2 Esdras 4:45-52

1. 45 Shew me then whether there be more to come than is past, or more past than is to come.

2. 46 What is past I know, but what is for to come I know not.

3. 47 And he said unto me, Stand up upon the right side, and I shall expound the similitude unto thee.

4. 48 So I stood, and saw, and, behold, an hot burning oven passed by before me: and it happened that when the flame was gone by I looked, and, behold, the smoke remained still.

5. 49 After this there passed by before me a watery cloud, and sent down much rain with a storm; and when the stormy rain was past, the drops remained still.

6. 50 Then said he unto me, Consider with thyself; as the rain is more than the drops, and as the fire is greater than the smoke; but the drops and the smoke remain behind: so the quantity which is past did more exceed.

7. 51 Then I prayed, and said, May I live, thinkest thou, until that time? or what shall happen in those days?

8. 52 He answered me, and said, As for the tokens whereof thou askest me, I may tell thee of them in part: but as touching thy life, I am not sent to shew thee; for I do not know it.

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