Chapter 1 1:1 Now Philopater, on learning from those who came back that Antiochus had made himself master of the places which belonged to himself, sent orders to all his footmen and horsemen, took with him his sister Arsinoe, and marched out as far as the parts of Raphia, where Antiochus and his forces encamped. 2 And one Theodotus, intending to carry out his design, took with him the bravest of the armed men who had been before committed to his trust by Ptolemy, and got through at night to the tent of Ptolemy, to kill him on his own responsibility, and so to end the war. 3 But Dositheus, called the son of Drimulus, by birth a Jew, afterward a renegade from the laws and observances of his country, conveyed Ptolemy away, and made an obscure person lie down in his stead in the tent. It befell this man to receive the fate which was meant for the other. 4 A fierce battle then took place; and the men of Antiochus prevailing, Arsinoe continually went up and down the ranks, and with dishevelled hair, with tears and entreaties, begged the soldiers to fight manfully for themselves, their children, and wives; and promised that if they proved conquerors, she would give them two minae of gold apiece. 5 It thus fell out that their enemies were defeated in hand-to-hand encounter, and that many of them were taken prisoners. 6 Having vanquished this attempt, the king then decided to proceed to the neighbouring cities, and encourage them. 7 By doing this, and by making donations to their temples, he inspired his subjects with confidence. 8 The Jews sent some of their council and of their elders to him. The greetings, guest- gifts, and congratulations of the past, bestowed by them, filled him with the greater eagerness to visit their city. 9 Having arrived at Jerusalem, sacrificed, and offered thank-offerings to the Greatest God, and done whatever else was suitable to the sanctity of the place, and entered the inner court, 10 he was so struck with the magnificence of the place, and so wondered at the orderly arrangements of the temple, that he considered entering the sanctuary itself. 11 And when they told him that this was not permissible, none of the nation, no, nor even the priests in general, but only the supreme high priest of all, and he only once in a year, being allowed to go in, he would by no means give way. 12 Then they read the law to him; but he persisted in obtruding himself, exclaiming, that he ought to be allowed: and saying Be it that they were deprived of this honour, I ought not to be. 13 And he put the question, Why, when he entered all the temples, none of the priests who were present forbad him? 14 He was thoroughly answered by some one, That he did wrong to boast of this. 15 Well; since I have done this, said he, be the cause what it may, shall I not enter with or without your consent? 16 And when the priests fell down in their sacred vestments imploring the Greatest God to come and help in time of need, and to avert the violence of the fierce aggressor, and when they filled the temple with lamentations and tears, 17 then those who had been left behind in the city were scared, and rushed forth, uncertain of the event. 18 Virgins, who had been shut up within their chambers, came out with their mothers, scattering dust and ashes on their heads, and filling the streets with outcries. 19 Women, but recently separated off, left their bridal chambers, left the reserve that befitted them, and ran about the city in a disorderly manner. 20 New-born babes were deserted by the mothers or nurses who waited upon them; some here, some there, in houses, or in fields; these now, with an ardour which could not be checked, swarmed into the Most High temple. 21 Various were the prayers offered up by those who assembled in this place, on account of the unholy attempt of the king. 22 Along with these there were some of the citizens who took courage, and would not submit to his obstinacy, and his intention of carrying out his purpose. 23 Calling out to arms, and to die bravely in defence of the law of their fathers, they created a great uproar in the place, and were with difficulty brought back by the aged and the elders to the station of prayer which they had occupied before. 24 During this time the multitude kept on praying. 25 The elders who surrounded the king strove in many ways to divert his haughty mind from the design which he had formed. 26 He, in his hardened mood, insensible to all persuasion, was going onwards with the view of carrying out this design. 27 Yet even his own officers, when they saw this, joined the Jews in an appeal to Him who has all power, to aid in the present crisis, and not wink at such overweening lawlessness. 28 Such was the frequency and the vehemence of the cry of the assembled crowd, that an indescribable noise ensued. 29 Not the men only, but the very walls and floor seemed to sound forth; all things preferring dissolution rather than to see the place defiled. Chapter 2 2:1 Now was it that the high priest Simon bowed his knees over against the holy place, and spread out his hands in reverent form, and uttered the following supplication: 2 O Lord, Lord, King of the heavens, and Ruler of the whole creation, Holy among the holy, sole Governor, Almighty, give ear to us who are oppressed by a wicked and profane one, who exulteth in his confidence and strength. 3 It is thou, the Creator of all, the Lord of the universe, who art a righteous Governor, and judgest all who act with pride and insolence. 4 It was thou who didst destroy the former workers of unrighteousness, among whom were the giants, who trusted in their strength and hardihood, by covering them with a measureless flood. 5 It was thou who didst make the Sodomites, those workers of exceeding iniquity, men notorious for their vices, an example to after generations, when thou didst cover them with fire and brimstone. 6 Thou didst make known thy power when thou causedst the bold Pharaoh, the enslaver of thy people, to pass through the ordeal of many and diverse inflictions. 7 And thou rolledst the depths of the sea over him, when he made pursuit with chariots, and with a multitude of followers, and gavest a safe passage to those who put their trust in thee, the Lord of the whole creation. 8 These saw and felt the works of thine hands, and praised thee the Almighty. 9 Thou, O King, when thou createdst the illimitable and measureless earth, didst choose out this city: thou didst make this place sacred to thy name, albeit thou needest nothing: thou didst glorify it with thine illustrious presence, after constructing it to the glory of thy great and honourable name. 10 And thou didst promise, out of love to the people of Israel, that should we fall away from thee, and become afflicted, and then come to this house and pray, thou wouldest hear our prayer. 11 Verily thou art faithful and true. 12 And when thou didst often aid our fathers when hard pressed, and in low estate, and deliveredst them out of gret dangers, 13 see now, holy King, how through our many and great sins we are borne down, and made subject to our enemies, and are become weak and powerless. 14 We being in this low condition, this bold and profane man seeks to dishonour this thine holy place, consecrated out of the earth to the name of thy Majesty. 15 Thy dwelling place, the heaven of heavens, is indeed unapproachable to men. 16 But since it seemed good to thee to exhibit thy glory among thy people Israel, thou didst sanctify this place. 17 Punish us not by means of the uncleanness of their men, nor chastise us by means of their profanity; lest the lawless ones should boast in their rage, and exult in exuberant pride of speech, and say, 18 We have trampled upon the holy house, as idolatrous houses are trampled upon. 19 Blot out our iniquities, and do away with our errors, and shew forth thy compassion in this hour. 20 Let thy mercies quickly go before us. Grant us peace, that the cast down and broken hearted may praise thee with their mouth. 21 At that time God, who seeth all things, who is beyond all Holy among the holy, heard that prayer, so suitable; and scourged the man greatly uplifted with scorn and insolence. 22 Shaking him to and fro as a reed is shaken with the wind, he cast him upon the pavement, powerless, with limbs paralyzed; by a righteous judgment deprived of the faculty of speech. 23 His friends and bodyguards, beholding the swift recompense which had suddenly overtaken him, struck with exceeding terror, and fearing that he would die, speedily removed him. 24 When in course of time he had come to himself, this severe check caused no repentance within him, but he departed with bitter threatenings. 25 He proceeded to Egypt, grew worse in wickedness through his beforementioned companions in wine, who were lost to all goodness; 26 and not satisfied with countless acts of impiety, his audacity so increased that he raised evil reports there, and many of his friends, watching his purpose attentively, joined in furthering his will. 27 His purpose was to indict a public stigma upon our race; wherefore he erected a pillar at the tower-porch, and caused the following inscription to be engraved upon it: 28 That entrance to their own temple was to be refused to all those who would not sacrifice; that all the Jews were to be registered among the common people; that those who resisted were to be forcibly seized and put to death; 29 that those who were thus registered, were to be marked on their persons by the ivy-leaf symbol of Dionysus, and to be set apart with these limited rights. 30 To do away with the appearance of hating them all, he had it written underneath, that if any of them should elect to enter the community of those initiated in the rites, these should have equal rights with the Alexandrians. 31 Some of those who were over the city, therefore, abhorring any approach to the city of piety, unhesitatingly gave in to the king, and expected to derive some great honour from a future connection with him. 32 A nobler spirit, however, prompted the majority to cling to their religious observances, and by paying money that they might live unmolested, these sought to escape the registration: 33 cheerfully looking forward to future aid, they abhorred their own apostates, considering them to be national foes, and debarring them from the common usages of social intercourse. Chapter 3 3:1 On discovering this, so incensed was the wicked king, that he no longer confined his rage to the Jews in Alexandria. Laying his hand more heavily upon those who lived in the country, he gave orders that they should be quickly collected into one place, and most cruelly deprived of their lives. 2 While this was going on, an invidious rumour was uttered abroad by men who had banded together to injure the Jewish race. The purport of their charge was, that the Jews kept them away from the ordinances of the law. 3 Now, while the Jews always maintained a feeling of un-swerving loyalty towards the kings, yet, as they worshipped God, and observed his law, they made certain distinctions, and avoided certain things. Hence some persons held them in odium; although, as they adorned their conversation with works of righteousness, they had established themselves in the good opinion of the world. 6 What all the rest of mankind said, was, however, made of no account by the foreigners; 7 who said much of the exclusiveness of the Jews with regard to their worship and meats; they alleged that they were men unsociable, hostile to the king's interests, refusing to associate with him or his troops. By this way of speaking, they brought much odium upon them. 8 Nor was this unexpected uproar and sudden conflux of people unobserved by the Greeks who lived in the city, concerning men who had never harmed them: yet to aid them was not in their power, since all was oppression around; but they encouraged them in their troubles, and expected a favourable turn of affairs: 9 He who knoweth all things, will not, [said they,] disregard so great a people. 10 Some of the neighbors, friends, and fellow dealers of the Jews, even called them secretly to an interview, pledged them their assistance, and promised to do their very utmost for them. 11 Now the king, elated with his prosperous fortune, and not regarding the superior power of God, but thinking to persevere in his present purpose, wrote the following letter to the prejudice of the Jews. 12 King Ptolemy Philopater, to the commanders and soldiers in Egypt, and in all places, health and happiness! 13 I am right well; and so, too, are my affairs. 14 Since our Asiatic campaign, the particulars of which ye know, and which by the aid of the gods, not lightly given, and by our own vigour, has been brought to a successful issue according to our expectation, 15 we resolved, not with strength of spear, but with gentleness and much humanity, as it were to nurse the inhabitants of Coele-Syria and Phoenicia, and to be their willing benefactors. 16 So, having bestowed considerable sums of money upon the temples of the several cities, we proceeded even as far as Jerusalem; and went up to honour the temple of these wretched beings who never cease from their folly. 17 To outward appearance they received us willingly; but belied that appearance by their deeds. When we were eager to enter their temple, and to honour it with the most beautiful and exquisite gifts, 18 they were so carried away by their old arrogance, as to forbid us the entrance; while we, out of our forbearance toward all men, refrained from exercising our power upon them. 19 And thus, exhibiting their enmity against us, they alone among the nations lift up their heads against kings and benefactors, as men unwilling to submit to any thing reasonable. 20 We then, having endeavoured to make allowance for the madness of these persons, and on our victorious return treating all people in Egypt courteously, acted in a manner which was befitting. 21 Accordingly, bearing no ill-will against their kinsmen [at Jerusalem,] but rather remembering our connection with them, and the numerous matters with sincere heart from a remote period entrusted to them, we wished to venture a total alteration of their state, by bestowing upon them the rights of citizens of Alexandria, and to admit them to the everlasting rites of our solemnities. 22 All this, however, they have taken in a very different spirit. With their innate malignity, they have spurned the fair offer; and constantly inclining to evil, 23 have rejected the inestimable rights. Not only so, but by using speech, and by refraining from speech, they abhor the few among them who are heartily disposed towards us; ever deeming that their ignoble course of procedure will force us to do away with our reform. 24 Having then, received certain proofs that these [Jews] bear us every sort of ill-will, we must look forward to the possibility of some sudden tumult among ourselves, when these impious men may turn traitors and barbarous enemies. 25 As soon, therefore, as the contents of this letter become known to you, in that same hour we order those [Jews] who dwell among you, with wives and children, to be sent to us, vilified and abused, in chains of iron, to undergo a death, cruel and ignominious, suitable to men disaffected. 26 For by the punishment of them in one body we perceive that we have found the only means of establishing our affairs for the future on a firm and satisfactory basis. 27 Whosoever shall shield a Jew, whether it be old man, child, or suckling, shall with his whole house be tortured to death. 28 Whoever shall inform against the [Jews,] besides receiving the property of the person charged, shall be presented with two thousand drachmae from the royal treasury, shall be made free, and shall be crowned. 29 Whatever place shall shelter a Jew, shall, when he is hunted forth, be put under the ban of fire, and be for ever rendered useless to every living being for all time to come. 30 Such was the purport of the king's letter. Chapter 4 4:1 Wherever this decree was received, the people kept up a revelry of joy and shouting; as if their long-pent-up, hardened hatred, were now to shew itself openly. 2 The Jews suffered great throes of sorrow, and wept much; while their hearts, all things around being lamentable, were set on fire as they bewailed the sudden destruction which was decreed against them. 3 What home, or city, or place at all inhabited, or what streets were there, which their condition did not fill with wailing and lamentation? 4 They were sent out unanimously by the generals in the several cities, with such stern and pitiless feeling, that the exceptional nature of the infliction moved even some of their enemies. These, influenced by sentiments of common humanity, and reflecting upon the uncertain issue of life, shed tears at this their miserable expulsion. 5 A multitude of aged hoary-haired old men, were driven along with halting bending feet, urged onward by the impulse of a violent, shameless force to quick speed. 6 Girls who had entered the bridal chamber quite lately, to enjoy the partnership of marriage, exchanged pleasure for misery; and with dust scattered upon their myrrh-anointed heads, were hurried along unveiled; and, in the midst of outlandish insults, set up with one accord a lamentable cry in lieu of the marriage hymn. 7 Bound, and exposed to public gaze, they were hurried violently on board ship. 8 The husbands of these, in the prime of their youthful vigour, instead of crowns wore halters round their necks; instead of feasting and youthful jollity, spent the rest of their nuptial days in wailings, and saw only the grave at hand. 9 They were dragged along by unyielding chains, like wild beasts: of these, some had their necks thrust into the benches of the rowers; while the feet of others were enclosed in hard fetters. 10 The planks of the deck above them barred out the light, and shut out the day on every side, so that they might be treated like traitors during the whole voyage. 11 They were conveyed accordingly in this vessel, and at the end of it arrived at Schedia. The king had ordered them to be cast into the vast hippodrome, which was built in front of the city. This place was well adapted by its situation to expose them to the gaze of all comers into the city, and of those who went from the city into the country. Thus they could hold no communication with his forces; nay, were deemed unworthy of any civilized accommodation. 12 When this was done, the king, hearing that their brethren in the city often went out and lamented the melancholy distress of these victims, 13 was full of rage, and commanded that they should be carefully subjected to the same (and not one whit milder) treatment. 14 The whole nation was now to be registered. Every individual was to be specified by name; not for that hard servitude of labour which we have a little before mentioned, but that he might expose them to the before-mentioned tortures; and finally, in the short space of a day, might extirpate them by his cruelties 15 The registering of these men was carried on cruelly, zealously, assiduously, from the rising of the sun to its going down, and was not brought to an end in forty days. 16 The king was filled with great and constant joy, and celebrated banquets before the temple idols. His erring heart, far from the truth, and his profane mouth, gave glory to idols, deaf and incapable of speaking or aiding, and uttered unworthy speech against the Greatest God. 17 At the end of the above-mentioned interval of time, the registrars brought word to the king that the multitude of the Jews was too great for registration, 18 inasmuch as there were many still left in the land, of whom some were in inhabited houses, and others were scattered about in various places; so that all the commanders in Egypt were insufficient for the work. 19 The king threatened them, and charged them with taking bribes, in order to contrive the escape of the Jews: but was clearly convinced of the truth of what had been said. 20 They said, and proved, that paper and pens had failed them for the carrying out of their purpose. 21 Now this was an active interference of the unconquerable Providence which assisted the Jews from heaven. Chapter 5 5:1 Then he called Hermon, who had charge of the elephants. Full of rage, altogether fixed in his furious design, 2 he commanded him, with a quantity of unmixed wine and handfuls of incense [infused] to drug the elephants early on the following day. These five hundred elephants were, when infuriated by the copious draughts of frankincense, to be led up to the execution of death upon the Jews. 3 The king, after issuing these orders, went to his feasting, and gathered together all those of his friends and of the army who hated the Jews the most. 4 The master of the elephants, Hermon, fulfilled his commission punctually. 5 The underlings appointed for the purpose went out about eventide and bound the hands of the miserable victims, and took other precautions for their security at night, thinking that the whole race would perish together. 6 The heathen believed the Jews to be destitute of all protection; for chains fettered them about. 7 they invoked the Almighty Lord, and ceaselessly besought with tears their merciful God and Father, Ruler of all, Lord of every power, 8 to overthrow the evil purpose which was gone out against them, and to deliver them by extraordinary manifestation from that death which was in store for them. 9 Their litany so earnest went up to heaven. 10 Then Hermon, who had filled his merciless elephants with copious draughts of mingled wine and frankincense, came early to the palace to certify the kind thereof. 11 He, however, who has sent his good creature sleep from all time by night or by day thus gratifying whom he wills, diffused a portion thereof now upon the king. 12 By this sweet and profound influence of the Lord he was held fast, and thus his unjust purpose was quite frustrated, and his unflinching resolve greatly falsified. 13 But the Jews, having escaped the hour which had been fixed, praised their holy God, and again prayed him who is easily reconciled to display the power of his powerful hand to the overweening Gentiles. 14 The middle of the tenth hour had well nigh arrived, when the master- bidder, seeing the guests who were bidden collected, came and shook the king. 15 He gained his attention with difficulty, and hinting that the mealtime was getting past, talked the matter over with him. 16 The kind listened to this, and then turning aside to his potations, commanded the guests to sit down before him. 17 This done, he asked them to enjoy themselves, and to indulge in mirth at this somewhat late hour of the banquet. 18 Conversation grew on, and the king sent for Hermon, and enquired of him, with fierce denunciations, why the Jews had been allowed to outlive that day. 19 Hermon explained that he had done his bidding over night; and in this he was confirmed by his friends. 20 The king, then, with a barbarity exceeding that of Phalaris, said, That they might thank his sleep of that day. Lose no time, and get ready the elephants against tomorrow, as you did before, for the destruction of these accursed Jews. 21 When the king said this, the company present were glad, and approved; and then each man went to his own home. 22 Nor did they employ the night in sleep, so much as in contriving cruel mockeries for those deemed miserable. 23 The morning cock had just crowed, and Hermon, having harnessed the brutes, was stimulating them in the great colonnade. 24 The city crowds were collected together to see the hideous spectacle, and waited impatiently for the dawn. 25 The Jews, breathless with momentary suspense, stretched forth their hands, and prayed the Greatest God, in mournful strains, again to help them speedily. 26 The sun's rays were not yet shed abroad, and the king was waiting for his friends, when Hermon came to him, calling him out, and saying, That his desires could now be realized. 27 The king, receiving him, was astonished at his unwonted exit; and, overwhelmed with a spirit of oblivion about everything, enquired the object of this earnest preparation. 28 But this was the wroking of that Almighty God who had made him forget all his purpose. 29 Hermon, and all his friends, pointed out the preparation of the animals. they are ready, O king, according to your own strict injunction. 30 The king was filled with fierce anger at these words; for, by the Providence of God regarding these things, his mind had become entirely confused. He looked hard at Hermon, and threatened him as follows: 31 Your parents, or your children, were they here, to these wild beasts a large repast they should have furnished; not these innocent Jews, who me and my forefathers loyally have served. 32 Had it not been for familar friendship, and the claims of your office, your life should have gone for theirs. 33 Hermon, being threatened in this unexpected and alarming manner, was troubled in visage, and depressed in countenance. 34 The friends, too, stole out one by one, and dismissed the assembled multitudes to their respective occupations. 35 The Jews, having heard of these events, praised the glorious God and King of kings, because they had obtained this help, too, from him. 36 Now the king arranged another banquet after the same manner, and proclaimed an invitation to mirth. 27 And he summoned Hermon to his presence, and said, with threats, How often, O wretch, must I repeat my orders to thee about these same persons? 28 Once more, arm the elephants against the morrow for the extermination of the Jews. 39 His kinsmen, who were reclining with him, wondered at his instability, and thus expressed themselves: 40 O king, how long dost thou make trial of us, as of men bereft of reason? This is the third time that thou hast ordered their destruction. When the thing is to be done, thou changest thy mind, and recallest thy instructions. 41 For this cause the feeling of expectation causes tumult in the city: it swarms with factions; and is continually on the point of being plundered. 42 The king, just like another Phalaris, a prey to thoughtlessness, made no account of the changes which his own mind had undergone, issuing in the deliverance of the Jews. He swore a fruitless oath, and determined forthwith to send them to hades, crushed by the knees and feet of the elephants. 43 He would also invade Judea, and level its towns with fire and the sword; and destroy that temple which the heathen might not enter, and prevent sacrifices ever after being offered up there. 44 Joyfully his friends broke up, together with his kinsmen; and, trusting in his determination, arranged their forces in guard at the most convenient places of the city. 45 And the master of the elephants urged the beasts into an almost maniacal state, drenched them with incense and wine, and decked them with frightful instruments. 46 About early morning, when the city was now filled with an immense number of people at the hippodrome, he entered the palace, and called the king to the business in hand. 47 The king's heart teemed with impious rage; and he rushed forth with the mass, along with the elephants. With feelings unsoftened, and eyes pitiless, he longed to gaze at the hard and wretched doom of the abovementioned [Jews]. 48 But the [Jews,] when the elephants went out at the gate, followed by the armed force; and when they saw the dust raised by the throng, and heard the loud cries of the crowd, 49 thought that they had come to the last moment of their lives, to the end of what they had tremblingly expected. They gave way, therefore, to lamentations and moans: they kissed each other: those nearest of kin to each other hung about one another's necks: fathers about their sons, mother their daughters: other women held their infants to their breasts, which drew what seemed their last milk. 50 Nevertheless, when they reflected upon the succour before granted them from heaven, they prostrated themselves with one accord; removed even the sucking children from the breasts, and 51 sent up an exceeding great cry entreating the Lord of all power to reveal himself, and have mercy upon those who now lay at the gates of hades. Chapter 6 6:1 And Eleazar, an illustrious priest of the country, who had attained to length of day, and whose life had been adorned with virtue, caused the presbyters who were about him to cease to cry out to the holy God, and prayed thus: 2 O king, mighty in power, most high, Almighty God, who regulates the whole creation with thy tender mercy, 3 look upon the seed of Abraham, upon the children of the sanctified Jacob, thy sanctified inheritance, O Father, now being wrongfully destroyed as strangers in a strange land. 4 Thou destroyedst Pharaoh, with his hosts of chariots, when that lord of this same Egypt was uplifted with lawless hardihood and loud-sounding tongue. Shedding the beams of thy mercy upon the race of Israel, thou didst overwhelm him with his proud army. 5 When Sennacherim, the grievous king of the Assyrians, glorying in his countless hosts, had subdued the whole land with his spear, and was lifting himself against thine holy city, with boastings grievous to be endured, thou, O Lord, didst demolish him and didst shew forth thy might to many nations. 6 When the three friends in the land of Babylon of their own will exposed their lives to the fire rather than serve vain things, thou didst send a dewy coolness through the fiery furnace, and bring the fire upon all their adversaries. 7 It was thou who, when Daniel was hurled, through slander and envy, as a prey to lions down below, didst bring him back against unhurt to light. 8 When Jonah was pining away in the belly of the sea-bred monster, thou didst look upon him, O Father, and recover him to the sight of his own. 9 And now, thou who hatest insolence; thou who dost abound in mercy; thou who art the protector of all things; appear quickly to those of the race of Israel, who are insulted by abhorred, lawless gentiles. 10 If our life has during our exile been stained with iniquity, deliver us from the hand of the enemy, and destroy us, O Lord, by the death which thou preferrest. 11 Let not the vain-minded congratulate vain idols at the destruction of thy beloved, saying, Neither did their god deliver them. 12 Thou, who art All-powerful and Almighty, O Eternal One, behold! have mercy upon us who are being withdrawn from life, like traitors, by the unreasoning insolence of lawless men. 13 Let the heathen cower before thine invincible might today, O glorious One, who hast all power to save the race of Jacob. 14 The whole band of infants and their parents with tears beseech thee. 15 Let it be shewn to all the nations that thou art with us, O Lord, and hast not turned thy face away from us; but as thou saidst that thou wouldst not forget them even in the land of their enemies, so do thou fulfil this saying, O Lord. 16 Now, at the time that Eleazar had ended his prayer, the king came along to the hippodrome, with the wild beasts, and with his tumultuous power. 17 When the Jews saw this, they uttered a loud cry to heaven, so that the adjacent valleys resounded, and caused an irrepressible lamentation throughout the army. 18 Then the all-glorious, all-powerful, and true God, displayed his holy countenance, and opened the gates of heaven, from which two angels, dreadful of form, came down and were visible to all but the Jews. 19 And they stood opposite, and filled the enemies' host with confusion and cowardice; and bound them with immoveable fetters. 20 And a cold shudder came over the person of the king, and oblivion paralysed the vehemence of his spirit. 21 They turned back the animals upon the armed forces which followed them; and the animals trod them down, and destroyed them. 22 The king's wrath was converted into compassion; and he wept at his own machinations. 23 For when he heard the cry, and saw them all on the verge of destruction, with tears he angrily threatened his friends, saying, 24 Ye have governed badly; and have exceeded tyrants in cruelty; and me your benefactor ye have laboured to deprive at once of my dominion and my life, by secretly devising measures injurious to the kingdom. 25 Who has gathered here, unreasonably removing each from his home, those who, in fidelity to us, had held the fortresses of the country? 26 Who has thus consigned to unmerited punishments those who in good will towards us from the beginning have in all things surpassed all nations, and who often have engaged in the most dangerous undertakings? 27 Loose, loose the unjust bonds; send them to their homes in peace, and deprecate what has been done. 28 Release the sons of the almighty living God of heaven, who from our ancestors' times until now has granted a glorious and uninterrupted prosperity to our affairs. 29 These things he said; and they, released the same moment, having now escaped death, praised God their holy Saviour. 30 The king then departed to the city, and called his financier to him, and bade him provide a seven days' quantity of wine and other materials for feasting for the Jews. He decided that they should keep a gladsome festival of deliverance in the very place in which they expected to meet with their destruction. 31 Then they who were before despised and nigh unto hades, yea, rather advanced into it, partook of the cup of salvation, instead of a grievous and lamentable death. Full of exultation, they parted out the place intended for their fall and burial into banqueting booths. 32 Ceasing their miserable strain of woe, they took up the subject of their fatherland, hymning in praise God their wonder-working Saviour. All groans, all wailing, were laid aside: they formed dances in token of serene joy. 33 So, also, the king collected a number of guests for the occasion, and returned unceasing thanks with much magnificence for the unexpected deliverance afforded him. 34 Those who had marked them out as for death and for carrion, and had registered them with joy, howled aloud, and were clothed with shame, and had the fire of their rage ingloriously put out. 35 But the Jews, as we just said, instituted a dance, and then gave themselves up to feasting, glad thanksgivings, and psalms. 36 They made a public ordinance to commemorate these things for generations to come, as long as they should be sojourners. They thus established these days as days of mirth, not for the purpose of drinking or luxury, but because God had saved them. 37 They requested the king to send them back to their homes. 38 They were being enrolled from the twenty-fifth of Pachon to the fourth of Epiphi, a period of forty days: the measures taken for their destruction lasted from the fifth of Epiphi till the seventh, that is, three days. 39 The Ruler over all did during this time manifest forth his mercy gloriously, and did deliver them all together unharmed. 40 They feasted upon the king's provision up to the fourteenth day, and then asked to be sent away. 41 The king commended them, and wrote the subjoined letter, of magnanimous import for them, to the commanders of every city. Chapter 7 7:1 King Ptolemy Philopator to the commanders throughout Egypt, and to all who are set over affairs, joy and strength. 2 We, too, and our children are well; and God has directed our affairs as we wish. 3 Certain of our friends did of malice vehemently urge us to punish the Jews of our realm in a body, with the infliction of a monstrous punishment. 4 They pretended that our affairs would never be in a good state till this took place. Such, they said, was the hatred borne by the Jews to all other people. 5 They brought them fettered in grievous chains as slaves, nay, as traitors. Without enquiry or examination they endeavoured to annihilate them. They buckled themselves with a savage cruelty, worse than Scythian custom. 6 For this cause we severely threatened them; yet, with the clemency which we are wont to extend to all men, we at length permitted them to live. Finding that the God of heaven cast a shield of protection over the Jews so as to preserve them, and that he fought for them as a father always fights for his sons; 7 and taking into consideration their constancy and fidelity towards us and towards our ancestors, we have, as we ought, acquitted them of every sort of charge. 8 And we have dismissed them to their several homes; bidding all men everywhere to do them no wrong, or unrighteously revile them about the past. 9 For know ye, that should we conceive any evil design, or in any way aggrieve them, we shall ever have as our opposite, not man, but the highest God, the ruler of all might. From Him there will be no escape, as the avenger of such deeds. Fare ye well. 10 When they had received this letter, they were not forward to depart immediately. They petitioned the king to be allowed to inflict fitting punishment upon those of their race who had willingly transgressed the holy god, and the law of God. 11 They alleged that men who had for their bellies' sake transgressed the ordinances of God, would never be faithful to the interests of the king. 12 The king admitted the truth of this reasoning, and commended them. Full power was given them, without warrant or special commission, to destroy those who had transgressed the law of God boldly in every part of the king's dominions. 13 Their priests, then, as it was meet, saluted him with good wishes, and all the people echoed with the Hallelujah. They then joyfully departed. 14 Then they punished and destryed with ignominy every polluted Jew that fell in their way; 15 slaying thus, in that day, above three hundred men, and esteeming this destruction of the wicked a season of joy. 16 They themselves having held fast their God unto death, and having enjoyed a full deliverance, departed from the city garlanded with sweet-flowered wreaths of every kind. Uttering exclamations of joy, with songs of praise, and melodious hymns they thanked the God of their fathers, the eternal Saviour of Israel. 17 Having arrived at Ptolemais, called from the specialty of that district Rose-bearing, where the fleet, in accordance with the general wish, waited for them seven days, 18 they partook of a banquet of deliverance, for the king generously granted them severally the means of securing a return home. 19 They were accordingly brought back in peace, while they gave utterance to becoming thanks; and they determined to keep these days during their sojourn as days of joyfulness. 20 These they registered as sacred upon a pillar, when they had dedicated the place of their festivity to be one of prayer. They departed unharmed, free, abundant in joy, preserved by the king's command, by land, by sea, and by river, each to his own home. 21 They had more weight than before among their enemies; and were honoured and feared, and no one in any way robbed them of their goods. 22 Every man received back his own, according to inventory; those who had obtained their goods, giving them up with the greatest terror. For the greatest God wrought with perfectness wonders for their salvation. 23 Blessed be the Redeemer of Israel unto everlasting. Amen. http://www.ecmarsh.com/lxx/III%20Maccabees/index.htm | |
Chapter 1 1:1 As I am going to demonstrate a most philosophical proposition, namely, that religious reasoning is absolute master of the passions, I would willingly advise you to give the utmost heed to philosophy. 2 For reason is necessary to every one as a step to science: and more especially does it embrace the praise of prudence, the highest virtue. 3 If, then, reasoning appears to hold the mastery over the passions which stand in the way of temperance, such as gluttony and lust, 4 it surely also and manifestly has the rule over the affections which are contrary to justice, such as malice; and of those which are hindrances to manliness, as wrath, and pain, and fear. 5 How, then, is it, perhaps some may say, that reasoning, if it rule the affections, is not also master of forgetfulness and ignorance? They attempt a ridiculous argument. 6 For reasoning does not rule over its own affections, but over such as are contrary to justice, and manliness and temperance, and prudence; and yet over these, so as to withstand, without destroying them. 7 I might prove to you, from may other considerations, that religious reasoning is sole master of the passions; 8 but I shall prove it with the greatest force from the fortitude of Eleazar, and seven brethren, and their mother, who suffered death in defence of virtue. 9 For all these, contemning pains even unto death, by this contempt, demonstrated that reasoning has command over the passions. 10 For their virtues, then, it is right that I should commend those men who died with their mother at this time in behalf of rectitude; and for their honours, I may count them happy. 11 For they, winning admiration not only from men in general, but even from the persecutors, for their manliness and endurance, became the means of the destruction of the tyranny against their nation, having conquered the tyrant by their endurance, so that by them their country was purified. 12 But we may now at once enter upon the question, having commenced, as is our wont, with laying down the doctrine, and so proceed to the account of these persons, giving glory to the all wise God. 13 The question, therefore, is, whether reasoning be absolute master of the passions. 14 Let us determine, then, What is reasoning? and what passion? and how many forms of the passions? and whether reasoning bears sway over all of these? 15 Reasoning is, then, intellect accompanied by a life of rectitude, putting foremost the consideration of wisdom. 16 And wisdom is a knowledge of divine and human things, and of their causes. 17 And this is contained in the education of the law; by means of which we learn divine things reverently, and human things profitably. 18 And the forms of wisdom are prudence, and justice, and manliness, and temperance. 19 The leading one of these is prudence; by whose means, indeed, it is that reasoning bears rule over the passions. 20 Of the passions, pleasure and pain are the two most comprehensive; and they also by nature refer to the soul. 21 And there are many attendant affections surrounding pleasure and pain. 22 Before pleasure is lust; and after pleasure, joy. 23 And before pain is fear; and after pain is sorrow. 24 Wrath is an affection, common to pleasure and to pain, if any one will pay attention when it comes upon him. 25 And there exists in pleasure a malicious disposition, which is the most multiform of all the affections. 26 In the soul it is arrogance, and love of money, and vaingloriousness, and contention, and faithlessness, and the evil eye. 27 In the body it is greediness and gormandizing, and solitary gluttony. 28 As pleasure and pain are, therefore, two growth of the body and the soul, so there are many offshoots of these passions. 29 And reasoning, the universal husbandman, purging, and pruning these severally, and binding round, and watering, and transplanting, in every way improves the materials of the morals and affections. 30 For reasoning is the leader of the virtues, but it is the sole ruler of the passions. Observe then first, through the very things which stand in the way of temperance, that reasoning is absolute ruler of the passions. 31 Now temperance consists of a command over the lusts. 32 But of the lusts, some belong to the soul, others to the body: and over each of these classes the reasoning appears to bear sway. 33 For whence is it, otherwise, that when urged on to forbidden meats, we reject the gratification which would ensue from them? Is it not because reasoning is able to command the appetites? I believe so. 34 Hence it is, then, that when lusting after water-animals and birds, and fourfooted beasts, and all kinds of food which are forbidden us by the law, we withhold ourselves through the mastery of reasoning. 35 For the affections of our appetites are resisted by the temperate understanding, and bent back again, and all the impulses of the body are reined in by reasoning. Chapter 2 2:1 And what wonder? if the lusts of the soul, after participation with what is beautiful, are frustrated, 2 on this ground, therefore, the temperate Joseph is praised in that by reasoning, he subdued, on reflection, the indulgence of sense. 3 For, although young, and ripe for sexual intercourse, he abrogated by reasoning the stimulus of his passions. 4 And it is not merely the stimulus of sensual indulgence, but that of every desire, that reasoning is able to master. 5 For instance, the law says, Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor anything that belongs to thy neighbour. 6 Now, then, since it is the law which has forbidden us to desire, I shall much the more easily persuade you, that reasoning is able to govern our lusts, just as it does the affections which are impediments to justice. 7 Since in what way is a solitary eater, and a glutton, and a drunkard reclaimed, unless it be clear that reasoning is lord of the passions? 8 A man, therefore, who regulates his course by the law, even if he be a lover of money, straightway puts force upon his own disposition; lending to the needy without interest, and cancelling the debt of the incoming sabbath. 9 And should a man be parsimonious, he is ruled by the law acting through reasoning; so that he does not glean his harvest crops, nor vintage: and in reference to other points we may perceive that it is reasoning that conquers his passions. 10 For the law conquers even affection toward parents, not surrendering virtue on their account. 11 And it prevails over marriage love, condemning it when transgressing law. 12 And it lords it over the love of parents toward their children, for they punish them for vice; and it domineers over the intimacy of friends, reproving them when wicked. 13 And think it not a strange assertion that reasoning can in behalf of the law conquer even enmity. 14 It alloweth not to cut down the cultivated herbage of an enemy, but preserveth it from the destroyers, and collecteth their fallen ruins. 15 And reason appears to be master of the more violent passions, as love of empire and empty boasting, and slander. 16 For the temperate understanding repels all these malignant passions, as it does wrath: for it masters even this. 17 Thus Moses, when angered against Dathan and Abiram, did nothing to them in wrath, but regulated his anger by reasoning. 18 For the temperate mind is able, as I said, to be superior to the passions, and to transfer some, and destroy others. 19 For why, else, does our most wise father Jacob blame Simeon and Levi for having irrationally slain the whole race of the Shechemites, saying, Cursed be their anger. 20 For if reasoning did not possess the power of subduing angry affections, he would not have spoken thus. 21 For at the time when God created man, He implanted within him his passions and moral nature. 22 And at that time He enthroned above all the holy leader mind, through the medium of the senses. 23 And He gave a law to this mind, by living according to which it will maintain a temperate, and just, and good, and manly reign. 24 How, then, a man may say, if reasoning be master of the passions, has it no control over forgetfulness and ignorance? Chapter 3 3:1 The argument is exceedingly ridiculous: for reasoning does not appear to bear sway over its own affections, but over those of the body, 2 in such a way as that any one of you may not be able to root out desire, but reasoning will enable you to avoid being enslaved to it. 3 One may not be able to root out anger from the soul, but it is possible to withstand anger. 4 Any one of you may not be able to eradicate malice, but reasoning has force to work with you to prevent you yielding to malice. 5 For reasoning is not an eradicator, but an antagonist of the passions. 6 And this may be more clearly comprehended from the thirst of king David. 7 For after David had been attacking the Philistines the whole day, he with the soldiers of his nation slew many of them; 8 then when evening came, sweating and very weary, he came to the royal tent, about which the entire host of our ancestors was encamped. 9 Now all the rest of them were at supper; 10 but the king, being very much athirst, although he had numerous springs, could not by their means quench his thirst; 11 but a certain irrational longing for the water in the enemy's camp grew stronger and fiercer upon him, and consumed him with languish. 12 Wherefore his body-guards being troubled at this longing of the king, two valiant young soldiers, reverencing the desire of the king, put on their panoplies, and taking a pitcher, got over the ramparts of the enemies: 13 and unperceived by the guardians of the gate, they went throughout the whole camp of the enemy in quest. 14 And having boldly discovered the fountain, they filled out of it the draught for the king. 15 But he, though parched with thirst, reasoned that a draught reputed of equal value to blood, would be terribly dangerous to his soul. 16 Wherefore, setting up reasoning in opposition to his desire, he poured out the draught to God. 17 For the temperate mind has power to conquer the pressure of the passions, and to quench the fires of excitement, 18 and to wrestle down the pains of the body, however excessive; and, through the excellency of reasoning, to abominate all the assaults of the passions. 19 But the occasion now invites us to give an illustration of temperate reasoning from history. 20 For at a time when our fathers were in possession of undisturbed peace through obedience to the law, and were prosperous, so that Seleucus Nicanor, the king of Asia, both assigned them money for divine service, and accepted their form of government, 21 then certain persons, bringing in new things contrary to the general unanimity, in various ways fell into calamities. Chapter 4 4:1 For a certain man named Simon, who was in opposition to Onias, who once held the high priesthood for life, and was an honourable and good man, after that by slandering him in every way, he could not injure him with the people, went away as an exile, with the intention of betraying his country. 2 Whence coming to Apollonius, the military governor of Syria, and Phoenicia, and Cilicia, he said, 3 Having good will to the king's affairs, I am come to inform thee that infinite private wealth is laid up in the treasuries of Jerusalem which do not belong to the temple, but pertain to king Seleucus. 4 Apollonius, acquainting himself with the particulars of this, praised Simon for his care of the king's interests, and going up to Seleucus informed him of the treasure; 5 and getting authority about it, and quickly advancing into our country with the accursed Simon and a very heavy force, 6 he said that he came with the commands of the king that he should take the private money of the treasure. 7 And the nation, indignant at this proclamation, and replying to the effect that it was extremely unfair that those who had committed deposits to the sacred treasury should be deprived of them, resisted as well as they could. 8 But Appolonius went away with threats into the temple. 9 And the priests, with the women and children, having supplicated God to throw his shield over the holy, despised place, 10 and Appolonius going up with his armed force to the seizure of the treasure,--there appeared from heaven angels riding on horseback, all radiant in armour, filling them with much fear and trembling. 11 And Apollonius fell half dead upon the court which is open to all nations, and extended his hands to heaven, and implored the Hebrews, with tears, to pray for him, and propitiate the heavenly host. 12 For he said that he had sinned, so as to be consequently worthy of death; and that if he were saved, he would celebrate to all men the blessedness of the holy place. 13 Onias the high priest, induced by these words, although for other reasons anxious that king Seleucus should not suppose that Apollonius was slain by human device and not by Divine punishment, prayed for him; 14 and he being thus unexpectedly saved, departed to manifest to the king what had happened to him. 15 But on the death of Seleucus the king, his son Antiochus Epiphanes succeeds to the kingdom: a man of haughty pride and terrible. 16 Who having deposed Onias from the high priesthood, appointed his brother Jason to be high priest: 17 who had made a covenant, if he would give him this authority, to pay yearly three thousand six hundred and sixty talents. 18 And he committed to him the high priesthood and rulership over the nation. 19 And he both changed the manner of living of the people, and perverted their civil customs into all lawlessness. 20 So that he not only erected a gymnasium on the very citadel of our country, [but neglected] the guardianship of the temple. 21 At which Divine vengeance being grieved, instigated Antiochus himself against them. 22 For being at war with Ptolemy in Egypt, he heard that on a report of his death being spread abroad, the inhabitants of Jerusalem had exceedingly rejoiced, and he quickly marched against them. 23 And having subdued them, he established a decree that if any of them lived according to the laws of his country he should die. 24 And when he could by no means destroy by his decrees the obedience to the law of the nation, but saw all his threats and punishments without effect, 25 for even women, because they continued to circumcise their children, were flung down a precipice along with them, knowing beforehand of the punishment. 26 When, therefore, his decrees were disregarded by the people, he himself compelled by means of tortures every one of this race, by tasting forbidden meats, to abjure the Jewish religion. Chapter 5 1:1 The tyrant Antiochus, therefore, sitting in public state with his assessors upon a certain lofty place, with his armed troops standing in a circle around him, commanded his spearbearers to seize every one of the Hebrews, and to compel them to taste swine's flesh, and things offered to idols. 2, 3 And should any of them be unwilling to eat the accursed food, they were to be tortured on the wheel, and so killed. 4 And when many had been seized, a foremost man of the assembly, a Hebrew, by name Eleazar, a priest by family, by profession a lawyer, and advanced in years, and for this reason known to many of the king's followers, was brought near to him. 5 And Antiochus seeing him, said, 6 I would counsel thee, old man, before thy tortures begin, to tasted the swine's flesh, and save your life; for I feel respect for your age and hoary head, which since you have had so long, you appear to me to be no philosopher in retaining the superstition of the Jews. 7 For wherefore, since nature has conferred upon you the most excellent flesh of this animal, do you loathe it? 8 It seems senseless not to enjoy what is pleasant, yet not disgraceful; and from notions of sinfulness, to reject the boons of nature. 9 And you will be acting, I think, still more senselessly, if you follow vain conceits about the truth. 10 And you will, moreover, be despising me to your own punishment. 11 Will you not awake from your trifling philosophy? and give up the folly of your notions; and, regaining understanding worthy of your age, search into the truth of an expedient course? 12 and, reverencing my kindly admonition, have pity upon your own years? 13 For, bear in mind, that if there be any power which watches over this religion of yours, it will pardon you for all transgressions of the law which you commit through compulsion. 14 While the tyrant incited him in this manner to the unlawful eating of flesh, Eleazar begged permission to speak. 15 And having received power to speak, he began thus to deliver himself: 16 We, O Antiochus, who are persuaded that we live under a divine law, consider no compulsion to be so forcible as obedience to that law; 17 wherefore we consider that we ought not in any point to transgress the law. 18 And indeed, were our law (as you suppose) not truly divine, and if we wrongly think it divine, we should have no right even in that case to destroy our sense of religion. 19 think not eating the unclean, then, a trifling offense. 20 For transgression of the law, whether in small or great matters, is of equal moment; 21 for in either case the law is equally slighted. 22 But thou deridest our philosophy, as though we lived irrationally in it. 23 Yet it instructs us in temperance, so that we are superior to all pleasures and lusts; and it exercises us in manliness, so that we cheerfully undergo every grievance. 24 And it instructs us in justice, so that in all our dealoings we render what is due; and it teaches us piety, so that we worship the one only God becomingly. 25 Wherefore it is that we eat not the unclean; for believing that the law was established by God, we are convinced that the Creator of the world, in giving his laws, sympathises with our nature. 26 Those things which are convenient to our souls, he has directed us to eat; but those which are repugnant to them, he has interdicted. 27 But, tyrant-like, thou not only forcest us to break the law, but also to eat, that thou mayest ridicule us as we thus profanely eat: 28 but thou shalt not have this cause of laughter against me; 29 nor will I transgress the sacred oaths of my forefathers to keep the law. 30 No, not if you pluck out my eyes, and consume my entrails. 31 I am not so old, and void of manliness, but that my rational powers are youthful in defence of my religion. 32 Now then; prepare your wheels, and kindle a fiercer flame. 33 I will not so compassionate my old age, as on my account to break the law of my country. 34 I will not belie thee, O law, my instructor! or forsake thee, O beloved self-control! 35 I will not put thee to shame, O philosopher Reason; or deny thee, O honoured priesthood, and science of the law. 36 Mouth! thou shalt not pollute my old age, nor the full stature of a perfect life. 37 My fathers shall receive me pure, not having quailed before your compulsion, though unto death. 38 For over the ungodly thou shalt tyrannize; but thou shalt not lord it over my thoughts about religion, either by thine arguments, or through deeds. Chapter 6 6:1 When Eleazar had in this manner answered the exhortations of the tyrant, the spearbearers came up, and rudely haled Eleazar to the instruments of torture. 2 And first, they stripped the old man, adorned as he was with the comeliness of piety. 3 Then tying back his arms and hands, they disdainfully used him with stripes; 4 a herald opposite crying out, Obey the commands of the king. 5 But Eleazar, the high-minded and truly noble, as one tortured in a dream, regarded it not all. 6 But raising his eyes on high to heaven, the old man's flesh was stripped off by the scourges, and his blood streamed down, and his sides were pierced through. 7 And falling upon the ground, from his body having no power to support the pains, he yet kept his reasoning upright and unbending. 8 then one of the harsh spearbearers leaped upon his belly as he was falling, to force him upright. 9 But he endured the pains, and despised the cruelty, and persevered through the indignities; 10 and like a noble athlete, the old man, when struck, vanquished his torturers. 11 His countenance sweating, and he panting for breath, he was admired by the very torturers for his courage. 12 Wherefore, partly in pity for his old age, 13 partly from the sympathy of acquaintance, and partly in admiration of his endurance, some of the attendants of the king said, Why do you unreasonably destroy yourself, O Eleazar, with these miseries? 15 We will bring you some meat cooked by yourself, and do you save yourself by pretending that you have eaten swine's flesh. 16 And Eleazar, as though the advice more painfully tortured him, cried out, 17 Let not us who are children of Abraham be so evil advised as by giving way to make use of an unbecoming pretence; 18 for it were irrational, if having lived up to old age in all truth, and having scrupulously guarded our character for it, we should now turn back, 19 and ourselves should become a pattern of impiety to the young, as being an example of pollution eating. 20 It would be disgraceful if we should live on some short time, and that scorned by all men for cowardice, 21 and be condemned by the tyrant for unmanliness, by not contending to the death for our divine law. 22 Wherefore do you, O children of Abraham, die nobly for your religion. 23 Ye spearbearers of the tyrant, why do ye linger? 24 Beholding him so high-minded against misery, and not changing at their pity, they led him to the fire: 25 then with their wickedly-contrived instruments they burnt him on the fire, and poured stinking fluids down into his nostrils. 26 And he being at length burnt down to the bones, and about to expire, raised his eyes Godward, and said, 27 Thou knowest, O God, that when I might have been saved, I am slain for the sake of the law by tortures of fire. 28 Be merciful to thy people, and be satisfied with the punishment of me on their account. 29 Let my blood be a purification for them, and take my life in recompense for theirs. 30 Thus speaking, the holy man departed, noble in his torments, and even to the agonies of death resisted in his reasoning for the sake of the law. 31 Confessedly, therefore, religious reasoning is master of the passions. 32 For had the passions been superior to reasoning, I would have given them the witness of this mastery. 33 But now, since reasoning conquered the passions, we befittingly awared it the authority of first place. 34 And it is but fair that we should allow, that the power belongs to reasoning, since it masters external miseries. 35 Ridiculous would it be were it not so; and I prove that reasoning has not only mastered pains, but that it is also superior to the pleasures, and withstands them. Chapter 7 7:1 The reasoning of our father Eleazar, like a first-rate pilot, steering the vessel of piety in the sea of passions, 2 and flouted by the threats of the tyrant, and overwhelmed with the breakers of torture, 3 in no way shifted the rudder of piety till it sailed into the harbour of victory over death. 4 Not so has ever a city, when besieged, held out against many and various machines, as did that holy man, when his pious soul was tried with the fiery trial of tortures and rackings, move his besiegers through the religious reasoning that shielded him. 5 For father Eleazar, projecting his disposition, broke the raging wabves of the passions as with a jutting promontory. 6 O priest worthy of the priesthood! thou didst not pollute thy sacred teeth; nor make thine appetite, which had always embraced the clean and lawful, a partaker of profanity. 7 O harmonizer with the law, and sage devoted to a divine life! 8 Of such a character ought those to be who perform the duties of the law at the risk of their own blood, and defend it with generous sweat by sufferings even unto death. 9 Thou, father, hast gloriously established our right government by thy endurance; and making of much account our service past, prevented its destruction, and, by thy deeds, hast made credible the words of philosophy. 10 O aged man of more power than tortures, elder more vigorous than fire, greatest king over the passions, Eleazar! 11 For as father Aaron, armed with a censer, hastening through the consuming fire, vanquished the flame-bearing angel, 12 so, Eleazar, the descendant of Aaron, wasted away by the fire, did not give up his reasoning. 13 And, what is most wonderful, though an old man, though the labours of his body were now spent, and his fibres were relaxed, and his sinews worn out, he recovered youth. 14 By the spirit of reasoning, and the reasoning of Isaac, he rendered powerless the many-headed instrument. 15 O blessed old age, and reverend hoar head, and life obedient to the law, which the faithful seal of death perfected. 16 O If, then, an old man, through religion, despised tortures even unto death, confessedly religious reasoning is ruler of the passions. 17 But perhaps some might say, It is not all who conquer passions, as all do not possess wise reasoning. 18 But they who have meditated upon religion with their whole heart, these alone can master the passions of the flesh; 19 they who believe that to God they die not; for, as our forefathers, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, they live to God. 20 This circumstance, then, is by no means an objection, that some who have weak reasoning, are governed by their passions: 21 since what person, walking religiously by the whole rule of philosophy, and believing in God, 22 and knowing that it is a blessed thing to endure all kinds of hardships for virture, would not, for the sake of religion, master his passion? 23 For the wise and brave man only is lord over his passions. 24 Whence it is, that even boys, imbued with the philosophy of religious reasoning, have conquered still more bitter tortures: 25 for when the tyrant was manifestly vanquished in his first attempt, in being unable to force the old man to eat the unclean thing,- Chapter 8 8:1 Then, indeed, vehemently swayed with passion, he commanded to bring others of the adult Hebrews, and if they would eat of the unclean thing, to let them go when they had eaten; but if they objected, to torment them more grievously. 2 The tyrant having given this charge, seven brethren were brought into his presence, along with their aged mother, handsome, and modest, and well-born, and altogether comely. 3 Whom, when the tyrant beheld, encircling their mother as in a dance, he was pleased at them; and being struck with their becoming and ingenuous mien, smiled upon them, and calling them near, said: 4 O youths, with favourable feelings, I admire the beauty of each of you; and greatly honouring so numerous a band of brethren, I not only counsel you not to share the madness of the old man who has been tortured before, 5 but I do beg you to yield, and to enjoy my friendship; for I possess the power, not only of punishing those who disobey my commands, but of doing good to those who obey them. 6 Put confidence in me, then, and you shall receive places of authority in my government, if you forsake your national ordinance, 7 and, conforming to the Greek mode of life, alter your rule, and revel in youth's delights. 8 For if you provoke me by your disobedience, you will compel me to destroy you, every one, with terrible punishments by tortures. 9 Have mercy, then, upon your own selves, whom I, although an enemy, compassionate for your age and comeliness. 10 Will you not reason upon this--that if you disobey, there will be nothing left for you but to die in tortures? 11 Thus speaking, he ordered the instruments of torture to be brought forward, that very fear might prevail upon them to eat unclean meat. 12 And when the spearman brought forward the wheels, and the racks, and the hooks, and catapeltae, and caldrons, pans, and finger-racks, and iron hands and wedges, and bellows, the tyrant continue: 13 Fear, young men, and the righteousness which ye worship will be merciful to you if you err from compulsion. 14 Now they having listened to these words of persuasion, and seeing the fearful instruments, not only were not afraid, but even answered the arguments of the tyrant, and through their good reasoning destroyed his power. 15 Now let us consider the matter: had any of them been weak-spirited and cowardly among them, what reasonings would they have employed but these? 16 O wretched that we are, and exceeding senseless! when the king exhorts us, and calls us to his bounty, should we not obey him? 17 Why do we cheer ourselves with vain counsels, and venture upon a disobedience bringing death? 18 Shall we not fear, O brethren, the instruments of torture and weigh the threatenings of torment and shun this vain-glory and destructive pride? 19 Let us have compassion upon our age and relent over the years of our mother. 20 And let us bear in mind that we shall be dying as rebels. 21 And Divine Justice will pardon us if we fear the king through necessity. 22 Why withdraw ourselves from a most sweet life, and deprive ourselves of this pleasant world? 23 Let us not oppose necessity, nor seek vain-glory by our own excruciation. 24 The law itself is not forward to put us to death, if we dread torture. 25 Whence has such angry zeal taken root in us, and such fatal obstinacy approved itself to us, when we might live unmolested by the king? 26 But nothing of this kind did the young men say or think when about to be tortured. 27 For they were well aware of the sufferings, and masters of the pains. So that as soon as the tyrant had ceased counseling them to eat the unclean, they altogether with one voice, as from the same heart said: Chapter 9 9:1 Why delayest thou, O tyrant? for we are readier to die than to transgress the injunctions of our fathers. 2 And we should be disgracing our fathers if we did not obey the law, and take knowledge for our guide. 3 O tyrant, counsellor of law-breaking, do not, hating us as thou dost, pity us more than we pity ourselves. 4 For we account escape to be worse than death. 5 And you think to scare us, by threatening us with death by tortures, as though thou hadst learned nothing by the death of Eleazar. 6 But if aged men of the Hebrews have died in the cause of religion after enduring torture, more rightly should we younger men die, scorning your cruel tortures, which our aged instructor overcame. 7 Make the attempt, then, O tyrant; and if thou puttest us to death for our religion, think not that thou harmest us by torturing us. 8 For we through this ill-treatment and endurance shall bear off the rewards of virtue. 9 But thou, for the wicked and despotic slaughter of us, shalt, from the Divine vengeance, endure eternal torture by fire. 10 When they had thus spoken, the tyrant was not only exasperated against them as being refractory, but enraged with them as being ungrateful. 11 So that, at his bidding, the torturers brought forth the eldest of them, and tearing through his tunic, bound his hands and arms on each side with thongs. 12 And when they had laboured hard without effect in scourging him, they hurled him upon the wheel. 13 And the noble youth, extended upon this, became dislocated. 14 And with every member disjointed, he exclaimed in expostulation, 15 O most accursed tyrant, and enemy of heavenly justice, and cruel-hearted, I am no murderer, nor sacrilegious man, whom thou thus ill-usest; but a defender of the Divine law. 16 And when the spearmen said, Consent to eat, that you may be releasted from your tortures,-- 17 he answered, Not so powerful, O accursed ministers, is your wheel, as to stifle my reasoning; cut my limbs, and burn my flesh, and twist my joints. 18 For through all my torments I will convince you that the children of the Hebrews are alone unconquered in behalf of virtue. 19 While he was saying this, they heaped up fuel, and setting fire to it, strained him upon the wheel still more. 20 And the wheel was defiled all over with blood, and the hot ashes were quenched by the droppings of gore, and pieces of flesh were scattered about the axles of the machine. 21 And although the framework of his bones was now destroyed the high-minded and Abrahamic youth did not groan. 22 But, as though transformed by fire into immortality, he nobly endured the rackings, saying 23 Imitate me, O brethren, nor ever desert your station, nor abjure my brotherhood in courage: fight the holy and honourable fight of religion; 24 by which means our just and paternal Providence, becoming merciful to the nation, will punish the pestilent tyrant. 25 And saying this, the revered youth abruptly closed his life. 26 And when all admired his courageous soul, the spearmen brought forward him who was second in point of age, and having put on iron hands, bound him with pointed hooks to the catapelt. 27 And when, on enquiring whether he would eat before he was tortured, they heard his noble sentiment, 28 after they with the iron hands had violently dragged all the flesh from the neck to the chin, the panther-like beasts tore off the very skin of his head: but he, bearing with firmness this misery, said, 29 How sweet is every form of death for the religion of our fathers! and he said to the tyrant, 30 Thinkest thou not, most cruel of all tyrants, that thou art now tortured more than I, finding thine overweening conception of tyranny conquered by our patience in behalf of our religion? 31 For I lighten my suffering by the pleasures which are connected with virtue. 32 But thou art tortured with threatenings for impiety; and thou shalt not escape, most corrupt tyrant, the vengeance of Divine wrath. Chapter 10 10:1 Now this one, having endured this praiseworthy death, the third was brought along, and exhorted by many to taste and save his life. 2 But he cried out and said, Know ye not, that the father of those who are dead, begat me also; and that the same mother bare me; and that I was brought up in the same tenets? 3 I abjure not the noble relationship of my brethren. 4 Now then, whatever instrument of vengeance ye have, apply it to my body, for ye are not able to touch, even if ye wish it, my soul. 5 But they, highly incensed at his boldness of speech, dislocated his hands and feet with racking engines, and wrenching them from their sockets, dismembered him. 6 And they dragged round his fingers, and his arms, and his legs, and his ankles. 7 And not being able by any means to strangle him, they tore off his skin, together with the extreme tips of his fingers, flayed him, and then haled him to the wheel; 8 around which his vertebral joints were loosened, and he saw his own flesh torn to shreds, and streams of blood flowing from his entrails. 9 And when about to die, he said, 10 We, O accursed tyrant, suffer this for the sake of Divine education and virtue. 11 But thou, for thine impiety and blood-shedding, shalt endure indissoluble torments. 12 And thus having died worthily of his brethren, they dragged forward the fourth, saying, 13 Do not thou share the madness of thy brethren: but give regard to the king, and save thyself. 14 But he said to them, You have not a fire so scorching as to make me play the coward. 15 By the blessed death of my brethren, and the eternal punishment of the tyrant, and the glorious life of the pious, I will not repudiate the noble brotherhood. 16 Invent, O tyrant, tortures; that you may learn, even through them, that I am the brother of those tormented before. 17 When he had said this, the blood-thirsty, and murderous, and unhallowed Antiochus ordered his tongue to be cut out. 18 But he said, Even if you take away the organ of speech, yet God hears the silent. 19 Behold, my tongue is extended, cut it off; for not for that halt thou extirpate our reasoning. 20 Gladly do we lose our limbs in behalf of God. 21 But God shall speedly find you, since you cut off the tongue, the instrument of divine melody. Chapter 11 11:1 And when he had died, disfigured in his torments, the fifth leaped forward, and said, 2 I intend not, O tyrant, to get excused from the torment which is in behalf of virtue. 3 But I have come of mine own accord, that by the death of me, you may owe heavenly vengeance a punishment for more crimes. 4 O thou hater of virtue and of men, what have we done that thou thus revellest in our blood? 5 Does it seem evil to thee that we worship the Founder of all things, and live according to his surpassing law? 6 But this is worthy of honours, not torments; 7 hadst thou been capable of the higher feelings of men, and possessed the hope of salvation from God. 8 Behold now, being alien from God, thou makest war against those who are religious toward God. 9 As he said this, the spearbearers bound him, and drew him to the catapelt: 10 to which binding him at his knees, and fastening them with iron fetters, they bent down his loins upon the wedge of the wheel; and his body was then dismembered, scorpion-fashion. 11 With his breath thus confined, and his body strangled, he said, 12 A great favour thou bestowest upon us, O tyrant, by enabling us to manifest our adherence to the law by means of nobler sufferings. 13 He also being dead, the sixth, quite a youth, was brought out; and on the tyrant asking him whether he would eat and be delivered, he said, 14 I am indeed younger than my brothers, but in understanding I am am as old; 15 for having been born and reared unto the same end, we are bound to die also in behalf of the same cause. 16 So that if ye think proper to torment us for not eating the unclean;--torment! 17 As he said this, they brought him to the wheel. 18 Extended upon which, with limbs racked and dislocated, he was gradually roasted from beneath. 19 And having heated sharp spits, they approached them to his back; and having transfixed his sides, they burned away his entrails. 20 And he, while tormented, said, O period good and holy, in which, for the sake of religion, we brethren have been called to the contest of pain, and have not been conquered. 21 For religious understanding, O tyrant, is unconquered. 22 Armed with upright virtue, I also shall depart with my brethren. 23 I, too, bearing with me a great avenger, O deviser of tortures, and enemy of the truly pious. 24 We six youths have destroyed thy tyranny. 25 For is not your inability to overrule our reasoning, and to compel us to eat the unclean, thy destruction? 26 Your fire is cold to us, your catapelts are painless, and your violence harmless. 27 For the guards not of a tyrant but of a divine law are our defenders: through this we keep our reasoning unconquered. Chapter 12 12:1 When he, too, had undergone blessed martyrdom, and died in the caldron into which he had been thrown, the seventh, the youngest of all, came forward: 2 whom the tyrant pitying, though he had been dreadfully reproached by his brethren, 3 seeing him already encompassed with chains, had him brought nearer, and endeavoured to counsel him, saying, 4 Thou seest the end of the madness of thy brethren: for they have died to torture through disobedience; and you, if disobedient, having been miserably tormented, will yourself perish prematurely. 5 But if you obey, you shall be my friend, and have a charge over the affairs of the kingdom. 6 And having thus exhorted him, he sent for the mother of the boy; that, by condoling with her for the loss of so many sons, he might incline her, through the hope of safety, to render the survivor obedient. 7 And he, after his mother had urged him on in the Hebrew tongue, (as we shall soon relate) saith, 8 Release me that I may speak to the king and all his friends. 9 And they, rejoicing exceedingly at the promise of the youth, quickly let him go. 10 And he, running up to the pans, said, 11 Impious tyrant, and most blasphemous man, wert thou not ashamed, having received prosperity and a kingdom from God, to slay His servants, and to rack the doers of godliness? 12 Wherefore the divine vengeance is reserving thee for eternal fire and torments, which shall cling to thee for all time. 13 Wert thou not ashamed, man as thou art, yet most savage, to cut out the tongues of men of like feeling and origin, and having thus abused to torture them? 14 But they, bravely dying, fulfilled their religion towards God. 15 But thou shalt groan according to thy deserts for having slain without cause the champions of virtue. 16 Wherefore, he continued, I myself, being about to die, 17 will not forsake my brethren. 18 And I call upon the God of my fathers to be merciful to my race. 19 But thee, both living and dead, he will punish. 20 Thus having prayed, he hurled himself into the pans; and so expired. Chapter 13 13:1 If then, the seven brethren despised troubles even unto death, it is confessed on all sides that righteous reasoning is absolute master over the passions. 2 For just as if, had they as slaves to the passions, eaten of the unholy, we should have said that they had been conquered by the; 3 now it is not so: but by means of the reasoning which is praised by God, they mastered their passions. 4 And it is impossible to overlook the leadership of reflection: for it gained the victory over both passions and troubles. 5 How, then, can we avoid according to these men mastery of passion through right reasoning, since they drew not back from the pains of fire? 6 For just as by means of towers projecting in front of harbours men break the threatening waves, and thus assure a still course to vessels entering port, 7 so that seven-towered right-reasoning of the young men, securing the harbour of religion, conquered the intermperance of passions. 8 For having arranged a holy choir of piety, they encouraged one another, saying, 9 Brothers, may we die brotherly for the law. Let us imitate the three young men in Assyria who despised the equally afflicting furnace. 10 Let us not be cowards in the manifestation of piety. 11 And one said, Courage, brother; and another, Nobly endure. 12 And another, Remember of what stock ye are; and by the hand of our father Isaac endured to be slain for the sake of piety. 13 And one and all, looking on each other serene and confident, said, Let us sacrifice with all our heart our souls to God who gave them, and employ our bodies for the keeping of the law. 14 Let us not fear him who thinketh he killeth; 15 for great is the trial of soul and danger of eternal torment laid up for those who transgress the commandment of God. 16 Let us arm ourselves, therefore, in the abnegation of the divine reasoning. 17 If we suffer thus, Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob will receive us, and all the fathers will commend us. 18 And as each one of the brethren was haled away, the rest exclaimed, Disgrace us not, O brother, nor falsify those who died before you. 19 Now you are not ignorant of the charm of brotherhood, which the Divine and all wise Providence hath imparted through fathers to children, and hath engendered through the mother's womb. 20 In which these brothers having remained an equal time, and having been formed for the same period, and been increased by the same blood, and having been perfected through the same principle of life, 21 and having been brought forth at equal intervals, and having sucked milk from the same fountains, hence their brotherly souls are reared up lovingly together; 22 and increase the more powerfully by reason of this simultaneous rearing, and by daily intercourse, and by other education, and exercise in the law of God. 23 Brotherly love being thus sympathetically constituted, the seven brethren had a more sympathetic mutual harmony. 24 For being educated in the same law, and practising the same virtues, and reared up in a just course of life, they increased this harmony with each other. 25 For a like ardour for what is right and honourable increased their fellow-feeling towards each other. 26 For it acting along with religion, made their brotherly feeling more desirable to them. 27 And yet, although nature and intercourse and virtuous morals increased their brotherly love those who were left endured to behold their brethren, who were illused for their religion, tortured even unto death. Chapter 14 14:1 And more that this, they even urged them on to this ill-treatment; so that they not only despised pains themselves, but they even got the better of their affections of brotherly love. 2 O reasonings more royal than a king, and freer than freemen! 3 Sacred and harmonius concert of the seven brethern as concerning piety! 4 None of the seven youths turned cowardly, or shrank back from death. 5 But all of them, as though running the road to immortality, hastened on to death through tortures. 6 For just as hands and feet are moved sympathetically with the directions of the soul, so those holy youths agreed unto death for religion's sake, as through the immortal soul of religion. 7 O holy seven of harmonious brethren! for as the seven days of creation, about religion, 8 so the youths, circling around the number seven, annulled the fear of torments. 9 We now shudder at the recital of the affliction of those young men; but they not only beheld, and not only heard the immediate execution of the threat, but undergoing it, persevered; and that through the pains of fire. 10 And what could be more painful? for the power of fire, being sharp and quick, speedily dissolved their bodies. 11 And think it not wonderful that reasoning bore rule over those men in their torments, when even a woman's mind despised more manifold pains. 12 For the mother of those seven youths endured the rackings of each of her children. 13 And consider how comprehensive is the love of offspring, which draws every one to sympathy of affection, 14 where irrational animals possess a similar sympathy and love for their offspring with men. 15 The tame birds frequenting the roofs of our houses, defend their fledglings. 16 Others build their nests, and hatch their young, in the tops of mountains and in the precipices of valleys, and the holes and tops of trees, and keep off the intruder. 17 And if not able to do this, they fly circling round them in agony of affection, calling out in their own note, and save their offspring in whatever manner they are able. 18 But why should we point attention to the sympathy toward children shewn by irrational animals? 19 The very bees, at the season of honey-making, attack all who approach; and pierce with their sting, as with a sword, those who draw near their hive, and repel them even unto death. 20 But sympathy with her children did not turn aside the mother of the young men, who had a spirit kindred with that of Abraham. Chapter 15 15:1 O reasoning of the sons, lord over the passions, and religion more desirable to a mother than progeny! 2 The mother, when two things were set before here, religion and the safety of her seven sons for a time, on the conditional promise of a tyrant, 3 rather elected the religion which according to God preserves to eternal life. 4 O in what way can I describe ethically the affections of parents toward their children, the resemblance of soul and of form engrafted into the small type of a child in a wonderful manner, especially through the greater sympathy of mothers with the feelings of those born of them! 5 for by how much mothers are by nature weak in disposition and prolific in offspring, by so much the fonder they are of children. 6 And of all mothers the mother of the seven was the fondest of children, who in seven childbirths had deeply engendered love toward them; 7 and through her many pains undergone in connection with each one, was compelled to feel sympathy with them; 8 yet, through fear of God, who neglected the temporary salvation of her children. 9 Not but that, on account of the excellent disposition to the law, her maternal affection toward them was increased. 10 For they were both just and temperate, and manly, and high-minded, and fond of their brethren, and so fond of their mother that even unto death they obeyed her by observing the law. 11 And yet, though there were so many circumstances connected with love of children to draw on a mother to sympathy, in the case of none of them were the various tortures able to pervert her principle. 12 But she inclined each one separately and all together to death for religion. 13 O holy nature and parental feeling, and reward of bringing up children, and unconquerable maternal affection! 14 At the racking and roasting of each one of them, the observant mother was prevented by religion from changing. 15 She beheld her children's flesh dissolving around the fire; and their extremities quivering on the ground, and the flesh of their heads dropped forwards down to their beards, like masks. 16 O thou mother, who wast tried at this time with bitterer pangs than those of parturition! 17 O thou only woman who hast brought forth perfect holiness! 18 Thy first-born, expiring, turned thee not; nor the second, looking miserable in his torments; nor the third, breathing out his soul. 19 Nor when thou didst behold the eyes of each of them looking sternly upon their tortures, and their nostrils foreboding death, didst thou weep! 20 When thou didst see children's flesh heaped upon children's flesh that had been torn off, heads decapitated upon heads, dead falling upon the dead, and a choir of children turned through torture into a burying ground, thou lamentedst not. 21 Not so do siren melodies, or songs of swans, attract the hearers to listening, O voices of children calling upon your mother in the midst of torments! 22 With what and what manner of torments was the mother herself tortured, as her sons were undergoing the wheel and the fires! 23 But religious reasoning, having strengthened her courage in the midst of sufferings, enabled her to forego, for the time, parental love. 24 Although beholding the destruction of seven children, the noble mother, after one embrace, stripped off [her feelings] through faith in God. 25 For just as in a council-room, beholding in her own soul vehement counsellors, nature and parentage and love of her children, and the racking of her children, 26 she holding two votes, one for the death, the other for the preservation of her children, 27 did not lean to that which would have saved her children for the safety of a brief space. 28 But this daughter of Abraham remembered his holy fortitude. 29 O holy mother of a nation avenger of the law, and defender of religion, and prime bearer in the battle of the affections! 30 O thou nobler in endurance than males, and more manly than men in patience! 31 For as the ark of Noah, bearing the world in the world-filling flood, bore up against the waves, 32 so thou, the guardian of the law, when surrounded on every side by the flood of passions, and straitened by violent storms which were the torments of they children, didst bear up nobly against the storms against religion. Chapter 16 16:1 If, then, even a woman, and that an aged one, and the mother of seven children, endured to see her children's torments even unto death, confessedly religious reasoning is master even of the passions. 2 I have proved, then, that not only men have obtained the mastery of their passions, but also that a woman despised the greatest torments. 3 And not so fierce were the lions round Daniel, nor the furnace of Misael burning with most vehement fires as that natural love of children burned within her, when she beheld her seven sons tortured. 4 But with the reasoning of religion the mother quenched passions so great and powerful. 5 For we must consider also this: that, had the woman been faint hearted, as being their other, she would have lamented over them; and perhaps might have spoken thus: 6 Ah! wretched I, and many times miserable; who having born seven sons, have become the mother of none. 7 O seven useless childbirths, and seven profitless periods of labour, and fruitless givings of suck, and miserable nursings at the breast. 8 Vainly, for your sakes, O sons, have I endured many pangs, and the more difficult anxieties of rearing. 9 Alas, of my children, some of you unmarried, and some who have married to no profit, I shall not see your children, nor be felicitated as a grandmother. 10 Ah, that I who had many and fair children, should be a lone widow full of sorrows! 11 Nor, should I die, shall I have a son to bury me. But with such a lament is this the holy and God-fearing mother bewailed none of them. 12 Nor did she divert any of them from death, nor grieve for them as for the dead. 13 But as one possessed with an adamantine mind, and as one bringing forth again her full number of sons to immortality, she rather with supplication exhorted them to death in behalf of religion. 14 O woman, soldier of God for religion, thou, aged and a female, hast conquered through endurance even a tyrant; and though but weak, hast been found more powerful in deeds and words. 15 For when thou wast seized along with thy children, thou stoodest looking upon Eleazar in torments, and saidst to thy sons in the Hebrew tongue, 16 O sons, noble is the contest; to which you being called as a witness for the nation, strive zealously for the laws of your country. 17 For it were disgraceful that this old man should endure pains for the sake of righteousness, and that you who are younger should be afraid of the tortures. 18 Remember that through God ye obtained existence, and have enjoyed it. 19 And on this second account ye ought to bear every affliction because of God. 20 For whom also our father Abraham was forward to sacrifice Isaac our progenitor, and shuddered not at the sight of his own paternal hand descending down with the sword upon him. 21 And the righteous Daniel was cast unto the lions; and Ananias, and Azarias, and Misael, were slung out into a furnace of fire; yet they endured through God. 22 You, then, having the same faith towards God, be not troubled. 23 For it is unreasonable that they who know religion should not stand up against troubles. 24 With these arguments, the mother of seven, exhorting each of her sons, over-persuaded them from transgressing the commandment of God. 25 And they saw this, too, that they who die for God, live to God; as Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the patriarchs. Chapter 17 17:1 And some of the spearbearers said, that when she herself was about to be seized for the purpose of being put to death, she threw herself upon the pile, rather than they should touch her person. 2 O thou mother, who together with seven children didst destroy the violence of the tyrant, and render void his wicked intentions, and exhibit the nobleness of faith! 3 For thou, as an house bravely built upon the pillar of thy children, didst bear without swaying, the shock of tortures. 4 Be of good cheer, therefore, O holy-minded mother! holding the firm [substance of the] hope of your steadfastness with God. 5 Not so gracious does the moon appear with the stars in heaven, as thou art established honourable before God, and fixed in the firmament with thy sons who thou didst illuminate with religion to the stars. 6 For thy bearing of children was after the fashion of a child of Abraham. 7 And, were it lawful for us to paint as on a tablet the religion of thy story, the spectators would not shudder at beholding the mother of seven children enduring for the sake of religion various tortures even unto death. 8 And it had been a worth thing to have inscribed upon the tomb itself these words as a memorial to those of the nation, 9 Here an aged priest, and an aged woman, and seven sons, are buried through the violence of a tyrant, who wished to destroy the polity of the Hebrews. 10 These also avenged their nation, looking unto God, and enduring torments unto death. 11 For it was truly a divine contest which was carried through by them. 12 For at that time virtue presided over the contest, approving the victory through endurance, namely, immortality, eternal life. 13 Eleazar was the first to contend: and the mother of the seven children entered the contest; and the brethren contended. 14 The tyrant was the opposite; and the world and living men were the spectators. 15 And reverence for God conquered, and crowned her own athletes. 16 Who did not admire those champions of true legislation? who were not astonied? 17 The tyrant himself, and all their council, admired their endurance; 18 through which, also, they now stand beside the divine throne, and live a blessed life. 19 For Moses saith, And all the saints are under thine hands. 20 These, therefore, having been sanctified through God, have been honoured not only with this honour, but that also by their means the enemy did not overcome our nation; 21 and that the tyrant was punished, and their country purified. 22 For they became the atnipoised to the sin of the nation; and the Divine Providence saved Israel, aforetime afflicted, by the blood of those pious ones, and the propitiatory death. 23 For the tyrant Antiochus, looking to their manly virtue, and to their endurance in torture, proclaimed that endurance as an example to his soldiers. 24 And they proved to be to him noble and brave for land battles and for sieges; and he conquered and stormed the towns of all his enemies. Chapter 18 18:1 O Israelitish children, descendants of the seed of Abraham, obey this law, and in every way be religious. 2 Knowing that religious reasoning is lord of the passions, and those not only inward but outward. 3 When those persons giving up their bodies to pains for the sake of religion, were not only admired by men, but were deemed worthy of a divine portion. 4 And the nation through them obtained peace, and having renewed the observance of the law in their country, drove the enemy out of the land. 5 And the tyrant Antiochus was both punished upon earth, and is punished now he is dead; for when he was quite unable to compel the Israelites to adopt foreign customs, and to desert the manner of life of their fathers, 6 then, departing from Jerusalem, he made war against the Persians. 7 And the righteous mother of the seven children spake also as follows to her offspring: I was a pure virgin, and went not beyond my father's house; but I took care of the built-up rib. 8 No destroyer of the desert, or ravisher of the plain, injured me; nor did the destructive, deceitful snake, make spoil of my chaste virginity; and I remained with my husband during the period of my prime. 9 And these my children, having arrive at maturity, their father died: blessed was he! for having sought out a life of fertility in children, he was not grieved with a period of loss of children. 10 And he used to teach you, when yet with you, the law and the prophets. 11 He used to read to you the slaying of Abel by Cain, and the offering up of Isaac, and the imprisonment of Joseph. 12 And he used to tell you of the zealous Phinehas; and informed you of Ananias and Azarias, and Misael in the fire. 13 And he used to glorify Daniel, who was in the den of lions, and pronounce him blessed. 14 And he used to put you in mind of the scripture of Esaias, which saith, Even if thou pass through the fire, it shall not burn thee. 15 He chanted to you David, the hymn-writer, who saith, Many are the afflictions of the just. 16 He declared the proverbs of Solomon, who saith, He is a tree of life to all those who do His will. 17 He used to verify Ezekiel, who said, Shall these dry bones live? 18 For he did not forget the song which Moses taught, proclaiming, I will kill, and I will make to live. 19 This is our life, and the length of our days. 20 O that bitter, and yet not bitter, day when the bitter tyrant of the Greeks, quenching fire with fire in his cruel caldrons, brought with boiling rage the seven sons of the daughter of Abraham to the catapelt, and to all his torments! 21 He pierced the balls of their eyes, and cut out their tongues, and put them to death with varied tortures. 22 Wherefore divine retribution pursued and will pursue the pestilent wretch. 23 But the children of Abraham, with their victorious mother, are assembled together to the choir of their fathers; having received pure and immortal souls from God. 24 To whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. http://www.ecmarsh.com/lxx/IV%20Maccabees/index.htm | |
NT Allusions to Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha Unless otherwise indicated, the allusions are given in NA27. * indicates my own additions [UBS4] indicates the equated passages are taken from the UBS GNT4 listing Sources: Aland, Barbara, et al., eds. The Greek New Testament. 4th ed. Stuttgart: Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft/United Bible Societies, 1994. Aland, Barbara, et al., eds. Novum Testamentum Graece. 27th ed. Stuttgart: Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft, 1993. Charlesworth, James H., ed. The Old Testament Pseudepigrapha. 2 vols. New York: Doubleday, 1983, 1985. Metzger, Bruce M., ed. The New Oxford Annotated Bible. 2nd ed. New York: Oxford University Press, 1994. 3 EZRA 1. 1.5: in accordance with the directions of King David of Israel and the magnificence of his son Solomon. Stand in order in the temple according to the groupings of the ancestral houses of you Levites, who minister before your kindred the people of Israel, Mt 6.29: yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these. 2. [UBS4] 1.32: In all Judea they mourned for Josiah. The prophet Jeremiah lamented for Josiah, and the principal men, with the women, have made lamentation for him to this day; it was ordained that this should always be done throughout the whole nation of Israel. Mt 1.11: and Josiah the father of Jechoniah and his brothers, at the time of the deportation to Babylon. 3. 4.38: But truth endures and is strong forever, and lives and prevails forever and ever. 1Cor 13.13: And now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love. 4 EZRA 1. 3.21-26: For the first Adam, burdened with an evil heart, transgressed and was overcome, as were also all who were descended from him. Thus the disease became permanent; the law was in the hearts of the people along with its evil root; but what was good departed, and the evil remained. So the time passed and the years were completed, and you raised up for yourself a servant, named David. You commanded him to build a city for your name, and there to offer you oblations from what is yours. This was done for many years; but the inhabitants of the city transgressed, in everything doing just as Adam and all his descendants had done, for they also had the evil heart. Rom 5.12: Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death came through sin, and so death spread to all because all have sinned – *1Cor 15.45: Thus it is written, "The first man, Adam, became a living being"; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit. 2. 4.8: perhaps you would have said to me, ‘I never went down into the deep, nor as yet into Hades, neither did I ever ascend into heaven.’ Jn 3.13: No one has ascended into heaven except the one who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. Rom 10.6: But the righteousness that comes from faith says, “Do not say in your heart, ‘who will ascend into heaven?’” (that is, to bring Christ down) 3. 4.35-37: Did not the souls of the righteous in their chambers ask about these matters, saying, ‘How long are we to remain here? And when will the harvest of our reward come?’ And the archangel Jeremiel answered and said, ‘When the number of those like yourselves is completed; for he has weighted the age in the balance, and measured the times by measure, and numbered the times by number; and he will not more or arouse them until that measure is fulfilled.’ Rom 11.25: So that you may not claim to be wiser than you are, brothers and sisters, I want you to understand this mystery: a hardening has come upon part of Israel until the full number of the Gentiles has come in. *Rev 6.9-11: When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slaughtered for the word of God and for the testimony they had given; they cried out with a loud voice, “Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long will it be before you judge and avenge our blood on the inhabitants of the earth?” They were each given a white robe and told to rest a little longer, until the number would be complete both of their fellow servants and of their brothers and sisters, who were soon to be killed as they themselves had been killed. 4. 6.25: It shall be that whoever remains after all that I have foretold to you shall be saved and shall see my salvation and the end of the world. Mt 10.22: and you will be hared by all because of my name. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. Mk 13.13: and you will be hated by all because of my name. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. 5. 7.6-14: Another example: There is a city built and set on a plain, and it is full of all good things; but the entrance to it is narrow and set in a precipitous place, so that there is fire on the right hand and deep water on the left. There is only one path lying between them, that is, between the fire and the water, so that only one person can walk on the path. If now the city is given to someone as an inheritance, how will the heir receive the inheritance unless by passing through the appointed danger?" I said, "That is right, lord." He said to me, "So also is Israel's portion. For I made the world for their sake, and when Adam transgressed my statutes, what had been made was judged. And so the entrances of this world were made narrow and sorrowful and toilsome; they are few and evil, full of dangers and involved in great hardships. But the entrances of the greater world are broad and safe, and yield the fruit of immortality. Therefore unless the living pass through the difficult and futile experiences, they can never receive those things that have been reserved for them. Mt 7.13 (*-14): Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the road is easy that leads to destruction, and there are many who take it. For the gate is narrow and the road is hard that leads to life, and there are few who find it. 6. 7.11: For I made the world for their sake, and when Adam transgressed my statutes, what had been made was judged. Rom 8.19: For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the children of God. 7. 7.14: Therefore unless the living pass through the difficult and futile experiences, they can never receive those things that have been reserved for them. Mt 5.11: Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 8. 7.36: The pit of torment shall appear, and opposite it shall be the place of rest; and the furnace of hell shall be disclosed, and opposite it the paradise of delight. Lk 16.26: Besides all this, between you and us a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who might want to pass from here to you cannot do so, and no one can cross from there to us. *Lk 16.23: In Hades, where he was being tormented, he looked up and saw Abraham far away with Lazarus by his side. 9. 7.72: For this reason, therefore, those who live on earth shall be tormented, because though they had understanding, they committed iniquity; and though they received the commandments, they did not keep them; and though they obtained the law, they dealt unfaithfully with what they received. Rom 7.23: but I see in my members another law at war with the law of my mind, making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. 10. 7.75: I answered and said, "If I have found favor in your sight, O Lord, show this also to your servant: whether after death, as soon as everyone of us yields up the soul, we shall be kept in rest until those times come when you will renew the creation, or whether we shall be tormented at once?" Rom 8.19: For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the children of God. 11. 7.77: For you have a treasure of works stored up with the Most High, but it will not be shown to you until the last times. Mt 6.20: but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal. 12. 7.113: But the day of judgment will be the end of this age and the beginning of the immortal age to come, in which corruption has passed away, Mt 13.39: and the enemy who sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels. 13. 7.118-119: O Adam, what have you done? For though it was you who sinned, the fall was not yours alone, but ours also who are your descendants. For what good is it to us, if an immortal time has been promised to us, but we have done deeds that bring death? Rom 5.16: And the free gift is not like the effect of the one man's sin. For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brings justification. 14. 8.3: Many have been created, but only a few shall be saved. Mt 22.14: For many are called, but few are chosen. 15. 8.41: For just as the farmer sows many seeds in the ground and plants a multitude of seedlings, and yet not all that have been sown will come up in due season, and not all that were planted will take root; so also those who have been sown in the world will not all be saved. Mt 13.3 (*-8; par Mk 4.3-8)): And he told them many things in parables, saying: "Listen! A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seeds fell on the path, and the birds came and ate them up. Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and they sprang up quickly, since they had no depth of soil. But when the sun rose, they were scorched; and since they had no root, they withered away. Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. Other seeds fell on good soil and brought forth grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. Mk 4.14: The sower sows the word. Mt 22.14: For many are called, but few are chosen. 16. 8.60: but those who were created have themselves defiled the name of him who made them, and have been ungrateful to him who prepared life for them now. Rom 1.21: for though they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their senseless minds were darkened. 17. 9.31-37: For I sow my law in you, and it shall bring forth fruit in you, and you shall be glorified through it forever.' But though our ancestors received the law, they did not keep it and did not observe the statutes; yet the fruit of the law did not perish--for it could not, because it was yours. Yet those who received it perished, because they did not keep what had been sown in them. Now this is the general rule that, when the ground has received seed, or the sea a ship, or any dish food or drink, and when it comes about that what was sown or what was launched or what was put in is destroyed, they are destroyed, but the things that held them remain; yet with us it has not been so. For we who have received the law and sinned will perish, as well as our hearts that received it; the law, however, does not perish but survives in its glory. Mt 13.3 (*-8; par Mk 4.3-8)): And he told them many things in parables, saying: "Listen! A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seeds fell on the path, and the birds came and ate them up. Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and they sprang up quickly, since they had no depth of soil. But when the sun rose, they were scorched; and since they had no root, they withered away. Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. Other seeds fell on good soil and brought forth grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. Mk 4.14: The sower sows the word. 18. 9.37: the law, however, does not perish but survives in its glory. Rom 7.12: So the law is holy, and the commandment is holy and just and good. 19. 10.9: Now ask the earth, and she will tell you that it is she who ought to mourn over so many who have come into being upon her. Rom 8.22: We know that the whole creation has been groaning in labor pains until now; 20. 12.42: For of all the prophets you alone are left to us, like a cluster of grapes from the vintage, and like a lamp in a dark place, and like a haven for a ship saved from a storm. 2Pt 1.19: So we have the prophetic message more fully confirmed. You will do well to be attentive to this as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. 21. 13.30-32: And bewilderment of mind shall come over those who inhabit the earth. They shall plan to make war against one another, city against city, place against place, people against people, and kingdom against kingdom. When these things take place and the signs occur that I showed you before, then my Son will be revealed, whom you saw as a man coming up from the sea. Mk 13.8: For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there will be earthquakes in various places; there will be famines. This is but the beginning of the birth pangs. 1 MACCABEES 1. 1.54: Now on the fifteenth day of Chislev, in the one hundred forty-fifth year, they erected a desolating sacrilege on the altar of burnt offering. They also built altars in the surrounding towns of Judah, Mt 24.15: "So when you see the desolating sacrilege standing in the holy place, as was spoken of by the prophet Daniel (let the reader understand), [UBS4] Mk 13.14: But when you see the desolating sacrilege set up where it ought not to be (let the reader understand), then those in Judea must flee to the mountains 2. 2.21: Far be it from us to desert the law and the ordinances. Mt 16.22: And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, "God forbid it, Lord! This must never happen to you." 3. 2.28: Then he and his sons fled to the hills and left all that they had in the town. Mt 24.16 (*-18): then those in Judea must flee to the mountains; the one on the housetop must not go down to take what is in the house; the one in the field must not turn back to get a coat. 4. 2.52: Was not Abraham found faithful when tested, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness? Heb 11.17: By faith Abraham, when put to the test, offered up Isaac. He who had received the promises was ready to offer up his only son, 5. 2.60: Daniel, because of his innocence, was delivered from the mouth of the lions. 2Tim 4.17: But the Lord stood by me and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. So I was rescued from the lion's mouth. 6. 3.6: Lawbreakers shrank back for fear of him; all the evildoers were confounded; and deliverance prospered by his hand. Lk 13.27: But he will say, “I do not know where you come from; go away from me, all you evildoers!” 7. [UBS4] 3.45, 51: Jerusalem was uninhabited like a wilderness; not one of her children went in or out. The sanctuary was trampled down, and aliens held the citadel; it was a lodging place for the Gentiles. Joy was taken from Jacob; the flute and the harp ceased to play. .... Your sanctuary is trampled down and profaned, and your priests mourn in humiliation. Lk 21.24: they will fall by the edge of the sword and be taken away as captives among all nations; and Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled. 8. 3.49: They also brought the vestments of the priesthood and the first fruits and the tithes, and they stirred up the nazirites who had completed their days; Ac 21.26: Then Paul took the men, and the next day, having purified himself, he entered the temple with them, making public the completion of the days of purification when the sacrifice would be made for each of them. 9. 3.60: But as his will in heaven may be, so shall he do. Mt 6.10: Your kingdom come. Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. 10. 4.59: Then Judas and his brothers and all the assembly of Israel determined that every year at that season the days of dedication of the altar should be observed with joy and gladness for eight days, beginning with the twenty-fifth day of the month of Chislev. Jn 10.22: At that time the festival of the Dedication took place in Jerusalem. It was winter, 11. 5.15: they said that the people of Ptolemais and Tyre and Sidon, and all Galilee of the Gentiles, had gathered together against them "to annihilate us." Mt 4.15: "Land of Zebulun, land of Naphtali, on the road by the sea, across the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles— 12. [UBS4] 6.7: that they had torn down the abomination that he had erected on the altar in Jerusalem; and that they had surrounded the sanctuary with high walls as before, and also Beth-zur, his town. Mt 24.15: So when you see the desolating sacrilege standing in the holy place, as was spoken of by the prophet Daniel (let the reader understand) 13. 7.41: When the messengers from the king spoke blasphemy, your angel went out and struck down one hundred eighty-five thousand of the Assyrians. Ac 12.23: And immediately, because he had not given the glory to God, an angel of the Lord struck him down, and he was eaten by worms and died. 14. 8.16: They trust one man each year to rule over them and to control all their land; they all heed the one man, and there is no envy or jealousy among them. Jas 4.2: You want something and do not have it; so you commit murder. And you covet something and cannot obtain it; so you engage in disputes and conflicts. You do not have, because you do not ask. 15. 9.39: They looked out and saw a tumultuous procession with a great amount of baggage; and the bridegroom came out with his friends and his brothers to meet them with tambourines and musicians and many weapons. Jn 3.29: He who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom's voice. For this reason my joy has been fulfilled. 16. 10.25: So he sent a message to them in the following words: King Demetrius to the nation of the Jews, greetings. Ac 10.22: They answered, "Cornelius, a centurion, an upright and God-fearing man, who is well spoken of by the whole Jewish nation, was directed by a holy angel to send for you to come to his house and to hear what you have to say." 17. 10.29 [-30]: "I now free you and exempt all the Jews from payment of tribute and salt tax and crown levies, and instead of collecting the third of the grain and the half of the fruit of the trees that I should receive, I release them from this day and henceforth. I will not collect them from the land of Judah or from the three districts added to it from Samaria and Galilee, from this day and for all time. Lk 15.12: The younger of them said to his father, "Father, give me the share of the property that will belong to me.' So he divided his property between them. 18. 11.30, 33, etc.: “...the nation of the Jews....” Ac 10.22: “...the Jewish nation....” 19. 12.6: The high priest Jonathan, the senate of the nation, the priests, and the rest of the Jewish people to their brothers the Spartans, greetings. Ac 5.21: When they heard this, they entered the temple at daybreak and went on with their teaching. When the high priest and those with him arrived, they called together the council and the whole body of the elders of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought. 20. 12.9: Therefore, though we have no need of these things, since we have as encouragement the holy books that are in our hands, Rom 15.4: For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, so that by steadfastness and by the encouragement of the scriptures we might have hope. 21. 12.17: We have commanded them to go also to you and greet you and deliver to you this letter from us concerning the renewal of our family ties. Mt 9.38: therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest. 22. 13.2: and he saw that the people were trembling with fear. So he went up to Jerusalem, and gathering the people together Heb 12.21: Indeed, so terrifying was the sight that Moses said, "I tremble with fear." 23. 14.41: In the one hundred seventieth year the yoke of the Gentiles was removed from Israel, Heb 5.6: as he says also in another place, "You are a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek." 24. 15.21: Therefore if any scoundrels have fled to you from their country, hand them over to the high priest Simon, so that he may punish them according to their law. Ac 9.2: and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any who belonged to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. 2 MACCABEES 1. 1.4: May he open your heart to his law and his commandments, and may he bring peace. Ac 16.14: A certain woman named Lydia, a worshiper of God, was listening to us; she was from the city of Thyatira and a dealer in purple cloth. The Lord opened her heart to listen eagerly to what was said by Paul. 2. 1.10: The people of Jerusalem and of Judea and the senate and Judas, To Aristobulus, who is of the family of the anointed priests, teacher of King Ptolemy, and to the Jews in Egypt, Greetings and good health. Ac 5.21: When they heard this, they entered the temple at daybreak and went on with their teaching. When the high priest and those with him arrived, they called together the council and the whole body of the elders of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought. 3. 1.24, etc.: The prayer was to this effect: O Lord, Lord God, Creator of all things, you are awe-inspiring and strong and just and merciful, you alone are king and are kind 1Pt 4.19: Therefore, let those suffering in accordance with God's will entrust themselves to a faithful Creator, while continuing to do good. 4. 1.27: Gather together our scattered people, set free those who are slaves among the Gentiles, look on those who are rejected and despised, and let the Gentiles know that you are our God. Jas 1.1: James, a servant F1 of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes in the Dispersion: Greetings. 5. 2.4: It was also in the same document that the prophet, having received an oracle, ordered that the tent and the ark should follow with him, and that he went out to the mountain where Moses had gone up and had seen the inheritance of God. Rom 11.4: But what is the divine reply to him? "I have kept for myself seven thousand who have not bowed the knee to Baal." 6. 2.4-8: It was also in the same document that the prophet, having received an oracle, ordered that the tent and the ark should follow with him, and that he went out to the mountain where Moses had gone up and had seen the inheritance of God. Jeremiah came and found a cave-dwelling, and he brought there the tent and the ark and the altar of incense; then he sealed up the entrance. Some of those who followed him came up intending to mark the way, but could not find it. When Jeremiah learned of it, he rebuked them and declared: "The place shall remain unknown until God gathers his people together again and shows his mercy. Then the Lord will disclose these things, and the glory of the Lord and the cloud will appear, as they were shown in the case of Moses, and as Solomon asked that the place should be specially consecrated." Rev 2.17: Let anyone who has an ear listen to what the Spirit is saying to the churches. To everyone who conquers I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give a white stone, and on the white stone is written a new name that no one knows except the one who receives it. Rev 11.19: Then God's temple in heaven was opened, and the ark of his covenant was seen within his temple; and there were flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, an earthquake, and heavy hail. 7. 2.7: When Jeremiah learned of it, he rebuked them and declared: "The place shall remain unknown until God gathers his people together again and shows his mercy. 2Th 2.1: As to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him, we beg you, brothers and sisters, 8. 3.11: and also some money of Hyrcanus son of Tobias, a man of very prominent position, and that it totaled in all four hundred talents of silver and two hundred of gold. To such an extent the impious Simon had misrepresented the facts. 1Tim 2.2: for kings and all who are in high positions, so that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and dignity. 9. 3.24: But when he arrived at the treasury with his bodyguard, then and there the Sovereign of spirits and of all authority caused so great a manifestation that all who had been so bold as to accompany him were astounded by the power of God, and became faint with terror. Heb 12.9: Moreover, we had human parents to discipline us, and we respected them. Should we not be even more willing to be subject to the Father of spirits and live? 10. 3.24-40: But when he arrived at the treasury with his bodyguard, then and there the Sovereign of spirits and of all authority caused so great a manifestation that all who had been so bold as to accompany him were astounded by the power of God, and became faint with terror. For there appeared to them a magnificently caparisoned horse, with a rider of frightening mien; it rushed furiously at Heliodorus and struck at him with its front hoofs. Its rider was seen to have armor and weapons of gold. Two young men also appeared to him, remarkably strong, gloriously beautiful and splendidly dressed, who stood on either side of him and flogged him continuously, inflicting many blows on him. When he suddenly fell to the ground and deep darkness came over him, his men took him up, put him on a stretcher, and carried him away--this man who had just entered the aforesaid treasury with a great retinue and all his bodyguard but was now unable to help himself. They recognized clearly the sovereign power of God. While he lay prostrate, speechless because of the divine intervention and deprived of any hope of recovery, they praised the Lord who had acted marvelously for his own place. And the temple, which a little while before was full of fear and disturbance, was filled with joy and gladness, now that the Almighty Lord had appeared. Some of Heliodorus's friends quickly begged Onias to call upon the Most High to grant life to one who was lying quite at his last breath. So the high priest, fearing that the king might get the notion that some foul play had been perpetrated by the Jews with regard to Heliodorus, offered sacrifice for the man's recovery. While the high priest was making an atonement, the same young men appeared again to Heliodorus dressed in the same clothing, and they stood and said, "Be very grateful to the high priest Onias, since for his sake the Lord has granted you your life. And see that you, who have been flogged by heaven, report to all people the majestic power of God." Having said this they vanished. Then Heliodorus offered sacrifice to the Lord and made very great vows to the Savior of his life, and having bidden Onias farewell, he marched off with his forces to the king. He bore testimony to all concerning the deeds of the supreme God, which he had seen with his own eyes. When the king asked Heliodorus what sort of person would be suitable to send on another mission to Jerusalem, he replied, "If you have any enemy or plotter against your government, send him there, for you will get him back thoroughly flogged, if he survives at all; for there is certainly some power of God about the place. For he who has his dwelling in heaven watches over that place himself and brings it aid, and he strikes and destroys those who come to do it injury." This was the outcome of the episode of Heliodorus and the protection of the treasury. Ac 9.1-29: Meanwhile Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any who belonged to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. Now as he was going along and approaching Damascus, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?" He asked, "Who are you, Lord?" The reply came, "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But get up and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do." The men who were traveling with him stood speechless because they heard the voice but saw no one. Saul got up from the ground, and though his eyes were open, he could see nothing; so they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. For three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank. Now there was a disciple in Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, "Ananias." He answered, "Here I am, Lord." The Lord said to him, "Get up and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul. At this moment he is praying, and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight." But Ananias answered, "Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints in Jerusalem; and here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who invoke your name." But the Lord said to him, "Go, for he is an instrument whom I have chosen to bring my name before Gentiles and kings and before the people of Israel; I myself will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name." So Ananias went and entered the house. He laid his hands on Saul and said, "Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on your way here, has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit." And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and his sight was restored. Then he got up and was baptized, and after taking some food, he regained his strength. For several days he was with the disciples in Damascus, and immediately he began to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, saying, "He is the Son of God." All who heard him were amazed and said, "Is not this the man who made havoc in Jerusalem among those who invoked this name? And has he not come here for the purpose of bringing them bound before the chief priests?" Saul became increasingly more powerful and confounded the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that Jesus was the Messiah. After some time had passed, the Jews plotted to kill him, but their plot became known to Saul. They were watching the gates day and night so that they might kill him; but his disciples took him by night and let him down through an opening in the wall, lowering him in a basket. When he had come to Jerusalem, he attempted to join the disciples; and they were all afraid of him, for they did not believe that he was a disciple. But Barnabas took him, brought him to the apostles, and described for them how on the road he had seen the Lord, who had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had spoken boldly in the name of Jesus. So he went in and out among them in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord. He spoke and argued with the Hellenists; but they were attempting to kill him. 11. 3.25: For there appeared to them a magnificently caparisoned horse, with a rider of frightening mien; it rushed furiously at Heliodorus and struck at him with its front hoofs. Its rider was seen to have armor and weapons of gold. Rev 19.11: Then I saw heaven opened, and there was a white horse! Its rider is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. 12. 3.26: Two young men also appeared to him, remarkably strong, gloriously beautiful and splendidly dressed, who stood on either side of him and flogged him continuously, inflicting many blows on him. Lk 24.4: While they were perplexed about this, suddenly two men in dazzling clothes stood beside them. Ac 1.10: While he was going and they were gazing up toward heaven, suddenly two men in white robes stood by them. 13. 3.30: they praised the Lord who had acted marvelously for his own place. And the temple, which a little while before was full of fear and disturbance, was filled with joy and gladness, now that the Almighty Lord had appeared. Tt 2.11: For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all, 14. 3.34: And see that you, who have been flogged by heaven, report to all people the majestic power of God." Having said this they vanished. Lk 24.31: Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him; and he vanished from their sight. 15. 4.1: The previously mentioned Simon, who had informed about the money against his own country, slandered Onias, saying that it was he who had incited Heliodorus and had been the real cause of the misfortune. Heb 11.10: For he looked forward to the city that has foundations, whose architect and builder is God. 16. 4.6: For he saw that without the king's attention public affairs could not again reach a peaceful settlement, and that Simon would not stop his folly. Ac 24.2: When Paul had been summoned, Tertullus began to accuse him, saying: "Your Excellency, because of you we have long enjoyed peace, and reforms have been made for this people because of your foresight. 17. 4.32: But Menelaus, thinking he had obtained a suitable opportunity, stole some of the gold vessels of the temple and gave them to Andronicus; other vessels, as it happened, he had sold to Tyre and the neighboring cities. Ac 5.2: with his wife's knowledge, he kept back some of the proceeds, and brought only a part and laid it at the apostles' feet. 18. 6.4: For the temple was filled with debauchery and reveling by the Gentiles, who dallied with prostitutes and had intercourse with women within the sacred precincts, and besides brought in things for sacrifice that were unfit. Rom 1.28: And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind and to things that should not be done. 19. 6.18-7.42: Eleazar, one of the scribes in high position, a man now advanced in age and of noble presence, was being forced to open his mouth to eat swine's flesh. But he, welcoming death with honor rather than life with pollution, went up to the rack of his own accord, spitting out the flesh, as all ought to go who have the courage to refuse things that it is not right to taste, even for the natural love of life. Those who were in charge of that unlawful sacrifice took the man aside because of their long acquaintance with him, and privately urged him to bring meat of his own providing, proper for him to use, and to pretend that he was eating the flesh of the sacrificial meal that had been commanded by the king, so that by doing this he might be saved from death, and be treated kindly on account of his old friendship with them. But making a high resolve, worthy of his years and the dignity of his old age and the gray hairs that he had reached with distinction and his excellent life even from childhood, and moreover according to the holy God-given law, he declared himself quickly, telling them to send him to Hades. "Such pretense is not worthy of our time of life," he said, "for many of the young might suppose that Eleazar in his ninetieth year had gone over to an alien religion, and through my pretense, for the sake of living a brief moment longer, they would be led astray because of me, while I defile and disgrace my old age. Even if for the present I would avoid the punishment of mortals, yet whether I live or die I will not escape the hands of the Almighty. Therefore, by bravely giving up my life now, I will show myself worthy of my old age and leave to the young a noble example of how to die a good death willingly and nobly for the revered and holy laws." When he had said this, he went at once to the rack. Those who a little before had acted toward him with goodwill now changed to ill will, because the words he had uttered were in their opinion sheer madness. When he was about to die under the blows, he groaned aloud and said: "It is clear to the Lord in his holy knowledge that, though I might have been saved from death, I am enduring terrible sufferings in my body under this beating, but in my soul I am glad to suffer these things because I fear him." So in this way he died, leaving in his death an example of nobility and a memorial of courage, not only to the young but to the great body of his nation. It happened also that seven brothers and their mother were arrested and were being compelled by the king, under torture with whips and thongs, to partake of unlawful swine's flesh. One of them, acting as their spokesman, said, "What do you intend to ask and learn from us? For we are ready to die rather than transgress the laws of our ancestors." The king fell into a rage, and gave orders to have pans and caldrons heated. These were heated immediately, and he commanded that the tongue of their spokesman be cut out and that they scalp him and cut off his hands and feet, while the rest of the brothers and the mother looked on. When he was utterly helpless, the king ordered them to take him to the fire, still breathing, and to fry him in a pan. The smoke from the pan spread widely, but the brothers and their mother encouraged one another to die nobly, saying, "The Lord God is watching over us and in truth has compassion on us, as Moses declared in his song that bore witness against the people to their faces, when he said, 'And he will have compassion on his servants.' " After the first brother had died in this way, they brought forward the second for their sport. They tore off the skin of his head with the hair, and asked him, "Will you eat rather than have your body punished limb by limb?" He replied in the language of his ancestors and said to them, "No." Therefore he in turn underwent tortures as the first brother had done. And when he was at his last breath, he said, "You accursed wretch, you dismiss us from this present life, but the King of the universe will raise us up to an everlasting renewal of life, because we have died for his laws." After him, the third was the victim of their sport. When it was demanded, he quickly put out his tongue and courageously stretched forth his hands, and said nobly, "I got these from Heaven, and because of his laws I disdain them, and from him I hope to get them back again." As a result the king himself and those with him were astonished at the young man's spirit, for he regarded his sufferings as nothing. After he too had died, they maltreated and tortured the fourth in the same way. When he was near death, he said, "One cannot but choose to die at the hands of mortals and to cherish the hope God gives of being raised again by him. But for you there will be no resurrection to life!" Next they brought forward the fifth and maltreated him. But he looked at the king, and said, "Because you have authority among mortals, though you also are mortal, you do what you please. But do not think that God has forsaken our people. Keep on, and see how his mighty power will torture you and your descendants!" After him they brought forward the sixth. And when he was about to die, he said, "Do not deceive yourself in vain. For we are suffering these things on our own account, because of our sins against our own God. Therefore astounding things have happened. But do not think that you will go unpunished for having tried to fight against God!" The mother was especially admirable and worthy of honorable memory. Although she saw her seven sons perish within a single day, she bore it with good courage because of her hope in the Lord. She encouraged each of them in the language of their ancestors. Filled with a noble spirit, she reinforced her woman's reasoning with a man's courage, and said to them, “I do not know how you came into being in my womb. It was not I who gave you life and breath, nor I who set in order the elements within each of you. Therefore the Creator of the world, who shaped the beginning of humankind and devised the origin of all things, will in his mercy give life and breath back to you again, since you now forget yourselves for the sake of his laws." Antiochus felt that he was being treated with contempt, and he was suspicious of her reproachful tone. The youngest brother being still alive, Antiochus not only appealed to him in words, but promised with oaths that he would make him rich and enviable if he would turn from the ways of his ancestors, and that he would take him for his Friend and entrust him with public affairs. Since the young man would not listen to him at all, the king called the mother to him and urged her to advise the youth to save himself. After much urging on his part, she undertook to persuade her son. But, leaning close to him, she spoke in their native language as follows, deriding the cruel tyrant: "My son, have pity on me. I carried you nine months in my womb, and nursed you for three years, and have reared you and brought you up to this point in your life, and have taken care of you. I beg you, my child, to look at the heaven and the earth and see everything that is in them, and recognize that God did not make them out of things that existed. And in the same way the human race came into being. Do not fear this butcher, but prove worthy of your brothers. Accept death, so that in God's mercy I may get you back again along with your brothers." While she was still speaking, the young man said, "What are you waiting for? I will not obey the king's command, but I obey the command of the law that was given to our ancestors through Moses. But you, who have contrived all sorts of evil against the Hebrews, will certainly not escape the hands of God. For we are suffering because of our own sins. And if our living Lord is angry for a little while, to rebuke and discipline us, he will again be reconciled with his own servants. But you, unholy wretch, you most defiled of all mortals, do not be elated in vain and puffed up by uncertain hopes, when you raise your hand against the children of heaven. You have not yet escaped the judgment of the almighty, all-seeing God. For our brothers after enduring a brief suffering have drunk of ever-flowing life, under God's covenant; but you, by the judgment of God, will receive just punishment for your arrogance. I, like my brothers, give up body and life for the laws of our ancestors, appealing to God to show mercy soon to our nation and by trials and plagues to make you confess that he alone is God, and through me and my brothers to bring to an end the wrath of the Almighty that has justly fallen on our whole nation." The king fell into a rage, and handled him worse than the others, being exasperated at his scorn. So he died in his integrity, putting his whole trust in the Lord. Last of all, the mother died, after her sons. Let this be enough, then, about the eating of sacrifices and the extreme tortures. Heb 11.35: Women received their dead by resurrection. Others were tortured, refusing to accept release, in order to obtain a better resurrection. 20. 6.23: But making a high resolve, worthy of his years and the dignity of his old age and the gray hairs that he had reached with distinction and his excellent life even from childhood, and moreover according to the holy God-given law, he declared himself quickly, telling them to send him to Hades. Rom 9.4: They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises; 21. 7.19: But do not think that you will go unpunished for having tried to fight against God! Ac 5.39: but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them—in that case you may even be found fighting against God!" They were convinced by him, 22. 8.17: keeping before their eyes the lawless outrage that the Gentiles had committed against the holy place, and the torture of the derided city, and besides, the overthrow of their ancestral way of life. Mt 24.15: "So when you see the desolating sacrilege standing in the holy place, as was spoken of by the prophet Daniel (let the reader understand), 23. 9.9: And so the ungodly man's body swarmed with worms, and while he was still living in anguish and pain, his flesh rotted away, and because of the stench the whole army felt revulsion at his decay. Ac 12.23: And immediately, because he had not given the glory to God, an angel of the Lord struck him down, and he was eaten by worms and died. 24. 10.3: They purified the sanctuary, and made another altar of sacrifice; then, striking fire out of flint, they offered sacrifices, after a lapse of two years, and they offered incense and lighted lamps and set out the bread of the Presence. Mt 12.4: He entered the house of God and ate the bread of the Presence, which it was not lawful for him or his companions to eat, but only for the priests. 25. 10.7: Therefore, carrying ivy-wreathed wands and beautiful branches and also fronds of palm, they offered hymns of thanksgiving to him who had given success to the purifying of his own holy place. Rev 7.9: After this I looked, and there was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, robed in white, with palm branches in their hands. *Jn 12.13: So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, shouting, "Hosanna! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord— the King of Israel!" 26. 11.8: And there, while they were still near Jerusalem, a horseman appeared at their head, clothed in white and brandishing weapons of gold. Ac 10.30: Cornelius replied, "Four days ago at this very hour, at three o'clock, I was praying in my house when suddenly a man in dazzling clothes stood before me. Rev 19.11: Then I saw heaven opened, and there was a white horse! Its rider is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. 27. 12.15: But Judas and his men, calling upon the great Sovereign of the world, who without battering rams or engines of war overthrew Jericho in the days of Joshua, rushed furiously upon the walls. 1Tim 6.15: which he will bring about at the right time—he who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords. 28. 12.43-45: He also took up a collection, man by man, to the amount of two thousand drachmas of silver, and sent it to Jerusalem to provide for a sin offering. In doing this he acted very well and honorably, taking account of the resurrection. For if he were not expecting that those who had fallen would rise again, it would have been superfluous and foolish to pray for the dead. But if he was looking to the splendid reward that is laid up for those who fall asleep in godliness, it was a holy and pious thought. Therefore he made atonement for the dead, so that they might be delivered from their sin. 1Cor 15.29: Otherwise, what will those people do who receive baptism on behalf of the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why are people baptized on their behalf? 29. 13.4: But the King of kings aroused the anger of Antiochus against the scoundrel; and when Lysias informed him that this man was to blame for all the trouble, he ordered them to take him to Beroea and to put him to death by the method that is customary in that place. 1Tim 6.15: which he will bring about at the right time—he who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords. Rev 17.14: they will make war on the Lamb, and the Lamb will conquer them, for he is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those with him are called and chosen and faithful. 30. 13.14: So, committing the decision to the Creator of the world and exhorting his troops to fight bravely to the death for the laws, temple, city, country, and commonwealth, he pitched his camp near Modein. Heb 12.4: In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. Rev 2.10: Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Beware, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison so that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have affliction. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life. 3 MACCABEES 1. 2.3: For you, the creator of all things and the governor of all, are a just Ruler, and you judge those who have done anything in insolence and arrogance. Eph 3.9: and to make everyone see F15 what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in F16 God who created all things; Rev 4.11: "You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created." 2. [UBS4] 2.5: You consumed with fire and sulfur the people of Sodom who acted arrogantly, who were notorious for their vices; and you made them an example to those who should come afterward. Rev 14.10: they will also drink the wine of God's wrath, poured unmixed into the cup of his anger, and they will be tormented with fire and sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. Rev 20.10: And the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. Rev 21.8: But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the polluted, the murderers, the fornicators, the sorcerers, the idolaters, and all liars, their place will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death. 3. 2.13: see now, O holy King, that because of our many and great sins we are crushed with suffering, subjected to our enemies, and overtaken by helplessness. 2Pt 2.7: and if he rescued Lot, a righteous man greatly distressed by the licentiousness of the lawless 4. 2.29: those who are registered are also to be branded on their bodies by fire with the ivy-leaf symbol of Dionysus, and they shall also be reduced to their former limited status." Gal 6.17: From now on, let no one make trouble for me; for I carry the marks of Jesus branded on my body. 5. 4.16: The king was greatly and continually filled with joy, organizing feasts in honor of all his idols, with a mind alienated from truth and with a profane mouth, praising speechless things that are not able even to communicate or to come to one's help, and uttering improper words against the supreme God. Rom 1.28: And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind and to things that should not be done. 1Cor 12.2: You know that when you were pagans, you were enticed and led astray to idols that could not speak. 6. 4.17: But after the previously mentioned interval of time the scribes declared to the king that they were no longer able to take the census of the Jews because of their immense number Ac 5.7: After an interval of about three hours his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. 7. 5.35: Then the Jews, on hearing what the king had said, praised the manifest Lord God, King of kings, since this also was his aid that they had received. 1Tim 6.15: which he will bring about at the right time—he who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords. Rev 17.14: they will make war on the Lamb, and the Lamb will conquer them, for he is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those with him are called and chosen and faithful. [UBS4] Rev 19.16: On his robe and on his thigh he has a name inscribed, “King of kings and Lord of lords.” 8. 6.9: And now, you who hate insolence, all-merciful and protector of all, reveal yourself quickly to those of the nation of Israel--who are being outrageously treated by the abominable and lawless Gentiles. Tt 2.11: For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all 4 MACCABEES 1. 1.11: All people, even their torturers, marveled at their courage and endurance, and they became the cause of the downfall of tyranny over their nation. By their endurance they conquered the tyrant, and thus their native land was purified through them. Jas 1.3: because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance 2. 1.26: In the soul it is boastfulness, covetousness, thirst for honor, rivalry, and malice; Rom 1.29-31: They were filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, covetousness, malice. Full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, craftiness, they are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, rebellious toward parents, foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. 3. 2.5-6: Thus the law says, "You shall not covet your neighbor's wife or anything that is your neighbor's." In fact, since the law has told us not to covet, I could prove to you all the more that reason is able to control desires. Just so it is with the emotions that hinder one from justice. Rom 7.7: What then should we say? That the law is sin? By no means! Yet, if it had not been for the law, I would not have known sin. I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, "You shall not covet." 4. 2.6: In fact, since the law has told us not to covet, I could prove to you all the more that reason is able to control desires. Just so it is with the emotions that hinder one from justice. Rom 13.9: The commandments, "You shall not commit adultery; You shall not murder; You shall not steal; You shall not covet"; and any other commandment, are summed up in this word, "Love your neighbor as yourself." 5. 2.15: It is evident that reason rules even the more violent emotions: lust for power, vainglory, boasting, arrogance, and malice. Rom 1.29-31: They were filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, covetousness, malice. Full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, craftiness, they are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, rebellious toward parents, foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. 6. 3.13-19: Eluding the sentinels at the gates, they went searching throughout the enemy camp and found the spring, and from it boldly brought the king a drink. But David, though he was burning with thirst, considered it an altogether fearful danger to his soul to drink what was regarded as equivalent to blood. Therefore, opposing reason to desire, he poured out the drink as an offering to God. For the temperate mind can conquer the drives of the emotions and quench the flames of frenzied desires; it can overthrow bodily agonies even when they are extreme, and by nobility of reason spurn all domination by the emotions. The present occasion now invites us to a narrative demonstration of temperate reason. Lk 6.12: Now during those days he went out to the mountain to pray; and he spent the night in prayer to God. 7. 4.1-14: Now there was a certain Simon, a political opponent of the noble and good man, Onias, who then held the high priesthood for life. When despite all manner of slander he was unable to injure Onias in the eyes of the nation, he fled the country with the purpose of betraying it. So he came to Apollonius, governor of Syria, Phoenicia, and Cilicia, and said, "I have come here because I am loyal to the king's government, to report that in the Jerusalem treasuries there are deposited tens of thousands in private funds, which are not the property of the temple but belong to King Seleucus." When Apollonius learned the details of these things, he praised Simon for his service to the king and went up to Seleucus to inform him of the rich treasure. On receiving authority to deal with this matter, he proceeded quickly to our country accompanied by the accursed Simon and a very strong military force. He said that he had come with the king's authority to seize the private funds in the treasury. The people indignantly protested his words, considering it outrageous that those who had committed deposits to the sacred treasury should be deprived of them, and did all that they could to prevent it. But, uttering threats, Apollonius went on to the temple. While the priests together with women and children were imploring God in the temple to shield the holy place that was being treated so contemptuously, and while Apollonius was going up with his armed forces to seize the money, angels on horseback with lightning flashing from their weapons appeared from heaven, instilling in them great fear and trembling. Then Apollonius fell down half dead in the temple area that was open to all, stretched out his hands toward heaven, and with tears begged the Hebrews to pray for him and propitiate the wrath of the heavenly army. For he said that he had committed a sin deserving of death, and that if he were spared he would praise the blessedness of the holy place before all people. Moved by these words, the high priest Onias, although otherwise he had scruples about doing so, prayed for him so that King Seleucus would not suppose that Apollonius had been overcome by human treachery and not by divine justice. So Apollonius, having been saved beyond all expectations, went away to report to the king what had happened to him. Ac 9.1-29: Meanwhile Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any who belonged to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. Now as he was going along and approaching Damascus, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?" He asked, "Who are you, Lord?" The reply came, "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But get up and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do." The men who were traveling with him stood speechless because they heard the voice but saw no one. Saul got up from the ground, and though his eyes were open, he could see nothing; so they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. For three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank. Now there was a disciple in Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, "Ananias." He answered, "Here I am, Lord." The Lord said to him, "Get up and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul. At this moment he is praying, and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight." But Ananias answered, "Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints in Jerusalem; and here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who invoke your name." But the Lord said to him, "Go, for he is an instrument whom I have chosen to bring my name before Gentiles and kings and before the people of Israel; I myself will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name." So Ananias went and entered the house. He laid his hands on Saul and said, "Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on your way here, has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit." And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and his sight was restored. Then he got up and was baptized, and after taking some food, he regained his strength. For several days he was with the disciples in Damascus, and immediately he began to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, saying, "He is the Son of God." All who heard him were amazed and said, "Is not this the man who made havoc in Jerusalem among those who invoked this name? And has he not come here for the purpose of bringing them bound before the chief priests?" Saul became increasingly more powerful and confounded the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that Jesus was the Messiah. After some time had passed, the Jews plotted to kill him, but their plot became known to Saul. They were watching the gates day and night so that they might kill him; but his disciples took him by night and let him down through an opening in the wall, lowering him in a basket. When he had come to Jerusalem, he attempted to join the disciples; and they were all afraid of him, for they did not believe that he was a disciple. But Barnabas took him, brought him to the apostles, and described for them how on the road he had seen the Lord, who had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had spoken boldly in the name of Jesus. So he went in and out among them in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord. He spoke and argued with the Hellenists; but they were attempting to kill him. 8. 5.2: ordered the guards to seize each and every Hebrew and to compel them to eat pork and food sacrificed to idols. Ac 15.29: that you abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols and from blood and from what is strangled F118 and from fornication. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well. Farewell. 9. 6.31: Admittedly, then, devout reason is sovereign over the emotions. 1Tim 3.16: Without any doubt, the mystery of our religion is great: He was revealed in flesh, vindicated in spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among Gentiles, believed in throughout the world, taken up in glory. 10. 7.8: Such should be those who are administrators of the law, shielding it with their own blood and noble sweat in sufferings even to death. Rom 15.16: to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles in the priestly service of the gospel of God, so that the offering of the Gentiles may be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit. 11. 7.16: If, therefore, because of piety an aged man despised tortures even to death, most certainly devout reason is governor of the emotions. 1Tim 3.16: Without any doubt, the mystery of our religion is great: He was revealed in flesh, vindicated in spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among Gentiles, believed in throughout the world, taken up in glory. 12. 7.19: since they believe that they, like our patriarchs Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, do not die to God, but live to God. Mt 23.32: "I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob'? He is God not of the dead, but of the living." Lk 20.37-38: And the fact that the dead are raised Moses himself showed, in the story about the bush, where he speaks of the Lord as the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. Now he is God not of the dead, but of the living; for to him all of them are alive." 13. 9.8: For we, through this severe suffering and endurance, shall have the prize of virtue and shall be with God, on whose account we suffer; Jas 5.10: As an example of suffering and patience, beloved, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. 14. 12.13: As a man, were you not ashamed, you most savage beast, to cut out the tongues of men who have feelings like yours and are made of the same elements as you, and to maltreat and torture them in this way? Ac 14.15: "Friends, why are you doing this? We are mortals just like you, and we bring you good news, that you should turn from these worthless things to the living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them. 15. 12.17: and I call on the God of our ancestors to be merciful to our nation Ac 24.14: But this I admit to you, that according to the Way, which they call a sect, I worship the God of our ancestors, believing everything laid down according to the law or written in the prophets. 16. 13.14: Let us not fear him who thinks he is killing us Mt 10.28: Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. 17. 13.15: for great is the struggle of the soul and the danger of eternal torment lying before those who transgress the commandment of God. Lk 16.23: In Hades, where he was being tormented, he looked up and saw Abraham far away with Lazarus by his side. 18. 13.17: For if we so die, Abraham and Isaac and Jacob will welcome us, and all the fathers will praise us. Mt 8.11: I tell you, many will come from east and west and will eat with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, 19. 15.2: Two courses were open to this mother, that of religion, and that of preserving her seven sons for a time, as the tyrant had promised. Heb 11.25: choosing rather to share ill-treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. 20. 15.7: and because of the many pains she suffered with each of them she had sympathy for them Jas 1.4: and let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking in nothing. 21. 15.8: yet because of the fear of God she disdained the temporary safety of her children Heb 11.25: choosing rather to share ill-treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. 22. 16.1: If, then, a woman, advanced in years and mother of seven sons, endured seeing her children tortured to death, it must be admitted that devout reason is sovereign over the emotions. 1Tim 3.16: Without any doubt, the mystery of our religion is great: He was revealed in flesh, vindicated in spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among Gentiles, believed in throughout the world, taken up in glory. 23. 16.12: Yet that holy and God-fearing mother did not wail with such a lament for any of them, nor did she dissuade any of them from dying, nor did she grieve as they were dying. 1Th 1.8: For the word of the Lord has sounded forth from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but in every place your faith in God has become known, so that we have no need to speak about it. 24. 16.16: My sons, noble is the contest to which you are called to bear witness for the nation. Fight zealously for our ancestral law. Heb 12.1: Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, 25. 16.25: They knew also that those who die for the sake of God live to God, as do Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the patriarchs. Mt 23.32: "I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob'? He is God not of the dead, but of the living." Lk 20.37(*-38): And the fact that the dead are raised Moses himself showed, in the story about the bush, where he speaks of the Lord as the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. Now he is God not of the dead, but of the living; for to him all of them are alive." 26. 17.4: Take courage, therefore, O holy-minded mother, maintaining firm an enduring hope in God. 1Th 1.3: remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. 27. 17.10-15: They vindicated their nation, looking to God and enduring torture even to death." Truly the contest in which they were engaged was divine, for on that day virtue gave the awards and tested them for their endurance. The prize was immortality in endless life. Eleazar was the first contestant, the mother of the seven sons entered the competition, and the brothers contended. The tyrant was the antagonist, and the world and the human race were the spectators. Reverence for God was victor and gave the crown to its own athletes. Heb 12.1: Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, 28. 17.20: These, then, who have been consecrated for the sake of God, are honored, not only with this honor, but also by the fact that because of them our enemies did not rule over our nation, Jn 12.26: Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there will my servant be also. Whoever serves me, the Father will honor. 29. 18.24: to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen. Rom 16.27: to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever! Amen. Gal 1.5: to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen. TOBIT 1. 2.2: When the table was set for me and an abundance of food placed before me, I said to my son Tobias, "Go, my child, and bring whatever poor person you may find of our people among the exiles in Nineveh, who is wholeheartedly mindful of God, and he shall eat together with me. I will wait for you, until you come back." Lk 14.13: But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. 2. 3.17: So Raphael was sent to heal both of them: Tobit, by removing the white films from his eyes, so that he might see God's light with his eyes; and Sarah, daughter of Raguel, by giving her in marriage to Tobias son of Tobit, and by setting her free from the wicked demon Asmodeus. For Tobias was entitled to have her before all others who had desired to marry her. At the same time that Tobit returned from the courtyard into his house, Sarah daughter of Raguel came down from her upper room. Lk 15.12: The younger of them said to his father, "Father, give me the share of the property that will belong to me.' So he divided his property between them. 3. 4.3: Then he called his son Tobias, and when he came to him he said, "My son, when I die, give me a proper burial. Honor your mother and do not abandon her all the days of her life. Do whatever pleases her, and do not grieve her in anything. Mt 8.21: Another of his disciples said to him, "Lord, first let me go and bury my father." 4. 4.6: for those who act in accordance with truth will prosper in all their activities. To all those who practice righteousness Jn 3.21: But those who do what is true come to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that their deeds have been done in God. 5. 4.10: For almsgiving delivers from death and keeps you from going into the Darkness. Jas 2.13: For judgment will be without mercy to anyone who has shown no mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment. 6. 4.14: Do not keep over until the next day the wages of those who work for you, but pay them at once. If you serve God you will receive payment. Watch yourself, my son, in everything you do, and discipline yourself in all your conduct. Jas 5.4: Listen! The wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, cry out, and the cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts. 7. 4.15: And what you hate, do not do to anyone. Do not drink wine to excess or let drunkenness go with you on your way. Mt 7.12: In everything do to others as you would have them do to you; for this is the law and the prophets. 8. 4.17: Place your bread on the grave of the righteous, but give none to sinners. Mt 25.35: for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 9. 5.15: Then he added, "I will pay you a drachma a day as wages, as well as expenses for yourself and my son. So go with my son, Mt 20.2: After agreeing with the laborers for the usual daily wage, he sent them into his vineyard. 10. 5.19: Do not heap money upon money, but let it be a ransom for our child. 1Cor 4.13: when slandered, we speak kindly. We have become like the rubbish of the world, the dregs of all things, to this very day. 11. 7.10: But Raguel overheard it and said to the lad, "Eat and drink, and be merry tonight. For no one except you, brother, has the right to marry my daughter Sarah. Likewise I am not at liberty to give her to any other man than yourself, because you are my nearest relative. But let me explain to you the true situation more fully, my child. Lk 12.19: And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.' 12. 7.17 (.16 in NRSV): So she went and made the bed in the room as he had told her, and brought Sarah there. She wept for her daughter. Then, wiping away the tears, she said to her, "Take courage, my daughter; the Lord of heaven grant you joy in place of your sorrow. Take courage, my daughter." Then she went out. Mt 11.25: At that time Jesus said, "I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and the intelligent and have revealed them to infants; Lk 10.17: The seventy returned with joy, saying, "Lord, in your name even the demons submit to us!" Ac 17.24: The God who made the world and everything in it, he who is Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in shrines made by human hands, 13. 11.9: Then Anna ran up to her son and threw her arms around him, saying, "Now that I have seen you, my child, I am ready to die." And she wept. Lk 2.29: "Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peace, according to your word; [UBS4] Lk 15.20: So he set off and went to his father. But while he was still far off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion; he ran and put his arms around him and kissed him. 14. 12.8: Prayer with fasting is good, but better than both is almsgiving with righteousness. A little with righteousness is better than wealth with wrongdoing. It is better to give alms than to lay up gold. Ac 10.2: He was a devout man who feared God with all his household; he gave alms generously to the people and prayed constantly to God. 15. 12.12: So now when you and Sarah prayed, it was I who brought and read the record of your prayer before the glory of the Lord, and likewise whenever you would bury the dead. Rev 8.3: Another angel with a golden censer came and stood at the altar; he was given a great quantity of incense to offer with the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar that is before the throne. 16. 12.15: I am Raphael, one of the seven angels who stand ready and enter before the glory of the Lord. Mt 18.10: Take care that you do not despise one of these little ones; for, I tell you, in heaven their angels continually see the face of my Father in heaven. Lk 1.19: The angel replied, "I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. Ac 17.24: The God who made the world and everything in it, he who is Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in shrines made by human hands, 17. 13.7, 11: As for me, I exalt my God, and my soul rejoices in the King of heaven. ... A bright light will shine to all the ends of the earth; many nations will come to you from far away, the inhabitants of the remotest parts of the earth to your holy name, bearing gifts in their hands for the King of heaven. Generation after generation will give joyful praise in you; the name of the chosen city will endure forever. 1Tim 1.17: To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen. [UBS4] Rev 15.3: And they sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb: "Great and amazing are your deeds, Lord God the Almighty! Just and true are your ways, King of the nations! 18. 13.17 (13.16, NRSV): For Jerusalem will be built as his house for all ages. How happy I will be if a remnant of my descendants should survive to see your glory and acknowledge the King of heaven. The gates of Jerusalem will be built with sapphire and emerald, and all your walls with precious stones. The towers of Jerusalem will be built with gold, and their battlements with pure gold. The streets of Jerusalem will be paved with ruby and with stones of Ophir. Rev 21.19-27: The foundations of the wall of the city are adorned with every jewel; the first was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, the fifth onyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, the twelfth amethyst. And the twelve gates are twelve pearls, each of the gates is a single pearl, and the street of the city is pure gold, transparent as glass. I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God is its light, and its lamp is the Lamb. The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it. Its gates will never be shut by day—and there will be no night there. People will bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations. But nothing unclean will enter it, nor anyone who practices abomination or falsehood, but only those who are written in the Lamb's book of life. 19. 13.18 (13.17, NRSV): The gates of Jerusalem will sing hymns of joy, and all her houses will cry, 'Hallelujah! Blessed be the God of Israel!' and the blessed will bless the holy name forever and ever. Rev 19.1: After this I heard what seemed to be the loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying, "Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power to our God, 20. 14.4: and hurry off to Media, for I believe the word of God that Nahum spoke about Nineveh, that all these things will take place and overtake Assyria and Nineveh. Indeed, everything that was spoken by the prophets of Israel, whom God sent, will occur. None of all their words will fail, but all will come true at their appointed times. So it will be safer in Media than in Assyria and Babylon. For I know and believe that whatever God has said will be fulfilled and will come true; not a single word of the prophecies will fail. All of our kindred, inhabitants of the land of Israel, will be scattered and taken as captives from the good land; and the whole land of Israel will be desolate, even Samaria and Jerusalem will be desolate. And the temple of God in it will be burned to the ground, and it will be desolate for a while. Mt 23.38: See, your house is left to you, desolate. Lk 13.35: See, your house is left to you. And I tell you, you will not see me until the time comes when you say, "Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.' " 21. 14.5: But God will again have mercy on them, and God will bring them back into the land of Israel; and they will rebuild the temple of God, but not like the first one until the period when the times of fulfillment shall come. After this they all will return from their exile and will rebuild Jerusalem in splendor; and in it the temple of God will be rebuilt, just as the prophets of Israel have said concerning it. Mk 1.15: and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news." Lk 21.24: they will fall by the edge of the sword and be taken away as captives among all nations; and Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled. Gal 4.4: But when the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law JUDITH 1. 4.9: And every man of Israel cried out to God with great fervor, and they humbled themselves with much fasting. Ac 12.5: While Peter was kept in prison, the church prayed fervently to God for him. 2. 8.6: She fasted all the days of her widowhood, except the day before the sabbath and the sabbath itself, the day before the new moon and the day of the new moon, and the festivals and days of rejoicing of the house of Israel. Lk 2.37: then as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped there with fasting and prayer night and day. 3. 8.26: Remember what he did with Abraham, and how he tested Isaac, and what happened to Jacob in Syrian Mesopotamia, while he was tending the sheep of Laban, his mother's brother. Ac 15.4: When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and the elders, and they reported all that God had done with them. 4. 8.35: Uzziah and the rulers said to her, "Go in peace, and may the Lord God go before you, to take vengeance on our enemies." Mk 5.34: While he was still speaking, some people came from the leader's house to say, "Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the teacher any further?" 5. 9.12: Please, please, God of my father, God of the heritage of Israel, Lord of heaven and earth, Creator of the waters, King of all your creation, hear my prayer! Ac 4.24: When they heard it, they raised their voices together to God and said, "Sovereign Lord, who made the heaven and the earth, the sea, and everything in them, 6. 10.13: I am on my way to see Holofernes the commander of your army, to give him a true report; I will show him a way by which he can go and capture all the hill country without losing one of his men, captured or slain. Ac 26.25: But Paul said, “I am not out of my mind, most excellent Festus, but I am speaking the sober truth. 7. 11.19: Then I will lead you through Judea, until you come to Jerusalem; there I will set your throne. You will drive them like sheep that have no shepherd, and no dog will so much as growl at you. For this was told me to give me foreknowledge; it was announced to me, and I was sent to tell you. Mt 9.36: When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. [UBS4] Mk 6.34: As he went ashore, he saw a great crowd; and he had compassion for them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things. 8. 12.8: After bathing, she prayed the Lord God of Israel to direct her way for the triumph of his people. 1Th 3.11: Now may our God and Father himself and our Lord Jesus direct our way to you. 9. 13.18: Then Uzziah said to her, "O daughter, you are blessed by the Most High God above all other women on earth; and blessed be the Lord God, who created the heavens and the earth, who has guided you to cut off the head of the leader of our enemies. Lk 1.42: and exclaimed with a loud cry, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. 10. 14.16-(?): He cried out with a loud voice and wept and groaned and shouted, and tore his clothes. Ac 14.14: When the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of it, they tore their clothes and rushed out into the crowd, shouting, 11. 16.17: Woe to the nations that rise up against my people! The Lord Almighty will take vengeance on them in the day of judgment; he will send fire and worms into their flesh; they shall weep in pain forever. Mt 11.22: But I tell you, on the day of judgment it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon than for you. Mk 9.48: where their worm never dies, and the fire is never quenched. Ac 12.23: And immediately, because he had not given the glory to God, an angel of the Lord struck him down, and he was eaten by worms and died. Jas 5.3: Your gold and silver have rusted, and their rust will be evidence against you, and it will eat your flesh like fire. You have laid up treasure for the last days. SUSANNA 1. .46: and he shouted with a loud voice, "I want no part in shedding this woman's blood!" Mt 27.24: So when Pilate saw that he could do nothing, but rather that a riot was beginning, he took some water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, "I am innocent of this man's blood; see to it yourselves." Ac 20.26: Therefore I declare to you this day that I am not responsible for the blood of any of you, BEL AND THE DRAGON 1. .18, .41: As soon as the doors were opened, the king looked at the table, and shouted in a loud voice, "You are great, O Bel, and in you there is no deceit at all!" ... The king shouted with a loud voice, "You are great, O Lord, the God of Daniel, and there is no other besides you!" Ac 19.28: When they heard this, they were enraged and shouted, "Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!" BARUCH 1. 1.11: and pray for the life of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, and for the life of his son Belshazzar, so that their days on earth may be like the days of heaven. 1Tim 2.2: for kings and all who are in high positions, so that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and dignity. 2. 3.29: Who has gone up into heaven, and taken her, and brought her down from the clouds? Jn 3.13: No one has ascended into heaven except the one who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. Rom 10.6: But the righteousness that comes from faith says, "Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’” (that is, to bring Christ down) 3. 4.1: She is the book of the commandments of God, the law that endures forever. All who hold her fast will live, and those who forsake her will die. Mt 5.18: For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not one letter, F32 not one stroke of a letter, will pass from the law until all is accomplished. 4. 4.7: For you provoked the one who made you by sacrificing to demons and not to God. 1Cor 10.20: No, I imply that what pagans sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons and not to God. I do not want you to be partners with demons. 5. 4.35: For fire will come upon her from the Everlasting for many days, and for a long time she will be inhabited by demons. Rev 18.2: He called out with a mighty voice, "Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! It has become a dwelling place of demons, a haunt of every foul spirit, a haunt of every foul bird, a haunt of every foul and hateful beast. 6. 4.37: Look, your children are coming, whom you sent away; they are coming, gathered from east and west, at the word of the Holy One, rejoicing in the glory of God. Mt 8.11: I tell you, many will come from east and west and will eat with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, Lk 13.29: There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrown out. LETTER OF JEREMIAH 1. .72: From the purple and linen that rot upon them you will know that they are not gods; and they will finally be consumed themselves, and be a reproach in the land. 1Jn 5.21: Little children, keep yourselves from idols. SIRACH 1. 1.8: There is but one who is wise, greatly to be feared, seated upon his throne--the Lord. Rev 5.7: He went and took the scroll from the right hand of the one who was seated on the throne. [UBS4] Rev 4.2, 9-10: At once I was in the spirit, and there in heaven stood a throne, with one seated on the throne! .... And whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to the one who is seated on the throne, who lives forever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall before the one who is seated on the throne and worship the one who lives forever and ever; they cast their crowns before the throne, singing [UBS4] Rev 5.1, 13: Then I saw in the right hand of the one seated on the throne a scroll written on the inside and on the back, sealed with seven seals; .... Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, singing, "To the one seated on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!" [UBS4] Rev 6.16: calling to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us and hide us from the face of the one seated on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb [UBS4] Rev 7.10, 15: They cried out in a loud voice, saying, "Salvation belongs to our God who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb!" .... For this reason they are before the throne of God, and worship him day and night within his temple, and the one who is seated on the throne will shelter them. [UBS4] Rev 19.4: And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who is seated on the throne, saying, "Amen. Hallelujah!" [UBS4] Rev 21.5: And the one who was seated on the throne said, "See, I am making all things new." Also he said, "Write this, for these words are trustworthy and true." 2. 1.10: upon all the living according to his gift; he lavished her upon those who love him. 1Cor 2.9: But, as it is written, "What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the human heart conceived, what God has prepared for those who love him" 3. 1.24-25: They hold back their words until the right moment; then the lips of many tell of their good sense. In the treasuries of wisdom are wise sayings, but godliness is an abomination to a sinner. Col 2.3: in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. 4. 1.30: Do not exalt yourself, or you may fall and bring dishonor upon yourself. The Lord will reveal your secrets and overthrow you before the whole congregation, because you did not come in the fear of the Lord, and your heart was full of deceit. Ac 13.10: and said, "You son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, full of all deceit and villainy, will you not stop making crooked the straight paths of the Lord? 5. 2.1: My child, when you come to serve the Lord, prepare yourself for testing. Jas 1.2: My brothers and sisters, F2 whenever you face trials of any kind, consider it nothing but joy 6. 2.2: Set your heart right and be steadfast, and do not be impetuous in time of calamity. Heb 11.27: By faith he left Egypt, unafraid of the king's anger; for he persevered as though F81 he saw him who is invisible. 7. 2.5: For gold is tested in the fire, and those found acceptable, in the furnace of humiliation. 1Pt 1.7: so that the genuineness of your faith—being more precious than gold that, though perishable, is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. 8. 2.18: Let us fall into the hands of the Lord, but not into the hands of mortals; for equal to his majesty is his mercy, and equal to his name are his works. Mk 9.31: for he was teaching his disciples, saying to them, "The Son of Man is to be betrayed into human hands, and they will kill him, and three days after being killed, he will rise again." 9. 3.17: My child, perform your tasks with humility; then you will be loved by those whom God accepts. Jas 1.21: Therefore rid yourselves of all sordidness and rank growth of wickedness, and welcome with meekness the implanted word that has the power to save your souls. 10. 4.1: My child, do not cheat the poor of their living, and do not keep needy eyes waiting. Mk 10.19: You know the commandments: "You shall not murder; You shall not commit adultery; You shall not steal; You shall not bear false witness; You shall not defraud; Honor your father and mother.' " 11. 4.27: Do not subject yourself to a fool, or show partiality to a ruler. Rom 1.31: foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. 12. 4.31: Do not let your hand be stretched out to receive and closed when it is time to give. Ac 20.35: In all this I have given you an example that by such work we must support the weak, remembering the words of the Lord Jesus, for he himself said, "It is more blessed to give than to receive.' " 13. 5.3: Do not say, "Who can have power over me?" for the Lord will surely punish you. that no one wrong or exploit a brother or sister in this matter, because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, just as we have already told you beforehand and solemnly warned you. 14. 5.9: Do not winnow in every wind, or follow every path. Eph 4.14: We must no longer be children, tossed to and fro and blown about by every wind of doctrine, by people's trickery, by their craftiness in deceitful scheming. 15. 5.11: Be quick to hear, but deliberate in answering. Jas 1.19: You must understand this, my beloved: let everyone be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger; 16. 5.13: Honor and dishonor come from speaking, and the tongue of mortals may be their downfall. Jas 3.6, 10: And the tongue is a fire. The tongue is placed among our members as a world of iniquity; it stains the whole body, sets on fire the cycle of nature, and is itself set on fire by hell. .... From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this ought not to be so. 17. 6.19: Come to her like one who plows and sows, and wait for her good harvest. For when you cultivate her you will toil but little, and soon you will eat of her produce. 1Cor 9.10: Or does he not speak entirely for our sake? It was indeed written for our sake, for whoever plows should plow in hope and whoever threshes should thresh in hope of a share in the crop. 18. 6.24-25: Put your feet into her fetters, and your neck into her collar. Bend your shoulders and carry her, and do not fret under her bonds. Mt 11.29: Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 19. 6.28-31: For at last you will find the rest she gives, and she will be changed into joy for you. Then her fetters will become for you a strong defense, and her collar a glorious robe. Her yoke is a golden ornament, and her bonds a purple cord. You will wear her like a glorious robe, and put her on like a splendid crown. Mt 11.29: Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 20. 7.14: Do not babble in the assembly of the elders, and do not repeat yourself when you pray. Mt 6.7: When you are praying, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do; for they think that they will be heard because of their many words. 21. 7.32-35: Stretch out your hand to the poor, so that your blessing may be complete. Give graciously to all the living; do not withhold kindness even from the dead. Do not avoid those who weep, but mourn with those who mourn. Do not hesitate to visit the sick, because for such deeds you will be loved. Mt 25.36: I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me. 22. 7.34: Do not avoid those who weep, but mourn with those who mourn. Ro 12.15: Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. 23. 9.8: Turn away your eyes from a shapely woman, and do not gaze at beauty belonging to another; many have been seduced by a woman's beauty, and by it passion is kindled like a fire. Mt 5.28: But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 24. 10.14: The Lord overthrows the thrones of rulers, and enthrones the lowly in their place. Lk 1.52: He has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly 25. 10.20-21: Among family members their leader is worthy of honor, but those who fear the Lord are worthy of honor in his eyes. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of acceptance; obduracy and pride are the beginning of rejection. Rom 11.15: For if their rejection is the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead! 26. 11.19: when he says, "I have found rest, and now I shall feast on my goods!" he does not know how long it will be until he leaves them to others and dies. Lk 12.19-20: And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.” But God said to him, “You fool! This very night your life is being demanded of you. And the things you have prepared, whose will they be?” 27. 13.17: What does a wolf have in common with a lamb? No more has a sinner with the devout. Mt 10.16: "See, I am sending you out like sheep into the midst of wolves; so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. 28. 14.1: Happy are those who do not blunder with their lips, and need not suffer remorse for sin. Jas 3.2: For all of us make many mistakes. Anyone who makes no mistakes in speaking is perfect, able to keep the whole body in check with a bridle. 29. 14.10: A miser begrudges bread, and it is lacking at his table. Mt 6.23: but if your eye is unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness! 30. 15.11-20: Do not say, "It was the Lord's doing that I fell away"; for he does not do what he hates. Do not say, "It was he who led me astray"; for he has no need of the sinful. The Lord hates all abominations; such things are not loved by those who fear him. It was he who created humankind in the beginning, and he left them in the power of their own free choice. If you choose, you can keep the commandments, and to act faithfully is a matter of your own choice. He has placed before you fire and water; stretch out your hand for whichever you choose. Before each person are life and death, and whichever one chooses will be given. For great is the wisdom of the Lord; he is mighty in power and sees everything; his eyes are on those who fear him, and he knows every human action. He has not commanded anyone to be wicked, and he has not given anyone permission to sin. Jas 1.13: No one, when tempted, should say, "I am being tempted by God"; for God cannot be tempted by evil and he himself tempts no one. 31. [UBS4] 16.4: For through one intelligent person a city can be filled with people, but through a clan of outlaws it becomes desolate. Rom 2.6: For he will repay according to each one's deeds 32. 16.12: Great as is his mercy, so also is his chastisement; he judges a person according to his or her deeds. 1Pt 1.3: Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By his great mercy he has given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, Rev 20.12-13: And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Also another book was opened, the book of life. And the dead were judged according to their works, as recorded in the books. And the sea gave up the dead that were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and all were judged according to what they had done. 33. 16.21: Like a tempest that no one can see, so most of his works are concealed. Jn 3.8: The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit. 34. 17.3: He endowed them with strength like his own, and made them in his own image. 1Cor 11.7: For a man ought not to have his head veiled, since he is the image and reflection of God; but woman is the reflection of man. 35. 17.17: He appointed a ruler for every nation, but Israel is the Lord's own portion. Heb 2.5: Now God F7 did not subject the coming world, about which we are speaking, to angels. 36. 17.26: Return to the Most High and turn away from iniquity, and hate intensely what he abhors. 2Tim 2.19: But God's firm foundation stands, bearing this inscription: "The Lord knows those who are his," and, "Let everyone who calls on the name of the Lord turn away from wickedness." 37. 18.1: He who lives forever created the whole universe Rev 1.18: and the living one. I was dead, and see, I am alive forever and ever; and I have the keys of Death and of Hades. Rev 4.11: "You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created." 38. 18.10: Like a drop of water from the sea and a grain of sand, so are a few years among the days of eternity. 2Pt 3.18: But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen. 39. 18.11: That is why the Lord is patient with them and pours out his mercy upon them. Rom 5.5: and hope does not disappoint us, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us. 40. 19.26: There is the villain bowed down in mourning, but inwardly he is full of deceit. Ac 12.10: After they had passed the first and the second guard, they came before the iron gate leading into the city. It opened for them of its own accord, and they went outside and walked along a lane, when suddenly the angel left him. 41. 20.31-31: Hidden wisdom and unseen treasure, of what value is either? Better are those who hide their folly than those who hide their wisdom. Mt 13.44: The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which someone found and hid; then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. 42. [UBS4] 23.1: O Lord, Father and Master of my life, do not abandon me to their designs, and do not let me fall because of them! Mt 6.13: And do not bring us to the time of trial, but rescue us from the evil one. 43. 23.1,4: O Lord, Father and Master of my life, do not abandon me to their designs, and do not let me fall because of them! .... O Lord, Father and God of my life, do not give me haughty eyes, Mt 6.9: Pray then in this way: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Jas 3.9: With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse those who are made in the likeness of God. 44. [UBS4] 23.4: O Lord, Father and God of my life, do not give me haughty eyes 1Pt 1.17: If you invoke as Father the one who judges all people impartially according to their deeds, live in reverent fear during the time of your exile. 45. 23.10: for as a servant who is constantly under scrutiny will not lack bruises, so also the person who always swears and utters the Name will never be cleansed from sin. 2Tim 2.19: But God's firm foundation stands, bearing this inscription: "The Lord knows those who are his," and, "Let everyone who calls on the name of the Lord turn away from wickedness." 46. 23.17: To a fornicator all bread is sweet; he will never weary until he dies. Shun fornication! Every sin that a person commits is outside the body; but the fornicator sins against the body itself. 47. 24.19: Come to me, you who desire me, and eat your fill of my fruits. Mt 11.28: Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. 48. 24.21: Those who eat of me will hunger for more, and those who drink of me will thirst for more. Jn 6.35: Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. 49. 24.32: I will again make instruction shine forth like the dawn, and I will make it clear from far away. Ac 2.39: For the promise is for you, for your children, and for all who are far away, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to him. 50. 24.30-34: As for me, I was like a canal from a river, like a water channel into a garden. I said, "I will water my garden and drench my flower-beds." And lo, my canal became a river, and my river a sea. I will again make instruction shine forth like the dawn, and I will make it clear from far away. I will again pour out teaching like prophecy, and leave it to all future generations. Observe that I have not labored for myself alone, but for all who seek wisdom. Jn 7.38: and let the one who believes in me drink. As the scripture has said, “Out of the believer's heart shall flow rivers of living water.” 51. 25.7-12: I can think of nine whom I would call blessed, and a tenth my tongue proclaims: a man who can rejoice in his children; a man who lives to see the downfall of his foes. Happy the man who lives with a sensible wife, and the one who does not plow with ox and ass together. Happy is the one who does not sin with the tongue, and the one who has not served an inferior. Happy is the one who finds a friend, and the one who speaks to attentive listeners. How great is the one who finds wisdom! But none is superior to the one who fears the Lord. Fear of the Lord surpasses everything; to whom can we compare the one who has it? The fear of the Lord is the beginning of love for him, and faith is the beginning of clinging to him. Mt 5.2(*-11): Then he began to speak, and taught them, saying: Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 52. 25.23: Dejected mind, gloomy face, and wounded heart come from an evil wife. Drooping hands and weak knees come from the wife who does not make her husband happy. Heb 12.12: Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, 53. 26.14: A silent wife is a gift from the Lord, and nothing is so precious as her self-discipline. Mk 8.37 (?): Indeed, what can they give in return for their life? 54. 27.6: Its fruit discloses the cultivation of a tree; so a person's speech discloses the cultivation of his mind. Mt 7.16: You will know them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thorns, or figs from thistles? 55. 27.8: If you pursue justice, you will attain it and wear it like a glorious robe. Rom 9.31: but Israel, who did strive for the righteousness that is based on the law, did not succeed in fulfilling that law. 56. 28.2: Forgive your neighbor the wrong he has done, and then your sins will be pardoned when you pray. Mt 6.12: And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 57. 28.7: Remember the commandments, and do not be angry with your neighbor; remember the covenant of the Most High, and overlook faults. Ac 17.30: While God has overlooked the times of human ignorance, now he commands all people everywhere to repent, 58. 28.12: If you blow on a spark, it will glow; if you spit on it, it will be put out; yet both come out of your mouth. Jas 3.10: From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this ought not to be so. 59. 28.18: Many have fallen by the edge of the sword, but not as many as have fallen because of the tongue. Lk 21.24: they will fall by the edge of the sword and be taken away as captives among all nations; and Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled. 60. 29.10: Lose your silver for the sake of a brother or a friend, and do not let it rust under a stone and be lost. Jas 5.3: Your gold and silver have rusted, and their rust will be evidence against you, and it will eat your flesh like fire. You have laid up treasure for the last days. 61. 29.10-11: Lose your silver for the sake of a brother or a friend, and do not let it rust under a stone and be lost. Lay up your treasure according to the commandments of the Most High, and it will profit you more than gold. Mt 6.20: but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal. 62. [UBS4] 29.11: Lay up your treasure according to the commandments of the Most High, and it will profit you more than gold. Lk 18.22: When Jesus heard this, he said to him, "There is still one thing lacking. Sell all that you own and distribute the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me." 63. 29.14-17: A good person will be surety for his neighbor, but the one who has lost all sense of shame will fail him. Do not forget the kindness of your guarantor, for he has given his life for you. A sinner wastes the property of his guarantor, and the ungrateful person abandons his rescuer. Heb 7.22: accordingly Jesus has also become the guarantee of a better covenant. 64. 31.15: Judge your neighbor's feelings by your own, and in every matter be thoughtful. Mt 7.12: In everything do to others as you would have them do to you; for this is the law and the prophets. 65. 32.23: Guard yourself in every act, for this is the keeping of the commandments. 1Cor 7.19: Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing; but obeying the commandments of God is everything. 66. 33.1: No evil will befall the one who fears the Lord, but in trials such a one will be rescued again and again. Mt 6.13: And do not bring us to the time of trial, but rescue us from the evil one. 67. 33.19: Hear me, you who are great among the people, and you leaders of the congregation, pay heed! Heb 13.7: Remember your leaders, those who spoke the word of God to you; consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith. 68. 35.3 (.5, NRSV): To keep from wickedness is pleasing to the Lord, and to forsake unrighteousness is an atonement. 2Tim 2.19: But God's firm foundation stands, bearing this inscription: "The Lord knows those who are his," and, "Let everyone who calls on the name of the Lord turn away from wickedness." 69. 35.6 (.8, NRSV): The offering of the righteous enriches the altar, and its pleasing odor rises before the Most High. Php 4.18: I have been paid in full and have more than enough; I am fully satisfied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent, a fragrant offering, a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God. 70. 35.12-13 (.14-16, NRSV): Do not offer him a bribe, for he will not accept it; and do not rely on a dishonest sacrifice; for the Lord is the judge, and with him there is no partiality. He will not show partiality to the poor; but he will listen to the prayer of one who is wronged. Ac 10.34: Then Peter began to speak to them: I truly understand that God shows no partiality, Rom 2.11: For God shows no partiality. 71. 35.13 (.16, NRSV): He will not show partiality to the poor; but he will listen to the prayer of one who is wronged. Gal 2.6: And from those who were supposed to be acknowledged leaders (what they actually were makes no difference to me; God shows no partiality)—those leaders contributed nothing to me. 72. 35.19 (.22b, NRSV): Indeed, the Lord will not delay, and like a warrior will not be patient until he crushes the loins of the unmerciful 2Pt 3.9: The Lord is not slow about his promise, as some think of slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish, but all to come to repentance. 73. 35.22(*-23?)(.24-25, NRSV): until he repays mortals according to their deeds, and the works of all according to their thoughts; until he judges the case of his people and makes them rejoice in his mercy. Mt 16.27: For the Son of Man is to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay everyone for what has been done. Lk 18.7: And will not God grant justice to his chosen ones who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long in helping them? [UBS4] Mt 16.27: For the Son of Man is to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay everyone for what has been done. 74. 36.7 (.10-11, NRSV): Hasten the day, and remember the appointed time, and let people recount your mighty deeds. Let survivors be consumed in the fiery wrath, and may those who harm your people meet destruction. Ac 2.11: Cretans and Arabs—in our own languages we hear them speaking about God's deeds of power. 75. 36.20 (.25, NRSV): A perverse mind will cause grief, but a person with experience will pay him back. Rom 15.8: For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the circumcised on behalf of the truth of God in order that he might confirm the promises given to the patriarchs, 76. 36.23: The stomach will take any food, yet one food is better than another. 1Cor 6.13: "Food is meant for the stomach and the stomach for food," and God will destroy both one and the other. The body is meant not for fornication but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. 77. 37.2: Is it not a sorrow like that for death itself when a dear friend turns into an enemy? Mt 26.38: Then he said to them, "I am deeply grieved, even to death; remain here, and stay awake with me." Mk 14.34: And he said to them, "I am deeply grieved, even to death; remain here, and keep awake." 78. 37.28: For not everything is good for everyone, and no one enjoys everything. 1Cor 6.12: “All things are lawful for me,” but not all things are beneficial. “All things are lawful for me,” but I will not be dominated by anything. 1Cor 10.23: “All things are lawful,” but not all things are beneficial. “All things are lawful,” but not all things build up. 79. [UBS4] 38.18: For grief may result in death, and a sorrowful heart saps one's strength. 2Cor 7.10: For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation and brings no regret, but worldly grief produces death. 80. 39.29: Fire and hail and famine and pestilence, all these have been created for vengeance Rev 8.7: The first angel blew his trumpet, and there came hail and fire, mixed with blood, and they were hurled to the earth; and a third of the earth was burned up, and a third of the trees were burned up, and all green grass was burned up. 81. 40.15: The children of the ungodly put out few branches; they are unhealthy roots on sheer rock. Mt 13.5: Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and they sprang up quickly, since they had no depth of soil. Mk 4.5: Other seed fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil, and it sprang up quickly, since it had no depth of soil. 82. 44.12: Their descendants stand by the covenants; their children also, for their sake. Rom 9.4: They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises 83. 44.16: Enoch pleased the Lord and was taken up, an example of repentance to all generations. Heb 11.5: By faith Enoch was taken so that he did not experience death; and "he was not found, because God had taken him." For it was attested before he was taken away that "he had pleased God." 84. 44.18, etc.: Everlasting covenants were made with him that all flesh should never again be blotted out by a flood. Rom 9.4: They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises 85. 44.19: Abraham was the great father of a multitude of nations, and no one has been found like him in glory. Jn 8.53: Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? The prophets also died. Who do you claim to be? Rom 4.17: as it is written, "I have made you the father of many nations")—in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist. 86. 44.20: He kept the law of the Most High, and entered into a covenant with him; he certified the covenant in his flesh, and when he was tested he proved faithful. Heb 11.17: By faith Abraham, when put to the test, offered up Isaac. He who had received the promises was ready to offer up his only son, 87. 44.21: Therefore the Lord assured him with an oath that the nations would be blessed through his offspring; that he would make him as numerous as the dust of the earth, and exalt his offspring like the stars, and give them an inheritance from sea to sea and from the Euphrates to the ends of the earth. Rom 4.13: For the promise that he would inherit the world did not come to Abraham or to his descendants through the law but through the righteousness of faith. [UBS4] Gal 3.8: And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, declared the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, "All the Gentiles shall be blessed in you." [UBS4] Heb 6.14: saying, "I will surely bless you and multiply you." [UBS4] Heb 11.12: Therefore from one person, and this one as good as dead, descendants were born, "as many as the stars of heaven and as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore." 88. 45.1 (44.23f-45.1 NRSV): From his descendants the Lord brought forth a godly man, who found favor in the sight of all and was beloved by God and people, Moses, whose memory is blessed. Eph 1.6: to the praise of his glorious grace that he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. 89. 46.5: He called upon the Most High, the Mighty One, when enemies pressed him on every side, and the great Lord answered him with hailstones of mighty power. 1Tim 6.15: which he will bring about at the right time—he who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords. 90. 46.13: Samuel was beloved by his Lord; a prophet of the Lord, he established the kingdom and anointed rulers over his people. Eph 1.6: to the praise of his glorious grace that he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. 91. 48.5: You raised a corpse from death and from Hades, by the word of the Most High. Lk 7.22: And he answered them, "Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have good news brought to them. 92. 48.10: At the appointed time, it is written, you are destined to calm the wrath of God before it breaks out in fury, to turn the hearts of parents to their children, and to restore the tribes of Jacob. Mt 11.14: and if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah who is to come. Mt 17.11: He replied, "Elijah is indeed coming and will restore all things Lk 1.17: With the spirit and power of Elijah he will go before him, to turn the hearts of parents to their children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord. Lk 9.8: by some that Elijah had appeared, and by others that one of the ancient prophets had arisen. 93. 48.12: When Elijah was enveloped in the whirlwind, Elisha was filled with his spirit. He performed twice as many signs, and marvels with every utterance of his mouth. Never in his lifetime did he tremble before any ruler, nor could anyone intimidate him at all. Ac 2.4: All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability. 94. 48.21: The Lord struck down the camp of the Assyrians, and his angel wiped them out. Ac 12.23: And immediately, because he had not given the glory to God, an angel of the Lord struck him down, and he was eaten by worms and died. 95. 48.24: By his dauntless spirit he saw the future, and comforted the mourners in Zion. Mt 5.4: Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. 96. 50.20: Then Simon came down and raised his hands over the whole congregation of Israelites, to pronounce the blessing of the Lord with his lips, and to glory in his name Lk 24.50: Then he led them out as far as Bethany, and, lifting up his hands, he blessed them. 97. 50.22: And now bless the God of all, who everywhere works great wonders, who fosters our growth from birth, and deals with us according to his mercy. Lk 24.53: and they were continually in the temple blessing God. 98. 50.25-26: Two nations my soul detests, and the third is not even a people: Those who live in Seir, and the Philistines, and the foolish people that live in Shechem. Jn 4.9: The Samaritan woman said to him, "How is it that you, a Jew, ask a drink of me, a woman of Samaria?" (Jews do not share things in common with Samaritans.) 99. 51.1: I give you thanks, O Lord and King, and praise you, O God my Savior. I give thanks to your name Mt 11.25: At that time Jesus said, "I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and the intelligent and have revealed them to infants Lk 10.21: At that same hour Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, "I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and the intelligent and have revealed them to infants; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. 100. 51.23: Draw near to me, you who are uneducated, and lodge in the house of instruction. Mt 11.28: Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. 101. 51.26-27: Put your neck under her yoke, and let your souls receive instruction; it is to be found close by. See with your own eyes that I have labored but little and found for myself much serenity. Mt 11.29: Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. WISDOM 1. 1.6: For wisdom is a kindly spirit, but will not free blasphemers from the guilt of their words; because God is witness of their inmost feelings, and a true observer of their hearts, and a hearer of their tongues. Tt 3.4: But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, 1Pt 2.25: For you were going astray like sheep, but now you have returned to the shepherd and guardian of your souls. 2. 1.11: Beware then of useless grumbling, and keep your tongue from slander; because no secret word is without result, and a lying mouth destroys the soul. Jas 4.11: Do not speak evil against one another, brothers and sisters. Whoever speaks evil against another or judges another, speaks evil against the law and judges the law; but if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge. 3. 1.14: For he created all things so that they might exist; the generative forces of the world are wholesome, and there is no destructive poison in them, and the dominion of Hades is not on earth. Rev 4.11: "You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created." 4. 2.5-6: For our allotted time is the passing of a shadow, and there is no return from our death, because it is sealed up and no one turns back. "Come, therefore, let us enjoy the good things that exist, and make use of the creation to the full as in youth. 1Cor 15.32: If with merely human hopes I fought with wild animals at Ephesus, what would I have gained by it? If the dead are not raised, "Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die." 5. 2.10: Let us oppress the righteous poor man; let us not spare the widow or regard the gray hairs of the aged. Jas 5.6: You have condemned and murdered the righteous one, who does not resist you. 6. 2.11: But let our might be our law of right, for what is weak proves itself to be useless. Rom 9.31: but Israel, who did strive for the righteousness that is based on the law, did not succeed in fulfilling that law. 7. 2.12: Let us lie in wait for the righteous man, because he is inconvenient to us and opposes our actions; he reproaches us for sins against the law, and accuses us of sins against our training. Jas 5.6: Let us oppress the righteous poor man; let us not spare the widow or regard the gray hairs of the aged. 8. 2.13: He professes to have knowledge of God, and calls himself a child of the Lord. Mt 27.43: He trusts in God; let God deliver him now, if he wants to; for he said, “I am God's Son.” 9. 2.16: We are considered by him as something base, and he avoids our ways as unclean; he calls the last end of the righteous happy, and boasts that God is his father. Jn 5.18: For this reason the Jews were seeking all the more to kill him, because he was not only breaking the sabbath, but was also calling God his own Father, thereby making himself equal to God. 10. 2.17: Let us see if his words are true, and let us test what will happen at the end of his life Heb 13.7: Remember your leaders, those who spoke the word of God to you; consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith. 11. 2.17-20: Let us see if his words are true, and let us test what will happen at the end of his life; for if the righteous man is God's child, he will help him, and will deliver him from the hand of his adversaries. Let us test him with insult and torture, so that we may find out how gentle he is, and make trial of his forbearance. Let us condemn him to a shameful death, for, according to what he says, he will be protected. Mk 15.29: Those who passed by derided him, shaking their heads and saying, "Aha! You who would destroy the temple and build it in three days, Mt 27.43: He trusts in God; let God deliver him now, if he wants to; for he said, “I am God's Son.” 12. 2.19: Let us test him with insult and torture, so that we may find out how gentle he is, and make trial of his forbearance. Php 4.5: Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. Jas 5.6: You have condemned and murdered the righteous one, who does not resist you. 13. 2.22: and they did not know the secret purposes of God, nor hoped for the wages of holiness, nor discerned the prize for blameless souls Mk 4.11: And he said to them, "To you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God, but for those outside, everything comes in parables 14. 2.23: for God created us for incorruption, and made us in the image of his own eternity 1Cor 11.7: For a man ought not to have his head veiled, since he is the image and reflection of God; but woman is the reflection of man. 15. 2.24: but through the devil's envy death entered the world, and those who belong to his company experience it. Jn 8.44: You are from your father the devil, and you choose to do your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks according to his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies. Rom 5.12: Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death came through sin, and so death spread to all because all have sinned 16. 3.4-5: For though in the sight of others they were punished, their hope is full of immortality. Having been disciplined a little, they will receive great good, because God tested them and found them worthy of himself Jas 1.2: My brothers and sisters, F2 whenever you face trials of any kind, consider it nothing but joy 17. 3.7: In the time of their visitation they will shine forth, and will run like sparks through the stubble. Lk 19.44: They will crush you to the ground, you and your children within you, and they will not leave within you one stone upon another; because you did not recognize the time of your visitation from God. 18. 3.8: They will govern nations and rule over peoples, and the Lord will reign over them forever. 1Cor 6.2: Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world is to be judged by you, are you incompetent to try trivial cases? 19. 3.9: Those who trust in him will understand truth, and the faithful will abide with him in love, because grace and mercy are upon his holy ones, and he watches over his elect. Jn 15.9-10: As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love. 20. 3.17: Even if they live long they will be held of no account, and finally their old age will be without honor. Ac 19.27: And there is danger not only that this trade of ours may come into disrepute but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will be scorned, and she will be deprived of her majesty that brought all Asia and the world to worship her. 21. 3.18: If they die young, they will have no hope and no consolation on the day of judgment. But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about those who have died, so that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. 22. 4.2: When it is present, people imitate it, and they long for it when it has gone; throughout all time it marches, crowned in triumph, victor in the contest for prizes that are undefiled. 1Cor 9.25: Athletes exercise self-control in all things; they do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable one. 23. 4.10: There were some who pleased God and were loved by him, and while living among sinners were taken up. Heb 11.5: By faith Enoch was taken so that he did not experience death; and "he was not found, because God had taken him." For it was attested before he was taken away that "he had pleased God." 24. 4.19: because he will dash them speechless to the ground, and shake them from the foundations; they will be left utterly dry and barren, and they will suffer anguish, and the memory of them will perish. Ac 1.18: Now this man acquired a field with the reward of his wickedness; and falling headlong, he burst open in the middle and all his bowels gushed out. 25. 5.4: These are persons whom we once held in derision and made a byword of reproach--fools that we were! We thought that their lives were madness and that their end was without honor. Jn 10.20: Many of them were saying, "He has a demon and is out of his mind. Why listen to him?" 26. 5.5: Why have they been numbered among the children of God? And why is their lot among the saints? Ac 20.32: And now I commend you to God and to the message of his grace, a message that is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all who are sanctified. Ac 26.18: to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me. 27. 5.6: So it was we who strayed from the way of truth, and the light of righteousness did not shine on us, and the sun did not rise upon us. 2Pt 2.2: Even so, many will follow their licentious ways, and because of these teachers the way of truth will be maligned. 28. [UBS4] 5.15: But the righteous live forever, and their reward is with the Lord; the Most High takes care of them. 1Jn 2.17: And the world and its desire are passing away, but those who do the will of God live forever. 29. 5.16: Therefore they will receive a glorious crown and a beautiful diadem from the hand of the Lord, because with his right hand he will cover them, and with his arm he will shield them. 2Tim 4.8: From now on there is reserved for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have longed for his appearing. 30. 5.17: The Lord will take his zeal as his whole armor, and will arm all creation to repel his enemies Eph 6.13: Therefore take up the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to withstand on that evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. 31. 5.18: he will put on righteousness as a breastplate, and wear impartial justice as a helmet Eph 6.14: Stand therefore, and fasten the belt of truth around your waist, and put on the breastplate of righteousness. [UBS4] 1Th 5.8: But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, and put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. 32. 5.19, 21: he will take holiness as an invincible shield, .... Shafts of lightning will fly with true aim, and will leap from the clouds to the target, as from a well-drawn bow Eph 6.16: With all of these, take the shield of faith, with which you will be able to quench all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 33. 5.22: and hailstones full of wrath will be hurled as from a catapult; the water of the sea will rage against them, and rivers will relentlessly overwhelm them Lk 21.25: There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars, and on the earth distress among nations confused by the roaring of the sea and the waves. 34. 6.3: For your dominion was given you from the Lord, and your sovereignty from the Most High; he will search out your works and inquire into your plans. Rom 13.1: Let every person be subject to the governing authorities; for there is no authority except from God, and those authorities that exist have been instituted by God. 35. 6.7: For the Lord of all will not stand in awe of anyone, or show deference to greatness; because he himself made both small and great, and he takes thought for all alike. Ac 10.36: You know the message he sent to the people of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ—he is Lord of all. 36. 6.18: and love of her is the keeping of her laws, and giving heed to her laws is assurance of immortality, Jn 14.15: If you love me, you will keep my commandments. 37. 7.1: I also am mortal, like everyone else, a descendant of the first-formed child of earth; and in the womb of a mother I was molded into flesh Ac 10.26: But Peter made him get up, saying, "Stand up; I am only a mortal." 38. 7.3: And when I was born, I began to breathe the common air, and fell upon the kindred earth; my first sound was a cry, as is true of all. Ac 14.15: Friends, why are you doing this? We are mortals just like you, and we bring you good news, that you should turn from these worthless things to the living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them. 39. 7.7: Therefore I prayed, and understanding was given me; I called on God, and the spirit of wisdom came to me. Eph 1.17: I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation as you come to know him 40. 7.11: All good things came to me along with her, and in her hands uncounted wealth. Mt 6.33: But strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 41. 7.18: the beginning and end and middle of times, the alternations of the solstices and the changes of the seasons Ac 17.26: From one ancestor he made all nations to inhabit the whole earth, and he allotted the times of their existence and the boundaries of the places where they would live 42. 7.22-30: 22 for wisdom, the fashioner of all things, taught me. There is in her a spirit that is intelligent, holy, unique, manifold, subtle, mobile, clear, unpolluted, distinct, invulnerable, loving the good, keen, irresistible, beneficent, humane, steadfast, sure, free from anxiety, all-powerful, overseeing all, and penetrating through all spirits that are intelligent, pure, and altogether subtle. For wisdom is more mobile than any motion; because of her pureness she pervades and penetrates all things. For she is a breath of the power of God, and a pure emanation of the glory of the Almighty; therefore nothing defiled gains entrance into her. For she is a reflection of eternal light, a spotless mirror of the working of God, and an image of his goodness. Although she is but one, she can do all things, and while remaining in herself, she renews all things; in every generation she passes into holy souls and makes them friends of God, and prophets; for God loves nothing so much as the person who lives with wisdom. She is more beautiful than the sun, and excels every constellation of the stars. Compared with the light she is found to be superior, for it is succeeded by the night, but against wisdom evil does not prevail. Heb 4.12: Indeed, the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing until it divides soul from spirit, joints from marrow; it is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. Php 4.13: I can do all things through him who strengthens me. 1Cor 1.24: but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. Heb 1.3: He is the reflection of God's glory and the exact imprint of God's very being, and he sustains all things by his powerful word. When he had made purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high Jas 2.23: Thus the scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness," and he was called the friend of God. 43. 8.3, etc.: She glorifies her noble birth by living with God, and the Lord of all loves her. Ac 10.36: You know the message he sent to the people of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ—he is Lord of all. 44. 8.8: And if anyone longs for wide experience, she knows the things of old, and infers the things to come; she understands turns of speech and the solutions of riddles; she has foreknowledge of signs and wonders and of the outcome of seasons and times. Jn 4.48: Then Jesus said to him, "Unless you see signs and wonders you will not believe." 1Th 5.1: Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers and sisters, you do not need to have anything written to you. 45. 9.1: O God of my ancestors and Lord of mercy, who have made all things by your word Jn 1.3: All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being Ac 17.24-25: The God who made the world and everything in it, he who is Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in shrines made by human hands, nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mortals life and breath and all things. 46. 9.3: and rule the world in holiness and righteousness, and pronounce judgment in uprightness of soul Eph 4.24: and to clothe yourselves with the new self, created according to the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness 47. 9.9: With you is wisdom, she who knows your works and was present when you made the world; she understands what is pleasing in your sight and what is right according to your commandments. Ac 17.24: The God who made the world and everything in it, he who is Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in shrines made by human hands, 48. 9.13: For who can learn the counsel of God? Or who can discern what the Lord wills? 1Cor 2.16: "For who has known the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?" But we have the mind of Christ. 49. 9.15: for a perishable body weighs down the soul, and this earthy tent burdens the thoughtful mind. 2Cor 5.1, 4: For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. .... For while we are still in this tent, we groan under our burden, because we wish not to be unclothed but to be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. 50. 9.16: We can hardly guess at what is on earth, and what is at hand we find with labor; but who has traced out what is in the heavens? Jn 3.12: If I have told you about earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you about heavenly things? 51. 10.6: Wisdom rescued a righteous man when the ungodly were perishing; he escaped the fire that descended on the Five Cities. 2Pt 2.7: and if he rescued Lot, a righteous man greatly distressed by the licentiousness of the lawless 52. 10.16: She entered the soul of a servant of the Lord, and withstood dread kings with wonders and signs. 2Cor 12.12: The signs of a true apostle were performed among you with utmost patience, signs and wonders and mighty works. 53. 10.17: She gave to holy people the reward of their labors; she guided them along a marvelous way, and became a shelter to them by day, and a starry flame through the night. Heb 11.6: And without faith it is impossible to please God, for whoever would approach him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. 54. 11.10: For you tested them as a parent does in warning, but you examined the ungodly as a stern king does in condemnation. 1Cor 4.14: I am not writing this to make you ashamed, but to admonish you as my beloved children. 55. 11.15: In return for their foolish and wicked thoughts, which led them astray to worship irrational serpents and worthless animals, you sent upon them a multitude of irrational creatures to punish them Rom 1.23: and they exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling a mortal human being or birds or four-footed animals or reptiles. 56. 11.23: But you are merciful to all, for you can do all things, and you overlook people's sins, so that they may repent. Rom 2.4: Or do you despise the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience? Do you not realize that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? 57. 12.10: But judging them little by little you gave them an opportunity to repent, though you were not unaware that their origin was evil and their wickedness inborn, and that their way of thinking would never change. Heb 12.17: You know that later, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no chance to repent, even though he sought the blessing with tears. 58. 12.12: For who will say, "What have you done?" or will resist your judgment? Who will accuse you for the destruction of nations that you made? Or who will come before you to plead as an advocate for the unrighteous? Rom 9.19: You will say to me then, "Why then does he still find fault? For who can resist his will?" [UBS4] Rom 9.20: But who indeed are you, a human being, to argue with God? Will what is molded say to the one who molds it, "Why have you made me like this?" 59. 12.13: For neither is there any god besides you, whose care is for all people, to whom you should prove that you have not judged unjustly 1Pt 5.7: Cast all your anxiety on him, because he cares for you. 60. [UBS4] 12.13-14: For neither is there any god besides you, whose care is for all people, to whom you should prove that you have not judged unjustly; nor can any king or monarch confront you about those whom you have punished. Ac 5.39: but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them—in that case you may even be found fighting against God!" They were convinced by him 61. 12.19: Through such works you have taught your people that the righteous must be kind, and you have filled your children with good hope, because you give repentance for sins. Ac 11.18: When they heard this, they were silenced. And they praised God, saying, "Then God has given even to the Gentiles the repentance that leads to life." 62. 12.24: For they went far astray on the paths of error, accepting as gods those animals that even their enemies despised; they were deceived like foolish infants. Rom 1.23: and they exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling a mortal human being or birds or four-footed animals or reptiles. 63. Chapters 13-15 For all people who were ignorant of God were foolish by nature; and they were unable from the good things that are seen to know the one who exists, nor did they recognize the artisan while paying heed to his works; but they supposed that either fire or wind or swift air, or the circle of the stars, or turbulent water, or the luminaries of heaven were the gods that rule the world. If through delight in the beauty of these things people assumed them to be gods, let them know how much better than these is their Lord, for the author of beauty created them. And if people were amazed at their power and working, let them perceive from them how much more powerful is the one who formed them. For from the greatness and beauty of created things comes a corresponding perception of their Creator. Yet these people are little to be blamed, for perhaps they go astray while seeking God and desiring to find him. For while they live among his works, they keep searching, and they trust in what they see, because the things that are seen are beautiful. Yet again, not even they are to be excused; for if they had the power to know so much that they could investigate the world, how did they fail to find sooner the Lord of these things? But miserable, with their hopes set on dead things, are those who give the name "gods" to the works of human hands, gold and silver fashioned with skill, and likenesses of animals, or a useless stone, the work of an ancient hand. A skilled woodcutter may saw down a tree easy to handle and skillfully strip off all its bark, and then with pleasing workmanship make a useful vessel that serves life's needs, and burn the cast-off pieces of his work to prepare his food, and eat his fill. But a cast-off piece from among them, useful for nothing, a stick crooked and full of knots, he takes and carves with care in his leisure, and shapes it with skill gained in idleness; he forms it in the likeness of a human being, or makes it like some worthless animal, giving it a coat of red paint and coloring its surface red and covering every blemish in it with paint; then he makes a suitable niche for it, and sets it in the wall, and fastens it there with iron. He takes thought for it, so that it may not fall, because he knows that it cannot help itself, for it is only an image and has need of help. When he prays about possessions and his marriage and children, he is not ashamed to address a lifeless thing. For health he appeals to a thing that is weak; for life he prays to a thing that is dead; for aid he entreats a thing that is utterly inexperienced; for a prosperous journey, a thing that cannot take a step; for money-making and work and success with his hands he asks strength of a thing whose hands have no strength. Again, one preparing to sail and about to voyage over raging waves calls upon a piece of wood more fragile than the ship that carries him. For it was desire for gain that planned that vessel, and wisdom was the artisan who built it; but it is your providence, O Father, that steers its course, because you have given it a path in the sea, and a safe way through the waves, showing that you can save from every danger, so that even a person who lacks skill may put to sea. It is your will that works of your wisdom should not be without effect; therefore people trust their lives even to the smallest piece of wood, and passing through the billows on a raft they come safely to land. For even in the beginning, when arrogant giants were perishing, the hope of the world took refuge on a raft, and guided by your hand left to the world the seed of a new generation. For blessed is the wood by which righteousness comes. But the idol made with hands is accursed, and so is the one who made it-- he for having made it, and the perishable thing because it was named a god. For equally hateful to God are the ungodly and their ungodliness; for what was done will be punished together with the one who did it. Therefore there will be a visitation also upon the heathen idols, because, though part of what God created, they became an abomination, snares for human souls and a trap for the feet of the foolish. For the idea of making idols was the beginning of fornication, and the invention of them was the corruption of life; for they did not exist from the beginning, nor will they last forever. For through human vanity they entered the world, and therefore their speedy end has been planned. For a father, consumed with grief at an untimely bereavement, made an image of his child, who had been suddenly taken from him; he now honored as a god what was once a dead human being, and handed on to his dependents secret rites and initiations. Then the ungodly custom, grown strong with time, was kept as a law, and at the command of monarchs carved images were worshiped. When people could not honor monarchs in their presence, since they lived at a distance, they imagined their appearance far away, and made a visible image of the king whom they honored, so that by their zeal they might flatter the absent one as though present. Then the ambition of the artisan impelled even those who did not know the king to intensify their worship. For he, perhaps wishing to please his ruler, skillfully forced the likeness to take more beautiful form, and the multitude, attracted by the charm of his work, now regarded as an object of worship the one whom shortly before they had honored as a human being. And this became a hidden trap for humankind, because people, in bondage to misfortune or to royal authority, bestowed on objects of stone or wood the name that ought not to be shared. Then it was not enough for them to err about the knowledge of God, but though living in great strife due to ignorance, they call such great evils peace. For whether they kill children in their initiations, or celebrate secret mysteries, or hold frenzied revels with strange customs, they no longer keep either their lives or their marriages pure, but they either treacherously kill one another, or grieve one another by adultery, and all is a raging riot of blood and murder, theft and deceit, corruption, faithlessness, tumult, perjury, confusion over what is good, forgetfulness of favors, defiling of souls, sexual perversion, disorder in marriages, adultery, and debauchery. For the worship of idols not to be named is the beginning and cause and end of every evil. For their worshipers either rave in exultation, or prophesy lies, or live unrighteously, or readily commit perjury; for because they trust in lifeless idols they swear wicked oaths and expect to suffer no harm. But just penalties will overtake them on two counts: because they thought wrongly about God in devoting themselves to idols, and because in deceit they swore unrighteously through contempt for holiness. For it is not the power of the things by which people swear, but the just penalty for those who sin, that always pursues the transgression of the unrighteous. But you, our God, are kind and true, patient, and ruling all things in mercy. For even if we sin we are yours, knowing your power; but we will not sin, because we know that you acknowledge us as yours. For to know you is complete righteousness, and to know your power is the root of immortality. For neither has the evil intent of human art misled us, nor the fruitless toil of painters, a figure stained with varied colors, whose appearance arouses yearning in fools, so that they desire the lifeless form of a dead image. Lovers of evil things and fit for such objects of hope are those who either make or desire or worship them. A potter kneads the soft earth and laboriously molds each vessel for our service, fashioning out of the same clay both the vessels that serve clean uses and those for contrary uses, making all alike; but which shall be the use of each of them the worker in clay decides. With misspent toil, these workers form a futile god from the same clay-- these mortals who were made of earth a short time before and after a little while go to the earth from which all mortals are taken, when the time comes to return the souls that were borrowed. But the workers are not concerned that mortals are destined to die or that their life is brief, but they compete with workers in gold and silver, and imitate workers in copper; and they count it a glorious thing to mold counterfeit gods. Their heart is ashes, their hope is cheaper than dirt, and their lives are of less worth than clay, because they failed to know the one who formed them and inspired them with active souls and breathed a living spirit into them. But they considered our existence an idle game, and life a festival held for profit, for they say one must get money however one can, even by base means. For these persons, more than all others, know that they sin when they make from earthy matter fragile vessels and carved images. But most foolish, and more miserable than an infant, are all the enemies who oppressed your people. For they thought that all their heathen idols were gods, though these have neither the use of their eyes to see with, nor nostrils with which to draw breath, nor ears with which to hear, nor fingers to feel with, and their feet are of no use for walking. For a human being made them, and one whose spirit is borrowed formed them; for none can form gods that are like themselves. People are mortal, and what they make with lawless hands is dead; for they are better than the objects they worship, since they have life, but the idols never had. Moreover, they worship even the most hateful animals, which are worse than all others when judged by their lack of intelligence; and even as animals they are not so beautiful in appearance that one would desire them, but they have escaped both the praise of God and his blessing. Rom 1.19-32: They were filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, covetousness, malice. Full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, craftiness, they are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, rebellious toward parents, foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. They know God's decree, that those who practice such things deserve to die—yet they not only do them but even applaud others who practice them. 64. 13.1: For all people who were ignorant of God were foolish by nature; and they were unable from the good things that are seen to know the one who exists, nor did they recognize the artisan while paying heed to his works Rom 1.21: for though they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their senseless minds were darkened. 1Cor 15.34: Come to a sober and right mind, and sin no more; for some people have no knowledge of God. I say this to your shame. Heb 11.10: For he looked forward to the city that has foundations, whose architect and builder is God. 65. 13.6: Yet these people are little to be blamed, for perhaps they go astray while seeking God and desiring to find him. Ac 17.27: so that they would search for God and perhaps grope for him and find him—though indeed he is not far from each one of us. 66. 13.10: But miserable, with their hopes set on dead things, are those who give the name "gods" to the works of human hands, gold and silver fashioned with skill, and likenesses of animals, or a useless stone, the work of an ancient hand. Ac 17.29: Since we are God's offspring, we ought not to think that the deity is like gold, or silver, or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of mortals. 67. 14.1: Again, one preparing to sail and about to voyage over raging waves calls upon a piece of wood more fragile than the ship that carries him. Jude 13: wild waves of the sea, casting up the foam of their own shame; wandering stars, for whom the deepest darkness has been reserved forever. 68. [UBS4] 14.3: but it is your providence, O Father, that steers its course, because you have given it a path in the sea, and a safe way through the waves 1Pt 1.17: If you invoke as Father the one who judges all people impartially according to their deeds, live in reverent fear during the time of your exile. 69. 14.20: and the multitude, attracted by the charm of his work, now regarded as an object of worship the one whom shortly before they had honored as a human being. Ac 17.23: For as I went through the city and looked carefully at the objects of your worship, I found among them an altar with the inscription, “To an unknown god.” What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you. 70. 15.1: But you, our God, are kind and true, patient, and ruling all things in mercy. Lk 6.35: But love your enemies, do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return. Your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High; for he is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked. 71. 15.3: For to know you is complete righteousness, and to know your power is the root of immortality. Jn 17.3: And this is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. 72. 15.7: A potter kneads the soft earth and laboriously molds each vessel for our service, fashioning out of the same clay both the vessels that serve clean uses and those for contrary uses, making all alike; but which shall be the use of each of them the worker in clay decides. Rom 9.21: Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one object for special use and another for ordinary use? 73. 15.8: With misspent toil, these workers form a futile god from the same clay--these mortals who were made of earth a short time before and after a little while go to the earth from which all mortals are taken, when the time comes to return the souls that were borrowed. Lk 12.20: But God said to him, “You fool! This very night your life is being demanded of you. And the things you have prepared, whose will they be?” 74. 15.11: because they failed to know the one who formed them and inspired them with active souls and breathed a living spirit into them. Jn 20.22: When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, Receive the Holy Spirit. 75. 15.17: People are mortal, and what they make with lawless hands is dead; for they are better than the objects they worship, since they have life, but the idols never had. Ac 17.23: For as I went through the city and looked carefully at the objects of your worship, I found among them an altar with the inscription, “To an unknown god.” What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you. 76. 16.6: they were troubled for a little while as a warning, and received a symbol of deliverance to remind them of your law's command. 1Cor 11.24: and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, "This is my body that is for you. Do this in remembrance of me." 77. 16.9: For they were killed by the bites of locusts and flies, and no healing was found for them, because they deserved to be punished by such things. Rev 9.3: Then from the smoke came locusts on the earth, and they were given authority like the authority of scorpions of the earth. 78. 16.13: For you have power over life and death; you lead mortals down to the gates of Hades and back again. Mt 16.18: And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it. Rom 10.7: or "Who will descend into the abyss?' " (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). 79. 16.22: Snow and ice withstood fire without melting, so that they might know that the crops of their enemies were being destroyed by the fire that blazed in the hail and flashed in the showers of rain Rev 8.7: The first angel blew his trumpet, and there came hail and fire, mixed with blood, and they were hurled to the earth; and a third of the earth was burned up, and a third of the trees were burned up, and all green grass was burned up. 80. 16.26: so that your children, whom you loved, O Lord, might learn that it is not the production of crops that feeds humankind but that your word sustains those who trust in you. Mt 4.4: But he answered, “It is written, ‘One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” 81. 17.1: Great are your judgments and hard to describe; therefore uninstructed souls have gone astray. Rom 11.33: O the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! 82. 17.2: For when lawless people supposed that they held the holy nation in their power, they themselves lay as captives of darkness and prisoners of long night, shut in under their roofs, exiles from eternal providence. Mt 22.13: Then the king said to the attendants, “Bind him hand and foot, and throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” 83. 17.11: For wickedness is a cowardly thing, condemned by its own testimony; distressed by conscience, it has always exaggerated the difficulties. Rom 2.15: They show that what the law requires is written on their hearts, to which their own conscience also bears witness; and their conflicting thoughts will accuse or perhaps excuse them 84. 17.14: But throughout the night, which was really powerless and which came upon them from the recesses of powerless Hades, they all slept the same sleep 1Th 5.3: When they say, "There is peace and security," then sudden destruction will come upon them, as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and there will be no escape! 85. 17.15: and now were driven by monstrous specters, and now were paralyzed by their souls' surrender; for sudden and unexpected fear overwhelmed them. Mk 6.49: But when they saw him walking on the sea, they thought it was a ghost and cried out 86. 17.17: for whether they were farmers or shepherds or workers who toiled in the wilderness, they were seized, and endured the inescapable fate; for with one chain of darkness they all were bound. Gal 6.1: My friends, if anyone is detected in a transgression, you who have received the Spirit should restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness. Take care that you yourselves are not tempted. 87. 18.1: But for your holy ones there was very great light. Their enemies heard their voices but did not see their forms, and counted them happy for not having suffered Ac 9.7: The men who were traveling with him stood speechless because they heard the voice but saw no one. Ac 22.9: Now those who were with me saw the light but did not hear the voice of the one who was speaking to me. 88. 18.14: For while gentle silence enveloped all things, and night in its swift course was now half gone Rev 8.1: When the Lamb opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. 89. 18.14-16: For while gentle silence enveloped all things, and night in its swift course was now half gone, your all-powerful word leaped from heaven, from the royal throne, into the midst of the land that was doomed, a stern warrior carrying the sharp sword of your authentic command, and stood and filled all things with death, and touched heaven while standing on the earth. 1Th 5.2: For you yourselves know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. Jn 3.12: If I have told you about earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you about heavenly things? Heb 4.12: Indeed, the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing until it divides soul from spirit, joints from marrow; it is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. Rev 2.12: And to the angel of the church in Pergamum write: These are the words of him who has the sharp two-edged sword 90. 18.25: To these the destroyer yielded, these he feared; for merely to test the wrath was enough. Heb 11.28: By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn would not touch the firstborn of Israel. 91. 19.7-8: The cloud was seen overshadowing the camp, and dry land emerging where water had stood before, an unhindered way out of the Red Sea, and a grassy plain out of the raging waves, where those protected by your hand passed through as one nation, after gazing on marvelous wonders. 1Cor 10.1: I do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, that our ancestors were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea 92. 19.10: For they still recalled the events of their sojourn, how instead of producing animals the earth brought forth gnats, and instead of fish the river spewed out vast numbers of frogs. Ac 13.17: The God of this people Israel chose our ancestors and made the people great during their stay in the land of Egypt, and with uplifted arm he led them out of it. JUBILEES 1. 1.23: But after this they will return to me in all uprighteousness and with all of (their) heart and soul. And I shall cut off the foreskin of their heart and the foreskin of the heart of their descendants. And I shall create for them a holy spirit, and I shall purify them so that they will not turn away from following me from that day and forever. Rom 2.29: Rather, a person is a Jew who is one inwardly, and real circumcision is a matter of the heart—it is spiritual and not literal. Such a person receives praise not from others but from God. 2. 2.19: And he said to us, “Behold I shall separate for myself a people from among all the nations. And they will also keep the sabbath. And I will sanctify them for myself, and I will bless them. Just as I have sanctified and shall sanctify the sabbath day for myself thus shall I bless them. And they will be my people and I will be their God. Rom 9.24: including us whom he has called, not from the Jews only but also from the Gentiles? 3. 19.21, etc.: Let your hands be strong and let your heart rejoice in your son, Jacob. Because I love him more than all of my sons. He will be blessed forever and his seed will be one which fills all of the earth. Rom 4.13: For the promise that he would inherit the world did not come to Abraham or to his descendants through the law but through the righteousness of faith. PSALMS OF SOLOMON 1. 1.5: They exalted themselves to the stars, they said they would never fall. Mt 11.23: And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? No, you will be brought down to Hades. For if the deeds of power done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. 2. Blessed are those who fear God in their innocence; the Lord shall save them from deceitful and sinful people and save us from every evil snare. 2Tim 3.11: my persecutions, and my suffering the things that happened to me in Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra. What persecutions I endured! Yet the Lord rescued me from all of them. 3. 4.25, etc.: Lord, let your mercy be upon all those who love you. Rom 8.28: We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. 4. 5.3: For no one takes plunder away from a strong man, so who is going to take (anything) from all that you have done, unless you give (it)? Mk 3.27: But no one can enter a strong man's house and plunder his property without first tying up the strong man; then indeed the house can be plundered. [UBS4] Lk 11.21-22: But when one stronger than he attacks him and overpowers him, he takes away his armor in which he trusted and divides his plunder. 5. 5.9-11: You feed the birds and the fish, as you send rain to the wilderness that the grass may sprout, to provide pasture in the wilderness for every living thing, and if they are hungry, they will lift up their face to you. You feed kings and rulers and peoples, O God, and who is the hope of the poor and the needy, if not you, Lord? Mt 6.26: Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 6. 7.1: Do not move away from us, O God, lest those who hate us without cause should attack us. Jn 15.25: It was to fulfill the word that is written in their law, “They hated me without a cause.” 7. 7.6: While your name lives among us, we shall receive mercy and the gentile will not overcome us. Jn 1.14: And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father's only son, full of grace and truth. 8. 8.2: The sound of many people as of a violent storm, as a raging fire storm sweeping through the wilderness. Rev 19.1: After this I heard what seemed to be the loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying, "Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power to our God, 9. 9.2: Because of this God mixed them (a drink) of a wavering spirit, and gave them a cup of undiluted wine to make them drunk. 1Jn 4.6: We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us, and whoever is not from God does not listen to us. From this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error. 10. 8.15: He brought someone from the end of the earth, one who attacks in strength; he declared war against Jerusalem and her land. Ac 1.8: But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. 11. 8.28: Bring together the dispersed of Israel with mercy and goodness, for your faithfulness is with us. Rom 3.3: What if some were unfaithful? Will their faithlessness nullify the faithfulness of God? 12. 9.5: The one who does what is right saves up life for himself with the Lord, and the one who does what is wrong causes his own life to be destroyed; for the Lord’s righteous judgments are according to the individual and the household. Rom 2.5: But by your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath, when God's righteous judgment will be revealed. 13. 10.2: The one who prepares (his) back for the whip shall be purified, for the Lord is good to those who endure discipline. Heb 12.7: Endure trials for the sake of discipline. God is treating you as children; for what child is there whom a parent does not discipline? 14. 12.6: May the salvation of the Lord be upon Israel his servant forever; may the wicked perish once and for all from before the Lord. And may the Lord’s devout inherit the Lord’s promises. Heb 6.12: so that you may not become sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises. 15. 14.1: The Lord is faithful to those who truly love him, to those who endure his discipline. Rom 7.10: and I died, and the very commandment that promised life proved to be death to me. 16. 14.3: The Lord’s devout shall live by it forever; the Lord’s paradise, the trees of life, are his devout ones. Rev 22.2: through the middle of the street of the city. On either side of the river is the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, producing its fruit each month; and the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. 17. 15.2-3: For who, O God, is strong except he who confesses you in truth; and what person is powerful except he who confesses you name? A new psalm with song with a happy heart, the fruit of the lips with the tuned instrument of the tongue, the first fruits of the lips from a devout and righteous heart. Heb 13.15: Through him, then, let us continually offer a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that confess his name. 18. 15.8: But they shall pursue sinners and overtake them, for those who act lawlessly shall not escape the Lord’s judgment. Rom 2.3: Do you imagine, whoever you are, that when you judge those who do such things and yet do them yourself, you will escape the judgment of God? 19. 16.5: I will give thanks to you, O God, who came to my aid for (my) salvation, and who did not count me with the sinners for (my) destruction. Lk 22.37: For I tell you, this scripture must be fulfilled in me, ‘And he was counted among the lawless;’ and indeed what is written about me is being fulfilled. 20. 17.1: Lord, you are our king forevermore; for in you, O God, does our soul take pride. Rom 2.17: But if you call yourself a Jew and rely on the law and boast of your relation to God 21. 17.21: See, Lord, and raise up for them their king, the son of David, to rule over your servant Israel in the time known to you, O God. Jn 7.42: Has not the scripture said that the Messiah is descended from David and comes from Bethlehem, the village where David lived? *Mt 24.36: But about that day and hour no one knows, neither the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 22. 17.23-24: In wisdom and in righteousness to drive out the sinners from the inheritance; to smash the arrogance of sinners like a potter’s jar; To shatter all their substance with an iron rod; to destroy the unlawful nations with the word of his mouth; Rev 2.27: to rule them with an iron rod, as when clay pots are shattered 23. 17.25: At his warning the nations will flee from his presence; and he will condemn sinners by the thoughts of their hearts. Lk 21.24: they will fall by the edge of the sword and be taken away as captives among all nations; and Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled. 24. 17.26, 29: He will gather a holy people whom he will lead in righteousness; and he will judge the tribes of the people that have been made holy by the Lord their God. .... He will judge peoples and nations in the wisdom of his righteousness. Pause. Mt 19.28: Jesus said to them, "Truly I tell you, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man is seated on the throne of his glory, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 25. 17.30: And he will have gentile nations serving him under his yoke, and he will glorify the Lord in a place prominent above the whole earth. And he will purge Jerusalem and make it holy as it was even from the beginning. Mt 21.12: Then Jesus entered the temple and drove out all who were selling and buying in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves. 26. [UBS4] 17.31, 34: for nations to come from the ends of the earth to see his glory, to bring as gifts her children who had been driven out, and to see the glory of the Lord with which God has glorified her. .... The Lord himself is his king, the hope of the one who has a strong hope in God. He shall be compassionate to all the nations who reverently stand before him. Rev 21.24, 26: The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it. .... People will bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations. 27. 17.32: And he will be a righteous king over them, taught by God. There will be no unrighteousness among them in his days, for all shall be holy, and their king shall be the Lord Messiah. Lk 2.11: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. 28. 17.36: And he himself will be free from sin, in order to rule a great people. He will expose officials and drive out sinners by the strength of his word. Heb 4.15: For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who in every respect has been tested as we are, yet without sin. 29. 17.43: His words will be purer than the finest gold, the best. He will judge the peoples in the assemblies, the tribes of the sanctified. His words will be as the words of the holy ones, among sanctified peoples. Rev 3.18: Therefore I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire so that you may be rich; and white robes to clothe you and to keep the shame of your nakedness from being seen; and salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see. 30. 18.6-7: Blessed are those born in those days, to see the good things of the Lord which he will do for the coming generation; which will be under the rod of discipline of the Lord Messiah, in the fear of his God, in wisdom of spirit, and of righteousness and of strength Mt 13.6 [?]:But when the sun rose, they were scorched; and since they had no root, they withered away. *Mt 24.19: Woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing infants in those days! 31. 18.10: Our God is great and glorious, living in the highest heavens, who arranges the stars into orbits to mark the time of the hours from day to day. And they have not deviated from their course, which he appointed them. Lk 2.14: "Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors!" 1 ENOCH 1. 1.2: And Enoch, the blessed and righteous man of the Lord, took up (his parable) while his eyes were open and he saw, and said, “(This is) a holy vision from the heavens which the angels showed me: and I heard from them everything and I understood. I look not for this generation but for the distant one that is coming. 1Pt 1.12: It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in regard to the things that have now been announced to you through those who brought you good news by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—things into which angels long to look! 2. 1.9: Behold, he will arrive with ten million of the holy ones in order to execute judgment upon all. He will destroy the wicked ones and censure all flesh on account of everything that they have done, that which the sinners and the wicked ones committed against him. Jude 14-15: It was also about these that Enoch, in the seventh generation from Adam, prophesied, saying, “See, the Lord is coming with ten thousands of his holy ones, to execute judgment on all, and to convict everyone of all the deed of ungodliness that they have committed in such an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things that ungodly sinners have spoken against him.” 3. 5.4: But as for you, you have not been long-suffering and you have not done the commandments of the Lord, but you have transgressed and spoken slanderously grave and harsh words with your impure mouths against his greatness. Oh, you hard-hearted, may you not find peace! Jude 16: These are grumblers and malcontents; they indulge their own lusts; they are bombastic in speech, flattering people to their own advantage. 4. 5.7: But to the elect there shall be light, joy, and peace, and they shall inherit the earth. To you, wicked ones, on the contrary, there will be a curse. Mt 5.5: Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. 5. 9.4: And they said to the Lord of the potentates, “For he is the Lord of lords, and the God of gods, and the King of kings, and the seat of his glory stands throughout all the generations of the world. Your name is holy, and blessed, and glorious throughout the whole world.” Rev 15.3: And they sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb: "Great and amazing are your deeds, Lord God the Almighty! Just and true are your ways, King of the nations! Rev 17.14: they will make war on the Lamb, and the Lamb will conquer them, for he is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those with him are called and chosen and faithful. [UBS4] Rev 19.16: On his robe and on his thigh he has a name inscribed, "King of kings and Lord of lords." 6. 9.5: You have made everything and with you is the authority for everything. Everything is naked and open before your sight, and you see everything; and there is nothing which can hide itself from you. Heb 4.13: And before him no creature is hidden, but all are naked and laid bare to the eyes of the one to whom we must render an account. 7. 9.10: An now behold, the Holy One will cry, and those who have died will bring their suit up to the gate of heaven. Their groaning has ascended into heaven, but they could not get out from before the face of the oppression that is being wrought on earth. 1Pt 3.19: in which also he went and made a proclamation to the spirits in prison 8. 10.4-5: And secondly the Lord said to Raphael, “Bind Azaz’el hand and foot and throw him into the darkness!” And he made a hold in the desert which was in Duda’el and cast him there; he threw on top of him rugged and sharp rocks. And he covered his face in order that he may not see light 2Pt 2.4: For if God did not spare the angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to chains of deepest darkness to be kept until the judgment *Mt 22.13: Then the king said to the attendants, “Bind him hand and foot, and throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” 9. 10.6: and in order that he may be sent into the fire on the great day of judgment. Jude 6: And the angels who did not keep their own position, but left their proper dwelling, he has kept in eternal chains in deepest darkness for the judgment of the great day. Rev 19.20: And the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who had performed in its presence the signs by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped its image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur. 10. 10.11-14: And to Michael God said, “Make known to Semyaza and the others who are with him, who fornicated with the women, that they will die together with them in all their defilement. And when they and all their children have battled with each other, and when they have seen the destruction of their beloved ones, bind them for seventy generations underneath the rocks of the ground until the day of their judgment and of their consummation, until the eternal judgment is concluded. In those days they will lead them into the bottom of the fire – and in torment – in the prison where they will be locked up forever. And at the time when they will burn and die, those who collaborated with them will be bound together with them from henceforth unto the end of all generations. 2 Pt 2.4: For if God did not spare the angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to chains of deepest darkness to be kept until the judgment 11. 10.11-15: And to Michael God said, “Make known to Semyaza and the others who are with him, who fornicated with the women, that they will die together with them in all their defilement. And when they and all their children have battled with each other, and when they have seen the destruction of their beloved ones, bind them for seventy generations underneath the rocks of the ground until the day of their judgment and of their consummation, until the eternal judgment is concluded. In those days they will lead them into the bottom of the fire – and in torment – in the prison where they will be locked up forever. And at the time when they will burn and die, those who collaborated with them will be bound together with them from henceforth unto the end of all generations. And destroy all the souls of pleasure and the children of the Watchers, for they have done injustice to man. 1Pt 3.19: in which also he went and made a proclamation to the spirits in prison 12. 12.4: At that moment, the Watchers were calling me. And they said to me, “Enoch, scribe of righteousness, go and make known to the Watchers of heaven who have abandoned the high heaven, the holy eternal place, and have defiled themselves with women, as their deeds move the children of the world, and have taken unto themselves wives: They have defiled themselves with great defilement upon the earth Jude 6: And the angels who did not keep their own position, but left their proper dwelling, he has kept in eternal chains in deepest darkness for the judgment of the great day. 13. 14.19: and from beneath the throne were issuing streams of flaming fire. It was difficult to look at it. Rev 22.1: Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb 14. 14.22: the flaming fire was round about him, and a great fire stood before him. No one could come near unto him from among those that surrounded the tens of millions that stood before him. Rev 5.11: Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels surrounding the throne and the living creatures and the elders; they numbered myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands 15. 15.6-7: Indeed, you, formerly you were spiritual, having eternal life, and immortal in all the generations of the world. That is why formerly I did not make wives for you, for the dwelling of the spiritual beings of heaven is heaven. Mk 12.25: For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. 16. 16.1: From the days of the slaughter and destruction, and the death of the giants and the spiritual beings of the spirit, and the flesh, from which they have proceeded forth, which will corrupt without incurring judgment, they will corrupt until the day of the great conclusion, until the great age is consummated, until everything is concluded (upon) the Watchers and the wicked ones. Mt 13.39: and the enemy who sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels. 17. 16.3: “‘You were once in heaven, but not all the mysteries of heaven are open to you, and you only knew the rejected mysteries. These ones you have broadcast to the women in the hardness of your hearts and by those mysteries the women and men multiply evil deeds upon the earth.’ Tell them, ‘Therefore, you will have no peace!’” 1Pt 1.12: It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in regard to the things that have now been announced to you through those who brought you good news by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—things into which angels long to look! 18. 18.13: And I saw there the seven stars which were like great, burning mountains. Rev 8.8: The second angel blew his trumpet, and something like a great mountain, burning with fire, was thrown into the sea. 19. 18.15-16: And the stars which roll over upon the fire, they are the ones which have transgressed the commandments of God from the beginning of their rising because they did not arrive punctually. And he was wroth with them and bound them until the time of the completion of their sin in the year of mystery. Jude 13: wild waves of the sea, casting up the foam of their own shame; wandering stars, for whom the deepest darkness has been reserved forever. 20. 18.16: And he was wroth with them and bound them until the time of the completion of their sin in the year of mystery. Rev 20.3: and threw him into the pit, and locked and sealed it over him, so that he would deceive the nations no more, until the thousand years were ended. After that he must be let out for a little while. 21. 21.3: And there I saw seven stars bound together in it, like great mountains, and burning with fire. Rev 8.8: The second angel blew his trumpet, and something like a great mountain, burning with fire, was thrown into the sea. Rev 17.9: This calls for a mind that has wisdom: the seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman is seated; also, they are seven kings, 22. 21.5-6: Then one of the holy angels, Uriel, who was with me, guiding me, spoke to me and said to me, “Enoch, for what reason are you asking and for what reason do you question and exhibit eagerness? These are among the stars of heaven which have transgressed the commandments of the Lord and are bound in this place until the completion of ten million years, according to the number of their sins.” Jude 13: wild waves of the sea, casting up the foam of their own shame; wandering stars, for whom the deepest darkness has been reserved forever. 23. 21.6: These are among the stars of heaven which have transgressed the commandments of the Lord and are bound in this place until the completion of ten million years, according to the number of their sins. Rev 20.3: and threw him into the pit, and locked and sealed it over him, so that he would deceive the nations no more, until the thousand years were ended. After that he must be let out for a little while. 24. 22.9-10: And he replied and said to me, “These three have been made in order that the spirits of the dead might be separated by this spring of water with light upon it, in like manner, the sinners are set apart when they die and are buried in the earth and judgment has not been executed upon them in their lifetime Heb 12.23: and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect 25. 22.9-14: And he replied and said to me, “These three have been made in order that the spirits of the dead might be separated by this spring of water with light upon it, in like manner, the sinners are set apart when they die and are buried in the earth and judgment has not been executed upon them in their lifetime, upon this great pain, until the great day of judgment – and to those who curse there will be plague and pain forever, and the retribution of their spirits. They will bind them there forever – even from the beginning of the world. And in this manner is a separation made for the souls of those who make the suit and those who disclose concerning destruction, as they were killed in the days of the sinners. Such has been made for the souls of the people who are not righteous, but sinners and perfect criminals; they shall be together with (other) criminals who are like them, whose souls will not be killed on the day of judgment but will not rise from there.” At that moment I blessed the Lord of Glory and I said, “Blessed be my Lord, the Lord of righteousness who rules forever.” Lk 16.26: Besides all this, between you and us a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who might want to pass from here to you cannot do so, and no one can cross from there to us. 26. 22.11: upon this great pain, until the great day of judgment – and to those who curse there will be plague and pain forever, and the retribution of their spirits. They will bind them there forever – even from the beginning of the world. Jude 6: And the angels who did not keep their own position, but left their proper dwelling, he has kept in eternal chains in deepest darkness for the judgment of the great day. 27. [UBS4] 25.5: This is for the righteous and the pious. And the elect will be presented with its fruit for life. He will plant it in the direction of the northeast, upon the holy place – in the direction of the house of the Lord, the Eternal King. Rev 15.3: And they sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb: "Great and amazing are your deeds, Lord God the Almighty! Just and true are your ways, King of the nations! 28. [UBS4] 27.3: There will be upon them the spectacle of the righteous judgment, in the presence of the righteous forever. The merciful will bless the Lord of Glory, the Eternal King, all the day. Rev 15.3: And they sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb: "Great and amazing are your deeds, Lord God the Almighty! Just and true are your ways, King of the nations! *1Tim 1.17: To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen. 29. 38.2: and when the Righteous One shall appear before the face of the righteous, those elect ones, their deeds are hung upon the Lord of the Spirits, he shall reveal light to their righteous and the elect who dwell upon the earth, where will the dwelling of the sinners be, and where the resting place of those who denied the name of the Lord of the Spirits? It would have been far better for them not to have been born. Mt 26.24: The Son of Man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that one by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that one not to have been born. 30. 39.4: Then I saw other dwelling places of the holy ones and their resting places too. Lk 16.9: And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of dishonest wealth so that when it is gone, they may welcome you into the eternal homes. 31. 40.1: And after that, I saw a hundred thousand times a hundred thousand, ten million times ten million, an innumerable and uncountable multitude who stand before the glory of the Lord of the Spirits. Rev 5.11: Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels surrounding the throne and the living creatures and the elders; they numbered myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands 32. 46.3: And he answered me and said to me, “This is the Son of Man, to whom belongs righteousness, and with whom righteousness dwells. And he will open all the hidden storerooms; for the Lord of the Spirits has chosen him, and he is destined to be victorious before the Lord of the Spirits in eternal uprightness. Col 2.3: in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. 33. 46.10 [sic; see below, #33] Mk 8.29: He asked them, "But who do you say that I am?" Peter answered him, "You are the Messiah." 34. 48.7: And he has revealed the wisdom of the Lord of the Spirits to the righteous and the holy ones, for he has preserved the portion of the righteous because they have hated and despised this world of oppression together with all its ways of life and its habits in the name of the Lord of the Spirits; and because they will be saved in his name and it is his good pleasure that they have life. Jas 3.6: And the tongue is a fire. The tongue is placed among our members as a world of iniquity; it stains the whole body, sets on fire the cycle of nature, and is itself set on fire by hell. 35. 48.10: On the day of their weariness, there shall be an obstacle on the earth and they shall fall on their faces; and they shall not rise up again, nor anyone be found who will take them with his hands and raise them up. For they have denied the Lord of the Spirits and his Messiah. Blessed be the name of the Lord of the Spirits! Jude 4: For certain intruders have stolen in among you, people who long ago were designated for this condemnation as ungodly, who pervert the grace of our God into licentiousness and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ. 36. 51.1: In those days, Sheol will return all the deposits which she had received and hell will give back all that which it owes. Rev 20.13: And the sea gave up the dead that were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and all were judged according to what they had done. 37. 51.2: And he shall choose the righteous and the holy ones from among the risen dead, for the day when they shall be selected and saved has arrived. Lk 21.28: Now when these things begin to take place, stand up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near. 38. 51.4: In those days, mountains shall dance like rams; and the hills shall leap like kids satiated with milk. And the faces of all the angels in heaven shall glow with joy, because on that day the Elect One has arisen. Mk 12.25: For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven 39. 54.6: Then Michael, Raphael, Gabriel, and Phanuel themselves shall seize them on that great day of judgment and cast them into the furnace of fire that is burning that day, so that the Lord of the Spirits may take vengeance on them on account of their oppressive deeds which (they performed) as messengers of Satan, leading astray those who dwell upon the earth. Rev 13.14: and by the signs that it is allowed to perform on behalf of the beast, it deceives the inhabitants of earth, telling them to make an image for the beast that had been wounded by the sword and yet lived 40. 60.8: and the other, a male called Behemoth, which holds his chest in an invisible desert whose name is Dundayin, east of the garden of Eden, wherein the elect and the righteous ones dwell, wherein my grandfather was taken, the seventh from Adam, the first man whom the Lord of the Spirits created. Jude 14: It was also about these that Enoch, in the seventh generation from Adam, prophesied, saying, "See, the Lord is coming with ten thousands of his holy ones 41. 61.5: And these measurements shall reveal all the secrets of the depths of the earth, those who have been destroyed in the desert, those who have been devoured by the wild beasts, and those who have been eaten by the fish of the sea. So that they all will return and find hope in the day of the Elect One. For there is no one who perishes before the Lord of the Spirits, and no one who should perish. Rev 20.13: And the sea gave up the dead that were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and all were judged according to what they had done. 42. 61.8: He placed the Elect One on the throne of glory; and he shall judge all the works of the holy ones in heaven above, weighing in the balance of their deeds. Mt 25.31: When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory. 43. 62.2-3: The Lord of the Spirits has sat down on the throne of his glory, and the spirit of righteousness has been poured out upon him. The word of his mouth will do the sinners in; and all the oppressors shall be eliminated from before his face. On the day of judgment, all the kings, the governors, the high officials, and the landlords shall see and recognize him – how he sits on the throne of his glory, and righteousness is judged before him, and that no nonsensical talk shall be uttered in his presence. Mt 25.31: When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory. 44. 62.4: Then pain shall come upon them as on a woman in travail with birth pangs – when she is giving birth the child enters the mouth of the womb and she suffers from childbearing. 1Th 5.3: When they say, "There is peace and security," then sudden destruction will come upon them, as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and there will be no escape! 45. 63.10: Furthermore, at that time, you shall say, “Our souls are satiated with exploitation money which could not save us from being cast into the oppressive Sheol.” Lk 16.9: And his master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly; for the children of this age are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than are the children of light. 46. 66.2: But the Lord of the Spirits gave an order to the angles who were on duty that they should not raise the water enclosures but guard them – for they were the angles who were in charge of the waters. Then I left from the presence of Enoch. Rev 16.5: And I heard the angel of the waters say, You are just, O Holy One, who are and were, for you have judged these things 47. 69.27: Then there came to them a great joy. And they blessed, glorified, and exalted the Lord on account of the fact that the name of that Son of Man was revealed to them. He shall never pass away or perish from before the face of the earth. Mt 25.31: When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory. Mt 26.64: Jesus said to him, “You have said so. But I tell you, From now on you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven.” Jn 5.22: The Father judges no one but has given all judgment to the Son 48. [UBS4] 70.1-4: And it happened after this that his living name was raised up before that Son of Man and to the Lord from among those who dwell upon the earth; it was lifted up in a wind chariot and it disappeared from among them. From that day on, I was not counted among them. But he placed me between two winds, between the northeast and the west, where the angels took a cord to measure for me the place for the elect and the righteous ones. And there I saw the first (human) ancestors and the righteous ones of old, dwelling in that place. Heb 11.5: By faith Enoch was taken so that he did not experience death; and “he was not found, because God had taken him.” For it was attested before he was taken away that “he had pleased God.” 49. Books 72-82: [The Book of Heavenly Luminaries] Gal 4.10: You are observing special days, and months, and seasons, and years. 50. 83.3-5: I was then sleeping in my grandfather Mahalalel’s house, and I saw in a vision the sky being hurled down and snatched and falling upon the earth. When it fell upon the earth, I saw the earth being swallowed up in the great abyss, the mountains being suspended upon mountains, the kills sinking down upon the hills, and tall trees being uprooted and thrown and sinking into the deep abyss. Thereupon a word fell into my mouth, and I began crying aloud, saying, “The earth is being destroyed.” 2Pt 3.6: through which the world of that time was deluged with water and perished. 51. 86.1: Again I saw (a vision) with my own eyes as I was sleeping, and saw the lofty heaven; and as I looked, behold, a start fell down from heaven but managed to rise and eat and to be pastured among those cows. Rev 8.10: The third angel blew his trumpet, and a great star fell from heaven, blazing like a torch, and it fell on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water. 52. 91.7: When sin, oppression, blasphemy, and injustice increase, crime, iniquity, and uncleanliness shall be comitted and increase likewise. Then a great plague whall take place from heaven upon all these; the holy Lord shall emerge with wrath and plague in order that he may execute judgment upon the earth. Rom 1.18: For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and wickedness of those who by their wickedness suppress the truth. 53. 91.15: Then, after this matter, on the tenth week in the seventh part, there shall be the eternal judgment; and it shall be executed by the angels of the eternal heaven – the great judgment which emanates from all of the angels. 2Pt 2.4: For if God did not spare the angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to chains of deepest darkness to be kept until the judgment 54. 93.3: He then began to recount from the books and said, I was born the seventh during the first week, during which time judgment and righteousness continued to endure. Jude 14: It was also about these that Enoch, in the seventh generation from Adam, prophesied, saying, See, the Lord is coming with ten thousands of his holy ones, 55. 94.8: Woe unto you, O rich people! For you have put your trust in your wealth. You shall ooze out of your riches, for you do not remember the Most High. Lk 6.24: But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation. Jas 5.1: Come now, you rich people, weep and wail for the miseries that are coming to you. 56. 97.8-10: Woe unto you who gain silver and gold by unjust means; you will then say, “We have grown rich and accumulated goods, we have acquired everything that we have desired. So now let us do whatever we like; for we have gathered silver, we have dilled our treasuries with money like water. And many are the laborers in our houses. Your lies flow like water. For your wealth shall not endure but it shall take off from you quickly, for you have acquired it all unjustly, and you shall be given over to a great curse. Lk 12.19: And I will say to my soul, ‘Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.’ Jas 4.13: Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a town and spend a year there, doing business and making money.” 57. 98.4: I have sworn to you, sinners: In the same manner that a mountain has never turned into a servant, nor shall a hill ever become a maidservant of a woman, likewise, neither has seen been exported into the world. It is the people who have themselves invented it. And those who commit it shall come under a great curse. Jas 1.14: But one is tempted by one's own desire, being lured and enticed by it 58. 99.8: They shall become wicked on account of the folly of their hearts; their eyes will be blindfolded on account of the fear of their hearts, the visions of their dreams. Rom 1.21: for though they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their senseless minds were darkened. 59. 102.5: Be not sad because you sould have gone down into Sheol in sorrow; or because your flesh fared not well the earthly existence in accordance with your goodness; indeed the time you happened to be in existence was a time of sinners, a time of curse and a time of plague. Col 1.22: he has now reconciled in his fleshly body through death, so as to present you holy and blameless and irreproachable before him 60. 103.4: The spirits of those who died in righteousness shall live and rejoice; their spirits shall not perish, nor their memorial from before the face of the Great One unto all the generations of the world. Therefore, do not worry about their humiliation. Mt 26.13: Truly I tell you, wherever this good news is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in remembrance of her. 61. 104.13: So to them shall be given the Scriptures; and they shall believe them and be glad in them; and all the righteous ones who learn from them the ways of truth shall rejoice. 1Cor 4.17: For this reason I sent you Timothy, who is my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, to remind you of my ways in Christ Jesus, as I teach them everywhere in every church. 2 BARUCH 1. 14.8-9: O Lord, my Lord, who can understand your judgment? Or who can explore the depth of your way? Or who can discern the majesty of your path? Or who can discern your incomprehensible counsel? Or who of those who are born has ever discovered the beginning and the end of your wisdom? Rom 11.33: O the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! 2. 14.13: Therefore, they leave this world without fear and are confident of the world which you have promised to them with an expectation full of joy. Rom 4.13: For the promise that he would inherit the world did not come to Abraham or to his descendants through the law but through the righteousness of faith. 3. 15.8: For this world is to them a struggle and an effort with much trouble. And that accordingly which shall come, a crown with great glory. Rom 8.18: I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory about to be revealed to us. 4. 21.13: For is only this life exists which everyone possesses here, nothing could be more bitter than this. 1Cor 15.19: If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied. 5. 23.4: For when Adam sinned and death was decreed against those who were to be born, the multitude of those who would be born was numbered. And for that number a place was prepared where the living ones might live and where the dead might be preserved. Rom 5.12: Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death came through sin, and so death spread to all because all have sinned 6. 32.6: For greater than the two evils will be the trial when the Mighty One will renew his creation. Rom 8.18: I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory about to be revealed to us. 7. 48.8: With signs of fear and threat you command the flames, and they change into winds. And this the word you bring to life that which does not exist, and with great power you hold that which has not yet come. Rom 4.17: as it is written, "I have made you the father of many nations"—in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist. 8. 48.22: In you we have put our trust, because, behold, your Law is with us, and we know that we do not fall as long as we keep your statutes. Rom 2.17: But if you call yourself a Jew and rely on the law and boast of your relation to God 9. 51.3: Also, as for the glory of those who proved to be righteous on account of my law, those who possessed intelligence in their life, and those who planted the root of wisdom in their heart – their splendor will then be glorified by transformations, and the shape of their face will be changed into the light of their beauty so that they may acquire and receive the undying world which is promised to them. Rom 4.13: For the promise that he would inherit the world did not come to Abraham or to his descendants through the law but through the righteousness of faith. 10. 54.10: Blessed is my mother among those who bear, and praised among women is she who bore me. Lk 1.42: and exclaimed with a loud cry, Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. 11. 54.15: For although Adam sinned first and has brought death upon all who were not in his own time, yet each of them who has been born from him has prepared for himself the coming torment. Rom 5.12: Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death came through sin, and so death spread to all because all have sinned 12. 54.17-18: But now, turn yourselves to destruction, you unrighteous ones who are living now, for you will be visited suddenly, since you have once rejected the understanding of the Most High. For his works have not taught you, nor has the artful work of his creation which has existed always persuaded you. Rom 1.19: For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. 13. 57.2: For at that time the unwritten law was in force among them, and the works of the commandments were accomplished at that time, and the belief in the coming judgment was brought about, and the hope of the world which will be renewed was built at that time, and the promise of the life that will come later was planted. Rom 2.15: They show that what the law requires is written on their hearts, to which their own conscience also bears witness; and their conflicting thoughts will accuse or perhaps excuse them 14. 59.6: the suppression of wrath, the abundance of long-suffering, the truth of judgment Rom 9.22: What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience the objects of wrath that are made for destruction TESTAMENT OF MOSES (NA27: ASSUMPTION OF MOSES) 1. 3.11: Is this not that which was made known to us in prophecies by Moses, who suffered many things in Egypt and at the Red Sea and in the wilderness for forty years Ac 7.36: He led them out, having performed wonders and signs in Egypt, at the Red Sea, and in the wilderness for forty years. 2. 5.4: For they will not follow the truth of God, but certain of them will pollute the high altart by [4-6 letters lost] the offerings which they place before the Lord. They are not truly priests at all, but slaves, yea sons of slaves. Rom 1.25: because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen. 3. 12.7: Yet this is not on account of either my strength or weakness, it is simply that his mercies and long-suffering have lighted on me. Rom 9.16: So it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God who shows mercy. 4. ?: see Clement of Alexandria, Origen, et al. Jude 9: But when the archangel Michael contended with the devil and disputed about the body of Moses, he did not dare to bring a condemnation of slander against him, but said, "The Lord rebuke you!" TESTAMENT OF REUBEN 1. 4.3: Even until now my conscience harasses me because of my impious act. Rom 2.15: They show that what the law requires is written on their hearts, to which their own conscience also bears witness; and their conflicting thoughts will accuse or perhaps excuse them 2. 5.5: Accordingly, my children, flee from sexual promiscuity, and order your wives and daughters not to adorn their heads and their appearances so as to decieve man’s sound minds. For every woman who schemes in these ways is destined for eternal punishment. 1Cor 6.18: Shun fornication! Every sin that a person commits is outside the body; but the fornicator sins against the body itself. TESTAMENT OF LEVI 1. Chapter 2: [Levi passes through first heaven, into second, and is told he will enter the third, in which is the presence of the Lord.] 2Cor 12.2: I know a person in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know; God knows. 2. 3.2: and contains fire, snow, and ice, ready for the day determined by God’s righteous judgment. In it are all the spirits of those dispatchedto achieve the punishment of mankind. Rom 2.5: But by your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath, when God's righteous judgment will be revealed. 3. 3.6: They present to the Lord a pleasing odor, a rational and bloodless oblation. Rom 12.1: I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 4. 14.4: For what will all the nations do if you become darkened with impiety? You will bring down a curse on our nation, because you want to destroy the light of the Law which was granted to you for the enlightenment of every man, teaching commandments which are opposed to God’s just ordinances. Rom 2.22: You say, “We know that God’s judgment on those who do such things is in accordance with truth.” 5. 18.7: And the glory of the Most High shall burst forth upon him. And the spirit of understanding and sanctification shall rest upon him. Rom 1.4: and was declared to be Son of God with power according to the spirit of holiness by resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord 6. 18.9: And in his priesthood the nations shall be multiplied in knowledge on the earth and they shall be illumined by the grace of the Lord, but Israel shall be diminished by her ignorance and darkened by her grief. In his priesthood sin chall cease and lawless men shall rest from their evil deeds, and righteous men shall find resti in him. Heb 9.26: for then he would have had to suffer again and again since the foundation of the world. But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the age to remove sin by the sacrifice of himself. TESTAMENT OF ZEBULON 1. 9.5-9: In the writing of the fathers I came to know that in the last days you shall defect from the Lord, and you shall be divided in Israel, and you shall follow after two kings; you shall commit every abomination and worship every idol. Your enemies will take you captive and you shall reside among the gentiles with all sorts of sickness and tribulation and oppression of soul. And thereafter you will remember the Lord and repent, and eh will turn you around because he is merciful and compassionate; he does not bring a charge of wickedness against the sons of men, since they are flesh and the spirits of deceit lead them astray in all of their actions. And thereafter the Lord himself will arise upon you, the light of righteousness with healing and compassion in his wings. He will liberate every captive of the sons of men from Beliar, and every spirit of error will be trampled down. He will turn all nations to being zealous for him. And you shall see he whom the Lord will choose: Jerusalem is his name. You will provoke him to wrath by the wickedness of your works, and you will be rejected until the time of the end. Rom 11.25: So that you may not claim to be wiser than you are, brothers and sisters, I want you to understand this mystery: a hardening has come upon part of Israel, until the full number of the Gentiles has come in. TESTAMENT OF DAN 1. 5.2: Each of you speak truth clearly to his neighbor, and do not fall into pleasure and troublemaking, but be at peace, holding to the God of peace. Thus no conflict will overwhelm you. Rom 15.33: The God of peace be will all of you. Amen. 2. 6.2: Draw near to God and to the angel who intercedes for you, because he is the mediator between God and men for the peace of Israel. He shall stand in opposition to the kingdom of the enemy. Jas 4.8: Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. TESTAMENT OF NAPHTALI 1. 8.4: If you achieve the good, my children, men and angels will bless you; and God will be glorified through you among the gentiles. The devil will flee from you; wild animals will be afraid of you, and the angels will stand by you. Jas 4.7: Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. TESTAMENT OF JOSEPH 1. 7.8: For if anyone is subjected to the passion of desire and is enslaved by it, as she was, even when he hears something good bearing on that passion he receives it as aiding his wicked desire. Rom 1.26: For this reason God gave them up to degrading passions. Their women exchanged natural intercourse for unnatural 2. 8.5: When I was in fetters, the Egyptian woman was overtaken with grief. She came and heard the report how I gave thanks to the Lord and sang praise in the house of darkness, and how I rejoiced with cheerful voice, glorifying my God, because through her trumped-up charge I was set free from this Egyptian woman. Ac 16.23, 25: After they had given them a severe flogging, they threw them into prison and ordered the jailor to keep them securely. .... About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. 3. 10.1: So you see, my children, how great are the things that patience and prayer with fasting accomplish. Rom 5.3: And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance Jas 1.3: because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance TESTAMENT OF BENJAMIN 1. 4.3: And even if persons plot against him for evil ends, by doing good this man conquers evil, being watched over by God. He loves those who wrong him as he loves his own life. Rom 12.21: Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. LIFE OF ADAM AND EVE 1. 9.1: Eighteen days went by. Then Satan was angry and transformed himself into the brightness of angels and went away to the Tigris River to Eve and found her weeping. 2Cor 11.14: And no wonder! Even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. ASCENSION OF ISAIAH 1. 5.11-15: And they seized Isaiah the son of Amoz and sawed him in half with a wood saw. And Manasseh, and Belkira, and the false prophets, and the princes, and the people and all stood by looking on. And to the prophets who were with him he said before he was sawed in half, “Go to the district of Tyre and Sidon, because for me alone the Lord has mixed the cup.” And while Isaiah was being sawed in half, he did not cry out, or weep, but his mouth spoke with the Holy Spirit until he was sawed in two. Beliar did this to Isaiah through Belkira and through Manasseh, for Sammael was very angry with Isaiah from the days of Hezekiah, king of Judah, because of the things which he had seen concerning the Beloved. Heb 11.37: They were stoned to death, they were sawn in two, they were killed by the sword; they went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, persecuted, tormented APOCALYPSE OF ELIJAH 1. ?: [According to Origen; cf. Isa 64.4] 1Cor 2.9: But, as it is written, "What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the human heart conceived, what God has prepared for those who love him" FROM GREEK WRITERS 1. Aratus, Phaenomena, 5: Ac 17.28: For “In him we live and move and have our being;” as even some of your own poets have said, “For we too are his offspring.” 1a. Epimenides of Crete? Posidonius?: Ac 17.28: For “In him we live and move and have our being;” as even some of your own poets have said, “For we too are his offspring.” 2. Epimenides, De Oraculis/Peri Chrēsmōn: Tt 1.12: It was one of them, their very own prophet, who said, "Cretans are always liars, vicious brutes, lazy gluttons." 3. Euripides, Bacchae, 794: If I were you, I would offer him a sacrifice, not rage and kick against the goad, a man defying God. Ac 26.14: When we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It hurts you to kick against the goads.” 4. Heraclitus: ? 2Pt 2.22: It has happened to them according to the true proverb, "The dog turns back to its own vomit," and, "The sow is washed only to wallow in the mud." 5. Julianus, Or 8.246b: ? [see also 3, above] Ac 26.14: When we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It hurts you to kick against the goads.” 6. Menander, Thaïs, 218: ? 1Cor 15.33: Do not be deceived: “Bad company ruins good morals.” 7. Thucydides, II 97.4: For there was here established a custom opposite to that prevailing in the Persian kingdom, namely, of taking rather than giving; more disgrace being attached to not giving when asked than to asking and being refused; and although this prevailed elsewhere in Thrace, it was practised most extensively among the powerful Odrysians, it being impossible to get anything done without a present. Ac 20.35: In all this I have given you an example that by such work we must support the weak, remembering the words of the Lord Jesus, for he himself said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” UNKNOWN 1. Jn 7.38: and let the one who believes in me drink. As the scripture has said, “Out of the believer's heart shall flow rivers of living water.” 2. 1Cor 9.10: Or does he not speak entirely for our sake? It was indeed written for our sake, for whoever plows should plow in hope and whoever threshes should thresh in hope of a share in the crop. 3. 2Cor 4.6: For it is the God who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 4. Eph 5.14: for everything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says, “Sleeper, awake! Rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” 5. 1Tim 5.18: for the scripture says, “You shall not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain,” and, “The laborer deserves to be paid.” 6. Jas 4.5: Or do you suppose that it is for nothing that the scripture says, “God yearns jealously for the spirit that he has made to dwell in us”? http://www.bombaxo.com/allusions.html |