2 Esdras 8

1And he answered me and said, “The Most High made this age for many, but the age to come for few.”

2But I will set forth a comparison before you, Ezra. Just as, if you ask the earth, it will tell you that it yields much clay, from which earthen vessels are made, but little dust from which gold comes,

3so also is the course of the present age: many indeed have been created, but few will be saved.

4And I answered and said, “Therefore let the soul receive understanding, and let it devour wisdom.”

5For you have consented to obey and have advanced unwillingly, for no span has been given to you except only a little while to live.

6O Lord over us, if you permit your servant to pray before you, and give us seed for the heart and cultivation for the understanding, from which fruit may come, by which every corruptible one may live,

7will bear the place of a man. For you alone are one, and we are one thing formed by your hands, as you have spoken.

8And because, giving life, you now give life in the womb to the body that has been formed, and you provide its members, your creation is preserved in fire and water, and for nine months your formation bears your creature that has been created in it.

9But both what preserves and what is preserved will be preserved by your preservation. And when the womb again gives back

10the things that have been created in it, you commanded that from those very members, that is,

11from the breasts, milk is provided, the fruit of the breasts, so that what has been formed may be nourished for a certain time, and afterward you direct him by your mercy. You nourished him in your righteousness and instructed him in your law and corrected him by your understanding,

12You nourished him with your righteousness, and instructed him in your law, and corrected him by your understanding.

13And you will put him to death as your creature, and you will give him life as your creature.

14your work. If therefore you destroy the one who was formed with such great labors, why then was he made?

15It is by your command, in an easy order, and why was it done? And now I will speak: concerning every man you know better, but concerning your people

16which causes me pain, and concerning your inheritance, for which I mourn, and concerning Israel, for whom I am sorrowful, and concerning the seed of Jacob,

17Because of this I am troubled. Therefore I will begin to pray before you for myself and for them, because I see the falls of us who inhabit the earth.

18But I have heard the swiftness of the judgment that is to come.

19Therefore hear my voice and understand my words, and I will speak before you.” The beginning of the words of Ezra’s prayer before he was taken up.

20And he said, “Lord, you who inhabit eternity, whose eyes are exalted and whose heights are in the air,

21incomprehensible, before whom the host of angels stands with trembling, whose preservation is turned into wind and fire, whose word

22whose service turns to wind and fire, whose word is sure and whose sayings endure, whose ordering is strong and whose command is fearful,

23terrible, whose appearance dries up the depths, and whose indignation makes the mountains melt, and whose truth bears witness: Hear, O Lord, the prayer

24Hear, Lord, the prayer of your servant, and give ear to the petition of your creature; pay attention to my words. For while I live I will speak, and while I have understanding I will answer.

25Do not look upon the offenses of your people, but upon those who have served you in truth.

26but upon those who have served you in truth. Do not pay attention to the pursuits of those who act impiously,

27but to those who have kept your covenants with sorrows. Do not think on those who have conducted themselves falsely before you,

28but remember those who have willingly acknowledged your fear. Do not be willing to destroy those who have had the ways of cattle, but look upon those who

29Do not desire to destroy those who have had the ways of cattle, but look upon those who have taught your law splendidly.

30Do not be angry with those who are worse than beasts,

31judged, but love those who have always trusted in your glory. For we and our fathers have lived in mortal ways, but you, however,

32For if you desire to have mercy on us, then you will be called merciful, for we are sinners.

33For the righteous, who have many works laid up with you, will receive their reward from their own works.

34For what is man, that you should be angry with him, or a corruptible race, that you should be so embittered against it?

35For truly there is no one among those born who has not acted impiously, and among those who confess, no one who has not sinned.

36For in this your righteousness and your goodness will be declared, Lord, when you have mercy on those who have no store of good works.”

37According to your words, so it will be. For truly I will not think

38For truly I will not think upon the formation of those who have sinned, nor upon their death, nor their judgment, nor their destruction; but I will rejoice over the creation of the righteous,

39but I will rejoice over the formation of the righteous, and over their pilgrimage also, and their salvation, and the reception of their reward.

40sows many seeds upon the earth and a multitude of plantings

41plants, but not everything that has been sown will be saved in its time, nor will everything that has been planted take root; so also those who have been sown in the world will not all be saved.” And I answered and said, “If I have found favor before you, let me speak.”

42For if the farmer’s seed does not come up, for it did not receive,

43your rain in its time; and if it is ruined by the abundance of rain, it perishes. But man, who has been formed by your hands and is called your image

44called your image, because he has been made like you, through whom you formed all things, and you have likened him to the farmer’s seed. No, Lord

45let it not be upon us, but spare your people and have mercy on your inheritance, for you have mercy on your own creation.”

46And he answered me and said, “What is present is for the present, and what is future is for the future.

47Can you love my creation more than I do? But you have often drawn yourself near to the unrighteous. Never do so. Yet even in this you will be marvelous before the Most High, because you have humbled yourself, as is fitting.

48But in this also you will be marvelous before the Most High,

49you, and have not judged yourself among the righteous, so that you might be more greatly glorified.

50Therefore many grievous miseries will come upon those who inhabit the world in the last times, because they have walked in great pride. But understand for yourself, and inquire concerning those like yourself.

51But understand for yourself, and seek glory among those like you.

52For paradise has been opened to you, the tree of life has been planted, the age to come has been prepared, abundance has been made ready, the city has been built, rest has been approved, goodness has been perfected,

53wisdom has been perfected beforehand. The root has been sealed by you, weakness has been extinguished by you, and death has been hidden; Hades has fled, and

54corruption into oblivion. Sorrows have passed away, and it has been shown

55in the end, the treasure of immortality. Therefore do not continue to add

56to inquire about the multitude of those who perish. For they too, having received freedom, despised the Most High and his law

57they despised and abandoned his ways. Moreover, they also

58they trampled his righteous ones. And they said in their hearts that there is no God, though they indeed know that they will die. Just as

59For what has been foretold will receive you, but thirst and torments, which have been prepared, will receive them. For the Most High did not will that man should be destroyed; but they themselves, who were created, defiled his name.

60who made them, and they were ungrateful to him who prepared life for them. Therefore my judgment now draws near, which I have not

61I have shown these things to all, but to you and to a few like you. And—

62And I answered and said, “See now, Lord, you have shown me many

63you have shown me a multitude of signs that you will begin to do in the last times, but you have not shown me at what time.”