1 And going up into his chamber he lay down, and Death came and stood before him.
2 And Abraham said to him, “Depart from me, for I desire to rest, because my spirit is in indifference.”
3 Death said, “I will not depart from you until I take your soul.”
4 And Abraham with an austere countenance and angry look said to Death, “Who has ordered you to say this?
5 You say these words of yourself boastfully, and I will not go with you until the chief-captain Michael come to me, and I shall go with him. But this also I tell you, if you desire that I shall accompany you, explain to me all your changes, the seven fiery heads of serpents and what the face of the precipice is, and what the sharp sword, and what the loud-roaring river, and what the tempestuous sea that rages so fiercely.
6 Teach me also the unendurable thunder, and the terrible lightning, and the evil-smelling cup mingled with poisons. Teach me concerning all these.”
7 And Death answered, “Listen, righteous Abraham. For seven ages I destroy the world and lead all down to Hades, kings and rulers, rich and poor, slaves and free men, I convoy to the bottom of Hades, and for this I showed you the seven heads of serpents.
8 The face of fire I showed you because many die consumed by fire, and behold death through a face of fire.
9 The face of the precipice I showed you, because many men die descending from the tops of trees or terrible precipices and losing their life, and see death in the shape of a terrible precipice.
10 The face of the sword I showed you because many are slain in wars by the sword, and see death as a sword.
11 The face of the great rushing river I showed you because many are drowned and perish snatched away by the crossing of many waters and carried off by great rivers, and see death before their time.
12 The face of the angry raging sea I showed you because many in the sea falling into great surges and becoming shipwrecked are swallowed up and behold death as the sea.
13 The unendurable thunder and the terrible lightning I showed you because many men in the moment of anger meet with unendurable thunder and terrible lightning coming to seize upon men, and see death thus.
14 I showed you also the poisonous wild beasts, asps and basilisks, leopards and lions and lions' cubs, bears and vipers, and in short the face of every wild beast I showed you, most righteous one, because many men are destroyed by wild beasts,
15 and others by poisonous snakes, serpents and asps and cerastes and basilisks and vipers, breathe out their life and die.
16 I showed you also the destroying cups mingled with poison, because many men being given poison to drink by other men straightway depart unexpectedly.”