CHAPTER 1

Joseph says: And why do you wonder that Jesus has risen? But it is wonderful that He has not risen alone, but that He has also raised many others of the dead who have appeared in Jerusalem to many. (Matt. 27:53) And if you do not know the others, Symeon at least, who received Jesus, and his two sons whom He has raised up—them at least you know.

Καὶ τί θαυμάζετε ὅτι Ἰησοῦς ἠγέρθη; Οὐκ ἔστι τοῦτο θαυμαστόν, ἀλλὰ τοῦτο θαυμαστόν ἐστιν ὅτι οὐκ ἠγέρθη μόνος, ἀλλ’ ὅτι καὶ ἄλλους πολλοὺς νεκροὺς ἤγειρεν, ⁵ οἵτινες ἐμφανίσθησαν ἐν Ἱεροσολύμοις πρὸς πολλούς. Καὶ εἰ τοὺς ἄλλους οὐ γινώσκετε, τέως τὸν Συμεὼν ὅστις ἐδέξατο τὸν Ἰησοῦν καὶ τοὺς δύο αὐτοῦ υἱοὺς καὶ τοὺς δυὸ ἀδελφοὺς οὓς ἀνέστησεν, τέως αὐτοὺς γινώσκετε.

Then rose up the chief priests Annas and Caiaphas, and Joseph, and Nicodemus, and Gamaliel, and others with them, and went away to Arimathæa, and found those whom Joseph spoke of. They made prayer, therefore, and saluted each other. Then they came with them to Jerusalem, and brought them into the synagogue, and secured the doors, and placed in the midst the old covenant of the Jews; and the chief priests said to them:

 Τότε ἠγέρθησαν οἱ ἀρχιερεῖς, ὁ Ἄννας καὶ ὁ Καϊάφας, καὶ Ἰωσὴφ καὶ Νικόδημος καὶ Γαμαλιὴλ καὶ ἕτεροι μετ’ αὐτῶν, καὶ ἀπῆλθον εἰς Ἀριμαθίαν καὶ εὗρον οὓς ὁ Ἰωσὴφ ἔλεγεν. Ἐποίησαν οὖν προσευχὴν καὶ ἠσπάσαντο ⁵ ἀλλήλους. Εἶτα ἦλθον μετ’ αὐτῶν εἰς Ἱεροσόλυμα καὶ ἔφερον αὐτοὺς ἐν τῇ συναγωγῇ καὶ ἠσφαλίσαντο τὰς θύρας καὶ ἔθηκαν εἰς μέσον τὴν Παλαιὰν τῶν Ἰουδαίων καὶ εἶπον πρὸς αὐτοὺς οἱ ἀρχιερεῖς· ¹⁰

We wish you to swear by the God of Israel and Adonai, and so that you tell the truth, how you have risen, and who has raised you from the dead.

Θέλομεν ἵνα ὀμόσητε εἰς τὸν θεὸν τοῦ Ἰσραὴλ καὶ τοῦ Ἀδωναῒ καὶ οὕτως ἵνα εἴπητε τὴν ἀλήθειαν πῶς ἀνέστητε καὶ τίς ὑμᾶς ἀνέστησεν ἐκ νεκρῶν.

The men who had risen having heard this, made upon their faces the sign of the cross, and said to the chief priests: Give us paper and ink and pen. These therefore they brought. And sitting down, they wrote thus:—

Τοῦτο ἀκούσαντες οἱ ἀναστήσαντες ἄνθρωποι ἐποίησαν εἰς τὰ πρόσωπα αὐτῶν τὸν τύπον τοῦ σταυροῦ καὶ εἶπον πρὸς τοὺς ἀρχιερεῖς· Δότε ἡμῖν χαρτίον καὶ μέλαν καὶ κάλα⁵ μον. Ἔφερον οὖν ταῦτα καὶ καθίσαντες ἔγραψαν οὕτως·

CHAPTER 2

O Lord Jesus Christ, the resurrection and the life of the world, grant us grace that we may give an account of Thy resurrection, and Thy miracles which Thou didst in Hades. We then were in Hades, with all who had fallen asleep since the beginning of the world. And at the hour of midnight there rose a light as if of the sun, and shone into these dark regions; and we were all lighted up, and saw each other.

 «Κύριε Ἰησοῦ Χριστέ, ἡ ἀνάστασις καὶ ζωὴ τοῦ κόσμου, δὸς ἡμῖν χάριν ἵνα διηγησώμεθα τὴν ἀνάστασίν σου καὶ τὰ θαυμάσιά σου ἃ ἐν τῷ Ἅιδῃ ἐποίησας.  Ἡμεῖς ἦμεν ἐν τῷ Ἅιδῃ μετὰ πάντων τῶν ἀπ’ αἰῶνος κεκοιμημένων. Ἐν ὥρᾳ δὲ μεσονυκτίου εἰς τὰ σκοτεινὰ ἐκεῖνα ἀνέτειλεν ὥσπερ φῶς ἡλίου καὶ ἔλαμψεν, καὶ ἐφωτίσθημεν πάντες καὶ εἴδομεν ἀλλήλους.

And straightway our father Abraham was united with the patriarchs and the prophets, and at the same time they were filled with joy, and said to each other: This light is from a great source of light. The prophet Hesaias, who was there present, said: This light is from the Father, and from the Son, and from the Holy Spirit; about whom I prophesied when yet alive, saying, The land of Zabulon, and the land of Nephthalim, the people that sat in darkness, have seen a great light. (Isa. 9:1, 2)

Καὶ εὐθὺς ⁵ ὁ πατὴρ ἡμῶν Ἀβραὰμ μετὰ τῶν πατριαρχῶν καὶ τῶν προφητῶν ἑνωθεὶς καὶ χαρᾶς ὁμοῦ πλησθέντες εἶπον πρὸς ἀλλήλους· Τοῦτο τὸ φῶς ἀπὸ μεγάλου φωτισμοῦ ἐστίν. ¹⁰ Ὁ προφήτης Ἠσαΐας ἐκεῖ παρὼν εἶπε· Τοῦτο τὸ φῶς ἐκ τοῦ πατρός ἐστι καὶ ἐκ τοῦ υἱοῦ καὶ ἐκ τοῦ ἁγίου πνεύματος, περὶ οὗ προεφήτευσα ἔτι ζῶν λέγων· ‹Γῆ Ζαβουλῶν καὶ γῆ Νεφθαλείμ, ὁ λαὸς ὁ καθήμενος ἐν ¹⁵ σκότει εἶδε φῶς μέγα›.

Then there came into the midst another, an ascetic from the desert; and the patriarchs said to him: Who art thou?

 Εἶτα ἦλθεν εἰς τὸ μέσον ἕτερος ἀπὸ τῆς ἐρήμου ἀσκητὴς καὶ εἶπον πρὸς αὐτὸν οἱ πατριάρχαι· Τίς εἶ;

And he said: I am John, the last of the prophets, who made the paths of the Son of God straight, (Matt. 3:3) and proclaimed to the people repentance for the remission of sins. (Mark 1:4) And the Son of God came to me; and I, seeing Him a long way off, said to the people: Behold the Lamb of God, who taketh away the sin of the world. (John 1:29) And with my hand I baptized Him in the river Jordan, and I saw like a dove also the Holy Spirit coming upon Him; and I heard also the voice of God, even the Father, thus saying: This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. (Luke 3:22) And on this account He sent me also to you, to proclaim how the only begotten Son of God is coming here, that whosoever shall believe in Him shall be saved, and whosoever shall not believe in Him shall be condemned. ([Mark 16:16]: John 3:18) On this account I say to you all, in order that when you see Him you all may adore Him, that now only is for you the time of repentance for having adored idols in the vain upper world, and for the sins you have committed, and that this is impossible at any other time.

⁵Ὁ δὲ εἶπεν· Ἐγώ εἰμι Ἰωάννης, τὸ τέλος τῶν προφητῶν, ὃς ἐποίησα τὰς ὁδοὺς τοῦ υἱοῦ τοῦ θεοῦ εὐθείας, καὶ ἐκήρυξα τῷ λαῷ μετάνοιαν εἰς ἄφεσιν ἁμαρτιῶν. Καὶ ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ θεοῦ εἰς ¹⁰ ἐμὲ ἦλθε, καὶ ἀπὸ μακρόθεν ἰδὼν αὐτὸν εἶπον πρὸς τὸν λαόν· ‹Ἰδὲ ὁ ἀμνὸς τοῦ θεοῦ ὁ αἴρων τὴν ἁμαρτίαν τοῦ κόσμου›. Καὶ μετὰ τῆς χειρός μου ἐβάπτισα αὐτὸν ἐν τῷ Ἰορδάνῃ ποταμῷ. Καὶ εἶδον ὡσεὶ περιστερὰν καὶ ¹⁵ τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον ἐπ’ αὐτὸν ἐρχόμενον, καὶ ἤκουσα καὶ τῆς φωνῆς τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ πατρὸς οὕτω λέγοντος· ‹Οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ υἱός μου ὁ ἀγαπητὸς ἐν ᾧ ηὐδόκησα›. Καὶ διὰ τοῦτο ἀπέστειλέ με καὶ πρὸς ὑμᾶς ἵνα κηρύξω πῶς ²⁰ ἔρχεται ὁ μονογενὴς υἱὸς τοῦ θεοῦ ὧδε ἵνα ὅστις πιστεύσῃ πρὸς αὐτὸν σωθήσεται, ὅστις δὲ οὐ πιστεύσῃ εἰς αὐτὸν κατακριθήσεται. Διὰ τοῦτο λέγω πρὸς ἅπαντας ὑμᾶς καθὼς εἴδετε αὐτὸν ἵνα προσκυνήσητε πάντες, ὅτι ²⁵ νῦν μόνον ἐστὶ πρὸς ὑμᾶς ὁ τῆς μετανοίας καιρὸς ὑπὲρ οὗ προσεκυνήσατε εἰς τὸν ἄνω μάταιον κόσμον τοῖς εἰδώλοις καὶ ὑπὲρ ὧν ἡμαρτήκατε. Ἐν ἄλλῳ δὲ καιρῷ τοῦτο γενέσθαι ἀδύνατον. ³⁰

CHAPTER 3

While John, therefore, was thus teaching those in Hades, the first created and forefather Adam heard, and said to his son Seth: My son, I wish thee to tell the forefathers of the race of men and the prophets where I sent thee, when it fell to my lot to die.

 Τοῦ Ἰωάννου τοίνυν διδάσκοντος οὕτως τοὺς ἐν τῷ Ἅιδῃ, ἀκούσας καὶ ὁ πρωτόπλαστος καὶ προπάτωρ Ἀδὰμ λέγει πρὸς τὸν υἱὸν αὐτοῦ τὸν Σήθ· Υἱέ μου, θέλω ἵνα εἴπῃς τοῖς προπά⁵ τορσι τοῦ γένους τῶν ἀνθρώπων καὶ τοῖς προφήταις ὅτε ἔπεσον ἵνα ἀποθνῄσκω, ποῦ σε ἀπέστειλα.

And Seth said: Prophets and patriarchs, hear. When my father Adam, the first created, was about to fall once upon a time into death, he sent me to make entreaty to God very close by the gate of paradise, that He would guide me by an angel to the tree of compassion, and that I might take oil and anoint my father, and that he might rise up from his sickness: which thing, therefore, I also did. And after the prayer an angel of the Lord came, and said to me: What, Seth, do you ask? do you ask oil which raiseth up the sick, or the tree from which this oil flows, on account of the sickness of thy father? This is not to be found now. Go, therefore, and tell thy father, that after the accomplishing of five thousand five hundred years from the creation of the world, thou shalt come into the earth the only begotten Son of God, being made man; and He shall anoint him with this oil, and shall raise him up; and shall wash clean, with water and with the Holy Spirit, both him and those out of him, and then shall he be healed of every disease; but now this is impossible.

Προφῆται καὶ πατριάρχαι, ἀκούσατε. ¹⁰ Ὁ ἐμὸς πατὴρ ὁ Ἀδὰμ ὁ πρωτόπλαστος, πεσών ποτε εἰς τὸ τελευτᾶν, ἀπέστειλέ με ποιήσασθαι δέησιν πρὸς τὸν θεὸν ἔγγιστα τῆς πύλης τοῦ παραδείσου, ὡς ἂν ὁδηγήσῃ με δι’ ἀγγέλου τὸ δένδρον τῆς ἐλεημοσύνης καὶ ¹⁵ ἐπάρω ἔλαιον καὶ ἀλείψω τὸν ἐμὸν πατέρα καὶ ἀναστῇ ἀπὸ τῆς ἀσθενείας—ὅπερ δὴ καὶ ἐποίησα. Καὶ μετὰ τὴν εὐχὴν ἐλθὼν ἄγγελος κυρίου λέγει μοι· Τί, Σήθ, αἰτεῖς; Ἔλαιον αἰτεῖς, τὸ τοὺς ἀσθενεῖς ἀνιστῶν, ἢ ²⁰ τὸ δένδρον τὸ ῥέον τὸ τοιοῦτον ἔλαιον, διὰ τὴν τοῦ πατρὸς ἀσθένειαν; Τοῦτο οὐκ ἔστιν εὑρεθῆναι νυνί. Ἄπιθι οὖν καὶ εἰπὲ τῷ πατρί σου ὅτι μετὰ τὸ συντελεσθῆναι ἀπὸ κτίσεως κόσμου ἔτη πεντακισχίλια πεντακόσια, τότε ²⁵ κατέλθῃ ἐν τῇ γῇ ὁ μονογενὴς υἱὸς τοῦ θεοῦ ἐνανθρωπήσας κἀκεῖνος ἀλείψει αὐτὸν τῷ τοιούτῳ ἐλαίῳ καὶ ἀναστήσεται καὶ ἐν ὕδατι καὶ πνεύματι ἁγίῳ πλυνεῖ καὶ αὐτὸν καὶ τοὺς ἐξ αὐτοῦ καὶ τότε ἀπὸ πάσης νόσου ἰαθή³⁰ σεται. Νῦν δὲ τοῦτο γενέσθαι ἀδύνατον.

When the patriarchs and the prophets heard these words, they rejoiced greatly.

 Ταῦτα ἀκούσαντες οἱ πατριάρχαι καὶ οἱ προφῆται ἐχαίροντο μεγάλως.

CHAPTER 4

And when all were in such joy, came Satan the heir of darkness, and said to Hades: O all-devouring and insatiable, hear my words. There is of the race of the Jews one named Jesus, calling himself the Son of God; and being a man, by our working with them the Jews have crucified him: and now when he is dead, be ready that we may secure him here. For I know that he is a man, and I heard him also saying, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death. (Mark 15:34) He has also done me many evils when living with mortals in the upper world. For wherever he found my servants, he persecuted them; and whatever men I made crooked, blind, lame, lepers, or any such thing, by a single word he healed them; and many whom I had got ready to be buried, even these through a single word he brought to life again.

 Ἐν τοιαύτῃ δὲ τῶν ἁπάντων ὄντων χαρᾷ ἦλθεν ὁ Σατὰν ὁ κληρονόμος τοῦ σκότους καὶ λέγει τῷ Ἅιδῃ·  Παμφάγε καὶ ἀκόρεστε, ἄκουσόν μου τοὺς λόγους. Ἐκ τοῦ γένους τῶν Ἰουδαίων ⁵ τις Ἰησοῦς λεγόμενος ὀνομάζων ἑαυτὸν υἱὸν θεοῦ—οὗτος δὲ ὢν ἄνθρωπος—ἀπὸ συνεργείας ἡμετέρας ἐσταύρωσαν αὐτὸν οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι. Καὶ νῦν αὐτοῦ τελευτήσαντος, ἔσο ἡτοιμασμένος ὅπως ὧδε κατασφαλίσωμεν ¹⁰ αὐτόν. Ἐγὼ γὰρ οἶδα ὅτι ἄνθρωπός ἐστι καὶ ἤκουσα καὶ αὐτοῦ λέγοντος ὅτι ‹περίλυπός ἐστιν ἡ ψυχή μου ἕως θανάτου›. Ἐποίησέ μοι καὶ πολλὰ κακὰ ἐν τῷ ἄνωθεν κόσμῳ τοῖς βροτοῖς συναναστρεφόμενος. Ὅπου γὰρ ηὕρι¹⁵ σκε τοὺς ἐμοὺς δούλους, ἐδίωκεν αὐτοὺς καὶ ὅσους ἀνθρώπους ἐποίουν ἐγὼ κυλλούς, τυφλούς, χωλούς, λεπρούς, καὶ εἴ τι τοιοῦτον, διὰ λόγου μόνου ἰᾶτο αὐτοὺς καὶ πολλοὺς ἑτοιμάσα εἰς τὸ ταφῆναι, καὶ τούτους διὰ ²⁰ λόγου μόνου πάλιν ἀνεζώωσε.

Hades says: And is this man so powerful as to do such things by a single word? or if he be so, canst thou withstand him? It seems to me that, if he be so, no one will be able to withstand him. And if thou sayest that thou didst hear him dreading death, he said this mocking thee, and laughing, wishing to seize thee with the strong hand; and woe, woe to thee, to all eternity!

Καὶ τοσοῦτόν ἐστιν οὗτος δυνατὸς ὥστε διὰ λόγου μόνου ποιεῖν τοιαῦτα. Ἢ τοιούτῳ ὄντι δύνασαι σὺ ἀντιστῆναι αὐτῷ; Ἐμοὶ δοκεῖ τοιούτῳ ὄντι οὐδεὶς αὐτῷ ἀντι⁵ στῆναι δυνήσεται. Εἰ δὲ λέγεις ὅτι ἤκουες αὐτοῦ φοβουμένου τὸν θάνατον, παίζων σε καὶ γελῶν ἔφη τοῦτο, θέλων ἵνα σε ἁρπάσῃ ἐν χειρὶ δυνατῇ. Καὶ οὐαὶ οὐαί σοι εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τὸν ἅπαντα. ¹⁰

Satan says: O all-devouring and insatiable Hades, art thou so afraid at hearing of our common enemy? I was not afraid of him, but worked in the Jews, and they crucified him, and gave him also to drink gall with vinegar. (Matt. 27:34) Make ready, then, in order that you may lay fast hold of him when he comes.

Λέγει ὁ Σατάν· Παμφάγε καὶ ἀκόρεστε Ἅιδη, τοσοῦτον ἐφοβήθης ἀκούσας περὶ τοῦ κοινοῦ ἡμῶν ἐχθροῦ; Ἐγὼ αὐτὸν οὐκ ἐφοβήθην, ἀλλ’ ἐνήργησα τοὺς Ἰουδαίους καὶ ἐσταύρωσαν ¹⁵ αὐτὸν καὶ ἐπότισαν αὐτὸν καὶ χολὴν μετὰ ὄξους. Ἑτοιμάσθητι οὖν ὅπως ἐλθόντα κρατήσῃς αὐτὸν ἰσχυρά.

 And this I tell thee: by the darkness in which we live, if thou bring him here, not one of the dead will be left behind in it to me.

   Καὶ τοῦτό σοι λέγω· Μὰ τὸ σκότος ὃ ἔχομεν, εἰ ὧδε ἀγάγῃς αὐτόν, οὐδείς μοι τῶν νεκρῶν ἐν²⁵ απολειφθήσεται.

CHAPTER 5

While Satan and Hades were thus speaking to each other, there was a great voice like thunder, saying: Lift up your gates, O ye rulers; and be ye lifted up, ye everlasting gates; and the King of glory shall come in. (Ps. 24:7) When Hades heard, he said to Satan: Go forth, if thou art able, and withstand him. Satan therefore went forth to the outside. Then Hades says to his demons: Secure well and strongly the gates of brass and the bars of iron, and attend to my bolts, and stand in order, and see to everything; for if he come in here, woe will seize us.

 Τοιαῦτα τοῦ Σατανᾶ καὶ τοῦ Ἅιδου λεγόντων πρὸς ἀλλήλους ἐγένετο φωνὴ μεγάλη ὥσπερ βροντὴ λέγουσα· Ἄρατε πύλας οἱ ἄρχοντες ὑμῶν καὶ ἐπάρθητε πύλαι αἰώνιοι καὶ εἰσελεύσεται ὁ ⁵ βασιλεὺς τῆς δόξης. Ἀκούσας ὁ Ἅιδης λέγει τῷ Σατανᾷ· Ἔξελθε εἰ δυνατὸς εἶ καὶ ἀντίστηθι αὐτῷ. Ἐξῆλθεν οὖν ἔξω ὁ Σατάν. Εἶτα λέγει ὁ ¹⁰ Ἅιδης τοῖς δαίμοσιν αὐτοῦ· Ἀσφαλίσασθε καλῶς ἰσχυρῶς τὰς πύλας τὰς χαλκᾶς καὶ τοὺς μοχλοὺς τοὺς σιδηροῦς καὶ τὰ κλεῖθρά μου κατέχετε καὶ σκοπεῖτε πάντες ἱστάμενοι ὄρθιοι· ἐὰν γὰρ ¹⁵ εἰσέλθῃ αὐτὸς ὧδε, οὐαὶ ἡμᾶς λήψεται.

The gates of hell are shattered: prophecies of Isaiah and David are fulfilled; Hades is forced to sing David's Psalm (Ps 24.8)

The forefathers having heard this, began all to revile him, saying: O all-devouring and insatiable! open, that the King of glory may come in. David the prophet says: Do you not know, O blind, that I when living in the world prophesied this saying: Lift up your gates, O ye rulers? Hesaias said: I, foreseeing this by the Holy Spirit, wrote: The dead shall rise up, and those in their tombs shall be raised, and those in the earth shall rejoice. (Isa. 26:19, according to the LXX) And where, O death, is thy sting? where, O Hades, is thy victory? (Hos. 13:14)

 Ταῦτα ἀκούσαντες οἱ προπάτορες ἤρξαντο πάντες ὑβρίζειν αὐτὸν λέγοντες· Παμφάγε καὶ ἀκόρεστε, ἄνοιξον ὅπως εἰσέλθῃ ὁ βασιλεὺς τῆς δόξης. Λέγει ὁ Δαυὶδ ὁ προφήτης· ⁵ Οὐκ οἶδας, τυφλέ, ὅτι ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ ἐγὼ ζῶν τὴν τοιαύτην φωνήν, τὸ ‹Ἄρατε πύλας, οἱ ἄρχοντες, ὑμῶν›, προεφήτευσα; Ἠσαΐας εἶπεν· Ἐγὼ τοῦτο προϊδὼν ὑφ’ ἁγίου πνεύμα¹⁰ τος ἔγραψα· ‹Ἀναστήσονται οἱ νεκροὶ καὶ ἐγερθήσονται οἱ ἐν τοῖς μνημείοις καὶ εὐφρανθήσονται οἱ ἐν τῇ γῇ›. Καί· ‹Ποῦ σου, θάνατε, τὸ κέντρον; Ποῦ σου, Ἅιδη, τὸ νῖκος;›

There came, then, again a voice saying: Lift up the gates. Hades, hearing the voice the second time, answered as if forsooth he did not know, and says: Who is this King of glory? The angels of the Lord say: The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle. (Ps. 24:8) And immediately with these words the brazen gates were shattered, and the iron bars broken, and all the dead who had been bound came out of the prisons, and we with them. And the King of glory came in in the form of a man, and all the dark places of Hades were lighted up.

 Ἦλθεν οὖν πάλιν φωνὴ ‹Ἄρατε πύλας› λέγουσα. Ἀκούσας ὁ Ἅιδης ἐκ δευτέρου τὴν φωνὴν ἀπεκρίθη ὡς δῆθεν μὴ γινώσκων καὶ λέγει· Τίς ἐστιν οὗτος ὁ βασιλεὺς τῆς δόξης; ⁵ Λέγουσιν οἱ ἄγγελοι τοῦ δεσπότου· Κύριος κραταιὸς καὶ δυνατός, κύριος δυνατὸς ἐν πολέμῳ. Καὶ εὐθέως ἅμα τῷ λόγῳ τούτῳ αἱ χαλκαῖ πύλαι συνετρίβησαν καὶ οἱ σιδηροῖ μοχλοὶ ¹⁰ συνεθλάσθησαν καὶ οἱ δεδεμένοι πάντες νεκροὶ ἐλύθησαν τῶν δεσμῶν, καὶ ἡμεῖς μετ’ αὐτῶν. Καὶ εἰσῆλθεν ὁ βασιλεὺς τῆς δόξης ὥσπερ ἄνθρωπος καὶ πάντα τὰ σκοτεινὰ τοῦ Ἅιδου ἐφωτίσθησαν. ¹⁵

CHAPTER 6

Immediately Hades cried out: We have been conquered: woe to us! But who art thou, that hast such power and might? and what art thou, who comest here without sin, who art seen to be small and yet of great power, lowly and exalted, the slave and the master, the soldier and the king, who hast power over the dead and the living? Thou wast nailed on the cross, and placed in the tomb; and now thou art free, and hast destroyed all our power. Art thou then the Jesus about whom the chief satrap Satan told us, that through cross and death thou art to inherit the whole world?

 Εὐθὺς ἐβόησεν ὁ Ἅιδης· Ἐνικήθημεν. Οὐαὶ ἡμῖν. Ἀλλὰ τίς εἶ ὁ ἔχων τοσαύτην ἐξουσίαν καὶ δύναμιν; Καὶ ποῖος εἶ ὁ χωρὶς ἁμαρτίας ὧδε ἐλθών, ὁ μικρὸς ὁρώμενος καὶ μεγάλα δυνάμενος, ὁ ⁵ ταπεινὸς καὶ ὑψηλός, ὁ δοῦλος καὶ δεσπότης, ὁ στρατιώτης καὶ βασιλεύς, ὁ τῶν νεκρῶν καὶ ζώντων ἐξουσιάζων; Ἐν τῷ σταυρῷ προσηλώθης καὶ ἐν τῷ τάφῳ ἐτέθης, καὶ ἄρτι ἐγένου ἐλεύθερος, καὶ κατέλυσας πᾶσαν τὴν δύναμιν ¹⁰ ἡμῶν. Ἆρα σὺ εἶ Ἰησοῦς, περὶ οὗ ἔλεγεν ἡμῖν ὁ ἀρχισατράπης Σατανᾶς ὅτι διὰ σταυροῦ καὶ θανάτου μέλλεις κληρονομῆσαι ὅλον τὸν κόσμον;

Jesus binds Satan

THEN the King of glory seized the chief satrap Satan by the head, and delivered him to His angels, and said: With iron chains bind his hands and his feet, and his neck, and his mouth. Then He delivered him to Hades, and said: Take him, and keep him secure till my second appearing.

 Τότε ὁ βασιλεὺς τῆς δόξης κρατήσας ἐκ τῆς κορυφῆς τὸν ἀρχισατράπην Σατὰν καὶ παραδοὺς αὐτὸν τοῖς ἀγγέλοις εἶπε Σιδήροις καταδεσμήσατε τὰς χεῖρας καὶ τοὺς πόδας καὶ τὸν τράχηλον καὶ τὸ στόμα ⁵ αὐτοῦ. Εἶτα παραδοὺς τοῦτον τῷ Ἅιδῃ ἔφη· Λαβὼν αὐτὸν κάτεχε ἀσφαλῶς ἄχρι τῆς δευτέρας μου παρουσίας.

CHAPTER 7

AND Hades receiving Satan, said to him: Beelzebul, heir of fire and punishment, enemy of the saints, through what necessity didst thou bring about that the King of glory should be crucified, so that he should come here and deprive us of our power? Turn and see that not one of the dead has been left in me, but all that thou hast gained through the tree of knowledge, all hast thou lost through the tree of the cross: and all thy joy has been turned into grief; and wishing to put to death the King of glory, thou hast put thyself to death. For, since I have received thee to keep thee safe, by experience shall thou learn how many evils I shall do unto thee. O arch-devil, the beginning of death, root of sin, end of all evil, what evil didst thou find in Jesus, that thou shouldst compass his destruction? how hast thou dared to do such evil? how hast thou busied thyself to bring down such a man into this darkness, through whom thou hast been deprived of all who have died from eternity?

 Καὶ ὁ Ἅιδης παραλαβὼν τὸν Σατανὰν ἔλεγεν αὐτῷ· Βελζεβούλ, κληρονόμε τοῦ σκότους καὶ τῆς κολάσεως, ἐχθρὲ τῶν ἁγίων, διὰ ποίαν ἀνάγκην ᾠκονόμησας σταυρωθῆναι τὸν βασι⁵ λέα τῆς δόξης εἰς τὸ ἐλθεῖν ὧδε καὶ ἐκδῦσαι ἡμᾶς; Ἐπιστράφου καὶ ἰδὲ ὅτι οὐδεὶς νεκρὸς ἐν ἐμοὶ κατελείφθη, ἀλλὰ πάντα ὅσα ἐκέρδησας διὰ τοῦ ξύλου τῆς γνώσεως, διὰ τοῦ ξύλου τοῦ σταυροῦ πάντα ἀπώλεσας καὶ πᾶσά σου ἡ ¹⁰ χαρὰ μετηνέχθη εἰς λύπην. Καὶ τὸν βασιλέα τῆς δόξης θέλων θανατῶσαι σαυτὸν ἐθανάτωσας. Ἐπεὶ γὰρ παρέλαβόν σε ὥστε κατέχειν ἀσφαλῶς, ἐν πείρᾳ μαθήσει ὅσα κακὰ πρὸς σὲ διαπράξομαι. Ὦ ἀρχιδιάβολε, ἡ τοῦ θανάτου ¹⁵ ἀρχή, ἡ ῥίζα τῆς ἁμαρτίας, τὸ τέλος παντὸς κακοῦ, τί κακὸν εὑρὼν εἰς τὸν Ἰησοῦν ἐγύρευσες τὴν ἀπώλειαν αὐτοῦ; Πῶς ἐτόλμησας τοσοῦτον κακὸν ποιῆσαι; Πῶς τοιοῦτον ἄνθρωπον ἐν τῷ σκότει τούτῳ καταγαγεῖν ²⁰ ἐμελέτησας, δι’ οὗ πάντας τοὺς ἀπ’ αἰῶνος θανέντας ἐστερήθης;

CHAPTER 8

Thereupon He brought them all out, and our forefather Adam seemed to be filled with joy, and said: I thank Thy majesty, O Lord, that Thou hast brought me up out of the lowest Hades. (Ps. 86:13) Likewise also all the prophets and the saints said: We thank Thee, O Christ, Saviour of the world, that Thou hast brought our life up out of destruction. (Comp. Ps. 103:4)

 Πρὸς ταῦτα ἐξέβαλεν ἅπαντας ἔξω. Καὶ ὁ ¹⁰ προπάτωρ Ἀδὰμ θυμηδίας ἔμπλεως ὀφθείς· Εὐχαριστῶ τῇ μεγαλωσύνῃ σου, κύριε, ἔλεγεν, ὅτι ἀνήγαγές με ἐξ Ἅιδου κατωτάτου. Οὕτω δὲ καὶ πάντες οἱ προφῆται καὶ οἱ ¹⁵ ἅγιοι εἶπον· Εὐχαριστοῦμέν σοι, Χριστέ, Σωτὴρ τοῦ κόσμου, ὅτι ἀνήγαγες ἐκ τῆς φθορᾶς τὴν ζωὴν ἡμῶν.

And after they had thus spoken, the Saviour blessed Adam with the sign of the cross on his forehead, and did this also to the patriarchs, and prophets, and martyrs, and forefathers; and He took them, and sprang up out of Hades. And while He was going, the holy fathers accompanying Him sang praises, saying: Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord (Ps. 118:26):  Alleluia; to Him be the glory of oil the saints.

 Καὶ ταῦτα εἰπόντων εὐλογήσας ὁ Σωτὴρ τὸν Ἀδὰμ κατὰ τὸ μέτωπον ἐν τῷ σημείῳ τοῦ σταυροῦ, τοῦτο δὲ ποιήσας καὶ πρὸς τοὺς προπάτορας καὶ τούτους λαβὼν ἐκ τοῦ Ἅιδου ἀνέθορε. ⁵ Πορευομένου δὲ αὐτοῦ ἔψαλλον οἱ ἅγιοι πατέρες ἀκολουθοῦντες αὐτῷ· Εὐλογημένος ὁ ἐρχόμενος ἐν ὀνόματι κυρίου. Ἀλληλούϊα. Αὕτη ἡ δόξα τῶν ἁγίων πάντων. ⁵

CHAPTER 9

One of them answered, and said: I am Enoch, who was well-pleasing to God, and who was translated hither by Him; and this is Elijah the Tishbite; and we are also to live until the end of the world; and then we are to be sent by God to withstand Antichrist, and to be slain by him, and after three days to rise again, and to be snatched up in clouds to meet the Lord. (1 Thess. 4:17; Rev. 11:3–12)

 Εἷς ἐξ αὐτῶν ἀποκριθεὶς εἶπεν· Ἐγώ εἰμι Ἐνὼχ ὁ εὐαρεστήσας θεῷ καὶ ὧδε μετατεθεὶς παρ’ αὐτοῦ. Καὶ οὗτός ἐστιν Ἡλίας ὁ Θεσβίτης. Οἳ καὶ μέλλομεν ζῆσαι ¹⁵ μέχρι τῆς συντελείας τοῦ αἰῶνος. Τότε δὲ μέλλομεν ἀποσταλῆναι παρὰ θεοῦ ἐπὶ τὸ ἀντιστῆναι τῷ Ἀντιχρίστῳ καὶ ἀποκτανθῆναι παρ’ αὐτοῦ καὶ μετὰ τρεῖς ἡμέρας ἀναστῆναι καὶ ἐν νεφέλαις ἁρπαγῆναι πρὸς τὴν τοῦ ²⁰ κυρίου ὑπάντησιν.

CHAPTER 10

While they were thus speaking, there came another lowly man, carrying also upon his shoulders a cross, to whom the holy fathers said: Who art thou, who hast the look of a robber; and what is the cross which thou bearest upon thy shoulders? He answered: I, as you say, was a robber and a thief in the world, and for these things the Jews laid hold of me, and delivered me to the death of the cross, along with our Lord Jesus Christ. While, then, He was hanging upon the cross, I, seeing the miracles that were done, believed in Him, and entreated Him, and said, Lord, when Thou shalt be King, do not forget me. And immediately He said to me, Amen, amen: to-day, I say unto thee, shall thou be with me in paradise. Therefore I came to paradise carrying my cross; and finding the archangel Michael, I said to him, Our Lord Jesus, who has been crucified, has sent me here; bring me, therefore, to the gate of Eden. And the flaming sword, seeing the sign of the cross, opened to me, and I went in. Then the archangel says to me, Wait a little, for there cometh also the forefather of the race of men, Adam, with the just, that they too may come in. And now, seeing you, I came to meet you.

 Ταῦτα τούτων λεγόντων ἦλθεν ἕτερος ταπεινὸς ἄνθρωπος βαστάζων ἐπὶ τῶν ὤμων αὐτοῦ καὶ σταυρόν, πρὸς ὃν ἔφησαν οἱ ἅγιοι πατέρες· Τίς εἶ σὺ ὁ θεωρίαν ἔχων λῃστοῦ, καὶ τίς ⁵ ὃν ἐπιφέρεις ἐπὶ τῶν ὤμων σταυρόν; Ἀπεκρίθη οὗτος· Ἐγώ, καθὼς ὑμεῖς φατε, λῃστὴς ἦν καὶ κλέπτης ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ. Καὶ διὰ ταῦτα κρατήσαντές με οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι σταυροῦ θανάτῳ ¹⁰ παραδεδώκασιν ἅμα τῷ κυρίῳ ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστῷ. Ἐπὶ σταυροῦ τοίνυν κρεμαμένου αὐτοῦ ἰδὼν τὰ γενόμενα σημεῖα ἐπίστευσα εἰς αὐτόν. Καὶ παρεκάλεσα αὐτὸν καὶ εἶπον· ‹Κύριε, ὅτε βασιλεύσεις, μή μου ἐπιλάθῃ›. ¹⁵ Καὶ εὐθὺς εἶπέ μοι ὅτι· ‹Ἀμήν, ἀμὴν σήμερον λέγω σοι· Μετ’ ἐμοῦ ἔσῃ ἐν τῷ παραδείσῳ›. Βαστάζων οὖν τὸν σταυρόν μου ἦλθον εἰς τὸν παράδεισον καὶ εὑρὼν τὸν ἀρχάγγελον Μιχαὴλ εἶπον αὐτῷ· ‹Ὁ κύριος ²⁰ ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦς Χριστὸς ὁ ἐσταυρωμένος ὧδέ με ἀπέστειλεν›. Ἀγαγών με τοίνυν ἐν τῇ πύλῃ τῆς Ἐδὲμ καὶ ἰδοῦσα ἡ φλογίνη ῥομφαία τὸ σημεῖον τοῦ σταυροῦ ἤνοιξέ μοι καὶ εἰσῆλθον. Εἶτά φησι πρὸς ἐμὲ ὁ ἀρχάγγε²⁵ λος· ‹Περίμεινον μικρὸν ὅτι ἔρχεται καὶ ὁ προπάτωρ τοῦ γένους τῶν ἀνθρώπων Ἀδὰμ μετὰ τῶν δικαίων ἵνα εἰσέλθωσι καὶ αὐτοὶ ἐντός›. Καὶ νῦν ἰδὼν ὑμᾶς ἦλθον εἰς ἀπάντησιν ὑμῶν. ³⁰

The saints hearing these things, all cried out with a loud voice: Great is our Lord, and great is His strength. (Ps. 147:5)

 Ταῦτα ἀκούσαντες οἱ ἅγιοι ἐβόησαν φωνῇ μεγάλῃ πάντες· Μέγας ὁ κύριος ἡμῶν καὶ μεγάλη ἡ ἰσχὺς αὐτοῦ.

CHAPTER 11

All these things we saw and heard; we, the two brothers, who also have been sent by Michael the archangel, and have been ordered to proclaim the resurrection of the Lord, but first to go away to the Jordan and to be baptized. Thither also we have gone, and have been baptized with the rest of the dead who have risen. Thereafter also we came to Jerusalem, and celebrated the passover of the resurrection. But now we are going away, being unable to stay here. And the love of God, even the Father, and the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the communion of the Holy Spirit, be with you all. (2 Cor. 13:13)

 Ταῦτα πάντα εἴδομεν καὶ ἠκούσαμεν ἡμεῖς, οἱ δύο αὐτάδελφοι, οἳ καὶ ἀπεστάλημεν παρὰ Μιχαὴλ τοῦ ἀρχαγγέλου καὶ ἐτάχθημεν κηρύξαι τὴν τοῦ κυρίου ἀνάστασιν, πρότερον δὲ ἀπελθεῖν ἐν τῷ Ἰορδάνῃ καὶ βαπτισθῆναι, ⁵ ὅπου καὶ ἀπελθόντες ἐβαπτίσθημεν μετὰ καὶ ἄλλων ἀναστάντων νεκρῶν. Εἶτα καὶ εἰς Ἱεροσόλυμα ἤλθομεν καὶ ἐτελέσαμεν τὸ Πάσχα τῆς ἀναστάσεως. Νῦν δὲ μὴ δυνάμενοι ἐνταῦθα διάγειν ἀπερχόμεθα. Καὶ ἡ ἀγάπη τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ πατρὸς καὶ ἡ χάρις τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ καὶ τοῦ ἁγίου πνεύματος εἴη μετὰ πάντων ὑμῶν.» ⁵

Having written these things, and secured the rolls, they gave the half to the chief priests, and the half to Joseph and Nicodemus. And they immediately disappeared: to the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

 Ταῦτα γράψαντες καὶ ἀσφαλισάμενοι τὰ βιβλία ἔδωκαν τὰ ἡμίση τοῖς ἀρχιερεῦσι καὶ τὰ ἡμίση τῷ Ἰωσὴφ καὶ τῷ Νικοδήμῳ, καὶ αὐτοὶ παραυτίκα ἐγένοντο ἄφαντοι. Εἰς δόξαν τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, ⁵ Ἀμήν. @1