a vivid prophecy of the life and death of christ.

1 then the merciful god, good and lover of men, looked at adam and eve, and at their blood, which they had held up as an offering to him; without an order from him for so doing. but he wondered at them; and accepted their offerings.

2 and god sent from his presence a bright fire, that consumed their offering.

3 he smelled the sweet savor of their offering, and showed them mercy.

4 then came the word of god to adam, and said to him, "o adam, as you have shed your blood, so will i shed my own blood when i become flesh of your descendants; and as you died, o adam, so also will i die. and as you built an altar, so also will i make for you an altar of the earth; and as you offered your blood on it, so also will i offer my blood on an altar on the earth.

5 and as you sued for forgiveness through that blood, so also will i make my blood forgiveness of sins, and erase transgressions in it.

6 and now, behold, i have accepted your offering, o adam, but the days of the covenant in which i have bound you are not fulfilled. when they are fulfilled, then will i bring you back into the garden.

7 now, therefore, strengthen your heart; and when sorrow comes over you, make me an offering, and i will be favorable to you."