2 Esdras 4 - New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised (NRSVA)

Limitations of the Human Mind

4 Then the angel that had been sent to me, whose name was Uriel, answered 2 and said to me, ‘Your understanding has utterly failed regarding this world, and do you think you can comprehend the way of the Most High?’ 3 Then I said, ‘Yes, my lord.’ And he replied to me, ‘I have been sent to show you three ways, and to put before you three problems. 4 If you can solve one of them for me, then I will show you the way you desire to see, and will teach you why the heart is evil.’

5 I said, ‘Speak, my lord.’

And he said to me, ‘Go, weigh for me the weight of fire, or measure for me a blast[a] of wind, or call back for me the day that is past.’

6 I answered and said, ‘Who of those that have been born can do that, that you should ask me about such things?’

7 And he said to me, ‘If I had asked you, “How many dwellings are in the heart of the sea, or how many streams are at the source of the deep, or how many streams are above the firmament, or which are the exits of Hades, or which are the entrances[b] of paradise?” 8 perhaps you would have said to me, “I never went down into the deep, nor as yet into Hades, neither did I ever ascend into heaven.” 9 But now I have asked you only about fire and wind and the day—things that you have experienced and from which you cannot be separated, and you have given me no answer about them.’ 10 He said to me, ‘You cannot understand the things with which you have grown up; 11 how then can your mind comprehend the way of the Most High? And how can one who is already worn out[c] by the corrupt world understand incorruption?’[d] When I heard this, I fell on my face[e] 12 and said to him, ‘It would have been better for us not to be here than to come here and live in ungodliness, and to suffer and not understand why.’

Parable of the Forest and the Sea

13 He answered me and said, ‘I went into a forest of trees of the plain, and they made a plan 14 and said, “Come, let us go and make war against the sea, so that it may recede before us and so that we may make for ourselves more forests.” 15 In like manner the waves of the sea also made a plan and said, “Come, let us go up and subdue the forest of the plain so that there also we may gain more territory for ourselves.” 16 But the plan of the forest was in vain, for the fire came and consumed it; 17 likewise also the plan of the waves of the sea was in vain,[f] for the sand stood firm and blocked it. 18 If now you were a judge between them, which would you undertake to justify, and which to condemn?’

19 I answered and said, ‘Each made a foolish plan, for the land has been assigned to the forest, and the locale of the sea a place to carry its waves.’

20 He answered me and said, ‘You have judged rightly, but why have you not judged so in your own case? 21 For as the land has been assigned to the forest and the sea to its waves, so also those who inhabit the earth can understand only what is on the earth, and he who is[g] above the heavens can understand what is above the height of the heavens.’

The New Age Will Make All Things Clear

22 Then I answered and said, ‘I implore you, my lord, why[h] have I been endowed with the power of understanding? 23 For I did not wish to inquire about the ways above, but about those things that we daily experience: why Israel has been given over to the Gentiles in disgrace; why the people whom you loved has been given over to godless tribes, and the law of our ancestors has been brought to destruction and the written covenants no longer exist. 24 We pass from the world like locusts, and our life is like a mist,[i] and we are not worthy to obtain mercy. 25 But what will he do for his[j] name that is invoked over us? It is about these things that I have asked.’

26 He answered me and said, ‘If you are alive, you will see, and if you live long,[k] you will often marvel, because the age is hurrying swiftly to its end. 27 It will not be able to bring the things that have been promised to the righteous in their appointed times, because this age is full of sadness and infirmities. 28 For the evil about which[l] you ask me has been sown, but the harvest of it has not yet come. 29 If therefore that which has been sown is not reaped, and if the place where the evil has been sown does not pass away, the field where the good has been sown will not come. 30 For a grain of evil seed was sown in Adam’s heart from the beginning, and how much ungodliness it has produced until now—and will produce until the time of threshing comes! 31 Consider now for yourself how much fruit of ungodliness a grain of evil seed has produced. 32 When heads of grain without number are sown, how great a threshing-floor they will fill!’

When Will the New Age Come?

33 Then I answered and said, ‘How long?[m] When will these things be? Why are our years few and evil?’ 34 He answered me and said, ‘Do not be in a greater hurry than the Most High. You, indeed, are in a hurry for yourself,[n] but the Highest is in a hurry on behalf of many. 35 Did not the souls of the righteous in their chambers ask about these matters, saying, “How long are we to remain here?[o] And when will the harvest of our reward come?” 36 And the archangel Jeremiel answered and said, “When the number of those like yourselves is completed;[p] for he has weighed the age in the balance, 37 and measured the times by measure, and numbered the times by number; and he will not move or arouse them until that measure is fulfilled.”’

38 Then I answered and said, ‘But, O sovereign Lord, all of us also are full of ungodliness. 39 It is perhaps on account of us that the time of threshing is delayed for the righteous—on account of the sins of those who inhabit the earth.’

40 He answered me and said, ‘Go and ask a pregnant woman whether, when her nine months have been completed, her womb can keep the foetus within her any longer.’

41 And I said, ‘No, lord, it cannot.’

He said to me, ‘In Hades the chambers of the souls are like the womb. 42 For just as a woman who is in labour makes haste to escape the pangs of birth, so also do these places hasten to give back those things that were committed to them from the beginning. 43 Then the things that you desire to see will be disclosed to you.’

How Much Time Remains?

44 I answered and said, ‘If I have found favour in your sight, and if it is possible, and if I am worthy, 45 show me this also: whether more time is to come than has passed, or whether for us the greater part has gone by. 46 For I know what has gone by, but I do not know what is to come.’

47 And he said to me, ‘Stand at my right side, and I will show you the interpretation of a parable.’

48 So I stood and looked, and lo, a flaming furnace passed by before me, and when the flame had gone by I looked, and lo, the smoke remained. 49 And after this a cloud full of water passed before me and poured down a heavy and violent rain, and when the violent rainstorm had passed, drops still remained in the cloud.[q]

50 He said to me, ‘Consider it for yourself; for just as the rain is more than the drops, and the fire is greater than the smoke, so the quantity that passed was far greater; but drops and smoke remained.’

51 Then I prayed and said, ‘Do you think that I shall live until those days? Or who will be alive in those days?’

52 He answered me and said, ‘Concerning the signs about which you ask me, I can tell you in part; but I was not sent to tell you concerning your life, for I do not know.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Esdras 4:5 Syr Ethiop Arab 1 Arab 2 Georg a measure
  2. 2 Esdras 4:7 Syr Compare Ethiop Arab 2 Arm: Lat lacks of Hades, or which are the entrances
  3. 2 Esdras 4:11 Meaning of Lat uncertain
  4. 2 Esdras 4:11 Syr Ethiop the way of the incorruptible?
  5. 2 Esdras 4:11 Syr Ethiop Arab 1: Meaning of Lat uncertain
  6. 2 Esdras 4:17 Lat lacks was in vain
  7. 2 Esdras 4:21 Or those who are
  8. 2 Esdras 4:22 Syr Ethiop Arm: Meaning of Lat uncertain
  9. 2 Esdras 4:24 Syr Ethiop Arab Georg: Lat a trembling
  10. 2 Esdras 4:25 Ethiop adds holy
  11. 2 Esdras 4:26 Syr: Lat live
  12. 2 Esdras 4:28 Syr Ethiop: Meaning of Lat uncertain
  13. 2 Esdras 4:33 Syr Ethiop: Meaning of Lat uncertain
  14. 2 Esdras 4:34 Syr Ethiop Arab Arm: Meaning of Lat uncertain
  15. 2 Esdras 4:35 Syr Ethiop Arab 2 Georg: Lat How long do I hope thus?
  16. 2 Esdras 4:36 Syr Ethiop Arab 2: Lat number of seeds is completed for you
  17. 2 Esdras 4:49 Lat in it

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2 Esdras 4 - Revised Standard Version (RSV)

Limitations of the Human Mind4 Then the angel that had been sent to me, whose name was U′riel, answered 2 and said to me, “Your understanding has utterly failed regarding this world, and do you think you can comprehend the way of the Most High?” 3 Then I said, “Yes, my lord.” And he replied to me,...
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2 Esdras 4 - New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised (NRSVA)

Limitations of the Human Mind4 Then the angel that had been sent to me, whose name was Uriel, answered 2 and said to me, ‘Your understanding has utterly failed regarding this world, and do you think you can comprehend the way of the Most High?’ 3 Then I said, ‘Yes, my lord.’ And he replied to me, ...
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2 Esdras 4 - New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

Limitations of the Human Mind4 Then the angel that had been sent to me, whose name was Uriel, answered(A)2 and said to me, “Your understanding has utterly failed regarding this world, and do you think you can comprehend the way of the Most High?”(B)3 Then I said, “Yes, my lord.” And he replied to me...
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2 Esdras 4 - Common English Bible (CEB)

4 Then the angel who had been sent to me, whose name was Uriel, replied: 2 “Your mind[a] has utterly failed with regard to this world, and do you think you can understand the way of the Most High?” 3 I said, “Yes, my Lord.”He answered: “I am sent to show you three ways and to set three problems befo...
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