| International Standard Version | New Living Translation |
| 1"I will stand at my guard post and station myself on a tower. I will wait and see what the LORD will say about me and what I will answer when he reprimands me. " | 1I will climb up to my watchtower and stand at my guardpost. There I will wait to see what the LORD says and how he will answer my complaint. The LORD’s Second Reply |
| 2When he answered, the LORD told me: "Write out the revelation, engraving it clearly on the tablets, so that a courier may run with it. | 2Then the LORD said to me, “Write my answer plainly on tablets, so that a runner can carry the correct message to others. |
| 3For the revelation pertains to an appointed time— it speaks truthfully about the end. Though it delays, wait for it, because it will surely come about— it will not be late! | 3This vision is for a future time. It describes the end, and it will be fulfilled. If it seems slow in coming, wait patiently, for it will surely take place. It will not be delayed. |
| 4"Notice their arrogance— they have no inward uprightness — but the righteous will live by their faith. | 4“Look at the proud! They trust in themselves, and their lives are crooked. But the righteous will live by their faithfulness to God. |
| 5Moreover, just as wine leads astray the proud and powerful man, he remains restless; he has expanded his appetite— like the afterlife or death itself, he is never satisfied. He gathers to himself all of the nations, taking captive all of the people for himself." | 5Wealth is treacherous, and the arrogant are never at rest. They open their mouths as wide as the grave, and like death, they are never satisfied. In their greed they have gathered up many nations and swallowed many peoples. |
| 6"Will not all of these ridicule him with mocking scorn? They will say, 'Woe to the one who hordes for himself what isn't his. How long will you enrich yourself by extortion?' | 6“But soon their captives will taunt them. They will mock them, saying, ‘What sorrow awaits you thieves! Now you will get what you deserve! You’ve become rich by extortion, but how much longer can this go on?’ |
| 7Won't your creditors revolt unexpectedly? Won't those who make you tremble wake up? As a result, you'll become their prey! | 7Suddenly, your debtors will take action. They will turn on you and take all you have, while you stand trembling and helpless. |
| 8Because you plundered many nations, all of their remnants will plunder you. Human blood has been shed, and violence has been done to the land, to the city, and to all who live in it." | 8Because you have plundered many nations, now all the survivors will plunder you. You committed murder throughout the countryside and filled the towns with violence. |
| 9"Woe to the one who amasses profit upon unjust profit in order to establish his household, so he can establish a secure place on the heights and escape from the power of evil. | 9“What sorrow awaits you who build big houses with money gained dishonestly! You believe your wealth will buy security, putting your family’s nest beyond the reach of danger. |
| 10You have brought shame to yourself by killing many people— you are forfeiting your own life. | 10But by the murders you committed, you have shamed your name and forfeited your lives. |
| 11Indeed, the stone will cry out from the wall and the rafter will respond from the woodwork." | 11The very stones in the walls cry out against you, and the beams in the ceilings echo the complaint. |
| 12"Woe to the one who founds a city upon bloodshed, and constructs a city by lawlessness. | 12“What sorrow awaits you who build cities with money gained through murder and corruption! |
| 13Is it not because of the LORD of the Heavenly Armies that people grow tired putting out fires, and nations weary themselves over nothing? | 13Has not the LORD of Heaven’s Armies promised that the wealth of nations will turn to ashes? They work so hard, but all in vain! |
| 14Indeed, the earth will be filled with knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as water fills the sea." | 14For as the waters fill the sea, the earth will be filled with an awareness of the glory of the LORD. |
| 15"Woe to the one who supplies his neighbor with a drink! You are forcing your bottle on him, making him drunk so you can see them naked. | 15“What sorrow awaits you who make your neighbors drunk! You force your cup on them so you can gloat over their shameful nakedness. |
| 16You are filled with dishonor instead of glory. So go ahead, drink and be naked! The LORD will turn against you, and utter disgrace will debase your reputation. | 16But soon it will be your turn to be disgraced. Come, drink and be exposed! Drink from the cup of the LORD’s judgment, and all your glory will be turned to shame. |
| 17Indeed, the violence done to Lebanon will overtake you, and the destruction of the beasts will terrorize you— because you shed human blood and did violence to the land, to the city, and to all who live in it." | 17You cut down the forests of Lebanon. Now you will be cut down. You destroyed the wild animals, so now their terror will be yours. You committed murder throughout the countryside and filled the towns with violence. |
| 18"Where is the benefit in owning a carved image, that motivates its maker to carve it? It is only a cast image— a teacher that lies— because the engraver entrusts himself to his carving, crafting speechless idols. | 18“What good is an idol carved by man, or a cast image that deceives you? How foolish to trust in your own creation— a god that can’t even talk! |
| 19"Woe to the one who says to a tree, 'Wake up!' or 'Arise!' to a speechless stone. Idols like this can't teach, can they? Look, even though it is overlaid with gold and silver, there's no breath in it at all." | 19What sorrow awaits you who say to wooden idols, ‘Wake up and save us!’ To speechless stone images you say, ‘Rise up and teach us!’ Can an idol tell you what to do? They may be overlaid with gold and silver, but they are lifeless inside. |
| 20"The LORD is in his holy Temple. All the earth—be quiet in his presence." | 20But the LORD is in his holy Temple. Let all the earth be silent before him.” |
The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1 Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY. | Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. |
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