The Lord Redeems Israel
21 hRemember these things, O Jacob,
and Israel, for you are my servant;
I formed you; you are my servant;
O Israel, iyou will not be forgotten by me.
22 I have jblotted out your transgressions like a cloud
and your sins like mist;
return to me, for I have redeemed you.
23 kSing, O heavens, for the Lord has done it;
shout, O depths of the earth;
lbreak forth into singing, O mountains,
O forest, and every tree in it!
For the Lord mhas redeemed Jacob,
and will be glorified1 in Israel.
24 Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer,
who formed you from the womb:
“I am the Lord, who made all things,
who alone nstretched out the heavens,
who spread out the earth by myself,
25 who frustrates the signs of liars
and makes fools of diviners,
who turns wise men back
and omakes their knowledge foolish,
26 who confirms the word of his servant
and fulfills the counsel of his messengers,
who says of Jerusalem, ‘She shall be inhabited,’
and of the cities of Judah, ‘They shall be built,
and I will raise up their ruins’;
27 who says to the deep, ‘Be dry;
I will dry up your rivers’;
28 who says of pCyrus, ‘He is my shepherd,
and he shall fulfill all my purpose’;
saying of Jerusalem, ‘She shall be built,’
and of the temple, ‘Your foundation shall be laid.’”
Cyrus, God’s Instrument
1 Thus says the Lord to his anointed, to Cyrus,
whose right hand I have grasped,
to subdue nations before him
and to loose the belts of kings,
to open doors before him
that gates may not be closed:
2 “I will go before you
and qlevel the exalted places,2
I will rbreak in pieces the doors of bronze
and cut through the bars of iron,
3 I will give you the treasures of darkness
and the hoards in secret places,
that you may know that it is I, the Lord,
the God of Israel, who call you by your name.
4 For the sake of my servant Jacob,
and Israel my schosen,
I call you by your name,
I name you, though you do not know me.
5 I am the Lord, and there is no other,
besides me there is no God;
I equip you, though you do not know me,
6 that people may know, tfrom the rising of the sun
and from the west, that there is none besides me;
I am the Lord, and there is no other.
7 I form light and create darkness;
I make well-being and create calamity;
I am the Lord, who does all these things.
8 “Shower, O heavens, from above,
and let the clouds rain down righteousness;
let the earth open, that salvation and righteousness may bear fruit;
let the earth cause them both to sprout;
I the Lord have created it.
9 “Woe to him who strives with him who formed him,
a pot among earthen pots!
Does the uclay say to him who forms it, ‘What are you making?’
or ‘Your work has no handles’?
10 Woe to him who says to a father, ‘What are you begetting?’
or to a woman, ‘With what are you in labor?’”
11 Thus says the Lord,
the Holy One of Israel, and the one who formed him:
“Ask me of things to come;
will you command me concerning my vchildren and the work of my hands?3
12 I made the earth
and created man on it;
it was my hands that wstretched out the heavens,
and I commanded all their host.
13 I have xstirred him up in righteousness,
and I will make all his ways level;
he shall ybuild my city
and set my exiles free,
znot for price or reward,”
says the Lord of hosts.
20 “Assemble yourselves and come;
draw near together,
you survivors of the nations!
They have no knowledge
who icarry about their wooden idols,
and keep on jpraying to a god
that cannot save.
21 Declare and present your case;
let them take counsel together!
Who ktold this long ago?
Who declared it of old?
Was it not I, the Lord?
And there is no other god besides me,
a righteous God and a Savior;
there is none besides me.
22 “Turn to me and be saved,
all the ends of the earth!
For I am God, and there is no other.
23 lBy myself I have sworn;
mfrom my mouth has gone out in righteousness
a word that shall not return:
‘To me nevery knee shall bow,
every tongue shall swear allegiance.’1
24 “Only in the Lord, it shall be said of me,
are righteousness and strength;
to him shall come and be ashamed
oall who were incensed against him.
25 In the Lord all the offspring of Israel
shall be justified and shall glory.”
Daniel’s Terrifying Vision of a Man
1 In the third year of hCyrus king of Persia a word was revealed to Daniel, who was named Belteshazzar. And the word was itrue, and it was a great conflict.1 And he understood the word and had understanding of the vision.
2 In those days I, Daniel, was mourning for three weeks. 3 I ate no delicacies, no meat or wine entered my mouth, nor did I anoint myself at all, for the full three weeks. 4 On the twenty-fourth day of the first month, as I was standing on the bank of the great river (that is, the Tigris) 5 I lifted up my eyes and looked, and behold, a jman clothed in linen, kwith a belt of fine gold from lUphaz around his waist. 6 His body was like beryl, his face like the appearance of lightning, mhis eyes like flaming torches, his arms and legs like the gleam of nburnished bronze, and the sound of his words olike the sound of a multitude. 7 And I, Daniel, alone saw the vision, for the men who were with me did not see the vision, but a great trembling fell upon them, and they fled to hide themselves. 8 So I was left alone and saw this great vision, and no strength was left in me. pMy radiant appearance was fearfully changed,2 and I retained no strength. 9 Then I heard the sound of his words, and qas I heard the sound of his words, I fell on my face in deep sleep with my face to the ground.
10 And behold, a hand touched me and set me trembling on my hands and knees. 11 And he said to me, “O Daniel, man rgreatly loved, understand the words that I speak to you, and sstand upright, for now I have been sent to you.” And when he had spoken this word to me, I stood up trembling. 12 Then he said to me, “Fear not, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand and humbled yourself before your God, your words have been heard, and I have come because of your words. 13 The prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days, but tMichael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I was left there with the kings of Persia, 14 and came to make you understand what is to happen to your people in the latter days. uFor the vision is for days yet to come.”
15 When he had spoken to me according to these words, I turned my face toward the ground and was mute. 16 And behold, vone in the likeness of the children of man wtouched my lips. Then I opened my mouth and spoke. I said to him who stood before me, “O my lord, by reason of the vision pains have come upon me, and I retain no strength. 17 How can my lord’s servant talk with my lord? For now no strength remains in me, and no breath is left in me.”
18 Again one having the appearance of a man touched me and strengthened me. 19 And he said, “O man greatly loved, fear not, xpeace be with you; be strong and of good courage.” And as he spoke to me, I was strengthened and said, “Let my lord speak, for you have strengthened me.” 20 Then he said, “Do you know why I have come to you? But now I will return to fight against the prince of Persia; and when I go out, behold, the prince of yGreece will come. 21 But I will tell you what is inscribed in the book of ztruth: there is none who contends by my side against these except Michael, your prince.
The Kings of the South and the North
1 “And as for me, in the first year of aDarius the Mede, I stood up to confirm and strengthen him.
2 “And now I will show you the btruth. Behold, three more kings shall arise in cPersia, and a fourth shall be far richer than all of them. And when he has become strong through his riches, he shall stir up all against the kingdom of Greece. 3 Then a mighty king shall arise, who shall rule with great dominion and ddo as he wills. 4 And as soon as he has arisen, his kingdom shall be broken and edivided toward the ffour winds of heaven, but not to his posterity, nor according to the authority with which he ruled, for his kingdom shall be plucked up and go to others besides these.
5 “Then the king of the south shall be strong, but one of his princes shall be stronger than he and shall rule, and his authority shall be a great authority. 6 After some years they shall make an alliance, and the daughter of the king of the south shall come to the king of the north to make an agreement. But she shall not retain the strength of her arm, and he and his arm shall not endure, but she shall be given up, and her attendants, he who fathered her, and he who supported3 her in those times.
7 “And from a branch from her roots one shall arise in his place. He shall come against the army and enter the fortress of the king of the north, and he shall deal with them and shall prevail. 8 He shall also carry off to Egypt their gods with their metal images and their precious vessels of silver and gold, and for some years he shall refrain from attacking the king of the north. 9 Then the latter shall come into the realm of the king of the south but shall return to his own land.
10 “His sons shall wage war and assemble a multitude of great forces, which shall keep coming and overflow and pass through, and again shall carry the war as far as his fortress. 11 Then the king of the south, moved with rage, shall come out and fight against the king of the north. And he shall raise a great multitude, but it shall be given into his hand. 12 And when the multitude is taken away, his heart shall be exalted, and he shall cast down tens of thousands, but he shall not prevail. 13 For the king of the north shall again raise a multitude, greater than the first. And after some years4 he shall come on with a great army and abundant supplies.
14 “In those times many shall rise against the king of the south, and the violent among your own people shall lift themselves up in order to fulfill the vision, but they shall fail. 15 Then the king of the north shall come and throw up siegeworks and take a well-fortified city. And the forces of the south shall not stand, or even his best troops, for there shall be no strength to stand. 16 But he who comes against him shall gdo as he wills, and none shall stand before him. And he shall stand in the hglorious land, with destruction in his hand. 17 He shall set his face to come with the strength of his whole kingdom, and he shall bring terms of an agreement and perform them. He shall give him the daughter of women to destroy the kingdom,5 but it shall not stand or be to his advantage. 18 Afterward he shall turn his face to the coastlands and shall capture many of them, but a commander shall put an end to his insolence. Indeed,6 he shall turn his insolence back upon him. 19 Then he shall turn his face back toward the fortresses of his own land, but he shall stumble and fall, and shall not be found.
20 “Then shall arise in his place one who shall send an exactor of tribute for the glory of the kingdom. But within a few days he shall be broken, neither in anger nor in battle. 21 In his place shall arise a contemptible person to whom royal majesty has not been given. He shall come in without warning and obtain the kingdom by flatteries. 22 Armies shall be utterly swept away before him and broken, even the prince of the covenant. 23 And from the time that an alliance is made with him he shall act deceitfully, and he shall become strong with a small people. 24 Without warning he shall come into the richest parts7 of the province, and he shall do what neither his fathers nor his fathers’ fathers have done, scattering among them plunder, spoil, and goods. He shall devise plans against strongholds, but only for a time. 25 And he shall stir up his power and his heart against the king of the south with a great army. And the king of the south shall wage war with an exceedingly great and mighty army, but he shall not stand, for plots shall be devised against him. 26 Even those who eat his food shall break him. His army shall be swept away, and many shall fall down slain. 27 And as for the two kings, their hearts shall be bent on doing evil. They shall speak lies at the same table, but to no avail, for the iend is yet to be at the time appointed. 28 And he shall return to his land with great wealth, but his heart shall be set against the holy covenant. And he shall work his will and return to his own land.
29 “At the time appointed he shall return and come into the south, but it shall not be this time as it was before. 30 For ships of jKittim shall come against him, and he shall be afraid and withdraw, and shall turn back and be enraged and take action against the holy covenant. He shall turn back and pay attention to those who forsake the holy covenant. 31 Forces from him shall appear and profane the temple and fortress, and shall take away the kregular burnt offering. And they shall set up the labomination that makes desolate. 32 He shall seduce with flattery those who violate the covenant, but the people who mknow their God shall stand firm and take action. 33 And the nwise among the people shall make many understand, though for some days they shall stumble by sword and flame, by captivity and plunder. 34 When they stumble, they shall receive a little help. And many shall join themselves to them with flattery, 35 and some of the wise shall stumble, so that they may be orefined, purified, and pmade white, until the qtime of the end, for it still awaits the appointed time.
36 “And the king shall rdo as he wills. sHe shall exalt himself and magnify himself above every god, and shall tspeak astonishing things against the uGod of gods. He shall vprosper till the windignation is accomplished; for what is decreed shall be done. 37 He shall pay no attention to the gods of his fathers, or to the one beloved by women. He shall not pay attention to any other god, for he shall magnify himself above all. 38 He shall honor the god of fortresses instead of these. A god whom his fathers did not know he shall honor with gold and silver, with precious stones and costly gifts. 39 He shall deal with the strongest fortresses with the help of a foreign god. Those who acknowledge him he shall load with honor. He shall make them rulers over many and shall divide the land for a price.8
40 “At the xtime of the end, the king of the south shall attack9 him, but the king of the north shall rush upon him like a whirlwind, with chariots and horsemen, and with many ships. And he shall come into countries and shall overflow and pass through. 41 He shall come into the yglorious land. And tens of thousands shall fall, but these shall be delivered out of his hand: zEdom and Moab and the main part of the Ammonites. 42 He shall stretch out his hand against the countries, and the land of Egypt shall not escape. 43 He shall become ruler of the treasures of gold and of silver, and all the precious things of Egypt, and the Libyans and the Cushites shall follow in his train. 44 But news from the east and the north shall alarm him, and he shall go out with great fury to destroy and devote many to destruction. 45 And he shall pitch his palatial tents between the sea and the glorious aholy mountain. Yet he shall come to his end, with none to help him.
The Time of the End
1 “At that time shall arise bMichael, the great prince who has charge of your people. And there shall be a time of trouble, csuch as never has been since there was a nation till that time. But at that time your people shall be delivered, deveryone whose name shall be found written in the book. 2 And many of ethose who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, fsome to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. 3 And gthose who are wise hshall shine like the brightness of the sky above;10 and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever. 4 But you, Daniel, shut up the words and iseal the book, until the jtime of the end. Many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase.”
5 Then I, Daniel, looked, and behold, two others stood, one on this bank of the stream and one on that bank of the stream. 6 And someone said to the kman clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the stream,11 l“How long shall it be till the end of these wonders?” 7 And I heard the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the stream; mhe raised his right hand and his left hand toward heaven and swore by him who lives forever that it would be nfor a time, times, and half a time, and that when the shattering of the power of the holy people comes to an end all these things would be finished. 8 I heard, but oI did not understand. Then I said, “O my lord, what shall be the outcome of these things?” 9 He said, “Go your way, Daniel, for the words are shut up and sealed until the time of the end. 10 Many shall ppurify themselves and make themselves white and be refined, but qthe wicked shall act wickedly. And none of the wicked shall understand, but those who are wise shall understand. 11 And from the time that the rregular burnt offering is taken away and the sabomination that makes desolate is set up, there shall be 1,290 days. 12 Blessed is he who waits and arrives at the 1,335 days. 13 But go your way till the end. And you shall trest and shall stand in your allotted place at the end of the days.”
Israel Refined for God’s Glory
1 Hear this, O house of Jacob,
who are called by the name of Israel,
and who came from the waters of Judah,
who swear by the name of the Lord
and confess the God of Israel,
but not in truth or right.
2 For they call themselves after the holy city,
and stay themselves on the God of Israel;
kthe Lord of hosts is his name.
3 “The former things I ldeclared of old;
they went out from my mouth, and I announced them;
then suddenly I did them, and they came to pass.
4 Because I know that you are mobstinate,
and your neck is an iron sinew
and your forehead brass,
5 I declared them to you from of old,
before they came to pass I announced them to you,
lest you should say, ‘My idol did them,
my carved image and my metal image commanded them.’
6 “You have heard; now see all this;
and will you not declare it?
From this time forth I announce to you nnew things,
ohidden things that you have not known.
7 They are created now, not long ago;
before today you have never heard of them,
lest you should say, ‘Behold, I knew them.’
8 You have never heard, you have never known,
from of old your ear has not been opened.
For I knew that you would surely deal treacherously,
and that pfrom before birth you were called a rebel.
9 “For my name’s sake I defer my anger;
for the sake of my praise I restrain it for you,
that I may not cut you off.
10 Behold, I have qrefined you, but not as silver;
I have tried1 you in the furnace of affliction.
11 rFor my own sake, for my own sake, I do it,
for how should my name2 be profaned?
sMy glory I will not give to another.
The Lord’s Call to Israel
12 “Listen to me, O Jacob,
and Israel, whom I called!
and I am the last.
13 My hand vlaid the foundation of the earth,
and my right hand spread out the heavens;
when I call to them,
they stand forth together.
14 “Assemble, all of you, and listen!
Who among them has declared these things?
The Lord loves him;
he shall perform his purpose on Babylon,
and his arm shall be against the Chaldeans.
15 wI, even I, have spoken and called him;
I have brought him, and he will prosper in his way.
16 Draw near to me, hear this:
from the beginning I xhave not spoken in secret,
from the time it came to be I have been there.”
And now the Lord God has sent me, and his Spirit.
17 Thus says the Lord,
your yRedeemer, the Holy One of Israel:
“I am the Lord your God,
who teaches you to profit,
who leads you in the way you should go.
18 zOh that you had paid attention to my commandments!
Then your apeace would have been like a river,
and your righteousness like the waves of the sea;
19 byour offspring would have been like the sand,
and your descendants like its grains;
their name would never be cut off
or destroyed from before me.”
20 cGo out from Babylon, flee from Chaldea,
declare this with a shout of joy, proclaim it,
send it out to the end of the earth;
say, “The Lord dhas redeemed his servant Jacob!”
21 They did not thirst when he led them through the deserts;
ehe made water flow for them from the rock;
he split the rock and the water gushed out.
22 f“There is no peace,” says the Lord, “for the wicked.”
The Woman and the Dragon
1 And a great psign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. 2 She was pregnant and was crying out in birth pains and the agony of giving birth. 3 And another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great red qdragon, with rseven heads and sten horns, and on his heads seven diadems. 4 His tail swept down ta third of the stars of heaven and ucast them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she bore her child he might devour it. 5 She gave birth to a male child, one who is vto rule1 all the nations wwith a rod of iron, but her child was caught up to God and to his throne, 6 and the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, in which she is to be nourished for x1,260 days.
Satan Thrown Down to Earth
7 Now war arose in heaven, yMichael and his angels fighting against the dragon. And the dragon and his angels fought back, 8 but he was defeated, and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. 9 And the great dragon was zthrown down, athat ancient serpent, who is called the bdevil and Satan, the cdeceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. 10 And I heard a dloud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the eauthority of fhis Christ have come, for the gaccuser of our brothers2 has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God. 11 And they have hconquered him by the blood of the iLamb and by the word of their testimony, for jthey loved not their lives even kunto death. 12 Therefore, lrejoice, O heavens and you who dwell in them! But mwoe to you, O earth and sea, for the devil has come down to you in great wrath, because he knows that his time is short!”
13 And when the dragon saw that he had been thrown down to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child. 14 But the woman was given the two nwings of the great eagle so that she might fly from the serpent into the wilderness, to the place where she is to be nourished ofor a time, and times, and half a time. 15 The serpent poured water like a river out of his mouth after the woman, to sweep her away with a flood. 16 But the earth came to the help of the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed the river that the dragon had poured from his mouth. 17 Then the dragon became furious with the woman and went off to make war on the rest of her offspring, on pthose who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus. And he stood3 on the sand of the sea.
