The Book of Enoch (Modern, Updated Translation

Book Summary

The Book of Enoch, also known as 1 Enoch, is an ancient Jewish religious text that provides a unique window into early Jewish mysticism, apocalyptic thought, and supernatural beliefs. Though excluded from most modern biblical canons (with the exception of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church), it significantly influenced early Christian thought and continues to fascinate scholars and readers interested in ancient religious literature.

The text begins with Enoch, the great-grandfather of Noah, receiving divine visions about the fall of the Watchers - angels who descended to Earth and took human wives. These Watchers taught humans various arts and sciences, including metallurgy, cosmetics, sorcery, and astronomy. Their offspring, the Nephilim, were giant hybrid beings who brought violence and corruption to the world, leading to divine judgment.

The narrative then follows Enoch's celestial journeys, where he travels through multiple heavens and receives visions of cosmic secrets. He witnesses the architecture of the universe, including the paths of celestial bodies, the storehouses of snow and rain, and the places of punishment for fallen angels. These elaborate descriptions of cosmology blend ancient astronomical knowledge with mystical revelations.

A significant portion of the book contains the "Parables" or "Similitudes of Enoch," which describe visions of the coming judgment and the figure of the "Son of Man" - a heavenly messiah figure who will execute divine judgment. This section has particular importance for understanding the development of messianic expectations in Second Temple Judaism and early Christianity.

The text includes an extensive apocalyptic timeline of world history, divided into ten "weeks" or periods. This section, known as the Apocalypse of Weeks, provides a deterministic view of history from creation to final judgment. It includes predictions of future events and emphasizes the ultimate triumph of righteousness over evil.

Book of Enoch (Modern, Updated Translation)

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The Book of Enoch contains detailed ethical teachings, condemning oppression, greed, and injustice while promoting righteousness and wisdom. It presents these moral teachings within a cosmic framework, linking human behavior to divine order and suggesting that earthly actions have cosmic consequences.

The work includes a unique section known as the Book of the Luminaries, which contains detailed astronomical and calendrical information. This section reflects ancient Jewish concerns about proper calendar observance and demonstrates sophisticated astronomical knowledge for its time, including understanding of solar and lunar cycles.

Throughout the text, there are vivid descriptions of eschatological events, including the final judgment, the punishment of the wicked, and the reward of the righteous. These descriptions influenced later apocalyptic literature and contributed to the development of concepts of heaven, hell, and final judgment in both Judaism and Christianity.

The book concludes with Enoch's final admonitions to his children, emphasizing the importance of righteousness and warning about the consequences of sin. These teachings are presented as crucial wisdom passed down from a figure who had unique access to divine knowledge.

The Book of Enoch's influence extends beyond its immediate historical context. Its concepts of fallen angels, cosmic warfare, and messianic expectation have influenced religious thought, literature, and art throughout history. Its vivid descriptions of supernatural beings and cosmic realms have inspired countless interpretations and artistic representations.

Book of Enoch: Free Preview (In Modern English)

Chapter 1

1 These are the words of Enoch's blessing, which he gave to the chosen and righteous people who will be 2 alive during the time of trouble, when all the wicked and godless will be removed. Enoch, a righteous man whose eyes were opened by God, shared his vision of the Holy One in the heavens. The angels showed him this vision, and he heard and understood everything from them. This message isn't for the current generation, but for a future one. Regarding the chosen ones, I spoke and shared my message about them:

The holy great one will come out from his place,

4 And the eternal God will walk on the earth, even on Mount Sinai,

[And show up from his camp]

And show up with the power of His strength from the Highest Heavens.

5 And everyone will be struck with fear

And the watchers will tremble,

And a huge wave of fear and trembling will grip them all the way to the ends of the Earth.

6 And the tall mountains will tremble,

And the high hills will be brought down,

And will melt like wax in front of a flame.

7 And the earth will be completely torn apart,

And everything on earth will eventually die,

And there will be a Judgment for everyone.

8 But he will make peace with those who do right.

And will look out for the Chosen Ones,

And they'll be shown mercy.

And they will all belong to God,

And they will succeed,

And they will all be blessed.

And He will help every one of them,

And light will shine upon them,

And he will make peace with them.

9 Look! He's coming with thousands of his holy ones.

To pass judgment on everyone,

And to get rid of all the wicked people:

And to hold everyone accountable

Out of all the ungodly things they've done,

And all the harsh things that ungodly sinners have said against him.

Chapter 2

1 Take a look at everything happening in the sky, how nothing changes its path, and how the stars and planets all rise and set in order, each in its season, without going off course. 2 Check out the Earth and pay attention to everything happening on it from beginning to end, how steady everything is, how nothing on Earth 3 changes, but all of God's works are visible to you. Notice the summer and the winter, how the whole Earth is filled with water, and how clouds, dew, and rain cover it.

Chapter 3

Take a look and notice how, during the winter, all the trees seem to have withered and lost all their leaves, except for fourteen trees. These trees don't lose their leaves; they keep the old ones for two to three years until the new ones grow in.

Chapter 4

Take a look at the summer days when the Sun is high in the sky. You look for shade and shelter because of the Sun's heat, and the Earth gets so hot that you can't walk on the ground or on rocks because they're too hot.

Chapter 5

1 Notice how the trees cover themselves with green leaves and produce fruit. So, pay attention and understand all His works, and recognize how the One who lives forever has made them this way. 2 All His works continue like this year after year, forever, and all the tasks they do for Him don't change. They are done just as God has planned. 3 And look at how the sea and the rivers also carry out their tasks without changing, following His commands.

4 But you - you haven't been consistent, nor have you followed the Lord's commandments.

But you've turned away and spoken arrogant and harsh words

Speaking disrespectfully against his greatness with your impure words.

Hey, you with the hardened hearts, you won't find any peace.

5 Therefore, you will curse your days,

And the years of your life will fade away,

And the years of your ruin will be multiplied in endless curses,

And you won't find any mercy.

6a In those days, you'll turn your names into a lasting curse for all the Righteous people,

b And through you, everyone who curses will curse,

And all the sinners and godless will curse by Your name,

7c And for you, the Godless, there will be a curse.

6d And everyone... will be happy,

e And there will be forgiveness of sins,

f And may every mercy, peace, and patience be with you:

g They will have salvation, a wonderful light.

i And for all you sinners, there won't be any salvation,

j But a curse will stick with all of you.

7a But for the chosen ones, there will be light, joy, and peace,

b And they will inherit the earth.

8 And then the chosen ones will be given wisdom,

And they will all live and never sin again,

Either through wickedness or through arrogance:

But those who are wise will be humble.

9 And they won't mess up again,

And they won't do anything wrong for their entire lives,

And they won't die from God's anger or wrath,

But they will live out the full number of their days.

And their lives will be filled with peace,

And their years of happiness will increase,

In everlasting happiness and peace,

Every day of their life

Chapter 6

1 So, when people started to multiply on the earth, during that time, 2 they had beautiful daughters. The angels, who were from heaven, saw them and were attracted to them. They said to each other, "Let's choose wives for ourselves from among the humans 3 and have children with them." Semjaza, who was their leader, said to them, "I'm worried that you won't all agree to do this, and I'll end up being the only one who has to face the consequences of a big sin." 4 But they all replied, "Let's all make a promise and swear an oath together 5 not to abandon this plan but to go through with it." So, they all swore an oath together and 6 committed to it. There were two hundred of them in total, and they came down during the days of Jared to the top of Mount Hermon. They named it Mount Hermon because they had sworn 7 and made their oath there. Here are the names of their leaders: Samlazaz, their leader, Araklba, Rameel, Kokablel, Tamlel, Ramlel, Danel, Ezeqeel, Baraqijal, 8 Asael, Armaros, Batarel, Ananel, Zaqiel, Samsapeel, Satarel, Turel, Jomjael, Sariel. These were their chiefs, each leading a group of ten.

Chapter 7

1 All of them, along with the others, took wives for themselves, each choosing one, and they started to be with them and corrupted themselves with them. They taught them spells 2 and magic, and how to cut roots, and introduced them to plants. And the women 3 became pregnant and gave birth to huge giants, who were as tall as three thousand ells. These giants consumed 4 everything people had. When humans couldn't support them anymore, the giants turned against 5 them and started eating people. They began to sin against birds, animals, reptiles, and 6 fish, eating each other's flesh and drinking blood. Then the Earth accused these lawless ones.

Chapter 8

1 Azazel showed people how to make swords, knives, shields, and armor. He taught them about the metals of the earth and how to work with them, as well as how to make bracelets, ornaments, and use antimony for makeup, especially for enhancing the eyes. He also introduced them to all kinds of precious stones and different dyes. This led to a lot of wrongdoing, and people started engaging in immoral behavior, going astray and becoming corrupt in all their ways. Semjaza taught them spells and how to use roots for magic. 'Armaros taught how to break spells, Baraqijal taught astrology, Kokabel taught about the constellations, Ezeqeel shared knowledge about clouds, Araqiel taught about the signs of the earth, Shamsiel taught about the signs of the sun, and Sariel taught about the moon's path. As people suffered, they cried out, and their cries reached heaven . . .

Chapter 9

1 Then Michael, Uriel, Raphael, and Gabriel looked down from Heaven and saw a lot of blood being 2 shed on Earth, and all sorts of lawlessness happening. They said to each other, 'The Earth, which was made without inhabitants, cries out to the gates of Heaven with the sound of their cries. 3 And now, to you, the holy ones of Heaven, the souls of people are pleading, saying, "Bring our case 4 before the Most High."' They spoke to the Lord of the ages, 'Lord of lords, God of gods, King of kings, and God of the ages, your glorious throne stands through all generations of the 5 ages, and your name is holy, glorious, and blessed forever! You made everything, and you have power over all things: everything is exposed and open to your sight, and you see all 6 things, and nothing can hide from you. You see what Azazel has done, teaching all kinds of unrighteousness on Earth and revealing the eternal secrets that were kept in Heaven, which 7 people were trying to learn. And Semjaza, to whom you gave authority to lead his associates. They have gone to the daughters of men on Earth, slept with the 9 women, defiled themselves, and revealed all kinds of sins to them. The women have 10 given birth to giants, and the whole Earth is filled with blood and unrighteousness because of this. Now, look, the souls of those who have died are crying and pleading at the gates of Heaven, and their cries have reached up: they can't stop because of the lawless deeds happening 11 on Earth. You know everything before it happens, and you see these things and allow them, but you haven't told us what we should do about them.'

Chapter 10

1 Then the Most High, the Holy and Great One, spoke and sent Uriel to Lamech's son. 2 He said to him, "Go to Noah and tell him in my name, 'Hide yourself!' Let him know the end is near: the whole earth will be destroyed, and a flood is coming 3 to wipe out everything on it. Now, instruct him so he can escape, 4 and his descendants can be preserved for all future generations." Then the Lord said to Raphael, "Bind Azazel hand and foot, and throw him into the darkness. Make an opening 5 in the desert of Dudael and toss him in there. Cover him with rough, jagged rocks, and let him stay in darkness forever. Cover his face so he 6,7 can't see the light. On the day of great judgment, he'll be thrown into the fire. Heal the earth that the angels have corrupted, and announce the healing of the earth so they can fix the plague, ensuring that all humanity doesn't perish because of the secret things 8 the Watchers have revealed and taught their sons. The whole earth has been corrupted 9 by the works Azazel taught: blame all sin on him." Then the Lord said to Gabriel, "Go against the bastards and the wicked, and against the children of immorality: destroy [the children of immorality and] the children of the Watchers from among men [and make them fight each other] so they destroy each other in 10 battle. They won't have long lives. No request they (their fathers) make will be granted on their behalf; they hope for eternal life, and 11 that each will live for five hundred years." The Lord told Michael, "Go, bind Semjaza and his associates who have united with women, defiling themselves 12 with them in all their impurity. When their sons have killed each other and they have seen the destruction of their loved ones, bind them tightly for seventy generations in the valleys of the earth, until the day of their judgment and their end, until the judgment that lasts 13 forever is completed. In those days, they'll be led to the abyss of fire, 14 to the torment and prison where they'll be confined forever. Anyone condemned and destroyed will be bound with them until the end of all 15 generations. Destroy all the spirits of the wicked and the children of the Watchers, because 16 they have wronged humanity. Erase all evil from the face of the earth and let every wicked deed end. Let the plant of righteousness and truth appear: it will be a blessing; the works of righteousness and truth will be planted in truth and joy forevermore.

17 And then all the good people will get away,

And they'll live long enough to have thousands of kids.

Throughout their younger years and into their old age

May they finish in peace.

18 Then the whole earth will be cultivated with righteousness, and it will be filled with trees and 19 blessings. All kinds of desirable trees will be planted, and vines will be grown there. The vines will produce an abundance of wine, and every measure of seed sown will yield a thousand times more. Each measure of olives will produce 20 ten presses of oil. Cleanse the earth from all oppression, unrighteousness, sin, and godlessness. Remove all the uncleanness from the earth. 21 Destroy it completely. All people will become righteous, and all nations 22 will worship and praise me. Everyone will worship me. The earth will be cleansed from all defilement, sin, punishment, and torment, and I will never again send these things upon it from generation to generation, forever.

Chapter 11

1 In those days, I'll open up the storehouses of blessings in Heaven and send them down to the Earth, benefiting the hard work and efforts of people. 2 Truth and peace will go hand in hand throughout all the days of the world and across every generation of humanity.

Chapter 12

1 Before all this happened, Enoch was hidden, and none of the people knew where he was 2 hiding, where he lived, or what had happened to him. His work was connected with the Watchers, and he spent his days with the holy ones. 3 I, Enoch, was praising the Lord of Majesty and the King of the Ages, when suddenly, the Watchers 4 called me - Enoch the scribe - and said to me: 'Enoch, you scribe of righteousness, go and tell the Watchers of heaven who have left the high heaven, the holy eternal place, and have corrupted themselves with women, acting like the people of earth and taking wives for themselves: 5 "You have caused great destruction on the earth, and you will have no peace or forgiveness 6 for your sins. Even though you love your children, you will witness the murder of your beloved ones, and you will mourn over the destruction of your children. You will plead for eternity, but you will not receive mercy or peace."'

Chapter 13

1 Enoch went and said, "Azazel, you won't have any peace. A harsh sentence has been given against you to put you in chains. You won't get any mercy or requests granted because of the wickedness you've taught and all the godless and sinful things you've shown to people." 2 Then I went and spoke to all of them together, and they were all scared, trembling with fear. 3 They begged me to write a petition for them to find forgiveness and to read it in the presence of the Lord of Heaven. 4 From then on, they couldn't speak with Him or even look up to Heaven because they were ashamed of the sins they were condemned for. 5 So, I wrote out their petition and the prayer concerning their spirits and their actions individually, and their requests for forgiveness and a longer life. 6 I went and sat by the waters of Dan, in the land of Dan, to the south and west of Hermon. 7 I read their petition until I fell asleep. 8 And then, I had a dream, and visions came to me. I saw visions of punishment, and a voice told me to share this with the sons of Heaven and reprimand them. 9 When I woke up, I went to them, and they were all gathered together, crying in 'Abelsjail, which is between Lebanon and Seneser, with their faces covered. 10 I told them all the visions I had seen in my sleep, and I began to speak words of righteousness and to reprimand the heavenly Watchers.

Chapter 14

1 This is the book of the words of righteousness and the reprimand of the eternal watchers, as commanded 2 by the Holy Great One in that vision. I saw in my dream what I'm about to share with you, speaking with my human voice and breath: which the Great One has given to people to 3 communicate and understand with their hearts. Just as He created and gave humans the ability to understand wisdom, He also created me and gave me the power to reprimand 4 the watchers, the children of heaven. I wrote down your request, and in my vision, it appeared that your request will not be granted for all eternity, and that judgment 5 has been finally passed on you: yes, your request will not be granted. From now on, you will not ascend into heaven for all eternity, and you will be bound to the earth 6 for all the days of the world. And before that, you will witness the destruction of your beloved sons and will find no joy in them, as they will fall before 7 you by the sword. Your request on their behalf will not be granted, nor will it be granted for you: even if you weep, pray, and say all the words written in the writing I have 8 written. The vision showed me this: Behold, in the vision, clouds invited me, and a mist called me, and the stars and lightning sped me along, and the winds in 9 the vision made me fly and lifted me upward, carrying me into heaven. I went until I reached a wall made of crystals and surrounded by tongues of fire, which began to frighten 10 me. I went into the tongues of fire and approached a large house made of crystals: the walls of the house were like a tiled floor of crystals, and its foundation was 11 of crystal. Its ceiling was like the path of the stars and lightning, and between them were 12 fiery cherubim, and their sky was as clear as water. A flaming fire surrounded the walls, and its 13 doors blazed with fire. I entered that house, and it was as hot as fire and as cold as ice: there 14 were no pleasures of life there: fear covered me, and I was trembling. As I shook 15 and trembled, I fell on my face. I saw a vision, and look! There was a second house, greater 16 than the first, and the entire door stood open before me, and it was built of flames of fire. In every way, it was so splendid and magnificent and vast that I can't describe to 17 you its splendor and size. Its floor was of fire, and above it were lightning and the path 18 of the stars, and its ceiling was also flaming fire. I looked and saw a high throne: it looked like crystal, and its wheels were like the shining sun, and there was the vision of 19 cherubim. Streams of flaming fire came from beneath the throne, so I couldn't look 20 at it. The Great Glory sat there, and His clothing shone brighter than the sun and 21 was whiter than any snow. None of the angels could enter or see His face because 22 of the magnificence and glory, and no human could see Him. The flaming fire was all around Him, and a great fire stood before Him, and no one could approach Him: ten thousand times 23 ten thousand stood before Him, yet He needed no advisor. The most holy ones who were 24 near Him did not leave by night nor depart from Him. Until then, I had been lying face down, trembling: and the Lord called me with His own voice and said to me: 'Come here, 25 Enoch, and hear my word.' One of the holy ones came to me and woke me up, making me rise and approach the door: and I bowed my face downwards.

Chapter 15

1 And He answered me, and I heard His voice: "Don't be afraid, Enoch, you righteous man and writer of righteousness. Come here and listen to My voice. Go and tell the Watchers of heaven, who sent you to plead for them: 'You should be pleading for humans, not the other way around. 3 Why did you leave the high, holy, and eternal heaven, sleep with women, and defile yourselves with the daughters of men? You took wives for yourselves and acted like the children of earth, having giants as your sons. 4 Even though you were holy and spiritual, living an eternal life, you defiled yourselves with the blood of women and had children with them, and like humans, you desired flesh and blood, just like those who die and perish. 5 That's why I gave humans wives, so they could have children and lack nothing on earth. 6 But you were originally spiritual, living an eternal life, and immortal for all generations of the world. 7 That's why I didn't appoint wives for you; because for the spiritual beings of heaven, their home is in heaven. 8 Now, the giants, born from spirits and flesh, will be called evil spirits on earth, and their home will be on earth. 9 Evil spirits have come from their bodies; because they are born from humans and the holy Watchers, that's their beginning and origin. 10 They will be called evil spirits on earth. [As for the spirits of heaven, their home is in heaven, but for the spirits of the earth, born on earth, their home is on earth.] 11 The spirits of the giants cause harm, oppression, destruction, attack, fight, and wreak havoc on earth, causing trouble: they don't eat, but still hunger and thirst, and cause offenses. 12 These spirits will rise up against humans and women, because they came from them."

Chapter 16

1 From the days when the giants were killed and destroyed, and from the souls of their flesh, the spirits that came out will continue to destroy without being judged - they will keep doing this until the day of completion, the great judgment when the age will be 2 completed, over the Watchers and the godless, yes, it will be completely finished." And now, regarding the Watchers who sent you to plead for them, who were once in heaven, (tell 3 them): "You were in heaven, but not all mysteries were revealed to you, and you learned worthless ones. In your stubbornness, you shared these with the women, and through these mysteries, women and men cause a lot of evil on earth." 4 So tell them: "You will have no peace."'