Nahum 1-2

New International Version

1 A prophecy^(A) concerning Nineveh.^(B) The book of the vision^(C) of Nahum the Elkoshite.

The Lord’s Anger Against Nineveh

²The Lord is a jealous^(D) and avenging God;
    the Lord takes vengeance^(E) and is filled with wrath.
The Lord takes vengeance on his foes
    and vents his wrath against his enemies.^(F)
³The Lord is slow to anger^(G) but great in power;
    the Lord will not leave the guilty unpunished.^(H)
His way is in the whirlwind^(I) and the storm,^(J)
    and clouds^(K) are the dust of his feet.
⁴He rebukes^(L) the sea and dries it up;^(M)
    he makes all the rivers run dry.
Bashan and Carmel^(N) wither
    and the blossoms of Lebanon fade.
⁵The mountains quake^(O) before him
    and the hills melt away.^(P)
The earth trembles^(Q) at his presence,
    the world and all who live in it.^(R)
⁶Who can withstand^(S) his indignation?
    Who can endure^(T) his fierce anger?^(U)
His wrath is poured out like fire;^(V)
    the rocks are shattered^(W) before him.

⁷The Lord is good,^(X)
    a refuge in times of trouble.^(Y)
He cares for^(Z) those who trust in him,^(AA)
⁸    but with an overwhelming flood^(AB)
he will make an end of Nineveh;
    he will pursue his foes into the realm of darkness.

⁹Whatever they plot^(AC) against the Lord
    he will bring^[a] to an end;
    trouble will not come a second time.
¹⁰They will be entangled among thorns^(AD)
    and drunk^(AE) from their wine;
    they will be consumed like dry stubble.^[b]^(AF)
¹¹From you, Nineveh, has one come forth
    who plots evil against the Lord
    and devises wicked plans.

¹²This is what the Lord says:

“Although they have allies and are numerous,
    they will be destroyed^(AG) and pass away.
Although I have afflicted you, Judah,
    I will afflict you no more.^(AH)
¹³Now I will break their yoke^(AI) from your neck
    and tear your shackles away.”^(AJ)

¹⁴The Lord has given a command concerning you, Nineveh:
    “You will have no descendants to bear your name.^(AK)
I will destroy the images^(AL) and idols
    that are in the temple of your gods.
I will prepare your grave,^(AM)
    for you are vile.”

¹⁵Look, there on the mountains,
    the feet of one who brings good news,^(AN)
    who proclaims peace!^(AO)
Celebrate your festivals,^(AP) Judah,
    and fulfill your vows.
No more will the wicked invade you;^(AQ)
    they will be completely destroyed.^[c]

Nineveh to Fall

2 ^[d]An attacker^(AR) advances against you, Nineveh.
    Guard the fortress,
    watch the road,
    brace yourselves,
    marshal all your strength!

²The Lord will restore^(AS) the splendor^(AT) of Jacob
like the splendor of Israel,
though destroyers have laid them waste
and have ruined their vines.

³The shields of the soldiers are red;
    the warriors are clad in scarlet.^(AU)
The metal on the chariots flashes
    on the day they are made ready;
    the spears of juniper are brandished.^[e]
⁴The chariots^(AV) storm through the streets,
    rushing back and forth through the squares.
They look like flaming torches;
    they dart about like lightning.

⁵Nineveh summons her picked troops,
    yet they stumble^(AW) on their way.
They dash to the city wall;
    the protective shield is put in place.
⁶The river gates^(AX) are thrown open
    and the palace collapses.
⁷It is decreed^[f] that Nineveh
    be exiled and carried away.
Her female slaves moan^(AY) like doves
    and beat on their breasts.^(AZ)
⁸Nineveh is like a pool
    whose water is draining away.
“Stop! Stop!” they cry,
    but no one turns back.
⁹Plunder the silver!
    Plunder the gold!
The supply is endless,
    the wealth from all its treasures!
¹⁰She is pillaged, plundered, stripped!
    Hearts melt,^(BA) knees give way,
    bodies tremble, every face grows pale.^(BB)

¹¹Where now is the lions’ den,^(BC)
    the place where they fed their young,
where the lion and lioness went,
    and the cubs, with nothing to fear?
¹²The lion killed^(BD) enough for his cubs
    and strangled the prey for his mate,
filling his lairs^(BE) with the kill
    and his dens with the prey.^(BF)

¹³“I am against^(BG) you,”
    declares the Lord Almighty.
“I will burn up your chariots in smoke,^(BH)
    and the sword^(BI) will devour your young lions.
    I will leave you no prey on the earth.
The voices of your messengers
    will no longer be heard.”^(BJ)

Footnotes

Nahum 1:9 Or What do you foes plot against the Lord? / He will bring it
Nahum 1:10 The meaning of the Hebrew for this verse is uncertain.
Nahum 1:15 In Hebrew texts this verse (1:15) is numbered 2:1.
Nahum 2:1 In Hebrew texts 2:1-13 is numbered 2:2-14.
Nahum 2:3 Hebrew; Septuagint and Syriac ready; / the horsemen rush to and fro.
Nahum 2:7 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.

Zephaniah 2:13-15

New International Version

Assyria

¹³He will stretch out his hand against the north
    and destroy Assyria,^(A)
leaving Nineveh^(B) utterly desolate
    and dry as the desert.^(C)
¹⁴Flocks and herds^(D) will lie down there,
    creatures of every kind.
The desert owl^(E) and the screech owl^(F)
    will roost on her columns.
Their hooting will echo through the windows,
    rubble will fill the doorways,
    the beams of cedar will be exposed.
¹⁵This is the city of revelry^(G)
    that lived in safety.^(H)
She said to herself,
    “I am the one! And there is none besides me.”^(I)
What a ruin she has become,
    a lair for wild beasts!^(J)
All who pass by her scoff^(K)
    and shake their fists.^(L)

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2 Peter 3

New International Version

The Day of the Lord

3 Dear friends,^(A) this is now my second letter to you. I have written both of them as reminders^(B) to stimulate you to wholesome thinking. ²I want you to recall the words spoken in the past by the holy prophets^(C) and the command given by our Lord and Savior through your apostles.^(D)

³Above all, you must understand that in the last days^(E) scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires.^(F) ⁴They will say, “Where is this ‘coming’ he promised?^(G) Ever since our ancestors died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.”^(H) ⁵But they deliberately forget that long ago by God’s word^(I) the heavens came into being and the earth was formed out of water and by water.^(J) ⁶By these waters also the world of that time^(K) was deluged and destroyed.^(L) ⁷By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire,^(M) being kept for the day of judgment^(N) and destruction of the ungodly.

⁸But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.^(O) ⁹The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise,^(P) as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient^(Q) with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.^(R)

¹⁰But the day of the Lord will come like a thief.^(S) The heavens will disappear with a roar;^(T) the elements will be destroyed by fire,^(U) and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare.^[a]^(V)

¹¹Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives ¹²as you look forward^(W) to the day of God and speed its coming.^[b]^(X) That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat.^(Y) ¹³But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth,^(Z) where righteousness dwells.

¹⁴So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless^(AA) and at peace with him. ¹⁵Bear in mind that our Lord’s patience^(AB) means salvation,^(AC) just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him.^(AD) ¹⁶He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable^(AE) people distort,^(AF) as they do the other Scriptures,^(AG) to their own destruction.

¹⁷Therefore, dear friends, since you have been forewarned, be on your guard^(AH) so that you may not be carried away by the error^(AI) of the lawless^(AJ) and fall from your secure position.^(AK) ¹⁸But grow in the grace^(AL) and knowledge^(AM) of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.^(AN) To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.^(AO)