Nahum 1-3
New American Standard Bible
God Is Awesome
1 The (A)pronouncement of (B)Nineveh. The book of the vision of Nahum the Elkoshite:
2 A (C)jealous and avenging God is the Lord;
The Lord is (D)avenging and [a]wrathful.
The Lord takes (E)vengeance on His adversaries,
And He reserves wrath for His enemies.
3 The Lord is (F)slow to anger and great in power,
And the Lord will by no means leave the guilty unpunished.
In the (G)gale and the storm is His way,
And (H)clouds are the dust beneath His feet.
4 He (I)rebukes the sea and dries it up;
He dries up all the rivers.
(J)Bashan and Carmel wither,
The blossoms of Lebanon wither.
5 Mountains (K)quake because of Him,
And the hills (L)come apart;
Indeed the earth is (M)upheaved by His presence,
The (N)world and all the inhabitants in it.
6 (O)Who can stand before His indignation?
Who can endure the (P)burning of His anger?
His (Q)wrath gushes forth like fire,
And the (R)rocks are broken up by Him.
7 The Lord is (S)good,
A stronghold in the day of trouble,
And (T)He knows those who take refuge in Him.
8 But with an (U)overflowing flood
He will make a complete end of [b]its site,
And will pursue His enemies into (V)darkness.
9 Whatever you (W)devise against the Lord,
He will make a (X)complete end of it.
Distress will not rise up twice.
10 Like tangled (Y)thorns,
And like those who are (Z)drunken with their drink,
They are (AA)consumed
Like stubble completely dried up.
11 From you has gone out
One who (AB)plotted evil against the Lord,
A [c](AC)wicked counselor.
12 This is what the Lord says:
“Though they are at full strength and so they are many,
So also they will be (AD)cut off and pass away.
Though I have afflicted you,
I will afflict you (AE)no longer.
13 So now, I will (AF)break his yoke from upon you,
And I will tear your shackles to pieces.”
14 The Lord has issued a command concerning [d]you:
“[e]Your name will (AG)no longer be perpetuated.
I will eliminate the (AH)carved image and the cast metal image
From the house of your gods.
I will prepare your (AI)grave,
For you are contemptible.”
15 [f]Behold, (AJ)on the mountains, the feet of him who brings good news,
Who announces peace!
(AK)Celebrate your feasts, Judah,
Pay your vows.
For (AL)never again will the [g]wicked one pass through you;
He is (AM)eliminated completely.
The Overthrow of Nineveh
2 [h]The one who (AN)scatters has come up against [i]you.
Keep watch over the fortress, watch the road;
[j]Bind up your waist, [k]summon all your strength.
2 For the Lord will restore the (AO)splendor of Jacob
(AP)Like the splendor of Israel,
Even though destroyers have laid waste to them
And (AQ)ruined their vines.
3 The shields of [l]his warriors are dyed red,
The warriors are dressed in (AR)scarlet,
The chariots are fitted with [m]flashing steel
[n]When he is prepared to march,
And the juniper (AS)spears are brandished.
4 The (AT)chariots drive wildly in the streets,
They rush around in the [o]public squares;
Their appearance is like torches,
They drive back and forth like lightning flashes.
5 He remembers his (AU)officers;
They (AV)stumble in their advance,
They hurry to her wall,
And the [p]mantelet is set up.
6 The gates of the rivers are opened
And the palace sways back and forth.
7 It is set:
She is stripped, she is led away,
And her slave women are (AW)sobbing like the sound of doves,
(AX)Beating their [q]breasts.
8 Though Nineveh was like a pool of water throughout her days,
Yet they are fleeing;
“Stop, stop,”
But (AY)no one turns back.
9 Plunder the silver,
Plunder the (AZ)gold!
For there is no end to the treasure—
Wealth from every kind of desirable object.
10 She is (BA)emptied! Yes, she is desolate and waste!
(BB)Hearts are melting and knees wobbling!
Also trembling is in [r]the entire body,
And all their (BC)faces have become pale!
11 Where is the den of the lions
And the feeding place of the (BD)young lions,
Where the lion, lioness, and lion’s cub went
With nothing to disturb them?
12 The lion tore enough for his cubs,
[s]Killed enough prey for his lionesses,
And filled his lairs with prey
And his dens with torn flesh.
13 “Behold, (BE)I am against you,” declares the Lord of armies. “I will (BF)burn up her chariots in smoke, and a sword will devour your young lions; I will (BG)eliminate your prey from the land, and no longer will the voice of your messengers be heard.”
Nineveh’s Complete Ruin
3 (BH)Woe to the bloody city, completely full of lies and pillage;
Her prey does not leave.
2 The (BI)sound of the whip,
The sound of the roar of the wheel,
Galloping horses
And [t]bounding chariots!
3 Horsemen charging,
Swords flashing, (BJ)spears gleaming,
(BK)Many killed, a mass of corpses,
And there is (BL)no end to the dead bodies—
They stumble over [u]the dead bodies!
4 All because of the (BM)many sexual acts of the prostitute,
The charming one, the (BN)mistress of sorceries,
Who (BO)sells nations by her sexual acts,
And families by her sorceries.
5 “Behold, (BP)I am against you,” declares the Lord of armies;
“And I will [v](BQ)lift up your skirts over your face,
And (BR)show the nations your nakedness,
And the kingdoms your shame.
6 I will (BS)throw filth on you
And (BT)declare you worthless,
And set you up as a (BU)spectacle.
7 And it will come about that all who see you
Will [w]shrink from you and say,
‘Nineveh is devastated!
(BV)Who will have sympathy for her?’
Where shall I seek comforters for you?”
8 Are you better than [x](BW)No-amon,
Which was situated by the (BX)canals of the Nile,
With water surrounding her,
Whose rampart was [y]the sea,
Whose wall consisted of [z]the sea?
9 (BY)Ethiopia was her might,
Egypt too, without limits.
(BZ)Put and (CA)Lubim were among [aa]her helpers.
10 Yet she (CB)became an exile,
She went into captivity;
Also her (CC)small children were smashed to pieces
(CD)At the head of every street;
They (CE)cast lots for her honorable men,
And all her great men were bound with shackles.
11 You too will become (CF)drunk,
You will be (CG)hidden.
You too will search for a refuge from the enemy.
12 All your fortifications are (CH)fig trees with [ab](CI)ripe fruit—
When shaken, they fall into the eater’s mouth.
13 Behold, your people are (CJ)women in your midst!
The gates of your land are (CK)opened wide to your enemies;
Fire consumes your gate bars.
14 (CL)Draw for yourself water for a siege!
(CM)Strengthen your fortifications!
Go into the clay and tread the mortar!
Take hold of the brick mold!
15 There (CN)fire will consume you,
The sword will cut you down;
It will (CO)consume you as the creeping locust consumes a crop.
Multiply yourself like the creeping locust,
Multiply yourself like the migratory locust.
16 You have made your (CP)traders more numerous than the stars of heaven—
The creeping locust sheds its skin and flies away.
17 Your (CQ)courtiers are like the migratory locust.
Your (CR)officials are like a swarm of locusts
Settling in the stone shelters on a cold day.
The sun rises and they flee,
And the place where they are is not known.
18 Your shepherds are (CS)sleeping, O (CT)king of Assyria;
Your (CU)officers are lying down.
Your people are (CV)scattered on the mountains
And there is no one to gather them.
19 There is (CW)no relief for your collapse,
Your (CX)wound is incurable.
All who hear [ac]about you
Will (CY)clap their hands over you,
For upon whom has your evil not come continually?
Footnotes
- Nahum 1:2 Lit a possessor of wrath
- Nahum 1:8 I.e., Nineveh’s
- Nahum 1:11 Or worthless; Heb Belial
- Nahum 1:14 I.e., the king of Nineveh
- Nahum 1:14 Lit No more of your name will be sown
- Nahum 1:15 Ch 2:1 in Heb
- Nahum 1:15 Or worthless one; Heb Belial
- Nahum 2:1 Ch 2:2 in Heb
- Nahum 2:1 Lit your face
- Nahum 2:1 Lit Strengthen your loins
- Nahum 2:1 Lit strengthen power greatly
- Nahum 2:3 I.e., those attacking Nineveh
- Nahum 2:3 Lit fire of steel
- Nahum 2:3 Lit On the day of his preparation
- Nahum 2:4 Lit broad places
- Nahum 2:5 I.e., a shield used for stopping projectiles
- Nahum 2:7 Lit hearts
- Nahum 2:10 Lit all the loins
- Nahum 2:12 Lit Strangled
- Nahum 3:2 Lit leaping
- Nahum 3:3 Lit their
- Nahum 3:5 Lit uncover your private parts
- Nahum 3:7 Lit flee
- Nahum 3:8 I.e., the city of Amon: Thebes
- Nahum 3:8 I.e., the Nile
- Nahum 3:8 I.e., the Nile
- Nahum 3:9 Lit your
- Nahum 3:12 Lit first fruits
- Nahum 3:19 Lit your report
Nahum 1-3
New King James Version
God’s Mercy and Judgment
1 The [a]burden (A)against Nineveh. The book of the vision of Nahum the Elkoshite.
God’s Wrath on His Enemies
2 God is (B)jealous, and the Lord avenges;
The Lord avenges and is furious.
The Lord will take vengeance on His adversaries,
And He reserves wrath for His enemies;
3 The Lord is (C)slow to anger and (D)great in power,
And will not at all acquit the wicked.
(E)The Lord has His way
In the whirlwind and in the storm,
And the clouds are the dust of His feet.
4 (F)He rebukes the sea and makes it dry,
And dries up all the rivers.
(G)Bashan and Carmel wither,
And the flower of Lebanon wilts.
5 The mountains quake before Him,
The hills melt,
And the earth [b]heaves at His presence,
Yes, the world and all who dwell in it.
6 Who can stand before His indignation?
And (H)who can endure the fierceness of His anger?
His fury is poured out like fire,
And the rocks are thrown down by Him.
7 (I)The Lord is good,
A stronghold in the day of trouble;
And (J)He knows those who trust in Him.
8 But with an overflowing flood
He will make an utter end of its place,
And darkness will pursue His enemies.
9 (K)What do you [c]conspire against the Lord?
(L)He will make an utter end of it.
Affliction will not rise up a second time.
10 For while tangled (M)like thorns,
(N)And while drunken like drunkards,
(O)They shall be devoured like stubble fully dried.
11 From you comes forth one
Who plots evil against the Lord,
A [d]wicked counselor.
12 Thus says the Lord:
“Though they are [e]safe, and likewise many,
Yet in this manner they will be (P)cut down
When he passes through.
Though I have afflicted you,
I will afflict you no more;
13 For now I will break off his yoke from you,
And burst your bonds apart.”
14 The Lord has given a command concerning you:
[f]“Your name shall be perpetuated no longer.
Out of the house of your gods
I will cut off the carved image and the molded image.
I will dig your (Q)grave,
For you are (R)vile.”[g]
15 Behold, on the mountains
The (S)feet of him who brings good tidings,
Who proclaims peace!
O Judah, keep your appointed feasts,
Perform your vows.
For the [h]wicked one shall no more pass through you;
He is (T)utterly cut off.
The Destruction of Nineveh
2 He[i] who scatters has come up before your face.
Man the fort!
Watch the road!
Strengthen your flanks!
Fortify your power mightily.
2 For the Lord will restore the excellence of Jacob
Like the excellence of Israel,
For the emptiers have emptied them out
And ruined their vine branches.
3 The shields of his mighty men are made red,
The valiant men are in scarlet.
The chariots come with flaming torches
In the day of his preparation,
And [j]the spears are brandished.
4 The chariots rage in the streets,
They jostle one another in the broad roads;
They seem like torches,
They run like lightning.
5 He remembers his nobles;
They stumble in their walk;
They make haste to her walls,
And the defense is prepared.
6 The gates of the rivers are opened,
And the palace is dissolved.
7 [k]It is decreed:
She shall be led away captive,
She shall be brought up;
And her maidservants shall lead her as with the voice of doves,
Beating their breasts.
8 Though Nineveh of old was like a pool of water,
Now they flee away.
[l]“Halt! Halt!” they cry;
But no one turns back.
9 [m]Take spoil of silver!
Take spoil of (U)gold!
There is no end of treasure,
Or wealth of every desirable prize.
10 She is empty, desolate, and waste!
The heart melts, and the knees shake;
Much pain is in every side,
And all their faces [n]are drained of color.
11 Where is the dwelling of the (V)lions,
And the feeding place of the young lions,
Where the lion walked, the lioness and lion’s cub,
And no one made them afraid?
12 The lion tore in pieces enough for his cubs,
[o]Killed for his lionesses,
(W)Filled his caves with prey,
And his dens with [p]flesh.
13 “Behold, (X)I am against you,” says the Lord of hosts, “I will burn [q]your chariots in smoke, and the sword shall devour your young lions; I will cut off your prey from the earth, and the voice of your (Y)messengers shall be heard no more.”
The Woe of Nineveh
3 Woe to the (Z)bloody city!
It is all full of lies and robbery.
Its [r]victim never departs.
2 The noise of a whip
And the noise of rattling wheels,
Of galloping horses,
Of [s]clattering chariots!
3 Horsemen charge with bright sword and glittering spear.
There is a multitude of slain,
A great number of bodies,
Countless corpses—
They stumble over the corpses—
4 Because of the multitude of [t]harlotries of the [u]seductive harlot,
(AA)The mistress of sorceries,
Who sells nations through her harlotries,
And families through her sorceries.
5 “Behold, I am (AB)against you,” says the Lord of hosts;
(AC)“I will lift your skirts over your face,
I will show the nations your nakedness,
And the kingdoms your shame.
6 I will cast abominable filth upon you,
Make you (AD)vile,[v]
And make you (AE)a spectacle.
7 It shall come to pass that all who look upon you
(AF)Will flee from you, and say,
(AG)‘Nineveh is laid waste!
(AH)Who will bemoan her?’
Where shall I seek comforters for you?”
8 (AI)Are you better than (AJ)No[w] Amon
That was situated by the [x]River,
That had the waters around her,
Whose rampart was the sea,
Whose wall was the sea?
9 Ethiopia and Egypt were her strength,
And it was boundless;
(AK)Put and Lubim were [y]your helpers.
10 Yet she was carried away,
She went into captivity;
(AL)Her young children also were dashed to pieces
(AM)At the head of every street;
They (AN)cast lots for her honorable men,
And all her great men were bound in chains.
11 You also will be (AO)drunk;
You will be hidden;
You also will seek refuge from the enemy.
12 All your strongholds are (AP)fig trees with ripened figs:
If they are shaken,
They fall into the mouth of the eater.
13 Surely, (AQ)your people in your midst are women!
The gates of your land are wide open for your enemies;
Fire shall devour the (AR)bars of your gates.
14 Draw your water for the siege!
(AS)Fortify your strongholds!
Go into the clay and tread the mortar!
Make strong the brick kiln!
15 There the fire will devour you,
The sword will cut you off;
It will eat you up like a (AT)locust.
Make yourself many—like the locust!
Make yourself many—like the swarming locusts!
16 You have multiplied your (AU)merchants more than the stars of heaven.
The locust plunders and flies away.
17 (AV)Your commanders are like swarming locusts,
And your generals like great grasshoppers,
Which camp in the hedges on a cold day;
When the sun rises they flee away,
And the place where they are is not known.
18 (AW)Your shepherds slumber, O (AX)king of Assyria;
Your nobles rest in the dust.
Your people are (AY)scattered on the mountains,
And no one gathers them.
19 Your injury has no healing,
(AZ)Your wound is severe.
(BA)All who hear news of you
Will clap their hands over you,
For upon whom has not your wickedness passed continually?
Footnotes
- Nahum 1:1 oracle, prophecy
- Nahum 1:5 Tg. burns
- Nahum 1:9 Or devise
- Nahum 1:11 Lit. counselor of Belial
- Nahum 1:12 Or at peace or complete
- Nahum 1:14 Lit. No more of your name shall be fruitful
- Nahum 1:14 Or contemptible
- Nahum 1:15 Lit. one of Belial
- Nahum 2:1 Vg. He who destroys
- Nahum 2:3 Lit. the cypresses are shaken; LXX, Syr. the horses rush about; Vg. the drivers are stupefied
- Nahum 2:7 Heb. Huzzab
- Nahum 2:8 Lit. Stand
- Nahum 2:9 Plunder
- Nahum 2:10 LXX, Tg., Vg. gather blackness; Joel 2:6
- Nahum 2:12 Lit. Strangled
- Nahum 2:12 Torn flesh
- Nahum 2:13 Lit. her
- Nahum 3:1 Lit. prey
- Nahum 3:2 bounding or jolting
- Nahum 3:4 Spiritual unfaithfulness
- Nahum 3:4 Lit. goodly charm, in a bad sense
- Nahum 3:6 despicable
- Nahum 3:8 Ancient Thebes; Tg., Vg. populous Alexandria
- Nahum 3:8 Lit. rivers, the Nile and the surrounding canals
- Nahum 3:9 LXX her
2 Corinthians 4
New American Standard Bible
Paul’s Apostolic Ministry
4 Therefore, since we have this (A)ministry, as we (B)received mercy, we (C)do not lose heart, 2 but we have renounced the (D)things hidden because of shame, not walking in trickery nor (E)distorting the word of God, but by the open proclamation of the truth (F)commending ourselves to every person’s conscience in the sight of God. 3 And even if our (G)gospel is (H)veiled, it is veiled [a]to (I)those who are perishing, 4 in whose case (J)the god of (K)this [b]world has (L)blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that [c]they will not see the (M)light of the gospel of the (N)glory of Christ, who is the (O)image of God. 5 For we (P)do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your bond-servants [d]on account of Jesus. 6 For God, who said, “(Q)Light shall shine out of darkness,” is the One who has (R)shone in our hearts to give the (S)Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.
7 But we have this treasure in [e](T)earthen containers, so that the extraordinary greatness of (U)the power will be of God and not from ourselves; 8 we are (V)afflicted in every way, but not (W)crushed; (X)perplexed, but not despairing; 9 (Y)persecuted, but not (Z)abandoned; (AA)struck down, but not destroyed; 10 (AB)always carrying around in the body the dying of Jesus, so that (AC)the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. 11 For we who live are constantly being handed over to death because of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our mortal flesh. 12 So death works in us, but life in you.
13 But having the same (AD)spirit of faith, according to what is written: “(AE)I believed, therefore I spoke,” we also believe, therefore we also speak, 14 knowing that He who (AF)raised the Lord Jesus (AG)will also raise us with Jesus, and will (AH)present us with you. 15 For all things are (AI)for your sakes, so that grace, having [f](AJ)spread to more and more people, will cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.
16 Therefore we (AK)do not lose heart, but though our outer person is decaying, yet our (AL)inner person is (AM)being renewed day by day. 17 For our momentary, (AN)light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, 18 while we (AO)look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.
Footnotes
- 2 Corinthians 4:3 Lit among
- 2 Corinthians 4:4 Lit age
- 2 Corinthians 4:4 Or the light...image of God, will not shine upon them
- 2 Corinthians 4:5 Two early mss through Jesus
- 2 Corinthians 4:7 Or earthenware containers
- 2 Corinthians 4:15 Lit multiplied through the many
2 Corinthians 4
New King James Version
The Light of Christ’s Gospel
4 Therefore, since we have this ministry, (A)as we have received mercy, we (B)do not lose heart. 2 But we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness nor [a]handling the word of God deceitfully, but by manifestation of the truth (C)commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God. 3 But even if our gospel is veiled, (D)it is veiled to those who are perishing, 4 whose minds (E)the god of this age (F)has blinded, who do not believe, lest (G)the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, (H)who is the image of God, should shine on them. 5 (I)For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and (J)ourselves your bondservants for Jesus’ sake. 6 For it is the God (K)who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has (L)shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
Cast Down but Unconquered
7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, (M)that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. 8 We are (N)hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; 9 persecuted, but not (O)forsaken; (P)struck down, but not destroyed— 10 (Q)always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, (R)that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. 11 For we who live (S)are always delivered to death for Jesus’ sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. 12 So then death is working in us, but life in you.
13 And since we have (T)the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, (U)“I believed and therefore I spoke,” we also believe and therefore speak, 14 knowing that (V)He who raised up the Lord Jesus will also raise us up with Jesus, and will present us with you. 15 For (W)all things are for your sakes, that (X)grace, having spread through the many, may cause thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God.
Seeing the Invisible
16 Therefore we (Y)do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is (Z)being renewed day by day. 17 For (AA)our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, 18 (AB)while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.
Footnotes
- 2 Corinthians 4:2 adulterating the word of God
Psalm 149
New American Standard Bible
Israel Invoked to Praise the Lord.
149 [a]Praise [b]the Lord!
Sing a (A)new song to the Lord,
And His praise (B)in the congregation of the godly ones.
2 Israel shall be joyful in (C)his Maker;
The sons of Zion shall rejoice in their (D)King.
3 They shall praise His name with (E)dancing;
They shall sing praises to Him with (F)tambourine and lyre.
4 For the Lord (G)takes pleasure in His people;
He will (H)glorify the lowly with salvation.
5 The (I)godly ones shall be jubilant in glory;
They shall (J)sing for joy on their beds.
6 The (K)high praises of God shall be in their [c]mouths,
And a (L)two-edged (M)sword in their hands,
7 To (N)execute vengeance on the nations,
And punishment on the peoples,
8 To bind their kings (O)with chains,
And their (P)dignitaries with shackles of iron,
9 To (Q)execute against them the judgment written.
This is an (R)honor for all His godly ones.
[d]Praise [e]the Lord!
Footnotes
- Psalm 149:1 Or Hallelujah!
- Psalm 149:1 Heb Yah
- Psalm 149:6 Lit throat
- Psalm 149:9 Or Hallelujah!
- Psalm 149:9 Heb Yah
Psalm 149
New King James Version
Praise to God for His Salvation and Judgment
149 Praise[a] the Lord!
(A)Sing to the Lord a new song,
And His praise in the assembly of saints.
2 Let Israel rejoice in their Maker;
Let the children of Zion be joyful in their (B)King.
3 (C)Let them praise His name with the dance;
Let them sing praises to Him with the timbrel and harp.
4 For (D)the Lord takes pleasure in His people;
(E)He will beautify the [b]humble with salvation.
5 Let the saints be joyful in glory;
Let them (F)sing aloud on their beds.
6 Let the high praises of God be in their mouth,
And (G)a two-edged sword in their hand,
7 To execute vengeance on the nations,
And punishments on the peoples;
8 To bind their kings with chains,
And their nobles with fetters of iron;
9 (H)To execute on them the written judgment—
(I)This honor have all His saints.
[c]Praise the Lord!
Footnotes
- Psalm 149:1 Heb. Hallelujah
- Psalm 149:4 meek
- Psalm 149:9 Heb. Hallelujah
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
