1 It came to pass upon the third day, I sat under an oak, and, behold, a voice came out of a bush near me, and said, “Esdras, Esdras!”
2 I said, “Here I am, Lord,” and I stood up on my feet.
3 Then he said to me, “I revealed myself in a bush and talked with Moses when my people were in bondage in Egypt.
4 I sent him, and he led my people out of Egypt. I brought him up to Mount Sinai, where I kept him with me for many days.ᵃᵇ
5 I told him many wondrous things, and showed him the secrets of the times and the end of the seasons. I commanded him, saying,
6 ‘You shall publish these openly, and these you shall hide.’
7 Now I say to you:
8 Lay up in your heart the signs that I have shown, the dreams that you have seen, and the interpretations which you have heard;
9 for you will be taken away from men, and from now on you will live with my Son and with those who are like you, until the times have ended.
10 For the world has lost its youth, and the times begin to grow old.
11 For the age is divided into twelve parts, and ten parts of it are already gone, even the half of the tenth part.ᶜᵈᵉᶠ
12 There remain of it two parts after the middle of the tenth part.
13 Now therefore set your house in order, reprove your people, comfort the lowly amongst them, and instruct those of them who are wise, and now renounce the life that is corruptible,ᵍʰ
14 and let go of the mortal thoughts, cast away from you the burdens of man, put off now your weak nature,
15 lay aside the thoughts that are most grievous to you, and hurry to escape from these times.
16 For worse evils than those which you have seen happen will be done after this.
17 For look how much the world will be weaker through age, so much that more evils will increase on those who dwell in it.