The Lost Books of the Bible: The Great Rejected Texts Read online

  8. Therefore the Eternal Mighty Lord forced you to dwell upon the earth, and through you every evil spirit of lies, rage, and trials came forth for the generations of ungodly men.

  9. God, the Eternal and Mighty One, has not permitted the bodies of the righteous to be (end up) in your hands so that the life of the righteous and the destruction of the unclean may be assured.

  10. Listen! You have no permission to tempt the righteous at all.

  11. Leave this man! You cannot deceive him, because he is the enemy of you and of those who follow you and those who love what you want.

  12. Behold, the garment which is heaven was formerly yours has been set aside for him, and the mortality which was his has been given over to you."

  Chapter 14

  1. And the angel said to me, "Abraham!"

  2. And I said, "Here I am.” And the angel said to me, "Know that from now on and forever the Eternal One has chosen you.

  3. Be bold! I command you to use this authority against him who reviles the truth.

  4. Will I not be able to revile him who has scattered about the earth the secrets of heaven and who has taken counsel against the Mighty One?

  5. Say to him, “May you stoke (be kindling in) the fires of the earth’s furnace!

  6. Go, Azazel, into the deserted parts of the earth.

  7. Your inheritance is over those who are with you, with the stars and with the men born by the clouds, whose reward you are. They exist because of you (through your being).

  8. Hate is your pious act.

  9.Therefore you will destroy yourself and be gone from me!”

  10. And I spoke the words that the angel taught me. But the angel said to me, "Do not answer him! For God has given him power over those who answer him."

  11. And the angel spoke to me again saying, "However much he speaks to you, do not answer him so that he may not get to you easily (freely).

  12. The Eternal One gave him the gravity and the will. Do not answer him."

  13. I did what the angel commanded me. And whatever he said to me about the fall (descent), I did not answered him.

  Chapter 15

  1. As the sun was setting, I beheld smoke like that of a furnace, and the angels who had the divided portions of the sacrifice came down from the top of the smoking furnace.

  2. And the angel lifted me with his right hand and set me upon the right wing of the pigeon, and he sat on the left wing of the turtle dove. Neither birds had been slaughtered.

  3. He flew me to the borders of the flaming fire, and we rose on many winds to the heavens which were above the firmament (sky/ theater of stars/ the sphere where the stars are stationed).

  4. In the air, we ascended to a height that I could see a strong (bright) light impossible to describe.

  5. In the light of a fiercely burning fire (Gehenna?), I saw many people, male in appearance. All of them were constantly changing their appearance and form. They were running as they were being changed, and they were worshipping and crying out with a sound of words that I could not recognize.

  Chapter 16

  1. And I said to the angel, "Why have you now brought me here?

  2. I can no longer see clearly, and I am growing weak. My spirit is leaving me?"

  3. And he said, "Remain close to me and do not fear.

  3. He, the One you cannot see, is coming toward us now with a tremendous voice of holiness.

  4. He is the Eternal One who loves you. But you yourself cannot see (look at) Him.

  5. But you may find your spirit growing faint on account of the choirs of those who cry out because I am with you to strengthen you (fight against the weakness for I am here to strengthen you).”

  Chapter 17

  1. While he was still speaking, the fire coming toward us surrounded us and there was a voice amidst the fire like a voice of many waters, like the sound of a violent sea. And I wanted to fall down and worship. And the angel knelt down with me and worshipped.

  2. However, the surface of the high place where we were standing changed constantly, inclining, rolling high and low.

  3. And the angel said, "Worship, Abraham, and sing the song which I now will teach you.

  4. Never stop signing it. Sing it in continuously from beginning to end. “

  5. And the song which he taught me to sing had words that were appropriate to the area of heaven (sphere) we were standing in.

  6. Each area (sphere) in heaven has its own song of praise, and only those who live there know how to sign it, and those on earth cannot know it or sing it.

  7. They could know it only if they were taught by the messengers of heaven. And the words of that song were of a type and meaning.

  8. So I bowed down since there was no solid ground on which to prostrate myself and I recited the song which he had taught me.

  9. And he said, "Recite it without ceasing." And I recited, and he himself recited the song along with me.

  “Eternal, Mighty, Holy God (El), God of unlimited power, Self-originated, Incorruptible, Immaculate, Without beginning, having no mother or father, Spotless, Immortal, Self-Created, Illuminated with your own light, without mother or father, self-begotten, High, radiant, Wise, Lover Of Men, Favorable, Generous, Bountiful, Jealous Over Me, Patient (compassionate), Most Merciful, Eli (my God), Eternal, Mighty, Holy Sabbath, Most Glorious El, El, El, El, (God) Jaoel (Yahoel/Joel) (Ja El/Lord God). You are he whom my soul has loved, the Guardian, Eternal, Radiant, Shining, Made of light, Voice of thunder. You appear as lightning, All seeing, you receive the prayers of those who honor you and turn away from the prayers of those who besiege you with their provoking ways. You redeem (free) those who are in the midst of the unrighteous and those who are confused among the wicked one who inhabited world in the corruptible life. You renew the life of the righteous. Before the morning light shines, you make the light shine upon your creation from the light of your face in order to bring the day on the earth. And in your heavenly dwellings there is an inexhaustible light of another kind. It is the inexpressible splendor from the lights of your face. Accept my prayer, and let it be sweet to you, and also the sacrifice which you yourself made to yourself through me who searched for you. Receive me favorably and show to me, and teach me, and make known to your servant what you have promised me.”

  Chapter 18

  1. While I was still reciting the song, the mouth of the fire on the surface rose high in the air.

  2. And I heard a voice like a roaring sea. It was not stopped by even the plethora of fire. And as the fire rose up very high I saw under the fire a throne of fire, and around it were many eyes watching.

  3. They were the all-seeing ones and they were singing their song.

  4. Under the throne were four radiant (on fire) Living Ones singing but they looked as if they were one creature but each one had four faces.

  5. This is how they appeared and how they looked to me; each one had the face of a lion, a man, an ox and an eagle, and because of their four heads upon their bodies, they had sixteen faces.

  6. Each one had three pairs of wings coming out of their shoulders, their sides, and their hips. With the wings from the shoulders they covered their faces. With the wings from their hips they covered their feet. The two middle wings were spread out and they flew erect as if standing up (straight forward).

  7. Then, when they had ended their singing they looked at one another and threatened one another.

  8. Then, when the angel who was with me saw that they were threatening each other he left me and went running to them. He turned the face of each living creature from the face which was opposite it so that they could not see each other’s faces

  9. And he taught them the song of peace which the Eternal One has in himself.

  10. And while I stood alone and watched, I saw a chariot with wheels of fire behind the Living Ones.

  11. Each wheel had eyes around it and it was full of eyes. Above the wheels was the throne which I had seen before. It was covered with fire, and the fire
encircled it.

  12. An indescribable fire contained a mighty fiery host, and I heard its holy voice like the voice of a man.

  Chapter 19

  1. And a voice came to me out of the middle of the fire, saying, "Abraham, "Abraham!" and I answered saying "Here am I!" And he said, "Look at the wide places (areas/expanses) which are under the firmament (sky/theater of stars) on which you now stand.

  2. Notice that no other place (area/expanse) has yielded the one for whom you have searched or who has loved you."

  3. While he was still talking, the areas opened up. Below me were the heavens and I saw a fire which was wide-spread. There was a light, which is the storehouse (vault) of life.

  4. There was the dew that God will use to awaken the dead, the spirits of the righteous, those that had gone on before, and the spirits of those souls who are yet to be born. Judgment and righteousness, peace and blessing, and an innumerable host of angels, and the Living Ones, and the Power of the Invisible Glory sat above the Living Ones.

  5. All of these were in the seventh firmament, on which I stood.

  6. And I looked down from the high mountain on which I stood on to the sixth firmament, and there I saw a host of angels of pure spirit (incorporeal) without bodies, whose duty was to carry out the commands of the fiery angels who were upon the seventh firmament (some translations have the eighth firmament) , as I was standing suspended over them.

  7. And I looked down on the sixth firmament and there were no other powers of any form, only the angels of pure spirit.

  8. I was standing on its elevation. And on this firmament there was nothing in any form and no other host, but only the spiritual angels.

  9. I saw a host on the seventh firmament and He commanded that the sixth firmament should be removed from my sight, and I saw there on the fifth firmament the powers of the stars which carry out the commands laid upon them, and the elements of the earth obeyed them.

  Chapter 20

  1. And the Eternal, Mighty One said to me, "Abraham, Abraham!" And I said, “Here I am!"

  2. And He said to me, "Look at the stars which are beneath you, and number them for me, and then tell me their number."

  3. And I said, "How can I? I am just a man made of the dust of the earth." And He said to me, " I will make your progeny a nation as large as the number of the stars and as powerful the power of the stars, and I will set these people a section (piece) for me as my own inheritance.

  4. They will be distinct from those of Azazel. And yet I include Azazel in my house."

  5. And I said, "Eternal and Mighty One. Let your servant speak before you and do not let your fury ignite (burn/rage) against your chosen (selected/elect) one.

  6. “Look!, before you led me up, Azazel insulted (railed against/reproached) me. Since he is now not before you how can you establish (constitute/count) yourself with them?"

  Chapter 21

  1. Then He said to me, "Look beneath your feet at the firmament and understand the creation represented and foretold in this expanse, the creatures who exist in it, and the ages prepared after it."

  2. And I looked beneath my feet and beneath the sixth heaven and saw the earth and its fruits, and what moved upon it and its beings that moved, and the host of its men, and the ungodliness of some of their souls and the righteous deeds of other souls. I saw the lower regions and the torment (perdition) in the abyss.

  3. And I saw the sea and its islands, its monsters (Leviathan) and its fishes, and Leviathan and his lair, his realm (caves), and the world which lay above him, and his movements and the destructions he caused the world.

  4. I saw there the streams and the rivers with their waters rising, and their winding courses. And I saw there the Garden of Eden and its fruits, the source of the river that issues from it, the trees and their blossoms, and the men (ones) who did good deeds (behaved righteously/ justly). And I saw in it (the garden) their foods and their restfulness (blessedness).

  5. And I saw there a tremendous multitude of men and women and children, half of them on the right side of the door (vision), and half of them on the left side of the door (vision).

  Chapter 22

  1. And I said, "Eternal, Mighty One! What is this vision of creation?"

  2. And he said to me, "This is my will for what is in the light and it was good before my face.

  3. After this I gave them a command and by my word and they came into existence.

  4. Whatever I had decreed was to exist had already been decided (outlined in this) and all things created, which you see, had stood in front of me (in my sight) before it was created.

  5. And I said, "Lord, Mighty and Eternal! Who are the people in this vision on this side and on that side?"

  6. And He said to me, "Those who are on the left side are all those who existed (were born) before and after your day, some destined for judgment and restoration, and others for vengeance and estrangement at the end of the age.

  7. Those on the right side of the vision are the people set a section (piece) for me. These are the ones I have prepared to be born of your lineage and to be called “my people.” Some of these even come from Azazel.

  Chapter 23

  1. Now look again in the vision and see who it is that seduced Eve and what the fruit of the Tree was, and you will know what is to be, and how it will be for your progeny among the people at the end of the days of the age.

  3. And all that you cannot understand I will make known to you for you are well-pleasing in my sight, and I will tell you of those things which are kept in my heart.

  4. Then I looked into the vision, and my eyes looked at the side of the Garden of Eden, and I saw there a man of imposing height and he was great (powerful) in stature, incomparable in appearance.

  5. He was embracing (entwined with) a woman who looked like his size and stature. They were standing under a tree of the Garden of Eden, and the fruit of this tree was like a bunch of grapes on a vine. Standing behind the tree was one who had the appearance of a serpent (dragon) but it had the hands and feet of a man and it had wings on its shoulders.

  6. There were six pairs of wings, so that there were six wings on the right shoulder and six on the left shoulder.

  7. As I continued looking, I saw the man and the woman eating the fruit from the tree. And the serpent (dragon) was holding the grapes of the tree and feeding them to the two I saw embracing each other.

  8. And I said, "Who are these two that embrace, and who is this between them, and what is the fruit which they are eating, Oh, Mighty, Eternal One?”

  9. And He said, "This is the world of men (this is humanity). This (one) is Adam (man), and that one, who is their desire upon the earth, is Eve.

  10. But he who is between them is the ungodliness of their behavior that is sending them on the way to perdition. It is Azazel."

  11. And I said, "Eternal Mighty One! Why have you given the likes of him (Azazel) the power to destroy mankind (children or generations of men) and their works upon the earth?"

  12. And He said to me, " I gave him power over them who want do evil and those whom I have already hated and they will even come to love him."

  13. And I said. "Eternal, Mighty One! Why did you want to bring into existence an evil that men would desire in their heart since you are angered at what was chosen by those who do useless (vain/unprofitable) things in your light (counsel/presence)?"

  Chapter 24

  1. He said to me, "I am angered by mankind on your account, and on account of those who will be of your family to come, because as you can see in the vision, the burden of destiny is placed upon them, and I will tell you what will be, and how much will take place in the last days. Now look at everything in the vision."

  2. I looked and saw the created beings that had come into existence before me.

  3. And I saw Adam and Eve and the cunning adversary who was with them; the crafty Cain, who had been influenced (led) by the adversary to break the law; and I saw the murdered (slaughtered) Abel and the de
struction (lawlessness/perdition) brought on him that was caused through the lawless one.

  4. And I saw there fornication and those who desired it, and its defilement and their jealousness; and the fire of the corruption in the lower depths of the earth.

  5. And I saw theft and those who run after it, and the means and ways of their punishment (retribution) at the judgment of the Great Court (Assize).

  6. And I saw naked men with their foreheads against each other, and their disgrace, and the passions which they had for each other, and their retribution ( and the shame and harm they worked against one another).

  7. And I saw Desire, and in her hand was the head of every kind of lawlessness, and her scorn and contempt and waste was assigned to destruction (perdition).

  Chapter 25

  1. Then I saw something that looked like an idol. It was the idol of jealousy.

  2. It was carved in wood like father used to make. Its body was made of glittering bronze that covered the wood.

  3. And in front of it I saw a man who was worshipping the idol, and in front of him there was an altar, and upon the altar a boy was killed as a sacrifice in the presence of the idol.

  4. And I said to him, "What is this idol, and what is the altar, and who are those being sacrificed, and who is the one who performs the sacrifice, and what is the beautiful temple which I see, the are and beauty of your glory like that which lies beneath Your throne?"

  5. And he said, "Hear, Abraham! This temple which you have seen, the altar and the works are my idea of the priesthood performing in the name of my glory, where every prayer (request/petition) of man will enter and live, they include the praise of kings and prophets and whatever sacrifice I decree to be made for me.