²³ that the Messiah would suffer^(A) and, as the first to rise from the dead,^(B) would bring the message of light to his own people and to the Gentiles.”^(C)

⁵ and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness,^(A) the firstborn from the dead,^(B) and the ruler of the kings of the earth.^(C)

To him who loves us^(D) and has freed us from our sins by his blood,^(E)

¹⁸ And he is the head^(A) of the body, the church;^(B) he is the beginning and the firstborn^(C) from among the dead,^(D) so that in everything he might have the supremacy.

²⁶ Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?”^(A)

¹⁸ to open their eyes^(A) and turn them from darkness to light,^(B) and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins^(C) and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’^(D)

¹⁸ No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord.^(A) I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.”^(B)

The Shepherd Struck, the Sheep Scattered

²⁴ “Seventy ‘sevens’^[a] are decreed for your people and your holy city^(A) to finish^[b] transgression, to put an end to sin, to atone^(B) for wickedness, to bring in everlasting righteousness,^(C) to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the Most Holy Place.^[c]

²⁵ “Know and understand this: From the time the word goes out to restore and rebuild^(D) Jerusalem until the Anointed One,^[d](E) the ruler,^(F) comes, there will be seven ‘sevens,’ and sixty-two ‘sevens.’ It will be rebuilt with streets and a trench, but in times of trouble.^{(G) 26} After the sixty-two ‘sevens,’ the Anointed One will be put to death^(H) and will have nothing.^[e] The people of the ruler who will come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end will come like a flood:^(I) War will continue until the end, and desolations^(J) have been decreed.^(K)