2 Esdras 6:32-42

32 because God Most High has heard your prayer; the Mighty God has seen the pure and righteous life that you have lived since your youth.
33 That is why he has sent me to show you all these things and to tell you not to be afraid but to trust him.
34 Do not be so quick to raise useless questions in the present age; then you will not be so quick to do so in the final age."
35 After that, I mourned and fasted for seven more days, as I had done before, and so I completed the three weeks of fasting that I had been commanded to observe.
36 On the eighth night I was again deeply troubled, and I began to speak to God Most High.
37 I was very tense and my heart was uneasy,
38 but I said, "O Lord, at the beginning of creation you spoke the word. On the first day you commanded, "Let the universe be made,' and your word carried out that command. 1
39 At that time the spirit was moving, darkness and silence were everywhere, and no human voice was yet heard.
40 Then you commanded that a ray of light shine out of the room where it was stored, so that your works could be seen.
41 On the second day you created the angel of the sky and commanded him to separate the water, so that part of it would move up above the dome of the sky and part remain below.
42 On the third day you commanded the water that covered the earth to come together in one place and cover one-seventh of the earth's surface. Then you dried out the rest of the earth's surface to make dry land, so that it might be cultivated and planted and used in your service.

Cross References 1

  • 1. 6.38Psalms 33.6;Hebrews 11.3; 2 P 3.5.

Footnotes 1

  • [a]. [Some ancient translations] yet heard; [Latin adds] from you.
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.