Rife with concepts of original sin, fallen angels, demonology, resurrection, and the last judgment, The Book of Enoch is a vital document to the origins of Christianity. Today, it remains a written remnant of the Apocalypse — an ardent testament to hope and the triumph of good over evil in the dawning of a world to come.
R. H. Charles provides a definitive translation of one of the most noted apocalyptic works still in existence. Often described as "the lost book" of the Bible , The Book of Enoch seems to have been written in Palestine by several different authors in the first and second centuries B.C. For hundreds of years it was accepted as scriptural canon by the early church fathers, but it was rejected by the council of Laodicea in A.D. 364 and is mostly excluded from Christian biblical canons.
It is comprised of various monumental works : The Book of Enoch , which tells the story of fallen angels (the Watchers) taking human wives and breeding giants (Nephilim); The Book of Parables , which describes Enoch's journey through heaven and hell and the destiny of the fallen angels and kings of the earth; The Book of the Courses of the Heavenly Luminaries (The Astronomical Book) , which explains the movement of heavenly bodies and predicts future events; The Dream Visions, The Concluding Section (The Epistle of Enoch) ; Enoch’s advice to his sons urging repentance and warns against sin , and The Noah Fragments .
This edition provides a well-researched introduction placing The Book of Enoch in its historical context, highlighting its importance for scholars of religious history and early Christianity. With Charles's authoritative translation and insightful annotations, this edition sheds light on one of history's most enigmatic writings.
