4 Baruch

The Things Omitted From Jeremiah the Prophet

Chapter one

1It happened, when the children of Israel were taken captive by the king of the Chaldeans, that God spoke to Jeremiah, saying, Jeremiah, my chosen one, rise up and get out of this city, you and Baruch, because I am going to destroy it for

2the multitude of the sins of those who inhabit it. For your prayers are like a firm

3pillar in the middle of it, and like an unbreachable wall encircling it. So now

4rise up and get out before the host of the Chaldeans surrounds it. And Jeremiah answered, saying, I implore you, Lord, allow me, your servant to speak before

5,6you. And the Lord said to him, Speak, my chosen one, Jeremiah. And Jeremiah spoke, saying, Lord Almighty, are you delivering the chosen city into the hands of the Chaldeans, so that the king may boast with the multitude of his

7people and say, I prevailed over the holy city of God? (Surely) not, by Lord;

8but if it is your will, let it be destroyed by your (own) hands. And the Lord said to Jeremiah, Since you are my chosen one, rise up and get out of this city, you and Baruch, because I am going to destroy it for the multitude of the sins of

9those who inhabit it. For neither the king nor his host can come into it unless I

10,11first open its gates. So rise up and go to Baruch and tell him these words. And rising up at the sixth hour of the night, get up on the wall of the city, and I will

12show you that unless I first destroy the city, they cannot come into it, After saying these things, the Lord departed from Jeremiah.

Chapter two

1And Jeremiah ran and told these things to Baruch, and as they came into the temple of God, Jeremiah tore his garments and put dust on his head and went

2into the sanctuary of God. And Baruch, seeing him (with) dust sprinkled on his head and his garments torn, cried out in a loud voice, saying, Father Jeremiah, what is the matter with you, or what sort of sin have the people committed?

3(He said this) because whenever the people sinned, Jeremiah sprinkled dust on

4his head and would pray for the people until the sin was forgiven them. And (this is why) Baruch asked him, saying, Father, what is the matter with you?

5And Jeremiah said to him, Avoid the rending of your garments, but rather let us rend our hearts; and let us not draw water for the troughs, but let us weep and

6fill them with tears. For the Lord will not have mercy on this people. And

7Baruch said, Father, Jeremiah, what has happened? And Jeremiah said. God is delivering the city into the hands of the king of the Chaldeans, to take the

8people captive into Babylon. And when Baruch heard these things, he tore his

9garments also and said, Father Jeremiah, who revealed this to you? And Jeremiah said to him, Wait with me a little, until the sixth hour of the night,

10that you may know that this word is true. And so they both remained at the altar weeping, and their garments were torn.

Chapter three

1But when the hour of the night arrived, as the Lord had said to Jeremiah, they

2went up together onto the walls of the city, Jeremiah and Baruch. And behold, there was a sound of trumpets, and angels came out of heaven holding torches in

3their hands, and they stood on the walls of the city. And when Jeremiah and Baruch saw them, they wept, saying, Now we know that the word is true.

4And Jeremiah pleaded with the angels, saying, I implore you not to destroy the

5city just yet, until I have a word with the Lord. And the Lord spoke to the angels, saying, Don’t destroy the city until I speak to my chosen one, Jeremiah.

6,7The Jeremiah spoke, saying, Please, Lord, let me speak before you. And

8the Lord said, Speak, my chosen one, Jeremiah. And Jeremiah said, Behold, Lord, we know now that you are delivering the city into the hands of its enemies,

9and they will carry the people off into Babylon. What do you want me to do

10with the holy vessels of the (Temple) service? And the Lord said to him, who created you, who formed you in the abundance of the waters, who sealed you with seven seals in seven periods (of time), and after these things you will

11receive your fruitful season. Guard the vessels of the (Temple) service until the

12coming of the beloved one. And Jeremiah spoke, saying, I implore you, Lord, show me what I should do for Abimelech the Ethiopian, for he did many

13good deeds for your servant Jeremaih. For he pulled me out of the muddy cistern, and I do not want him to see the destruction of this city and (its) desolation, but

14that you may show him mercy and that he might not be grieved. And the Lord said to Jeremiah, Send him to the vineyard of Agrippa and in the shadow of

15the mountain I will shelter him until I return the people to the city. But you, Jeremiah, go with your people into Babylon and stay with them, preaching to

16them until I return them to the city. But leave Baruch here until I speak to him.

17,18After the Lord said these things, he went up from Jeremiah into heaven. But Jeremiah and Baruch went into the sanctuary and, gathering up the vessels of the (Temple) service, they delivered them to the earth, just as the Lord had instructed

19,20them. And immediately the earth swallowed them up. And the two sat down

21and wept. And when it was morning, Jeremiah sent Abimelech away, saying, Take the basket and go out to the farm of Agrippa by the mountain road and get a few figs to give to the sick among the people, for the delight of the Lord

22(rests) upon you, and (his) glory upon your head. And saying these things, Jeremiah sent him away, and Abimelech went as he had been instructed.

Chapter four

1And when it was morning, behold the host of the Chaldeans surrounded the

2city. And the great angel trumpeted, saying, Come into the city, host of the

3Chaldeans; for behold, the gate has been opened for you. Therefore, let the king

4come in with his multitude and take all the people captive. But Jeremiah, taking the keys of the Temple, went outside of the city and, facing the sun, he tossed them, saying, I say to you, sun, take the keys of the Temple of God and keep

5them until the day in which the Lord will question you about them. Because

6we were not found worthy of keeping them, for we were false stewards. While Jeremiah was still weeping for the people, they carried him (off) with the people,

7dragging (them) into Babylon. And Baruch put dust on his head and sat and wept this lamentation, saying, Why was Jerusalem made desolate? For the sins of the beloved people she was delivered into the hands of enemies, for our

8sins and (those) of the people. But do not let the outlaws boast and say, We were strong enough to take the city of God by our power, but because of our

9sins it was delivered to you. And our God will pity us and return us to our city,

10but you will not have life. Blessed are our fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, for they departed from this world and did not see the destruction of this city.

11After saying these things, Baruch went outside the city, weeping and saying,

12Grieving over you, Jerusalem, I have left you. And he remained sitting in a tomb while the angels came to him and elaborated to him all the things that the Lord would reveal to him through them.

Chapter five

But Abimelech carried the figs in the hear (of the day), and coming upon a

2tree, he sat under its shade to rest a little. And leaning his head on the basket of figs (and) falling asleep, he slept for sixty-six years, and he did not wake from

3his sleep, And afterward, when he arose from his sleep, he said, I slept pleasantly a little, but my head is weighed down because I didn’t get enough

4,5sleep. Then, uncovering the basket of figs, he found them dripping milk. And he said, I would like to nap a little longer, because my head is weighed down, but I’m afraid I might fall fast asleep and be late waking up, and my father Jeremiah might think less (of me). For if he were not in a hurry, he would not

6have sent me (so) early this morning. So I will get up and proceed in the heat,

7for isn’t there heat, isn’t there work, everyday? So getting up, he took the basket of figs and put (it) on his shoulders and went into Jerusalem, and he did not recognize it, neither the house nor his neighborhood; neither did he find his

8family, nor any of the neighbors. And he said, Blessed (be) the Lord, for a

9great stupor has befallen me today. This is not the city Jerusalem! I got lost because I came by the mountain road after getting up from my sleep; and since

10my head was heavy from my not getting enough sleep, I got lost. Imagine telling

11Jeremiah that I got lost! And he went out of the city, and looking (carefully) he saw the landmarks of the city and said, This, then, is the city; I got lost.

12And he returned again to the city and searched and found none of his own (people),

13and he said, Blessed (be) the Lord, for a great stupor has befallen me! And he went outside the city again and stayed (there) grieving, not knowing where he

14should go. And he put the basket down, saying, I’m sitting right here until the

15Lord takes this stupor away from me. And as he sat, he saw an elderly man coming from the field, and Abimelech said to him, I say to you, old man, what

16,17city is this? And he said to him, It is Jerusalem. And Abimelech said to him. (Then) where is Jeremiah the priest and Baruch the reader and all the

18people of this city, because I didn’t find them. And the old man said to him, Are you not from this city, that you remember Jeremiah today, and ask about

19after so long a time? For Jeremiah is in Babylon with the people. For they were taken captive by Nebuchadnezzar the king and Jeremiah is with them to

20preach to them and to teach them the word. But as soon as Abimelech heard (this) from the old gentleman, he said, If you weren’t an old man, and if it weren’t improper for a man to insult his elder(s), I would laugh at you and say, you are crazy because you said, The people were taken captive into Babylon.

21If the cataracts of heaven had come down upon them, there still isn’t time to have

22gone into Babylon! For how long can it be since my father Jeremiah sent me to the farm of Agrippa to get a few figs so we could give (them) to the sick among

22the people? And I went out and got them, and coming upon a certain tree in the heat (of the day) I sat down to rest a little, and I leaned my head on the basket

24and fell asleep. And when I woke up, I uncovered the basket of figs, thinking I

25was late, and found the figs dripping with milk, just as (when) I picked them. And

26you say that the people were taken captive into Babylon! But (just) so you’ll

27know, take the figs (and) see! And he uncovered the basket of figs for the old

28man, and he saw them dripping milk. And when he saw them, the old gentleman said, O my son, you are a righteous man, and God did not want you to see the

29desolation of the city, so he brought this stupor upon you. For behold, it is today

30sixty-six years since the people were taken captive into Babylon. And so that you may learn, son, that what I am telling you is true, look out into the field and

31see that the growth of the crops is not (yet) apparent. See also the figs, that it is

32not (yet) time for them, and understand. Then Abimelech cried in a loud voice, saying, I will bless you, O God of heaven and of the earth, the rest of the souls

33of the righteous in every place. Then he said to the elderly gentleman, What

34,35month is this? And he said, Nisan, the twelfth (day). And picking up (some) of the figs, he gave them to the old gentleman and said to him, May God guide you with (his) light to the city above, Jerusalem!

Chapter six

1After these things Abimelech went outside the city and prayed to the Lord

2And behold, an angel of the Lord came and, taking hold of his right hand, brought him back to the place where Baruch was sitting, and he found him in a

3tomb. And when they saw each other, both (of them) wept, and they kissed each

4other. And looking up, Baruch saw with his (own) eyes the figs sheltered in

5,6Abimelech’s basket. And raising his eyes to heaven, he prayed, saying, You are the God who bestows a reward (on) those who love you. Prepare yourself, my heart; rejoice and be glad in your tabernacle, saying to your fleshly dwelling, Your sorrow has been turned to joy. For the Mighty One is coming and will

7raise you in your tabernacle, for sin has not taken root in you. Be refreshed

8within your tabernacle, in your virgin faith, and believe that you will live. Look at this basket of figs; for behold, they are sixty-six years old and they have not

9withered nor do they stink, but they are dripping with milk. Thus will it be for you, my flesh, if you do the things commanded you by the angel of righteousness.

10He who preserved the basket of figs, the same one again will preserve you by

11his power. After saying these things, Baruch said to Abimelech, Get up and let us pray that the Lord might reveal to us how we can send word to Jeremiah

12in Babylon about the protection which was yours on the way. And Baruch prayed, saying, Our power, Lord God (thou) chosen light, (is) that which

13proceeds from your mouth. We implore and beg of your goodness, O great name which no one can know. Hear the voice of your servants and let knowledge come

14into out heart. What should we do, and how should we send this news to Jeremiah

15in Babylon? And while Baruch was still praying, behold an angel of the Lord came and said to Baruch all these words: Councilor of the light, don’t worry about how you should send to Jeremiah. For tomorrow an eagle is coming to you

16(at the) hour of light, and you must direct (it) to Jeremiah. Therefore, write in the letter, Speak to the children of Israel, Let him among you who has become a foreigner be expelled, and let them spend fifteen days, and after these things

17I will lead you into your city, says the Lord. Whoever is not separated from Babylon, let him not come into the city, and I will punish them with not being

18taken back again by the Babylonians, says the Lord. And after these things,

19the angel departed from Baruch. And Baruch sent to the marketplace of the gentiles and got papyrus and ink, and he wrote the following letter. Baruch, the

20servant of God, writes to Jeremiah in the captivity of Babylon. Hail and rejoice! For God has not left us to pass out of this body grieving over the city which was

21desolated and outraged. For this reason the Lord has taken pity on our tears and has remembered the covenant that he established with our fathers Abraham, Isaac,

22and Jacob. And he sent his angel to me and told me these words which I have

23sent to you. Now, these are the words that the Lord God of Israel, who led us from the land of Egypt, out of the great furnace, spoke: Because you didn’t keep my commandments, but your heart was lifted up and you stiffened your neck before me, in wrath and anger I delivered you to the furnace of Babylon.

24However, if you will listen to my voice, says the Lord, from the mouth of Jeremiah my servant, whoever listens I will bring him back from Babylon, and whoever does not listen will become a stranger to Jerusalem and to Babylon.

25And you will prove them with the water of the Jordan; whoever does not listen will become known; this is the sign of the great seal.

Chapter seven

1And Baruch stood up and went out of the tomb and found the eagle sitting

2outside the tomb. And conversing in a human voice, the eagle said to him, Hail,

3Baruch, the steward of the faith! And Baruch said to him, You who speak are chosen from all the birds of heaven, for this is clear from the gleam in your

4eyes; so show me, what are you doing here? And the eagle said to him, I was

5sent here so that you may send every word you desire through me. And Baruch

6said to him, Can you take this message up to Jeremiah in Babylon? And the

7eagle said to him, Certainly; this is why I was sent. And picking up the letter and fifteen figs from the basket of Abimelech, Baruch tied them to the neck of the eagle and said to him, I say to you, king of birds, depart in peace and health

8and carry the message for me. Don’t be like the raven that Noah sent out and that never again returned to him in the ark, but be like the dove that on the third

9(attempt) brought word to the righteous one. So also, you take this precious word up to Jeremiah and to those prisoners with him that it might be well with you.

10Take this papyrus to the people and to the chosen one of God. I all the birds of heaven should surround you and desire to fight with you, resist (them); the Lord

11will give you power. And don’t veer off to the right or to the left, but like an arrow shot straight, go forth in the power of God, and may the glory of the Lord

12be with you on the entire journey which you will travel. Then the eagle took flight, having the letter around his neck, and departed for Babylon. And when he arrived (there), he rested in a certain tree outside the city in a deserted place.

13And he was silent until Jeremiah came by, for he and certain other people were

14coming out to bury a man outside the city. For Jeremiah had made a request of King Nebuchadnezzar, saying, Give me a place where I may bury the dead

15of my people. And the king had given (it) to him. And as they were going out

16with the dead man and weeping, they passed by the eagle. And the eagle cried in a loud voice, saying, I say to you, Jeremiah, chosen one of God, go! Gather the people and come here that they may hear a letter which I have brought you

17from Baruch and Abimelech. And when Jeremaih heard, he glorified God, and he went out and gathered the people with (their) wives and children, and he came

18to where the eagle was. And the eagle descended upon the one who had died,

19,20and he came back to life. This happened that they might believe. And all the people marveled at what had happened, saying, Is this the God who appeared to our fathers in the wilderness through Moses (who) has now also appeared to

21us through this eagle? And the eagle said, I say to you, Jeremiah, come untie this letter and read it to the people. So, untying the letter, he read it to the

22people. And when the people heard (it) they wept and put dust on their heads, and they said to Jeremiah, Save us, and tell us what we should do, that we may

23enter our city (once) again. And Jeremiah answered and said to them, Everything that you have heard from the letter observe, and the Lord will lead us into our

24city. And Jeremiah also wrote a letter to Baruch, saying thus, My beloved son, do not be negligent in your prayers pleading with God in our behalf, that he

25might speed out journey until we leave the jurisdiction of this lawless king. For you were found righteous before God, and he didn’t allow you to come here, so you wouldn’t see the oppression which has befallen the people at the hands of the

26Babylonians. For (it is) just as (when) a father has an only son and he is handed over for punishment; those who see his father and (are) consoling him cover his face so he won’t see how his son is being punished and be racked by grief (even)

27more. For God similarly had mercy on you and didn’t allow you to come into

28Babylon so you wouldn’t see the oppression of the people. For since we came

29here, grief has not left us (even) today (after) sixty-six years! For I would often go out and find (some) of the people hung up by King Nebuchadnezzar weeping

30and saying, Have mercy on us, God Zar! Hearing these things, I would grieve and would weep a double lamentation, not only because they were hung up, but

31because they were calling upon a foreign god, saying, Have mercy on us. And I would remember the feast days that we used to celebrate in Jerusalem before we were taken captive, and remembering, I would groan and return to my house

32distressed and weeping. So pray now in the place where you are, you and

33Abimelech, for this people, so that we may depart from here. For I say to you that the whole time we have been here, they have oppressed us, saying, Sing us

34a song from the songs of Zion, the song of your God. And we say to them.

35How can we sing to you, being in a foreign land? And after these things, Jeremiah tied the letter to the neck of the eagle, saying, Go in peace, and may

36the Lord watch over us both! And the eagle took flight and came to Jerusalem and gave the letter to Baruch, and after he had untied (it), he read (it) and kissed it, and he wept when he heard about the griefs and the oppressions of the people.

37but Jeremiah took the figs and distributed (them) to the sick among the people, and he continues teaching them to keep away from the pollutions of the gentiles of Babylon.

Chapter eight

1,2But the day came in which the Lord led the people out of Babylon. And the Lord said to Jeremiah, Get up, you and the people, and come to the Jordan; and you will say to the people, Let him who desires the Lord leave the works

3of Babylon behind. And (of) the men who took wives from them, and the women who took husbands from them, let those who hear you cross over, and take them up to Jerusalem; but (as for) those who do not hear you, you must not

4lead them there. And Jeremiah spoke these words to the people, and they got

5up and came to the Jordan to cross over. And when he told them the words which the Lord had spoken to him, half of those who had (inter)married with them did not want to hear Jeremiah, but said to him, We will not leave our

6wives behind forever, but we will bring them with us back to our city. So they

7crossed over the Jordan and came to Jerusalem, And Jeremiah stood (firm) with Baruch and Abilemech, saying, No man who cohabits with Babylonians will

8enter this city! And they said among themselves, Let’s get up and return to

9Babylon, to our place. And they departed. But when they came to Babylon, the Babylonians came out to meet them, saying, You will not come into our city, because you hated us and went out from us in secret; for this you will not

10come in with us. For we made one another swear an oath in the name of our god to receive neither you nor your children, since you went out from us in

11secret. And when they learned this, they turned back and came to a desert place some distance from Jerusalem, and they built themselves a city and named it

12Samaria. And Jeremiah sent to them, saying, Repent, for an angel of righteousness is coming, and he will lead you to your exalted place.

Chapter nine

1 And those who were with Jeremiah continued for none days rejoicing and

2offering up sacrifices for the people. But on the tenth (day) Jeremiah alone offered

3up a sacrifice. And he prayed a prayer, saying, Holy, holy, holy, incense of

4the living trees, true light that enlightens me until I am taken up to you; for your mercy I plead, for the sweet voice of the two seraphim I plead, for another fragrant

5odor of incense. And may Michael, the archangel of righteousness who opens the gates for the righteous, be (the object of) my attention until he leads the

6tighteous in. I implore you, Almighty Lord of all creation, unbegotten and incomprehensible, in whom all judgment was hidden before these things existed.

7 And as Jeremiah said these things, while standing at the altar with Baruch and

8Abimelech, he became as one of those who have given up their soul. And Baruch and Abimelech remained weeping and crying in a loud voice, Woe to us, because

9our father Jeremiah has left us; the priest of God has departed. And all the people heard their weeping, and they all ran to them and saw Jeremiah lying on

10the ground as though dead. And they tore their garments and put dust on their

11heads and wept bitterly. And after these things, they prepared themselves to

12bury him. And behold, there came a voice saying, Do not bury one still living,

13for his soul is coming into his body again. And because they heard the voice, they did not bury him but remained in a circle around his tabernacle for three

14days, saying, At what hour is he going to rise? And after three days, his soul came into his body and he lifted up his voice in the midst of (them) all and said, Glorify God with one voice! All (of you) glorify God, and the Son of God who awakens us, Jesus Christ the light of all the aeons, the inextinguishable lamp, the

15life of faith! And after these times there will be another four hundred and seventy-

16seven years, and (then) he is coming to the earth. And the tree of life which is planted in the middle of Paradise will cause all the uncultivated trees to bear

17fruit, and they will grow and sprout. And the trees that had (already) sprouted and boasted and said, We raised our top to the air, he will cause them to wither together with the loftiness of their branches. And the firmly rooted tree will cause

18them to be judged! And what is scarlet will become as white as wool; the snow will be made black; the sweet waters will become salty, and the salty sweet in

19the great light of the joy of God. And he will bless the islands that they may

20bear fruit at the word of the mouth of his anointed one. For he will come! And he will go out and choose for himself twelve apostles, that they may preach among the nations, he whom I have seen adorned by his father and coming into the world

21on the Mount of Olives; and he will fill the hungry souls. And as Jeremiah was saying these things about the Son of God, that he is coming into the world, the people became angry and said, These (once) again are the words spoken by

22Isaiah the son of Amos saying, I saw God and the son of God. Come, therefore, and let us not kill him by that (same) death, but let’s stone him with stones.

23Now, Baruch and Abimelech were extremely grieved because they wanted to hear

24in full the mysteries that he had seen. But Jeremiah said to them, Be quiet and do not weep, for they will not kill me until I have described to you everything

25,26that i saw. And he said to them, Bring a stone here to me. And he set it (up) and said, Light of the aeons, make this stone look just like me until I have

27described everything I saw to Baruch and Abimelech. Then the stone, bu the

28command of God, took on the likeness of Jeremiah. And they were stoning the

29stone, thinking that it was Jeremaih. But Jeremaih delivered all the mysteries that he had seen to Baruch and Abimelech, and then he simply stood in the midst

30of the people, desiring to bring his stewardship to an end. Then the stone cried out, saying, O stupid children of Israel, why do you stone me, thinking that I

31am Jeremiah? Behold Jeremiah stands in your midst! And when they saw him they immediately ran at him with many stones, and his stewardship was fulfilled.

32And Baruch and Abimelech came and buried him, and they took the stone and put (it) on his tomb after inscribing (it) thus: This is the stone (that was) the ally of Jeremiah.

* Apocrypha - (from the Greek word απόκρυφα meaning "those having been hidden away") are texts of uncertain authenticity or writings where the authorship is questioned. These texts may have been used in some churches by were never considered as part of the Bible

** Pseudepigrapha = (from Greek pseudes = "false", "epigraphe" = "inscription") are texts falsely attributed to biblical characters or times. These books were never part of the Bible & were never considered as scripture by the church at any time despite being published under such titles of "The Lost Books of the Bible" or "The Hidden Gospels". The church has always known about them & they were never "Hidden" & could be read at any University or college. There is no deep dark secret here, just publishers trying to make a buck with interesting book titles.

*** Noncanonical Literature =  Never part of the Canon or Bible.