My LORD’s BibleTestament of Levi 1
Pseudonymously presented as Levi's deathbed testament, one of the Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs; actual author unknown and date debated (proposals span the 2nd century BC to the 2nd century AD). Among the most theologically developed of the Testaments, combining visions of the heavens with warnings about corruption in the priesthood and messianic expectation.
1THE copy of the words of Levi, the things which he ordained unto his sons, according to all that they should do, and what things should befall them until the day of judgement.
Ἀντίγραφον λόγων Λευί, ὅσα διέθετο τοῖς υἱοῖς αὐτοῦ κατὰ πάντα ἃ ποιήσουσιν, καὶ ὅσα συναντήσει αὐτοῖς ἕως ἡμέρας κρίσεως. (12652)
2He was sound in health when he called them to him; for it had been revealed to him that he should die.
Ὑγιαίνων γὰρ ἦν ὅτε ἐκάλεσεν αὐτοὺς πρὸς ἑαυτόν· ἀπεκαλύφθη δὲ αὐτῷ ὅτι μέλλει ἀποθνήσκειν. (8391)
3And when they were gathered together he said to them:
Καὶ ὅτε συνήχθησαν, εἶπεν πρὸς αὐτούς. (3903)
6And when I was feeding the flocks in Abel-Maul, the spirit of understand of the Lord came upon me, and I saw all men corrupting their way, and that unrighteousness had built for itself walls, and lawlessness sat upon towers.
Ὡς δὲ ἐποίμαινον ἐν Ἀβελμαοὺλ, πνεῦμα συνέσεως Κυρίου ἦλθεν ἐπ' ἐμέ, καὶ ἐθεώρουν πάντας ἀνθρώπους ἀφανίσαντας τὴν ὁδὸν αὐτῶν, καὶ ἐπὶ τείχους οἰκοδομεῖτο ἡ ἁμαρτία καὶ ἐπὶ πύργους ἡ ἀδικία ἐκάθητο. (17618)
7And I was grieving for the race of the sons of men, and I prayed to the Lord that I might be saved.
Καὶ ἤμην λυπούμενος ὑπὲρ γένους τῶν υἱῶν τῶν ἀνθρώπων, καὶ ηὐξάμην τῷ Κυρίῳ ὅπως σωθῶ. (14232)
8Then there fell upon me a sleep, and I beheld a high mountain, and I was upon it.
Τότε ἐπέπεσέ με ὕπνος, καὶ ἐθεασάμην ὄρος ὑψηλὸν καὶ ἤμην ἐν αὐτῷ. (5641)
9And behold the heavens were opened, and an angel of God said to me, Levi, enter.
Καὶ ἰδοὺ ἀνεῴχθησαν οἱ οὐρανοί, καὶ ἄγγελος Κυρίου εἶπε πρός με· Λευί, Λευί, εἴσελθε. (6112)
11And further I saw a second heaven far brighter and more brilliant, for there was a boundless light also therein,
Καὶ ἔτι εἶδον δεύτερον οὐρανὸν πολὺ φωτεινότερον καὶ φαιδρότερον· ἦν γὰρ καὶ ὕψος ἐν αὐτῷ ἄπειρον. (9676)
12And I said to the angel, Why is this so? And the angel said to me, Marvel not at this, for thou shalt see another heaven more brilliant and incomparable.
Καὶ εἶπον τῷ ἀγγέλῳ· Τί ἐστὶ ταῦτα οὕτως; καὶ εἰπέ μοι ὁ ἄγγελος· Μὴ θαυμάζε περὶ τούτου, ἄλλον γὰρ οὐρανὸν ὄψει φαιδρότερον καὶ ἀσύγκριτον. (12870)
13And when thou hast ascended thither, Thou shalt stand near the Lord, and shalt be His minister, and shalt, declare His mysteries to men, and shalt proclaim concerning Him that shall redeem Israel.
Καὶ ἐν τῷ ἀνελθεῖν σε ἐκεῖ, στήσῃ ἐγγὺς τοῦ Κυρίου καὶ λειτουργὸς αὐτῷ ἔσῃ καὶ μυστήρια αὐτοῦ ἐξαγγελεῖς τοῖς ἀνθρώποις καὶ περὶ τοῦ μέλλοντος λυτροῦσθαι τὸν Ἰσραὴλ κηρύξεις. (16987)
14And by thee and Judah shall the Lord appear among men, saving every race of men.
Καὶ διὰ σοῦ καὶ τοῦ Ἰούδα ὀφθήσεται Κύριος τοῖς ἀνθρώποις. Σώζων ἐν ἑαυτῷ πᾶν γένος ἀνθρώπων. (11572)
16Hear, therefore, regarding the heavens which have been shown to thee.
Ἄκουσον οὖν περὶ τῶν δειχθέντων σοι οὐρανῶν· (6260)
17The lowest is for this cause gloomy unto thee, in that it beholds all the unrighteous deeds of men.
ὁ κατώτερος διὰ τοῦτό σοί ἐστι στυγνός, ἐπειδὴ ὁρᾷ πάσας τὰς ἀδικίας τῶν ἀνθρώπων. (9591)
18And it has fire, snow, and ice made ready for the day of judgement, in the righteous judgement of God; for in it are all the spirits of the retributions for vengeance on men.
Καὶ ἔχει πῦρ χιόνα καὶ κρύσταλλον ἡτοιμασμένον εἰς ἡμέραν κρίσεως ἐν τῇ δικαιοκρισίᾳ τοῦ Θεοῦ· ἐν αὐτῷ γάρ εἰσι πάντα τὰ πνεύματα τῶν ἐπαγωγῶν εἰς ἐκδίκησιν τῶν ἀνθρώπων. (17834)
19And in the second are the hosts Of the armies which are ordained for the day of judgement, to work vengeance on the spirits of deceit and of Beliar.
Ἐν δὲ τῷ δευτέρῳ εἰσὶν αἱ δυνάμεις τῶν παρεμβολῶν οἱ ταχθέντες εἰς ἡμέραν κρίσεως ποιῆσαι ἐκδίκησιν τοῖς πνεύμασι τῆς πλάνης καὶ τοῦ Βελίαρ· (13304)
20And above them are the holy ones.
καὶ ἐπ᾽ αὐτούς εἰσιν οἱ ἅγιοι. (1936)
22In the heaven next to it are the archangels, who minister and make propitiation to the Lord for all the sins of ignorance of the righteous;
Ἐν τῷ μετ᾽ αὐτῶν εἰσιν ἀρχάγγελοι οἱ λειτουργοῦντες καὶ ἐξιλασκόμενοι πρὸς Κύριον ἐπὶ πάσαις ταῖς ἀγνοίαις τῶν δικαίων, (11362)
23Offering to the Lord a sweet smelling savour, a reasonable and a bloodless offering.
Προσφέροντες τῷ Κυρίῳ ὀσμὴν εὐωδίας λογικὴν καὶ ἀναίμακτον θυσίαν. (7333)
24And in the heaven below this are the angels who bear answers to the angels of the presence of the Lord.
Ἐν δὲ τῷ ὑποκάτω εἰσὶν ἄγγελοι οἱ φέροντες ἀποκρίσεις τοῖς ἀγγέλοις τοῦ προσώπου κυρίου. (9710)
25And in the heaven next to this are thrones and dominions, in which always they offer praise to God.
Ἐν δὲ τῷ μετ᾽ αὐτῶν εἰσιν θρόνοι καὶ ἐξουσίαι, ἐν ᾧ ἀεὶ ὕμνον τῷ θεῷ προσφέροντες. (9506)
26When, therefore, the Lord looketh upon us, all of us are shaken; yea, the heavens, and the earth, and the abysses are shaken at the presence of His majesty.
Ὅταν οὖν ἐπιβλέψει Κύριος ἐφ᾽ ἡμᾶς οἱ πάντες τρέμομεν καὶ ὁ οὐρανὸς καὶ ἡ γῆ καὶ ἡ ἄβυσσος ἀπὸ προσώπου τῆς μεγαλωσύνης αὐτοῦ σαλεύονται. (13256)
27But the sons of men, having no perception of these things, sin and provoke the Most High.
Οἱ δὲ υἱοὶ τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἐν τούτοις ἀναισθητοῦντες ἁμαρτάνουσι καὶ παροργίζουσι τὸν ὕψιστον. (11033)