Apoc Paul

And he sprinkles the water on the crowns. Now then, be strong and take courage. Do not fear, O confessor of wonders, for I am not a giver of fear to souls, but I am a giver of strength to souls. For I am called by my fellow angels "the angel of peace." Be strong and let your heart be stretched. Do not fear, for I am not one of disturbance, but I am one of peace. Now then, O John, behold the king of Arcadia will entrust you with a word of grace, for he will build for me a martyrion in my name. Exhort him with your sharp words, for it is written that the building of the righteous is chosen over gold and silver, and you will give him joy for the construction of my place. If you sanctify my place with honors and with the dignity that the God-loving king will... establish... utter these words to the pious king... the treasury... Christ... the one who... the Holy Spirit which is fragrant, which pours forth from his mouth. Stretch your heart, peace of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, may it be with you. When the archangel said these things, he went up into the heavens with great glory. But I, John, did not eat nor drink on that day because of the joy in my heart from the conversation with the archangel. But it happened that on the next day, the pious king of Arcadia...

I come to my least ones, to the patriarchate. He blessed the outside of the hand. And I said to him, "Sit down for yourself, O beloved of Christ, O one whose spirit was troubled because of the building of the holy archangel Raphael. O one whose good thought made him forget the boundary outside himself. O one whose thought of the service of the saints made him forget the enjoyment of the kingdom." Blessed are you, for the good, good thing will happen to you. Truly, the word of the holy apostle Paul was fulfilled, that you have served the saints. And also that God is not unjust to wipe away your work and the love that you have shown forth in his name. When I said these things to him, the blessed king opened up for a great while. He answered and said to me, "Blessed are we, Israel, for those who do something for God appear to us. Blessed are we also, for God has raised up for us a father of this kind of icon. For in truth, you are an angel walking upon the earth with men." Then the word of the holy hymnographer was fulfilled, that the generation of the righteous will receive a blessing. Then, O my holy father, for many days my heart has been troubled because of the building of the place of the holy archangel Raphael. Your holy prayers have not been in vain at all in this hour.

Concerning this matter, behold, the Spirit... [about eight pages wanting]... Agathon of the Lord God took me again to the river of the south of the city. I found all the little children of Herodias, slain because of the name of Christ. They all greeted me. I said to the angel, "My Lord, what people are allowed to remain near these holy little children?" The angel said, "What people will preserve the purity of their virginity, holy, without any defilement? When they go out from the body, they are taken and they worship God, and they are given into the hand of Michael, and he brings them to this place, and gives them into the hand of this multitude of little children. And they greet them, saying, 'They are our fellow members and our brothers.' And they will inherit with them the city of Christ Jesus forever." He took me out to the river of wine, which is the west of the city. I found Abraham with

Isaac and Jacob greeted me. I said to the angel, "Who are these?" He said to me, "These are people who are hospitable. When they go out from the body, they go to the feet of God, they worship him, and he gives them into the hand of Michael. He brings them into the city, and all the righteous greet them on the way, saying, 'O our children and our brothers, you have received hospitality. Come, inherit the city of the Lord, our God, according to the work of each one.' He finds the people who resemble them in the city of Christ, Jerusalem. I looked and saw some people inside the gate, singing psalms and glorifying God, and they were very joyful. I said to the angel, "What are these?" He answered me, saying, "These are those who give their attention to God, without hypocrisy among men. For these people who are joyful and sing psalms and hymn God with their whole heart, they are brought into this gate and placed in his city. They are placed near the holy ones who sing psalms to Christ at all times." He brought me inside to the middle of the city, to the twelfth wall. I found it adorned with all the gates. There is a great glory on that wall, which no fleshly person can describe the glory and honor of that wall. I, however, said to the angel,

the Lord, is there a place in this place that is more exalted than another? The angel said to me, "O chosen one of God, Paul, behold the second wall is more exalted than the first, and the third wall is more exalted than the second. They are all more exalted than each other up to the twelfth wall." I said to the angel, "My Lord, open my eyes so that I may see, for I do not know them." The angel said to me, "If there is

the second, and the third wall is more exalted than the second. One who has a little slander within him, or envy, or pride, they are deprived of their honor within the city of Christ. And I also saw thrones of gold set in place, and crowns of glory placed upon the thrones. I looked and saw the twelfth wall. I saw thrones of such honor that I cannot speak of their worth. I said to the angel, "My lord, who will sit in this place upon the thrones?" The angel said to me, "These are sincere men and simple ones who make themselves wise concerning God, those who do not know many of the scriptures and many psalms, but only the words that they hear in the scriptures from the mouths of the men of God. They perform great acts of piety, their hearts being directed toward God, and the righteous marvel within the city of Christ, saying, 'Look and see these laypeople who do not know the scriptures.' They have received this great honor outside from God because of their simplicity. And I, Paul, also saw a great altar in the middle of the city, exceedingly high, and a man standing beside the altar, his face shining like the sun, with a golden kithara in his hand and a golden psalterion, singing aloud, 'Alleluia.'

those who are upon the gate and those who are upon the wall all respond after him, "Alleluia." And the two walls of the city are of the same kind. I said to the angel, "My lord, who is this one who is so powerful?" The angel answered me, saying, "This is David, the father of Christ according to the flesh, for this is the heavenly Jerusalem. When Christ God appears from his kingdom, David the king will sing the psalms of the...

The righteous respond after him, "Alleluia." I said to the angel, "My lord, why is David the one who sings, and all the righteous?" He said to me, "Christ our Lord is seated at the right hand of the Father in the heavens. David is the one who sings to him in the seventh heaven, according to the pattern that is performed on earth, and there is no power to offer sacrifice up in any place except through David the prophet, who sings over the flesh of Christ and his holy blood, according to the pattern that is performed in heaven." Then I answered and said to the angel, "My lord, what is 'Alleluia'?" He said to me, "Paul, the scribe of the church, you inquire well about everything. But it is not Hebrew; it is 'Praise God,' which he composed for every matter. And also his interpretation is this: 'Let us bless God together.'" Then I answered and said to the angel, "Then what of the person who says 'Alleluia'? Does he bless God?" He said, "Yes. And also when they say, 'Praise the Lord.'" I said to the angel, "Then the one who says 'Alleluia,' do they not respond after him?" The angel said to me, "If a person is sick and has difficulty with his mouth, he will not respond. But if also he has become old and has difficulty with his mouth, yet if he is strong and has the power, he will not respond. This one is arrogant and a despiser.

He is not worthy to bless the one who created him. Then he brought me out of the city, into the midst of the trees, and out of the desert, the hymn. He brought me out of the land of the good, up onto the river of reeds and rushes. He brought me out onto the ocean, which rises beneath the sky. He took me up into the sky. The angel said to me, "Paul, Paul, do you know where you are now?" I said to him, "Yes, my lord." He answered, saying to me, "Follow yourself now.

...taught you the soul of the impious and the sinners, that when they die they are taken to where? I, however, walked with the angel. He took me to the place of the setting of the sun. I found two pillars of the sky fixed upon the river of water. I said to the angel, "What is this river of water upon which these are fixed?" He said to me, "This is the Ocean. This is the river that surrounds the whole world." And when I went out beyond the Ocean, I saw nothing in that place except grief and lamentation and heartache and gloom and darkness and confusion and destruction. Then I, Paul, looked. I saw a great abyss, terrible to behold, deep and deep, fathomless fathomless, with a fathom hanging down a hundred cubits, a fathom hanging down two hundred cubits, a fathom hanging down three hundred cubits, a fathom hanging down four hundred cubits, a fathom hanging down to the bottom, a fathom filled with dragons, a fathom filled with snakes, a fathom filled with scorpions and vipers, boiling like a cauldron, its flame rising up to the height of three hundred cubits. A fathom filled with worms, exceedingly foul. A fathom filled with fearsome beasts. A fathom filled with fire, its fire like the flame of a furnace.

There is a pit whose smoke goes up to the firmament. There is a pit that has a bench of the decan on it. I, Paul, looked. I saw a great river of fire, carrying waves, waves. There was a multitude of men and women immersed up to their knees, some immersed up to their navels, others up to their lips, others up to their hair. I, however, answered and said to the angel, "My Lord, why are these in these rivers of fire?" The angel answered me.

...that these are those who did not have mercy, who did not die a sudden death, who did not separate from the righteous, who did not separate from the sinners, but they destroyed their own life alone upon the earth. They spend days serving God, and days sinning and fornicating. They did not cease from their sins until death came upon them. But I answered and said to the angel, "Who are these who are submerged up to their thighs?" He said to me, "These are those who come out from the church, who are not established in good works, who sin continually. These also are submerged up to their middle. These are those who partake of the flesh of Christ and his holy blood, and then go and fornicate, not ceasing from their sins. Those who are submerged up to their necks, these are those who slander in the church and in their homes. Those who are submerged up to their faces, these are those who conspire against one another with deceit, being false to one another in the entire depth of this river of fire, which is a type of punishment, filled with men and women. And the river of fire flows beneath them. But I, Paul, looked and saw pits going down to a depth of three thousand cubits, soul upon soul, generation upon generation. All their teeth were chattering, and they were weeping, saying, "Woe to us, Lord!" And they did not see the whole. I said to the angel, "What are these, my Lord?" He answered, saying to me, "These are those who did not make God their helper.

In the time of their tribulation, I said to him, “If there are forty generations or thirty generations one after another, how great will the punishment be?” He said to me, “I testify to you, O Paul, that this punishment, this one, will burn until the abyss, and its waves rise up like bronze.” The angel said to me, “O Paul, I swear to you by God that this punishment, if one casts a pebble down into it,

It was with difficulty that I descended to his feet, a hundred years. But I, Paul, groaned and wept over the whole race of mankind. The angel said to me, “Why do you weep, O Paul? Are you not more merciful than God? For God knows that judgment exists; because of this, he is hard-hearted toward each one until he does his will upon the earth.” Then I looked at the river of fire. I saw an old man who had been brought and was being dragged; they burned him up to his knees. The angel came with a torch and a great flame of fire, which had three points; he thrust his hands into his mouth. I said to the angel, “Who is this old man who is being tormented in this way?” He said to me, “This is a presbyter who did not fulfill well the name that was given to him; he eats, drinks, fornicates, and goes to offer sacrifice upon the earth.” But I looked and saw another side, another small one. I saw an old man who had been brought; four angels of wrath were running with him. They burned him up to his knees in the river of fire, and sparks of fire were thrown into his face like the winds. They did not allow him to say, “Have mercy on me.” But I said to the angel, “My lord, who is this?” He said to me, “This is a bishop who did not fulfill his bishopric well.

They placed a great name upon him. He did not give a straight judgment for a single day, nor did he walk in the goodness of God, this one who placed his name upon him. Nor did he do good to widows and orphans, being a hater of men. There were no things of God in his heart. Therefore they repaid him according to his deeds. And also I looked to this side of me upon the river of fire. I saw another man who was burned up to his feet.

His hands are stained with blood. Streams of filth flow from his mouth and his nostrils. He groans and weeps, saying, "I am more wretched than all those in the torments." I said to the angel, "Who is this, my lord?" He said to me, "This is a deacon. He fornicated with women who were not his own, and he did not do what is right before God. He consumed the offerings without fear, being corrupt in form. Who is so shameless? He did not fear a day when a name would be placed upon him, and the blood of Christ is in his hands. He wasted his entire time; he did not repent until he died. Therefore, he is in these evil torments that continue forever." Then I also looked to my left, upon the river of fire. I saw that he was brought, running with him, and he was immersed in the river of fire up to his lips. An angel of punishment came with a rod of fire. He split open his tongue and his lips little by little. Then I groaned and wept. I said to the angel, "Who is this, my lord?" He said to me, "This is a reader who taught the people. He did not do what he read, nor the commandments of God." Then I also looked and saw some pits upon the river of fire, in which there were men and women immersed, with serpents devouring them, groaning and weeping.

I wept and groaned. The angel said to me, "Paul, the chosen one of God, you will see something." I said to the angel, "Who are these, my lord?" He said to me, "These are the men who take usury upon usury, setting their hearts on their wealth. God did not give them helpers or hope." I, Paul, also saw another place of torment, very far away. There were other men and other women among them, gnashing their tongues. I said to the angel, "Who are these, my lord?" He said to me, "These are those who speak evil in the church. They do not heed the word of God, but they provoke the anger of God and his angels. Because of this, they will receive this punishment forever." I also saw a vat in the pit, full of blood and water. I said to the angel, "My lord, what are these torments?" He said to me, "This is the place where punishments are sharper below than above." I saw men and women being devoured down to their feet, and others being devoured down to their knees. I said to the angel, "What are these, my lord?" He said to me, "These are the magicians who deceive men and women. They do not leave them in peace until death." I also looked and saw other men being devoured down to their chests, who had more strength than a rope of seven twists, hanging downward in a fiery vat, being in great torment.

I wept and groaned. I said to the angel, "Who are these, my lord?" He said to me, "These are those who commit fornication with others, and those who have their husbands, and also husbands who have their wives. Because of this, they will receive this punishment continually forever." I looked again and saw some young virgins, with garments of linen upon them, and four angels standing at their doors, with crowns of fire in their hands, giving them to their mouths. They were taken to places of darkness, weeping and groaning. I said to the angel, "Who are these, my lord?" He said to me, "These are those who defiled their virginity, who did not give themselves in marriage, who did not cease from defilement, nor did their parents know about them. Because of this, they will receive this punishment continually." I looked again and saw some men and women, with their hands and feet stretched out, and they were within.

in a place of bitterness, where serpents devour them. I wept and groaned. I said to the angel, "Who are these, my lord?" He said to me, "These are those who take the poor by force and the orphans. God did not give them hope or help. Because of this, they will receive this punishment continually forever." I looked again and saw others being burned outside on a fire of water, their tongues cut off up to the chin, and they were not allowed to drink, though there were fruits on trees hanging down before them outside. They were not allowed to eat any of them. I said to the angel, "Who are these, my lord? They are not allowed to eat or drink." He said to me, "These are those who break the fasts before their time. Because of this, they will receive this punishment continually forever." I saw other men and women running after the fire of their heads, with great lamps of fire filled under their faces, and serpents and snakes bound inside their bodies, devouring them. I said to the angel, "Who are these, my lord? They are tormented in this way." The angel said to me, "These are those who adorn themselves with the counsels of the devil, going to the churches for the sake of fornication and for the sake of their husbands who are not, making God an enemy to themselves because of deceitful counsels. Because of this, they will receive this punishment continually forever.

I also saw, I Paul, other men and other women being devoured by fiery asps, with snakes that were burning placed upon them, being blind and falling into a single pit filled with fire. I said to the angel, "What are these, my lord?" He said to me, "These are the godless nations who never knew God. Because of this they will receive this punishment continually." I also saw other men and other women stretched out upon fiery asps, with

wild beasts devouring flesh, consuming their entrails. They were not allowed to say, "Woe to us all." The angel who is over the punishments, who is the timelouchos, gave them a rebuke, saying, "You knew the judgment of the Son of God. It was proclaimed to you, but you did not listen to it. It was read to you, but you did not heed its voice. Because of this, you are in the judgment of the Son of God because of your violence. For it is your own deeds that have brought you to this place of punishment." But I groaned and wept, and I said to the angel, "Who are these?" He said to me, "These are the widows and the virgins who killed the creation of God, because they cast themselves down into fornication. And the other men who were with them are in this same punishment with them. And their children, whom they killed, are crying out to the angel who is over the judgment, 'Judge between us and our parents, because they destroyed the creation of God.' They raised their voice against them, saying, 'Christians, they did not keep the other commandments, but they committed the abomination of their neighbors and their husbands. They did not allow them to become righteous, to serve God.' But the small children whom they killed were given to the angel who is over the punishments, that he might take them to a place that is outside, that they might see their parents who are in the punishments, which are continuous outside forever." I looked again and I saw other men and other women, with pots of pitch placed on them, filled with fire and brimstone.

...serpents of fire coiling inward into their bowels, and their hands and their feet. And angels of punishment dragging them. And heads of fire upon their heads, tormenting them, reproaching them, saying to them, "If only you had the power to know God, you would have served him, but you did not serve." And I also said to the angel, "What are these, my...

...you had known, you would not have done these things." And I saw there many souls of monks who had renounced the world and taken the monastic habit, but the material of the world and their cares made them beasts. They did not perform a single agape in a day, nor did they show mercy to a widow or an orphan for a single day. They did not receive a stranger, nor did they have mercy on their neighbor. They did not offer a pure prayer that would go up to God, but they were bound by their cares and their material things, and they did not do what is right before God. And the one who is over the punishments takes them from this side and that, and all those in the punishments see them. Those in the punishments said to them, "We are in the punishments because when we were in the world, Satan was with us. But you, you who are in this place, what have you done?" And again he brought them to another place. Those in the punishments also said to them, "We know that we are sinners. But you, you took the name of God upon yourselves in vain. For this reason you will receive this punishment forever." And I groaned and wept, saying, "Woe to the race of men! Woe to the sinner, that he was born into this world!" The angel answered and said to me, "Why, Paul, do you weep? Are you not compassionate like God? For God knows that judgment exists.

...you had known, you would not have done these things." And I saw there many souls of monks who had renounced the world and taken the monastic habit, but the material of the world and their cares made them beasts. They Because of this, he left each one until he did what he wanted on the earth, and great grief and weeping came to me. The angel said to me, "Why do you weep, O Paul? You have not yet seen the great judgment. But follow me, and I will show you those who are more grievous than these, seven times worse." Then he took me to the place of all the punishments. He brought me to the abyss of the deep. I saw a pit that was sealed with seven seals of fire. The angel who was walking with me said to the one who was over the abyss of the deep, "Open the abyss for Paul, the beloved of God, so that he may see it, for it has been given to him to see all the things he seeks that are in the punishments." The angel said to me, "Stand a little way off, for you will not be able to endure the stench of sulfur." Immediately the abyss of the deep was opened. A great smoke of sulfur came up from the pit, exceedingly foul, more than all the punishments. I looked down into the pit. I found it entirely filled with blazing fire, with flames on every side. Scarcely could a single man go down into it because of the heat. The angel said to me, "If a man is thrown down into this pit, his mouth is sealed, and his mind does not come up before the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and all the angels.

I said to the angel, "Who are those who are thrown down into this pit?" He said to me, "All those who say that Jesus did not come in the flesh, nor was he born of Mary the holy virgin, and those who say that the bread and the wine over which the name of God is pronounced are not the flesh and blood of Christ, and all those who have denied their baptism, who destroy their seal in a tyrannical manner, this is their dwelling place forever, each one of them doing a measure of torment to the other." I saw some men and some women who were in the mud of the pit and the burning of fire. I said to the angel, "My lord, who are these who are in these painful places?" He said to me, "These are those who say that Christ did not rise from the dead, and that this flesh does not rise." I said to the angel, "The burning of fire and the mud, are these the only things in this place?

This place. He said to me, "No. The pit alone, and the cold, and those who are in this place." I said to the angel, "If the sun reaches them, will they not burn?" The angel said to me, "If seven suns reached them, they would not burn because of the cold that is upon them." Then I spread out my hands, I groaned, and I wept, saying, "It is better not to have been born impious on the earth than to have been born." At that moment when they saw me weeping, they all cried out, and those in the punishments wept, those within and those without. I, Paul, looked, and I saw the heaven opening. I saw Michael the archangel of the covenant. He came out from heaven with his entire host of angels. All the angels bowed down their faces. All those in the punishments saw them weeping. They said to him, "Have mercy on us, archangel of the covenant, the merciful one who intercedes for humanity at all times. The world is at peace because of you, O Michael. We have seen your judgment. We have known the Son of God. If you had the power to bring us relief before we came to this place full of suffering, we have heard that your judgment exists before coming out of the body. Do not care for the world and its matter, O Michael, repent." Then Michael answered, saying, "Listen to me, O those in the punishments. Listen to Michael speaking.

This one who stands before God, God lives. This one who serves him, and the Lord lives, this one who stands before him, because there is not a single day or a single night that does not intercede for the race of men. Michael intercedes in heaven. Men themselves do their works on earth and their fornications. They do not give a hand to Michael, those who are on earth. O men, you have done all your time.

Without repentance. I am the one who prays to the Lord until he sends you this hour from heaven. I am also the one who prays to God until the abyss opens its mouth, and he pours water down upon the earth, and he gives his fruit. I bear witness to you that if someone does a small good deed, I become for him a helper and an assistant until he escapes from the punishments. Where then are your prayers? Where is your repentance? Where is your love that you have done? You have destroyed your time that you have spent on earth. Weep then, O men, that I may weep also with the angels. And the other Paul, the beloved of God, will also weep with you. Does not his compassion give you a little comfort? All those in the punishments cry out, weeping, and also they groan according to the command of Michael, saying, "Have mercy on us, O Son of the living God." Paul himself also cries out, saying, "My Lord Jesus Christ, have compassion on your creation." Then Michael prostrated himself with the angels before God, saying, "Have compassion on your creation, have compassion on your image, have compassion on the children of Adam." I looked and saw the heaven moving like a tree shaken by the wind. And they all prostrated themselves before the throne of God.

I saw the prostration of the elder and his four living creatures, that they had fallen. I saw the altar and the covering, that they had fallen. I heard a voice saying, "Why do you pray to me and to my angels, the ministers?" A voice came saying, "We pray for the sake of humanity; we look upon your mercy." I saw the sky open. The Son of God came out from the sky, with a crown upon his head. Those in the punishments saw him. They wished to come out, saying, "Have mercy on us.

The son of the living God, you gave rest to those of heaven and those upon the earth. Give rest to us as well. For from the time we saw you, rest found us. And at that very hour, the voice of the son of God went out into all the punishments, saying, "What good thing is it that you have done upon the earth, that I might give you rest?" They poured out my blood for your sake, and you did not repent. They placed a crown of thorns upon me for your sake, and you did not repent. The hands that fashioned you, they pierced them with nails for your sake, and you did not repent. I asked for water to drink, and they brought me vinegar and gall, while I was nailed to the cross, and you did not repent. They thrust a lance into my right side for your sake, and you did not repent. The prophets and all the righteous were killed for your sake, and you did not repent. In all these things, repentance was given to you, and you did not repent. But on account of Michael and my beloved Paul, I do not wish to grieve them and those who bear the offering for you, your children and your brothers, for there is one among them who will fulfill the commandments. And on account of my goodness, because I arose from among the dead, I will give you the Lord's day of rest after the Sabbath, and the honored day after my resurrection, when I arose from among the dead.

Then all those in the torments cried out, saying, "We bless you, Jesus, the son of the living God, for the day of rest is good for us, more than all the joy we had upon the earth. We did not know that these sufferings existed. If we had known that all these sufferings would come upon us, we would not have taken, nor would we have given, nor would we have done any work upon the earth. For our lot is to be born into the world. Truly, behold the things that are coming down from

...their mouth together, the weeping that they make, and the groans that are under them. They are more grievous for us than the judgment that is within us. The angels who are over the torments rebuked them, saying, "Why do you weep and cry out, and your hearts are drawn inward to you? Because God has not given you a helper in hope, nor those in the judgment who have not done mercy. Only the mercy has reached you on the night of the Lord's Day, because of the beloved of God, Paul, for they have brought him to this place." The angel said to me, "Paul, the chosen one of God, have you seen all these things?" I said to him, "Yes, my lord." He said to me, "Follow me now, and I will take you to the paradise, so that all the righteous may see you with joy and gladness. For the righteous have prepared themselves to come out to meet you all." Then I walked with the angel, and he turned me in the spirit and took me to the paradise. The angel said to me, "O Paul, you will see the place to which I will take you. The paradise is in that place, the place where Adam transgressed with his wife." When I drew near to the paradise, I saw the beginning of its river of four streams in that place. The angel showed me, saying, "This is the Pishon which encircles the whole land of Evelat; the Geon which encircles the whole land of the Ethiopians; the Tigris which flows before the Assyrians.

...are you weeping? Why are you groaning? Do you not know that this is the judgment of God?" Then I saw their tormentor, the one who draws them out before the face of the abyss. Immediately I entered into the paradise. I saw a tree that was planted, its root pouring forth water like a spring, giving water to its top, the beginning of its four rivers. The spirit of God was blowing upon the tree. When the water was drawn, the spirit would cry out. I said to the angel, "My lord, what is this tree that pours forth water?" The angel answered me, saying, "For the one who has not...

God created the sky and the earth, with no water at all. And the spirit of God was moving over the water. When God created the sky and the earth, the first spirit was over the water. It was also over the tree. When the spirit moves, the water draws it. But he took my hand and brought me to the middle of the paradise. He showed me the tree of knowledge of good and evil. He said to me, "This is the tree through which death entered the world. This is the one from which Adam ate, so that death came upon every person." He also showed me another tree planted in the middle of the paradise. He said to me, "This is the tree of life. A cherub with a sword of fire surrounds its entrance." While I stood looking at the glory of the tree of life, I looked and saw the virgin coming with three angels singing to her. I answered and said to the angel, "Who is this, my lord?" He said to me, "This is Mary, the mother of our Lord Jesus Christ, in this great glory." And when she drew near to me, she said to me, "Hail, Paul, beloved of God. Hail, Paul, beloved of angels and of people. Hail, Paul, who became a herald of truth in heaven and on earth. All the righteous pray for my son Jesus Christ, who is my lord.

...that you will not be persuaded, but you will bring Paul up to your gate so that we may see him in the flesh, before he has come out of the body. My beloved son said to them, "Be patient for a little while; he will be with you forever." They all said with one voice, "Do not grieve us, our lord; we wish to see him in the flesh, since he has received this great glory in this way, bearing these great and small things. If each one enters this...

...with the gate. They will ask, "Why has this one come to this place?" They will say, "One says that Paul is the one on the earth, who preaches Christ with his sweet words, drawing multitudes into Christ, bringing them into the city of Christ, Jerusalem. Behold, all the righteous are dwelling after me, that they will meet you. I swear by the right hand of my son, O chosen one of God, Paul, that what will be written in the words of this apocalypse, which you have seen in the heavens, none of the torments in the punishments you have seen in hell will be inflicted upon anyone, except this necessity alone of their coming out of the body, and what will be read in faith. They will erase the handwriting of their sins, and whoever hears it will keep the commandments of my son. My son will bless them in this world and will do good to them on the day of their inquiry. Blessed are you, O Paul, many times over. Do not think, O Paul, that you alone are the one for whom I have come forth. I bear witness to you that any man who does the will of my son—I am the first to come forth from them, leaving them as strangers, until they meet my beloved son in peace. As the virgin speaks with me, behold, three others have come, each with their sheep, only in their form, with their angels hymning to them. I said to the angel, "Who are these, my lord?

...they saw me, they rejoiced with me. He said, "I do not know them, Paul." I said, "My Lord did not." He said to me, "These are the fathers of the people: Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob." At that moment when they saw me, they greeted me. They said to me, "Hail, Paul, beloved of God and of men. Blessed is the one who will be taken by force for the sake of God." Abraham said, "This is my son Isaac, whom I offered up to God. Behold...

...they saw me, they rejoiced with me. He said, "I do not know them, Paul." I said, "My Lord did not." He said to me, "These are the fathers of the people: Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob." At that moment when they saw me, the Jacob, the beloved of God. In knowing God in the world, God did not grieve us. Blessed are those people who will believe through you, for they will endure God with hardship and with philanthropy, and with purity and with humility, and with joy and with faith inward toward God. But we establish a covenant in this which is proclaimed: "Those people who will believe through you, we are the ones who will serve them." As long as these words, I looked at each one. I saw also the twelve who had come. I said to the angel, "Who are these, my lord?" He said to me, "These are the patriarchs." At that moment they approached me and greeted me, and they said to me, "Hail, Paul, the beloved of God and of people." God did not grieve us, for he caused us to see you in the flesh before you came out of the body. And each one announced his name to me, from Reuben to Benjamin. Joseph said, "I am Joseph, the one who was sold. I bear witness to you, Paul, that all the sufferings I endured and the injustices they did to me, I did not keep any malice in my heart toward them for a single day. For whoever endures injustice for the sake of God, God himself does it for him many times over when he comes out of the body.

While he was speaking with me, I looked up and saw another one, with his angel singing hymns to him. I said to the angel, “Who is this, whose appearance is so glorious?” He said to me, “Do you not know this one?” I said to him, “My Lord did not.” He said to me, “This is Moses the lawgiver, to whom God gave the law.” And when he reached me, he greeted me and wept. I said to him, “Why are you weeping?” I heard

You are more blessed than any man on earth.” Moses said to me, “I weep because I was unable to plant the root of salvation, nor did they give fruit. My sheep, whom I tended, have scattered like those who have no shepherd. All the sufferings I endured with the children of Israel have been in vain. All the strength I exerted with them in the wilderness has been of no use. I am amazed at the foreigners, the uncircumcised, and the idolaters who will enter into the inheritance of Israel. I bear witness to you, O Paul, that at the time they crucified the Son of God, Michael and Gabriel and the angels, and Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and all the righteous were weeping. The Son of God was raised on the wood of the cross. They were shouting against me, saying, ‘Moses, look at your people! What have they done to the Son of God?’ Blessed are you, O Paul, and blessed is the people who will listen to you, those who will believe in your proclamation.” While he was speaking, behold, twelve others came from the east, and they stood at the door. They said to me, “You are Paul, the beloved of God. Truly you have received glory in heaven and on earth.” I said to them, “Who are you?” They said, “We are the prophets.” One said, “I am Isaiah, whom Manasseh sawed in half with a wooden saw.

The other one said, “I am Jeremiah, he whom the children of Israel stoned until they killed him.” The other one said, “I am Ezekiel, he whom the children of Israel seized by his feet and dragged him over the rocks that are high until his head was broken open. All these sufferings I endured, desiring that Israel might be saved. I bear witness to you that the children of Israel used to inflict sufferings on me. I would fall upon my face, praying for them, from

the rest of the Lord's Day, until the entire Sabbath one image, I fell upon my face, until Michael came and raised me up upon the earth. Blessed are you, O Paul, and blessed is the nation that will believe through you, as if these words are with me. Another came, very beautiful in his form. I said to the angel, "Who is this, my Lord, that I saw rejoicing?" The angel said to me, "This is Lot. In the time of Sodom and Gomorrah, and when he reached me, he said to me, greeting me, 'Blessed are you, O Paul, and blessed is your generation.' He said to me, 'I am Lot, who was in the city of the impious, with angels calling to me like these strangers, when the people of the city rose up to do evil to them. I took my two daughters, virgins whom no male had known, and I gave them to them, saying, "Take them, and do with them as you wish; only do not do evil to these strangers who came in under my roof." Now, each one who sees them in this world, God will multiply them for himself many times. Blessed are you, O Paul, and blessed is the nation that will believe through you, as if this word is with me.' I looked at another who came very beautiful, his face shining, smiling, with angels hymning to him. I said to the angel,

...that an angel would walk with each of the righteous. He said to me, "All the angels sing praises to them, and they are never separated from them at any time." And when he reached me, he greeted me. He said to me, "You are honored, O Paul, the beloved of God and of men. I am Job, who endured all these sufferings in the plagues, for I spent forty years within it, the worm that comes forth from my body, which is as strong as a Babylonian measure of wheat, by...

...three days. He would take hold of a cup of wine, and bring it, and they would come out from the marshes. I would carry them, and they would make a path. The devil appeared to me three times, saying:—[fifty-two pages wanting]—...behind her, saying to her, "O wretched soul, the evils that you do by day and by night, I take them continually to the feet of God, not because of your will, but because of the will of God." He reaches out his hand, saying, "Do not cease to serve them. Perhaps they will turn back and repent. Behold, I have become a stranger to them today. Let us go to the feet of your true judge." And her spirit came out from her, saying, "O wretched soul, do not give me rest for the little time that I have done. I have thrown a veil over you. Let... you, O wretched soul... arise under... or did your heart not turn? For there are breaths of life of God within. Let us go to the feet of your true judge. I will not leave you. I have become a stranger to them today, and you have done to me." Her spirit was silent. Her angel afflicted her. Immediately the authorities stood up, about to take her up into the sky. Suffering upon suffering, the shame came out from her, along with the slander, and the spirit of deceit, and the authorities of darkness. Some faces of mine, with lips filled with fire upon them.

...three days. He would take hold of a cup of wine, and bring it, and they would come out from the marshes. I would carry them, and they would make a path. The devil appeared to me three times, saying:—[fifty-two pages w There are swords of injustice in their hands. Some have the faces of calves. Their hands are like those of men. There are great heads of fire upon their heads. There are serpents in their hands, twisted around the souls of sinners among them. Some have faces of bears, their eyes casting fire outward to his side. Wrath is present in their face. There are great fangs of the canine in their hands, prepared to tear the body of the impious, who have not yet departed from the body. They inflict suffering upon them in the necessity of death. Some have faces of dragons, and a smoke comes forth from their mouths, and

...a work and a fire. There are ravens that are like... ...with chains in their hands, tormenting these souls among them. Some have faces of beasts, with arrows among them like these reeds, prepared to tear the souls. They torment them mercilessly. Some have faces of donkeys, with hooks of darkness upon them, with torches of fire in their hands, burning the souls in anger. Some have faces of crocodiles, with great fangs in their hands, tearing apart the limbs of the soul in secret. Some have faces of wild beasts, whose tongues are of fire, outside their mouths, with their lips covering them. Those there seize the souls and chew them in their mouths. They swallow them for an hour, then they release them in the... Others also chew them, and they swallow them. Some give them to others, who are without mercy towards the souls of sinners. Then the powers of darkness gave their attention to the soul. They said to her, "Where are you going, O wretched soul? Where are you going to heaven? Stay, let us see if you have anything within you. There is no helper who is holy to walk with me." I heard a voice from above saying, "Bring this wretched soul up, that she may know that God exists, whom she despised." Immediately she was brought into heaven.

I heard angels and archangels doing penance. They said, "Woe to us, O soul, because of all the deeds we did in the world." At that moment, her mouth was sealed. They could not speak a word before God. Her angel said, "Weep with me, O my fellow angels, because they did not give rest to the soul, for they cast her into the abyss." The angels answered, "Take her, take her from among us, for from the time we saw

I heard angels and archangels doing penance. They said, "Woe to us, O soul, because of all the deeds we did in the world." At that moment, her mouth was sealed. They could not speak a word before God. Her angel said, "We ...a great measure of shame occurred among us. They brought her to worship before God, who created her according to his image and his likeness. Her angel signified, saying, "Lord God, the Pantocrator, I am the angel of this soul. I bring you her deeds of the day and of the night. Judge her according to her judgment." Her spirit said, "I am the spirit, the breath of life that is poured out to the measure. Judge her according to her judgment." The voice of God came about, saying, "All the good things that she did, did I separate them from the righteous for a single day? My sun does not set with the righteous and all the chosen ones." Her mouth was sealed; she could not find a word to say. The voice of God came about, saying, "There is no shame before God, and a true judgment will come about. He does truth; they do truth with him. He does mercy; they do mercy with him. They will give her into the hand of the angel over the punishments. He will cast her into the outer darkness, the place where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth, until the day of the great judgment. But I heard the voice of angels and archangels saying, 'You are righteous, Lord, and your judgments are true.' After that, I also looked, I Paul, at another soul that was brought out of a body.

Two angels stood before her. She was weeping and crying out, saying, "Woe to me, O my judge! It has been seven days since I died. They handed me over to this angel. They took me to places I do not know." The judge answered, "What did you do in the world? Indeed, they handed you over to these angels because you did not do what is right. You did not do what is truly right. You did not consider the necessity. Confess your sins.

...I did them in the world. The soul answered, saying, "My Lord, I did not sin." When she said, "I did not sin," her judge said to her, "Do you think that this world is such that each one sins while hiding his sin from his neighbor? But when they come before the throne of God, the sins of each one and his good deeds are revealed." At that moment her mouth was sealed; she could find no word to say. But I heard the true judge saying, "Angel of the soul, come to the middle." At that moment the angel came to the middle, having a handwriting in his hand. He said, "My Lord, the sins of the soul from her youth; do you wish, my Lord, that I recount her sins from when she was in the middle of her life?" The judge said to him, "O angel, I did not ask you about her sins from the middle of her life, nor about those from her youth. But I ask only you about the sins she did in this year in which she died. I swear by myself, and by my angels, and by my entire power, that if she repented in the year in which she died, I will blot out all her former sins which I had set aside for her." God called to Uriel and Souriel; he said to them, "I wish you to bring these souls to the middle." At that moment they brought them.

She saw them and recognized them. God, her judge, said to her, "You have known these ones who were brought before you." She answered, "Yes, my Lord." God said to her, "What is it that you have done to them?" The soul said, "O my Lord, it has not been a year since I killed her. I poured out her blood upon the ground. And again, I killed her in fornication. I took everything that was hers by force. I did evil to her many times.

to the place of all the good things that she did with me. The judge answered, "Even if someone commits a single act of violence and dies, they guard his mouth until the Spirit that committed the violence comes and they are set before the true judge, each one according to his deeds." I heard a voice saying, "I give the soul into the hand of the Tartarouchos of Hades; let him torment her until the day of the great judgment." But I heard thousands upon thousands of angels, praising and blessing God, saying, "You are righteous, Lord, and your judgments are true." The angel answered and said to me, "Paul, the chosen one of God, you have seen all these things." I said, "Yes, my Lord." He said to me, "Follow me now, and I will take you and show you the dwelling place of all the saints." Then I walked with the angel; he took me to the third heaven and set me upon a gate. I saw that gate, entirely of gold. I saw two golden pillars at the gate, with golden plaques upon the pillars, filled with writing. The angel turned to me and said, "Blessed are you, Paul, if you are brought inside this gate. It is not given to anyone to enter it except the innocent and the simple-hearted and those who have no evil at all.

I said to the angel, "What are these that are written on these tablets?" He said to me, "These are the names of all the righteous who serve God with their whole heart." I said to the angel, "My lord, are their names in heaven alone, or are they also outside in this world?" The angel answered, he said to me, "Not only are their names in heaven alone, but also those who serve God with their whole heart—their form is also in heaven, and the angels know him, saying, 'This is the man who serves God.'

with his whole heart. He had not yet gone out into the world, and immediately he opened the gate. Behold, an old man whose face was shining like the sun came in to me, saying, "Hail, Paul, beloved of God." And he was laughing, and he gave me his hand. Afterward he stopped laughing and wept. But I, Paul, was troubled. I said to him, "My father, why are you weeping?" He answered, saying, "I am grieved because of this name 'man,' for how many are the mercies of God and his good things, but there are many men who will be deprived of them." I said to the angel, "Who is this, my lord?" The angel answered me, saying, "This is Enoch, the scribe of righteousness." Immediately I entered that place. I saw also Elijah. He came and greeted me. He laughed. Afterward again he stopped laughing and wept. He said to me, "O Paul, come, see that your labors have been taken from your hands, these which you have done for humanity. For how many are the good things of God and his mercies, but there are many men who will be deprived of them. For through times and seasons, one by one they come into these places." The angel answered me, saying, "Those whom you have seen in this place, do not reveal them in the flesh, but follow me so that I may show you what will be revealed." He brought me out through this gate.

He took me to the second heaven. He brought me out upon the firmament. He took me to the place of the sun. I looked and saw the two heavens resting upon a river of water, and that river of water encircled the whole inhabited world. I said to the angel, "My lord, what is this river of water that encircles this whole world?" He said to me, "This is Ocean, the river." Immediately I went out beyond Ocean, and I found the light of the sun, which gives light to that land.

And the earth there was white like silver, seven times brighter. I said to the angel, "What is this place?" He said to me, "This is the land of inheritance. Have you not heard, 'Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth'? The souls of the righteous, when they come out of the body, they worship God, and they are placed in this land." I said to the angel, "Will this land be revealed after a time?" The angel answered me, saying, "When Christ reveals himself from his kingdom, this land also will be revealed, like a cloud of smoke. God will reveal all his holy things. Christ will reign over a multitude of years. They will eat the good things of the land, which I will show you now." I looked out from that land. I saw a river flowing with honey and milk. On this side of the river, and on that side, there were trees bearing fruit. I looked to the south. I found various creations of God in that place. I saw buildings erected in that place, each one separate, with some having a measure of a hundred cubits, some having a measure of seventy, some having a measure of ten. The earth that was built upon was whiter than silver seven times.

From the foundation, each one individually up to its front. There is a finger of jasper upon a finger of lead. There is a finger of lead upon the jasper, the jasper. There is a finger of beryl upon the lead, the lead. And the vine likewise. There is a finger of pomegranate in the vine. And the branches in the pomegranate, the pomegranate. There is a finger of olive in its branch, its branch. All the other trees are fingers, fingers. And their fruit likewise. Then I said to the angel, "What, my lord, is the reason that these trees are fingers, fingers, and their fruit?" He answered

He said to me, "O Paul, beloved of Christ, God gives his whole heart to those who are destined to inherit them, because they have taken courage in the world for the sake of his name." I said again to the angel, "My lord, these are the vines of God which he has prepared for his holy ones." He said to me, "There are those which are more excellent than these, seven times seventy-seven. I bear witness to you, O Paul, that when a righteous one departs from the body, he will see the vines of God which have been prepared for them. They will groan and weep, saying, 'Why did we speak out of the mouth, or become angry at our neighbor on a single day?'" I said to the angel, "My lord, are there vines there more excellent than these?" The angel said to me, "These vines here are for the worldly ones who have preserved their holy marriage. But those who have sworn by them and by the virgins will receive those which are honored, seven times seventy-seven. As for those there, I will also show you all of them." He took me again to the east of the river of Agathon. I looked and saw the river, its water whiter than milk. I said again to the angel, "My lord, what is this?" He said to me, "This is the Jerusalem of the heavenly, the city of the holy ones. This is the one which the Father built for his only-begotten son Jesus Christ, to the east of all these. He did not give it to anyone to enter into it. For this reason, the Jerusalem of the heavenly is on the path.

If a man is a fornicator or a sinner, he turns, he repents, he gives fruit worthy of repentance, he comes out of the body, he first worships God, then he is given into the hand of Michael, he is immersed in the Archielumne, then he is brought into the city to the place of those who have not sinned. I, Paul, marveled and blessed God for what I saw. The angel said to me, "Follow me, Paul, that I may bring you into

the city of Christ. I came down upon the Archielum. He lifted me onto a golden boat, its prow bearing a silver figurehead. Its oars were of gold, its rudder of silver. Precious stones were set at its gate. Three hundred angels were stationed at its gate. Then the angels sang hymns at my gate. They brought me inside the city of Christ. Those who were in the city came out to meet me with great joy. I saw the city of Christ shining brighter than the light of the sun seven times over. It was built entirely of gold. It had twelve walls of precious stone surrounding the city. There were towers built inside each wall. Each wall was a hundred stadia in circumference. I said to the angel, "My lord, how great is the stadion of God?" The angel said to me, "The stadion is a single measure. Inside the city, however, there are as many as the sands of this world. And four rivers surround its gate." The south of the city is a river of honey. The north of the city is a river of milk. The east of the city is a river of wine. The west of the city is a river of oil. I said to the angel, "What are these rivers that surround the city?" The angel answered me, saying, "These four rivers that surround this city correspond to the four rivers that are on the earth, the one that flows with honey corresponding to the Phison.

This one that draws the rivers, with their Euphrates flowing to its mouth; this one that draws the wine, with Geon flowing to its mouth; this one that draws the oil, with the Tigris flowing to its mouth. For the righteous do not wish to make their boldness upon the earth, being humiliated, being enemies, being oppressed by violence because of God. Because of this, the good things that are in this city—God gives them a compensation of sevenfold. When I went into that city, I found great trees planted at the gate of the city, having no fruit upon them.

Is it not only the leaves? Each one of the men, one after another, at their doors, the trees are bent down. When the trees see a man, they bow down to the ground, then they rise up again. And when I saw them, I wept. I said to the angel, "What are these who were not allowed to enter this city?" The angel said to me, "It is not fitting to weep for these more than for the whole world." I said to him, "Who are these?" He said to me, "These are apostatics who live and fast, but they are arrogant beyond all men. They honor only themselves, they despise those who are before them. If they see someone, they greet the men. If they do not see anyone, they greet no man. If they see someone, they open, they open their door to the men. If they do not see anyone, they do not open. If someone does a good deed for a man, he exalts himself over him, saying, 'I am the one who saved you from your sins.' But I said to the angel, 'My Lord, is it not pride that has prevented them from entering the city of Christ?' He said to me, 'The root of all evil is pride. Did not these do to the Son of God that he came in humility?' But I said to the angel, 'Why do the trees bow down to them and then rise up again?' The angel answered, saying, 'At the time they are on the ground, they serve God.'

They are purified for a day because of the shame of the men. But they did not take there the pride that is within them. I said to the angel, "How were they left at the gate of the city?" He said to me, "They were left in this place because of the lack of goodness of God, since this is the path by which the holy ones enter into the city. When Christ, the king of the ages, appears in his parousia, all the righteous will receive grace upon them, and they will be brought in to

a time, but they will not be spared. Just as those who spent their entire time serving God in every humility, the angel drew my attention to the river of Abiō that is to the south of the city. I found Isaiah inside the gate, along with Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Amos, Micah, and the minor prophets, and the major ones. They greeted me inside the city. I said to the angel, "Who are these, my lord?" He said to me, "This is the way of the prophets. Any person who directs his soul toward God, not doing what pleases him for the world, when he departs from the body, he goes to the feet of God and worships him. He is given into the hand of Michael, who takes him inside, to this city of the prophets, and they greet him, saying, 'He is our son, because he did the will of God on earth; he has inherited these.'" [thirty-four pages wanting] ... and six months, because God desires a righteous one more than the whole world. The angels came beseeching him outside on account of their death. God said to them, "Do not persuade my servant Elijah; he entreats me, that I will not allow their death to come upon the earth, the sufferings that each one will have for God's sake. God rewards them once for all in a vessel. Blessed are you, O Paul, and blessed is the race that will believe through you.

As this one was speaking, the other Enoch came and greeted me. He said to me, "The suffering that a man will endure for the sake of God—God does not grieve him when he comes out of the world." As this one was speaking with me, behold, two others came together, with one walking behind them, calling to them, "Stand at my door, all of you, so that I may see the beloved of God, Paul." They had chosen him for us, so that we might see his face while he is still in the body. I said to the angel, "My lord, who are

...these things. He said to me, "This is Zacharias with John his son." I said to the angel, "And who is this one running behind them?" He said, "This is Abel, whom Cain killed." And they greeted me. They said to me, "Blessed are you, Paul, the man who is upright in all his works." John said, "I am the one whose head was taken off in the prison because of a woman who danced in a banquet." Zacharias said, "I am the one who was killed while I was offering up to God. When the angels came for the sacrifice, they took my body up to the feet of God, and no man saw my body, for they had taken it away." Abel said, "I am the one whom Cain killed while I was offering a sacrifice to God. The sufferings we have endured for the sake of God are nothing. The things we have done for the sake of God have become our garment. And all the righteous and all the angels surround me, rejoicing with me, because they saw me in the flesh." I looked and saw another one standing above them all, shining exceedingly. I said to the angel, "Who is this, my lord?" He said to me, "This is Adam, the father of us all." When he reached me, he greeted me with joy. He said to me, "Be strong, O Paul, the beloved of God, who caused a multitude to believe in God and to repent, just as I also repented.

I received my glory through the merciful one of whole heart. After all these things, they snatched me up in a cloud and took me to the third heaven. I, Paul, was greatly afraid when I saw the angel who was walking with me; he himself changed in his form, and his face became like fire. And immediately a voice came to my mouth: "Paul, the beloved of God, the things you will see in this place, do not reveal them to any person, for they are invisible words that you will see." I looked and saw a seal.

I walked in silence, while mercy was present in a voice of light. Seven aeons of light stood to the right of the altar, and seven to its left, singing hymns in a chorus, blessing the Father. Thousands upon thousands of angels stood before him outside, and hundreds upon hundreds surrounded his door, saying, "Your name is honored, and your glory is glorious, O Lord." The cherubim and seraphim said, "Amen." When I saw them, I, Paul, trembled in all my limbs, and I fell upon my face. My angel who walks with me gave me his hand, raised me up, saying, "Do not be afraid, Paul, beloved of God. Arise now and follow me, that I may show you your place." My angel who walks with me took me to the paradise. I saw a multitude of people walking, rejoicing, singing psalms, blessing God, full of joy for the most part. Their faces shone like the sun seven times over, and the hair of their heads was like white silk. There were many thrones in that place, glorified, each one's glory distinct. One surpassed another in glory at the time I reached them. They cried out, "Blessed are you, O Paul! Blessed is the nation that will believe through you!

that you are worthy to be brought to these places while you are in this flesh. They all greeted me, and I answered them, blessing God with them. Then I said to the angel, "My Lord, what is this place, and who are these people?" The angel said to me, "This is the holy land of the Lord, and these are all the prophets, who will be in this place until the day of judgment, along with those who did not sin in the world. And your throne also will be in this place.

and it is fitting that you see your throne and your house, without you going down into the world. And in what place will you proclaim this apocalypse in the whole world? For many will hear and repent; they will not think of the punishments and the torments that you have seen. But when I heard these things from the angel who was walking with me, I said to him, "My Lord, I wish indeed to be in this place, but I cannot hear. Teach me now about my throne that is in this place." The angel who was walking with me took me to a tent of light and showed me a throne of glory, with two angels singing before it. I said to the angel, "My Lord, whose is this throne that is in this great glory, and who are these angels who are singing before it?" He said to me, "This is your throne, O Paul, and these two angels are Uriel and Souriel, singing before your throne. Do you not know, O Paul, that your name has become famous among the angels who have no number? Do you not know that every person who will labor in the world for the name of Christ and for humanity, God will reward them seven times sevenfold, and all the angels will rejoice with him?" The angel who was walking with me took me and showed me a multitude of trees that were burning, with a multitude of people surrounding the trees, their clothes shining. They cried out to me from all sides.

Hail, Paul, the beloved of God and of men.” They all greeted me. I said to the angel, “My lord, who are these?” The angel said to me, “These are all those whom you planted in the world.” The angel took me. He said to me, “Come, let me show you the paradise of heaven, and your throne, and your crown.” I saw the paradise, and it was very wonderful.

There are three walls surrounding the paradise of heaven. Two of silver and one wall of gold in the middle of the two walls of silver. One within the other. Each wall is twelve cubits high. There is a small strobilus within each wall, from the east to the west, from the north to the south. And the paradise is adorned with twenty-four trees of cassia, and four hundred cubits of grass to the height. There are twenty-four pillars within it, firmly established. Each pillar is seventy-two cubits high. There are eighty kinds of produce within it. There are seven hundred kinds of plants within it, honored. There are one hundred kinds of fragrant scents within it. There are twelve cypress trees within it. A stone wall surrounds its gate on the east side of the river. There are twelve hundred lampstands of gold within it. Forty pillars of silver and marble surround its gate. And its gate is a thyne wood. Three eagles are on the right of the gate, and three on the left of the gate. And the entire paradise was full of light on the east side, like the time of summer, with no darkness within it. But the light of God is what exists within it at all times, giving light entirely. The paradise sends forth produce outside in the morning time, and it sends forth resin outside in the summer time. And when the sun sets...

The pinecone of every tree that is in the paradise withers outward until the night of the cosmos passes. The bases of the columns are made of malabathron, and the true pavement, and their capitals cast branches outward of amekdalon, and their fruit produces four hundred and eight cubits. Precious stones are set into their gates, and all the trees of the paradise hymn to God three times continually, at the morning hour, and at the midday hour, and at the hour

The nights all wither outward, blessing God, saying, “He is holy, holy, holy, three times. He is honored, he is glorified, God the Pantocrator.” And the paradise withers outward, blessing God. The angel answered, he said to me, “O Paul, you have seen the paradise of heaven and its glory. No man has ever attained the fullness of its honor.” I said to him, “My Lord, but I fear that I am not worthy to remain in this paradise.” The angel answered, he said to me, “Endure what will endure, and you will endure the accuser who comes down in Amente. You will receive more glory if you go down to the cosmos once more. And if the whole race of men hears the words of this apocalypse, many souls will repent. And also I will take you to show you your throne and your crown, and that of your brother apostles.” The angel took me before the katapetasma, on the holy ground. I saw a throne spread out, and a stole of the heaven of the throne, rejoicing outward, like the word of its honor. There were marble steps of the heaven of the throne. I answered, I said to the angel, “My Lord, what is the place of my brothers, the fellow apostles?” The angel took me before the katapetasma. I saw a multitude of thrones.

And a multitude of angels were singing, giving glory to God. I saw a multitude of garments and a multitude of crowns placed before the throne. And a fragrance of incense was wafting outward from that place. The angel said to me, "This is the place of your brothers, your fellow apostles." And again I saw a man wearing a white garment, with a kithara in his hand, standing on the right side.

the kithara player, he was singing and playing on his kithara, and the angels were responding to him. I answered and said to the angel, "Who is this, my lord?" He said to me, "This is David, singing." And I saw in the holy land a place built of genuine stone, beyond the river, and the land there was white like snow. There was a multitude of crowns and a multitude of thrones, all of them wearing garments and headdresses, those who were in that place. A multitude of angels were singing to them. I said to the angel, "Who are these?" He said to me, "These are the martyrs who bore witness in the name of Christ, on account of your struggle and that of your brothers the apostles. They will receive great honors. But they turned their faces toward me and looked at me. They said to me, 'Blessed are you, Paul, for you have been deemed worthy of these places. And we together, and you have been deemed worthy to see these great wonders, which the eye has not seen, nor the ear heard. You have seen them in the body, since God has seen your self-control and the labors of your struggle, and he has made you worthy of these great honors.' I, Paul, walked in the holy spirit and blessed God, saying, 'I bless you, God of the universe.'

the one who sees his face alone outside the mystery: blessed is the glory of your divinity. The one who is honored and exists in the honor of his greatness, and his only-begotten son Jesus Christ our Lord, the one who has grasped the whole, and the whole came into being through him. The angel of the Lord lifted me up and brought me to the mountain of the lords. Then I, Paul, found the apostles gathered together at one time, and I greeted them. I announced to them all the things that had happened to me and the things I had seen, and the honor that

the righteous will be, and the manner and the disturbance that will be for the impious. Then the apostles rejoiced and rejoiced greatly; they blessed God. They commanded us together, I, Mark, and Timothy, disciples of the holy Paul, the scribe of the church, to write this holy apocalypse, which is useful and beneficial for those who will hear it. While the apostles were speaking with us, the Lord Christ revealed himself to us outside, upon the chariot of the cherubim. He said to us, “Hail, my holy disciples, whom I have chosen from the world. Hail, Peter, the crown of the apostles. Hail, John, my beloved. Hail, all my apostles. The peace of my good father will be with you.” Then he turned to our father and said to him, “Hail, Paul, the epistle-bearer who is honored. Hail, Paul, the mediator of the covenant. Hail, Paul, the foundation and the structure of the church. Let your heart be steadfast in you concerning the things you have seen. Let you be fully assured concerning the things you have heard.” Paul answered, “My Lord, your grace and your love have done great good with me.” The Lord answered and said, “O beloved of the father, amen, amen, I say to you, the words of this apocalypse will be spread throughout the whole world, useful for those who will hear it.

Amen, amen. I say it to you, O Paul: He who will take care of this apocalypse, he will write it, he will place it in a library for the generations that are coming. I will not show them to Amente and his bitter weeping, until the second generation in his seed. And he who will read it with faith, I will bless his mouth and his house. He who will seek after the words of this apocalypse, I will reward them. And they will not read it except in the holy days, because all the mysteries of my divinity I have revealed to you, O my holy members. Behold, I have prepared for you all things. Now go, depart, and preach the gospel of my kingdom. For your race and your holy contest have drawn near. But you, O my chosen Paul, you will complete your race, you and my beloved Peter, on the twenty-fourth of the month of Epiphi, and you will be in my kingdom forever. My power will be with you. And immediately he commanded the cloud to bring the disciples, to take them to the region he had assigned to them, and to preach everywhere the gospel of the kingdom of the heavens forever, through the grace and philanthropy of our Lord Jesus Christ, our Savior. This is the glory of him and his good Father and the Holy Spirit, forever and ever.

Amen. This good thing has come forth from the hand of the God-loving brother, Psate, the son of Mektra, in the district of Ermont. May the Lord God, the holy archangel Raphael, and the holy apostle Paul bless him, Psate, and his wife, and his children, and his entire household, and make him a co-heir with his holy ones in the kingdom that is in the heavens, forever. Amen.