Old Testament

New Testament

2 Esdras 12:3-18 Common English Bible (CEB)

3. I watched as they disappeared, and the whole body of the eagle was burned; the earth was filled with fear.I woke up because my mind was racing and full of fear. I said to myself,

4. Look, you’ve brought all this on yourself with your probing into the ways of the Most High.

5. Look here! I’m emotionally exhausted and barely alive. I don’t have even a little strength left in me because of the great fear that has shaken me this night.

6. Now, therefore, I will pray to the Most High that he may strengthen me to the end.

7. I said, "Supreme Lord, if you do look upon me favorably, if you consider me to be among the more righteous, and if my prayer has indeed risen into your presence,

8. strengthen me, and show me, your servant, the interpretation and meaning of this terrible vision. Console my soul,

9. since you have thought me worthy to be shown the end of times and the last events of the times."

10. He said to me, “This is the interpretation of the vision that you saw.

11. The eagle you saw rising from the sea is the fourth kingdom. It appeared in a vision to your brother Daniel,

12. but it wasn’t interpreted for him as I now interpret it for you or have shown it to you.

13. Look, the days are coming when a kingdom will rise on earth that will be more terrifying than all the kingdoms that came before it.

14. Twelve kings will rule in it, one after the other.

15. The second one to rule will have a longer time than the rest of the twelve.

16. This then is the interpretation of the twelve wings that you saw.

17. As for the fact that you heard a voice that spoke, coming not from its heads but from the middle of its body,

18. this is the interpretation: In the midst of this kingdom’s time, great conflicts will arise. It will be in danger of falling; it won’t fall then but will be restored again to its beginning.

Read complete chapter 2 Esdras 12