5. "Why must I repent my guilt when I could never have contributed to it since I am only the fruit of sin and not its cause; and why did I have to be deprived of the blessing which all of you received in abundance and had to drag myself along burdened by the undeserved curse of Jehovah, whilst you leapt like harts?

6. "And now behold the reason for my action. The serpent in the grass spoke to me and said: 'Consume me, eat your fill of my flesh and quench your thirst with my blood, and you shall become a lord of the earth. All your descendants will rule upon it and their power and might will surpass that of all the blessed ones. I do not give you any commandment, only the might to rule and the power to subject everything to your will! '

7. "And lo, the serpent continued: 'My flesh will destroy you in your unjust guilt before God and my blood will give you a new reality without guilt, endowed with all might and power.' -Then the serpent was silent and I seized it, tore it to pieces and consumed it as you have just seen.