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 Thine

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.

* 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 Thee 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 Thine is the kingdom and Thou shalt reign in glory forever and

forevermore, AMEN.

The First Book of Adam and Eve · 第 22 / 77 章