God's New Revelations

The Second Book of Esdras

King James Version :: World English Bible Catholic

- Chapter 2 -

1
Thus saith the Lord, I brought this people out of bondage, and I gave them my commandments by menservants the prophets; whom they would not hear, but despised my counsels.
2
The mother that bare them saith unto them, Go your way, ye children; for I am a widow and forsaken.
3
I brought you up with gladness; but with sorrow and heaviness have I lost you: for ye have sinned before the Lord your God, and done that thing that is evil before him.
4
But what shall I now do unto you? I am a widow and forsaken: go your way, O my children, and ask mercy of the Lord.
5
As for me, O father, I call upon thee for a witness over the mother of these children, which would not keep my covenant,
6
That thou bring them to confusion, and their mother to a spoil, that there may be no offspring of them.
7
Let them be scattered abroad among the heathen, let their names be put out of the earth: for they have despised my covenant.
8
Woe be unto thee, Assur, thou that hidest the unrighteous in thee! O thou wicked people, remember what I did unto Sodom and Gomorrha;
9
Whose land lieth in clods of pitch and heaps of ashes: even so also will I do unto them that hear me not, saith the Almighty Lord.
10
Thus saith the Lord unto Esdras, Tell my people that I will give them the kingdom of Jerusalem, which I would have given unto Israel.
11
Their glory also will I take unto me, and give these the everlasting tabernacles, which I had prepared for them.
12
They shall have the tree of life for an ointment of sweet savour; they shall neither labour, nor be weary.
13
Go, and ye shall receive: pray for few days unto you, that they may be shortened: the kingdom is already prepared for you: watch.
14
Take heaven and earth to witness; for I have broken the evil in pieces, and created the good: for I live, saith the Lord.
15
Mother, embrace thy children, and bring them up with gladness, make their feet as fast as a pillar: for I have chosen thee, saith the Lord.
16
And those that be dead will I raise up again from their places, and bring them out of the graves: for I have known my name in Israel.
17
Fear not, thou mother of the children: for I have chosen thee, saith the Lord.
18
For thy help will I send my servants Esau and Jeremy, after whose counsel I have sanctified and prepared for thee twelve trees laden with divers fruits,
19
And as many fountains flowing with milk and honey, and seven mighty mountains, whereupon there grow roses and lilies, whereby I will fill thy children with joy.
20
Do right to the widow, judge for the fatherless, give to the poor, defend the orphan, clothe the naked,
21
Heal the broken and the weak, laugh not a lame man to scorn, defend the maimed, and let the blind man come into the sight of my clearness.
22
Keep the old and young within thy walls.
23
Wheresoever thou findest the dead, take them and bury them, and I will give thee the first place in my resurrection.
24
Abide still, O my people, and take thy rest, for thy quietness still come.
25
Nourish thy children, O thou good nurse; stablish their feet.
26
As for the servants whom I have given thee, there shall not one of them perish; for I will require them from among thy number.
27
Be not weary: for when the day of trouble and heaviness cometh, others shall weep and be sorrowful, but thou shalt be merry and have abundance.
28
The heathen shall envy thee, but they shall be able to do nothing against thee, saith the Lord.
29
My hands shall cover thee, so that thy children shall not see hell.
30
Be joyful, O thou mother, with thy children; for I will deliver thee, saith the Lord.
31
Remember thy children that sleep, for I shall bring them out of the sides of the earth, and shew mercy unto them: for I am merciful, saith the Lord Almighty.
32
Embrace thy children until I come and shew mercy unto them: for my wells run over, and my grace shall not fail.
33
I Esdras received a charge of the Lord upon the mount Oreb, that I should go unto Israel; but when I came unto them, they set me at nought, and despised the commandment of the Lord.
34
And therefore I say unto you, O ye heathen, that hear and understand, look for your Shepherd, he shall give you everlasting rest; for he is nigh at hand, that shall come in the end of the world.
35
Be ready to the reward of the kingdom, for the everlasting light shall shine upon you for evermore.
36
Flee the shadow of this world, receive the joyfulness of your glory: I testify my Saviour openly.
37
O receive the gift that is given you, and be glad, giving thanks unto him that hath led you to the heavenly kingdom.
38
Arise up and stand, behold the number of those that be sealed in the feast of the Lord;
39
Which are departed from the shadow of the world, and have received glorious garments of the Lord.
40
Take thy number, O Sion, and shut up those of thine that are clothed in white, which have fulfilled the law of the Lord.
41
The number of thy children, whom thou longedst for, is fulfilled: beseech the power of the Lord, that thy people, which have been called from the beginning, may be hallowed.
42
I Esdras saw upon the mount Sion a great people, whom I could not number, and they all praised the Lord with songs.
43
And in the midst of them there was a young man of a high stature, taller than all the rest, and upon every one of their heads he set crowns, and was more exalted; which I marvelled at greatly.
44
So I asked the angel, and said, Sir, what are these?
45
He answered and said unto me, These be they that have put off the mortal clothing, and put on the immortal, and have confessed the name of God: now are they crowned, and receive palms.
46
Then said I unto the angel, What young person is it that crowneth them, and giveth them palms in their hands?
47
So he answered and said unto me, It is the Son of God, whom they have confessed in the world. Then began I greatly to commend them that stood so stiffly for the name of the Lord.
48
Then the angel said unto me, Go thy way, and tell my people what manner of things, and how great wonders of the Lord thy God, thou hast seen.
1
The Lord says, “I brought this people out of bondage. I gave them my commandments by my servants the prophets, whom they would not listen to, but made my counsels void.
2
The mother who bore them says to them, ‘Go your way, my children, for I am a widow and forsaken.
3
I brought you up with gladness, and I have lost you with sorrow and heaviness, for you have sinned before the Lord God, and done that which is evil before me.
4
But now what can I do for you? For I am a widow and forsaken. Go your way, my children, and ask for mercy from the Lord.’
5
As for me, O father, I call upon you for a witness in addition to the mother of these children, because they would not keep my covenant,
6
that you may bring them to confusion, and their mother to ruin, that they may have no offspring.
7
Let them be scattered abroad among the heathen. Let their names be blotted out of the earth, for they have despised my covenant.
8
Woe to you, Assur, you who hide the unrighteous with you! You wicked nation, remember what I did to Sodom and Gomorrah,
9
whose land lies in lumps of pitch and heaps of ashes. That is what I will also do to those who have not listened to me,” says the Lord Almighty.
10
The Lord says to Esdras, “Tell my people that I will give them the kingdom of Jerusalem, which I would have given to Israel.
11
I will also take their glory back to myself, and give these the everlasting tabernacles which I had prepared for them.
12
They will have the tree of life for fragrant perfume. They will neither labor nor be weary.
13
Ask, and you will receive. Pray that your days may be few, that they may be shortened. The kingdom is already prepared for you. Watch!
14
Call heaven and earth to witness. Call them to witness, for I have left out evil, and created the good, for I live, says the Lord.
15
“Mother, embrace your children. I will bring them out with gladness like a dove does. Establish their feet, for I have chosen you, says the Lord.
16
I will raise those who are dead up again from their places, and bring them out from their tombs, for I recognize my name in them.
17
Don’t be afraid, you mother of children, for I have chosen you, says the Lord.
18
For your help, I will send my servants Esaias and Jeremy, after whose counsel I have sanctified and prepared for you twelve trees laden with various fruits,
19
and as many springs flowing with milk and honey, and seven mighty mountains, on which roses and lilies grow, with which I will fill your children with joy.
20
Do right to the widow. Secure justice for the fatherless. Give to the poor. Defend the orphan. Clothe the naked.
21
Heal the broken and the weak. Don’t laugh a lame man to scorn. Defend the maimed. Let the blind man have a vision of my glory.
22
Protect the old and young within your walls.
23
Wherever you find the dead, set a sign upon them and commit them to the grave, and I will give you the first place in my resurrection.
24
Stay still, my people, and take your rest, for your rest will come.
25
Nourish your children, good nurse, and establish their feet.
26
As for the servants whom I have given you, not one of them will perish, for I will require them from among your number.
27
Don’t be anxious, for when the day of suffering and anguish comes, others will weep and be sorrowful, but you will rejoice and have abundance.
28
The nations will envy you, but they will be able to do nothing against you, says the Lord.
29
My hands will cover you, so that your children don’t see Gehenna.(a)
30
Be joyful, mother, with your children, for I will deliver you, says the Lord.
31
Remember your children who sleep, for I will bring them out of the secret places of the earth and show mercy to them, for I am merciful, says the Lord Almighty.
32
Embrace your children until I come, and proclaim mercy to them, for my wells run over, and my grace won’t fail.”
33
I, Esdras, received a command from the Lord on Mount Horeb to go to Israel, but when I came to them, they rejected me and rejected the Lord’s commandment.
34
Therefore I say to you, O nations that hear and understand, “Look for your shepherd. He will give you everlasting rest, for he is near at hand who will come at the end of the age.
35
Be ready for the rewards of the kingdom, for the everlasting light will shine on you forevermore.
36
Flee the shadow of this world, receive the joy of your glory. I call to witness my savior openly.
37
Receive that which is given to you by the Lord, and be joyful, giving thanks to him who has called you to heavenly kingdoms.
38
Arise and stand up, and see the number of those who have been sealed at the Lord’s feast.
39
Those who withdrew themselves from the shadow of the world have received glorious garments from the Lord.
40
Take again your full number, O Zion, and make up the reckoning of those of yours who are clothed in white, which have fulfilled the law of the Lord.
41
The number of your children, whom you long for, is fulfilled. Ask the power of the Lord, that your people, which have been called from the beginning, may be made holy.”
42
I, Esdras, saw upon Mount Zion a great multitude, whom I could not number, and they all praised the Lord with songs.
43
In the midst of them, there was a young man of a high stature, taller than all the rest, and upon every one of their heads he set crowns, and he was more exalted than they were. I marveled greatly at this.
44
So I asked the angel, and said, “What are these, my Lord?”
45
He answered and said to me, “These are those who have put off the mortal clothing, and put on the immortal, and have confessed the name of God. Now are they crowned, and receive palms.”
46
Then said I to the angel, “Who is the young man who sets crowns on them, and gives them palms in their hands?”
47
So he answered and said to me, “He is the Son of God, whom they have confessed in the world.” Then I began to praise those who stood so valiantly for the name of the Lord.
48
Then the angel said to me, “Go your way, and tell my people what kind of things, and how great wonders of the Lord God you have seen.”

Footnotes

(a)2:29 or, Hell.