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And 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 movement 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 --
Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright 1952 [2nd edition, 1971] by the 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.