Lost Books of the Bible (159 page)

14: And it will be as it were a great motion; but the place where you stand will not be moved.

15: And therefore when it speaks be not afraid: for the word is of the end, and the foundation of the earth is understood.

16: And why? because the speech of these things trembles and is moved: for it knows that the end of these things must be changed.

17: And it happened, that when I had heard it I stood up upon my feet, and hearkened, and, behold, there was a voice that spoke, and the sound of it was like the sound of many waters.

18: And it said, Behold, the days come, that I will begin to draw near, and to visit them that dwell upon the earth,

19: And will begin to make inquisition of them, what they be that have hurt unjustly with their unrighteousness, and when the affliction of Sion will be fulfilled;

20: And when the world, that will begin to vanish away, will be finished, then will I show these tokens: the books will be opened before the firmament, and they will see all together:

21: And the children of a year old will speak with their voices, the women with child will bring forth untimely children of three or four months old, and they will live, and be raised up.

22: And suddenly will the sown places appear unsown, the full storehouses will suddenly be found empty:

23: And that trumpet will give a sound, which when every man hears, they will be suddenly afraid.

24: At that time will friends fight one against another like enemies, and the earth will stand in fear with those that dwell therein, the springs of the fountains will stand still, and in (for) three hours they will not run.

25: Whoever remains from all these that I have told you will escape, and see my salvation, and the end of your world.

26: And the men that are received will see it, who have not tasted death from their birth and the heart of the inhabitants will be changed, and turned into another meaning.

27: For evil will be put out, and deceit will be quenched.

28: As for faith, it will flourish, corruption will be overcome, and the truth, which has been so long without fruit, will be declared.

29: And when he talked with me, behold, I looked by little and little upon him before whom I stood.

30: And these words said he to me; I am come to show you the time of the night to come.

31: If you will pray even more, and fast seven days again, I will tell you greater things by day than I have heard.

32: For your voice is heard before the most High: for the Mighty has seen your righteous dealing, he has seen also your purity, which you have had ever since your youth.

33: And therefore has he sent me to show you all these things, and to say to you, “Be of good comfort and fear not

34: Do not be quick to think vain thoughts concerning the former times, or you will be hasty concerning the last times.”

35: And after this I wept again, and fasted seven days in like manner, that I might fulfill the three weeks which he told me.

36: And in the eighth night was my heart vexed within me again, and I began to speak before the most High.

37: For my spirit was set on fire, and my soul was in distress.

38: And I said, O Lord, you spoke from the beginning of the creation on the first day and said; Let heaven and earth be made; and your word was a perfect work.

39: And then was the spirit, and darkness and silence were on every side; the sound of man’s voice was not yet formed.

40: Then you commanded a beautiful light to come out of your treasures, that your work might appear.

41: On the second day you made the spirit of the firmament, and commanded it to section (piece) asunder, and to make a division betwixt the waters, that the one section (piece) might go up, and the other remain beneath.

42: On the third day you commanded that the waters should be gathered in the seventh part of the earth; six areas you dried up, and kept them, so that these being planted of God and tilled might serve you.

43: As soon as your word went forth the work was made.

44: For immediately there was great and innumerable fruit, and many and various pleasures for the taste, and flowers of unchangeable color, and odors of wonderful smell: and this was done the third day.

45: On the fourth day you commanded that the sun should shine, and the moon give her light, and the stars should be in order:

46: And gave them a order to do service to man that was going to be made.

47: On the fifth day you said to the seventh section, where the waters were gathered that it should bring forth living creatures, fowls and fishes: and so it came to pass.

48: For the dumb lifeless water brought forth living things at the commandment of God, that all people might praise your wondrous works.

49: Then you ordained two living creatures, one you called Behemoth, and the other (you called) Leviathan;

50: And did separate the one from the other: for the seventh section, namely, where the water was gathered together, might not hold them both.

51: To Behemoth you gave one section, which was dried up the third day, that he should dwell in the same place, where there are a thousand hills:

52: But to Leviathan you gave the seventh sections, namely, the moist; and have kept him to be devoured of whom you will, and when.

53: On the sixth day you gave commandment to the earth, that before you it should bring forth beasts, cattle, and creeping things.

54: And after these, Adam also, whom you made lord of all your creatures: of (from) him we all come, and also the people whom you have chosen.

55: All this have I spoken before you, O Lord, because you made the world for our sakes.

56: As for the other people, which also come of Adam, you have said that they are nothing, but are like to spittle: and have likened the abundance of them to a drip that falls from a vessel.

57: And now, O Lord, behold, these heathen, which have been reputed as nothing, have begun to be lords over us, and to devour us.

58: But we your people, whom you have called your firstborn, your only begotten, and your fervent lover, are given into their hands.

59: If the world now is made for our sakes, why do we not possess an inheritance with the world? How long will this last?

4 Ezra Chapter 7

1: And when I had ended speaking these words, there was sent to me the angel which had been sent to me the nights before.

2: And he said to me, Get up, Esdras, and hear the words that I have come to tell you.

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

4: But the entrance way is narrow and like a river;

5: Who then could go into the sea to look on it to rule it? If he did not go through the narrow, how could he come into the broad place?

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

7: The entrance of it 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.

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

9: If this city now were given to a man for an inheritance, if he never will pass the danger set before it, how will he receive this inheritance?

10: And I said, Lord, that is true. Then he said to me, Even so also is Israel’s portion.

11: Because for their sakes I made the world: and when Adam transgressed my statutes, then I decreed what was done.

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

13: For the entrances of the greater world were wide and safe, and brought immortal fruit.

14: Unless the living labors to enter these strait and vain things, they can never receive those things that are stored up for them.

15: Why disquiet yourself, seeing you are but a corruptible man? Why are you disturbed? You are only mortal?

16: Why have you not considered in your mind this thing that is to come, rather than that which is present?

17: Then I answered and said, O Lord that upholds rule, you have ordained in your law, that the righteous should inherit these things, but that the ungodly should perish.

18: Therefore, the righteous can endure difficult circumstances while hoping for better ones; but those who have done wickedly have suffered the difficult circumstances and will not see the easier.

19: And he said to me. There is no judge above God, and none that has understanding above the Highest.

20: For there are many that perish in this life, because they despise the law of God that is set before them. (Let many perish rather than the law…)

21: For God has plainly stated his commandment so that they that came should live, and what they should observe to avoid punishment.

22: Nevertheless they were not obedient to him; but spoke against him, and imagined vain things,

23: Deceived themselves by their wicked deeds; and said of the most High, that he does not exist; and ignore his ways:

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

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

26: The time will come, that these tokens which I have told you will come to pass, and the bride (city) will appear, and her coming forth will be seen, that now is withdrawn from the earth.

27: And whosoever is delivered from these evils will see my wonders.

28: For my son Jesus will be revealed with those that are with him, and they that remain will rejoice for four hundred years.

29: After these years will my son Christ die, so that all men may have life.

30: And the world will be turned into the primal silence seven days, like as in the judgments of before so that no man will remain.

31: And after seven days the world that still sleeps, will be raised up, and that which is corrupt will die.

32: The earth will restore those that are asleep in her, and so will the dust those that dwell in silence, and the secret places will deliver those souls that were committed to them.

33: And the most High will appear on the seat of judgment, and misery will pass away, and the long suffering will have an end:

34: But only judgment will remain, truth will stand, and faith will grow strong.

35: And the recompense will follow, and the reward will be showed, and the good deeds will be of force, and wicked deeds will bear no rule.

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

37: And Jesus after him for Israel in the time of Achan;

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