144 In these forms he comes, takes captives in the world, leads the children of men astray and teaches them his wisdom. "God-fearers" and "righteous" they call themselves. He makes them "God-fearing men" and "God-fearing women." "God-fearers," "saints," "righteous men" and "righteous women" he calls them.

145 They leave their houses and become monks and nuns. They keep men and women apart, and withhold their offspring from the world. They impose fasting on their mouths, and are put into fetters. They keep food and drink from their mouths and white garments from their bodies. They are left to sit alone. They do not accept medicine or remedies. Some of them then desist, others do not. (195)

146 He deceives people among the Jews, makes them "God-fearers" and shows them apparitions of sorcery in which they believe.

147 He says to them: "I am the true god, my Father sent me here. I am the first, I the last messenger; I am the father, I am the son, I am the spirit." Above this is his chariot. He holds himself in humility and goes to Jerusalem. Among the Jews he takes some captive by sorcery and deception, and shows them wonders and apparitions. Demons from his company he lets enter a dead man, and they speak in the dead man. Then he calls to the Jews and says to them: "Come, see, I am he who raises the dead, brings about resurrections, and accomplishes salvations. I am Anos, the Nasoraean." (200)

148 Then the deceiving spirit lets a cry ring out in Jerusalem and gives testimony for him. He takes the children of men captive by sorcery and defiles them. He twists the true purification, and teaches them to associate others with God. He turns them away from the living purification in the river of living water, with which you, Adam, were purified.

149 Further, in that age a child will be born whose name will be called Yahya, the son of the aged father Zakhria, who was given to him in old age, at the end of a hundred years. His mother, the wife Enisbai, became pregnant with him; in old age she bore him. When Yahya grows up in that age of Jerusalem, faith will rest in his heart, he will take the Jordan and perform the purification for forty-two years, before the deceiver goes forth into the world.

150 When Yahya lives in that age of Jerusalem, takes the Jordan and performs the purification, the deceivers twist the speech of Yahya, alter the purification in the Jordan, twist the words of truth and preach transgression and deceit in the world.

151 On the day when Yahya's measure is full, I myself come to him, appear to Yahya as a little boy of three years and one day, speak with him about the purification and teach his friends. Then I take his soul from the body, lead him victorious up to the world that is pure radiance, purify him in the white river of living, resplendent water, clothe him with garments of radiance, cover him with turbans of light, and establish praise in his pure heart from the praise of the angels of light, with which they praise their Lord for ever without ceasing.

152 After Yahya the world will stand in falsehood. Deceivers will divide the peoples and go about in the world.

153 In that age prove yourselves, you men of tested righteousness, you truthful and firm in faith. Let everyone who is truthful and firm in faith not listen to the teaching of the false messiah and the false wisdom of the twelve creeds, and not abandon this first teaching. Remain firm and steadfast in your faith, for very soon you will leave the world. Do not listen to the lying teaching of him who is caught in lie.

154 When the Great One wills, Enos-Uthra will come here. He will expose the lie of the liar who makes himself like the angels of light. He will convict the false messiah, the deceiver, of being one of the seven deceivers who go about in the world, who wander on the sphere of heaven. He will unmask the false messiah as a liar. He will be bound and judged, because he casts error and persecution into the world.

155 All the deceivers who are called the seven planets in the world, and the children of men who acknowledge them, all go into the fire. For they are called to, but will not hear; they are shown, but will not see; they are commanded, but will not act. They turn away from the light, and love reputation, fame and the possessions of this world.

156 My chosen! To you I say, to the perfect who are and will be born in that age when the deceiver appears: Turn not away, I tell you, from the true wisdom; change nothing in the clear words; do not bear witness and do not linger over the dreams and illusions which the deceivers show you. Do not testify (for them) for gold and silver, by which the children of men become drunk and then fall into the blazing fire.

157 Do not praise with the song that the deceiver Nbu sings in the world. When he takes another form, they call him the lustful Oros, who sings the song of sorcery and lust, dances, claps his hands and captivates the hearts of men. His patroness Ruha boasts of him. By his lovely appearance and by sorcery he leads the children of men astray. At his call the brides leave the bridal chamber and the woman in childbed the house of birth. He casts lust over the men, and babbling and lust over the women. The men run after the women, the women after the men. He drives old men and old women out of their houses, married men away from their wives. He drives young men from their families, and they no longer call the name of their family. He casts fornication, adultery, passion and desire over men and women, over bachelors and maidens. The women dance toward the men, the men dance toward the women. He casts lust and falsehood into the world.

158 The demons of Nerig scatter theft among the children of men. Through their theft the children of men are flayed. Angerers and idols fall upon the children of men and fill them with anger, and they are flayed. Those become flayers, priests and oracle-men, and cut up their bodies. Those demons and spirits of Nerig and the satans lie upon them, eat of their flesh, drink of their blood, and become an evil spectacle in the world. They practise astrology, and the soothsayers prepare for them offerings and sacrificial cakes. They settle on their temples, in every place, on hills, roofs, mountains and heights, in every spot, and remove the children of men from the way of faith. They lead the whole world astray with tambourines, flutes, horns and trumpets, speak with loud voice and lead the world astray. They lead astray the hearts of the children of men and make them drunk with the drunkenness of love, the luxury of gold and silver, and with cylindrical figures formed of clay. These vain works of their own hands they then worship, prostrate themselves before and burn incense to. (197)

159 Some among them worship the fire-angels and the stars that wander on the sphere of heaven, which have radiance and brightness upon them, to give light to the worlds of darkness. The dull and shameful do not know that this radiance has come from the upper height, and was given to the wanderers only so that they should wander by day and by night.

160 You also, Adam, and your wife and your children and your generations, everyone who is truthful and firm in faith, who wishes to be glad and of good cheer: keep away from the vain, ugly works of Satan, of the demons, devils, spirits, witches and idols which he has let loose into the world to put the strength of the children of men to the test. Some among these sin as well. But all who act according to the will of those who do the will of Satan and the will of their own body deliver themselves to the blazing fire.

161 Far from it! The men of tested righteousness, the perfect and believing, do not give their hand to Satan and do not do the will of Satan, so the hand of Satan will have no power over them. For they are armed with faith, take up the struggle with Satan and practise pious works, as their Lord has taught them.

162 Further I teach you, you perfect and believing: After all the prophets a prophet will arise from the earth. The Arabian prophet comes and rules over all peoples. After him no further prophet will appear in the world. (203)

163 Praised be the great Living God in the light; may knowledge of the Living God be established in victory.

This is the Book of the Lord of Majesty.

Second Section

A fervent confession of sins with a plea for mercy. In the closing note the section is called "The Book of the Jordan."

In the name of the great Living God, praised be the radiance and the great, first light.

Lord of praise! Look upon us and do not condemn us.

Our Lord! We have sinned and erred; forgive us our sin and guilt.

Responsive One, Reconciling One, Merciful One! Look upon us and do not condemn us.

Seer and Knower! Look upon us and do not condemn us. Look upon us and in Your mercy have mercy on us. By Your power and Your trust, relent and have mercy on us.

Our hope and our trust! In Your mercy have mercy on us.

Wise One and Ruler! By Your inclination and mercy, have mercy on us.

High King of Light! Hear our call and do not condemn us.

Great, Exalted, Praised One! Because we have sinned, do not condemn us.

Revealer, who reveals the hidden things! In Your mercy have mercy on us.

God of praise! Look upon us and do not condemn us.

First Deliverer of all believers! Hear us and do not condemn us.

Establisher of all the righteous! Because we have sinned, do not condemn us.

Creator of all good beings! In Your mercy have mercy on us.

Saviour of all beautiful beings! Hear our call and do not condemn us.

Giver of all gifts! Give us strength and do not condemn us.

Deliverer of all believers! Deliver us from everyone who is evil.

Saviour of souls! Save us from everyone who sins.

Remover of all evils! Remove from us sword and wrath.

Establisher of all His friends! Grant us steadfastness, that we may not fall.

Radiant One of rich power! Grant us strength, that we may not come to shame.

Lord of all praise! Let Your praise rest upon us.

Guardian of the truthful! Let Your protection be kept for us.

Spurrer of all the chosen! Let Your encouragement rest upon us.

Sender of all prayer and praise! Let Your praise rest upon us.

High King full of mercy! In Your mercy have mercy on us.

Physician who heals His friends! Heal us from our sins and do not condemn us.

Physician who heals the souls! Heal us and do not condemn us.

Mighty One of mighty power! Break the power of the rebels.

Radiant One of great radiance! Let a portion of Your radiance rest on us.

Great, imperishable Light! Let a portion of Your light rest on us.

You who reach out the hand to the perfect! Reach out Your hand to us, that we may not fall.

You who set on the paths of truth! Let us not turn aside from Your paths.

Mighty, Wise One! Remove wrath from Your friends.

Truthful One, who leads the truthful to truthfulness! Look upon us and do not condemn us.

Great Lord of all mercy! In Your mercy destroy all wrath.

You who separate life from death! Remove wrath from Your friends.

You who separate light from darkness! Remove wrath from Your friends.

You who separate good from evil! Remove wrath from Your friends.

You who separate truth from error! Remove wrath from Your friends.

Illuminator of the lights! Remove wrath from Your friends.

You who stretch out the heaven by Your power! Remove wrath from Your friends.

You who fashion the earth by Your word! Remove wrath from Your friends.

Sender of the living water! Remove wrath from Your friends.

You who cause fruits, grapes and trees to flourish! Remove wrath from Your friends.

Preserver of souls! Preserve them from everything that is ugly.

Sender of the messengers of truth! Remove wrath from Your friends.

Giver of wisdom and praise! Remove wrath from Your friends.

Judge, who judges the souls! Remove wrath from Your friends.

All-Seeing, whose eyes are open! Remove from us sword and wrath.

Guiltless One without defect! Leave us without guilt and do not condemn us.

We are slaves of sins! Because we have sinned, do not condemn us.

We are slaves who have sinned. Lord! Do not condemn us.

Our head went into sin. Because we have sinned, do not condemn us.

Our eye gave (unchaste) signs. Because we have sinned, do not condemn us.

Our ear listened to evil. Because we have sinned, do not condemn us.

Our mouth babbled lies. Because we have sinned, do not condemn us.

Our hand committed theft and did evil. Lord! Do not condemn us.

Our heart devised evil thoughts. Lord! Do not condemn us.

Our body committed adultery. Because we have sinned, Lord, do not condemn us.

Our knee bent before the wicked. Forgive us our sin and guilt. Lord! Do not condemn us.

Our foot went barefoot. Lord! Do not condemn us.

We are slaves of sins. In Your mercy have mercy on us.

Lord of all souls! We beheld Your radiance and received life. We beheld Your light and became believers. We heard Your praise, and truth was laid in our heart. Truth was laid in our heart, we accepted Your praise and heard the words of praise which You sent us.

Lord! We have sinned and erred; forgive us our sin and guilt. Praised be Your name in the place of light.

This is the Book of the Jordan.

Third Section

Proclamation of the messenger of light about his appearing in the world and the effect his appearing had. The section is written in verse.

In the name of the Great Living God.

When I came, I, the messenger of light,

who went from the light to this place,

I came with fellowship and radiance in my hand,

light and praise upon me,

radiance upon me and enlightenment,

call and proclamation upon me,

the sign upon me and the purification,

and I enlighten the dark hearts.

With my voice and my proclamation

I sent a call out into the world.

A call into the world I sent out

from the ends to the ends of the world.

I sent a call out into the world:

Let everyone take heed of himself.

Everyone who takes heed of himself

will be freed from the consuming fire.

Blessed are the servants of truth,

the perfect and believing.

Blessed are the perfect

who keep themselves from all evil.

The messenger of light am I,

whom the Great One sent into this world.

The truthful messenger am I,

in whom there is no lie;

the Truthful, in whom there is no lie,

in him is neither lack nor defect.

The messenger of light am I;

everyone who smells his fragrance receives life.

Everyone who takes his speech into himself,

his eyes fill with light.

With light his eyes fill,

his mouth fills with praise.

The adulterers smelled me,

and at once they left off their adultery.

From their adultery they hastened to leave,

came and surrounded themselves with my fragrance.

They said:

When we were without knowledge, we committed adultery,

now that we have knowledge, we commit adultery no more.

The truthful messenger am I,

in whom there is no lie,

the Truthful, in whom there is no lie,

in him is neither lack nor defect.

Everyone who smells his fragrance receives life.

Everyone who smells of him,

his eyes fill with light.

The liars smelled him,

and at once they left off their lie.

From their lie they hastened to leave,

came and surrounded themselves with my fragrance.

They said:

Lord! When we were without knowledge, we spoke lies,

now that we have knowledge, we speak them no more.

The messenger of the Living God am I,

the Truthful, in whom there is no lie,

the Truthful, in whom there is no lie,

in him is neither lack nor defect.

The tree of praise,

from whose fragrance everyone receives life.

Everyone who smells of him,

his eyes fill with light.

With light his eyes fill,

his mouth fills with praise.

The murderers smelled him,

and at once they left off their murder.

From their murder they hastened to leave,

came and surrounded themselves with my fragrance.

They said:

Lord! When we were without knowledge, we committed murder,

now that we have knowledge, we murder no more.

The sorcerers smelled him,

and at once they left off their sorcery.

From their sorcery they hastened to leave,

came and surrounded themselves with my fragrance.

They said:

Lord! When we were without knowledge, we practised sorcery,

now that we have knowledge, we do it no more.

A vine are we, the vine of life,

a tree in which there is no lie,

the tree of praise,

from whose fragrance everyone receives life.

Everyone who hears his speech,

his eyes fill with light.

With light his eyes fill,

his mouth fills with praise.

With praise his mouth fills,

his heart fills with truth.

The winkers smelled him,

and at once they left off their winking.

Their winking they hastened to leave,

came and surrounded themselves with my fragrance.

They said:

When we were without knowledge, we gave signs,

now that we have knowledge, we wink no more.

From the day we beheld you,

from the day we heard your speech,

from the day we beheld you,

our heart filled with rest.

We believed in you, O Good One,

we beheld your light and will not forget you any more.

We will not forget you all our days,

nor let you leave our heart for one hour.

For our heart shall not grow blind,

these souls shall not be hindered.

I said to them:

Everyone who repents,

his soul shall never be cut off:

never will the Lord condemn him.

But the wicked, the liars,

condemn themselves.

For they are shown, and will not see,

they are called to, and will not hear and believe.

The wicked sink by their own will

into the great Sea of the End.

They are lodged in darkness,

and the mountain of darkness swallows them,

until the day, the Day of Judgement,

until the hour, the hours of redemption.

But us, who give praise, O Lord,

You will forgive our sin and guilt.

Blessed are You, King of Light,

who sent the truth to us, Your friends.

Victorious were You, Knowledge of Life,

and led all Your friends to victory.

The Living God is victorious over all works.

Fourth Section

Exhortations, especially on married life.

In the name of the Great Living God.

To you I call, plants that I have planted, chosen ones whom I have chosen:

Do not commit fornication and do not steal. Why would you be winkers, why deliver the weak to the strong?

Do not be like the prophets of deceit, nor the judges of lie: they do not ascend from the Jordan, nor were they established by the Lord who is on high.

Then I say and show to you, you chosen and perfect, who have accepted faith in the Lord of Majesty. I taught you about bachelors and maidens, about the men who seek no wives, and the women who seek no husbands.

Go up to the shore of the sea, see the fishes in the sea: in pairs they travel through the sea and do not perish. See the birds flying in the sky: in pairs they fly and do not perish. You, then, see, why do you wish to perish?

Go up to the bank of the great Euphrates, see the trees that stand on the bank of the great Euphrates: they drink water and bear fruit and do not perish.

But see the dry river in which no water flows. It dries up, and the trees on its bank wither and die. Likewise the souls of bachelors and maidens, of men who seek no wives and of women who seek no husbands, wither and die. When they leave their body, they receive their seat in dark clouds. For they are made fruitful from their own belly, and it comes out of their mouth: because they have done what I did not command them.

Further I call to you and declare to you: In the world in which you dwell, hold weddings for your sons, the men, and for your daughters, the women, and believe in your Lord, the high King of Light. For this world comes to an end and passes away.

Further I call to you and declare to you, you chosen and perfect, who have accepted faith in the King of Light: Why do you keep company with these bachelors and maidens, the men who seek no wives, and the women who seek no husbands? If you keep company with them, you will fall into Hell, for whose roof a thousand times a thousand, and for whose walls ten thousand times ten thousand cedars would not suffice. But if you do not hold to them, you will ascend and attain His peace.

Further I call to you and show you, you chosen and perfect, who have accepted faith in the King of Light. I teach you about the animals, the flying birds, the fishes in the sea and the creatures in the sea. Slaughter them, wash them, clean them, rinse them and cook them, pray over them and eat, then you will have no trial to undergo.

The Living God is victorious over all works.

The angels say to Jozataq-Manda-dHaije: May your garment shine and your form be honoured with your Lord, the Lord of Majesty.