Lost Books of the Bible (156 page)

4 Ezra Chapter 1

1: The second book of the prophet Esdras, the son of Saraias, the son of Azarias, the son of Helchias, the son of Sadamias, the son of Sadoc, the son of Achitob,

2: The son of Achias, the son of Phinees, the son of Heli, the son of Amarias, the son of Aziei, the son of Marimoth, the son of Ama, son of Uzzi, son of Borith, the son of Abishua, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eleazar,

3: The son of Aaron, of the tribe of Levi; which was captive in the land of the Medes, in the reign of Areexerxes, King of the Persians.

4: And the word of the Lord came to me, saying,

5: “Go your way, and show my people their sinful deeds, and their children their wickedness which they have done against me; that they may tell their children’s children:

6: Because the sins of their fathers are increased in them for they have forgotten me, and have offered (sacrificed) to strange gods.

7: Am not I even he that brought them out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage? But they have provoked me to rage, and despised my counsels.

8: Pull out the hair of your head, and cast all evil upon them, for they have not been obedient to my law, but they are a rebellious people.

9: How long will I forbear them, unto whom I have done so much good?

10: Many kings have I destroyed for their sakes; Pharaoh with his servants and all his power have I beaten down.

11: All the nations have I destroyed before them, and in the east I have scattered the people of two provinces, even of Tyrus and Sidon, and have killed all their enemies.

12: Speak therefore to them, saying, Thus says the Lord,

13: I led you through the sea and in the beginning gave you a large and safe passage; I gave you Moses for a leader, and Aaron for a priest.

14: I gave you light in a pillar of fire, and great wonders have I done among you; yet you have forgotten me, says the Lord.

15: Thus, says the Almighty Lord, The quails were a gift to you; I gave you tents for your safeguard; nevertheless you murmured there,

16: And did not triumph in my name for the destruction of your enemies, but even to this day you continue to complain.

17: Where are the benefits that I have done for you? When you were hungry and thirsty in the wilderness, did you not cry to me,

18: Saying, Why have you brought us into this wilderness to kill us? It had been better for us to have served the Egyptians, than to die in this wilderness.

19: Then had I pity upon your mourning, and gave you manna to eat; so you ate angels’ bread.

20: When you were thirsty, did I not cleave the rock, and waters flowed out to fill you?  For the heat I covered you with the leaves of the trees.

21: I divided among you a fruitful land, I cast out the Canaanites, the Pherezites, and the Philistines, before you: what will I yet do more for you? says the Lord.

22: Thus says the Almighty Lord, When you were in the wilderness, in the river of the Amorites, being thirsty, and blaspheming my name,

23: I did not give you fire for your blasphemies, but cast a tree in the water, and made the river sweet.

24: What will I do to you, O Jacob, O Judah, who would not obey me?  I will turn to other nations, and to those will I give my name, that they may keep my statutes.

25: Seeing you have forsaken me, I will forsake you also; when you desire me to be gracious to you, I will have no mercy upon you.

26: When ever you will call upon me, I will not hear you, for you have defiled your hands with blood, and your feet are swift to commit murder of men.

27: You have not forsaken me, but your own selves, says the Lord.

28: Thus says the Almighty Lord, Have I not prayed for (whished blessings on) you as a father his sons, as a mother her daughters, and a nurse her young babes,

29: That you would be my people, and I should be your God; that you would be my children, and I should be your father?

30: I gathered you together, as a hen gathers her chickens under her wings, but now, what will I do to you? I will cast you away from my face.

31: When you offer to me, I will turn my face from you for your solemn feast days, your new moons, and your circumcisions, have I forsaken.

32: I sent to you my servants the prophets, whom you have taken and slain, and torn their bodies in pieces, whose blood I will require of your hands, says the Lord.

33: Thus says the Almighty Lord, Your house is desolate, I will cast you out as the wind does the stubble (of hay).

34: And your children will not be fruitful; for they have despised my commandment, and have done the thing that is an evil before me.

35: Your houses will I give to a people that will come; which not having heard of me yet will believe me; to whom I have showed no signs, yet they will do that I have commanded them.

36: They have seen no prophets, yet they will call their sins to remembrance, and acknowledge them.

37: I take to witness the grace of the people to come, whose little ones rejoice in gladness: and though they have not seen me with bodily eyes, yet in spirit they believe the thing that I say.

38: And now, brother, behold what glory; and see the people that come from the east:

39: To whom I will give for leaders, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, Oseas, Amos, and Micheas, Joel, Abdias, and Jonas,

40: Nahum, and Abacuc, Sophonias, Aggeus, Zachary, and Malachy, which is called also an angel of the Lord.

4 Ezra Chapter 2

1: Thus says the Lord, I brought this people out of bondage, and I gave them my commandments by (my) menservants, the prophets; whom they would not hear, but (they) despised my counsels.

2: The mother that bare them says to them, Go your way, you children; for I am a widow and forsaken.

3: I brought you up with gladness; but with sorrow and heaviness have I lost you, for you have sinned before the Lord your God, and done that thing that is evil before him.

4: But what will I now do to you? I am a widow and forsaken; go your way, O my children, and ask mercy of the Lord.

5: As for me, O father, I call upon you for a witness over the mother of these children, which would not keep my covenant,

6: That you bring them to confusion, and their mother to a spoil, that there may be no offspring of them.

7: Let them be scattered abroad among the heathen, let their names be put out of the earth for they have despised my covenant.

8: Woe be to you, Assur, you that hide the unrighteous in you! O you wicked people, remember what I did to Sodom and Gomorrha;

9: Whose land lies in clods of pitch (clumps of tar) and heaps of ashes; even so also will I do to them that hear me not, says the Almighty Lord.

10: Thus says the Lord to Esdras, Tell my people that I will give them the Kingdom of Jerusalem, which I would have given to Israel.

11: Their glory also will I take to me, and give these the everlasting tabernacles, which I had prepared for them.

12: They will have the tree of life for an ointment of sweet savor; they will neither labor, nor be weary.

13: Go, and you will receive: pray for few days to you, that they may be shortened: the kingdom is already prepared for you: watch.

14: Take heaven and earth to witness; for I have broken the evil in pieces, and created the good; for I live, says the Lord.

15: Mother, embrace your children, and bring them up with gladness, make their feet as fast as a pillar, for I have chosen you, says the Lord.

16: And those that are dead will I raise up again from their places, and bring them out of the graves, for I have known my name in Israel.

17: Fear not, you mother of the children for I have chosen you, says the Lord.

18: For your help will I send my servants Esau and Jeremy, after whose counsel I have sanctified and prepared for you twelve trees laden with various fruits,

19: And as many fountains flowing with milk and honey, and seven mighty mountains, whereupon there grow roses and lilies, whereby I will fill your children with joy.

20: Do right to the widow, judge for (protect) the fatherless, give to the poor, defend the orphan, clothe the naked,

21: Heal the broken and the weak, do not mock the lame to scorn, defend the maimed, and let the blind man come into the clearness of my sight.

22: Keep the old and young within your walls.

23: Where ever you find the dead, take them and bury them, and I will give you the first place in my resurrection.

24: Abide still, my people, and take your rest, for your quietness still comes.

25: Nourish your children, you good nurse; establish their feet.

26: As for the servants whom I have given you, there will not one of them perish; for I will require them from among your number.

27: Do not weary: for when the day of trouble and heaviness comes, others will weep and be sorrowful, but you will be merry and have abundance.

28: The heathen will envy you, but they will be able to do nothing against you, says the Lord.

29: My hands will cover you, so that your children will not see hell.

30: Be joyful, you mother, with your children; for I will deliver you, says the Lord.

31: Remember your children that sleep (that died), for I will bring them out of the sides of the earth, and show mercy to them: for I am merciful, says the Lord Almighty.

32: Embrace your children until I come and show mercy to them: for my wells run over, and my grace will not fail.

33: I Esdras received a charge of the Lord upon the mount Oreb, that I should go to Israel; but when I came to them, they treated me as nothing and despised the commandment of the Lord.

34: Therefore I say to you, O you heathen, that hear and understand, look for your Shepherd, he will give you everlasting rest; for he is near at hand, that will come in the end of the world.

35: Be ready to receive the reward of the kingdom, for the everlasting light will shine upon you for evermore.

36: Flee the shadow of this world, receive the joyfulness of your glory: I testify of my Savior openly.

37: Receive the gift that is given to you, and be glad, giving thanks to him that has led you to the heavenly kingdom.

38: Arise up and stand, Look at the number of those that are sealed in the feast of the Lord;

39: Which have left the shadow of the world, and have received glorious garments of the Lord.

40: Take your number, O Sion, and shut up those of yours that are clothed in white, which have fulfilled the law of the Lord.

41: The number of your children, whom you longed for, is fulfilled: call on the power of the Lord, that your people, which have been called from the beginning, may be made holy.

42: I Esdras saw upon Mount Sion a great people, whom I could not number, and they all praised the Lord with songs.

43: In the midst of them there was a young man of a high stature, taller than all the rest, and upon every one of their heads he set crowns, and was more exalted; which I marveled at greatly.