Note: This translation comes from the Latin text, usually printed in an
appendix to editions of the Vulgate, but these editions miss seventy
verses between 7:35 and 7:36. The missing fragment was discovered in a
Latin manuscript by Robert Lubbock Bensly in 1874. Below is a
translation of this fragment from a revised Authorized Version.
Although often numbered 7:36-7:105, they are here number as A:1-A:70 to
avoid any repetition in chapter:verse designations.
A:1. And the pit of torment shall appear, and over against it shall be
the place of rest: and the furnace of hell shall be shewed, and over
against it the paradise of delight.
A:2. And then shall the Most High say to the nations that are raised from
the dead, See ye and understand whom ye have denied, or whom ye have not
served, or whose commandments ye have despised.
A:3. Look on this side and on that: here is delight and rest, and there
fire and torments. Thus shall he speak unto them in the day of
judgement:
A:4. This is a day that hath neither sun, nor moon, nor stars,
A:5. neither cloud, nor thunder, nor lightning, neither wind, nor water,
nor air, neither darkness, nor evening, nor morning,
A:6. neither summer, nor spring, nor heat, nor winter, neither frost, nor
cold, nor hail, nor rain, nor dew,
A:7. neither noon, nor night, nor dawn, neither shining, nor brightness,
nor light, save only the splendour of the glory of the Most High, whereby
all shall see the things that are set before them:
A:8. for it shall endure as it were a week of years.
A:9. This is my judgement and the ordinance thereof; but to thee only
have I shewed these things.
A:10. And I answered, I said even then, O Lord, and I say now: Blessed
are they that be now alive and keep the statutes ordained of thee.
A:11. But as touching them for whom my prayer was made, what shall I say?
for who is there of them that be alive that hath not sinned, and who of
the sons of men that hath not transgressed thy covenant?
A:12. And now I see, that the world to come shall bring delight to few,
but torments unto many.
A:13. For an evil heart hath grown up in us, which hath led us astray
from these statutes, and hath brought us into corruption and into the
ways of death, hath shewed us the paths of perdition and removed us far
from life; and that, not a few only, but well nigh all that have been
created.
A:14. And he answered me, and said, Hearken unto me, and I will instruct
thee; and I will admonish thee yet again:
A:15. for this cause the Most High hath not made one world, but two.
A:16. For whereas thou hast said that the just are not many, but few, and
the ungodly abound, hear the answer thereunto.
A:17. If thou have choice stones exceeding few, wilt thou set for thee
over against them according to their number things of lead and clay?
A:18. And I say, Lord, how shall this be?
A:19. And he said unto me, Not only this, but ask the earth, and she
shall tell thee; intreat her, and she shall declare unto thee.
A:20. For thou shalt say unto her, Thou bringest forth gold and silver
and brass, and iron also and lead and clay:
A:21. but silver is more abundant than gold, and brass than silver, and
iron than brass, lead than iron, and clay than lead.
A:22. Judge thou therefore which things are precious and to be desired,
whatso is abundant or what is rare.
A:23. And I said, O Lord that bearest rule, that which is plentiful is of
less worth, for that which is more rare is more precious.
A:24. And he answered me, and said, Weigh within thyself the things that
thou hast thought, for he that hath what is hard to get rejoiceth over
him that hath what is plentiful.
A:25. So also is the judgement which I have promised: for I will rejoice
over the few that shall be saved, inasmuch as these are they that have
made my glory now to prevail, and of whom my name is now named.
A:26. And I will not grieve over the multitude of them that perish; for
these are they that are now like unto vapour, and are become as flame and
smoke; they are set on fire and burn hotly, and are quenched.
A:27. And I answered and said, O thou earth, wherefore hast thou brought
forth, if the mind is made out of dust, like as all other created things?
A:28. For it were better that the dust itself had been unborn, so that
the mind might not have been made therefrom.
A:29. But now the mind groweth with us, and by reason of this we are
tormented, because we perish and know it.
A:30. Let the race of men lament and the beasts of the field be glad; let
all that are born lament, but let the fourfooted beasts and the cattle
rejoice.
A:31. For it is far better with them than with us; for they look not for
judgement, neither do they know of torments or of salvation promised unto
them after death.
A:32. For what doth it profit us, that we shall be preserved alive, but
yet be afflicted with torment?
A:33. For all that are born are defiled with iniquities, and are full of
sins and laden with offences:
A:34. and if after death we were not to come into judgement, peradventure
it had been better for us.
A:35. And he answered me, and said, When the Most High made the world,
and Adam and all them that came of him, he first prepared the judgement
and the things that pertain unto the judgement.
A:36. And now understand from thine own words, for thou hast said that
the mind groweth with us.
A:37. They therefore that dwell upon the earth shall be tormented for
this reason, that having understanding they have wrought iniquity, and
receiving commandments have not kept them, and having obtained a law they
dealt unfaithfully with that which they received.
A:38. What then will they have to say in the judgement, or how will they
answer in the last times?
A:39. For how great a time hath the Most High been longsuffering with
them that inhabit the world, and not for their sakes, but because of the
times which he hath foreordained!
A:40. And I answered and said, If I have found grace in thy sight, O
Lord, shew this also unto thy servant, whether after death, even now when
every one of us giveth up his soul, we shall be kept in rest until those
times come, in which thou shalt renew the creation, of whether we shall
be tormented forthwith.
A:41. And he answered me, and said, I will shew thee this also; but join
not thyself with them that are scorners, nor number thyself with them
that are tormented.
A:42. For thou hast a treasure of good works laid up with the Most High,
but it shall not be shewed thee until the last times.
A:43. For concerning death the teaching is: When the determinate
sentence hath gone forth from the Most High that a man should die, as the
spirit leaveth the body to return again to him who gave it, it adoreth
the glory of the Most High first of all.
A:44. And if it be one of those that have been scorners and have not kept
the way of the Most High, and that have despised his law, and that hate
them that fear God,
A:45. these spirits shall not enter into habitations, but shall wander
and be in torments forthwith, ever grieving and sad, in seven ways.
A:46. The first way, because they have despised the law of the Most High.
A:47. The second way, because they cannot now make a good returning that
they may live.
A:48. The third way, they shall see the reward laid up for them that have
believed the covenants of the Most High.
A:49. The fourth way, they shall consider the torment laid up for
themselves in the last days.
A:50. The fifth way, they shall see the dwelling places of the others
guarded by angels, with great quietness.
A:51. The sixth way, they shall see how forthwith some of them shall pass
into torment.
A:52. The seventh way, which is more grievous than all the aforesaid
ways, because they shall pine away in confusion and be consumed with
shame, and shall be withered up by fears, seeing the glory of the Most
High before whom they have sinned whilst living, and before whom they
shall be judged in the last times.
A:53. Now this is the order of those who have kept the ways of the Most
High, when they shall be separated from the corruptible vessel.
A:54. In the time that they dwelt therin they painfully served the Most
High, and were in jeopardy every hour, that they might keep the law of
the lawgiver perfectly.
A:55. Wherefore this is the teaching concerning them:
A:56. First of all they shall see with great joy the glory of him who
taketh them up, for they shall have rest in seven orders.
A:57. The first order, because they have striven with great labour to
overcome the evil thought which was fashioned together with them, that it
might not lead them astray from life into death.
A:58. The second order, because they see the perplexity in which the
souls of the ungodly wander, and the punishment that awaiteth them.
A:59. The third order, they see the witness which he that fashioned them
beareth concerning them, that while they lived they kept the law which
was given them in trust.
A:60. The fourth order, they understand the rest which, being gathered in
their chambers, they now enjoy with great quietness, guarded by angels,
and the glory that awaiteth them in the last days.
A:61. The fifth order, they rejoice, seeing how they have now escaped
from that which is corruptible, and how they shall inherit that which is
to come, while they see moreover the straitness and the painfulness from
which they have been delivered, and the large room which they shall
receive with joy and immortality.
A:62. The sixth order, when it is shewed unto them how their face shall
shine as the sun, and how they shall be made like unto the light of the
stars, being henceforth incorruptible.
A:63. The seventh order, which is greater than all the aforesaid orders,
because they shall rejoice with confidence, and because they shall be
bold without confusion, and shall be glad without fear, for they hasten
to behold the face of him whom in their lifetime they served, and from
whom they shall receive their reward in glory.
A:64. This is the order of the souls of the just, as from henceforth is
announced unto them, and aforesaid are the ways of torture which they
that would not give heed shall suffer from henceforth.
A:65. And I answered and said, Shall time therefore be given unto the
souls after they are separated from the bodies, that they may see that
whereof thou hast spoken unto me?
A:66. And he said, Their freedom shall be for seven days, that for seven
days they may see the things whereof thou hast been told, and afterwards
they shall be gathered together in their habitations.
A:67. And I answered and said, If I have found favour in thy sight, shew
further unto me thy servant whether in the day of judgement the just will
be able to intercede for the ungodly or to intreat the Most High for
them,
A:68. whether fathers for children, or children for parents, or brethren
for brethren, or kinsfolk for their next of kin, or friends for them that
are most dear.
A:69. And he answered me, and said, Since thou hast found favour in my
sight, I will shew thee this also: The day of judgement is a day of
decision, and displayeth unto all the seal of truth; even as now a father
sendeth not his son, or a son his father, or a master his slave, or a
friend him that is most dear, that in his stead he may be sick, or sleep,
or eat, or be healed:
A:70. so never shall any one pray for another in that day, neither shall
one lay a burden on another, for then shall all bear every one his own
righteousness or unrighteousness.