The Testament of Abraham

Complete Edition

The Testament of Abraham opens with the archangel Michael descending to tell the patriarch Abraham that his death is near. Abraham, who has lived a life of extraordinary righteousness, refuses. He asks instead to be shown the entire world before he dies. Michael takes him on a cosmic tour: they fly above the earth on a chariot of cherubim, watching humanity in all its varied activity — murders, ad

Codex Digital EditionComing soonEdition currently in preparation

Edition092

FormatDigital PDF

Editorial statusIn review

TraditionLost Scripture

Before you read

Context without the mythology.

Codex ISO separates the surviving evidence from later interpretation, so you can encounter the text without being told what to believe about it first.

01 / Historical context

1st–2nd century AD. Abraham tours the entire cosmos and watches the judgment of souls at the moment of death. He refuses to die until forced to. Never canonical in any tradition, d

02 / Why it matters

The man who argued with God. Now arguing with death. He loses eventually.

From / associated with the text

“"Do not tell me of death, for death has never been heard of by my mouth, nor has the name of death passed over my lips. I will not go with you."”

THE CODEX STANDARD

Source before story.

We identify the edition, translation and surviving evidence; distinguish documentation from tradition; and state uncertainty rather than turning it into a sales claim.

Our editorial standard ↗

Continue the archive

The Testament of Abraham

Context without the mythology.

Source before story.

Read next.

The Didache

The Epistle of Barnabas

The Acts of Paul and Thecla