Ezra Sutuel is the Ethiopian name for the book known in the West as 4 Esdras (Vulgate) or 2 Esdras 3-14 (Protestant), and 3 Esdras in the Slavic and Russian Orthodox tradition. The name 'Sutuel' is the Ethiopian form of 'Shealtiel' (Salathiel), son of King Jehoiachin, to whom the text attributes authorship. The book is a Jewish apocalypse probably composed at the end of the 1st century AD, after the destruction of the Second Temple in AD 70. The original author wrote in Hebrew or Aramaic, but the Greek text has been lost, surviving primarily in Latin, Ethiopic, Syriac, Armenian, and Arabic translations. In the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, it is considered canonical and part of the Old Testament.
Ezra Sutuel
Chapter 3
Concerning the signs, however: Behold, the days come when the inhabitants of the world shall be seized with great panic, and the portion of truth shall be hidden, and the land of faith shall be unfruitful.
And iniquity and shamelessness shall be increased above this which you see now, and above that which you have heard of long ago.
And this land shall be without stability and untrodden, which you have seen now to be bearing rule, and they shall see this land laid waste.
But if the Most High grants you, you shall see that land after the third day in confusion: and suddenly shall the sun appear by night, and the moon by day;
and the wood shall distill blood, and the stone utter its voice; and the peoples shall be in commotion, and the air shall be changed;
and one whom the many do not set their hopes on shall rule, and the birds shall migrate.
And the sea of Sodom shall produce many fish; and one shall utter his voice by night whom the many know not, and all shall hear it;
and fissures shall be produced in many places, and fire shall be emitted continually; and the desert beasts shall migrate from their places; and signs from women shall appear, for births shall be born without being completed;
and in sweet waters salt shall be found; and friends shall suddenly wage war on their friends.
And then shall wisdom hide herself, and understanding withdraw to her chambers; and she shall be sought by many and not found;
and one place will ask its neighbor, and will say to it: Has Righteousness perchance passed through you, or a man that practices righteousness? But that place will answer, No.
And it shall be in that time: men shall hope and not obtain, and shall labor and their way shall not be made sure.
These signs I have been commanded to tell you; but if you will pray again and weep as now, and fast seven days, you shall hear greater things than these.
And I awoke, and my body trembled greatly, and my soul was weary as though it would expire.
But the angel who spoke with me took hold of me and strengthened me and set me up upon my feet.
And it came to pass in the second night that Phalitel the head of the people came to me, and said to me: Where have you been, and why is your countenance sad?
Or do you not know that you have been entrusted with Israel in the place of their captivity?
Stand up, then, and eat a little bread, so that you do not leave us as a shepherd leaves his flock in the hand of destructive wolves.
And I said to him: Depart from me and come not near me until seven days; and then you may come to me and I will explain matters to you. And when I had spoken to him he departed from me.