The Book of Enoch (1 Enoch, Charles translation) · 34 of 141 · tr. R.H. Charles

Chapter XVI

CHAPTER XVI. 1. From the days of the slaughter and destruction and death ⌈ of the giants ⌉ , from the souls of whose flesh the spirits, having gone forth, shall destroy without incurring judgement--thus shall they destroy until the day of the consummation, the great ⌈ judgement ⌉ in which the age shall be consummated, over the Watchers and the godless, yea, shall be wholly consummated." 2. And now as to the Watchers who have sent thee to intercede for them, who had been ⌈⌈ aforetime ⌉⌉ in heaven, (say to p. 44 them): "You have been in heaven, but ⌈ all ⌉ the mysteries had not yet been revealed to you, and you knew worthless ones, and these in the hardness of your hearts you have made known to the women, and through these mysteries women and men work much evil on earth." 4. Say to them therefore: "You have no peace."'

Themes

◆Hidden Sayingssoteriology

Esoteric teachings reserved for those ready to receive them; outer meaning conceals an inner liberating truth.

The text references 'mysteries' that were revealed to the Watchers, though in this context they are portrayed as corrupting rather than liberating.

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◇Eschatological Judgmentsoteriology

Final, collective cosmic judgment as an event in which the wicked are sentenced and the cosmos restored; distinct from psychopomp_journey (individual passage at death) and emphasising verdict where Zoroastrian frashokereti emphasises restoration.

[auto] The passage describes the spirits of giants destroying until the 'great judgement' and consummation of the age over the Watchers and godless.

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◇Forbidden Knowledgesoteriology

Transgressive knowing acquired against divine prohibition — the Watchers' teaching of metallurgy, sorcery, and cosmetics in 1 Enoch, the Gnostic Eve narratives, the Promethean mytheme; explicitly contrasted with gnosis_direct_knowledge, which is salvific.

[auto] The text condemns the 'mysteries' taught by the Watchers to women as the source of evil and destruction on earth.

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◇Watchers Descentcosmology

The 1 Enoch narrative in which a class of originally-good angelic beings (the Watchers) descends, mates with women, and teaches forbidden arts — the substrate that Gnostic archons inherits and inverts: archons are born malevolent, the Watchers fall through transgression.

[auto] The passage explicitly details the narrative of the Watchers who were in heaven, taught forbidden mysteries to women, and are now subject to judgment.

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Related passages · 2 parallels

◆gnosticism|Pistis Sophia|Document FIRSTj

“And the Adamas the great Tyrant with all the Tyrants who become in all the Aeons began to war without cause against the light and they knew not [24 ] with whom they are warring, because that they were not seeing anyone except the light whic…”

Both passages discuss the fall and limitation of celestial beings who have transgressed and caused harm on earth. They share the theme of divine intervention to restrict the power of these beings, though they come from different mystical traditions.

◆gnosticism|Pistis Sophia|Document THIRDc

“Say unto them, Renounce the villainies, and be worthy of the mysteries of the Light, and be delivered from all the [237 ] demons of Ialtabaoth with all his punishments. Say unto them, Renounce the senselessness, and be worthy of the myster…”

Both passages deal with the consequences of misusing divine knowledge or mysteries. Passage A discusses the Watchers who revealed forbidden mysteries to humans, leading to destruction, while Passage B emphasizes the importance of renouncing evil actions to be worthy of the mysteries of the Light and avoid punishment.