Apocrypha
III Baruch
Greek Apocalypse
18 chapters · read and listen
Reading note
An apocryphal or pseudepigraphal text — outside the canon of the Western churches, yet widely circulated among ancient Jews and Christians. Published here from a public-domain translation, edited for continuous reading.
Chapters
Dossier
Baruch's ascent through five heavens, guided by an angel, while he weeps over the ruin of Jerusalem — and what he finds in each is not what he expected.
Where this text comes from
Greek, estimated to the 2nd century AD, also preserved in Slavonic, with differences between the two traditions. Also called the Greek Apocalypse of Baruch.
Why it is not in the Bible
Outside every canon, with no record of ever having been considered.
What you will find
- The tree that led Adam astray is named by the angel: the vine, planted by Sammael.
- The Phoenix appears by name and by function, and the text stops everything to ask what it eats.
- The chariot of the sun, drawn by angels, and the heat that must be absorbed so the earth does not burn.
- The fifth heaven, where the virtues of men are gathered and measured.
Frequently asked questions
- How many heavens are there in 3 Baruch?
- Five, in the surviving version — a different number from the seven heavens of 2 Enoch and the third heaven of Paul. The ancient traditions do not agree with each other on this.