ASSEMBLYFAITH · FAMILY · HOSPITALITY

THE ASSEMBLY READING ROOM · 1 ENOCH

Blessing. Creation.
Accountable life.

Section 01 · Charles chapters 1–5 · Laurence chapters I–VI. A first encounter with the text’s movement from divine judgment and peace to creation, conduct, and humility.

← The Enoch study edition

Historical translation is shown in the reading columns. The green commentary panel contains Assembly’s interpretation and teaching prompts. Original chapter divisions and Charles’s textual symbols are retained; the editions do not share identical numbering.

Understand the textual symbols · Edition and source details

A 45-minute Table study

Read one chapter aloud (10 minutes). Compare one difference (10). Discuss the Assembly note and an alternative reading (15). Close with an evidence-based interpretation and a modest application (10). Participants may pass; agreement is not required.

SECTION 01 · CHAPTER 1

Blessing, judgment, and the promised peace

Charles I ↔ Laurence I–II

TRANSLATED TEXT · R. H. CHARLES · 1917

Chapter 1

I. 1. The words of the blessing of Enoch, wherewith he blessed the elect 〚and〛 righteous, who will be living in the day of tribulation, when all the wicked 〚and godless〛 are to be removed. 2. And he took up his parable and said—Enoch a righteous man, whose eyes were opened by God, saw the vision of the Holy One in the heavens, 〚which〛 the angels showed me, and from them I heard everything, and from them I understood as I saw, but not for this generation, but for a remote one which is for to come. 3. Concerning the elect I said, and took up my parable concerning them:

The Holy Great One will come forth from His dwelling,
4. And the eternal God will tread upon the earth, (even) on Mount Sinai,
[And appear from His camp]
And appear in the strength of His might from the heaven ⌜of heavens⌝.
5. And all shall be smitten with fear,
And the Watchers shall quake,
And great fear and trembling shall seize them unto the ends of the earth.
6. And the high mountains shall be shaken,
And the high hills shall be made low,
And shall melt like wax before the flame
7. And the earth shall be ⌜wholly⌝ rent in sunder,
And all that is upon the earth shall perish,
And there shall be a judgement upon all (men).
8. But with the righteous He will make peace,
And will protect the elect,
And mercy shall be upon them.
And they shall all belong to God,
And they shall be prospered,
And they shall ⌜all⌝ be blessed.
⌜And He will help them all⌝,
And light shall appear unto them,
⌜And He will make peace with them⌝.
9. And behold! He cometh with ten thousands of ⌜His⌝ holy ones
To execute judgement upon all,
And to destroy ⌜all⌝ the ungodly:
And to convict all flesh
Of all the works ⌜of their ungodliness⌝ which they have ungodly committed,
⌜And of all the hard things which⌝ ungodly sinners ⌜have spoken⌝ against Him.

TRANSLATED TEXT · RICHARD LAURENCE · 1883 EDITION

Laurence chapter I

1. The word of the blessing of Enoch, how he blessed the elect and the righteous, who were to exist in the time of trouble; rejecting all the wicked and ungodly. Enoch, a righteous man, who was with God, answered and spoke, while his eyes were open, and while he saw a holy vision in the heavens. This the angels showed me.

2. From them I heard all things, and understood what I saw; that which will not take place in this generation, but in a generation which is to succeed at a distant period, on account of the elect.

3. Upon their account I spoke and conversed with him, who will go forth from his habitation, the Holy and Mighty One, the God of the world:

4. Who will hereafter tread upon Mount Sinai; appear with his hosts; and be manifested in the strength of his power from heaven.

5. All shall be afraid, and the Watchers be terrified.

6. Great fear and trembling shall seize them, even to the ends of the earth. The lofty mountains shall be troubled, and the exalted hills depressed, melting like a honeycomb in the flame. The earth shall be immerged, and all things which are in it perish; while judgment shall come upon all, even upon all the righteous:

7. But to them shall he give peace: he shall preserve the elect, and towards them exercise clemency.

8. Then shall all belong to God; be happy and blessed; and the splendour of the Godhead shall illuminate them.

Laurence chapter II

Behold, he comes with ten thousands of his saints, to execute judgment upon them, and destroy the wicked, and reprove all the carnal for everything which the sinful and ungodly have done, and committed against him.

SECTION 01 · CHAPTER 2

Learning to observe before judging

Charles II ↔ Laurence III

TRANSLATED TEXT · R. H. CHARLES · 1917

Chapter 2

II. 1. Observe ye every thing that takes place in the heaven, how they do not change their orbits, ⌜and⌝ the luminaries which are in the heaven, how they all rise and set in order each in its season, and transgress not against their appointed order. 2. Behold ye the earth, and give heed to the things which take place upon it from first to last, ⌜how steadfast they are⌝, how ⌜none of the things upon earth⌝ change, ⌜but⌝ all the works of God appear ⌜to you⌝. 3. Behold the summer and the winter, 〚how the whole earth is filled with water, and clouds and dew and rain lie upon it〛.

TRANSLATED TEXT · RICHARD LAURENCE · 1883 EDITION

Laurence chapter III

1. All who are in the heavens know what is transacted there.

2. They know that the heavenly luminaries change not their paths; that each rises and sets regularly, every one at its proper period, without transgressing the commands which they have received. They behold the earth, and understand what is there transacted, from the beginning to the end of it.

3. They see that every work of God is invariable in the period of its appearance. They behold summer and winter: perceiving that the whole earth is full of water; and that the cloud, the dew, and the rain refresh it.

SECTION 01 · CHAPTER 3

Trees, exceptions, and the limits of a reading

Charles III ↔ Laurence IV

TRANSLATED TEXT · R. H. CHARLES · 1917

Chapter 3

III. Observe and see how (in the winter) all the trees 〚seem〛 as though they had withered and shed all their leaves, except fourteen trees, which do not lose their foliage but retain the old foliage from two to three years till the new comes.

TRANSLATED TEXT · RICHARD LAURENCE · 1883 EDITION

Laurence chapter IV

They consider and behold every tree, how it appears to wither, and every leaf to fall off, except of fourteen trees, which are not deciduous; which wait from the old, to the appearance of the new leaf, for two or three winters.

SECTION 01 · CHAPTER 4

Heat, shelter, and embodied attention

Charles IV ↔ Laurence V

TRANSLATED TEXT · R. H. CHARLES · 1917

Chapter 4

IV. And again, observe ye the days of summer how the sun is above the earth over against it. And you seek shade and shelter by reason of the heat of the sun, and the earth also burns with glowing heat, and so you cannot tread on the earth, or on a rock by reason of its heat.

TRANSLATED TEXT · RICHARD LAURENCE · 1883 EDITION

Laurence chapter V

Again they consider the days of summer, that the sun is upon it at its very beginning; while you seek for a covered and shady spot on account of the burning sun; while the earth is scorched up with fervid heat, and you become incapable of walking either upon the ground or upon the rocks in consequence of that heat.

SECTION 01 · CHAPTER 5

Steadfastness, speech, wisdom, and humility

Charles V ↔ Laurence VI

TRANSLATED TEXT · R. H. CHARLES · 1917

Chapter 5

V. 1. Observe 〚ye〛 how the trees cover themselves with green leaves and bear fruit: wherefore give ye heed ⌜and know⌝ with regard to all ⌜His works⌝, and recognize how He that liveth for ever hath made them so.

2. And ⌜all⌝ His works go on ⌜thus⌝ from year to year ⌜for ever⌝, and all the tasks ⌜which⌝ they accomplish for Him, and ⌜their tasks⌝ change not, but according as 〚God〛 hath ordained so is it done.

3. And behold how the sea and the rivers in like manner accomplish ⌜and change not⌝ their tasks ⌜from His commandments⌝.

4. But ye—ye have not been steadfast, nor done the commandments of the Lord,
But ye have turned away and spoken proud and hard words
With your impure mouths against His greatness.
Oh, ye hard-hearted, ye shall find no peace.
5. Therefore shall ye execrate your days,
And the years of your life shall perish,
And ⌜the years of your destruction⌝ shall be multiplied in eternal execration,
And ye shall find no mercy.
6a. In those days ye shall make your names an eternal execration unto all the righteous,
b. And by you shall ⌜all⌝ who curse, curse.
c. ⌜And all⌝ the sinners ⌜and godless⌝ shall imprecate by you,
7c. And for you, the godless, there shall be a curse.
6d. ⌜And all the ... shall rejoice,
e. And there shall be forgiveness of sins,
f. And every mercy and peace and forbearance:
g. There shall be salvation unto them, a goodly light.
i. And for all of you sinners there shall be no salvation,
j. But on you all shall abide a curse⌝.
7a. But for the elect there shall be light and grace and peace,
b. And they shall inherit the earth.
8. And then there shall be bestowed upon the elect wisdom,
And they shall all live and never again sin,
Either through ungodliness or through pride;
But they who are wise shall be humble.
9. And they shall not again transgress,
Nor shall they sin all the days of their life,
Nor shall they die of (the divine) anger or wrath,
But they shall complete the number of the days of their life.
And their lives shall be increased in peace,
And the years of their joy shall be multiplied,
In eternal gladness and peace,
All the days of their life.

TRANSLATED TEXT · RICHARD LAURENCE · 1883 EDITION

Laurence chapter VI

1. They consider how the trees, when they put forth their green leaves, become covered, and produce fruit; understanding everything, and knowing that He who lives for ever does all these things for you:

2. That the works at the beginning of every existing year, that all his works, are subservient to him, and invariable; yet as God has appointed, so are all things brought to pass.

3. They see, too, how the seas and the rivers together complete their respective operations:

4. But you endure not patiently, nor fulfil the commandments of the Lord; but you transgress and calumniate his greatness; and malignant are the words in your polluted mouths against his Majesty.

5. Ye withered in heart, no peace shall be to you!

6. Therefore your days shall you curse, and the years of your lives shall perish; perpetual execration shall be multiplied, and you shall not obtain mercy.

7. In those days shall you resign your peace with the eternal maledictions of all the righteous, and sinners shall perpetually execrate you;

8. Shall execrate you with the ungodly.

9. The elect shall possess light, joy, and peace; and they shall inherit the earth.

10. But you, ye unholy, shall be accursed.

11. Then shall wisdom be given to the elect, all of whom shall live, and not again transgress by impiety or pride; but shall humble themselves, possessing prudence, and shall not repeat transgression.

12. They shall not be condemned the whole period of their lives, nor die in torment and indignation; but the sum of their days shall be completed, and they shall grow old in peace; while the years of their happiness shall be multiplied with joy, and with peace, for ever, the whole duration of their existence.

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The next planned installment covers chapters 6–11. It is in preparation. You can revisit the present section, discuss it at your own Table, or consult the complete historical editions linked in our sources.

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