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Prologue

The First Book of Adam and Eve details the life and times of Adam and Eve after they were expelled from the garden to the time that Cain kills his brother Abel. It tells of Adam and Eve’s first dwelling – the Cave of Treasures; their trials and temptations; Satan’s many apparitions to them; the birth of Cain, Abel, and their twin sisters; and Cain’s love for his beautiful twin sister, Luluwa, whom Adam and Eve wished to join to Abel.

This book is considered by many scholars to be part of the “Pseudepigrapha” (soo-duh-pig-ruh-fuh). The “Pseudepigrapha” is a collection of historical biblical works that are considered to be fiction. Because of that stigma, this book was not included in the compilation of the Holy Bible. This book is a written history of what happened in the days of Adam and Eve after they were cast out of the garden. Although considered to be pseudepigraphic by some, it carries significant meaning and insight into events of that time. It is doubtful that these writings could have survived all the many centuries if there were no substance to them.

This book is simply a version of an account handed down by word of mouth, from generation to generation, linking the time that the first human life was created to the time when somebody finally decided to write it down. This particular version is the work of unknown Egyptians. The lack of historical allusion makes it difficult to precisely date the writing, however, using other pseudepigraphical works as a reference, it was probably written a few hundred years before the birth of Christ. Parts of this version are found in the Jewish Talmud, and the Islamic Koran, showing what a vital role it played in the original literature of human wisdom. The Egyptian author wrote in Arabic, but later translations were found written in Ethiopic. The present English translation was translated in the late 1800’s by Dr. S. C. Malan and Dr. E. Trumpp. They translated into King James English from both the Arabic version and the Ethiopic version which was then published in The Forgotten Books of Eden in 1927 by The World Publishing Company.

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Chapter I – The crystal sea, God commands Adam, expelled from Eden, to live in the Cave of Treasures.

1 On the third day, God planted the garden in the east of the earth, on the border of the world eastward, beyond which, towards the sun-rising, one finds nothing but water, that encompasses the whole world, and reaches to the borders of heaven.

2 And to the north of the garden there is a sea of water, clear and pure to the taste, unlike anything else; so that, through the clearness thereof, one may look into the depths of the earth.

3 And when a man washes himself in it, he becomes clean of the cleanness thereof, and white of its whiteness – even if he were dark.

4 And God created that sea of his own good pleasure, for He knew what would come of the man He would make; so that after he had left the garden, on account of his transgression, men should be born in the earth. Among them are righteous ones who will die, whose souls God would raise at the last day; when all of them will return to their flesh, bathe in the water of that sea, and repent of their sins.

5 But when God made Adam go out of the garden, He did not place him on the border of it northward. This was so that he and Eve would not be able to go near to the sea of water where they could wash themselves in it, be cleansed from their sins, erase the transgression they had committed, and be no longer reminded of it in the thought of their punishment.

6 As to the southern side of the garden, God did not want Adam to live there either; because, when the wind blew from the north, it would bring him, on that southern side, the delicious smell of the trees of the garden.

7 Wherefore God did not put Adam there. This was so that he would not be able to smell the sweet smell of those trees, forget his transgression, and find consolation for what he had done by taking delight in the smell of the trees and yet not be cleansed from his transgression.

8 Again, also, because God is merciful and of great pity, and governs all things in a way that He alone knows He made our father Adam live in the western border of the garden, because on that side the earth is very broad.

9 And God commanded him to live there in a cave in a rock the Cave of Treasures below the garden.

Chapter II – Adam and Eve faint when they leave the Garden. God sends His Word to encourage them.

1 But when our father Adam, and Eve, went out of the garden, they walked the ground on their feet, not knowing they were walking.

2 And when they came to the opening of the gate of the garden, and saw the broad earth spread before them, covered with stones large and small, and with sand, they feared and trembled, and fell on their faces, from the fear that came over them; and they were as dead.

3 Because—whereas until this time they had been in the garden land, beautifully planted with all manner of trees they now saw themselves, in a strange land, which they knew not, and had never seen.

4 And because, when they were in the garden they were filled with the grace of a bright nature, and they had not hearts turned toward earthly things.

5 Therefore God had pity on them; and when He saw them fallen before the gate of the garden, He sent His Word to our father, Adam and Eve, and raised them from their fallen state.

Chapter III – Concerning the promise of the great five and a half days.

1 God said to Adam, “I have ordained on this earth days and years, and you and your descendants shall live and walk in them, until the days and years are fulfilled; when I shall send the Word that created you, and against which you have transgressed, the Word that made you come out of the garden, and that raised you when you were fallen.

2 Yes, the Word that will again save you when the five and a half days are fulfilled.”

3 But when Adam heard these words from God, and of the great five and a half days, he did not understand the meaning of them.

4 For Adam was thinking there would be only five and a half days for him until the end of the world.

5 And Adam cried, and prayed to God to explain it to him.

6 Then God in his mercy for Adam who was made after His own image and likeness, explained to him, that these were 5,000 and 500 years; and how One would then come and save him and his descendants.

7 But before that, God had made this covenant with our father, Adam, in the same terms, before he came out of the garden, when he was by the tree where Eve took of the fruit and gave it to him to eat.

8 Because, when our father Adam came out of the garden, he passed by that tree, and saw how God had changed the appearance of it into another form, and how it shriveled.

9 And as Adam went to it he feared, trembled and fell down; but God in His mercy lifted him up, and then made this covenant with him.

10 And again, when Adam was by the gate of the garden, and saw the cherub with a sword of flashing fire in his hand, and the cherub grew angry and frowned at him, both Adam and Eve became afraid of him, and thought he meant to put them to death. So they fell on their faces, trembled with fear.

11 But he had pity on them, and showed them mercy; and turning from them went up to heaven, and prayed to the Lord, and said;

12 “Lord, You sent me to watch at the gate of the garden, with a sword of fire.

13 But when Your servants, Adam and Eve, saw me, they fell on their faces, and were as dead. O my Lord, what shall we do to Your servants?”

14 Then God had pity on them, and showed them mercy, and sent His Angel to keep the garden.

15 And the Word of the Lord came to Adam and Eve, and raised them up.

16 And the Lord said to Adam, “I told you that at the end of the five and a half days, I will send my Word and save you.

17 Strengthen your heart, therefore, and stay in the Cave of Treasures, of which I have before spoken to you.”

18 And when Adam heard this Word from God, he was comforted with that which God had told him. For He had told him how He would save him.

Chapter IV – Adam mourns over the changed conditions. Adam and Eve enter the Cave of Treasures.

1 But Adam and Eve cried for having come out of the garden, their first home.

2 And indeed, when Adam looked at his flesh, that was altered, he cried bitterly, he and Eve, over what they had done. And they walked and went gently down into the Cave of Treasures.

3 And as they came to it, Adam cried over himself and said to Eve, “Look at this cave that is to be our prison in this world, and a place of punishment!

4 What is it compared with the garden? What is its narrowness compared with the space of the other?

5 What is this rock, by the side of those groves? What is the gloom of this cavern, compared with the light of the garden?

6 What is this overhanging ledge of rock to shelter us, compared with the mercy of the Lord that overshadowed us?

7 What is the soil of this cave compared with the garden land? This earth, strewed with stones; and that, planted with delicious fruit trees?”

8 And Adam said to Eve, “Look at your eyes, and at mine, which before beheld angels praising in heaven; and they too, without ceasing.

9 But now we do not see as we did; our eyes have become of flesh; they cannot see like they used to see before.”

10 Adam said again to Eve, “What is our body today, compared to what it was in former days, when we lived in the garden?”

11 After this, Adam did not want to enter the cave, under the overhanging rock; nor would he ever want to enter it.

12 But he bowed to God’s orders; and said to himself, “Unless I enter the cave, I shall again be a transgressor.”

Chapter V – Eve makes a noble and emotional intercession, taking the blame on herself.

1 Then Adam and Eve entered the cave, and stood praying, in their own tongue, unknown to us, but which they knew well.

2 And as they prayed, Adam raised his eyes and saw the rock and the roof of the cave that covered him overhead. This prevented him from seeing either heaven or God’s creatures. So he cried and beat his chest hard, until he dropped, and was as dead.

3 And Eve sat crying; for she believed he was dead.

4 Then she got up, spread her hands toward God, appealing to Him for mercy and pity, and said, “O God, forgive me my sin, the sin which I committed, and don’t remember it against me.

5 For I alone caused Your servant to fall from the garden into this condemned land; from light into this darkness; and from the house of joy into this prison.

6 O God, look at this Your servant fallen in this manner, and bring him back to life, that he may cry and repent of his transgression which he committed through me.

7 Don’t take away his soul right now; but let him live that he may stand after the measure of his repentance, and do Your will, as before his death.

8 But if You do not bring him back to life, then, O God, take away my own soul, that I be like him, and leave me not in this dungeon, one and alone; for I could not stand alone in this world, but with him only.

9 For You, O God, caused him to fall asleep, and took a bone from his side, and restored the flesh in the place of it, by Your divine power.

10 And You took me, the bone, and make me a woman, bright like him, with heart, reason, and speech; and in flesh, like to his own; and You made me after the likeness of his looks, by Your mercy and power.

11 O Lord, I and he are one, and You, O God, are our Creator, You are He who made us both in one day.

12 Therefore, O God, give him life, that he may be with me in this strange land, while we live in it on account of our transgression.

13 But if You will not give him life, then take me, even me, like him; that we both may die the same day.”

14 And Eve cried bitterly, and fell on our father Adam; from her great sorrow.

Chapter VI – God’s reprimand to Adam and Eve in which he points out how and why they sinned.

1 But God looked at them; for they had killed themselves through great grief.

2 But He decided to raise them and comfort them.

3 He, therefore, sent His Word to them; that they should stand and be raised immediately.

4 And the Lord said to Adam and Eve, “You transgressed of your own free will, until you came out of the garden in which I had placed you.

5 Of your own free will have you transgressed through your desire for divinity, greatness, and an exalted state, such as I have; so that I deprived you of the bright nature in which you then were, and I made you come out of the garden to this land, rough and full of trouble.

6 If only you had not transgressed My commandment and had kept My law, and had not eaten of the fruit of the tree which I told you not to come near! And there were fruit trees in the garden better than that one.

7 But the wicked Satan did not keep his faith and had no good intent towards Me, that although I had created him, he considered Me to be useless, and sought the Godhead for himself; for this I hurled him down from heaven so that he could not remain in his first estate—it was he who made the tree appear pleasant in your eyes, until you ate of it, by believing his words.

8 Thus have you transgressed My commandment, and therefore I have brought on you all these sorrows.

9 For I am God the Creator, who, when I created My creatures, did not intend to destroy them. But after they had sorely roused My anger, I punished them with grievous plagues, until they repent.

10 But, if on the contrary, they still continue hardened in their transgression, they shall be under a curse forever.”

Chapter VII – The beasts are appeased.

1 When Adam and Eve heard these words from God, they cried and sobbed yet more; but they strengthened their hearts in God, because they now felt that the Lord was to them like a father and a mother; and for this very reason, they cried before Him, and sought mercy from Him.

2 Then God had pity on them, and said: “O Adam, I have made My covenant with you, and I will not turn from it; neither will I let you return to the garden, until My covenant of the great five and a half days is fulfilled.”

3 Then Adam said to God, “O Lord, You created us, and made us fit to be in the garden; and before I transgressed, You made all beasts come to me, that I should name them.

4 Your grace was then on me; and I named every one according to Your mind; and you made them all subject to me.

5 But now, O Lord God, that I have transgressed Your commandment, all beasts will rise against me and will devour me, and Eve Your handmaid; and will cut off our life from the face of the earth.

6 I therefore beg you, O God, that since You have made us come out of the garden, and have made us be in a strange land, You will not let the beasts hurt us.”

7 When the Lord heard these words from Adam, He had pity on him, and felt that he had truly said that the beasts of the field would rise and devour him and Eve, because He, the Lord, was angry with the two of them on account of their transgressions.

8 Then God commanded the beasts, and the birds, and all that moves on the earth, to come to Adam and to be familiar with him, and not to trouble him and Eve; nor yet any of the good and righteous among their offspring.

9 Then all the beasts paid homage to Adam, according to the commandment of God; except the serpent, against which God was angry. It did not come to Adam, with the beasts.

Chapter VIII – The “Bright Nature” of man is taken away.

1 Then Adam cried and said, “O God, when we lived in the garden, and our hearts were lifted up, we saw the angels that sang praises in heaven, but now we can’t see like we used to; no, when we entered the cave, all creation became hidden from us.”

2 Then God the Lord said to Adam, “When you were under subjection to Me, you had a bright nature within you, and for that reason could you see things far away. But after your transgression your bright nature was withdrawn from you; and it was not left to you to see things far away, but only near at hand; after the ability of the flesh; for it is brutish.”

3 When Adam and Eve had heard these words from God, they went their way; praising and worshipping Him with a sorrowful heart.

4 And God ceased to commune with them.

Chapter IX – Water from the Tree of Life. Adam and Eve near drowning.

1 Then Adam and Eve came out of the Cave of Treasures, and went near to the garden gate, and there they stood to look at it, and cried for having come away from it.

2 And Adam and Eve went from before the gate of the garden to the southern side of it, and found there the water that watered the garden, from the root of the Tree of Life, and that split itself from there into four rivers over the earth.

3 Then they came and went near to that water, and looked at it; and saw that it was the water that came forth from under the root of the Tree of Life in the garden.

4 And Adam cried and wailed, and beat his chest, for being severed from the garden; and said to Eve:

5 “Why have you brought on me, on yourself, and on our descendants, so many of these plagues and punishments?”

6 And Eve said to him, “What is it you have seen that has caused you to cry and to speak to me in this manner?”

7 And he said to Eve, “Do you not see this water that was with us in the garden, that watered the trees of the garden, and flowed out from there?

8 And we, when we were in the garden, did not care about it; but since we came to this strange land, we love it, and turn it to use for our body.”

9 But when Eve heard these words from him, she cried; and from the soreness of their crying, they fell into that water; and would have put an end to themselves in it, so as never again to return and behold the creation; for when they looked at the work of creation, they felt they must put an end to themselves.

Chapter X – Their bodies need water after they leave the garden.

1 Then God, merciful and gracious, looked at them thus lying in the water, and close to death, and sent an angel, who brought them out of the water, and laid them on the seashore as dead.

2 Then the angel went up to God, was welcome, and said, “O God, Your creatures have breathed their last.”

3 Then God sent His Word to Adam and Eve, who raised them from their death.

4 And Adam said, after he was raised, “O God, while we were in the garden we did not require, or care for this water; but since we came to this land we cannot do without it.”

5 Then God said to Adam, “While you were under My command and were a bright angel, you knew not this water.

6 But now that you have transgressed My commandment, you can not do without water, wherein to wash your body and make it grow; for it is now like that of beasts, and is in want of water.”

7 When Adam and Eve heard these words from God, they cried a bitter cry; and Adam entreated God to let him return into the garden, and look at it a second time.

8 But God said to Adam, “I have made you a promise; when that promise is fulfilled, I will bring you back into the garden, you and your righteous descendants.”

9 And God ceased to commune with Adam.

Chapter XI – A recollection of the glorious days in the Garden.

1 Then Adam and Eve felt themselves burning with thirst, and heat, and sorrow.

2 And Adam said to Eve, “We shall not drink of this water, even if we were to die. O Eve, when this water comes into our inner parts, it will increase our punishments and that of our descendants.”

3 Both Adam and Eve then went away from the water, and drank none of it at all; but came and entered the Cave of Treasures.

4 But when in it Adam could not see Eve; he only heard the noise she made. Neither could she see Adam, but heard the noise he made.

5 Then Adam cried, in deep affliction, and beat his chest; and he got up and said to Eve, “Where are you?”

6 And she said to him, “Look, I am standing in this darkness.”

7 He then said to her, “Remember the bright nature in which we lived, when we lived in the garden!

8 O Eve! Remember the glory that rested on us in the garden. O Eve! Remember the trees that overshadowed us in the garden while we moved among them.

9 O Eve! Remember that while we were in the garden, we knew neither night nor day. Think of the Tree of Life, from below which flowed the water, and that shed luster over us! Remember, O Eve, the garden land, and the brightness thereof!

10 Think, oh think of that garden in which was no darkness, while we lived in it.

11 Whereas no sooner did we come into this Cave of Treasures than darkness surrounded us all around; until we can no longer see each other; and all the pleasure of this life has come to an end.”

Chapter XII – How darkness came between Adam and Eve.

1 Then Adam beat his chest, he and Eve, and they mourned the whole night until the crack of dawn, and they sighed over the length of the night in Miyazia.

2 And Adam beat himself, and threw himself on the ground in the cave, from bitter grief, and because of the darkness, and lay there as dead.

3 But Eve heard the noise he made in falling on the ground. And she felt about for him with her hands, and found him like a corpse.

4 Then she was afraid, speechless, and remained by him.

5 But the merciful Lord looked on the death of Adam, and on Eve’s silence from fear of the darkness.

6 And the Word of God came to Adam and raised him from his death, and opened Eve’s mouth that she might speak.

7 Then Adam stood up in the cave and said, “O God, why has light departed from us, and darkness covered us? Why did you leave us in this long darkness? Why do you plague us like this?

8 And this darkness, O Lord, where was it before it covered us? It is because of this that we cannot see each other.

9 For so long as we were in the garden, we neither saw nor even knew what darkness is. I was not hidden from Eve, neither was she hidden from me, until now that she cannot see me; and no darkness came over us to separate us from each other.

10 But she and I were both in one bright light. I saw her and she saw me. Yet now since we came into this cave, darkness has covered us, and separated us from each other, so that I do not see her, and she does not see me.

11 O Lord, will You then plague us with this darkness?”

Chapter XIII – The fall of Adam. Why night and day were created.

1 Then when God, who is merciful and full of pity, heard Adam’s voice, He said to him: —

2 “O Adam, so long as the good angel was obedient to Me, a bright light rested on him and on his hosts.

3 But when he transgressed My commandment, I deprived him of that bright nature, and he became dark.

4 And when he was in the heavens, in the realms of light, he knew nothing of darkness.

5 But he transgressed, and I made him fall from the heaven onto the earth; and it was this darkness that came over him.

6 And on you, O Adam, while in My garden and obedient to Me, did that bright light rest also.

7 But when I heard of your transgression, I deprived you of that bright light. Yet, of My mercy, I did not turn you into darkness, but I made you your body of flesh, over which I spread this skin, in order that it may bear cold and heat.

8 If I had let My wrath fall heavily on you, I should have destroyed you; and had I turned you into darkness, it would have been as if I had killed you.

9 But in My mercy, I have made you as you are; when you transgressed My commandment, O Adam, I drove you from the garden, and made you come forth into this land; and commanded you to live in this cave; and darkness covered you, as it did over him who transgressed My commandment.

10 Thus, O Adam, has this night deceived you. It is not to last forever; but is only of twelve hours; when it is over, daylight will return.

11 Sigh not, therefore, neither be moved; and say not in your heart that this darkness is long and drags on wearily; and say not in your heart that I plague you with it.

12 Strengthen your heart, and be not afraid. This darkness is not a punishment. But, O Adam, I have made the day, and have placed the sun in it to give light; in order that you and your children should do your work.

13 For I knew you would sin and transgress, and come out into this land. Yet I wouldn’t force you, nor be heard over you, nor shut up; nor doom you through your fall; nor through your coming out from light into darkness; nor yet through your coming from the garden into this land.

14 For I made you of the light; and I willed to bring out children of light from you and like to you.

15 But you did not keep My commandment one day; until I had finished the creation and blessed everything in it.

16 Then, concerning the tree, I commanded you not to eat of it. Yet I knew that Satan, who deceived himself, would also deceive you.

17 So I made known to you by means of the tree, not to come near him. And I told you not to eat of the fruit thereof, nor to taste of it, nor yet to sit under it, nor to yield to it.

18 Had I not been and spoken to you, O Adam, concerning the tree, and had I left you without a commandment, and you had sinned—it would have been an offence on My part, for not having given you any order; you would turn around and blame Me for it.

19 But I commanded you, and warned you, and you fell. So that My creatures cannot blame Me; but the blame rests on them alone.

20 And, O Adam, I have made the day so that you and your descendants can work and toil in it. And I have made the night for them to rest in it from their work; and for the beasts of the field to go forth by night and look for their food.

21 But little of darkness now remains, O Adam, and daylight will soon appear.”

Chapter XIV – The earliest prophesy of the coming of Christ.

1 Then Adam said to God: “O Lord, take You my soul, and let me not see this gloom any more; or remove me to some place where there is no darkness.”

2 But God the Lord said to Adam, “Indeed I say to you, this darkness will pass from you, every day I have determined for you, until the fulfillment of My covenant; when I will save you and bring you back again into the garden, into the house of light you long for, in which there is no darkness*. I will bring you to it—in the kingdom of heaven.”

3 Again said God to Adam, “All this misery that you have been made to take on yourself because of your transgression, will not free you from the hand of Satan, and will not save you.

4 But I will. When I shall come down from heaven, and shall become flesh of your descendants, and take on Myself the infirmity from which you suffer, then the darkness that covered you in this cave shall cover Me in the grave, when I am in the flesh of your descendants.

5 And I, who am without years, shall be subject to the reckoning of years, of times, of months, and of days, and I shall be reckoned as one of the sons of men, in order to save you.”

6 And God ceased to commune with Adam.

 * Reference: John 12:46

Chapter XV – Adam and Eve grieve over the suffering of God to save them from their sins.

1 Then Adam and Eve cried and sorrowed by reason of God’s word to them, that they should not return to the garden until the fulfillment of the days decreed on them; but mostly because God had told them that He should suffer for their salvation.

 Chapter XVI – The first sunrise. Adam and Eve think it is a fire coming to burn them.

1 After this, Adam and Eve continued to stand in the cave, praying and crying, until the morning dawned on them.

2 And when they saw the light returned to them, they retrained from fear, and strengthened their hearts.

3 Then Adam began to come out of the cave. And when he came to the mouth of it, and stood and turned his face towards the east, and saw the sunrise in glowing rays, and felt the heat thereof on his body, he was afraid of it, and thought in his heart that this flame came forth to plague him.

4 He then cried and beat his chest, then he fell on the ground on his face and made his request, saying:

5 “O Lord, plague me not, neither consume me, nor yet take away my life from the earth.”

6 For he thought the sun was God.

7 Because while he was in the garden and heard the voice of God and the sound He made in the garden, and feared Him, Adam never saw the brilliant light of the sun, neither did its flaming heat touch his body.

8 Therefore he was afraid of the sun when flaming rays of it reached him. He thought God meant to plague him therewith all the days He had decreed for him.

9 For Adam also said in his thoughts, as God did not plague us with darkness, behold, He has caused this sun to rise and to plague us with burning heat.

10 But while he was thinking like this in his heart, the Word of God came to him and said:

11 “O Adam, get up on your feet. This sun is not God; but it has been created to give light by day, of which I spoke to you in the cave saying, ‘that the dawn would come, and there would be light by day.’

12 But I am God who comforted you in the night.”

13 And God ceased to commune with Adam.

Chapter XVII – The Chapter of the Serpent.

1 The Adam and Eve came out at the mouth of the cave, and went towards the garden.

2 But as they went near it, before the western gate, from which Satan came when he deceived Adam and Eve, they found the serpent that became Satan coming at the gate, and sorrowfully licking the dust, and wiggling on its breast on the ground, by reason of the curse that fell on it from God.

3 And whereas before the serpent was the most exalted of all beasts, now it was changed and become slippery, and the meanest of them all, and it crept on its breast and went on its belly.

4 And whereas it was the fairest of all beasts, it had been changed, and was become the ugliest of them all. Instead of feeding on the best food, now it turned to eat the dust. Instead of living, as before, in the best places, now it lived in the dust.

5 And, whereas it had been the most beautiful of all beasts, all of which stood dumb at its beauty, it was now abhorred of them.

6 And, again, whereas it lived in one beautiful home, to which all other animals came from elsewhere; and where it drank, they drank also of the same; now, after it had become venomous, by reason of God’s curse, all beasts fled from its home, and would not drink of the water it drank; but fled from it.

Chapter XVIII – The mortal combat with the serpent.

1 When the accursed serpent saw Adam and Eve, it swelled its head, stood on its tail, and with eyes blood red, acted like it would kill them.

2 It made straight for Eve, and ran after her; while Adam standing by, cried because he had no stick in his hand with which to hit the serpent, and did not know how to put it to death.

3 But with a heart burning for Eve, Adam approached the serpent, and held it by the tail; when it turned towards him and said to him:

4 “O Adam, because of you and of Eve, I am slippery, and go on my belly.” Then with its great strength, it threw down Adam and Eve and squeezed them, and tried to kill them.

5 But God sent an angel who threw the serpent away from them, and raised them up.

6 Then the Word of God came to the serpent, and said to it, “The first time I made you slick, and made you to go on your belly; but I did not deprive you of speech.

7 This time, however, you will be mute, and you and your race will speak no more; because, the first time My creatures were ruined because of you, and this time you tried to kill them.”

8 Then the serpent was struck mute, and was no longer able to speak.

9 And a wind blew down from heaven by the command of God and carried away the serpent from Adam and Eve, and threw it on the seashore where it landed in India.

Chapter XIX – Beasts made subject to Adam.

1 But Adam and Eve cried before God. And Adam said to Him:

2 “O Lord, when I was in the cave, I said this to you, my Lord, the beasts of the field would rise and devour me, and cut off my life from the earth.”

3 Then Adam, because of what had happened to him, beat his chest and fell on the ground like a corpse. Then the Word of God came to him, who raised him, and said to him,

4 “O Adam, not one of these beasts will be able to hurt you; because I have made the beasts and other moving things come to you in the cave. I did not let the serpent come with them because it might have risen against you and made you tremble; and the fear of it should fall into your hearts.

5 For I knew that the accursed one is wicked; therefore I would not let it come near you with the other beasts.

6 But now strengthen your heart and fear not. I am with you to the end of the days I have determined on you.”

Chapter XX – Adam wishes to protect Eve.

1 Then Adam cried and said, “O God, take us away to some other place, where the serpent can not come near us again, and rise against us. For fear that it might find Your handmaid Eve alone and kill her; for its eyes are hideous and evil.”

2 But God said to Adam and Eve, “From now on, don’t be afraid, I will not let it come near you; I have driven it away from you, from this mountain; neither will I leave in it the ability to hurt you.”

3 Then Adam and Eve worshipped before God and gave Him thanks, and praised Him for having delivered them from death.

Chapter XXI – Adam and Eve attempt suicide.

1 Then Adam and Eve went in search of the garden.

2 And the heat beat like a flame on their faces; and they sweated from the heat, and cried before the Lord.

3 But the place where they cried was close to a high mountain, facing the western gate of the garden.

4 Then Adam threw himself down from the top of that mountain; his face was torn and his flesh was ripped; he lost a lot of blood and was close to death.

5 Meanwhile Eve remained standing on the mountain crying over him, thus lying.

6 And she said, “I don’t wish to live after him; for all that he did to himself was through me.”

7 Then she threw herself after him; and was torn and ripped by stones; and remained lying as dead.

8 But the merciful God, who looks over His creatures, looked at Adam and Eve as they lay dead, and He sent His Word to them, and raised them.

9 And said to Adam, “O Adam, all this misery which you have brought on yourself, will have no affect against My rule, neither will it alter the covenant of the 5, 500 years.”

Chapter XXII – Adam in a gracious mood.

1 Then Adam said to God, “I dry up in the heat, I am faint from walking, and I don’t want to be in this world. And I don’t know when You will take me out of it to rest.”

2 Then the Lord God said to him, “O Adam, it cannot be now, not until you have ended your days. Then shall I bring you out of this miserable land.”

3 And Adam said to God, “While I was in the garden I knew neither heat, nor languor, neither moving about, nor trembling, nor fear; but now since I came to this land, all this affliction has come over me.

4 Then God said to Adam, “So long as you were keeping My commandment, My light and My grace rested on you. But when you transgressed My commandment, sorrow and misery came to you in this land.”

5 And Adam cried and said, “O Lord, do not cut me off for this, neither punish me with heavy plagues, nor yet repay me according to my sin; for we, of our own will, transgressed Your commandment, and ignored Your law, and tried to become gods like you, when Satan the enemy deceived us.”

6 Then God said again to Adam, “Because you have endured fear and trembling in this land, languor and suffering, treading and walking about, going on this mountain, and dying from it, I will take all this on Myself in order to save you.”

Chapter XXIII – Adam and Eve strengthen themselves and make the first altar ever built.

1 Then Adam cried more and said, “O God, have mercy on me, so far as to take on yourself, that which I will do.”

2 But God withdrew His Word from Adam and Eve.

3 Then Adam and Eve stood on their feet; and Adam said to Eve, “Strengthen yourself, and I also will strengthen myself.” And she strengthened herself, as Adam told her.

4 Then Adam and Eve took stones and placed them in the shape of an altar; and they took leaves from the trees outside the garden, with which they wiped, from the face of the rock, the blood they had spilled.

5 But that which had dropped on the sand, they took together with the dust with which it was mingled and offered it on the altar as an offering to God.

6 Then Adam and Eve stood under the Altar and cried, thus praying to God, “Forgive us our trespass* and our sin, and look at us with Your eye of mercy. For when we were in the garden our praises and our hymns went up before you without ceasing.

7 But when we came into this strange land, pure praise was not longer ours, nor righteous prayer, nor understanding hearts, nor sweet thoughts, nor just counsels, nor long discernment, nor upright feelings, neither is our bright nature left us. But our body is changed from the likeness in which it was at first, when we were created.

8 Yet now look at our blood which is offered on these stones, and accept it at our hands, like the praise we used to sing to you at first, when in the garden.”

9 And Adam began to make more requests of God.

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ORIGINAL OF THE LORD’S PRAYER SAID TO BE USED ABOUT 150 YEARS BEFORE OUR LORD :

Our Father, Who art in Heaven, be gracious unto us, O Lord our God, hallowed be Your Name, and let the remembrance of You be glorified Heaven above and upon earth here below.

Let Your kingdom reign over us now and forever. The Holy Men of old said remit and forgive unto all men whatsoever they have done unto me. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil thing; for Your is the kingdom and Thou shall reign in glory forever and forevermore,

AMEN.

Chapter XXIV – A vivid prophecy of the life and death of Christ.

1 Then the merciful God, good and lover of men, looked at Adam and Eve, and at their blood, which they had held up as an offering to Him; without an order from Him for so doing. But He wondered at them; and accepted their offerings.

2 And God sent from His presence a bright fire, that consumed their offering.

3 He smelled the sweet savor of their offering, and showed them mercy.

4 Then came the Word of God to Adam, and said to him, “O Adam, as you have shed your blood, so will I shed My own blood when I become flesh of your descendants; and as you died, O Adam, so also will I die. And as you built an altar, so also will I make for you an altar of the earth; and as you offered your blood on it, so also will I offer My blood on an altar on the earth.

5 And as you sued for forgiveness through that blood, so also will I make My blood forgiveness of sins, and erase transgressions in it.

6 And now, behold, I have accepted your offering, O Adam, but the days of the covenant in which I have bound you are not fulfilled. When they are fulfilled, then will I bring you back into the garden.

7 Now, therefore, strengthen your heart; and when sorrow comes over you, make Me an offering, and I will be favorable to you.”

Chapter XXV – God represented as merciful and loving. The establishing of worship.

1 But God knew that Adam believed he should frequently kill himself and make an offering to Him of his blood.

2 Therefore He said to him, “O Adam, don’t ever kill yourself like this again, by throwing yourself down from that mountain.”

3 But Adam said to God, “I was thinking to put an end to myself at once, for having transgressed Your commandments, and for my having come out of the beautiful garden; and for the bright light of which You have deprived me; and for the praises which poured forth from my mouth without ceasing, and for the light that covered me.

4 Yet of Your goodness, O God, do not get rid of me altogether; but be favorable to me every time I die, and bring me to life.

5 And thereby it will be made known that You are a merciful God, who does not want anyone to perish; who loves not that one should fall; and who does not condemn any one cruelly, badly, and by whole destruction.”

6 Then Adam remained silent.

7 And the Word of God came to him, and blessed him, and comforted him, and covenanted with him, that He would save him at the end of the days determined for him.

8 This, then, was the first offering Adam made to God; and so it became his custom to do.

Chapter XXVI – A beautiful prophecy of eternal life and joy (v. 15). The fall of night.

1 Then Adam took Eve, and they began to return to the Cave of Treasures where they lived. But when they got closer to it and saw it from a distance, heavy sorrow fell on Adam and Eve when they looked at it.

2 Then Adam said to Eve, “When we were on the mountain we were comforted by the Word of God that conversed with us; and the light that came from the east shown over us.

3 But now the Word of God is hidden from us; and the light that shown over us is so changed as to disappear, and let darkness and sorrow come over us.

4 And we are forced to enter this cave which is like a prison, in which darkness covers us, so that we are separated from each other; and you can not see me, neither can I see you.”

5 When Adam had said these words, they cried and spread their hands before God; for they were full of sorrow.

6 And they prayed to God to bring the sun to them, to shine on them, so that darkness would not return to them, and that they wouldn’t have to go under this covering of rock. And they wished to die rather than see the darkness.

7 Then God looked at Adam and Eve and at their great sorrow, and at all they had done with a fervent heart, on account of all the trouble they were in, instead of their former well-being, and on account of all the misery that came over them in a strange land.

8 Therefore God was not angry with them; nor impatient with them; but he was patient and forbearing towards them, as towards the children He had created.

9 Then came the Word of God to Adam, and said to him, “Adam, as for the sun, if I were to take it and bring it to you, days, hours, years and months would all stop, and the covenant I have made with you, would never be fulfilled.

10 But then you would be deserted and stuck in a perpetual plague, and you would never be saved.

11 Yes, rather, bear long and calm your soul while you live night and day; until the fulfillment of the days, and the time of My covenant is come.

12 Then shall I come and save you, O Adam, for I do not wish that you be afflicted.

13 And when I look at all the good things in which you lived, and why you came out of them, then would I willingly show you mercy.

14 But I cannot alter the covenant that has gone out of My mouth; otherwise I would have brought you back into the garden.

15 When, however, the covenant is fulfilled, then shall I show you and your descendants mercy, and bring you into a land of gladness, where there is neither sorrow nor suffering; but abiding joy and gladness, and light that never fails, and praises that never cease; and a beautiful garden that shall never pass away.”

16 And God said again to Adam, “Be patient and enter the cave, for the darkness, of which you were afraid, shall only be twelve hours long; and when ended, light shall come up.”

17 Then when Adam heard these words from God, he and Eve worshipped before Him, and their hearts were comforted. They returned into the cave after their custom, while tears flowed from their eyes, sorrow and wailing came from their hearts, and they wished their soul would leave their body.

18 And Adam and Eve stood praying until the darkness of night came over them, and Adam was hid from Eve, and she from him.

19 And they remained standing in prayer.

Chapter XXVII – The second tempting of Adam and Eve. The devil takes on the form of a beguiling light.

1 When Satan, the hater of all good, saw how they continued in prayer, and how God communed with them, and comforted them, and how He had accepted their offering Satan made an apparition.

2 He began with transforming his hosts; in his hands was a flashing fire, and they were in a great light.

3 He then placed his throne near the mouth of the cave because he could not enter into it by reason of their prayers. And he shed light into the cave, until the cave glistened over Adam and Eve; while his hosts began to sing praises.

4 And Satan did this, in order that when Adam saw the light, he should think within himself that it was a heavenly light, and that Satan’s hosts were angels; and that God had sent them to watch at the cave, and to give him light in the darkness.

5 So that when Adam came out of the cave and saw them, and Adam and Eve bowed to Satan, then he would overcome Adam thereby, and a second time humble him before God.

6 When, therefore, Adam and Eve saw the light, fancying it was real, they strengthened their hearts; yet, as they were trembling, Adam said to Eve:

7 “Look at that great light, and at those many songs of praise, and at that host standing outside who won’t come into our cave. Why don’t they tell us what they want, where they are from, what the meaning of this light is, what those praises are, why they have been sent to this place, and why they won’t come in?

8 If they were from God, they would come into the cave with us, and would tell us why they were sent.”

9 Then Adam stood up and prayed to God with a burning heart, and said:

10 “O Lord, is there in the world another god besides You, who created angels and filled them with light, and sent them to keep us, who would come with them?

11 But, look, we see these hosts that stand at the mouth of the cave; they are in a great light; they sing loud praises. If they are of some other god than You, tell me; and if they are sent by you, inform me of the reason for which You have sent them.”

12 No sooner had Adam said this, than an angel from God appeared to him in the cave, who said to him, “O Adam, fear not. This is Satan and his hosts; he wishes to deceive you as he deceived you at first. For the first time, he was hidden in the serpent; but this time he is come to you in the likeness of an angel of light; in order that, when you worshipped him, he might enslave you, in the very presence of God.”

13 Then the angel went from Adam and seized Satan at the opening of the cave, and stripped him of the pretense he had assumed, and brought him in his own hideous form to Adam and Eve; who were afraid of him when they saw him.

14 And the angel said to Adam, “This hideous form has been his ever since God made him fall from heaven. He could not have come near you in it; he therefore transformed himself into an angel of light.”

15 Then the angel drove away Satan and his hosts from Adam and Eve, and said to them, “Fear not; God who created you, will strengthen you.”

16 And the angel left them.

17 But Adam and Eve remained standing in the cave; no consolation came to them; they divided in their thoughts.

18 And when it was morning they prayed; and then went out to seek the garden. For their hearts were towards it, and they could get no consolation for having left it.

Chapter XXVIII – The Devil pretends to lead Adam and Eve to the water to bathe.

1 But when the crafty Satan saw them, that they were going to the garden, he gathered together his host, and came in appearance on a cloud, intent on deceiving them.

2 But when Adam and Eve saw him thus in a vision, they thought they were angels of God come to comfort them about having left the garden, or to bring them back again into it.

3 And Adam spread his hands before God, beseeching Him to make him understand what they were.

4 Then Satan, the hater of all good, said to Adam, “O Adam, I am an angel of the great God; and, behold the hosts that surround me.

5 God has sent us to take you and bring you to the border of the garden northwards; to the shore of the clear sea, and bathe you and Eve in it, and raise you to your former gladness, that you return again to the garden.”

6 These words sank into the heart of Adam and Eve.

7 Yet God withheld His Word from Adam, and did not make him understand at once, but waited to see his strength; whether he would be overcome as Eve was when in the garden, or whether he would prevail.

8 Then Satan called to Adam and Eve, and said, “Behold, we go to the sea of water,” and they began to go.

9 And Adam and Eve followed them at some little distance.

10 But when they came to the mountain to the north of the garden, a very high mountain, without any steps to the top of it, the Devil drew near to Adam and Eve, and made them go up to the top in reality, and not in a vision; wishing, as he did, to throw them down and kill them, and to wipe off their name from the earth; so that this earth should remain to him and his hosts alone.

Chapter XXIX – God tells Adam of the Devil’s purpose. (v. 4).

1 But when the merciful God saw that Satan wished to kill Adam with his many tricks, and saw that Adam was meek and without guile, God spoke to Satan in a loud voice, and cursed him.

2 Then he and his hosts fled, and Adam and Eve remained standing on the top of the mountain, from there they saw below them the wide world, high above which they were. But they saw none of the host which time after time were by them.

3 They cried, both Adam and Eve, before God, and begged for forgiveness of Him.

4 Then came the Word from God to Adam, and said to him, “Know you and understand concerning this Satan, that he seeks to deceive you and your descendants after you.”

5 And Adam cried before the Lord God, and begged and prayed to Him to give him something from the garden, as a token to him, wherein to be comforted.

6 And God considered Adam’s thought, and sent the angel Michael as far as the sea that reaches India, to take from there golden rods and bring them to Adam.

7 This did God in His wisdom in order that these golden rods, being with Adam in the cave, should shine forth with light in the night around him, and put an end to his fear of the darkness.

8 Then the angel Michael went down by God’s order, took golden rods, as God had commanded him, and brought them to God.

Chapter XXX – Adam receives the first worldly goods.

1 After these things, God commanded the angel Gabriel to go down to the garden, and say to the cherub who kept it, “Behold, God has commanded me to come into the garden, and to take from it sweet smelling incense, and give it to Adam.”

2 Then the angel Gabriel went down by God’s order to the garden, and told the cherub as God had commanded him.

3 The cherub then said, “Well.” And Gabriel went in and took the incense.

4 Then God commanded his angel Raphael to go down to the garden, and speak to the cherub about some myrrh, to give to Adam.

5 And the angel Raphael went down and told the cherub as God had commanded him, and the cherub said, “Well.” Then Raphael went in and took the myrrh.

6 The golden rods were from the Indian sea, where there are precious stones. The incense was from the eastern border of the garden; and the myrrh from the western border, from where bitterness came over Adam.

7 And the angels brought these things to God, by the Tree of Life, in the garden.

8 Then God said to the angels, “Dip them in the spring of water; then take them and sprinkle their water over Adam and Eve, that they be a little comforted in their sorrow, and give them to Adam and Eve.

9 And the angels did as God had commanded them, and they gave all those things to Adam and Eve on the top of the mountain on which Satan had placed them, when he sought to make an end of them.

10 And when Adam saw the golden rods, the incense and the myrrh, he was rejoiced and cried because he thought that the gold was a token of the kingdom from where he had come, that the incense was a token of the bright light which had been taken from him, and that the myrrh was a token of the sorrow in which he was.

Chapter XXXI – They make themselves more comfortable in the Cave of Treasures on the third day.

1 After these things God said to Adam, “You asked Me for something from the garden, to be comforted therewith, and I have given you these three tokens as a consolation to you; that you trust in Me and in My covenant with you.

2 For I will come and save you; and kings shall bring me when in the flesh, gold, incense and myrrh; gold as a token of My kingdom; incense as a token of My divinity; and myrrh as a token of My suffering and of My death.

3 But, O Adam, put these by you in the cave; the gold that it may shed light over you by night; the incense, that you smell its sweet savor; and the myrrh, to comfort you in your sorrow.”

4 When Adam heard these words from God, he worshipped before Him. He and Eve worshipped Him and gave Him thanks, because He had dealt mercifully with them.

5 Then God commanded the three angels, Michael, Gabriel and Raphael, each to bring what he had brought, and give it to Adam. And they did so, one by one.

6 And God commanded Suriyel and Salathiel to bear up Adam and Eve, and bring them down from the top of the high mountain, and to take them to the Cave of Treasures.

7 There they laid the gold on the south side of the cave, the incense on the eastern side, and the myrrh on the western side. For the mouth of the cave was on the north side.

8 The angels then comforted Adam and Eve, and departed.

9 The gold was seventy rods; * the incense, twelve pounds; and the myrrh, three pounds.

10 These remained by Adam in the Cave of Treasures. **

11 God gave these three things to Adam on the third day after he had come out of the garden, in token of the three days the Lord should remain in the heart of the earth.

12 And these three things, as they continued with Adam in the cave, gave him light by night; and by day they gave him a little relief from his sorrow.

* A rod is a unit of linear measure equivalent to 5.5 yards and also a unit of area measure equivalent to 30.25 square yards. In this case, the word rod simply means a kind of long, thin piece of gold of unspecified size and weight.

** This is the original text which appears to contain embedded editorial content: “These remained by Adam in the House of Treasures; therefore was it called ‘of concealment.’ But other interpreters say it was called the ‘Cave of Treasures,’ by reason of the bodies of righteous men that were in it.

Chapter XXXII – Adam and Eve go into the water to pray.

1 And Adam and Eve remained in the Cave of Treasures until the seventh day; they neither ate of the fruit the earth, nor drank water.

2 And when it dawned on the eighth day, Adam said to Eve, “O Eve, we prayed God to give us something from the garden, and He sent his angels who brought us what we had desired.

3 But now, get up, let us go to the sea of water we saw at first, and let us stand in it, praying that God will again be favorable to us and take us back to the garden; or give us something; or that He will give us comfort in some other land than this in which we are.”

4 Then Adam and Eve came out of the cave, went and stood on the border of the sea in which they had before thrown themselves, and Adam said to Eve:

5 Come, go down into this place, and come not out of it until the end of thirty days, when I shall come to you. And pray to God with burning heart and a sweet voice, to forgive us.

6 And I will go to another place, and go down into it, and do like you.”

7 Then Eve went down into the water, as Adam had commanded her. Adam also went down into the water; and they stood praying; and besought the Lord to forgive them their offense, and to restore them to their former state.

8 And they stood like that praying, until the end of the thirty-five days.

Chapter XXXIII – Satan falsely promises the “bright light.”

1 But Satan, the hater of all good, sought them in the cave, but found them not, although he searched diligently for them.

2 But he found them standing in the water praying and thought within himself, “Adam and Eve are standing like that in that water praying to God to forgive them their transgression, and to restore them to their former state, and to take them from under my hand.

3 But I will deceive them so that they shall come out of the water, and not fulfil their vow.”

4 Then the hater of all good, went not to Adam, but he went to Eve, and took the form of an angel of God, praising and rejoicing, and said to her:

5 “Peace be to you! Be glad and rejoice! God is favorable to you, and He sent me to Adam. I have brought him the glad tidings of salvation, and of his being filled with bright light as he was at first.

6 And Adam, in his joy for his restoration, has sent me to you, that you come to me, in order that I crown you with light like him.

7 And he said to me, ‘Speak to Eve; if she does not come with you, tell her of the sign when we were on the top of the mountain; how God sent his angels who took us and brought us to the Cave of Treasures; and laid the gold on the southern side; incense, on the eastern side; and myrrh on the western side.’ Now come to him.”

8 When Eve hear these words from him, she rejoiced greatly. And thinking Satan’s appearance was real, she came out of the sea.

9 He went before, and she followed him until they came to Adam. Then Satan hid himself from her, and she saw him no more.

10 She then came and stood before Adam, who was standing by the water and rejoicing in God’s forgiveness.

11 And as she called to him, he turned around, found her there and cried when he saw her, and beat his chest; and from the bitterness of his grief, he sank into the water.

12 But God looked at him and at his misery, and at his being about to breathe his last. And the Word of God came from heaven, raised him out of the water, and said to him, “Go up the high bank to Eve.” And when he came up to Eve he said to her, “Who told you to come here?”

13 Then she told him the discourse of the angel who had appeared to her and had given her a sign.

14 But Adam grieved, and gave her to know it was Satan. He then took her and they both returned to the cave.

15 These things happened to them the second time they went down to the water, seven days after their coming out of the garden.

16 They fasted in the water thirty-five days; altogether forty-two days since they had left the garden.

 Chapter XXXIV – Adam recalls the creation of Eve. He eloquently appeals for food and drink.

1 And on the morning of the forty-third day, they came out of the cave, sorrowful and crying. Their bodies were lean, and they were parched from hunger and thirst, from fasting and praying, and from their heavy sorrow on account of their transgression.

2 And when they had come out of the cave they went up the mountain to the west of the garden.

3 There they stood and prayed and besought God to grant them forgiveness of their sins.

4 And after their prayers Adam began to beg God, saying, “O my Lord, my God, and my Creator, You commanded the four elements* to be gathered together, and they were gathered together by Your order.

5 Then You spread Your hand and created me out of one element, that of dust of the earth; and You brought me into the garden at the third hour, on a Friday, and informed me of it in the cave.

6 Then, at first, I knew neither night nor day, for I had a bright nature; neither did the light in which I lived ever leave me to know night or day.

7 Then, again, O Lord, in that third hour in which You created me, You brought to me all beasts, and lions, and ostriches, and fowls of the air, and all things that move in the earth, which You had created at the first hour before me of the Friday.

8 And Your will was that I should name them all, one by one, with a suitable name. But You gave me understanding and knowledge, and a pure heart and a right mind from you, that I should name them after Your own mind regarding the naming of them.

9 O God, You made them obedient to me, and ordered that not one of them break from my sway, according to Your commandment, and to the dominion which You had given me over them. But now they are all estranged from me.

10 Then it was in that third hour of Friday, in which You created me, and commanded me concerning the tree, to which I was neither to go near, nor to eat thereof; for You said to me in the garden, ‘When you eat of it, of death you shall die.’

11 And if You had punished me as You said, with death, I should have died that very moment.

12 Moreover, when You commanded me regarding the tree, I was neither to approach nor to eat thereof, Eve was not with me; You had not yet created her, neither had You yet taken her out of my side; nor had she yet heard this order from you.

13 Then, at the end of the third hour of that Friday, O Lord, You caused a slumber and a sleep to come over me, and I slept, and was overwhelmed in sleep.

14 Then You drew a rib out of my side, and created it after my own likeness and image. Then I awoke; and when I saw her and knew who she was, I said, ‘This is bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh; from now on she shall be called woman.’

15 It was of Your good will, O God, that You brought a slumber in a sleep over me, and that You immediately brought Eve out of my side, until she was out, so that I did not see how she was made; neither could I witness, O my Lord, how awful and great are Your goodness and glory.

16 And of Your goodwill, O Lord, You made us both with bodies of a bright nature, and You made us two, one; and You gave us Your grace, and filled us with praises of the Holy Spirit; that we should be neither hungry nor thirsty, nor know what sorrow is, nor yet faintness of heart; neither suffering, fasting nor weariness.

17 But now, O God, since we transgressed Your commandment and broke Your law, You have brought us out into a strange land, and have caused suffering, and faintness, hunger and thirst to come over us.

18 Now, therefore, O God, we pray you, give us something to eat from the garden, to satisfy our hunger with it; and something wherewith to quench our thirst.

19 For, behold, many days, O God, we have tasted nothing and drunk nothing, and our flesh is dried up, and our strength is wasted, and sleep is gone from our eyes from faintness and crying.

20 Then, O God, we dare not gather anything from the fruit of trees, from fear of you. For when we transgress at first You spared us and did not make us die.

21 But now, we thought in our hearts, if we eat of the fruit of the trees, without God’s order, He will destroy us this time, and will wipe us off from the face of the earth.

22 And if we drink of this water, without God’s order, He will make an end of us and root us up at once.

23 Now, therefore, O God, that I am come to this place with Eve, we beg You to give us some fruit from the garden, that we may be satisfied with it.

24 For we desire the fruit that is on the earth, and all else that we lack in it.”

* The medieval belief that there were only four elements – fire, earth, air, and water – was widely accepted until about 1500 AD when the current atomic theory was in its infancy.

Chapter XXXV – God’s reply.

1 Then God looked again at Adam and his crying and groaning, and the Word of God came to him, and said to him:

2 “O Adam, when you were in My garden, you knew neither eating nor drinking; neither faintness nor suffering; neither leanness of flesh, nor change; neither did sleep depart from your eyes. But since you transgressed, and came into this strange land, all these trials are come over you.”

Chapter XXXVI – Figs.

1 Then God commanded the cherub, who kept the gate of the garden with a sword of fire in his hand, to take some of the fruit of the fig-tree, and to give it to Adam.

2 The cherub obeyed the command of the Lord God, and went into the garden and brought two figs on two twigs, each fig hanging to its leaf; they were from two of the trees among which Adam and Eve hid themselves when God went to walk in the garden, and the Word of God came to Adam and Eve and said to them, “Adam, Adam, where are you?”

3 And Adam answered, “O God, here I am. When I heard the sound of You and Your voice, I hid myself, because I am naked.”

4 Then the cherub took two figs and brought them to Adam and Eve. But he threw them to them from a distance; for they might not come near the cherub by reason of their flesh, that could not come near the fire.

5 At first, angels trembled at the presence of Adam and were afraid of him. But now Adam trembled before the angels and was afraid of them.

6 Then Adam came closer and took one fig, and Eve also came in turn and took the other.

7 And as they took them up in their hands, they looked at them, and knew they were from the trees among which they had hidden themselves.

 Chapter XXXVII – Forty-three days of penance do not redeem one hour of sin (v. 6).

1 Then Adam said to Eve, “Do you not see these figs and their leaves, with which we covered ourselves when we were stripped of our bright nature? But now, we do not know what misery and suffering may come over us from eating them.

2 Now, therefore, O Eve, let us restrain ourselves and not eat of them, you and I; and let us ask God to give us of the fruit of the Tree of Life.”

3 Thus did Adam and Eve restrain themselves, and did not eat of these figs.

4 But Adam began to pray to God and to beseech Him to give him of the fruit of the Tree of Life, saying thus: “O God, when we transgressed Your commandment at the sixth hour of Friday, we were stripped of the bright nature we had, and did not continue in the garden after our transgression, more than three hours.

5 But in the evening You made us come out of it. O God, we transgressed against You one hour, and all these trials and sorrows have come over us until this day.

6 And those days together with this the forty-third day, do not redeem that one hour in which we transgressed!

7 O God, look at us with an eye of pity, and do not avenge us according to our transgression of Your commandment, in Your presence.

8 O God, give us of the fruit of the Tree of Life, that we may eat of it, and live, and turn not to see sufferings and other trouble, in this earth; for You are God.

9 When we transgressed Your commandment, You made us come out of the garden, and sent a cherub to keep the Tree of Life, lest we should eat thereof, and live; and know nothing of faintness after we transgressed.

10 But now, O Lord, behold, we have endured all these days, and have borne sufferings. Make these forty-three days an equivalent for the one hour in which we transgressed.”

Chapter XXXVIII – “When 5500 years are fulfilled. . . .”

1 After these things the Word of God came to Adam, and said to him:

2 “O Adam, as to the fruit on the Tree of Life that you have asked for, I will not give it to you now, but only when the 5500 years are fulfilled. At that time I will give you fruit from the Tree of Life, and you will eat, and live forever, you, and Eve, and your righteous descendants.

3 But these forty-three days cannot make amends for the hour in which you transgressed My commandment.

4 O Adam, I gave you the fruit of the fig-tree to eat in which you hid yourself. Go and eat of it, you and Eve.

5 I will not deny your request, neither will I disappoint your hope; therefore, endure until the fulfillment of the covenant I made with you.”

6 And God withdrew His Word from Adam.

 Chapter XXXIX – Adam is cautious—but too late.

1 Then Adam returned to Eve, and said to her, “Get up, and take a fig for yourself, and I will take another; and let us go to our cave.”

2 Then Adam and Eve took each a fig and went towards the cave; the time was about the setting of the sun; and their thoughts made them long to eat of the fruit.

3 But Adam said to Eve, “I am afraid to eat of this fig. I know not what may come over me from it.”

4 So Adam cried, and stood praying before God, saying, “Satisfy my hunger, without my having to eat this fig; for after I have eaten it, what will it profit me? And what shall I desire and ask of you, O God, when it is gone?”

5 And he said again, “I am afraid to eat of it; for I know not what will befall me through it.”

Chapter XL – The first Human hunger.

1 Then the Word of God came to Adam, and said to him, “O Adam, why didn’t you have this dread, or this fasting, or this care before now? And why didn’t you have this fear before you transgressed?

2 But when you came to live in this strange land, your animal body could not survive on earth without earthly food, to strengthen it and to restore its powers.”

3 And God withdrew His Word for Adam.

Chapter XLI – The first Human thirst.

1 Then Adam took the fig, and laid it on the golden rods. Eve also took her fig, and put it on the incense.

2 And the weight of each fig was that of a water-melon; for the fruit of the garden was much larger than the fruit of this land.*

3 But Adam and Eve remained standing and fasting the whole of that night, until the morning dawned.

4 When the sun rose they were still praying, but after they had finished praying, Adam said to Eve:

5 “O Eve, come, let us go to the border of the garden looking south; to the place from where the river flows, and is parted into four heads. There we will pray to God, and ask Him to give us some of the Water of Life to drink .

6 For God has not fed us with the Tree of Life, in order that we may not live. Therefore, we will ask him to give us some of the Water of Life, and to quench our thirst with it, rather than with a drink of water of this land.”

7 When Eve heard these words from Adam, she agreed; and they both got up and came to the southern border of the garden, at the edge of the river of water a short distance from the garden.

8 And they stood and prayed before the Lord, and asked Him to look at them this once, to forgive them, and to grant them their request.

9 After this prayer from both of them, Adam began to pray with his voice before God, and said;

10 “O Lord, when I was in the garden and saw the water that flowed from under the Tree of Life, my heart did not desire, neither did my body require to drink of it; neither did I know thirst, for I was living; and above that which I am now.

11 So that in order to live I did not require any Food of Life, neither did I drink of the Water of Life.

12 But now, O God, I am dead; my flesh is parched with thirst. Give me of the Water of Life that I may drink of it and live.

13 Of Your mercy, O God, save me from these plagues and trials, and bring me into another land different from this, if You will not let me live in Your garden.”

* This is substantiated by Genesis 3:7 whereby the leaves of the fig tree were large enough that Adam and Eve

could fashion garments from them.

 Chapter XLII – A promise of the Water of Life. The third prophecy of the coming of Christ.

1 Then came the Word of God to Adam, and said to him:

2 “O Adam, as to what you said, ‘Bring me into a land where there is rest,’ it is not another land than this, but it is the kingdom of heaven where alone there is rest.

3 But you can not make your entrance into it at present; but only after your judgment is past and fulfilled.

4 Then will I make you go up into the kingdom of heaven, you and your righteous descendants; and I will give you and them the rest you ask for at present.

5 And if you said, ‘Give me of the Water of Life that I may drink and live’—it cannot be this day, but on the day that I shall descend into hell, and break the gates of brass, and bruise in pieces the kingdoms of iron.

6 Then will I in mercy save your soul and the souls of the righteous, to give them rest in My garden. And that shall be when the end of the world is come.

7 And, again, in regards to the Water of Life you seek, it will not be granted you this day; but on the day that I shall shed My blood on your head* in the land of Golgotha. **

8 For My blood shall be the Water of Life to you at that time, and not to just you alone, but to all your descendants who shall believe in Me***; that it be to them for rest forever.”

9 The Lord said again to Adam, “O Adam, when you were in the garden, these trials did not come to you.

10 But since you transgressed My commandment, all these sufferings have come over you.

11 Now, also, does your flesh require food and drink; drink then of that water that flows by you on the face of the earth.

12 Then God withdrew His Word from Adam.

13 And Adam and Eve worshipped the Lord, and returned from the river of water to the cave. It was noon-day; and when they drew near to the cave, they saw a large fire by it.

* This phrase indicates that the bleeding will take place in an elevated position above the populace. This is believed to be a reference to the cross whereby Christ bled profusely above the people below.

** Golgotha (goal-goth-uh) was the hill outside the walls of Jerusalem where Jesus was crucified. Its exact location is not precisely known, but the Church of the Holy Sepulcher is believed to have been constructed on this hill.

*** Reference: John 6:25 and 7:38

Chapter XLIII – The Devil attempts arson.

1 Then Adam and Eve were afraid, and stood still. And Adam said to Eve, “What is that fire by our cave? We have done nothing in it to cause this fire.

2 We neither have bread to bake therein, nor broth to cook there. As to this fire, we have never known anything like it, neither do we know what to call it.

3 But ever since God sent the cherub with a sword of fire that flashed and lightened in his hand, from fear of which we fell down and were like corpses, have we not seen the like.

4 But now, O Eve, behold, this is the same fire that was in the cherub’s hand, which God has sent to keep the cave in which we live.

5 O Eve, it is because God is angry with us, and will drive us from it.

6 O Eve, we have again transgressed His commandment in that cave, so that He had sent this fire to burn around it, and to prevent us from going into it.

7 If this be really so, O Eve, where shall we live? And where shall we flee from before the face of the Lord? Since, in regards to the garden, He will not let us live in it, and He has deprived us of the good things thereof; but He has placed us in this cave, in which we have borne darkness, trials and hardships, until at last we have found comfort therein.

8 But now that He has brought us out into another land, who knows what may happen in it? And who knows but that the darkness of that land may be far greater than the darkness of this land?

9 Who knows what may happen in that land by day or by night? And who knows whether it will be far or near, O Eve? Where it will please God to put us, may be far from the garden, O Eve? Or where God will prevent us from beholding Him, because we have transgressed His commandment, and because we have made requests of Him at all times?

10 O Eve, if God will bring us into a strange land other than this, in which we find consolation, it must be to put our souls to death, and blot out our name from the face of the earth.

11 O Eve, if we are further alienated from the garden and from God, where shall we find Him again, and ask Him to give us gold, incense, myrrh, and some fruit of the fig-tree?

12 Where shall we find Him, to comfort us a second time? Where shall we find Him, that He may think of us, as regards the covenant He has made on our behalf?”

13 Then Adam said no more. And they kept looking, He and Eve, towards the cave, and at the fire that flared up around it.

14 But that fire was from Satan. For he had gathered trees and dry grasses, and had carried and brought them to the cave, and had set fire to them, in order to consume the cave and what was in it.

15 So that Adam and Eve should be left in sorrow, and he should cut off their trust in God, and make them deny Him.

16 But by the mercy of God he could not burn the cave, for God sent His angel around the cave to guard it from such a fire, until it went out.

17 And this fire lasted from noon-day until the break of day. That was the forty-fifth day.

Chapter XLIV – The power of fire over man.

1 Yet Adam and Eve were standing and looking at the fire, and unable to come near the cave from their dread of the fire.

2 And Satan kept on bringing trees and throwing them into the fire, until the flames of the fire rose up on high, and covered the whole cave, thinking, as he did in his own mind, to consume the cave with much fire. But the angel of the Lord was guarding it.

3 And yet he could not curse Satan, nor injure him by word, because he had no authority over him, neither did he take to doing so with words from his mouth.

4 Therefore the angel tolerated him, without saying one bad word, until the Word of God came who said to Satan, “Go away from here; once before you deceived My servants, and this time you seek to destroy them.

5 Were it not for My mercy I would have destroyed you and your hosts from off the earth. But I have had patience with you, until the end of the world.”

6 Then Satan fled from before the Lord. But the fire went on burning around the cave like a coal-fire the whole day; which was the forty-sixth day Adam and Eve had spent since they came out of the garden.

7 And when Adam and Eve saw that the heat of the fire had somewhat cooled down, they began to walk towards the cave to get into it as they usually did; but they could not, by reason of the heat of the fire.

8 Then they both began crying because of the fire that separated them from the cave, and that came towards them, burning. And they were afraid.

9 Then Adam said to Eve, “See this fire of which we have a portion in us: which formerly yielded to us, but no longer does so, now that we have transgressed the limit of creation, and changed our condition, and our nature is altered. But the fire is not changed in its nature, nor altered from its creation. Therefore it now has power over us; and when we come near it, it scorches our flesh.”

 Chapter XLV – Why Satan didn’t fulfil his promises. Description of hell.

1 Then Adam rose and prayed to God, saying, “See, this fire has separated us from the cave in which You have commanded us to live; but now, behold, we cannot go into it.”

2 Then God heard Adam, and sent him His Word, that said:

3 “O Adam, see this fire! How different the flame and heat thereof are from the garden of delights and the good things in it!

4 When you were under My control, all creatures yielded to you; but after you have transgressed My commandment, they all rise over you.”

5 God said again to him, “See, O Adam, how Satan has exalted you! He has deprived you of the Godhead, and of an exalted state like Me, and has not kept his word to you; but has, after all, become your enemy. He is the one who made this fire in which he meant to burn you and Eve.

6 Why, O Adam, has he not kept his agreement with you, not even one day; but has deprived you of the glory that was on you—when you yielded to his command?

7 Do you think, Adam, that he loved you when he made this agreement with you? Or that he loved you and wished to raise you on high?

8 But no, Adam, he did not do all that out of love to you; but he wished to make you come out of light into darkness; and from an exalted state to degradation; from glory to abasement; from joy to sorrow; and from rest to fasting and fainting.”

9 God also said to Adam, “See this fire kindled by Satan around your cave; see this wonder that surrounds you; and know that it will encompass about both you and your descendants, when you obey his command; that he will plague you with fire; and that you will go down into hell after you are dead.

10 Then you will see the burning of his fire, that will be burning around you and likewise your descendants. You will not be delivered from it until My coming; just like you cannot go into your cave right now because of the great fire around it; not until My Word comes and makes a way for you on the day My covenant is fulfilled.

11 There is no way for you at present to come from this life to rest, not until My Word comes, who is My Word. Then He will make a way for you, and you shall have rest.” Then God called with His Word to the fire that burned around the cave, that it split itself in half, until Adam had gone through it. Then the fire parted itself by God’s order, and a way was made for Adam.*

12 And God withdrew His Word from Adam.

* Reference: Exodus 14:21,22 and Joshua 3:15-17

Chapter XLVI – “How many times have I delivered you out of his hand . . .”

1 Then Adam and Eve began again to come into the cave. And when they came to the way between the fire, Satan blew into the fire like a whirlwind, and caused the burning coal-fire to cover Adam and Eve; so that their bodies were singed; and the coal-fire scorched them.*

2 And from the burning of the fire Adam and Eve screamed, and said, “O Lord, save us! Leave us not to be consumed and plagued by this burning fire; neither require us for having transgressed Your commandment.”

3 Then God looked at their bodies, on which Satan had caused fire to burn, and God sent His angel that stayed the burning fire. But the wounds remained on their bodies.

4 And God said to Adam, “See Satan’s love for you, who pretended to give you the Godhead and greatness; and, behold, he burns you with fire, and seeks to destroy you from off the earth.

5 Then look at Me, O Adam; I created you, and how many times have I delivered you out of his hand? If not, wouldn’t he have destroyed you?”

6 God said again to Eve, “What is that he promised you in the garden, saying, ‘As soon as you eat from the tree, your eyes will be opened, and you shall become like gods, knowing good and evil.’ But look! He has burnt your bodies with fire, and has made you taste the taste of fire, for the taste of the garden; and has made you see the burning of fire, and the evil of it, and the power it has over you.

7 Your eyes have seen the good he has taken from you, and in truth he has opened your eyes; and you have seen the garden in which you were with Me, and you have also seen the evil that has come over you from Satan. But as to the Godhead he cannot give it to you, neither fulfil his speech to you. No, he was bitter against you and your descendants, that will come after you.”

8 And God withdrew His Word form them.

* At this time, the garments that the Lord had given them in Genesis 3:21 were burned off so that Adam and Eve were again naked. Reference chapter L whereby Adam and Eve seek garments with which to cover their nakedness..

Chapter XLVII – The Devil’s own Scheming.

1 Then Adam and Eve came into the cave, yet trembling at the fire that had scorched their bodies. So Adam said to Eve:

2 “Look, the fire has burnt our flesh in this world; but how will it be when we are dead, and Satan shall punish our souls? Is not our deliverance long and far off, unless God come, and in mercy to us fulfil His promise?”

3 Then Adam and Eve passed into the cave, blessing themselves for coming into it once more. For it was in their thoughts, that they never should enter it, when they saw the fire around it.

4 But as the sun was setting the fire was still burning and nearing Adam and Eve in the cave, so that they could not sleep in it. After the sun had set, they went out of it. This was the forty-seventh day after they came out of the garden.

5 Adam and Eve then came under the top of hill by the garden to sleep, as they were accustomed.

6 And they stood and prayed God to forgive them their sins, and then fell asleep under the summit of the mountain.

7 But Satan, the hater of all good, thought within himself: “Whereas God has promised salvation to Adam by covenant, and that He would deliver him out of all the hardships that have befallen him—but has not promised me by covenant, and will not deliver me out of my hardships; no, since He has promised him that He should make him and his descendants live in the kingdom in which I once was I will kill Adam.

8 The earth shall be rid of him; and shall be left to me alone; so that when he is dead he may not have any descendants left to inherit the kingdom that shall remain my own realm; God will then be wanting me, and He will restore it to me and my hosts.”

Chapter XLVIII – Fifth apparition of Satan to Adam and Eve.

1 After this Satan called to his hosts, all of which came to him, and said to him:

2 “O, our lord, what will you do?”

3 He then said to them, “You know that this Adam, whom God created out of the dust, is the one who has taken our kingdom, come, let us gather together and kill him; or hurl a rock at him and at Eve, and crush them under it.”

4 When Satan’s hosts heard these words, they came to the part of the mountain where Adam and Eve were asleep.

5 Then Satan and his host took a huge rock, broad and even, and without blemish, thinking within himself, “If there should be a hole in the rock, when it fell on them, the hole in the rock might come over them, and so they would escape and not die.”

6 He then said to his hosts, “Take up this stone, and throw it flat on them, so that it doesn’t roll off them to somewhere else. And when you have hurled it, get away from there quickly.”

7 And they did as he told them. But as the rock fell down from the mountain toward Adam and Eve, God commanded the rock to become a dome over them,* that did them no harm. And so it was by God’s order.

8 But when the rock fell, the whole earth quaked with it,** and was shaken from the size of the rock.

9 And as it quaked and shook, Adam and Eve awoke from sleep, and found themselves under a dome of rock. But they didn’t know what had happened; because when the fell asleep they were under the sky, and not under a dome; and when they saw it, they were afraid.

10 Then Adam said to Eve, “Wherefore has the mountain bent itself, and the earth quaked and shaken on our account? And why has this rock spread itself over us like a tent?

11 Does God intend to plague us and to shut us up in this prison? Or will He close the earth over us?

12 He is angry with us for our having come out of the cave, without His order; and for our having done so of our own accord, without consulting Him, when we left the cave and came to this place.”

13 Then Eve said, “If, indeed, the earth quaked for our sake, and this rock forms a tent over us because of our transgression, then we will be sorry, O Adam, because our punishment will be long.

14 But get up and pray to God to let us know concerning this, and what this rock is that is spread over us like a tent.”

15 Then Adam stood up and prayed before the Lord, to let him know what had brought about this difficult time. And Adam stood praying like that until the morning.

* The word “dome” is used here but the text does not specifically suggest that the covering was round – only that it covered them on all sides, however a dome is the most likely shape that would have be able to withstand the impact with the ground. From verse 9 that says “when they saw it” and verse 11 that says “shut us up in this prison”, we can conclude that the dome had holes in its sides that were big enough to let in light and air but were too small to allow Adam and Eve to escape. Another conclusion would be that the holes were large but too high up for Adam and Eve to reach, however the former is more likely.

** In verse 7 of the next chapter (XLIX), God tells Adam and Eve that the ground was also lowered under them – “I commanded … the rock under you to lower itself”.

Chapter XLIX – The first prophecy of the Resurrection.

1 Then the Word of God came and said:

2 “O Adam, who counseled you, when you came out of the cave, to come to this place?”

3 And Adam said to God, “O Lord, we came to this place because of the heat of the fire, that came over us inside the cave.”

4 Then the Lord God said to Adam, “O Adam, you dread the heat of fire for one night, but how will it be when you live in hell?

5 Yet, O Adam, don’t be afraid, and don’t believe that I have placed this dome of rock over you to plague you with it.

6 It came from Satan, who had promised you the Godhead and majesty. It is he who threw down this rock to kill you under it, and Eve with you, and thus to prevent you from living on the earth.

7 But, in mercy for you, just as that rock was falling down on you, I commanded it to form an dome over you; and the rock under you to lower itself.

8 And this sign, O Adam, will happen to Me at My coming on earth: Satan will raise the people of the Jews to put Me to death; and they will lay Me in a rock, and seal a large stone over Me, and I shall remain within that rock three days and three nights.

9 But on the third day I shall rise again, and it shall be salvation to you, O Adam, and to your descendants, to believe in Me. But, O Adam, I will not bring you from under this rock until three days and three nights have passed.”

10 And God withdrew His Word from Adam.

11 But Adam and Eve lived under the rock three days and three nights, as God had told them.

12 And God did so to them because they had left their cave and had come to this same place without God’s order.

13 But, after three days and three nights, God created an opening in the dome of rock and allowed them to get out from under it. Their flesh was dried up, and their eyes and hearts were troubled from crying and sorrow.

Chapter L – Adam and Eve seek to cover their nakedness.

1 Then Adam and Eve went forth and came into the Cave of Treasures, and they stood praying in it the whole of that day, until the evening.

2 And this took place at the end of the fifty days after they had left the garden.

3 But Adam and Eve rose again and prayed to God in the cave the whole of that night, and begged for mercy from Him.

4 And when the day dawned, Adam said to Eve, “Come! Let us go and do some work for our bodies.”

5 So they went out of the cave, and came to the northern border of the garden, and they looked for something to cover their bodies with.* But they found nothing, and knew not how to do the work. Yet their bodies were stained, and they were speechless from cold and heat.

6 Then Adam stood and asked God to show him something with which to cover their bodies.

7 Then came the Word of God and said to him, “O Adam, take Eve and come to the seashore where you fasted before. There you will find skins of sheep that were left after lions ate the carcasses. Take them and make garments for yourselves, and clothe yourselves with them.

* Chapter XLVI, verse 1, says “Satan blew into the fire … so that their bodies were singed”. At this time, the garments that the Lord had given them in Genesis 3:21 were burned off so that Adam and Eve were again naked.

Chapter LI – “What is his beauty that you should have followed him?”

1 When Adam heard these words from God, he took Eve and went from the northern end of the garden to the south of it, by the river of water where they once fasted.

2 But as they were going on their way, and before they got there, Satan, the wicked one, had heard the Word of God communing with Adam respecting his covering.

3 It grieved him, and he hastened to the place where the sheep-skins were, with the intention of taking them and throwing them into the sea, or of burning them with fire, so that Adam and Eve would not find them.

4 But as he was about to take them, the Word of God came from heaven, and bound him by the side of those skins until Adam and Eve came near him. But as they got closer to him they were afraid of him, and of his hideous look.

5 Then came the Word of God to Adam and Eve, and said to them, “This is he who was hidden in the serpent, and who deceived you, and stripped you of the garment of light and glory in which you were.

6 This is he who promised you majesty and divinity. Where, then, is the beauty that was on him? Where is his divinity? Where is his light? Where is the glory that rested on him?

7 Now his figure is hideous; he is become abominable among angels; and he has come to be called Satan.

8 O Adam, he wished to take from you this earthly garment of sheep-skins, and to destroy it, and not let you be covered with it.

9 What, then, is his beauty that you should have followed him? And what have you gained by obeying him? See his evil works and then look at Me; at Me, your Creator, and at the good deeds I do you.

10 See, I bound him until you came and saw him and beheld his weakness, that no power is left with him.”

11 And God released him from his bonds.

Chapter LII – Adam and Eve sew the first shirt.

1 After this Adam and Eve said no more, but cried before God on account of their creation, and of their bodies that required an earthly covering.

2 Then Adam said to Eve, “O Eve, this is the skin of beasts with which we shall be covered, but when we put it on, behold, we shall be wearing a token of death on our bodies. Just as the owners of these skins have died and have wasted away, so also shall we die and pass away.”

3 Then Adam and Eve took the skins, and went back to the Cave of Treasures; and when in it, they stood and prayed as they were accustomed.

4 And they thought how they could make garments of those skins; for they had no skill for it.

5 Then God sent to them His angel to show them how to work it out. And the angel said to Adam, “Go forth, and bring some palm-thorns.” Then Adam went out, and brought some, as the angel had commanded him.

6 Then the angel began before them to work out the skins, after the manner of one who prepares a shirt. And he took the thorns and stuck them into the skins, before their eyes.

7 Then the angel again stood up and prayed God that the thorns in those skins should be hidden, so as to be, as it were, sewn with one thread.

8 And so it was, by God’s order; they became garments for Adam and Eve, and He clothed them therewith.

9 From that time the nakedness of their bodies was covered from the sight of each other’s eyes.

10 And this happened at the end of the fifty-first day.

11 Then when Adam’s and Eve’s bodies were covered, they stood and prayed, and sought mercy of the Lord, and forgiveness, and gave Him thanks for that He had had mercy on them, and had covered their nakedness. And they ceased not from prayer the whole of that night.

12 Then when the morning dawned at the rising of the sun, they said their prayers after their custom; and then went out of the cave.

13 And Adam said to Eve, “Since we don’t know what there is to the west of this cave, let us go out and see it today.” Then they came forth and went toward the western border.

Chapter LIII – The prophecy of the Western Lands and of the great flood.

1 They were not very far from the cave, when Satan came towards them, and hid himself between them and the cave, under the form of two ravenous lions three days without food, that came towards Adam and Eve, as if to break them in pieces and devour them.

2 Then Adam and Eve cried, and prayed God to deliver them from their paws.

3 Then the Word of God came to them, and drove away the lions from them.

4 And God said to Adam, “O Adam, what do you seek on the western border? And why have you left of your own accord the eastern border, in which was your living place?

5 Now then, turn back to your cave, and remain in it, so that Satan won’t deceive you or work his purpose over you.

6 For in this western border, O Adam, there will go from you a descendant, that shall replenish it; and that will defile themselves with their sins, and with their yielding to the commands of Satan, and by following his works.

7 Therefore will I bring over them the waters of a flood, and overwhelm them all. But I will deliver what is left of the righteous among them; and I will bring them to a distant land, and the land in which you live now shall remain desolate and without one inhabitant in it.

8 After God had thus spoken to them, they went back to the Cave of Treasures. But their flesh was dried up, and they were weak from fasting and praying, and from the sorrow they felt at having trespassed against God.

Chapter LIV – Adam and Eve go exploring.

1 Then Adam and Eve stood up in the cave and prayed the whole of that night until the morning dawned. And when the sun was risen they both went out of the cave; their heads were wandering from heaviness of sorrow and they didn’t know where they were going.

2 And they walked in that condition to the southern border of the garden. And they began to go up that border until they came to the eastern border beyond which there was no more land.

3 And the cherub who guarded the garden was standing at the western gate, and guarding it against Adam and Eve, lest they should suddenly come into the garden. And the cherub turned around, as if to put them to death; according to the commandment God had given him.

4 When Adam and Eve came to the eastern border of the garden—thinking in their hearts that the cherub was not watching—as they were standing by the gate as if wishing to go in, suddenly came the cherub with a flashing sword of fire in his hand; and when he saw them, he went forth to kill them. For he was afraid that God would destroy him if they went into the garden without His order.

5 And the sword of the cherub seemed to shoot flames a distance away from it. But when he raised it over Adam and Eve, the flame of the sword did not flash forth.

6 Therefore the cherub thought that God was favorable to them, and was bringing them back into the garden. And the cherub stood wondering.

7 He could not go up to Heaven to determine God’s order regarding their getting into the garden; he therefore continued to stand by them, unable as he was to part from them; for he was afraid that if they should enter the garden without permission, God would destroy him.

8 When Adam and Eve saw the cherub coming towards them with a flaming sword of fire in his hand, they fell on their faces from fear, and were as dead.

9 At that time the heavens and the earth shook; and another cherubim came down from heaven to the cherub who guarded the garden, and saw him amazed and silent.

10 Then, again, other angels came down close to the place where Adam and Eve were. They were divided between joy and sorrow.

11 They were glad, because they thought that God was favorable to Adam, and wished him to return to the garden; and wished to restore him to the gladness he once enjoyed.

12 But they sorrowed over Adam, because he was fallen like a dead man, he and Eve; and they said in their thoughts, “Adam has not died in this place; but God has put him to death, for his having come to this place, and wishing to get into the garden without His permission.”

Chapter LV – The Conflict between God and Satan.

1 Then came the Word of God to Adam and Eve, and raised them from their dead state, saying to them, “Why did you come up here? Do you intend to go into the garden, from which I brought you out? It cannot be today; but only when the covenant I have made with you is fulfilled.”

2 Then Adam, when he heard the Word of God, and the fluttering of the angels whom he did not see, but only heard the sound of them with his ears, he and Eve cried, and said to the angels:

3 “O Spirits, who wait on God, look at me, and at my being unable to see you! For when I was in my former bright nature, then I could see you. I sang praises as you do; and my heart was far above you.

4 But now, that I have transgressed, that bright nature is gone from me, and I am come to this miserable state. And now I have come to this, that I cannot see you, and you do not serve me like you used to do. For I have become animal flesh.

5 Yet now, O angels of God, ask God with me, to restore me to that wherein I was formerly; to rescue me from this misery, and to remove from me the sentence of death He passed on me, for having trespassed against Him.”

6 Then, when the angels heard these words, they all grieved over him; and cursed Satan who had misled Adam, until he came from the garden to misery; from life to death; from peace to trouble; and from gladness to a strange land.

7 Then the angels said to Adam, “You obeyed Satan, and ignored the Word of God who created you; and you believed that Satan would fulfil all he had promised you.

8 But now, O Adam, we will make known to you, what came over us though him, before his fall from heaven.

9 He gathered together his hosts, and deceived them, promising to give them a great kingdom, a divine nature; and other promises he made them.

10 His hosts believed that his word was true, so they yielded to him, and renounced the glory of God.

11 He then sent for us—according to the orders in which we were—to come under his command, and to accept his vein promise. But we would not, and we did not take his advice.

12 Then after he had fought with God, and had dealt forwardly with Him, he gathered together his hosts, and made war with us. And if it had not been for God’s strength that was with us, we could not have prevailed against him to hurl him from heaven.

13 But when he fell from among us, there was great joy in heaven, because of his going down from us. For if he had remained in heaven, nothing, not even one angel would have remained in it.

14 But God in His mercy, drove him from among us to this dark earth; for he had become darkness itself and a worker of unrighteousness.

15 And he has continued, O Adam, to make war against you, until he tricked you and made you come out of the garden, to this strange land, where all these trials have come to you. And death, which God brought to him, he has also brought to you, O Adam, because you obeyed him, and trespassed against God.”

16 Then all the angels rejoiced and praised God, and asked Him not to destroy Adam this time, for his having sought to enter the garden; but to bear with him until the fulfillment of the promise; and to help him in this world until he was free from Satan’s hand.

Chapter LVI – A chapter of divine comfort.

1 Then came the Word of God to Adam, and said to him:

2 “O Adam, look at that garden of joy and at this earth of toil, and behold the garden is full of angels, but look at yourself alone on this earth with Satan whom you obeyed.

3 Yet, if you had submitted, and been obedient to Me, and had kept My Word, you would be with My angels in My garden.

4 But when you transgressed and obeyed Satan, you became his guests among his angels, that are full of wickedness; and you came to this earth, that brings forth to you thorns and thistles.

5 O Adam, ask him who deceived you, to give you the divine nature he promised you, or to make you a garden as I had made for you; or to fill you with that same bright nature with which I had filled you.

6 Ask him to make you a body like the one I made you, or to give you a day of rest as I gave you; or to create within you a reasonable soul, as I created for you; or to take you from here to some other earth than this one which I gave you. But, O Adam, he will not fulfil even one of the things he told you.

7 Acknowledge, then, My favor towards you, and My mercy on you, My creature; that I have not avenged you for your transgression against Me, but in My pity for you I have promised you that at the end of the great five and a half days I will come and save you.”

8 Then God said again to Adam and Eve, “Get up, go down from here, before the cherub with a sword of fire in his hand destroys you.”

9 But Adam’s heart was comforted by God’s words to him, and he worshipped before Him.

10 And God commanded His angels to escort Adam and Eve to the cave with joy, instead of the fear that had come over them.

11 Then the angels took up Adam and Eve, and brought them down from the mountain by the garden, with songs and psalms, until they arrived at the cave. There the angels began to comfort and to strengthen them, and then departed from them towards heaven, to their Creator, who had sent them.

12 But after the angels had departed from Adam and Eve, Satan came with shamefacedness, and stood at the entrance of the cave in which were Adam and Eve. He then called to Adam, and said, “O Adam, come, let me speak to you.”

13 Then Adam came out of the cave, thinking he was one of God’s angels that was come to give him some good counsel.

Chapter LVII – “Therefore I fell. . . . “

1 But when Adam came out and saw his hideous figure, he was afraid of him, and said to him, “Who are you?”

2 Then Satan answered and said to him, “It is I, who hid myself within the serpent, and who spoke to Eve, and who enticed her until she obeyed my command. I am he who sent her, using my deceitful speech, to deceive you, until you both ate of the fruit of the tree and abandoned the command of God.”

3 But when Adam heard these words from him, he said to him, “Can you make me a garden as God made for me? Or can you clothe me in the same bright nature in which God had clothed me?

4 Where is the divine nature you promised to give me? Where is that slick speech of yours that you had with us at first, when we were in the garden?”

5 Then Satan said to Adam, “Do you think that when I have promised one something that I would actually deliver it to him or fulfil my word? Of course not. For I myself have never even thought of obtaining what I promised.

6 Therefore I fell, and I made you fall by that for which I myself fell; and with you also, whosoever accepts my counsel, falls thereby.

7 But now, O Adam, because you fell you are under my rule, and I am king over you; because you have obeyed me and have transgressed against your God. Neither will there be any deliverance from my hands until the day promised you by your God.”

8 Again he said, “Because we do not know the day agreed on with you by your God, nor the hour in which you shall be delivered, for that reason we will multiply war and murder on you and your descendants after you.

9 This is our will and our good pleasure, that we may not leave one of the sons of men to inherit our orders in heaven.

10 For as to our home, O Adam, it is in burning fire; and we will not stop our evil doing, no, not one day nor one hour. And I, O Adam, shall set you on fire when you come into the cave to live there.”

11 When Adam heard these words he cried and mourned, and said to Eve, “Hear what he said; that he won’t fulfil any of what he told you in the garden. Did he really then become king over us?

12 But we will ask God, who created us, to deliver us out of his hands.”

Chapter LVIII – “About sunset on the 53^rd day. . .”

1 Then Adam and Eve spread their hands before God, praying and begging Him to drive Satan away from them so that he can’t harm them or force them to deny God.

2 Then God sent to them at once, His angel, who drove away Satan from them. This happened about sunset, on the fifty-third day after they had come out of the garden.

3 Then Adam and Eve went into the cave, and stood up and turned their faces to the ground, to pray to God.

4 But before they prayed Adam said to Eve, “Look, you have seen what temptations have befallen us in this land. Come, let us get up, and ask God to forgive us the sins we have committed; and we will not come out until the end of the day next to the fortieth. And if we die in here, He will save us.”

5 Then Adam and Eve got up, and joined together in entreating God.

6 They continued praying like this in the cave; neither did they come out of it, by night or by day, until their prayers went up out of their mouths, like a flame of fire.

Chapter LIX – Eighth apparition of Satan of Satan to Adam and Eve.

1 But Satan, the hater of all good, did not allow them to finish their prayers. For he called to his hosts, and they came, all of them. Then he said to them, “Since Adam and Eve, whom we deceived, have agreed together to pray to God night and day, and to beg Him to deliver them, and since they will not come out of the cave until the end of the fortieth day.

2 And since they will continue their prayers as they have both agreed to do, that He will deliver them out of our hands, and restore them to their former state, see what we shall do to them.” And his hosts said to him, “Power is your, O our lord, to do what you list.”

3 Then Satan, great in wickedness, took his hosts and came into the cave, in the thirtieth night of the forty days and one; and he beat Adam and Eve, until he left them dead.

4 Then came the Word of God to Adam and Eve, who raised them from their suffering, and God said to Adam, “Be strong, and be not afraid of him who has just come to you.”

5 But Adam cried and said, “Where were you, O my God, that they should punish me with such blows, and that this suffering should come over us; over me and over Eve, Your handmaiden?”

6 Then God said to him, “O Adam, see, he is lord and master of all you have, he who said, he would give you divinity. Where is this love for you? And where is the gift he promised?

7 Did it please him just once, O Adam, to come to you, comfort you, strengthen you, rejoice with you, or send his hosts to protect you; because you have obeyed him, and have yielded to his counsel; and have followed his commandment and transgressed Mine?”

8 Then Adam cried before the Lord, and said, “O Lord because I transgressed a little, You have severely punished me in return for it, I ask You to deliver me out of his hands; or else have pity on me, and take my soul out of my body now in this strange land.”

9 Then God said to Adam, “If only there had been this sighing and praying before, before you transgressed! Then would you have rest from the trouble in which you are now.”

10 But God had patience with Adam, and let him and Eve remain in the cave until they had fulfilled the forty days.

11 But as to Adam and Eve, their strength and flesh withered from fasting and praying, from hunger and thirst; for they had not tasted either food or drink since they left the garden; nor were the functions of their bodies yet settled; and they had no strength left to continue in prayer from hunger, until the end of the next day to the fortieth. They were fallen down in the cave; yet what speech escaped from their mouths, was only in praises.

Chapter LX – The Devil appears like an old man. He offers “a place of rest.”

1 Then on the eighty-ninth day, Satan came to the cave, clad in a garment of light, and girt about with a bright girdle.

2 In his hands was a staff of light, and he looked most awful; but his face was pleasant and his speech was sweet.

3 He thus transformed himself in order to deceive Adam and Eve, and to make them come out of the cave, before they had fulfilled the forty days.

4 For he said within himself, “Now that when they had fulfilled the forty days’ fasting and praying, God would restore them to their former state; but if He did not do so, He would still be favorable to them; and even if He had not mercy on them, would He yet give them something from the garden to comfort them; as already twice before.”

5 Then Satan drew near the cave in this fair appearance, and said:

6 “O Adam, get up, stand up, you and Eve, and come along with me, to a good land; and don’t be afraid. I am flesh and bones like you; and at first I was a creature that God created.

7 And it was so, that when He had created me, He placed me in a garden in the north, on the border of the world.

8 And He said to me, ‘Stay here!’ And I remained there according to His Word, neither did I transgress His commandment.

9 Then He made a slumber to come over me, and He brought you, O Adam, out of my side, but did not make you stay with me.

10 But God took you in His divine hand, and placed you in a garden to the eastward.

11 Then I worried about you, for that while God had taken you out of my side, He had not let you stay with me.

12 But God said to me: ‘Do not worry about Adam, whom I brought out of your side; no harm will come to him.

13 For now I have brought out of his side a help-meet* for him; and I have given him joy by so doing.’ ”

14 Then Satan said again, “I did not know how it is you are in this cave, nor anything about this trial that has come over you—until God said to me, ‘Behold, Adam has transgressed, he whom I had taken out of your side, and Eve also, whom I took out of his side; and I have driven them out of the garden; I have made them live in a land of sorrow and misery, because they transgressed against Me, and have obeyed Satan. And look, they are in suffering until this day, the eightieth.’

15 Then God said to me, ‘Get up, go to them, and make them come to your place, and suffer not that Satan come near them, and afflict them. For they are now in great misery; and lie helpless from hunger.’

16 He further said to me, ‘When you have taken them to yourself, give them to eat of the fruit of the Tree of Life, and give them to drink of the water of peace; and clothe them in a garment of light, and restore them to their former state of grace, and leave them not in misery, for they came from you. But grieve not over them, nor repent of that which has come over them.

17 But when I heard this, I was sorry; and my heart could not patiently bear it for your sake, O my child.

18 But, O Adam, when I heard the name of Satan, I was afraid, and I said within myself, I will not come out because he might trap me as he did my children, Adam and Eve.

19 And I said, ‘O God, when I go to my children, Satan will meet me in the way, and war against me, as he did against them.’

20 Then God said to me, ‘Fear not; when you find him, hit him with the staff that is in your hand, and don’t be afraid of him, for you are of old standing, and he shall not prevail against you.’

21 Then I said, ‘O my Lord, I am old, and cannot go. Send Your angels to bring them.’

22 But God said to me, ‘Angels, verily, are not like them; and they will not consent to come with them. But I have chosen you, because they are your offspring and are like you, and they will listen to what you say.’

23 God said further to me, ‘If you don’t have enough strength to walk, I will send a cloud to carry you and set you down at the entrance of their cave; then the cloud will return and leave you there.

24 And if they will come with you, I will send a cloud to carry you and them.’

25 Then He commanded a cloud, and it bear me up and brought me to you; and then went back.

26 And now, O my children, Adam and Eve, look at my old gray hair and at my feeble state, and at my coming from that distant place. Come, come with me, to a place of rest.”

27 Then he began to cry and to sob before Adam and Eve, and his tears poured on the ground like water.

28 And when Adam and Eve raised their eyes and saw his beard, and heard his sweet talk, their hearts softened towards him; they obeyed him, for they believed he was true.

29 And it seemed to them that they were really his offspring, when they saw that his face was like their own; and they trusted him.

* The existence of the two words helpmeet and helpmate, meaning exactly the same thing, is a comedy of errors. God’s promise to Adam, as rendered in the King James version of the Bible, was to give him an help meet for him (that is, a helper fit for him). In the 17^th century the two words help and meet in this passage were mistaken for one word, applying to Eve, and thus helpmeet came to mean a wife. Then in the 18^th century, in a misguided attempt to make sense of the word, the spelling helpmate was introduced. Both errors are now beyond recall, and both spellings are acceptable.

Chapter LXI – They begin to follow Satan.

1 Then he took Adam and Eve by the hand, and began to bring them out of the cave.

2 But when they had come a little ways out of it, God knew that Satan had overcome them, and had brought them out before the forty days were ended, to take them to some distant place, and to destroy them.

3 Then the Word of the Lord God again came and cursed Satan, and drove him away from them.

4 And God began to speak to Adam and Eve, saying to them, “What made you come out of the cave, to this place?”

5 Then Adam said to God, “Did you create a man before us? For when we were in the cave there suddenly came to us a friendly old man who said to us, ‘I am a messenger from God to you, to bring you back to some place of rest.’

6 And we believed, O God, that he was a messenger from you; and we came out with him; and knew not where we should go with him.”

7 Then God said to Adam, “See, that is the father of evil arts, who brought you and Eve out of the Garden of Delights. And now, indeed, when he saw that you and Eve both joined together in fasting and praying, and that you came not out of the cave before the end of the forty days, he wished to make your purpose vein, to break your mutual bond; to cut off all hope from you, and to drive you to some place where he might destroy you.

8 Because he couldn’t do anything to you unless he showed himself in the likeness of you.

9 Therefore he came to you with a face like your own, and began to give you tokens as if they were all true.

10 But because I am merciful and am favorable to you, I did not allow him to destroy you; instead I drove him away from you.

11 Now, therefore, O Adam, take Eve, and return to your cave, and remain in it until the morning after the fortieth day. And when you come out, go towards the eastern gate of the garden.”

12 Then Adam and Eve worshipped God, and praised and blessed Him for the deliverance that had come to them from Him. And they returned towards the cave. This happened in the evening of the thirty-ninth day.

13 Then Adam and Eve stood up and with a fiery passion, prayed to God, to give them strength; for they had become weak because of hunger and thirst and prayer. But they watched the whole of that night praying, until morning.

14 Then Adam said to Eve, “Get up, let us go towards the eastern gate of the garden as God told us.”

15 And they said their prayers as they were accustomed to do every day; and they left the cave to go near to the eastern gate of the garden.

16 Then Adam and Eve stood up and prayed, and appealed to God to strengthen them, and to send them something to satisfy their hunger.

17 But after they finished their prayers, they were too weak to move.

18 Then came the Word of God again, and said to them, “O Adam, get up, go and bring the two figs here.”

19 Then Adam and Eve got up, and went until they came near to the cave.

Chapter LXII – Two fruit trees.

1 But Satan the wicked was envious, because of the consolation God had given them.

2 So he prevented them, and went into the cave and took the two figs, and buried them outside the cave, so that Adam and Eve should not find them. He also had in his thoughts to destroy them.

3 But by God’s mercy, as soon as those two figs were in the ground, God defeated Satan’s counsel regarding them; and made them into two fruit trees, that overshadowed the cave. For Satan had buried them on the eastern side of it.

4 Then when the two trees were grown, and were covered with fruit, Satan grieved and mourned, and said, “It would have been better to have left those figs where they were; for now, behold, they have become two fruit trees, whereof Adam will eat all the days of his life. Whereas I had in mind, when I buried them, to destroy them entirely, and to hide them forever.

5 But God has overturned my counsel; and would not that this sacred fruit should perish; and He has made plain my intention, and has defeated the counsel I had formed against His servants.”

6 Then Satan went away ashamed because he hadn’t thought his plans all the way through.

Chapter LXIII – The first joy of trees.

1 But Adam and Eve, as they got closer to the cave, saw two fig trees, covered with fruit, and overshadowing the cave.

2 Then Adam said to Eve, “It seems to me that we have gone the wrong way. When did these two trees grow here? It seems to me that the enemy wishes to lead us the wrong way. Do you suppose that there is another cave besides this one in the earth?

3 Yet, O Eve, let us go into the cave, and find in it the two figs; for this is our cave, in which we were. But if we should not find the two figs in it, then it cannot be our cave.”

4 They went then into the cave, and looked into the four corners of it, but found not the two figs.

5 And Adam cried and said to Eve, “Did we go to the wrong cave, then, O Eve? It seems to me these two fig trees are the two figs that were in the cave.” And Eve said, “I, for my part, do not know.”

6 Then Adam stood up and prayed and said, “O God, You commanded us to come back to the cave, to take the two figs, and then to return to you.

7 But now, we have not found them. O God, have you taken them, and sown these two trees, or have we gone astray in the earth; or has the enemy deceived us? If it be real, then, O God, reveal to us the secret of these two trees and of the two figs.”

8 Then came the Word of God to Adam, and said to him, “O Adam, when I sent you to fetch the figs, Satan went before you to the cave, took the figs, and buried them outside, eastward of the cave, thinking to destroy them; and not sowing them with good intent.

9 Not for his mere sake, then, have these trees grown up at once; but I had mercy on you and I commanded them to grow. And they grew to be two large trees, that you be overshadowed by their branches, and find rest; and that I made you see My power and My marvelous works.

10 And, also, to show you Satan’s meanness, and his evil works, for ever since you came out of the garden, he has not ceased, no, not one day, from doing you some harm. But I have not given him power over you.”

11 And God said, “From now on, O Adam, rejoice on account of the trees, you and Eve; and rest under them when you feel weary. But do not eat any of their fruit or come near them.”

12 Then Adam cried, and said, “O God, will You again kill us, or will You drive us away from before Your face, and cut our life from off the face of the earth?

13 O God, I beg you, if You know that there be in these trees either death or some other evil, as at the first time, root them up from near our cave, and with them; and leave us to die of the heat, of hunger and of thirst.

14 For we know Your marvelous works, O God, that they are great, and that by Your power You can bring one thing out of another, without one’s wish. For Your power can make rocks to become trees, and trees to become rocks.”

 Chapter LXIV – Adam and Eve partake of the first earthly food.

1 Then God looked at Adam and at his strength of mind, at his endurance of hunger and thirst, and of the heat. And He changed the two fig trees into two figs, as they were at first, and then said to Adam and to Eve, “Each of you may take one fig.” And they took them, as the Lord commanded them.

2 And He said to them, “You must now go into the cave and eat the figs, and satisfy your hunger, or else you will die.”

3 So, as God commanded them, they went into the cave about sunset. And Adam and Eve stood up and prayed during the setting sun.

4 Then they sat down to eat the figs; but they knew not how to eat them; for they were not accustomed to eat earthly food. They were afraid that if they ate, their stomach would be burdened and their flesh thickened, and their hearts would take to liking earthly food.

5 But while they were thus seated, God, out of pity for them, sent them His angel, so they wouldn’t perish of hunger and thirst.

6 And the angel said to Adam and Eve, “God says to you that you do not have the strength that would be required to fast until death; eat, therefore, and strengthen your bodies; for you are now animal flesh and cannot subsist without food and drink.”

7 Then Adam and Eve took the figs and began to eat of them. But God had put into them a mixture as of savory bread and blood.

8 Then the angel went from Adam and Eve, who ate of the figs until they had satisfied their hunger. Then they put aside what was left; but by the power of God, the figs became whole again, because God blessed them.

9 After this Adam and Eve got up, and prayed with a joyful heart and renewed strength, and praised and rejoiced abundantly the whole of that night. And this was the end of the eighty-third day.

Chapter LXV – Adam and Eve acquire digestive organs. Final hope of returning to the Garden is lost.

1 And when it was day, they got up and prayed, after their custom, and then went out of the cave.

2 But they became sick from the food they had eaten because they were not used to it, so they went about in the cave saying to each other:

3 “What has our eating caused to happen to us, that we should be in such pain? We are in misery, we shall die! It would have been better for us to have died keeping our bodies pure than to have eaten and defiled them with food.”

4 Then Adam said to Eve, “This pain did not come to us in the garden, neither did we eat such bad food there. Do you think, O Eve, that God will plague us through the food that is in us, or that our innards will come out; or that God means to kill us with this pain before He has fulfilled His promise to us?”

5 Then Adam besought the Lord and said, “O Lord, let us not perish through the food we have eaten. O Lord, don’t punish us; but deal with us according to Your great mercy, and forsake us not until the day of the promise You have made us.”

6 Then God looked at them, and then fitted them for eating food at once; as to this day; so that they should not perish.

7 Then Adam and Eve came back into the cave sorrowful and crying because of the alteration of their bodies. And they both knew from that hour that they were altered beings, that all hope of returning to the garden was now lost; and that they could not enter it.

8 For that now their bodies had strange functions; and all flesh that requires food and drink for its existence, cannot be in the garden.

9 Then Adam said to Eve, “Behold, our hope is now lost; and so is our trust to enter the garden. We no longer belong to the inhabitants of the garden; but from now on we are earthy and of the dust, and of the inhabitants of the earth. We shall not return to the garden, until the day in which God has promised to save us, and to bring us again into the garden, as He promised us.”

10 Then they prayed to God that He would have mercy on them; after which, their mind was quieted, their hearts were broken, and their longing was cooled down; and they were like strangers on earth. That night Adam and Eve spent in the cave, where they slept heavily by reason of the food they had eaten.

Chapter LXVI – Adam does his first day’s work.

1 When it was morning, the day after they had eaten food, Adam and Eve prayed in the cave, and Adam said to Eve, “Look, we asked for food of God, and He gave it. But now let us also ask Him to give us a drink of water.”

2 Then they got up, and went to the bank of the stream of water, that was on the south border of the garden, in which they had before thrown themselves. And they stood on the bank, and prayed to God that He would command them to drink of the water.

3 Then the Word of God came to Adam, and said to him, “O Adam, your body has become brutish, and requires water to drink. Take some and drink it, you and Eve, then give thanks and praise.”

4 Adam and Eve then went down to the stream and drank from it, until their bodies felt refreshed. After having drunk, they praised God, and then returned to their cave, after their former custom. This happened at the end of eighty-three days.

5 Then on the eighty-fourth day, they took the two figs and hung them in the cave, together with the leaves thereof, to be to them a sign and a blessing from God. And they placed them there so that if their descendants came there, they would see the wonderful things God had done for them.

6 Then Adam and Eve again stood outside the cave, and asked God to show them some food with which they could nourish their bodies.

7 Then the Word of God came and said to him, “O Adam, go down to the westward of the cave until you come to a land of dark soil, and there you shall find food.”

8 And Adam obeyed the Word of God, took Eve, and went down to a land of dark soil, and found there wheat* growing in the ear and ripe, and figs to eat; and Adam rejoiced over it.

9 Then the Word of God came again to Adam, and said to him, “Take some of this wheat and make yourselves some bread with it, to nourish your body therewith.” And God gave Adam’s heart wisdom, to work out the corn until it became bread.

10 Adam accomplished all that, until he grew very faint and weary. He then returned to the cave; rejoicing at what he had learned of what is done with wheat, until it is made into bread for one’s use.

* In this book, the terms ‘corn’ and ‘wheat’ are used interchangeably. The reference is possibly used to indicate a type of ancient grain resembling Egyptian Corn also known as Durra. Durra is a wheat-like cereal grain frequently cultivated in dry regions such as Egypt.

Chapter LXVII – “Then Satan began to lead astray Adam and Eve. . . .”

1 When Adam and Eve went down to the land of black mud and came near to the wheat God had showed them and saw that it was ripe and ready for reaping, they did not have a sickle to reap it with. So they readied themselves, and began to pull up the wheat by hand, until it was all done.

2 Then they heaped it into a pile; and, faint from heat and from thirst, they went under a shady tree, where the breeze fanned them to sleep.

3 But Satan saw what Adam and Eve had done. And he called his hosts, and said to them, “Since God has shown to Adam and Eve all about this wheat, wherewith to strengthen their bodies—and, look, they have come and made a big pile of it, and faint from the toil are now asleep—come, let us set fire to this heap of corn, and burn it, and let us take that bottle of water that is by them, and empty it out, so that they may find nothing to drink, and we kill them with hunger and thirst.

4 Then, when they wake up from their sleep, and seek to return to the cave, we will come to them in the way, and will lead them astray; so that they die of hunger and thirst; when they may, perhaps, deny God, and He destroy them. So shall we be rid of them.”

5 Then Satan and his hosts set the wheat on fire and burned it up.

6 But from the heat of the flame Adam and Eve awoke from their sleep, and saw the wheat burning, and the bucket of water by them, poured out.

7 Then they cried and went back to the cave.

8 But as they were going up from below the mountain where they were, Satan and his hosts met them in the form of angels, praising God.

9 Then Satan said to Adam, “O Adam, why are you so pained with hunger and thirst? It seems to me that Satan has burnt up the wheat.” And Adam said to him, “Yes.”

10 Again Satan said to Adam, “Come back with us; we are angels of God. God sent us to you, to show you another field of corn, better than that; and beyond it is a fountain of good water, and many trees, where you shall live near it, and work the corn field to better purpose than that which Satan has consumed.”

11 Adam thought that he was true, and that they were angels who talked with him; and he went back with them.

12 Then Satan began to lead astray Adam and Eve eight days, until they both fell down as if dead, from hunger, thirst, and faintness. Then he fled with his hosts, and left them.

Chapter LXVIII – How destruction and trouble is of Satan when he is the master. Adam and Eve establish the custom of worship.

1 Then God looked at Adam and Eve, and at what had come over them from Satan, and how he had made them perish.

2 God, therefore, sent His Word, and raised up Adam and Eve from their state of death.

3 Then, Adam, when he was raised, said, “O God, You have burnt and taken from us the corn You have given us, and You have emptied out the bucket of water. And You have sent Your angels, who have caused us to lose our way from the corn field. Will You make us perish? If this be from you, O God, then take away our souls; but punish us not.”

4 Then God said to Adam, “I did not burn down the wheat, and I did not pour the water out of the bucket, and I did not send My angels to lead you astray.

5 But it is Satan, your master who did it; he to whom you have subjected yourself; my commandment being meanwhile set aside. He it is, who burnt down the corn, and poured out the water, and who has led you astray; and all the promises he has made you were just a trick, a deception, and a lie.

6 But now, O Adam, you shall acknowledge My good deeds done to you.”

7 And God told His angels to take Adam and Eve, and to bear them up to the field of wheat, which they found as before, with the bucket full of water.

8 There they saw a tree, and found on it solid manna; and wondered at God’s power. And the angels commanded them to eat of the manna when they were hungry.

9 And God admonished Satan with a curse, not to come again, and destroy the field of corn.

10 Then Adam and Eve took of the corn, and made of it an offering, and took it and offered it up on the mountain, the place where they had offered up their first offering of blood.

11 And they offered this offering again on the altar they had built at first. And they stood up and prayed, and besought the Lord saying, “Thus, O God, when we were in the garden, our praises went up to you, like this offering; and our innocence went up to you like incense. But now, O God, accept this offering from us, and don’t turn us away, deprived of Your mercy.”

12 Then God said to Adam and Eve, “Since you have made this offering and have offered it to Me, I shall make it My flesh, when I come down on earth to save you; and I shall cause it to be offered continually on an altar, for forgiveness and for mercy, for those who partake of it duly.”

13 And God sent a bright fire over the offering of Adam and Eve, and filled it with brightness, grace, and light; and the Holy Ghost came down on that offering.

14 Then God commanded an angel to take fire tongs, like a spoon, and with it to take an offering and bring it to Adam and Eve. And the angel did so, as God had commanded him, and offered it to them.

15 And the souls of Adam and Eve were brightened, and their hearts were filled with joy and gladness and with the praises of God.

16 And God said to Adam, “This shall be to you a custom, to do so, when affliction and sorrow come over you. But your deliverance and your entrance in to the garden, shall not be until the days are fulfilled as agreed between you and Me; were it not so, I would, of My mercy and pity for you, bring you back to My garden and to My favor for the sake of the offering you have just made to My name.”

17 Adam rejoiced at these words which he heard from God; and he and Eve worshipped before the altar, to which they bowed, and then went back to the Cave of Treasures.

18 And this took place at the end of the twelfth day after the eightieth day, from the time Adam and Eve came out of the garden.

19 And they stood up the whole night praying until morning; and then went out of the cave.

20 Then Adam said to Eve, with joy of heart, because of the offering they had made to God, and that had been accepted of Him, “Let us do this three times every week, on the fourth day Wednesday, on the preparation day Friday, and on the Sabbath Sunday, all the days of our life.”

21 And as they agreed to these words between themselves, God was pleased with their thoughts, and with the resolution they had each taken with the other.

22 After this, came the Word of God to Adam, and said, “O Adam, you have determined beforehand the days in which sufferings shall come over Me, when I am made flesh; for they are the fourth Wednesday, and the preparation day Friday.

23 But as to the first day, I created in it all things, and I raised the heavens. And, again, through My rising again on this day, will I create joy, and raise them on high, who believe in Me; O Adam, offer this offering, all the days of your life.”

24 Then God withdrew His Word from Adam.

25 But Adam continued to offer this offering thus, every week three times, until the end of seven weeks. And on the first day, which is the fiftieth, Adam made an offering as he was accustomed, and he and Eve took it and came to the altar before God, as He had taught them.

Chapter LXIX – Twelfth apparition of Satan to Adam and Eve, while Adam was praying over the offering on the altar; when Satan beat him.

1 Then Satan, the hater of all good, envious of Adam and of his offering through which he found favor with God, hastened and took a sharp stone from among the sharp iron stones; appeared in the form of a man, and went and stood by Adam and Eve.

2 Adam was then offering on the altar, and had begun to pray, with his hands spread before God.

3 Then Satan hastened with the sharp iron stone he had with him, and with it pierced Adam on the right side, from which flowed blood and water, then Adam fell on the altar like a corpse. And Satan fled.

4 Then Eve came, and took Adam and placed him below the altar. And there she stayed, crying over him; while a stream of blood flowed from Adam’s side over his offering.

5 But God looked at the death of Adam. He then sent His Word, and raised him up and said to him, “Fulfil your offering, for indeed, Adam, it is worth much, and there is no shortcoming in it.”

6 God said further to Adam, “Thus will it also happen to Me, on the earth, when I shall be pierced and blood and water shall flow from My side and run over My body, which is the true offering; and which shall be offered on the altar as a perfect offering.”

7 Then God commanded Adam to finish his offering, and when he had ended it he worshipped before God, and praised Him for the signs He had showed him.

8 And God healed Adam in one day, which is the end of the seven weeks; and that is the fiftieth day.

9 Then Adam and Eve returned from the mountain, and went into the Cave of Treasures, as they were used to do. This completed for Adam and Eve, one hundred and forty days since their coming out of the garden.

10 Then they both stood up that night and prayed to God. And when it was morning, they went out, and went down westward of the cave, to the place where their corn was, and there rested under the shadow of a tree, as they were accustomed.

11 But when there a multitude of beasts came all around them. It was Satan’s doing, in his wickedness; in order to wage war against Adam through marriage.

 Chapter LXX – Thirteenth apparition of Satan, to trick Adam into marrying Eve.

1 After this Satan, the hater of all good, took the form of an angel, and with him two others, so that they looked like the three angels who had brought to Adam gold, incense, and myrrh.

2 They passed before Adam and Eve while they were under the tree, and greeted Adam and Eve with fair words that were full of deceit.

3 But when Adam and Eve saw their pleasant expression, and heard their sweet speech, Adam rose, welcomed them, and brought them to Eve, and they remained all together; Adam’s heart the while, being glad because he thought concerning them, that they were the same angels, who had brought him gold, incense, and myrrh.

4 Because, when they came to Adam the first time, there came over him from them, peace and joy, through their bringing him good tokens; so Adam thought that they had come a second time to give him other tokens for him to rejoice therewith. For he did not know it was Satan; therefore he received them with joy and consorted with them.

5 Then Satan, the tallest of them, said, “Rejoice, O Adam, and be glad. Look, God has sent us to you to tell you something.”

6 And Adam said, “What is it?” Then Satan answered, “It is a simple thing, yet it is the Word of God, will you accept it from us and do it? But if you will not accept it, we will return to God, and tell Him that you would not receive His Word.”

7 And Satan said again to Adam, “Don’t be afraid and don’t tremble; don’t you know us?”

8 But Adam said, “I do not know you.”

9 Then Satan said to him, “I am the angel that brought you gold, and took it to the cave; this other angel is the one that brought you incense; and that third angel, is the one who brought you myrrh when you were on top of the mountain, and who carried you to the cave.

10 But as to the other angels our fellows, who bare you to the cave, God has not sent them with us this time; for He said to us, ‘You will be enough’. ”

11 So when Adam heard these words he believed them, and said to these angels, “Speak the Word of God, that I may receive it.”

12 And Satan said to him, “Swear, and promise me that you will receive it.”

13 Then Adam said, “I do not know how to swear and promise.”

14 And Satan said to him, “Hold out your hand, and put it inside my hand.”

15 Then Adam held out his hand, and put it into Satan’s hand; when Satan said to him, “Say, now—So true as God is living, rational, and speaking, who raised the stars in heaven, and established the dry ground on the waters, and has created me out of the four elements,* and out of the dust of the earth—I will not break my promise, nor renounce my word.”

16 And Adam swore thus.

17 Then Satan said to him, “Look, it is now some time since you came out of the garden, and you know neither wickedness nor evil. But now God says to you, to take Eve who came out of your side, and to marry her so that she will bear you children, to comfort you, and to drive from you trouble and sorrow; now this thing is not difficult, neither is there any scandal in it to you.

* See the previous footnote in chapter XXXIV regarding the ‘four elements’.

Chapter LXXI – Adam is troubled by the thought of marrying Eve.

1 But when Adam heard these words from Satan, he sorrowed much, because of his oath and of his promise, and said, “Shall I commit adultery with my flesh and my bones, and shall I sin against myself, for God to destroy me, and to blot me out from off the face of the earth?

2 Since, when at first, I ate of the tree, He drove me out of the garden into this strange land, and deprived me of my bright nature, and brought death over me. If, then, I should do this, He will cut off my life from the earth, and He will cast me into hell, and will plague me there a long time.

3 But God never spoke the words that you have said; and you are not God’s angels, and you weren’t sent from Him. But you are devils that have come to me under the false appearance of angels. Away from me; you cursed of God!”

4 Then those devils fled from before Adam. And he and Eve got up, and returned to the Cave of Treasures, and went into it.

5 Then Adam said to Eve, “If you saw what I did, don’t tell anyone; for I sinned against God in swearing by His great name, and I have placed my hand another time into that of Satan.” Eve, then, held her peace, as Adam told her.

6 Then Adam got up, and spread his hands before God, beseeching and entreating Him with tears, to forgive him what he had done. And Adam remained thus standing and praying forty days and forty nights. He neither ate nor drank until he dropped down on the ground from hunger and thirst.

7 Then God sent His Word to Adam, who raised him up from where he lay, and said to him, “O Adam, why have you sworn by My name, and why have you made agreement with Satan another time?”

8 But Adam cried, and said, “O God, forgive me, for I did this unwittingly; believing they were God’s angels.”

9 And God forgave Adam, saying to him, “Beware of Satan.”

10 And He withdrew His Word from Adam.

11 Then Adam’s heart was comforted; and he took Eve, and they went out of the cave, to prepare some food for their bodies.

12 But from that day Adam struggled in his mind about his marrying Eve; afraid that if he was to do it, God would be angry with him.

13 Then Adam and Eve went to the river of water, and sat on the bank, as people do when they enjoy themselves.

14 But Satan was jealous of them; and planned to destroy them.

 Chapter LXXII – Adam’s heart is set on fire. Satan appears as beautiful maidens.

1 Then Satan, and ten from his hosts, transformed themselves into maidens, unlike any others in the whole world for grace.

2 They came up out of the river in presence of Adam and Eve, and they said among themselves, “Come, we will look at the faces of Adam and Eve, who are of the men on earth. How beautiful they are, and how different is their look from our own faces.” Then they came to Adam and Eve, and greeted them; and stood wondering at them.

3 Adam and Eve looked at them also, and wondered at their beauty, and said, “Is there, then, under us, another world, with such beautiful creatures as these in it?”

4 And those maidens said to Adam and Eve, “Yes, indeed, we are an abundant creation.”

5 Then Adam said to them, “But how do you multiply?”

6 And they answered him, “We have husbands who have married us, and we bear them children, who grow up, and who in their turn marry and are married, and also bear children; and thus we increase. And if so be, O Adam, you will not believe us, we will show you our husbands and our children.”

7 Then they shouted over the river as if to call their husbands and their children, who came up from the river, men and children; and every man came to his wife, his children being with him.

8 But when Adam and Eve saw them, they stood dumb, and wondered at them.

9 Then they said to Adam and Eve, “See all our husbands and our children? You should marry Eve, as we have married our husbands, so that you will have children as we have.” This was a device of Satan to deceive Adam.

10 Satan also thought within himself, “God at first commanded Adam concerning the fruit of the tree, saying to him, ‘Eat not of it; else of death you shall die.’ But Adam ate of it, and yet God did not kill him; He only decreed on him death, and plagues and trials, until the day he shall come out of his body.

11 Now, then, if I deceive him to do this thing, and to marry Eve without God’s permission, God will kill him then.”

12 Therefore Satan worked this apparition before Adam and Eve; because he sought to kill him, and to make him disappear from off the face of the earth.

13 Meanwhile the fire of sin came over Adam, and he thought of committing sin. But he restrained himself, fearing that if he followed this advice of Satan, God would put him to death.

14 Then Adam and Eve got up, and prayed to God, while Satan and his hosts went down into the river, in presence of Adam and Eve; to let them see that they were going back to their own world.

15 Then Adam and Eve went back to the Cave of Treasures, as they usually did; about evening time.

16 And they both got up and prayed to God that night. Adam remained standing in prayer, yet not knowing how to pray, by reason of the thoughts in his heart regarding his marrying Eve; and he continued so until morning.

17 And when light came up, Adam said to Eve, “Get up, let us go below the mountain, where they brought us gold, and let us ask the Lord concerning this matter.”

18 Then Eve said, “What is that matter, O Adam?”

19 And he answered her, “That I may request the Lord to inform me about marrying you; for I will not do it without His permission or else He will make us perish, you and me. For those devils have set my heart on fire, with thoughts of what they showed us, in their sinful apparitions.

20 Then Eve said to Adam, “Why need we go below the mountain? Let us rather stand up and pray in our cave to God, to let us know whether this counsel is good or not.”

21 Then Adam rose up in prayer and said, “O God, you know that we transgressed against you, and from the moment we transgressed, we were stripped of our bright nature; and our body became brutish, requiring food and drink; and with animal desires.

22 Command us, O God, not to give way to them without Your permission, for fear that You will turn us into nothing. Because if you do not give us permission, we shall be overpowered, and follow that advice of Satan; and You will again make us perish.

23 If not, then take our souls from us; let us be rid of this animal lust. And if You give us no order respecting this thing, then sever Eve from me, and me from her; and place us each far away from the other.

24 Then again, O God, if You separate us from each other, the devils will deceive us with their apparitions that resemble us, and destroy our hearts, and defile our thoughts towards each other. Yet if it is not each of us towards the other, it will, at all events, be through their appearance when the devils come to us in our likeness.” Here Adam ended his prayer.

Chapter LXXIII – The marriage of Adam and Eve.

1 Then God considered the words of Adam that they were true, and that he could long await His order, respecting the counsel of Satan.

2 And God approved Adam in what he had thought concerning this, and in the prayer he had offered in His presence; and the Word of God came to Adam and said to him, “O Adam, if only you had had this caution at first, before you came out of the garden into this land!”

3 After that, God sent His angel who had brought gold, and the angel who had brought incense, and the angel who had brought myrrh to Adam, that they should inform him respecting his marriage to Eve.

4 Then those angels said to Adam, “Take the gold and give it to Eve as a wedding gift, and promise to marry her; then give her some incense and myrrh as a present; and be you, you and she, one flesh.”

5 Adam obeyed the angels, and took the gold and put it into Eve’s bosom in her garment; and promised to marry her with his hand.

6 Then the angels commanded Adam and Eve to get up and pray forty days and forty nights; when that was done, then Adam was to have sexual intercourse with his wife; for then this would be an act pure and undefiled; so that he would have children who would multiply, and replenish the face of the earth.

7 Then both Adam and Eve received the words of the angels; and the angels departed from them.

8 Then Adam and Eve began to fast and pray, until the end of the forty days; and then they had sexual intercourse, as the angels had told them. And from the time Adam left the garden until he wedded Eve, were two hundred and twenty-three days, that is seven months and thirteen days.

9 Thus was Satan’s war with Adam defeated.

Chapter LXXIV – The birth of Cain and Luluwa. Why they received those names.

1 And they lived on the earth working in order to keep their bodies in good health; and they continued so until the nine months of Eve’s pregnancy were over, and the time drew near when she must give birth.

2 Then she said to Adam, “The signs placed in this cave since we left the garden indicate that this is a pure place and we will be praying in it again some time. It is not appropriate then, that I should give birth in it. Let us instead go to the sheltering rock cave that was formed by the command of God when Satan threw a big rock down on us in an attempt to kill us with it.

3 Adam then took Eve to that cave. When the time came for her to give birth, she strained a lot. Adam felt sorry, and he was very worried about her because she was close to death and the words of God to her were being fulfilled: “In suffering shall you bear a child, and in sorrow shall you bring forth a child.”

4 But when Adam saw the distress in which Eve was, he got up and prayed to God, and said, “O Lord, look at me with the eye of Your mercy, and bring her out of her distress.”

5 And God looked at His maid-servant Eve, and delivered her, and she gave birth to her first-born son, and with him a daughter.

6 The Adam rejoiced at Eve’s deliverance, and also over the children she had borne him. And Adam ministered to Eve in the cave, until the end of eight days; when they named the son Cain, and the daughter Luluwa.

7 The meaning of Cain is “hater,” because he hated his sister in their mother’s womb; before they came out of it. Therefore Adam named him Cain.

8 But Luluwa means “beautiful,” because she was more beautiful than her mother.

9 Then Adam and Eve waited until Cain and his sister were forty days old, when Adam said to Eve, “We will make an offering and offer it up in behalf of the children.”

10 And Eve said, “We will make one offering for the first-born son and then later we shall make one for the daughter.”

 Chapter LXXV – The family revisits the Cave of Treasures. Birth of Abel and Aklia.

1 Then Adam prepared an offering, and he and Eve offered it up for their children, and brought it to the altar they had built at first.

2 And Adam offered up the offering, and asked God to accept his offering.

3 Then God accepted Adam’s offering, and sent a light from heaven that shown on the offering. Adam and his son drew near to the offering, but Eve and the daughter did not approach it.

4 Adam and his son were joyful as they came down from on the altar. Adam and Eve waited until the daughter was eighty days old, then Adam prepared an offering and took it to Eve and to the children. They went to the altar, where Adam offered it up, as he was accustomed, asking the Lord to accept his offering.

5 And the Lord accepted the offering of Adam and Eve. Then Adam, Eve, and the children, drew near together, and came down from the mountain, rejoicing.

6 But they returned not to the cave in which they were born; but came to the Cave of Treasures, in order that the children should go around in it, and be blessed with the tokens brought from the garden.

7 But after they had been blessed with these tokens, they went back to the cave in which they were born.

8 However, before Eve had offered up the offering, Adam had taken her, and had gone with her to the river of water, in which they threw themselves at first; and there they washed themselves. Adam washed his body and Eve hers also clean, after the suffering and distress that had come over them.

9 But Adam and Eve, after washing themselves in the river of water, returned every night to the Cave of Treasures, where they prayed and were blessed; and then went back to their cave, where their children were born.

10 Adam and Eve did this until the children had been weaned. After they were weaned, Adam made an offering for the souls of his children in addition to the three times every week he made an offering for them.

11 When the children were weaned, Eve again conceived, and when her pregnancy came to term, she gave birth to another son and daughter. They named the son Abel and the daughter Aklia.

12 Then at the end of forty days, Adam made an offering for the son, and at the end of eighty days he made another offering for the daughter, and treated them, as he had previously treated Cain and his sister Luluwa.

13 He brought them to the Cave of Treasures, where they received a blessing, and then returned to the cave where they were born. After these children were born, Eve stopped having children.

Chapter LXXVI – Cain becomes jealous of Abel because of his sisters.

1 And the children began to grow stronger and taller; but Cain was hard-hearted, and ruled over his younger brother.

2 Often when his father made an offering, Cain would remain behind and not go with them, to offer up.

3 But, as to Abel, he had a meek heart, and was obedient to his father and mother. He frequently moved them to make an offering, because he loved it. He prayed and fasted a lot.

4 Then came this sign to Abel. As he was coming into the Cave of Treasures, and saw the golden rods, the incense and the myrrh, he asked his parents, Adam and Eve, to tell him about them and asked, “Where did you get these from?”

5 Then Adam told him all that had befallen them. And Abel felt deeply about what his father told him.

6 Furthermore his father, Adam, told him of the works of God, and of the garden. After hearing that, Abel remained behind after his father left and stayed the whole of that night in the Cave of Treasures.

7 And that night, while he was praying, Satan appeared to him under the figure of a man, who said to him, “You have frequently moved your father into making offerings, fasting and praying, therefore I will kill you, and make you perish from this world.”

8 But as for Abel, he prayed to God, and drove away Satan from him; and did not believe the words of the devil. Then when it was day, an angel of God appeared to him, who said to him, “Do not cut short either fasting, prayer, or offering up an offering to your God. For, look, the Lord had accepted your prayer. Be not afraid of the figure which appeared to you in the night, and who cursed you to death.” And the angel departed from him.

9 Then when it was day, Abel came to Adam and Eve, and told them of the vision he had seen. When they heard it, they grieved much over it, but said nothing to him about it; they only comforted him.

10 But as to the hard-hearted Cain, Satan came to him by night, showed himself and said to him, “Since Adam and Eve love your brother Abel so much more than they love you, they wish to join him in marriage to your beautiful sister because they love him. However, they wish to join you in marriage to his ugly sister, because they hate you.

11 Now before they do that, I am telling you that you should kill your brother. That way your sister will be left for you, and his sister will be cast away.”

12 And Satan departed from him. But the devil remained behind in Cain’s heart, and frequently aspired to kill his brother.

Chapter LXXVII – Cain, 15 years old, and Abel 12 years old, grow apart.

1 But when Adam saw that the older brother hated the younger, he endeavored to soften their hearts, and said to Cain, “O my son, take of the fruits of your sowing and make an offering to God, so that He might forgive you for your wickedness and sin.”

2 He said also to Abel, “Take some of your sowing and make an offering and bring it to God, so that He might forgive you for your wickedness and sin.”

3 Then Abel obeyed his father’s voice, took some of his sowing, and made a good offering, and said to his father, Adam, “Come with me and show me how to offer it up.”

4 And they went, Adam and Eve with him, and they showed him how to offer up his gift on the altar. Then after that, they stood up and prayed that God would accept Abel’s offering.

5 Then God looked at Abel and accepted his offering. And God was more pleased with Abel than with his offering, because of his good heart and pure body. There was no trace of guile in him.

6 Then they came down from the altar, and went to the cave in which they lived. But Abel, by reason of his joy at having made his offering, repeated it three times a week, after the example of his father Adam.

7 But as to Cain, he did not want to make an offering, but after his father became very angry, he offered up a gift once. He took the smallest of his sheep for an offering and when he offered it up, his eyes were on the lamb.

8 Therefore God did not accept his offering, because his heart was full of murderous thoughts.

9 And they all thus lived together in the cave in which Eve had brought forth, until Cain was fifteen years old, and Abel twelve years old.

Chapter LXXVIII – Jealousy overcomes Cain. He makes trouble in the family. How the first murder was planned.

1 Then Adam said to Eve, “Behold the children are grown up; we must think of finding wives for them.”

2 Then Eve answered, “How can we do it?”

3 Then Adam said to her, “We will join Abel’s sister in marriage to Cain, and Cain’s sister to Abel.

4 The said Eve to Adam, “I do not like Cain because he is hard-hearted; but let them stay with us until we offer up to the Lord in their behalf.”

5 And Adam said no more.

6 Meanwhile Satan came to Cain in the figure of a man of the field, and said to him, “Behold Adam and Eve have taken counsel together about the marriage of you two; and they have agreed to marry Abel’s sister to you, and your sister to him.

7 But if it was not that I love you, I would not have told you this thing. Yet if you will take my advice, and obey me, I will bring to you on your wedding day beautiful robes, gold and silver in plenty, and my relations will attend you.”

8 Then Cain said with joy, “Where are your relations?”

9 And Satan answered, “My relations are in a garden in the north, where I once meant to bring your father Adam; but he would not accept my offer.

10 But you, if you will receive my words and if you will come to me after your wedding, you shall rest from the misery in which you are; and you shall rest and be better off than your father Adam.”

11 At these words of Satan Cain opened his ears, and leaned towards his speech.

12 And he did not remain in the field, but he went to Eve, his mother, and beat her, and cursed her, and said to her, “Why are you planning to take my sister to wed her to my brother? Am I dead?”

13 His mother, however, quieted him, and sent him to the field where he had been.

14 Then when Adam came, she told him of what Cain had done.

15 But Adam grieved and held his peace, and said not a word.

16 Then on the next morning Adam said to Cain his son, “Take of your sheep, young and good, and offer them up to your God; and I will speak to your brother, to make to his God an offering of corn.”

17 They both obeyed their father Adam, and they took their offerings, and offered them up on the mountain by the altar.

18 But Cain behaved haughtily towards his brother, and shoved him from the altar, and would not let him offer up his gift on the altar; but he offered his own on it, with a proud heart, full of guile, and fraud.

19 But as for Abel, he set up stones that were near at hand, and on that, he offered up his gift with a heart humble and free from guile.

20 Cain was then standing by the altar on which he had offered up his gift; and he cried to God to accept his offering; but God did not accept it from him; neither did a divine fire come down to consume his offering.

21 But he remained standing over against the altar, out of humor and meanness, looking towards his brother Abel, to see if God would accept his offering or not.

22 And Abel prayed to God to accept his offering. Then a divine fire came down and consumed his offering. And God smelled the sweet savor of his offering; because Abel loved Him and rejoice in Him.

23 And because God was well pleased with him, He sent him an angel of light in the figure of a man who had partaken of his offering, because He had smelled the sweet savor of his offering, and they comforted Abel and strengthened his heart.

24 But Cain was looking on all that took place at his brother’s offering, and was angry because of it.

25 Then he opened his mouth and blasphemed God, because He had not accepted his offering.

26 But God said to Cain, “Why do you look sad? Be righteous, that I may accept your offering. Not against Me have you murmured, but against yourself.

27 And God said this to Cain in rebuke, and because He abhorred him and his offering.

28 And Cain came down from the altar, his color changed and with a sad face, and came to his father and mother and told them all that had befallen him. And Adam grieved much because God had not accepted Cain’s offering.

29 But Abel came down rejoicing, and with a glad heart, and told his father and mother how God had accepted his offering. And they rejoiced at it and kissed his face.

30 And Abel said to his father, “Because Cain shoved me from the altar, and would not allow me to offer my gift on it, I made an altar for myself and offered my gift on it.”

31 But when Adam heard this he was very sorry, because it was the altar he had built at first, and on which he had offered his own gifts.

32 As to Cain, he was so resentful and so angry that he went into the field, where Satan came to him and said to him, “Since your brother Abel has taken refuge with your father Adam, because you shoved him from the altar, they have kissed his face, and they rejoice over him, far more than over you.”

33 When Cain heard these words of Satan, he was filled with rage; and he let no one know. But he was laying wait to kill his brother, until he brought him into the cave, and then said to him:

34 “O brother, the country is so beautiful, and there are such beautiful and pleasurable trees in it, and charming to look at! But brother, you have never been one day in the field to take your pleasure in that place.

35 Today, O, my brother, I very much wish you would come with me into the field, to enjoy yourself and to bless our fields and our flocks, for you are righteous, and I love you much, O my brother! But you have alienated yourself from me.”

36 Then Abel consented to go with his brother Cain into the field.

37 But before going out, Cain said to Abel, “Wait for me, until I fetch a staff, because of wild beasts.”

38 Then Abel stood waiting in his innocence. But Cain, the forward, fetched a staff and went out.

39 And they began, Cain and his brother Abel, to walk in the way; Cain talking to him, and comforting him, to make him forget everything.

Chapter LXXIX – A wicked plan is carried to a tragic conclusion. Cain is frightened. “Am I my brother’s keeper?” The seven punishments. Peace is shattered.

1 And so they went on, until they came to a lonely place, where there were no sheep; then Abel said to Cain, “Behold, my brother, we are tired from walking; for we see none of the trees, nor of the fruits, nor of the flourishing green plants, nor of the sheep, nor any one of the things of which you told me. Where are those sheep of your you told me to bless?”

2 Then Cain said to him, “Come on, and you shall see many beautiful things very soon, but go before me, until I catch up to you.”

3 Then went Abel forward, but Cain remained behind him.

4 And Abel was walking in his innocence, without guile; not believing his brother would kill him.

5 Then Cain, when he came up to him, comforted him with his talk, walking a little behind him; then he ran up to him and beat him with the staff, blow after blow, until he was stunned.

6 But when Abel fell down on the ground, seeing that his brother meant to kill him, he said to Cain, “O, my brother, have pity on me. By the breasts we have sucked, don’t hit me! By the womb that bore us and that brought us into the world, don’t beat me to death with that staff! If you will kill me, take one of these large stones and kill me outright.”

7 Then Cain, the hard-hearted, and cruel murderer, took a large stone, and beat his brother’s head with it, until his brains oozed out, and he wallowed in his blood, before him.

8 And Cain repented not of what he had done.

9 But the earth, when the blood of righteous Abel fell on it, trembled, as it drank his blood, and would have destroyed Cain because of it.

10 And the blood of Abel cried mysteriously to God, to avenge him of his murderer.

11 Then Cain began at once to dig the ground wherein to lay his brother; for he was trembling from the fear that came over him, when he saw the earth tremble on his account.

12 He then cast his brother into the pit he made, and covered him with dust. But the ground would not receive him; but it threw him up at once.

13 Again Cain dug the ground and hid his brother in it; but again the ground threw him up on itself; until three times the ground thus threw up on itself the body of Abel.

14 The muddy ground threw him up the first time, because he was not the first creation; and it threw him up the second time and would not receive him, because he was righteous and good, and was killed without a cause; and the ground threw him up the third time and would not receive him, that there might remain before his brother a witness against him.

15 And so the earth mocked Cain, until the Word of God, came to him concerning his brother.

16 Then was God angry, and much displeased at Abel’s death; and He thundered from heaven, and lightning’s went before Him, and the Word of the Lord God came from heaven to Cain, and said to him, “Where is Abel your brother?”

17 Then Cain answered with a proud heart and a gruff voice, “How, O God? Am I my brother’s keeper?”

18 Then God said to Cain, “Cursed be the earth that has drunk the blood of Abel your brother; and as for you, you will always be trembling and shaking; and this will be a mark on you so that whoever finds you, will kill you.”

19 But Cain cried because God had said those words to him; and Cain said to Him, “O God, whosoever finds me shall kill me, and I shall be blotted out from the face of the earth.”

20 Then God said to Cain, “Whoever finds you will not kill you;” because before this, God had been saying to Cain, “I shall put seven punishments on anyone that kills Cain.” For as to the word of God to Cain, “Where is your brother?” God said it in mercy for him, to try and make him repent.

21 For if Cain had repented at that time, and had said, “O God, forgive me my sin, and the murder of my brother,” God would then have forgiven him his sin.

22 And as to God saying to Cain, “Cursed be the ground that has drunk the blood of your brother” That also, was God’s mercy on Cain. For God did not curse him, but He cursed the ground; although it was not the ground that had killed Abel, and committed a wicked sin.

23 For it was fitting that the curse should fall on the murderer; yet in mercy did God so manage His thoughts as that no one should know it, and turn away from Cain.

24 And He said to him, “Where is your brother?” To which he answered and said, “I know not.” Then the Creator said to him, “Be trembling and quaking.”

25 Then Cain trembled and became terrified; and through this sign did God make him an example before all the creation, as the murderer of his brother. Also did God bring trembling and terror over him, that he might see the peace in which he was at first, and see also the trembling and terror he endured at the last; so that he might humble himself before God, and repent of his sin, and seek the peace that he enjoyed at first.

26 And in the word of God that said, “I will put seven punishments on anyone who kills Cain,” God was not seeking to kill Cain with the sword, but He sought to make him die of fasting, and praying and crying by hard rule, until the time that he was delivered from his sin.

27 And the seven punishments are the seven generations during which God awaited Cain for the murder of his brother.

28 But as to Cain, ever since he had killed his brother, he could find no rest in any place; but went back to Adam and Eve, trembling, terrified, and defiled with blood. . .

CHAP. I.

The grief stricken family. Cain marries Luluwa and they move away.WHEN Luluwa heard Cams words, she wept and went to call her father and mother, and told them how that Cain had killed his brother Abel.

2 Then they all cried aloud and lifted up their voices, and slapped their faces, and threw dust upon their heads, and rent asunder their garments, and went out and came to the place where Abel was killed.

3 And they found him lying on the earth, killed, and beasts around him; while they wept and cried because of this just one. From his body, by reason of its purity, went forth a smell of sweet spices.

4 And Adam carried him, his tears streaming down his face; and went to the Cave of Treasures, where he laid him, and wound him up with sweet spices and myrrh.

5 And Adam and Eve continued by the burial of him in great grief a hundred and forty days. Abel was fifteen and a half years old, and Cain seventeen years’ and a half.

6 As for Cain, when the mourning for his brother was ended, he took his sister Luluwa and married her, without leave from his father and mother; for they could not keep him from her, by reason of their heavy heart.

7 He then went down to the bottom of the mountain, away from the garden, near to the lace where he had killed his brother.

8 And in that place were many fruit trees and forest trees. His sister bare him children, who in their turn began to multiply by degrees until they filled that place.

9 But as for Adam and Eve, they came not together after Abel’s funeral, for seven years. After this, however, Eve conceived; and while she was with child, Adam said to her, “Come, let us take an offering and offer it up unto God, and ask Him to give us a fair child, in whom we may find comfort, and whom we may join in marriage to Abel’s sister.”

10 Then they prepared an offering and brought it up to the altar, and offered it before the Lord, and began to entreat Him to accept their offering, and to give them a good offspring.

11 And God heard Adam and accepted his offering. Then, they worshipped, Adam, Eve, and their daughter, and came down to the Cave of Treasures and placed a lamp in it, to burn by night and by day, before the body of Abel.

12 Then Adam and Eve continued fasting and praying until Eve’s time came that she should be delivered, when she said to Adam, “I wish to go to the cave in the rock, to bring forth in it.”

13 And he said, “Go, and take with thee thy daughter to wait on thee; but I will remain in this Cave of Treasures before the body of my son Abel.”

14 Then Eve hearkened to Adam, and went, she and her daughter. But Adam remained by himself in the Cave of Treasures.

CHAP. II.

A third son is born to Adam and Eve.And Eve brought forth a son perfectly beautiful in figure and in countenance. His beauty was like that of his father Adam, yet more beautiful.

2 Then Eve was comforted when she saw him, and’ remained eight days in the cave; then she sent her daughter unto Adam to tell him to come and see the child and name him. But the daughter stayed in his place by the body of her brother, until Adam returned.’ So did she.

3 But when Adam came and saw the child’s good looks, his beauty, and his perfect figure, he rejoiced over him, and was comforted for Abel. Then he named the child Seth, that means, “that God has heard my prayer, and has delivered me out of my affliction.” But it means also “power and strength.”

4 Then after Adam had named the child, he returned to the Cave of Treasures; and his daughter went back to her mother.

5 But Eve continued in her cave, until forty days were fulfilled, when she came to Adam, and brought with her the child and her daughter.

6 And they came to a river of water, where Adam and his daughter washed themselves, be cause of their sorrow for Abel; but Eve and the babe washed for purification.

7 Then they returned, and took an offering, and went to the mountain and offered it up, for the babe; and God accepted

their offering, and sent His blessing upon them, and upon their son Seth; and they came back to the Cave of Treasures.

8 As for Adam, he knew not a ain his wife Eve, all the days his life; neither was any more offspring born of them; but only those five, Cain, Luluwa, Abel, Aldia, and Seth alone.

9 But Seth waxed in stature and in strength; and began to fast and pray, fervently.

CHAP. III

Satan appear: as a beautiful woman tempting Adam, telling him he is still a youth. “Spend thy youth in mirth and pleasure.” (12) The different forms which Satan takes (15).AS for our father Adam, at the end of seven years from t e day he had been severed from his wife Eve, Satan envied him, when he saw him thus separated from her; and strove to make him live with her again.

2 Then Adam arose and went up above the Cave of Treasures; and continued to sleep there night by night. But as soon as it was light every day he came down to the cave, to pray there and to receive a blessing from it.

3 But when it was evening he went up on the roof of the cave, where he slept by himself, fearing lest Satan should over-come him. And he continued thus apart thirty-nine days.

4 Then Satan, the hater of all good, when he saw Adam thus alone, fasting and praying, appeared unto him in the form of a beautiful woman, who came and stood before him in the night of the fortieth day, and said unto him:

5 “0 Adam, from the time ye have dwelt in this cave, we have experienced great peace from you, and your prayers have reached us, and we have been comforted about you.

6 “But now, 0 Adam, that thou hast gone up over the roof of the cave to sleep, we have had doubts about thee, and a great sorrow has come upon us because of thy separation from Eve. Then again, when thou art on the roof of this cave, thy prayer is poured out, and thy heart wanders from side to side.

7 “But when thou wast in the cave thy prayer was like fire gathered together; it came down to us, and thou didst find rest.

8 “Then I also grieved over thy children who are severed from thee; and my sorrow is great about the murder of thy son Abel; for he was righteous; and over a righteous man every one will grieve.

9 “But I rejoiced over the birth of thy son Seth; yet after a little while I sorrowed greatly over Eve, because she is my sister. For when God sent a deep sleep over thee, and drew her out of thy side, He brought me out also with her. But He raised her by placing her with thee, while He lowered me.

10 I rejoiced over my sister for her being with thee. But God had made me a promise be-fore, and said, ‘Grieve not; when Adam has gone up on the roof of the Cave of Treasures, and is separated from Eve his wife, I will send thee to him, thou shalt join thyself to him in marriage, and bear him five children, as Eve did bear him five.’

11 “And now, lo! God’s promise to me is fulfilled; for it is He who has sent me to thee for the wedding; because if thou wed me, I shall bear thee finer and better children than those of Eve

12 “Then again, thou art a’ yet but a youth; end not thy youth in this world in sorrow; but spend the days of thy youth in mirth and pleasure. For thy days are few and thy trial is great. Be strong; end thy days in this world in rejoicing. I shall take pleasure in thee, and thou shall rejoice with me in this wise, and without fear.

13 “Up, then, and fulfil the command of thy God,” she then drew near to Adam, and embraced him.

14 But when Adam saw that he should be overcome by her, he prayed to God with a fervent heart to deliver him from her.

15 Then God sent His Word unto Adam, saying, “0 Adam, that figure is the one that promised thee the Godhead, and majesty; he is not favorably disposed towards thee; but shows himself to thee at one time in the form of a woman; another moment, in the likeness of an angel; on another occasions, in the similitude of a serpent; and at another time, in the semblance of a god; but he does all that only to destroy thy soul.

16 “Now, therefore, 0 Adam, understanding thy heart, I have delivered thee many a time from his hands; in order to show thee that I am a merciful God; and that I wish thy good, and that I do not wish thy ruin.”

CHAP. IV.

Adam sees the Devil in his true colors.Then God ordered Satan to show himself to Adam plainly, in his own hideous form.

2 But when Adam saw him, he feared, and trembled at the sight of him.

3 And God said to Adam, “Look at this devil, and at his hideous look, and know that he it is who made thee fall from brightness into darkness, from peace and rest to toil and misery.

4 And look, 0 Adam, at him, who said of himself that he is God! Can God be black? Would God take the form of a woman? Is there any one stronger than God? And can He be overpowered?

5 “See, then, 0 Adam, and behold him bound in thy presence, in the air, unable to flee away! Therefore, I say unto thee, be not afraid of him; henceforth take care, and beware of him, in whatever he may do to thee.”

6 Then God drove Satan away from before Adam, whom He strengthened, and whose heart He comforted, saying to him, “Go down to the Cave of Treasures, and separate not thyself from Eve; I will quell in you all animal lust.”

7 From that hour it left Adam and Eve, and they enjoyed rest by the commandment of God. But God did not the like to any one of Adam’s seed; but only to Adam and Eve.

8 Then Adam worshipped be-fore the Lord, for having delivered him, and for having laid his passions. And he came down from above the cave, and dwelt with Eve as aforetime.

9 This ended the forty days of his separation from Eve.

CHAP. V.

The devil paints a brilliant picture for Seth to feast his thoughts uponAs for Seth, when he was seven years old, he knew good and evil, and was consistent in fasting and praying and spent all his nights in en-treating God for mercy and forgiveness.

2 He also fasted when bringing up his offering every day, more than his father did; for he was of a fair countenance, like unto an angel of God. He also had a good heart, preserved the finest qualities of his soul; and for this reason he brought up his offering every day.

3 And God was pleased with his offering; but He was also pleased with his purity. And he continued thus in doing the will of God, and of his father and mother, until he was seven years old.

4 After that, as he was coming down from the altar, having ended his offering, Satan appeared unto him in the form of a beautiful angel, brilliant with light; with a staff of light in his hand, himself girt about with a girdle of light.

5 He greeted Seth with a beautiful smile, and began to beguile him with fair words, saying to him, “0 Seth, why abidest thou in this mountain? For it is rough, full of stones and of sand, and of trees with no good fruit on them; a wilderness without habitations and without towns; no good place to dwell in. But all is heat, weariness, and trouble.”

6 He said further, ‘But we dwell in beautiful places, in an- -other world than this earth. Our world is one of light and our condition is of the best; our women are handsomer than any others; and I wish thee, 0 Seth, to wed one of them; because I see that thou art fair to look upon, and in this land there is not one woman good enough for thee. Besides, all those who live in this world, are only five souls.

7 “But in our world there are very many men and many maidens, all more beautiful one than another. I wish, therefore, to remove thee hence, that thou mayest see my relations and be wedded to which ever thou likest.

8 “Thou shalt then abide by me and be at peace; thou shalt be filled with splendour and light, as we are.

9 “Thou shalt remain in our world and rest from this world and the misery of it; thou shalt never again feel faint and weary; thou shalt never bring up an offering, nor sue for mercy; for thou shalt commit no more sin, nor be swayed by passions.

10 “And if thou wilt hearken to what I say, thou shalt wed one of my daughters; for with us it is no sin so to do; neither is it reckoned animal lust.

11 “For in our world we have no God; but we all are gods; we all are of the light, heavenly,,, powerful, strong and glorious.

CHAP. VI.

Seth’s conscience helps him. He returns to Adam and Eve.When Seth heard these words he was amazed and inclined his heart to Satan’s treacherous speech, and said to him, “Saidst thou there is an other world created than this; and other creatures more beautiful than the creatures that are in this world?”

2 And Satan said “Yes behold thou hast heard me; but I will yet praise them and their ways, in thy hearing.”

3 But Seth said to him, “Thy speech has amazed me; and the; beautiful description of it all.

4 “Yet I cannot go with thee to-day; not until I have gone t my father Adam and to m mother Eve, and told them a thou hast said to me. Then they give me leave to go wit thee I will come.”

5 ‘Again Seth said, “I a afraid of doing any thing without my father’s and mothers leave, lest I perish like my brother Cain, and like my father Adam, who transgressed the commandment of God. But, behold thou knowest this place; come and meet me here tomorrow.

6 When Satan heard this, he said to Seth, “If thou tellest thy father Adam what I have told thee, he will not let thee come with me.

7 But hearken to me; do tell thy father and mother what I have said to thee; but come with me today, to our world; where thou shalt see beautiful things and enjoy thyself there, and revel this day among my children, beholding them and taking thy fill of mirth; and rejoice ever more. Then I shall bring thee back to this place to-morrow; but if thou wouldest rather abide with me, so be it.”

8 Then Seth answered, “The spirit of my father and of my mother, hangs on me; and if I hide from them one day, they will die, and God will hold me guilty of sinning against them.

9 “And except that they know I am come to this place to bring u p to it my offering, they would not be separated from me one hour; neither should I go to any other place, unless they let me. But they treat me most kindly, because I come back to them quickly.”

10 Then Satan said to him, “What will happen to thee if thou hide thyself from them one night, and return to them at the break of day?”

11 But Seth, when he saw how he kept on talking, and that he would not leave him ran, and went up to the altar, and spread his hands unto God, and sought deliverance from Him.

12 Then God sent His Word, and cursed Satan, who fled from Him.

13 But as for Seth, he had gone up to the altar, saying thus ‘a in his heart. “The altar is the place of offering, and God is there; a divine fire shall consume it; so shall Satan be unable to hurt me, and shall not take me away thence.”

14 Then Seth came down he from the altar and went to his his father and mother, whom he found in the way, longing to hear his voice; for he had tarried a while.

15 He then began to tell them what had befallen him from Satan, under the form of an angel.

16 But when Adam heard his account, he kissed his face, and warned him against that angel, telling him it was Satan who thus appeared to him. Then Adam took Seth, and they went to the Cave of Treasures, and rejoiced therein.

17 But from that day forth Adam and Eve never parted from him, to whatever place he might go, whether for his offering or” for any thing else.

18 This sign happened to Seth, when ‘he was nine years old.

CHAP. VII.

Seth marries Aklia. Adam lives to see grand children and great grand children. 

When our father Adam saw that Seth was of a perfect heart, he wished him to marry; lest the enemy should appear to him another time, and overcome him.

2 So Adam said to his son Seth, “I wish, 0 my son, that thou wed thy sister Aklia, Abel’s sister, that she may bear thee children, who shall replenish the earth, according to God’s promise to us.

3 “Be not afraid, 0 my son; there is no disgrace in it. I wish thee to marry, from fear lest the enemy overcome thee.”

4 Seth, however, did not wish to marry; but in obedience to his father and mother, he said not a word.

5 So Adam married him to Aklia. And he was fifteen years old.

6 But when he was twenty years of age, he begat a son whom he called Enos; and then begat other children than him

7 Then Enos grew up, married, and begat Cainan.

8 Cainan also grew up, married, and begat Mahalaleel.

9 Those fathers were born during Adam’s lifetime, and dwelt by the Cave of Treasures.

10 Then were the days of Adam nine hundred and thirty years, and those of Mahalaleel one hundred. But Mahalaleel, when he was grown up, loved fasting, praying, and with hard labours, until the end of our father Adam’s days drew near.

CHAP. VIII.

Adam’s remarkable last words. He predicts the Flood. He exhorts his offspring to good. He reveals certain mysteries of life. 

 When our father Adam saw that his end was near, he called his son Seth, who came to him in the Cave of Treasures, and he said unto him:-

2 “0 Seth, my son bring me thy children and thy children’s ‘1 children, that I may shed my blessing on them before I die.”

3 When Seth heard these words from his father Adam, he went from him, shed a flood of tears over his face, and gathered together his children and his children’s children, and brought them to his father Adam.

4 But when our father Adam saw them around him, he wept at having to be separated from them.

5 And when they saw him weeping, they all wept together, and fell upon his face saying, “How shalt thou be severed from us, 0 our father? And how shall the earth receive thee and hide thee from our eyes?” Thus did they lament much, and in like words.

6 Then our father Adam blessed them all, and said to Seth, after he had blessed them:-

7 “0 Seth, my son, thou knowest this world-that it is full of sorrow, and of weariness; and thou knowest all that has come upon us, from our trials in it I therefore now command thee in these words: to keep innocent, to be pure and just, and trusting in God; and lean not to the discourses of Satan, nor to the apparitions in which he will show himself to thee.

8 But keep the commandments that I give thee this day; then give the same to thy Son Enos; and let Enos give it to his son Cainan; and Cainan to his son Mahalaleel; so that this commandment abide firm among all your children.

9 “0 Seth, my son, the moment I am dead take ye my body ‘and wind it up with ‘myrrh aloes, and cassia, and leave me here in this Cave of Treasures in which are all these tokens which God gave us from the garden.

10 O my son, hereafter shall a flood’ come and overwhelm all creatures, and leave out only eight souls.

11 “But, 0 my son, let those whom it will leave out from among your children at that time, take my body with them out of this cave; and when the have taken it with them, let the oldest among them command the children to lay my body in a ship until the flood has been assuaged and they come out of the ship

12 Then they shall take my body and lay it in the middle of the earth, shortly after they have been saved from the waters of the flood.

13 “For the place where my body shall be laid is the middle of the earth; God shall come from thence and shall save our kindred.

14 “But now, 0 Seth, my son place thyself at the head of thy people; tend them and watch over them in the fear of God and lead them in the good way. Command them to fast unto God; and make them understand they ought not to hearken Satan, lest he destroy them.

15 “Then, again, sever children and thy children’s children from Cain’s children; do not let them ever mix with those, nor come near them either in their words or in their deeds.”

16 Then Adam let his blessing .1 descend upon Seth, and upon his children, and upon all his children’s children.

17 He then turned to his son Seth, and to Eve his wife, and said to them, “Preserve this gold, this incense, and this myrrh, that God has given us for a sign; for in days that are coming, a flood will overwhelm the whole creation. But those who shall go into the ark shall take with them the gold, the incense, and the myrrh, together with my body; and will lay the gold, the incense, and the myrrh, with my body in the midst of the earth.

18 “Then, after a long time,. the city in which the gold, the incense, and the myrrh are found with my body, shall be plundered. But when it is spoiled, the gold the incense, and the myrrh shall be taken care of with the spoil that is kept; and naught of them shall perish, until the Word of God, made man shall come; when kings shall take them, and shall offer to Him, gold in token of His being King; incense, in token of His being God of heaven and earth; and myrrh, in token of His passion.

19 “Gold also, as a token of His overcoming Satan, and all our foes; incense as a token that He will rise from the dead, and be exalted above things in heaven and things in the earth; and myrrh, in token that He will drink bitter gall; and feel the pains of hell from Satan.

20 “And now, 0 Seth, my son, behold I have revealed unto thee hidden mysteries, which God had revealed unto me. Keep my commandment, for thyself, and for thy people.”

CHAP. IX

 The death of Adam.WHEN Adam had ended his commandment to Seth, his limbs were loosened, his hands and feet lost all power his mouth became dumb, and’ his tongue ceased altogether to speak. He closed his eyes and gave up the ghost.

2 But when his children saw that he was dead, they threw themselves over him, men and women, old and young, weeping.

3 The death of Adam took place at the end of nine hundred and thirty years that he lived upon the earth; on the fifteenth day of Barmudeh, after the reckoning of an epact of the sun, at the ninth hour.

4 It was on a Friday, the very day on which he was created and on which he rested; and the hour at which he died, was the same as that at which he came out of the garden.

5 Then Seth wound him up well, and embalmed him with plenty of sweet spices, from sacred trees and from the Holy Mountain; and he laid his body on the eastern side of the inside of the cave, the side of the incense; and placed in front of him a lamp-stand kept burning.

6 Then his children stood be-fore him weeping and wailing over him the whole night until break of day

7 Then Seth and his son Enos, and Cainan, the son of Enos, went out and took good offerings to present unto the Lord and they came to the altar upon which Adam offered gifts to God when he did offer.

8 But Eve said to them: “Wait until we have first asked God to accept our offering, and to keep by Him the soul 0 Adam His servant, and to take it up to rest.”

9 And they all stood up and prayed.

CHAP. X.

“Adam was the first. 

AND when they had ended their prayer, the Word of came and comforted them concerning their father Adam.

2 After this, they offered their gifts for themselves and for their father.

3 And when they had ended their offering, the Word of God came to Seth, the eldest among them, saying unto him, “0 Seth, Seth, Seth, three times. As I was with thy father, so also shall I be with thee, until the fulfillment of the promise I made him-thy father saying, I will send My Word and save thee and thy seed.

4 “But as to thy father Adam, keep thou the commandment he gave thee; and sever thy seed from that of Cain thy brother.”

5 And God withdrew His Word from Seth.

6 Then Seth, Eve, and their children, came down from the mountain to the Cave of Treasures

7 But Adam was the first whose soul died in the land of Eden, in the Cave of Treasures; for no one died before him, but his son Abel, who died murdered.

8 Then all the children of Adam rose up, and wept over their father Adam, and made offerings to him, one hundred and forty days.

CHAP. XI.

Seth becomes head of the most happy and just tribe of people who ever lived.AFTER the death of Adam and of Eve, Seth severed his children, and his children’s children, from Cain’s children. Cain and his seed went down and dwelt westward, below the place where he had killed his I brother Abel.

2 But Seth and his children, dwelt northwards upon the mountain of the Cave of Treasures, in order to be near to their father Adam.

3 And Seth the elder, tall and good, with a fine soul, and of a strong mind, stood at the head of his people; and tended them in innocence, penitence, and meekness, and did not allow one of them to go down to Cain’s children.

4 But because of their own purity, they were named “Children of God,” and they were with God, instead of the hosts of angels who fell; for they continued in praises to God, and in singing psalms unto Him, in their cave—-the Cave of Treasures.

5 Then Seth stood before the body of his father Adam, and of his mother Eve, and prayed night and day, and asked for mercy towards himself and his children; and that when he had some difficult dealing with a child, He would give him counsel.

6 But Seth and his children did not like earthly work, but gave themselves to heavenly things; for they had no other thought than praises, doxologies, and psalms unto God.

7 Therefore did they at times hear the voices of angels, praising and glorifying God; from within the garden, or when they were sent by God on an errand, or when they were going up to heaven.

8 For Seth and his children by reason of their own purity heard and saw those angels Then, again, the garden was not far above them, but only some fifteen spiritual cubits.

9 Now one spiritual cubit an answers to three cubits of man, altogether forty-five cubits.

10 Seth and his children dwell on the mountain below the garden; they sowed not, neither did they reap; they wrought no food for the body not even wheat but only offerings. They ate of the fruit and of trees well flavoured that grew on the mountain where they dwelt.

11 Then Seth often fasted every forty days, as did also his eldest children. For the family of Seth smelled the smell of the trees in the garden, when the wind blew that way.

12 They were happy, innocent, without sudden fear, there was no jealousy, no evil action, no hatred among them. There was no animal passion; from no mouth among them went forth either foul words or curse; neither evil counsel nor fraud. For the men of that time never swore, but under hard circumstances, when men must swear, they swore by the blood of Abel the just.

13 But they constrained their children and their women every day in the cave to fast and pray, and to worship the most High God. They blessed themselves n the body of their father Adam, and anointed themselves with it.

14 And they did so until the end of Seth drew near.

CHAP. XII.

Seth’s family affairs. His death. The headship of Enos. How the outcast branch of Adam’s family fared. 

Then Seth, the just, called his son Enos, and Cainan, son of Enos, and Mahalaleel, son of Cainan, and said unto them:-

2 “As my end is near, I wish to build a roof over the altar on which gifts are offered.”

3 They hearkened to his commandment and went out, all of them, both old and young, and worked hard at it, and built a beautiful roof over the altar.

4 And Seth’s thought, in so doing, was that a blessing should come upon his children on the mountain; and that he should present an offering for them before his death.

5 Then when the building of the roof was completed, he commanded them to make offerings They worked diligently at these, and brought them to Seth their father who took them and offered them upon the altar; and prayed God to accept their offerings, to have mercy on the souls of his children, and to keep them from the hand of Satan.

6 And God accepted his offering, and sent His blessing upon him and upon his children. And then God made a promise to Seth, saying, “At the end of the great five days and a half, concerning which I have made a promise to thee and to thy father, I will send My Word and save thee and thy seed.”

7 Then Seth and his children, and his children’s children, met together, and came down from the altar, and went to the Cave of Treasures-where they prayed, and blessed themselves in the body of our father Adam, and anointed themselves with it.

8 But Seth abode in the Cave of Treasures, a few days, and then suffered – sufferings unto death.

9 Then Enos, his first born son, came to him, with Cainan, his son, and Mahalaleel, Cainan’s son, and Jared, the son of Mahalaleel, and Enoch, Jared’s son, with their wives and children to receive a blessing from Seth.

10 Then Seth prayed over them, and blessed them, and adjured them by the blood of Abel the just, saying, “I beg of you, my children, not to let one of you go down from this Holy and pure Mountain.

11 Make no fellowship with the children of Cain the murderer and the sinner, who killed his brother; for ye know, 0 my children, that we flee from him, and from all his sin with all our I might because he killed his brother Abel.”

12 After having said this, Seth blessed Enos, his first-born son, and commanded him habitually to minister in purity b~ fore the body of our ‘father Adam, all the days of his life; then, also, to go at times to the altar which he Seth had built. And he commanded him to feed his people in righteousness, in judgment and purity all the days of his life.

13 Then the limbs of Seth were loosened; his hands and feet lost all power; his mouth became dumb and unable to speak; and he gave up the ghost and died the day after his nine hundred and twelfth year; on the twenty-seventh day of the month Abib; Enoch being then twenty years old.

14 Then they wound up care-full the body of Seth, and embalmed him with sweet spices, and laid him in the Cave of Treasures, on the right side of our father Adam’s body, and they mourned for him forty days. They offered gifts for him, as they had done for our father Adam.

15 After the death of Seth, Enos rose at the head of his people, whom he fed in righteousness, and judgment, as his father had commanded him.

16 But by the time Enos was eight hundred and twenty years old, Cain had a large progeny; for they married frequently, being given to animal lusts; until the land below the mountain, was filled with them.

CHAP. XIII.

“Among the children of Cain there was much robbery, murder and sin.” 

In those days lived Lamech he blind, who was of the sons of Cain. He had a son whose name was Atun, and the; two had much cattle.

2 But Lamech was in the habit of sending them to feed with a young shepherd, who tended them; and who, when coming home in the evening wept before his grandfather and before his father Atun ar his mother Hazina, and said to them, “As for me, I cannot feed those cattle alone, lest one rob me of some of them, or kill me for the sake of them.” For among the children of Cain there was much robbery, murder and sin.

3 Then Lamech pitied him and he said, “Truly, he when alone, might be overpowered by the men of this place.”

4 So Lamech arose, took a bow he had kept ever since was a youth, ere he became blind, and he took large arrows and smooth stones, and a sling which he had, and went to field with the young shepherd, and placed himself behind the cattle; while the young shepherd watched the cattle. Thus did Lamech many days

5 Meanwhile Cain, ever since God had cast him off, and I cursed him with trembling terror, could neither settle nor find rest in any one place; but wandered from place to place.

6 In his wanderings he came to Lamech’s wives, and asked them about him. They said to him, “He is in the field with the cattle.”

7 Then Cain went to look for him; and as he came into field, the young shepherd heard the noise he made, and the cattle herding together before him.

8 Then said he to Lamech “0 my lord, is that a wild beast or a robber?”

9 And Lamech said to him, “Make me understand which way he looks, when he comes up.

10 Then Lamech bent his bow, placed an arrow on it, and fitted a stone in the sling, and when Cain came out from the open country, the shepherd said to Lamech, “Shoot, behold, he is coming.”

11 Then Lamech shot at Cain with his arrow and hit him in his side. And Lamech struck him with a stone from his sling, that fell upon his face, and knocked out both his eyes; then Cain fell at once and died.

12 Then Lamech and the young shepherd came up to him, and found him lying on the ground. And the young shepherd said to him, “It is Cain our grandfather, whom thou hast killed, 0 my lord!”

13 Then was Lamech sorry for it, and from the bitterness of his regret, he clapped his hands together, and struck with his flat palm the head of the youth, who fell as if dead; but Lamech thought it was a feint; so he took up a stone and smote him, and did smashed his head until he died.

CHAP. XIV.

Time, like an ever rolling stream, bears away another generation of men.When Enos was nine hundred years old, all the children of Seth, and of Cainan, and his first-born, with their wives and children, gathered around for him, asking for a blessing from the him.

2 He then prayed over them the and blessed them, and adjured them by the blood of Abel the just saying to them, “Let not one of your children go down from this Holy Mountain, and let them make no fellowship with him, the children of Cain the murderer.”

3 Then Enos called his son Cainan and said to him, “See, o my son, and set thy heart on thy people, and establish them in righteousness, and in innocence; and stand ministering before the body of our father Adam, all the days of thy life.”

4 After this Enos entered into rest, aged nine hundred and eighty-five years; and Cainan wound him up, and laid him in the Cave of Treasures on the left of his father Adam; and made offerings for him, after the custom of his fathers.

CHAP. XV.

The offspring of Adam continue to keep the Cave of Treasures as a family shrine. 

AFTER the death of Enos, Cainan stood at the head his people in righteousness and innocence, as his father had commanded him; he also continued to minister before the body of Adam, inside the Cave of Treasures.

2 Then when he had lived nine hundred and ten years, suffering and affliction came upon him. And when he was about to enter into rest, all the fathers with their wives and children came to him, and he blessed them, and adjured them by the blood of Abel, the just, saying to them, “Let not one among you go down from this Holy Mountain; and make no fellow-ship with the children of Cain the murderer.”

3 Mahalaleel, his first-born son, received this commandment from his father, who blessed him and died.

4 Then Mahalaleel embalmed him with sweet spices, and laid him in the Cave of Treasures, with his fathers; and they made offerings for him, after the custom of their fathers.

CHAP. XVI.

The good branch of the family is still afraid of the children of Cain. 

Then Mahalaleel stood over his people, and fed them in righteousness and innocence, and watched them to see they held no intercourse with the children of Cain.

2 He also continued in the Cave of Treasures praying and ministering before the body of our father Adam, asking God for mercy on himself and on his people; until he was eight hundred and seventy years old, when he fell sick.

3 Then all his children gathered unto him, to see him, and to ask for his blessing on them all, ere he left this world.

4 Then Mahalaleel arose and sat on his bed, his tears streaming down his face, and he called his eldest son Jared, who came to him.

5 He then kissed his face, and said to him, “0 Jared, my son, I adjure thee by Him who made heaven and earth, to watch over thy people, and to feed them in righteousness and in innocence; and not to let one of them go down from this Holy Mountain to the children of Cain, lest he perish with them.

6 “Hear, 0 my son, hereafter there shall come a great destruction upon this earth on account of them; God will be angry with the world, and will destroy them with waters.

7 “But I also know that thy children will not hearken to thee, and that they will go down from this mountain and hold intercourse with the children of Cain, and that they shall perish with them.

8 “0 my son! teach them, and watch over them, that no guilt attach to thee on their account.”

9 Mahalaleel said, moreover, to his son Jared, “When I die, embalm my body and lay it in the Cave of Treasures, by the bodies of my fathers; then stand thou by my body and pray to God; and take care of them, and fulfil thy ministry before them, until thou enterest into rest thyself.”

10 Mahalaleel then blessed all his children; and then lay down on his bed, and entered into rest like his fathers.

11 But when Jared saw that his father Mahalaleel was dead, he wept, and sorrowed, and em-braced and kissed his hands and his feet; and so did all his children.

12 And his children embalmed him carefully, and laid him by the bodies of his fathers. Then they arose, and mourned for him forty days.

CHAP. XVII.

Jared turns martinet. He is lured away to the land of Cain where he sees many voluptuous sights. Jared barely escapes with a clean heart.Then Jared kept his father’ commandment, and arose like a lion over his people. He fed them in righteousness and innocence, and commanded them to do nothing without his counsel. For he was afraid concerning them, lest they should go to the children of Cain.

2 Wherefore did he give the orders repeatedly; and continued to do so until the end of the four hundred and eighty-fifth year of his life.

3 At the end of these said years, there came unto him this sign. As Jared was standing like a lion before the bodies his fathers, praying and warning his people, Satan envied him, and wrought a beautiful apparition, because Jared would not let his children do aught without his counsel.

4 Satan then appeared to him with thirty men of his hosts, in the form of handsome men; Satan himself being the elder and tallest among them, with a fine beard.

5 They stood at the mouth of the cave, and called out Jared, from within it.

6 He came out to them, and found them looking like fine men, full of light, and of great beauty. He wondered at their beauty and at their looks; and thought within himself whether they might not be of the children of Cain.

7 He said also in his heart, “As the children of Cain cannot come up to the height of this mountain, and none of them is so handsome as these appear to be; and among these men there is not one of my kindred-they must be strangers.”

8 Then Jared and they exchanged a greeting and he said to the elder among them, “O my father, explain to me the wonder that is in thee, and tell me who these are, with thee; for they, look to me like strange men.

9 Then the elder began to weep, and the rest wept with him; and he said to Jared, “I am Adam whom God made first; and this is Abel my son, who was killed by his brother Cain, into whose heart Satan put to murder him.

10 “Then this is my son Seth, whom I asked of the Lord, who gave him to me, to comfort me instead of Abel.

11 Then this one is my son Enos, son of Seth, and that id other one is Cainan, son of Enos, and that other one is Mahalaleel, son of Cainan, thy father.”

But Jared remained wondering at their appearance, and at the speech of the elder to him,
13 Then the elder said to him, “Marvel not, 0 my son; we live in the land north of the garden, which God created before the world. He would not let us live there, but placed us inside the garden, below which ye are now dwelling.

14 “But after that I transgressed, He made me come out of it, and I was left to dwell in this cave; great and sore troubles came upon me; and when my death drew near, I commanded my son Seth to tend his people well; and this my commandment is to be handed from one to another, unto the end of the generations to come.

15 “But, 0 Jared, my son, we live in beautiful regions, while you live here in misery, as this thy father Mahalaleel informed me; telling me that a great flood will come and overwhelm the whole earth.

16 “Therefore, 0 my son, fearing for your sakes, I rose and took my children with me, and came hither for us to visit thee and thy children; but I found thee standing in this cave weeping, and thy children scattered about this mountain, in the heat and in misery.

17 “But, 0 my son, as we missed our way, and came as far as this, we found other men below this mountain; who in-habit a beautiful country, full of trees and of fruits, and of all manner of verdure; it is like a garden; so that when we found them we thought they were you; until thy father Mahalaleel told me they were no such thing.

18 “Now, therefore, 0 my son, hearken to my counsel, and go down to them, thou and thy children. Ye will rest from all this suffering in which ye are. But if thou wilt not go down to them, then, arise, take thy children, and come with us to our garden; ye shall live in our beautiful land, and ye shall rest from all this trouble, which thou and thy children are now bearing.”

19 But Jared when he heard this discourse from the elder, wondered; and went hither and thither, but at that moment he found not one of his children.

20 Then he answered and said to the elder, “Why have you hidden yourselves until this day?”

21 And the elder replied, “If thy father had not told us, we should not have known it.”

22 Then Jared believed his words were true.

23 So that elder said to Jared, “Wherefore didst thou turn about, so and so?” And he said, “I was seeking one of my children, to tell him about my going with you, and about their coming down to those about whom thou hast spoken to me.”

24 When the elder heard Jared’s intention, he said to him, “Let alone that purpose at present, and come with us; thou shalt see our country; if the land in which we dwell pleases thee, we and thou shall return hither and take thy family with us. But if our country does not p lease thee, thou shalt come back to thine own place.”

25 And the elder urged Jared, to go before one of his children came to counsel him otherwise.

26 Jared, then, came out of the cave and went with them, and among them. And they comforted him, until they came to the top of the mountain of the sons of Cain.

27 Then said the elder to one of his companions, “We have forgotten something by the mouth of the cave, and that is the chosen garment we had brought to clothe Jared withal.”

28 He then said to one of them, “Go back, thou, some one; and we will wait for thee here, until thou come back. Then will we clothe Jared and he shall be like us, good, handsome, and fit to come with us into our country.”

29 Then that one went back.

30 But when he was a short distance off, the elder called to him and said to him, “Tarry thou, until I come up and speak to thee.”

31 Then he stood still, and the elder went up to him and said to him, “One thing we forgot at the cave, it is this to put out the lamp that burns inside it, above the bodies that are therein. Then come back to us, quick”

32 That one went, and the elder came back to his fellows and to Jared. And they came down from the mountain, and Jared with them; and they stayed by a fountain of water, near the houses of the children of Cain, and waited for their companion until he brought the garment for Jared.

33 He, then, who went back to the cave, put out the lamp, and came to them and brought a phantom with him and showed it them. And when Jared saw it he wondered at the beauty and grace thereof, and rejoiced in his heart believing it was all true.

34 But while they were staying there, three of them went into houses of the sons of Cain, and said to them, “Bring us today some food by the fountain of water, for us and our companions to eat.”

35 But when the sons of Cain saw them, they wondered at them and thought: “These are beautiful to look at, and such as we never saw before.” So they rose and came with them to the fountain of water, to see their companions.

36 They found them so very handsome, that they cried aloud about their places for others to gather together and come and look at these beautiful beings. Then they gathered around them both men and women.

37 Then the elder said t them, “We are strangers in you land, bring us some good food and drink, you and your women to refresh ourselves with you.

38 When those men heard these words of the elder, every one of Cain’s sons brought his wife, and another brought his daughter, and so, many women came to them; every one addressing Jared either for himself or for his wife; all alike.

39 But when Jared saw what they did, his very soul wrenched itself from them; neither would he taste of their food or of their drink.

40 The elder saw him as he wrenched himself from them, and said to him, “Be not sad; I am the great elder, as thou shalt see me do, do thyself in like manner.”

41 Then he spread his hands and took one of the wQmen, and five of his companions did the same before Jared, that he should do as they did.

42 But when Jared saw them working infamy he wept, and said in his mind, My fathers never did the like.

43 He then spread his hands and prayed with a fervent heart, and with much weeping, and entreated God to deliver him from their hands.

44 No sooner did Jared begin to pray than the elder fled with his companions; for they could not abide in a place of prayer.

45 Then Jared turned round but could not see them, but found himself standing in the midst of the children of Cain.

46 He then wept and said, “O God, destroy me not with this race, concerning which my fathers have warned me; for now, 0 my Lord God, I was thinking that those who appeared unto me were my fathers; but I have found them out to be devils, who allured me by this beautiful apparition, until I believed them.

47 “But now I ask, Thee, 0 God, to deliver me from this race, among whom I am now staying, as Thou didst deliver me from those devils. Send Thy angel to draw me out of the midst of them; for I have not myself power to escape from among them.

48 When Jared had ended his prayer, God sent His angel in the midst of them, who took Jared and set him upon the mountain, and showed him the way, gave him counsel, and then departed from him.

CHAP. XVIII.

Confusion in the Cave of Treasures. Miraculous speech of the dead Adam. The children of Jared were in the habit of visiting him hour after hour, to receive his blessing and to ask his advice for every thing they did; and when he had a work to do, they did it for him.

2 But this time when they went into the cave they found not Jared, but they found the lamp put out, and the bodies of the fathers thrown about, and voices came from them by the power of God, that said, “Satan in an apparition has deceived our son, wishing to destroy him, as he destroyed our son Cain.”

3 They said also, “Lord God of heaven and earth, deliver our son from the hand of Satan, who wrought a great and false apparition before him.” They also spake of other matters, by the power of God.

4 But when the children of Jared heard these voices they feared, and stood weeping for their father; for they knew not what had befallen him.

5 And they wept for him that day until the setting of the sun.

6 Then came Jared with a woeful countenance, wretched in mind and body, and sorrowful at having been separated from the bodies of his fathers.

7 But as he was drawing near to the cave, his children saw him, and hastened to the cave, and hung upon his neck, crying, and saying to him, “O father, where hast thou been, and why hast thou left us, as thou wast not wont to do?” And again, “0 father, when thou didst disappear, the lamp over the bodies of our fathers went out, the bodies were thrown about, and voices came from them.”

8 When Jared heard this he was sorry, and went into the cave; and there found the bodies thrown about, the lamp put out, and the fathers themselves praying for his deliverance from the hand of Satan.

9 Then Jared fell upon the bodies and embraced them, and said, “0 my fathers, through your intercession, let God deliver me from the hand of Satan! And I beg you will ask God to keep me and to hide me from him unto the day of my death.”

10 Then all the voices ceased save the voice of our father Adam, who spake to Jared by the power of God, just as one would speak to his fellow, saymg, “0 Jared, my son, offer gifts to God for having delivered thee from the hand of Satan; and when thou bringest those offerings, so be it that thou offerest them on the altar on which I did offer. Then also, beware of Satan; for he deluded me many a tune with his apparitions, wishing to destroy me, but God delivered me out of his hand.

11 “Command thy people that they be on their guard against him; and never cease to offer up gifts to God.”

12 Then the voice of Adam also became silent; and Jared and his children wondered at this. Then they laid the bodies as they were at first; and Jared and his children stood praying the whole of that night, until break of day.

13 Then Jared made an offering and offered it up on the altar, as Adam had commanded him. And as he went up to the altar, he prayed to God for mercy and for forgiveness of his ~ concerning the lam p going out.

14 Then God app eared unto Jared on the altar and blessed him and his children, and accepted their offerings; and commanded Jared to take of the sacred fire from the altar, and with it to light the lamp that shed light on the body of Adam.

CHAP. XIX.

The children of Jared are led astray. 

 Then God revealed to him again the promise He had made to Adam; He explained to him the 5500 years, and revealed unto him the mystery of His coming upon the earth.

2 And God said to Jared, “As to that fire which thou hast taken from the altar to light the lamp. withal, let it abide with you to give light to the bodies; and let it not come out of the cave, until the body of Adam comes out of it.

3 But, 0 Jared, take care of’ the fire, that it burn bright in the lamp; neither go thou again out of the cave, until thou receivest an order through a vision, and not in an apparition, when seen by thee.

4 “Then command again thy people not to hold intercourse with the children of Cain, and not to learn their ways; for I am God who loves not hatred and works of iniquity.”

5 God gave also many other commandments to Jared, and blessed him. And then withdrew His Word from him.

6 Then Jared drew near with his children, took some fire, and came down to the cave, and lighted the lamp before the

body of Adam; and he gave his people commandments as God had told him to do.

7 This sign happened to Jared at the end of his four hundred and fiftieth year; as did also many other wonders, we do not record. But we record only this one for shortness sake, and in order not to lengthen our narrative.

8 And Jared continued to teach his children eighty years; but after that they began to transgress the commandments he had given them, and to do many things without his counsel. They began to go down from the Holy Mountain one after another, and to mix with the children of Cain in foul fellowships.

9 Now the reason for which the children of Jared went down the Holy Mountain, is this, that we will now reveal unto you.

CHAP. XX.

Ravishing music; strong drink loosed among the sons of Cain. They don colorful clothing. The children of Seth look on with longing eyes. They revolt from wise counsel; they descend the mountain into the valley of iniquity. They can not ascend the mountain again.After Cain had gone down to the land of dark soil, and his children had multiplied therein, there was one of them, whose name was Genun, son of Lamech the blind who slew Cain.

2 But as to this Genun, Satan came into him in his childhood; and he made sundry trumpets and horns, and string instruments, cymbals and psalteries, and lyres and harps, and flutes; and he played on them at all times and at every hour.

3 And when he played on them, Satan came into them, so that from among them were heard beautiful and sweet sound; that ravished the heart.

4 Then he gathered companies upon companies to play on them; and when they played, it pleased well the children of Cain, who inflamed themselves with sin among themselves, and burnt as with fire; while Satan inflamed their hearts, one with another, and increased lust among them.

5 Satan also taught Genun to bring strong drink out of corn; and this Genun used to bring together companies upon companies ‘in drink-houses; and brought into their hands all manner of fruits and flowers;-and they drank together.

6 Thus did this Genun multiply sin exceedingly; he also acted’ with pride, and taught the children of Cain to commit all manner of the grossest wickedness, which they knew not- and put them up to manifold doings which they knew not before.

7 Then Satan, when he saw that they yielded to Genun and hearkened to him in every thing he told them, rejoiced greatly, increased Genun’s understanding, until he took iron and with it made weapons of war.

8 Then when they were drunk, hatred and murder increased among them; one man used violence against another to teach him evil taking his children and defiling them before him.

9 And when men saw they were overcome, and saw others that were not overpowered, those who were beaten came to Genun, took refuge with him, and he made them his confederates.

10 Then sin increased among them greatly; until a man married his own sister, or daughter, or mother, and others; or the daughter of his father’s sister, so that there was no more distinction of relationship, and they no longer knew what is iniquity; but did wickedly, and the earth was defiled with sin; and they angered God the Judge, who had created them.

11 But Genun gathered together companies upon companies, that played on horns and on all the other instruments we have already mentioned, at the foot of the Holy Mountain; and they did so in order that the children of Seth who were on the Holy Mountain should hear it.

12 But when the children of Seth heard the noise, they wondered, and came by companies, and stood on the top of the mountain to look at those below; and they did thus a whole year.

13 When, at the end of that year, Genun saw that they were being won over to him little by little, Satan entered into him, and taught him to make dyeing stuffs for garments of divers patterns, and made him understand how to dye crimson and purple and what not.

14 And the sons of Cain who wrought all this, and shone in beauty and gorgeous apparel, gathered together at the foot of the mountain in splendour, with ~ horns and gorgeous dresses, and horse races, committing all manner of abominations.

15 Meanwhile the children of Seth, who were on the Holy Mountain, prayed and praised God, in the place of the hosts of angels who had fallen; wherefore God had called them “angels,”. because He rejoiced over them greatly.

16 But after this, they no longer kept His commandment, nor held by the promise He had made to their fathers; but they relaxed from their fasting and praying, and from the counsel of Jared their father. And they kept on gathering together on the top of the mountain, to look upon the children of Cain, from morning until evening, and upon what they did, upon their beautiful dresses and ornaments.

17 Then the children of Cain looked up from below, and saw the children of Seth, standing in troops on the top of the mountain; and they called to them to come down to them.

18 But the children of Seth said to them from above, “We don’t know the way.” Then Genun, the son of Lamech, heard them say they did not know the way, and he bethought himself how he might bring them down.

19 Then Satan appeared ‘to him by night, saying, “There is no way for them to come down from the mountain on which they dwell; but when they come to-morrow, say to them, ‘Come ye to the western side of the mountain; there you will find the way of a stream of water, that comes down to the foot of the mountain, between two hills; come down that way to us.”

20 Then when it was day, Genun blew the horns and beat drums below the mountain, as he was wont. The children of Seth heard it, and came as they used to do.

21 Then Genun said to them from down below, “Go to the western side of the mountain there you will find the way to come down.”

22 But when the children of Seth heard these words from him, they went back into the cave to Jared, to tell him all they had heard.

23 Then when Jared heard it he was grieved; for he knew that they would transgress his counsel.

24 After this a hundred men of the children of Seth gathered together, and said among themselves, “Come, let us go down to the children of Cain, and see what they do, and enjoy our selves with them.”

25 But when Jared heard this of the hundred men, his very soul was moved, and his heart was grieved. He then arose with great fervour, and stood in the midst of them, and adjured them by the blood of Abel the just, “Let not one of you go down from this holy and pure mountain, in which our fathers have ordered us to dwell.”

26 But when Jared saw that they did not receive his words, he said unto them, “0 my good and innocent and holy children, know that when once you go down from this holy mountain, God will not allow you to return again to it.”

27 He again adjured them, saying, “I adjure by the death of our father Adam, and by the blood of Abel, of Seth, of Enos, of Cainan, and of Mahalaleel, to hearken to me, and not to go down from this holy mountain; for the moment you leave it, you’ will be reft of life and of mercy; and you shall no longer be called ‘children of God,’ but ‘children of the devil.'”

28 But they would not hearken to his words.

29 Enoch at that time was already grown up, and in his zeal for God, he arose and said, “Hear me, 0 ye sons of Seth, small and great-when ye transgress the commandment of our fathers, and go down from this holy mountain ye shall not come up hither again for ever.”

30 But they rose up against Enoch, and would not hearken to his words, but went down from the Holy Mountain.

31 And when they looked at the daughters of Cain, at beautiful figures, and at their hands and feet dyed with colour, and’ tattooed in ornaments on their faces, the fire of sin was kindled in them

32 Then Satan made them look most beautiful before the sons of Seth, as he also made the sons of Seth appear of the fairest in the eyes of the daughters of Cain, so that the daughters of Cain lusted after the sons of Seth like ravenous beasts, and the sons of Seth after the daughters of Cain, until they committed abomination with them.

33 But after they had thus fallen into this defilement, they returned by the way they had come, and tried to ascend the Holy Mountain. But they could not, because the stones of that holy mountain were of fire flashing before them, by reason of which they could not go up again.

34 And God was angry ‘with them, and repented of them because they had come down from glory, and had thereby lost or forsaken their own purity or innocence, and were fallen into the defilement of sin.

35 Then God sent His Word to Jared saying, These thy children, whom you did call ‘My children’ – behold they have transgressed My commandment, and have gone down to the abode of perdition, and of sin. Send a messenger to those that are left, that they may not go down, and be lost.”

36 Then Jared wept before the Lord, and asked of Him mercy and forgiveness. But he wished that his soul might depart from his body, rather than hear these words from God about the going down of his children from the Holy Mountain.

37 But he followed God’s order, and preached unto them not to go down from that holy mountain, and not to hold intercourse with the children of Cain.

38 But they heeded not his message, and would not obey his counsel.

CHAP. XXI.

Jared dies in sorrow for his sons who had gone astray. A prediction of the Flood. 

 

 After this another company gathered together, and they to look after their brethren; but they perished as well as they. And so it was, company after company, until only a few of them were left.

2 Then Jared sickened from grief, and his sickness was such that the day of his death drew near.

3 Then he called Enoch his eldest son, and Methuselah Enoch’s son, and Lamech the son of Methuselah, and Noah the son of Lamech.

4 And when they were come to him he prayed over them and blessed them, and said to them, “Ye are righteous, innocent sons; go ye not down from this holy mountain; for behold, your children and your children’s children have gone down from this holy mountain, and have estranged themselves from this holy mountain, through their abominable lust and transgression of God’s commandment.

5 “But I know, through the power of God, that He will not leave you on this holy mountain, because your children have transgressed His commandment and that of our fathers, which we had received from them.

6 “But, 0 my sons, God will take you to a strange land, and ye never shall again return to behold with your eyes this garden and this holy mountain.

7 “Therefore, 0 my sons, set your hearts on your own selves, and keep the commandment of God which is with you. And when you go from this holy mountain, into a strange land which ye know not, take with you the body of our father Adam, and with it these three precious gifts and offerings, namely, the gold, the incense, and the myrrh; and let them be in the place where the body of our father Adam shall lay.

8 “And unto him of you who shall be left, 0 my sons, shall the Word of God come, and when he goes out of ~his land he shall take with him the body of our father Adam, and shall lay it in the middle of the earth, the place in which salvation shall be wrought.”

9 Then Noah said unto him, “Who is he of us that shall be left?”

10 And Jared answered, “Thou art he that shall be left. And thou shalt take the body of our father Adam from the cave, and place it with thee in the ark when the flood comes

11 “And thy son Shem, who shall come out of thy loins, he it is who shall lay the body of our father Adam in the middle of the earth, in the place whence salvation shall come.”

12 Then Jared turned to his son Enoch, and said unto him, “Thou, my son, abide in this cave, and minister diligently before the body of our father Adam all the days of thy life; and feed thy people in righteousness and innocence.”

13 And Jared said no more. His hands were loosened, his eyes closed, and he entered into rest like his fathers. His death took place in the three hundred and sixtieth year of Noah, and in the nine hundred and eighty-ninth year of his own life; on the twelfth of Takhsas on a Friday.

14 But as Jared died, tears streamed down his face by reason of his great sorrow, for the children of Seth, who had fallen in his days.

15 Then Enoch, Methuselah, Lamech and Noah, these four, wept over him; embalmed him carefully, and then laid him in the Cave of Treasures. Then they rose and mourned for him forty days.

16 And when these days of mourning were ended, Enoch, Methuselah, Lamech and Noah remained m sorrow of heart, be cause their father had departed from them, and they saw him no more.

CHAP. XXII.

Only three righteous men left in the world. The evil condition’s of men prior to the Flood.

 Enoch kept the commandment of Jared his father, and continued to minister in the cave.

2 It is this Enoch to whom many wonders happened, and who also wrote a celebrated book; but those wonders may not be told in this place.

3 Then after this, the children of Seth went astray and fell, they, their children and their wives. And when Enoch, Methuselah, Lamech and Noah saw them, their hearts suffered by reason of their fall into doubt full of unbelief; and they wept and sought of God mercy, to preserve them, and to bring them out ~ that wicked generation.

4 Enoch continued in his ministry before the Lord three hundred and eighty-five years, and at the end of that time he became aware through the grace of God, that God intended to remove him from the earth.

5 He then said to his son, O my son, I know that God intends to bring the waters of the Flood upon the earth, and to destroy our creation.

6 “And ye are the last rulers over this people on this mountain; for I know that not one will be left you to beget children on this holy mountain; neither shall any one of you rule over the children of his people; neither shall any great company be left of you, on this mountain.”

7 Enoch said also to them, “Watch over your souls, and hold fast by your fear of God and by your service of Him, and worship Him in upright faith, and serve Him in righteousness, innocence and judgment, in repentance and also in purity.”

8 When Enoch had ended his commandments to them, God transported him from that mountain to the land of life, to the mansions of the righteous and of the chosen, the abode of Paradise of joy, in light that reaches up to heaven; light that is outside the light of this world; for it is the light of God, that fills the whole world, but which no place can contain.

9 Thus, because Enoch was in the light of God, he found himself out of the reach of death; until God would have him die.

10 Altogether, not one of our fathers or of their children, remained on that holy mountain, except those three, Methuselah, Lamech, and Noah. For all the rest went down from the mountain and fell into sin with the children of Cain. Therefore were they forbidden that mountain, and none remained on it but those three men.

Translated from the Georgian original by J.P. Mahe

Discovery of Expulsion

1.1 It came to pass, when Adam went out from paradise with his wife Eve, they went out at the eastern part of paradise. And Adam made a hut to live in. They both entered (it) and resided there for seven days. They both wept with abundant tears for they regretted the residences of the kingdom from which they had been expelled.
2.1 And after seven “days, they were hungry and looked for something to eat.
2.2 Eve told Adam: “Adam, my lord, arise and (go) search for food for me that we may eat, while waiting to try – who knows – (that) for the Lord to accept us and take us back to the same place in paradise.
3.1 And Adam arose after seven days and went about upon the face of the earth and he did not find any food like that which they used to eat in paradise. Adam replied to Eve and told her, “We are going to die a death.”
3.2 Eve told Adam, “Oh, if I were dead then God would have accepted you in paradise!” Adam replied to Eve and said to her, “Because of us a great anger lies against (upon?) all creatures. (However) I do not know this: whether it is because of me or because of you.” Eve replied to Adam, “My lord, if you think it wise, kill me so that I will be exterminated from the sight of God and his angels, so that God’s anger against you may cease, which happened because of me: and he will bring you back into paradise.
3.3 Adam replied and told her, “No, no! Do not mention this matter, lest God send another judgment upon us because of (this) killing. How could I raise my hand and cause my own flesh to suffer?” Then Eve told him, “Arise, let us both seek vegetables.”
4.1 And they did not find (anything) tasting like the fruit of the tree which was in paradise.
4.2 And Eve told him, “God created that for the (wild-)beasts to get their food; but our food was that by which the angels live.
4.3 Now, come and let us repent in penitence for forty days, so that God may pity us and then give us better food than that of the (dumb) animals, lest we should become like them.”

Penitence and Second Temptation

5.1 Adam replied to Eve and told her, “Explain to me now what penitence you (wish to) repent, or for how many days will you be able to repent in your penitence, lest, perchance, we make a promise to God.
5.2 and we be unable to fulfill the promise which we will have made to him.”
5.3 Eve replied to Adam and she told him, “Tell me about the number of days to me, then; For what period of time will you consider doing penitence – who knows, (perhaps) I will add more to that – for it is I who have brought these tribulations upon you.”
6.1 Adam replied and said to Eve, “You will not be able to add (anything to it). On the contrary, hold to the number of days which I will tell you and keep it. And I will do penitence for forty days, and you, do penitence for thirty-four days. Leave me these six days, since were you not created upon the sixth day, when God completed the creation of all creatures? Now, You arise and go to the river Tigris; and put a stone under your feet and stay in the water and clothe yourself (with it) up to your neck. While you pray, (beware) let no sound come from your mouth, for we are not worthy to open our mouths, for our lips are impure because we transgressed the commandments, concerning the food [so as to eat from the tree] of paradise which God had forbidden us.
6.2 Rather, be silent, only do penitence in the water for thirty-four days with all your heart and I will do the same in the Jordan river, until God hearkens and gives us food.”
7.1 Eve went off to the Tigris river and she did as Adam had ordered her.
7.2 But Adam, he remained in the Jordan river and the hair of his head spread out .
8.1 And Adam said, “I tell you, O Jordan, suffer with me and assemble all the (dumb-) animals which are around you, so that they (may come) to surround you and bewail me,
8.2 not for their own sakes, but for me [so q…b]. Because God did not withhold their fodder from them, which God gave them from the beginning, but I have been withheld from my means of life and from my food.”
8.3 When Adam had said that with bitter tears, all the cattle gathered close to him and stood around him like walls. At the moment when the water (of) the Jordan had restrained its flow, then Adam raised his voice towards God and he varied his tone of voice six times, like the voices of all the angels in all times.
9.1 When the twelve days of his weeping were completed, the devil trembled and changed his shape and his clothes by his artful deceit. He went close to Eve, on the Tigris river, and stood beside the bank.
9.2 He was weeping and had his false tears dripping (trickling) down on his garment and from his garment down to the ground. Then he told Eve, “Come out of that water (where you are) and stop your tribulations, for God has hearkened to your penitence and to Adam your husband.”
9.3 Moreover, we too have besought favor because of your misfortunes which we have seen.
9.4 Thus God sent me to have you (plural) come forth and to give you the food on account of which you repented.
9.5 Now, come upfrom there, for I have gone to Adam and he sent me and told me, ‘Go and speak with Eve, my spouse; bring her back to me.’ Come, now, and I will lead you to Adam to the place where he is and where your food also is.”
10.1 And Eve came up out of the water and her flesh was withered like rotten vegetables because of the coldness of the water. All the form of her beauty had been destroyed.
10.2 And when she had come up out of the water, she fell on the face of the earth in great weakness and remained lying (on the ground) without moving for two days. And after two days she arose and the devil led her to where Adam was.
10.3 And as soon as Adam saw Eve (and) how she was following the devil, he started to weep with burning tears and called out with a great voice and told her, “Where are the commands of repentance which I gave you? How have you been deceived again by him, because of whom we are aliens to our dwellings?”
11.1 When Eve heard that, that it was the devil who had deceived her, she fell down before him and Adam’s distress for Eve increased twofold for he saw her lying on the earth like one dead.
11.2 He was sad and said, groaning, “Woe to you who fight against us! What evil have we done to you? For it is because of your calumnies that we went out from paradise. Is it because we have caused you to be expelled that you are angry against us?
11.3 Or is it because of us that you were despoiled of your glory? Or is it, in some way, by our action that you are in such deficiency? Or are we the only creatures of God that you fight against us alone?

Fall of Satan

12.1 the devil began to cry with forced tears and the devil told Adam, “O Adam, all the greed and the anger and all the grief of my heart are directed against you because it was through you that I fell from my dwellings, (it was) by you that I was alienated from my own throne. My wings were more numerous than those of the Cherubim, and I concealed myself under them. Because of you, now my feet walk on the earth, which I would never have believed.”
12.2 Adam replied to the devil and told him,
12.3 “What is my fault, by which I have done all that to you?”
13.1 The devil replied to him and told him, “You did nothing to me, but it is because of you that I have fallen upon the earth.”
13.2 The very day when you were created, on that day, I fell from before the face of God, because when God breathed a spirit onto your face, you had the image and likeness of the divinity. And then Michael came; he presented you and made you bend down before God. And God told Michael, “I have created Adam according to (my) image and my divinity.”
14.1 Then Michael came; he summoned all the troops of angels and told them, “Bow down before the likeness and the image of the divinity.”
14.2 And then, when Michael summoned them and all had bowed down to you, he summoned me also.
14.3 And I told him, “Go away from me, for I shall not bow down to him who is younger than me; indeed, I am master prior to him and it is proper for him to bow down to me.
15.1 The six classes of other angels heard that and my speech pleased them and they did not bow down to you.
16.1 Then God became angry with us and commanded us, them and me, to be cast down from our dwellings to the earth. As for you, he commanded you to dwell in paradise.
16.2 When I had realized that I had fallen before you,[B, “by your power] that I was in distress and you were in rest,
16.3 then I aimed at hunting you so that I might alienate you from the paradise of Delights, just as I had been alienated because of you.
17.1 When Adam heard that, he cried in a loud voice and said, “Lord, my life is in your hands. Make this enemy distant from me, who desires to lead me astray and seeks to destroy my race. It is by him that Eve has been lost.”
17.2 At that moment, Beliar became invisible.
17.3 As for Adam, he remained in the water and did repentance. But Eve had fallen upon the earth like one dead. Then she stood up from the earth (ground?)

Separation of Adam and Eve

18.1 and told Adam, “Be saved, Adam, for you did not join me in the transgression of the commandments, neither in the first (instance) nor in the second. (But) the word of God will prevail against me.” And Eve said to him, “Behold, I shall so leave in the direction of the setting sun and I will eat grass like a (dumb-)animal until I die, for by no means am I worthy (of having a part) in the food of the living.”
18.2 Then Eve went away in the direction of the setting sun and she remained there in mourning and moaning.
18.3 And after these days, she made for herself a hut in the direction of the setting sun. Now she had conceived three months before, and Cain was in her womb,
19.1 when the days of her parturition arrived, then she started to tremble; she wailed towards God in a loud voice and said:
19.2 “Where is Adam so that he can console me in my present pain, or who will relate my sufferings to him? Is there none among the birds, who would go to him and tell him, ‘Come, help Eve, your spouse.’ I beg of you, all you races of heaven, and when you go to the east, relate my present sufferings to my lord.”
20.1a Then Adam heard in the river Jordan her crying of tears and misfortunes.
20.1b Then God hearkened to Adam’s prayer and sent him the angel Michael who brought him a seeds, sealed with the divine seal, destined to be brought to Adam. Then he taught him sowing and the work related to it, so that thus they might be saved, (they) and all their descendants.
20.1c And when Adam (had) heard the prayer of Eve and the wailing of her tears from the west, Adam recognized her voice and said in his heart, “This is the voice of my rib, the voice of my SHEEP (?); I will arise and I will see why she cries. Is it that the serpent is attacking her again?”
20.2 Adam arose and followed her footsteps. And he came close to her, in the part of the West where Eve was, and when Eve saw Adam, she was crying with abundant tears and said, “My lord, Adam, have you not heard the sound of my tears? For, today, it is nine days, day and night, that there has been this crying of mine towards you. Is it that the generations of the east have not informed you when they arose? And have not the birds of the heavens and the beasts of the earth informed you, for I begged them all that they tell you about it. Arise, entreat your Creator to have pity, so that God may answer your prayer and deliver me from my sufferings or, if it seems fitting to Him, send death to me or, by your prayers, liberate me from my torments.”
20.3 Adam prayed and spoke a plea to God on her behalf and the Lord hearkened to him.
21.1 And behold, twelve angels and two powers came from heaven. And they came to the place (where) Eve (was).
21.2 One of the powers came, touched Eve’s face and her breast, and told Eve, “Blessed are you, Eve, because of Adam, elect one and servant of God, for his prayers are great before God and, because of him, God will deliver you. If you had not been brought help because of him, you would have conceived such a thorn that you could not have rescued yourself from your sufferings. Rise up now and prepare yourself to give birth to a child.”
21.3a Eve arose as the angel had instructed her: she gave birth to an child and his color was like that of the stars. He fell into the hands of the midwife and (at once) he began to pluck up the grass, for in his mother’s hut grass was planted.
21.3b The midwife replied to him and told him, “God is just that he did not at all leave you in my hands. For, you are Cain, the perverse one, killer of the good, for you are the one who plucks up the fruit-bearing tree, and not him who plants it. You are the bearer of bitterness and not of sweetness.”
21.3c And the power told Adam, “Remain by Eve until she has done with the infant what I have taught her. [so QAC, ag. K]”

Death of Abel

[22]1.2 As for Adam, he took Eve and the child and he brought them into a part of the East and he stayed there. And when the eighth year and the second month were completed
[22]1.3 Eve became pregnant and bore another son whom the power of God called by name Abel, and they remained there together.
[22]2.1 At that time Eve told Adam,
[22]2.2 “Adam, my lord, in my sleep I saw that the blood of my son Abel was pouring into the mouth of Cain his brother and he drank it without mercy. And Abel beseeched him to leave him]a little of his blood,
[22]2.3 and he did not agree to hearken to him but he drank it completely and it did not remain in his stomach but it went forth and he was smeared with it and it could not at all be removed from his body.”
[22]2.4a Adam replied to Eve and told her, “Lest Cain plan to kill him, let us separate them from one another,
[23]2.4b and let us be with them, so as to provide no room to anger.” And they acted as Adam had said, and he told (them), “My sons, come and let us disperse, each to his own place.”
[23]3.2 Then God told the angel Gabriel, “Say to Adam: ‘Do not reveal to Cain the secret plan which you know, for he is a son of wrath, because his brother will be killed by him!’ However, let Adam not be sad, for I will raise up Seth for him instead of Abel, and he will resemble my image and he, so QAC will teach you everything of which I have a memory. But do not reveal this to anyone but Adam!”
[23]3.3a That is what God told the angel and the angel spoke this word to Adam. Then Adam kept the word in his heart. And they both were sad, Adam and his spouse.
[23]3.3b And the time arrived when Abel was killed by Cain his brother and he, Adam, told her, Eve, “God has established an end for all human beings. Was death anything else but the killing by which Abel has been killed by Cain and Cain’s jealousy delivered him to death because Cain was of a perverse race?”
[23]3.3c And the times arrived when Cain and Abel had gone up towards their fields. Two demons resembling Cain and Abel came. One demon reproached the other demon. He became angry with him and took a stone sword, which was of a transparent stone [maybe same stone as Ex 4:25]. He cut his throat and killed him.
[23]3.3d And when Cain saw the blood, he went quickly and took the stone in his hand(s). But when Abel saw him coming upon him, he begged him, “Do not make me die, O my brother Cain!” He, however, did not accept his prayer and he spilled Abel’s blood in front of him. And Adam and Eve afflicted themselves all that time with great sadness.
[23]4.1 And after this, Adam entered his spouse and Eve became pregnant and bore Seth who resembled Adam.
[24]4.2 Adam told Eve, “Behold, I have born a son in place of Abel, whom Cain killed before me.”
[24]5.1a And again, after that, Adam had thirty sons and thirty daughters. For all the years of Adam were 930 years. And from him they multiplied over the earth and settled over it.

Illness of Adam

[30]5.1b And when the 930 years were completed Adam fell ill and cried out in a loud voice and said, “Gather to me ye all my descendants and I will see them before my death.”
[30]5.2 And all his progeny gathered to him who had settled, and he divided the three parts of the earth among his descendants. And all Adam’s descendants assembled by him, for they had taken a position before his doors, in the place which Adam had made, and into which he would enter and address his prayers to God.
[30]5.3 And his sons told him, “What is this, Father Adam?”
[30]5.4 He told them, “I am sick, my sons.” And they told him, “What is your illness and how does a human being fall ill?”
[31]6.1 Seth, his son, replied to him and told him, “Father Adam, what has befallen you? Have you remembered, perchance, the fruit of the Garden, and you longed for it and you become sad yourself because of it?
[31]6.2 If it is thus, tell me and I will go before paradise and I will cast dust upon my head and I will weep. And, if only God hears me, let him send his angel and he, the angel, will bring me the fruit of paradise and I will bring it to you so that you may calm your distress.”
[31]6.3 And Adam told him, “My son Seth, it is not so, rather I am sick and I have pain.” Seth replied to him, “Father, what is pain and how do you have pain?”

Adam’s Story of the Fall

[32]7.1 Adam told Seth, “Son, when God made us, me and your mother, he set us in the the paradise of Delights to eat its fruit. But there was one plant in the middle of paradise, very beautiful, concerning which God commanded us, ‘Eat not of it.’
[32]7.2 And the serpent deceived your mother and caused her to eat of it, because of which, now, we are going to die. When it was the hour for the guardian angels to ascend to worship God, the enemy deceived her and she ate of it
[32]7.3a and she deceived me, my children, for I did not know.
[32]7.3b And God had divided (paradise) between us, between me and your mother Eve, so that we might guard it. As for me, he had given me the eastern and northern portion; to your mother Eve he had entrusted the southern and the western portion.
[33].1 And there were twelve angels with each of us to guard us
[33].2 until the time of the dawn, but at each (time, at) day, they ascended (there). And at the moment of their ascent, the serpent deceived your mother and caused her to eat of the tree, for he had seen that I was not with her any more than the angels.
[33].3 She also made me eat of it and I did not understand.
[34]8.1 When we had eaten, God became angry with us and he told us,
[34]8.2 ‘You have, therefore, scorned my commandment; I too will scorn you.’ And he sent 70 evils upon us, to our eyes, and to our ears and as far as our feet, plagues and portents, treasured in (his) treasuries. This God did to me to cause me to perish through death.”

Comand to Retrieve the Oil

[35]9.1
[35]9.2 (Eve) said, weeping, “My lord Adam, give me half of your sufferings and I will bear your present pain, for your suffering is due to me and it is I who caused these pains to come upon you.”
[36]9.3 And Adam told Eve, “Arise and go with Seth, my son, to paradise; cast soil on your head and weep before God so that he might give us grace.
[36]9.4 And (God) will send his angel to paradise where the tree of life is, from which the oil flows out, so that he may give you a little of that oil. And you will bring it here to me and I will anoint myself and I will be healed of my sufferings.
[36]9.5 Then I will let you know the whole way in which we were tried.”

Encounter with the Beast

[37]10.1
[37]10.2 “Woe is me, for when arrive at the day of judgment, all my sins will burn me and (people) will tell me, ‘In the first instance, it was you who did not observe God’s orders.”
[37]10.3 Eve called out and told the wicked beast, “O evil beast, have you no fear? Did you dare to fight the image of God? How did you take it upon yourself to open your mouth and how have you (thought to) sink your teeth? Or how have you not recalled the first order of God and have opened your mouth against the image of God?”
[38]11.1 Then the beast replied to her and told Eve, “It is not from our greed(iness) that your discontent and your weeping come, but your discontent and your weeping come from your own greed(iness), for at the beginning of creation, it was you who hearkened to the beast, the serpent.
[38]11.2 How did you dare to open your mouth and eat of the tree of which God had commanded you not to eat? (It is) you, (because of) whom (Mahe emmendation) the aspect of everything has changed.
[38]11.3 Now, you will not be able to endure, if I start talking and rebuking you.”
[39]12.1 Seth replied to him and told the beast, “Let your mouth be closed and be silent, beast, and get away from us, the image of the divinity, until the day when God will have you standing (before him).”
[39]12.2 Then also the beast told Seth, “Behold, then, that I get away from you, image of God, dazzling (splendor) of God.” And when the beast had left him (her?), the beast fled (far) from Seth and the wounded man went to the hut of Adam his father.”

Arrival at Paradise

[40]13.1
[41]13.2a (And God sent to them the archangel Michael), who is in charge of the souls, and he told Seth,
[41]13.2b “Man of God, do not labor to supplicate thus concerning the olive tree, in command to anoint your father Adam.

Michael’s Reply

[42]13.3 This is not to be right now but in the future times, when five thousand years will be completed. Then, at the five and a half thousandth year, the beloved son of God, Christ, will come upon the earth to r(esurrect) Adam’s body from his fall, because of the transgression of the commands.
[42]13.4 He will come and he will be baptized in the river Jordan. And as soon as he will have come forth from of the water with the (anointing) of oil, he will anoint him, him
[42]13.5 and all his descendants, so that they will rise at the time of the resurrection. The Lord said, ‘I will admit them into paradise and I will anoint them with that unction.’

Return to Adam

[43]13.6 But now, go to your father Adam, because the days of his times are completed. (In) three days his soul will go out of his body and numerous wonders will be seen in the heavens.”
[44]14.1 When the angel had told that to him, (immediately) he was hidden underneath the plant of paradise. Now (as for) Seth and Eve they departed for Adam’s hut. And Adam wept because of the wound of the beast

Adam’s Rebuke of Eve

[44]14.2 and he told Eve, “What have (all of) us done? For an evil has come upon us and upon all our descendants.
[44]14.3 Indeed, tell your children what are your sins: for we will die, you and I, and misfortunes will spread over the earth. All the descendants who have come forth from us will curse us saying,
[44]14.4 ‘It was our father and mother who brought this misfortune upon us.'”

The Portions of Adam and Eve in Paradise

[44]15.1 Then Eve began to cry and she said, “Now hearken to me, my children, and I will tell you how we were tricked.
[44]15.2 It happened, (then), that your father was guarding his portion of paradise, the east and the north,
[44]15.3 while I was guarding my own portion, the west and the south. And the devil came to Adam’s portion. And there were beasts there
[44]15.4 for the Lord had also divided the beasts between us. All (that were) male He had given to Adam, and all (that were) female, he had given to me. And we each fed our own ones.

Satan’s Encounter with the Beast

[44]16.1 When the devil came to your father’s portion
[44]16.2 the devil summoned the serpent and told him, “Arise and come to me, and I will teach you a useful word.”
[44]16.3a Then, the serpent came and the Devil told the serpent, “I (hear) that you are wiser than all the (dumb) animals and I have come to test your wisdom (science), for Adam gives food to all the (dumb-)animals, thus also to you. (mahe has note that is unexplained)
[44]16.3b When then all the (dumb) animals come to bow down before Adam from day to day and from morning to morning, every day, you also come to bow down. You were created before him, as large (as you) are, and you bow down before this little one!
[44]16.3c And why do you eat (food) inferior to Adam’s and his spouse’s and not the good fruit of paradise? But come and hearken to me so that we may have Adam expelled from the wall of paradise just as we are outside. Perhaps we can re-enter somehow to paradise.”
[44]16.4 And the serpent told him, “How can we have them excluded?” The devil replied and told the serpent, “Be a sheath for me and I will speak to the woman through your mouth a word by which we will trick (them).”

Serpent’s Approach to Paradise

[44]17.1 And the two of them came together and they allowed their heads to hang on the wall of the paradise at the time where the angels had ascended to bow down to God. Then the devil changed himself into the image of an angel; he praised the praises of the angels. And I was gazing in the direction of the enclosure to hear the praises.
[44]17.2a I stared and I saw him like an angel and at once he became invisible
[44]17.2b for he had gone forth to bring the serpent. And he told him, ‘Arise and come and I will be with you and I will speak though your mouth that which it is proper for you to say.’
[44]17.2c He took on the form of the serpent (to go) close to the wall of paradise and the devil slipped inside the serpent and he allowed his head to hang on the wall of paradise. He cried out and said, ‘Shame on you, woman, you who are in the the paradise of Delight (and) who are blind! Come to me and I will tell you a certain secret word.’
[44]17.2d And when I had come, he told me, ‘Eve!’ and I told him, ‘Here I am.’ He replied to me and told me, ‘What do you do in paradise?”
[44]17.3 I replied and told him, ‘God has set me to guard paradise and eat (of it).’
[44]17.4 The devil replied to me and told me through the mouth of the serpent, ‘Well (done!) Do you eat the fruit of every tree which is in paradise?’
[44]17.5 I replied to him and told him, ‘(Yes), we eat all the fruit except for only one tree which is here in the middle of paradise, for God commanded us, ‘Do not eat of it, so that you will not die of death.’

Temptation of Eve

[44]18.1 Then the serpent told me, ‘I am distressed for you, for you are like the (dumb) animals. God was jealous of you and he has not permitted you, but I, I do not desire your ignorance. Rather come, eat and you will see the glory which is to be with you.’
[44]18.2 However, I told him, ‘I am afraid of dying, perhaps, as God said.’
[44]18.3 The serpent replied to me and told me, ‘What is death and how does one die? Death is life!’ I replied to him and told him, ‘I do not know.’ He replied to me and told me, ‘God is living, just so that you (pl.) will not die, but at the moment when you (pl.)eat your eyes will be opened and you will be instructed, like God, about good and evil.
[44]18.4 God knew that you would become like him (unexplained *) and God was jealous of you. Because of that God told you, ‘Do not eat of it!’
[44]18.5 Look at (so Mahe emmendation) the tree and see the glory around it.’ As for me, when I had gone and I had seen its glory around it, then I said,
[44]18.6 ‘This tree is good and its fruit is well-known in my eyes. However, I am afraid to stretch out my hand and take (it). But you, if you are not afraid, bring it out to me and I will eat (of it) and I will know whether your (present) words are true or not.’ The serpent replied to and told me, ‘Come, open the gate and I will give you of it.’

Entrance of the Snake into Paradise

[44]19.1 And when I had gone to open the gate for him and he had entered Paradise, he went forth, and then he stopped a little. I replied to him and said, ‘Why have you stopped?’ But he, my children, began to use trickery with me. He replied to me and told me, ‘If I have stopped it is because I changed my mind for fear that, perhaps if I should give you of it and you eat it, and your eyes will be opened and you will become like God, and you will know good and evil, and you will become prideful and become jealous of Adam and you will not make him eat of it, and he will be like a (dumb) animal before you, as you were before God, because God was jealous of you. If you wish (it), swear to me truly that, if I make you eat it, you will not be jealous of Adam, your husband, but will make him eat of it and give of it also to him.’
[44]19.2 I replied to him and told him, ‘I do not know any oath, how could I swear to you?’ And he told me, ‘Say: I swear by the plants of paradise and by the Cherubs upon whom sits the Father and (upon which) he descends to paradise, that if I eat and know it all, I will not be jealous but will give of it also to Adam.”
[44]19.3 And when he had made me take the oath, he bound me (to it), gave me of the tree and I ate it.

Eve’s Recognition of Her Sin

[44]20.4 [… (I was searching for leaves to cover)..] my nakedness and found none on all the trees, for at the moment at which I had eaten, the leaves from all the trees of paradise, in my portion, fell down.
[44]20.5 I took some and made a covering for myself and stood by the tree of which I had eaten, my children. I was afraid because of the oath which I had sworn by paradise and in which I had said, ‘I will make Adam eat of it as well.’

Temptation of Adam

[44]21.2 Then your father Adam came. He had thought thus: that a beast had entered paradise and he told me, ‘What are you thinking for and why do you have this fig-leaf on yourself?’
[44]21.3 I replied to him and I told him, ‘Do you wish me to tell you something or not? Until today we were like (dumb) animals. When I understood (that of which) the Lord had said to us, ‘Do not eat of this’ and when I saw its splendor, I took of it and ate of it and I knew good and evil. Now, eat also of it and you will you become like God.’
[44]21.4a Adam replied to me and told me, ‘I fear lest God be angry with me and tell me, “My commandment which I gave you, you did not keep it!”‘
[44]21.4b But I told the father, “On me shall be this blame. If He asks you, say thus: ‘This woman whom you have given me is to blame for that; (she said:) See the flavor of this glory.’!
[44]21.5 Then I gave him of it and he ate of it and became like me, and he also took a leaf of the fig tree and covered his nakedness with it.

Entry of God into Paradise

[44]22.1 After which we heard that, through an angel, (God) blew the trumpet. He (had) summoned the angels and told them,
[44]22.2 “Thus says the Lord, come to paradise and hear the sentence to which we are going to judge (them).” Adam (told me), “We have sinned, for God is going to come to judge us.” We were afraid and we hid.
[44]22.3 And God came to paradise sitting upon the Cherubs and the angels were singing hymns before him. When he had arrived at paradise, at once all (the) tree(s) cast off their (its) foliage,
[44]22.4 and thrones were set up near the tree of life.
[44]23.1 And God summoned Adam and told him, “Adam, Adam, where are you? Are you hiding from me? Or how will a house hide from its builder? Or why have you hidden near the tree of paradise?”
[44]23.2 Then your father replied and told the Lord, “I have hidden because I am afraid: I am naked and I am ashamed.”
[44]23.3 God replied to him and told him, “Who told you that you are naked? Have you scorned the commandment which I gave you?”
[44]23.4 Then Adam remembered my word(s) which I had said, “Do not be concerned for (the blame) for it will lie upon me.” And Adam said, “Lord, it is this woman whom you gave to me who deceived me.” Then He turned towards me and told me, “What have you done?”
[44]23.5 And I remembered the serpent’s word and I said, “It is the serpent who deceived me!”

Judgment of Adam, Eve, and the Serpent

[44]24.1 God replied to Adam and told him, “Because you hearkened to your wife and disobey my commandment, let the earth be cursed in your deeds.
[44]24.2 May you work it and it will give you no fruit; it will sprout only thorns and thistles for you. By the sweat of your brow you shall eat bread.
[44]24.3 May you be with many sighs, labor in labors and you shall have (no) rest. You shall hunger and you shall (not) be sated. You shall be affected by bitterness and you shall (not) taste sweetness; you shall be tomrented by heat and will undergo cold; you (pl.) shall be pauperized and you shall (not) be enriched; you shall eat and shall (not) grow fat; you shall warm yourselves with fire, and you shall not be heated. You will ???? (to soak) yourselves with water and it will draw back.
[44]24.4 And the beasts over whom you (sing.) ruled shall rise up against you. You shall be weakened because you have not kept my commandments.”
[44]25.1 God turned to me and told me, “Why did you hearken to the serpent and abandon my commandments with which I commanded to you? (May you) be in toils and pains;
[44]25.2 (may you) give birth to many fruits and when you give birth to them you will despair of your life because of the torments and pains.
[44]25.3 (You shall promise yourself) that if you are ever delivered from the agonies, you will never go back to (your husband) and you will harden your heart in view of the great combat which the serpent instituted with you.
[44]25.4 (But may you) return at once to the same point, may you bear your offspring in hurt and return in pity to your husband, and he will rule over you.”
[44]26.1 When he had said all this to me, he became very angry with the serpent, and he told it, “You, too, perish and be cursed among all the (dumb) animals.
[44]26.2 May you be withheld from you food which you used to eat and may the soil be to you as food all the days of your life; you shall go on your breast and on your stomach; your hands and your feet will be taken from you.
[44]26.3 May you have neither ears nor nails and may not even one limb remain for you. Let the precious cross which my Son will take upon the earth condemn you because of the deceit by which you deceived Adam. But may you again be crushed and broken because of the evil of your heart.
[44]26.4 And I will set enmity between you and the offspring of the woman: she will lay in wait for your head and you will lay in wait for her heel until the day of judgment.”

Adam’s Plea for Mercy

[44]27.1 Thus God said, and he commanded both of us to be expelled from paradise.
[44]27.2 Adam besought the angels and told them, “Wait for me to beseech the Lord; who knows, perhaps the Lord will grant me a penitence for that which I have done and I will not go out of paradise.”
[44]27.3 Then the angels waited for us to ask. Adam besought the Lord and said, “I beseech you, Lord, pardon me for what I have done.”
[44]27.4 Then the Lord told the angels, “Why have you been waiting (before) separating Adam from paradise? Is the blame mine (Am I to blame) or have I not judged justly?”
[44]27.5 Then the angels fell to the ground and told him, bowing before the Lord, “You are just, Lord, and you sentence is upright.”
[44]28.1 The Lord turned and told Adam, “You are not to remain in paradise.”
[44]28.2 Adam replied to the Lord and told him, “I beseech you, Lord, give me of the tree of life so that I may eat before I have gone forth.”
[44]28.3 Then the Lord addressed a speech to Adam and told him, “You will not take any of it anymore in your lifetime. I have posted burning Cherubs and a turning sword to keep it from you, lest you should taste it and become immortal and boast saying, ‘I shall not die ever’; and you will conduct the fight which the enemy has conducted against you.
[44]28.4 If you go out of paradise and guard yourself from every evil, you will die and after death you will arise in the future resurrection. Then, indeed, I will give you of the tree of life and you will be immortal for ever.”

Expulsion

[44]29.1 When the Lord had said that he commanded us to be chased out of paradise.
[44]29.2 And your father wept before the angels, but they told him, “What is this or what shall we do for you?”
[44]29.3 Then your father replied to them and told them, “Behold, I am going out. Now I beseech you that at the very moment of my leaving paradise I may take incense from paradise so that, when I go out, I may offer a sweet odered incense-fragrance and God will be willing to hearken to me.”
[44]29.6 And the angels let him and he took four sweet odered incenses-fragrances: nard, saffron, reed, cinnamon; that is what Adam brought from paradise onto the earth.

Death of Adam

[44]30.1 Now, therefore, my children I have taught you the whole way in which we were tricked and I beseech you to watch yourselves and not to stop doing good.’
[45]31.1 That, then, is what Eve said in the midst of her children when Adam was lying ill. And on the second day his soul was about to go out of his body. Eve told Adam,
31.2 “Why are you alone dying and I am alive? Or, how long shall I exist? Or, what will become of me after your death? Let me know about me that.”
[45]31.3 Then Adam told Eve, “Be not concerned, whatever you have done. If we must both die, you too will be set near me. And if I am to die alone, do not move me from my place until God gives you an command about me,
[45]31.4 for the Lord will not forget me, but rather he will seek out the vessel which he has made. Arise and pray a prayer to God that my soul be commended into the hands of my Creator. For I do not know how I am going to reach the Creator of all, or whether he is angry with me or whether he will accept me.”

Eve’s Confession

[45]32.1 Then Eve arose and went out from Adam(‘s place). She did penitance and said,
[45]32.2 “I have sinned against you, God; I have sinned against you and I have sinned before you. I have sinned before your elect angels. I have sinned before the Cherubs. I have sinned before the altar of your holiness. I have sinned before the generations of the heavens. I have sinned before the birds of heavens. I have sinned before the beasts of the earth. I have sinned against you, God, by all my greed, among all your creatures. I beseech you all, you creatures of heaven and earth, beseech the Lord of all for me.”
[45]32.3 While Eve was on her (knees) to pray, suddenly Michael came, the angel of mankind, he stood and raised Eve up, and told her,
[45]32.4 “Arise from that penitence, for Adam your husband has gone forth from the body. Arise and see his soul, how his Creator has already (got) it.”

Angelic Liturgy

[45]33.1 Eve arose and put her hand on her face and the angel went up again, and he told Eve, “Raise you eyes and abandon earthly concerns.”
[45]33.2 As for Eve, when she had raised her eyes towards the heavens, she saw chariots of fire and a light which went up, (borne) by four (winds): they were so resplendent that no word could express it, and it was impossible to sound them out, neither from the front nor from the back. And angels were proceeding before these chariots.
[45]33.3 And when they had arrived (at the place) where the father was, the chariot stopped and the Seraphs stood between him and the chariot(s).
[45]33.4 And I, Eve, saw three gold censers, and (three) cups and three angels come quickly upon the altar. These angels took a burning coal and put it in the censer and set the censer upon (the altar). And while they blew, the smoke went up and veiled the frimaments of the heavens.
[45]33.5 the angels were praising (God), they were bowing before him, crying out and saying, “God, forgive Adam for he is your image and the work of your hands: he is your creature.”
[46]34.1 And I, Eve, saw two great lights prostrated in fear before God and I wept and told my son Seth,
[46]34.2 Rise from near your father’s body, come towards me and see that which your eyes have not seen, concerning Adam your father.”
[46]35.1 Then Seth arose and went close to his mother Eve and told her, “Why are you weeping?
[46]35.2 Raise your eyes and see the seven firmaments open and see the likeness of the father Adam, as he lies before God and all the angels are beseeching him and saying, ‘God, forgive Adam, for he is your image and your likeness, because it is you who have created him.'”
[46]35.3 “What is this, then, my son Seth,
[46]35.4 do they deliver the blood of my spouse to these Indians, for they were before God?” Seth replied to Eve and told her, “No, mother, did you not recognize those whom you called Indians in these colours of blood?” Eve replied to him and told him, “I do not know them, my son.”
[46]36.1 Seth replied to her and told her, “These are the sun and the moon: they are prostrated and they are beseeching for Adam, my father.”
[46]36.2 “Where is the light of the sun, for it is no more with it, or why is it darkened thus?”
[46]36.3 Seth replied to her and told Eve, “Because its light has been eclipsed before the God of all and its light had become darkened by fear of God.”

Assumption of Adam to Paradise

[47]37.1 As Seth was telling that to Eve, at once a great angel blew the trumpet and all the angels who were prostrated on their faces stood up again. They besought Adam and cried out in a loud voice, and said,
[47]37.2 “Blessed is God, by all blessing. You pardoned the protoplast.”
[47]37.3 And when the angels had said these words, one of the six-winged Seraphs was sent towards him (Adam). He took Adam to the lake of (A)cheron,
[47]37.4 and he dipped him in it three times. Then he led him back before God and (Adam) remained (prostrate) on his face for three hours. And after that, God stretched out his hand from his Throne, raised Adam up and gave him to Michael, and he told him,
[47]37.5 “Take him to the third heaven, to paradise, and set him before the altar until the day of the “oikonomia” which I contemplate concerning all the fleshly (beings) with my well beloved Son.”
[47]37.6 Then Michael took Adam to the place which God had commanded and all the angels were chanting angelic psalms. They were praising this wonder: the forgiveness of Adam and the promise of a future (life).

Adam and Abel’s Funerary Rites

[47]38.1 After which Michael cried out towards God,
[47]38.2 and God commanded that the trumpet be sounded and that all the angels assemble before God, each one in his rank: those who held a censer; those who held a psaltery; and those who sounded the trumpet.
[47]38.3 And behold, the Lord of Sabaoth rose upon the winds of the Cherubs, and
[47]37.1
[47]38.4 And (God) first reached his paradise, and the flowers of paradise, with their sweet odors, were moved at the sweet odor of the glorious God. All the children of Adam were breathless, except only for Seth, for he was son of the greatness of God.
[47]39.1 And when the Lord had come to the body of Adam which had fallen in (the earth), the Lord was sorrowful for him and told him in a sad voice, “If you had kept my commandments, you would not have fallen in that place and your enemy would not have been able to see that he had caused you to be expelled in that place.
[47]39.2 But I will change his joy into sorrow and I will lead you back towards this realm and I will set you upon your enemy’s throne, where he was seated, close (by the place) where his rebellion was discovered.
[47]39.3 He will fall in the place (where) you (are) and he will see you in that (other) place sitting upon a throne.”
[48]40.1 And after that, God gave an command to Michael
[48]40.2 who took (Adam) back to paradise, which is in the third heaven. They seized three folded shrouds of (cloth) and God told Michael and Gabriel, “Unfold these shrouds and envelop Adam’s body and take the ointment from the olive tree and pour it upon him.” And three angels dressed him (in it) and when they had dressed Adam’s body (in it),
[48]40.3 God told them, “Take Abel’s body as well, seize other shrouds and dress him in them also
[48]40.4 for he had remained lying naked since the day when wicked Cain killed him. And he wished to bury him in the earth and he was unable (to do so), because his body came back out of the earth. For a voice made itself heard from heaven and said to him,
[48]40.5a “He will not be able to be buried in the earth before he who was created first has returned to the earth from which he was created.”
[48]40.5b Then he took it to a rock and it remained spread out there until the death of Adam. Thus (the angels) took him and dressed him like his father.
[48]40.6 God commanded that both of them should be taken up to paradise, on the eastern part, in the place from which God had taken some soil and created Adam. And God commanded Michael to dig.
[48]40.7 And God sent seven angels to paradise: they gathered much incense from paradise and they brought them to them. Then they took both bodies, put them into the grave and covered them (with earth).
[48]41.1 Then God turned and called Adam. Adam’s body answered him from the soil and said, “Here I am, (Lord).”
[48]41.2 And the Lord told him, “Behold, as I told you, you are soil and you have returned to the soil,
[48]41.3 but I will raise you up in the resurrection which I have promised you, at the time of resurrection.
[48]42.1 Then, after that, God took the triangular seal and sealed the tomb of Adam and he said, “Let no person touch it during these six days, until your rib returns to you.
[48]42.2 Then God reascended to the upper heaven and each of the angels to his office.

Eve’s Prayer to Join Adam

[48]42.3 But Eve grew numb when she saw (so Mahe) all that. Eve wept and wished to see where they had put Adam, for she did not know. When the Lord had descended upon the earth, the sweet odor of all the trees of paradise did not (…) because of his sweet odor all had grown numb. Until the wrapping and the burial of Adam, nobody understood anything except Seth.
[48]42.4 Then Eve begged (and) wept so that (God) might lead her off, show her the place where they had put Adam. And when she had completed her prayer, she said,
[48]42.5 “Lord, do not alienate me from Adam’s place,
[48]42.6 but command me, me also, (to be) with him,
[48]42.7 as we both were in paradise, inseparable from one another.
[48]42.8 Do not separate us in our death, but place me where you have placed him.” And after this prayer she gave up her soul.

Eve’s Funeral and Epilogue

[51]43.1 And the angel Michael came and taught Seth how to dress Eve. Three angels came and took Eve’s body and placed it where they had placed Adam’s body.
[51]43.2 And after that, the angel Michael told him, “Thus dress every dead person who dies, until the death of all human beings.”
[51]43.3 When he had taught Seth all that, he ascended to the uppermost heaven, far from Seth, and he told him, “Do not mourn for the dead more than five days and on the seventh day rejoice, for on that day God rested from all his (works) which the Lord had made.”
[51]43.4 To him is glory and honor and adoration, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and for ever and for ever and ever. Amen.

Expulsion

 

1.1 Quando expulsi sunt [II,III=Cum expulsi (fuissent? essent?)] Adam et Eva de paradiso, fecerunt sibi tabernaculum et fuerunt VII dies lugentes et lamentantes in magna tristitia.

2.1 Post VII autem dies coeperunt esurire et quaerebant escam, ut manducarent et non inveniebant.

2.2 Tunc dixit Eva ad Adam: domine mi, esurio. vade, quaere nobis, quod manducemus. forsitan respiciet et miserebitur nobis dominus deus et revocabit nos in locum, quo prius eramus.

3.1 Et surrexit Adam et ambulavit VII dies omnem terram illam et non invenit escam, qualem habebant in paradiso.

3.2 Et dixit Eva ad Adam: domine mi, putas fac me utinam moriar. et forte introducat te dominus deus denuo in paradisum, quoniam propter me iratus est tibi dominus deus. vis interficere me, ut moriar? et forte introducet te dominus deus in paradisum, quia propter meam causam expulsus es inde.

3.3 Respondit Adam: noli, Eva, talia dicere, ne forte aliquam iterum maledictionem inducat in nos dominus deus. quomodo potest fieri, ut mittam manum meam in carnem meam? sed surgamus et quaeramus nobis, unde vivamus, ut non deficiamus.

4.1 Et ambulantes quaesierunt novem dies et non invenerunt sicut habebant in paradiso, sed hoc tantum inveniebant, quod animalia edebant.

4.2 Et dixit Adam ad Evam: haec tribuit dominus animalibus et bestiis, ut edant; nobis autem esca angelica erat.

4.3 Sed iuste et digne plangimus ante conspectum dei, qui fecit nos. peniteamus penitentiam magnam; forsitan indulgeat et miserebitur nostri dominus deus et disponet nobis, unde vivamus.

________________________________________

Penitence and Second Temptation

 

5.1 Et dixit Eva ad Adam: domine mi, dic mihi, quid est penitentia et qualiter peniteam, ne forte laborem nobis inponamus, quem non possumus sustinere, et non exaudiat preces nostras.

5.2 Et avertat dominus faciem suam a nobis, quia sicut promisimus non adimplevimus.

5.3 Domine mi, quantum cogitasti penitere, quod ego tibi induxi laborem et tribulationem.

6.1 Et dixit Adam ad Evam: non potes tantum facere quantum ego, sed tantum fac ut salveris. ego enim faciam quadraginta diebus ieiunans: tu autem surge et vade ad Tigris fluvium et tolle lapidem et sta super eum in aqua usque ad collum in altitudine fluminis. et non exiet sermo de ore tuo, quia indigni sumus rogare dominum, quia labia nostra inmunda sunt de ligno inlicito et contradicto.

6.2 Et sta in aqua fluminis XXXVII dies. ego autem faciam in aqua Jordanis XL dies. forsitan miserebitur nostri dominus deus.

7.1 Et ambulavit Eva ad Tigris flumen et fecit sicut dixit ei Adam.

7.2 Similiter ambulavit Adam ad flumen Jordanis et stetit super la pidem usque ad collum in aqua.

8.1 Et dixit Adam: tibi dico, aqua Jordanis, condole mihi et segrega mihi omnia natantia, quae in te sunt et circumdent me ac lugeant pariter mecum.

8.2 Non se plangant, sed me, quia ipsi non peccaverunt, sed ego.

8.3 Statim omnia animantia venerunt et circumdederunt eum et aqua Jordanis stetit ab illa hora non agens cursum suum.

9.1 Et transierunt dies XVIII. tunc iratus est Satanas et transfiguravit se in claritatem angelorum et abiit ad Tigrem flumen ad Evam.

9.2 Et invenit eam flentem. et ipse diabolus quasi condolens ei coepit flere et dixit ad eam: egredere de flumine [II,III+et repausa ] et de cetero non plores. iam cessa de tristitia et gemitu. quid sollicita es tu et Adam vir tuus?

9.3 Audivit dominus deus gemitum vestrum et suscepit penitentiam vestram; et nos omnes angeli rogavimus pro vobis deprecantes dominum,

9.4 et misit me, ut educerem vos de aqua et darem vobis alimentum, quod habuistis in paradiso et pro quo planxistis.

9.5 Nunc ergo egredere de aqua et perducam vos in locum, ubi paratus est victus vester.

10.1 Haec audiens autem Eva credidit et exivit de aqua fluminis et caro eius erat sicut herba de frigore aquae.

10.2 Et cum egressa esset cecidit in terram et erexit eam diabolus et perduxit eam ad Adam.

10.3 Cum autem vidisset eam Adam et diabolum cum ea, exclamavit cum fletu dicens: O Eva, O Eva, ubi est opus penitentiae tuae? quomodo iterum seducta es ab adversario nostro, per quem alienati sumus de habitatione paradisi et laetitia spiritali.

11.1 Haec cum audisset Eva cognovit quod diabolus suasit exire de flumine et cecidit super faciem suam in terram et duplicatus est dolor et gemitus et planctus ab ea.

11.2 Et exclamavit dicens: ve tibi, diabole, quid nos expugnas gratis? quid tibi apud nos? aut quid tibi fecimus, quoniam dolose nos persequeris? aut quid pertinet ad nos malitia tua?

11.3 Numquid nos abstulimus gloriam tuam et fecimus te sine honore esse? quid persequeris nos, inimice, usque ad mortem impie et invidiose?

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Fall of Satan

 

12.1 Et ingemescens diabolus dixit: O Adam, tota inimicitia mea et invidia et dolor ad te est, quoniam propter te expulsus sum et alienatus de gloria mea, quam habui in caelis in medio angelorum, et propter te eiectus sum in terram.

12.2 Respondit Adam: quid tibi feci

12.3 Aut quae est culpa mea in te? cum non sis a nobis nocitus nec laesus, quid nos persequeris?

13.1 Respondit diabolus: Adam, tu quid dicis mihi? propter tuam causam projectus sum inde.

13.2 Quando tu plasmatus es, ego proiectus sum a facie dei et foras a societate angelorum missus sum. quando insufflavit deus spiritum vitae in te et factus est vultus et similitudo tua ad imaginem dei, et adduxit te Michahel et fecit te adorare in conspectu dei, et dixit dominus deus: ecce Adam, feci te ad imaginem et similitudinem nostram

14.1 Et egressus Michahel vocavit omnes angelos dicens: adorate imaginem domini dei, sicut praecepit dominus deus.

14.2 Et ipse Michahel primus adoravit, et vocavit me et dixit: adora imaginem dei Jehova.

14.3 Et respondi ego: non habeo ego adorare Adam. et cum compelleret me Michahel adorare, dixi ad eum: quid me compellis? non adorabo deteriorem et posteriorem meum. in creatura illius prius sum. antequam ille fieret, ego iam factus eram. ille me debet adorare.

15.1 Hoc audientes ceteri qui sub me erant angeli noluerunt adorare eum.

15.2 Et ait Michahel: adora imaginem dei. si autem non adorave ris, irascetur tibi dominus deus.

15.3 Et ego dixi: si irascitur mihi, ponam sedem meam super sidera caeli et ero similis altissimo.

16.1 Et iratus est mihi dominus deus et misit me cum angelis meis foras de gloria nostra, et per tuam causam in hunc mundum expulsi sumus de habitationibus nostris et proiecti sumus in terram.

16.2 Et statim facti sumus in dolore, quoniam expoliati sumus tanta gloria,

16.3 et te in tanta laetitia delitiarum videre dolebamus.

16.4 Et dolo circumveniebam mulierem tuam et feci te expelli per eam de delitiis laetitiae tuae, sicut ego expulsus sum de gloria mea.

17.1 Haec audiens Adam a diabolo exclamavit cum magno fletu et dixit: domine deus meus, in manibus tuis est vita mea. fac ut iste adversarius meus longe sit a me, qui quaerit animam meam perdere, et da mihi gloriam eius, quam ipse perdidit.

17.2 Et statim non apparuit diabolus ei.

17.3 Adam vero perseveravit XL diebus stans in poenitentia in aqua Jordanis.

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Separation of Adam and Eve

 

18.1 Et dixit Eva ad Adam: vive tu, domine mi. tibi concessa est vita, quoniam tu nec primam nec secundam praevaricationem fecisti , sed ego praevaricata et seducta sum, quia non custodivi mandatum dei. et nunc separa me a lumine vitae istius, et vadam ad occasum solis et ero ibi usque dum moriar.

18.2 Et coepit ambulare contra partes occidentales et coepit lugere et amare flere cum gemitu magno.

18.3 Et fecit ibi habitaculum habens in utero foetum trium mensium.

19.1 Et cum adpropinquasset tempus partus eius coepit conturbari doloribus et exclamavit ad dominum dicens:

19.2 miserere mei, domine, adiuva me. Et non exaudiebatur nec erat misericordia dei circa eam. et dixit ipsa in se: quis nuntiabit domino meo Adae? deprecor vos luminaria caeli, dum revertimini ad orientem, nuntiate domino meo Adam.

20.2 Et ambulans invenit eam in luctu magno; et dixit Eva: ex quo vidi te, domine mi, refrigeravit anima mea in doloribus posita. et nunc deprecare dominum deum pro me ut exaudiat te et respiciat ad me et liberet me de doloribus meis pessimis.

20.3 Et deprecatus est Adam dominum pro Eva.

21.1 Et ecce venerunt XII angeli et duo virtutes stantes a dextris et a sinistris Evae. Eve.

21.2 Et Michahel erat stans a dextris et tetigit faciem eius usque ad pectus et dixit ad Evam: beata es, Eva, propter Adam. quoniam preces eius magnae sunt et orationes, missus sum ad te, ut accipias adiutorium nostrum. exsurge nunc et para te ad partum

21.3a Et peperit filium et erat lucidus. et continuo infans ex surgens cucurrit et manibus suis tulit herbam et dedit matri suae. et vocatum est nomen eius Cain.

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Death of Abel

 

22.1 Et tulit Adam Evam et puerum et duxit eos ad orientem.

22.2 Et misit dominus deus per Michahel angelum semina diversa et dedit Adae et ostendit ei laborare et colere terram, ut habeant fructum, unde viverent ipsi et omnes generationes eorum.

22.3 Postea enim concepit Eva et genuit filium, cui nomen Abel. et manebat Cain cum Abel in unum.

22.4a Et dixit Eva ad Adam:

22.4b domine mi, dormiens vidi visum quasi sanguinem filii nostri Abel in manu Cain ore suo deglutientis eum. propterea dolorem habeo.

22.5 Et dixit Adam: Vae, ne forte interficiat Cain Abel! sed separemus eos ab invicem et faciamus eis singulas mansiones.

23.1 Et fecerunt Cain agricolam, Abel fecerunt pastorem, ut ita fuissent ab invicem separati.

23.2 Et post haec interfecit Cain Abel. erat autem tunc Adam annorum CXXX. interfectus est autem Abel cum esset annorum CXXII.

23.3 Et post haec cognovit Adam uxorem suam et genuit filium et vocavit nomen eius Seth.

24.1 Et dixit Adam ad Evam: ecce genui filium pro Abel, quem occidit Cain.

24.2 Et postquam genuit Adam Seth, vixit annos DCCC et genuit filios XXX et filias XXX, simul LXIII. et multiplicati sunt super terram in nationibus suis.

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Adam’s Vision

 

25.1 Et dixit Adam ad Seth: audi, fili mi Seth, ut referam tibi, quae audivi et vidi. postquam eiecti sumus de paradiso ego et mater tua,

25.2 cum essemus in oratione, venit ad me Michahel archangelus nuntius dei.

25.3 Et vidi currum tamquam ventum et rotae illius erant igneae et raptus sum in paradisum iustitiae. et vidi dominum sedentem et aspectus eius erat ignis incendens intolerabilis. et multa milia angelorum erant a dextris et a sinistris currus illius.

26.1 Haec videns perturbatus sum et timor comprehendit me et adoravi coram deo super faciem terrae.

26.2 Et dixit mihi deus: ecce tu morieris, quia praeteristi mandatum dei, quia plus audisti vocem uxoris tuae quam tibi dedi in potestatem, ut haberes eam in voluntatem tuam. et audisti illam et verba mea praeteristi.

27.1 Et cum haec audivi verba dei, procidens in terram adoravi dominum et dixi: domine mi, omnipotens deus et misericors sancte et pie, ne deleatur nomen memoriae tuae maiestatis. sed converte animam meam, quia morior et spiritus meus exibit de ore meo.

27.2 Ne proicias me a facie tua quem de limo terrae plasmasti, nec postponas gratiae tuae quem nutristi.

27.3 Et ecce verbum tuum incedit mihi et dixit dominus ad me: quoniam figurantur dies tui factus es diligens scientiam, propter hoc non tolletur de semine tuo usque in seculum ad ministrandum mihi.

28.1 Et cum haec verba audivi, prostravi me in terram et adoravi dominum deum dicens: tu es aeternus deus et summus et omnes creaturae tibi dant honorem et laudem.

28.2 Tu es super omne lumen fulgens vera lux, vita vivens, incomprehensibilis magnitudinis virtus. tibi dant honorem et laudem spiritales virtutes. tu facis cum genere humano magnalia misericordiae tuae.

28.3 Postquam adoravi dominum, statim Michahel archangelus dei adprehendit manum meam et eiecit me de paradiso visitationis et iussionis dei.

28.4 Et tenens Michahel in manu sua virgam tetigit aquas quae erant circa paradisum et gelaverunt.

29.1 Et pertransivi et Michahel pertransivit mecum et reduxit me in locum, unde me rapuit.

29.2 Audi, fili mi Seth, et caetera mysteria sacramentaque futura quae mihi sunt revelata, qui per lignum scientiae comedens cognovi et intellexi, quae erunt in hoc seculo.

29.3 29.3 [II,III,IV+temporali (III+futura)] quae facturus est Deus creaturae suae humano generi.

29.4 Apparebit Dominus in flamma ignis. ex ore maiestatis suae dabit omnibus mandata et praecepta (ex ore eius exiet gladius ex utraque parte acutus?) et sanctificabunt eum in domo habitationis maiestatis illius. et ostendet illis locum mirabilem maiestatis suae.

29.5 Et tunc aedificabunt domum domino deo suo in terra, qua pavit illos (quam praeparabit eis?), et ibi praeteribunt praecepta eius et accendetur sanctuarium eorum et terra eorum deseretur et ipsi dispergentur propter quod exacerbaverunt Deum.

29.6 Et iterum (die tertio?, septimo?) saluos faciet illos a dispersione illorum, et iterum aedificabunt domum Dei et exaltabitur novissime domus Dei maior quam prius,

29.7 Et iterum superabit iniquitas aequitatem. et post haec habitabit Deus cum hominibus in terris videndus. et tunc incipiet aequitas fulgere. et domus Dei in saeculum honorabitur et non poterunt adversa amplius nocere hominibus, qui sunt in Deo credentes. et suscitabit sibi Deus plebem fidelem, quam salvabit in secula seculorum. et impii punientur a deo rege suo qui noluerint amare legem illius.

29.8 Celum et terra noctes et dies et omnes creaturae obedient ei et non praeteribunt mandatum eius nec mutabunt opera sua. homines autem mutabuntur derelinquentes legem Domini.

29.9 Propter hoc repellet Dominus a se impios et iusti fulgebunt sicut sol in conspectu Dei. et in tempore illo purificabuntur homines per aquam a peccatis.

29.10 Condempnati autem erunt nolentes purificari per aquam. et felix erit homo, qui correxerit animam suam, quando erunt iudicia et magnalia dei inter homines et inquirentur facta eorum a Deo iusto iudice.]

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Illness of Adam

 

30.1 Postquam factus est Adam annos DCCCCXXX, sciens quoniam dies eius finiuntur dixit [II,III+ad Evam]: congregentur ad me omnes filii mei, ut benedicam eos, antequam moriar, et loquar cum eis.

30.2 Et congregati sunt in tres partes ante conspectum eius coram oratorio, ubi adorabant dominum deum. [III+erat autem numerus XV milia virorum exceptis mulieribus et parvulis]

30.3 Et interrogaverunt eum: [II,III+et cum congregasti essent omnes una voce dixerunt] quid tibi est, pater, ut congregares nos? et quare iaces in lecto tuo?

30.4 Et respondens Adam dixit: filii mei, male mihi est doloribus. et dixerunt ad eum omnes filii eius: quid est pater male habere doloribus?

31.1 Tunc filius eius Seth dixit: domine forte desiderasti de fructu paradisi, ex quo edebas, et ideo iaces contristatus?

31.2 Dic mihi et vadam ad proximas ianuas paradisi et mittam pulverem in caput meum et proiciam me in terram ante portas paradisi et plangam in lamentatione magna deprecans dominum. forsitan audiet me et mittet angelum suum ut adferat mihi de fructu quod desiderasti.

31.3 Respondit Adam et dixit: non, fili mi, non desidero, sed infirmitatem et dolorem magnum habeo in corpore meo. Respondit Seth: quid est dolor, domine pater, nescio; sed noli nobis abscondere, sed dic nobis [III+quia penitus ignoramus].

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Adam’s Story of the Fall

 

32.1 Et respondit Adam et dixit: audite me, filii mei. quando fecit nos deus, me et matrem vestram, et posuit nos in paradisum et dedit nobis omnem arborem fructiferam ad edendum et interdixit nobis: de arbore scientiae boni et mali, quae est in medio paradisi, ne comedatis ex ea.

32.2 Deus autem partem dedit paradisi mihi et matri vestrae: arborem orientalis partis et boreae quae est (et erubie que est?, et bone que est?, boree quod est?) contra aquilonem dedit mihi, et matri vestrae dedit partem austri et partem occidentalem.

33.1 Dedit nobis dominus deus angelos duos ad custodiendos nos.

33.2 Venit hora ut ascenderunt angeli in conspectu dei adorare. statim invenit locum adversarius diabolus dum absentes essent angeli. et seduxit diabolus matrem vestram, ut manducaret de arbore inlicita et contradicta.

33.3 et manducavit et dedit mihi.

34.1 Et statim iratus est nobis dominus deus et dixit ad me dominus. eo quod dereliquisti mandatura meum et verbum meum quod confortavi tibi non custodisti, ecce inducam in corpus tuum LXX plagas; diversis doloribus ab initio capitis et oculorum et aurium usque ad ungulas pedum et per singula membra torquebimini. haec deputavit in flagellationem dolori uno cum arboribus (dolorum pro transgressione fructus arboris?). Haec autem omnia misit dominus ad me et omnes generationes nostras.

34.2 Deus autem partem dedit paradisi mihi et matri vestrae: arborem orientalis partis et boreae quae est (et erubie que est?, et bone que est?, boree quod est?) contra aquilonem dedit mihi, et matri vestrae dedit partem austri et partem occidentalem.

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Comand to Retrieve the Oil

 

35.1 Haec dicens Adam ad omnes filios suos comprehensus est magnis doloribus et clamans magnis vocibus dicebat: quid faciam infelix, positus in talibus doloribus.

35.2 Et cum vidisset eum Eva flentem coepit et ipsa flere dicens: domine deus meus, in me transfer dolor em eius, quoniam ego peccavi. Et dixit Eva ad Adam: domine mi, da mihi partem dolorum tuorum, quoniam a me culpa haec tibi accessit.

36.1 Et dixit Adam ad Evam: exsurge et vade cum filio meo Seth ad proximum paradisi [III=portas paradysi] et mittite pulverem in capita vestra et prosternite vos in terram et plangite in conspectu dei.

36.2 Forsitan miserebitur et transmittet angelum suum ad arborem misericordiae suae, de qua currit oleum vitae, et dabit vobis ex ipso modicum, ut me unguatis ex eo, ut quiescam ab his doloribus, ex quibus consumor.

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Encounter with the Beast

 

37.1 Et abierunt Seth et mater eius contra portas paradisi; et dum ambularent, ecce subito venit serpens bestia et impetum faciens morsit Seth.

37.2 Et cum vidisset Eva flevit dicens: heu mihi miserae, quoniam maledicta sum, quoniam non custodivi praecepta domini.

37.3 Et dixit Eva ad serpentem voca magna: bestia maledicta, quomodo non timuisti mittera te ad imaginem dei, sed ausus es pugnare cum ea? aut quomodo praevaluerunt dentes tui?

38.1 Respondit bestia voce humana: O Eva, numquid non ad vos est malitia nostra? nonne contra vos est furor noster?

38.2 Dic mihi, Eva, quomodo apertum est os tuum, ut manducares de fructu, quem praecepit tibi dominus deus ut non manducares:

38.3 nunc autem non potes portare, si tibi incepero exprobrare?

39.1 Tunc dixit Seth ad bestiam: increpet te dominus deus. stupe, obmutesce: claude os tuum, maledicte inimice veritatis confusio perditionis; recede de imagine dei usque in diem, quando dominus deus iusserit in comprobationem te adduci.

39.2 et dixit bestia ad Seth: ecce recedo, sicut dixisti, a facie imaginis dei. statim recessit plaga de dentibus a Seth.

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Arrival at Paradise

 

40.1 Seth autem et mater eius ambulaverunt in partes paradisi propter oleum misericordiae, ut ungerent Adam infirmum. et pervenien tes ad portas paradisi tulerunt pulverem de terra et posuerunt super caput suum. et prostraverunt se in terram super faciem suam et coeperunt plangere cum gemitu magno deprecantes dominum deum, ut misereretur Adae in doloribus suis et mitteret angelum suum dare eis oleum de arbore misericordiae suae.

41.1 41:1 [Orantibus autem eis horas multas et deprecantibus ecce angelus Michahel apparens eis dixit: ego missus sum ad te a domino, ego sum constitutus a domino super corpus humanum.

41.2 tibi dico, Seth homo dei, noli lacrimare orando et deprecando propter oleum ligni misericordiae, ut perunguas patrem tuum Adam pro doloribus corporis sui.

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Michael’s Reply

 

42.1 Quia nullo modo poteris ex eo accipere, nisi in novissimis diebus, quando completi fuerint quinque milia et quingenti anni.

42.2 Tunc veniet super terram amantissimus rex dei resuscitare corpus Adae et cum eo resuscitare corpora mortuorum. Et ipse filius dei veniens baptizabitur in flumine Jordanis et dum egressus fuerit de aqua Jordanis, tunc de oleo misericordiae suae perunguet omnes credentes in se.

42.3 42:4 Et erit oleum misericordiae in generationem et generationem eis, qui renascendi sunt ex aqua et spiritu sancto in vitam aeternam. Tunc descendens in terris amantissimus filius dei Christus introducet patrem tuum Adam in paradisum ad arborem misericordiae. END NIC]

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Return to Adam

 

43.1 Tu autem, Seth, vade ad patrem tuum Adam, quoniam completum est tempus vitae illius. adhuc sex dies tunc exibit anima eius de corpore et, cum exierit, videbis magna mirabilia in caelo et in terra et in luminaribus caeli.

43.2 Haec dicens Michahel statim recessit a Seth. et reversi sunt Eva et Seth. ac tulerunt secum [III+ ramusculum et odor] odoramenta hoc est nardum et crocum et calaminthen et cinamomum. [III+ continuo discessit angelus ab eo in paradisum et attulit ramusculum trium foliorum fractum de arbore scientiae per quam expulsi fuerant Adam et Eua de paradiso reuersusque ad Seth dedit ei dicens: haec porta patri tuo ad refrigerium et solatium corporis sui. festina ne tardaueris. uade ad patrem tuum, quoniam impletum est tempus vitae suae, adhuc sex dies et exiet anima eius de corpore . . .tulerunt secum ranusculum et odoramenta hoc est nardum et crocum et calamum et cynamomum . et factum est dum Eva et Seth transirent aquam Jordanis, ecce ramus quem dederat ei angelus cecidit in medio fluminis. et cum pervenissent Seth et mater eius ad Adam, dixerunt omnia quae gesta fuerant. ]

44.1 Et cum pervenissent Seth et mater eius ad Adam dixerunt ei [III+omnia, quae gesta fuerant in via, et dixit], quia bestia serpens morsit Seth.

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Adam’s Rebuke of Eve

 

44.2 Et dixit Adam ad Evam: quid fecisti? induxisti nobis plagam magnam, delictum et peccatum in omnem generationem nostram. et hoc quod fecisti post mortem meam refert filios tuos,

44.3 quoniam qui exsurgent a nobis laborantes non sufficient sed deficient et maledicent nos dicentes:

44.4 quoniam omnia mala intulerunt nobis parentes nostri, qui ab initio fuerunt. haec audiens Eva coepit lacrimare et ingemescere. [III+ et dixit Adam filio suo Seth: numquid angelus non misit mihi aliquid. conturbatus vero Seth et perterritus, quod non inuenit quod miserat ei angelus, dixit patri suo: Ramum misit tibi angelus de paradiso, qui cecidit mihi in medio fluminis Jordanis. Cui pater: Vade fili me, et in ipso loco ubi cecidit inuenies et affer mihi, ut uideam antequam moriar et benedicat tibi anima mea. Reuersus est Seth ad flumen, inuenit ramum in medio fluminis numquam de loco motum et gauisus Seth tulit eum patri suo, quem cum accepisset Adam (et uidisset diligenter add. cod. 15) gauisus est gaudio magno et dixit: Ecce mors et resurrectio mea. Rogauitque filios suos ut plantarent ramum ad caput sepulchri sui.].

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Death of Adam

 

45.1 Et sicut praedixit Michahel archangelus, post sex dies venit mors Adae.

45.2 Cum cognovisset Adam, quia hora venit mortis suae, dixit ad omnes filios suos: ecce sum annorum DCCCCXXX, et si mortuus fuero, sepelite me contra ortum dei magnum (contra ortum diei in agrum habitationis illius?) habitationibus.

45.3 Et factum est, cum finisset omnes sermones illius, tradidit spiritum.

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Angelic Liturgy

 

46.1 Obtenebratus est sol et luna et stellae per dies VII. et cum esset Seth amplexans corpus patris sui lugens desuper et Eva cum esset respiciens in terram intextas manus super caput eius habens et caput super genua imponens et omnes filii eius fletibus amaris simis lacrimassent:

46.2 46:2 Et ecce Michahel angelus apparuit stans ad caput Adae et dixit ad Seth: exurge desuper corpus patris tui et veni ad me et vide, quid de eo disponat dominus deus. plasma eius est et misertus est ei.

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Assumption of Adam to Paradise

 

47.1 Et omnes angeli canentes tubis dixerunt: benedictus es, domine, quia misertus es plasmae tuae.

47.3 Tunc vidit Seth manum domini extensam tenentem Adam; et tradidit Michaheli dicens:

47.5 sit in custodia tua usque in diem dispensationischange his mourning into joy. mos, quando convertam luctum eius in gaudium. Tunc sedebit in throno eius, qui eum supplantavit.

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Adam and Abel’s Funerary Rites

 

48.1 Et dixit iterum dominus ad Michahel et Urihel angelos: afferte mihi tres sindones bissinas et expandite super Adam. et alias sindones super Abel filium eius, et sepelite Adam et filium eius.

48.2 Et processerunt omnes virtutes angelorum ante Adam. et sanctificata est dormitatio mortuorum.

48.3 Sepelierunt Adam et Abel Michahel et Urihel angeli in partibus paradisi videntibus Seth et matre eius et alio nemine. et dixerunt Michahel et Urihel: sicut vidistis, similiter sepelite mortuos vestros. [III+ His expletis angeli discesserunt ab eis. Seth uero filius eius plantauit ramum arboris, sicut rogauerat eum pater eius, ad caput sepulchri eius. qui creuit in arborem magnam. post multum uero tempus inuenta est a uenatoribus Salomonis, et sibi allata et ab ipso miris modis ornata et postmodum propter reginam austri destructa, quae uenit a finibus terrae audire et uidere sapientiam Salomonis. cui epse etiam ostendit omnia secreta sua et hoc lignum mirifice in templo suo ornatum. quo uiso statim prophetauit perhoc lignum omnia regna et munitiones et leges Judeorum destrui. Quo audito rex lignum hoc auro et argento et lapidibus pretiosis precepit ornari (orbari?), et in piscinam Probaticam proici, ubi postmodum (supernatauit. Ende von cod. 2) semper descendit angelus et turbabat aquam et cottidie sanabatur unus usque ipsum Christum. qui postmodum in ipso ligno suspensus est in eo qui dicitur Caluarie locus et in ipso stipite arboris posito ita ut sanguis ipsius redemptoris in caput primi plasmatis descenderet.]

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Two Stelae Legend

 

49.1 Post sex dies vero quod mortuus est Adam, cognoscens Eva mortem suam, congregavit omnes filios suos et filias suas, qui fuerunt Seth cum XXX fratribus et XXX sororibus, et dixit ad omnes Eva:

49.2 Audite me, filii mei, ut referam vobis, quod ego et pater vester transgressi sumus praeceptum dei et dixit nobis Michahel archangelus:

49.3 propter praevaricationes vestras generi vestro superinducet dominus noster iram iudicii sui primum per aquam secundum per ignem: his duobus iudicabit dominus omne humanum genus.

50.1 Sed audite me, filii mei! facite ergo tabulas lapideas et alias tabulas luttea et scribite in his omnem vitam meam et patris vestri quae a nobis audistis et vidistis.

50.2 Si per aquam iudicabit genus nostrum, tabulae de terra solventur et tabulae lapideae perma nebunt. si autem per ignem iudicabit genus nostrum, tabulae lapideae solventur et de terra luteae decoquentur. haec omnia

50.3 cum dixisset Eva filiis suis expandit manus in caelum orans et inclinans genua in terram et adorans dominum et gratias agens tradidit spiritum.

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Eve’s Funeral and Epilogue

 

51.1 Postea cum magno fletu sepelierunt eam omnes filii eius. cum essent lugentes quattuor dies, tunc apparuit eis Michahel archangelus dicens ad Seth:

51.3 homo dei, ne amplius lugeas mortuos tuos quam sex dies quia septimo die signum resurrectionis est futuri seculi requies, et in die septimo requievit dominus ab omnibus operibus suis. [III+omni opere suo. Octavus vero dies futurae et aeternae beatitudinis est, in qua omnes sancti cum ipso creatore et salvatore simul cum anima et corpore nunquam de cetero morituri regnabunt per infinita secula seculorum. Amen] III.

51.3 tunc Seth fecit tabulas.

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History of the Stelae

 

52.1 Tunc Seth fecit (duas?) tabulas lapideas et (duas?) luteas, (et composuit apices literarum?) et scripsit in eis vitam patris sui Adae et matris sue Evae quam ab eis audivit et oculis suis vidit et posuit tabulas in medio domus patris sui in oratorio ubi orabat dominum. et post diluvium a multis videbantur hominibus tabulae illae scriptae (lapides illi scripti?) et a nemine legebantur. Salomon autem sapiens vidit scripturam et deprecatus est dominum et apparuit ei angelus domini dicens: ego sum qui tenui manum Seth, ut scriberet cum digito suo (ferreo digito?, ferreo stilo?) lapides istos, et eris sciens scripturam, ut cognoscas et intelligas (ubi sint) quid contineant lapides isti omnes et ubi fuerit oratorium, ubi Adam et Eva adorabant dominum deum. et oportet te ibi aedificare templum domini id est domum orationis. Tunc Salomon supplevit templum domini dei et vocavit literas illas achiliacas hoc est sine verborum doctrina scriptas (achilicas quod est latine lapideas id est sine labiis doctrina scripta?, achiliacas quod est latine sillabicas hoc est sine librorum doctrina scriptas ?) digito Seth, tenens manum eius angelus domini.

53.1 et in ipsis lapidibus inventum est, quod prophetavit septimus ab Adam Enoch dicens ante diluvium de adventu Christi: ecce veniet dominus in sanctis suis (in sanctis milibus suis?, in milibus suis?, in sanctis nubibus suis?) facere iudicium de omnibus et arguere impios de omnibus operibus suis quibus locuti sunt de eo peccatores et impii murmuratores et irreligiosi qui secundum concupiscentias suas ingrediuntur et os eorum locutum est superbiam.] [IV+et os illorum locuntur superbiam ibunt in orcum, iusti vero plaudentes in regnum caelorum.

54.1 Adam vero post quadraginta dies introivit in paradisum et Eva post octoginta et fuit Adam in paradisum annos septem et sub die moverunt omnem bestiarum]

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Octapartite Adam

 

55.1 Sciendum est quod de octo partibus plasmatum fuit corpus Ade. Una pars erat de limo terre unde facta est caro eius et inde piger erit. Alia pars erat de mari unde factus est sanguis eius et inde erat uagus et profugus. Tertia pars erat de lapidibus terre unde sunt ossa eius et inde erat durus et auarus. Quarta pars erat de nubibus, inde facte sunt cogitaciones eius et inde factus est luxuriosus. Quinta pars erat de uento unde factus est anelitus et inde factus est leuis. Sexta pars erat de sole unde facti sunt oculi eius et inde erat bellus et preclarus. Septima pars est de luce mundi unde factus est gratus et inde habet scienciam. Octaua pars est de spiritu sancto unde facta est anima et inde sunt episcopi et sacerdotes et omnes sancti et electi dei.

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Place of Adam’s Creation

 

56.1 Et sciendum quod deus fecit et plasmauit Adam in eo loco in quo natus est Iesus scilicet in ciuitate Bedleem que est in medio mundi, et ibi de quatuor angulis terre corpus Ade factum est, deferentibus angelis de limo terre de partibus illis, uidelicet Micaele Gabriele Raphaele et Uriele. Et erat illa terra candida et munda sicut sol, et conspersa est illa terra de quatuor fluminibus id est Geon Phison Tigris et Euphrates, et factus est homo ad imaginem dei, et insufflauit in faciem eius spiraculum uite scilicet animam. Sicut enim a quatuor fluminibus conspersus sic a quatuor uentis accepit flatus.

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Adam’s Name

 

57.1 Cum factus fuisset Adam et non erat ei nomen impositum adhuc, dixit dominus ad quatuor angelos ut quererent ei nomen, et exiuit Micael ad orientem et uidit stellam orientalem Ancolim nomine et sumpsit primam literam ab illa, et exiuit Gabriel ad meridiem et uidit stellam meridianam nomine disis et tulit primam literam ab illa; exiuit Raphael ad aquilonem et uidit stellam aquilonarem Arthos nomine et tulit primam literam ab ipsa; exiuit Uriel ad occidentem et uidit stellam occidentalem Mencembrion nomine et attulit primam literam ab eadem; quibus literis adductis dixit dominus ad Urielam, Lege literas istas, et legit et dixit, Adam, et dixit dominus, Sic uocetur nomen eius. Explicit uita protoplasti nostri Ade et Eue uxoris eius.

Expulsion

1.1 When Adam and Eve were expelled from paradise they made for themselves a tent and spent seven days mourning and lamenting in great sadness.

2.1 But after seven days they began to be hungry and sought food to eat and did not find any.

2.2 Eve told Adam: “Adam, my lord, Then Eve said to Adam: “My lord, I am hungry. Go, seek for us something to eat. Perhaps the Lord God will look upon us and have mercy on us and will call us back to the place where we were previously.”

3.1 And Adam arose after seven days and And Adam arose and walked for seven days over all that land but did not find food such as they had in paradise.

3.2 Eve said to Adam: “My lord, would that I might die. Perhaps then the Lord God would bring you back into paradise, for it was because of me that the Lord God grew angry with you. Do you wish to kill me, that I might die? Perhaps the Lord God will bring you back into paradise, since on account of my action you were expelled from there.”

3.3 Adam responded: “Don’t say such things Eve lest the Lord God bring upon us some other curse. How could it be that I should raise my hand against my own flesh? Let us arise and seek for ourselves something by which we might live so that we might not perish.”

4.1 Walking about, they searched for many days but did not find anything like they had in paradise. They only found what animals eat.

4.2 Adam said to Eve: “The Lord gave these things to animals and beasts to eat. Ours, however was the angelic food.

4.3 But justly and worthily do we lament before the face of God who made us. Let us perform a great penitence. Perhaps the Lord God will yield and have mercy on us and give us something by which we might live.”

Penitence and Second Temptation

5.1 Eve said to Adam: “My lord, tell me what is penitence and how long should I perform it, lest perhaps we place on ourselves a labor which we cannot endure, and he not hear our prayers,

5.2 And the Lord turned his face from us because we did not fulfill what we promise.

5.3 My lord, how much penitence are you thinking of doing since I brought labor and tribulation upon you.”

6.1 Adam said to Eve: “You cannot do as much as I, but do as much so that you might be saved. For I will do forty days of fasting. You, however, arise and go to the Tigris River and take a stone and stand upon it in the water up to your neck in the depth of the river. Let not a word go forth from your mouth since we are unworthy to ask of the Lord for our lips are unclean from the illicit and forbidden tree.

6.2 Stand in the water of the river for thirtyseven days. I however, will do forty days in the water of the Jordan. Perhaps the Lord will have mercy on us.”

7.1 Eve walked to the Tigris River and did just as Adam told her.Ê

7.2 Likewise, Adam walked to the Jordan River and stood upon a rock up to his neck in the water.

8.1 Adam said: “I say to you, water of the Jordan, mourn with me and separate from me all swimming creatures which are in you. Let them surround me and mourn with me.

8.2 Let them not lament for themselves, but for me, for they have not sinned, but I.”

8.3 Immediately, all living things came and surrounded him and the water of the Jordan stood from that hour not flowing in its course.

9.1 Eighteen days passed. Then Satan grew angry and transfigured himself into the brilliance of an angel and went off to the Tigris River to Eve.

9.2 He found her weeping, and then, the Devil himself, as if mourning with her began to weep and said to her: “Come out of the water and rest and weep no longer. Cease now from your sadness and lamenting. Why are you uneasy, you and your husband Adam?

9.3 The Lord God has heard your lamenting and accepted your penitence. All of us angels have pleaded for you, praying to the Lord,

9.4 and he sent me to lead you forth from the water and to give you the nourishment which you had in paradise and for which you have grieved.

9.5 Now, therefore, come out of the water and I will lead you to the place where your food is prepared.”

10.1 Hearing this, Eve believed him and went out of the water of the river. Her flesh was like grass from the waters coldness.

10.2 When she had come out, she fell to the ground, but the Devil stood her up and led her to Adam.

10.3 When Adam saw her and the Devil with her, he cried out with tears, saying: “O Eve, O Eve, where is the work of your penitence? How have you again been seduced by our adversary, through whom we were alienated from the dwelling of paradise and spiritual happiness?

11.1 When Eve heard this, she knew that it was the Devil who had persuaded her to go out from the river and she fell on her face on the ground and her grief was double, as was her wailing and lamentation.

11.2 She cried out, saying: “Woe to you, Devil. For what reason do you fight against us? What concern do you have with us? What have we done to you that you should persecute us so grievously? Why does your malice extend to us?

11.3 Did we ever take your glory from you or cause you to be without honor? Why do you persecute us, O enemy, impiously and jealously unto death?”

Fall of Satan

12.1 Groaning, the Devil said: “O Adam, all my enmity, jealousy, and resentment is towards you, since on account of you I was expelled and alienated from my glory, which I had in heaven in the midst of the angels. On account of you I was cast out upon the earth.”

12.2 Adam answered: “What have I done to you?

12.3 What fault do I have against you? Since you have not been harmed nor injured by us, why do you persecute us?”

13.1 The Devil answered: “Adam what are you saying to me? On account of you I was cast out from heaven.

13.2 When you were formed, I was cast out from the face of God and was sent forth from the company of the angels. When God blew into you the breath of life and your countenance and likeness were made in the image of God, Michael led you and made you worship in the sight of God. The Lord God then said: ‘Behold, Adam, I have made you in our image and likeness.’

14.1 Having gone forth Michael called all the angels saying: ‘Worship the image of the Lord God, just as the Lord God has commanded.’

14.2 Michael himself worshipped first then he called me and said: ‘Worship the image of God Jehovah.’

14.3 I answered: ‘I do not have it within me to worship Adam.’ When Michael compelled me to worship, I said to him: ‘Why do you compel me? I will not worship him who is lower and posterior to me. I am prior to that creature. Before he was made, I had already been made. He ought to worship me.’

15.1 Hearing this, other angels who were under me were unwilling to worship him.

15.2 Michael said: ‘Worship the image of God. If you do not worship, the Lord God will grow angry with you.’

15.3 said: ‘If he grows angry with me, I will place my seat above the stars of heaven and I will be like the Most High.’

16.1 Then the Lord God grew angry with me and sent me forth with my angels from our glory. On account of you we were expelled from our dwelling into this world and cast out upon the earth.

16.2 Immediately we were in grief, since we had been despoiled of so much glory,

16.3 and we grieved to see you in such a great happiness of delights. 16:4 By a trick I cheated your wife and caused you to be expelled through her from the delights of your happiness, just as I had been expelled from my glory.”

17.1 Hearing this, Adam cried out with a great shout because of the Devil, and said: “O Lord my God, in your hands is my life. Make this adversary of mine be far from me, who seeks to ruin my soul. Give me his glory which he himself lost.”

17.2 Immediately the Devil no longer appeared to him.

17.3 Adam truly persevered for forty days standing in penitence in the waters of the Jordan.

Separation of Adam and Eve

18.1 Eve said to Adam: “Long may you live, my lord to you is my life submitted, since you did not take part in either the first or second collusion. But I conspired and was seduced, because I did not keep the commandment of God. Now separate me from the light of this life. I will go to the west and I will be there until I die.

18.2 She then began to walk toward the western regions and began to wail and weep bitterly with great moaning.

18.3 She made there a dwelling, being three months pregnant.

19.1 When the time of her delivery approached, she began to be distressed with pains, and she cried out to the Lord, saying:

19.2 “Have mercy on me, O Lord, help me.” She was not heard, nor was the mercy of God toward her. She said to herself: “Who will tell my lord Adam? I beseech you, lights of the heavens, when you turn again to the east, tell my lord Adam.

20.1a In that very hour Adam said: “The lament of Eve has come to me. Perhaps the serpent has fought with her again.”

20.2 Walking, he found her in great distress. Eve said: “How is it that I see you, my Lord. My soul has grown cold being in such pains. Now pray to the Lord God on my behalf that he might hear you and look down upon me and free me from my very bad pains.”

20.3 Adam then prayed to the Lord for Eve.

21.1 And behold, twelve angels came and two Virtues, standing to the right and to the left of Eve.

21.2 Michael was standing to her right and touched his face to her chest and said to Eve: “Blessed are you, Eve, on account of Adam, for his prayers and supplications are great. I was sent to you that you might receive our help. Arise now and prepare yourself for birth.”

21.3a She brought forth a son who shone brilliantly. At once the infant stood up and ran out and brought some grass with his own hands and gave it to his mother. His name was called Cain.

Death of Abel

22.1 Adam took Eve and the boy and led them to the east.

22.2 The Lord God sent various seeds by Michael the angel, who gave them to Adam and showed them how to work and tend the ground, in order to have fruit, from which they and all their generations might live.

22.3 Afterwards, Eve conceived and bore a son, whose name was Abel, and Cain and Abel remained together as one.

22.4a Eve said to Adam:

22.4b “My lord, while asleep I saw a vision like the blood of our son Abel on the hand of Cain who tasted it with his mouth. On account of this I am pained.”

22.5 Adam said: “Woe, let not Cain kill Abel, but let us separate them from each other and make separate houses for them.”

23.1 They made Cain to be a farmer, and Abel to be a shepherd that they might thus be separated from each other.

23.2 But even after this, Cain killed Abel. Adam was then 130 years old. Abel was killed when he was 122 years old.

23.3 After this Adam knew his wife and begot a son and called his name Seth.

24.1 Adam said to Eve: “Behold, I have begotten a son in place of Abel, whom Cain killed.”

24.2 After Adam begot Seth, he lived for 800 years and begot 30 sons and 30 daughters 63 altogether and they were multiplied over the earth in its nations.

Adam’s Vision

25.1 Adam said to Seth: “Let me recount for you what I have heard and seen. After I and your mother were cast out of paradise,

25.2 when we were at prayer, the archangel Michael, the messenger of God, came to me.

25.3 I saw a chariot like the wind, and its wheels were afire, and I was caught up into the paradise of the just. I saw the Lord seated, his face like fire burning intolerably. Many thousands of angels were at the right and the left of his chariot.

26.1 Seeing this, I was disturbed and fear seized me and I worshipped before God above the face of the earth.

26.2 Then God said to me: ‘Behold, you shall die because you transgressed the commandment of God, because you harkened more to the voice of your wife whom I gave over to your control that you might have her in your will. You listen to your her and transgressed my words.’

27.1 When I heard these words of God, falling down on the ground I worshipped the Lord and said: ‘My Lord, Almighty and merciful God, holy and faithful, do not let the name of the memory of your majesty be destroyed, but turn my soul around, for I will die and my spirit will go forth from my mouth.

27.2 Do not cast me out from your sight, whom you formed from the dust of the earth, nor put me out from your grace whom you nourished.

27.3 Behold, your word has come over me.’ Then the Lord God said to me: ‘Since your days are numbered, you have become attentive to knowledge. my very bad pains.” On account of this no one shall ever be taken from your offspring to minister unto me.’

28.1 When I heard these words, I prostrated myself on the ground and worshipped the Lord God saying: ‘You are the eternal and most high God. All creatures give you honor and praise.

28.2 You are above all, the shining light, the true light, the living life, the Virtue of incomprehensible greatness. To you the spiritual virtues give honor and praise. With the human race you show the great deeds of your mercy.’

28.3 After I worshipped the Lord God, straightway Michael, the archangel of God, took my hand and threw me out of the paradise of God’s visitation and commanding.

28.4 Michael, holding in his hand a rod, touched the waters which surrounded paradise and they froze.

29.1 Then I crossed over, and Michael crossed over with me and brought me again to the place from which he had taken me.

29.2 Hear also, my son Seth, the other mysteries and promised things to come which have been revealed to me. By eating of the tree of knowledge I have known and understood the things which are in this age,

29.3 which God will do to his creature, the human race.

29.4 The Lord will appear in a flame of fire. From the mouth of his majesty he will give commandment and precepts to all (from his mouth will go forth a sword, sharp on both edges) and they will sanctify him in the house of the dwelling of his majesty. He will show to them the marvelous place of his majesty.

29.5 Then they will build a house for the Lord God on my behalf that he might hear you and look down upon me and free me from Lord their God in the land which he will prepare for them, and there they will transgress his precepts. Their sanctuary will be set afire, and their land shall be desolate, and they themselves will be dispersed because they provoked God.

29.6 But again, (on the third / seventh day ?) he will save them from their dispersion and they will build once more the house of God, and it will then be higher than it was before.

29.7 But once again, iniquity will conquer justice. After this, God will dwell, living with men on the earth. Then justice will begin to shine, and the house of the Lord will be honored forever. The opponents will no more be able to kill men who believe in God. God will then receive unto himself a faithful people, who will be saved forever and ever. But the impious who did not wish to love his law will be punished by God their King.

29.8 Heaven and earth, night and day, and all creatures will obey him and will not transgress his commandment, nor will they alter his works. Men who forsake the law of the Lord, however, will be changed.

29.9 On account of this, the Lord will cast away from himself the impious, but the just will shine like the sun in the sight of God. At that time, men will be purified by water of their sins.

29.10 Those unwilling to be purified by water will be condemned. Blessed will be the man who shall amend his soul when the judgments and great deeds of God will be among men. Their deeds will be investigated by God, the just judge.”]II,III,IV

Illness of Adam

30.1b After Adam reached the age of 930 years, knowing that his days were ended, he said [to Eve]: “Gather about me all my children that I might bless them before I die, and that I might speak with them.”

30.2 They were gathered before his sight, in front of the oratory where he worshipped the Lord God. [They numbered 15,000 men, not counting women and children.]

30.3 They asked him [and when they all had been gathered, they said with one voice]: “What is wrong with you, father, that you have gathered us together? Why are you lying on your bed?”

30.4 Answering, Adam said: “My children, I am in great pain.” All his children said to him: “What does mean, father, to have great pain?”

31.1 Then his son, Seth, said: “Lord, do you perhaps long for some of the fruit of paradise, which you used to eat, and therefore you lie there saddened? Tell me and I will go up to the gates of paradise and cast dust on my head and throw myself on the ground before the gates of paradise, mourning in great lamentation, beseeching the Lord. Perhaps he will hear me and send his angel to bring me some of the fruit you desire.”

31.2 Adam answered and said: “No, my son, I do not desire it, even though I am suffering infirmity and great pain in my body.”

31.3 Seth answered: “What is pain, my lord, father, for I do not know. Do not send us away, but tell us [for inwardly we do not know.]”

Adam’s Story of the Fall

32.1 Adam answered and said: “Hear me, my children. When God made us, me and your mother, and placed us in paradise and gave us all fruitbearing trees for food, he forbade us, saying: ‘Of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, which is in the midst of paradise, you may not eat.’

32.2 God, however, gave part of paradise to me, and part to your mother: to me he gave the tree of the eastern and northern part (which is against the north ?), and to your mother he gave the southern and western part.

33.1 The Lord God gave us two angels to watch over us.

33.2 The hour came for the angels to ascend to the sight of God for worship. At once, the Devil, our adversary, found the place.

33.3 Then she ate and gave to me to eat.

34.1 Immediately, the Lord God grew angry with us and said to me: ‘Because you have forsaken my mandate and have not kept my word which I entrusted to you, I will bring upon your body seventy afflictions. You will be racked with pains from the top of your head, eyes, and ears, to the bottom of your feet, and in every single member.’ This he counted as punishment fitting in suffering [to the seriousness of our transgression] concerning the trees (of suffering for the transgression of the fruit of the tree?)

34.2 The Lord sent all these ills upon me and all our generations.”

Comand to Retrieve the Oil

35.1 Saying this to all his children, Adam was seized with great pains, and crying out with a great voice, he said: “What shall I do, I who am unfortunate, being in so much pain?”

35.2 When Eve saw him, she began to cry and said: “My Lord God, transfer his pain over to me, since it was I who sinned.” Eve then said to Adam: “My lord, give me part of your pain, since by me this blame came upon you.”

36.1 Adam then said to Eve: “Rise, go with my son, Seth, near to the gates of paradise and cast dust on your heads, and prostrate yourself on the ground, lamenting in the sight of God.

36.2 Perhaps he will take pity and send his angel over to the tree of his mercy from which flows the oil of life, and will give you a little of it with which to anoint me so that I may have rest from these pains with which I am consumed.”

Encounter with the Beast

37.1 Seth and his mother went away to the gates of paradise. As they were walking, there suddenly appeared the serpent, the beast, who attacked and bit Seth.

37.2 When Eve saw this, she said: “Alas, woe is me, for I am cursed because I did not keep the precepts of the Lord.”

37.3 Eve said to the serpent in a great voice: “O cursed beast, why are you not afraid to cast yourself at the image of God, but dare to fight against it? Why have your teeth prevailed?”

38.1 The beast answered in a human voice: “O Eve, was our malice ever not against you? Isn’t our anger against you?

38.2 Tell me, Eve. How could you open your mouth to eat the fruit which the Lord God commanded you not to eat. Now, however, you are not able to bear it, if I should begin to reproach you?”

39.1 Then Seth said to the beast: “May the Lord God reproach you. Be mute, grow silent, close your mouth, cursed enemy of the truth, disorder of destruction. Fall back from the image of God until the day when the Lord God shall order you to be brought in for trial.”

39.2 The beast said to Seth: “Behold, I am going away, just as you have said, from the face of the image of God.” At once the wound from its teeth disappeared from Seth.

Arrival at Paradise

40.1 Seth and his mother then walked to the region of paradise for the oil of mercy to anoint the sick Adam. Arriving at the gate of paradise, they picked up dust from the ground and cast it on their heads, and prostrated themselves on the ground and began to lament with a great moan, beseeching the Lord God that He might have mercy on Adam in his pains, and send his angel to give them some oil from the tree of his mercy.

41.1 41:1 [FROM THE GOS. OF NICO. 41:1 [After they had prayed and pleaded for many hours, behold, the angel Michael appeared to them and said: “I was sent to you by the Lord. I was given power over the human body.

41.2 I tell you, Seth, man of God, do not weep, praying and pleading for the oil of the tree of mercy to anoint your father Adam on account of the pains of his body.

Michael’s Reply

42.1 For in no wise can you receive any until the last days, 42:2 after 550 years have passed.

42.2 Then the most loving king of God will come upon the earth to resurrect the body of Adam, and, with him, the bodies of all the dead. The very Son of God, when he comes, will be baptized in the river Jordan, and when he comes forth from the water of the Jordan, he will then anoint all who believe in him with the oil of his mercy.

42.3 42:4 This oil of mercy will be from generation to generation on those who are reborn of water and the Holy Spirit into eternal life. 42:5 Then, the most loving Son of God will descend into the earth and lead your father, Adam, back into paradise to the tree of mercy. END NIC]

Return to Adam

43.1 But you, Seth. go to your father, Adam, for the time of his life is complete. Six days hence, his soul will go forth from his body, and, when it does, you will see great wonders in heaven and on earth, and in the lights of heaven.”

43.2 Saying this, Michael at once withdrew from Seth. Seth and Eve went home, carrying with them [a small branch and] spices — nard, crocus, calaminth, and cinnamon. [III “Legend of the Holy Rood”]

44.1 When Seth and his mother reached Adam, they said to him [III all that had been done on the way, and said] that the beast, the serpent, had bitten Seth.

Adam’s Rebuke of Eve

44.2 Adam said to Eve: “What have you done? You have brought on us a great affliction, fault and sin unto all our generations.

44.3 What you have done will be passed on to your children after my death, for those who arise from us will not have all they need from their labors, but will be lacking. They will curse us, saying:

44.4 “Our parents, who were from the beginning, brought all these evils on us.'” Hearing this, Eve began to weep and moan. [III “Legend of the wood of the Cross”]

Death of Adam

45.1 Just as Michael had predicted, after six days the death of Adam came.

45.2 45:2 When Adam knew that the hour of his death had come, he said to all his children: Now I am 930 years old, and if I die, bury me beside the great garden of God near his dwelling.”

45.3 And it happened that, when he had finished all his words, he gave up his spirit..

Angelic Liturgy

46.1 The sun, moon and stars grew dark for seven days. Seth embraced the body of his father and mourned over it. Eve cast her eyes upon the ground with her hands clasped above her head and her head placed on her knees. All her children wept with very bitter tears.

46.2 46:2 Then Michael the angel appeared, standing at Adam’s head, and said to Seth: “Arise from the body of your father, and come with me and see what the Lord God has arranged for him. He is his creature and he has taken pity on him.

Assumption of Adam to Paradise

47.1 Then all the angels, playing trumpets, said: “Blessed are you, Lord, for you have taken pity on your creature.”

47.3 Then Seth saw the hand of the Lord outstretched, holding Adam. He handed him over to Michael, saying:

47.5 “Let him be in your care until the day of retribution, in supplication until the last years when I shall change his mourning into joy. Then he will sit on the throne of him who beguiled him.”

Adam and Abel’s Funerary Rites

48.1 Again the Lord said to the angels Michael and Uriel: “Bring me 3 linen shrouds and stretch them over Adam. Bring other shrouds and stretch them over Abel, his son. Then bury Adam and his son.”

48.2 And all the virtues of the angels processed before Adam, and thus was the dormition of the dead sanctified.

48.3 The angels Michael and Uriel buried Adam and Abel in the regions of paradise which Seth and his mother saw, but no one else. Michael and Uriel: “Just as you see us doing, likewise bury your dead.” [III+***Legend of the Wood of the Cross*** ]III

Two Stelae Legend

49.1 Six days after Adam’s death, Eve knew her own death [was near], so she gathered together all her sons and daughters, who were Seth along with his thirty brothers and thirty sisters. Eve said to them all:

49.2 ‘”Hear me, my children, that I might recount for you how I and your father transgressed the precept of God. Michael the archangel said to us:

49.3 ‘On account of your conspiracies, our Lord will bring upon your race the wrath of his judgment, first by water, and second by fire. By these two will the Lord judge all the human race.’

50.1 But hear me, my children! Make tablets of stone, and other tablets of earth, and write on them my whole life, and that of your father, which you have heard from us and seen.

50.2 If he judges our race by water, the tablets of earth will dissolve, but the tablets of stone will endure. If, however, he judges our race by fire, the tablets of stone will be destroyed, but the tablets of earth will be fired.”

50.3 When she had said all these things to her children, she stretched out her hand toward heaven, knelt upon the earth, worshipped God, and giving thanks, gave up her spirit.

Eve’s Funeral and Epilogue

51.1 Afterwards, all her children buried her with great weeping. After they had mourned her for four days, Michael appeared to them and said to Seth:

51.3 “Man of God, mourn no longer than 6 days, for the 7th day is the sign of the resurrection, the repose of the coming age, and on the 7th day the Lord rested from all his works. [III+ from all his work. Indeed, the 8th day is [the sign] of the future and eternal blessedness, in which all the holy will reign throughout endless ages with the Creator and Savior himself, in both soul and body, never again to die. Amen. III]

51.3 Then Seth made tablets.

History of the Stelae

52.1 52 Then Seth made 2 tablets of stone and two of earth, (and he devised the caps of letters?) and wrote on them the life of this father, Adam, and his mother, Eve, which he had heard from them and seen with his own eyes. He placed the tablets in the middle of his father’s house in the oratory where he prayed to the Lord. After the flood, these written tablets were seen by many men (these written stones?) but were legible to no one. Solomon, however, being wise, saw the writing and prayed to the Lord. There appeared to him an angel of the Lord, saying: “I am he who held the hand of Seth, that he might write these stones with his finger (with an iron finger/ with an iron stylus?). You will be knowledgeable of these writings, so that you might know and understand (Whence they are ) what all these stone contain, and where the oratory was where Adam and Eve worshipped the Lord God. You must build there the temple of the Lord, which is the house of prayer. Then Solomon completed the temple of the Lord God, and called these letters ‘achiliacae,’ that is, written without the teaching of words’ (‘achiliacae’ stones, which is in Latin, teaching written without lips’ / achiliacae’ which is in Latin, parchments ‘written without the teaching of books’ ?) by the finger of Seth, while the angel of the Lord held his hand.

53.1 On these stones was found what Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied before the flood about the coming of Christ: “Behold the Lord will come in his sanctuary (in his holy soldiers, in his soldiers, in his holy clouds ?) to render judgment on all and to accuse the impious of all their works by which they have spoken concerning him Ñ sinners, impious murmurers, and the irreligious who have lived according to their feelings of desire, and whose mouths have spoken pridefully.] [Those whose mouths have spoken pridefully will go to Hades, but the just will surely go rejoicing into the kingdom of heaven.

54.1 (Adam entered paradise after forty days, and Eve after eighty. Adam was in paradise for seven years and near to the day they moved each one of the beasts [?])IV.

Octapartite Adam

55.1 It must be known that the body of Adam was formed of eight parts. The first part was of the dust of the earth, from which was made his flesh, and thereby he was sluggish. The next part was of the sea, from which was made his blood, and thereby he was aimless and fleeing. The third part was of the stones of the earth, from which his bones were made, and thereby he was hard and covetous. The fourth part was of the clouds, from which were made his thoughts, and thereby he was immoderate. The fifth part was of the wind, from which was made his breath, and thereby he was fickle. The sixth part was of the sun, from which were made his eyes, and thereby he was handsome and beautiful. The seventh part was of the light of the world, from which he was made pleasing, and thereby he had knowledge. The eight part was of the Holy Spirit, from which was made his soul, and thereby are the bishops, priests, and all the saints and elect of God.

Place of Adam’s Creation

56.1 It must also be known that God made and formed Adam in that place where Jesus was born, that is, in the city of Bethlehem, which is in the center of the earth. There Adam was made from the four corners of the earth, when angels brought some of the dust of the earth from its parts, viz. Michael, Gabriel, Raphael, and Uriel. This earth was white and pure like the sun and it was gathered together from the four rivers, that is, the Geon, Phison, Tigris, and Euphrates. Man was made in the image of God, and he blew into his face the breath of life, which is the soul. For just as he was gathers from the four rivers, thus from the four winds he received his breath.

Adam’s Name

57.1 When Adam was made, and there was no name assigned to him yet, the Lord said to the four angels to seek a name for him. Michael went out to the east and saw the eastern star, named Ancolim, and took its first letter from it. Gabriel went out to the south, and saw the southern star, named Disis, and took its first letter from it. Raphael went out to the north, and saw the northern star, named Arthos, and took its first latter from it. Uriel went out to the west, and saw the western star, named Mencembrion, and took its first letter from it. When the letter were brought together, the Lord said to Uriel: “read these letters.” He read them and said, “Adam.” The Lord said: “Thus shall his name be called. “Here ends the life of our protoplast, Adam, and his wife, Eve.

Introduction

Our earliest Greek text of these -which are found in many forms- is that given by Eusebius in his Ecclesiastical History (i. 13), extracted, as he says, by him from the archives of Edessa relating to Abgar and translated from Syriac word for word:

---

A copy of a letter written by Abgarus the toparch to Jesus, and sent to him by means of Ananias the runner, to Jerusalem.

Abgarus Uchama the toparch to Jesus the good Saviour that hath appeared in the parts (place) of Jerusalem, greeting. I have heard concerning thee and thy cures, that they are done of thee without drugs or herbs: for, as the report goes, thou makest blind men to see again, lame to walk, and cleansest lepers, and castest out unclean spirits and devils, and those that are afflicted with long sickness thou healest, and raisest the dead.

And having heard all this of thee, I had determined one of two things, either that thou art God come down from heaven, and so doest these things or art a Son of God that doest these things.

Therefore now have I written and entreated thee to trouble thyself to come to me and heal the affliction which I have. or indeed I have heard that the Jews even murmur against thee and wish to do thee hurt. And I have a very little city but (and) comely (reverend), which is sufficient for us both.

The answer, written by Jesus, sent by Ananias the runner to Abgarus the toparch.

Blessed art thou that hast believed in me, not having seen me.

For it is written concerning me that they that have seen me shall not believe in me, and that they that have not seen me shall believe and live. But concerning that which thou hast written to me, to come unto thee; it must needs be that I fulfil all things for the which I was sent here, and after fulfilling them should then be taken up unto him that sent me.

And when I am taken up, I will send thee one of my disciples, to heal thine affliction and give life to thee and them that are with thee.

Later texts add a promise that where this letter is, no enemy shall prevail: and so we find the letter copied and used as an amulet. It was regarded naturally as the palladium of Edessa, but was also thought to act as a protection to individuals.

The letters form an integral part of the story of the mission of Thaddaeus and conversion of Edessa, and part of that legend is that Jesus gave the messenger of Abgarus a handkerchief miraculously imprinted with the picture of his face. Into all this we cannot enter.

Quasten gives this translation in Patrology, v. 1, p. 172.

1. The citizens of an eminent city, I made this (tomb)
2. In my lifetime, that I might have here a resting-place for my body.
3. Abercius by name, I am a disciple of the chaste shepherd,
4. Who feedeth His flocks of sheep on mountains and plains,
5. Who hath great eyes that look on all sides.
6. He taught me . . . faithful writings.
7. He sent me to Rome, to behold a kingdom
8. And to see a queen with golden robe and golden shoes.
9. There I saw a people bearing the splended seal.
10. And I saw the plain of Syria and all the cities, even Nisibis,
11. Having crossed the Euphrates. And everywhere I had associates
12. Having Paul as a companion, everywhere faith led the way
13. And set before me food the fish from the spring
14. Mighty and pure, whom a spotless Virgin caught,
15. And gave this to friends to eat, always
16. Having sweet wine and giving the mixed cup with bread.
17. These words, I, Abercius, standing by, ordered to be inscribed.
18. In truth, I was in the course of my seventy-second year.
19. Let him who understands and believes this pray for Abercius.
20. But no man shall place another tomb upon mine.
21. If one do so, he shall pay to the treasury of the Romans two thousand pieces of gold,
22. And to my beloved fatherland Hieropolis, one thousand pieces of gold.

Lightfoot gives this edition of the Greek text in the life of Abercius by Symeon Metaphrastes in The Apostolic Fathers, pt. II, vol. I, pp. 493-494. Lightfoot makes the note: “Various readings of the MSS are given in Spicil. Solesm. III. p. 532 sq (1855), Anal. Solesm. II. p. 169 sq (1884). I have selected those readings which accord with our other sources of infromation—the fragment of the actual tomb of Abercius, and the inscription on the tomb of Alexander.”

ἐκλεκτῆς πόλεως πολίτης τοῦτ’ ἐποίησα ζῶν ἵν’ ἔχω καιρῷ σώματος ἐνθάδε θέσιν. οὔνομα Ἀβέρκιος ὁ ὧν μαθητὴς ποιμένος ἁγνοῦ, ὃς βόσκει προβάτων ἀγέλας ὄρεσι πεδίοις τέ, ὀφθαλμοὺς ὃς ἔχει μεγάλους πάντῃ καθορῶντας. οὗτος γάρ με ἐδίδαξε γράμματα πιστά· εἰς ῥώμην ὃς ἔπεμψεν ἐμὲ βασιλείαν ἀθρῆσαι, καὶ βασίλισσαν ἰδεῖν χρυσόστολον χρυσοπέδιλον· λαὸν δ’ εἶδον ἐκεῖ λαμπρὰν σφραγῖδα ἔχοντα. καὶ συρίης πεδον εἶδον καὶ ἄστεα πάντα Νίσιβιν, Εὐφράτην διαβάς, πάντα δ’ ἔσχον συνομηγύρους, παῦλον ἔσωθεν· πίστις πάντη δὲ προῆγε, καὶ παρέθηκε τροφὴν ἰχθὺν ἀπὸ πηγῆς παμμεγέθη καθαρὸν, ὃν ἐδράξατο παρθένος ἁγνή, καὶ τοῦτον ἐπέδωκε φίλοις ἐσθίειν διὰ παντός, οἶνον χρηστὸν ἔχουσα, κέρασμα δίδοῦσα μετ’ ἄρτου. ταῦτα παρεστὼς εἶπον Ἀβέρκιος ὧδε γραφῆναι, ἑβδομήκοστον ἔτος καὶ δεύτερον ἦγον ἀληθῶς. ταῦθ’ ὁ νοῶν εὔξαιτο ὑπὲρ ἀβερκίου πᾶς ὁ συνῳδός. οὐ μέντοι τύμβῳ τις ἐμῷ ἕτερον ἐπάνω θήσει. εἰ δ’ οὖν, Ρ ωμαίων ταμείῳ θήσει δισχίλια χρυσᾶ καὶ χρηστῇ πατρίδι Ἰεροπόλει χίλια χρυσᾶ.

Here is the same text in Beta Code transliteration.

E)KLEKTH=S PO/LEWS POLI/THS TOU=T’ E)POI/HSA ZW=N I(/N’ E)/XW KAIRW=| SW/MATOS E)NQA/DE QE/SIN. OU)/NOMA *A)BE/RKIOS O( W(=N MAQHTH\S POIME/NOS A(GNOU=, O(\S BO/SKEI PROBA/TWN A)GE/LAS O)/RESI PEDI/OIS TE/, O)FQALMOU\S O(\S E)/XEI MEGA/LOUS PA/NTH| KAQORW=NTAS. OU(=TOS GA/R ME E)DI/DACE GRA/MMATA PISTA/: EI)S R(W/MHN O(\S E)/PEMYEN E)ME\ BASILEI/AN A)QRH=SAI, KAI\ BASI/LISSAN I)DEI=N XRUSO/STOLON XRUSOPE/DILON: LAO\N D’ EI)=DON E)KEI= LAMPRA\N SFRAGI=DA E)/XONTA. KAI\ SURI/HS PED/ON EI)=DON KAI\ A)/STEA PA/NTA *NI/SIBIN, *EU)FRA/THN DIABA/S, PA/NTA D’ E)/SXON SUNOMHGU/ROUS, PAU=LON E)/SWQEN: PI/STIS PA/NTH DE\ PROH=GE, KAI\ PARE/QHKE TROFH\N I)XQU\N A)PO\ PHGH=S PAMMEGE/QH KAQARO\N, O(\N E)DRA/CATO PARQE/NOS A(GNH/, KAI\ TOU=TON E)PE/DWKE FI/LOIS E)SQI/EIN DIA\ PANTO/S, OI)=NON XRHSTO\N E)/XOUSA, KE/RASMA DI/DOU=SA MET’ A)/RTOU. TAU=TA PARESTW\S EI)=PON *A)BE/RKIOS W(=DE GRAFH=NAI, E(BDOMH/KOSTON E)/TOS KAI\ DEU/TERON H)=GON A)LHQW=S. TAU=Q’ O( NOW=N EU)/CAITO U(PE\R A)BERKI/OU PA=S O( SUNW|DO/S. OU) ME/NTOI TU/MBW| TIS E)MW=| E(/TERON E)PA/NW QH/SEI. EI) D’ OU)=N, *R(WMAI/WN TAMEI/W| QH/SEI DISXI/LIA XRUSA= KAI\ XRHSTH=| PATRI/DI *I(EROPO/LEI XI/LIA XRUSA=.

Lightfoot gives the following English translation of the inscription (The Apostolic Fathers, pt. II, vol. I, pp. 496-497).

The citizen of a notable city I made this (tomb) in my life-time; that in due season I imght have here a resting-place for my body. Abercius by name, I am a disciple of the pure Shepherd, who feedeth His flocks of sheep on mountains and plains, who hath great eyes looking on all sides; for He taught me faithful writings. He also sent me to royal Rome to behold it and to see the golden-robed, golden-slippered Queen. And there I saw a people bearing the splendid seal. And I saw the plain of Syria and all the cities, even Nisibis, crossing over the Euphrates. And everywhere I had associates. In company with Paul I followed, while everywhere faith led the way, and set before me for food the fish from the fountain, mighty and stainless (whom a pure virgin grasped), and gave this to friends to eat always, having good wine and giving the mixed cup with bread. These words I Abercius, standing by, ordered to be inscribed. In sooth I was in the course of my seventy-second year. Let every friend who observeth this, pray for me. But no man shall place another tomb above mine. If otherwise, he then shall pay two thousand pieces of gold to the treasury of the Romans, and a thousand pieces of gold ot my good fatherland Hierapolis.

Lightfoot reconstructs the Greek of the inscription as follows (The Apostolic Fathers, pt. II, vol. I, p. 496).

ἐκλεκτῆς πόλεως ὁ πολίτης τοῦτ’ ἐποίησα
ζῶν ἵν’ ἔχω καιρῷ σώματος ἐνθα θέσιν.
οὔνομ’ Α βέρκιος εἰμι μαθητὴς ποιμένος ἁγνοῦ,
ὃς βόσκει προβάτων ἀγέλας ὄρεσιν πεδίοις τέ,
ὀφθαλμοὺς ὃς ἔχει μεγάλους πάντη καθορῶντας.
οὗτος γάρ με ἐδίδαξε…γράμματα πιστά·
εἰς Ῥώμην ὃς ἔπεμψεν ἐμὲν βασιληαν ἀθρῆσαι
καὶ βασίλισσαν ἰδεῖν χρυσόστολον χρυσοπέδιλον.
λαὸν δ’ εἶδον ἐκεῖ λαμπρὰν σφραγεῖσαν ἔχοντα·
καὶ συρίης πεδον εἶδα καὶ ἄστεα πάντα, Νίσιβιν,
Εὐφράτην διαβάς· πάντη δ’ ἔσχον συνομίλους·
παῦλον ἔχων ἑπό[μην]· πίστις πάντη δὲ προῆγε,
καὶ παρέθηκε τροφὴν πάντη ἰχθὺν ἀπὸ πηγῆς
παμμεγέθῇ, καθαρόν, ὃν ἐδράξατο παρθένος ἁγνή·
καὶ τοῦτον ἐπέδωκε φίλοις ἔσθειν διὰ παντός,
οἶνον χρηστὸν ἔχουσα, κέρασμα δίδοῦσα μετ’ ἄρτου.
ταῦτα παρεστὼς εἶπον Α βέρκιος ὧδε γραφῆναί·
ἑβδομήκοστον ἔτος καὶ δεύτερον ἦγον ἀληθῶς.
ταῦθ’ ὁ νοῶν εὔξαιτο ὑπὲρ μοῦ πᾶς ὁ συνῳδός.
οὐ μέντοι τύμβῳ τις ἐμῷ ἕτερον ἐπιθήσει·
εἰ δ’ οὖν, Ρ ωμαίων ταμείῳ θήσει δισχίλια χρυσᾶ,
καὶ χρηστῇ πατρίδι Ι εροπόλει χίλια χρυσᾶ.

Here is the same text in Beta Code transliteration.

E)KLEKTH=S PO/LEWS O( POLI/THS TOU=T’ E)POI/HSA
ZW=N I(/N’ E)/XW KAIRW=| SW/MATOS E)NQA QE/SIN.
OU)/NOM’ *A)BE/RKIOS EI)MI MAQHTH\S POIME/NOS A(GNOU=,
O(\S BO/SKEI PROBA/TWN A)GE/LAS O)/RESIN PEDI/OIS TE/,
O)FQALMOU\S O(\S E)/XEI MEGA/LOUS PA/NTH KAQORW=NTAS.
OU(=TOS GA/R ME E)DI/DACE…GRA/MMATA PISTA/:
EI)S *(RW/MHN O(\S E)/PEMYEN E)ME\N BASILHAN A)QRH=SAI
KAI\ BASI/LISSAN I)DEI=N XRUSO/STOLON XRUSOPE/DILON.
LAO\N D’ EI)=DON E)KEI= LAMPRA\N SFRAGEI=SAN E)/XONTA:
KAI\ SURI/HS PED/ON EI)=DA KAI\ A)/STEA PA/NTA, *NI/SIBIN,
*EU)FRA/THN DIABA/S: PA/NTH D’ E)/SXON SUNOMI/LOUS:
PAU=LON E)/XWN E(PO/[MHN]: PI/STIS PA/NTH DE\ PROH=GE,
KAI\ PARE/QHKE TROFH\N PA/NTH I)XQU\N A)PO\ PHGH=S
PAMMEGE/QH=|, KAQARO/N, O(\N E)DRA/CATO PARQE/NOS A(GNH/:
KAI\ TOU=TON E)PE/DWKE FI/LOIS E)/SQEIN DIA\ PANTO/S,
OI)=NON XRHSTO\N E)/XOUSA, KE/RASMA DI/DOU=SA MET’ A)/RTOU.
TAU=TA PARESTW\S EI)=PON *A)BE/RKIOS W(=DE GRAFH=NAI/:
E(BDOMH/KOSTON E)/TOS KAI\ DEU/TERON H)=GON A)LHQW=S.
TAU=Q’ O( NOW=N EU)/CAITO U(PE\R MOU= PA=S O( SUNW|DO/S.
OU) ME/NTOI TU/MBW| TIS E)MW=| E(/TERON E)PIQH/SEI:
EI) D’ OU)=N, *R(WMAI/WN TAMEI/W| QH/SEI DISXI/LIA XRUSA=,
KAI\ XRHSTH=| PATRI/DI *I(EROPO/LEI XI/LIA XRUSA=.