Joel 2:1-3

New International Version

An Army of Locusts

2 Blow the trumpet^(A) in Zion;^(B)
sound the alarm on my holy hill.^(C)

Let all who live in the land tremble,
    for the day of the Lord^(D) is coming.
It is close at hand^(E)—
²    a day of darkness^(F) and gloom,^(G)
    a day of clouds^(H) and blackness.^(I)
Like dawn spreading across the mountains
    a large and mighty army^(J) comes,
such as never was in ancient times^(K)
    nor ever will be in ages to come.

³Before them fire^(L) devours,
    behind them a flame blazes.
Before them the land is like the garden of Eden,^(M)
    behind them, a desert waste^(N)—
    nothing escapes them.

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Joel 2:12-17

New International Version

Rend Your Heart

¹²“Even now,” declares the Lord,
“return^(A) to me with all your heart,^(B)
with fasting and weeping and mourning.”

¹³Rend your heart^(C)
    and not your garments.^(D)
Return^(E) to the Lord your God,
    for he is gracious and compassionate,^(F)
slow to anger and abounding in love,^(G)
    and he relents from sending calamity.^(H)
¹⁴Who knows? He may turn^(I) and relent^(J)
    and leave behind a blessing^(K)—
grain offerings and drink offerings^(L)
    for the Lord your God.

¹⁵Blow the trumpet^(M) in Zion,^(N)
    declare a holy fast,^(O)
    call a sacred assembly.^(P)
¹⁶Gather the people,
    consecrate^(Q) the assembly;
bring together the elders,^(R)
    gather the children,
    those nursing at the breast.
Let the bridegroom^(S) leave his room
    and the bride her chamber.
¹⁷Let the priests, who minister^(T) before the Lord,
    weep^(U) between the portico and the altar.^(V)
Let them say, “Spare your people, Lord.
    Do not make your inheritance an object of scorn,^(W)
    a byword^(X) among the nations.
Why should they say among the peoples,
    ‘Where is their God?^(Y)’”

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Joel 2:18

New International Version

The Lord’s Answer

¹⁸Then the Lord was jealous^(A) for his land
and took pity^(B) on his people.

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Joel 2:18 in all English translations

Joel 2:27-32

New International Version

²⁷Then you will know^(A) that I am in Israel,
that I am the Lord^(B) your God,
and that there is no other;
never again will my people be shamed.^(C)

The Day of the Lord

²⁸“And afterward,
    I will pour out my Spirit^(D) on all people.^(E)
Your sons and daughters will prophesy,^(F)
    your old men will dream dreams,^(G)
    your young men will see visions.
²⁹Even on my servants,^(H) both men and women,
    I will pour out my Spirit in those days.^(I)
³⁰I will show wonders in the heavens^(J)
    and on the earth,^(K)
    blood and fire and billows of smoke.
³¹The sun will be turned to darkness^(L)
    and the moon to blood
    before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord.^(M)
³²And everyone who calls
    on the name of the Lord^(N) will be saved;^(O)
for on Mount Zion^(P) and in Jerusalem
    there will be deliverance,^(Q)
    as the Lord has said,
even among the survivors^(R)
    whom the Lord calls.^[a]^(S)