2 Esdras 8

How to read these pages: the text itself comes first, verse by verse, in the volume's own translation. Beneath each verse stands its Meaning — a rendering of what the passage's terms name in the inner life, drawn from the correspondences the text itself uses. The text is never altered; the meaning is offered, not imposed.

King James Version

1And he answered me, saying, The most High hath made this world for many, but the world to come for few.

And he answered me, saying, The most High — the Source under His title of height — hath made this world for many, but the world to come for few: the present order made broad for the many; the coming order entered, as by the strait path, by the few.

2I will tell thee a similitude, Esdras; As when thou askest the earth, it shall say unto thee, that it giveth much mould whereof earthen vessels are made, but little dust that gold cometh of: even so is the course of this present world.

I will tell thee a similitude, Esdras; As when thou askest the earth — the outer life — it shall say unto thee, that it giveth much mould whereof earthen vessels are made, but little dust that gold cometh of: even so is the course of this present world: common vessels in abundance; gold — pure good — in little measure.

3There be many created, but few shall be saved.

There be many created, but few shall be saved: many states formed; few brought through the strait entrance into the ordered breadth — the fewness is the narrowness of the passage, not a scarcity in the Source.

4So answered I and said, Swallow then down, O my soul, understanding, and devour wisdom.

So answered I and said, Swallow then down, O my soul, understanding, and devour wisdom: the soul-state exhorted to take understanding and Wisdom — the divine Love-Wisdom of the Source, ordering all things — wholly into itself.

5For thou hast agreed to give ear, and art willing to prophesy: for thou hast no longer space than only to live.

For thou hast agreed to give ear, and art willing to prophesy — to forth-tell: for thou hast no longer space than only to live: the faculty's hearing and speaking bounded by its lifetime.

6O Lord, if thou suffer not thy servant, that we may pray before thee, and thou give us seed unto our heart, and culture to our understanding, that there may come fruit of it; how shall each man live that is corrupt, who beareth the place of a man?

O Lord, if thou suffer not thy servant, that we may pray before thee, and thou give us seed unto our heart — word-ideas planted in the heart-state — and culture to our understanding, that there may come fruit of it; how shall each man live that is corrupt, who beareth the place of a man? Without the planted seed and the cultivated understanding, the corrupt state cannot bear fruit or live.

7For thou art alone, and we all one workmanship of thine hands, like as thou hast said.

For thou art alone, and we all one workmanship of thine hands, like as thou hast said: one Maker; every state one workmanship of the same hands — no rival power made any of them.

8For when the body is fashioned now in the mother’s womb, and thou givest it members, thy creature is preserved in fire and water, and nine months doth thy workmanship endure thy creature which is created in her.

For when the body is fashioned now in the mother's womb, and thou givest it members, thy creature is preserved in fire and water, and nine months doth thy workmanship endure thy creature which is created in her: the forming state preserved through contrary elements for its exact nine months.

9But that which keepeth and is kept shall both be preserved: and when the time cometh, the womb preserved delivereth up the things that grew in it.

But that which keepeth and is kept shall both be preserved: and when the time cometh, the womb preserved delivereth up the things that grew in it: keeper and kept preserved together, and delivered at the appointed time — as with the chambers of souls.

10For thou hast commanded out of the parts of the body, that is to say, out of the breasts, milk to be given, which is the fruit of the breasts,

For thou hast commanded out of the parts of the body, that is to say, out of the breasts, milk to be given, which is the fruit of the breasts: nourishment commanded from within the formed body itself — fruit, the result made visible, appointed for the new state's feeding.

11That the thing which is fashioned may be nourished for a time, till thou disposest it to thy mercy.

That the thing which is fashioned may be nourished for a time, till thou disposest it to thy mercy: feeding for a season, until the state is yielded wholly to mercy.

12Thou broughtest it up with thy righteousness, and nurturedst it in thy law, and reformedst it with thy judgment.

Thou broughtest it up with thy righteousness — right relation to the order — and nurturedst it in thy law — the written order of the divine life — and reformedst it with thy judgment, the order confronting and correcting the state.

13And thou shalt mortify it as thy creature, and quicken it as thy work.

And thou shalt mortify it as thy creature, and quicken it as thy work: the same Maker puts the formed state to death and makes it alive — both are His work, neither is a rival's.

14If therefore thou shalt destroy him which with so great labour was fashioned, it is an easy thing to be ordained by thy commandment, that the thing which was made might be preserved.

And if therefore thou shalt destroy him which with so great labour was fashioned, it is an easy thing to be ordained by thy commandment, that the thing which was made might be preserved: the plea — what was laboured over so greatly might, by the same commandment, be preserved rather than destroyed.

15Now therefore, Lord, I will speak; touching man in general, thou knowest best; but touching thy people, for whose sake I am sorry;

Now therefore, Lord, I will speak; touching man in general, thou knowest best; but touching thy people, for whose sake I am sorry;

16And for thine inheritance, for whose cause I mourn; and for Israel, for whom I am heavy; and for Jacob, for whose sake I am troubled;

And for thine inheritance, for whose cause I mourn; and for Israel — the spiritual man — for whom I am heavy; and for Jacob — the striving intellect — for whose sake I am troubled;

17Therefore will I begin to pray before thee for myself and for them: for I see the falls of us that dwell in the land.

Therefore will I begin to pray before thee for myself and for them: for I see the falls of us that dwell in the land.

18But I have heard the swiftness of the judge which is to come.

But I have heard the swiftness of the judge which is to come: the coming confrontation of the order heard in advance, and swift.

19Therefore hear my voice, and understand my words, and I shall speak before thee. This is the beginning of the words of Esdras, before he was taken up: and I said,

Therefore hear my voice, and understand my words, and I shall speak before thee. This is the beginning of the words of Esdras, before he was taken up: and I said,

20O Lord, thou that dwellest in everlastingness which beholdest from above things in the heaven and in the air;

O Lord, thou that dwellest in everlastingness which beholdest from above things in the heaven — the inner realm — and in the air; duration without end beholding the realms below it.

21Whose throne is inestimable; whose glory may not be comprehended; before whom the hosts of angels stand with trembling,

Whose throne — the seat of ruling authority in consciousness — is inestimable; whose glory — the manifested weight of the Presence — may not be comprehended; before whom the hosts of angels — the divine ideas ministering — stand with trembling,

22Whose service is conversant in wind and fire; whose word is true, and sayings constant; whose commandment is strong, and ordinance fearful;

Whose service is conversant in wind and fire — the Breath in motion and the flame of the Presence; whose word is true, and sayings constant; whose commandment is strong, and ordinance fearful;

23Whose look drieth up the depths, and indignation maketh the mountains to melt away; which the truth witnesseth:

Whose look drieth up the depths — the subconscious deep dried at a look — and indignation maketh the mountains — the exalted states — to melt away; which the truth witnesseth:

24O hear the prayer of thy servant, and give ear to the petition of thy creature.

O hear the prayer of thy servant, and give ear to the petition of thy creature.

25For while I live I will speak, and so long as I have understanding I will answer.

For while I live I will speak, and so long as I have understanding I will answer: speech and answer bounded by life and understanding, offered while both last.

26O look not upon the sins of thy people; but on them which serve thee in truth.

O look not upon the sins — the errors — of thy people; but on them which serve thee in truth: regard turned from the errors to the service rendered in truth.

27Regard not the wicked inventions of the heathen, but the desire of those that keep thy testimonies in afflictions.

Regard not the wicked inventions of the heathen — the outer nations' devices, twisted away from the order — but the desire of those that keep thy testimonies in afflictions.

28Think not upon those that have walked feignedly before thee: but remember them, which according to thy will have known thy fear.

Think not upon those that have walked feignedly before thee: but remember them, which according to thy will have known thy fear: the feigned walk forgotten; the reverent state remembered.

29Let it not be thy will to destroy them which have lived like beasts; but to look upon them that have clearly taught thy law.

Let it not be thy will to destroy them which have lived like beasts — lived by the untamed animal nature alone; but to look upon them that have clearly taught thy law.

30Take thou no indignation at them which are deemed worse than beasts; but love them that always put their trust in thy righteousness and glory.

Take thou no indignation at them which are deemed worse than beasts; but love them that always put their trust in thy righteousness and glory: indignation refused even toward the lowest states; love toward those that trust the order and the Presence.

31For we and our fathers do languish of such diseases: but because of us sinners thou shalt be called merciful.

For we and our fathers do languish of such diseases: but because of us sinners thou shalt be called merciful: mercy named and known precisely because erring states need it.

32For if thou hast a desire to have mercy upon us, thou shalt be called merciful, to us namely, that have no works of righteousness.

For if thou hast a desire to have mercy upon us, thou shalt be called merciful, to us namely, that have no works of righteousness: mercy to states with no right-ordered works to plead — grace, the unmerited inflow, alone.

33For the just, which have many good works laid up with thee, shall out of their own deeds receive reward.

For the just, which have many good works laid up with thee, shall out of their own deeds receive reward: the right-ordered states receive from what is laid up with the Source — their deeds' own consequence returned.

34For what is man, that thou shouldest take displeasure at him? or what is a corruptible generation, that thou shouldest be so bitter toward it?

For what is man, that thou shouldest take displeasure at him? Or what is a corruptible generation, that thou shouldest be so bitter toward it? — the generation of states weighed at its true smallness.

35For in truth them is no man among them that be born, but he hath dealt wickedly; and among the faithful there is none which hath not done amiss.

For in truth there is no man among them that be born, but he hath dealt wickedly; and among the faithful there is none which hath not done amiss: no born state without error; no faithful state without a miss — the confession universal.

36For in this, O Lord, thy righteousness and thy goodness shall be declared, if thou be merciful unto them which have not the confidence of good works.

For in this, O Lord, thy righteousness and thy goodness shall be declared, if thou be merciful unto them which have not the confidence of good works: goodness declared most plainly where mercy is given without works to rest on.

37Then answered he me, and said, Some things hast thou spoken aright, and according unto thy words it shall be.

Then answered he me, and said, Some things hast thou spoken aright, and according unto thy words it shall be: what was spoken in right relation to the order stands, and is fulfilled as spoken.

38For indeed I will not think on the disposition of them which have sinned before death, before judgment, before destruction:

For indeed I will not think on the disposition of them which have sinned before death, before judgment, before destruction: the Source does not brood on the disposition of states that erred before the confrontation comes.

39But I will rejoice over the disposition of the righteous, and I will remember also their pilgrimage, and the salvation, and the reward, that they shall have.

But I will rejoice over the disposition of the righteous, and I will remember also their pilgrimage, and the salvation, and the reward, that they shall have: joy over the right-ordered disposition; their journeying, deliverance, and reward all remembered.

40Like as I have spoken now, so shall it come to pass.

Like as I have spoken now, so shall it come to pass: the word spoken is the order accomplished, as at the creation.

41For as the husbandman soweth much seed upon the ground, and planteth many trees, and yet the thing that is sown good in his season cometh not up, neither doth all that is planted take root: even so is it of them that are sown in the world; they shall not all be saved.

For as the husbandman soweth much seed — many word-ideas — upon the ground, and planteth many trees — many established beliefs — and yet the thing that is sown good in his season cometh not up, neither doth all that is planted take root: even so is it of them that are sown in the world; they shall not all be saved: sowing is universal; rising and rooting are not — the seed that does not rise perishes by its own failure to receive, not by a withholding Maker.

42I answered then and said, If I have found grace, let me speak.

I answered then and said, If I have found grace — the unmerited inflow of divine favour — let me speak.

43Like as the husbandman’s seed perisheth, if it come not up, and receive not thy rain in due season; or if there come too much rain, and corrupt it:

Like as the husbandman's seed perisheth, if it come not up, and receive not thy rain in due season; or if there come too much rain, and corrupt it: the seed perishing from drought or from excess — either want or flood of the truth-current corrupting it.

44Even so perisheth man also, which is formed with thy hands, and is called thine own image, because thou art like unto him, for whose sake thou hast made all things, and likened him unto the husbandman’s seed.

Even so perisheth man also, which is formed with thy hands, and is called thine own image — the divine pattern, God's likeness as the blueprint of the soul — because thou art like unto him, for whose sake thou hast made all things, and likened him unto the husbandman's seed.

45Be not wroth with us but spare thy people, and have mercy upon thine own inheritance: for thou art merciful unto thy creature.

Be not wroth with us but spare thy people, and have mercy upon thine own inheritance: for thou art merciful unto thy creature: the plea resting wholly on the Maker's mercy toward His own making.

46Then answered he me, and said, Things present are for the present, and things to cometh for such as be to come.

Then answered he me, and said, Things present are for the present, and things to come for such as be to come: each order of things belongs to its own states and its own time.

47For thou comest far short that thou shouldest be able to love my creature more than I: but I have ofttimes drawn nigh unto thee, and unto it, but never to the unrighteous.

For thou comest far short that thou shouldest be able to love my creature more than I: but I have ofttimes drawn nigh unto thee, and unto it, but never to the unrighteous: no faculty out-loves the Maker; the Maker draws near to the seer and to the creature — never to the twisted state as twisted.

48In this also thou art marvellous before the most High:

In this also thou art marvellous before the most High:

49In that thou hast humbled thyself, as it becometh thee, and hast not judged thyself worthy to be much glorified among the righteous.

In that thou hast humbled thyself, as it becometh thee, and hast not judged thyself worthy to be much glorified among the righteous: humility — the state lowered before the order — honoured above self-estimation.

50For many great miseries shall be done to them that in the latter time shall dwell in the world, because they have walked in great pride.

For many great miseries shall be done to them that in the latter time shall dwell in the world, because they have walked in great pride: miseries in the latter time following the proud walk — the consequence of the state that exalts itself, not a purpose authored against it.

51But understand thou for thyself, and seek out the glory for such as be like thee.

But understand thou for thyself, and seek out the glory for such as be like thee: understanding and glory — the radiance of the Presence-filled state — sought for the states of the seer's own kind.

52For unto you is paradise opened, the tree of life is planted, the time to come is prepared, plenteousness is made ready, a city is builded, and rest is allowed, yea, perfect goodness and wisdom.

For unto you is paradise opened — the delight-state opened — the Tree of Life is planted — the Life-principle at the centre — the time to come is prepared, plenteousness is made ready, a city is builded — the city of peace established — and rest is allowed, yea, perfect goodness and wisdom: all prepared, nothing withheld from the entering state.

53The root of evil is sealed up from you, weakness and the moth is hid from you, and corruption is fled into hell to be forgotten:

The root of evil is sealed up from you, weakness and the moth is hid from you, and corruption is fled into hell — Hades, the shadow-state — to be forgotten: the evil root not destroyed by torment but sealed away, and corruption itself forgotten in the shadow-state.

54Sorrows are passed, and in the end is shewed the treasure of immortality.

Sorrows are passed, and in the end is shewed the treasure of immortality: sorrow behind; life without end shown as the treasure at the end.

55And therefore ask thou no more questions concerning the multitude of them that perish.

And therefore ask thou no more questions concerning the multitude of them that perish: the questioning of the many closed, because its answer has been given — the strait path and the seed.

56For when they had taken liberty, they despised the most High, thought scorn of his law, and forsook his ways.

For when they had taken liberty, they despised the most High, thought scorn of his law, and forsook his ways: liberty taken and turned against the order — the perishing states' own sequence, step by step.

57Moreover they have trodden down his righteous,

Moreover they have trodden down his righteous,

58And said in their heart, that there is no God; yea, and that knowing they must die.

And said in their heart, that there is no God; yea, and that knowing they must die: denial spoken in the heart-state, even with death known — self-deception at its fullest.

59For as the things aforesaid shalt receive you, so thirst and pain are prepared for them: for it was not his will that men should come to nought:

For as the things aforesaid shall receive you, so thirst and pain are prepared for them: for it was not his will that men should come to nought: the prepared plenty receives the entering; thirst and pain — the seed's own drought — await the refusing; and it was never the Source's will that any state come to nothing.

60But they which be created have defiled the name of him that made them, and were unthankful unto him which prepared life for them.

But they which be created have defiled the name of him that made them, and were unthankful unto him which prepared life for them: the created states defiling the Maker's name and refusing thanks for the life prepared — the disorder is theirs, chosen, not authored for them.

61And therefore is my judgment now at hand.

And therefore is my judgment now at hand: therefore — because of that chosen refusal — the divine order confronting the state all at once is now near.

62These things have I not shewed unto all men, but unto thee, and a few like thee. Then answered I and said,

These things have I not shewed unto all men, but unto thee, and a few like thee. Then answered I and said,

63Behold, O Lord, now hast thou shewed me the multitude of the wonders, which thou wilt begin to do in the last times: but at what time, thou hast not shewed me.

Behold, O Lord, now hast thou shewed me the multitude of the wonders — the signs and greater works — which thou wilt begin to do in the last times: but at what time, thou hast not shewed me: the wonders shown in full; their time withheld — the seer's last, unanswered question left exactly as it stands.

Companion volume to The Why Bible — the King James Apocrypha, rendered in its spiritual meanings. First final edition, October 2026.