~a"OTApoc"b"001"c"ParJerL"x"t" ~a"OTApoc"b"002"c"ParJerS"x"t" [[English Translation by R. A. Kraft [[English Translation by W. Newby, and A.-E. Purintun, SBL Texts and with R. A. Kraft; copyright R. A. Translations 1, Pseudepigrapha Kraft, 1987]] Series 1, 1972]] THE THINGS OMITTED FROM THAT WHICH THE LORD SPOKE TO JEREMIAH THE PROPHET JEREMIAH BEFORE THE CAPTURE OF JERUSALEM AND HOW THE CAPTURE HAPPENED ~x1 ~x1 @@It came to pass, when the children @@In those days of Israel were taken captive by the king of the Chaldeans, that God spoke to Jeremiah saying: the Lord spoke to Jeremiah, saying: @Jeremiah, my chosen one, arise and Arise, depart from this city, you and depart from this city with Baruch, since I am going to destroy Baruch, since I am going to destroy it because of the multitude of the it because of the multitude of the sins of those who dwell in it. sins of those who dwell in it. ~x1y2 ~x1y2 @For your prayers are like a solid For your prayers are like solid pillar in its midst, and like an pillars in its midst, and like an indestructible wall surrounding it. indestructible wall surrounding it. ~x1y3 ~x1y3 @Now, then, arise and depart before Now, then, depart from it before the host of the Chaldeans surrounds the host of the Chaldeans surrounds it. it. ~x1y4 ~x1y4 And Jeremiah answered, saying: And Jeremiah spoke, saying: @I beseech you, Lord, permit me, I beseech you, Lord, permit me, your servant, to speak in your your servant, to speak in your presence. presence. ~x1y5 ~x1y5 And the Lord said to him: And the Lord said: @Speak, my chosen one Jeremiah. Speak. ~x1y6 ~x1y6 And Jeremiah spoke, saying: And Jeremiah said: @Lord Almighty, would you deliver Lord, would you deliver the chosen city into the hands of this city into the hands of the Chaldeans, so that the king the Chaldeans, so that with the multitude of his people they might boast and say: "I have might boast that they had prevailed over the holy city of prevailed against it? God"? ~x1y7 ~x1y7 @No, my Lord, but if it is your My Lord, if it is your will, let it be destroyed will, rather let it be destroyed by your hands. by your hands and not by the Chaldeans. ~x1y8 ~x1y8 And the Lord said to Jeremiah: And God said: @Since you are my chosen one, arise You, arise, and depart form this city, you and depart. Baruch, for I am going to destroy it because of the multitude of the sins of those who dwell in it. ~x1y9 ~x1y9 But they will not boast. @For neither the king nor his host will be able to enter it unless I Unless I open (the gates), first open its gates. they are not able to enter. ~x1y10 ~x1y10 @Arise, then, and go to Baruch, Therefore go to Baruch and tell him these words. and tell him. ~x1y11 ~x1y11 @And when you have arisen at the And at the sixth hour of the night, go out on sixth hour of the night go up on the city walls and I will show you the city walls and see that unless I first destroy the that unless I open (the gates), city, they cannot enter it. they are not able to enter. ~x1y12 ~x1y12 When the Lord had said this, And when he had said these things he departed from Jeremiah. he departed from him. ~x2 ~x2 @@And Jeremiah ran and told these @@And Jeremiah departed and told things to Baruch; and as they went Baruch; and as they went into the temple of God, Jeremiah into the temple they tore his garments and put dust on tore their garments and mourned his head and entered the holy place much. of God. ~x2y2 And when Baruch saw him with dust sprinkled on his head and his garments torn, he cried out in a loud voice, saying: @Father Jeremiah, what are you doing? @What sin has the people committed? ~x2y3 (For whenever the people sinned, Jeremiah would sprinkle dust on his head and would pray for the people until their sin was forgiven.) ~x2y4 So Baruch asked him, saying: @Father, what is this? ~x2y5 And Jeremiah said to him: @Refrain from rending your garments -- rather, let us rend our hearts! And let us not draw water for the trough, but let us weep and fill them with tears! For the Lord will not have mercy on this people. ~x2y6 And Baruch said: @Father Jeremiah, what has happened? ~x2y7 And Jeremiah said: @God is delivering the city into the hands of the king of the Chaldeans, to take the people captive into Babylon. ~x2y8 And when Baruch heard these things, he also tore his garments and said: @Father Jeremiah, who has made this known to you? ~x2y9 And Jeremiah said to him: @Stay with me awhile, until the sixth hour of the night, so that you may know that this word is true. ~x2y10 Therefore they both remained in the altar-area weeping, and their garments were torn. ~x3 ~x3 @@And when the hour of the night @@And at the sixth hour arrived, as the Lord had told Jeremiah they came up together when they had gone up on the walls of the city, on the city walls, Jeremiah and Baruch. ~x3y2 And behold, there came a sound of they heard the sound of trumpets. trumpets; ~x3y2 and angels emerged from heaven And the angels came from heaven, holding torches in their hands, holding torches in their hands, and they set them on the walls of and they set them on the walls of the city. the city. ~x3y3 ~x3y3 And when Jeremiah and Baruch saw And when they saw them, they wept, saying: them they wept and said: @Now we know that the word Now we know that the word that God is true! spoke is true. ~x3y4 ~x3y4 And Jeremiah besought the angels, And they besought the angels, saying: saying: @I beseech you, do not destroy the We beseech (you) not to destroy the city yet, until I say something to city until we speak to the Lord. God. ~x3y5 And the Lord spoke to the angels, saying: @Do not destroy the city until I speak to my chosen one, Jeremiah. ~x3y6 ~x3y6 Then Jeremiah spoke, saying: Then Jeremiah spoke, saying: @I beg you, Lord, bid me to speak I beg you, Lord, bid me to speak in your presence. in your presence. ~x3y7 ~x3y7 And the Lord said: And the Lord said: @Speak, my chosen one Jeremiah. Speak. ~x3y8 ~x3y8 And Jeremiah said: And Jeremiah said: @Behold, Lord, now we know that you Behold, Lord, we know that you are delivering the city into the are delivering the city into the hands of its enemies, and they will hands of its enemies, and take the people away to Babylon. your people depart for Babylon. ~x3y9 What do you want me to do with the What then will we do with your holy vessels of the temple service? holy vessels? ~x3y10 ~x3y10 And the Lord said to him: And God said: @Take them and consign them to the Consign them to the earth, saying: earth, saying: @@Hear, Earth, the voice of your Hear, earth, the voice of your creator creator, @@@who formed you in the abundance who founded you of waters, upon the waters, @@@who sealed you with seven seals who sealed you with seven seals for seven epochs, for seven epochs, @@@and after this you will receive and after this you will receive your ornaments (?) -- your ornaments. ~x3y11 ~x3y11 @Guard the vessels of the temple Guard the vessels of the temple service until the gathering of the service until the gathering of the beloved. beloved. ~x3y12 ~x3y12 And Jeremiah spoke, saying: And Jeremiah spoke again, saying: @I beseech you, Lord, show me what I beseech you, Lord, what I should do for Abimelech the should I do for Abimelech the Ethiopian, for he has done many Ethiopian, for he has done many kindnesses to your servant kindnesses to your servant? Jeremiah. ~x3y13 ~x3y13 @For he pulled me out of the miry For he drew me up out of the miry pit; pit where they threw me, and I do not wish that he should see and I do not wish that he should see the destruction and desolation of the destruction and spoiling of this city, but that you should be the city merciful to him and that he should not be grieved. because he is little-souled. ~x3y14 ~x3y14 And the Lord said to Jeremiah: And the Lord said to Jeremiah: @Send him to the vineyard of Send him to the vineyard of Agrippa, and I will hide him in the Agrippa, and I will hide him in the shadow of the mountain until I shadow of the mountain until the cause the people to return to the people are about to return from the city. captivity. ~x3y15 ~x3y15 @And you, Jeremiah, go with your And you, Jeremiah, go with your people into Babylon and stay with people into Babylon and stay with them, preaching to them, until I them, preaching to them, until I cause them to return to the city. cause them to return. ~x3y16 ~x3y16 @But leave Baruch here But leave Baruch here. until I speak with him. ~x3y17 When he had said these things, the Lord ascended from Jeremiah into heaven. ~x3y18 ~x3y18 @@But Jeremiah and Baruch entered Then they went into the temple, the holy place, and taking the and taking the vessels of the temple service, they vessels of the temple service, they consigned them to the earth as the consigned them to the earth as the Lord had told them. Lord had told them. ~x3y19 And immediately the earth swallowed them. ~x3y20 And they both sat down and wept. ~x3y21 ~x3y21 @@And when morning came, Jeremiah And at morning, Jeremiah sent Abimelech, saying: said to Abimelech: @Take a basket and go to the Take a basket, child, and go to the estate of Agrippa by the mountain estate of Agrippa by the mountain road, and bring back some figs to road, and bring back figs give to the sick among the people; to the sick of the people; for the favor of the Lord is on you for their favor is on you, and his glory is on your head. and glory is on your head. ~x3y22 ~x3y22 And when he had said this, Jeremiah And sent him away; and Abimelech went immediately he went as he told him. to the field. ~x4 ~x4 @@And when morning came, @@And when he had departed and the behold sun had appeared at dawn, behold, the host of the Chaldeans the host of the Chaldeans, having surrounded the city. arrived, had surrounded the city of Jerusalem. ~x4y2 ~x4y2 And the great angel trumpeted, And the great angel trumpeted, saying: saying: @Enter the city, host Enter the city, the entire host of the Chaldeans; of the Chaldeans; @for behold, the gate is opened for for behold, the gates are opened for you. you. ~x4y3 @Therefore let the king enter, with his multitudes, and let him take all the people captive. ~x4y4 ~x4y4 But taking the keys of the Then Jeremiah, taking the keys of temple, Jeremiah went outside the the temple, went outside the city and threw them away in the city and throwing them away in the presence of the sun, saying: presence of the sun, said: @I say to you, Sun, take the keys Take them of the temple of God and guard them and guard (them) until the day in which the Lord until the day in which the Lord asks you for them. asks you for them. ~x4y5 ~x4y5 @For we have not been found worthy For we have not been found worthy to keep them, for we have become to keep them. unfaithful guardians. ~x4y6 ~x4y6 While Jeremiah was still weeping And Jeremiah for the people, they brought him went out with the people and dragged with the people them into Babylon. into captivity in Babylon. ~x4y7 @@But Baruch put dust on his head and sat and wailed this lamentation, saying: @Why has Jerusalem been devastated? Because of the sins of the beloved people she was delivered into the hands of enemies -- because of our sins and those of the people. ~x4y8 @But let not the lawless ones boast and say: @@"We were strong enough to take the city of God by our might;" but it was delivered to you because of our sins. ~x4y9 @And God will pity us and cause us to return to our city, but you will not survive! ~x4y10 @Blessed are our fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, for they departed from this world and did not see the destruction of this city. ~x4y11 ~x4y11"-12" When he had said this, Baruch But Baruch departed from the city, weeping and departed from the city saying: @Grieving because of you, Jerusalem, I went out from you. ~x4y12 And he remained sitting in a tomb, and remained sitting in a tomb. while the angels came to him and explained to him everything that the Lord revealed to him through them. ~x5 ~x5 @@But Abimelech took the figs in @@And Abimelech, taking the figs in the burning heat; and coming upon a the burning heat and coming upon a tree, he sat under its shade to tree, sat under its shade to rest a bit. rest a bit. ~x5y2 ~x5y2 And leaning his head on the basket And leaning his head on the basket, of figs, he fell asleep and slept he fell asleep for 66 years; and he was not for seventy times. awakened from his slumber. And this happened according to the commandment of God because of the word which he spoke to Jeremiah: I will hide him. ~x5y3 ~x5y3 And afterward, when he awoke from And after awakening his sleep, he said: he said: @I slept sweetly for a little I slept sweetly for a little while, but my head while, and because of this my head is heavy because is heavy because I did not get enough sleep. I did not get enough sleep. ~x5y4 ~x5y4 Then he uncovered the basket of figs And uncovering the figs, and found them dripping milk. he found them dripping milk, as if he had gathered them shortly before. ~x5y5 ~x5y5 And he said: And he said: @I would like to sleep a little I would like to sleep a little longer, because my head is heavy. longer, But I am afraid that I might fall but since asleep and be late in awakening and my father Jeremiah would think Jeremiah sent me badly of me; for if he were not in in much haste, if I do this I will a hurry, he would not have sent me be late and he will be distressed. today at daybreak. ~x5y6 @So I will get up, and proceed in ~x5y6 the burning heat; for isn't there For isn't there heat, isn't there toil every day? toil and heat every day? Rather, I should leave quickly, and I will heal him and then I can sleep. ~x5y7 ~x5y7 So he got up and took the basket of And taking the figs and placed it on his figs, shoulders, and he entered into he went into Jerusalem and did not recognize it Jerusalem and he did not recognize -- neither his own house, nor the either his house place -- nor did he find his own or that of his family or any of his acquaintances. relatives or of his friends. ~x5y8 ~x5y8 And he said: And he said: @The Lord be blessed, for a great The Lord be blessed, a trance has come over me today! trance came over me today! ~x5y9 ~x5y9 @This is not the city Jerusalem -- This is not the city. and I have lost my way because I came by the mountain road when I arose from my sleep; and since my head was heavy because I did not get enough sleep, I lost my way. Lacking sleep, I have gone astray. ~x5y10 @It will seem incredible to Jeremiah that I lost my way! ~x5y11 ~x5y"11"z"1" And he departed from the city; and And he departed from (the city) and as he searched he saw the landmarks searching for the landmarks he of the city, and he said: said: @Indeed, this is the city; Indeed, this is the city; I lost my way. I went astray. ~x5y12 ~x5y12 And again he returned to the city And entering again and searched, and found no one of and searching, he found no one of his own people; his relatives or of his friends; and he said: and he said: @The Lord be blessed, for a great The Lord be blessed, a great trance has come over me! trance has come over me! ~x5y13 ~x5y13 And again he departed from the @@And going out, city, and he stayed there grieving, he stayed there grieving, not knowing where he should go. not knowing what he should do. ~x5y14 ~x5y14 @@And he put down the basket, And putting down the basket, he saying: said: @I will sit here until the Lord I must sit here until the Lord takes this trance from me. takes the trance from me. ~x5y15 ~x5y15 And as he sat, he saw an And as he was sitting, behold, an old man coming from the field; old man was coming from the field, and Abimelech said to him: and he said to him: @I say to you, old man, what city I say to you, old man, what city is this? is this? ~x5y16 ~x5y16 And he said to him: And he said: @It is Jerusalem. It is Jerusalem, child. ~x5y17 ~x5y17 And Abimelech said to him: And Abimelech said: @Where is Jeremiah the priest, And where is Jeremiah the priest of and Baruch the secretary, and God, and Baruch the secretary, and all the people of this city, for I all the people of the city, for I could not find them? could not find them? ~x5y18 ~x5y18 And the old man said to him: And the old man said to him: @Are you not from this city, seeing Are you not from this city? that you remember Jeremiah today, Today you remembered Jeremiah because you are asking about him and asked about him. after such a long time? ~x5y19 ~x5y19 @For Jeremiah is in Babylon with Jeremiah has been in Babylon with the people; for they were taken the people since they were made captive by king Nebuchadnezzar, captives by Nebuchadnezzar the king and Jeremiah is with them to preach seventy times ago; the good news to them and to teach them the word. 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? ~x5y20 ~x5y20 As soon as Abimelech heard this And when he had heard these things, from the old man, he said: Abimelech said to him: @If you were not an old man, and if If you were not an old man, and if it were not for the fact that it is it were not for the fact that it is not lawful for a man to not lawful for a man of God to upbraid one older than himself, I upbraid one older than himself, I would laugh at you and say that you would laugh at you and say that you are out of your mind -- since you are out of your mind for say that the people have been taken saying that the people went captive into Babylon. captive into Babylon. ~x5y21 ~x5y21 @Even if the heavenly torrents had Even if the heavenly torrents had descended on them, opened, and the angels of God came to take them with power and authority, there has not yet been time for them not yet would they have (time) to go into Babylon! to go into Babylon! ~x5y22 ~x5y22 @For how much time has passed since For how much time has passed since my father Jeremiah sent me to the my father Jeremiah sent me to the estate of Agrippa to bring a few estate of Agrippa because of a few figs, so that I might give them (figs), so that I might give them to the sick among the people? to the sick of the people? ~x5y23 ~x5y23 @And I went and got them, and when And I came to a certain tree in the coming to a tree from out of burning heat, I sat to rest a the heat, little; and I leaned my head on the I fell asleep for a little bit. basket and fell asleep. ~x5y24 ~x5y24 @And when I awoke I uncovered the Supposing that I was late, I basket of figs, supposing that I uncovered the figs was late; and I found the figs and found them dripping milk, just as I had dripping milk just as I had collected them. collected (them). ~x5y25 ~x5y25 @But you claim that the people have And you say that the people were been taken captive into Babylon. taken captive into Babylon. ~x5y26 ~x5y26 @But that you might know, But that you might know, and not account me a liar, take the figs and see! take the figs and see. ~x5y27 And he uncovered the basket of figs for the old man, and he saw them dripping milk. ~x5y28 ~x5y28 And when the old man saw them, And when the old man saw these he said: things he said: @O my son, you are a O child, you are the son of a righteous man, and God did not want righteous man, and God did not want you to see the desolation of the to show you the desolation of this city, so he brought this trance upon city and he brought this trance upon you. you. ~x5y29 ~x5y29 @For behold it is 66 years today Behold, it is seventy times since the people were taken (since) the people were taken captive into Babylon. captive into Babylon with Jeremiah from this day. ~x5y30 ~x5y30 @But that you might learn, my But so that you may learn, my son, that what I tell you is child, that what I tell you is true -- look into the field and see true, look into the field and see that the ripening of the crops has that the ripening of the crops has not appeared. not yet appeared. ~x5y31 ~x5y31 @And notice that the figs are not in And notice that the figs are not in season, and be enlightened. season, and be enlightened and be persuaded that I am telling the truth. ~x5y32 ~x5y32 Then Abimelech Then Abimelech, just as from great sobriety and observing the land accurately, and the trees in it, cried out in a loud voice, saying: said: @I bless you, God of heaven and Blessed be the God of heaven and earth, the Rest of the souls of the earth, the Rest of the souls of the righteous in every place! righteous. ~x5y33 ~x5y33 Then he said to the old man: And he said to the old man: @What month is this? What month is this? ~x5y34 ~x5y34 And he said: And the old man said: @Nisan (which is Abib). The twelfth. ~x5y35 ~x5y35 And taking some of figs, he gave And giving some figs them to the old man and said to to the old man, he departed when he him: had blessed him. @May God illumine your way to the city above, Jerusalem. @6 ~x6 ~x6 @@After this, Abimelech went out of @@And rising up, Abimelech the city and prayed to the Lord. prayed that it might be revealed to him what he should do. ~x6y2 ~x6y2 And behold, an angel of the Lord And behold, an angel of the Lord came and took him by the right hand came and took him by the right hand and brought him back to where and brought him safely to the tomb Baruch was sitting, in which Baruch was sitting. and he found him in a tomb. ~x6y3 ~x6y3 And when they saw each other, they And seeing one another, they both wept wept much, and then and kissed each other. they prayed to God and rejoiced, glorifying and praising him. ~x6y4 ~x6y4 But when Baruch looked up he saw And Baruch, seeing with his own eyes the figs that the figs which were covered in Abimelech's basket. ~x6y5 And lifting his eyes to heaven, he prayed, saying: ~x6y6 @You are the God who gives a reward to those who love you. Prepare yourself, my heart, and rejoice and be glad while you are in your tabernacle, saying to your fleshly house, "your grief has been changed to joy;" for the Sufficient One is coming and will deliver you in your tabernacle -- for there is no sin in you. ~x6y7 @Revive in your tabernacle, in your virginal faith, and believe that you will live! ~x6y8 @Look at this basket of figs -- for behold, they are 66 years old and were picked seventy times before have not become shrivelled or rotten, but they are dripping milk. still dripping milk, was astonished, ~x6y9 @So it will be with you, my flesh, if you do what is commanded you by the angel of righteousness. ~x6y10 @He who preserved the basket of figs, the same will again preserve you by his power. ~x6y11 @@When Baruch had said this, he said to Abimelech: and said: ~x6y11 @Stand up and let us pray that the Let us pray to God that the Lord may make known to us how we Lord may make known to us how, then, shall be able to send to Jeremiah we will give knowledge to Jeremiah in Babylon the report about the concerning the shelter provided for you on the shelter made for you, way. and now (your) incredible awakening. ~x6y12 And Baruch prayed, saying: @Lord God, our strength is the elect light which comes forth from your mouth. ~x6y13 @We beseech and beg of your goodness -- you whose great name no one is able to know -- hear the voice of your servants and let knowledge come into our hearts. ~x6y14 @What shall we do, and how shall we send this report to Jeremiah in Babylon? ~x6y15 ~x6y15 And while Baruch was still praying, And while they were doing this, behold an angel of the Lord came they heard an angel which was sent and said all these words to Baruch: to them: @Agent of the light, do not be anxious about how you will send to Jeremiah; for an eagle is coming to you at the hour of light tomorrow, and you will direct him to Jeremiah. ~x6y16 ~x6y16 @Therefore, write in a letter: Write a letter to Jeremiah (saying) what he must do unto the people as @@Say to the children of Israel: I say to you. And he told them everything that they should write, and he also delivered over this: Let the stranger who comes among you be set apart and let 15 days go Behold, in a few days by; and I will lead you into your God will lead you out of Babylon city, says the Lord. 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 ~x6y17 Babylon. @@He who is not separated from Babylon will not enter into the city; and I will punish them by keeping them from being received back by the Babylonians, says the Lord. ~x6y18 ~x6y18 And when the angel had said this, And when he had said these things he departed from Baruch. he departed from them. ~x6y19 ~x6y19 And Baruch sent to the market of @@And immediately the gentiles and got papyrus and taking papyrus Baruch ink and wrote a letter as follows: sat down and wrote the things which he heard from the angel. @Baruch, the servant of God, writes to Jeremiah in the captivity of Babylon: ~x6y20 @Greetings! Rejoice, for God has not allowed us to depart from this body grieving for the city which was laid waste and outraged. ~x6y21 @Wherefore the Lord has had compassion on our tears, and has remembered the covenant which he established with our fathers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. ~x6y22 @And he sent his angel to me, and he told me these words which I send to you. ~x6y23 @These, then, are the words which the Lord, the God of Israel, spoke, who led us out of Egypt, out of the great furnace: @@Because you did not keep my ordinances, but your heart was lifted up, and you were haughty before me, in anger and wrath I delivered you to the furnace in Babylon. ~x6y24 @@If, therefore, says the Lord, you listen to my voice, from the mouth of Jeremiah my servant, I will bring the one who listens up from Babylon; but the one who does not listen will become a stranger to Jerusalem and to Babylon. ~x6y25 @@And you will test them by means of the water of the Jordan; whoever does not listen will be exposed -- this is the sign of the great seal. ~x7 ~x7 @@And Baruch got up and departed And coming early, from the tomb and found the eagle sitting outside the tomb. ~x7y2 And the eagle said to him in a the eagle cried out. human voice: @Hail, Baruch, steward of the faith. ~x7y3 And Baruch said to him: @You who speak are chosen from among all the birds of heaven, for this is clear from the gleam of your eyes; tell me, then, what are you doing here? ~x7y4 And the eagle said to him: @I was sent here so that you might through me send whatever message you want. ~x7y5 And Baruch said to him: @Can you carry this message to Jeremiah in Babylon? ~x7y6 And the eagle said to him: @Indeed, it was for this reason I was sent. And going out, they praised God. ~x7y7 ~x7y7 And when they had prayed And Baruch took the letter, they bound the letter and 15 figs from Abimelech's basket, and ten figs and tied them to the eagle's neck on its neck. ~x7y8 and said to him: And when they had prayed for it @I say to you, king of the birds, go in peace with good health and they sent it away, carry the message for me. ~x7y8 @Do not be like the raven which Noah sent out and which never came back to him in the ark; but be like the dove which, the third time, brought a report to the righteous having commanded it one. to return to them again. ~x7y9 @So you also, take this good message to Jeremiah and to those in bondage with him, that it may be well with you-take this papyrus to the people and to the chosen one of God. ~x7y10 @Even if all the birds of heaven surround you and want to fight with you, struggle -- the Lord will give you strength. ~x7y11 @And do not turn aside to the right or to the left, but straight as a speeding arrow, go in the power of God, and the glory of the Lord will be with you the entire way. ~x7y12 ~x7y12 Then the eagle took flight and went And it went away to Babylon, having the letter away to Babylon tied to his neck; and when he (and having arrived he rested on a post outside arrived) it sat on a pillar outside the city in a desert place. the city. ~x7y13 ~x7y13 And he kept silent until And according to the stewardship of Jeremiah came along, for he and some God, Jeremiah of the people were coming out to was going out of the city with all bury a corpse outside the city. the people to bury a corpse. ~x7y14 ~x7y14"-15" And they were mourning and were (For Jeremiah had petitioned king about to bury it in the place which Nebuchadnezzar, saying: "Give me a Jeremiah received from place where I may bury those of my Nebuchadnezzar which he yielded for people who have died;" and the king the burying of dead Jews. gave it to him.) ~x7y15 @@And as they were coming out with the body, and weeping, they came to where the eagle was. ~x7y16 ~x7y16 And the eagle cried out in a loud And the eagle cried out with the voice, saying: voice of a man and said: @I say to you, Jeremiah the chosen I say to you Jeremiah, one of God, go and gather together take the letter which I have brought the people and come here so that to you from Baruch and Abimelech and they may hear a letter which I have let all the people of Jerusalem hear brought to you from Baruch and it. Abimelech. ~x7y17 ~x7y17 And when Jeremiah heard this, And when Jeremiah heard, he glorified God; and he went and he glorified God. gathered together the people along with their wives and children, and he came to where the eagle was. ~x7y18 ~x7y18 And the eagle came down on the And the eagle sat on the corpse, and it revived. corpse and immediately it arose. ~x7y19 (Now this took place so that they might believe.) ~x7y20 ~x7y20 And all the people were astounded Everyone seeing this knew that the at what had happened, and said: letter was sent from God. @This is the God who appeared to And when all had glorified God our fathers in the wilderness through Moses, and now he has at what had happened, appeared to us through the eagle. ~x7y21 And the eagle said: @I say to you, Jeremiah, come, untie this letter and read it to the people -- ~x7y21 So he untied the letter Jeremiah untied the letter and read it to the people. and read it before all. ~x7y22 ~x7y22 And when the people heard it, they And when they heard it they wept and put dust on their heads, shouted out and rejoiced greatly. and they said to Jeremiah: @Deliver us and tell us what to do that we @may once again enter our city. ~x7y23 And Jeremiah answered and said to them: @Do whatever you heard from the letter, and the Lord will lead us into our city. ~x7y24 ~x7y24 And Jeremiah wrote a letter to And Jeremiah also wrote on papyrus Baruch, saying thus: @My beloved son, do not be negligent in your prayers, beseeching God on our behalf, that he might direct our way until we come out of the jurisdiction of this lawless king. ~x7y25 @For you have been found righteous before God, and he did not let you come here, lest you see the affliction which has come upon the people at the hands of the Babylonians. ~x7y26 @For it is like a father with an only son, who is given over for punishment; and those who see his father and console him cover his face, lest he see how his son is being punished, and be even more ravaged by grief. ~x7y27 @For thus God took pity on you and did not let you enter Babylon lest you see the affliction of the people. ~x7y28 @For since we came here, grief has of all the tribulations and not left us, for 66 years today. misfortunes that had happened to them. ~x7y29 @For many times when I went out I found some of the people hung up by king Nebuchadnezzar, crying and saying: @"Have mercy on us, God-ZAR!" ~x7y30 @When I heard this, I grieved and cried with two-fold mourning, not only because they were hung up, but because they were calling on a foreign God, saying "Have mercy on us." ~x7y31 @But I remembered days of festivity which we celebrated in Jerusalem before our captivity; and when I remembered, I groaned, and returned to my house wailing and weeping. ~x7y32 @Now, then, pray in the place where you are -- you and Abimelech -- for this people, that they may listen to my voice and to the decrees of my mouth, so that we may depart from here. ~x7y33 @For I tell you that the entire time that we have spent here they have kept us in subjection, saying: @@Recite for us a song from the songs of Zion [see Ps 136.3c/4] -- the song of your God. ~x7y34 @And we reply to them: @@How shall we sing for you since we are in a foreign land? [Ps 136.4] ~x7y35 ~x7y35 And after this, Jeremiah tied the And he tied letter to the eagle's neck, saying: it to the neck of the eagle @Go in peace, and may the Lord and blessing it, he sent it off. watch over both of us. ~x7y36 ~x7y36 And the eagle took flight and came And again it took this letter to to Jerusalem and gave the letter to Baruch and Abimelech, and when they Baruch; and when he had untied it had read it they wept and with he read it and kissed it and wept thanks they glorified God because when he heard about the distresses they had not been tested with such and afflictions of the people. tribulations. ~x7y37 ~x7y37 But Jeremiah took the figs and But Jeremiah gave the figs distributed them to the sick among to the sick of the people, the people, and they were all healed, as many as ate of them. and he kept teaching them to abstain from the pollutions of the gentiles of Babylon. @6 ~x8 ~x8 And the day came in which the Lord @@And when the appointed day had brought the people out of Babylon. been attained, ~x8y2 ~x8y2 And the Lord said to Jeremiah: God said to Jeremiah: @Rise up -- you and the people -- Take the entire night and go out of and come to the Jordan and say to Babylon and come to the Jordan. the people: @@Let anyone who desires the Lord forsake the works of Babylon. ~x8y3 ~x8y3 @As for the men who took wives from And there you will separate the them and the women who took rulers of the Babylonians who took husbands from them -- those who wives from your nation and the listen to you shall cross over, and women of the Babylonians who joined you take them into Jerusalem; but together with your people. And those who do not listen to you, do those who do not hear you the not lead them there. Jordan will separate. They will not cross with you. ~x8y4 ~x8y4 And Jeremiah spoke these words to And Jeremiah did as God commanded the people, and they arose and came him. to the Jordan to cross over. ~x8y5 ~x8y5 As he told them the words that the And in separating them at the Lord had spoken to him, half of Jordan, most of those who had those who had taken spouses from joined (with the Babylonians) did them did not wish to listen to not wish to listen to Jeremiah, Jeremiah, but said to him: but said: @We will never forsake our wives, It is better for us to return to but we will bring them back with us Babylon than to forsake our wives. into our city. ~x8y6 So they crossed the Jordan and came to Jerusalem. ~x8y7 And Jeremiah and Baruch and Abimelech stood up and said: @No man joined with Babylonians shall enter this city! ~x8y8 And they said to one another: @Let us arise and return to Babylon to our place -- ~x8y8 And they departed. And they departed for Babylon. ~x8y9 ~x8y9 But while they were coming to But they were not welcomed Babylon, the Babylonians came out by the Babylonians to meet them, saying: who said: @You shall not enter our city, for you hated us and you left us Because you left us secretly; therefore you cannot come and departed secretly, in with us. ~x8y10 ~x8y10 @For we have taken a solemn oath We have sworn an oath among together in the name of our god to ourselves receive neither you nor your not to receive you or your children, since you left us children. secretly. ~x8y11 ~x8y11 And when they heard this, But these who were not received, they returned either by Jeremiah or by the and came to a desert Babylonians departed into a desert place some distance from Jerusalem place some distance from Jerusalem and built a city for themselves and and built for themselves a city named it 'SAMARIA.' which is called Samaria, which is what they named it. ~x8y12 And Jeremiah sent to them, saying: @Repent, for the angel of righteousness is coming and will lead you to your exalted place. @6 ~x9 ~x9 @@Now those who were with Jeremiah @@And Jeremiah with the people went were rejoicing and offering into Jerusalem and they rejoiced, sacrifices on behalf of the people bringing up their sacrifices for for nine days. nine days. ~x9y2 ~x9y2 But on the tenth, Jeremiah alone And on the tenth day Jeremiah offered sacrifice. offered his sacrifice to God. ~x9y3 ~x9y3 And he prayed a prayer, saying: And he prayed @Holy, holy, holy, fragrant aroma of the living trees, @@true light that enlightens me until I ascend to you; ~x9y4 @For your mercy, I beg you -- @@for the sweet voice of the two seraphim, I beg -- @@@for another fragrant aroma. ~x9y5 @And may Michael, archangel of righteousness, who opens the gates to the righteous, be my guardian (?) until he causes the righteous to enter. ~x9y6 @I beg you, almighty Lord of all creation, unbegotten and incomprehensible, in whom all judgment was hidden before these things came into existence. ~x9y7 ~x9y7 When Jeremiah had said this, and while he was standing in the altar-area with Baruch and Abimelech, he became as one whose until his soul went up and his body soul had departed. fell down dead in the altar-area. ~x9y8 ~x9y8 And Baruch and Abimelech were Then Baruch and Abimelech came to weeping and crying out in a loud mourn Jeremiah. voice: @Woe to us! For our father Jeremiah has left us -- the priest of God has departed! ~x9y9 ~x9y9 @@And all the people heard their And when all the people heard weeping and they all ran to them they ran to them and saw Jeremiah lying and saw Jeremiah lying on the ground as if dead. on the ground dead. ~x9y10 ~x9y10 And they tore their garments and And they tore their garments and put dust on their heads and wept put dust on their heads and they bitterly. all wept bitterly. ~x9y11 ~x9y11 And after this they prepared to And after this they prepared to bury him. bury him. ~x9y12 ~x9y12 And behold, there came a voice And behold, there was a voice from saying: heaven saying: @Do not bury the one who yet lives, Do not bury the one who yet lives. for his soul is returning to his body! ~x9y13 ~x9y13 And when they heard the voice they And when they heard the voice they did not bury him, but stayed around stayed beside him, his tabernacle for three days praying for three days. saying, "when will he arise?" ~x9y14 ~x9y14 @@And after three days his soul @@And after three days his soul came back into his body and he came back into his body and he raised his voice in the midst of raised his voice in the midst of them all and said: them all, saying: @Glorify God with one voice! With one voice @All of you glorify God and the son all of you glorify God and his son of God who awakens us -- messiah who awakens us, messiah Jesus -- the light of all the ages, Jesus, the light of all the ages, the inextinguishable lamp, the life the inextinguishable lamp, the life of faith. of our nature. ~x9y15 ~x9y15 But after these times there shall For after these times there shall be 477 years more be 377 years more. and he comes to earth. ~x9y16 @And the tree of life planted in the midst of paradise @@will cause all the unfruitful trees to bear fruit, @@@and will grow and sprout forth. ~x9y17 @And the trees that had sprouted and became haughty and said: @@"We have supplied our power (?) to the air," @he will cause them to wither, with the grandeur of their branches, @and he will cause them to be judged -- that firmly rooted tree! ~x9y18 @And what is crimson will become white as wool -- @@@the snow will be blackened -- @@the sweet waters will become salty, and the salty sweet, @@@in the intense light of the joy of God. ~x9y19 @And he will bless the isles @@so that they become fruitful by the word of the mouth of his messiah. ~x9y20 @For he shall come, @@and he will go out and choose for himself twelve apostles @@@@to proclaim the news among the nations-- @@@he whom I have seen adorned by his father @@@@and coming into the world on the Mount of Olives -- @@and he shall fill the hungry souls. ~x9y21 ~x9y21 @@When Jeremiah was saying this And as he preached the good news of concerning the son of God -- that the messiah to them as he saw and he is coming into the world -- the heard enigmatically when his soul people became very angry and said: went up, all the people shouted: @This is a repetition of the words These are the words spoken by Isaiah son of Amos, when which Isaiah of old spoke he said: to our fathers: @@I saw God and the son of God. I saw God and his son. ~x9y22 ~x9y22 @Come, then, and let us not kill And they killed him with a wooden him by the same sort of death with saw, sawing him asunder. which we killed Isaiah, but let us stone him with stones. Come then, let us stone him. ~x9y23 ~x9y23 @@And @@And when they heard these things, Baruch and Abimelech were greatly Baruch and Abimelech were greatly grieved because grieved because of the death of they wanted to hear in full Jeremiah and had not heard in full the mysteries that he the mysteries which the prophet who had seen. had gone up had seen and heard. ~x9y24 ~x9y24 But Jeremiah And he, knowing their thoughts, said to them: said: @Be silent and weep not, for they Be silent; they will not cannot kill me until I describe for kill me until everything which I saw you everything I saw. and heard I describe for you. ~x9y25 ~x9y25 And he said to them: And he said to them: @Bring a stone here to me. Bring a great stone to me. And they brought it to him. ~x9y26 ~x9y26 And he set it up and said: And the prophet said: @Light of the ages, Lord, @@make this stone to become like me make this stone like me in appearance, in appearance so that the people will stone it @@@until I have described to Baruch until I tell my brothers the things and Abimelech everything I saw. which I saw and heard. ~x9y27 ~x9y27 Then the stone, by God's command, Then, by the commandment of God, took on the appearance the stone took on the appearance of Jeremiah. of the prophet, ~x9y28 ~x9y28 And they were stoning the stone, And they stoned it supposing that it was Jeremiah! instead of him. ~x9y29 ~x9y29 @@But Jeremiah delivered to Baruch And he told them and to Abimelech all the mysteries everything that he had seen, he saw and heard. and forthwith he stood in the midst Desiring to complete his ministry, of the people he went into the midst of the desiring to complete his ministry. people. ~x9y30 ~x9y30 Then And by the command of God the stone cried out, the stone went up and cried out saying: in the voice of a man, saying: @O foolish children of Israel, O foolish children of Israel, @@why do you stone me, why do you stone me, supposing that I am Jeremiah? supposing that I am Jeremiah, @Behold, Jeremiah who is standing in your midst! is standing in your midst? ~x9y31 ~x9y31 And when Then, out of great sobriety, they saw him, immediately they they saw the holy one, and taking up rushed upon him with many stones, stones they killed him. and his ministry was fulfilled. 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. ~x9y32 ~x9y32 @@And when Baruch and Abimelech And when Baruch and Abimelech came, they buried him, and taking came, they buried him, and taking the stone they placed it on his the stone they placed it on his tomb and inscribed it thus: tomb, inscribing on it: @This is the stone that was the This is the stone that was the ally of Jeremiah. ally of Jeremiah. ~x9y33 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. //end of longer version// //end of shorter version//