Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?

The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord, and against his anointed, saying,

Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us.

He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision.

Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure.

Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion.

I will declare the decree: the Lord hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee.

Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.

Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel.

10 Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth.

11 Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling.

12 Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.

Psalm 2

Why do the nations conspire[a]
    and the peoples plot(A) in vain?
The kings(B) of the earth rise up
    and the rulers band together
    against the Lord and against his anointed,(C) saying,
“Let us break their chains(D)
    and throw off their shackles.”(E)

The One enthroned(F) in heaven laughs;(G)
    the Lord scoffs at them.
He rebukes them in his anger(H)
    and terrifies them in his wrath,(I) saying,
“I have installed my king(J)
    on Zion,(K) my holy mountain.(L)

I will proclaim the Lord’s decree:

He said to me, “You are my son;(M)
    today I have become your father.(N)
Ask me,
    and I will make the nations(O) your inheritance,(P)
    the ends of the earth(Q) your possession.
You will break them with a rod of iron[b];(R)
    you will dash them to pieces(S) like pottery.(T)

10 Therefore, you kings, be wise;(U)
    be warned, you rulers(V) of the earth.
11 Serve the Lord with fear(W)
    and celebrate his rule(X) with trembling.(Y)
12 Kiss his son,(Z) or he will be angry
    and your way will lead to your destruction,
for his wrath(AA) can flare up in a moment.
    Blessed(AB) are all who take refuge(AC) in him.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 2:1 Hebrew; Septuagint rage
  2. Psalm 2:9 Or will rule them with an iron scepter (see Septuagint and Syriac)

For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city.

Then shall the Lord go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle.

And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south.

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I will gather all the nations(A) to Jerusalem to fight against it;(B) the city will be captured, the houses ransacked, and the women raped.(C) Half of the city will go into exile, but the rest of the people will not be taken from the city.(D) Then the Lord will go out and fight(E) against those nations, as he fights on a day of battle.(F) On that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives,(G) east of Jerusalem, and the Mount of Olives will be split(H) in two from east to west, forming a great valley, with half of the mountain moving north and half moving south.

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13 And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet.

14 For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.

15 Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.

16 And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.

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13 Then I saw three impure spirits(A) that looked like frogs;(B) they came out of the mouth of the dragon,(C) out of the mouth of the beast(D) and out of the mouth of the false prophet.(E) 14 They are demonic spirits(F) that perform signs,(G) and they go out to the kings of the whole world,(H) to gather them for the battle(I) on the great day(J) of God Almighty.

15 “Look, I come like a thief!(K) Blessed is the one who stays awake(L) and remains clothed, so as not to go naked and be shamefully exposed.”(M)

16 Then they gathered the kings together(N) to the place that in Hebrew(O) is called Armageddon.(P)

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11 And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.

12 His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself.

13 And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.

14 And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.

15 And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.

16 And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, King Of Kings, And Lord Of Lords.

17 And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God;

18 That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great.

19 And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army.

20 And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.

21 And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.

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The Heavenly Warrior Defeats the Beast

11 I saw heaven standing open(A) and there before me was a white horse, whose rider(B) is called Faithful and True.(C) With justice he judges and wages war.(D) 12 His eyes are like blazing fire,(E) and on his head are many crowns.(F) He has a name written on him(G) that no one knows but he himself.(H) 13 He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood,(I) and his name is the Word of God.(J) 14 The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen,(K) white(L) and clean. 15 Coming out of his mouth is a sharp sword(M) with which to strike down(N) the nations. “He will rule them with an iron scepter.”[a](O) He treads the winepress(P) of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. 16 On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written:(Q)

king of kings and lord of lords.(R)

17 And I saw an angel standing in the sun, who cried in a loud voice to all the birds(S) flying in midair,(T) “Come,(U) gather together for the great supper of God,(V) 18 so that you may eat the flesh of kings, generals, and the mighty, of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all people,(W) free and slave,(X) great and small.”(Y)

19 Then I saw the beast(Z) and the kings of the earth(AA) and their armies gathered together to wage war against the rider on the horse(AB) and his army. 20 But the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet(AC) who had performed the signs(AD) on its behalf.(AE) With these signs he had deluded(AF) those who had received the mark of the beast(AG) and worshiped its image.(AH) The two of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake(AI) of burning sulfur.(AJ) 21 The rest were killed with the sword(AK) coming out of the mouth of the rider on the horse,(AL) and all the birds(AM) gorged themselves on their flesh.

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Footnotes

  1. Revelation 19:15 Psalm 2:9