Fourth Ezra

And he answered and said to me, "The Most High made this world for the sake of many, but the world that is to come for the sake of few.

Now I will explain a matter before you, O Ezra. Just as you might ask the earth, and it would tell you that it yields much of the dust from which pottery is made, but little of that from which gold is made, so also is the course of this world.

Many have been created, but few shall be saved."

And I answered and said, "Drink up knowledge, O my soul, and consume understanding, O my heart!

For you came without your will, and you depart though you do not wish; for no authority was given to you except only to live for a short time.

O Lord, my Lord, if you command your servant, I will pray before you: give us seed, and the cultivation of a new heart, from which fruit may come, so that everyone who is corruptible, who has put on the likeness of a human being, may be able to live.

For you are one, and we are one creation, the work of your hands, as you have said.

And you truly give life now in the womb to the body which you have fashioned, and you arrange the limbs; and your creation is preserved in fire and water, and for nine months your fashioned creature endures the creation which you have created within it.

Both that which preserves and that which is preserved are preserved by your keeping; and when the womb yields again what has been formed in it,

you have commanded that from the limbs themselves there should be milk, the fruit of the breasts of fullness,

so that what has been fashioned may be nourished for a little while, and afterward you guide it in your mercy.

And you nourish it in your righteousness, and discipline it in your law, and instruct it in your wisdom.

And you put it to death as your creation, and make it alive as your work.

If then you should quickly and easily destroy this one who was fashioned at your command with all this great labor, why then was he made?

Now too, I have spoken concerning every human being; but more especially—as you know—it is concerning your people that I grieve,

and concerning your inheritance over which I mourn, and concerning Israel for whom I am sorrowful, and concerning the seed of Jacob over which I tremble.

Therefore I will begin to pray and make supplication before you for myself and for them, because behold, I see the downfalls of us who dwell on the earth.

For I have also heard the decree of the judgment that is to come.

Therefore hear my voice, and listen to the words of my prayer, and I will speak before you, O Lord my God." The beginning of the words of the prayer of Ezra, which he prayed before he was taken up:

"O Lord, who dwell forever, whose heights are exalted and whose chambers are in the air,

he

whose throne

is boundless and whose glory is incomprehensible, before whom the heavenly hosts stand in fear;

he

at whose word

they are changed into fire and wind, whose word is faithful and whose utterance endures,

whose commandment is steadfast and whose decrees are terrible, whose look dries up the depths and whose indignation melts the mountains, whose truth bears witness:

Hear the voice of your servant, and listen to the supplication of your creature, and give heed to my words.

For as long as I live I will speak, and as long as I have understanding I will answer.

Do not look upon the sins of your people, but upon those who served you in truth.

And do not regard the foolish deeds of the ungodly, but those who kept your covenants in the midst of affliction.

And do not take thought of those who have conducted themselves wickedly before you, but remember those who willingly acknowledged the fear of you.

And do not desire to destroy those who have become like cattle, but look upon those who received the radiance of your law.

And do not be angry with those who have become worse than beasts, but love those who have continually placed their trust in your glory.

For we and those who were before us have done corrupt deeds and gone astray, but because of us sinners you are called merciful.

For if you desire to have mercy upon us who have no works of righteousness, then you will be named compassionate.

For the righteous, who have works laid up with you, shall receive their reward from their own deeds.

For what is a human being that you should be angry with him, or a corruptible race that you should be bitter against it?

For in truth, there is none among those born who has not done wickedness, and none among those who exist who has not sinned.

For by this your goodness is made known, O Lord, my Lord, when you have mercy upon those who have no strength of works."

And he answered and said to me, "Some things you have spoken correctly, and according to your words it shall be so.

For truly I will not consider the creation of the wicked, nor their death, nor their judgment, nor their destruction;

but I will rejoice over the coming of the creation of the righteous, and over their life, and over the payment of their reward.

For as I have spoken, so shall it be.

For just as a farmer sows many seeds and many plants

he plants,

yet not all the seeds live in due season, nor do all the plants take root, so also of those who have come into the world, not all shall be saved."

And I answered and said, "If I have found favor in your sight, let me speak before you.

For the seed of the farmer, if it does not receive your rain in its season, may not live, or it may be ruined by too much rain;

but a human being, who was fashioned by your hands and made in your image, for whose sake you created all things—have you likened him to the farmer's seed?"

No, I pray you, O Lord, my Lord, spare your people, and have mercy on your inheritance; for upon your creation

it is

indeed of your own that you have mercy.

And he answered and said to me, "The things of the present are for those of the present, and the things to come are for those who are to come."

For you fall far short of being able

to love

my creation

more than I. But you have compared yourself many times to the unrighteous. Never let it be so!

Yet even in this you will be praiseworthy before the Most High,

because you have humbled yourself, as becomes you, and have not ranked yourself among the righteous. Therefore, you will be greatly praised,

because many miseries will afflict the inhabitants of the world in the end, on account of the great pride with which they conducted themselves.

But understand concerning yourself, and seek out the glory of those who are like you.

For Paradise is opened for you, the tree of life is planted, the age to come is prepared, abundance is made ready, the city is built, rest is established, goodness is perfected, and wisdom is made complete.

The root is sealed off from you, illness is extinguished from you, and death is hidden; Sheol has fled, and corruption is forgotten;

and pains have departed from you, and in the end the treasures of life are revealed.

Therefore, do not ask any more questions concerning the multitude of those who perish,

for they received freedom, but they despised the Most High, greatly scorned his law, and abandoned his ways.

Moreover, they even trampled on his holy ones,

and said in their hearts that there is no God, though they well knew that they must die.

Therefore, just as the things previously mentioned await you, so also for them

thirst and torment

are prepared. For the Most High did not desire that human beings should perish;

but those who were created defiled the name of their Maker, and were ungrateful, and did not give thanks to me, who prepared life for them.

Therefore, my judgment is drawing near,

which I have not made known to many, but only to you and to the few who are like you." And I answered and said,

"Behold, Lord, now you have shown me a multitude of the signs that you will do in the last days, but you have not made known to me at what time."