1And the angel of the Lord ordered crowns to be brought. And crowns were brought, made, so to speak, of palm branches; and he crowned the men who had presented the sticks that had shoots and some fruit, and sent them to the tower.
2And the others also he sent to the tower, even those who had presented the green sticks having shoots, but the shoots had no fruit; and he gave them the seal.
3And all who went to the tower had the same garment, white as snow.
4And he sent also those who had presented the green sticks such as they had received them, giving them a garment and seals.
5Having finished these things, the angel said to the shepherd: 'I am going away, but you must receive these who were left out, and examine them carefully, and let them enter the tower, if any of them is capable of being adjusted to it.'
6'But those who are not capable, you must cast them out of the tower.' Saying these things to the shepherd, he departed.
7I said to the shepherd: 'Lord, what is this tree? For I am confused about it, because after so many branches were cut from it, the tree is whole and nothing seems to have been taken from it.'
8'Listen,' said he; 'this great tree, which covers plains and mountains and all the earth, is the law of God, which was given to all the world; and this law is the Son of God preached to the ends of the earth.'
9'And the people who are under its shadow are those who heard the preaching and believed in it.'
10'And the great and glorious angel is Michael, who has the power over this people and governs them. For it is he who puts the law in the hearts of believers; therefore he observes those to whom he gave the law, to see if they kept it.'
11'But you see the sticks of each one; for the sticks are the law. You see, then, that many sticks were found useless, and you will understand each one of them individually.'