The Kings’ Confession
1 In those days, the mighty and the kings who rule the earth will beg Him for a brief rest from His angels of punishment, to whom they were delivered, so they might kneel and worship before the Lord of Spirits, and confess their sins before Him.
2 They will praise and exalt the Lord of Spirits, saying: “Blessed is the Lord of Spirits and the Lord of kings, the Lord of the mighty and the Lord of the wealthy, the Lord of glory and the Lord of wisdom, 3 and Your power is magnificent in every hidden aspect from generation to generation, and Your glory forever and ever. All Your secrets are deep and countless, and Your righteousness is beyond measure.
4 “We now understand that we should praise and bless the Lord of kings and Him who is king over all kings.”
5 They will say: “If only we had the chance to praise and give thanks and confess our faith before His glory! 6 And now we long for a moment of rest but do not find it. We strive to achieve it but fail, and light has vanished from before us, and darkness is our dwelling place forever and ever.
7 “For we did not believe before Him nor did we glorify the name of the Lord of Spirits, but our hope was in the scepter of our kingdom, and in our own glory. 8 And on the day of our suffering and distress, He does not save us, and we find no time to confess that our Lord is true in all His works, and in His judgments and His justice, and His judgments show no favoritism.
9 “And we perish from before His face because of our deeds, and all our sins are counted with justice.”
10 Now they will say to themselves: “Our souls are full of illegitimate gain, but it does not prevent us from descending into the depths of Sheol.”
11 After that, their faces will be filled with darkness and shame before that Son of Man, and they will be expelled from His presence, and the sword will remain before His face among them.
12 The Lord of Spirits declares: “This is the decree and judgment concerning the mighty and the kings and those held in high honor and those who possess the earth before the Lord of Spirits.”
Texts in conversation
Compare 1 Enoch 63:10 and Jesus Ben Sira, Sirach 5:8
Pseudepigrapha, Apocalypses · Deuterocanon
Summary
Passages
1 Enoch 63:10
Pseudepigrapha, Apocalypses · Ethiopic Book of Enochand we find no time to confess that our Lord is true in all His works,
and in His judgments and His justice,
and His judgments show no favoritism. 9 “And we perish from before His face because of our deeds,
and all our sins are counted with justice.” 10 Now they will say to themselves:
“Our souls are full of illegitimate gain,
but it does not prevent us from descending into the depths of Sheol.” 11 After that, their faces will be filled with darkness and shame before that Son of Man, and they will be expelled from His presence, and the sword will remain before His face among them.
Jesus Ben Sira, Sirach 5:8
Deuterocanon · Ben Sira, EcclesiasticusHe will be appeased over my many sins,”
for mercy and anger are with him,
and his fury will rest on sinners. 7 Don’t wait to turn to the Lord.
Don’t put it off from day to day,
for suddenly the anger of the Lord will come on you,
and you will die in the time of vengeance. 8 Don’t set your heart on dishonest gains,
for you will profit nothing on the day of disaster. 9 Don’t winnow with every wind.
Don’t walk in every path.
This is what the sinner who speaks with two tongues does. 10 Be steadfast in your understanding.
Let your speech be consistent.
References
References are not endorsements of their contents. Read each reference in full to understand its author's intentions in using these texts.
Your feedback