Like verse 23, verses 26-27 speak of God in the third person. We recommend making a separate paragraph of these two verses, but since they close a section, parentheses would not be helpful here.

For the Lord knows all who transgress against him: The connector For may be omitted (so Good News Bible, Contemporary English Version). This clause may be rendered “The Lord is aware of all those who sin against him” (similarly Good News Bible).

Therefore he will hand them over to death and slaughter: Since the Latin word for slaughter refers to massacre, Contemporary English Version combines death and slaughter, saying “violent death,” which some languages may find helpful.

Here is a possible model for this verse:

• The Lord knows all who sin against him, and he will see to it that every one of them suffers death and ruin [or, a violent death].

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.