1These are the words of that epistle which Baruch the son of Neriah sent to the nine and a half tribes, which were across the river Euphrates, in which these things were written.
2Thus saith Baruch the son of Neriah to the brethren carried into captivity:
3"Mercy and peace." I bear in mind, my brethren, the love of Him who created us, who loved us from of old, and never hated us, but above all educated us.
4And truly I know that behold all we the twelve tribes are bound by one bond, inasmuch as we are born from one father.
5Wherefore I have been the more careful to leave you the words of this epistle before I die, that ye may be comforted regarding the evils which have come upon you, and that ye may be grieved also regarding the evil that has befallen your brethren; and again, also, that ye may justify His judgement which He has decreed against you that ye should be carried away captives- for what ye have suffered is disproportioned to what ye have done- in order that, at the last times, ye may be found worthy of your fathers.
6Therefore, if ye consider those things which ye have now suffered for your good, that ye may not finally be condemned and tormented, then ye will receive eternal hope; if above all ye destroy from your heart vain error, on account of which ye departed hence.
7For if ye so do these things, He will continually remember you, He who alway promised on our behalf to those who were more excellent than we, that He will never forget or forsake us, but with much mercy will gather together again those who were dispersed.