Opening the library…

Home Bible Corpus Discover You

Search the Bible

Testament of Abraham

Unknown

Section 11

About this work

Author: Unknown

XI. So Michael turned the chariot and brought Abraham to the east,

‹ Section 10 Section 12 ›

to

the

first

gate

of

heaven

;

and

Abraham

saw

two

ways

,

the

one

narrow

and

contracted

,

the

other

broad

and

spacious

,

and

there

he

saw

two

gates

,

the

one

broad

on

the

broad

way

,

and

the

other

narrow

on

the

narrow

way

.

And

outside

the

two

gates

there

he

saw

a

man

sitting

upon

a

gilded

throne

,

and

the

appearance

of

that

man

was

terrible

,

as

of

the

Lord

.

And

they

saw

many

souls

driven

by

angels

and

led

in

through

the

broad

gate

,

and

other

souls

,

few

in

number

,

that

were

taken

by

the

angels

through

the

narrow

gate

.

And

when

the

wonderful

one

who

sat

upon

the

golden

throne

saw

few

entering

through

the

narrow

gate

,

and

many

entering

through

the

broad

one

,

straightway

that

wonderful

one

tore

the

hairs

of

his

head

and

the

sides

of

his

beard

,

and

threw

himself

on

the

ground

from

his

throne

,

weeping

and

lamenting

.

But

when

he

saw

many

souls

entering

through

the

narrow

gate

,

then

he

arose

from

the

ground

and

sat

upon

his

throne

in

great

joy

,

rejoicing

and

exulting

.

And

Abraham

asked

the

chief

-

captain

,

My

Lord

chief

-

captain

,

who

is

this

most

marvelous

man

,

adorned

with

such

glory

,

and

sometimes

he

weeps

and

laments

,

and

sometimes

he

rejoices

and

exults

?

The

incorporeal

one

said

:

This

is

the

first

-

created

Adam

who

is

in

such

glory

,

and

he

looks

upon

the

world

because

all

are

born

from

him

,

and

when

he

sees

many

souls

going

through

the

narrow

gate

,

then

he

arises

and

sits

upon

his

throne

rejoicing

and

exulting

in

joy

,

because

this

narrow

gate

is

that

of

the

just

,

that

leads

to

life

,

and

they

that

enter

through

it

go

into

Paradise

.

For

this

,

then

,

the

first

-

created

Adam

rejoices

,

because

he

sees

the

souls

being

saved

.

But

when

he

sees

many

souls

entering

through

the

broad

gate

,

then

he

pulls

out

the

hairs

of

his

head

,

and

casts

himself

on

the

ground

weeping

and

lamenting

bitterly

,

for

the

broad

gate

is

that

of

sinners

,

which

leads

to

destruction

and

eternal

punishment

.

And

for

this

the

first

-

formed

Adam

falls

from

his

throne

weeping

and

lamenting

for

the

destruction

of

sinners

,

for

they

are

many

that

are

lost

,

and

they

are

few

that

are

saved

,

for

in

seven

thousand

there

is

scarcely

found

one

soul

saved

,

being

righteous

and

undefiled

.

Notes

2
Two mss. read, “Of our Lord Jesus Christ.”