The Book of the Secrets of Enoch 7
Enoch was led to the second heaven, where darkness exceeded earthly gloom and dark angels hung as watched prisoners.
1nd those men took me and led me up on to the second heaven, and showed me darkness, greater than earthly darkness, and there I saw prisoners hanging, watched, awaiting the great and boundless judgment, and these angels (spirits) were dark-looking, more than earthly darkness, and incessantly making weeping through all hours.
2 And I said to the men who were with me: Wherefore are these incessantly tortured? They answered me: These are God's apostates, who obeyed not God's commands, but took counsel with their own will, and turned away with their prince, who also (is) fastened on the fifth heaven.
3 And I felt great pity for them, and they saluted me, and said to me: Man of God, pray for us to the Lord; and I answered to them: Who am I, a mortal man, that I should pray for angels (spirits)? Who knows whither I go, or what will befall me? Or who will pray for me?
Did You Know?
Enoch was led to the second heaven, where darkness exceeded earthly gloom and dark angels hung as watched prisoners.
Those captive spirits were apostates who spurned divine commands, followed their own will, and joined their prince fastened in the fifth heaven.
The dark-looking angels wept without pause through every hour while awaiting the great and boundless judgment.
Feeling deep pity, Enoch heard the prisoners salute him as man of God and beg him to pray for them.
Enoch refused, protesting he was only a mortal who knew neither his path nor who might ever pray for him.
← → arrow keys to navigate chapters · spacebar to play/pause audio
Commentary
In brief
Enoch is led to the second heaven and shown darkness greater than earthly, with dark angels hanging as prisoners weeping while awaiting judgment. These apostates turned away with their prince; Enoch pities them yet declines their plea for prayer, as a mortal unsure of his fate.