The Hidden Descent of the Beloved Through the Heavens

A⁷nd I heard the voice of the Most High the Father of my Lord saying to my Lord Christ who will be called Jesus:

⁸ ‘Go forth and descend through all the heavens, and thou wilt descend to the firmament and that world: to the angel in Sheol thou wilt descend, but to Haguel thou wilt not go. ⁹ And thou wilt become like unto the likeness of all who are in the five heavens. ¹⁰ And thou wilt be careful to become like the form of the angels of the firmament and the angels also who are in Sheol. ¹¹ And none of the angels of that world shall know that Thou art Lord with Me of the seven heavens and of their angels. ¹² And they shall not know that Thou art with Me, till with a loud voice I have called (to) the heavens, and their angels and their lights, (even) unto the sixth heaven, in order that you mayst judge and destroy the princes and angels and gods of that world, and the world that is dominated by them: ¹³ For they have denied Me and said: “We alone are and there is none beside us.” ¹⁴ And afterwards from the angels of death Thou wilt ascend to Thy place, and Thou wilt not be transformed in each heaven, but in glory wilt Thou ascend and sit on My right hand. ¹⁵ And thereupon the princes and powers of that world will worship Thee.’ ¹⁶ These commands I heard the Great Glory giving to my Lord.

A¹⁷nd so I saw my Lord go forth from the seventh heaven into the sixth heaven.

¹⁸ And the angel who conducted me from this world was with me and said unto me: ‘Understand, Isaiah, and see how the transformation and descent of the Lord will appear. ¹⁹ And I saw, and when the angels saw Him, thereupon those in the sixth heaven praised and lauded Him; for He had not been transformed after the shape of the angels there, and they praised Him and I also praised with them. ²⁰ And I saw when He descended into the fifth heaven, that in the fifth heaven He made Himself like unto the form of the angels there, and they did not praise Him (nor worship Him); for His form was like unto theirs. ²¹ And then He descended into the fourth heaven, and made Himself like unto the form of the angels there. ²² And when they saw Him, they did not praise or laud Him; for His form was like unto their form. ²³ And again I saw when He descended into the third heaven, and He made Himself like unto the form of the angels in the third heaven. ²⁴ And those who kept the gate of the (third) heaven demanded the password, and the Lord gave (it) to them in order that He should not be recognized. And when they saw Him, they did not praise or laud Him; for His form was like unto their form. ²⁵ And again I saw when He descended into the second heaven, and again He gave the password there; those who kept the gate proceeded to demand and the Lord to give. ²⁶ And I saw when He made Himself like unto the form of the angels in the second heaven, and they saw Him and they did not praise Him; for His form was like unto their form. ²⁷ And again I saw when He descended into the first heaven, and there also He gave the password to those who kept the gate, and He made Himself like unto the form of the angels who were on the left of that throne, and they neither praised nor lauded Him; for His form was like unto their form. ²⁸ But as for me no one asked me on account of the angel who conducted me. ²⁹ And again He descended into the firmament where dwelleth the ruler of this world, and He gave the password to those on the left, and His form was like theirs, and they did not praise Him there; but they were envying one another and fighting; for here there is a power of evil and envying about trifles. ³⁰ And I saw when He descended and made Himself like unto the angels of the air, and He was like one of them. ³¹ And He gave no password; for one was plundering and doing violence to another.

A²²nd the angel who conducted me said: ‘Understand, Isaiah:’ and I saw when He sent out the Twelve Apostles and ascended.

²³ And I saw Him, and He was in the firmament, but He had not changed Himself into their form, and all the angels of the firmament and the Satans saw Him and they worshipped. ²⁴ And there was much sorrow there, while they said: ‘How did our Lord descend in our midst, and we perceived not the glory which has been upon Him, which we see has been upon Him from the sixth heaven?’ ²⁵ And He ascended into the second heaven, and He did not transform Himself, but all the angels who were on the right and on the left and the throne in the midst ²⁶ Both worshipped Him and praised Him and said: ‘How did our Lord escape us whilst descending, and we perceived not?’ ²⁷ And in like manner He ascended into the third heaven, and they praised and said in like manner. ²⁸ And in the fourth heaven and in the fifth also they said precisely after the same manner. ²⁹ But there was one glory, and from it He did not change Himself. ³⁰ And I saw when He ascended into the sixth heaven, and they worshipped and glorified Him. ³¹ But in all the heavens the praise increased (in volume). ³² And I saw how He ascended into the seventh heaven, and all the righteous and all the angels praised Him. And then I saw Him sit down on the right hand of that Great Glory whose glory I told you that I could not behold. ³³ And also the angel of the Holy Spirit I saw sitting on the left hand.