And when these things come to pass and the signs occur which I showed you before: See the comments on 2 Esd 9.1-2. And when these things come to pass may be rendered “And when you see these things happen” (Contemporary English Version) or simply “When that happens” (Good News Bible). The signs refers to events signaling the end of time (see the comments on 2 Esd 4.52). For some of these signs that Uriel showed Ezra earlier, see 2 Esd 4.51 –5.13 and 6.11-34.

Then my Son will be revealed, whom you saw as a man coming up from the sea: My Son refers to the Messiah (see 2 Esd 7.28-29). God has become the speaker here. Once again the writer makes no distinction between God and the angel who delivers God’s message. Contemporary English Version says “God’s Son” to make it clear that the angel Uriel is still the speaker. Revised Standard Version‘s footnote indicates that the phrase from the sea is not in the Latin text. This addition involves a translational matter, so the footnote is not needed.

Good News Bible provides a good model for this verse, and so does Contemporary English Version, which says:

• And when you see these things happen, together with the signs I told you about earlier, then people everywhere will see God’s Son, the one you saw as a man coming up out of the sea.

Quoted with permission from Bullard, Roger A. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on 1-2 Esdras. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2019. For this and other handbooks for translators see here.