Revelation 11–12; Proverbs 29

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Revelation 11–12

The Two Witnesses

Then I was given ma measuring rod like a staff, and I was told, Rise and measure the temple of God and the altar and those who worship there, but do not measure nthe court outside the temple; leave that out, for oit is given over to the nations, and they will trample the holy city for pforty-two months. And I will grant authority to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for p1,260 days, qclothed in sackcloth.

These are rthe two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth. And if anyone would harm them, sfire pours from their mouth and consumes their foes. If anyone would harm them, tthis is how he is doomed to be killed. They have the power uto shut the sky, that no rain may fall during the days of their prophesying, and they have power over the waters to turn them into blood and vto strike the earth with every kind of plague, as often as they desire. And when they have finished their testimony, wthe beast that rises from xthe bottomless pit1 ywill make war on them and conquer them and kill them, and their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city that symbolically2 is called zSodom and aEgypt, where their Lord was crucified. For three and a half days some from the peoples and tribes and languages and nations will gaze at their dead bodies and brefuse to let them be placed in a tomb, 10 and cthose who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them and make merry and dexchange presents, because these two prophets ehad been a torment to those who dwell on the earth. 11 But after the three and a half days fa breath of life from God entered them, and they stood up on their feet, and great fear fell on those who saw them. 12 Then they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, gCome up here! And hthey went up to heaven iin a cloud, and their enemies watched them. 13 And at that hour there was ja great earthquake, and ka tenth of the city fell. Seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake, and the rest were terrified and lgave glory to mthe God of heaven.

14 nThe second woe has passed; behold, the third woe is soon to come.

The Seventh Trumpet

15 Then othe seventh angel blew his trumpet, and pthere were loud voices in heaven, saying, qThe kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of rhis Christ, and she shall reign forever and ever. 16 And the twenty-four elders twho sit on their thrones before God ufell on their faces and worshiped God, 17 saying,

We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty,

vwho is and who was,

for you have taken your great power

and wbegun to reign.

18  The nations raged,

but xyour wrath came,

and ythe time for the dead to be judged,

and for rewarding your servants, the prophets and saints,

and zthose who fear your name,

both small and great,

and afor destroying the destroyers of the earth.

19 Then bGod’s temple in heaven was opened, and cthe ark of his covenant was seen within his temple. There were flashes of lightning, rumblings,3 peals of thunder, an earthquake, and dheavy hail.

The Woman and the Dragon

And a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman eclothed with fthe sun, with fthe moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. She was pregnant and gwas crying out in birth pains and the agony of giving birth. And another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great hred dragon, iwith seven heads and jten horns, and on his heads kseven diadems. His tail swept down la third of the stars of heaven and mcast them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she bore her child nhe might devour it. She gave birth to a male child, oone who is to rule4 all the nations with a rod of iron, but her child was pcaught up to God and to his throne, and the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, in which she is to be nourished for q1,260 days.

Satan Thrown Down to Earth

Now war arose in heaven, rMichael and shis angels fighting against the dragon. And the dragon and his angels fought back, but he was defeated, and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. And tthe great dragon was thrown down, uthat ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, vthe deceiver of the whole worldwhe was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. 10 And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, Now xthe salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers5 has been thrown down, ywho accuses them day and night before our God. 11 And zthey have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for athey loved not their lives beven unto death. 12 Therefore, crejoice, O heavens and you who dwell in them! But dwoe to you, O earth and sea, for the devil has come down to you in great wrath, because ehe knows that his time is short!

13 And when the dragon saw that he had been thrown down to the earth, he pursued fthe woman who had given birth to the male child. 14 But the woman was given the two gwings of the great eagle so that she might fly from the serpent hinto the wilderness, to the place where she is to be nourished ifor a time, and times, and half a time. 15 The serpent poured water jlike 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 kto make war on the rest of lher offspring, mon those who keep the commandments of God and hold to nthe testimony of Jesus. And he stood6 on the sand of the sea.


Proverbs 29

zHe who is often reproved, yet stiffens his neck,

will suddenly be abroken bbeyond healing.

When cthe righteous increase, the people rejoice,

but when dthe wicked rule, the people groan.

He who eloves wisdom makes his father glad,

but fa companion of prostitutes gsquanders his wealth.

By justice a king hbuilds up the land,

but he who exacts gifts1 tears it down.

iA man who flatters his neighbor

spreads ja net for his feet.

An evil man is kensnared in his transgression,

but a righteous man lsings and rejoices.

A righteous man mknows the rights of the poor;

a wicked man does not nunderstand such knowledge.

oScoffers set a city aflame,

but the wise turn away wrath.

If a wise man has an argument with a fool,

the fool only rages and laughs, and there is pno quiet.

10  Bloodthirsty men qhate one who is blameless

and seek the life of the upright.2

11  A fool gives full vent to his spirit,

but a wise man quietly holds it back.

12  If a ruler listens to falsehood,

all his officials will be wicked.

13  The poor man and the oppressor rmeet together;

the Lord sgives light to the eyes of both.

14  If a king tfaithfully judges the poor,

his throne will ube established forever.

15  vThe rod and reproof give wisdom,

but a child left to himself wbrings shame to his mother.

16  When the wicked increase, transgression increases,

but xthe righteous will look upon their downfall.

17  yDiscipline your son, and he will give you rest;

he will give delight to your heart.

18  Where zthere is no prophetic vision the people acast off restraint,3

but blessed is he who bkeeps the law.

19  By mere words a servant is not disciplined,

for though he understands, he will not respond.

20  Do you see a man who is hasty in his words?

cThere is more hope for a fool than for him.

21  Whoever pampers his servant from childhood

will in the end find him his heir.4

22  dA man of wrath stirs up strife,

and one given to anger causes much transgression.

23  eOne’s pride will bring him low,

fbut he who is lowly in spirit will obtain honor.

24  The partner of a thief ghates his own life;

hhe hears the curse, but discloses nothing.

25  iThe fear of man lays a snare,

but whoever trusts in the Lord is safe.

26  Many jseek the face of a ruler,

but it is from the Lord that a man kgets justice.

27  lAn unjust man is an abomination to the righteous,

but one whose way is straight is an abomination to the wicked.