For there was a time in this age when I was preparing for those who now exist, before the world was made for them to dwell in …: The connector For may be omitted (so Good News Bible, Contemporary English Version). This age refers to the present time, including the time of creation. Before the world was made for them to dwell in refers to God’s creating the physical world in which people live. Although the same Latin word saeculum is used for age and world, in this case a distinction is clearly made between a span of time (age) and the physical world, which we reflect in the following model for the first half of this verse: “At the beginning of this age, when I was getting the world ready for people to live in it….”

And no one opposed me then, for no one existed may be rendered “no one opposed me, because no one existed” (Good News Bible).

An alternative model for this verse is:

• At the beginning of this age, when I was getting the world ready for people to live in, no one stood in my way [or, opposed me], because human beings did not yet exist.

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.