The Time of the End

12 “At that time Michael, the archangel^[a] who stands guard over your nation, will arise. Then there will be a time of anguish greater than any since nations first came into existence. But at that time every one of your people whose name is written in the book will be rescued.

²¹ For there will be greater anguish than at any time since the world began. And it will never be so great again.

¹⁹ For there will be greater anguish in those days than at any time since God created the world. And it will never be so great again.

¹⁷ Then the seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air. And a mighty shout came from the throne in the Temple, saying, “It is finished!” ¹⁸ Then the thunder crashed and rolled, and lightning flashed. And a great earthquake struck—the worst since people were placed on the earth. ¹⁹ The great city of Babylon split into three sections, and the cities of many nations fell into heaps of rubble. So God remembered all of Babylon’s sins, and he made her drink the cup that was filled with the wine of his fierce wrath. ²⁰ And every island disappeared, and all the mountains were leveled. ²¹ There was a terrible hailstorm, and hailstones weighing as much as seventy-five pounds^[a] fell from the sky onto the people below. They cursed God because of the terrible plague of the hailstorm.

²³ How terrible it will be for pregnant women and for nursing mothers in those days. For there will be disaster in the land and great anger against this people. ²⁴ They will be killed by the sword or sent away as captives to all the nations of the world. And Jerusalem will be trampled down by the Gentiles until the period of the Gentiles comes to an end.

¹³ But for twenty-one days the spirit prince^[a] of the kingdom of Persia blocked my way. Then Michael, one of the archangels,^[b] came to help me, and I left him there with the spirit prince of the kingdom of Persia.^[c]

²¹ Meanwhile, I will tell you what is written in the Book of Truth. (No one helps me against these spirit princes except Michael, your spirit prince.^[a]

⁷ Then there was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon and his angels.

¹⁵ And anyone whose name was not found recorded in the Book of Life was thrown into the lake of fire.