From Nicene and Post Nicene Fathers, Series I, Vol. 10,
151-166
The Apocalypse of Paul, purports to be an account of the vision
of Paul of Tarsus reported in 2 Cor:12:1-7. It is one of a series
of early Christian apocalypses.
In two passages it seems to address issues of homosexuality:
in #6, when incest also seems to be involved; and in #39, where
tortures in Hell are described . Once again, as in the Apocalypse
of Peter, we see that male and female homosexuals are considered
together. As Brooten points out, this counters arguments that
the ancients had no generalized idea of "homosexuality.
For discussion of this text see Bernadette Brooten, Love
Between Women: Early Christian Responses to Female Homoeroticism,
(Chicago: 1996), 313-314
THE VISION OF PAUL
HERE BEGINS THE VISION OF SAINT PAUL THE APOSTLE.
"But I will come to visions and revelations
of the Lord: I know a man in Christ fourteen years ago (whether
in the body, I know not; or out of the body, I know not, God knoweth)
snatched up in this manner to the third heaven: and I know such
a man, whether in the body or out of the body I know not, God
knoweth; how that he was snatched up into Paradise and heard secret
words which it is not lawful for men to speak; on behalf of such
a one will I glory; but on mine own behalf I will not glory, save
in my infirmities."--2 Cor. xii. 1-5.
1. At what time was this revelation made? In the
consulship of Theodosius Augustus the Younger and Cynegius,(1)
a certain nobleman then living in Tharsus, in the house which
was that of Saint Paul, an angel appearing in the night revealed
to him, saying that he should open the foundations of the house
and should publish what he found, but he thought that these things
were dreams.
2. But the angel coming for the third time beat him
and forced him to open the foundation. And digging he found a
marble box, inscribed on the sides; there was the revelation of
Saint Paul, and his shoes in which he walked teaching the word
of God. But he feared to open that box and brought it to the judge;
when he had received it, the judge, because it was sealed with
lead, sent it to the Emperor Theodosius, fearing lest it might
be something else; which when he had received the emperor opened
it, and found the revelation of Saint Paul; a copy of it he sent
to Jerusalem, and retained the original himself.
3. While I was in the body in which I was snatched
up to the third heaven, the word of the Lord came to me saying:
speak to the people: until when will ye transgress, and heap sin
upon sin, and tempt the Lord who made you? Ye are the sons of
God, doing the works of the devil in the faith of Christ, on account
of the impediments of the world. Remember therefore and know that
while every creature serves God, the human race alone sins. But
it reigns over every creature and sins more than all nature.
4. For indeed the sun, the great light, often addressed
the Lord saying: Lord God Almighty, I look out upon the impieties
and injustices of men; permit me and I shall do unto them what
are my powers, that they may know that thou art God alone. And
there came a voice saying to him: I know all these things, for
mine eye sees and ear hears, but my patience bears them until
they shall be converted and repent. But if they do not return
to me I will judge them all.
5. For sometimes the moon and stars addressed the
Lord saying: Lord God Almighty, to us thou hast given the power
of the night; till when shall we look down upon the impieties
and fornications and homicides done by the sons of men? Permit
us to do unto them according to our powers, that they may know
that thou art God alone. And there came a voice unto them saying:
I know all these things, and mine eye looks forth and ear hears,
but my patience bears with them until they shall be converted
and repent. But if they do not return unto me I will judge them.
6. And frequently also the sea exclaimed saying:
Lord God Almighty, men have defiled thy holy name in me; permit
me to arise and cover every wood and orchard and the whole world,
until I blot out all the sons of men from before thy face, that
they may know that thou art God alone. And the voice came again
and said: I know all things; mine eye seeth everything, and mine
ear heareth, but my patience bears with them until they be converted
and repent. But if they do not return, I will judge them. Sometimes
the waters(2) also spoke against the sins of men saying: Lord
God Almighty, all the sons of men have defiled thy holy name.
And there came a voice saying: I know all things before they come
to pass, for mine eye seeth and mine ear heareth all things, but
my patience bears with them until they be converted. But if not
I will judge them. Frequently also the earth(1) too exclaimed
to the Lord against the sons of men saying: Lord God Almighty,
I above every other creature of thine am harmed, supporting the
fornications, adulteries, homicides, thefts, perjuries and magic
and ill-doings of men and all the evil they do, so that the father
rises up against the son, and the son upon the father, the alien
against the alien, so that each one defiles his neighbour's wife.
The father ascends upon the bed of his own son, and the son likewise
ascends the couch of his own father; and in all these evils, they
who offer the sacrifice to thy name have defiled thy holy place.
Therefore I am injured above every creature, desiring not to shew
my power to myself, and my fruits to the sons of men. Permit me
and I will destroy the virtue of my fruits. And there came a voice
and said: I know all things, and there is none who can hide himself
from his sin. Moreover I know their impieties, but my holiness
suffers them until they be converted and repent. But if they do
not return unto me I will judge them.
7. Behold, ye sons of men, the creature is subject
to God, but the human race alone sins. For this cause, therefore,
ye sons of men, bless the Lord God unceasingly, every hour and
every day: but more especially when the sun has set:(2) for at
that hour all the angels proceed to the Lord to worship him and
to present the works of men, which every man has wrought from
the morning till the evening, whether good or evil. And there
is a certain angel who proceeds rejoicing concerning the man in
whom he dwells. When therefore the sun(3) has set in the first
hour of night, in the same hour the angel of every people and
every man and woman, who protect and preserve them, because man
is the image of God: similarly also in the matin hour which is
the twelfth of the night, all the angels of men and women, go
up to God to worship God, and present every work which each man
has wrought, whether good or evil. Moreover every day and night
the angels show to God an account(4) of all the acts of the human
race. To you, therefore, I say, ye sons of men, bless the Lord
God without fail all the days of your life.
8. Therefore at the appointed hour all the angels
whatever, rejoicing at once together, proceed before God that
they may meet to worship at the hour determined. And behold suddenly
it became the hour of meeting, and the angels came to worship
in the presence of God, and the spirit proceeded to meet them:
and there came a voice and said: Whence come ye, our angels, bearing
the burdens of tidings?
9. They answered and said: We come from those who
have renounced this world for the sake of thy holy name, wandering
as pilgrims, and in caves of the rocks, and weeping every hour
in which they inhabited the earth, and hungering and thirsting
because of thy name, with their loins girded, having in theist
hands the incense of their hearts, and praying and blessing every
hour, and restraining and overcoming themselves, weeping and wailing
above the rest that inhabit the earth. And we indeed, their angels,
mourn along with them: whither therefore it shall please thee,
command us to go and minister, lest others also do it, but the
destitute above the rest who are on earth. And there came the
voice of God to them saying: Know ye that now henceforward my
grace is appointed unto you, and my help, who is my well-beloved
Son, shall be present with them, guiding them every hour; ministering
also to them, never deserting them, since their place is his habitation.
10. When therefore these angels had retired, behold
other angels came to adore in the presence of honour, in the assembly,
who wept; and the spirit of God proceeded to meet them, and there
came the voice of God and said: Whence come ye, our angels, bearing
the burdens of the ministry of the tidings of the world? They
answered and said in the presence of God: We have arrived from
those who called upon thy name, and the impediments of the world
made them wretched, devising many occasions every hour, not even
making one pure prayer, nor out of their whole heart, in all the
time of their life; what need, therefore, is there to be present
with men who are sinners? And there came the voice of God to them:
It is necessary that ye should minister to them, until they be
converted and repent: but if they do not return to me I will judge
them. Know therefore, sons of men, that whatever things are wrought
by you, these angels relate to God, whether good or evil.
11. And the angel answered and said unto me: Follow
me, and I will show you the place of the just where they are led
when they are deceased, and after these things taking thee into
the abyss, I will show thee the souls of sinners and what sort
of place they are led into when they have deceased. And I proceeded
back after the angel, and he led me into heaven, and I looked
back upon the firmament, and I saw in the same place power, and
there was there oblivion which deceives and draws down to itself
the hearts of men, and the spirit of detraction, and the spirit
of fornication, and the spirit of madness, and the spirit of insolence,
and there were there the princes of vices: these I saw under the
firmament of heaven: and again I looked back, and I saw angels
without mercy, having no pity, whose countenance was full of madness,
and their teeth sticking out beyond the mouth: their eyes shone
like the morning star of the east, and from the hairs of their
head sparks of fire went out, or from their mouth. And I asked
the angel saying: Sir, who are those? And the angel answered and
said unto me: These are those who are destined to the souls of
the impious in the hour of need, who did not believe that they
had the Lord for their helper, nor hoped in him.
12. And I looked on high and I saw other angels whose
countenance shone as the sun, their loins girded with golden girdles,
having palms in their hands, and the sign of God, clothed with
garments in which was written the name of the Son of God, filled
moreover with all meekness and pity; and I asked the angels saying:
Who are these, Lord, in so great beauty and pity? And the angel
answered and said unto me: These are the angels of justice who
are sent to lead up the souls of the just, in the hour of need,
who believed that they had the Lord for their helper. And I said
to him: Do the just and sinners necessarily meet witnesses when
they have died? And the angel answered and said to me: There is
one way by which all pass over to God, but the just having their
helper with them are not confounded when they go to appear in
the sight of God.
13. And I said to the angel: I wished to see the
souls of the just and of sinners going out of the world. And the
angel answered and said unto me: Look down upon the earth. And
I looked down from heaven upon the earth, and saw the whole world,
and it was nothing in my sight and I saw the sons of men as though
they were naught, and a-wanting, and I wondered and said to the
angel: Is this the greatness of men? And the angel answered and
said unto me: It is, and these are they who do evil from morning
till evening. And I looked and saw a great cloud of fire spread
over the whole world, and I said to the angel: What is this, my
Lord? and he said to me: This is injustice stirred up by the princes
of sinners.
14. I indeed when I had heard this sighed and wept,
and said to the angel: I wished to see the souls of the just and
of sinners, and to see in what manner they go out of the body.
And the angel answered and said unto me: Look again upon the earth.
And I looked and saw all the world, and men were as naught and
a-wanting: and I looked carefully and saw a certain man about
to die, and the angel said to me: This one whom thou seest is
a just man. And I looked again and saw all his works, whatever
he had done for the sake of God's name, and all his desires, both
what he remembered, and what he did not remember; they all stood
in his sight in the hour of need; and I saw the just man advance
and find refreshment and confidence, and before he went out of
the world the holy and the impious angels both attended: and I
saw them all, but the impious found no place of habitation in
him, but the holy took possession of his soul, guiding it till
it went out of the body: and they roused the soul saying: Soul,
know thy body whence thou goest out, for it is necessary that
thou shouldst return to the same body on the day of the resurrection,
that thou mayest receive the things promised to all the just.
Receiving therefore the soul from the body, they immediately kissed
it as familiarly known to them, saying to it: Do manfully, for
thou hast done the will of God while placed in the earth. And
there came to meet him the angel who watched him every day, and
said to him: Do manfully, soul; for I rejoice in thee, because
thou hast done the will of God on earth: for I related to God
all thy works, such as they were. Similarly also the spirit proceeded
to meet him and said: Soul, fear not, nor be disturbed, until
thou comest into a place which thou hast never known, but I will
be a helper unto thee: for I found in thee a place of refreshment
in the time when I dwelt in thee, while I was on earth. And his
spirit strengthened him, and his angel received him, and led him
into heaven: and an angel said: Whither runnest thou, O soul,
and dost thou dare to enter into heaven? Wait and let us see if
there is anything of ours in thee: and behold we find nothing
in thee. I see also thy divine helper and angel, and the spirit
is rejoicing along with thee, because thou hast done the will
of God on earth. And they led him along till he should worship
in the sight of God. And when they had ceased, immediately Michael
and all the army of angels, with one voice, adored the footstool
of his feet, and his doom, saying at the same time to the soul:
This is your God of all things, who made you in his own image
and likeness. Moreover the angel returns and points him out saying:
God, remember his labours: for this is the soul, whose works I
related to thee, doing according to thy judgment. And the spirit
said likewise: I am the spirit of vivification inspiring him:
for I had refreshment in him, in the time when I dwelt in him,
doing according to thy judgment. And there came the voice of God
and said: In as much as this man did not vex me, neither will
I vex him; for according as he had pity, I also will have pity.
Let him therefore be handed over to Michael, the angel of the
Covenant, and let him lead him into the Paradise of joy, that
he himself may become co-heir with all the saints. And after these
things I heard the voices of a thousand thousand angels, and archangels,
and cherubim, and twenty-four elders saying hymns, and glorifying
the Lord and crying: thou art just, O Lord, and just are thy judgments,
and there is no acceptance of persons with thee, but thou rewardest
unto every man according to thy judgment. And the angel answered
and said unto me: Hast thou believed and known, that whatever
each man of you has done, he sees in the hour of need? And I said:
Yes, sir.
15. And he saith to me: Look again down on the earth,
and watch the soul of an impious man going out of the body, which
vexed the Lord day and night, saying: I know nothing else in this
world, I eat and drink, and enjoy what is in the world; for who
is there who has descended into hell, and ascending has declared
to us that there is judgment there! And again I looked carefully,
and saw all the scorn of the sinner, and all that he did, and
they stood together before him in the hour of need: and it was
done to him in that hour, in which he was threatened about his
body at the judgment, and I said: It were better for him if he
hall not been born. And after these things, there came at the
same time, the holy angels, and the malign, and the soul of the
sinner and the holy angels did not find a place in it. Moreover
the malign angels cursed it; and when they had drawn it out of
the body, the angels admonished it a third time, saying: O wretched
soul, look upon thy flesh, whence thou camest out: for it is necessary
that thou shouldst return to thy flesh in the day of resurrection,
that thou mayest receive the due for thy sins and thy impieties.
16. And when they had led it forth, the customary
angel preceded it, and said to it: O wretched soul, I am the angel
belonging to thee, relating daily to the Lord thy malign works,
whatever thou didst by night or day: and if it were in my power,
not for one day would I minister to thee, but none of these things
was I able to do: the judge is pitiful and just, and he himself
commanded us that we should not cease to minister to the soul,
till you should repent, but thou hast lost the time of repentance.
I indeed was strange to thee and thou to me. Let us go on then
to the just judge: I will not dismiss thee, before I know from
to-day why I was strange to thee. And the spirit confounded him,
and the angel troubled him. When, therefore, they had arrived
at the power, when he started to enter heaven, a labour was imposed
upon him, above all other labour: error and oblivion and murmuring
met him, and the spirit of fornication, and the rest of the powers,
and said to him: Whither goest thou, wretched soul, and darest
thou to rush into heaven? hold, that we may see if we have our
qualities in thee, since we do not see that thou hast a holy helper.
And after that I heard voices in the height of heaven saying:
Present that wretched soul to God, that it may know that it is
God that it despised. When, therefore, it had entered heaven,
all the angels saw it, a thousand thousand exclaimed with one
voice, all saying: Woe to thee, wretched soul, for the sake of
thy works which thou didst on earth; what answer art thou about
to give to God when thou shalt have approached to adore him? The
angel who was with it answered and said: Weep with me, my beloved,
for I have not found rest in this soul. And the angels answered
him and said: Let such a soul be taken away from the midst of
ours, for from the time he entered, the stink of him crosses to
us angels. And after these things it was presented, that it might
worship in the sight of God, and an angel of God showed him God
who made him after his own image and likeness. Moreover his angel
ran before him saying: Lord God Almighty, I am the angel of this
soul, whose works I presented to thee day and night, not doing
according to thy judgment. And the spirit likewise said: I am
the spirit who dwelt in it from the time it was made, in itself
moreover I know it, and it has not followed my will: judge it,
Lord, according to thy judgment. And there came the voice of God
to it and said: Where is thy fruit which thou has made worthy
of the goods which thou hast received? Have I put a distance of
one day between thee and the just man? Did I not make the sun
to arise upon thee as upon the just? But the soul was silent,
having nothing to answer: and again there came a voice saying:
Just is the judgment of God, and there is no acceptance of persons
with God, for whoever shall have done mercy, on them shall he
have mercy, and whoever shall not have pitied neither shall God
pity him. Let him therefore be handed over to the angel Tartaruch,
who is set over the punishments, and let him place him in outer
darkness, where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth, and let
him be there till the great day of judgment. And after these things
I heard the voice of angels and archangels saying: Thou art just,
Lord, and thy judgment is just.
17. And again I saw, and behold a soul which was
led forward by two angels, weeping and saying: Have pity on me,
just God, God the judge, for to-day is seven days since I went
out of my body, and I was handed over to these two angels, and
they led me through to those places, which I had never seen. And
God, the just judge, saith to him: What hast thou done? for thou
never didst mercy, wherefore thou wast handed over to such angels
as have no mercy, and because thou didst not do uprightly, so
neither did they act piously with thee in the hour of thy need.
Confess therefore thy sins which thou didst commit when placed
in the world. And he answered and said: Lord, I did not sin. And
the Lord, the just Lord, was angered in fury when it said: I did
not sin, because it lied; and God said: Dost thou think thou art
still in the world? if any one of you, sinning there, conceal
and hide his sin from his neighbour, here indeed nothing whatever
shall be hid: for when the souls come to adore in sight of the
throne, both the good works and the sins of each one are made
manifest. And hearing these things the soul was silent, having
no answer. And I heard the Lord God, the just judge, again saying:
Come, angel of this soul, and stand in the midst. And the angel
of the sinful soul came, having in his hands a manuscript, and
said: These, Lord, in my hands, are all the sins of this soul
from his youth till to-day, from the tenth year of his birth:
and if thou command, Lord, I will also relate his acts from the
beginning of his fifteenth year. And the Lord God, the just judge,
said: I say unto thee, angel, I do not expect of thee an account
of him since he began to be fifteen years old, but state his sins
for five years before he died and before he came hither. And again
God, the just judge, said: For by myself I swear, and by my holy
angels, and by my virtue, that if he had repented five years before
he died, on account of one year's life, oblivion would now be
thrown over all the evils which he sinned before, and he would
have indulgence and remission of sins: now indeed he shall perish.
And the angel of the sinful soul answered and said: Lord, command
that angel to exhibit those souls.
18. And in that same hour the souls were exhibited
in the midst, and the soul of the sinner knew them; and the Lord
said to the soul of the sinner: I say unto thee, soul, confess
thy work which thou wroughtest in these souls, whom thou seest,
when they were in the world. And he answered and said: Lord, it
is not yet a full year since I slew this one and poured his blood
upon the ground, and with another (a woman) I committed fornication:
not this alone, but I also greatly harmed her in taking away her
goods. And the Lord God, the just judge, said: Either thou didst
not know that he who does violence to another, if he dies first
who sustains the violence, is kept in this place until the doer
of hurt dies, and then both stand in the presence of the judge,
and now each receives according to his deed. And I heard a voice
of one saying: Let that soul be delivered into the hands of Tartarus,
and led down into hell: he shall lead him into the lower prison
and he shall be put in torments, and left there till the great
day of judgment. And again I heard a thousand thousand angels
saying hymns to the Lord, and crying: Thou art just, O Lord, and
just are thy judgments.
19. The angel answered and said unto me: Hast thou
perceived all these things? and I said, Yes, sir. And he said
to me: Follow me again, and I will take thee, and show thee the
places of the just. And I followed the angel, and he raised me
to the third heaven, and placed me at the entry of the door: and
looking carefully I saw, and the door was of gold, and two columns
of gold, full above of golden letters, and the angel tuned again
to me and said: Blessed weft thou, if thou hadst entered into
these doors, for it is not allowed to any to enter except only
to those who have goodness and innocence of body in all things.
And I asked the angel about everything and said: Sir, tell me
on what account these letters are put upon those tables? The angel
answered and said unto me: These are the names of the just, serving
God with their whole heart, who dwell on the earth. And again
I said: Sir, therefore their names and countenance and the likeness
of these who serve God are in heaven, and are known to the angels:
for they know who are the servants of God with all their heart,
before they go out of the world.
20. And when I had entered the interior of the gate
of Paradise,(1) there came out to meet me an old man whose countenance
shone as the sun; and when he had embraced me he said: Hail, Paul,
beloved of God. And he kissed me with a cheerful countenance.
He wept, and I said to him: Brother, why dost thou weep? And again
sighing and lamenting he said: We are hurt by men, and they vex
us greatly; for many are the good things which the Lord has prepared,
and great is his promise, but many do not perceive them. And I
asked the angel, and said: Sir, who is this? And he said to me:
This is Enoch, the scribe of righteousness. And I entered into
the interior of that place, and immediately I saw the sun,(2)
and coming it saluted me laughing and rejoicing. And when it had
seen (me), it turned away and wept, and said to me: Paul, would
that thou shouldst receive thy labours which thou hast done in
the human race. For me, indeed, I have seen the great and many
good things, which God has prepared for the just, and the promises
of God are great, but many do not perceive them; but even by many
labours scarcely one or two enters into these places.
21. And the angel answered and said to me,(3) Whatever
I now show thee here, and whatever thou shalt hear, tell it not
to any one in the earth. And he led me and shewed me: and there
I heard words which it is not lawful for a man to speak. And again
he said, For now follow me, and I will shew thee what thou oughtest
to narrate in public and relate.
And he took me down from the third heaven, and led
me into the second heaven, and again he led me on to the firmament
and from the firmament he led me over the doors of heaven: the
beginning of its foundation was on the river which waters all
the earth. And I asked the angel and said, Lord, what is this
river of water? and he said to me, This is Oceanus! And suddenly
I went out of heaven, and I understood that it is the light of
heaven which lightens all the earth. For the land there is seven
times brighter(4) than silver. And I said, Lord, what is this
place? And he said to me, This is the land of promise. Hast thou
never heard what is written: Blessed are the meek: for they shall
inherit the earth? The souls therefore of the just, when they
have gone out of the body, are meanwhile dismissed to this place.
And I said to the angel, Then this land will be manifested before
the time? The angel answered and said to me, When Christ, whom
thou preachest, shall come to reign, then, by the sentence of
God,(5) the first earth will be dissolved and this land of promise
will then be revealed, and it will be like dew or cloud, and then
the Lord Jesus Christ, the King Eternal, will be manifested and
will come with all his saints to dwell in it, and he will reign
over them a thousand years, and they will eat of the good things
which I shall now show unto thee.
22. And I looked around upon that land and I saw
a river flowing of milk and honey, and there were trees planted
by the bank of that river, full of fruit: moreover each single
tree bore twelve fruits in the year, having various and diverse
fruits: and I saw the created things which are in that place and
all the work of God, and I saw there palms of twenty cubits, but
others of ten cubits: and that land was seven times brighter than
silver. And there were trees full of fruits from the roots to
the highest branches, of ten thousand fruits of palms upon ten
thousand fruits. The grape-vines moreover had ten thousand plants.(6)
Moreover in the single vines there were ten thousand thousand
bunches and in each of these a thousand single grapes: moreover
these single trees bore a thousand fruits. And I said to the angel,
Why does each tree bear a thousand fruits? The angel answered
and said unto me, Because the Lord God gives an abounding flood
of gifts to the worthy, because they also of their own will afflicted
themselves when they were placed in the world doing all things
on account of his holy name. And again I said to the angel, Sir,
are these the only promises which the Most Holy God makes? And
he answered and said to me: No! there are seven times greater
than these. But I say unto thee that when the just go out of the
body they shall see the promises and the good things which God
has prepared for them. Till then, they shall sigh, and lament
saying: Have we emitted any word from our mouth to vex our neighbour
even on one day? I asked and said again: Are these alone the promises
of God? And the angel answered and said unto me: These whom you
now see are the souls of the married(1) and those who kept the
chastity of their nuptials, containing themselves. But to the
virgins and those who hunger and thirst after righteousness and
those who afflicted themselves for the sake of the name of God,
God will give seven times greater than these, which I shall now
show thee.
And then he took me up from that place where I saw
these things and behold, a river, and its waters were greatly
whiter than milk, and I said to the angel, What is this? And he
said to me: This is the Acherousian Lake where is the City of
Christ, but not every man is permitted to enter that city; for
this is the journey which leads to God, and if anyone is a fornicator
and impious, and is converted and shall repent and do fruits worthy
of repentance, at first indeed when he shall have gone out of
the body, he is led and adores God, and thence by command of the
Lord he is delivered to the angel Michael and he baptizes him
in the Acherousian Lake--thus he leads them into the City of Christ
alongside of those who have never sinned. But I wondered and blessed
the Lord God for all the things which I saw.
23. And the angel answered and said unto me: Follow
me and I will lead thee into the City of Christ. And he was standing
on the Acherousian Lake and he put me into a golden ship(2) and
angels as it were three thousand were saying hymns before me till
I arrived at the City of Christ. Moreover those who inhabited
the City of Christ greatly rejoiced over me as I went to them,
and I entered and saw the City of Christ, and it was all of gold,
and twelve walls encircled it, and twelve interior towers, and
each wall had between them single stadia in the circuit: And I
said to the angel, Sir, how much is a stadium? The angel answered
and said to me: As much as there is between the Lord God and the
men who are on the earth, for the City of Christ is alone great.
And there were twelve gates in the circuit of the city, of great
beauty, and four rivers which encircled it. There was, moreover,
a river of honey and a river of milk, and a river of wine and
a river of oil. And I said to the angel: What are these rivers
surrounding that city? And he saith to me: These are the four
rivers which flow sufficiently for those who are in this land
of promise, of which the names(3) are: the river of honey is called
Fison, and the river of milk Euphrates, and the river of oil Gion,
and the river of wine Tigris, such therefore they are for those
who when placed in the world did not use the power of these things,
but they hungered for these things and afflicted themselves for
the sake of the Lord God: so that when these enter into this city,
the Lord will assign them these things on high above all measure.
24. I indeed entering the gates saw trees great and
very high before the doors of the city, having no fruit but leaves
only, and I saw a few men scattered in the midst of the trees,
and they lamented greatly when they saw anyone enter the city.
And those trees were sorry for them and humbled themselves and
bowed down and again erected themselves. And I saw and wept with
them and I asked the angel and said: Sir, who are these who are
not admitted to enter into the City of Christ? And he said to
me: These are they who zealously abstained day and night in fasts,
but they had a proud heart above other men, glorifying and praising
themselves and doing nothing for their neighbours. For they gave
some friendly greeting, but to others they did not even say hail!
and indeed they shewed hospitality to those only whom they wished,
and if they did anything whatever for their neighbour they were
immoderately puffed up. And I said: What then, Sir? Did their
pride prevent them from entering into the City of Christ? And
the angel answered and said unto me: Pride is the root of all
evils. Are they better than the Son of God who came to the Jews
with much humility? And I asked him and said: Why is it that the
trees humble themselves and erect themselves again? And the angel
answered and said to me: The whole time which these men passed
on earth zealously serving God, on account of the confusion and
reproaches of men at the time, they blushed and humiliated themselves,
but they were not saddened. nor did they repent that they should
recede from their pride which was in them. This is why the trees
humble themselves, and again are raised up. And I asked and said:
For what cause were they admitted to the doors of the city? The
angel answered and said unto me: Because of the great goodness
of God, and because there is the entry of his holy men entering
into this city: for this cause they are left in this place, but
when Christ the King Eternal enters with his saints, as he enters
just men may pray for these, and then they may enter into the
city along with them: but yet none of them is able to have assurance
such as they have who humbled themselves, serving the Lord God
all their lives.
25. But I went on while the angel instructed me,
and he carried me to the river of honey, and I saw there Isaiah
and Jeremiah(1) and Ezekiel and Amos, and Micah and Zechariah,
the minor and major prophets, and they saluted me in the city.
I said to the angel: What way is this? And he said to me: This
is the way of the prophets, every one who shall have afflicted
his soul and not done his own will because of God, when he shall
have gone out of the world and have been led to the Lord God and
adored him, then by the command of God he is handed over to Michael,
and he leads him into the city to this place of the prophets,
and they salute him as their friend and neighbour because he did
the will of God.
26. Again he led me where there is a river of milk,
and I saw in that place all the infants whom Herod slew because
of the name of Christ, and they saluted me, and the angel said
to me: All who keep their chastity with purity, when they shall
have come out of the body, after they adore the Lord God are delivered
to Michael and are led to the infants and they salute them, saying
that they are our brothers and friends and members; in themselves
they shall inherit the promises of God.
27. Again he took me up and carried me to the north
of the city and led me where there was a river of wine, and there
I saw Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, Lot and Job and other saints,(2)
and they saluted me: and I asked and said: What is this place,
my Lord? The angel answered and said to me: All who are receivers
of pilgrims, when they go out of the world, first adore the Lord
God, and are delivered to Michael and by this way are led into
the city, and all the just salute him as son and brother, and
say unto him: Because thou hast observed humanity and the receiving
of pilgrims, come, have an inheritance in the city of the Lord
our God: every just man shall receive good things of God in the
city, according to his own action.
28. And again he carried me near the river of oil
on the east of the city. And I saw there men rejoicing and singing
psalms, and I said: Who are those, my Lord? And the angel saith
to me: Those are they who devoted themselves to God with their
whole heart and had no pride in themselves. For all those who
rejoice in the Lord God and sing psalms to the Lord with their
whole heart are here led into this city.
29. And he carried me into the midst of the city
near the twelve walls.(3) But there was in this place a higher
wall, and I asked and said: Is there in the City of Christ a wall
which in honour exceeds this place? And the angel answering said
to me: There is a second better than the first, and similarly
a third than the second, as each exceeds the other, unto the twelfth
wall. And I said: Tell me, Sir, why one exceeds another in glory?
And the angel answered and said unto me: All who have in themselves
even a little detraction or zeal or pride, something of his glory
would be made void even if he were in the city of Christ: look
backward!
And turning round I saw golden thrones placed in
each gate, and on them men having golden diadems and gems:(4)
and I looked carefully and I saw inside between the twelve men
thrones placed in another rank which appeared of much glory, so
that no one is able to recount their praise. And I asked the angel
and said: My lord, who is on the throne? And the angel answered
and said unto me: Those thrones belong to those who had goodness
and understanding of heart and made themselves fools for the sake
of the Lord God, nor knew new Scriptures nor psalms, but, mindful
of one chapter of the commands of God, and hearing what it contained
they wrought thereby in much diligence and had s fight zeal before
the Lord God, and the admiration of them will seize all the saints
in presence of the Lord God, for talking with one another they
say, Wait and see the unlearned who know nothing more: by which
means they merited so great and such a garment and so great glory
on account of their innocence.
And I saw in the midst of this city a great altar,
very high, and there was one standing near the altar whose countenance
shone as the sun, and he held in his hands a psaltery and harp,
and he sang psalms, saying Halleluia! And his voice filled the
whole city: at the same time when all they who were on the towers
and gates heard him they responded Halleluia! so that the foundations
of the city were shaken: and I asked the angel and said, Sir,
who is this of so great power? And the angel said to me: This
is David: this is the city of Jerusalem, for when Christ the King
of Eternity shall come with the assurance of His kingdom, he again
shall go before him that he may sing psalms, and all the just
at the same time shall sing psalms responding Halleluia! And I
said, Sir, how did David alone above the other saints make a beginning
of psalm-singing? And the angel answered and said unto me: Because
Christ the Son of God sits at the right hand of His Father, and
this David sings psalms before him in the seventh heaven, and
as is done in the heavens so also below, because the host may
not be offered to God without David, but it is necessary that
David should sing psalms in the hour of the oblation of the body
and blood of Christ: as it is performed in heaven so also on earth.
30. And I said to the angel: Sir, what is Alleluia?
And the angel answered and said to me: You ask questions about
everything. And he said to me, Alleluia is said in the Hebrew
language of God and angels, for the meaning of Alleluia is this:
tecel cat. marith macha.(1) And I said, Sir, what is tecel cat.
marith macha? And the angel answered and said unto me: Tecel cat.
marith macha is: Let us all bless him together. I asked the angel
and said, Sir, do all who say Alleluia bless the Lord? And the
angel answered and said to me: It is so, and again, therefore,
if any one sing Alleluia and those who are present do not sing
at the same time, they commit sin because they do not sing along
with him, And I said: My lord, does he also sin if he be hesitating
or very old? The angel answered and said unto me: Not so, but
he who is able and does not join in the singing, know such as
a despiser of the Word, and it would be proud and unworthy that
he should not bless the Lord God his maker.
31. Moreover when he had ceased speaking to me, he
led me outside the city through the midst of the trees and far
from the places of the land of the good, and put me across the
river of milk and honey: and after that he led me over the ocean
which supports the foundations of heaven.
The angel answered and said unto me: Dost thou understand
why thou goest hence? And I said: Yes, sir. And he said to me
Come and follow me, and I will show thee the souls of the impious
and sinners, that thou mayest know what manner of place it is.
And I proceeded with the angel and he carried me by the setting
of the sun, and I saw the beginning of heaven rounded on a great
river of water, and I asked: What is this river of water? And
he said to me: This is Ocean which surrounds all the Earth. And
when I was at the outer limit of Ocean I looked, and there was
no light in that place, but darkness and sorrow and sadness: and
I sighed.
And I saw there a fervent river of fire, and in it
a multitude of men and women immersed. up to the knees, and other
men up to the navel, others even up to the lips, others moreover
up to the hair. And I asked the angel and said: Sir, who are those
in the fiery river? And the angel answered and said to me: They
are neither hot nor cold, because they were found neither in the
number of the just nor in the number of the impious.(2) For those
spent the time of their life on earth passing some days in prayer,
but others in sins and fornications, until their death. And I
asked him and said: Who are these, Sir, immersed up to their knees
in fire? He answered and said to me: These are they who when they
have gone out of church throw themselves into strange conversations
to dispute. Those indeed who are immersed up to the navel are
those who, when they have taken the body and blood of Christ go
and fornicate and did not cease from their sins till they died.
Those who are immersed up to the lips are the detractors of each
other when they assemble in the church of God: those up to the
eyebrows are those who nod approval of themselves and plot spite
against their neighbour.(3)
32. And I saw on the north a place of various and
diverse punishments full of men and women,(4) and a river of fire
ran down into it. Moreover I observed and I saw pits great in
depth, and in them several souls together, and the depth of that
place was as it were three thousand cubits, and I saw them groaning
and weeping and saying: Have pity on us, O Lord! and none had
pity on them. And I asked the angel and said: Who are these, Sir?
And the angel answered and said unto me: These are they who did
not hope in the Lord, that they would be able to have him as their
helper. And I asked and said: Sir, if these souls remain for thirty
or forty generations thus one upon another, if they were sent
deeper, the pits I believe would not hold them. And he said to
me: The Abyss has no measure, for beyond(1) this it stretches
down below him who is down in it: and so it is, that if perchance
anyone should take a stone and throw it into a very deep well
and after many hours it should reach the bottom, such is the abyss.
For when the souls are thrown in there, they hardly reach the
bottom in fifty years.
33. I, indeed, when I heard this, wept and groaned
over the human race. The angel answered and said unto me: Why
dost thou weep? Art thou more pitiful than God? For though God
is good, He knows also that there are punishments, and He patiently
bears with the human race, dismissing each one to work his own
will in the time in which he dwells on the earth.
34. I further observed the fiery river and saw there
a man being tortured by Tartaruchian angels having in their hands
an iron with three hooks with which they pierced the bowels of
that old man: and I asked the angel, and said: Sir, who is that
old man on whom such torments are imposed? And the angel answered
and said to me: He whom you see was a presbyter who did not perform
well his ministry: when he had been eating and drinking and committing
fornication he offered the host to the Lord at his holy altar.
35. And I saw not far away another old man led on
by malign angels running with speed, and they pushed him into
the fire up to his knees, and they struck him with stones and
wounded his face like a storm, and did not allow him to say: Have
pity on me! And I asked the angel and he said to me: He whom you
see was a bishop, and did not perform well his episcopate, who
indeed accepted the great name but did not enter into the witness
of him who gave him the name in all his life, seeing that he did
not do just judgment, and did not pity widows and orphans, but
now he receives retribution according to his iniquity and his
works.
36. And I saw another man in the fiery river up to
his knees. Moreover his hands were stretched out and bloody, and
worms proceeded from his mouth and nostrils and he was groaning
and weeping, and crying he said: Have pity on me! for I am hurt
above the rest who are in this punishment. And I asked, Sir, who
is this? And he said to me: This man whom thou seest, was a deacon
who devoured the oblations and committed fornications and did
not right in the sight of God, for this cause he unceasingly pays
this penalty.
And I looked closely and saw alongside of him another(2)
man whom they delivered up with haste and cast into the fiery
river, and he was (in it) up to the knees: and there came the
angel who was set over the punishments having a great fiery razor,
and with it he cut the lips of that man and the tongue likewise.
And sighing, I lamented and asked: Who is that, sir. And he said
to me, He whom thou seest was a reader and read to the people,
but he himself did not keep the precepts of God: now he also pays
the proper penalty.
37. And I saw another multitude of pits in the same
place, and in the midst of it a river full of a multitude of men
and women,(3) and worms(4) consumed them. But I lamented and sighing
asked the angel and said: Sir, who are these? And he said to me:
These are those who exacted interest(5) on interest and trusted
in their riches and did not hope in God that He was their helper.
And after that I looked and saw another place, very
narrow, and it was like a wall, and fire round about it. And I
saw inside men and women gnawing(6) their tongues, and I asked:
Sir, who are these. And he said to me: These are they who in church
disparage the Word of God, not attending to it, but as it were
make naught of God and His angels: for that cause they now likewise
pay the proper penalty.
38. And I observed and saw another old man down in
a pit and his countenance was like blood, and I asked and said,
Sir, what is this place? And he said to me: Into that pit stream
all the punishments. And I saw men and women immersed up to the
lips and I asked, Sir, who are these? And he said to me: These
are the magicians who prepared for men and women evil magic arts
and did not find how to stop them till they died.
And again I saw men and women with very black faces
in a pit of fire,(1) and I sighed and lamented and asked, Sir,
who are these? And he said to me: These are fornicators and adulterers
who committed adultery having wives of their own: likewise also
the women committed adultery having husbands of their own: therefore
they unceasingly suffer penalties.
39. And I saw there girls having black(2) raiment,
and four terrible angels having in their hands burning chains,
and they put them on the necks of the girls and led them into
darkness: and I, again weeping, asked the angel: Who are these,
Sir? And he said to me: These are they who, when they were virgins,
defiled their virginity unknown to their parents; for which cause
they unceasingly pay the proper penalties.
And again I observed there men and women with hands
cut and their feet placed naked in a place of ice and snow, and
worms devoured them. But seeing them I lamented and asked: Sir,
who are these? And he said to me: These are they who harmed orphans
and widows and the poor,(3) and did not hope in the Lord, for
which cause they unceasingly pay the proper penalties.
And I observed and saw others hanging over a channel
of water, and their tongues were very dry, and many fruits were
placed in their sight, and they were not permitted to take of
them, and I asked: Sir, who are these? And he said to me: These
are they who break their fast(4) before the appointed hour, for
this cause they unceasingly pay these penalties.
And I saw other men and women hanging by their eyebrows
and their hair,(5) and a fiery river drew them, and I said: Who
are these, my Lord? And he said to me:(6) These are they who join
themselves not to their own husbands and wives but to whores,
and therefore they unceasingly pay the proper penalties.
And I saw other men and women covered with dust,
and their countenance was like blood, and they were in a pit of
pitch and sulphur and running down into a fiery river, and I asked:
Sir, who are these?(7) And he said to me: These are they who committed
the iniquity of Sodom and Gomorrah, the male with the male, for
which reason they unceasingly pay the penalties.
40. And(8) I observed and saw men and women clothed
in bright garments, having their eyes blind, placed in a pit,
and I asked: Sir, who are these? And he said to me: These are
of the people who did alms, and knew not the Lord God, for which
reason they unceasingly pay the proper penalties. And I observed
and saw other men and women on an obelisk of fire, and beasts
tearing them in pieces, and they were not allowed to say, Lord
have pity on us! And I saw the angel(9) of penalties putting heavy
punishments on them and saying: Acknowledge the Son of God; for
this was predicted to you, when the divine Scriptures were read
to you, and you did not attend; for which cause God's judgment
is just, for your actions have apprehended you and brought you
into these penalties. But I sighed and wept, and I asked and said:
Who are these men and women who are strangled in fire and pay
their penalties? And he answered me: These are women who defiled
the image of God when bringing forth infants out of the womb,
and these are the men who lay with them. And their infants addressed
the Lord God and the angels who were set over the punishments,
saying:(10) Cursed be the hour to our parents, for they defiled
the image of God, having the name of God but not observing His
precepts: they gave us for food to dogs and to be trodden down
of swine: others they threw into the river. But their infants(11)
were handed over to the angels of Tartarus who were set over the
punishments, that they might lead them to a wide place of mercy:
but their fathers and mothers were tortured in a perpetual punishment.
And after that I saw men and women clothed with rags
full of pitch and fiery sulphur, and dragons were coiled about
their necks and shoulders and feet, and angels having fiery horns
restrained them and smote them, and closed their nostrils, saying
to them: Why did ye not know the time in which it was right to
repent and serve God, and did not do it? And I asked: Sir, who
are these? And he said to me: These are they who seem to give
up the world for God,(12) putting on our garb, but the impediments
of the world made them wretched, not maintaining agapoe, and they
did not pity widows and orphans: they did not receive the stranger
and the pilgrim, nor did they offer the oblations, and they did
not pity their neighbour. Moreover their prayer did not even on
one day ascend pure to the Lord God, but many impediments of the
world detained them, and they were not able to do right in the
sight of God, and the angels enclosed them in the place of punishments.
Moreover they saw those who were in punishments and said to them:
We indeed when we lived in the world neglected God, and ye also
did likewise: as we also truly when we were in the world knew
that ye were sinners. But ye said: These are just and servants
of God, now we know why ye were called by the name of the Lord:
for which cause they also pay their own penalties.
And sighing I wept and said: Woe unto men, woe unto
sinners! why were they born? And the angel answered and said unto
me: Why dost thou lament?(1) Art thou more pitiful than the Lord
God who is blessed forever, who established judgment and sent
forth every man to choose good and evil in his own will and do
what pleases him? Then I lamented again very greatly, and he said
to me: Dost thou lament when as yet thou hast not seen greater
punishments? Follow me and thou shalt see seven times greater
than these.
41. And he carried me south and placed me above a
well, and I found it sealed with seven seals: and answering, the
angel who was with me said to the angel of that place: Open the
mouth of the well that Paul, the well-beloved of God, may see,
for authority is given him that he may see all the pains of hell.
And the angel said to me: Stand afar off that thou mayest be able
to bear the stench of this place. When therefore the well was
opened, immediately there arose from it a certain hard and malign
stench, which surpasses all punishments: and I looked into the
well and I saw fiery masses glowing in every. part, and narrow
places, and the mouth of the well was narrow so as to admit one
man only. And the angel answered and said unto me: If any man
shall have been put into this well of the abyss and it shall have
been sealed over him, no remembrance of him shall ever be made
in the sight of the Father and His Son and the holy angels. And
I said: Who are these, Sir, who are put into this well? And he
said to me: They are whoever shall not confess that Christ has
come in the flesh and that the Virgin Mary brought him forth,
and whoever says that the bread and cup of the Eucharist of blessing
are not this body and blood of Christ.
42. And I looked to the south in the west and I saw
there a(2) restless worm and in that place there was gnashing
of teeth: moreover the worms were one cubit long, and had two
heads, and there I saw men and women in cold and gnashing of teeth.
And I asked and said, Sir, who are these in this place? And he
said to me: These are they who say that Christ did not rise from
the dead and that this flesh will not rise again. And I asked
and said: Sir, is there no fire nor heat in this place? And he
said to me: In this place there is nothing else but cold and snow:(2)
and again he said to me: Even if the sun should rise upon them,
they do not become warm on account of the superabundant cold of
that place and the snow.
But hearing these things I stretched out my hands
and wept, and sighing again, I said: It were better for us if
we had not been born,(4) all of us who are sinners.
43. But when those who were in the same place saw
me weeping with the angel, they themselves cried out and wept
saying, Lord God have mercy upon us! And after these things I
saw the heavens open, and Michael(5) the archangel descending
from heaven, and with him was the whole army of angels, and they
came to those who were placed in punishment and seeing him, again
weeping, they cried out and said, Have pity on as! Michael the
archangel, have pity on us and on the human race, for on account
of thy prayers the earth standeth. We now see the judgment and
acknowledge the Son of God! It was impossible for us before these
things to pray for this, before we entered into this place: for
we heard that there was a judgment before we went out of the world,
but impediments and the life of the world did not allow us to
repent. And Michael answered and said: Hear Michael speaking!
I am he who stands in the sight of God every. hour: As the Lord
liveth, in whose sight I stand, I do not intermit one day or one
night praying incessantly for the human race, and I indeed pray
for those who are on the earth: but they do not cease doing iniquity
and fornications, and they do not bring to me any good while they
are placed on earth: and ye have consumed in vanity the time in
which ye ought to have repented. But I have always prayed thus
and I now beseech that God may send dew and send forth rains upon
the earth, and now I desire until the earth produce its fruits
and verily I say, that if any have done but a little good, I will
agonise for him, protecting him till he have escaped the judgment
of penalties. Where therefore are your prayers? Where are your
penances? Ye have lost your time contemptuously. But now weep
and I will weep with you and the angels who are with me with the
well-beloved Paul, if perchance the merciful God will have pity
and give you refreshment. But hearing these words they cried out
and wept greatly, and all said with one voice: Have pity on us,
Son of God! And I, Paul, sighed and said: O Lord God! have pity
on thy creature, have pity on the sons of men, have pity on thine
image.
44. And I looked and saw the heaven move like a tree
shaken by the wind. Suddenly, moreover, they threw, themselves
on their faces in the sight of the throne. And I saw twenty-four
elders and twenty-four thousand adoring God, and I saw an altar
and veil and throne, and all were rejoicing; and the smoke of
a good odour was raised near the altar of the throne of God, and
I heard the voice of one saying: For the sake of what do ye our
angels and ministers intercede? And they cried out saying: We
intercede seeing thy many kindnesses to the human race. And after
these things I saw the Son of God descending from heaven, and
a diadem was on his head. And seeing him those who were placed
in punishment exclaimed all with one voice saying: Have pity,
Son of the High God! Thou art He who shewest refreshment for all
in the heavens and on earth, and on us likewise have pity, for
since we have seen Thee, we have refreshment. And a voice went
out from the Son of God through all the punishments saying: And
what work have ye done that ye demand refreshment from me? My
blood was poured out for your sakes, and not even so did ye repent:
for your sakes I wore the crown of thorns on my head: for you
I received buffets on my cheeks, and not even so did ye repent.
I asked water when hanging on the cross and they gave me vinegar
mixed with gall, with a spear they opened my right side, for my
name's sake they slew my prophets and just men, and in all these
things I gave you a place of repentance and ye would not. Now,
however, for the sake of Michael the archangel of my covenant
and the angels who are with him, and because of Paul the well-beloved,
whom I would not vex, for the sake of your brethren who are in
the world and offer oblations, and for the sake of your sons,
because my precepts are in them, and more for the sake of mine
own kindness, on the day on which I rose from the dead, I give
to you all who are in punishment a night and a day of refreshment
forever. And they all cried out and said, We bless thee, Son of
God, that Thou hast given us a night and a day of respite. For
better to us is a refreshment of one day above all the time of
our life which we were on earth, and if we had plainly known that
this was intended for those who sin, we would have worked no other
work, we would have done no business, and we would have done no
iniquity: what need had we for pride in the world? For here our
pride is crushed which ascended from our mouth against our neighbour:
our plagues and excessive straitness and the tears and the worms
which are under us, these are much worse to us than the pains
which we have left behind us. When they said thus, the malign
angels of the penalties were angered with them, saying: How long
do ye lament and sigh? for ye had no pity. For this is the judgment
of God who had no pity. But ye received this great grace of a
day and a night's refreshment on the Lord's Day for the sake of
Paul the well-beloved of God who descended to you.
45. And after that the angel said to me: Hast thou
seen all these things? And I said: Yes, Sir. And he said to me:
Follow me and I will lead thee into Paradise, that the just who
are there may see thee, for lo! they hope to see thee, and they
are ready to come to meet thee in joy and gladness. And I followed
the angel by the impulse of the Holy Spirit, and he placed me
in Paradise and said to me: This is Paradise in which Adam and
his wife erred. Moreover I entered Paradise and saw the beginning
of waters, and there was an angel making a sign to me and he said
to me: Observe, said he, the waters, for this is the river of
Physon which surrounds all the land of Evilla, and the second
is Geon which surrounds all the land of Egypt and Ethiopia, and
the third is Thigris which is over against the Assyrians, and
another is Eufrates which waters all the land of Mesopotamia.
And when I had gone inside I saw a tree planted from whose roots
water flowed out, and from this beginning there were four rivers.
And the spirit of God rested on that tree, and when the Spirit
blew, the waters flowed forth, and I said: My Lord, is it this
tree itself which makes the waters flow? And he said to me: That
from the beginning, before the heavens and earth were manifested,
and all things here invisible, the Spirit of God was borne upon
the waters, but from the time when the command of God made the
heavens and earth to appear, the Spirit rested upon this tree:
wherefore whenever the Spirit blows, the waters flow forth from
the tree. And he held me by the hand and led me near the tree
of knowledge of good and evil, and he said: This is the tree by
which death entered into the world, and receiving of it through
his wife Adam ate and death entered into the world. And he shewed
me another tree in the midst of Paradise, and saith to me: This
is the tree of life.
46. While I was yet looking upon the tree, I saw
a virgin coming from afar and two hundred angels before her saying
hymns, and I asked and said: Sir, who is she who comes in so great
glory? And he said to me: This is Mary the Virgin, the Mother
of the Lord. And coming near she saluted me and said: Hail, Paul!
well-beloved of God and angels and men. For all the saints prayed
my Son Jesus who is my Lord that thou mightest come hither in
the body that they might see thee before thou goest out of the
world. And the Lord said to them: Bear and be patient: yet a little
and ye shall see him and he shall be with you for ever: and again
they all said to him together: Do not vex us, for we desire to
see him in the flesh, for by him Thy name was greatly glorified
in the world, and we have seen that he endured all the labours
whether of the greater or of the less. This we learn from those
who come hither. For when we say: Who is he who directed you in
the world? they reply to us: There is one in the world whose name
is Paul, he preaches and announces Christ, and we believe that
many have entered into the kingdom through the virtue and sweetness
of his speeches. Behold all the just men are behind me coming
to meet thee, Paul, and I first come for this cause to meet them
who did the will of my Son and my Lord Jesus Christ, I first advance
to meet them and do not send them away to be as wanderers until
they meet in peace.
47. When she had thus spoken, I saw three coming
from afar, very beautiful in the likeness of Christ, and their
forms were shining, and their angels, and I asked: Sir, who are
these? And he said to me: Dost thou not know those? And I said:
No, Sir. And he answered: These are the fathers of the people,
Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. And coming near they saluted me, and
said: Hail, Paul, well-beloved of God and men; blessed is he who
suffers violence for the Lord's sake. And Abraham answered me
and said: This is my son Isaac, and Jacob my well-beloved, and
we have known the Lord and followed him; blessed are all they
who believed in thy word, that they may be able to inherit the
Kingdom of God by labour, by renunciation, and sanctification,
and humility, and charity, and meekness, and fight faith in the
Lord; and we also have had devotion to the Lord whom thou preachest
in the testament, that we might assist those who believed in him
with their whole soul, and might minister unto them as fathers
minister to their children.
When they had thus spoken, I saw other twelve coming
from afar in honour, and I asked: Sir, who are these? And he said:
These are the patriarchs. And coming near they saluted me and
said: Hail, Paul, well-beloved of God and men: the Lord did not
vex us, that we might see thee yet in the body, before thou goest
out of the world. And each one of them reminded me of his name
in order, from Ruben to Benjamin: and Joseph said to me: I am
he who was sold; but I say to thee, Paul, that all the things,
whatever my brothers did to me, in nothing did I act maliciously
with them, nor in all the labour which they imposed on me, nor
in any point was I hurt by them on that account from morning till
evening: blessed is he who receives some hurt on account of the
Lord, and bears it, for the Lord will repay it to him manifold,
when he shall have gone out of the world.
48. When he had spoken thus far, I saw another beautiful
one coming from afar, and his angels saying hymns, and I asked:
Sir, who is this that is beautiful of countenance? And he saith
to me: Dost thou not know him? And I said: No, Sir. And he said
to me: This is Moses the law-giver, to whom God gave the law.
And when he had come near me, he immediately wept, and after that
he saluted me: and I said to him: What dost thou lament? for I
have heard that thou excellest every. man in meekness. And he
answered saying: I weep for those whom I planted with toil, because
they did not bear fruit, nor did any profit by them; and I saw
all the sheep whom I fed, that they were scattered and become
as if they had no shepherd, and because all the toils which I
endured for the sake of the sons of Israel were accounted as naught,
and how greatso-ever virtues I did in the midst of them these
they did not understand, and I wonder that strangers and uncircumcised
and idol-wor-shippers have been converted and have entered into
the promises of God, but Israel has not entered; and now I say
unto thee, brother Paul, that in that hour when the people hanged
Jesus whom thou preachest, that the Father, the God of all, who
gave me the law, and Michael and all the angels and archangels,
and Abraham and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the just wept over the
Son of God hanging on the cross. In that hour all the saints attended
on me looking (upon me) and they said to me: See, Moses, what
men of thy people have done to the Son of God. Wherefore thou
art blessed, Paul, and blessed the generation and race which believed
in thy word.
49. When he had spoken thus far, there came other
twelve, and seeing me said: Art thou Paul the glorified in heaven
and on earth? And I answered and said: What are ye? The first
answered and said: I am Esaias whom Manasses cut asunder with
a wooden saw. And the second said likewise: I am Jeremias who
was stoned by the children of Israel and slain. And the third
said: I am Ezekiel whom the children of Israel dragged by the
feet over a rock in a mountain till they knocked out my brains,
and we endured all these toils, wishing to save the children of
Israel: and I say unto thee that after the toils which they laid
upon me, I cast myself on my face in the sight of the Lord praying
for them, bending my knees until the second hour of the Lord's
day, till Michael came and lifted me up from the earth. Blessed
art thou, Paul, and blessed the nation which believed through
thee.
And as these passed by, I saw another, beautiful
of countenance, and I asked: Sir, Who is this? Who when he had
seen me, rejoiced and said to me: This is Lot(1) who was found
just in Sodom. And approaching(2) he saluted me and said: Blessed
art thou, Paul, and blessed the generation to which thou didst
minister. And I answered and said to him: Art thou Lot who wast
found just in Sodom? And he said: I entertained angels, as travellers,
and when they of the city wished to violate them, I offered them
my two virgin daughters who had not yet known men, and gave them
to them saying: use them as ye will, but only to these men ye
shall do no evil; for this cause they entered under the roof of
my house. For this cause, therefore, we ought to be confident
and know that if anyone shall have done anything, God shall repay
him manifold when they shall come to him. Blessed art thou, Paul,
and blessed the nation which believed in thy word.
When, therefore, he had ceased talking to me, I saw
another coming from a distance, very beautiful of countenance,
and smiling, and his angels saying hymns: and I said to the angel
who was with me: Has then each of the just an angel for companion?
And he said to me: Each one of the saints has his own (angel)
assisting him, and saying a hymn, and the one does not depart
from the other. And I said: Who is this, Sir? And he said: This
is Job. And approaching, he saluted me and said: Brother Paul,
thou hast great praise with God and men. And I am Job, who laboured
much for a period of thirty years from a plague in the blood;
and verily in the beginning, the wounds which went forth from
my body were like grains of wheat. But on the third day, they
became as the foot of an ass; worms moreover which fell four digits
in length: and on the third (day) the devil appeared and said
to me: Say something against God and die. I said to him: If such
be the will of God that I should remain under a plague all the
time of my life till I die, I shall not cease from blessing the
Lord, and I shall receive more reward. For I know that the labours
of that world are nothing to the refreshment which is afterwards:
for which cause blessed art thou, Paul, and blessed the nation
which believed through thee.
50. When he had spoken thus far, another came calling
from afar and saying: Blessed art thou, Paul, and blessed am I
because I saw thee, the beloved of the Lord. And I asked the angel:
Sir, who is this? And he answered and said unto me: This is Noe
in the time of the deluge. And immediately we saluted each other:
and greatly rejoicing he said to me: Thou art Paul the most beloved
of God. And I asked him: Who art thou? And he said: I am Noe,
who was in the time of the deluge. And I say to thee, Paul, that
working for a hundred years, I made the ark, not putting off the
tunic with which I was clad, nor did I cut the hair of my head.
Till then also I cherished continence, not approaching my own
wife: in those hundred years not a hair of my head grew in length,
nor did my garments become soiled: and I besought men at all times
saying: Repent, for a deluge of waters will come upon you. But
they laughed at me, and mocked my words; and again they said to
me: But this is the time of those who are able to play and sin
freely, desiring her with whom it is possible to commit fornication
frequently: for God does not regard this, and does not know what
things are done by us men, and there is no flood of waters straightway
coming upon this world. And they did not cease from their sins,
till God destroyed all flesh which had the breath of life in it.
Know then that God loveth one just man more than all the world
of the impious. Wherefore, blessed art thou, Paul, and blessed
is the nation which believes through thee.
51. And turning round, I saw other just ones coming
from afar, and I asked the angel: Sir, who are those? And he answered
me: These are Elias and Eliseus.(1) And they saluted me: and I
said to them: Who are ye? And one of them answered and said: I
am Elias, the prophet of God; I am Elias who prayed, and because
of my word, the heaven did not rain for three years and six months,
on account of the unrighteousness of men. God is just and true,
who doeth the will of his servants: for the angels often besought
the Lord for rain, and he said: Be patient till my servant Elias
shall pray and petition for this and I will send rain on the earth.(2)
Source.
From: The Apocalypse of Paul, 3rd Century in Nicene and Post Nicene Fathers, Series I, Vol. 10,
151-166
This text is part of the Internet
History Sourcebooks Project. The Sourcebooks are collections of public domain and
copy-permitted texts related to all aspects of history.
Unless otherwise indicated the specific electronic form of the document is copyright.
Permission is granted for electronic copying, distribution in print form for educational
purposes and personal use. If you do reduplicate the document, indicate the source. No
permission is granted for commercial use.
© Paul Halsall, 1998, 2023
