Do not fear the plots against you may be rendered “Even though people are going to plot against you, don’t be afraid” or “Do not be afraid of those who plot against you” (Good News Bible; similarly Contemporary English Version). The original readers would have understood these words, since they lived in a world where there were active plots against Christians.

And do not be troubled by the unbelief of those who oppose you: The verb troubled may be translated “disturbed” (Good News Bible) or “upset” (Contemporary English Version). Those who oppose you are the same people as the ones who make the plots against you, so Good News Bible renders this clause as “or be disturbed by their unbelief.”

For every unbeliever shall die in his unbelief: The phrase in his unbelief may be interpreted to mean “because of his unbelief” (so Good News Bible).

Good News Bible provides a helpful model for verses 3-4. Another possible one is:

• 3 Don’t be afraid of those who plot against you or be upset if they don’t believe in God. 4 For those who do not believe will die because they didn’t believe in God.

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.