Old/New Testament
11 “In the first year that Darius the Mede was king [C 539 bc; 5:31], I [C the unnamed angel speaking to Daniel; 10:5] stood up to support and strengthen him [C Michael, in his fight against the prince of Persia].
Kingdoms of the South and North
2 “Now then, Daniel, I tell you the truth: Three more kings will ·rule [L arise] in Persia, and then a fourth king will come. He will be much richer than all ·the kings of Persia before him [L of them] and will use his riches to get power [C perhaps Darius III, the last king of Persia]. He will stir up everyone against the kingdom of ·Greece [L Javan]. 3 Then a ·mighty [or warrior] king will ·come [L arise], who will rule with great power and will do anything he wants [C Alexander the Great, who defeats Persia]. 4 After that king ·has come [L arises], his kingdom will be broken up and divided out toward the four ·parts of the world [L winds of heaven]. His kingdom will not go to his ·descendants [posterity], and ·it will not have the power that he had [L not according to the dominion of his dominion], because his kingdom will be pulled up and given to other people [C Alexander’s kingdom was divided among his four most powerful generals, the Diadochoi].
5 “The king of the South [C Ptolemy I; the South is the Ptolemaic kingdom with its chief city in Alexandria, Egypt] will become strong, but one of his commanders will become even stronger [C Seleucus, the founding king of the Seleucid kingdom with its chief city in Antioch, Syria]. He will begin to rule his own kingdom with great power. 6 Then ·after a few [L at the end of] years, ·a new friendship will develop [they will enter an alliance]. The daughter of the king of the South will ·marry [L come to] the king of the North ·in order to bring peace [L to establish an agreement; C a marriage alliance between Berenice, daughter of the Ptolemaic king, and Antiochus II Theos of the Seleucid kingdom]. But she will not ·keep [retain] her power, and his ·family [L seed; or power] will not last. She, her husband, her child, and those who ·brought her to that country [supported her] will be ·killed [L given up; C they were poisoned in a political intrigue].
7 “But a ·person from her family [L branch of her roots] will ·become king of the South [L arise in his place] and will ·attack [L come against] the armies of the king of the North [C Ptolemy III waged war against Seleucus II]. He will go into that king’s ·strong, walled city [fortress] and will ·fight [act] and win. 8 He will take their gods, their metal idols, and their ·valuable [L favored; coveted; desired] things made of silver and gold back to Egypt as plunder. Then he will not bother the king of the North for a few years. 9 Next, ·the king of the North [L he] will ·attack [L come against] the king of the South, but he will ·be beaten back [return] to his own ·country [land; C the battles between the Seleucids and the Ptolemies would continue].
10 “His [C the king of the North] sons [C Seleucus III and Antiochus III the Great] will prepare for war. They will get a large ·army [multitude; horde] together that will move through the land, like a flood [C powerfully and quickly]. Later, that army will come back and fight all the way to the ·strong, walled city [fortress; C of the king of the South, Ptolemy IV; the fortress may refer to Gaza]. 11 Then the king of the South will become very angry and will march out to fight against the king of the North [C the battle of Raphia between Ptolemy IV and Antiochus III in 217 bc]. The king of the North will ·have [raise] a large ·army [multitude; horde], but he will ·lose the battle [L be delivered into his hand], 12 and the ·soldiers [multitude; horde] will be carried away. ·The king of the South will then be very proud [L His heart will be lifted up] and will ·kill [L fell] ·thousands of soldiers [L myriads; tens of thousands] from the northern army, but he will not ·continue to be successful [prevail; be victorious]. 13 The king of the North will gather another ·army [multitude; horde], larger than the first one. After ·several [a period of] years he will attack with a large ·army [force] and many ·weapons [or supplies].
14 “In those times many people will ·be [L rise up] against the king of the South. ·Some of your own people who love to fight [Wild/Violent men; L Sons who make breaches among your people; C Jewish men] will ·turn [L lift themselves up] against the king of the South, ·thinking it is time for God’s promises to come true [L to fulfill the vision]. But they will ·fail [stumble; falter]. 15 Then the king of the North will come. He will ·build [throw up] ·ramps to the tops of the city walls [siege engines] and will capture a ·strong, walled [fortified] city. The southern ·army [forces] will not ·have the power to fight back [endure; last]; even their best soldiers will not be strong enough to ·stop the northern army [endure; last]. 16 So the ·king of the North [L one who invades him] will do whatever he ·wants [pleases]; no one will be able to ·stand [endure; last] against him. He will gain power and control in the beautiful land [C of Judah; 8:9] and ·will have the power to destroy it [L all of it will be in his hand/power]. 17 The king of the North will ·decide [L set his face] to ·use [bring] all his power to fight against the king of the South, but he will make a peace agreement with the king of the South. The king of the North will give one of his daughters as a wife to the king of the South so that he can ·defeat [destroy] him [C Cleopatra was given to Ptolemy V in marriage to serve as a spy]. But those plans will not ·succeed [stand; endure; last] or help him [C Cleopatra changed loyalties]. 18 Then the king of the North will turn his attention to the coastlines [C cities along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea; Antiochus was able to take some cities in Asia Minor] and will capture ·them [L many]. But a commander [C the Roman consul Lucius Cornelius Scipio commanded him to cease warfare] will put an end to ·the pride of the king of the North [L his scorn], turning his ·pride [scorn] back on him. 19 After that happens the king of the North will go back to the ·strong, walled [fortified] cities of his own country, but he will ·lose his power [L stumble and fall]. ·That will be the end of him [L …and not be found; C Antiochus III died in 187 bc].
20 “·The next king of the North will send out a tax collector so he will have plenty of money [L Then one will arise in his place who will send out a tax collector/despot/oppressor for/or to enhance the splendor of the kingdom]. In ·a few years [L later/after days] that ruler will be ·killed [L broken], ·although he will not die in [L not by] anger or in a battle [C Seleucus IV died in mysterious circumstances, perhaps killed by his brother Antiochus IV also known as Epiphanes].
21 “·That ruler will be followed by [L Then one will arise in his place who is] ·a very cruel and hated man [L despised], who had not yet been given the honor of royalty [C Antiochus Epiphanes, who will be the focus of much of the rest of the chapter]. He will attack ·the kingdom when the people feel safe [without warning], and he will take power by ·lying to the people [intrigue]. 22 He will sweep away in defeat ·large and powerful [L floodlike] ·armies [forces] and even a prince who made an ·agreement [covenant; treaty]. 23 Many nations will make ·agreements [alliances] with ·that cruel and hated ruler [L him], but he will lie to them. He will gain much power, but only a few people will support him. 24 The richest ·areas [or people of a province] will feel safe, but ·that cruel and hated ruler [L he] will attack them. He will succeed where his ·ancestors [L fathers and father’s fathers] did not. He will ·rob the countries he defeats and will give those things to his followers [L scatter spoil, plunder, and goods to them]. He will plan ·to defeat and destroy strong cities [L against strongholds], ·but he will be successful for only a short time [L until a time].
25 “·That very cruel and hated ruler [L He] will have a large army that he will use to stir up his strength and ·courage [L heart]. He will attack the king of the South [C the Seleucid king Ptolemy VI]. The king of the South will gather a large and very powerful army and prepare for war. But ·the people who are against him will make secret plans, and the king of the South will be defeated [L he will not stand/endure because of the plans they planned against him]. 26 People who ·were supposed to be his good friends [L eat his royal rations; C Ptolemy VI’s advisors Eulaeus and Lenaeus] will try to ·destroy [L break] him. His army will be swept away in defeat; many ·of his soldiers will be killed in battle [L corpses will fall]. 27 Those two kings will ·want to hurt each other [L have their hearts/minds toward evil/harm]. They will sit at the same table and lie to each other, but it will not ·do either one any good [succeed], because ·God has set a time for their end to come [the appointed time of the end has been set]. 28 ·The king of the North [L He; C Antiochus] will go back to his own country with much wealth. Then he will decide to go against the holy ·agreement [covenant; treaty; C as Antiochus returned to Syria from Egypt, he took aggressive action against the Jews in Jerusalem]. He will take action and then return to his own country.
29 “At the ·right [appointed] time ·the king of the North [L he] will attack the king of the South again, but this time ·he will not be successful as he was before [L it will not be as before]. 30 Ships from ·the west [L Kittim; C Rome, which made Antiochus stand down from his attack on the South] will come and fight against ·the king of the North [L him], so he will be ·afraid [startled; or dismayed]. Then he will return and show his anger against the holy ·agreement [covenant; treaty]. He will be good to those who have ·stopped obeying [L abandoned; forsaken] the holy ·agreement [covenant; treaty; C the pro-Antiochus party among the Jewish people].
31 “·The king of the North will send his army [L Forces from him will arise] to ·make the Temple in Jerusalem unclean [L profane the Holy Place and fortress]. They will ·stop the people from offering [L turn aside] the ·daily [regular] sacrifice [8:12], and then they will set up a ·blasphemous object that brings destruction [L abomination of desolation; C a pagan object, perhaps a meteorite dedicated to Zeus, would be placed in the holy place; Matt. 24:15; Mark 13:14; also 1 Maccabees 1:44–47, 54 in the Apocrypha]. 32 ·The king of the North [L He] will tell lies and cause those who have ·not obeyed God [L transgressed the agreement/covenant/treaty] to ·be ruined [L become godless]. But those who know God and obey him will be strong and fight back.
33 “Those who are ·wise [L insightful among the people] will help ·the others [L many] understand what is happening. But they will ·be killed [L stumble] with swords, or ·burned [L with flame], or ·taken captive [L by exile], or ·robbed of their homes and possessions [L by spoil]. These things will continue for many days. 34 When ·the wise ones are suffering [L they stumble], they will get a little help, but many who join ·the wise ones [L them] will ·not help them in their time of need [L be insincere]. 35 Some of the ·wise [L insightful] ones will ·be killed [L stumble]. ·But the hard times must come so they can be made stronger and purer and without faults [L …in order to refine, to purify, and to cleanse them] until the time of the end comes. Then, at the right time, the end will come.
The King Who Praises Himself
36 “·The king of the North [L The king] will do whatever he ·wants [pleases; desires]. He will ·brag about [exalt] himself and praise himself and think he is even better than a god. He will say ·things [fantastic/horrendous things] against the God of gods that no one has ever heard. And he will be successful until ·all the bad things have happened [L rage is completed]. Then what ·God has planned to happen [L is determined] will happen. 37 ·The king of the North [L He] will ·not care about [pay no attention to] the gods ·his ancestors worshiped [L of his ancestors/fathers; C he replaced the worship of Apollos with that of Zeus] or the god ·that women worship [L desired/coveted/favored by women; C perhaps Adonis or Dionysius]. He won’t ·care about [pay attention to] any god. Instead, he will ·make himself more important than any god [L exalt himself above all]. 38 ·The king of the North [L He] will ·worship [glorify] ·power and strength [L a god of fortresses in his place], ·which his ancestors did not worship [L a god his ancestors/fathers did not know]. He will ·honor [glorify] the god of power with gold and silver, ·expensive jewels [precious stones] and ·gifts [L desired/coveted/favored things]. 39 That king will attack ·strong, walled cities [fortresses] with the help of a foreign god. He will give much ·honor [glory; or wealth] to the people who ·join [acknowledge; recognize] him, making them rulers in charge of many other people. And he will ·make them pay him for the land they rule [L distribute the land for a price].
40 “At the time of the end, the king of the South will ·fight a battle [L butt] against ·the king of the North [L him]. The king of the North will ·attack [L rush in on him] with chariots, soldiers on horses, and many large ships. He will invade many countries and sweep through their lands like a flood. 41 The king of the North will attack the beautiful land [C Judah; 8:9]. He will ·defeat many countries [L cause many to stumble], but Edom, Moab, and the ·leaders [L heads; or main part] of Ammon will be saved from ·him [L his hand]. 42 ·The king of the North [L He] will ·show his power in [L send his hand against] many countries; Egypt will not escape. 43 ·The king [L He] will ·get [L rule over the] treasures of gold and silver and all the riches of Egypt. The Libyan and ·Nubian [or Ethiopian; L Cushite] people will ·obey him [L follow in his tracks]. 44 But the king of the North will hear ·news [reports] from the east and the north that will make him ·afraid [terrified] and angry. He will go to [L devastate and] destroy completely many. 45 He will ·set up [pitch] his royal tents between the sea and the beautiful holy mountain [C Zion, the location of the Temple]. But, finally, his end will come, and no one will help him.
The Time of the End
12 “At that time Michael, the great prince [C angel] who ·protects [L stands by] your people [10:13, 21], will ·stand up [arise]. There will be a time of ·much trouble [distress], the worst time since nations have been on earth, but at that time your people will be ·saved [rescued]. ·Everyone whose name is written in God’s book will be saved [L All who are found written in the book; C of life; Ex. 32:32; Ps. 69:28; Rev. 20:12]. 2 Many people who ·have already died [L are sleeping in the land of the dust] will ·live again [L wake up]. Some will wake up to life forever, but some will wake up to ·shame [reproach] and ·disgrace [abhorrence] forever [Is. 26:19]. 3 The ·wise [insightful; 11:33, 35] people will shine like the ·brightness of the sky [firmament; dome; expanse; Gen. 1:6]. Those who teach ·others [L the many] ·to live right [righteousness] will shine like stars forever and ever.
4 “But you, Daniel, ·close up the book and seal it [L keep the words secret and seal the book]. ·These things will happen at the time of the end [L …until the time of the end]. Many people will go here and there to ·find true [L increase] knowledge [Amos 8:12].”
5 Then I, Daniel, looked, and saw two other men. One was standing on ·my side [one bank] of the river, and the other was standing on the ·far side [other bank]. 6 The man who was dressed in linen was standing ·over the water in the river [or upstream]. One of the two men spoke to him and asked, “How long will it be before these ·amazing things [wonders] come ·true [to an end]?”
7 The man dressed in linen, who stood ·over the water [or upstream], raised his ·hands [L right hand and his left; C a solemn vow] toward heaven. And I heard him swear by the ·name of God who lives forever [L life of the Eternal One], “It will be for ·three and one-half years [L a time; two times, and half]. The ·power [L hand] of the holy people will finally be ·broken [shattered], and then all these things will ·come true [be completed].”
8 I ·heard the answer [L listened], but I did not really understand, so I asked, “Master, what will ·happen after all these things come true [L be the outcome of these things]?”
9 He answered, “Go your way, Daniel. The ·message [L word] is ·closed up [secret] and sealed until the time of the end. 10 Many people will be made clean, pure, and ·spotless [refined], but the wicked will continue to be wicked. Those wicked people will not understand these things, but the ·wise [insightful] will understand them.
11 “The ·daily [regular] sacrifice [8:12] will be ·stopped [turned away]. Then, after 1,290 days from that time, ·a blasphemous object that brings destruction [L the abomination of desolation; 11:31] will be set up. 12 Those who wait for the end of the 1,335 days will be ·happy [blessed].
13 “As for you, Daniel, go your way until the end. You will get your rest, and at the end you will rise to receive your reward.”
1 From Jude [Mark 6:3; Acts 1:14], a ·servant [slave; bondservant] of Jesus ·Christ [the Messiah] and a brother of James [C the half-brother of Jesus; James 1:1].
To all who have been ·called [chosen] by God. God the Father loves you, and you have been kept safe ·in [or for; or by] Jesus Christ:
2 Mercy, peace, and love be yours ·richly [in abundance; more and more].
God Will Punish Sinners
3 ·Dear friends [Loved ones; Beloved], I ·wanted very much [or was making every effort; or was just about] to write you about ·the salvation we all share [our common salvation]. But I felt the need to write you about something else: I want to ·encourage [exhort; urge; appeal to] you to ·fight hard for [earnestly contend for; defend] the faith [C the authentic gospel message] that was ·given [handed down to; entrusted to] the ·holy people of God [T saints] once and for all time. 4 [L For] Some people have ·secretly entered [sneaked in; infiltrated; wormed their way into] your group [2 Pet. 2:1]. Long ago ·the prophets wrote about these people who will be judged guilty [their condemnation was written about/predetermined]. They are ·against God [ungodly] and have ·changed [perverted; distorted] the grace of our God [C with its freedom from legalistic rules] into ·a reason for sexual sin [L debauchery; licentiousness; immorality]. They also ·refuse to accept [deny; have turned against] our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.
5 I want to remind you of some things you already know ·well [fully]: Remember that the Lord[a] ·saved [rescued; delivered] his people by bringing them out of the land of Egypt. But later he destroyed all those who ·did not believe [were unfaithful]. 6 And remember the angels who did not keep their ·place of power [position of authority; L own domain/rule] but left their proper ·home [dwelling place]. The Lord has kept these angels in ·darkness [gloom; C the nether world or underworld; the place of the dead], bound with everlasting chains, to be judged on the great day [C the final day of judgment; 2 Pet. 2:4]. 7 Also remember the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah [C destroyed by God for their evil; Gen. 19; 2 Pet. 2:6] and the other towns around them. In the same way they were full of sexual sin and people who ·desired sexual relations that God does not allow [pursued sexual perversion; L departed after different flesh]. They suffer the punishment of eternal fire, as an ·example [warning] for all to see.
8 It is the same with these people [C the false teachers; v. 4]. They are guided by dreams ·and make themselves filthy with sin [and live immoral lives/pollute their bodies; or to defile the flesh]. They ·reject [despise] ·God’s authority [L authority] and ·speak against [insult; slander; blaspheme] ·the angels [celestial beings; L glorious ones; 2 Pet. 2:10–11]. 9 Not even the archangel Michael [C a leader among God’s angels; Dan. 10:13, 21; 12:1; Rev. 12:7], when he ·argued [contended] with the devil ·about who would have [L about] the body of Moses, dared to ·judge the devil guilty [L bring a slanderous/blasphemous judgment]. Instead, he said, “The Lord ·punish [rebuke] you [C probably a story told in the Testament of Moses, a Jewish writing of the early first century ad].” 10 But these people ·speak against [slander; blaspheme] things they do not understand [2 Pet. 2:12]. And what they do know, ·by feeling [instinctively], like ·dumb [unreasoning; irrational] animals, are the very things that destroy them. 11 ·It will be terrible for them [L Woe to them!]. They have followed the way of Cain [C who murdered his brother Abel; Gen. 4], and ·for money [because of greed; L for wages] they have ·given themselves [poured themselves out] to doing the ·wrong [error] that Balaam did [Num. 22—24; 2 Pet. 2:15–16]. ·They have rebelled against God as Korah did, and like Korah, they surely will be destroyed [L In the rebellion of Korah, they were destroyed; Num. 16]. 12 They are like ·dirty spots [blemishes; or dangerous hidden reefs/rocks] in your ·special Christian meals you share [fellowship meals; love feasts]. They eat with you and have no ·fear [qualms; or shame], ·caring only for themselves [or shepherds feeding themselves]. They are clouds without ·rain [L water], which the wind blows around [2 Pet. 2:17]. They are autumn trees without fruit that are ·pulled out of the ground [uprooted]. So they are twice dead [C because they are both barren and uprooted; or perhaps a reference to both the physical and spiritual death of the false teachers]. 13 They are like wild waves of the sea, ·tossing up their own shameful actions like foam [L foaming up their own shame]. They are like ·stars that wander in the sky [C perhaps a reference to planets, whose variable positions, unlike those of the stars, provide mariners no guidance]. A place in the ·blackest darkness [L gloom of darkness; v. 7] has been kept for them forever [2 Pet. 2:17].
14 Enoch, the seventh descendant from Adam [C counting Adam first; Gen. 5:18–24], ·said [L prophesied] about these people: “·Look [T Behold], the Lord is coming with many thousands of his ·holy angels [L holy ones] to 15 judge every person. He is coming to ·punish [convict] ·all [every person/soul] who are against God for all ·the evil they have done against him [L their ungodly deeds committed in an ungodly manner]. And he will punish the ·sinners who are against God [ungodly sinners] for all the ·evil [harsh/defiant words; insults] they have said against him.” [C Jude appears to be quoting here from the nonbiblical Jewish book of 1 Enoch (1:9), although he may be drawing generally from Jewish tradition.]
16 These people ·complain and blame others [are grumblers and fault-finders], ·doing the evil things they want to do [L pursuing their own desires/lusts]. ·They brag about themselves [L Their mouths speak boastful words], and they ·flatter [impress; astound] others ·to get what they want [to gain an advantage; L for the sake of gain].
A Warning and Things to Do
17 [L But you] ·Dear friends [Beloved], remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ ·said before [predicted; prophesied; foretold; 2 Pet. 3:2]. 18 [L For] They said to you, “In the ·last times [end time] there will be ·people who laugh about God [scoffers; mockers], ·following [pursuing] their own ·evil [ungodly] ·desires [passions; lusts; 2 Pet. 3:3].” 19 These are the people who ·divide you [cause divisions], people ·whose thoughts are only of this world [who are worldly; or who live by natural instincts/desires], who do not have the Spirit [C living within them and guiding them].
20 But [L you] ·dear friends [beloved], ·use your most holy faith to build yourselves up [or build yourselves up on the foundation of your most holy faith; C the whole body of true Christian doctrine and practice], praying ·in [in dependence on; or as directed by; or according to the will of] the Holy Spirit. 21 Keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of the Lord Jesus Christ ·to give you [that leads to] ·life forever [eternal life].
22 Show mercy to ·some people who have doubts [those who waver; C in their faith]. 23 ·Take others out of the fire, and save them [L Save/Rescue others by snatching them from the fire; C fire represents judgment]. Show mercy mixed with fear to others [C fear inspired by God’s righteous judgment against sin], hating even their clothes which are ·dirty from sin [L stained by the sinful nature/flesh].
Praise God
24 ·God is strong and can [L Now to the one who is able to] ·help you not to fall [keep/guard you from falling/stumbling]. ·He can bring you [L …and to present you] before his ·glory [glorious presence] ·without any wrong in you [faultless; blameless; spotless] and ·can give you great joy [with gladness/jubilation/rejoicing]. 25 To the only God, ·the One who saves us [L our Savior], be glory, ·greatness [majesty], ·power [might], and authority through Jesus Christ our Lord for all ·time past [the ages], now, and forever. Amen.
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