~a"OTApoc"b"002"c"ParJerS"x"t"
THAT WHICH THE LORD SPOKE TO JEREMIAH BEFORE THE CAPTURE OF
JERUSALEM AND HOW THE CAPTURE HAPPENED
~x1
@@In those days the Lord spoke to Jeremiah, saying: Arise,
depart from this city with Baruch, since I am going to destroy
it because of the multitude of the sins of those who dwell in it.
~y
For your prayers are like solid pillars in its midst, and like an
indestructible wall surrounding it.
~y
Now, then, depart from it before the host of the Chaldeans
surrounds it.
~y
And Jeremiah spoke, saying: I beseech you, Lord, permit me,
your servant, to speak in your presence.
~y
And the Lord said: Speak.
~y
And Jeremiah said: Lord, would you deliver this city into
the hands of the Chaldeans, so that they might boast that they
had prevailed against it?
~y
My Lord, if it is your will, rather let it be destroyed by
your hands and not by the Chaldeans.
~y
And God said: You, arise, depart.
~y
But they will not boast. Unless I open (the gates), they are
not able to enter.
~y
Therefore go to Baruch and tell him.
~y
And at the sixth hour of the night go up on the city walls
and see that unless I open (the gates), they are not able to
enter.
~y
And when he had said these things he departed from him.
~x
@@And Jeremiah departed and told Baruch; and as they went into
the temple they tore their garments and mourned much.
~x
@@And at the sixth hour when they had gone up on the city
walls, they heard the sound of trumpets.
~y
And the angels came from heaven, holding torches in their
hands, and they set them on the walls of the city.
~y
And when they saw them they wept and said: Now we know that
the word that God spoke is true.
~y
And they besought the angels, saying: We beseech (you) not
to destroy the city until we speak to God.
~y6
Then Jeremiah spoke, saying: I beg you, Lord, bid me to
speak in your presence.
~y
And the Lord said: Speak.
~y
And Jeremiah said: Behold, Lord, we know that you are
delivering the city into the hands of its enemies, and your
people depart for Babylon.
~y
What then will we do with your holy vessels?
~y
And God said: Consign them to the earth, saying: Hear,
earth, the voice of your creator, who founded you upon the
waters, who sealed you with seven seals for seven epochs, and
after this you will receive your ornaments.
~y
Guard the vessels of the temple service until the gathering
of the beloved.
~y
And Jeremiah spoke again, saying: I beseech you, Lord, what
should I do for Abimelech the Ethiopian, for he has done many
kindnesses to your servant?
~y
For he drew me up out of the miry pit where they threw me,
and I do not wish that he should see the destruction and
spoiling of the city because he is little-souled.
~y
And the Lord said to Jeremiah: Send him to the vineyard of
Agrippa, and I will hide him in the shadow of the mountain until
the people are about to return from the captivity.
~y
And you, Jeremiah, go with your people into Babylon and
stay with them, preaching to them, until I cause them to return.
~y
But leave Baruch here.
~y18
Then they went into the temple, and taking the vessels of
the temple service, they consigned them to the earth as the Lord
had told them.
~y21
And at morning, Jeremiah said to Abimelech: Take a basket,
child, and go to the estate of Agrippa by the mountain road, and
bring back figs to the sick of the people; for their favor is on
you, and glory is on your head.
~y
And immediately he went to the field.
~x
@@And when he had departed and the sun had appeared at dawn,
behold, the host of the Chaldeans, having arrived, had
surrounded the city of Jerusalem.
~y
And the great angel trumpeted, saying: Enter the city, the
entire host of the Chaldeans; for behold, the gates are opened
for you.
~y4
Then Jeremiah, taking the keys of the temple, went outside
the city and throwing them away in the presence of the sun,
said: Take them and guard (them) until the day in which the Lord
asks you for them.
~y
For we have not been found worthy to keep them.
~y
And Jeremiah went with the people into captivity in Babylon.
~y11"-12"
But Baruch departed from the city and remained sitting
in a tomb.
~x
@@And Abimelech, taking the figs in the burning heat and
coming upon a tree, sat under its shade to rest a bit.
~y
And leaning his head on the basket, he fell asleep for
seventy times. And this happened according to the commandment of
God because of the word which he spoke to Jeremiah: I will hide
him.
~y
And after awakening he said: I slept sweetly for a little
while, and because of this my head is heavy because I did not
get enough sleep.
~y
And uncovering the figs, he found them dripping milk, as if
he had gathered them shortly before.
~y
And he said: I would like to sleep a little longer, but
since Jeremiah sent me in much haste, if I do this I will be
late and he will be distressed.
~y
For isn't there toil and heat every day? Rather, I should
leave quickly, and I will heal him and then I can sleep.
~y
And taking the figs, he went into Jerusalem and he did not
recognize either his house or that of his relatives or of his
friends.
~y
And he said: The Lord be blessed, a trance came over me
today!
~y
This is not the city. Lacking sleep, I have gone astray.
~y"11"z"1"
And he departed from (the city) and searching for the
landmarks he said: Indeed, this is the city; I went astray.
~y
And entering again and searching, he found no one of his
relatives or of his friends; and he said: The Lord be blessed, a
great trance has come over me!
~y
@@And going out, he stayed there grieving, not knowing what
he should do.
~y
And putting down the basket, he said: I must sit here until
the Lord takes the trance from me.
~y
And as he was sitting, behold, an old man was coming from
the field, and he said to him: I say to you, old man, what city
is this?
~y
And he said: It is Jerusalem, child.
~y
And Abimelech said: And where is Jeremiah the priest of
God, and Baruch the secretary, and all the people of the city,
for I could not find them?
~y
And the old man said to him: Are you not from this city?
Today you remembered Jeremiah and asked about him.
~y
Jeremiah has been in Babylon with the people since they
were made captives by Nebuchadnezzar the king seventy times ago;
and how is it that you, being a young man and never having been
(old), then, are asking about the things which I have never
seen?
~y
And when he had heard these things, Abimelech said to him:
If you were not an old man, and if it were not for the fact that
it is not lawful for a man of God to upbraid one older than
himself, I would laugh at you and say that you are out of your
mind for saying that the people went captive into Babylon.
~y
Even if the heavenly torrents had opened, and the angels of
God came to take them with power and authority, not yet would
they have (time) to go into Babylon!
~y
For how much time has passed since my father Jeremiah sent
me to the estate of Agrippa because of a few (figs), so that I
might give them to the sick of the people?
~y
And coming to a tree from out of the heat, I fell asleep
for a little bit.
~y
Supposing that I was late, I uncovered the figs and found
them dripping milk just as I had collected (them).
~y
And you say that the people were taken captive into
Babylon.
~y
But that you might know, and not account me a liar, take
the figs and see.
~y28
And when the old man saw these things he said: O child, you
are the son of a righteous man, and God did not want to show you
the desolation of this city and he brought this trance upon you.
~y
Behold, it is seventy times (since) the people were taken
captive into Babylon with Jeremiah from this day.
~y
But so that you may learn, my child, that what I tell you
is true, look into the field and see that the ripening of the
crops has not yet appeared.
~y
And notice that the figs are not in season, and be
enlightened and be persuaded that I am telling the truth.
~y
Then Abimelech, just as from great sobriety and observing
the land accurately, and the trees in it, said: Blessed be the
God of heaven and earth, the Rest of the souls of the righteous.
~y
And he said to the old man: What month is this?
~y
And the old man said: The twelfth.
~y
And giving some figs to the old man, he departed when he
had blessed him.
~x
@@And rising up, Abimelech prayed that it might be revealed to
him what he should do.
~y
And behold, an angel of the Lord came and took him by the
right hand and brought him safely to the tomb in which Baruch
was sitting.
~y
And seeing one another, they wept much, and then they prayed
to God and rejoiced, glorifying and praising him.
~y
And Baruch, seeing the figs which were picked seventy times
before still dripping milk, was astonished, and said:
~y11
Let us pray to God that the Lord may make known to us how,
then, we will give knowledge to Jeremiah concerning the shelter
made for you, and now (your) incredible awakening.
~y15
And while they were doing this, they heard an angel which
was sent to them:
~y
Write a letter to Jeremiah (saying) what he must do unto
the people as I say to you. And he told them everything that
they should write, and he also delivered over this: Behold, in a
few days God will lead you out of Babylon into Jerusalem. And
early tomorrow when an eagle comes, bind the letter and a few
figs on its neck so that it may carry these things to Jeremiah
in Babylon.
~y18
And when he had said these things he departed from them.
~y
@@And immediately taking papyrus Baruch sat down and wrote
the things which he heard from the angel.
~x
And coming early, the eagle cried out. And going out, they
praised God.
~y7
And when they had prayed they bound the letter and ten figs
on its neck.
~y
And when they had prayed for it they sent it away, having
commanded it to return to them again.
~y12
And it went away to Babylon (and having arrived) it sat on
a pillar outside the city.
~y
And according to the stewardship of God, Jeremiah was going
out of the city with all the people to bury a corpse.
~y14"-15"
And they were mourning and were about to bury it in the
place which Jeremiah received from Nebuchadnezzar which he
yielded for the burying of dead Jews.
~y16
And the eagle cried out with the voice of a man and said: I
say to you Jeremiah, take the letter which I have brought to you
from Baruch and Abimelech and let all the people of Jerusalem
hear it.
~y
And when Jeremiah heard, he glorified God.
~y
And the eagle sat on the corpse and immediately it arose.
~y20
Everyone seeing this knew that the letter was sent from
God. And when all had glorified God at what had happened,
~y
Jeremiah untied the letter and read it before all.
~y
And when they heard it they shouted out and rejoiced
greatly.
~y24
And Jeremiah also wrote on papyrus of all the tribulations
and misfortunes that had happened to them.
~y35
And he tied it to the neck of the eagle and blessing it, he
sent it off.
~y
And again it took this letter to Baruch and Abimelech, and
when they had read it they wept and with thanks they glorified
God because they had not been tested with such tribulations.
~y
But Jeremiah gave the figs to the sick of the people, and
they were all healed, as many as ate of them.
~x
@@And when the appointed day had been attained,
~y
God said to Jeremiah: Take the entire night and go out of
Babylon and come to the Jordan.
~y
And there you will separate the rulers of the Babylonians
who took wives from your nation and the women of the Babylonians
who joined together with your people. And those who do not hear
you the Jordan will separate. They will not cross with you.
~y
And Jeremiah did as God commanded him.
~y
And in separating them at the Jordan, most of those who had
joined (with the Babylonians) did not wish to listen to
Jeremiah, but said: It is better for us to return to Babylon
than to forsake our wives.
~y8
And they departed for Babylon.
~y
But they were not welcomed by the Babylonians who said:
Because you left us and departed secretly,
~y
We have sworn an oath among ourselves not to receive you or
your children.
~y
But these who were not received, either by Jeremiah or by
the Babylonians departed into a desert place some distance from
Jerusalem and built for themselves a city which is called
Samaria, which is what they named it.
~x
@@And Jeremiah with the people went into Jerusalem and they
rejoiced, bringing up their sacrifices for nine days.
~y
And on the tenth day Jeremiah offered his sacrifice to God.
~y
And he prayed
~y7
until his soul went up and his body fell down dead in the
altar-area.
~y
Then Baruch and Abimelech came to mourn Jeremiah.
~y
And when all the people heard they ran to them and saw
Jeremiah lying on the ground dead.
~y
And they tore their garments and put dust on their heads
and they all wept bitterly.
~y
And after this they prepared to bury him.
~y
And behold, there was a voice from heaven saying: Do not
bury the one who yet lives.
~y
And when they heard the voice they stayed beside him,
praying for three days.
~y
@@And after three days his soul came back into his body and
he raised his voice in the midst of them all, saying: With one
voice all of you glorify God and his son who awakens us, messiah
Jesus, the light of all the ages, the inextinguishable lamp, the
life of our nature.
~y
For after these times there shall be 377 years more.
~y21
And as he preached the good news of the messiah to them as
he saw and heard enigmatically when his soul went up, all the
people shouted: These are the words which Isaiah of old spoke to
our fathers: I saw God and his son.
~y
And they killed him with a wooden saw, sawing him asunder.
Come then, let us stone him.
~y
@@And when they heard these things, Baruch and Abimelech were
greatly grieved because of the death of Jeremiah and had not
heard in full the mysteries which the prophet who had gone up
had seen and heard.
~y
And he, knowing their thoughts, said: Be silent; they will
not kill me until everything which I saw and heard I describe
for you.
~y
And he said to them: Bring a great stone to me. And they
brought it to him.
~y
And the prophet said: Lord, make this stone like me in
appearance so that the people will stone it until I tell my
brothers the things which I saw and heard.
~y
Then, by the commandment of God, the stone took on the
appearance of the prophet,
~y
And they stoned it instead of him.
~y
And he told them everything that he saw and heard. Desiring
to complete his ministry, he went into the midst of the people.
~y
And by the command of God the stone went up and cried out
in the voice of a man, saying: O foolish children of Israel, why
do you stone me, supposing that I am Jeremiah, who is standing
in your midst?
~y
Then, out of great sobriety, they saw the holy one, and
taking up stones they killed him. And he was stoned by his
fellow captives of Jerusalem who owed him much good, and he did
not speak against them neither was he angry, but thus he
received the overpowering of the stones, as through them he went
up into heaven.
~y
And when Baruch and Abimelech came, they buried him, and
taking the stone they placed it on his tomb, inscribing on it:
This is the stone that was the ally of Jeremiah.
~y
And the sacred vessels Jeremiah laid away according to the
command of God, sealed in this stone by his finger in the name
of God. Through the writing of iron, the imprint has become on
the stone a shadowy cloud, because it is indistinguishable. And
the stone is in the desert where formerly the ark was prepared
with the others. And this Jeremiah spoke: The Lord went up to
heaven from Zion, but he will come again to visit Zion, and the
coming of the messiah will be the sign whenever every nation
worships the cross, glorifying and praising God, to whom becomes
all glory forever and ever, Amen.