The Second Book of Esdras

⭑ World English Bible Catholic :: King James Version ⭑

- Chapter 9 -

He answered me, “Measure diligently within yourself. When you see that a certain part of the signs are past, which have been told you beforehand,

then will you understand that it is the very time in which the Most High will visit the world which was made by him.

When earthquakes, tumult of peoples, plans of nations, wavering of leaders, and confusion of princes are seen in the world,

then will you understand that the Most High spoke of these things from the days that were of old, from the beginning.

For just as with everything that is made in the world, the beginning (a)is evident and the end manifest,

so also are the times of the Most High: the beginnings are manifest in wonders and mighty works, and the end in effects and signs.

Everyone who will be saved, and will be able to escape by his works, or by faith by which they have believed,

will be preserved from the said perils, and will see my salvation in my land and within my borders, which I have sanctified for myself from the beginning.

Then those who now have abused my ways will be amazed. Those who have cast them away despitefully will live in torments.

For as many as in their life have received benefits, and yet have not known me,

and as many as have scorned my law, while they still had liberty and when an opportunity to repent was open to them, didn’t understand, but despised (b) it,

must know (c)it in torment after death.

Therefore don’t be curious any longer how the ungodly will be punished, but inquire how the righteous will be saved, (d)those who the world belongs to, and for whom the world was created.”

I answered,

“I have said before, and now speak, and will say it again hereafter, that there are more of those who perish than of those who will be saved,

like a wave is greater than a drop.”

He answered me, “Just as the field is, so also the seed. As the flowers are, so are the colors. As the work is, so also is the (e)judgment on it. As is the farmer, so also is his threshing floor. For there was a time in the world

when I was preparing for those who now live, before the world was made for them to dwell in. Then no one spoke against me,

for (f)no one existed. But now those who are created in this world that is prepared, both (g)with a table that doesn’t fail and a law which is unsearchable, are corrupted in their ways.

So I considered my world, and behold, it was destroyed, and my earth, and behold, it was in peril, because of the plans that had come into it.

I saw and spared them, but not greatly, and saved myself a grape out of a cluster, and a plant out of (h)a great forest.

Let the multitude perish then, which were born in vain. Let my grape be saved, and my plant, for I have made them perfect with great labor.

Nevertheless, if you will wait seven more days—however don’t fast in them,

but go into a field of flowers, where no house is built, and eat only of the flowers of the field, and you shall taste no flesh, and shall drink no wine, but shall eat flowers only—

and pray to the Most High continually, then I will come and talk with you.”

So I went my way, just as he commanded me, into the field which is called (i)Ardat. There I sat among the flowers, and ate of the herbs of the field, and this food satisfied me.

It came to pass after seven days that I lay on the grass, and my heart was troubled again, like before.

My mouth was opened, and I began to speak before the Lord Most High, and said,

“O Lord, you showed yourself among us, to our fathers in the wilderness, when they went out of Egypt, and when they came into the wilderness, where no man treads and that bears no fruit.

You said, ‘Hear me, O Israel. Heed my words, O seed of Jacob.

For behold, I sow my law in you, and it will bring forth fruit in you, and you will be glorified in it forever.’

But our fathers, who received the law, didn’t keep it, and didn’t observe the statutes. The fruit of the law didn’t perish, for it couldn’t, because it was yours.

Yet those who received it perished, because they didn’t keep the thing that was sown in them.

Behold, it is a custom that when the ground has received seed, or the sea a ship, or any vessel food or drink, and when it comes to pass that that which is sown, or that which is launched,

or the things which have been received, should come to an end, these come to an end, but the receptacles remain. Yet with us, it doesn’t happen that way.

For we who have received the law will perish by sin, along with our heart which received it.

Notwithstanding the law doesn’t perish, but remains in its honor.”

When I spoke these things in my heart, I looked around me with my eyes, and on my right side I saw a woman, and behold, she mourned and wept with a loud voice, and was much grieved in mind. Her clothes were torn, and she had ashes on her head.

Then let I my thoughts go in which I was occupied, and turned myself to her,

and said to her, “Why are you weeping? Why are you grieved in your mind?”

She said to me, “Leave me alone, my Lord, that I may weep for myself and add to my sorrow, for I am very troubled in my mind, and brought very low.”

I said to her, “What ails you? Tell me.”

She said to me, “I, your servant, was barren and had no child, though I had a husband thirty years.

Every hour and every day these thirty years I made my prayer to the Most High day and night.

It came to pass after thirty years that God heard me, your handmaid, and saw my low estate, and considered my trouble, and gave me a son. I rejoiced in him greatly, I and my husband, and all my (j)neighbors. We gave great honor to the Mighty One.

I nourished him with great care.

So when he grew up, and I came to take him a wife, I made him a feast day.

Footnotes

(a)9:5 So the Syriac. The Latin is corrupt.

(b)9:11 Or, me

(d)9:13 So the Syriac and other versions. The Latin has and whose...created, and when.

(e)9:17 So the Aethiopic and Arabic. The Latin has creation.

(f)9:19 So the Syriac.

(g)9:19 So the Syriac.

(h)9:21 So the Syriac and other versions. The Latin has great tribes.

(i)9:26 The Syriac and Aethiopic have Arphad.

(j)9:45 Lat. townsmen.

He answered me then, and said, Measure thou the time diligently in itself: and when thou seest part of the signs past, which I have told thee before,

Then shalt thou understand, that it is the very same time, wherein the Highest will begin to visit the world which he made.

Therefore when there shall be seen earthquakes and uproars of the people in the world:

Then shalt thou well understand, that the most High spake of those things from the days that were before thee, even from the beginning.

For like as all that is made in the world hath a beginning and an end, and the end is manifest:

Even so the times also of the Highest have plain beginnings in wonder and powerful works, and endings in effects and signs.

And every one that shall be saved, and shall be able to escape by his works, and by faith, whereby ye have believed,

Shall be preserved from the said perils, and shall see my salvation in my land, and within my borders: for I have sanctified them for me from the beginning.

Then shall they be in pitiful case, which now have abused my ways: and they that have cast them away despitefully shall dwell in torments.

For such as in their life have received benefits, and have not known me;

And they that have loathed my law, while they had yet liberty, and, when as yet place of repentance was open unto them, understood not, but despised it;

The same must know it after death by pain.

And therefore be thou not curious how the ungodly shall be punished, and when: but enquire how the righteous shall be saved, whose the world is, and for whom the world is created.

Then answered I and said,

I have said before, and now do speak, and will speak it also hereafter, that there be many more of them which perish, than of them which shall be saved:

Like as a wave is greater than a drop.

And he answered me, saying, Like as the field is, so is also the seed; as the flowers be, such are the colours also; such as the workman is, such also is the work; and as the husbandman is himself, so is his husbandry also: for it was the time of the world.

And now when I prepared the world, which was not yet made, even for them to dwell in that now live, no man spake against me.

For then every one obeyed: but now the manners of them which are created in this world that is made are corrupted by a perpetual seed, and by a law which is unsearchable rid themselves.

So I considered the world, and, behold, there was peril because of the devices that were come into it.

And I saw, and spared it greatly, and have kept me a grape of the cluster, and a plant of a great people.

Let the multitude perish then, which was born in vain; and let my grape be kept, and my plant; for with great labour have I made it perfect.

Nevertheless, if thou wilt cease yet seven days more, (but thou shalt not fast in them,

But go into a field of flowers, where no house is builded, and eat only the flowers of the field; taste no flesh, drink no wine, but eat flowers only;)

And pray unto the Highest continually, then will I come and talk with thee.

So I went my way into the field which is called Ardath, like as he commanded me; and there I sat among the flowers, and did eat of the herbs of the field, and the meat of the same satisfied me.

After seven days I sat upon the grass, and my heart was vexed within me, like as before:

And I opened my mouth, and began to talk before the most High, and said,

O Lord, thou that shewest thyself unto us, thou wast shewed unto our fathers in the wilderness, in a place where no man treadeth, in a barren place, when they came out of Egypt.

And thou spakest saying, Hear me, O Israel; and mark my words, thou seed of Jacob.

For, behold, I sow my law in you, and it shall bring fruit in you, and ye shall be honoured in it for ever.

But our fathers, which received the law, kept it not, and observed not thy ordinances: and though the fruit of thy law did not perish, neither could it, for it was thine;

Yet they that received it perished, because they kept not the thing that was sown in them.

And, lo, it is a custom, when the ground hath received seed, or the sea a ship, or any vessel meat or drink, that, that being perished wherein it was sown or cast into,

That thing also which was sown, or cast therein, or received, doth perish, and remaineth not with us: but with us it hath not happened so.

For we that have received the law perish by sin, and our heart also which received it

Notwithstanding the law perisheth not, but remaineth in his force.

And when I spake these things in my heart, I looked back with mine eyes, and upon the right side I saw a woman, and, behold, she mourned and wept with a loud voice, and was much grieved in heart, and her clothes were rent, and she had ashes upon her head.

Then let I my thoughts go that I was in, and turned me unto her,

And said unto her, Wherefore weepest thou? why art thou so grieved in thy mind?

And she said unto me, Sir, let me alone, that I may bewail myself, and add unto my sorrow, for I am sore vexed in my mind, and brought very low.

And I said unto her, What aileth thee? tell me.

She said unto me, I thy servant have been barren, and had no child, though I had an husband thirty years,

And those thirty years I did nothing else day and night, and every hour, but make my, prayer to the Highest.

After thirty years God heard me thine handmaid, looked upon my misery, considered my trouble, and gave me a son: and I was very glad of him, so was my husband also, and all my neighbours: and we gave great honour unto the Almighty.

And I nourished him with great travail.

So when he grew up, and came to the time that he should have a wife, I made a feast.