2 Esdras 15-16

New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition

Vengeance on the Wicked

15 ^[a]Speak in the ears of my people the words of the prophecy that I will put in your mouth, says the Lord,^{(A) 2} and cause them to be written on paper, for they are trustworthy and true.^{(B) 3} Do not fear the plots against you, and do not be troubled by the unbelief of those who oppose you. ⁴ For all unbelievers shall die in their unbelief.^[b](C)

⁵ Beware, says the Lord, I am bringing evils upon the world, the sword and famine, death and destruction,^{(D) 6} because iniquity has spread throughout every land, and their harmful doings have reached their limit.^{(E) 7} Therefore, says the Lord, ⁸ I will be silent no longer concerning their ungodly acts that they impiously commit, neither will I tolerate their wicked practices. Innocent and righteous blood cries out to me, and the souls of the righteous cry out continually.^{(F) 9} I will surely avenge them, says the Lord, and will receive to myself all the innocent blood from among them. ¹⁰ See, my people are being led like a flock to the slaughter; I will not allow them to live any longer in the land of Egypt,^{(G) 11} but I will bring them out with a mighty hand and with an uplifted arm and will strike Egypt with plagues, as before, and will destroy all its land.^(H)

¹² Let Egypt mourn and its foundations, because of the plague of chastisement and castigation that the Lord will bring upon it.^{(I) 13} Let the farmers that who the ground mourn because their seed shall fail to grow^[c] and their trees shall be ruined by blight and hail and by a terrible tempest.^{(J) 14} Alas for the world and for those who live in it!^{(K) 15} For the sword and misery draw near them, and nation shall rise up to fight against nation, with swords in their hands.^{(L) 16} For there shall be unrest among people; growing strong against one another, they shall in their might have no respect for their king or the chief of their leaders.^{(M) 17} For a person will desire to go into a city and shall not be able to do so. ¹⁸ Because of their pride the cities shall be in confusion, the houses shall be destroyed, and people shall be afraid. ¹⁹ People shall have no pity for their neighbors but shall make an assault upon^[d] their houses with the sword and plunder their goods because of hunger for bread and because of great tribulation.^(N)

²⁰ See how I am calling together all the kings of the earth to turn to me, says God, from the rising sun and from the south, from the east and from Lebanon, to turn and repay what they have given them. ²¹ Just as they have done to my elect until this day, so I will do and will pay it back into their laps. Thus says the Lord God:^{(O) 22} My right hand will not spare the sinners, and my sword will not cease from those who shed innocent blood on earth.^{(P) 23} And a fire went forth from his wrath and consumed the foundations of the earth and the sinners, like burnt straw.^{(Q) 24} Alas for those who sin and do not observe my commandments, says the Lord;^{[e] 25} I will not spare them. Depart, you faithless children! Do not pollute my sanctuary. ²⁶ For God^[f] knows all who sin against him; therefore he will hand them over to death and slaughter. ²⁷ Already calamities have come upon the whole earth, and you shall remain in them; God^[g] will not deliver you, because you have sinned against him.

A Terrifying Vision of Warfare

²⁸ What a terrifying sight, appearing from the east! ²⁹ The nations of the dragons of Arabia shall come out with many chariots, and from the day that they set out their hissing shall spread over the earth, so that all who hear them will fear and tremble.^{(R) 30} Also the Carmonians, raging in wrath, shall go forth like wild boars^[h] from the forest, and with great power they shall come and engage them in battle, and with their tusks they shall devastate a portion of the land of the Assyrians with their teeth.^{(S) 31} And then the dragons,^[i] remembering their origin, shall become still stronger, and if they combine in great power and turn to pursue them, ³² then these shall be disorganized and silenced by their power and shall turn and flee.^{[j] 33} And from the land of the Assyrians an enemy in ambush shall attack them and destroy one of them, and fear and trembling shall come upon their army and indecision upon their kings.^(T)

Judgment on Babylon

³⁴ See the clouds from the east and from the north to the south! Their appearance is exceedingly threatening, full of wrath and storm.^{(U) 35} They shall clash against one another and shall pour out a heavy tempest on the earth and their own tempest,^[k] and there shall be blood from the sword as high as a horse’s belly^{(V) 36} and a man’s thigh and a camel’s hock. ³⁷ And there shall be fear and great trembling on the earth; those who see that wrath shall be horror-stricken, and they shall be seized with trembling. ³⁸ After that, heavy storm clouds shall be stirred up from the south and from the north and another part from the west.^{(W) 39} But the winds from the east shall prevail over the cloud that was^[l] raised in wrath and shall dispel it, and the tempest^[m] that was to cause destruction by the east wind shall be driven violently toward the south and west.^{(X) 40} Great and mighty clouds full of wrath and tempest^[n] shall rise and destroy all the earth and its inhabitants and shall pour out upon every high and lofty place^[o] a terrible tempest,^{[p](Y) 41} fire and hail and flying swords and floods of water, so that all the fields and all the streams shall be filled with the abundance of those waters. ⁴² They shall destroy cities and walls, mountains and hills, trees of the forests, and grass of the meadows and their grain. ⁴³ They shall go on steadily to Babylon and blot it out.^{(Z) 44} They shall come to it and surround it; they shall pour out on it the tempest^[q] and all its fury;^[r] then the dust and smoke shall reach the sky, and all who are around it shall mourn for it.^{(AA) 45} And those who survive shall serve those who have destroyed it.

Judgment on Asia

⁴⁶ And you, Asia, who share in the splendor of Babylon and the glory of her person,^{(AB) 47} woe to you, miserable wretch! For you have made yourself like her; you have decked out your daughters for prostitution to please and glory in your lovers, who have always lusted after you. ⁴⁸ You have imitated that hateful one in all her deeds and devices.^[s] Therefore, God^[t] says, ⁴⁹ I will send evils upon you: widowhood, poverty, famine, sword, and pestilence, bringing ruin to your houses, bringing destruction and death.^{(AC) 50} And the glory of your strength shall wither like a flower when the heat shall rise that is sent upon you.^{(AD) 51} You shall be weakened like a wretched woman who is beaten and wounded, so that you cannot receive your mighty lovers. ⁵² Would I have dealt with you so violently, says the Lord, ⁵³ if you had not killed my chosen people continually, exulting and clapping your hands and talking about their death when you were drunk?^(AE)

⁵⁴ Beautify your face!^{(AF) 55} The reward of a prostitute is in your lap; therefore you shall receive your recompense. ⁵⁶ As you will do to my chosen people, says the Lord, so God will do to you and will hand you over to adversities. ⁵⁷ Your children shall die of hunger, and you shall fall by the sword; your cities shall be wiped out, and all your people who are in the open country shall fall by the sword. ⁵⁸ Those who are in the mountains and highlands^[u] shall perish of hunger, and they shall eat their own flesh in hunger for bread and drink their own blood in thirst for water.^{(AG) 59} Unhappy above all others, you shall come and suffer fresh miseries. ⁶⁰ As they pass by they shall crush the hateful^[v] city and shall destroy a part of your land and abolish a portion of your glory, when they return from devastated Babylon. ⁶¹ You shall be broken down by them like stubble,^[w] and they shall be like fire to you.^{(AH) 62} They shall devour you and your cities, your land and your mountains; they shall burn with fire all your forests and your fruitful trees. ⁶³ They shall carry your children away captive, plunder your wealth, and mar the glory of your face.^(AI)

Further Denunciations

16 Woe to you, Babylon and Asia! Woe to you, Egypt and Syria!^{(AJ) 2} Bind on sackcloth and cloth of goats’ hair,^[x] and wail for your children, and lament for them, for your destruction is at hand.^{(AK) 3} The sword has been sent upon you, and who is there to turn it back? ⁴ A fire has been sent upon you, and who is there to quench it?^{(AL) 5} Calamities have been sent upon you, and who is there to drive them away?^{(AM) 6} Can one drive off a hungry lion in the forest or quench a fire in the stubble once it has started to burn?^{[y](AN) 7} Can one turn back an arrow shot by a strong archer?^{(AO) 8} The Lord God sends calamities, and who will drive them away?^{(AP) 9} Fire will go forth from his wrath, and who is there to quench it?^{(AQ) 10} He will flash lightning, and who will not be afraid? He will thunder, and who will not be terrified?^{(AR) 11} The Lord will threaten, and who will not be utterly shattered at his presence? ¹² The earth and its foundations quake, the sea is churned up from the depths, and its waves and the fish with them shall be troubled at the presence of the Lord and the glory of his power.^{(AS) 13} For his right hand that bends the bow is strong, and his arrows that he shoots are sharp, and when they are shot to the ends of the world they will not miss once.^{(AT) 14} Calamities are sent forth and shall not return until they come over the earth. ¹⁵ The fire is kindled and shall not be put out until it consumes the foundations of the earth.^{(AU) 16} Just as an arrow shot by a mighty archer does not return, so the calamities that are sent upon the earth shall not return.^{(AV) 17} Alas for me! Alas for me! Who will deliver me in those days?

The Horror of the Last Days

¹⁸ The beginning of sorrows, when there shall be much lamentation; the beginning of famine, when many shall perish; the beginning of wars, when the powers shall be terrified; the beginning of calamities, when all shall tremble. ¹⁹ What shall they do when the calamities come?^{(AW) 20} Famine and plague, tribulation and anguish are sent as scourges for the correction of humankind.^{(AX) 21} Yet for all this they will not turn from their iniquities or ever be mindful of the scourges. ²² Indeed, provisions will be so cheap upon earth that people will imagine that peace is assured for them, and then calamities shall spring up on the earth—the sword, famine, and great confusion.^{(AY) 23} For many of those who live on the earth shall perish by famine, and those who survive the famine shall die by the sword. ²⁴ And the dead shall be thrown out like dung, and there shall be no one to console them, for the earth shall be left desolate, and its cities shall be demolished.^{(AZ) 25} No one shall be left to cultivate the earth or to sow it. ²⁶ The trees shall bear fruit, but who will gather it? ²⁷ The grapes shall ripen, but who will tread them? For in all places there shall be great solitude;^{(BA) 28} a person will long to see another human or even to hear a human voice. ²⁹ For ten shall be left out of a city, and two out of the field, those who have hidden themselves in thick groves and clefts in the rocks.^{(BB) 30} Just as in an olive orchard three or four olives may be left on every tree,^{(BC) 31} or just as, when a vineyard is gathered, some clusters may be left^[z] by those who search carefully through the vineyard,^{(BD) 32} so in those days three or four shall be left by those who search their houses with the sword.^{(BE) 33} The earth shall be left desolate, and its fields shall be plowed up,^[aa] and its roads and all its paths shall bring forth thorns, because no sheep will go along them.^{(BF) 34} Virgins shall mourn because they have no bridegrooms; women shall mourn because they have no husbands; their daughters shall mourn because they have no help.^{(BG) 35} Their bridegrooms shall be killed in war, and their husbands shall perish of famine.

God’s People Must Prepare for the End

³⁶ Listen now to these things, and understand them, you who are servants of the Lord. ³⁷ This is the word of the Lord; receive it and do not disbelieve what the Lord says.^{[ab] 38} The calamities draw near and are not delayed. ³⁹ Just as a pregnant woman, in the ninth month when the time of her delivery draws near, has great pains around her womb for two or three hours beforehand, but when the child comes forth from the womb, there will not be a moment’s delay,^{(BH) 40} so the calamities will not delay in coming upon the earth, and the world will groan, and pains will seize it on every side.

⁴¹ Hear my words, O my people; prepare for battle, and in the midst of the calamities be like strangers on the earth.^{(BI) 42} Let the one who sells be like one who will flee; let the one who buys be like one who will lose;^{(BJ) 43} let the one who does business be like one who will not make a profit; and let the one who builds a house be like one who will not live in it; ⁴⁴ let the one who sows be like one who will not reap; so also the one who prunes the vines, like one who will not gather the grapes; ⁴⁵ those who marry, like those who will have no children; and those who do not marry, like those who are widowed. ⁴⁶ Because of this, those who labor, labor in vain, ⁴⁷ for strangers shall gather their fruits and plunder their goods, overthrow their houses, and take their children captive, for in captivity and famine they will produce their children.^{[ac](BK) 48} Those who conduct business do so only to have it plundered; the more they adorn their cities, their houses and possessions, and their persons, ⁴⁹ the more angry I will be with them for their sins, says the Lord. ⁵⁰ Just as a respectable and virtuous woman abhors a prostitute, ⁵¹ so righteousness shall abhor iniquity when she decks herself out and shall accuse her to her face when he comes to defend the one who searches out every sin on earth.^(BL)

The Power and Wisdom of God

⁵² Therefore do not be like her or her works. ⁵³ For in a very short time iniquity will be removed from the earth, and righteousness will reign over us.^{(BM) 54} Sinners must not say that they have not sinned,^[ad] for coals of fire will burn on the head of everyone who says, “I have not sinned before God and his glory.”^{(BN) 55} The Lord^[ae] certainly knows everything that people do; he knows their imaginations and their thoughts and their hearts.^{(BO) 56} He said, “Let the earth be made,” and it was made, and “Let the heaven be made,” and it was made.^{(BP) 57} At his word the stars were fixed in their places, and he knows the number of the stars.^{(BQ) 58} He searches the abyss and its treasures; he has measured the sea and its contents;^{(BR) 59} he has confined the sea in the midst of the waters;^[af] and by his word he has suspended the earth over the water.^{(BS) 60} He has spread out the heaven like a dome and made it secure upon the waters;^{(BT) 61} he has put springs of water in the desert and pools on the tops of the mountains, so as to send rivers from the heights to water the earth.^{(BU) 62} He formed humans and put a heart in the midst of each body and gave each person breath and life and understanding^{(BV) 63} and the spirit^[ag] of Almighty God,^[ah] who surely made all things and searches out hidden things in hidden places. ⁶⁴ He knows your imaginations and what you think in your hearts! Woe to those who sin and want to hide their sins!^{(BW) 65} The Lord will strictly examine all their works and will make a public spectacle of all of you. ⁶⁶ You shall be put to shame when your sins come out before others, and your own iniquities shall stand as your accusers on that day.^{(BX) 67} What will you do? Or how will you hide your sins before the Lord and his glory?^{(BY) 68} Indeed, God^[ai] is the judge; fear him! Cease from your sins and forget your iniquities, never to commit them again, so God^[aj] will lead you forth and deliver you from all tribulation.^(BZ)

Impending Persecution of God’s People

⁶⁹ The burning wrath of a great multitude is kindled over you; they shall drag some of you away and force you to eat what was sacrificed to idols.^{(CA) 70} And those who consent to eat shall be held in derision and contempt and shall be trampled under foot. ⁷¹ For in many places^[ak] and in neighboring cities there shall be a great uprising against those who fear the Lord. ⁷² They shall^[al] be like maniacs, sparing no one, but plundering and destroying those who continue to fear the Lord.^{[am] 73} For they shall destroy and plunder their goods and drive them out of house and home. ⁷⁴ Then the tested quality of my elect shall be manifest, like gold that is tested by fire.^(CB)

Promise of Divine Deliverance

⁷⁵ Listen, my elect ones, says the Lord; the days of tribulation are at hand, but I will deliver you from them.^{(CC) 76} Do not fear or doubt, for God^[an] is your guide.^{(CD) 77} You who keep my commandments and precepts, says the Lord God, must not let your sins weigh you down or your iniquities prevail over you.^{(CE) 78} Woe to those who are choked by their sins and overwhelmed by their iniquities! They are like a field choked with underbrush and its path^[ao] overwhelmed with thorns, so that no one can pass through. It is shut off and given up to be consumed by fire.^(CF)