73. What excuse can they offer at the judgement? How can they answer at the last day?
74. God Most High has been very patient with the people of this world for a long time, but it has not been for their sake. He has done it for the sake of the age to come.”
75. Then I said, “Sir, may I ask you, please, to explain to me what happens when we die, when we must give back our soul? Will we be kept at rest until the time when you begin to make your new creation, or will our torment begin immediately?”
76. “I will answer that question also,” he replied, “but do not include yourself among those who will be tormented because they have no use for religion.
77. After all, you have a treasure of good works stored up with God Most High, which will not be shown to you until the last days.
78. But to answer your question about death: When God Most High has pronounced the final decree that a person shall die, the soul leaves the body to return to the one who gave it. Immediately it praises the glory of God Most High.
79. Let me explain first about people who had no use for the ways of God Most High and hated those who worshipped him.
80. There is no place where their souls can go for rest; they must wander about for ever in torment, grief, and sorrow. Their torment will progress in seven stages.
81. Firstly, they ignore the Law of God Most High.
82. Secondly, they can no longer make a sincere repentance and obtain life.
83. Thirdly, they see the reward stored up for those who put their faith in the covenants of God Most High.
84. Fourthly, they think about the torment that has been stored up for them in the last days.
85. Fifthly, they see angels guarding the homes of other souls in complete silence.
86. Sixthly, they recognize that they must soon be tormented.
87. Seventhly, and worst of all, when they see the glory of God Most High, they are sick with remorse and shame. They cringe in fear, because while they were living they sinned against him. And now they are about to come before him to be judged on the last day.
88. “Now let me explain about those who followed the ways of God Most High and what will happen when the time comes for them to leave their mortal bodies.
89. While they lived on earth, through constant difficulty and danger, they served God Most High and carefully kept the Law given by the Lawgiver.