The Son of God text is written in Aramaic and describes a figure who shall be called "Son of God" and "Son of the Most High" — phrases strikingly parallel to the angel's words to Mary in the Gospel of Luke. A seer falls before a throne and recounts a vision of turmoil among nations, followed by the rise of one whose everlasting kingdom shall judge the earth in truth and bring peace. Whether this figure is a messianic king, an angelic being, or something else remains debated. Two columns survive, the first damaged, the second nearly complete. This translation works directly from the Aramaic transcription of García Martínez and Tigchelaar.
Column I — The Vision of Turmoil
[...] upon him the spirit fell. Before the throne [...] turmoil and changes [...] your vision, and all of it shall come to pass forever.
[...] great distress shall come upon the earth [...] and great slaughter among the provinces [...] the king of Assyria and Egypt [...] shall be great upon the earth [...] they shall serve, and all shall attend him.
He shall be called great, and by his name he shall be known.
Column II — The Son of God
He shall be called son of God, and they shall call him son of the Most High. Like the sparks of your vision, so shall their kingdom be — for years they shall reign upon the earth, and they shall trample all. Nation shall trample nation, and province shall trample province —
Until the people of God arises, and all shall rest from the sword.
His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all his ways are truth. He shall judge the earth in truth, and all shall make peace. The sword shall cease from the earth, and every province shall do him homage.
The great God — with his might he shall wage war for him. He shall give nations into his hand, and all of them he shall cast down before him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, and all the depths [...]
Colophon
Text: Son of God (בר אלהא, 4Q246)
Source: Qumran Cave 4
Language: Aramaic
Translation: New Tianmu Anglican Church, 2026
Translated from: Aramaic transcription of García Martínez, F. & Tigchelaar, E.J.C., The Dead Sea Scrolls Study Edition, Brill, 1997
Register: Gospel (plain, direct, warm)
This is a Good Works Translation. The English was translated directly from the Aramaic source text without consulting any existing English translation. The Son of God text describes a figure called "Son of God" and "Son of the Most High" in language remarkably parallel to the Gospel of Luke, predating it by at least a century.
🌲
Source Text: בר אלהא (4Q246)
Aramaic transcription from the Dead Sea Scrolls. Transcription follows García Martínez & Tigchelaar (Dead Sea Scrolls Study Edition, Brill 1997).
Column I
]… מ[לכא לעלמא אתה2 ]… ע[לוהי שרת נפל קדם כרסיא1
]… ר[ברבין עקה תתא4 ]…[.א חזוך וכלא אתה עד עלמא3 רגז ושנוך
]… [מלך אתור ]ומ[צרין6 ]…[ ונחשירון רב במדינתא5 על ארעא
]… ר[בא9 ]… יע[בדון וכלא ישמשון8 ]…[ רב להוה על ארעא7
יתקרא ובשמה יתכנה
Column II
די חזיתא כן2 ברה די אל יתאמר ובר עליון יקרונה כזיקיא1
ארעא וכלא ידשון עם לעם ידוש3 מלכותהן תהוה שני]ן[ ימלכון על
4 ומדינה למדני]נ[הvacat
עד יקום עם אל וכלא יניח מן חרבvacat
ארעא בקשט וכלא6 [ מלכותה מלכות עלם וכל ארחתה בקשוט ידי]ן5
וכל מדינתה לה יסגדון אל רבא באילה7 יעבד שלם חרב מן ארעא יסף
ירמה קדמוהי שלטנה9 הוא יעבד לה קרב עממין ינתן בידה וכלהן8
שלטן עלם וכל תהומי
Source Colophon
Text: Son of God (בר אלהא, 4Q246)
Source: Qumran Cave 4
Transcription: García Martínez, F. & Tigchelaar, E.J.C., The Dead Sea Scrolls Study Edition, Brill, 1997
🌲