The Book of the Resurrection of Christ (Paris Fragments) 2

1[These are the things which the] Saviour spake concerning Judas when He went down into Amente. And the Saviour rose from the dead on the third day.

2Then Abbatôn, who is himself Death, rose up from his fall on the shroud of Jesus, with which he had been speaking in the tomb. He said unto his Power, the Plague, 'Get thee down quickly into Amente, and set a very strong guard for thyself therein; shut the doors of Amente until I am able to see who it is that hath deceived me in this manner, whom I know not. We will speak with him; he hath hidden himself from us, and we do not know whither he hath gone. Peradventure this is the Son of God. If it be not He, I am he who will destroy every one. Him, however, I am not able to gain the mastery over, neither I nor my Powers.'

3Then Death descended into Amente, and his six Dekans also were with him, [and] he found Amente desolate, [and] it was like a desert, and there was not one soul in it, but it was in a state of dire disorder and confusion. The doors thereof were smashed in pieces, the door-frames were thrust out of position, and the bolts were snapped asunder, and the blazing brazen furnaces had been choked. He found nothing whatsoever in that place except three voices, which cried out in fear, and with tearful screams, and were full of anguish of the heart and trepidation. In [that] place there were weepings and gnashings of the teeth, it was a place of sighing and of tribulation, and of quaking, and of the worm which never sleepeth. Woe unto them, the wretched, the miserable, and the poor … in God. These [voices] belonged to the three [men whose names] have been blotted out of the Book of Life, and removed from the Roll of the Saints, and from the knowledge of salvation, that is to say, Judas, and Cain, and Herod. These were there, and they were like unto a three-headed kelos; and because of the cruelty which is on them (sic), men shall not keep their memory in remembrance. Judas betrayed the Lord of that which is in the heavens, and of that which is on the earth. Herod smote Jesus on His face a blow of insult. Cain rose up against his brother, and slew him with his own hand. And Death with his Dekans cried out, saying, 'This is the Son of God Who hath risen from the dead, Who hath redeemed Adam, and delivered all his sons, and hath forgiven unto them their sins, in the peace of His Father. Amen.'

4Thus the Saviour rose from the dead, [and] He brought out into freedom those who were in captivity. He came to the tomb, He found the angels [there] at the hour of dawn on the day of the Lord, and they were singing the hymn of benediction, which the angels are wont to sing at the hour of dawn on the day of the Lord, over the Body and the Blood of Christ.

5Now in the early morning, when it was still dark, the holy women came forth to the tomb, and their names are these: Mary Magdalene, and Mary, the mother of James, whom Jesus had delivered out of the hand of Satan, and Salome who had tempted Him, and Mary who ministered unto Him, and Martha her sister, and Jôanna, the wife of Khouza, the steward of Herod, and Berneice, whom he healed of a flow of blood in Capernaum, and Leah the widow, whose son the Saviour raised from the dead in Naein, and the sinful woman unto whom the Saviour said, 'Thy sins which are many are forgiven thee.' These women stood in the garden of Philoges, the gardener, whose son the Saviour had healed at the time when He came down from the Mount of Olives with His apostles. Mary said unto Philoges, 'If thou art really he, I know thee.' Philoges said unto her, 'Thou art Mary, the mother of Thalkamarimath,' which is being interpreted, 'the joy, the blessing, and the gladness.' Mary said unto him, 'If it be thou who hast taken away the Body of my Lord, tell me where thou hast laid It; for whether thou afraid [to carry It away or not] I myself will bear It away.' Philoges said unto her, 'My sister, Mary, Virgin, Mother of the Christ, what are these words which thou art saying unto me? From the very moment when the Jews crucified Him, they have persisted in seeking out an exceedingly safe sepulchre wherein they might lay Him, so that the disciples might not come by dark and carry Him away secretly. Now I said unto them, "There is a tomb quite close to my vegetable garden; bring Him, lay Him in it, and I myself will keep watch over Him." I thought in my heart saying: "When the Jews shall have departed and entered into their houses, I will go into the tomb of my Lord, I will carry Him away, I will give Him spices, and sweet-smelling unguents and scents." Now they brought Him, they laid Him in the tomb, they set a seal on the stone, and, after [setting] a watch, they went into their houses. And in the middle of the night I rose up, I went into the tomb of my Lord, and I found the whole of the host of the angels marshalled in order therein. The first row consisted of Cherubim, who were in number twelve thousand. The second row consisted of Seraphim, who were in number twenty thousand. The third row consisted of Powers, who were in number thirteen thousand. The fourth row consisted of Virgins, who were in number thirty thousand. Thousands of thousands [of angels] sang hymns to Him, tens of thousands of tens of thousands [of angels] ascribed glory unto Him. And a great chariot stood there, which was like unto a blazing fire which sent forth from it flashes of bright flame. And twelve virgins stood upon the chariot, and they sang a hymn in the language of the Cherubim, who made answer unto them, Amen. Hallelujah. I saw the seven heavens open, one after the other, and the Father came forth from the high place, together with His tabernacle of light, [and] He raised Him (Jesus) from the dead. O my sister Mary, I have seen all these glories, and had it not been that I found there the Rock, the great interpreter, who laid hold upon my hand, and supported me, I should certainly have fallen into despair, and have died by reason of the great glory which I had seen. And now, O my sister Mary, what ought I to do until I enter that place?' These were the things which Philoges said unto Mary.

See also: Mark 16:1, Luke 7:47

6Then the Saviour came before them, mounted upon the great chariot of the Father of the Universe, and he cried out in His divine language, 'Marikha. Marima Thiath,' which is, being interpreted, 'Thou Mary, the mother of the Son of God.' And Mary, who understood the meaning [of these words], turned herself and said, 'Rabonnei, Kathiath. Thamioth,' which is, being interpreted, 'Thou Son of God, the Almighty, and my Lord and my Son.' And the Saviour said unto her, 'Hail to thee, who hast sustained the life of the whole world. Hail, My mother, My holy ark. Hail, My mother, My city, My dwelling-place. Hail, My garment of glory wherein I did array Myself when I came into the world. Hail, My water-pot, which is full of holy water. Hail, thou who hast sustained the life of the universe in thy womb. Hail, thou who hast received in thyself the Seven Aeons in one composition. Hail, thou who art the table which is set in the Paradise of the seventh heaven, the interpretation (or, the name) of which is "Khômthômakh" [that is to say,] "the whole of Paradise is glad because of her." I say unto thee, O Mary, My mother, that he who loveth thee loveth life.'

7And the Saviour said unto her, 'Go thou unto My brethren, and tell them that I have risen from the dead. Say thou unto them, "I shall ascend unto My Father, Who is your Father, and unto My God, Who is your God. And keep ye in remembrance the words which I spake unto you saying, I will come unto you at the hour of dawn to-morrow, at the time when I am wont to stretch out My right hand of God, when the sun riseth upon the whole earth, when I am wont to shake out My garment of the Spirit, and to take My seat on the right hand of My Father, when the dew of the seventh heaven and the dew of Paradise descend upon the earth to make the fruits of life to flourish. I will come unto you at that hour, and I will give unto you My peace, which I have received from My Father. It was this peace which My Father gave unto Me when I came into the world. I gave it unto you, My disciples; unto you and unto every one who believeth in My Name, and in [that of] Mary, My mother, My Virgin in very truth, My womb of the Spirit, My treasure of pearl, the ark of salvation for all the sons of Adam. She it was who sustained the Body of the Son of God, and the Blood which was His in very truth."'