4 Esdras (2 Esdras) 13

And it came to pass after seven days, that I dreamed a dream in the night.

And behold, a wind arose from the sea, that it might stir up all its waves.

And I saw, and behold, that man grew strong with the thousands of heaven; and wherever he turned his face to look, all that was seen beneath him trembled;

and wherever the voice went forth from his mouth, all who heard his voice were set ablaze, just as the earth grows still when it feels the fire.

And I saw after these things, and behold, a multitude of men, beyond number, was gathered from the four winds of heaven, to make war against the man who had come up from the sea.

And I saw, and behold, he had carved out for himself a great mountain, and he flew up upon it.

But I sought to see the region or the place from which the mountain had been carved, and I could not.

And after these things I saw, and behold, all who were gathered against him, to fight him, were greatly afraid, yet they dared to fight.

And behold, when he saw the onslaught of the multitude coming, he neither lifted up his hand, nor held a spear, nor any weapon of war; but only, as I saw,

he sent forth from his mouth as it were a breath of fire, and from his lips a spirit of flame, and from his tongue he cast forth sparks and tempests; and all these were mingled together, this breath of fire, and spirit of flame, and the great storm;

and it fell upon the multitude in its onset, which was prepared to fight, and burned them all up, so that suddenly nothing was seen of the innumerable multitude, except only dust, and the smell of smoke. And I saw, and was afraid.

And after these things I saw the man himself coming down from the mountain, and calling to himself another multitude, a peaceful one;

and there came near to him the faces of many people, some rejoicing, some sorrowing; some indeed were bound, and some were bringing others of those who were offered. And I grew faint from the multitude of fear, and awoke, and said:

From the beginning you have shown your servant these wonders, and have counted me worthy that you should accept my supplication;

and now show me still further the interpretation of this dream.

For as I judge in my mind, woe to those who shall be left in those days; and much more, woe to those who are not left.

For those who were not left were sorrowful.

I understand now what things are laid up in the last days, and shall meet them, but also those who are left.

Because of this they have come into great dangers and many distresses, as these dreams show.

Yet it is easier for one in peril to come into this, than to pass away like a cloud out of the world, and not see the things that shall happen in the last days. And he answered me and said:

I will tell you the interpretation of the vision, and concerning the things you have spoken of I will open to you.

Since you have spoken concerning those who are left, this is the interpretation.

He who keeps off the danger at that time, has kept himself; those who have fallen into danger are they who have works and faith toward the Almighty.

Know therefore that those who are left are more blessed than those who have died.

These are the interpretations of the vision: as for your seeing a man coming up from the heart of the sea,

this is he whom the Most High keeps through many times, who shall deliver his creation by himself; and he shall order the lives of those who are left.

And as for your seeing that there went forth from his mouth as it were spirit, and fire, and tempest,

and that he held no spear, nor any weapon of war; for the force of his onset destroyed the multitude that had come to fight him: this is the interpretation.

Behold, the days are coming, when the Most High shall begin to deliver those who are upon the earth;

and he shall come in bewilderment of mind upon those who dwell upon the earth.

And they shall plan to make war one against another: city against city, and place against place, and nation against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.

And it shall be, when these things come to pass, and the signs which I showed you before take place, then my son shall be revealed, whom you saw as a man coming up.

And it shall be, when all the nations hear his voice, that each shall leave, in his own land, his war which they have one against another;

and an innumerable multitude shall be gathered together, as though wishing to come and to fight against him.

But he shall stand upon the summit of Mount Zion.

And Zion shall come, and shall be shown to all, ready and built, just as you saw the mountain carved out without hands.

But my son himself shall reprove the things the nations have devised, their impieties which have drawn near to the storm because of their evil thoughts, and the torments with which they shall begin to be tormented;

which are likened to flames; and he shall destroy them without labour by the law, which is likened to fire.

And as for your seeing him gathering to himself another, peaceful multitude,

these are the ten tribes which were led captive out of their own land in the days of Hosea the king, whom Shalmaneser king of the Assyrians led captive; and he carried them across the river, and they were taken into another land.

But they took counsel among themselves, to leave the multitude of the nations, and to go into a more distant region, where the human race had never dwelt;

there at least to keep their own ordinances, which they had not kept in their own land.

And they entered in through the narrow passages of the river Euphrates.

For the Most High then worked signs for them, and stayed the channels of the river until they had passed over.

For through that region there was a long way of journeying, of a year and a half; for that region is called Arsareth.

Then they dwelt there until the last time; and now, when they begin to come again,

again the Most High shall stay the channels of the river, that they may pass over; because of this you saw the multitude with peace.

But those who are left of your people, these are they who are found within my border.

It shall come to pass, then, when he begins to destroy the multitude of the nations that are gathered, that he shall protect the people who remain;

and then he shall show them very many wonders.

And I said: O Lord, Sovereign, show me this, why I saw the man coming up from the heart of the sea. And he said to me:

Just as you cannot search out, or know, the things that are in the depth of the sea, so no one upon the earth shall be able to see my son, or those who are with him, except in the time of his day.

This is the interpretation of the dream which you saw, and because of which you alone have been enlightened here.

For you have forsaken your own affairs, and have given yourself to mine, and have searched out my law,

for you have ordered your life in wisdom, and have called understanding your mother;

and for this reason I have shown you these rewards from the Most High. For after another three days I will speak to you of other things, and will explain to you weighty and wonderful matters.

And I went forth, and passed over into the field, greatly glorifying and praising the Most High for the wonders which he wrought from time to time;

and because he governs the times, and the things that are brought to pass in them; and I sat there three days.