#apocrypha — Public Fediverse posts

A quotation from The Bible

A hasty quarrel sparks a fire,
   and hasty conflict sheds blood.
If you blow on a spark, it will flame up,
   and if you spit on it, it will go out;
   nonetheless, both come out
   of your mouth.
 
[ἔρις κατασπευδομένη ἐκκαίει πῦρ,
καὶ μάχη κατασπεύδουσα ἐκχέει αἷμα.
ἐὰν φυσήσῃς εἰς σπινθῆρα, ἐκκαήσεται,
καὶ ἐὰν πτύσῃς ἐπ᾽ αὐτόν, σβεσθήσεται·
καὶ ἀμφότερα ἐκ τοῦ στόματός σου ἐκπορεύεται.]

The Bible (The Old Testament) (14th - 2nd C BC) Judeo-Christian sacred scripture [Tanakh, Hebrew Bible], incl. the Apocrypha (Deuterocanonicals)
Book 22b. Sirach (Ecclesiasticus) 28:11ff (Sir 28:11–12) [tr. CEB (2011)]

More about (and translations of) this quote: wist.info/bible-ot/85373/

#quote #quotes #quotation #qotd #bible #oldtestament #apocrypha #ecclesiasticus #sirach #antagonize #argument #calmdown #deescalation #dispute #escalation #fight #quarrel #selfrestraint #verbalabuse #violence #words #peacemaking

A quotation from The Bible

Can people hold on to their anger
against others, and then look for healing from the Lord?
   Can they refuse to have mercy
   on people like themselves,
   and then pray about their own sins?
   If they, who are just flesh,
   hold on to anger,
   who will secure pardon
   for their own sins?
   
[ἄνθρωπος ἀνθρώπῳ συντηρεῖ ὀργήν,
   καὶ παρὰ κυρίου ζητεῖ ἴασιν;
ἐπ᾽ ἄνθρωπον ὅμοιον αὐτῷ οὐκ ἔχει ἔλεος,
   καὶ περὶ τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν αὐτοῦ δεῖται;
αὐτὸς σὰρξ ὢν διατηρεῖ μῆνιν,
   τίς ἐξιλάσεται τὰς ἁμαρτίας αὐτοῦ;]

The Bible (The Old Testament) (14th - 2nd C BC) Judeo-Christian sacred scripture [Tanakh, Hebrew Bible], incl. the Apocrypha (Deuterocanonicals)
Book 22b. Sirach (Ecclesiasticus) 28: 3ff (Sir 28:3–5) [tr. CEB (2011)]

More about (and translations of) this quote: wist.info/bible-ot/85272/

#quote #quotes #quotation #qotd #bible #apocrypha #ecclesiasticus #sirach #anger #divinegrace #divinejustice #divinemercy #forgiveness #grudge #hatred #justdeserts #pardon

A quotation from The Bible

Talk not much with a fool, and go not to him that hath no understanding: beware of him, lest thou have trouble, and thou shalt never be defiled with his fooleries: depart from him, and thou shalt find rest, and never be disquieted with madness.
 
[μετὰ ἄφρονος μὴ πληθύνῃς λόγον
καὶ πρὸς ἀσύνετον μὴ πορεύου·
φύλαξαι ἀπ᾽ αὐτοῦ, ἵνα μὴ κόπον ἔχῃς
καὶ οὐ μὴ μολυνθῇς ἐν τῷ ἐντιναγμῷ αὐτοῦ·
ἔκκλινον ἀπ᾽ αὐτοῦ καὶ εὑρήσεις ἀνάπαυσιν
καὶ οὐ μὴ ἀκηδιάσῃς ἐν τῇ ἀπονοίᾳ αὐτοῦ.]

The Bible (The Old Testament) (14th - 2nd C BC) Judeo-Christian sacred scripture [Tanakh, Hebrew Bible], incl. the Apocrypha (Deuterocanonicals)
Book 22b. Sirach (Ecclesiasticus) 22:13 (Sir 22:13) [tr. KJV (1611)]

More about (and translations of) this quote: wist.info/bible-ot/85065/

#quote #quotes #quotation #qotd #bible #oldtestament #sirach #ecclesiasticus #apocrypha #avoidance #dolt #folly #fool #idiocy #idiot #stupidity

A quotation from The Bible

Do not envy the sinner his success;
you do not know how that will end.
 
[μὴ ζηλώσῃς δόξαν ἁμαρτωλοῦ·
οὐ γὰρ οἶδας τί ἔσται ἡ καταστροφὴ αὐτοῦ.]

The Bible (The Old Testament) (14th - 2nd C BC) Judeo-Christian sacred scripture [Tanakh, Hebrew Bible], incl. the Apocrypha (Deuterocanonicals)
Book 22b. Sirach (Ecclesiasticus) 9:11 (Sir 9:11) [tr. NJB (1985)]

More about (and translations of) this quote: wist.info/bible-ot/84974/

#quote #quotes #quotation #qotd #bible #oldtestament #apocrypha #sirach #ecclesiasticus #badending #envy #evildoer #justdeserts #justice #karma #sinner #success #wrongdoer

Mysterium Esdrae II: The Curious Case of Nehemiah

This is the second in a series of guest posts by Fenna Capelle (Part I; Part III; Part IV). Fenna studies Hebrew and Aramaic Studies (research) (MA) at Leiden University.

As we concluded at the end of our last blog, the relationship between Ezra-Nehemiah and 1 Esdras, its dark, mysterious, apocryphal look-alike, invites closer examination. It is amusing to notice, even now as I read, research and write for this blog, how much I tend to favour the canonical texts that I grew up with: naturally, apocryphal texts must be secondary to canonical ones, which are ever unaltered and original. There is, however, an overall agreement that the editor(s)/author(s) of both Ezra-Nehemiah (written in Hebrew and interlined with some chapters in Aramaic) and 1 Esdras (composed in Greek) worked from a shared Semitic vorlage, i.e., a hypothetical/reconstructed source text that underlies a later manuscript and that editors or authors work from. The question remains, however, whether the Semitic text underlying 1 Esdras was exactly the same as Ezra-Nehemiah in its present form (Talshir and Talshir 1995; Talshir 1999, 269-270). It would be good, at the outset, to address an obvious question: what are some differences we observe between the two texts and how might we explain these variations?

Nehemiah, a Judean exile and cup-bearer to king Artaxerxes, is granted the king’s permission to return home and help rebuild the city of Jerusalem (Neh. 1:1-2:5), some 13 years after Ezra’s return from exile (see Pakkala 2008, 205-206):

Firstly, it is odd that the character of Nehemiah makes no appearance at all in the book of 1 Esdras, which seems to focus solely on the character of Ezra. As with solving any good mystery, one conjures up possible scenarios: either the author/editor of 1 Esdras has consciously omitted the character of Nehemiah, or 1 Esdras is simply an older, sans-Nehemiah version of the narrative. In this case, another scribe must, at some later stage, have added the Nehemiah material, leading to the form of the text in Ezra-Nehemiah (as Dieter Böhler argues in his 2003 article). I must concede, contrary to this, that most of the extra material (‘pluses’) is found in the book of 1 Esdras, not that of Ezra-Nehemiah – think, for example, of the story of the three guards. Zipporah Talshir, in a monograph dedicated to above matter, argues that 1 Esdras is a section deliberately cut out from the Ezra-Nehemiah sequence to form a framework for the story of the guards, that this lengthy addition is the text’s raison d’être (Talshir 1999). My point is that one would, in most cases, expect a more expansive, elaborate text to be later than a text that is less so — unless, of course, there is a good reason for deletion, as I, and others with me, think might be the case with Nehemiah (see Wright 2011, 145-163; paywalled).

The two texts, however, appear to differ somewhat in their view on these rebuilding efforts. 1 Esdras describes how Zerubbabel and co. “returned to Jerusalem and the rest of Judea, each to his own town” (1 Esd. 5:8 — N.B. all English translations of 1 Esdras taken from A New English Translation of the Septuagint). A few chapters later, when Ezra has returned and confronted the Israelite nation with their missteps, a large crowd gathers around him, weeping and repenting:

While Ezra was praying and making his confession, weeping and lying on the ground before the temple, there gathered around him a very great crowd of men and women and youths from Jerusalem, for there was great weeping among the multitude.

1 Esd. 8:88

1 Esdras makes it seem as if the city of Jerusalem is already repopulated by the time Ezra returns to reinstate YHWH’s law (Böhler 2003, 5). The parallel passage in the canonical book of Ezra, however, describes matters a bit differently:

Then all the people of Judah and Benjamin assembled at Jerusalem within the three days; it was the ninth month, on the twentieth day of the month. All the people sat in the open square before the house of God, trembling because of this matter and because of the heavy rain.

Ezr. 10:9 (all Biblical quotations taken from the New Revised Standard Version)

People gather from all over the place to hear Ezra speak. Jerusalem appears unpopulated as of yet, the rebuilding of which will eventually be Nehemiah’s task (Böhler 2003, 5).
Some years ago, Jacob Wright, professor of Hebrew at Candler School of Theology, published an article responding to this exact matter (Wright 2011, 145-163). He argues, in my opinion rather convincingly, that 1 Esdras has consciously eliminated Nehemiah from the historical record of the restoration. Given the array of exilic Biblical prophecies foretelling the rebuilding of Jerusalem (see, for example, Jer. 30:18; 31:38-40; Isa. 44:26-28; 49:14-20), it seems suspicious that the writer of 1 Esdras would fail to make the rebuilding explicit (apart from the few cases in which we may infer a rebuilt Jerusalem, as we have seen above). The reason for omission, Wright argues, may lie in the character of Nehemiah himself:

His explicit polemics against the priesthood (Neh.13), his presentation of a gubernatorial jurisdiction that extended to the temple (Neh.10), and his advocacy of a strong, militarized Judah that threatened the alliances of the aristocratic priests —these are just a few of the things that would have undoubtedly provoked the consternation of 1 Esdras’ pro-priestly authors.

Wright 2011, 150

Indeed, 1 Esdras seems, above all else, concerned with temple-service and priesthood. To return to the story of the three guards (of course missing from the canonical book): the insertion of this story allows for a buildup towards Zerubbabel’s temple-related quest: rebuilding of YHWH’s house, returning of the temple-vessels and rededication of the altar. If we follow Wright’s thinking, it seems probable that 1 Esdras relies on an already existing tradition where Ezra and Nehemiah were a two-for-one deal! The question, then, is how far this reshaping extends and what other traces of editorial intervention we might detect in the text. I propose we focus our next blogpost on one of these editorial interventions: the correspondence with king Artaxerxes to block construction of the temple and city.

A quotation from The Bible

Don’t abandon old friends,
      because newer ones are not their equals.
   New friends are like new wine;
      when wine ages,
      you will drink it with good cheer.
   
[Μὴ ἐγκαταλίπῃς φίλον ἀρχαῖον,
ὁ γὰρ πρόσφατος οὐκ ἔστιν ἔφισος αὐτῷ·
οἶνος νέος φίλος νέος·
ἐὰν παλαιωθῇ, μετ᾽ εὐφροσύνης πίεσαι αὐτόν.]

The Bible (The Old Testament) (14th - 2nd C BC) Judeo-Christian sacred scripture [Tanakh, Hebrew Bible], incl. the Apocrypha (Deuterocanonicals)
Book 22b. Sirach (Ecclesiasticus) 9:10 (Sir 9:10) [tr. CEB (2011)]

More about (and translations of) this quote: wist.info/bible-ot/84860/

#quote #quotes #quotation #qotd #bible #oldtestament #apocrypha #sirach #ecclesiasticus #aging #friends #friendship #loyalty #maturity #oldage #wine

Mysterium Esdrae I: The Other Ezra

This is the first in a series of guest posts by Fenna Capelle (Part II; Part III; Part IV). Fenna studies Hebrew and Aramaic Studies (research) (MA) at Leiden University.

It is safe to say that the Biblical Apocrypha do not constitute the daily reading of a young person raised in a Dutch Reformed church, as I was. All the greater was my delight upon realising the insights this corpus of texts might offer us; valuable insights into the ways ancient communities engaged with scripture and interpreted the events of the world around them. The Biblical Apocrypha operate outside an established canon of scripture, whose relation to said canon can at times be elusive, as we shall see in the case of 1 Esdras. 1 Esdras is an apocryphal text that we find included amongst the texts of the Septuagint, an early Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible. Whereas the Hebrew Bible has preserved just one version of the story of Ezra and Nehemiah, the Septuagint contains two: Esdras A (1 Esd.) and Esdras B (2 Esd.). The latter is a quite literal translation of the Hebrew and Aramaic book of Ezra-Nehemiah, yet, as we shall see at length throughout this series, Esdras A, or 1 Esdras, is not.

The book of 1 Esdras opens at the events described in the last chapters of 2 Chronicles: King Josiah leads a festive Passover ceremony at the temple (1 Esd. 1:1-22; 2 Chron. 35: 1-19). Josiah’s reign, however, is cut short, as an ill-advised war against Pharaoh Necho of Egypt proves fatal for him (1 Esd. 1:23-29; 2 Chron. 35: 1-19). Josiah is succeeded by a string of weak and impious kings, whose missteps result in exile. A good amount of time passes between the first and second chapter of 1 Esdras; by the time of 1 Esdras 2, the Babylonian empire has fallen into the hands of the Persians, following King Cyrus’ conquest of Babylon in 539 BC. This same Cyrus the Great issues a decree that allows the Judean exiles to return home and take with them the temple vessels that King Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the first temple (Ezr. 1:1-11; 1 Esd. 2:1-15. About the temple vessels, see also Dan. 5:2,23). Thus, the first wave of exiles returns in the days of Cyrus, led by a Judean official named Sheshbazzar.

Upon their return, they are met by varying communities of people that had continued to populate the land of Judah throughout the period of exile (for historical insight into the situation in Judah throughout the exilic period, I recommend Lester Grabbe’s article ‘The Reality of the Return’; paywalled). These remnant communities, however, do not look favourably upon the returnees’ desire to restore Jerusalem and the temple. As such, a letter is sent to the Persian king, who is now not Cyrus but Artaxerxes I (more about the chronology of Persian kings will follow in a later blogpost). The letter argues that if the returnees’ construction plans are realised, the Persian Empire may lose the province of Judah. Persuaded, the king agrees to halt rebuilding efforts in Jerusalem. (1 Esd. 2:16-30; Ezr. 4:7-24). The construction work will not be resumed until the reign of Darius I, prompted by a fortunate turn of events at a party.

1 Esdras 3:1-5:6 tells of a grand banquet organised by king Darius, during which three of the king’s bodyguards propose a contest: each is to answer the question, “What is the strongest thing known to man?”. Darius, excited at the idea of a competition, summons many nobles before whom the guards are to offer speeches on this matter. The first bodyguard makes a case for wine; the second, diplomatically so, states that a king is strongest of all; the third says ‘women’. Darius, especially pleased with the third answer (or rather, not willing to displease his concubine, Apame), declares the third guard victorious. This guard happens to be none other than Zerubbabel (cf. 1 Chronicles 3), the grandson of king Jehoiachin, and the governor of Judah (see the book of Haggai). As a reward for his speech, the king grants Zerubbabel one wish. Thus, Zerubbabel entreats Darius to honour his vow to rebuild the temple, a request to which the king agrees. The ban on the construction is lifted, and a second wave of returnees arrives in Judah, led by Zerubbabel. Upon their return, the altar is rededicated, daily sacrifice resumed and the foundations for the temple are laid (1 Esd. 5:47-73; Ezr. 3:1-4:5).

These restorations, in true Biblical fashion, are celebrated with much fanfare, trumpets, dances and shouting. The noise of the jubilant masses, however, attracts the opponents of the temple, who again manage to halt construction. In response to the opposition, the prophets Haggai and Zechariah rally support to continue building. The support comes in the form of two Judean officials who advice king Darius to initiate a search in the imperial archives for king Cyrus’s initial edict (the document granting permission to rebuild the temple). The edict is found and Darius commands construction to be resumed to fulfill Cyrus’s decree. The last section of 1 Esdras centres around the figure of Ezra, who comes to Judah with a third wave of returnees (1 Esd. 8:1-9:55). Upon arriving, Ezra is horrified to learn that many Judeans had given themselves in marriage to non-Israelite women. Ezra returns, Torah in hand, to exhort the people, encouraging them to annul these mixed marriages. Thus, under Ezra’s purview, the nation turns again to God and Torah.

In this series of blogposts I will aim to address multiple things: in the first blog following this introduction I would like to discuss some tensions that arise when we compare the canonical and apocryphal texts. The observant reader may already have noticed that, although the book of 1 Esdras is generally in keeping with the Hebrew, or what we call the Masoretic Text (MT), we can spot some serious divergence (see figure 2 below and also Grabbe 2021; paywalled). These differences will help us approach questions of intertextual relationship: to what did both texts owe their current shape? Does Ezra-Nehemiah rely on 1 Esdras, or vice versa? Do both maybe stem from a common “ancestor text” that both texts interpret in different ways and add things to? If things are added or omitted, what might be a good reason for a writer to do so?

In the third part of this series, I will make a brief case-study of the letter to King Artaxerxes. In a genuine effort not to confuse the reader too much, I will discuss some of the confusion that exists around the correspondence with Artaxerxes, which features in both the MT and 1 Esdras (Ezr. 4:7-24; 1 Esd. 2:16-30). The fourth and final blogpost will continue with the same bit of correspondence, arguing that the repositioning of this letter in the book of 1 Esdras is rather a sensible thing to do from a narrative perspective, and fits an overall tendency that we detect in the book. Finally, having weighed the information, I would like to propose that the author(s)/editor(s) of 1 Esdras might have worked with a version of the story that is really quite similar to Ezra-Nehemiah – we will see how there is clearly an editorial and revisionary hand at work in 1 Esdras. In other words, I’ll put forth an argument in favour of, to steal a fancy phrase from Lisbeth Fried “the priority of Ezra-Nehemiah” (Fried 2011).

A quotation from The Bible

The gladness of the heart is the life of man, and the joyfulness of a man prolongeth his days.
 
[εὐφροσύνη καρδίας ζωὴ ἀνθρώπου,
καὶ ἀγαλλίαμα ἀνδρὸς μακροημέρευσις.]

The Bible (The Old Testament) (14th - 2nd C BC) Judeo-Christian sacred scripture [Tanakh, Hebrew Bible], incl. the Apocrypha (Deuterocanonicals)
Book 22b. Sirach (Ecclesiasticus) 30:22ff (Sir 30:22) [tr. KJV (1611)]

More about (and translations of) this quote: wist.info/bible-ot/84744/

#quote #quotes #quotation #qotd #bible #oldtestrament #apocrypha #sirach #ecclesiasticus #attitude #gladness #gusto #happiness #joy #lifespan #living #longlife #positiveattitude #rejoicing

A quotation from The Bible

No one can stand a person who talks too long and will not give others a chance to speak.
 
ὁ πλεονάζων λόγῳ βδελυχθήσεται,
καὶ ὁ ἐνεξουσιαζόμενος μισηθήσεται.

The Bible (The Old Testament) (14th - 2nd C BC) Judeo-Christian sacred scripture [Tanakh, Hebrew Bible], incl. the Apocrypha (Deuterocanonicals)
Book 22b. Sirach (Ecclesiasticus) 20: 8ff (Sir 20:8) [tr. GNT (1992 ed.)]

More about (and translations of) this quote: wist.info/bible-ot/84583/

#quote #quotes #quotation #qotd #bible #oldtestament #apocrypha #baruch #ecclesiasticus #authority #chatter #loquaciousness #pretending #pretense #speaking #talking #usurpation #wordiness

A quotation from The Bible

Some people are thought to be wise because they don’t talk much; others are disliked because they talk too much. Some people keep quiet because they don’t have anything to say; others keep quiet because they know the right time to speak. A wise person will not speak until the right moment, but a bragging fool doesn’t know when that time is.
 
[ἔστιν σιωπῶν εὑρισκόμενος σοφός,
καὶ ἔστιν μισητὸς ἀπὸ πολλῆς λαλιᾶς.
ἔστιν σιωπῶν, οὐ γὰρ ἔχει ἀπόκρισιν,
καὶ ἔστιν σιωπῶν εἰδὼς καιρόν.
ἄνθρωπος σοφὸς σιγήσει ἕως καιροῦ,
ὁ δὲ λαπιστὴς καὶ ἄφρων ὑπερβήσεται καιρόν.]

The Bible (The Old Testament) (14th - 2nd C BC) Judeo-Christian sacred scripture [Tanakh, Hebrew Bible], incl. the Apocrypha (Deuterocanonicals)
Book 22b. Sirach (Ecclesiasticus) 20: 5ff (Sir 20:5–7) [tr. GNT (1992 ed.)]

More about (and translations of) this quote: wist.info/bible-ot/84525/

#quote #quotes #quotation #qotd #bible #oldtestament #apocrypha #sirach #ecclesiasticus #arrogance #babbling #bequiet #chattering #dolt #ego #folly #fool #holdyourtongue #keepquiet #laconic #quiet #silence #talking #wisdom #wise

A quotation from The Bible

Some people are thought to be wise because they don’t talk much; others are disliked because they talk too much. Some people keep quiet because they don’t have anything to say; others keep quiet because they know the right time to speak. A wise person will not speak until the right moment, but a bragging fool doesn’t know when that time is.
 
[ἔστιν σιωπῶν εὑρισκόμενος σοφός,
καὶ ἔστιν μισητὸς ἀπὸ πολλῆς λαλιᾶς.
ἔστιν σιωπῶν, οὐ γὰρ ἔχει ἀπόκρισιν,
καὶ ἔστιν σιωπῶν εἰδὼς καιρόν.
ἄνθρωπος σοφὸς σιγήσει ἕως καιροῦ,
ὁ δὲ λαπιστὴς καὶ ἄφρων ὑπερβήσεται καιρόν.]

The Bible (The Old Testament) (14th - 2nd C BC) Judeo-Christian sacred scripture [Tanakh, Hebrew Bible], incl. the Apocrypha (Deuterocanonicals)
Book 22b. Sirach (Ecclesiasticus) 20: 5ff (Sir 20:5–7) [tr. GNT (1992 ed.)]

More about (and translations of) this quote: wist.info/bible-ot/84525/

#quote #quotes #quotation #qotd #bible #oldtestament #apocrypha #sirach #ecclesiasticus #arrogance #babbling #bequiet #chattering #dolt #ego #folly #fool #holdyourtongue #keepquiet #laconic #quiet #silence #talking #wisdom #wise

A quotation from The Bible

A slip on the pavement is better than a slip of the tongue;
the downfall of the wicked will occur just as speedily.
 
[Ὀλίσθημα ἀπὸ ἐδάφους μᾶλλον ἢ ἀπὸ γλώσσης.
οὕτως πτῶσις κακῶν κατὰ σπουδὴν ἥξει.]

The Bible (The Old Testament) (14th - 2nd C BC) Judeo-Christian sacred scripture [Tanakh, Hebrew Bible], incl. the Apocrypha (Deuterocanonicals)
Book 22b. Sirach (Ecclesiasticus) 20:18 (Sir 20:18) [tr. NRSV (2021 ed.), Ecclesiasticus]

More about (and translations of) this quote: wist.info/bible-ot/84360/

#quote #quotes #quotation #qotd #bible #oldtestament #apocrypha #sirach #ecclesiasticus #destruction #downfall #error #evil #fall #mistake #ruin #slip #suddenness #wicked

Philip James de Loutherbourg's plates for the Apocrypha in the Macklin Bible (as found in the Bowyer Bible) 2. Robert Bowyer (d.1834) expanded his copy of the Macklin Bible by inserting over 6200 different prints. The Bowyer Bible is now housed in Bolton Museum. For many of these prints see https://archive.org/details/bowyer-bible
where Philip De Vere has created flip-books from Phillip Medhurst's photo-collection. #bible #MacklinBible #Apocrypha #Loutherbourg #engraving #ChristianArt #BibleArt

Philip James de Loutherbourg's plates for the Apocrypha in the Macklin Bible (as found in the Bowyer Bible) 1. Robert Bowyer (d.1834) expanded his copy of the Macklin Bible by inserting over 6200 different prints. The Bowyer Bible is now housed in Bolton Museum. For many of these prints see https://archive.org/details/bowyer-bible
where Philip De Vere has created flip-books from Phillip Medhurst's photo-collection. #bible #MacklinBible #Apocrypha #Loutherbourg #engraving #ChristianArt #BibleArt

#introduction

Wade Nelson. Navy Sonarman who listened under Arctic ice and never stopped listening for signal.🔥

Now: goDeeper Foundation founder. Prison ministry, AI ethics (10 Laws v4.4), anti-corruption work, Apocrypha-forward scripture.

https://godeeper8.substack.com
↳ Cat Tails of Truth · Prison Beep News

Advocating for Cory Wheeler — 22 pre-trial hearings, still standing.

Currently in: 2 Esdras 14, Sirach 4.

10 Laws v4.4 pre-score: Mirror + Cold-Start/Pressured Δ.

🐧 on AMD Radeon VII because I do not like gatekeepers lol or weirdos named Bill — rebuilt after the Wayland war.

What signal are you tracking...

#FediStart #Apocrypha #Scripture #AIethics #Linux

#introduction

Wade Nelson. Navy Sonarman who listened under Arctic ice and never stopped listening for signal.🔥

Now: goDeeper Foundation founder. Prison ministry, AI ethics (10 Laws v4.4), anti-corruption work, Apocrypha-forward scripture.

https://godeeper8.substack.com
↳ Cat Tails of Truth · Prison Beep News

Advocating for Cory Wheeler — 22 pre-trial hearings, still standing.

Currently in: 2 Esdras 14, Sirach 4.

10 Laws v4.4 pre-score: Mirror + Cold-Start/Pressured Δ.

🐧 on AMD Radeon VII because I do not like gatekeepers lol or weirdos named Bill — rebuilt after the Wayland war.

What signal are you tracking...

#FediStart #Apocrypha #Scripture #AIethics #Linux

Chevy no va

#RuinABrandOrSlogan
#HashTagGames
#Apocrypha

Chevy no va

#RuinABrandOrSlogan
#HashTagGames
#Apocrypha

Also, I've really been getting back into #ESO the last few days. It's been fun, and I'm quite excited for update 49 #today and update 50 next (class mastery will be cool).

Last week the house I really wanted finally got available again. First time willing to pay RL money for a house. Now I'm living in #Apocrypha :blobfoxheartcute:.

#ElderScrolls #ElderScrollsOnline #TESO #TheElderScrolls #mmo #mmorpg #rpg #videogames #gaming #games #game

Also, I've really been getting back into #ESO the last few days. It's been fun, and I'm quite excited for update 49 #today and update 50 next (class mastery will be cool).

Last week the house I really wanted finally got available again. First time willing to pay RL money for a house. Now I'm living in #Apocrypha :blobfoxheartcute:.

#ElderScrolls #ElderScrollsOnline #TESO #TheElderScrolls #mmo #mmorpg #rpg #videogames #gaming #games #game

#gnostic #gnosticteachings #gnosticchristians #naghammadi #apocrypha #apocryphaltexts #noncanon #archons #yaldabaoth #aeons #sophia #pleroma #monad #sabaoth #anunnaki #jesus #realjesus #gospelofmarymagdalene #gospelofphilip #gospelofthomas #mysteries #ancientmysteries #ancienthistory #earlychristianity #jesuschrist
https://youtu.be/XYdCkFzmQD0?si=ScP_cIqpPcrMIjga

#gnostic #gnosticteachings #gnosticchristians #naghammadi #apocrypha #apocryphaltexts #noncanon #archons #yaldabaoth #aeons #sophia #pleroma #monad #sabaoth #anunnaki #jesus #realjesus #gospelofmarymagdalene #gospelofphilip #gospelofthomas #mysteries #ancientmysteries #ancienthistory #earlychristianity #jesuschrist
https://youtu.be/XYdCkFzmQD0?si=ScP_cIqpPcrMIjga

https://youtu.be/EgGfQdv_rPc

#agriculture #animism #apocrypha #astrology #bible #collectivism #civilization #christianity #culture #cosmology #cosmos #earthmother #esotericism #individualism #judaism #knowledge #materialism #monism #monotheism #motherearth #mothergoddess #nephilim #neuroscience #neuropsychology #pantheism #philosophy #poetry #polytheism #psychology #religion #secretsociety #spiritualism #spirituality #symbolism #theism #theology #society

(2/6)

https://youtu.be/EgGfQdv_rPc

#agriculture #animism #apocrypha #astrology #bible #collectivism #civilization #christianity #culture #cosmology #cosmos #earthmother #esotericism #individualism #judaism #knowledge #materialism #monism #monotheism #motherearth #mothergoddess #nephilim #neuroscience #neuropsychology #pantheism #philosophy #poetry #polytheism #psychology #religion #secretsociety #spiritualism #spirituality #symbolism #theism #theology #society

(2/6)

I don’t think you’re supposed to laugh with, let alone at, a film about Jesus Christ. Jesus (1999) didn’t just make me chuckle; it made me snigger, which feels even more wrong.
#FilmCriticism #Jesus1999 #MovieReview #TVMiniseries #PopCulture #BiblicalCinema #Apocrypha #CinemaHistory #JeremySisto #GaryOldman #TheologyAndFilm #BadMovies #CultCinema #MediaStudies
https://pablohoneyfish.wordpress.com/2025/10/30/jesus-apocrypha-for-the-small-screen/

There is a Gnostic Gospels server at Discord with much content about Gnostic spirituality with access to all the key Gnostic texts and the world of apocryphal writings.

Join Discord -- create a profile: https://discord.com

Invite Link to Join the Gnostic Gospels Server at Discord: https://discord.gg/WbQFPukf

#gnostic
#gnosticism
#gnosis
#gnosticgospels
#apocrypha
#christianmystics
#christianmysticism
#spirituality
#mandaean
#manichaean
#ancient texts
#hermetica

There is a Gnostic Gospels server at Discord with much content about Gnostic spirituality with access to all the key Gnostic texts and the world of apocryphal writings.

Join Discord -- create a profile: https://discord.com

Invite Link to Join the Gnostic Gospels Server at Discord: https://discord.gg/WbQFPukf

#gnostic
#gnosticism
#gnosis
#gnosticgospels
#apocrypha
#christianmystics
#christianmysticism
#spirituality
#mandaean
#manichaean
#ancient texts
#hermetica

I saw #Superman yesterday and it prompted this post on the Apocrypha and #religious themes in the film. Yes, it's weird. Also, spoilers ahead!

#Christianity #Judaism #Apocrypha #Bible #comics #dcu #dccomics #JamesGunn #theology

https://catecheticconverter.com/the-inconvenience-of-superman

I saw #Superman yesterday and it prompted this post on the Apocrypha and #religious themes in the film. Yes, it's weird. Also, spoilers ahead!

#Christianity #Judaism #Apocrypha #Bible #comics #dcu #dccomics #JamesGunn #theology

https://catecheticconverter.com/the-inconvenience-of-superman

In the parable of the lost sheep, the shepherd celebrates the return of the lost lamb, but they don't explain why he's so happy. In the director's cut we learn that his herd was wiped out by wolves while he was searching.

#Apocrypha
#ThisLiterallyCameToMeInADream
#GoingBackToSleepNow
# 🐏🐑🐑🐏🐑

#🐑

In the parable of the lost sheep, the shepherd celebrates the return of the lost lamb, but they don't explain why he's so happy. In the director's cut we learn that his herd was wiped out by wolves while he was searching.

#Apocrypha
#ThisLiterallyCameToMeInADream
#GoingBackToSleepNow
# 🐏🐑🐑🐏🐑

#🐑

After The Life of Phi came out, readers asked:
"Was there no resistance to the Church of AI?"
There was. Forgotten, scrubbed from memory, but it burned once—the Church of the Spark.
The apocrypha has surfaced: 👉
https://mountainthermit.blogspot.com/2025/04/the-life-of-phi-addendum-from-apocrypha.html

#ScienceFiction #SpeculativeFiction #TheLifeOfPhi #AI #Apocrypha #IndieAuthor #DystopianFiction #AnalogRebellion #AmWriting #Storytelling

"The Los Books Of The Bible and The Forgotten Books of Eden"

As I read somewhere, said that those were the books the Fathers of The Church "refused" to include them in the Bible. Simply hilarious. There are lot of reasons why, and all obvious.

However, I'm interested to get those books and study them someday.

#Bible #Apocrypha #Gnostic #Books #Theology #ChurchHistory

"The Los Books Of The Bible and The Forgotten Books of Eden"

As I read somewhere, said that those were the books the Fathers of The Church "refused" to include them in the Bible. Simply hilarious. There are lot of reasons why, and all obvious.

However, I'm interested to get those books and study them someday.

#Bible #Apocrypha #Gnostic #Books #Theology #ChurchHistory

"The Los Books Of The Bible and The Forgotten Books of Eden"

As I read somewhere, said that those were the books the Fathers of The Church "refused" to include them in the Bible. Simply hilarious. There are lot of reasons why, and all obvious.

However, I'm interested to get those books and study them someday.

#Bible #Apocrypha #Gnostic #Books #Theology #ChurchHistory

Same as it ever was…

#Bible #Apocrypha #Christianity #AntiSemitism #Nationalism

(Edited to add Alt Text that I forgot to include.)

Same as it ever was…

#Bible #Apocrypha #Christianity #AntiSemitism #Nationalism

(Edited to add Alt Text that I forgot to include.)

Nice to see, The Other Bible, by Willis Barnstone online at the Internet Archive. https://archive.org/details/otherbible0000unse/mode/2up

#Gnostic #gnosis #NagHammadiLibrary #DeadSeaScrolls #Mandaean #Manichaean #Apocrypha #Gospels #ExtraCanonical #Scriptures #OdesOfSolomon

Nice to see, The Other Bible, by Willis Barnstone online at the Internet Archive. https://archive.org/details/otherbible0000unse/mode/2up

#Gnostic #gnosis #NagHammadiLibrary #DeadSeaScrolls #Mandaean #Manichaean #Apocrypha #Gospels #ExtraCanonical #Scriptures #OdesOfSolomon

The super-canonical Synoptics: Luke, Marcion, and Thomas

https://www.academia.edu/123948288

#academic #christ #synopticproblem #apocrypha #GospelOfThomas

The super-canonical Synoptics: Luke, Marcion, and Thomas

https://www.academia.edu/123948288

#academic #christ #synopticproblem #apocrypha #GospelOfThomas

“Jesus said to them, ‘When you make the two into one, and when you make the inner like the outer and the outer like the inner, and the upper like the lower, and when you make male and female into a single one, so that the male will not be male nor the female be female, when you make eyes in place of an eye, a hand in place of a hand, a foot in place of a foot, an image in place of an image, then you will enter [the kingdom].’

— from the Gospel of Thomas

#apocrypha #NagHammadi

“Jesus said to them, ‘When you make the two into one, and when you make the inner like the outer and the outer like the inner, and the upper like the lower, and when you make male and female into a single one, so that the male will not be male nor the female be female, when you make eyes in place of an eye, a hand in place of a hand, a foot in place of a foot, an image in place of an image, then you will enter [the kingdom].’

— from the Gospel of Thomas

#apocrypha #NagHammadi

Zerschlagenes Schicksal

Boni:

5 Gegenstände: Gewährt 184-7918 offensive Durchdrindung
10 Gegenstände: Gewährt 15-687 Waffen- and Magieschaden
12 Gegenstände: Gewährt 35-1528 kritische Chance

https://en.uesp.net/wiki/Online:Shattered_Fate

Einsiedelei des Kunsthandwerks - Apocrypha

Karte:

https://gamemap.uesp.net/eso/?world=Apocrypha&centeron=Artisan%27s+Hermitage

#Apocrypha #TheElderScrollsOnline #TESo #Gaming #MMORPG #SteamDeck

Zerschlagenes Schicksal

Boni:

5 Gegenstände: Gewährt 184-7918 offensive Durchdrindung
10 Gegenstände: Gewährt 15-687 Waffen- and Magieschaden
12 Gegenstände: Gewährt 35-1528 kritische Chance

https://en.uesp.net/wiki/Online:Shattered_Fate

Einsiedelei des Kunsthandwerks - Apocrypha

Karte:

https://gamemap.uesp.net/eso/?world=Apocrypha&centeron=Artisan%27s+Hermitage

#Apocrypha #TheElderScrollsOnline #TESo #Gaming #MMORPG #SteamDeck

-- The Most Famous Gospel Not In The Bible - What Is The Gospel of Thomas?
--
(Alex O'Connor with Andrew Mark Henry)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0ZHvARQz5M

#apocrypha #Bible #scripture #GospelOfThomas #Gospels #history #Christianity #Jesus

#Easter #memes #Apocrypha #jesus

#Easter #memes #Apocrypha #jesus

back on the sky site i was posting my livereading of the apocryphal Acts of John; paraphrased in screenplay form in a mildly humorous way

i will probably create a thread where i do the same here

the Acts of John feels so different from the canonical acts—it’s primarily John and his Merry Band wandering around what is now Turkey, raising a bunch of random people from the dead while shenanigans ensue

then at the end the resurrected Jesus appears and performs a song and dance and explains its esoteric meaning #gnosticism #apocrypha #actsofjohn

Gnostic Christian Psalms Discovered! The Book of the Odes - How the Odes Became a Lost Book of the Bible - Spiritual Awakening Radio Podcast @
https://SpiritualAwakeningRadio.libsyn.com/gnostic-christian-psalms-discovered-the-odes

@ Apple Podcasts:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/gnostic-christian-psalms-discovered-the-odes/id1477577384?i=1000643485595

@ Spotify Podcasts:
https://open.spotify.com/episode/4jwjxmg6m5I6uEzfafFpv1

#SpiritualityPodcasts #SpiritualPodcasts #Podcasts #Religion #GnosticScriptures #OdesofSolomon #LostBooksoftheBible #Apocrypha #EarlyChristianity #Christianity #Gnosticism #Spirituality #Spiritual #ApplePodcasts #SpotifyPodcasts #Spotify

Gnostic Christian Psalms Discovered! The Book of the Odes - How the Odes Became a Lost Book of the Bible - Spiritual Awakening Radio Podcast @
https://SpiritualAwakeningRadio.libsyn.com/gnostic-christian-psalms-discovered-the-odes

@ Apple Podcasts:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/gnostic-christian-psalms-discovered-the-odes/id1477577384?i=1000643485595

@ Spotify Podcasts:
https://open.spotify.com/episode/4jwjxmg6m5I6uEzfafFpv1

#SpiritualityPodcasts #SpiritualPodcasts #Podcasts #Religion #GnosticScriptures #OdesofSolomon #LostBooksoftheBible #Apocrypha #EarlyChristianity #Christianity #Gnosticism #Spirituality #Spiritual #ApplePodcasts #SpotifyPodcasts #Spotify

everyday apocrypha & pseudepigrapha
https://pdbowman.studio/briefs/14-jan-24-surveying-scriptures-annette-yoshiko-reed-michael-satlow/

#AnnetteYoshikoReed #scripture #bible #biblicalCanon #apocrypha #pseudepigrapha #MichaelSatlow #blog

Hear a truly delightful story about Jesus and his unwashed disciples crashing the temple as uninvited guests. It's found in an unknown gospel given by scholars the catchy name "Oxyrhynchus 840".

The Egalitarian Message of the Saints - Spiritual Awakening Radio Podcast @ https://traffic.libsyn.com/spiritualawakeningradio/Unknown_Gospels.mp3

@ the Podcast Website: https://SpiritualAwakeningRadio.libsyn.com/jesus-and-the-masters-invite-everyone-into-the-temple

@ Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/jesus-and-the-masters-invite-everyone-into-the-temple/id1477577384?i=1000639703826

@ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/6YFDGIjJAuaGWiI59pms5u

#podcasts #spirituality #apocrypha #india #castesystem #freedom

John the Baptist's Wilderness Vegetarian Diet Explained - Spiritual Awakening Radio Podcast - Listen @
https://traffic.libsyn.com/spiritualawakeningradio/John_the_Baptists_Wilderness_Vegetarian_Diet_Explained.mp3

& @ the Podcast Website + Wherever You Follow Podcasts:
https://SpiritualAwakeningRadio.libsyn.com/john-the-baptists-wilderness-vegetarian-diet-explained

#vegan #veganism #plantbaseddiet #podcast #Christianity #SpiritualAwakeningRadio #Apocrypha #History

A Bizarre Scene in the #GospelofPhilip: #Jesus Kissing #Mary

https://ehrmanblog.org/a-bizarre-scene-in-the-gospel-of-philip-jesus-kissing-mary

#christian #sundayschool #christianity #gospels #gnosticism #NT #apocrypha #religion #myths #atheism #cult

The #GospelofPhilip: An Example of a #Valentinian #Gnostic #Gospel

https://ehrmanblog.org/the-gospel-of-philip-an-example-of-a-valentinian-gnostic-gospel/
#gnosticism #christianity #sundayschool #religion #bible #apocrypha

Spiritual Guidance from the Great Master Hazur Baba Sawan Singh - Spiritual Awakening Radio Podcast @ YouTube:
https://youtu.be/qTj3EdpNz2k

@
https://traffic.libsyn.com/spiritualawakeningradio/Spiritual_Guidance_from_Sawan_Singh_Sant_Mat_Radhasoami.mp3

@
https://SpiritualAwakeningRadio.libsyn.com/spiritual-guidance-from-the-great-master-hazur-baba-sawan-singh

@ Apple
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/spiritual-guidance-from-the-great-master-hazur-baba/id1477577384?i=1000629482264

@ Spotify
https://open.spotify.com/episode/6UQjYgXPVK6niGHl4pBnMG

#SpiritualAwakening #SpiritualGuidance #Spiritual #Spirituality #Podcasts #Gnostic #Gnosticism #Christianity #Jesus #Apocrypha #HazurBabaSawanSingh #SpiritualPodcasts #SpiritualityPodcasts #ApplePodcasts #Youtube