Third Baruch

And then other angels came, weeping and lamenting and saying with fear, “Behold us, O Lord, we are blackened, because we have been delivered to wicked men, and we want to withdraw from them.”

And Michael said, “You cannot withdraw from them, lest the Enemy utterly prevail; but tell me what you ask.”

And they said, “We implore you, Michael, our arch-commander, transfer us from them, because we cannot remain with wicked and foolish men, for there is nothing good in them, but all injustice and covetousness.”

“For we have never seen them enter a church, nor (approach) spiritual fathers, nor (do) a single good thing. But wherever there is murder, they are there in the midst, and wherever there are fornications, adulteries, thefts, slanders, perjuries, envy, drunkenness, strife, jealousy, grumbling, whispering, idolatry, divination, and things similar to these, there they are workers of such things and worse ones. Therefore, we implore that we may depart from them.”

And Michael said to the angels, “Wait until I learn from the Lord what is to happen.”