THE PARABLES
The First Parable
Chapter 37
1 The vision which he saw, the second vision of wisdom, which Enoch saw, the son of Jared, the son of Malaleel, the son of Canan, the son of Enos, the son of Seth, the son of Adam.
2 This is the beginning of the word of wisdom which I obtained to proclaim and relate to them who dwell on earth. Hear from the beginning and understand to the end the holy things which I declare in the presence of the Lord of Spirits.
3 Those who were before held it for good to speak. And let not us who come after hinder the beginning of wisdom.
4 For until the present time there never has been given before the Lord of Spirits that which I have obtained— wisdom according to the ability of my understanding and according to the pleasure of the Lord of Spirits that which has been given to me by Him, a portion of eternal life.
5 What I received, which was in three parables, I declared to the inhabitants of the world.
- The Coming Judgement of the Wicked
Chapter 38
1 The first parable: When the assembly of the righteous shall be revealed, and sinners judged for their crimes and be punished in the sight of the world.
2 When righteousness shall be revealed in the presence of the righteous themselves, who will be chosen for the sake of their good works weighed by the Lord of Spirits, and when the light of the righteous and the elect who dwell on earth shall be revealed, where will the habitation of sinners be? And where the place of peace for those who have forsaken the Lord of Spirits? It would have been better for them if they never had been born!
3 Also when the secrets of the righteous shall be disclosed, then sinners shall be judged and ungodly men shall be grieved in the presence of the righteous and the elect.
4 From that time they who possess the earth shall not be mighty and elevated, nor shall they be able to behold the faces of the holy. For the light of the faces of the holy, the righteous, and the elect, has been seen by the Lord of Spirits.
5 Yet the mighty kings of that time shall not be destroyed, but shall be given into the hands of the righteous and the holy.
6 And from that time none shall obtain compassion from the Lord of Spirits, because their lives in this world will be terminated.
14 Then my countenance became altered, until I was unable to see.
- The Abode of the Righteous and of the Elect One: the Praises of the Blessed
Chapter 39
1 In those days the elect and holy generation shall descend from the higher heavens. And their seed shall then be with the sons of men.
2 Enoch received books of indignation and wrath, and books of perplexity and commotion. ”The wicked shall never obtain mercy,” saith the Lord of Spirits.
3 A cloud then took me up, and the wind raised me above the surface of the earth, and placed me at the end of the heavens.
4 There I saw another vision: the habitation and resting place of the saints.
5 There my eyes saw their habitation with the angels, and their resting place with the Holy Ones. They entreated, supplicated, and prayed for the sons of men, while righteousness flowed before them like water and mercy like dew over the earth, and so it is with them for ever and ever.
6 At that time I saw with my eyes the place of the elect, of faith, truth, and righteousness. The number of the holy and the elect shall be innumerable in the presence of God for ever and ever.
7 I saw their habitation under the wings of the Lord of Spirits. All the holy and the elect sung before Him, in appearance like a flame of fire. Their mouths were full of blessings, and their lips glorified the name of the Lord of Spirits, and righteousness continually dwelt before Him.
8 There I wished to remain, and my soul longed for that habitation. There was my portion before, for so it was appointed for me by the Lord of Spirits.
9 At that time I glorified and exalted the name of the Lord of Spirits with blessing and with praise, for He has appointed it with blessing and with praise according to His own will.
10 These are the four angels of the Most High God, and their four voices which I heard at that time.
11 In the beginning before the world was created, and without end is His knowledge! What is this world?
12 They who sleep not of every existing generation shall praise You and stand before Your glory praising, glorifying, and exalting You! And saying, ‘The holy, holy, Lord of Spirits fills the whole world of spirits!’”
13 There my eyes saw all who without sleeping stand before Him and praise Him, and say, “Praised be You, and praised be the name of God for ever and ever!”
- The Four Archangels
Chapter 40
1 After this I saw thousands of thousands, and myriads of myriads, and an infinite number of people stand before the Lord of Spirits.
2 On the four wings also of the Lord of Spirits on the four sides, I perceived others besides those who stood before Him. Their names also I know because the angel who went with me explained them all to me and discovered to me every secret.
3 Then I heard the voices of those on the four sides praising the Lord of Glory.
4 The first voice praised the Lord of Spirits for ever and ever.
5 I heard the second voice praising the Elect One, and the elect who suffer for the sake of the Lord of Spirits.
6 I heard the third voice petitioning and praying for them who dwell on earth, and supplicate the name of the Lord of Spirits.
7 I heard the fourth voice driving out the evil angels, and preventing them from entering into the presence of the Lord of Spirits, to bring forth complaints against the inhabitants of the earth.
8 After this I desired the angel of peace who went with me to declare all that was concealed. I said to him, “Who are these on the four sides, whom I have seen, and whose words I have heard, and written down?”
9 He answered, “The first is the merciful, the patient, the holy Michael. The second is he who is over every suffering and every wound of the sons of men, the holy Raphael. The third who is over all that is powerful is Gabriel. And the fourth who is over repentance and the hope of those who will inherit eternal life is Phanuel.”
10 My eyes a long time beheld that place. I praised and said, “Praised be He! Praised from the beginning for ever!