New Century Version NCV
Good News Translation GNT
1 How terrible it will be for you who destroy others but have not been destroyed yet. How terrible it will be for you, traitor, whom no one has turned against yet. When you stop destroying, others will destroy you. When you stop turning against others, they will turn against you.
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Our enemies are doomed! They have robbed and betrayed, although no one has robbed them or betrayed them. But their time to rob and betray will end, and they themselves will become victims of robbery and treachery.
2 Lord, be kind to us. We have waited for your help. Give us strength every morning. Save us when we are in trouble. —
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Lord, have mercy on us. We have put our hope in you. Protect us day by day and save us in times of trouble.
3 Your powerful voice makes people run away in fear; your greatness causes the nations to run away.
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When you fight for us, nations run away from the noise of battle.
4 Like locusts, your enemies will take away the things you stole in war. Like locusts rushing about, they will take your wealth.
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Their belongings are pounced upon and taken as loot.
5 The Lord is very great, and he lives in a high place. He fills Jerusalem with fairness and justice.
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How great the Lord is! He rules over everything. He will fill Jerusalem with justice and integrity
6 He will be your safety. He is full of salvation, wisdom, and knowledge. Respect for the Lord is the greatest treasure.
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and give stability to the nation. He always protects his people and gives them wisdom and knowledge. Their greatest treasure is their reverence for the Lord.
7 See, brave men are crying out in the streets; those who tried to bring peace are crying loudly.
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The brave are calling for help. The ambassadors who tried to bring about peace are crying bitterly.
8 There is no one on the roads, no one walking in the paths. People have broken the agreements they made. They refuse to believe the proof from witnesses. No one respects other people.
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The highways are so dangerous that no one travels on them. Treaties are broken and agreements are violated. No one is respected any more.
9 The land is sick and dying; Lebanon is ashamed and dying. The Plain of Sharon is dry like the desert, and the trees of Bashan and Carmel are dying.
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The land lies idle and deserted. The forests of Lebanon have withered, the fertile valley of Sharon is like a desert, and in Bashan and on Mount Carmel the leaves are falling from the trees.
10 The Lord says, "Now, I will stand up and show my greatness. Now, I will become important to the people.
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The Lord says to the nations, "Now I will act. I will show how powerful I am.
11 You people do useless things that are like hay and straw. A destructive wind will burn you like fire.
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You make worthless plans and everything you do is useless. My spirit is like a fire that will destroy you.
12 People will be burned until their bones become like lime; they will burn quickly like dry thornbushes."
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You will crumble like rocks burned to make lime, like thorns burned to ashes.
13 You people in faraway lands, hear what I have done. You people who are near me, learn about my power.
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Let everyone near and far hear what I have done and acknowledge my power."
14 The sinners in Jerusalem are afraid; those who are separated from God shake with fear. They say, "Can any of us live through this fire that destroys? Who can live near this fire that burns on and on?"
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The sinful people of Zion are trembling with fright. They say, "God's judgment is like a fire that burns forever. Can any of us survive a fire like that?"
15 A person who does what is right and speaks what is right, who refuses to take money unfairly, who refuses to take money to hurt others, who does not listen to plans of murder, who refuses to think about evil --
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You can survive if you say and do what is right. Don't use your power to cheat the poor and don't accept bribes. Don't join with those who plan to commit murder or to do other evil things.
16 this is the kind of person who will be safe. He will be protected as he would be in a high, walled city. He will always have bread, and he will not run out of water.
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Then you will be safe; you will be as secure as if in a strong fortress. You will have food to eat and water to drink.
17 Your eyes will see the king in his beauty. You will see the land that stretches far away.
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Once again you will see a king ruling in splendor over a land that stretches in all directions.
18 You will think about the terror of the past: "Where is that officer? Where is the one who collected the taxes? Where is the officer in charge of our defense towers?"
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Your old fears of foreign tax collectors and spies will be only a memory.
19 No longer will you see those proud people from other countries, whose strange language you couldn't understand.
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You will no longer see any arrogant foreigners who speak a language that you can't understand.
20 Look at Jerusalem, the city of our festivals. Look at Jerusalem, that beautiful place of rest. It is like a tent that will never be moved; the pegs that hold her in place will never be pulled up, and her ropes will never be broken.
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Look at Zion, the city where we celebrate our religious festivals. Look at Jerusalem! What a safe place it will be to live in! It will be like a tent that is never moved, whose pegs are never pulled up and whose ropes never break.
21 There the Lord will be our Mighty One. That land is a place with streams and wide rivers, but there will be no enemy boats on those rivers; no powerful ship will sail on them.
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The Lord will show us his glory. We will live beside broad rivers and streams, but hostile ships will not sail on them.
22 This is because the Lord is our judge. The Lord makes our laws. The Lord is our king. He will save us.
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All the rigging on those ships is useless; the sails cannot be spread! We will seize all the wealth of enemy armies, and there will be so much that even the lame can get a share. The Lord himself will be our king; he will rule over us and protect us.
23 You sailors from other lands, hear: The ropes on your boats hang loose. The mast is not held firm. The sails are not spread open. Then your great wealth will be divided. There will be so much wealth that even the crippled people will carry off a share.
24 No one living in Jerusalem will say, "I am sick." The people who live there will have their sins forgiven.
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No one who lives in our land will ever again complain of being sick, and all sins will be forgiven.
Scripture taken from the New Century Version. Copyright © 1987, 1988, 1991 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.