2 MeqabyanEthiopian Orthodox TewahedoAccepted by Some TraditionsGe'ez tradition, commonly transmitted through AmharicShare2 Meqabyan 14Wikisource community English translation - EnglishMoreVersion - 1 availableWikisource community English translationLanguageEnglishEspañol‹2 Meqabyan 12 Meqabyan 22 Meqabyan 32 Meqabyan 42 Meqabyan 52 Meqabyan 62 Meqabyan 72 Meqabyan 82 Meqabyan 92 Meqabyan 102 Meqabyan 112 Meqabyan 122 Meqabyan 132 Meqabyan 142 Meqabyan 152 Meqabyan 162 Meqabyan 172 Meqabyan 182 Meqabyan 192 Meqabyan 202 Meqabyan 21›2 Meqabyan 142 Meqabyan 14ListenPlay this chapter in spoken English.Save chapterListen to chapter1But the beliefs of the Samaritans and the Jews—the Sadducees who do not believe the dead will rise, and the Pharisees—totally sadden me and trouble my reasoning. "We will die tomorrow," the Jews say. "Let us eat and drink, for we will die tomorrow; there is no peace we will see in the grave." 2The Samaritans say, "As our flesh will become dust, it won't arise." 3Because the soul was invisible like the wind or a distant voice—look, it is here—and because it was what they call invisible, they say the soul won't arise if the flesh is dead. They say, "When the Resurrection is done, then we will believe our souls are rising." 4But as beasts and worms will eat the flesh in the grave, our flesh is seen by all; it will become dust and ashes. 5"Those beasts who ate the flesh will become dust, for they have been like grass; they become dust as if they were never created, and their trace won't be found; so our flesh won't arise." 6And the Pharisees say, "We believe the dead will rise; however, He will bring and unite souls with another flesh that is in Heaven, not on Earth. For where will the destroyed and rotten flesh be found?" 7But the Sadducees say, "After our soul has left our flesh, we won't arise with the dead; flesh and soul have no rising after they die." 8Because of this, they are totally in error, and as they speak insults against the Lord's Divinity, their beliefs sadden me. 9As they did not believe the Lord who honors them, they have no hope of being saved; they have no hope of dying, rising, and being saved. 10O Jew who is blind in reasoning—when you were created from non-existence to life, even when scorned like spit—will you make the Lord ignorant, He who made you a person? Will the Lord who created you in His Image and Appearance fail to arouse and unite your flesh and soul? 11Since you won't escape the Lord's authority, do not think such a thing; you will arise whether you wish to or not. For there is hardship you will receive in Sheol where you were seized when you died, and you shall be judged whether you wish it or not. 12For the sin found in demons, which demons place in your reasoning, is worked with you after you were born from your mother's womb, and it is worked abundantly as you grow up. 13They place it in your body when you die, and it will bring hardship upon them for having worked it. 14Just as there is sin in their mind, there are people who work sin being seized by it; their kind will be presented to demons. 15All sinners' souls shall come from the edge of Heaven where they are, and your sin likewise shall introduce you to Gehenna, pulling and bringing your soul from where it is. 16After your flesh has lived separate from your soul, the Lord's dew of charity shall arouse you, being seven-fold like the flesh of our father Adam. 17You who live in the grave, you also err in your error; let it not seem to you that you only mislead others. You say, "The resurrection of the dead is not real," so that they might depart from the Lord's Command and err. 18He shall arouse you so He might give you your hardship according to the work you performed. Who will allow you to remain as dust? 19At that time—whether your nature be wind in wind, or water in water, or earth in earth, or fire in fire—it shall come. 20And if a soul that dwelt in you is what lived in Sheol, she shall come. 21And the souls of the righteous that live in the Garden in glory shall come. 22But you—Jew, Samaritan, Pharisee, Sadducee—will live in Sheol until you are judged. 23At that time you will see that the Lord shall pay you hardship according to your sin because you misled people. 24Saying, "The dead won't arise; since we will die, let us eat and drink"—and because you sat in Moses' seat and misled others by your words—you will see that He shall pay you your hardship. 25Without knowing the Law (Torah), you taught the words of the books; because of this you erred. It would be better had you remained without learning than to mislead a person. 26It would have been better if you didn't know the word of the books, while you lead the Lord's people astray with your evil teaching and worthless words. 27For the Lord does not show favoritism; He shall give the grace and glory He prepared for His friends—those who teach good works—but you shall receive your reward according to your work and the things you spoke. 28There is nothing by which you will escape the authority of the Lord who shall judge you; He will pay you according to your work, for you and those you taught together will receive a sentence. 29Know that the dead shall arise; and if they are people who kept His Law, they shall arise. Just as the Earth sends forth grass when the rain falls, His Command shall send them forth from the grave; it is not possible for it to remain destroyed and rotten. 30As moist wood drinks dew and sends forth leaves when He satisfies the Earth with rain—as wheat bears fruit and grain produces buds—it is not possible to withhold the fruit if the Lord wills it... 31...and as it is not possible for a woman who has conceived to close and prevent her womb when labor seizes her—as she cannot escape without giving birth... 32...as dew has descended upon her being commanded by the Lord, she shall produce them all at once. After hearing the Lord's Word, a grave likewise cannot prevent the persons gathered within it from arising. 33Flesh shall be gathered in the place where the corpses fell; the places where souls live shall be opened; and souls shall return to the flesh from which they were formerly separated. 34When a drum is beaten, the dead shall quickly arise in the blink of an eye. Having arisen, they shall stand before the Lord, and He shall give them their reward according to the work of their hands. 35At that time you will see that you arise with the dead, and you will marvel at all the work you did in this world. When you see all your sins written before you, you will feel a useless regret. 36You know that you will arise with the dead and that you will receive your hardship according to the work you performed. ‹Previous chapter2 Meqabyan 13Next chapter2 Meqabyan 15›Similar passagesBy tradition and source labelFind similarCompare selectedCompare with similarAsk Deep ThoughtSelect passages to search for parallels.Tap any verse to select it, then compare selected passages or ask Deep Thought. Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0