Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
To the Director: With stringed instruments. A psalm of Asaph. A song.
The Awesome God
76 God is known in Judah;
in Israel his reputation is great.
2 His abode is in Salem,[a]
his dwelling place in Zion.
3 There he shattered sharp arrows,
shields, swords, and weapons of[b] war.
4 You are enveloped by light;
more majestic than mountains filled with game.
5 Brave men were plundered
while they slumbered in their sleep.
All the men of the army were immobilized.
6 At the sound of your battle cry, God of Jacob,
both horse and chariot rider fell into deep sleep.
7 You are awesome!
who can stand in your presence when you’re angry?
8 From heaven you declared judgment.
The earth stands in awe and is quiet
9 when God arose to execute justice
and to deliver all the afflicted of the earth.
10 Even human anger praises you;
you will wear the survivors of your wrath as an ornament.[c]
19 “I wanted to learn the precise significance of the fourth animal that was different from all the others, extremely awe-inspiring, with iron teeth and bronze claws, and that had devoured and crushed things,[a] trampling under its feet whatever remained. 20 Also, I wanted to learn the significance of[b] the ten horns on its head and the other horn that had arisen, before which three of them had fallen—that is, the horn with eyes and a mouth that uttered magnificent things and which was greater in appearance than its fellows.
21 “As I continued to watch, that same horn waged war against the saints, and was prevailing against them 22 until the Ancient of Days arrived to pass judgment in favor of the saints of the Highest One and the time came for the saints to take possession of the kingdom. 23 So he said:
‘The fourth animal will be a fourth kingdom on the earth, different from all the kingdoms. It will devour the entire earth, trampling it down and crushing it. 24 Now as to the ten horns, ten kings will rise to power from this kingdom, and another king[c] will rise to power after them. He will be different from the previous kings,[d] and will defeat three kings. 25 He’ll speak out against the Most High and wear down the saints of the Highest One. He’ll attempt to alter times and laws, and they’ll be given into his control for a time, times, and half a time. 26 Nevertheless, the court will convene, and his authority will be removed, annulled, and destroyed forever. 27 Then the kingdom, authority, and magnificence of all nations of the earth[e] will be given to the people who are the saints of the Highest One. His kingdom will endure forever, and all authorities will serve him and obey him.’
The Vision of the Two Witnesses
11 Then I was given a stick like a measuring rod. I was told, “Stand up and measure the Temple of God and the altar, and count[a] those who worship there. 2 But don’t measure the courtyard outside the Temple. Leave that out, because it is given to the nations, and they will trample the Holy City[b] for 42 months. 3 I will give my two witnesses who wear sackcloth the authority to prophesy for 1,260 days.”
4 These witnesses[c] are the two olive trees and the two lamp stands standing in the presence of the Lord of the earth. 5 And if anyone should want to hurt them, fire comes out of their mouths and burns up their enemies. If anyone wants to hurt them, he must be killed in this manner. 6 These witnesses[d] have authority to close the heavens in order to keep rain from falling while they are[e] prophesying. They also have authority to turn bodies of water into blood and to strike the earth with any plague, as often as they desire.
7 When they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up from the bottomless pit[f] will wage war against them, conquer them, and kill them. 8 Their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city that is spiritually called Sodom and Egypt, where their Lord was crucified. 9 For three and a half days some members of the people, tribes, languages, and nations will look at their dead bodies and will not allow them to be placed in a tomb. 10 Those living on earth will gloat over them, celebrate, and send gifts to each other, because these two prophets had tormented those living on earth.
The Resurrection of the Witnesses
11 But after the three and a half days, the breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet. Those who watched them were terrified. 12 Then the witnesses[g] heard a loud voice from heaven calling to them, “Come up here!” So they went up to heaven in a cloud, and their enemies watched them. 13 At that moment a powerful earthquake struck. One-tenth of the city collapsed, 7,000 people were killed by the earthquake, and the rest were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven.
14 The second catastrophe is over. The third catastrophe is coming very soon.
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