2 Esdras 13:5-11
Revised Standard Version
5 After this I looked, and behold, an innumerable multitude of men were gathered together from the four winds of heaven to make war against the man who came up out of the sea. 6 And I looked, and behold, he carved out for himself a great mountain, and flew up upon it. 7 And I tried to see the region or place from which the mountain was carved, but I could not.
8 After this I looked, and behold, all who had gathered together against him, to wage war with him, were much afraid, yet dared to fight. 9 And behold, when he saw the onrush of the approaching multitude, he neither lifted his hand nor held a spear or any weapon of war; 10 but I saw only how he sent forth from his mouth as it were a stream of fire, and from his lips a flaming breath, and from his tongue he shot forth a storm of sparks.[a] 11 All these were mingled together, the stream of fire and the flaming breath and the great storm, and fell on the onrushing multitude which was prepared to fight, and burned them all up, so that suddenly nothing was seen of the innumerable multitude but only the dust of ashes and the smell of smoke. When I saw it, I was amazed.
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- 2 Esdras 13:10 Compare Syr: Latin is corrupt
2 Esdras 13:51-52
Revised Standard Version
51 I said, “O sovereign Lord, explain this to me: Why did I see the man coming up from the heart of the sea?”
52 He said to me, “Just as no one can explore or know what is in the depths of the sea, so no one on earth can see my Son or those who are with him, except in the time of his day.[a]
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- 2 Esdras 13:52 Syr: Ethiop except when his time and his day have come. Latin omits his
2 Esdras 13:25-38
Revised Standard Version
25 This is the interpretation of the vision: As for your seeing a man come up from the heart of the sea, 26 this is he whom the Most High has been keeping for many ages, who will himself deliver his creation; and he will direct those who are left. 27 And as for your seeing wind and fire and a storm coming out of his mouth, 28 and as for his not holding a spear or weapon of war, yet destroying the onrushing multitude which came to conquer him, this is the interpretation: 29 Behold, the days are coming when the Most High will deliver those who are on the earth. 30 And bewilderment of mind shall come over those who dwell on the earth. 31 And they shall plan to make war against one another, city against city, place against place, people against people, and kingdom against kingdom. 32 And when these things come to pass and the signs occur which I showed you before, then my Son will be revealed, whom you saw as a man coming up from the sea.[a] 33 And when all the nations hear his voice, every man shall leave his own land and the warfare that they have against one another; 34 and an innumerable multitude shall be gathered together, as you saw, desiring to come and conquer him. 35 But he will stand on the top of Mount Zion. 36 And Zion will come and be made manifest to all people, prepared and built, as you saw the mountain carved out without hands. 37 And he, my Son, will reprove the assembled nations for their ungodliness (this was symbolized by the storm), 38 and will reproach them to their face with their evil thoughts and the torments with which they are to be tortured (which were symbolized by the flames), and will destroy them without effort by the law[b] (which was symbolized by the fire).
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- 2 Esdras 13:32 Syr and most Latin manuscripts omit from the sea
- 2 Esdras 13:38 Syr: Lat and the law
Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright © 1946, 1952, and 1971 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.