Israel's Remnant Taunts Babylon

When the Lord has given you rest from your pain and turmoil and the hard service with which you were made to serve, you will take up this (A)taunt against the king of Babylon:

“How the oppressor has ceased,
    (B)the insolent fury[a] ceased!
The Lord has broken the (C)staff of the wicked,
    the (D)scepter of rulers,
(E)that struck the peoples in wrath
    with unceasing blows,
that ruled the nations in anger
    with unrelenting persecution.
The whole earth is at rest and quiet;
    (F)they break forth into singing.
(G)(H)The cypresses rejoice at you,
    (I)the cedars of Lebanon, saying,
‘Since you were laid low,
    no woodcutter comes up against us.’
Sheol beneath is stirred up
    to meet you when you come;
it rouses the shades to greet you,
    all who were leaders of the earth;
it raises from their thrones
    all who were kings of the nations.
10 (J)All of them will answer
    and say to you:
‘You too have become as weak as we!
    You have become like us!’
11 Your pomp is brought down to Sheol,
    the sound of your harps;
maggots are laid as a bed beneath you,
    and worms are your covers.

12 “How (K)you are fallen from heaven,
    O Day Star, (L)son of Dawn!
How you are cut down to the ground,
    you who laid the nations low!
13 You said in your heart,
    (M)‘I will ascend to heaven;
above the stars of God
    (N)I will set my throne on high;
I will sit on the mount of assembly
    in the far reaches of the north;[b]
14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds;
    I will make myself like the Most High.’
15 (O)But you are brought down to Sheol,
    to the far reaches of the pit.
16 Those who see you will stare at you
    and ponder over you:
‘Is this (P)the man who made the earth tremble,
    who shook kingdoms,
17 who made the world like a desert
    and overthrew its cities,
    (Q)who did not let his prisoners go home?’
18 All the kings of the nations lie in glory,
    each in his own tomb;[c]
19 but you are cast out, away from your grave,
    like a loathed branch,
(R)clothed with the slain, those pierced by the sword,
    who go down to the stones of the pit,
    like a dead body trampled underfoot.
20 You will not be joined with them in burial,
    because you have destroyed your land,
    you have slain your people.

“May (S)the offspring of evildoers
    nevermore be named!
21 Prepare slaughter for his sons
    (T)because of the guilt of their fathers,
lest they rise and possess the earth,
    and fill the face of the world with cities.”

22 “I will rise up against them,” declares the Lord of hosts, “and will cut off from Babylon name and (U)remnant, (V)descendants and posterity,” declares the Lord. 23 “And I will make it a possession of the (W)hedgehog,[d] and pools of water, and I will sweep it with the broom of destruction,” declares the Lord of hosts.

An Oracle Concerning Assyria

24 The Lord of hosts has sworn:
(X)“As I have planned,
    so shall it be,
and as I have purposed,
    so shall it stand,
25 that (Y)I will break the Assyrian in my land,
    and on my mountains trample him underfoot;
and (Z)his yoke shall depart from them,
    and (AA)his burden from their shoulder.”

26 This is the purpose that is purposed
    concerning the whole earth,
and this is (AB)the hand that is stretched out
    over all the nations.
27 (AC)For the Lord of hosts has purposed,
    and who will annul it?
(AD)His hand is stretched out,
    and who will turn it back?

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Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 14:4 Dead Sea Scroll (compare Septuagint, Syriac, Vulgate); the meaning of the word in the Masoretic Text is uncertain
  2. Isaiah 14:13 Or in the remote parts of Zaphon
  3. Isaiah 14:18 Hebrew house
  4. Isaiah 14:23 Possibly porcupine, or owl

On the day the Lord gives you relief(A) from your suffering and turmoil(B) and from the harsh labor forced on you,(C) you will take up this taunt(D) against the king of Babylon:(E)

How the oppressor(F) has come to an end!
    How his fury[a] has ended!
The Lord has broken the rod(G) of the wicked,(H)
    the scepter(I) of the rulers,
which in anger struck down peoples(J)
    with unceasing blows,
and in fury subdued(K) nations
    with relentless aggression.(L)
All the lands are at rest and at peace;(M)
    they break into singing.(N)
Even the junipers(O) and the cedars of Lebanon
    gloat over you and say,
“Now that you have been laid low,
    no one comes to cut us down.”(P)

The realm of the dead(Q) below is all astir
    to meet you at your coming;
it rouses the spirits of the departed(R) to greet you—
    all those who were leaders(S) in the world;
it makes them rise from their thrones—
    all those who were kings over the nations.(T)
10 They will all respond,
    they will say to you,
“You also have become weak, as we are;
    you have become like us.”(U)
11 All your pomp has been brought down to the grave,(V)
    along with the noise of your harps;(W)
maggots are spread out beneath you
    and worms(X) cover you.(Y)

12 How you have fallen(Z) from heaven,
    morning star,(AA) son of the dawn!
You have been cast down to the earth,
    you who once laid low the nations!(AB)
13 You said in your heart,
    “I will ascend(AC) to the heavens;
I will raise my throne(AD)
    above the stars of God;
I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly,(AE)
    on the utmost heights(AF) of Mount Zaphon.[b]
14 I will ascend above the tops of the clouds;(AG)
    I will make myself like the Most High.”(AH)
15 But you are brought down(AI) to the realm of the dead,(AJ)
    to the depths(AK) of the pit.(AL)

16 Those who see you stare at you,
    they ponder your fate:(AM)
“Is this the man who shook(AN) the earth
    and made kingdoms tremble,
17 the man who made the world a wilderness,(AO)
    who overthrew(AP) its cities
    and would not let his captives go home?”(AQ)

18 All the kings of the nations lie in state,
    each in his own tomb.(AR)
19 But you are cast out(AS) of your tomb
    like a rejected branch;
you are covered with the slain,(AT)
    with those pierced by the sword,(AU)
    those who descend to the stones of the pit.(AV)
Like a corpse trampled underfoot,
20     you will not join them in burial,(AW)
for you have destroyed your land
    and killed your people.

Let the offspring(AX) of the wicked(AY)
    never be mentioned(AZ) again.
21 Prepare a place to slaughter his children(BA)
    for the sins of their ancestors;(BB)
they are not to rise to inherit the land
    and cover the earth with their cities.

22 “I will rise up(BC) against them,”
    declares the Lord Almighty.
“I will wipe out Babylon’s name(BD) and survivors,
    her offspring and descendants,(BE)
declares the Lord.
23 “I will turn her into a place for owls(BF)
    and into swampland;
I will sweep her with the broom of destruction,(BG)
    declares the Lord Almighty.(BH)

24 The Lord Almighty has sworn,(BI)

“Surely, as I have planned,(BJ) so it will be,
    and as I have purposed, so it will happen.(BK)
25 I will crush the Assyrian(BL) in my land;
    on my mountains I will trample him down.
His yoke(BM) will be taken from my people,
    and his burden removed from their shoulders.(BN)

26 This is the plan(BO) determined for the whole world;
    this is the hand(BP) stretched out over all nations.
27 For the Lord Almighty has purposed,(BQ) and who can thwart him?
    His hand(BR) is stretched out, and who can turn it back?(BS)

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Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 14:4 Dead Sea Scrolls, Septuagint and Syriac; the meaning of the word in the Masoretic Text is uncertain.
  2. Isaiah 14:13 Or of the north; Zaphon was the most sacred mountain of the Canaanites.

The Twelve Apostles

13 (A)And he went up on the mountain and called to him those (B)whom he desired, and they came to him. 14 (C)And he appointed twelve (whom he also named apostles) so that they might be with him and he might send them out to preach 15 (D)and have authority to cast out demons. 16 He appointed the twelve: (E)Simon (to whom (F)he gave the name Peter); 17 (G)James the son of Zebedee and John the brother of James (to whom he gave the name Boanerges, that is, Sons of Thunder); 18 Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and (H)Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus, and Simon the Zealot,[a] 19 and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.

20 Then he went (I)home, and the crowd gathered again, (J)so that they could not even eat. 21 (K)And when (L)his family heard it, they went out to seize him, for they were saying, “He (M)is out of his mind.”

Blasphemy Against the Holy Spirit

22 And (N)the scribes who came down from Jerusalem were saying, (O)“He is possessed by Beelzebul,” and “by the prince of demons he casts out the demons.” 23 (P)And he called them to him and said to them in parables, “How can Satan cast out Satan? 24 If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. 25 And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand. 26 And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand, but is coming to an end. 27 But (Q)no one can enter a strong man's house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man. (R)Then indeed he may plunder his house.

28 (S)“Truly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the children of man, and whatever blasphemies they utter, 29 but whoever (T)blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin” 30 for they were saying, “He has an unclean spirit.”

Jesus' Mother and Brothers

31 (U)And his mother and his (V)brothers came, and standing outside they sent to him and called him. 32 And a crowd was sitting around him, and they said to him, “Your mother and your brothers[b] are outside, seeking you.” 33 And he answered them, “Who are my mother and my brothers?” 34 And (W)looking about at those who sat around him, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! 35 (X)For whoever (Y)does the will of God, he is my brother and sister and mother.”

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Footnotes

  1. Mark 3:18 Greek kananaios, meaning zealot
  2. Mark 3:32 Other manuscripts add and your sisters

Jesus Appoints the Twelve(A)

13 Jesus went up on a mountainside and called to him those he wanted, and they came to him.(B) 14 He appointed twelve[a](C) that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach 15 and to have authority to drive out demons.(D) 16 These are the twelve he appointed: Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter),(E) 17 James son of Zebedee and his brother John (to them he gave the name Boanerges, which means “sons of thunder”), 18 Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot 19 and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.

Jesus Accused by His Family and by Teachers of the Law(F)(G)

20 Then Jesus entered a house, and again a crowd gathered,(H) so that he and his disciples were not even able to eat.(I) 21 When his family[b] heard about this, they went to take charge of him, for they said, “He is out of his mind.”(J)

22 And the teachers of the law who came down from Jerusalem(K) said, “He is possessed by Beelzebul!(L) By the prince of demons he is driving out demons.”(M)

23 So Jesus called them over to him and began to speak to them in parables:(N) “How can Satan(O) drive out Satan? 24 If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. 25 If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand. 26 And if Satan opposes himself and is divided, he cannot stand; his end has come. 27 In fact, no one can enter a strong man’s house without first tying him up. Then he can plunder the strong man’s house.(P) 28 Truly I tell you, people can be forgiven all their sins and every slander they utter, 29 but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; they are guilty of an eternal sin.”(Q)

30 He said this because they were saying, “He has an impure spirit.”

31 Then Jesus’ mother and brothers arrived.(R) Standing outside, they sent someone in to call him. 32 A crowd was sitting around him, and they told him, “Your mother and brothers are outside looking for you.”

33 “Who are my mother and my brothers?” he asked.

34 Then he looked at those seated in a circle around him and said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! 35 Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.”

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Footnotes

  1. Mark 3:14 Some manuscripts twelve—designating them apostles—
  2. Mark 3:21 Or his associates

An Oracle Concerning Damascus

17 An (A)oracle concerning (B)Damascus.

Behold, Damascus will cease to be a city
    and will become a heap of ruins.
The cities of (C)Aroer are deserted;
    they will be for flocks,
    which will lie down, and (D)none will make them afraid.
The fortress will disappear from (E)Ephraim,
    and the kingdom from (F)Damascus;
and the remnant of Syria will be
    like (G)the glory of the children of Israel,
declares the Lord of hosts.

And in that day (H)the glory of Jacob will be brought low,
    and (I)the fat of his flesh will grow lean.
And it shall be (J)as when the reaper gathers standing grain
    and his arm harvests the ears,
and as when one gleans the ears of grain
    in (K)the Valley of Rephaim.
(L)Gleanings will be left in it,
    as when an olive tree is beaten—
two or three berries
    in the top of the highest bough,
four or five
    on the branches of a fruit tree,
declares the Lord God of Israel.

(M)In that day man will look to his Maker, and his eyes will look on the Holy One of Israel. (N)He will not look to the altars, the work of his hands, and he will not look on what his own fingers have made, either the (O)Asherim or the altars of incense.

(P)In that day their strong cities will be like the deserted places of the wooded heights and the hilltops, which they deserted because of the children of Israel, and there will be desolation.

10 For (Q)you have forgotten the God of your salvation
    and have not remembered the (R)Rock of your refuge;
therefore, though you plant pleasant plants
    and sow the vine-branch of a stranger,
11 though you make them grow[a] on the day that you plant them,
    and make them blossom in the morning that you sow,
yet the harvest will flee away[b]
    in a day of grief and incurable pain.

12 Ah, (S)the thunder of many peoples;
    they thunder like the thundering of the sea!
Ah, the roar of nations;
    they roar like the roaring of mighty waters!
13 (T)The nations roar like the roaring of many waters,
    (U)but he will rebuke them, and they will flee far away,
chased (V)like chaff on the mountains before the wind
    and (W)whirling dust before the storm.
14 (X)At evening time, behold, terror!
    Before morning, they are no more!
This is the portion of those who loot us,
    and the lot of those who plunder us.

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 17:11 Or though you carefully fence them
  2. Isaiah 17:11 Or will be a heap

A Prophecy Against Damascus

17 A prophecy(A) against Damascus:(B)

“See, Damascus will no longer be a city
    but will become a heap of ruins.(C)
The cities of Aroer(D) will be deserted
    and left to flocks,(E) which will lie down,(F)
    with no one to make them afraid.(G)
The fortified(H) city will disappear from Ephraim,
    and royal power from Damascus;
the remnant of Aram will be
    like the glory(I) of the Israelites,”(J)
declares the Lord Almighty.

“In that day(K) the glory(L) of Jacob will fade;
    the fat of his body will waste(M) away.
It will be as when reapers harvest the standing grain,
    gathering(N) the grain in their arms—
as when someone gleans heads of grain(O)
    in the Valley of Rephaim.(P)
Yet some gleanings will remain,(Q)
    as when an olive tree is beaten,(R)
leaving two or three olives on the topmost branches,
    four or five on the fruitful boughs,”
declares the Lord, the God of Israel.

In that day(S) people will look(T) to their Maker(U)
    and turn their eyes to the Holy One(V) of Israel.
They will not look to the altars,(W)
    the work of their hands,(X)
and they will have no regard for the Asherah poles[a](Y)
    and the incense altars their fingers(Z) have made.

In that day their strong cities, which they left because of the Israelites, will be like places abandoned to thickets and undergrowth.(AA) And all will be desolation.

10 You have forgotten(AB) God your Savior;(AC)
    you have not remembered the Rock,(AD) your fortress.(AE)
Therefore, though you set out the finest plants
    and plant imported vines,(AF)
11 though on the day you set them out, you make them grow,
    and on the morning(AG) when you plant them, you bring them to bud,
yet the harvest(AH) will be as nothing(AI)
    in the day of disease and incurable(AJ) pain.(AK)

12 Woe to the many nations that rage(AL)
    they rage like the raging sea!(AM)
Woe to the peoples who roar(AN)
    they roar like the roaring of great waters!(AO)
13 Although the peoples roar(AP) like the roar of surging waters,
    when he rebukes(AQ) them they flee(AR) far away,
driven before the wind like chaff(AS) on the hills,
    like tumbleweed before a gale.(AT)
14 In the evening, sudden(AU) terror!(AV)
    Before the morning, they are gone!(AW)
This is the portion of those who loot us,
    the lot of those who plunder us.

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 17:8 That is, wooden symbols of the goddess Asherah

The Angel and the Little Scroll

10 Then I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven, wrapped in a cloud, with (A)a rainbow over his head, and (B)his face was like the sun, and (C)his legs like pillars of fire. (D)He had a little scroll open in his hand. And he set his right foot on the sea, and his left foot on the land, and called out with a loud voice, (E)like a lion roaring. When he called out, the seven thunders sounded. And when the seven thunders had sounded, I was about to write, but I heard a voice from heaven saying, (F)“Seal up what the seven thunders have said, and do not write it down.” And the angel whom I saw standing on the sea and on the land (G)raised his right hand to heaven and swore by (H)him who lives forever and ever, (I)who created heaven and what is in it, the earth and what is in it, and the sea and what is in it, that there would be no more delay, but that (J)in the days of the trumpet call to be sounded by the seventh angel, the mystery of God would be fulfilled, (K)just as he announced to his servants the prophets.

Then the voice that I had heard from heaven spoke to me again, saying, “Go, take the scroll that is open in the hand of the angel who is standing on the sea and on the land.” So I went to the angel and told him to give me the little scroll. And he said to me, (L)“Take and (M)eat it; it will make your stomach bitter, but in your mouth it will be sweet as honey.” 10 And I took the little scroll from the hand of the angel and ate it. It was sweet as honey in my mouth, but when I had eaten it my stomach was made bitter. 11 And I was told, (N)“You must again prophesy about many peoples and nations and languages and kings.”

The Angel and the Little Scroll

10 Then I saw another mighty angel(A) coming down from heaven.(B) He was robed in a cloud, with a rainbow(C) above his head; his face was like the sun,(D) and his legs were like fiery pillars.(E) He was holding a little scroll,(F) which lay open in his hand. He planted his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land,(G) and he gave a loud shout like the roar of a lion.(H) When he shouted, the voices of the seven thunders(I) spoke. And when the seven thunders spoke, I was about to write;(J) but I heard a voice from heaven(K) say, “Seal up what the seven thunders have said and do not write it down.”(L)

Then the angel I had seen standing on the sea and on the land(M) raised his right hand to heaven.(N) And he swore(O) by him who lives for ever and ever,(P) who created the heavens and all that is in them, the earth and all that is in it, and the sea and all that is in it,(Q) and said, “There will be no more delay!(R) But in the days when the seventh angel is about to sound his trumpet,(S) the mystery(T) of God will be accomplished, just as he announced to his servants the prophets.”(U)

Then the voice that I had heard from heaven(V) spoke to me once more: “Go, take the scroll(W) that lies open in the hand of the angel who is standing on the sea and on the land.”

So I went to the angel and asked him to give me the little scroll. He said to me, “Take it and eat it. It will turn your stomach sour, but ‘in your mouth it will be as sweet as honey.’[a](X) 10 I took the little scroll from the angel’s hand and ate it. It tasted as sweet as honey in my mouth,(Y) but when I had eaten it, my stomach turned sour. 11 Then I was told, “You must prophesy(Z) again about many peoples, nations, languages and kings.”(AA)

Footnotes

  1. Revelation 10:9 Ezek. 3:3