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He said to me, "At the beginning of the circle of the earth, before the portals of the world were in place, and before the assembled winds blew,
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and before the rumblings of thunder sounded, and before the flashes of lightning shone, and before the foundations of paradise were laid,
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and before the beautiful flowers were seen, and before the powers of movements were established, and before the innumerable hosts of angels were gathered together,
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and before the heights of the air were lifted up, and before the measures of the firmaments were named, and before the footstool of Zion was established,
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and before the present years were reckoned and before the imaginations of those who now sin were estranged, and before those who stored up treasures of faith were sealed—
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.