Proclamation Against Ethiopia

The Parable of the Sower^(A)

4 And ^(B)again He began to teach by the sea. And a great multitude was gathered to Him, so that He got into a boat and sat in it on the sea; and the whole multitude was on the land facing the sea. ² Then He taught them many things by parables, ^(C)and said to them in His teaching:

³ “Listen! Behold, a sower went out to sow. ⁴ And it happened, as he sowed, that some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds ^[a]of the air came and devoured it. ⁵ Some fell on stony ground, where it did not have much earth; and immediately it sprang up because it had no depth of earth. ⁶ But when the sun was up it was scorched, and because it had no root it withered away. ⁷ And some seed fell among thorns; and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no ^[b]crop. ⁸ But other seed fell on good ground and yielded a crop that sprang up, increased and produced: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred.”

⁹ And He said ^[c]to them, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”

The Purpose of Parables^(D)

^10 (E)But when He was alone, those around Him with the twelve asked Him about the parable. ¹¹ And He said to them, “To you it has been given to ^(F)know the ^[d]mystery of the kingdom of God; but to ^(G)those who are outside, all things come in parables, ¹² so that

The Parable of the Sower Explained^(I)

¹³ And He said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables? ^14 (J)The sower sows the word. ¹⁵ And these are the ones by the wayside where the word is sown. When they hear, Satan comes immediately and takes away the word that was sown in their hearts. ¹⁶ These likewise are the ones sown on stony ground who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with gladness; ¹⁷ and they have no root in themselves, and so endure only for a time. Afterward, when tribulation or persecution arises for the word’s sake, immediately they stumble. ¹⁸ Now these are the ones sown among thorns; they are the ones who hear the word, ¹⁹ and the ^(K)cares of this world, ^(L)the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. ²⁰ But these are the ones sown on good ground, those who hear the word, ^[e]accept it, and bear ^(M)fruit: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred.”

Proclamation Against Egypt

19 The ^(A)burden^[a] against Egypt.

¹⁶ In that day Egypt will ^(Q)be like women, and will be afraid and fear because of the waving of the hand of the Lord of hosts, ^(R)which He waves over it. ¹⁷ And the land of Judah will be a terror to Egypt; everyone who makes mention of it will be afraid in himself, because of the counsel of the Lord of hosts which He has ^(S)determined against it.

The Two Witnesses

11 Then I was given ^(A)a reed like a measuring rod. ^[a]And the angel stood, saying, ^(B)“Rise and measure the temple of God, the altar, and those who worship there. ² But leave out ^(C)the court which is outside the temple, and do not measure it, ^(D)for it has been given to the Gentiles. And they will ^(E)tread the holy city underfoot for ^(F)forty-two months. ³ And I will give power to my two ^(G)witnesses, ^(H)and they will prophesy ^(I)one thousand two hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth.”

⁴ These are the ^(J)two olive trees and the two lampstands standing before the ^[b]God of the earth. ⁵ And if anyone wants to harm them, ^(K)fire proceeds from their mouth and devours their enemies. ^(L)And if anyone wants to harm them, he must be killed in this manner. ⁶ These ^(M)have power to shut heaven, so that no rain falls in the days of their prophecy; and they have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to strike the earth with all plagues, as often as they desire.

The Witnesses Killed

⁷ When they ^(N)finish their testimony, ^(O)the beast that ascends ^(P)out of the bottomless pit ^(Q)will make war against them, overcome them, and kill them. ⁸ And their dead bodies will lie in the street of ^(R)the great city which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, ^(S)where also ^[c]our Lord was crucified. ^9 (T)Then those from the peoples, tribes, tongues, and nations ^[d]will see their dead bodies three-and-a-half days, ^(U)and not allow their dead bodies to be put into graves. ^10 (V)And those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them, make merry, ^(W)and send gifts to one another, ^(X)because these two prophets tormented those who dwell on the earth.

The Witnesses Resurrected

^11 (Y)Now after the three-and-a-half days ^(Z)the breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and great fear fell on those who saw them. ¹² And ^[e]they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here.” ^(AA)And they ascended to heaven ^(AB)in a cloud, ^(AC)and their enemies saw them. ¹³ In the same hour ^(AD)there was a great earthquake, ^(AE)and a tenth of the city fell. In the earthquake seven thousand people were killed, and the rest were afraid ^(AF)and gave glory to the God of heaven.

^14 (AG)The second woe is past. Behold, the third woe is coming quickly.

Seventh Trumpet: The Kingdom Proclaimed

¹⁵ Then ^(AH)the seventh angel sounded: ^(AI)And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, ^(AJ)“The ^[f]kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, ^(AK)and He shall reign forever and ever!” ¹⁶ And ^(AL)the twenty-four elders who sat before God on their thrones fell on their faces and ^(AM)worshiped God, ¹⁷ saying:

¹⁹ Then ^(AR)the temple of God was opened in heaven, and the ark of ^[i]His covenant was seen in His temple. And ^(AS)there were lightnings, noises, thunderings, an earthquake, ^(AT)and great hail.