name of God the Apostles worship is your own name, and in all their criminal carnality is manifest the sacrifice of the final generation." (After they said this, they were quiet, for they were troubled.)
SCENE 2B: JESUS' PESHER ON THE APOSTLES' APOCALYPSE JESUS: "Why should you care? Is it not written, "and the High Priest who makes sacrifice upon that altar will invoke My Name"? All I am telling you is that, "my name" has been written on this "altar" to fulfill the foresight of our forefathers, who were called to stand for the aeons of precession, for all the generations. So, it is only they themselves who have planted these poisoned words for me to repeat, "in my name," and so be ashamed." JESUS: "Those "other" Apostles you saw receiving the sacrifices for that altar are none other than you, yourselves. So, that is your True Master, because you 11 and I are the 12 you saw. The chattel you saw being offered up for sacrifice are, themselves, only those that you yourselves seek to distract. So it is, between that altar and those people, that you, yourselves, will stand and make use of my Name to that end, and to the 13th and last of their generations they will remain loyal, but only to the 13th himself, not to me. Just so, after the 13th of them, someone else will arise from amongst the criminals becoming another Baal to sacrifice other children, then after him another sleeper will awaken amongst those who deny all, all that gross populous who "commit crimes against God and humanity." And you, who think to yourselves, but "we are like Gods," it is you, yourselves, who are like planets setting in the west. In this way, to all humanity, is it taught, "See how "God" receives your sacrifice that you give to a High Apostle." Such is your own profession of lies. But it is the One True God, above all and everything, who commands thus: "On the "Day of Redemption" every last
one shall be ashamed." JESUS: "So cease stealing these sacrifices with which you defile that altar, because it leads only your own fates away from right guidance by the Milky Way setting in the east. Go then, and let those ends put forward by you precede you to plot revenge on you. One baker alone cannot cook all the sacrament for sacrifice on earth. You must cease struggling against my Words. Each of you must follow your own guide of fate, and everyone who follows one will seek more, and who seeks shall find, and who finds will be lost when who they lost they re-find, for truly to toss out one seed means to toss out them all, so too to find one is to find everyone else as well, and so to get lost in the crowd of them all, and thus to have no escape when the Day of Redemption comes. I am only a Messenger, too, like you, but I bring Word of the Day of Redemption. For on that day, my Words will be spoken from on High by he who comes to forecast all of humanity's Spring, although your generation's tesseract "trees" are alive now, they will be dead then, and the "seeds" in the hand of that messenger of the final solar age shall be the true meaning of my own Words, for he has come to flood the Garden of Eden, and to raise the permanent Genesis, because unlike you and your generation, he and his will not distract toward cliffs. But that Genesis will elevate us all before the All."
SCENE 2C: JUDAS' INQUISITION OF JESUS JUDAS: "Oh, one close to the Most High, what's to be this time?" JESUS: "The souls of everyone die too. When everyone alive now has given up the ghost, their bodies die, but their souls survive. So, too when the soul sets, the spirit rises." JUDAS: "So what are we supposed to do about that?" JESUS: "Open Your Heart to the Word, for you know it is true that "it is impossible to grow a fruitful tree from seed sown on stone." The same is true for those who are of any criminally tainted family, bowing right now before false Wisdom, just like Lilith and Samael, whose hand it was that made all men mortal, for by mortality do they ascend the scales of space to beyond the limits of time. And if you believe the Anunnaki whose Archon was responsible for that Apocalypse, then you know better than I what is meant by the "Holy Generations." (After Jesus said this, he departed.)
SCENE 3A: JESUS' APOCRYPHON OF JUDAS' APOCALYPSE JUDAS: "Malek, listen to me, stop paying attention to them. I bear witness!" JESUS (Laughing): "You, 13th Apostle, confess your judgment! Shout it, I'll keep up!" JUDAS: "In my eyes, I see the 12 Apostles were conspiring to execute me. But I know for a fact I will outlive you. I see the inside from outside, and am staggered by its scale. Without right now, Nefilim have
this room surrounded, and we've raised the roof with the brightness of our sacrament, and in the midst of a Qemetiel I saw the Word confess verse to them, "Malek, take me in along with the rest of us." JESUS: "Judas, your guiding light is tripping over a cliff. Listen, "no mortal may pass within" to this room that you see because this room is for the Qemetiel of Anunnaki only. So neither good nor evil can penetrate it, but the Holy are invulnerable within the timelessness of the parent universe, our "heavenly father." Look there, I just explained to you the mysteries of the continuum and I have raised your Gnosis on the misguidance of the planets; and now I tell you take your crucifix and hang it on the calendar of the 12 solar ages."
SCENE 3B: JUDAS' SECOND INQUISITION OF JESUS JUDAS: "Malek, is it just me or is my reason not being affected by the Archons?" JESUS: "You are excited because I have shown you the true meaning of the Word Righteousness, and because I prefaced doing so by saying I would, "but that you will grieve much" when you came to Understand... "Malkah and her Genesis." JUDAS: "What good is telling me about it? Why do you set me apart from my own Genesis?" JESUS: "I tell you this because you will become the 13th Apostle. You will be cursed by everyone in every one of all the myriad of solar ages. Yours will be the apex from which all their fates depend. In the Moment of All of their Deaths, they will curse your place in history."
SCENE 3C: JESUS' ASTROLOGICAL APOCALYPSE TO JUDAS JESUS: "Conspire with me so I may elevate your Gnosis about Apocrypha unknown to all. For beyond our entire universe of space is a timeless void, the depths of which no immortal offspring of the eternal pattern has ever charted, in whose mind we are just a thought. It is invisible, intangible and indescribable."
SCENE 3C1: GENESIS OF THE AUTOGENES JESUS: "And from this came the gloaming, the glowing gloom, the bright shadow, a crystal clear luminescence inside an endless emptiness. This Light coalesced to serve us. So, a Nefilim Annunaki, the thrice-greatest God over Time, emerged from the gloaming. The Ayin Soph Aur spiraled in four patterns within the gloom. These four serve the God over Time. The God over Time said, "Let the Word of the Goddess be created to multiply." And the Goddess over the Word was created not only ripe but already fertilized. The God Tau-sub-Tau, that is Thoth, the "thrice-greatest," or "cubed" God over all Time, then placed the very first thought, Nam, over her womb to guide the offspring. Thoth then intoned the Word. He vibrated the sound-form, and the entire expanse of Ayin Soph Aur effervesced into glittering ripples. The first Word was: "Begin Being," which is called "Genesis"
or "Bereshit," and so arose the original universe. He placed the second thought, Nam.Tar, over the awakening newborn. The two thoughts and the glittering ripples of the Qliphoth crystallized to serve the single baby universe. And, just so, that is how our own universe was created. So too all the baby universes in the multiverse, each expanded from each of the quanta in the original universe."
SCENE 3C2: BLIND DRAGON QBLH JESUS: "Adamas is as far beyond Thoth as Thoth is beyond us. He that lords over time, whose wife lords over the first Word, is only a thought in the mind of this Krishna. He made the immortal and wise generation of Seth later, of whom Enoch alone survived to Understand the 12 solar-ages of precession and the 24 solar-ages long seasons between the ice-ages. Enoch was, among men, alike Thoth above all the heavens, alike time beyond all space. He made 72 measurements to be preserved by his followers throughout all of history. These measures serve those who serve Enoch who served Adapa. Multiplying each by five, the 72 measurements yield the three-hundred and sixty measurements of time that comprise one great cyclic arc. The 12 solar-ages are the offspring of ten thoughts in the omniscient mind. 12X6=72, and 72X5=360. These "degrees" measure our universe; all protect them."
SCENE 3C3: HELL JESUS: "The multiverse of baby-universes that overlap as parallel dimensions is hell on earth beneath the vast expanse of the void beyond them. The multiverse is 72. In the midst of this suddenly appeared the first self-sentient hominid species on planet earth, from the discovery of the sacrificial sacrament, and this first self-sentient hominid family to discover the sacrificial sacrament beheld Adamas as Krishna as a prodigal reflection. But one solar-age later, they elected 12 Apostles to lord over their clan, and from among them came the blushing one named "666" (Bel-El), whose name means "Rebel" whom others called "YHVH/THTH," and his twinbrother, S.A.M. Belial, and they combined to conspire with six Anunnaki arch-angels thus: 6X2=12. That is why there are 12 solar-ages. Each angel was promised the right to reign over two."
SCENE 3C4: THE ARCHONS JESUS: "They planned to "go down" across the face of planet earth, and to "breed with the wives of men," that is, to spread the genetic mutation of sentience by teaching lesser species how to be tame over many generations of breeding. Although these arch-angels' life-spans were long, their work made their lives grow shorter. By now, the sentient adulthood of our species lasts one Jubilee, or 40 years. I cannot tell you the ages of these arch-angels, but I will tell you their names." JESUS: "After Belis-Nebrun and his twin Sabaoth, came Sata over Cain and Abel, the Hermetic prototype. The second is Harmathoth, or Harmozel Athoth. Third, Galila-Oumbri. The fourth's authority passes by the names Yobel and Yabel. The fifth is AeDiNoAu-Yel. These are the five "elders over all time," who believed themselves the enders of all crime."
SCENE 3C5: ADAM'S GENESIS
JESUS: "Then the wiser of the twins conspired with the other five arch-angels. Once again the idea of the prototype was invoked. So from the wiser one of the two twin Gods, they spliced the genes of male and female, that is, they made themselves out to be the image of Pigera Adamas by creating an ideal form for a man and an archetypal woman. So it is written, "all the generations descend after Adam," and so it is said, "there is only one woman with many faces." At that time, the wiser of the twin Gods suddenly realized the terrible consequences for everyone of their work having made man mortal. Then he betrayed the other arch-angels and, posing as his own twin, claimed to never have agreed to the creation of a prototype. He turned upon the prototype and cursed it to as long a life as possible, and the burden of sustaining the species. And this curse has come down to us as the blessing of our own lives only through our own offspring."
SCENE 3D: JUDAS' THIRD INQUISITION OF JESUS JUDAS: "So what is the duration of a human life worth to the solar ages?" JESUS: "What do you think? Is Adam alive now?" JUDAS: "Will the spirit of humanity ever die?" JESUS: "This is why Adamas made the arch-angel come to be called Michael that gave our souls to us as a loan, so that he could lord it over us. But the wiser twin ordered the arch-angel we now call Gabriel to watch over the eternal spiritual realm, to protect it until the dying breath of the last of us left alive. Thus the spirit is within the soul and the soul descends to animate the body. Therefore, many lifetimes of our bodies pass before the lifespan of our souls will end, and then we will all have been consumed into the one Spirit. This Spirit is the Pneumena and our souls are the Pleroma. The Pneumena is in the center, and the Pleroma orbit around it. Now I who tell you this will say, before all, the spirit that exists within you dwells in your flesh and in the Genesis of all. So it should be understood that God gave Adam thought so that the "elders over all time" who believe themselves the enders of all crime cannot lord it over us." JUDAS: "So what are we Apostles supposed to do?" JESUS: "The truth is that destiny comes true to all. When the wise twin god's life ends, his reality dies with him. But I say to you this as well, your fates will become clear to you all, and when they turn back to the one destiny of all, their purpose will be fulfilled. Then all of them that cast their seed upon a rock in my name will inherit nothing but execution as criminals. But don't believe me, just look, it is scrawled across the sky, and it is nothing but the guide of your own fate that has been placed over the final solar-age." (At that, Jesus laughed.) JUDAS: "Malek, why must you always mock us?" JESUS:
"I'm not laughing AT you; just the error of your orbit, because the base-6 lie will always oppress the base-5 truth: all will be destroyed along with their creations." JUDAS: "Look me in the eye! What will those to be reborn in your name do?" JESUS: "The truth is that I do not care. Those born with my name later mean nothing to me. But I say to you this as well, Judas, that if a man serves two masters, one will favor and one despise him, and so the two masters will turn against one another, tearing up their servant between them, for only when he is dead can all be equal again. A man cannot serve the sacrament and serve money. If you think you can serve both at once, just try to. You will only reap everything that is malignant, corrupt and evil. But you are going to exceed everyone else in that regard: you are going to sacrifice my body. Already I see your eyebrow raised; you blush, but I see the glimmer in your eye and know your heart is ticking down. The truth will out with your last breath, oh Judas, for it won't be me who dies on that cross, but you yourself shall become my replacement. So grieve not for me, but for yourself instead, for I've made you the High Priest now. So grieve for the High Priest, since he will be destroyed. And then the likeness of the Genesis of Adam will be uplifted by all, above earth, above the angels, and above heaven, for that Genesis of timelessness thinks of you now. Look you up, I've opened it up before your eyes, so open your eyes wide and look up that gloaming, and that crystallization, and that Pleroma. The first thought you think will destroy all of it, and this is all of your reality." (Judas lifted up his eyes and saw the vision, and Jesus escaped into it.)
SCENE 4: JUDAS' BETRAYAL (The other Apostles heard a voice coming from all around the room. But what it foretold, they could not repeat. Then, the other Apostles conspired against the High Priest, who had gone to the toilet to sacrifice sacrament. The Apostles arrested him during the Passover because they feared the people who might ever learn about all this.) APOSTLES (approaching him): "What have you done? You are the High Priest!" (He spoke the only Word they would accept. So they gave him some money, and he gave up to them the fate of his sacrament.)
THE GOSPEL OF PONTIUS PILATE a modern, metaphysical interpretation by: Jonathan Barlow Gee
THE GOSPEL OF PONTIUS PILATE ::: ACT I, SCENES I - IX. : GOSPEL OF NICODEMUS ::: :: ACTA PILATI :: : PROLOGUE : I, ANANIAS, of the proprætor's body-guard, being learned in Torah, a Gnostic of AHDVNHAY Yeshuah Ha Maschiach from the Flavian Gospels, came by way of an open-mind, was counted worthy of the flamines’ Essene annointing, searched out the testimonies written contemporarily regarding the case against AHDVNHAY Yeshuah ha Maschiach, which the rabbinical sanhedrin had invented during the life of Pontius Pilate, thus found these testaments written in Latin and by the favour of providence have translated them as Greek theatre for the information of all who call upon the name of AHDVHNAY Yeshuah Ha Maschiach, in the seventeenth year of the reign of the Christian deus, Vespasian Caesar, and the sixth of their Pontifex Maximus, Titus Flavius, in the ninth indiction. All you, thence, who read and translate this into other tongues, remember Ananias, and pray for me, that the Holy One, Blessed Be He, should show to me His Divine Mercy, and redeem my debts which I have incurred against His House of Hours. Peace Be Upon those who read this out loud, and to those who hear, and to the hosts of their whole households also. Amen. In the fifteenth year under the auspices of Tiberius Cæsar, emperor of Rome; under the consuls Rufus and Rubellio, in the 4th year of the 202nd Olympiad; when Herod II, called also Antipas or Antipater I, reigned as the Davidic-Levite Maccabean king of all Judea from Galilee and Agrippa I, as Joseph Caiaphas (Pater Simon), also became high priest of the Jerusalem sanhedrin; in Herod II’s 19th regnal year, on the 8th day before the Kalends of April, which is the 25th of March: The account in latin by NICODEMUS, after the crufixion and passion of AHDVNHAY Yeshhuah Ha Maschiach, ha Maschiach Adonai, for the record of posterity, hereby follows:
: SCENE I : Having cobbled a sanhedrin of Roman-loyal Pharisees, the HIGH PRIEST, “Aristobulus-Annas,” whom was called also Pater-Caiaphas and Semes-Peter, or simply by his given name of Shimeon; along with his elder son, the dynastic “Daniel-Dathaes” or angelically-ranked “Gamaliel-Gabriel," the CHIEF PRIEST, whom was also called Judas, Thomas or Didymas, meaning "the twin" (Shimeon was the “Levi-Nephthalim,” titled “G-d the father,” over both the elder-dynastic "Son," or "Thunder," and "Lightning," or the younger-dynastic “Abiathar-Jaïrus," whose role was the "Holy Ghost," “Shekinah”); as well as the 'MULTITUDE,' the other rabbin loyal to Simon as the fatherJoseph of both Yakob, the Essene Righteous Teacher (James the Just, the elder prince) and Yeshuah ha Machiach (the "promised" or younger prince); came before the prelate PONTIUS PILATE accusing Yeshuah for a host of Talmudic crimes, saying: PHARISEES: “We know this mortal man here to be the flesh and blood son of a mortal, Joseph Ho Tekton, the Master-Craft's man, born to him by another mortal, an almah called Mary; but this mortal man here says he is the Son of our G-d, and our promised king to come on our final Day of Redemption;
he profanes our weekly days of atonement, and so would very well flush down the sewer the whole Torah of our fore-fathers itself.” PILATE: “So what does he do to treat your law like raw shedim?" PHARISEES: "We have a Talmud on Torah: Thou Shalt Not Heal the Ill or Infirm on the Day of Atonement; but this mortal man here has, on our days off, healed the retarded and the criminal, the wasted and the ignorant and the numb, the mute and lunatic maniacs, all by Goetic magick." PILATE: "‘Goetic magick’?" PHARISEES: "This mortal man here is a grand-wizard of the darkest Goetia, and by use of the name of Beelzebul, Lord of Flies, he casts out delusions, and all are fooled by him." PILATE: "This is not casting lots for djinni in the name of your own 'al shedim,' but an art taught to all by Æsclepius, son of Hermes, equivalent to the Persian Zoroaster, son of Ahurah-Mazda, who is like your own 'el-Shaddai'." PHARISEES: "We beg Your Royal Highness that this mortal man here should stand before your tribunal, and his legal case be openly heard." PILATE: "Tell me how I, a mere procurator, could try your own promised king?" PHARISEES: "We do not agree that this mortal man here is our promised king, but he says he is himself." PILATE: (to messenger) "Honour this prisoner and show him in." The messenger went out and, recognising Yeshuah, became fixated in awe of him and, as he took his cloak into his hand, the messenger draped it across the threshhold of the gate. MESSENGER: "Elohim, Adonai, step lightly here; please come in, you are called by the procurator." And the Pharisee Sanhedrin, seeing all this, cried out against Pilate, saying: PHARISEES: "Why have you sent for him to come in by your runner, and not by your cryer? Look and see: your messenger, when he saw the rogue, became fixated in awe of this mortal man here, and draped his cloak across the threshhold so that the prisoner could enter like a king!" PILATE: (to messenger) "Why did you drape your cloak across the threshhold and tell Yeshuah to 'step lightly' like you would for a king?" MESSENGER:
"Elohim, Procurator, when you sent me to Jerusalem to witness the arrival of Abiathar Alexander, who is also called Aristobulus II or James the Just, I saw him riding upon an ass, and the 5000 and 500 sons of Light held palm fronds in their hands, and rejoiced ecstatically; others spread their own cloaks under him saying, 'Save Us Now, You Who Are Most High: so saith the Holy One, Blessed Be He'." PHARISEES: (to messenger) "The Bene Elohik were shouting in Hebrew; how would you know, speaking Greek?" MESSENGER: (to Pharisees) "I asked one of the Palestinian Sadducees, and said, 'What's that they're shouting in Hebrew?' So he translated. PILATE: (to the Pharisees) "What did the multitude shout to him in Hebrew?" PHARISEES: (to Pilate) "In Hebrew, 'Hosanna membrome Baruchamma Adonaï.'" PILATE: "yes, and so on and so forth. Tell me its meaning in Latin." PHARISEES: "Save Us Now From the Final Judgment of the Most High; It Is He Who Is The Holy One, Blessed Be He, Who Is Returned To Us In Baal-Shem." PILATE: "If you heard the bene elohik say to bow to him, what has my messenger done wrong?" The Pharisee Sanhedrin all fell as silent as stones. PILATE: (to messenger) "Go get him again and bring him in according to however you would prefer." The messenger exited, draped his cloak across the threshhold for him, and said to Yeshuah: MESSENGER: "Elohim Adonai, please enter; the procurator is calling for you again now." As Yeshuah entered, the STANDARD-BEARERS held up their standards, but the flags of the standards flapped downwards, so that it looked as though the images of Caesar on them were bowing down before Yeshuah. The Pharisee Sanhedrin, seeing the behaviour of the flags, how they were all flapping toward and bowing to Jesus, complained venomously of the standard-bearers themselves. PILATE: "What do you make of that; is it a sign? See how the standards all seem to bow to him!" PHARISEES: "We only see the standard-bearers bending them to half-mast themselves." So, the procurator, having summoned the standard-bearers, then said to them: PILATE: (to standard-bearers)
"Did you do as they are accusing you of doing? Did you lower your standards?" STANDARD-BEARERS: "We are merely Cretan Temple-slaves, who is he to us? On oath, as we held them aloft, the tips bent low of their own accord, and became fixated in awe of him." Pilate turned against the rabbin of the synagogue and the elders of their nation: PILATE: (to Pharisees) "Go and choose 12 strong Palestinians from the crowd; let them keep up the standards of Rome, so then we may see whether they will bend down again or not." And the elders of the Sanhedrin picked out 12 strong Palestinians from the crowd, and made them hold up the six standards, two holding each; thus, they all stood in front of the procurator's tribunal throne. PILATE: (to messenger) "Take this prisoner outside of the prætorium; then bring him in again, however you prefer." So Yeshuah and Pilate's messenger went out of the prætorium. Then Pilate, summoning those who had previously held up the high Roman standards, told them: PILATE: "I have vowed on the life of Cæsar that if those standards don't bend again when this man is brought in now, I will have your heads chopped off." And the procurator ordered Yeshuah to come in again for a second time. And so Pilate's messenger did just as before, and politely begged Yeshuah to tread on his cloak that he had draped across the threshhold and, as Yeshuah entered across it, he did tread on it. As Yeshuah came in, once again the flag-poles dipped down like a dowser's rod, and no one present could explain it.
: SCENE II : PILATE, confronted by this sight, became restless and paced back and forth on the stage of the tribunal throne; but just then, a message arrived from his wife, saying: 'Do noy harm this shaman, for I had nightmares about all this last night.' Pilate, summoning the Pharisee Sanhedrin, explained to them: PILATE: "You know, my wife is a theist too; she even keeps some of your Jewish customs." PHARISEES: "So we've all heard." PILATE: "Yes, well, just now my wife sent a message to me, saying, 'Do not harm this shaman, for I had nightmares about all this last night.'" PHARISEES: "Didn't we tell you this mortal man here is a grand-wizard? Now see, he haunts your own wife while she sleeps!" PILATE: (to Yeshuah) "Of what crime do you think you stand accused? Why do you not speak for yourself?"
YESHUAH: "If the Highest Authority wasn't within my accusers, they would not be able to speak either; for everyone here has that same level of authority over his own tongue to speak either good or evil. They'll soon see to that." PHARISEES: (to Yeshuah) "What, do we see too now? 1) We see that you are a shedim runt of a malkah; 2) we see the sign of your star at the time of your birth in Bethlehem was the motive for Tetrarch Herod's "Murder of the Infants;" 3) we see also that your Joseph-Abba and his almah Mary-Ima, fled to Egypt because they did not believe all Israel could be saved." 12 BYSTANDERS, Palestinain Hebrew-Gnostic Essenes, spoke out at this and said: 12 BYSTANDERS: "We will testify this man is no shedim runt of a malkah; for we know that Josephus-Agrippa I, 'bar Matthias-Aristobulus', who was in turn 'ben Mariamne I-Herod Tetrarch', was married to his aunt, Berenice-Herodias Druscilla-Mariamne II, and that their eldest son, James-Alexander Aristobulus II bar Pandera, was not born of rape." PILATE: (to Pharisees) "If Josephus-Abba and Mariamne II-Ima were indeed betrothed when they conceived Alexander Aristobulus II, the Essene Righteous Teacher, as these comrades of your own nation testify, then it is you Pharisees who are the liars." PHARISEES: (privily, to Pilate) "Judas Annas, dynast of the Davidic-Levite succession, and his father, Shimeon Caiaphas, say to you now that: The entire Tri-umverate 'Multitude' of the Essene Sons of Light cry out to you now that he was born from lust and pride in sin, and yet we are not believed! These seeming bystanders are merely pro-zealotes, his spies." PILATE: (privily, to Annas and Caiaphas) "What are 'pro-zealotes?'" PHARISEES: (privily, to Pilate) "They are born barbarian Cretans, capable only of learning in Greek, but who have converted to Hebrew by marriage." 12 BYSTANDERS: "We 12, Lazarus, Asterius, Antonius, James, Amnes, Zeras, Samuel, Isaac, Phinees, Crispus, Agrippas, and Judas, are not such, rightly so-called, 'proselytes,' but were all born to Hebrew mothers here in Palestine; furthermore, we speak only of facts we know for ourselves, for we were all present at the nuptuals of Josephus-Agrippa I and Druscilla-Mariamne II." PILATE: "I beg you by the life of Cæsar: tell me how it is true what you say, that this man was not born from fornication." 12 BYSTANDERS: "Essene Pesherim of Torah prevents us from swearing any such oaths; but if they who accuse us will swear, on the life of Cæsar, that what we have just said is false and a lie, then you may justly execute the whole lot of us." PILATE: (privily, to Annas and Caiaphas)
"how do you respond to this counter-charge's request?" PHARISEES: (Annas and Caiaphas privily, to Pilate) "These 12 converts claim him born as clean as a saint and you blindly believe them; meanwhile the entire 'Multitude' of our Nation beg you to hear us out that he was born out of time and out of season, that he has become a grand-wizard of darkest Goetia, and we warn you how he claims he is the son of our G-d and our promised king; and we are the ones you choose to doubt." At this, Pilate ordered the 'Multitude' (the third office of the Tri-Umverate of a normal Sanhedrin being public in this emergency session) to leave the prætorium; all beside the 12 bystanders who had identified Yeshuah's descent. Then Pilate ordered Yeshuah to be set apart from them by some distance, so as to be out of ear-shot. PILATE: (privily, to the 12 bystanders) "Why are Caiaphas and Annas so hell-bent on Yeshuah being sentenced to death?" 12 BYSTANDERS: (privily, to Pilate) "Annas, who we called James the Just and John the Baptist, and his father Shimeon Caiphas, whom you now call Josephus, are fascinated on Yeshuah because Yeshuah heals on their weekly religious holiday, which is recognised by Rome as a day off work." PILATE: "So for Yeshuah's righteous justice, they want him sacrificed?" 12 BYSTANDERS: "Yes."
: SCENE III : Then procurator PONTIUS PILATE, overflowing with angst, left the proceedings inside the prætorium, and over his shoulder said to all of the assembled: PILATE: "Now with the light of day as my witness I proclaim: I Find No Fault In This Man." PHARISEES: "If This Man Weren't A Criminal, We Would Not Have Brought Him Here." PILATE: "Then you must take responsibility for him and judge him according to your own Torah." PHARISEES: "It is illegal for us by Torah to put him to death on this day, but moreoever it is illegal for us by our Roman rights to put him to death at all." PILATE: "Bene deuus, have You said they can't put this man to death so that I must for them?" Pilate returned into the prætorium, and spoke to Yeshuah privily, saying to him the Word: PILATE: (privily, to Yeshuah) "Are you the promised king of the Hebrew nation of all Israel?" YESHUAH:
"Do You Say This For Yourself, Or Have Others Planted This Idea In Your Mind?" PILATE: "So then, am I, though a Roman gentile, also a subject of Hebrew Judea? Look, your chosen nation's High and Chief Priests have surrendered you into my custody. But I need to know if I am supposed to charge you with a crime: tell me, then: What Have You Done To Deserve All Of This?" YESHUAH: "My Malkuth Is Not Yet Real; for if it were of this Temporal world, would not my followers fight to protect me from those who threaten to harm my safety? Alas, my Kingdom is over another world." PILATE: "Of what world, then, are you the King?" YESHUAH: "And so you choose to merely play along too and say that I am a Malek. But I tell you: It Was For This Present Moment That I Was Born, and I have come here now all this way since then so that everyone who is a-Gnostic might hear my voice like thunder and know the truth of my Word." PILATE: "Quid Est Veritas?" ("What is Truth?") YESHUAH: "Truth is from heaven." ("Verum est caelitus.") PILATE: "Is there then no truth across the Malkuth of all earth?" YESHUAH: "You can see for yourself how those of us who speak about Truth are tried and judged by those others, they who have Authority across the Malkuth of all earth."
: SCENE IV : Leaving Jesus within the prætorium, Pilate went out to the assembled 'Multitude.' PILATE: "I Find No Fault In Him." PHARISEES: "But Yeshuah also said he can destroy our temple and rebuild it all in 3 days!" PILATE: "'Your' Temple?" PHARISEES: "Our First Temple took King Solomon 46 years to erect; this mortal man here claims he can destroy and rebuild it all in 3 days!" PILATE: "Look Now, See How I Am Innocent Of The Blood Of This Righteous Teacher." PHARISEES: "By all means, let his blood be upon only us, and upon only our own children, until the Final Day
of Redemption." Pilate then spoke privily to these two elders, these Levite priests who were also dynasts of David. PILATE: (privily to Annas and Caiphas) "Do not carry on with this ritual charade; no charge you could levvy over him is worth my misery at his execution. Your charge is duly rendered as 'profaning the Sabbath by healing the sick'." PHARISEES: "If I said I were planning to assassinate Caesar, would my death-charge not be treason against all of Rome?" PILATE: "If so, yes; you would warrant the death-charge." PHARISEES: "So if I wish anything but the best for Caesar I may be brought up for treason and summarily executed. But Yeshuah's threats were made against the House-hold of our whole nation's G-d." Procurator Pontius Pilate then ordered the Pharisee Sanhedrin under High Priest Caiphas and Chief Priest Annas to go outside of the prætorium and join the remaining 'Multitude' there. Next, Pilate had Yeshuah brought to his side again. PILATE: "Bene deuus, What am I going to do with this mortal man here?" YESHUAH: "You must do as it has been handed down to you to do." PILATE: "'handed down' to me? By whom?" YESHUAH: "Moses and our prophets have proclaimed from old about such as this, my now imanent death and resurrection." PHARISEES: (eaves-dropping, to Pilate) "How can your ears suffer such Blasphemy?" PILATE: "If he speaks 'blasphemy,' then you yourselves can charge him for it by your own Torah." PHARISEES: "Our Talmud on Torah teaches that a man who wrongs his national comrades must suffer 39 lashes (40 save 1); but he that blasphemes G-d is meant to be stoned to death." PILATE: "Why don't you just take him and stone him then and go away from me?" PHARISEES: "Our sole purpose in being here is to demand that he be crucified." PILATE: "But he doesn't deserve crucifixion!"
The procurator Pontius Pilate, looking out into the public 'Multitude' around outside, caught sight of many women weeping at this. PILATE: "Not even everyone among your own 'Multitude' wants him crucified!" PHARISEES: "We have all assembled here for a single goal and for one sole purpose. Yeshuah must die on a Roman cross." PILATE: "What is the justification for this blasphemous murder?" PHARISEES: "Because he called himself the Son of our God, and our promised King."
: SCENE V : At that point, NICODEMUS the prætorium scribe, a modest Palestinian Hebrew, stood before the procurator, and said: NICODEMUS: "I beg the court's indulgence, let me say a few words." PILATE: "Speak off-the-record." NICODEMUS: "I have spoken to the elder High Priests and the elder Chief priests and the royal Davidic-Levite dynasty myself, and before the entire 'Multitude' of our nation in the Temple. 'What,' I begged them, 'are you plotting against this man? This mortal man here makes miracles happen, drawing people toward the study of religion by inciting in them the child-like fixation of awe, and he does these things in ways and to an extent that may never again occur. Therefore, let him go freely, and do not plot and scheme plans against him. If his miracles come from our G-d, they will stand the test of time; but if they are just the work of a man, they will ultimately come to naught in history's memory. Assuredly Moische the Meshsish, sent by our G-d into bondage in Egypt, also performed many marvellous feats, which YHVH gave him commandments to do before Pharaoh. And there were there witches and wizards, fools of the court, and they also turned several of the magic tricks Moses had played out; so the Egyptians took these witches and wizards to be Gods. But, since their tricks were illusion and not founded on fact, both they and their believers were turned into demons. Now you, al shedim genii, shall release Yeshuah, who does not deserve to die." PHARISEES: (to Nicodemus) "You have come under his influence, that is why you are sticking your neck out for him." NICODEMUS: "By that criteria then you could even say that Procurator Pontius Pilate has become his disciple! Afterall, he defends him too. But is it not the Emperor who assigned governor-Prelates the duty to serve as court Procurator? And who is wiser?" The Pharisee sanhedrin grew fervent in rage, gnashing their teeth against Nicodemus. PILATE:
"Why do you snarl at my scribe like wild curs? He only spoke the truth." PHARISEES: (to Nicodemus) "You who take his side now should also suffer his same fate." NICODEMUS: "Amen to that! So mote it be!"
: SCENE VI : One of the Palestinian Hebrews, stepping out from the crowd, asked leave of the procurator PONTIUS PILATE to say a word. PILATE: "Whoever wishes to speak out, you may do so now." And the Palestinian Hebrew lamented: THE PARALYTIC OF CAPERNAUM: "For 38 years I lay on a cot in extreme duress. When I heard that wherever Yeshuah went, many lunatic maniacs and many lying about suffering from various symptoms were healed by him, I enlisted the help of some younger friends, who felt sympathy for my agony, who carried me in my pillowed bed in a wheel-barrow, and took me to the place where I had heard that he was. Thus, when Yeshuah saw me, he took mercy on me, and said to me: Take up your cushions, unwrap your mat from off your cot, get up and walk. Now I sleep without a cushioned cot, and can walk freely." PHARISEES: "And on which of our seven Holy days was it that he so healed you?" THE PARALYTIC OF CAPERNAUM: "On the first day of the week." PHARISEES: (to Pilate) "Didn't we already explain this to you: the day you dedicate to Saturn is our day of retirement from work. It is illegal by Talmud of Torah to heal on this day." Then another Hebrew Palestinian stepped up and said: BARTIMAEUS: "I was born blind. I always heard sounds, but had never seen a face. One day, as Yeshuah passed by, I wailed an Azan of scripture, 'Have mercy, Baal-shem, son of David.' So he took mercy on me, took mud from the Jordan, spit in it in his palms, and put his hands upon my eyes. He spoke a word to me I will not repeat to you now. In that very same instant all was revealed. I could see. He gave me my sight!" And another Palestinian Hebrew stepped up and said: THE LAME MAN OF BETHESADA: "I was a crook, and he straightened me out with a single insight of good advice!" And still another Hebrew Palestinian stepped forward and said: THE LEPER FROM OUTSIDE CAPERNAUM "I was a leper! He cleansed me with a single name from scripture!"
: SCENE VII : VERONICA: "I menstruated with aenoemia for 12 years! Then I touched the hem of Yeshuah's garment as he happened to pass by me and it finally quit bleeding!" PHARISEES: "Our Talmud of Torah prevents women from entering evidence!"
: SCENE VIII : THE ENTIRE MULTITUDE: "This man is a prophet, and all the djinn and demons are his subjects." PILATE: (to the entire multitude) "Then why are your own Imams and Ayatollahs not also so loyal?" THE ENTIRE MULTITUDE: "We do not know." MARTHA: "After he'd been sequestered in exile for longer than three days, Yeshuah resurrected our brother, Lazarus, from permanent spiritual excommunication!" PILATE: (shuddering) "Bene deuus, why do you wish to make me pour pure-hearted blood?"
: SCENE IX : So Prelate-governor and court-Procurator PONTIUS PILATE summoned NICODEMUS and the 12 BYSTANDERS that had testified to Yeshuah's lineage. PILATE: (to Nicodemus and the 12 bystanders) "Wise sages, what can I do? The people are at the threshhold of a complete revolution!" NICODEMUS & THE 12 BYSTANDERS: "We can't tell you what to do; we would find a way to allow the people to choose for themselves.” Pilate takes Annas arm-in-arm and stands with him before the 'Multitude.' PILATE: (to the 'Multitude') "I hope you all are aware of that modern custom, for your Passover Holiday, for me to release a repentent recititavist from reformatory. I have the perfect prisoner in mind, he is in sight now, a pentitent from penitentiary; an attempted killer whom some title 'Son of the Father;' or this mortal man here, Yeshuah, in whom I find no fault: choose which one you all want me to set free!" THE 'MULTITUDE': "Let go of our so-chosen 'Son of the Father'!" PILATE: "Well then what do you want me to do with Yeshuah whom you call ha Maschiach?"
THE 'MULTITUDE': "Crucify him! Hang him on the Roman Cross! Surely, Pontius Pilate must be late on his taxes if he prefers to be transfixed in awe of Yeshuah, who claims to be the Son of our G-d and our promised King. If Pontius Pilate releases Yeshuah ben Padiah, he is just being mis-led by a false king away from paying proper hommage to Caesar!" PILATE: (enraged) "Bene deuus, what shall become of your Nation of chosen people? They snarl at and spit their contempt on the hand that is trying to feed them." THE 'MULTITUDE': "If he who serves us is so good, then who here has ever been any good at all?" PILATE: "Your own G-d, who released you from Egypt and from your slavery to oppression, and by his 72lettered name led you across the parted Red Sea; and in the desert when you hungered, he fed you with healing bread that fell from the blue sky, and when you thirsted, he slaked your throats with water from the shear Petra cliffs; and he gave you all the One True Law. Woe to you, children of all Israel, woe to the chosen nation called Judea, for throughout it all you fought talon and fang, and erected the idol of the brazen apis, until you'd tired your own G-d so much he wanted to kill you all. But then, Meshish intervened for you, and so you still thrive. You should be eternally thankful, but instead you choose to insult my devotion to Caesar." Pilate rose up from the tribunal, and sought to leave. But the 'Multitude' of the Pharisee Sanhedrin cried out after him. THE 'MULTITUDE': "We are satisfied in, and our souls are safe knowing, that Caesar is the only King of all Israel, and not this mortal man here, Yeshuah ben Padiah. In his nativity, Samaritan Magi adorned him with rich sacrifices, better fit for paying taxation to a king. When Tetrarch Herod heard from the magi that our promised king had been born, he sought to slay him while he was still an infant; and his father, Joseph, knowing this, took the baby and its mother, and they fled into Egypt. But Tetrarch Herod, ignorant they had fled, killed all his own people's children that were then born in Bethlehem." When Pilate heard them say this, fear shot through him, for he knew Tetrarch Herod had executed his own eldest son, his heir, for conspiring in an assassination plot. He ordered the crowd to be still for just as he was turning pale, so too were all the 'Multitude' beginning to stir sensing the imanent Shekinah of the Mercy of God. PILATE: "So Yeshuah ben Padiah, this mortal man here, is whom Tetrarch Herod sought as the promised, final King over all Israel?" THE 'MULTITUDE': "He is one and the same." Calling Niccodemus for a shallow grail of water, Pilate then washed his hands in the glaring reflection of sunlight sparkling in the water of the gold vessel. PILATE: "By the Light of Day, find me blameless for pouring this innocent mortal man's blood!" THE PHARISEES:
"His blood will be counted against us to the last number of our own head, and so mote it be for our children as well." Then Pilate ordered the curtain of the tribunal drawn closed. PILATE: (to Yeshuah) "Your own nation finds you guilty of being their promised king. For their charge, they tell me I must punish you; so your sentence is: 1) you are to be scourged, according to the empire's recognition for your people's tribal customs; 2) you are to be fixated upon a Roman cross in Gesthamane, though for the record we will say it was at Golgotha. I hereby decree such, and that Dysmas and Gestas, two petty Saducee zealots, be hung up likewise beside you to stand in for Annas and Caiphas, who are the real villains behind this ritual charade."
::: ACT II : EPISTULI PILATI ::: :: EPISTLE I : PILATE TO CAESAR :: : PROLOGUE : On the day of the crucifixion of AHDVNHAY Yeshuah ha Maschiach by the inferiors of Pontius Pilate, Roman prelate of Palestine and Phoenicia, all herein occured in Jerusalem because of one sanhedrin of Pharisees. Pilate next sent the following report to Tiberius Caesar in Rome, along with the court-report by Nicodemus. This is the report of Prelate Pontius Pilate about AHDHVNHAY Yeshuah ha Maschiach, which was sent to Emperor Augustus Tiberius in Rome.
: PILATE'S PREAMBLE : To the most potent, august, divine and magnificent Tiberius Caesar, from your humble servant, Pontius Pilate, a prelate in your empire's Eastern Province: I've done something, my emperor, due to which I am paralysed by terror. In Judea, the province over which I am Prelate, in Jerusalem the popular capitol, a church of Roman loyalists brought before me a certain Yeshuah Padiah, accusing him by their strenuous religious laws, but were unable to raise against him any consistent evidence.
: THE CHARGE IN GENERAL : Their primary charge was that he implied their weekend holiday was indeed fit to work during, which they counted as blasphemy if applied to themselves. He accomplished this by healing on the weekend holiday; I heard testimony that he gave sight to the blind, made cirpples able to walk, cleansed lepers, and with just one word he called the bed-ridden paralytic and the palsy-stricken to arise, so they did. However, the most astounding miracle they claimed attributed to him is alien even to the myths of our own Gods: he resurrected the dead. Let me explain. Here in Judea the custom of religion is very important. If one is excommunicated from their church, they call the condition 'death.' If you go three days following official excommunication, and no one bears witness for you, you are considered to have 'given up the ghost.' This Yeshuah theraputae excercised some considerable authority within their church if he was able to overturn such an official excommunication.
: SOME CHARGES IN SPECIFIC : the man named "Legion" from the Decapolis of Gerasenes
I have learned that he healed a 'Legion' whom he'd never met before, possessed by "djinnii," or demons of insanity who dwelt in the desert of Gadara, who cannibalised themselves, ranged like cattle and crept like spiders across your province. He healed him with a single word; and sent him back to his home in the decapolis, and by his word he shone him the illumination of absolute reason, and girding him with wisdom, mercy, and splendour, he invited him to sit at high church banquet beside therapeutae who hate uncleanliness, and he cast the 'Legion' of the man's demons into the Lake of Gerasenes. Jeroboam in the synagogue of Chorazin I have been informed that on their weekend holiday he healed a man named Jeroboam who had a crooked hand and half of whose body was palsied and was disfigured beyond symmetry of shape. Yeshuah healed him with a single word too. Veronica of Capernaum I also heard from a woman named Veronica from Capernaum who was menstruating aneomically for years until her veins and arteries were spent. She was deformed beyond her humanity, transfixed in awe by her pains so much that no local doctors could treat her condition. She was utterly exasperated of expiration, yet when Yeshuah happened past, his shadow brightened her eye; she but clutched at the hem of his robe and in the same moment vigour rejuvenated her extremeties. When I saw her she appeared as one who had never suffered, and she told me that she had walked there to Jerusalem from Capernaum in only 6 days.
: THE ACTUAL CRIME : I confess knowing, aside from what I have just recently been informed of, about all these examples of Yeshuah's charge, healing on holidays. I will testify that he pulled off even greater glamours before my own eyes than any I can attribute to our own Roman mythologies. But Herod Agrippa I, Caiphas-Archelaus, and Prince Phillip-Alexander Aristobulus-Annas, with a 'Multitude' of loyal national comrades, brought him before me, promising to raise an absolute revolution if I refused to hear their case against him. So, for their sake, I sentenced him to crucifixion, following a scourging per proper protocol, even though I had found no fault in him, nor cause for guilt or blame.
: THE ECLIPSE OVER ISRAEL AND THE DESTRUCTION OF JERUSALEM : In the sixth hour of day until the third hour of evening, while Yeshuah hung on his cross, there was a solar eclipse. The stars appeared but did not sparkle. The full moon stained blood red. There was an upheaval of the Underworld such that the guilty church fled from the inner-most sanctum sanctorum, as they call it, of their God's temple, where a crevace opened up in earth from which emited peels of thunder. The people were fleeing around screaming the names of their ancestors, their national soothsayers, some of whom had been dead for thousands of years, and I believe I could see some of them myself. I saw my own beloved relatives, now dead, appearing to me then in the flesh, and they were also wailing a lament for us all, because we had allowed, and were now betrayed by, that criminal church now responsible for both the desicration of their national laws and the fall of all Israel. Following the earth-quake but still during the eclipse, around the ninth hour of evening, on that very same weekend holiday, there was a single loud noise in the sky, and then the air itself became
bright, and in late evening it lit up 7 times brighter than daylight. The entire atmosphere lit up brighter than anything I've ever seen. From within the white light shimmered lightning, and then the sky dimmed to reveal towering cumulus storm-clouds, resembling ever-shifting giants who wailed thunder-claps. I suddenly realised that Yeshuah, whom I'd sent to suffer death, had instead conquered it, and was now freeing the hosts of Hades. The earth-quake had exposed a lava-vein which was heating the air like an oven, and people were running around crying out the names of those who had died. Yeshuah spoke in my mind then, and he said one Word: 'Galilee.' That whole night was bright as day, and many of the 'Multitude' fell into the lava. I can gather witnesses to testify they too saw many unfamiliar faces in these arisen crowds. Only one of the Jerusalem temples survived, while all the others were destroyed. Because of these events on this day, and because of my terror that I have brought about this ruin to Rome, I am writing this all down and sending it to Your Esteemed Imperial Highness, and enclosing with it the court-report kept by Nicodemus, to warn you of this all, my Emperor, my God."
:: EPSITLE II : PILATE TO HEROD :: : PREAMBLE : To Herod Antipas I, Tetrarch over Galilee and Perea, from Pontius Pilate, prelate over Judea: Peace Be With You, Illuminate a Gnosis on this: on that day when you had Yeshuah brought before me, I took mercy on myself and dissassociated my innocence by washing my hands of him. However, I have learned from Longinus, his executioner, and from the 12 Roman conscripts I personally sent to guard his tomb, that he was resurrected from the dead. I personally confirmed what those 12 and Nicodemus told me: that he was alive and well, preaching his one Word message in Galilee, adding only the doctrine of his resurrection as a sign that the time of his kingdom is now. Look, Herod, how the whole host of the heavens and the whole kingdom of Israel are now bursting with joy! Behold how even now my wife Procla is awakening to a new understanding of her previous nightmares, which had set on when she'd read your grand-niece, Salome's letter to me, begging me to surrender Yeshuah to the fate of his nation, on account of her disgust in him.
: PROCLA IN GALILEE : You see, when my wife Procla overheard from Longinus that Yeshuah had resurrected himself, and from Nicodemus that he was now alive and well, preaching in Galilee, she took Longinus and the 12 conscripts who had guarded the tomb, and went to meet the Maschiach of Israel face-to-face, and there she was confronted by quite a sight, for there was Yeshuah, standing among his followers.
They were transfixed by awe in him but he caught sight of them and called out, "What's this? Now do you believe me? Procla, did you know that in God's legal-contract with my people's fore-fathers it is stipulated that, 'when I die, all who had died will live again,' as now you yourself have seen? Now I live again too, even I whom was crucified and whom suffered the Paschal sacrifice, and whom was taken to my own tomb. You with ears to hear, hear and believe on God the Father, who is within us, for I cut the chord binding us all to death, and I parted the infernal way to the Underworld so that I may return from thence to now." After Procla had heard enough of this, she and Longinus and the 12 conscripts returned, and she came to me wailing in lament. Had not she as much as Longinus been helplessly used against him when the priests condemned him by our Roman law? I had been laid out across my lectus in my cubiculum in mourning. For comfort, I wore the seamless coat of Yeshuah and, assembling six contubernium of auxiliaries along the way, marched into Galilee with Procla and Longinus.
: PILATE IN GALILEE : All I spoke about along the way to anyone who would listen was how Herod Antipater II had done wrong by me, had used me like a marionette, tried to make me a villain, and is framing me for judging ben Padiah, and for punishing ben Padiah, AHDVNHAY ben Padiah! When we came toward where he stood, let me tell you, we heard his Word thundering from all around. I crossed his path and stood before him, and AHDVNHAY's eyes met mine as he paused from discussing ha Torah with his followers. My heart grew heavy and my throat twisted into a knot; my tongue grew dry. I knew it was truly him, the same man you'd sent before me to be judged for being ha Adonai of the Entirety Created. 98 knees all buckled as one and my 48 auxilliars behind Longinus collapsed, but I spoke up. "I have done evil, AHDVNHAY ha Maschiach. I sat in the Mercy seat over the very one whose Victory is in Righteousness. Now I am a Gnostic, aware that you are AHDVNHAY, and ha Maschiach, but in that moment I saw only your mortal garment and my eyes remained unilluminated of your inner essence. I believe you know better than I how I have sinned against you, not by own will, but because someone else planted the idea in my mind. Take Mercy upon Me, AHDVNHAY of all Israel!" Proclus, in anguish, wailed her lament, complaining "Adonai over all up above and Adonai under all down below, Adonai of all Israel, for this blasphemous crime, done by the will of that wicked priest, let not my loving husband be remembered by the Nous of the wicked priest's 'son.' Let him be remembered by you always as you both stand now: AHDVNHAY, memoriam gloriam!" Then Elohim came right up close to us, and I saw on him there were still the wounds of his crucifixion. Yeshuah's Word emanated thunder: "That which all the Padiah Patriarchs throughout history have hoped to QBLH, but could never Apocalypse, during your life occured: Adonai Trismegestus; the Son of Humanity; Son of the Most High: is forever; arose from death; is en-raptured by His Creation; and all Israel." So mote it be forever and ever, Amen.
:: EPISTLE III : PILATE TO CAESAR :: to Augustus Tiberius, Caesar of Rome, from Pontius Pilate, prelate of Judea:
Regarding Yeshuah ha Maschiach whom I introduced in my last letter: although I was unwilling to see it begin, and remain apprehensive lest this epidemic spread, the people of Judea are beginning to reap their just deserts, and they are terribly bitter. In just truth, no aeon has ever had nor will ever again see such a man as Yeshuah. Claiming to speak on behalf of all the nation, one church's high priest and paternal-elder conspired to afix to a Roman cross this bastion of Righteousness, in spite of their own prophets' (their equivalent to our sibyls) advice against it; and when he was so afixed, terrifying sights of ruin illuminated the whole nation and, we thought, surely the rest of the world. His followers have survived and are multiplying. In their humble loyalty to the empire they continue on the great work of their Master. Yet I lament that, had I only not feared the people's revolution, fed to me by the lying priests, he might still be alive today. Because I thought I was honouring Caesar, though I was wrong, I failed to fight harder to prevent the pouring of Padiah's blood, innocent of it all. A most blasphemous crime remains as testimony to the evils of men, may they suffer for it, according to the Law. 5th Kalends, April.
::: ACT III ::: :: PARADOSIS ET MORS PILATI :: : PROLOGUE : When, in Rome, PILATEs letters had been received, they were summarily narrated before CAESAR. But the eunuchs who pantomimed the dictations all stood there listening, as silent as stones, during Pilate's description of the recent eclipse and his news of the earth-quake in Judea to the east. So Caesar Augustus Tiberius weighed in the blind-scales: on the one side: the short-term relative-success against Judea enjoyed by Antiochus IV, Epiphanes; and on the other side: the longterm failure of military occupation of Judea from the time of the Optimates Pompey, rival of populare Gaius Augustus, the first of Rome's Caesarian Dictator Perpetui, founder of the Roman empire. He weighed them equally against the current astrology, but it was only out of frustration and impatience while awaiting the annales maximi of the universities of universality, that Emperor Augustus Tiberius sent VOLUSIANUS, a messenger, to ascertain the popular sentiment of Pilate in his province.
: EPISTLE IV : CAESAR TO PILATE : to Pontius Pilate, prelate of Judea, I have, but wherefore I know not, taken leave of my entire health and sense of safety. I have grown cold in blood and bone, but I had heard there was a particular physician named JonathanAlexander, Aristobulus bar Pandera, whom is capable of healing all sorts of afflictions with only a word, whispered from his lips to the patient's ear. Your dearest Deuus Caesar and friend humbly implores you, good Pilate, to send this physician immediately to the capitol of our Empire. Please accompany him here under the kind auspices of he who bears this sealed scripture, my good messenger, Voluianus.
: RESPONSIUM PILATI : Inwardly Pilate was flooded by a coldness like stone, for he suddenly realised that the inevitable was now immanent, his crime was clear: he had killed Yeshuah in envy. However, outwardly Pilate answered the messenger thus:
PILATE: Unforunately, the man our deuus imperator has sent for I was recently forced to have executed. He was brought before me as a terrorist and had accumulated a multitude of followers. It was most illfated. I took counsel from the elders of the local people, and upon their advice I had him crucified.
: ANAPHORA PILATI : As Caesar's personal messenger, Voluianus, walked along the wall dividing the upper-southern regnal and political section of the city from the liturgical scribal class neighborhoods to the lowernorth he noticed the Pool of Hezekiah and, descending from the Hippicus citadel parapets via the Jaffa Gate, Voluianus made his way there. Next to the pool sat VERONICA, whom had testified to Pilate and confessed Yeshuah had healed her menstrual aeneomia. Voluianus approached Veronica and asked her: VOLUIANAS: "Sister, Peace Be Upon You. Please can you tell me: there was a physician who was reported to have travelled through this way. He reputedly healed all sorts of afflictions with only a word. I want to hear about why he was killed." VERONICA: (weeping) "Elohim, Peace be with you. He whom you seek was AHDVNHAY Elohim, and he was brought before Pilate, who found him thus condemned by the envy of others, and Pilate had him afixed to the Roman Cross." VOLUIANAS: (sighing) "I could be executed for this. I will be forced to report to my master I have failed to bring to his side the one physician who might have been able to cure him." VERONICA: "Elohim, when my master used to go throughout the countryside preaching, and he left me all by myself to my chagrin, I hoped to take comfort in a physiognomy of him. Elohim, I was at this spot on the way to have his likeness portrayed as a portrait, when I happened across his path while he carried his cross to Calvary. He knealt with me devoutly, and asked where I was going, and I told him. He took the niqab from before my own face, and pressed it against his own. As you can see it rendered a perfect likeness." Veronica then unveiled her veil, emblasoned with the bloody imprint of Yeshuah's face, impressed onto it seemingly as though by being scorched into the fabric. Voluianas collapsed. VERONICA: "If your master were to gaze on this, he will absorb from it as much comfort as I do." VOLUIANAS: "My master is Augustus Tiberius Caesar, deuus imperator perpetua over all Rome. I am authorised to speak on his behalf here. I demand to know how much I can pay you for this miraculous shroud?" VERONICA: "Nothing more than your hassidic heart could suffice. Since you have given me that, I will accept your invitation to travel to Rome with you, on the condition I may be promised by Caesar your protection until I return to this spot next. In return I will show my niqab to your master." So Volusianus returned to Rome with Veronica and informed him:
VOLUIANAS: (to Tiberius Caesar) "My liege, Yeshuah, whom I was sent to find, was murdered by fate, executed by prelate Pilate, and by the envy of others he was fixated to the Roman Cross."
: THE SEAMLESS COAT : So, by half a cohors equitata, only three centuries, Judean prelate Pontius Pilate was siezed in Jerusalem and escorted to Rome on command of Tiberius Caesar. When Pilate had entered the gates of Rome, he was immediately brought to the forum Caesaris, to the shrine of Venus Genitrix built to commemorate Julian calendar reform, to the very feet of the statue of Gaius’s horse. He was then told to wait. In a moment, along came Augustus Tiberius Casesar of Rome, followed by the court of clerks. Within a second moment, the entire senate assembled in the wide promenade, and, as the cohors tumultuariam of cohortes urbanae and the cohors togata came in their wake from the intersection of Vicus Tuscus and Cloaca Maxima and the Temple of Castor and Pollux at the foot of the Capitoline Hill, the whole force of Rome was all focused immediately on prelate Pontius Pilate. But prelate Pontius Pilate was wearing the seamless white-coat of Yeshuah, and so as soon as Emperor Tiberius laid eyes on Pilate, he became transfixed in awe of him, and though Pilate rose to honor Caesar, Tiberius chose not to acknowlegde Pilate at all and walked past him, as a lion would casually walk past a lost lamb. As soon as Tiberius was out-of-ear-shot of the confused prelate, he chastised himself before the court of clerks, who duly noted Caesar whispering under his breath an invocation to Mars. Then, the impossible happened and the course of deuus-solis reversed alike the retrograde course of Mars; mighty Caesar turned around. He walked back over to Pilate, who again stood up and reached out with the grip of a Legionaire to shake the hand of his emperor. But this time Tiberius turned away again. He re-approached the puzzled assembly of courtesan-scribes, whose pens and pads were sagging; but who then duly noted Caesar swearing a curse against Pilate to Jupiter. A third time Caesar Tiberius approached Pontius Pilate, who, for a third time, rose to shake the hand of his emperor. This time Tiberius walked right up to Pilate and looked into his eye. Pilate saw his emperor's eyes twisted into a snarling fist of angst, as though it were his position alone that kept Tiberius from slitting Pilate's throat right there on the spot. Everyone there was whispering or gasping at it, how Caesar fell impotent before Pilate. But just then, Veronica was walking past with Volusianus for Caesar's next appointment, to witness the miraculous healing power of her bloody veil. The couple had just come from their nuptuals, and were preceded by a modest crowd casting before them the petals of roses, narcissi, oleanders, violets, crocus, narcissus, lily, gladioli, iris, poppy, amaranth and wildflowers in general. VOLUIANAS: "My liege, may I present Veronica, whom is your loyal servant from the eastern province, whose highest wish was to show you herself this likeness of that physician whom you sent me to procure. I believe, sir, you should see this as it might do you some good." Veronica, Volusianus and Tiberius couselled together, in a triumverate, out of ear-shot, for only a moment. Eventually, Tiberius looked up at Pilate, and then gestured for Veronica and her newlywed groom, Volusianus, to exit the promenade. He next gestured for two legionairies to rip the seamless coat off Pilate, and then, as Tiberius approached Pilate, the emperor was calmed slightly, such that his logical faculties returned to him, and his furious anger settled into malicious suspicion. While the legionairies dressed down and deloused prelate Pontius Pilate in the presence of his emperor and ultimate idol, the court of clerks duly noted that: SCRIBAL COLOPHON: "Veronica, wife of Tiberius Caesar's envoy to the eastern-province, Volusianus, reported to his
imperial majesty the seamless coat of prelate Pontius Pilate of Judea in the eastern-province, had originally belonged to the Yeshuah who was to be Caesar's subject at both Pilate and Veronica's independent hearings today."
: CAESAR'S INTERROGATION OF PONTIUS PILATE, DAY 1 : CAESAR: "Pilate, you pig-runt. Why have you chosen the lesser portion of valour? Were you blind to what all the rest of us saw? Because your personal fortunes have favoured an unjust choice, the entirity of reality is now closer to the brink of the Abyss." PILATE: "Please my omnipotent emperor, it is not within me to have known! It was their so-called 'Multitude:' their Tri-umverate's third, public post. It had been usurped by those loyal to a certain priest and his eldest son." CAESAR: "Who were they?" PILATE: "Later I learned, they were Herod Agrippa I posing as Caiphas and prince Agrippa II posing as Annas. And with them all of their national comrades." CAESAR: "Why did you first listen to, and next choose to obey, their treason?" PILATE: "The indegenous inhabitants of the region are more often prone to sudden violence than not. They do not value the day-to-day civil empire we take for granted. Above all they value mythology. Judea is to Rome what Prometheus was like to Jupiter. They have the myth there of a fallen angel who was rebellious against their God. In their own mythology, the whole nation in its origin has chosen to be accursed throughout all time. Such is the star over Jerusalem. If you do not subdue them, our entire empire will break into two! Unless you force them to, they will never bow to you, my omnipotent emperor, and instead there will be a revolution to overturn all Rome! Blame the guilty, I beg of you!" CAESAR: "When they brought him before you, you should have brought him before me. You should not have cooperated with his political enemies and hung this national miracle-healer from your province on a cross representing Rome. Miracles always prove genuine when their motive is moral. You saw the miracles and you saw the man, and you duly noted it all to me. By your own report, it is manifest clearly that Yeshuah ben Padiah was ha Maschiach, the last king of Israel." But even as Caesar Tiberius was saying this a bolt of lightning tore across the clear blue sky. There was a pause, and then the ground shook and there was a clap of thunder that followed the flash of lightning that had shot across the sky. Then there was a second pause, and the earth began to quake more violently than before, and the concrete columns and marble statues of the forum all quivered and swayed about on their iron rod supports, although it was reported the next morning many of them were found to have completely disintegrated, leaving only their metal skeletons standing above a mound of debris and a mysteriously glowing, powdery dust. When the quake had happened everyone in Rome had fled to their own house except the Senate around him, who sought refuge in Caesar, who stood next to Pontius Pilate at the eye of the storm, looking up in wonder at it all through the occulum of the domed colluseum of the forum Caesarium's front promenade.
: DAY 2 : Pilate remained in protective custody that night as a guest of Caesar's in civil Rome. The next morning, Caesar awoke and immediately summoned all who were present during the events of the prior afternoon to re-assemble in their exact positions as on the preceding day, and gather together at starting positions around the forum Caesaris. All security forces, called the cryers dictating Cesar's proclommation, shall be centered around the statue of Venus Genitrix in the promenade in front of the forum. And so all Rome assembled surrounding the trial of Pontius Pilate, prelate of Judea, by Tiberius Caesar, deuus imperator perpetuus of Rome. Many were astonished at the sight of the debris and the mysterious dust, which hovered over the whole proceeding like an illuminating gloom. But the civil Romans continued their daily business, and not even one Roman out of ear-shot from the events cared to follow what was going on around them. But Ceasar, who understood the full meaning of all these facts, turned the full weight of his attention upon prelate Pilate, as the two men stood in the same spots as the day before, when the earth shook in awe at the name of Yeshuah ben Padiah. CAESAR: "Quid Est Veritas, pig-runt? I believe you've brought all this upon this. Swear on my safety, who is this Yeshuah whose name has just toppled every standing statue of our Gods in all Rome?" PILATE: "I stand by what I said to you on the record I had sent before me. I swear by your safety I am only one who was a witness to he whom you now know by his righteous justice that was equally persuaded by this illuminating gloom of his, assuredly a sight greater than the presence of any of our own mythological pantheon alone." CAESAR: "So then why, if you knew this man, did you have him flagellated and agree to have him killed by being crucified on a Roman cross, unless you yourself want to be my own assassin?" PILATE: "Because of the cruelity of their revolutionary essence against the One Law of his own atheistic nation, I had to have him flagellated, and I did agree to have him afixed to a Roman cross." CAESAR: (enraged) "I want this message, written now by every scribe of Rome, to be dispatched immediately to every corner and quadrant of this, my empire: "from Emperor Augustus Tiberius Caesar of Rome: to Lucius Vitellius, hero over Artabanus of Parthia and Procurator of Syria: "Today I found out that, because the Hebrews of Jerusalem and its neighboring lands in Judea broke their own laws and coerced their governor, Pontius Pilate, to afix, in effigy of their own God, a man named Yeshuah ben Padiah to a Roman cross, there was an earth-quake in that city during the recent eclipse that now also threatens to spread throughout the whole Roman empire." CAESAR: (to messengers) "Let Lucius hear this dictation via the daily Legions' news-briefings tomorrow morning, so that he knows it has been heard by all Rome. Let him know by this that, by letter of our Legions' law, as if Yeshuah had been Caesar and this an assassination of I, myself, he must therefore dissolve their presently indigenous inhabitants from their native region by selling them as slaves to foreigners." CAESAR: (privily, to ALBIUS, the nearest Praetorian guard)
"You, yourself are to assassinate Pilate. Just as if Yeshuah were me, so must he die for having killed Yeshuah. I will not tell him it will be you, so that you may surprise him by it when it seems most apt." CAESAR: (to Albius, in ear-shot of Pilate) "Guards, escort prelate Pilate back to his quarters as a guest in protective custody of Tiberius Caesar of Rome. I will continue to consult with the Senate, Courts and the universities of universality for the remainder of this case."
: THE SUICIDE OF PONTIUS PILATE : After 3 days more residence in Rome as Caesar's guest in protective custody, Pontius Pilate realised he must have been sentenced to assassination. So, sleepless at a late hour of night, Pilate returned to the wide promenade of the forum Caesari, beneath its high dome, and sat beneath its occulus at the foot of the statue of Venus Genitrix, looking up at the stars with his wife, Procla. PILATE: "Leave me for a moment while I make a sacrifice for our salvation. If no one approaches me, we may leave Rome tonight, but if someone does, know by their behaviour how our fate will be sealed." Prcola exited to the shadows beside a column surrounding the wide promenade. PILATE: (knealing) "AHDVNHAY, please do not wiegh me in the same blind-scale as the fakirs who only pretend to be hassids. Have a-Gnosis I never touched you myself, just that you were unjustly brought before me by such anarchist atheists who intended to incite a terrorist revolution. Have a-Gnosis my crime lay in my chosen blindness. Please do not let me be killed for killing you as if you were Caesar. Please, AHDVNHAY, remember me as I wrote to Herod you would have had we met again in Galilee as I believed you had promised. Bene deuus, AHDVNHAY, remember me as I had written would have Procla had you remember us, and for the sake of she who is standing now in the shadows, I beg you, do not let them kill me for killing you as if you were Caesar. Remember her nightmare; she had dreamed of your crucifixion. Please, my bene deuus, Yeshuah ben Padiah AHDVNHAY, do not let us be punished, but save us from death, as you yourself eluded the grave, and do not let us be killed for killing you as if you were Caesar!" At this, Pilate drew his own Legionairi dagger, and held it upward with the tip of the blade pressed to the pulsing arteries of his own throat. Then, a voice boomed forth from the acoustics of the domed roof of the promenade. ALBIUS: "From now on until the last man, everyone will realise your innocence, because you saw me do what was only dreamed of by my own star's fortune-tellers. As you wrote then, now you will truly come to see me in Galilee, and sit at my right hand as I weigh in the blind-scales to the last one aGnostic of Just Righteousness or a-Theist of anarchy." At this, Pilate plunged the dagger into his throat, and as Albius and Procla both rushed up, his body collapsed out from under him. Albius, reaching him first, managed to catch him only under his chin as he fell, such that he was left holding only Pilate's head. Procla, upon seeing this and being so overcome by fear her heart seized up, managed to collapse in such a way that she fell upon Pilate's dagger herself, and so also "gave up the ghost." Albius then blew a whistle to summon a legionaire and, conscripting some citizens to testify as witnesses to such, read to them a note Tiberius gave him to be read to Pilate:
: EPISTLE VI : "I, Pontius Pilate, prelate of Judea, do hereby swear on the life of Augustus Tiberius Caesar that it is by my own hand that I and my wife Procla have died, and our last wish is that our bodied be buried together. Let it be known that, by the word of Caesar, death's hand reaps every head of wheat, not least so that of his own field."
: THE BURIAL OF PONTIUS PILATE : Because of the stipulation made they be buried together, the bodies of Pontius and Procla Pilate were both chained to a massive concrete pillar that had fallen during the recent tremor and were thus cast into the river Tiber along with the rest of the debris. However the dust that had blown out over the river by then made the bodies pulpy like chalk, and the amount of debris piled already piled under it kept the bodies above water-level during low-tides; and the crows, drawn by the smell of the moulding carrion spewn carcasses, fed on them, and, as it rained the following day, which became a light storm of hail, when the next anyone saw them, the bodies of the Pilati were so desicated it was terrifying to children. So the bodies were removed to Vienne, in Gaul, and suffered the same burial method upon the river Rhone. But the crows returned, and rain was followed by hail there too, and after two days the bodies were so further desicated that it frightened the children. So the corpses were removed from the rocks they'd been chained to but, being so utterly desicated by this point, were jointly put into a single urn. This urn was then sent to Lucerne and entombed atop a high mountain. But crows, rain and hail followed there for such a long time that they eventually removed the bodies from there and took them in the urn to a lake on Vettore Peak in the Sibillini Mounts and threw the urn into the water. It sank, and so no rain and hail persist there, however the place remains to this day troubled by crows.