The Lord’s Great Victory Over the Nations

38 The word of the Lord came to me: ² “Son of man, set your face against Gog,^(A) of the land of Magog,^(B) the chief prince of^[a] Meshek and Tubal;^(C) prophesy against him ³ and say: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am against you, Gog, chief prince of^[b] Meshek and Tubal.^{(D) 4} I will turn you around, put hooks^(E) in your jaws and bring you out with your whole army—your horses, your horsemen fully armed, and a great horde with large and small shields, all of them brandishing their swords.^{(F) 5} Persia, Cush^[c](G) and Put^(H) will be with them, all with shields and helmets, ⁶ also Gomer^(I) with all its troops, and Beth Togarmah^(J) from the far north^(K) with all its troops—the many nations with you.

⁷ “‘Get ready; be prepared,^(L) you and all the hordes gathered about you, and take command of them. ⁸ After many days^(M) you will be called to arms. In future years you will invade a land that has recovered from war, whose people were gathered from many nations^(N) to the mountains of Israel, which had long been desolate. They had been brought out from the nations, and now all of them live in safety.^{(O) 9} You and all your troops and the many nations with you will go up, advancing like a storm;^(P) you will be like a cloud^(Q) covering the land.^(R)

¹⁰ “‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: On that day thoughts will come into your mind^(S) and you will devise an evil scheme.^{(T) 11} You will say, “I will invade a land of unwalled villages; I will attack a peaceful and unsuspecting people^(U)—all of them living without walls and without gates and bars.^{(V) 12} I will plunder and loot and turn my hand against the resettled ruins and the people gathered from the nations, rich in livestock and goods, living at the center of the land.^[d]” ¹³ Sheba^(W) and Dedan^(X) and the merchants of Tarshish^(Y) and all her villages^[e] will say to you, “Have you come to plunder? Have you gathered your hordes to loot, to carry off silver and gold, to take away livestock and goods and to seize much plunder?^(Z)”’

¹⁴ “Therefore, son of man, prophesy and say to Gog: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: In that day, when my people Israel are living in safety,^(AA) will you not take notice of it? ¹⁵ You will come from your place in the far north,^(AB) you and many nations with you, all of them riding on horses, a great horde, a mighty army.^{(AC) 16} You will advance against my people Israel like a cloud^(AD) that covers the land.^(AE) In days to come, Gog, I will bring you against my land, so that the nations may know me when I am proved holy^(AF) through you before their eyes.^(AG)

¹⁷ “‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: You are the one I spoke of in former days by my servants the prophets of Israel. At that time they prophesied for years that I would bring you against them. ¹⁸ This is what will happen in that day: When Gog attacks the land of Israel, my hot anger will be aroused, declares the Sovereign Lord. ¹⁹ In my zeal and fiery wrath I declare that at that time there shall be a great earthquake^(AH) in the land of Israel.^{(AI) 20} The fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, the beasts of the field, every creature that moves along the ground, and all the people on the face of the earth will tremble^(AJ) at my presence. The mountains will be overturned,^(AK) the cliffs will crumble^(AL) and every wall will fall to the ground.^{(AM) 21} I will summon a sword^(AN) against Gog on all my mountains, declares the Sovereign Lord. Every man’s sword will be against his brother.^{(AO) 22} I will execute judgment^(AP) on him with plague and bloodshed;^(AQ) I will pour down torrents of rain, hailstones^(AR) and burning sulfur^(AS) on him and on his troops and on the many nations with him.^{(AT) 23} And so I will show my greatness and my holiness, and I will make myself known in the sight of many nations. Then they will know that I am the Lord.^(AU)’

39 “Son of man, prophesy against Gog^(A) and say: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am against you, Gog, chief prince of^[a] Meshek^(B) and Tubal.^{(C) 2} I will turn you around and drag you along. I will bring you from the far north^(D) and send you against the mountains of Israel.^{(E) 3} Then I will strike your bow^(F) from your left hand and make your arrows^(G) drop from your right hand. ⁴ On the mountains of Israel you will fall, you and all your troops and the nations with you. I will give you as food to all kinds of carrion birds^(H) and to the wild animals.^{(I) 5} You will fall in the open field, for I have spoken, declares the Sovereign Lord.^{(J) 6} I will send fire^(K) on Magog^(L) and on those who live in safety in the coastlands,^(M) and they will know^(N) that I am the Lord.

⁷ “‘I will make known my holy name among my people Israel. I will no longer let my holy name be profaned,^(O) and the nations will know^(P) that I the Lord am the Holy One in Israel.^{(Q) 8} It is coming! It will surely take place, declares the Sovereign Lord. This is the day^(R) I have spoken of.

⁹ “‘Then those who live in the towns of Israel will go out and use the weapons for fuel and burn them up—the small and large shields, the bows and arrows,^(S) the war clubs and spears. For seven years they will use them for fuel.^{(T) 10} They will not need to gather wood from the fields or cut it from the forests, because they will use the weapons for fuel. And they will plunder^(U) those who plundered them and loot those who looted them, declares the Sovereign Lord.^(V)

¹¹ “‘On that day I will give Gog a burial place in Israel, in the valley of those who travel east of the Sea. It will block the way of travelers, because Gog and all his hordes will be buried^(W) there. So it will be called the Valley of Hamon Gog.^[b](X)

¹² “‘For seven months the Israelites will be burying them in order to cleanse the land.^{(Y) 13} All the people of the land will bury them, and the day I display my glory^(Z) will be a memorable day for them, declares the Sovereign Lord. ¹⁴ People will be continually employed in cleansing the land. They will spread out across the land and, along with others, they will bury any bodies that are lying on the ground.

“‘After the seven months they will carry out a more detailed search. ¹⁵ As they go through the land, anyone who sees a human bone will leave a marker beside it until the gravediggers bury it in the Valley of Hamon Gog, ¹⁶ near a town called Hamonah.^[c] And so they will cleanse the land.’

¹⁷ “Son of man, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: Call out to every kind of bird^(AA) and all the wild animals: ‘Assemble and come together from all around to the sacrifice I am preparing for you, the great sacrifice on the mountains of Israel. There you will eat flesh and drink blood.^{(AB) 18} You will eat the flesh of mighty men and drink the blood of the princes of the earth as if they were rams and lambs, goats and bulls—all of them fattened animals from Bashan.^{(AC) 19} At the sacrifice^(AD) I am preparing for you, you will eat fat till you are glutted and drink blood till you are drunk. ²⁰ At my table you will eat your fill of horses and riders, mighty men and soldiers of every kind,’ declares the Sovereign Lord.^(AE)

²¹ “I will display my glory among the nations, and all the nations will see the punishment I inflict and the hand I lay on them.^{(AF) 22} From that day forward the people of Israel will know that I am the Lord their God. ²³ And the nations will know that the people of Israel went into exile for their sin, because they were unfaithful to me. So I hid my face from them and handed them over to their enemies, and they all fell by the sword.^{(AG) 24} I dealt with them according to their uncleanness and their offenses, and I hid my face from them.^(AH)

²⁵ “Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will now restore the fortunes of Jacob^[d](AI) and will have compassion^(AJ) on all the people of Israel, and I will be zealous for my holy name.^{(AK) 26} They will forget their shame and all the unfaithfulness they showed toward me when they lived in safety^(AL) in their land with no one to make them afraid.^{(AM) 27} When I have brought them back from the nations and have gathered them from the countries of their enemies, I will be proved holy through them in the sight of many nations.^{(AN) 28} Then they will know that I am the Lord their God, for though I sent them into exile among the nations, I will gather them^(AO) to their own land, not leaving any behind.^{(AP) 29} I will no longer hide my face^(AQ) from them, for I will pour out my Spirit^(AR) on the people of Israel, declares the Sovereign Lord.^(AS)”

The Destruction of the Temple and Signs of the End Times^(A)

13 As Jesus was leaving the temple, one of his disciples said to him, “Look, Teacher! What massive stones! What magnificent buildings!”

² “Do you see all these great buildings?” replied Jesus. “Not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.”^(B)

³ As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives^(C) opposite the temple, Peter, James, John^(D) and Andrew asked him privately, ⁴ “Tell us, when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are all about to be fulfilled?”

⁵ Jesus said to them: “Watch out that no one deceives you.^{(E) 6} Many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am he,’ and will deceive many. ⁷ When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. ⁸ Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places, and famines. These are the beginning of birth pains.

⁹ “You must be on your guard. You will be handed over to the local councils and flogged in the synagogues.^(F) On account of me you will stand before governors and kings as witnesses to them. ¹⁰ And the gospel must first be preached to all nations. ¹¹ Whenever you are arrested and brought to trial, do not worry beforehand about what to say. Just say whatever is given you at the time, for it is not you speaking, but the Holy Spirit.^(G)

¹² “Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child. Children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death.^{(H) 13} Everyone will hate you because of me,^(I) but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.^(J)

¹⁴ “When you see ‘the abomination that causes desolation’^[a](K) standing where it^[b] does not belong—let the reader understand—then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. ¹⁵ Let no one on the housetop go down or enter the house to take anything out. ¹⁶ Let no one in the field go back to get their cloak. ¹⁷ How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers!^{(L) 18} Pray that this will not take place in winter, ¹⁹ because those will be days of distress unequaled from the beginning, when God created the world,^(M) until now—and never to be equaled again.^(N)

²⁰ “If the Lord had not cut short those days, no one would survive. But for the sake of the elect, whom he has chosen, he has shortened them. ²¹ At that time if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Messiah!’ or, ‘Look, there he is!’ do not believe it.^{(O) 22} For false messiahs and false prophets^(P) will appear and perform signs and wonders^(Q) to deceive, if possible, even the elect. ²³ So be on your guard;^(R) I have told you everything ahead of time.

²⁴ “But in those days, following that distress,

²⁶ “At that time people will see the Son of Man coming in clouds^(T) with great power and glory. ²⁷ And he will send his angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of the heavens.^(U)

²⁸ “Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. ²⁹ Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that it^[d] is near, right at the door. ³⁰ Truly I tell you, this generation^(V) will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened.^{(W) 31} Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.^(X)

The Day and Hour Unknown

³² “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.^{(Y) 33} Be on guard! Be alert^[e]!^(Z) You do not know when that time will come. ³⁴ It’s like a man going away: He leaves his house and puts his servants^(AA) in charge, each with their assigned task, and tells the one at the door to keep watch.

³⁵ “Therefore keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back—whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or at dawn. ³⁶ If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping. ³⁷ What I say to you, I say to everyone: ‘Watch!’”^(AB)

The Thousand Years

20 And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven,^(A) having the key^(B) to the Abyss^(C) and holding in his hand a great chain. ² He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan,^(D) and bound him for a thousand years.^{(E) 3} He threw him into the Abyss,^(F) and locked and sealed^(G) it over him, to keep him from deceiving the nations^(H) anymore until the thousand years were ended. After that, he must be set free for a short time.

⁴ I saw thrones^(I) on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge.^(J) And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded^(K) because of their testimony about Jesus^(L) and because of the word of God.^(M) They^[a] had not worshiped the beast^(N) or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands.^(O) They came to life and reigned^(P) with Christ a thousand years. ⁵ (The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended.) This is the first resurrection.^{(Q) 6} Blessed^(R) and holy are those who share in the first resurrection. The second death^(S) has no power over them, but they will be priests^(T) of God and of Christ and will reign with him^(U) for a thousand years.

The Judgment of Satan

⁷ When the thousand years are over,^(V) Satan will be released from his prison ⁸ and will go out to deceive the nations^(W) in the four corners of the earth^(X)—Gog and Magog^(Y)—and to gather them for battle.^(Z) In number they are like the sand on the seashore.^{(AA) 9} They marched across the breadth of the earth and surrounded^(AB) the camp of God’s people, the city he loves.^(AC) But fire came down from heaven^(AD) and devoured them. ¹⁰ And the devil, who deceived them,^(AE) was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur,^(AF) where the beast^(AG) and the false prophet^(AH) had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.^(AI)

The Judgment of the Dead

¹¹ Then I saw a great white throne^(AJ) and him who was seated on it. The earth and the heavens fled from his presence,^(AK) and there was no place for them. ¹² And I saw the dead, great and small,^(AL) standing before the throne, and books were opened.^(AM) Another book was opened, which is the book of life.^(AN) The dead were judged^(AO) according to what they had done^(AP) as recorded in the books. ¹³ The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades^(AQ) gave up the dead^(AR) that were in them, and each person was judged according to what they had done.^{(AS) 14} Then death^(AT) and Hades^(AU) were thrown into the lake of fire.^(AV) The lake of fire is the second death.^{(AW) 15} Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life^(AX) was thrown into the lake of fire.

A New Heaven and a New Earth

21 Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,”^[b](AY) for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away,^(AZ) and there was no longer any sea. ² I saw the Holy City,^(BA) the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God,^(BB) prepared as a bride^(BC) beautifully dressed for her husband. ³ And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them.^(BD) They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.^{(BE) 4} ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes.^(BF) There will be no more death’^[c](BG) or mourning or crying or pain,^(BH) for the old order of things has passed away.”^(BI)

⁵ He who was seated on the throne^(BJ) said, “I am making everything new!”^(BK) Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”^(BL)

⁶ He said to me: “It is done.^(BM) I am the Alpha and the Omega,^(BN) the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost^(BO) from the spring of the water of life.^{(BP) 7} Those who are victorious^(BQ) will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children.^{(BR) 8} But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars^(BS)—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur.^(BT) This is the second death.”^(BU)

The New Jerusalem, the Bride of the Lamb

⁹ One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues^(BV) came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the bride,^(BW) the wife of the Lamb.” ¹⁰ And he carried me away^(BX) in the Spirit^(BY) to a mountain great and high, and showed me the Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God.^{(BZ) 11} It shone with the glory of God,^(CA) and its brilliance was like that of a very precious jewel, like a jasper,^(CB) clear as crystal.^{(CC) 12} It had a great, high wall with twelve gates,^(CD) and with twelve angels at the gates. On the gates were written the names of the twelve tribes of Israel.^{(CE) 13} There were three gates on the east, three on the north, three on the south and three on the west. ¹⁴ The wall of the city had twelve foundations,^(CF) and on them were the names of the twelve apostles^(CG) of the Lamb.

¹⁵ The angel who talked with me had a measuring rod^(CH) of gold to measure the city, its gates^(CI) and its walls. ¹⁶ The city was laid out like a square, as long as it was wide. He measured the city with the rod and found it to be 12,000 stadia^[d] in length, and as wide and high as it is long. ¹⁷ The angel measured the wall using human^(CJ) measurement, and it was 144 cubits^[e] thick.^{[f] 18} The wall was made of jasper,^(CK) and the city of pure gold, as pure as glass.^{(CL) 19} The foundations of the city walls were decorated with every kind of precious stone.^(CM) The first foundation was jasper,^(CN) the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, ²⁰ the fifth onyx, the sixth ruby,^(CO) the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth turquoise, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst.^{[g] 21} The twelve gates^(CP) were twelve pearls,^(CQ) each gate made of a single pearl. The great street of the city was of gold, as pure as transparent glass.^(CR)

²² I did not see a temple^(CS) in the city, because the Lord God Almighty^(CT) and the Lamb^(CU) are its temple. ²³ The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God^(CV) gives it light,^(CW) and the Lamb^(CX) is its lamp. ²⁴ The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it.^{(CY) 25} On no day will its gates^(CZ) ever be shut,^(DA) for there will be no night there.^{(DB) 26} The glory and honor of the nations will be brought into it.^{(DC) 27} Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful,^(DD) but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.^(DE)

Eden Restored

22 Then the angel showed me the river^(DF) of the water of life,^(DG) as clear as crystal,^(DH) flowing^(DI) from the throne of God and of the Lamb ² down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life,^(DJ) bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.^{(DK) 3} No longer will there be any curse.^(DL) The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him.^{(DM) 4} They will see his face,^(DN) and his name will be on their foreheads.^{(DO) 5} There will be no more night.^(DP) They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light.^(DQ) And they will reign for ever and ever.^(DR)

John and the Angel

⁶ The angel said to me,^(DS) “These words are trustworthy and true.^(DT) The Lord, the God who inspires the prophets,^(DU) sent his angel^(DV) to show his servants the things that must soon take place.”

⁷ “Look, I am coming soon!^(DW) Blessed^(DX) is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy written in this scroll.”^(DY)

⁸ I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things.^(DZ) And when I had heard and seen them, I fell down to worship at the feet^(EA) of the angel who had been showing them to me. ⁹ But he said to me, “Don’t do that! I am a fellow servant with you and with your fellow prophets and with all who keep the words of this scroll.^(EB) Worship God!”^(EC)

¹⁰ Then he told me, “Do not seal up^(ED) the words of the prophecy of this scroll,^(EE) because the time is near.^{(EF) 11} Let the one who does wrong continue to do wrong; let the vile person continue to be vile; let the one who does right continue to do right; and let the holy person continue to be holy.”^(EG)

Epilogue: Invitation and Warning

¹² “Look, I am coming soon!^(EH) My reward is with me,^(EI) and I will give to each person according to what they have done.^{(EJ) 13} I am the Alpha and the Omega,^(EK) the First and the Last,^(EL) the Beginning and the End.^(EM)

¹⁴ “Blessed are those who wash their robes,^(EN) that they may have the right to the tree of life^(EO) and may go through the gates^(EP) into the city.^{(EQ) 15} Outside^(ER) are the dogs,^(ES) those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.

¹⁶ “I, Jesus,^(ET) have sent my angel^(EU) to give you^[h] this testimony for the churches.^(EV) I am the Root^(EW) and the Offspring of David,^(EX) and the bright Morning Star.”^(EY)

¹⁷ The Spirit^(EZ) and the bride^(FA) say, “Come!” And let the one who hears say, “Come!” Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life.^(FB)

¹⁸ I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this scroll:^(FC) If anyone adds anything to them,^(FD) God will add to that person the plagues described in this scroll.^{(FE) 19} And if anyone takes words away^(FF) from this scroll of prophecy,^(FG) God will take away from that person any share in the tree of life^(FH) and in the Holy City, which are described in this scroll.

²⁰ He who testifies to these things^(FI) says, “Yes, I am coming soon.”^(FJ)

Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.^(FK)

²¹ The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God’s people.^(FL) Amen.