Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
The Majesty of God in Judgment
To the Chief Musician. On [a]stringed instruments. A Psalm of Asaph. A Song.
76 In (A)Judah God is known;
His name is great in Israel.
2 In [b]Salem also is His tabernacle,
And His dwelling place in Zion.
3 There He broke the arrows of the bow,
The shield and sword of battle. Selah
4 You are more glorious and excellent
(B)Than the mountains of prey.
5 (C)The stouthearted were plundered;
(D)They [c]have sunk into their sleep;
And none of the mighty men have found the use of their hands.
6 (E)At Your rebuke, O God of Jacob,
Both the chariot and horse were cast into a dead sleep.
7 You, Yourself, are to be feared;
And (F)who may stand in Your presence
When once You are angry?
8 (G)You caused judgment to be heard from heaven;
(H)The earth feared and was still,
9 When God (I)arose to judgment,
To deliver all the oppressed of the earth. Selah
10 (J)Surely the wrath of man shall praise You;
With the remainder of wrath You shall gird Yourself.
19 “Then I wished to know the truth about the fourth beast, which was different from all the others, exceedingly dreadful, with its teeth of iron and its nails of bronze, which devoured, broke in pieces, and trampled the residue with its feet; 20 and the ten horns that were on its head, and the other horn which came up, before which three fell, namely, that horn which had eyes and a mouth which spoke [a]pompous words, whose appearance was greater than his fellows.
21 “I was watching; (A)and the same horn was making war against the saints, and prevailing against them, 22 until the Ancient of Days came, (B)and a judgment was made in favor of the saints of the Most High, and the time came for the saints to possess the kingdom.
23 “Thus he said:
‘The fourth beast shall be
(C)A fourth kingdom on earth,
Which shall be different from all other kingdoms,
And shall devour the whole earth,
Trample it and break it in pieces.
24 (D)The ten horns are ten kings
Who shall arise from this kingdom.
And another shall rise after them;
He shall be different from the first ones,
And shall subdue three kings.
25 (E)He shall speak pompous words against the Most High,
Shall (F)persecute[b] the saints of the Most High,
And shall (G)intend to change times and law.
Then (H)the saints shall be given into his hand
(I)For a time and times and half a time.
26 ‘But(J) the court shall be seated,
And they shall (K)take away his dominion,
To consume and destroy it forever.
27 Then the (L)kingdom and dominion,
And the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven,
Shall be given to the people, the saints of the Most High.
(M)His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
(N)And all dominions shall serve and obey Him.’
The Two Witnesses
11 Then I was given (A)a reed like a measuring rod. [a]And the angel stood, saying, (B)“Rise and measure the temple of God, the altar, and those who worship there. 2 But leave out (C)the court which is outside the temple, and do not measure it, (D)for it has been given to the Gentiles. And they will (E)tread the holy city underfoot for (F)forty-two months. 3 And I will give power to my two (G)witnesses, (H)and they will prophesy (I)one thousand two hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth.”
4 These are the (J)two olive trees and the two lampstands standing before the [b]God of the earth. 5 And if anyone wants to harm them, (K)fire proceeds from their mouth and devours their enemies. (L)And if anyone wants to harm them, he must be killed in this manner. 6 These (M)have power to shut heaven, so that no rain falls in the days of their prophecy; and they have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to strike the earth with all plagues, as often as they desire.
The Witnesses Killed
7 When they (N)finish their testimony, (O)the beast that ascends (P)out of the bottomless pit (Q)will make war against them, overcome them, and kill them. 8 And their dead bodies will lie in the street of (R)the great city which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, (S)where also [c]our Lord was crucified. 9 (T)Then those from the peoples, tribes, tongues, and nations [d]will see their dead bodies three-and-a-half days, (U)and not allow their dead bodies to be put into graves. 10 (V)And those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them, make merry, (W)and send gifts to one another, (X)because these two prophets tormented those who dwell on the earth.
The Witnesses Resurrected
11 (Y)Now after the three-and-a-half days (Z)the breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and great fear fell on those who saw them. 12 And [e]they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here.” (AA)And they ascended to heaven (AB)in a cloud, (AC)and their enemies saw them. 13 In the same hour (AD)there was a great earthquake, (AE)and a tenth of the city fell. In the earthquake seven thousand people were killed, and the rest were afraid (AF)and gave glory to the God of heaven.
14 (AG)The second woe is past. Behold, the third woe is coming quickly.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.