Scriptural Savant

Apocalypse of Abraham 13

Related ancient text — scholarly reference

Extra-canonical text — not LDS scripture and not in the KJV Apocrypha. Provided as scholarly reference for parallel literature of the Second Temple period and the early Christian era. Read with discernment; the Apostle Jude quotes 1 Enoch and Paul knew this material, but inclusion here is for study, not doctrine.

1And I did everything according to the command of the angel

2and gave the angels who had come to us the divided animals,

3but the angel Jaoel took the birds.

4And I waited until the evening sacrifice.

5There flew an unclean bird down upon the carcases1, and I drove it away.

6Although the unclean bird spoke to me and said:

7“Abraham, what are you doing upon these holy heights,

8where no man eats or drinks, nor is there upon them the food of man2,

9but these heavenly beings consume everything with fire, and will burn you up .

10Forsake the man who is with you and flee,

11for if you ascend into the heights they will make an end of.” 11 And it came to pass, when I saw the bird speak I said to the angel:

12“What is this, my lord?” And he said: “This is ungodliness, this is Azazel.”3

13And he said to it: “Disgrace upon you, Azazel! For Abraham’s lot is in heaven, but yours is upon the earth.4

14Because you have chosen and loved this for the dwelling place of your uncleanness.

15Therefore the ETERNAL Mighty LORD made you to be a dweller upon the earth.

16Through you every evil spirit of lies, and through you the wrath the trials for generations of ungodly men.

17For GOD, the ETERNAL Mighty One, has not permitted that the bodies of the righteous should be in your hand,

18in order that thereby the life of the righteous and the destruction of the unclean may be assured.5

19Hear this my friend, and begone with shame from me.

20For it has not been given to you to play the tempter in regard to all the righteous.

21Depart from this man! You cannot lead him astray.

22He is an enemy to you, and to those who follow you and love what you desire.

23For, behold, the vesture which in heaven was formerly yours has been set aside for him6,

24and the mortality which was his has been transferred to you.”

Public-domain text (R.H. Charles 1913 and equivalents). These works are not canonical, but several were widely read in antiquity and one (1 Enoch) is quoted by name in Jude 1:14–15. Useful for understanding the doctrinal landscape from which the apostles and earliest saints taught.