Page:KJV 1772 Oxford Edition, vol. 2.djvu/45

Apocrypha.

And it came to pass after seven days, I dreamed a dream by night:

And, lo, there arose a wind from the sea, that it moved all the waves thereof.

And I beheld, and, lo, that man waxed strong with the thousands of heaven: and when he turned his countenance to look, all the things trembled that were seen under him.

And whensoever the voice went out of his mouth, all they burned that heard his voice, like as the earth faileth when it feeleth the fire.

And after this I beheld, and, lo, there was gathered together a multitude of men, out of number, from the four winds of the heaven, to subdue the man that came out of the sea

But I beheld, and, lo, he had graved himself a great mountain, and flew up upon it.

But I would have seen the region or place whereout the hill was graven, and I could not.

And after this I beheld, and, lo, all they which were gathered together to subdue him were sore afraid, and yet durst fight.

And, lo, as he saw the violence of the multitude that came, he neither lifted up his hand, nor held sword, nor any instrument of war:

But only I saw that he sent out of his mouth as it had been a blast of fire, and out of his lips a flaming breath, and out of his tongue he cast out sparks and tempests.

And they were all mixed together; the blast of fire, the flaming breath, and the great tempest; and fell with violence upon the multitude which was prepared to fight, and burned them up every one, so that upon a sudden of an innumerable multitude nothing was to be perceived, but only dust and smell of smoke: when I saw this I was afraid.

Afterward saw I the same man come down from the mountain, and call unto him another peaceable Multitude.

And there came much people unto him, whereof some were glad, some were sorry, and some of them were bound, and other some brought of them that were offered: then was I sick through great fear, and I awaked, and said,

Thou hast shewed thy servant these wonders from the beginning, and hast counted me worthy that thou shouldest receive my prayer:

Shew me now yet the interpretation of this dream.

For as I conceive in mine understanding, woe unto them that shall be left in those days and much more woe unto them that are not left behind!

For they that were not left were in heaviness.

Now understand I the things that are laid up in the latter days, which shall happen unto them, and to those that are left behind.

Therefore are they come into great perils and many necessities, like as these dreams declare.

Yet is it easier for him that is in danger to come into these things, than to pass away as a cloud out of the world, and not to see the things that happen in the last days. And he answered unto me, and said,

The interpretation of the vision shall I shew thee, and I will open unto thee the thing that thou hast required.

Whereas thou hast spoken of them that are left behind, this is the interpretation:

He that shall endure the peril in that time hath kept himself: they that be fallen into danger are such as have works, and faith toward the Almighty.

Know this therefore, that they which be left behind are more blessed than they that be dead.

This is the meaning of the vision: Whereas thou sawest a man coming up from the midst of the sea:

The same is he whom God the Highest hath kept a great season, which by his own self shall deliver his creature: and he shall order them that are left behind.

And whereas thou sawest, that out of his mouth there came as a blast of wind, and fire, and storm;

And that he held neither sword, nor any instrument of war, but that the rushing in of him destroyed the whole multitude that came to subdue him; this is the interpretation:

Behold, the days come, when the most High will begin to deliver them that are upon the earth.

And he shall come to the astonishment of them that dwell on the earth.

And one shall undertake to fight against another, one city against another, one place against another, one people against another, and one realm against another.

And the time shall be when these