Book V - Snyder Bible

The Preaching of Simeon Kefa 137
But Kefa, when he heard him speak thus, grinding his teeth,
and rubbing his forehead with his hand, and sighing with pro-
you stand forth to deceive souls; and therefore, as the serpent
is more subtle than any other beast, you profess that you are a
teacher from the beginning. And again, like the serpent you
wished to introduce many elohim; but now, being confuted in
that, you assert that there is no Elohim at all. For by occasion
of I know not what unknown elohim, you denied that the Creator
of the world is Yahweh, but asserted that He is either an
evil being, or that He has many equals, or, as we have said, that
He is not Elohim at all. And when you had been overcome in
this position, you now assert that the spirit is mortal, so that
men may not live righteously and uprightly in hope of things
to come. For if there be no hope for the future, why should not
mercy be given up, and men indulge in luxury and pleasures,
from which it is manifest that all unrighteousness springs?
And while you introduce so disobedient a doctrine into the
miserable life of men, you call yourself obedient, and me disobedient,
because, under the hope of future good things, I will
not suffer men to take up arms and fight against one another,
plunder and subvert everything, and attempt whatsoever lust
may dictate. And what will be the condition of that life which
you would introduce, that men will attack and be attacked, be
enraged and disturbed, and live always in fear? For those who
do evil to others must expect like evil to themselves. Do you
see that you are a leader of disturbance and not of peace, of
iniquity and not of equity? But I feigned anger, not because I
could not prove that the spirit is immortal, but because I pity
the spirits which you are endeavoring to deceive. I shall speak,
therefore, but not as compelled by you; for I know how I
should speak; and you will be the only one who wants not so
much persuasion as admonition on this subject. But those who
are