Revelation of Paul
From The New Advent: Fathers of the Church
http://www.csn.net/advent/fathers/fathers.htm
REVELATION of the holy Apostle Paul: the things which were
revealed to him when he went up even to the third heaven, and
was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words. (1)
There dwelt a certain nobleman in the city of Tarsus, in the
house of St. Paul the apostle, in the government of Theodosius
the worshipful king, and of the most illustrious Gratianus; (2)
and there was revealed to him an angel of the Lord, saying: Upturn
the foundation of this house, and lift up what thou shalt find.
But he thought that he had had a dream. And the angel having
persisted even to a third vision, the nobleman was compelled
to upturn the foundation; and having dug, he found a marble (3)
box containing this revelation; and having taken it, he showed
it to the ruler of the city. And the ruler, seeing it sealed
up with lead, sent it to the King Theodosius, thinking that it
was something else. (4) And the king baring received it, and
transcribed it, sent the original writing to Jerusalem. And there
was written in it thus:--
The word of the Lord came to me, saying: Say to this people,
Till when do you sin, and add to your sin, and provoke to anger
the God who made you, saying that you are children to Abraham,
(5) but doing the works of Satan, going on in speaking against
God, boasting only in your addressing of God, but poor on account
of the substance of sin? Know, ye sons of men, that the whole
creation has been made subject to God; but the human race alone,
by sinning, provokes God to anger. For often the great light,
the sun, has come before God, saying against men: Lord God Almighty,
how long dost Thou endure all the sin of men? Command me, and
I will burn them up. And there came a voice to him: My long-suffering
endures them all, that they may repent; but if not, they shall
come to me, and I will judge them. And often also the moon and
the stars have come before God, saying: Lord God Almighty, Thou
hast given us the dominion of the night, and we no longer cover
the thefts, and adulteries, and
blood-sheddings of men; command us, and we shall do marvels
against them. And
there came a voice: My long-suffering bears with them, that
they may turn to
me; but if not, they shall come to me, and I will judge them.
And in like
manner also the sea cried out, saying: Lord God Almighty,
the sons of men have
profaned Thy holy name; command me, and I shall rise up and
cover the earth,
and wipe out from it (6) the sons of men. And there came a
voice, saying: My
long-suffering bears with them, that they may repent; but
if not, they shall
come to me, and I will judge them. You see, ye sons of men,
i that the whole
creation has been made subject to God, but the human race
alone sins before
God. On account of all these things, bless God without ceasing,
and yet more
when the sun is setting. For at this hour all the angels come
to God to adore
Him, and they bring before Him the works of men, of each what
he has done from
morning even to evening, whether good or evil. And one angel
goes rejoicing on
account of man when he behaves well, and another goes with
a sad countenance.
All the angels at the appointed hour meet for the worship
of God, to bring
each day's works of men. But do ye men bless God without ceasing
Whenever,
therefore, at the appointed hour the angels of pious men come,
rejoicing and
singing psalms, they meet for the worship of the Lord; and,
behold, the Spirit
of God says to them: Whence do ye come rejoicing? And they
answered and said:
We are here from the pious men, who in all piety spend their
life, fearing the
name of God. Command them, Lord, to abide even to the end
in Thy
righteousness. And there came to them a voice: I have both
kept and will keep
them void of offence in my kingdom. And when it came to pass
that they went
away, there came other angels with a cheerful countenance,
shining like the
sun. And behold a voice to them: Whence have ye come? And
they answered and
said: We have come from those who have held themselves aloof
from the world
and the things in the world for Thy holy name's sake, who
in deserts, and
mountains, and caves, and the
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dens of the earth, in beds on the ground, and in fastings,
spend their life. (1) Command us to be with them. And there came
a voice: Go with them in peace, guarding them. Moreover, when
they went away, behold, there came other angels to worship before
God, mourning and weeping. And the Spirit went forth to meet
them, and there came a voice to them: Whence have ye come? And
they answered and said: We have come from those who have been
called by Thy name, and are slaves to the matter of sin. (2)
Why, then, is it necessary to minister unto them? And there came
a voice to them: Do not cease to minister unto them; perhaps
they will turn; but if not, they shall come to me, and I will
judge them. Know, sons of men, that all that is done by you day
by day, the angels write in the heavens. Do you therefore cease
not to bless God.
And I was in the Holy Spirit, and an angel says to me: Come,
follow me, that I may show thee the place of the just, where
they go after their end. And I went along with the angel, and
he brought me up into the heavens under the firmament; and I
perceived and saw powers great and dreadful, full of wrath, and
through the mouth of them a flame of fire coming out, and clothed
in garments of fire. And I asked the angel: Who are these? And
he said to me: These are they who are sent away to the souls
of the sinners in the hour of necessity; for they have not believed
that there is judgment and retribution. And I looked up into
the heaven, and saw angels, whose faces shone like the sun, girded
with golden girdles, having in their hands prizes, on which the
name of the Lord was inscribed, full of all meekness and compassion.
And I asked the angel: Who are these? And he answered and said
to me: These are they who are sent forth in the day of the resurrection
to bring the souls of the righteous, (3) who intrepidly walk
according to God. (4) And I said to the angel: I wish to see
the souls of the righteous and of the sinners, how they go out
of the world. And the angel said to me: Look to the earth. And
I looked, and saw the whole world as nothing disappearing before
me. And I said to the angel: is this the greatness of men? And
he said to me: Yes; for thus every unjust man disappears. And
I looked, and saw a cloud of fire wrapped over all the world;
and I said: What is this, my lord? And he said to me:This is
the unrighteousness mingled with the destruction of the sinners.
And I wept, and said to the angel: I wished to see the departures
of the righteous and of the sinners, in what manner they go out
of the world. And the angel says to me: Paul, look down, and
see what thou hast asked. And I looked, and saw one of the sons
of men falling near death. And the angel says to me: This is
a righteous man, and, behold, all his works stand beside him
in the hour of his necessity. (5) And there were beside him good
angels, and along with them also evil angels. And the evil angels
indeed found no place in him, but the good took possession of
(6) the soul of the righteous man, and said to it: Take note
of the body whence thou art coming out; for it is necessary for
thee again to return to it in the day of the resurrection, that
thou mayst receive what God hath promised to the righteous. And
the good angels who had received the soul of the righteous man,
saluted it, as being well known to them. And it went with them;
and the Spirit came forth to meet them, saying: Come, soul, enter
into the place of the resurrection, which God hath prepared for
His righteous ones. And the angel said to me: Look down to the
earth, and behold the soul of the impious, how it goes forth
from its tabernacle, which has provoked God to anger, saying,
Let us eat and drink; (7) for who is it that has gone down to
Hades, and come up and announced that there is judgment and retribution?
And take heed, and see all his works which he has done standing
before him. And the evil angels came and the good. The good therefore
found no place of rest in it, but the evil took possession of
it, saying: O wretched soul, pay heed to thy flesh; take note
of that whence thou art coming forth, for thou must return into
thy flesh in the day of the resurrection, that thou mayst receive
the recompense of thy sins. And when it had gone forth from its
tabernacle, the angel who had lived along with it ran up to it,
saying to it: O wretched soul, whither goest thou? I am he who
each day wrote down thy sins. Thou hast destroyed the time of
repentance; be exceedingly ashamed. And when it came, all the
angels saw it, and cried out with one voice, saying: Woe to thee,
wretched soul! what excuse hast thou come to give to God? And
the angel of that soul said: Weep for it, all of you, along with
me. And the angel came up, and worshipped the Lord, saying: Lord,
behold the soul which has dwelt in wickedness in its time, and
in its temporary life; do to it according to Thy decision. And
there came a voice to that soul, saying: Where is the fruit of
thy righteousness? And it was silent, (8) not being able to give
an answer. And again there came a voice to it: He who has shown
mercy will have mercy shown
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to him; (1) he who has not shown mercy will not have mercy
shown to him. Let this soul be delivered to the merciless angel
Temeluch, and let it be cast into outer darkness, where there
is weeping and gnashing of teeth. And there was a voice as of
tens of thousands, saying: Righteous art Thou, O Lord, and righteous
is Thy judgment. (2) And moreover I saw, and, behold, another
soul was led by an angel; and it wept, saying: Have mercy upon
me, O righteous Judge, and deliver me from the hand of this angel,
because he is dreadful and merciless. And a voice came to it.
saying: Thou wast altogether merciless, and for this reason thou
hast been delivered up to such an angel. Confess thy sins which
thou hast done in the world. And that soul said: I have not sinned,
O righteous Judge. And the Lord said to that soul: Verily thou
seemest as if thou wert in the world, and weft hiding thy deeds
from men. Knowest thou not that whensoever any one dies, his
deeds run before him, whether they are good or evil? And when
it heard this, it was silent. And I heard the Judge saying: Let
the angel come, having in his hands the record of thy sins. And
the Judge says to the angel: I say to thee the angel, Disclose
all. Say what he has done five years before his death. By myself
I swear to thee, that in the first period of his life there was
forgetfulness of all his former sins. And the angel answered
and said: Lord, command the souls to stand beside their angels;
and that same hour they stood beside them. And the lord of that
soul said: Take note of these souls, and whether thou hast in
any way sinned against them. And it answered and said: Lord,
a year has not been completed since I killed the one and lived
with the other. And not only this, but I also wronged it. And
the Lord said to it: Knowest thou not that he who wrongs any
one in the world is kept, as soon as he dies, in the place until
he whom he has wronged come, and both shall be judged before
me, and each receive according to his works? And I heard a voice
saying: Let this soul be delivered to the angel Tartaruch, and
guarded till the great day of judgment. And I heard a voice as
of tens of thousands saying: Righteous art Thou, O Lord, and
righteous Thy judgment.
And the angel says to me: Hast thou seen all these things?
And I answered: Yes my lord. And again he said to me: Come, follow
me, and I shall show thee the place of the righteous. And I followed
him, and he set me before the doors of the city. And I saw a
golden gate, and two golden pillars before it, and two golden
plates upon it full of inscriptions. And the angel said to me:
Blessed is he who shall enter
into these doors; because not every one goeth in, but only
those who have single-mindedness, and guiltlessness, and a pure
heart. (3) And I asked the angel: For what purpose have the in
scriptions been graven on these plates? And he said to me: These
are the names of the righteous, and of those who serve God. And
I said to him: Is it so that their names have been inscribed
in heaven itself while they are yet alive? And the angel said
to me: ... (4) of the angels, such as serve Him well are acknowledged
by God. And straightway the gate was opened, and there came forth
a hoary-headed man to meet us; and he said to me: Welcome, Paul,
beloved of God! and, with a joyful countenance, he kissed me
with tears. And I said to him: Father, why weepest thou? And
he said to me: Because God hath prepared many good things for
men, and they do not His will in order that they may enjoy them.
And I asked the angel: My lord, who is this? And he said to me:
This is Enoch, the witness of the last day. (5) And the angel
says to me: See that whatever I show thee in this place thou
do not announce, except what I tell thee. And he set me upon
(6) the river whose source springs up in the circle of heaven;
and it is this river which encircleth the whole earth. And he
says to me: This river is Ocean. And there was then a great light.
And I said: My lord, what is this? And he said to me: This is
the land of the meek. Knowest thou not that it is written, Blessed
are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth? (7) The souls
of the righteous, therefore, are kept in this place. And I said
to the angel: When, then, will they be made manifest? And he
said to me: When the Judge shall come in the day of the resurrection,
and sit down. Then, accordingly, shall he command, and shall
reveal the earth, and it shall be lighted up; and the saints
shall appear in it, and shall delight themselves in the good
(8) that have been reserved from the foundation of the world.
And there were by the bank of the river, trees planted, full
of different fruits. And I looked towards the rising of the sun,
and I saw there trees of great size full of fruits; and that
land was more brilliant than silver and gold; and there were
vines growing on those date-palms, and myriads of shoots, and
myriads of clusters on each branch. And I said to the archangel:
What is this, my lord? And
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he says to me: This is the Acherusian lake, and within it
the city of God. All are not permitted to enter into it, except
whosoever shall repent of his sins; and as soon as he shall repent,
and alter his life, he is delivered to Michael, and they cast
him into the Acherusian lake, and then he brings him in the city
of God, near the righteous. And I wondered and blessed God at
all
that I saw. And the angel said to me: Follow me, that I may
bring thee into
the city of God, and into its light. And its light was greater
than the light
of the world, and greater than gold, and walls encircled it.
And the length
and the breadth of it were a hundred stadia. And I saw twelve
gates,
exceedingly ornamented, leading into the city; and four rivers
encircled it,
flowing with milk, and honey, and oil, and wine. And I said
to the angel: My
lord, what are these rivers? And he said to me: These are
the righteous who,
when in the world, did not make use of these things, but humbled
themselves
for the sake of God; and here they receive a recompense ten
thousand fold.
And I, going into the city, saw a very lofty tree before the
doors of the
city, having no fruit, and a few men under it; and they wept
exceedingly, and
the trees bent down to them. And I, seeing them, wept, and
asked the angel:
Who are these, that they have not turned to go into the city?
And he said to
me: Yes, the root of all evils is vainglory. And I said: And
these trees, why
have they thus humbled themselves? And the angel answered
and said to me: For
this reason the trees are not fruit-bearing, because they
have not withheld
themselves from vaunting. And I asked the angel: My lord,
for what reason have
they been put aside before the doors of the city? And he answered
and said to
me: On account of the great goodness of God, since by this
way Christ is going
to come into the city, and that those who go along with Him
may plead for
these men, and that they may be brought in along with them.
And I was going
along, guided by the angel, and he set me upon the river.
And I saw there all
the prophets; and they came and saluted me, saying: Welcome,
Paul, beloved of
God. And I said to the angel: My lord, who are these? And
he said to me: These
are all the prophets, and these are the songs of all the prophecies,
(1) and of whoever hath grieved his soul, not doing its will,
for God's sake. Having departed, then, he comes here, and the
prophets salute him. And the angel brought me to the south of
the city, where the river of milk is. And I saw there all the
infants that King Herod slew for the Lord's name's sake. And
the angel took me again to the east of the city, and I saw there
Abraham, Isaac, Jacob. And I asked the angel: My lord, what
place is this? And he said to me: Every one who is hospitable
to men comes hither when he comes out of the world, and they
salute him as a friend of God on account of his love to strangers.
And again he took me away to another place, and I saw there a
river like oil on the north of the city, and I saw people there
rejoicing and singing praises. And I asked: Who are these, my
lord? And he said to me: These are they who have given themselves
up to God; for they are brought into this city. And I looked,
and saw in the midst of the city an altar, great and very lofty;
and there was one standing near the altar, whose face shone like
the sun, and he had in his hands a psaltery and a harp, and he
sung the Alleluia delightfully, and his voice filled all the
city. And all with one consent accompanied him, so that the city
was shaken by their shouting. And I asked the angel: Who is this
that singeth delightfully, whom all accompany? And he said to
me: This is the prophet David; this is the heavenly Jerusalem.
When, therefore, Christ shall come in His second appearing, David
himself goes forth with all the saints. For as it is in the heavens,
so also upon earth: for it is not permitted without David to
offer sacrifice even in the day of the sacrifice of the precious
body and blood of Christ; but it is necessary for David to sing
the Alleluia. And I asked the angel: My lord, what is the
meaning of Alleluia? It is called in Hebrew, THEBEL, MAREMATHA--speech
to God
who founded all things: let us glorify Him in the same. So
that every one who
sings the Alleluia glorifies God.
When these things, therefore, had been thus said to me by
the angel, he led me outside of the city, and the Acherusian
lake, and the good land, and set me upon the river of the ocean
that supports the firmament of the heaven, and said to me: Knowest
thou where I am going? And I said: No, my lord. And he said to
me: Follow me, that I may show thee where the souls of the impious
and the sinners are. And he took me to the setting of the sun,
and where the beginning of the heaven had been founded upon the
river of the ocean. And I saw beyond the river, and there was
no light there, but darkness, and grief, and groaning; and I
saw a bubbling river, and a great multitude both of men and women
who had been cast into it, some up to the knees, others up to
the navel, and many even up to the crown of the head. And I asked:
Who are these? And he said to me: These are they who lived unrepenting
in fornications and adulteries. And I saw at the south-west of
the river another river, where there flowed a river of fire,
and there was there a multitude of many souls. And I asked the
angel: Who are these,
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my lord? And he said to me: These are the thieves, and slanderers,
and
flatterers, who did not set up God as their help, but hoped
in the vanity of
their riches. And I said to him: What is the depth of this
river? And he said
to me: Its depth has no measure, but it is immeasurable. And
I groaned and
wept because of mankind. And the angel said to me: Why weepest
thou? Art thou
more merciful than God? for, being holy, God, repenting over
men, waits for
their conversion and repentance; but they, deceived by their
own will, come
here, and are eternally punished. And I looked into the fiery
river, and saw
an old man dragged along by two, and they pulled him in up
to the knee. And
the angel Temeluch coming, laid hold of an iron with his hand,
and with it
drew up the entrails of that old man through his mouth. And
I asked the angel:
My lord, who is this that suffers this punishment? And he
said to me: This old
man whom thou seest was a presbyter; and when he had eaten
and drunk, then he
performed the service of God. And I saw there another old
man carried in haste
by four angels; and they threw him into the fiery river up
to the girdle, and
he was frightfully burnt by the lightnings. And I said to
the angel: Who is
this, my lord? And he said to me: This whom thou seest was
a bishop, and that
name indeed he was well pleased to have; but in the goodness
of God he did not
walk, righteous judgment he did not judge, the widow and the
orphan he did not
pity, he was neither affectionate nor hospitable; (1) but
now he has been recompensed according to his works. And I looked,
and saw in the middle of the river another man up to the navel,
having his hands all bloody, and worms were coming up through
his mouth. And I asked the angel: Who is this, my lord? And he
said to me: This whom thou seest was a deacon, who ate and drank,
and ministered to God. And I looked to another place where there
was a brazen wall in flames, and within it men and women eating
up their own tongues, dreadfully judged. And I asked the angel:
Who are these, my lord? And he said to me: These are they who
in the church speak against their neighbours, and do not attend
to the word of God. And I looked, and saw a bloody pit. And I
said: What is this pit? And he said to me: This is the place
where are cast the wizards, and sorcerers, and the whoremongers,
and the adulterers, and those that oppress widows and orphans.
And I saw in another place women wearing black, and led away
into a dark place. And I asked: Who are these, my lord? And he
said to me: These are they who did not listen to their parents,
but before their marriage defiled their virginity. And I saw
women wearing white
robes, being blind, and standing upon obelisks of fire; and
an angel was mercilessly beating them, saying: Now you know where
you are; you did not attend when the Scriptures were read to
you. And the angel said to me: These are they who corrupted themselves
and killed their infants. Their infants therefore came crying
out: Avenge us of our mothers. And they were given to an angel
to be carried away into a spacious place, but their parents into
everlasting fire.
And the angel took me up from these torments, and set me above
a well, which had seven seals upon its mouth. And the angel who
was with me said to the angel at the well of that place: Open
the well, that Paul the beloved of God may see, because there
has been given to him authority to see the torments. And the
angel of the place said to me: Stand afar off, until I open the
seals. And when he had opened them, there came forth a stench
which it was impossible to bear. And having come near the place,
I saw that well filled with darkness and gloom, and great narrowness
of space in it. And the angel who was with me said to me: This
place of the well which thou seest is cast off from the glory
of God, and none of the angels is importunate in behalf of them;
and as many as have professed that the holy Mary is not the mother
of God, and that the Lord did not become man out of her, and
that the bread of the thanksgiving and the cup of blessing are
not His flesh and blood, (2) are cast into this well:
and as I said before no angel is importunate in their behalf.
And I saw towards the setting of the sun, where there is weeping
and gnashing of teeth, many men and women there tormented. And
I said to the angel: Who are these, my lord? And he said to me:
These are they who say that there is no resurrection of the dead;
and to them mercy never comes.
Having heard this, I wept bitterly; and looking up into the
firmament, I saw the heaven opened, and the archangel Gabriel
coming down with hosts of angels, who were going round about
all the torments. And they who were judged in the torments seeing
them, all cried out with one loud voice: Have mercy upon us,
Gabriel, who standest in the presence of God; for we heard that
there was a judgment: behold, we know it. And the archangel Gabriel
answered and said: As the Lord liveth, beside whom I stand, night
and day without ceasing I plead in behalf
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of the race of men; but they did not do any good when in life,
but spent the period of their life in vanity. And now I shall
weep, even I, along with the beloved Paul; perhaps the good Lord
may have compassion, and grant you remission. And they assented
with one voice: Have mercy upon us, O Lord. And they fell down
before God, and supplicated, saying: Have mercy, O Lord, upon
the sons of men whom Thou hast made after Thine image. And the
heaven was shaken like a leaf, and I saw the four and twenty
elders lying on their face; and I saw the altar, and the throne,
and the veil; and all of them entreated the glory of God; (1)
and I saw the Son of God with glory and great power coming down
to the earth. (2) And when the sound of the trumpet took place,
all who were in the torments cried out, saying: Have mercy upon
us Son of God; for to Thee has been given power over things in
heaven, and things on earth, and things trader the earth. And
there came a voice saying: What good work have you done, that
you are asking for rest? For you have done as you wished, and
have not repented, but you have spent your life in profligacy.
But now for the sake of Gabriel, the angel of my righteousness
and for the sake of Paul my beloved, I give you a night and the
day of the holy Lord's day, on which I rose from the dead, for
rest. And all who were in the torments cried out, saying: We
bless Thee, O Son of the living God; better for us is such rest
than the life which we lived when spending our time in the world.
And after these things the angel says to me: Behold, thou
hast seen all the torments: come, follow me, that I may lead
thee away to paradise, and that thou mayst change thy soul by
the sight of the righteous; for many desire to salute thee. And
he took me by an impulse of the Spirit, and brought me into paradise.
And he says to me: This is paradise, where Adam and Eve transgressed.
And I saw there a beautiful tree of great size, on which the
Holy Spirit, rested; and from the root of it there came forth
all manner of most sweet-smelling water, parting into four channels.
And I said to the angel: My lord, what is this tree, that there
comes forth from it a great abundance of this water, and where
does it go? And he answered and said to me: Before the heaven
and the earth existed, He divided them into four kingdoms and
heads, of which the names are Phison, Gehon, Tigris, Euphrates.
And having again taken hold of me by the hand, he led me near
the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. And he says to me:
This is the tree by means of which death came into the world,
and Adam took of the fruit of it from his wife, and ate; and
thereafter they were
cast out hence. And he showed me another, the tree of life,
and said to me: This the cherubim and the flaming sword guard.
And when I was closely observing the tree, and wondering, I saw
a woman coming from afar off, and a multitude of angels singing
praises to her. And I asked the angel: Who is this, my lord,
who is in so great honour and beauty? And the angel says to me:
This is the holy Mary, the mother of the Lord. And she came and
saluted me, saying: Welcome, Paul, beloved of God, and angels,
and men; thou hast proclaimed the word of God in the world, and
established churches, and all bear testimony to thee who have
been saved by means of thee: for, having been delivered from
the deception of idols through thy teaching, they come here.
While they were yet speaking to me, I gazed, and saw other
three men coming. And I asked the angel: Who are these, my lord?
And he said to me: These are Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the righteous
forefathers. And they came and saluted me, saying: Welcome, Paul,
beloved of God. ... God did not grieve us. But we know thee in
the flesh, before thou camest forth out of the world. And in
succession they told me their names from Abraham to Manasseh.
And one of them, Joseph who was sold in Egypt, says to me: Hear
me, Paul, friend of God: I did not requite my brethren who cursed
me. For blessed is he who is able to endure trial, because the
Lord will give him in requital sevenfold reward in the world
to come. (3) And while he was yet speaking with me, I saw another
coming afar off, and the appearance of him was as the appearance
of an angel. And I asked the angel, saying: My lord, who is this?
And he said to me: This is Moses the lawgiver, by whom God led
forth the children of Israel out of the slavery of Egypt. And
when he came near me, he saluted me weeping. And I said to him:
Father, why weepest thou, being righteous and meek? (4) And he
answered and said to me: I must weep for every man, because I
brought trouble upon a people that does not understand, and they
have not borne fruit; and I see the sheep of which I was shepherd
scattered, and the toil which I toiled for the children of Israel
has been counted for nothing; and they saw powers (5) and hosts
in the midst of them, and they did not understand; and I see
the Gentiles worshipping, and believing through thy word, and
being converted, and coming here, and out of my people that was
so great not one has understood. For, when the Jews hanged the
Son of God upon the cross, all the angels and archangels, and
the righteous, and the whole creation
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of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under
the earth, lamented and mourned with a great lamentation, but
the impious and insensate Jews did not understand; wherefore
there has been prepared for them the fire everlasting, and the
worm that dies not.
While he was yet speaking, there came other three, and saluted
me, saying: Welcome, Paul, beloved of God, the boast of the churches,
and model of angels. And I asked: Who are you? And the first
said: I am Isaiah, whom Manasseh sawed with a wood saw. (1) And
the second said: I am Jeremiah, whom the Jews stoned, but they
remained burnt up with everlasting fire. And the third said:
I am Ezekiel, whom the slayers of the Messiah pierced; all these
things have we endured, and we have not been able to turn the
stony heart of the Jews. And I threw myself on my face, entreating
the goodness of God, because He had had mercy upon me, and had
delivered me from the race of the Hebrews. And there came a voice
saying: Blessed art thou, Paul, beloved of God; and blessed are
those who through thee have believed in the name of our Lord
Jesus Christ, because for them has been prepared everlasting
life.
While this voice was yet speaking, there came another, crying:
Blessed art thou, Paul. And I asked the angel: Who is this, my
lord? And he said to me: This is Noah, who lived in the time
of the deluge. And when we had saluted each other, I asked him:
Who art thou? And he said to me: I am Noah, who in a hundred
years built the ark, and without putting off the
coat which I wore, or shaving my head; moreover, I practised
continence, and did not come near my wife; and in the hundred
years my coat was not dirtied, and the hair of my head was not
diminished. And I ceased not to proclaim to men, Repent, for,
behold, a deluge is coming. And no one paid heed; but all derided
me, not refraining from their lawless deeds, until the water
of the deluge came and destroyed them all.
And looking away, I saw other two from afar off. And I asked
the angel: Who are these, my lord? And he said to me: These are
Enoch and Elias. And they came and saluted me, saying: Welcome,
Paul, beloved of God! And I said to them: Who are you? And Elias
the prophet answered and said to me: I am Elias the prophet,
who prayed to God, and He caused that no rain should come down
upon the earth for three years and six months, on account of
the unrighteousness of the sons of men. For often, of a truth,
even the angel besought God on account of the rain; and I heard,
Be patient until Elias my beloved shall pray, and I send rain
upon the earth. (2) |