Micah 5:2-6:16

New International Version

²“But you, Bethlehem^(A) Ephrathah,^(B)
    though you are small among the clans^[a] of Judah,
out of you will come for me
    one who will be ruler^(C) over Israel,
whose origins are from of old,^(D)
    from ancient times.”^(E)

³Therefore Israel will be abandoned^(F)
until the time when she who is in labor bears a son,
and the rest of his brothers return
to join the Israelites.

⁴He will stand and shepherd his flock^(G)
    in the strength of the Lord,
    in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God.
And they will live securely, for then his greatness^(H)
    will reach to the ends of the earth.

⁵And he will be our peace^(I)
    when the Assyrians invade^(J) our land
    and march through our fortresses.
We will raise against them seven shepherds,
    even eight commanders,^(K)
⁶who will rule^[b] the land of Assyria with the sword,
    the land of Nimrod^(L) with drawn sword.^[c]^(M)
He will deliver us from the Assyrians
    when they invade our land
    and march across our borders.^(N)

⁷The remnant^(O) of Jacob will be
    in the midst of many peoples
like dew^(P) from the Lord,
    like showers on the grass,^(Q)
which do not wait for anyone
    or depend on man.
⁸The remnant of Jacob will be among the nations,
    in the midst of many peoples,
like a lion among the beasts of the forest,^(R)
    like a young lion among flocks of sheep,
which mauls and mangles^(S) as it goes,
    and no one can rescue.^(T)
⁹Your hand will be lifted up^(U) in triumph over your enemies,
    and all your foes will be destroyed.

¹⁰“In that day,” declares the Lord,

“I will destroy your horses from among you
    and demolish your chariots.^(V)
¹¹I will destroy the cities^(W) of your land
    and tear down all your strongholds.^(X)
¹²I will destroy your witchcraft
    and you will no longer cast spells.^(Y)
¹³I will destroy your idols^(Z)
    and your sacred stones from among you;^(AA)
you will no longer bow down
    to the work of your hands.^(AB)
¹⁴I will uproot from among you your Asherah poles^[d]^(AC)
    when I demolish your cities.
¹⁵I will take vengeance^(AD) in anger and wrath
    on the nations that have not obeyed me.”

The Lord’s Case Against Israel

6 Listen to what the Lord says:

“Stand up, plead my case before the mountains;^(AE)
let the hills hear what you have to say.

²“Hear,^(AF) you mountains, the Lord’s accusation;^(AG)
listen, you everlasting foundations of the earth.
For the Lord has a case^(AH) against his people;
he is lodging a charge^(AI) against Israel.

³“My people, what have I done to you?
    How have I burdened^(AJ) you?^(AK) Answer me.
⁴I brought you up out of Egypt^(AL)
    and redeemed you from the land of slavery.^(AM)
I sent Moses^(AN) to lead you,
    also Aaron^(AO) and Miriam.^(AP)
⁵My people, remember
    what Balak^(AQ) king of Moab plotted
    and what Balaam son of Beor answered.
Remember your journey from Shittim^(AR) to Gilgal,^(AS)
    that you may know the righteous acts^(AT) of the Lord.”

⁶With what shall I come before^(AU) the Lord
    and bow down before the exalted God?
Shall I come before him with burnt offerings,
    with calves a year old?^(AV)
⁷Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams,^(AW)
    with ten thousand rivers of olive oil?^(AX)
Shall I offer my firstborn^(AY) for my transgression,
    the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?^(AZ)
⁸He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.
    And what does the Lord require of you?
To act justly^(BA) and to love mercy
    and to walk humbly^[e]^(BB) with your God.^(BC)

Israel’s Guilt and Punishment

⁹Listen! The Lord is calling to the city—
    and to fear your name is wisdom—
    “Heed the rod^(BD) and the One who appointed it.^[f]
¹⁰Am I still to forget your ill-gotten treasures, you wicked house,
    and the short ephah,^[g] which is accursed?^(BE)
¹¹Shall I acquit someone with dishonest scales,^(BF)
    with a bag of false weights?^(BG)
¹²Your rich people are violent;^(BH)
    your inhabitants are liars^(BI)
    and their tongues speak deceitfully.^(BJ)
¹³Therefore, I have begun to destroy^(BK) you,
    to ruin^[h] you because of your sins.
¹⁴You will eat but not be satisfied;^(BL)
    your stomach will still be empty.^[i]
You will store up but save nothing,^(BM)
    because what you save^[j] I will give to the sword.
¹⁵You will plant but not harvest;^(BN)
    you will press olives but not use the oil,
    you will crush grapes but not drink the wine.^(BO)
¹⁶You have observed the statutes of Omri^(BP)
    and all the practices of Ahab’s^(BQ) house;
    you have followed their traditions.^(BR)
Therefore I will give you over to ruin^(BS)
    and your people to derision;
    you will bear the scorn^(BT) of the nations.^[k]”

Footnotes

Micah 5:2 Or rulers
Micah 5:6 Or crush
Micah 5:6 Or Nimrod in its gates
Micah 5:14 That is, wooden symbols of the goddess Asherah
Micah 6:8 Or prudently
Micah 6:9 The meaning of the Hebrew for this line is uncertain.
Micah 6:10 An ephah was a dry measure.
Micah 6:13 Or Therefore, I will make you ill and destroy you; / I will ruin
Micah 6:14 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.
Micah 6:14 Or You will press toward birth but not give birth, / and what you bring to birth
Micah 6:16 Septuagint; Hebrew scorn due my people

Revelation 18:11-24

New International Version

¹¹“The merchants^(A) of the earth will weep and mourn^(B) over her because no one buys their cargoes anymore^(C)— ¹²cargoes of gold, silver, precious stones and pearls; fine linen, purple, silk and scarlet cloth; every sort of citron wood, and articles of every kind made of ivory, costly wood, bronze, iron and marble;^(D) ¹³cargoes of cinnamon and spice, of incense, myrrh and frankincense, of wine and olive oil, of fine flour and wheat; cattle and sheep; horses and carriages; and human beings sold as slaves.^(E)

¹⁴“They will say, ‘The fruit you longed for is gone from you. All your luxury and splendor have vanished, never to be recovered.’ ¹⁵The merchants who sold these things and gained their wealth from her^(F) will stand far off,^(G) terrified at her torment. They will weep and mourn^(H) ¹⁶and cry out:

“‘Woe! Woe to you, great city,^(I)
dressed in fine linen, purple and scarlet,
and glittering with gold, precious stones and pearls!^(J)
¹⁷In one hour^(K) such great wealth has been brought to ruin!’^(L)

“Every sea captain, and all who travel by ship, the sailors, and all who earn their living from the sea,^(M) will stand far off.^(N) ¹⁸When they see the smoke of her burning,^(O) they will exclaim, ‘Was there ever a city like this great city^(P)?’^(Q) ¹⁹They will throw dust on their heads,^(R) and with weeping and mourning^(S) cry out:

“‘Woe! Woe to you, great city,^(T)
where all who had ships on the sea
became rich through her wealth!
In one hour she has been brought to ruin!’^(U)

²⁰“Rejoice over her, you heavens!^(V)
    Rejoice, you people of God!
    Rejoice, apostles and prophets!
For God has judged her
    with the judgment she imposed on you.”^(W)

The Finality of Babylon’s Doom

²¹Then a mighty angel^(X) picked up a boulder the size of a large millstone and threw it into the sea,^(Y) and said:

“With such violence
    the great city^(Z) of Babylon will be thrown down,
    never to be found again.
²²The music of harpists and musicians, pipers and trumpeters,
    will never be heard in you again.^(AA)
No worker of any trade
    will ever be found in you again.
The sound of a millstone
    will never be heard in you again.^(AB)
²³The light of a lamp
    will never shine in you again.
The voice of bridegroom and bride
    will never be heard in you again.^(AC)
Your merchants were the world’s important people.^(AD)
    By your magic spell^(AE) all the nations were led astray.
²⁴In her was found the blood of prophets and of God’s holy people,^(AF)
    of all who have been slaughtered on the earth.”^(AG)