The Lost Books of the Bible: The Great Rejected Texts Read online

  22: And my soul recovered the spirit of understanding, and I began to talk with the most High again,

  23: And said, O Lord that upholds rule, of every wood of the earth, and of all the trees thereof, you have chosen your one and only vine:

  24: And of all lands of the whole world you have chosen your one pit; and of all the flowers thereof one lily:

  25: And of all the depths of the sea you have filled you one river: and of all built cities you have hallowed Sion to yourself:

  26: And of all the fowls that are created you have named you one dove: and of all the cattle that are made you have provided you one sheep:

  27: And among all the multitudes of people you have gotten you one people: and to this people, whom you loved, you gave a law that is approved of all.

  28: And now, O Lord, why have you given this one people over to many? On this one root have you prepared others so why have you scattered your only one people among many?

  29: And they who preached your promises for money, and believed not your covenants, have trodden them down.

  30: If you hated your people this much, should you not punish them with your own hands?

  31: Now when I had spoken these words, the angel that came to me the night before was sent to me,

  32: And said to me, Hear me, and I will instruct you; hearken to the thing that I say, and I will tell you more.

  33: And I said, Speak on, my Lord. Then said he to me, You are very troubled in mind for Israel’s sake. Do you love that people better than he that made them?

  34: And I said, No, Lord: but of very grief have I spoken: for my restraints pain me every hour, while I labor to comprehend the way of the most High, and to seek out part of his judgment.

  35: And he said to me, You cannot. And I said, Why, Lord? Why was I born then? Why was my mother’s womb not my grave, that I might not have seen the travail of Jacob, and the wearisome toil of the stock of Israel?

  36: And he said to me, Number me the things that are not yet come, gather me together the dross that are scattered abroad, make me the flowers green again that are withered,

  37: Open me the places that are closed, and bring out the winds to me that are shut up in them, show me the image of a voice: and then I will declare to you the thing that you labor to know.

  38: And I said, O Lord that upholds rule, who may know these things, but he that has not his dwelling with men?

  39: I am unwise: how may I then speak of these things whereof you ask me?

  40: Then he said to me, Like you cannot do these things that I have spoken of, neither can you find out my judgment, or in the end the love that I have promised to my people.

  41: And I said, Behold, O Lord, yet are you near to them that be reserved till the end: and what will they do that have been before me, or we that be now, or they that will come after us?

  42: And he said to me, I will liken my judgment to a ring: like as there is no slackness (slowness) of the last, even so there is no swiftness of the first.

  43: So I answered and said, Could you not make those that have been made, and be now, and that are to come, at once; that you might show your judgment sooner?

  44: Then he answered me, and said, The creature may not rise above the maker; neither may the world hold them at once that will be created therein.

  45: And I said, As you have said to your servant, that you, which gives life to all, have given life at once to the creature that you have created, and the creature bare it: even so it might now also bear them that now be present at once.

  46: And he said to me, Ask the womb of a woman, and say to her, If you bring forth children, why do you it not together, but one after another? pray her therefore to bring forth ten children at once.

  47: And I said, She cannot: but must do it by (its) distance (duration) of time.

  48: Then said he to me, Even so have I given the womb of the earth to those that be sown in it in their times.

  49: For like as a young child may not bring forth the things that belong to the aged, even so have I disposed the world which I created.

  50: And I asked, and said, Seeing you have now given me the way, I will proceed to speak before you: for our mother, of whom you have told me that she is young, now draws near to age.

  51: He answered me, and said, Ask a woman that bears children, and she will tell you.

  52: Say to her, Why are they whom you have now brought forth like those that were before, but smaller?

  53: And she will answer you, They that are born in the strength of youth are of one fashion, and they that are born in the (her) time of age, when the womb fails, are otherwise.

  54: Consider therefore also, how that you are smaller than those that were before you.

  55: And so are they that come after you less than you, as the creatures which now begin to be old, and have passed over the strength of youth.

  56: Then I said, Lord, I beg you, if I have found favor in your sight, show your servant by whom you visit your creature.

  4 Ezra Chapter 6

  1: And he said to me, In the beginning, when the earth was made, before the borders of the world stood, or ever the winds blew,

  2: Before it thundered and lightened, or ever the foundations of paradise were laid,

  3: Before the fair flowers were seen, or ever the moveable powers were established, before the innumerable multitude of angels were gathered together,

  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,

  5: And in the event the present years were sought out, and or if ever the inventions of them that now sin were turned, before they were sealed that have gathered faith for a treasure:

  6: I then considered these things, and they all were made through me alone, and through none other: by me also they will be ended, and by none other.

  7: Then I answered and said, What will be the splitting apart of the times and when will the end of the first, and the beginning of it that follows be ?

  8: And he said to me, From Abraham to Isaac, when Jacob and Esau were born of him, Jacob’s hand held first the heel of Esau.

  9: For Esau is the end of the world, and Jacob is the beginning of it that follows.

  10: The hand of man is between the heel and the hand. Now, Esdras, do not ask any more questions.

  11: I answered then and said, O Lord that upholds rule, if I have found favor in your sight,

  12: I beg of you to show your servant the end of your tokens, that you showed me in part the last night.

  13: So he answered and said to me, Stand up upon your feet, and hear a mighty sounding voice.

  14: And it will be as it were a great motion; but the place where you stand will not be moved.

  15: And therefore when it speaks be not afraid: for the word is of the end, and the foundation of the earth is understood.

  16: And why? because the speech of these things trembles and is moved: for it knows that the end of these things must be changed.

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

  18: And it said, Behold, the days come, that I will begin to draw near, and to visit them that dwell upon the earth,

  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 will be fulfilled;

  20: And when the world, that will begin to vanish away, will be finished, then will I show these tokens: the books will be opened before the firmament, and they will see all together:

  21: And the children of a year old will speak with their voices, the women with child will bring forth untimely children of three or four months old, and they will live, and be raised up.

  22: And suddenly will the sown places appear unsown, the full storehouses will suddenly be found empty:

  23: And that trumpet
will give a sound, which when every man hears, they will be suddenly afraid.

  24: At that time will friends fight one against another like enemies, and the earth will stand in fear with those that dwell therein, the springs of the fountains will stand still, and in (for) three hours they will not run.

  25: Whoever remains from all these that I have told you will escape, and see my salvation, and the end of your world.

  26: And the men that are received will see it, who have not tasted death from their birth and the heart of the inhabitants will be changed, and turned into another meaning.

  27: For evil will be put out, and deceit will be quenched.

  28: As for faith, it will flourish, corruption will be overcome, and the truth, which has been so long without fruit, will be declared.

  29: And when he talked with me, behold, I looked by little and little upon him before whom I stood.

  30: And these words said he to me; I am come to show you the time of the night to come.

  31: If you will pray even more, and fast seven days again, I will tell you greater things by day than I have heard.

  32: For your voice is heard before the most High: for the Mighty has seen your righteous dealing, he has seen also your purity, which you have had ever since your youth.

  33: And therefore has he sent me to show you all these things, and to say to you, “Be of good comfort and fear not

  34: Do not be quick to think vain thoughts concerning the former times, or you will be hasty concerning the last times.”

  35: And after this I wept again, and fasted seven days in like manner, that I might fulfill the three weeks which he told me.

  36: And in the eighth night was my heart vexed within me again, and I began to speak before the most High.

  37: For my spirit was set on fire, and my soul was in distress.

  38: And I said, O Lord, you spoke from the beginning of the creation on the first day and said; Let heaven and earth be made; and your word was a perfect work.

  39: And then was the spirit, and darkness and silence were on every side; the sound of man’s voice was not yet formed.

  40: Then you commanded a beautiful light to come out of your treasures, that your work might appear.

  41: On the second day you made the spirit of the firmament, and commanded it to section (piece) asunder, and to make a division betwixt the waters, that the one section (piece) might go up, and the other remain beneath.

  42: On the third day you commanded that the waters should be gathered in the seventh part of the earth; six areas you dried up, and kept them, so that these being planted of God and tilled might serve you.

  43: As soon as your word went forth the work was made.

  44: For immediately there was great and innumerable fruit, and many and various pleasures for the taste, and flowers of unchangeable color, and odors of wonderful smell: and this was done the third day.

  45: On the fourth day you commanded that the sun should shine, and the moon give her light, and the stars should be in order:

  46: And gave them a order to do service to man that was going to be made.

  47: On the fifth day you said to the seventh section, where the waters were gathered that it should bring forth living creatures, fowls and fishes: and so it came to pass.

  48: For the dumb lifeless water brought forth living things at the commandment of God, that all people might praise your wondrous works.

  49: Then you ordained two living creatures, one you called Behemoth, and the other (you called) Leviathan;

  50: And did separate the one from the other: for the seventh section, namely, where the water was gathered together, might not hold them both.

  51: To Behemoth you gave one section, which was dried up the third day, that he should dwell in the same place, where there are a thousand hills:

  52: But to Leviathan you gave the seventh sections, namely, the moist; and have kept him to be devoured of whom you will, and when.

  53: On the sixth day you gave commandment to the earth, that before you it should bring forth beasts, cattle, and creeping things.

  54: And after these, Adam also, whom you made lord of all your creatures: of (from) him we all come, and also the people whom you have chosen.

  55: All this have I spoken before you, O Lord, because you made the world for our sakes.

  56: As for the other people, which also come of Adam, you have said that they are nothing, but are like to spittle: and have likened the abundance of them to a drip that falls from a vessel.

  57: And now, O Lord, behold, these heathen, which have been reputed as nothing, have begun to be lords over us, and to devour us.

  58: But we your people, whom you have called your firstborn, your only begotten, and your fervent lover, are given into their hands.

  59: If the world now is made for our sakes, why do we not possess an inheritance with the world? How long will this last?

  4 Ezra Chapter 7

  1: And when I had ended speaking these words, there was sent to me the angel which had been sent to me the nights before.

  2: And he said to me, Get up, Esdras, and hear the words that I have come to tell you.

  3: And I said, Speak on, my God. Then said he to me, The sea is set in a wide place, that it might be deep and great.

  4: But the entrance way is narrow and like a river;

  5: Who then could go into the sea to look on it to rule it? If he did not go through the narrow, how could he come into the broad place?

  6: There is also another thing; A city is built, and set upon a broad field, and is full of all good things.

  7: The entrance of it is narrow, and is set in a dangerous place to fall, like as if there were a fire on the right hand, and on the left a deep water.

  8: And one only path is between them both, even between the fire and the water, so small that there could but one man go there at once.

  9: If this city now were given to a man for an inheritance, if he never will pass the danger set before it, how will he receive this inheritance?

  10: And I said, Lord, that is true. Then he said to me, Even so also is Israel’s portion.

  11: Because for their sakes I made the world: and when Adam transgressed my statutes, then I decreed what was done.

  12: Then were the entrances of this world made narrow, full of sorrow and travail: they are few and evil, full of dangers, and very painful.

  13: For the entrances of the greater world were wide and safe, and brought immortal fruit.

  14: Unless the living labors to enter these strait and vain things, they can never receive those things that are stored up for them.

  15: Why disquiet yourself, seeing you are but a corruptible man? Why are you disturbed? You are only mortal?

  16: Why have you not considered in your mind this thing that is to come, rather than that which is present?

  17: Then I answered and said, O Lord that upholds rule, you have ordained in your law, that the righteous should inherit these things, but that the ungodly should perish.

  18: Therefore, the righteous can endure difficult circumstances while hoping for better ones; but those who have done wickedly have suffered the difficult circumstances and will not see the easier.

  19: And he said to me. There is no judge above God, and none that has understanding above the Highest.

  20: For there are many that perish in this life, because they despise the law of God that is set before them. (Let many perish rather than the law…)

  21: For God has plainly stated his commandment so that they that came should live, and what they should observe to avoid punishment.

  22: Nevertheless they were not obedient to him; but spoke against him, and imagined vain things,

  23: Deceived themselves by their wicked deeds; and said of the most High, that he does not exist; and ignore his ways:

  24: But they despised His law, and denied his covenants; his statutes they have not been faithful, and have not performed his works.

  25: And t
herefore, Esdras, for the empty are empty things, and for the full are the full things.

  26: The time will come, that these tokens which I have told you will come to pass, and the bride (city) will appear, and her coming forth will be seen, that now is withdrawn from the earth.

  27: And whosoever is delivered from these evils will see my wonders.

  28: For my son Jesus will be revealed with those that are with him, and they that remain will rejoice for four hundred years.

  29: After these years will my son Christ die, so that all men may have life.

  30: And the world will be turned into the primal silence seven days, like as in the judgments of before so that no man will remain.

  31: And after seven days the world that still sleeps, will be raised up, and that which is corrupt will die.

  32: The earth will restore those that are asleep in her, and so will the dust those that dwell in silence, and the secret places will deliver those souls that were committed to them.

  33: And the most High will appear on the seat of judgment, and misery will pass away, and the long suffering will have an end:

  34: But only judgment will remain, truth will stand, and faith will grow strong.

  35: And the recompense will follow, and the reward will be showed, and the good deeds will be of force, and wicked deeds will bear no rule.

  36: Then I said, Abraham prayed first for the Sodomites; and Moses for the fathers that sinned in the wilderness;

  37: And Jesus after him for Israel in the time of Achan;

  38: And Samuel and David for the destruction: and Solomon for them that should come to the sanctuary;

  39: And Helias for those that received rain and for the dead, that he might live;

  40: And Ezechias for the people in the time of Sennacherib; and many pray for many.

  41: Now, seeing corruption is matured, and wickedness increased, and the righteous have prayed for the ungodly; will it not be so now also?

  42: He answered me, and said, This present life is not the end where much glory abides; therefore have they prayed for the weak.

  43: But the day of doom will be the end of this time, and the beginning of the immortality to come, where corruption is past,