Nahum 1-3

New International Version

1 A prophecy^(A) concerning Nineveh.^(B) The book of the vision^(C) of Nahum the Elkoshite.

The Lord’s Anger Against Nineveh

²The Lord is a jealous^(D) and avenging God;
    the Lord takes vengeance^(E) and is filled with wrath.
The Lord takes vengeance on his foes
    and vents his wrath against his enemies.^(F)
³The Lord is slow to anger^(G) but great in power;
    the Lord will not leave the guilty unpunished.^(H)
His way is in the whirlwind^(I) and the storm,^(J)
    and clouds^(K) are the dust of his feet.
⁴He rebukes^(L) the sea and dries it up;^(M)
    he makes all the rivers run dry.
Bashan and Carmel^(N) wither
    and the blossoms of Lebanon fade.
⁵The mountains quake^(O) before him
    and the hills melt away.^(P)
The earth trembles^(Q) at his presence,
    the world and all who live in it.^(R)
⁶Who can withstand^(S) his indignation?
    Who can endure^(T) his fierce anger?^(U)
His wrath is poured out like fire;^(V)
    the rocks are shattered^(W) before him.

⁷The Lord is good,^(X)
    a refuge in times of trouble.^(Y)
He cares for^(Z) those who trust in him,^(AA)
⁸    but with an overwhelming flood^(AB)
he will make an end of Nineveh;
    he will pursue his foes into the realm of darkness.

⁹Whatever they plot^(AC) against the Lord
    he will bring^[a] to an end;
    trouble will not come a second time.
¹⁰They will be entangled among thorns^(AD)
    and drunk^(AE) from their wine;
    they will be consumed like dry stubble.^[b]^(AF)
¹¹From you, Nineveh, has one come forth
    who plots evil against the Lord
    and devises wicked plans.

¹²This is what the Lord says:

“Although they have allies and are numerous,
    they will be destroyed^(AG) and pass away.
Although I have afflicted you, Judah,
    I will afflict you no more.^(AH)
¹³Now I will break their yoke^(AI) from your neck
    and tear your shackles away.”^(AJ)

¹⁴The Lord has given a command concerning you, Nineveh:
    “You will have no descendants to bear your name.^(AK)
I will destroy the images^(AL) and idols
    that are in the temple of your gods.
I will prepare your grave,^(AM)
    for you are vile.”

¹⁵Look, there on the mountains,
    the feet of one who brings good news,^(AN)
    who proclaims peace!^(AO)
Celebrate your festivals,^(AP) Judah,
    and fulfill your vows.
No more will the wicked invade you;^(AQ)
    they will be completely destroyed.^[c]

Nineveh to Fall

2 ^[d]An attacker^(AR) advances against you, Nineveh.
    Guard the fortress,
    watch the road,
    brace yourselves,
    marshal all your strength!

²The Lord will restore^(AS) the splendor^(AT) of Jacob
like the splendor of Israel,
though destroyers have laid them waste
and have ruined their vines.

³The shields of the soldiers are red;
    the warriors are clad in scarlet.^(AU)
The metal on the chariots flashes
    on the day they are made ready;
    the spears of juniper are brandished.^[e]
⁴The chariots^(AV) storm through the streets,
    rushing back and forth through the squares.
They look like flaming torches;
    they dart about like lightning.

⁵Nineveh summons her picked troops,
    yet they stumble^(AW) on their way.
They dash to the city wall;
    the protective shield is put in place.
⁶The river gates^(AX) are thrown open
    and the palace collapses.
⁷It is decreed^[f] that Nineveh
    be exiled and carried away.
Her female slaves moan^(AY) like doves
    and beat on their breasts.^(AZ)
⁸Nineveh is like a pool
    whose water is draining away.
“Stop! Stop!” they cry,
    but no one turns back.
⁹Plunder the silver!
    Plunder the gold!
The supply is endless,
    the wealth from all its treasures!
¹⁰She is pillaged, plundered, stripped!
    Hearts melt,^(BA) knees give way,
    bodies tremble, every face grows pale.^(BB)

¹¹Where now is the lions’ den,^(BC)
    the place where they fed their young,
where the lion and lioness went,
    and the cubs, with nothing to fear?
¹²The lion killed^(BD) enough for his cubs
    and strangled the prey for his mate,
filling his lairs^(BE) with the kill
    and his dens with the prey.^(BF)

¹³“I am against^(BG) you,”
    declares the Lord Almighty.
“I will burn up your chariots in smoke,^(BH)
    and the sword^(BI) will devour your young lions.
    I will leave you no prey on the earth.
The voices of your messengers
    will no longer be heard.”^(BJ)

Woe to Nineveh

3 Woe to the city of blood,^(BK)
    full of lies,^(BL)
full of plunder,
    never without victims!
²The crack of whips,
    the clatter of wheels,
galloping horses
    and jolting chariots!
³Charging cavalry,
    flashing swords
    and glittering spears!
Many casualties,
    piles of dead,
bodies without number,
    people stumbling over the corpses^(BM)—
⁴all because of the wanton lust of a prostitute,
    alluring, the mistress of sorceries,^(BN)
who enslaved nations by her prostitution^(BO)
    and peoples by her witchcraft.

⁵“I am against^(BP) you,” declares the Lord Almighty.
    “I will lift your skirts^(BQ) over your face.
I will show the nations your nakedness^(BR)
    and the kingdoms your shame.
⁶I will pelt you with filth,^(BS)
    I will treat you with contempt^(BT)
    and make you a spectacle.^(BU)
⁷All who see you will flee^(BV) from you and say,
    ‘Nineveh^(BW) is in ruins^(BX)—who will mourn for her?’^(BY)
    Where can I find anyone to comfort^(BZ) you?”

⁸Are you better than^(CA) Thebes,^(CB)
    situated on the Nile,^(CC)
    with water around her?
The river was her defense,
    the waters her wall.
⁹Cush^[g]^(CD) and Egypt were her boundless strength;
    Put^(CE) and Libya^(CF) were among her allies.
¹⁰Yet she was taken captive^(CG)
    and went into exile.
Her infants were dashed^(CH) to pieces
    at every street corner.
Lots^(CI) were cast for her nobles,
    and all her great men were put in chains.^(CJ)
¹¹You too will become drunk;^(CK)
    you will go into hiding^(CL)
    and seek refuge from the enemy.

¹²All your fortresses are like fig trees
    with their first ripe fruit;^(CM)
when they are shaken,
    the figs^(CN) fall into the mouth of the eater.
¹³Look at your troops—
    they are all weaklings.^(CO)
The gates^(CP) of your land
    are wide open to your enemies;
    fire has consumed the bars of your gates.^(CQ)

¹⁴Draw water for the siege,^(CR)
    strengthen your defenses!^(CS)
Work the clay,
    tread the mortar,
    repair the brickwork!
¹⁵There the fire^(CT) will consume you;
    the sword^(CU) will cut you down—
    they will devour you like a swarm of locusts.
Multiply like grasshoppers,
    multiply like locusts!^(CV)
¹⁶You have increased the number of your merchants
    till they are more numerous than the stars in the sky,
but like locusts^(CW) they strip the land
    and then fly away.
¹⁷Your guards are like locusts,^(CX)
    your officials like swarms of locusts
    that settle in the walls on a cold day—
but when the sun appears they fly away,
    and no one knows where.

¹⁸King of Assyria, your shepherds^[h] slumber;^(CY)
    your nobles lie down to rest.^(CZ)
Your people are scattered^(DA) on the mountains
    with no one to gather them.
¹⁹Nothing can heal you;^(DB)
    your wound is fatal.
All who hear the news about you
    clap their hands^(DC) at your fall,
for who has not felt
    your endless cruelty?^(DD)

Footnotes

Nahum 1:9 Or What do you foes plot against the Lord? / He will bring it
Nahum 1:10 The meaning of the Hebrew for this verse is uncertain.
Nahum 1:15 In Hebrew texts this verse (1:15) is numbered 2:1.
Nahum 2:1 In Hebrew texts 2:1-13 is numbered 2:2-14.
Nahum 2:3 Hebrew; Septuagint and Syriac ready; / the horsemen rush to and fro.
Nahum 2:7 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.
Nahum 3:9 That is, the upper Nile region
Nahum 3:18 That is, rulers

Revelation 5

New International Version

The Scroll and the Lamb

5 Then I saw in the right hand of him who sat on the throne^(A) a scroll with writing on both sides^(B) and sealed^(C) with seven seals. ²And I saw a mighty angel^(D) proclaiming in a loud voice, “Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?” ³But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth could open the scroll or even look inside it. ⁴I wept and wept because no one was found who was worthy to open the scroll or look inside. ⁵Then one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep! See, the Lion^(E) of the tribe of Judah,^(F) the Root of David,^(G) has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.”

⁶Then I saw a Lamb,^(H) looking as if it had been slain, standing at the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures^(I) and the elders.^(J) The Lamb had seven horns and seven eyes,^(K) which are the seven spirits^[a]^(L) of God sent out into all the earth. ⁷He went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who sat on the throne.^(M) ⁸And when he had taken it, the four living creatures^(N) and the twenty-four elders^(O) fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp^(P) and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers^(Q) of God’s people. ⁹And they sang a new song, saying:^(R)

“You are worthy^(S) to take the scroll
    and to open its seals,
because you were slain,
    and with your blood^(T) you purchased^(U) for God
    persons from every tribe and language and people and nation.^(V)
¹⁰You have made them to be a kingdom and priests^(W) to serve our God,
    and they will reign^[b] on the earth.”^(X)

¹¹Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand.^(Y) They encircled the throne and the living creatures^(Z) and the elders.^(AA) ¹²In a loud voice they were saying:

“Worthy is the Lamb,^(AB) who was slain,^(AC)
to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength
and honor and glory and praise!”^(AD)

¹³Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth^(AE) and on the sea, and all that is in them, saying:

“To him who sits on the throne^(AF) and to the Lamb^(AG)
be praise and honor and glory and power,
for ever and ever!”^(AH)

¹⁴The four living creatures^(AI) said, “Amen,”^(AJ) and the elders^(AK) fell down and worshiped.^(AL)

Footnotes

Revelation 5:6 That is, the sevenfold Spirit
Revelation 5:10 Some manuscripts they reign

Psalm 143:4-12

New International Version

⁴So my spirit grows faint within me;
    my heart within me is dismayed.^(A)
⁵I remember^(B) the days of long ago;
    I meditate^(C) on all your works
    and consider what your hands have done.
⁶I spread out my hands^(D) to you;
    I thirst for you like a parched land.^[a]

⁷Answer me quickly,^(E) Lord;
    my spirit fails.^(F)
Do not hide your face^(G) from me
    or I will be like those who go down to the pit.
⁸Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love,^(H)
    for I have put my trust in you.
Show me the way^(I) I should go,
    for to you I entrust my life.^(J)
⁹Rescue me^(K) from my enemies,^(L) Lord,
    for I hide myself in you.
¹⁰Teach me^(M) to do your will,
    for you are my God;^(N)
may your good Spirit
    lead^(O) me on level ground.^(P)

¹¹For your name’s sake,^(Q) Lord, preserve my life;^(R)
    in your righteousness,^(S) bring me out of trouble.
¹²In your unfailing love, silence my enemies;^(T)
    destroy all my foes,^(U)
    for I am your servant.^(V)

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Footnotes

Psalm 143:6 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here.

Proverbs 30:29-31

New International Version

²⁹“There are three things that are stately in their stride,
    four that move with stately bearing:
³⁰a lion, mighty among beasts,
    who retreats before nothing;
³¹a strutting rooster, a he-goat,
    and a king secure against revolt.^[a]