The Gospel of Barnabas - chapter 60

Sacred-Texts Islam
  

60.

'Hell is one, and is contrary to paradise, as winter is contrary to summer, and cold to heat. He therefore who would describe the misery of hell must needs have seen the paradise of God's delights.

'O place accursed by God's justice for the malediction of the faithless and reprobate, of which said Job, the friend of God: "There is no order there, but everlasting fear!" And Isaiah the prophet, against the reprobate, saith: "Their flame shall not be quenched nor their worm die." And David our father, weeping, said: "Then shall rain upon them lightning and bolts and brimstone and great tempest." O miserable sinners, how loathsome then shall seem to them delicate meats, costly raiment, soft couches, and concord of sweet song! how sick shall make them raging hunger, burning flames, scorching cinders, and cruel torments with bitter weeping!'

And then Jesus uttered a lamentable groan, saying: 'Truly it were better never to have been formed than to suffer such cruel torments. For imagine a man suffering torments in every part of his body, who hath no one to show him compassion, but is mocked of all; tell me, would not this be great pain?'

The disciples answered: 'The greatest.'

Then said Jesus: Now this is a delight [in comparison] of hell. For I tell you in truth, that if God should place in one balance all the pain which all men have suffered in this world and shall suffer till the day of judgment, and in the other one single hour of the pain of hell, the reprobates would without doubt choose the worldly tribulations, for the worldly come from the hand of man, but the others from the hand of devils, who are utterly without compassion. O what cruel fire they shall give to miserable sinners! O what bitter cold, which yet shall not temper their flames! What gnashing of teeth and sobbing and weeping! For the Jordan has less water than the tears which every moment shall flow from their eyes. And here their tongues shall curse all things created, with their father and mother, and their Creator, who is blessed for ever.'