The First Parable

1 The First Parable. When the assembly of the righteous appears, and sinners are judged for their sins and driven from the face of the earth, 2 and when the Righteous One appears before the eyes of the righteous,⁠a whose chosen deeds depend on the Lord of Spirits, and light appears to the righteous and the elect who dwell on the earth: where then will the sinners dwell, and where will those rest who have denied the Lord of Spirits? It would have been better for them if they had never been born.⁠b 3 When the secrets of the righteous are revealed, the sinners will be judged, and the godless will be driven from the presence of the righteous and the elect. 4 From that time those who possess the earth will no longer be powerful and exalted, and they will not be able to look on the face of the holy, for the Lord of Spirits has caused His light to appear on the face of the holy, the righteous, and the elect.⁠c 5 Then the kings and the mighty will perish and be given into the hands of the righteous and holy. 6 And from then on none will ask mercy from the Lord of Spirits for their life, for their life is at an end.