2Esdr 6:1 

And he said unto me, In the beginning, when the earth was 

made, before the borders of the world stood, or ever the winds 

blew, 

2Esdr 6:2 

Before it thundered and lightened, or ever the foundations of 

paradise were laid, 

2Esdr 6:3 

Before the fair flowers were seen, or ever the moveable 

powers were established, before the innumerable multitude of 

angels were gathered together, 

2Esdr 6:4 

Or ever the heights of the air were lifted up, before the 

measures of the firmament were named, or ever the chimneys in 

Sion were hot, 

2Esdr 6:5 

And ere the present years were sought out, and or ever the 

inventions of them that now sin were turned, before they were 

sealed that have gathered faith for a treasure: 

2Esdr 6:6 

Then did I consider these things, and they all were made 

through me alone, and through none other: by me also they shall 

be ended, and by none other. 

2Esdr 6:7 

Then answered I and said, What shall be the parting asunder 

of the times? or when shall be the end of the first, and the 

beginning of it that followeth? 

2Esdr 6:8 

And he said unto me, From Abraham unto Isaac, when Jacob and 

Esau were born of him, Jacob's hand held first the heel of Esau. 

2Esdr 6:9 

For Esau is the end of the world, and Jacob is the beginning 

of it that followeth. 

2Esdr 6:10 

The hand of man is betwixt the heel and the hand: other 

question, Esdras, ask thou not. 

2Esdr 6:11 

I answered then and said, O Lord that bearest rule, if I have 

found favour in thy sight, 

2Esdr 6:12 

I beseech thee, shew thy servant the end of thy tokens, 

whereof thou shewedst me part the last night. 

2Esdr 6:13 

So he answered and said unto me, Stand up upon thy feet, and 

hear a mighty sounding voice. 

2Esdr 6:14 

And it shall be as it were a great motion; but the place 

where thou standest shall not be moved. 

2Esdr 6:15 

And therefore when it speaketh be not afraid: for the word is 

of the end, and the foundation of the earth is understood. 

2Esdr 6:16 

And why? because the speech of these things trembleth and is 

moved: for it knoweth that the end of these things must be 

changed. 

2Esdr 6:17 

And it happened, that when I had heard it I stood up upon my 

feet, and hearkened, and, behold, there was a voice that spake, 

and the sound of it was like the sound of many waters. 

2Esdr 6:18 

And it said, Behold, the days come, that I will begin to draw 

nigh, and to visit them that dwell upon the earth, 

2Esdr 6:19 

And will begin to make inquisition of them, what they be that 

have hurt unjustly with their unrighteousness, and when the 

affliction of Sion shall be fulfilled; 

2Esdr 6:20 

And when the world, that shall begin to vanish away, shall be 

finished, then will I shew these tokens: the books shall be 

opened before the firmament, and they shall see all together: 

2Esdr 6:21 

And the children of a year old shall speak with their voices, 

the women with child shall bring forth untimely children of 

three or four months old, and they shall live, and be raised up. 

2Esdr 6:22 

And suddenly shall the sown places appear unsown, the full 

storehouses shall suddenly be found empty: 

2Esdr 6:23 

And tha trumpet shall give a sound, which when every man 

heareth, they shall be suddenly afraid. 

2Esdr 6:24 

At that time shall friends fight one against another like 

enemies, and the earth shall stand in fear with those that dwell 

therein, the springs of the fountains shall stand still, and in 

three hours they shall not run. 

2Esdr 6:25 

Whosoever remaineth from all these that I have told thee 

shall escape, and see my salvation, and the end of your world. 

2Esdr 6:26 

And the men that are received shall see it, who have not 

tasted death from their birth: and the heart of the inhabitants 

shall be changed, and turned into another meaning. 

2Esdr 6:27 

For evil shall be put out, and deceit shall be quenched. 

2Esdr 6:28 

As for faith, it shall flourish, corruption shall be 

overcome, and the truth, which hath been so long without fruit, 

shall be declared. 

2Esdr 6:29 

And when he talked with me, behold, I looked by little and 

little upon him before whom I stood. 

2Esdr 6:30 

And these words said he unto me; I am come to shew thee the 

time of the night to come. 

2Esdr 6:31 

If thou wilt pray yet more, and fast seven days again, I 

shall tell thee greater things by day than I have heard. 

2Esdr 6:32 

For thy voice is heard before the most High: for the Mighty 

hath seen thy righteous dealing, he hath seen also thy chastity, 

which thou hast had ever since thy youth. 

2Esdr 6:33 

And therefore hath he sent me to shew thee all these things, 

and to say unto thee, Be of good comfort and fear not 

2Esdr 6:34 

And hasten not with the times that are past, to think vain 

things, that thou mayest not hasten from the latter times. 

2Esdr 6:35 

And it came to pass after this, that I wept again, and fasted 

seven days in like manner, that I might fulfil the three weeks 

which he told me. 

2Esdr 6:36 

And in the eighth night was my heart vexed within me again, 

and I began to speak before the most High. 

2Esdr 6:37 

For my spirit was greatly set on fire, and my soul was in 

distress. 

2Esdr 6:38 

And I said, O Lord, thou spakest from the beginning of the 

creation, even the first day, and saidst thus; Let heaven and 

earth be made; and thy word was a perfect work. 

2Esdr 6:39 

And then was the spirit, and darkness and silence were on 

every side; the sound of man's voice was not yet formed. 

2Esdr 6:40 

Then commandedst thou a fair light to come forth of thy 

treasures, that thy work might appear. 

2Esdr 6:41 

Upon the second day thou madest the spirit of the firmament, 

and commandedst it to part asunder, and to make a division 

betwixt the waters, that the one part might go up, and the other 

remain beneath. 

2Esdr 6:42 

Upon the third day thou didst command that the waters should 

be gathered in the seventh part of the earth: six pats hast thou 

dried up, and kept them, to the intent that of these some being 

planted of God and tilled might serve thee. 

2Esdr 6:43 

For as soon as thy word went forth the work was made. 

2Esdr 6:44 

For immediately there was great and innumerable fruit, and 

many and divers pleasures for the taste, and flowers of 

unchangeable colour, and odours of wonderful smell: and this was 

done the third day. 

2Esdr 6:45 

Upon the fourth day thou commandedst that the sun should 

shine, and the moon give her light, and the stars should be in 

order: 

2Esdr 6:46 

And gavest them a charge to do service unto man, that was to 

be made. 

2Esdr 6:47 

Upon the fifth day thou saidst unto the seventh part, where 

the waters were gathered that it should bring forth living 

creatures, fowls and fishes: and so it came to pass. 

2Esdr 6:48 

For the dumb water and without life brought forth living 

things at the commandment of God, that all people might praise 

thy wondrous works. 

2Esdr 6:49 

Then didst thou ordain two living creatures, the one thou 

calledst Enoch, and the other Leviathan; 

2Esdr 6:50 

And didst separate the one from the other: for the seventh 

part, namely, where the water was gathered together, might not 

hold them both. 

2Esdr 6:51 

Unto Enoch thou gavest one part, which was dried up the third 

day, that he should dwell in the same part, wherein are a 

thousand hills: 

2Esdr 6:52 

But unto Leviathan thou gavest the seventh part, namely, the 

moist; and hast kept him to be devoured of whom thou wilt, and 

when. 

2Esdr 6:53 

Upon the sixth day thou gavest commandment unto the earth, 

that before thee it should bring forth beasts, cattle, and 

creeping things: 

2Esdr 6:54 

And after these, Adam also, whom thou madest lord of all thy 

creatures: of him come we all, and the people also whom thou 

hast chosen. 

2Esdr 6:55 

All this have I spoken before thee, O Lord, because thou 

madest the world for our sakes 

2Esdr 6:56 

As for the other people, which also come of Adam, thou hast 

said that they are nothing, but be like unto spittle: and hast 

likened the abundance of them unto a drop that falleth from a 

vessel. 

2Esdr 6:57 

And now, O Lord, behold, these heathen, which have ever been 

reputed as nothing, have begun to be lords over us, and to 

devour us. 

2Esdr 6:58 

But we thy people, whom thou hast called thy firstborn, thy 

only begotten, and thy fervent lover, are given into their 

hands. 

2Esdr 6:59 

If the world now be made for our sakes, why do we not possess 

an inheritance with the world? how long shall this endure?