Apocalypse of Paul

On the road to Jerusalem, Paul meets a small child upon a mountain — even the Holy Spirit — and is instructed to ascend through the heavens to behold the orders of the spirit.

1It came to pass that, as I, Paul, was going up unto Jerusalem to meet the apostles, I came upon a mountain — even the mountain of Jericho — to go up unto Jerusalem above.

2And I encountered a small child upon the way; and he saluted me, saying: Whither goest thou, Paul, the blessed of God, the apostle of God, set apart from his mother's womb? Tarry not; for thou shalt go up unto Jerusalem unto thy fellow-apostles. They are awaiting thee. Thou shalt see thy brethren.

3Then I said: Who art thou, child?

4He answered, and said unto me: I am the Holy Spirit which abideth with thee. Come thou with me. I shall lead thee up unto the heavens, that thou mayest behold the orders thereof.

5And he laid his hand upon me; and we were caught up unto the third heaven. And in the third heaven I beheld a great angel; and the angel said: Whither goest thou, O Paul?

6And I said: Unto the heaven from which I came forth.

7And the angel said: Pass on. The Spirit shall be thy guide.

8And we ascended unto the fourth heaven. And I beheld there an angel of judgment; and before him stood a soul lately departed from the body. And the soul was being judged. The angel said unto her: Whence comest thou? And she said: From the body. And he said: What didst thou in the body? Recite thy deeds.

9And the soul began to speak; but the angel said: Speak not falsely; for thy works testify against thee. And the soul was put to silence. And she was sent back unto the cycle of birth, that she might bear another body and learn what she had not learned.

10And we ascended unto the fifth heaven. And there I beheld a great angel, with an iron rod in his hand, beating the souls and driving them up unto the place of judgment. And the Spirit said unto me: This is the angel of the way. None ascendeth save by his rod. He scourgeth the slothful; he draweth on the willing.

Paul ascends through the sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth, and tenth heavens — confronts the old man on the seventh heaven who would detain him, and is recognized by his fellow spirits in the place of light.

1And we ascended unto the sixth heaven. And the light of the sixth heaven shone upon me; and the angels rejoiced when they beheld me, for they recognized me as one of their own.

2And we ascended unto the seventh heaven. And there I beheld an old man, sitting upon a throne; his garment was as the white snow, and his face shone as the sun. And he said unto me: Whither goest thou, O Paul, thou blessed one, set apart from thy mother's womb?

3I beheld the Spirit; he was nodding his head, saying unto me: Speak with him. And I answered, and said unto the old man: I shall go unto the place from which I came forth.

4And the old man said: Whence art thou?

5And I answered, and said: I shall go down into the world of the dead, that I might lead captive the captivity which was led captive in the captivity of Babylon. And the old man answered me, saying: How shalt thou be able to depart from me? Behold, the rulers and the principalities.

6And the Spirit said unto me: Give him the sign which thou hast — and he shall open up unto thee. And I gave him the sign. He turned his face down unto his creation, and unto them that are his own authorities.

7And then was opened the seventh heaven. And we ascended up unto the eighth heaven. And I beheld the twelve apostles. They saluted me; and we ascended up unto the ninth heaven.

8I saluted all them that are in the ninth heaven; and we ascended up unto the tenth heaven. And I saluted my fellow spirits.

9And there I beheld the great Light. And the Spirit said unto me: This is the place of thy rest. This is the inheritance which the Father hath prepared for thee from before the foundation of the world.

10And I bowed down, and worshipped. And I gave thanks. And the Spirit said: Now art thou one with thy fellow spirits. Henceforth shalt thou no more be alone. Thou shalt walk in the Light; thou shalt rest in the rest; thou shalt reign with the Lord for ever.

11Then the Spirit brought me down again. And I came again into my body. And I arose; and I went forth, that I might preach the gospel which I had received.

12And these things did I, Paul, behold; and I bear witness, and my witness is true. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. Glory be unto the Father, and unto the Son, and unto the Holy Spirit, world without end. Amen.