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The '''Second Book of Esdras''' (Esdras IV) is found among the books of the [[Septuagint]], and among the books of the Old Testament of the ''[[Vulgate]]''. The core of the book, the "Jewish Apocalypse of Ezra", 2 Esdras 3–14, is canonical scripture in the [[Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church|Ethiopian Orthodox Church]]. It is not recognized as canonical by Jews, Catholics, Orthodox, or Protestants. It was not included in the canon of scripture by the [[Third Council of Carthage (397)]]. Since the [[Council of Trent]] it is not accepted as inspired and canonical by the [[Catholic Church]] in the ''Catholic Bible''—books of the Bible accepted as divinely inspired by the majority of Christian believers in the United States and throughout the world.<ref>The '''Catholic Church''' is the world's largest [[Christianity|Christian]] body comprised of several distinct [https://www.ewtn.com/expert/answers/catholic_rites_and_churches.htm "Rites"]. The [[Catholic Church|Catholic Church (Latin Rite)]] is the largest religious body in the United States, with over 60 million adherents (4 times as large as the second largest church, the Orthodox).<br/>[http://www.pewforum.org/2013/02/13/the-global-catholic-population/ “The Global Catholic Population,” © 2011, Pew Research Center.]<br/>[http://www.adherents.com/largecom/com_romcath.html The Largest Catholic Communities]<br/>

The '''Second Book of Esdras''' (Esdras IV) is found among the books of the [[Septuagint]], and among the books of the Old Testament of the ''[[Vulgate]]''. The core of the book, the "Jewish Apocalypse of Ezra", 2 Esdras 3–14, is canonical scripture in the [[Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church|Ethiopian Orthodox Church]]. It is not recognized as canonical by Jews, Catholics, Orthodox, or Protestants. It was not included in the canon of scripture by the [[Third Council of Carthage (397)]]. Since the [[Council of Trent]] it is not accepted as inspired and canonical by the [[Catholic Church]] in the ''Catholic Bible''—books of the Bible accepted as divinely inspired by the majority of Christian believers in the United States and throughout the world.<ref>The '''Catholic Church''' is the world's largest [[Christianity|Christian]] body comprised of several distinct [https://www.ewtn.com/expert/answers/catholic_rites_and_churches.htm "Rites"]. The [[Catholic Church|Catholic Church (Latin Rite)]] is the largest religious body in the United States, with over 60 million adherents (4 times as large as the second largest church, the Orthodox).<br/>[http://www.pewforum.org/2013/02/13/the-global-catholic-population/ “The Global Catholic Population,” © 2011, Pew Research Center.]<br/>[http://www.adherents.com/largecom/com_romcath.html The Largest Catholic Communities]<br/>

The '''Eastern Orthodox Church''', officially called the '''Orthodox Catholic Church''', and also referred to as the '''[[Orthodox Church]]''' and '''Orthodoxy''', is the second largest [[Christianity|Christian church]] in the world, with an estimated 225–300 million adherents, most of whom live in [[Eastern Europe]], the [[Middle East]], and [[Russia]].<br/>{{cite web |last1=Calivas |first1=Rev. Alciviadis C. |title=The Greek (Eastern) Orthodox Church |publisher=Greek Orthodox Archdiocese Of America |year=1983 |url=http://www.goarch.org/ourfaith/ourfaith7061 |accessdate=7 May 2014 |ref=none }}<br/>{{cite web |last1=Fairchild |first1=Mary |title=Christianity:Basics:Eastern Orthodox Church Denomination |publisher=about.com |url=http://christianity.about.com/od/easternorthodoxy/p/orthodoxprofile.htm |accessdate=22 May 2014 |ref=none }}<br/>{{cite web |title=Christianity |work=Major Branches of Religions Ranked by Number of Adherents |publisher=adherents.com |url=http://www.adherents.com/adh_branches.html#Christianity |accessdate=22 May 2014 |ref=none }}</ref><ref>See [http://www.888c.com/worldChristianDenominations.htm Percentage of Christians in Protestant Denominations (29.5%)].</ref>

The '''Eastern Orthodox Church''', officially called the '''Orthodox Catholic Church''', and also referred to as the '''[[Orthodox Church]]''' and '''Orthodoxy''', is the second largest [[Christianity|Christian church]] in the world, with an estimated 225–300 million adherents, most of whom live in [[Eastern Europe]], the [[Middle East]], and [[Russia]].<br/>{{cite web |last1=Calivas |first1=Rev. Alciviadis C. |title=The Greek (Eastern) Orthodox Church |publisher=Greek Orthodox Archdiocese Of America |year=1983 |url=http://www.goarch.org/ourfaith/ourfaith7061 |accessdate=7 May 2014 |ref=none }}<br/>{{cite web |last1=Fairchild |first1=Mary |title=Christianity:Basics:Eastern Orthodox Church Denomination |publisher=about.com |url=http://christianity.about.com/od/easternorthodoxy/p/orthodoxprofile.htm |accessdate=22 May 2014 |ref=none }}<br/>{{cite web |title=Christianity |work=Major Branches of Religions Ranked by Number of Adherents |publisher=adherents.com |url=http://www.adherents.com/adh_branches.html#Christianity |accessdate=22 May 2014 |ref=none }}</ref><ref>See [http://www.888c.com/worldChristianDenominations.htm Percentage of Christians in Protestant Denominations (29.5%)].</ref>

:(4) and (5) two independent Arabic versions;

:(4) and (5) two independent Arabic versions;

:(6) Georgian.

:(6) Georgian.

The Armenian version differs from the others; textual historians have not decided whether it was made from the Syriac or from a separate Greek version. The seven sections of the book have been called "visions" since Volkmar (1863) <ref>Volkmar's view of the book as set forth in his ''Das vierte Buch Esra'', Zürich 1858, was criticised by Hilgenfeld 1858. ''Source''<br/>[https://books.google.com/books?id=R9U3AQAAMAAJ&pg=PA769&lpg=PA769&dq=volkmar+%281863%29&source=bl&ots=gI6mqHCR18&sig=2bINcBQEzwmjNP9flYd0UwnvRKg&hl=en&sa=X&ei=a0S7VOP5DoH-ggSXuoOoDQ&ved=0CDEQ6AEwBg#v=onepage&q=volkmar%20(1863)&f=false William Smith, ''Dr. William Smith's Dictionary of the Bible: Comprising Its Antiquities, Biography, Geography, and Natural History'', Volume 1. Houghton, Mifflin, 1881. Esdras, second book of. page 769a] (Google eBook)</ref>: chapters 1–3 treat chiefly of religious problems; chapters 4–6 consist mainly of eschatological visions; chapter 7 tells of Ezra's literary activity and death.

The Armenian version differs from the others; textual historians have not decided whether it was made from the Syriac or from a separate Greek version. The seven sections of the book have been called "visions" since Volkmar (1863):<ref>Volkmar's view of the book as set forth in his ''Das vierte Buch Esra'', Zürich 1858, was criticised by Hilgenfeld 1858. ''Source''<br/>[https://books.google.com/books?id=R9U3AQAAMAAJ&pg=PA769&lpg=PA769&dq=volkmar+%281863%29&source=bl&ots=gI6mqHCR18&sig=2bINcBQEzwmjNP9flYd0UwnvRKg&hl=en&sa=X&ei=a0S7VOP5DoH-ggSXuoOoDQ&ved=0CDEQ6AEwBg#v=onepage&q=volkmar%20(1863)&f=false William Smith, ''Dr. William Smith's Dictionary of the Bible: Comprising Its Antiquities, Biography, Geography, and Natural History'', Volume 1. Houghton, Mifflin, 1881. Esdras, second book of. page 769a] (Google eBook)</ref> chapters 1–3 treat chiefly of religious problems; chapters 4–6 consist mainly of eschatological visions; chapter 7 tells of Ezra's literary activity and death.

===Author===

===Author===

The author also shares the view of Eliezer in regard to the return of the Lost Ten Tribes, in opposition to Akiba, that they will take part in the Messianic redemption. However, the very name used by him for the land of the exile of the Ten Tribes, obviously misunderstood by the translator, rests on the same Biblical words referred to by the two tannaim—"ereẓ aḥeret" (another land; Deut. xxix. 27; II Esd. xiii. 45, comp. 40; Sanh. x. 3; see Arzareth).

The author also shares the view of Eliezer in regard to the return of the Lost Ten Tribes, in opposition to Akiba, that they will take part in the Messianic redemption. However, the very name used by him for the land of the exile of the Ten Tribes, obviously misunderstood by the translator, rests on the same Biblical words referred to by the two tannaim—"ereẓ aḥeret" (another land; Deut. xxix. 27; II Esd. xiii. 45, comp. 40; Sanh. x. 3; see Arzareth).

The Messianic era is stated as being 400 years (II Esdras 7:28), based on Psalm 90:15 and Genesis 10:13; (comp. Sanh. 99a; Pesiḳ. R. 1). The apocalyptic sign for the Messianic era, taken from Genesis 25:26, R. V. ("His [Jacob's] hand had hold on Esau's heel"), is especially significant, being interpreted as: "The end of Esau's [Edom's] reign, will form the beginning of Jacob's—that is, the Messiah's—kingdom" (II Esdras 6:8, exactly as in Gen. R. lxiii.; comp. Yalḳ.). Other parallels to rabbinical sayings of the first century are found in Rosenthal, ''Vier Apocryphische Bücher aus der Zeit und Schule R. Akiba's,'' 1885, pp. 39-71. Rosenthal (p. 40) also thinks the five sages, who put into writing the twenty-four canonical and seventy hidden (apocryphal) books dictated by Ezra under divine inspiration during forty days (II Esdras 24:23-46), are an allusion to the work of the five disciples of Johanan ben Zakkai.

The Messianic era is stated as being 400 years (II Esdras 7:28), based on Psalm 90:15 and Genesis 10:13; (comp. Sanh. 99a; Pesiḳ. R. 1). The apocalyptic sign for the Messianic era, taken from Genesis 25:26, R. V. ("His [Jacob's] hand had hold on Esau's heel"), is especially significant, being interpreted as: "The end of Esau's [Edom's] reign, will form the beginning of Jacob's—that is, the Messiah's—kingdom" (II Esdras 6:8, exactly as in Gen. R. lxiii.; comp. Yalḳ.). Other parallels to rabbinical sayings of the first century are found in Rosenthal, ''Vier Apocryphische Bücher aus der Zeit und Schule R. Akiba's,'' 1885, pp.&nbsp;39–71. Rosenthal (p.&nbsp;40) also thinks the five sages, who put into writing the twenty-four canonical and seventy hidden (apocryphal) books dictated by Ezra under divine inspiration during forty days (II Esdras 24:23-46), are an allusion to the work of the five disciples of Johanan ben Zakkai.

===Date and Value===

===Date and Value===

==External links==

==External links==

[http://www.wmcarey.edu/browning/Classes/HOB/BibleD-OTText.pdf The Old Testament Text. (wmcarey.edu/browning/Classes)]

* [http://www.wmcarey.edu/browning/Classes/HOB/BibleD-OTText.pdf The Old Testament Text. (wmcarey.edu/browning/Classes)]

 

* [http://www.earlyjewishwritings.com/2esdras.html Early Jewish Writings: 2 Esdras]

[http://www.earlyjewishwritings.com/2esdras.html Early Jewish Writings: 2 Esdras]

* [http://jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/5852-esdras-books-of Jewish Encyclopedia: Esdras, books of]

 

* [http://www.catholic.com/quickquestions/are-1-and-2-esdras-non-canonical-books Catholic Answers. Quick Questions: Are 1 and 2 Esdras non-canonical books?]

[http://jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/5852-esdras-books-of Jewish Encyclopedia: Esdras, books of]

* [http://www.sacred-texts.com/bib/apo/es2.htm Apocrypha: 2 Esdras (text online)] (sacred-texts.com)<br/>[http://quod.lib.umich.edu/cgi/r/rsv/rsv-idx?type=DIV1&byte=3652195 2 Esdras (4 Esdras) Revised Standard Version] (quod.lib.umich.edu)

 

* [http://www.ellopos.net/elpenor/greek-texts/septuagint/default.asp Greek and English Septuagint] <br/> [http://vulgate.org/ Latin and English Vulgate]<br/>[http://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Apocrypha-Books/ Kings James Apocrypha Online]

[http://www.catholic.com/quickquestions/are-1-and-2-esdras-non-canonical-books Catholic Answers. Quick Questions: Are 1 and 2 Esdras non-canonical books?]

 

[http://www.sacred-texts.com/bib/apo/es2.htm Apocrypha: 2 Esdras (text online)] (sacred-texts.com)<br/>[http://quod.lib.umich.edu/cgi/r/rsv/rsv-idx?type=DIV1&byte=3652195 2 Esdras (4 Esdras) Revised Standard Version] (quod.lib.umich.edu)

 

[http://www.ellopos.net/elpenor/greek-texts/septuagint/default.asp Greek and English Septuagint] <br/> [http://vulgate.org/ Latin and English Vulgate]<br/>[http://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Apocrypha-Books/ Kings James Apocrypha Online]

[[category:Bible]] [[category:apocrypha]]

[[Category:Bible]] [[Category:Apocrypha]]