⁴⁴ “In the days of those kings, the God of the heavens will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed,^(A) and this kingdom will not be left to another people. It will crush all these kingdoms^(B) and bring them to an end, but will itself endure forever. ⁴⁵ You saw a stone^(C) break off from the mountain without a hand touching it,^[a](D) and it crushed the iron, bronze, fired clay, silver, and gold. The great God has told the king what will happen in the future.^(E) The dream is certain, and its interpretation reliable.”

The Sentence Executed

²⁸ All this happened to King Nebuchadnezzar.^{(A) 29} At the end of twelve months, as he was walking on the roof of the royal palace in Babylon, ³⁰ the king exclaimed, “Is this not Babylon the Great that I have built to be a royal residence by my vast power and for my majestic glory?” ^(B)

³¹ While the words were still in the king’s mouth, a voice came from heaven: “King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is declared that the kingdom has departed from you.^{(C) 32} You will be driven away from people to live with the wild animals, and you will feed on grass like cattle for seven periods of time, until you acknowledge that the Most High is ruler over human kingdoms, and he gives them to anyone he wants.”

³³ At that moment the message against Nebuchadnezzar was fulfilled. He was driven away from people. He ate grass like cattle, and his body was drenched with dew from the sky, until his hair grew like eagles’ feathers and his nails like birds’ claws.^(D)

Nebuchadnezzar’s Praise

³⁴ But at the end of those days, I, Nebuchadnezzar, looked up to heaven, and my sanity returned to me. Then I praised the Most High and honored and glorified him who lives forever:^(E)

³⁶ At that time my sanity returned to me, and my majesty and splendor returned to me for the glory of my kingdom. My advisers and my nobles sought me out, I was reestablished over my kingdom, and even more greatness came to me.^(J)

The Witnesses Resurrected

¹¹ But after three and a half days, the breath^[a] of life^(A) from God entered them, and they stood on their feet. Great fear fell on those who saw them. ¹² Then they heard^[b] a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here.” They went up to heaven in a cloud, while their enemies watched them.^{(B) 13} At that moment a violent earthquake took place,^(C) a tenth of the city fell, and seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake. The survivors were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven.

¹⁴ The second woe^(D) has passed. Take note: The third woe is coming soon!

The Seventh Trumpet

¹⁵ The seventh angel blew his trumpet,^(E) and there were loud voices in heaven saying,