2 Esdras 5:1-13

Revised Standard Version

Signs of the End

5 “Now concerning the signs: behold, the days are coming when those who dwell on earth shall be seized with great terror,^[a] and the way of truth shall be hidden, and the land shall be barren of faith. ² And unrighteousness shall be increased beyond what you yourself see, and beyond what you heard of formerly. ³ And the land which you now see ruling shall be waste and untrodden,^[b] and men shall see it desolate. ⁴ But if the Most High grants that you live, you shall see it thrown into confusion after the third period;^[c]

⁶ And one shall reign whom those who dwell on earth do not expect, and the birds shall fly away together; ⁷ and the sea of Sodom shall cast up fish; and one whom the many do not know shall make his voice heard by night, and all shall hear his voice.^{[e] 8} There shall be chaos also in many places, and fire shall often break out, and the wild beasts shall roam beyond their haunts, and menstruous women shall bring forth monsters. ⁹ And salt waters shall be found in the sweet, and all friends shall conquer one another; then shall reason hide itself, and wisdom shall withdraw into its chamber, ¹⁰ and it shall be sought by many but shall not be found, and unrighteousness and unrestraint shall increase on earth. ¹¹ And one country shall ask its neighbor, ‘Has righteousness, or any one who does right, passed through you?’ And it will answer, ‘No.’ ¹² And at that time men shall hope but not obtain; they shall labor but their ways shall not prosper. ¹³ These are the signs which I am permitted to tell you, and if you pray again, and weep as you do now, and fast for seven days, you shall hear yet greater things than these.”