Book V - Snyder Bible

144
Yahweh has concealed that which is profitable to men, i.e., the
possession of the kingdom of heaven, and has laid it up and
hidden it as a secret treasure, so that no one can easily attain it
by his own power or knowledge. Yet He has brought the report
of it under various names and opinions through successive
generations, to the hearing of all: so that whosoever
should be lovers of good, hearing it, might inquire and discover
what is profitable and salutary to them; but that they
should ask it, not from themselves but from Him who has hidden
it, and should pray that access and the way of knowledge
might be given to them: which way is opened to those only
who love it above all the good things of this world; and on no
other condition can any one even understand it, however wise
he may seem; but that those who neglect to inquire what is
profitable and salutary to themselves, as self-haters and selfenemies,
should be deprived of its good things, as lovers of
evil things.
Chapter LIV: Yahweh to Be Supremely Loved
way above all
things, that is, above riches, glory, rest, parents, relatives,
friends, and everything in the world. But he who perfectly
loves this possession of the kingdom of heaven, will undoubtedly
cast away all practice of evil habit, negligence, sloth, malice,
anger, and such like. For if you prefer any of these to it, as
loving the vices of your own lust more than Yahweh, you shall
not attain to the possession of the heavenly kingdom; for truly
it is foolish to love anything more than Yahweh. For whether
they be parents, they die; or relatives, they do not continue; or
friends, they change. But Yahweh alone is eternal, and abideth
unchangeable. He, therefore, who will not seek after that
which is profitable to himself, is evil to such an extent that his
wickedness exceeds the very prince of impiety. For he abuses
the goodness of Yahweh to the purpose of his own wickedness,
and pleases himself; but the other neglects the good
things of his own salvation, that by his own destruction he