⁷ Now the sons of that wicked woman Athaliah had broken into the temple of God and had used even its sacred objects for the Baals.

¹⁷ They attacked Judah, invaded it and carried off all the goods found in the king’s palace, together with his sons and wives. Not a son was left to him except Ahaziah,^[a] the youngest.^(A)

⁸ And then the lawless one will be revealed,^(A) whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth^(B) and destroy by the splendor of his coming.^(C)

²³ Instead, you have set yourself up against^(A) the Lord of heaven. You had the goblets from his temple brought to you, and you and your nobles, your wives^(B) and your concubines drank wine from them. You praised the gods of silver and gold, of bronze, iron, wood and stone, which cannot see or hear or understand.^(C) But you did not honor the God who holds in his hand your life^(D) and all your ways.^(E)

² While Belshazzar was drinking^(A) his wine, he gave orders to bring in the gold and silver goblets^(B) that Nebuchadnezzar his father^[a] had taken from the temple in Jerusalem, so that the king and his nobles, his wives and his concubines^(C) might drink from them.^{(D) 3} So they brought in the gold goblets that had been taken from the temple of God in Jerusalem, and the king and his nobles, his wives and his concubines drank from them. ⁴ As they drank the wine, they praised the gods^(E) of gold and silver, of bronze, iron, wood and stone.^(F)

¹⁷ You also took the fine jewelry I gave you, the jewelry made of my gold and silver, and you made for yourself male idols and engaged in prostitution with them.^{(A) 18} And you took your embroidered clothes to put on them, and you offered my oil and incense^(B) before them. ¹⁹ Also the food I provided for you—the flour, olive oil and honey I gave you to eat—you offered as fragrant incense before them. That is what happened, declares the Sovereign Lord.^(C)

²⁰ “‘And you took your sons and daughters^(D) whom you bore to me^(E) and sacrificed them as food to the idols. Was your prostitution not enough?^{(F) 21} You slaughtered my children and sacrificed them to the idols.^(G)