the use of Aiôn in the apocryphal Book of Enoch

[misszoolander]

Hi Guys,
Saw this posted on another forum..

after coming across this book for several times, I've examined the Greek text of it available - it's quite interesting, I've checked all occurances of aiôn and its adjective in the entire avaible Greek text, chapter 10 I've examined especially carefully, you'll find as a pdf. file in the attachment, the rest I'll post later.

I'm quite interested if you share my conclusion and need help with translation, this book is interesting as it seems it was the first Jewish literature containing the idea of hell, a concept foreign to the Old Testament.

the verse I need help is this:

X,12

καὶ δῆσον αὐτοὺς ἑβδομήκοντα γενεὰς εἰς τὰς νάπας τῆς γῆς μέχρι ἡμέρας κρίσεως αὐτῶν καὶ συντελεσμοῦ, ἕως τελεσθῇ
τὸ κρίμα τοῦ αἰῶνος τῶν αἰώνων.

kai dêson autous ebdomêkonta geneas eis tas napas tês gês mechri êmeras kriseōs autōn kai synthelesmou eōs telesthê to krima tou aiōnos tōn aiōnōn

bind them for seventy generations underneath the earth, until the day of judgment, and of their consummation, till the conviction of the Aeon of the Aeons will be completed.

is this translation right? does this verse imply a limited punishment, what do you think?


the Book of Enoch was popular among some early Christian, even those holding to universalism like Origen as far as I know, personally I came to the conclusion the Book of Enoch does not necessarily teach endless punishment.
I know this book is apocryphal and maybe should better not be read, but it's kind of interesting. I would appreciate your help. The site is http://www.evangelicaluniversalist.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=30&t=338

I thought this was pretty interesting, although I am unfamiliar with the book of Enoch. Anyone have thoughts?

[Lazarus Short]

"Underneath the earth" might only mean the grave.  I thought the Book of Enoch came from the Ethiopic, so why the diversion into Greek?  I've read a bit of it, and like a lot of apocryphal literature, it does not really speak to me.