Christian was a pilgrim on a dangerous journey to the celestial city. Although his good friend Faithful had been killed by the men of Vanity Fair, God allowed Christian to escape. But he did not travel alone, for a man named Hopeful left Vanity Fair as well and became his companion. And so one man died for his faith. and another came forward to take his place. The way that Christian and Hopeful had to walk was rocky and their feet ached. They did not stop to rest, although they did wish they could find an easier road. Now on the left-hand side of the way was a little path that went through a soft, thick meadow called Bypath Meadow. Christian walked over to it and looked around. It will be much easier walking through this meadow, he said to Hopeful. But what if that path should lead us out of the way? That's not likely. Look, it runs in the same direction as the way we are on now. And so he persuaded Hopeful to go along with him. They had to climb over a fence to get into the meadow. But once there, they found it much easier on their feet. Up ahead, they saw another man walking along the path. They did not know it, but his name was Vain Confidence. They called out to him and said, Where does this path lead? And he called back, To heaven's gate! See, Christian said, I told you we were going in the right direction. But behold, the night came on, and because vain confidence could no longer see what was in front of him, he fell into a deep pit and landed so hard that his bones were broken. Christian and Hopeful heard him fall. They called out to him, but this time the only answer was the sound of groaning. Where are we now? Hopeful asked. But Christian did not answer. He knew that he had led his friend away from the Celestial City. And then it began to rain and thunder. Lightning flashed all around them. The water rose so quickly that the path was flooded. Oh, that I had stayed on the way! Who would have thought that this pleasant path would have taken us so far from our way? Christian said, I am sorry that I have led you into so much danger, my brother. We must get back again. But by now, the floodwaters had risen so high that the pilgrims nearly drowned trying to return to the way. It is always much easier to leave the right way than it is to find it again. Finally, they gave up. And coming to a place where the ground was high enough to keep them out of the water, they fell asleep, thinking that they would be safe. But they were wrong. The ground on which the pilgrims were sleeping belonged to one Giant Despair, who was the master of Doubting Castle. And the next morning, as he was out for his walk, he saw Christian and Hopeful sleeping in his field. Wake up! Where have you come from? What are you doing on my grounds? We are pilgrims and we lost our way last night in the rain. You are trespassers trampling down my fields. Come with me. The giant then pushed them along in front of him and brought them to Doubting Castle. He threw them into a dark, stinking dungeon and left them there from Wednesday morning until Saturday night without even a piece of bread or a drop of water. Now Giant Despair had a wife named Diffidence. One night while they were sitting up in bed, he told her about his prisoners and how he had thrown them into the dungeon for trespassing on his grounds. Then he asked her what he should do with them. When you wake up in the morning, she said, you must beat them without mercy. And then she blew out the light and went to sleep. The next morning, Giant Despair cut a big branch from a crab tree, went down into the dungeon, and beat Christian and Hopeful until all they could do was lay on the floor and cry. That night, the Giant told his wife about what he had done. Tomorrow morning, tell them to kill themselves because they have no hope of ever escaping! And so, in the morning, he went back down into the dungeon and gave the pilgrims a knife, a noose, and a bottle of poison. Choose whichever one you like! The only way you will ever get out of this dungeon is to kill yourself! Please, sir, please set us free! Set you free? Why, I'll kill you right now, right where you are! The giant rushed at the pilgrims and would have killed them. Except that he suddenly fell into one of his fits. He started coughing and became so weak, he could not even move his arm. He had just enough strength to stumble back out of the dungeon. Even though the giant was very strong, the sunlight sometimes caused him to have fits. Now that they were alone again, the pilgrims had to decide whether or not they would listen to the giant and kill themselves. Brother, what should we do? Christian asked. I would rather be dead than in this dungeon. So would I. replied Hopeful. But the Lord has said, you shall not murder. And so we must not listen to giant despair and murder ourselves. Have you forgotten that the Bible says, no murderer has eternal life? Besides, giant despair does not control everything. Who knows, but that God may cause him to die. or that one day he will forget to lock us in, or fall into another of his fits. Be patient my brother, we may yet escape, but we must not murder ourselves. Well, on Saturday, about midnight, they began to pray, and continued praying until almost daylight. What a fool I am, Christian said, jumping to his feet. I had forgotten about the key that is right here in my pocket. This key is called Promise, and I am sure that it will open any lock in Doubting Castle. He tried the key on the dungeon door and it flew open with ease. Then they both went to the door that leads into the castle yard and opened that one as well. Last of all, they came to the large iron gate. It was very hard, but they managed to turn the lock with their key. But that gate made such a creaking noise as they slowly pushed it open that it woke the giant. He jumped from bed, dashed out into the courtyard, and then he fell into one of his fits. And that is how the pilgrims escaped from Doubting Castle. . Christian and hopeful walked on until they came to the delectable mountains. These mountains belonged to the Lord. So they went up and saw gardens and orchards and vineyards and fountains. On the mountains were shepherds feeding their flocks. The shepherds, whose names were Knowledge, Experience, Watchful and Sincere, brought the two pilgrims to their tents and invited them to rest for the night. In the morning, the shepherds took Christian and Hopeful to the tops of the mountains in order to show them some wonders. They brought them first to the edge of a cliff, which was on top of a hill called Erre. Christian and hopeful looked down and saw the broken bodies of men who had fallen over the edge. What does this mean? Christian asked. Down there, the shepherds answered, are the bodies of men who have listened to false teachers. They have been left there as a warning, so that others will not climb too high or come too close to the edge of this hill. Then they brought them to the top of another hill, which is called Caution. Looking out from that mountain, they could see several men walking around in a graveyard. They realized that the men must have been blind, because they stumbled so much, and they could never seem to find their way out of the graveyard. What does this mean? Christian asked. The men you see once followed the way to the celestial city. But because the way was rocky and difficult, they left it and walked in Bypath Meadow. They were captured by giant despair and cast into Doubting Castle. Finally, the giant poked out their eyes and left them to wander around in the graveyard, that the saying of the wise man might be fulfilled, He that wanders out of the way shall remain in the congregation of the dead. Christian and hopeful looked at one another with tears running down their cheeks. But they said nothing to the shepherds. Then I saw in my dream that the shepherds took them back down and showed them a doorway in the side of a hill. The shepherds opened the door and told them to look inside. So they looked and saw that it was very dark and smoky. They thought that they heard a rumbling noise like a fire and a cry like someone in torment. What is this place? This is a byway to hell. This is the way that hypocrites go down into hell. Judas, who sold his master, went through this door, and so did Ananias and Sapphira, who lied to the Holy Spirit. Each one of them, said Hopeful, seemed to be on their way to the celestial city, just like Christian and me. Yes, said the shepherds, some travel far along the way and still do not reach the celestial city. By this time, Christian and hopeful wanted to continue their journey, so they started walking towards the end of the mountains. The shepherds said, let us show the pilgrims the gates of the celestial city. If they had the skill to look through our telescope, The pilgrims took turns looking through the telescope. Both of them were still thinking about the by-path to hell, and it made their hands shake so much that they could not look steadily through the telescope. Still, they thought they could just see the gate of heaven. When they were about to leave, the first shepherd gave them a map of the way. The second told them to beware of the flatterer. The third shepherd told them not to sleep on the enchanted ground. And the fourth bid them Godspeed. So I awoke from my dream. As I slept and dreamed again, I saw Christian and hopeful going down the mountain along the way that leads to the celestial city. At the foot of the mountain is the country of conceit, which is connected to the way by a little crooked path. Here, the pilgrims met a lively young man named Ignorance. Where have you come from? Christian asked. And where are you going? Sir? Ignorance answered. I am going to the Celestial City. But how can that be? Since you have not entered this way through the gate, why do you expect to be allowed in at the Celestial City? Because I am a good man. I treat others well. I pray. I fast, I pay tithes, and I give money to the poor. But you haven't entered in at the gate. You came down that crooked path. And so whatever you may think of yourself, you will not be allowed in at the Celestial City. Gentlemen, I did not ask for your advice. You follow your religion, and I will follow mine, and everything will turn out all right. And as for the gate which you spoke of, it is much too far from my country. I can't think of anyone in conceit who even knows how to get there. Then Christian said to Hopeful, There is more hope for a fool than for this man. Shall we walk further with him or leave him to think about what we have just said? And Hopeful answered, It is not good to try and tell him everything at once. Let us leave him for now and talk to him again later. Perhaps we can help him little by little. So they walked on. Soon the pilgrims came to a road that seemed to be just as straight as their way. They weren't sure which of the two to take because both seemed to go exactly in the same direction. Now as they stood there wondering, a man in a white robe came to them and said, Why are you standing still? We are going to the celestial city, but we do not know which of these two ways to take. Follow me, I am going to the celestial city as well. So they followed him. But the road they were on slowly turned until before they realised it, they were walking away from the Celestial City. And then they stepped into a net. It wrapped around them so tightly that they could not untangle themselves. Then Christian said, now I see our mistake. That man in white was the flatterer that the shepherds warned us about. The proverb of the wise man is true. A man that flatters his neighbor spreads a net for his feet. Yes, hopeful said, the shepherds also gave us a map. We forgot to read it and so we have taken the wrong path. Then they saw a shining one coming towards them with a small whip in his hands. He asked how they had gotten tangled in the net. We are pilgrims on our way to the celestial city, but we were led out of our way by a man dressed in white. Follow me, he said. I am going to the celestial city. It is flatterer. said the Shining One, a false apostle that has transformed himself into an angel of light. So he tore the net and set the pilgrims free. Then he said, so that I can get you back on your way again. As they walked, he asked them, where did you sleep last night? With the shepherds on the delectable mountains. Did not one of the shepherds give you a map? Ah, yes. Did you take it out and read it when you were wondering which way to take? No. Why not? We forgot about it. Did not one of the shepherds tell you to beware of the flatterer? Yes, but we never imagined that the well-spoken gentleman could be a flatterer. Then I saw in my dream that the Shining One commanded them to lie down, and when they did, he whipped them to teach them to stay on the way. As he did, he said, As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Be zealous therefore and repent. So they thanked him and walked softly on their way. Off in the distance, Christian and Hopeful could see an old man shuffling towards them. This man is walking away from the celestial city, Christian said. I see him, answered Hopeful. Be careful, he may be another flatterer. The man's name was Atheist. He said, Hello! to the two pilgrims and asked where they were headed. We are going to the Celestial City! What ignorant people you are! Your journey is so difficult, but all this hard work and danger won't do you any good! Why, don't you think they will let us in at the Celestial City? Let you in? There's no such place as a celestial city. I've been searching for it for twenty years, and I have never once seen it. If there really was a celestial city, I would have found it by now. Then Christian said to Hopeful, Can this be true? What? No celestial city? Didn't we see the gate of that city from the delectable mountains? My brother, don't listen to atheists. We must believe to the saving of our souls. Brother, I did not ask because I doubted the truth. I only wanted to see how strong was your faith and to hear your good answer. As for atheist, he is blind. Let us go on, knowing that we believe the truth." Then I saw in my dream that they walked until they came to a country where the air makes you drowsy. I'm so drowsy, Hopeful said. I can hardly keep my eyes open. Let's take a nap. No! If we go to sleep here, we may never wake up again. This is the enchanted ground that the shepherds warned us about. Had I been here alone, I might have died. Your friendship is a mercy to me, Christian. Now then, to keep from falling asleep, We need to talk. So tell me, how did you first become a pilgrim? When I lived in Vanity Fair, I loved all the things that were seen and sold there. I loved drinking, and cursing, and lying, and Sabbath-breaking, and all the things that destroy your soul. But I learned from you, and from faithful, that because of these things I was under the wrath of God. At first, I tried not to think about that. Then what things reminded you of the wrath of God? Many things. If I met a good man, Or if I heard anyone read from the Bible. Or if my head hurt. Or if I heard that a friend was sick. Or if I saw a funeral. But especially when I thought that someday I would stand before God. So what did you do when you felt guilty? I became very religious. I left my sinful friends. I started to pray and to read the Bible. Did that help? At first, but I was troubled again because the Bible says that no man shall be justified by the works of the law and that all our righteousness is as filthy rags. I didn't know what to do until I spoke to Faithful. He told me that my own good works could never save me from the wrath of God. I needed to have the righteousness of a man that had never sinned. That sinless man, he told me, was the Lord Jesus Christ, and I must trust in what he did when he suffered on the cross. He was the mighty God, and he died on the cross for sinners. All of his goodness would be given to me if I believed on him. And then I asked Faithful, what should I say when I pray to God? and he told me to say something like this. God be merciful to me a sinner and make me to know and to believe in Jesus Christ for I know that without faith in his righteousness I will be cast away. Lord I have heard that you are merciful and have made your son the savior of the world. I have also heard that you are willing to save sinners such as me. Lord, therefore magnify your grace by saving my soul through the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. I continued to pray like this until God the Father showed me His Son, Jesus Christ. And how did God show His Son to you? Well, I did not see Jesus with my eyes, but by faith I began to understand what he had done for sinners. But it was as if I saw the Lord Jesus looking down from heaven upon me and saying, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved. But I replied, Lord, I am a great sinner. And he said, My grace is enough for you. He that comes to me, I will in no wise cast out. Then I understood that my righteousness must come from Christ and that He must pay the penalty for my sins. I understood that He lived a perfect life and died in the place of sinners. All the righteousness I needed was given to me when I accepted it from Christ.

And then my heart was full of joy. My eyes were filled with tears. My heart was overflowing with love for Jesus, for his people, and for his ways. I thought that if I had a thousand lives, I would live them all for my Lord.

Now I saw in my dream that the pilgrims passed over the enchanted ground and entered a country called Beulah. In this country the sun shone night and day. It was beyond the valley of the shadow of death and out of the reach of giant despair. From this place you could not so much as see Doubting Castle, They were finally within sight of the celestial city, because Beulah was near the border of heaven.

They came to a place where there were orchards, and vineyards, and gardens that belonged to the king. They were planted there so that pilgrims could rest. So Christian and hopeful stayed there and slept safely. I saw that when they awoke, they started towards the celestial city again.

But the reflection of the sun was so bright, for the city was made of pure gold, it was so bright that they could not look directly at it. As they walked on, two shining ones greeted them and said, You have only two more difficulties to meet with, and then you will be in the city.

Now between the pilgrims and the city was a river. There was no bridge to go over, and the river was very deep. The Shining One said, you must go through it or you cannot reach the city. Then the pilgrims, especially Christian, began to despair. They looked this way and that, but there was no way to get around the river.

Christian asked, is the river deep all the way across? No, the shining ones told him, the strength of your faith makes it shallow or deep. So they stepped into the water and Christian began immediately to sink. Hopeful, he said, I'm sinking in deep water. The billows go over my head. All the waves go over me.

Be brave, my brother. I feel the bottom. It is solid. No! The sorrows of death are around me. I shall not see the land that flows with milk and honey. Hopeful tried hard to keep Christian's head above water. These troubles are only sent to try your faith, he said. Be of good cheer. Jesus Christ makes you whole.

Oh, I see him again! He tells me, when you pass through the river, I will be with you. Christian soon found solid ground on which to stand, and the rest of the river was very shallow. And so they crossed over. The two shining ones were waiting to lead them onward.

Although the celestial city was on top of a mighty mountain, the pilgrims went up with ease, because the shining ones just carried them through the air. You are going to the paradise of God, they said. You will eat of the tree of life. You will be given white robes, and every day you will talk with the king. Never again will you have sorrow, or sickness, or trouble. for the old things are passed away.

And what must we do in this holy place? Christian asked. You must receive the comfort of all your toil, they told him, and you must have joy for all your sorrow. You must wear crowns of gold and enjoy the sight of God. You must continually praise him with shouting and thanksgiving.

At last, they reached the gate of the celestial city. Looking down from the top of the gate were Enoch, Moses, and Elijah. The shining ones called up to them. These pilgrims have come from the city of destruction out of love for our king. And then Christian and Hopeful handed over their scrolls, and the king commanded that the gate be opened for them.

Now I saw in my dream that as Christian and Hopeful walked through the gate, they were given clothing that shone like gold. They were also given harps and crowns. I heard all the city bells begin to ring, and it was said to them, Enter into the joy of your Lord.

Now, just as the gates were opened, I looked in, and behold, the city shone like the sun! The streets were paved with gold, and on them walked men with crowns and palms and golden harps. There were also some that had wings, and they cried to one another, Holy, holy, holy is the Lord! And when I had seen that, they shut the gate.

While I was standing there, I turned and saw ignorance coming up to the river. He crossed over without half the difficulty Christian and hopeful had, because a man named Vane Hope took him across in a boat. There were no shining ones waiting for ignorance, and so he had to climb the mountain alone. When he finally reached the gate, the men who looked down from the top said, show us your scroll. He fumbled around in his pocket for a moment, but could not find one. Don't you have a scroll? the men asked him. But he was speechless. The king commanded two shining ones to go out, tie ignorance up and take him away. So they bound him hand and foot and carried him through the air to a door that I saw in the side of the mountain and they put him in there.

Then I realized that there was a way to hell even at the gate of heaven. So I awoke. And behold, it was a dream!