Weekly Reading Feb. 14th 2026 (1 of 2)

(from the Zadok calendar)

Mishpatim משפטים "Rulings"

Torah
Exodus 21:1 “Now these are the judgments which you shall set before them:
2 If you buy a Hebrew servant, he shall serve six years; and in the seventh he shall go out free and pay nothing.
3 If he comes in by himself, he shall go out by himself; if he comes in married, then his wife shall go out with him.
4 If his master has given him a wife, and she has borne him sons or daughters, the wife and her children shall be her master’s, and he shall go out by himself.
5 But if the servant plainly says, ‘I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free,’
6 then his master shall bring him to the judges. He shall also bring him to the door, or to the doorpost, and his master shall pierce his ear with an awl; and he shall serve him forever.
7 “And if a man sells his daughter to be a female slave, she shall not go out as the male slaves do.
8 If she does not please her master, who has betrothed her to himself, then he shall let her be redeemed. He shall have no right to sell her to a foreign people, since he has dealt deceitfully with her.
9 And if he has betrothed her to his son, he shall deal with her according to the custom of daughters.
10 If he takes another wife, he shall not diminish her food, her clothing, and her marriage rights.
11 And if he does not do these three for her, then she shall go out free, without paying money.
12 “He who strikes a man so that he dies shall surely be put to death.
13 However, if he did not lie in wait, but God delivered him into his hand, then I will appoint for you a place where he may flee.
14 “But if a man acts with premeditation against his neighbor, to kill him by treachery, you shall take him from My altar, that he may die.
15 “And he who strikes his father or his mother shall surely be put to death.
16 “He who kidnaps a man and sells him, or if he is found in his hand, shall surely be put to death.
17 “And he who curses his father or his mother shall surely be put to death.
18 “If men contend with each other, and one strikes the other with a stone or with his fist, and he does not die but is confined to his bed,
19 if he rises again and walks about outside with his staff, then he who struck him shall be acquitted. He shall only pay for the loss of his time, and shall provide for him to be thoroughly healed.
20 “And if a man beats his male or female servant with a rod, so that he dies under his hand, he shall surely be punished.
21 Notwithstanding, if he remains alive a day or two, he shall not be punished; for he is his property.
22 “If men fight, and hurt a woman with child, so that she gives birth prematurely, yet no harm follows, he shall surely be punished accordingly as the woman’s husband imposes on him; and he shall pay as the judges determine.
23 But if any harm follows, then you shall give life for life,
24 eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot,
... 22; 23;
Through 24:18

Haftarah (Prophets)
2 Kings 12:1 In the seventh year of Jehu, Jehoash became king, and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Zibiah of Beersheba.
2 Jehoash did what was right in the sight of the Lord all the days in which Jehoiada the priest instructed him.
3 But the high places were not taken away; the people still sacrificed and burned incense on the high places.
4 And Jehoash said to the priests, “All the money of the dedicated gifts that are brought into the house of the Lord—each man’s census money, each man’s assessment money—and all the money that a man purposes in his heart to bring into the house of the Lord,
5 let the priests take it themselves, each from his constituency; and let them repair the damages of the temple, wherever any dilapidation is found.”
6 Now it was so, by the twenty-third year of King Jehoash, that the priests had not repaired the damages of the temple.
7 So King Jehoash called Jehoiada the priest and the other priests, and said to them, “Why have you not repaired the damages of the temple? Now therefore, do not take more money from your constituency, but deliver it for repairing the damages of the temple.”
8 And the priests agreed that they would neither receive more money from the people, nor repair the damages of the temple.
9 Then Jehoiada the priest took a chest, bored a hole in its lid, and set it beside the altar, on the right side as one comes into the house of the Lord; and the priests who kept the door put there all the money brought into the house of the Lord.
10 So it was, whenever they saw that there was much money in the chest, that the king’s scribe and the high priest came up and put it in bags, and counted the money that was found in the house of the Lord.
11 Then they gave the money, which had been apportioned, into the hands of those who did the work, who had the oversight of the house of the Lord; and they paid it out to the carpenters and builders who worked on the house of the Lord,
12 and to masons and stonecutters, and for buying timber and hewn stone, to repair the damage of the house of the Lord, and for all that was paid out to repair the temple.
13 However there were not made for the house of the Lord basins of silver, trimmers, sprinkling-bowls, trumpets, any articles of gold or articles of silver, from the money brought into the house of the Lord.
14 But they gave that to the workmen, and they repaired the house of the Lord with it.
15 Moreover they did not require an account from the men into whose hand they delivered the money to be paid to workmen, for they dealt faithfully.
16 The money from the trespass offerings and the money from the sin offerings was not brought into the house of the Lord. It belonged to the priests.
Isaiah 6:1 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple.
2 Above it stood seraphim; each one had six wings: with two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew.
3 And one cried to another and said:
“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; The whole earth is full of His glory!”
4 And the posts of the door were shaken by the voice of him who cried out, and the house was filled with smoke.
5 So I said: “Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, The Lord of hosts.”
Jeremiah 33:20 “Thus says the Lord: ‘If you can break My covenant with the day and My covenant with the night, so that there will not be day and night in their season,
21 then My covenant may also be broken with David My servant, so that he shall not have a son to reign on his throne, and with the Levites, the priests, My ministers.
22 As the host of heaven cannot be numbered, nor the sand of the sea measured, so will I multiply the descendants of David My servant and the Levites who minister to Me.’ ”
23 Moreover the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah, saying,
24 “Have you not considered what these people have spoken, saying, ‘The two families which the Lord has chosen, He has also cast them off’? Thus they have despised My people, as if they should no more be a nation before them.
25 “Thus says the Lord: ‘If My covenant is not with day and night, and if I have not appointed the ordinances of heaven and earth,
26 then I will cast away the descendants of Jacob and David My servant, so that I will not take any of his descendants to be rulers over the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. For I will cause their captives to return, and will have mercy on them.’ ”
34:8 This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord, after King Zedekiah had made a covenant with all the people who were at Jerusalem to proclaim liberty to them:
Ezekiel 1:26 And above the firmament over their heads was the likeness of a throne, in appearance like a sapphire stone; on the likeness of the throne was a likeness with the appearance of a man high above it.
27 Also from the appearance of His waist and upward I saw, as it were, the color of amber with the appearance of fire all around within it; and from the appearance of His waist and downward I saw, as it were, the appearance of fire with brightness all around.
28 Like the appearance of a rainbow in a cloud on a rainy day, so was the appearance of the brightness all around it. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord.
8:1 And it came to pass in the sixth year, in the sixth month, on the fifth day of the month, as I sat in my house with the elders of Judah sitting before me, that the hand of the Lord God fell upon me there.
2 Then I looked, and there was a likeness, like the appearance of fire—from the appearance of His waist and downward, fire; and from His waist and upward, like the appearance of brightness, like the color of amber.
Daniel 7:9 “I watched till thrones were put in place, And the Ancient of Days was seated; His garment was white as snow, And the hair of His head was like pure wool. His throne was a fiery flame, Its wheels a burning fire;
10 A fiery stream issued And came forth from before Him. A thousand thousands ministered to Him; Ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him. The court was seated, And the books were opened.
10:5 I lifted my eyes and looked, and behold, a certain man clothed in linen, whose waist was girded with gold of Uphaz!
6 His body was like beryl, his face like the appearance of lightning, his eyes like torches of fire, his arms and feet like burnished bronze in color, and the sound of his words like the voice of a multitude.
Amos 2:9 “Yet it was I who destroyed the Amorite before them, Whose height was like the height of the cedars, And he was as strong as the oaks; Yet I destroyed his fruit above And his roots beneath.
Zechariah 11:10 And I took my staff, Beauty, and cut it in two, that I might break the covenant which I had made with all the peoples.
11 So it was broken on that day. Thus the poor of the flock, who were watching me, knew that it was the word of the Lord.
12 Then I said to them, “If it is agreeable to you, give me my wages; and if not, refrain.” So they weighed out for my wages thirty pieces of silver.
13 And the Lord said to me, “Throw it to the potter”—that princely price they set on me. So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them into the house of the Lord for the potter.
14 Then I cut in two my other staff, Bonds, that I might break the brotherhood between Judah and Israel.

B'rit Hadasha (New Covenant)
Mt 5:38-42; 12:1-21; 17:1-11; 26:14-16, Mk 7:6-9, Lk 9:51- 56; 10:30-37, Acts 23:1-11, Heb 9:15-22, 10:28-39, James 1:27,
Rev 1:13-15; 21:1-14
Weekly Reading Feb. 14th 2026 (2 of 2)

End Times Confirmed - Other Posts referencing Scriptures

Click on any Label below to pull up related Posts.
(This feature and the Translate feature are only available in Web Version.
Not available in Mobile version.)

Rabbinic Jews Debate Christian

For more debates: The Archive - Sam Shamoun

Sam Shamoun debates Jews; Muslims; Mormons; etc...

Other Posts referencing Scriptures

The Book of Enoch: Chapters LXIX - LXXI

Chapter LXIX

1. After this the name of the Son of man, living with the Lord of spirits, was exalted by the inhabitants of the earth.
2. It was exalted in the chariots of the Spirit ; and the name went forth in the midst of them,
3. From that time I was not drawn in the midst of them ; but he seated me between two spirits, between the north and the west, where the angels received their ropes, to measure out a place for the elect and the righteous.
4. There I beheld the fathers of the first men, and the saints, who dwell in that place for ever.

Chapter LXX

1. Afterwards my spirit was concealed, ascending into the heavens. I beheld the sons of the holy angels treading on flaming fire, whose garments and robes were white, and whose countenances were transparent as crystal.
2. I saw two rivers of fire glittering like the liyacinth.
3. Then I fell on my face before the Lord of spirits.
4. And Michael, one of the archangels, took me by my right hand, raised me up, and brought me out to where was every secret of mercy and secret of righteousness.
5. He showed me all the hidden things of the extremities of heaven, all the receptacles of the stars, and the splendours of all, from whence they went forth before the face of the holy.
6. And he concealed the spirit of Enoch in the heaven of heavens.
7. There I beheld, in the midst of that light, a building raised with stones of ice ;
8. And in the midst of these stones vibrations of living fire. My spirit saw around the circle of this flaming habitation, on one of its extremities, that there were rivers full of living fire, which encompassed it.
9. Then the Seraphim, the Cherubim, and Ophanin surrounded it : these are those who never sleep, but watch the throne of his glory.
10. And I beheld angels innumerable, thousands of thousands, and myriads of myriads, who surrounded that habitation.
11. Michael, Raphael, Gabriel, Phanuel, and the holy angels who were in the heavens above, went in and out of it. Michael, Raphael, and Gabriel went out of that habitation, and holy angels innumerable.
12. With them was the Ancient of days, whose head was white as wool, and pure, and his robe was indescribable.
13. Then I fell upon my face, while all my flesh was dissolved, and my spirit became changed.
14. I cried out with a loud voice, with a powerful spirit, blessing, glorifying, and exalting.
15. And those blessings, which proceeded from my mouth, became acceptable in the presence of the Ancient of days.
16. The Ancient of days came with Michael and Gabriel, Eaphael and Phanuel, with thousands of thousands, and myriads of myriads, which could not be numbered.
17. Then that angel came to me, and with his voice saluted me, saying, Thou art the offspring of man, who art born for righteousness, and righteousness has rested on thee.
18. The righteousness of the Ancient of days shall not forsake thee.
19. He said, On thee shall he confer peace in the name of the existing world ; for from thence has peace gone forth since the world was created.
20. And thus shall it happen to thee for ever and ever.
21. All who shall exist, and who shall walk in thy path of righteousness, shall not forsake thee for ever.
22. With thee shall be their habitations, with thee their lot ; nor from thee shall they be separated for ever and ever.
23. And thus shall length of days be with the offspring of man.
24. Peace shall be to the righteous ; and the path of integrity shall the righteous pursue, in the name of the Lord of spirits, for ever and ever.

Chapter LXXI

1. The book of the revolutions of the luminaries of heaven, according to their respective classes, their respective powers, their respective periods, their respective names, the places where they commence their progress, and their respective months, which Uriel, the holy angel who was with me, explained to me ; he who conducts them. The whole account of them, according to every year of the world for ever, until a new work shall be effected, which will be eternal.
2. This is the first law of the luminaries. The sun and the light arrive at the gates of heaven, which are on the east, and on the west of it at the western gates of heaven.
3. I beheld the gates whence the sun goes forth and the gates where the sun sets ;
4. In which gates also the moon rises and sets ; and I heheld the conductors of the stars, among those who precede them ; six gates were at the rising, and six at the setting of the sun.
5. All these respectively, one after another, are on a level ; and numerous windows are on the right and on the left sides of those gates.
6. First proceedsforth that great luminary, which is called the sun ; the orb of which is as the orb of heaven, the whole of it being replete with splendid and flaming fire.
7. Its chariot, where it ascends, the wind blows.
8. The sun sets in heaven, and, returning by the north, to proceed towards the east, is conducted so as to enter by that gate, and illuminate the face of heaven.
9. In the same manner it goes forth in the first month by a great gate.
10. It goes forth through the fourth of those six gates, which are at the rising of the sun.
11. And in the fourth gate, through which the sun with the moon proceeds, in the first part of it, there are twelve open windows ; from which issues out a flame, when they are opened at their proper periods.
12. When the sun rises in heaven, it goes forth through this fourth gate thirty days, and by the fourth gate in the west of heaven on a level with it descends.
13. During that period the day is lengthened from the day, and the night curtailed from the night for thirty days. And then the day is longer by two parts than the night.
14. The day is precisely ten parts, and the night is eight.
15. The sun goes forth through this fourth gate, and sets in it, and turns to the fifth gate during thirty days ; after which it proceeds from, and sets in, the fifth gate.
16. Then the day becomes lengthened by a second portion, so that it is eleven parts : while the night becomes shortened, and is only seven parts.
17. The sun now returns to the east, entering into the sixth gate, and rising and setting in the sixth gate thirty-one days, on account of its signs.
18. At that period the day is longer than the night, being twice as long as the night ; and becomes twelve parts
19. But the night is shortened, and becomes six parts. Then the sun rises up, that the day may be shortened, and the night lengthened.
20. And the sun returns towards the east, entering into the sixth gate, where it rises and sets for thirty days.
21. When that period is completed, the day becomes shortened precisely one part, so that it is eleven parts, while the night is seven parts.
22. Then the sun goes from the west, from that sixth gate, and proceeds eastwards, rising in the fifth gate for thirty days, and setting again westwards in the fifth gate of the west.
23. At that period the day becomes shortened two parts ; and is ten parts, while the night is eight parts.
24. Then the sun goes from the fifth gate, as it sets in the fifth gate of the west ; and rises in the fourth gate for thirty-one days, on account of its signs, setting in the west.
25. At that period the day is made equal with the night ; and, being equal with it, the night becomes nine parts, and the day nine parts.
26. Then the sun goes from that gate, as it sets in the west ; and returning to the east proceeds by the third gate for thirty days, setting in the west at the third gate.
27. At that period the night is lengthened from the day during thirty mornings, and the day is curtailed from the day during thirty days ; the night being ten parts precisely, and the day eight parts.
28. The sun now goes from the third gate, as it sets in the third gate in the west ; but returning to the east, it proceeds by the second gate of the east for thirty days.
29. In like manner also it sets in the second gate in the west of heaven.
30. At that period the night is eleven parts, and the day seven parts.
31. Then the sun goes at that time from the second gate, as it sets in the second gate in the west ; but returns to the east, proceeding by the first gate, for thirty-one days.
32. And sets in the west in the first gate.
33. At that period the night is lengthened as much again as the day.
34. It is twelve parts precisely, while the day is six parts.
35. The sun has thus completed its beginnings, and a second time goes round from these beginnings.
36. Into that gate it enters for thirty days, and sets in the west, in the opposite part of heaven.
37. At that period the night is contracted in its length a fourth part, that is, one portion, and becomes eleven parts.
88. The day is seven parts.
39. Then the sun returns, and enters into the second gate of the east.
40. It returns by these beginnings thirty days, rising and setting.
41. At that period the night is contracted in its length. It becomes ten parts, and the day eight parts. Then the sun goes from that second gate, and sets in the west ; but returns to the east, and rises in the east, in the third gate, thirty-one days, setting in the west of heaven.
42. At that period the night becomes shortened. It is nine parts. And the night is equal with the day. The year is precisely three hundred and sixty-four days.
43. The lengthening of the day and night, and the contraction of the day and night, are made to differ from each other by the progress of the sun.
44. By means of this progress the day is daily lengthened, and the night greatly shortened.
45. This is the law and progress of the sun, and its turning when it turns back, turning during sixty days, and going forth. This is the great everlasting luminary, that which he names the sun for ever and ever.
46. This also is that which goes forth a great luminary, and which is named after its peculiar kind, as God commanded.
47. And thus it goes in and out, neither slackening nor resting ; but running on in its chariot by day and by night. It shines with a seventh portion of light from the moon ; but the dimensions of both are equal.

Next ...

More ...

The Book of Enoch: Chapters XLVIX - LIV

Chapter XLVIX (49)

1. In those days the saints and the chosen shall undergo a change. The light of day shall rest upon them ; and the splendour and glory of the saints shall be changed.
2. In the day of trouble evil shall be heaped up upon sinners ; but the righteous shall triumph in the name of the Lord of spirits.
3. Others shall be made to see, that they must repent, and forsake the works of their hands ; and that glory awaits them not in the presence of the Lord of Spirits; yet that by his name they may be saved. The Lord of spirits will have compassion on them : for great is his mercy ; and righteousness is in his judgment, and in the presence of his glory ; nor in his judgment shall iniquity stand. He who repents not before him shall perish.
4. Henceforward I will not have mercy on them, saith the Lord of spirits.

Chapter L (50)

1. In those days shall the earth deliver up from her womb, and hell deliver up from hers, that which it has received ; and destruction shall restore that which it owes.
2. He shall select the righteous and holy from among them ; for the day of their salvation has approached.
3. And in those days shall the Elect One sit upon his throne, while every secret of intellectual wisdom shall proceed from his mouth ; for the Lord of spirits has gifted and glorified him.
4. In those days the mountains shall skip like rams, and the hills shall leap like young sheep satiated with milk ; and all the righteous shall become angels in heaven.
5. Their countenance shall be bright with joy ; for in those days shall the Elect One be exalted. The earth shall rejoice ; the righteous shall inhabit it, and the elect possess it.

Chapter LI (51)

1. After that period, in the place where I had seen every secret sight, I was snatched up in a whirlwind, and carried off westwards.
2. There my eyes beheld the secrets of heaven, and all which existed on earth ; a mountain of iron, a mountain of copper, a mountain of silver, a mountain of gold, a mountain of fluid metal, and a mountain of lead.
3. And I inquired of the angel who went with me, saying. What are these things which in secret I behold ?
4. He said. All these things which thou beholdest shall be for the dominion of the Messiah, that he may command, and be powerful upon earth.
5. And that angel of peace answered me, saying, Wait but a short time, and thou shalt understand, and every secret thing shall be revealed to thee, which the Lord of spjrits has decreed. Those mountains which thou hast seen, the mountain of iron, the mountain of copper, the mountain of silver, the mountain of gold, the mountain of fluid metal, and the mountain of lead, all these in the presence of the Elect One shall be like a honeycomb before the fire, and like water descending from above upon these mountains; and shall become debilitated before his feet.
6. In those days men shall not be saved by gold and by silver.
7. Nor shall they have it in their power to secure themselves, and to fly.
8. There shall be neither iron for war, nor a coat of mail for the breast.
9. Copper shall be useless ; useless also that which neither rusts nor consumes away ; and lead shall not be coveted.
10. All these things shall be rejected, and perish from off the earth, when the Elect One shall appear in the presence of the Lord of spirits.

Chapter LII (52)

1. There my eyes beheld a deep valley and wide ; was its entrance.
2. All who dwell on land, on the sea, and in islands, shall bring to it gifts, presents, and offerings yet that deep valley shall not be full. Their hands shall commit iniquity. Whatsoever they produce by labour, the sinners shall devour with crime. But they shall perish from the face of the Lord of spirits, and from the face of his earth. They shall stand up, and shall not fail for ever and ever.
3. I beheld the angels of punishment, who were dwelling there, and preparing every instrument of Satan.
4. Then I inquired of the angel of peace, who proceeded with me, for whom those instruments were preparing.
5. He said. These they are preparing for the kings and powerful ones of the earth, that thus they may perish.
6. After which the righteous and chosen house of his congregation shall appear, thenceforward unchangeable, in the name of the Lord of spirits.
7. Nor shall those mountains exist in his presence, as the earth and the hills, as the fountains of water exist. And the righteous shall be relieved from the vexation of sinners.

Chapter LIII (53)

1. Then I looked and turned myself to another part of the earth, where I beheld a deep valley burning with fire.
2. To this valley they brought monarchs and the mighty.
3. And there my eyes beheld the instruments which they were making, fetters of iron without weight.
4. Then I inquired of the angel of peace, who proceeded with me, saying, For whom are these fetters and instruments prepared ?
5. He replied. These are prepared for the host of Azazeel, that they maybe delivered over and adjudged to the lowest condemnation ; and that their angels may be overwhelmed with hurled stones, as the Lord of spirits has commanded.
6. Michael and Gabriel, Raphael and Phanuel shall be strengthened in that day, and shall then cast them into a furnace of blazing fire, that the Lord of spirits may be avenged of them for their crimes ; because they became ministers of Satan, and seduced those who dwell upon earth.
7. In those days shall punishment go forth from the Lord of spirits ; and the receptacles of water which are above the heavens shall be opened, and the fountains likewise, which are under the heavens and under the earth.
8. All the waters, which are in the heavens and above them, shall be mixed together.
9. The water which is above heaven shall be the agent
10. And the water which is under the earth shall be the recipient: and all shall be destroyed who dwell upon earth, and who dwell under the extremities of heaven.
11. By these means shall they understand the iniquity which they have committed on earth : and by these means shall they perish.

Chapter LIV (54)

1. Afterwards the Ancient of days repented, and said, In vain have I destroyed all the inhabitants of the earth.
2. And he sware by his great name, saying, Henceforwards I will not act thus towards all those who dwell upon earth.
3. But I will place a sign in the heavens ; and it shall be a faithful witness between me and them for ever, as long as the days of heaven and earth last upon the earth.
4. Afterwards, according to this my decree, when I shall be disposed to seize them beforehand, by the instrumentality of angels, in the day of affliction and trouble, my wrath and my punishment shall remain upon them, my punishment and my wrath, saith God the Lord of spirits.
5. ye kings, ye mighty, who inhabit the world, you shall behold my Elect One, sitting upon the throne of my glory. And he shall judge Aza- zeel, all his associates, and all his hosts, in the name of the Lord of spirits.
6. There likewise I beheld hosts of angels who were moving in punishment, confined in a net-work of iron and brass. Then I inquired of the angel of peace, who proceeded with me. To whom those under confinement were going.
7. He said. To each of their elect and their beloved, that they may be cast into the fountains and deep recesses of the valley.
8. And that valley shall be filled with their elect and beloved ; the days of whose life shall be consumed, but the days of their error shall be innumerable.
9. Then shall princes combine together, and conspire. The chiefs of the east, among the Parthians and Medes, shall remove kings, in whom a spirit of perturbation shall enter. They shall hurl them from their thrones, springing as lions from their dens, and like famished wolves into the midst of the flock.
10. They shall go up, and tread upon the land of their elect. The land of their elect shall be before them. The threshing-floor, the path,and the city of my righteous people shall impede the progress of their horses. They shall rise up to destroy each other; their right hand shall be strengthened nor shall a man acknowledge his friend or his brother
11. Nor the son his father and his mother ; until the number of the dead bodies shall be completed, by their death and punishment. Neither shall this take place without cause.
12. In those days shall the mouth of hell be opened, into which they shall be immerged ; hell shall destroy and swallow up sinners from the face of the elect.

Next ...

More...

On this Blog: Posts referencing Scriptures

The Book of Enoch: Chapters XLII - XLVIII

Chapter XLII

1. Wisdom found not a place on earth where she could inhabit ; her dwelling therefore is in heaven.
2. Wisdom went forth to dwell among the sons of men, but she obtained not an habitation. Wisdom returned to her place, and seated herself in the midst of the angels. But iniquity went forth after her return, who unwillingly found an habitation and resided among them, as rain in the desert, and as a dew in a thirsty land.

Chapter XLIII

1. I beheld another splendour, and the stars of heaven. I observed that he called them all by their respective names, and that they heard. In a righteous balance I saw that he weighed out with their light the amplitude of their places, and the day of their appearance, and their conversion. Splendour produced splendour; and their conversion was into the number of the angels, and of the faithful.
2. Then I inquired of the angel, who proceeded with me, and explained to me secret things. What their names were. He answered, A similitude of those has the Lord of spirits shown thee. They are names of the righteous who dwell upon earth, and who believe in the name of the Lord of spirits for ever and for ever.

Chapter XLIV

Another thing also I saw respecting splendour that it rises out of the stars, and becomes splendour being incapable of forsaking them.

Chapter XLV

1. Parable the second, respecting these who deny the name of the habitation of the holy ones, and of the Lord of spirits.
2. Heaven they shall not ascend, nor shall they come on the earth. This shall be the portion of sinners, who deny the name of the Lord of spirits, and who are thus reserved for the day of punishment and of affliction.
3. In that day shall the Elect One sit upon a throne of glory ; and shall choose their conditions and countless habitations (while their spirits within them shall be strengthened, when they behold my Elect One), shall choose them for those who have fled for protection to my holy and glorious name.
4. In that day I will cause my Elect One to dwell in the midst of them ; will change the face of heaven ; will bless it, and illuminate it for ever.
5. I will also change the face of the earth ; will bless it; and cause those whom I have elected to dwell upon it. But those who have committed sin aud iniquity shall not inhabit it for I have marked their proceedings. My righteous ones will I satisfy with peace, placing them before me ; but the condemnation of sinners shall draw near, that I may destroy them from the face of the earth.

Chapter XLVI

1. There I beheld the Ancient of days, whose head was like white wool, and with him another, whose countenance resembled that of man. His countenance was full of grace, like that of one of the holy angels. Then I inquired of one of the angels, who went with me, and who showed me every secret thing, concerning this Son of man ; who he was ; whence he was ; and why he accompanied the Ancient of days.
2. He answered and said to me. This is the Son of man, to whom righteousness belongs ; with whom righteousness has dwelt ; and who will reveal all the treasures of that which is concealed : for the Lord of spirits has chosen him ; and his portion has surpassed all before the Lord of spirits in everlasting uprightness.
3. This Son of man, whom thou beholdest, shall raise up kings and the mighty from their couches, and the powerful from their thrones ; shall loosen the bridles of the powerful, and break in pieces the teeth of sinners.
4. He shall hurl kings from their thrones and their dominions ; because they will not exalt and praise him, nor humble themselves before him, by whom their kingdoms were granted to them. The countenance likewise of the mighty shall He cast down, filling them with confusion. Darkness shall be their habitation, and worms shall be their bed; nor from that their bed shall they hope to be again raised, because they exalted not the name of the Lord of spirits.
5. They shall condemn the stars of heaven, shall lift up their hands against the Most High, shall tread upon and inhabit the earth, exhibiting all their works of iniquity, even their works of iniquity. Their strength shall be in their riches, and their faith in the gods whom they have formed with their own hands. They shall deny the name of the Lord of spirits, and shall expel him from the temples, in which they assemble
6. And with him the faithful, who suffer in the name of the Lord of spirits.

Chapter XLVII

1. In that day the prayer of the holy and the righteous, and the blood of the righteous, shall ascend from the earth into the presence of the Lord of spirits.
2. In that day shall the holy ones assemble, who dwell above the heavens, and with united voice petition, supplicate, praise, laud, and bless the name of the Lord of spirits, on account of the blood of the righteous which has been shed; that the prayer of the righteous may not be intermitted before the Lord of spirits ; that for them he would execute judgment ; and that his patience may not endure for ever.
3. At that time I beheld the Ancient of days, while he sat upon the throne of his glory, while the book of the living was opened in his presence, and while all the powers which were above the heavens stood around and before him.
4. Then were the hearts of the saints full of joy, because the consummation of righteousness was arrived, the supplication of the saints heard, and the blood of the righteous appreciated by the Lord of spirits.

Chapter XLVIII

1. In that place I beheld a fountain of righteousness, which never failed, encircled by many springs of wisdom. Of these all the thirsty drank, and were rilled with wisdom, having their habitation with the righteous, the elect, and the holy.
2. In that hour was this Son of man invoked before the Lord of spirits, and his name in the presence of the Ancient of days.
3. Before the sun and the signs were created, before the stars of heaven were formed, his name was invoked in the presence of the Lord of spirits. A support shall he be for the righteous and the holy to lean upon, without falling ; and he shall be the light of nations.
4. He shall be the hope of those whose hearts are troubled. All, who dwell on earth, shall fall down and worship before him; shall bless and glorify him, and sing praises to the name of the Lord of spirits.
5. Therefore the Elect and the Concealed One existed in his presence, before the world was created, and for ever.
6. In his presence he existed, and has revealed to the saints and to the righteous the wisdom of the Lord of spirits ; for he has preserved the lot of the righteous, because they have hated and rejected this world of iniquity, and have detested all its works and ways, in the name of the Lord of spirits. 7. For in his name shall they be preserved ; and his will shall be their life. In those days shall the kings of the earth and the mighty men, who have gained the world by their achievements, become humble in countenance.
8. For in the day of their anxiety and trouble their souls shall not be saved ; and they shall he in subjection to those whom I have chosen.
9. I will cast them like hay into the fire, and like lead into the water. Thus shall they burn in the presence of the righteous, and sink in the presence of the holy ; nor shall a tenth part of them be found.
10. But in the day of their trouble, the world shall obtain tranquillity.
11. In his presence shall they fall, and not be raised up again ; nor shall there be any one to take them out of his bands, and to lift them up : for they have denied the Lord of spirits, and his Messiah. The name of the Lord of spirits shall be blessed.

Chapter XLVIII (twice?)

1. Wisdom is poured forth like water, and glory fails not before him for ever and ever ; for potent is he in all the secrets of righteousness.
2. But iniquity passes away like a shadow, and possesses not a fixed station : for the Elect One stands before the Lord of spirits ; and his glory is for ever and ever; and his power from generation to generation.
3. With him dwells the spirit of intellectual wisdom, the spirit of instruction and of power, and the spirit of those who sleep in righteousness ; he shall judge secret things.
4. Nor shall any be able to utter a single word before him; for the Elect One is in the presence of the Lord of spirits, according to his own pleasure.

Next ...

More...

On this Blog: Posts referencing Scriptures