Chapter 8
AND again he raised me into the air of the sixth heaven, and I saw such glory as I had not seen in the five heavens.
2. For I saw angels possessing great glory.
3. And the praise there was holy and wonderful.
4. And I said to the angel who conducted me: "What is this which I see, my Lord?"
5. And he said: "I am not thy lord, but thy fellow servant."
6. And again I asked him, and I said unto him: "Why are there not angelic fellow servants (on the left)?"
7. And he said: "From the sixth heaven there are no longer angels on the left, nor a throne set in the midst, but (they are directed) by the power of the seventh heaven, where dwelleth He that is not named and the Elect One, whose name has not been made known, and none of the heavens can learn His name.
8. For it is He alone to whose voice all the heavens and thrones give answer. I have therefore been empowered and sent to raise thee here that thou mayest see this glory.
9. And that thou mayest see the Lord of all those heavens and these thrones.
10. Undergoing (successive) transformation until He resembles your form and likeness.
11. I indeed say unto thee, Isaiah; No man about to return into a body of that world has ascended or seen what thou seest or perceived what thou hast perceived and what thou wilt see.
12. For it has been permitted to thee in the lot of the Lord to come hither. [And from thence comes the power of the sixth heaven and of the air]."
13. And I magnified my Lord with praise, in that through His lot I should come hither.
14. And he said: "Hear, furthermore, therefore, this also from thy fellow servant: when from the body by the will of God thou hast ascended hither, then thou wilt receive the garment which thou seest, and likewise other numbered garments laid up (there) thou wilt see.
15. And then thou wilt become equal to the angels of the seventh heaven.
16. And he raised me up into the sixth heaven, and there were no (angels) on the left, nor a throne in the midst, but all had one appearance and their (power of) praise was equal.
17. And (power) was given to me also, and I also praised along with them and that angel also, and our praise was like theirs. 18. And there they all named the primal Father and His Beloved, the Christ, and the Holy Spirit, all with one voice.
19. And (their voice) was not like the voice of the angels in the five heavens.
20. [Nor like their discourse] but the voice was different there, and there was much light there.
21. And then, when I was in the sixth heaven I thought the light which I had seen in the five heavens to be but darkness.
22. And I rejoiced and praised Him who hath bestowed such lights on those who wait for His promise.
23. And I besought the angel who conducted me that I should not henceforth return to the carnal world.
24. I say indeed unto you, Hezekiah and Josab my son and Micaiah, that there is much darkness here.
25. And the angel who conducted me discovered what I thought and said: "If in this light thou dost rejoice, how much more wilt thou rejoice, when in the seventh heaven thou seest the light where is the Lord and His Beloved [whence I have been sent, who is to be called "Son" in this world.
26. Not (yet) hath been manifested he shall be in the corruptible world] and the garments, and the thrones, and the crowns which are laid up for the righteous, for those who trust in that Lord who will descend in your form. For the light which is there is great and wonderful.
27. And as concerning thy not returning into the body thy days are not yet fulfilled for coming here."
28. And when I heard (that) I was troubled, and he said: "Do not be troubled."