Or that a paradise shall be revealed, whose fruit remains unspoiled and in which are abundance and healing, but we shall not enter it…?: Paradise shall be revealed may be rendered “God has shown us paradise [or, a heavenly place].” In which are abundance and healing may be translated “where everyone is in good health and has everything they need” or “where good things will never spoil, and we will have everything we need” (Contemporary English Version).

Because we have lived in unseemly places: We agree with New Revised Standard Version that places is better rendered “ways” (similarly Good News Bible with “lives”). It is easy to see how a mistake could have been made in the Greek; the words for places and “ways” differ by only one letter.

Here are possible models for these two verses:

• 123 God has shown us paradise where the fruit never spoils and everyone is in good health and has everything they need. But we shall not go there, 124 because we have led such sinful lives [or, have been such terrible sinners].

• 123-124 In paradise fruit never spoils, everyone is in good health and has everything they need. Why have we been shown this, since we have led such sinful lives that we will never go there?

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.