2 Esdras 9:15-25

15 "I must repeat what I said before. The lost far outnumber those who are saved - %0
16 it is like a wave compared with a drop of water."
17 He answered, "The seed to be planted depends on the soil; the color of the flower depends on the kind of flower; the quality of a product depends on the skill of the worker; and the size of the harvest depends on how hard the farmer has worked.
18 Before I created this world or the people who would live in it, no one opposed me, because no one existed.
19 When I had created the world, I supplied it with an abundance of food and a Law of profound wisdom, but the people I created lived corrupt lives.
20 I looked at my world and saw that it was ruined. I saw that my earth was in danger of being destroyed by the wicked plans of the people who had come into it.
21 When I saw this, I found it very difficult to spare them, but I saved a few for myself, one grape out of a bunch and one tree out of a great forest.
22 So let them perish - all those people who were born only to be lost. But let my chosen people be kept safe - those for whom I worked so hard to bring to perfection.
23 "And now, Ezra, you must wait seven more days, but do not fast this time.
24 Go to a field of wild flowers where no one has ever lived and eat nothing but the flowers - do not eat any meat or drink any wine.
25 Pray the whole time to God Most High. Then I will come and talk with you again."

Footnotes 1

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