1 Christ delivers Adam to Michael the archangel.
3 They meet Enoch and Elijah in heaven,
5 and also the blessed thief, who relates
how he came to Paradise.
THEN the Lord, holding Adam
by the hand, delivered him
to Michael the archangel; and he
led them into Paradise, filled with
mercy and glory;
2 And two very ancient men
met them, and were asked by the
saints, Who are ye, who have not
yet been with us in hell, and have
had your bodies placed in Paradise?
3 One of them answering, said,
I am Enoch, who was translated
by the word of God: and this man
who is with me, is Elijah the
Tishbite, who was translated in a
fiery chariot.
4 Here we have hitherto been,
and have not tasted death, but are
now about to return at the coming
of Antichrist, being armed with
divine signs and miracles, to
engage with him in battle, and to be
slain by him at Jerusalem, and to
be taken up alive again into the
clouds, after three days and a
half.
5 And while the holy Enoch
and Elias were relating this,
behold there came another man in a
miserable figure, carrying the sign
of the cross upon his shoulders.
6 And when all the saints saw
him, they said to him, Who art
thou? For thy countenance is like
a thief's; and why dost thou carry
a cross upon thy shoulders?
7 To which he answering, said,
Ye say right, for I was a thief,
who committed all sorts of wicked.
ness upon earth.
8 And the Jews crucified me
with Jesus; and I observed the
surprising things which happened
in the creation at the crucifixion
of the Lord Jesus.
9 And I believed him to be the
Creator of all things, and the
Almighty King; and I prayed to
him, saying, Lord remember me,
when thou comest into thy kingdom.
10 He presently regarded my
supplication, and said to me,
Verily I say unto thee, this day
thou shalt be with me in Paradise.
11 And he gave me this sign of
the cross, saying, Carry this, and
go to Paradise; and if the angel
who is the guard of Paradise will
not admit thee, show him the sign
of the cross, and say unto him
Jesus Christ who is now crucified,
hath sent me hither to thee.
12 When I did this and told the
angel who is the guard of Paradise
all these things, and he heard
them, he presently opened the
gates, introduced me, and placed
me on the right hand in Paradise,
13 Saying, Stay here a little
time, till Adam, the father of all
mankind, shall enter in, with all
his sons, who are the holy and
righteous servants of Jesus Christ,
who was crucified.
14 When they heard all this
account from the thief, all the
patriarchs said with one voice,
Blessed be thou, O Almighty God,
the Father of everlasting goodness,
and the Father of mercies, who hast
shown such favour to those who were
sinners against him, and hast
brought them to the mercy of
Paradise, and hast placed them
amidst thy large and spiritual
provisions, in a spiritual and
holy life. Amen.