APOCRYPHA – 2 Esdras 7 & 8

2 Esdras 7

1 Without tribulations none can come to safety. 12 God advertises in all time. 28 The coming and death of Christ. 32 The resurrection and last judgment. 43 After the which all corruption shall cease. 48 All fell in Adam. 59 The true life. 62 The mercies and goodness of God.

AND when I had made an end of these words, there was sent unto me an Angel, which had been sent down to me the night afore.

And he said unto me, Up, Esdras, and hear the words that I am come to tell thee.

And I said, Speak on, my God Then said he unto me, The sea is set in a wide place, that it might be deep and great,

But presuppose that the entrance thereof were narrow, and like the rivers,

Who could go into the sea to look upon it, and to rule it? If he went not through the narrow, how could he come into the broad?

There is also another thing: a city is built and set upon a broad field, and is full of all good things:

The entrance thereof is narrow and in a dangerous place to fall, that there is fire at the right hand, and a deep water at the left,

And there is but one path betwixt them, even between the fire and the water, so that there could but one man go there.

If this city were given unto a man for an inheritance, if he never went through the peril before it, how could he receive his inheritance?

And I said, It is so, Lord. Then said he, So is the portion of Israel.

Surely for their sakes have I made the world: and when Adam transgressed my statutes, then came this thing to pass.

Then were the entrances of the world made narrow, full of sorrow and travail: they are but few and evil, and full of perils, and very painful.

For the entrances of the fore world were wide and sure, and brought immortal fruit.

If then they that are living, labor not to enter by these straight and brittle things, they can not attain to those things that are hid.

Why then disquietest thou thyself, seeing thou art corruptible? and why art thou moved, seeing thou art mortal?

And why hast thou not considered in thy mind the things to come, rather than them that are present?

Then said I, O Lord, Lord, seeing thou hast ordained in thy Law, that the righteous should inherit these things, and that the ungodly should perish,

Should the righteous suffer straightness in hoping for large things? yet they that have lived ungodly and suffered straightness, shall not see the large things.

Then he said unto me, There is no judge more just than God, and there is none more wise than the most High.

For many perish in this life, because they despise the Law of God that it appointed.

For God hath diligently admonished such as came, so oft as they came, what they should do to have life, and what they should observe, to avoid punishment.

Nevertheless, they were not obedient unto him, but spake against him, and imagined vain things,

And deceived themselves by their wicked deeds, and denied the power of the most High, and regarded not his ways.

But they despised the Law, and refused his promises: they have unfaithfully broken his ordinances, and have not performed his works.

And therefore, Esdras, unto the empty are empty things, and to the full full things.

Behold, the time shall come, that these tokens which I have told thee, shall come to pass, and the bride shall appear, and she shall come forth, and be seen that now is under the earth.

And whosoever shall escape these evils, he shall see my wonders.

For my son Iesus [Jesus/Yeshua]* shall appear with those that be with him, and they that remain, shall rejoice within four hundred years.

After these same years shall my son Christ die, and all men that have life.

And the world shall be turned into the old silence for seven days, as in the sore judgements, so that no man shall remain.

But after seven days, the world that is yet asleep, shall be raised up: and that shall die, that is corrupt.

Then the earth shall restore those, that have slept in her, and so shall the dust those that dwell therein in silence, and the secret places shall deliver the souls that were committed unto them.

And the most High shall appear upon the seat of judgment, and miseries shall vanish away, and long suffering shall have an end.

Justice only shall continue: the truth shall remain, and faith shall be strong.

The work shall follow, and the reward shall be showed: the good deeds shall be of force, and unrighteousness shall bear no more rule.

Then said I, Abraham prayed first for the Sodomites, and Moses for the fathers that sinned in the wilderness,

And they that came after him, for Israel in the time of Achaz, and Samuel,

And David for the destruction, and Salomon for them that came into the Sanctuary,

And Elias for those that received rain, and for the dead that he might live,

And Ezechias for the people in the time of Sennacherib, and diverse others for many

Even so now, seeing vice is increased, and wickedness abounded, and the righteous have prayed for the ungodly, wherefore shall not the same effect follow also now?

Then he answered me, and said, This present life is not the end: oft times honor is retained in it: therefore have they prayed for the weak.

But the day of judgment shall be the end of this world, and the beginning of the immortality to come, wherein all corruption shall cease.

Intemperance shall pass away: infidelity shall be cut off: righteousness shall grow up, and the verity shall spring up.

Then shall no man be able to save him that is destroyed, nor oppress him that hath gotten the victory.

I answered then, and said, This is my first and last saying, that it had been better not to have given the earth unto Adam, or when it was given him, to have kept him that he should not have sinned.

For what profit is it for men in this present life to be in heaviness, and after death to fear punishment?

O Adam, what hast thou done? for in that thou hast sinned, thou art not fallen alone, but the fall also redundeth unto us that come of thee.

For what profit is it unto us, if there be promised an immortal life, when we do the works that bring death?

And that an everlasting hope should be promised us, seeing that we betide ourselves to deadly vanity?

And that there should be appointed us dwellings of health and safety, if we have lived wickedly?

And that the glory of the most High should be kept to defend them which have led a patient life, if we have walked in the wicked ways?

And that an eternal Paradise should be showed, whose fruit remaineth incorruptible, wherein is safety and health, if we will not enter into it?

(For we have been conversant in unpleasant places)

And that the faces of them, which have abstained, should shine more than stars, if our faces be blacker than darkness?

For while we lived, we did not remember when we did unrighteously, that we should suffer after death.

Then answered he me, and said, This is the manner of the battle, which man, that is born in the earth, shall fight,

That if he be overcome, he should suffer as thou hast said: but if he get the victory, he should receive the things that I have said.

For this is the life, whereof Moses spoke unto the people, while he lived, saying, Choose thee life that thou mayest live.

Nevertheless, they believed him not, neither the Prophets after him, nor me also which have said unto them,

That heaviness should not so be to their destruction, as joy should come unto them, to whom salvation is persuaded.

I answered then and said, I know, Lord that the most High is called merciful, in that he hath mercy upon them, which are not yet come to that world,

And that he has pity on those that walk in his Law,

And that he is patient: for he long suffers those who have sinned as his creatures,

And that he is liberal: for he will give as much as needed,

And that he is of great mercy: for he overcomes in mercy those that are present, and that are past, and them which are to come.

For if he were not abundant in his mercies, the world could not continue, nor they that have the possession thereof.

He pardons also: for if he gave not of his goodness that they, which have done evil, might be relieved from their wickedness, the ten thousand part of men should not remain alive.

And if he, being judge, forgave not those who be healed with his word, and took away the multitude of sins,

There should peradventure be very few left in an innumerable multitude.

2 Esdras 8

1 The number of the godly is small. 6 The works of God are excellent. 20 Esdras prayer for him and for his people. 39 The promise of salvation to the just. 55 The destruction of the unjust.

AND he answered me, saying, The most High made this world for many, but the world to come for few.

I will tell thee a similitude, o Esdras. As when thou ask the earth, it shall say unto thee, that it gives much earthly matter to make pots, but little dust that gold come of, so it is with the work of this world.

There be many created, but few shall be saved.

Then answered I, and said, Then swallow up the wit, o my soul, and devour understanding.

For thou hast promised to hear, and thou wilt prophecy: for thou hast no longer space, but the life given thee.

O Lord, if thou suffer not thy servant, that we may entreat thee, that thou mayest give feed unto our heart, and prepare our understanding, that there may come fruit of it, whereby every one which is corrupt, may live, who can set himself for man?

For thou art alone, and we all are one workmanship of thine hands, as thou hast said.

For when the body is fashioned now in the womb, and thou have given it members, thy creature is preserved by fire and water, and the work, created by thee, doth suffer nine months the creature, which is fashioned in it.

But the thing that contains, and that which is contained, shall both be preserved, and when time is come, the womb, being preserved, delivered the things that grew in it.

For thou hast commanded the members, even the breasts, to give milk unto the fruit appointed to the breasts,

That the thing, which is created, may be nourished for a time, til thou disposed it to thy mercy.

Thou bringest it up with thy righteousness, nurture it in thy Law, and reform it with thy judgment.

Thou slayest it as thy creature, and give it life as thy work.

Seeing then that thou destroyed him, which with so great labours is fashioned, it is an easy thing to appoint by thy commandment, that the thing also which is made, might be preserved.

Now therefore, o Lord, I will speak (as touching men in general thou shalt rather provide) but concerning thy people, for whose sake I am sorry,

And for thine inheritance for whose cause I mourn: for Israel, for whom I am woeful, and for Iacob, for whose sake I am grieved.

For them will I pray before thee, as well for myself, as for them: for I see our faults that dwelt in the land.

But I have heard the sudden coming of the judge, which is to come.

Therefore hear my voice, and understand my words, which I will speak before thee. The beginning of the words of Esdras, before he was taken up.

O Lord, that livest for ever, which behold it from above that which is above, and in the air,

Whose throne is inestimable, and his glory incomprehensible, before whom the host of the Angels stand with trembling,

Whose keeping is turned in wind and fire, whose word is true, and sayings steadfast, whose commandment is strong, and government terrible,

Whose look dries up the depths, and wrath makes the mountains to melt away as the thing bears witness.

Hear the prayer of thy servant, and receive into thine ears the petition of thy creature.

For while I live, I will speak, and so long as I have understanding, I will answer.

Look not upon the sins of thy people, rather then thy faithful servants.

Have not respect unto the wicked deeds of men, rather then to them that have thy testimonies in afflictions.

Think not upon those that have walked feignedly before thee, but remember them that reverence thy will.

Let it not be thy will to destroy them, which have lived like beasts, but look upon them that have clearly taught thy Law.

Take not displeasure with them, which appear worse than beasts, but love them, that always put their trust in thy righteousness and glory.

For we and our fathers have all the same sickness: but because of us that are sinners, thou shall be merciful.

If therefore thou wilt have mercy upon us, thou shalt be called merciful towards us which have no works of righteousness.

For the righteous, which have laid up many good works, let them receive the reward of their own deeds.

But what is man, that thou should take displeasure at him? or what is this mortal generation, that thou should be so grieved towards it?

For verily there is no man among them that be born, but he hath done wickedly, nor any that does confess thee, which hath not done amiss.

For in this, o Lord, thy righteousness and thy goodness shall be praised, if thou be merciful unto them, which have not the substance of good works.

Then answered he me, and said, Some things thou have spoken aright, and according unto thy words it shall be.

For I will not verily consider the works of them, before the death, before the judgment, before destruction:

But I will rejoice in the ways of the righteous, and I will remember the pilgrimage, the salvation and the rewards that they shall have.

Like as I have spoken now, so shall it come to pass.

For as the husbandman sows much seed upon the ground, and plants many trees, and yet always the thing that is sown, comes not up in time, neither yet does all that is planted, take root: so neither shall they all that are brought into the world, be saved.

I answered then and said, If I have found grace, let me speak.

Like as the husbandman’s seed perishes, if it come not up, and receive not rain in due season, or if it be destroyed with so much rain,

So perishes man, which is created with thine hands, and thou art called his pattern, because he is created to thine image, for whose sake thou hast made all things, and likened him unto the husbandman’s seed.

Be not wroth with us, o Lord, but spare thy people and have mercy upon thine inheritance: for thou wilt be merciful unto thy creature.

Then answered he me, and said, The things present are for the present, and the things to come for such as be to come.

For thou art far off that thou should love my creature above me: but I have often times drawn near unto thee and unto it, but never to the unrighteous.

In this also thou art marvelous before the Highest,

In that thou have humbled thyself, as it becomes thee, and have not judged thyself worthy to boast thyself greatly among the righteous.

For many miseries and calamities remain for them that shall live in the latter time, because they shall walk in great pride.

But learn thou for thyself, and seek out the glory for such as be like thee.

For unto you is paradise opened: the tree of life is planted: the time to come is prepared, plenteousness made ready: the city is built, and rest is prepared, perfect goodness and absolute wisdom.

The root of evil is sealed up from you: the weakness and moth is destroyed from you, and into hell flees corruption to be forgotten.

Sorrows are vanished away, and in the end is showed the treasure of immortality.

Therefore ask thou no more questions concerning the multitude of them that perish.

For when they had liberty, they despised the most High: they condemned his Law and forsook his ways.

Moreover, they have trodden down his righteous,

Saying in their heart, that there was no God, though they knew that they should die.

For as the thing that I have spoken of, it is made ready for you: so is thirst and pain prepared for them: for God would not that man should perish:

But they, after that they were created, have defiled the Name of him that made them, and are unthankful unto him, which prepared life for them.

Therefore my judgment is now at hand.

These things have I not showed unto all men, but unto thee, and to a few like thee: then I answered, and said,

Behold now, o Lord: thou hast showed me the many wonders, which thou art determined to do in the last time, but in what time, thou hast not showed me.

*WP4Y