II Esdras - Chapter 7

2Esdr 7:1
And when I had made an end of speaking these words, there was
sent unto me the angel which had been sent unto me the nights
afore:

2Esdr 7:2
And he said unto me, Up, Esdras, and hear the words that I am
come to tell thee.

2Esdr 7:3
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.

2Esdr 7:4
But put the case the entrance were narrow, and like a river;

2Esdr 7:5
Who then 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?

2Esdr 7:6
There is also another thing; A city is builded, and set upon
a broad field, and is full of all good things:

2Esdr 7:7
The entrance thereof is narrow, and is set in a dangerous
place to fall, like as if there were a fire on the right hand,
and on the left a deep water:

2Esdr 7:8
And one only path between them both, even between the fire
and the water, so small that there could but one man go there at
once.

2Esdr 7:9
If this city now were given unto a man for an inheritance, if
he never shall pass the danger set before it, how shall he
receive this inheritance?

2Esdr 7:10
And I said, It is so, Lord. Then said he unto me, Even so
also is Israel's portion.

2Esdr 7:11
Because for their sakes I made the world: and when Adam
transgressed my statutes, then was decreed that now is done.

2Esdr 7:12
Then were the entrances of this world made narrow, full of
sorrow and travail: they are but few and evil, full of perils,:
and very painful.

2Esdr 7:13
For the entrances of the elder world were wide and sure, and
brought immortal fruit.

2Esdr 7:14
If then they that live labour not to enter these strait and
vain things, they can never receive those that are laid up for
them.

2Esdr 7:15
Now therefore why disquietest thou thyself, seeing thou art
but a corruptible man? and why art thou moved, whereas thou art
but mortal?

2Esdr 7:16
Why hast thou not considered in thy mind this thing that is
to come, rather than that which is present?

2Esdr 7:17
Then answered I and said, O Lord that bearest rule, thou hast
ordained in thy law, that the righteous should inherit these
things, but that the ungodly should perish.

2Esdr 7:18
Nevertheless the righteous shall suffer strait things, and
hope for wide: for they that have done wickedly have suffered
the strait things, and yet shall not see the wide.

2Esdr 7:19
And he said unto me. There is no judge above God, and none
that hath understanding above the Highest.

2Esdr 7:20
For there be many that perish in this life, because they
despise the law of God that is set before them.

2Esdr 7:21
For God hath given strait commandment to such as came, what
they should do to live, even as they came, and what they should
observe to avoid punishment.

2Esdr 7:22
Nevertheless they were not obedient unto him; but spake
against him, and imagined vain things;

2Esdr 7:23
And deceived themselves by their wicked deeds; and said of
the most High, that he is not; and knew not his ways:

2Esdr 7:24
But his law have they despised, and denied his covenants; in
his statutes have they not been faithful, and have not performed
his works.

2Esdr 7:25
And therefore, Esdras, for the empty are empty things, and
for the full are the full things.

2Esdr 7:26
Behold, the time shall come, that these tokens which I have
told thee shall come to pass, and the bride shall appear, and
she coming forth shall be seen, that now is withdrawn from the
earth.

2Esdr 7:27
And whosoever is delivered from the foresaid evils shall see
my wonders.

2Esdr 7:28
For my son Jesus shall be revealed with those that be with
him, and they that remain shall rejoice within four hundred
years.

2Esdr 7:29
After these years shall my son Christ die, and all men that
have life.

2Esdr 7:30
And the world shall be turned into the old silence seven
days, like as in the former judgments: so that no man shall
remain.

2Esdr 7:31
And after seven days the world, that yet awaketh not, shall
be raised up, and that shall die that is corrupt

2Esdr 7:32
And the earth shall restore those that are asleep in her, and
so shall the dust those that dwell in silence, and the secret
places shall deliver those souls that were committed unto them.

2Esdr 7:33
And the most High shall appear upon the seat of judgment, and
misery shall pass away, and the long suffering shall have an
end:

2Esdr 7:34
But judgment only shall remain, truth shall stand, and faith
shall wax strong:

2Esdr 7:35
And the work shall follow, and the reward shall be shewed,
and the good deeds shall be of force, and wicked deeds shall
bear no rule.

2Esdr 7:36
Then said I, Abraham prayed first for the Sodomites, and
Moses for the fathers that sinned in the wilderness:

2Esdr 7:37
And Jesus after him for Israel in the time of Achan:

2Esdr 7:38
And Samuel and David for the destruction: and Solomon for
them that should come to the sanctuary:

2Esdr 7:39
And Helias for those that received rain; and for the dead,
that he might live:

2Esdr 7:40
And Ezechias for the people in the time of Sennacherib: and
many for many.

2Esdr 7:41
Even so now, seeing corruption is grown up, and wickedness
increased, and the righteous have prayed for the ungodly:
wherefore shall it not be so now also?

2Esdr 7:42
He answered me, and said, This present life is not the end
where much glory doth abide; therefore have they prayed for the
weak.

2Esdr 7:43
But the day of doom shall be the end of this time, and the
beginning of the immortality for to come, wherein corruption is
past,

2Esdr 7:44
Intemperance is at an end, infidelity is cut off,
righteousness is grown, and truth is sprung up.

2Esdr 7:45
Then shall no man be able to save him that is destroyed, nor
to oppress him that hath gotten the victory.

2Esdr 7:46
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 else, when it was given him, to have restrained him from
sinning.

2Esdr 7:47
For what profit is it for men now in this present time to
live in heaviness, and after death to look for punishment?

2Esdr 7:48
O thou Adam, what hast thou done? for though it was thou that
sinned, thou art not fallen alone, but we all that come of thee.

2Esdr 7:49
For what profit is it unto us, if there be promised us an
immortal time, whereas we have done the works that bring death?

2Esdr 7:50
And that there is promised us an everlasting hope, whereas
ourselves being most wicked are made vain?

2Esdr 7:51
And that there are laid up for us dwellings of health and
safety, whereas we have lived wickedly?

2Esdr 7:52
And that the glory of the most High is kept to defend them
which have led a wary life, whereas we have walked in the most
wicked ways of all?

2Esdr 7:53
And that there should be shewed a paradise, whose fruit
endureth for ever, wherein is security and medicine, since we
shall not enter into it?

2Esdr 7:54
(For we have walked in unpleasant places.)

2Esdr 7:55
And that the faces of them which have used abstinence shall
shine above the stars, whereas our faces shall be blacker than
darkness?

2Esdr 7:56
For while we lived and committed iniquity, we considered not
that we should begin to suffer for it after death.

2Esdr 7:57
Then answered he me, and said, This is the condition of the
battle, which man that is born upon the earth shall fight;

2Esdr 7:58
That, if he be overcome, he shall suffer as thou hast said:
but if he get the victory, he shall receive the thing that I
say.

2Esdr 7:59
For this is the life whereof Moses spake unto the people
while he lived, saying, Choose thee life, that thou mayest live.

2Esdr 7:60
Nevertheless they believed not him, nor yet the prophets
after him, no nor me which have spoken unto them,

2Esdr 7:61
That there should not be such heaviness in their destruction,
as shall be joy over them that are persuaded to salvation.

2Esdr 7:62
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 into the world,

2Esdr 7:63
And upon those also that turn to his law;

2Esdr 7:64
And that he is patient, and long suffereth those that have
sinned, as his creatures;

2Esdr 7:65
And that he is bountiful, for he is ready to give where it
needeth;

2Esdr 7:66
And that he is of great mercy, for he multiplieth more and
more mercies to them that are present, and that are past, and
also to them which are to come.

2Esdr 7:67
For if he shall not multiply his mercies, the world would not
continue with them that inherit therein.

2Esdr 7:68
And he pardoneth; for if he did not so of his goodness, that
they which have committed iniquities might be eased of them, the
ten thousandth part of men should not remain living.

2Esdr 7:69
And being judge, if he should not forgive them that are cured
with his word, and put out the multitude of contentions,

2Esdr 7:70
There should be very few left peradventure in an innumerable
multitude.