Joel 3

New International Version

The Nations Judged

3 ^[a]“In those days and at that time,
    when I restore the fortunes^(A) of Judah^(B) and Jerusalem,
²I will gather^(C) all nations
    and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat.^[b]^(D)
There I will put them on trial^(E)
    for what they did to my inheritance, my people Israel,
because they scattered^(F) my people among the nations
    and divided up my land.
³They cast lots^(G) for my people
    and traded boys for prostitutes;
    they sold girls for wine^(H) to drink.

⁴“Now what have you against me, Tyre and Sidon^(I) and all you regions of Philistia?^(J) Are you repaying me for something I have done? If you are paying me back, I will swiftly and speedily return on your own heads what you have done.^(K) ⁵For you took my silver and my gold and carried off my finest treasures to your temples.^[c]^(L) ⁶You sold the people of Judah and Jerusalem to the Greeks,^(M) that you might send them far from their homeland.

⁷“See, I am going to rouse them out of the places to which you sold them,^(N) and I will return^(O) on your own heads what you have done. ⁸I will sell your sons^(P) and daughters to the people of Judah,^(Q) and they will sell them to the Sabeans,^(R) a nation far away.” The Lord has spoken.^(S)

⁹Proclaim this among the nations:
    Prepare for war!^(T)
Rouse the warriors!^(U)
    Let all the fighting men draw near and attack.
¹⁰Beat your plowshares into swords
    and your pruning hooks^(V) into spears.^(W)
Let the weakling^(X) say,
    “I am strong!”^(Y)
¹¹Come quickly, all you nations from every side,
    and assemble^(Z) there.

Bring down your warriors,^(AA) Lord!

¹²“Let the nations be roused;
    let them advance into the Valley of Jehoshaphat,^(AB)
for there I will sit
    to judge^(AC) all the nations on every side.
¹³Swing the sickle,^(AD)
    for the harvest^(AE) is ripe.
Come, trample the grapes,^(AF)
    for the winepress^(AG) is full
    and the vats overflow—
so great is their wickedness!”

¹⁴Multitudes,^(AH) multitudes
    in the valley^(AI) of decision!
For the day of the Lord^(AJ) is near
    in the valley of decision.^(AK)
¹⁵The sun and moon will be darkened,
    and the stars no longer shine.^(AL)
¹⁶The Lord will roar^(AM) from Zion
    and thunder from Jerusalem;^(AN)
    the earth and the heavens will tremble.^(AO)
But the Lord will be a refuge^(AP) for his people,
    a stronghold^(AQ) for the people of Israel.

Blessings for God’s People

¹⁷“Then you will know^(AR) that I, the Lord your God,^(AS)
dwell in Zion,^(AT) my holy hill.^(AU)
Jerusalem will be holy;^(AV)
never again will foreigners invade her.^(AW)

¹⁸“In that day the mountains will drip new wine,^(AX)
    and the hills will flow with milk;^(AY)
    all the ravines of Judah will run with water.^(AZ)
A fountain will flow out of the Lord’s house^(BA)
    and will water the valley of acacias.^[d]^(BB)
¹⁹But Egypt^(BC) will be desolate,
    Edom^(BD) a desert waste,
because of violence^(BE) done to the people of Judah,
    in whose land they shed innocent blood.
²⁰Judah will be inhabited forever^(BF)
    and Jerusalem through all generations.
²¹Shall I leave their innocent blood unavenged?^(BG)
    No, I will not.^(BH)”

The Lord dwells in Zion!^(BI)

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Footnotes

Joel 3:1 In Hebrew texts 3:1-21 is numbered 4:1-21.
Joel 3:2 Jehoshaphat means the Lord judges; also in verse 12.
Joel 3:5 Or palaces
Joel 3:18 Or Valley of Shittim

Romans 12:14-13

New International Version

¹⁴Bless those who persecute you;^(A) bless and do not curse. ¹⁵Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.^(B) ¹⁶Live in harmony with one another.^(C) Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position.^[a] Do not be conceited.^(D)

¹⁷Do not repay anyone evil for evil.^(E) Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone.^(F) ¹⁸If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.^(G) ¹⁹Do not take revenge,^(H) my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,”^[b]^(I) says the Lord. ²⁰On the contrary:

“If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”^[c]^(J)

²¹Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Submission to Governing Authorities

13 Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities,^(K) for there is no authority except that which God has established.^(L) The authorities that exist have been established by God. ²Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted,^(M) and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. ³For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and you will be commended.^(N) ⁴For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer.^(O) ⁵Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also as a matter of conscience.^(P)

⁶This is also why you pay taxes,^(Q) for the authorities are God’s servants, who give their full time to governing. ⁷Give to everyone what you owe them: If you owe taxes, pay taxes;^(R) if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.

Love Fulfills the Law

⁸Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law.^(S) ⁹The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not covet,”^[d]^(T) and whatever other command there may be, are summed up^(U) in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”^[e]^(V) ¹⁰Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.^(W)

The Day Is Near

¹¹And do this, understanding the present time: The hour has already come^(X) for you to wake up from your slumber,^(Y) because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. ¹²The night is nearly over; the day is almost here.^(Z) So let us put aside the deeds of darkness^(AA) and put on the armor^(AB) of light. ¹³Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness,^(AC) not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy.^(AD) ¹⁴Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ,^(AE) and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.^[f]^(AF)

Footnotes

Romans 12:16 Or willing to do menial work
Romans 12:19 Deut. 32:35
Romans 12:20 Prov. 25:21,22
Romans 13:9 Exodus 20:13-15,17; Deut. 5:17-19,21
Romans 13:9 Lev. 19:18
Romans 13:14 In contexts like this, the Greek word for flesh (sarx) refers to the sinful state of human beings, often presented as a power in opposition to the Spirit.