Justice Delayed and the New Creation Revealed

1. Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered, 2. “Should a wise man answer with vain knowledge, and fill himself with the east wind? 3. Should he reason with unprofitable talk, or with speeches with which he can do no good? 4. Yes, you do away with fear, and hinder devotion before God. 5. For your iniquity teaches your mouth, and you choose the language of the crafty. 6. Your own mouth condemns you, and not I. Yes, your own lips testify against you. 7. “Are you the first man who was born? Or were you brought out before the hills? 8. Have you heard the secret counsel of God? Do you limit wisdom to yourself? 9. What do you know, that we don’t know? What do you understand, which is not in us? 10. With us are both the gray-headed and the very aged men, much elder than your father. 11. Are the consolations of God too small for you, even the word that is gentle toward you? 12. Why does your heart carry you away? Why do your eyes flash, 13. That you turn your spirit against God, and let such words go out of your mouth? 14. What is man, that he should be clean? What is he who is born of a woman, that he should be righteous? 15. Behold, he puts no trust in his holy ones. Yes, the heavens are not clean in his sight; 16. how much less one who is abominable and corrupt, a man who drinks iniquity like water! 17. “I will show you, listen to me; that which I have seen I will declare 18. (which wise men have told by their fathers, and have not hidden it; 19. to whom alone the land was given, and no stranger passed among them): 20. the wicked man writhes in pain all his days, even the number of years that are laid up for the oppressor. 21. A sound of terrors is in his ears. In prosperity the destroyer shall come on him. 22. He doesn’t believe that he shall return out of darkness. He is waited for by the sword. 23. He wanders abroad for bread, saying, ‘Where is it?’ He knows that the day of darkness is ready at his hand. 24. Distress and anguish make him afraid. They prevail against him, as a king ready to the battle. 25. Because he has stretched out his hand against God, and behaves himself proudly against the Almighty; 26. he runs at him with a stiff neck, with the thick shields of his bucklers; 27. because he has covered his face with his fatness, and gathered fat on his thighs. 28. He has lived in desolate cities, in houses which no one inhabited, which were ready to become heaps. 29. He shall not be rich, neither shall his substance continue, neither shall their possessions be extended on the earth. 30. He shall not depart out of darkness. The flame shall dry up his branches. By the breath of God’s mouth shall he go away. 31. Let him not trust in emptiness, deceiving himself; for emptiness shall be his reward. 32. It shall be accomplished before his time. His branch shall not be green. 33. He shall shake off his unripe grape as the vine, and shall cast off his flower as the olive tree. 34. For the company of the godless shall be barren, and fire shall consume the tents of bribery. 35. They conceive mischief, and produce iniquity. Their heart prepares deceit.” 1. Then Job answered, 2. “I have heard many such things. You are all miserable comforters! 3. Shall vain words have an end? Or what provokes you that you answer? 4. I also could speak as you do. If your soul were in my soul’s place, I could join words together against you, and shake my head at you, 5. but I would strengthen you with my mouth. The solace of my lips would relieve you. 6. “Though I speak, my grief is not subsided. Though I forbear, what am I eased? 7. But now, God, you have surely worn me out. You have made desolate all my company. 8. You have shriveled me up. This is a witness against me. My leanness rises up against me. It testifies to my face. 9. He has torn me in his wrath, and persecuted me. He has gnashed on me with his teeth. My adversary sharpens his eyes on me. 10. They have gaped on me with their mouth. They have struck me on the cheek reproachfully. They gather themselves together against me. 11. God delivers me to the ungodly, and casts me into the hands of the wicked. 12. I was at ease, and he broke me apart. Yes, he has taken me by the neck, and dashed me to pieces. He has also set me up for his target. 13. His archers surround me. He splits my kidneys apart, and does not spare. He pours out my gall on the ground. 14. He breaks me with breach on breach. He runs on me like a giant. 15. I have sewed sackcloth on my skin, and have thrust my horn in the dust. 16. My face is red with weeping. Deep darkness is on my eyelids. 17. Although there is no violence in my hands, and my prayer is pure. 18. “Earth, don’t cover my blood. Let my cry have no place to rest. 19. Even now, behold, my witness is in heaven. He who vouches for me is on high. 20. My friends scoff at me. My eyes pour out tears to God, 21. that he would maintain the right of a man with God, of a son of man with his neighbor! 22. For when a few years have come, I shall go the way of no return. 1. “My spirit is consumed. My days are extinct, And the grave is ready for me. 2. Surely there are mockers with me. My eye dwells on their provocation. 3. “Now give a pledge, be collateral for me with yourself. Who is there who will strike hands with me? 4. For you have hidden their heart from understanding, Therefore you shall not exalt them. 5. He who denounces his friends for plunder, Even the eyes of his children shall fail. 6. “But he has made me a byword of the people. They spit in my face. 7. My eye also is dim by reason of sorrow. All my members are as a shadow. 8. Upright men shall be astonished at this. The innocent shall stir up himself against the godless. 9. Yet shall the righteous hold on his way. He who has clean hands shall grow stronger and stronger. 10. But as for you all, come on now again; I shall not find a wise man among you. 11. My days are past, my plans are broken off, as are the thoughts of my heart. 12. They change the night into day, saying ‘The light is near’ in the presence of darkness. 13. If I look for Sheol as my house, if I have spread my couch in the darkness, 14. If I have said to corruption, ‘You are my father;’ to the worm, ‘My mother,’ and ‘my sister;’ 15. where then is my hope? as for my hope, who shall see it? 16. Shall it go down with me to the gates of Sheol, or descend together into the dust?”

1. One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and spoke with me, saying, “Come here. I will show you the judgment of the great prostitute who sits on many waters, 2. with whom the kings of the earth committed sexual immorality; and those who dwell in the earth were made drunken with the wine of her sexual immorality.” 3. He carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness. I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet-colored beast, full of blasphemous names, having seven heads and ten horns. 4. The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the impurities of the sexual immorality of the earth. 5. And on her forehead a name was written, “MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF THE PROSTITUTES AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.” 6. I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. When I saw her, I wondered with great amazement. 7. The angel said to me, “Why do you wonder? I will tell you the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carries her, which has the seven heads and the ten horns. 8. The beast that you saw was, and is not; and is about to come up out of the abyss and to go into destruction. Those who dwell on the earth and whose names have not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world will marvel when they see that the beast was, and is not, and shall be present. 9. Here is the mind that has wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits. 10. They are seven kings. Five have fallen, the one is, the other has not yet come. When he comes, he must continue a little while. 11. The beast that was, and is not, is himself also an eighth, and is of the seven; and he goes to destruction. 12. The ten horns that you saw are ten kings who have received no kingdom as yet, but they receive authority as kings, with the beast, for one hour. 13. These have one mind, and they give their power and authority to the beast. 14. These will war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings, and those who are with him are called chosen and faithful.” 15. He said to me, “The waters which you saw, where the prostitute sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations, and languages. 16. The ten horns which you saw, and the beast, these will hate the prostitute, will make her desolate, will strip her naked, will eat her flesh, and will burn her utterly with fire. 17. For God has put in their hearts to do what he has in mind, to be of one mind, and to give their kingdom to the beast, until the words of God should be accomplished. 18. The woman whom you saw is the great city, which reigns over the kings of the earth.” 1. After these things, I saw another angel coming down out of the sky, having great authority. The earth was illuminated with his glory. 2. He cried with a mighty voice, saying, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, and she has become a habitation of demons, a prison of every unclean spirit, and a prison of every unclean and hateful bird! 3. For all the nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her sexual immorality, the kings of the earth committed sexual immorality with her, and the merchants of the earth grew rich from the abundance of her luxury.” 4. I heard another voice from heaven, saying, “Come out of her, my people, that you have no participation in her sins, and that you don’t receive of her plagues, 5. for her sins have reached to the sky, and God has remembered her iniquities. 6. Return to her just as she returned, and repay her double as she did, and according to her works. In the cup which she mixed, mix to her double. 7. However much she glorified herself, and grew wanton, so much give her of torment and mourning. For she says in her heart, ‘I sit a queen, and am no widow, and will in no way see mourning.’ 8. Therefore in one day her plagues will come: death, mourning, and famine; and she will be utterly burned with fire; for the Lord God who has judged her is strong. 9. The kings of the earth, who committed sexual immorality and lived wantonly with her, will weep and wail over her, when they look at the smoke of her burning, 10. standing far away for the fear of her torment, saying, ‘Woe, woe, the great city, Babylon, the strong city! For your judgment has come in one hour.’ 11. The merchants of the earth weep and mourn over her, for no one buys their merchandise any more; 12. merchandise of gold, silver, precious stones, pearls, fine linen, purple, silk, scarlet, all expensive wood, every vessel of ivory, every vessel made of most precious wood, and of brass, and iron, and marble; 13. and cinnamon, incense, perfume, frankincense, wine, olive oil, fine flour, wheat, sheep, horses, chariots, and people’s bodies and souls. 14. The fruits which your soul lusted after have been lost to you, and all things that were dainty and sumptuous have perished from you, and you will find them no more at all. 15. The merchants of these things, who were made rich by her, will stand far away for the fear of her torment, weeping and mourning; 16. saying, ‘Woe, woe, the great city, she who was dressed in fine linen, purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls! 17. For in an hour such great riches are made desolate.’ Every ship master, and everyone who sails anywhere, and mariners, and as many as gain their living by sea, stood far away, 18. and cried out as they looked at the smoke of her burning, saying, ‘What is like the great city?’ 19. They cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and mourning, saying, ‘Woe, woe, the great city, in which all who had their ships in the sea were made rich by reason of her great wealth!’ For she is made desolate in one hour. 20. “Rejoice over her, O heaven, you saints, apostles, and prophets; for God has judged your judgment on her.” 21. A mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone and cast it into the sea, saying, “Thus with violence will Babylon, the great city, be thrown down, and will be found no more at all. 22. The voice of harpists, minstrels, flute players, and trumpeters will be heard no more at all in you. No craftsman, of whatever craft, will be found any more at all in you. The sound of a mill will be heard no more at all in you. 23. The light of a lamp will shine no more at all in you. The voice of the bridegroom and of the bride will be heard no more at all in you; for your merchants were the princes of the earth; for with your sorcery all the nations were deceived. 24. In her was found the blood of prophets and of saints, and of all who have been slain on the earth.” 1. After these things I heard something like a loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying, “Hallelujah! Salvation, power, and glory belong to our God: 2. for true and righteous are his judgments. For he has judged the great prostitute, who corrupted the earth with her sexual immorality, and he has avenged the blood of his servants at her hand.” 3. A second said, “Hallelujah! Her smoke goes up forever and ever.” 4. The twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who sits on the throne, saying, “Amen! Hallelujah!” 5. A voice came from the throne, saying, “Give praise to our God, all you his servants, you who fear him, the small and the great!” 6. I heard something like the voice of a great multitude, and like the voice of many waters, and like the voice of mighty thunders, saying, “Hallelujah! For the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns! 7. Let us rejoice and be exceedingly glad, and let us give the glory to him. For the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his wife has made herself ready.” 8. It was given to her that she would array herself in bright, pure, fine linen: for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. 9. He said to me, “Write, ‘Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.’” He said to me, “These are true words of God.” 10. I fell down before his feet to worship him. He said to me, “Look! Don’t do it! I am a fellow bondservant with you and with your brothers who hold the testimony of Jesus. Worship God, for the testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of Prophecy.” 11. I saw the heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and he who sat on it is called Faithful and True. In righteousness he judges and makes war. 12. His eyes are a flame of fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has names written and a name written which no one knows but he himself. 13. He is clothed in a garment sprinkled with blood. His name is called “The Word of God.” 14. The armies which are in heaven followed him on white horses, clothed in white, pure, fine linen. 15. Out of his mouth proceeds a sharp, double-edged sword, that with it he should strike the nations. He will rule them with an iron rod. He treads the wine press of the fierceness of the wrath of God, the Almighty. 16. He has on his garment and on his thigh a name written, “KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.” 17. I saw an angel standing in the sun. He cried with a loud voice, saying to all the birds that fly in the sky, “Come! Be gathered together to the great supper of God, 18. that you may eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains, the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses and of those who sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and slave, small and great.” 19. I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him who sat on the horse, and against his army. 20. The beast was taken, and with him the false prophet who worked the signs in his sight, with which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur. 21. The rest were killed with the sword of him who sat on the horse, the sword which came out of his mouth. All the birds were filled with their flesh. 1. I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand. 2. He seized the dragon, the old serpent, which is the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole inhabited earth, and bound him for a thousand years, 3. and cast him into the abyss, and shut it, and sealed it over him, that he should deceive the nations no more, until the thousand years were finished. After this, he must be freed for a short time. 4. I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was given to them. I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus, and for the word of God, and such as didn’t worship the beast nor his image, and didn’t receive the mark on their forehead and on their hand. They lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. 5. The rest of the dead didn’t live until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. 6. Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over these, the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and will reign with him one thousand years. 7. And after the thousand years, Satan will be released from his prison, 8. and he will come out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to the war; the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. 9. They went up over the width of the earth, and surrounded the camp of the saints, and the beloved city. Fire came down out of heaven from God and devoured them. 10. The devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet are also. They will be tormented day and night forever and ever. 11. I saw a great white throne, and him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. There was found no place for them. 12. I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and they opened books. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged out of the things which were written in the books, according to their works. 13. The sea gave up the dead who were in it. Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them. They were judged, each one according to his works. 14. Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. 15. If anyone was not found written in the book of life, he was cast into the lake of fire. 1. I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth have passed away, and the sea is no more. 2. I saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared like a bride adorned for her husband. 3. I heard a loud voice out of heaven saying, “Behold, God’s dwelling is with people, and he will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. 4. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; neither will there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain, any more. The first things have passed away.” 5. He who sits on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” He said, “Write, for these words of God are faithful and true.” 6. He said to me, “I have become the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give freely to him who is thirsty from the spring of the water of life. 7. He who overcomes, I will give him these things. I will be his God, and he will be my son. 8. But for the cowardly, unbelieving, sinners, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their part is in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.” 9. One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls, who were loaded with the seven last plagues came, and he spoke with me, saying, “Come here. I will show you the wife, the Lamb’s bride.” 10. He carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, 11. having the glory of God. Her light was like a most precious stone, as if it were a jasper stone, clear as crystal; 12. having a great and high wall; having twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels; and names written on them, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel. 13. On the east were three gates; and on the north three gates; and on the south three gates; and on the west three gates. 14. The wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them twelve names of the twelve Apostles of the Lamb. 15. He who spoke with me had for a measure a golden reed to measure the city, its gates, and its walls. 16. The city is square, and its length is as great as its width. He measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand twelve stadia. Its length, width, and height are equal. 17. Its wall is one hundred forty-four cubits, by the measure of a man, that is, of an angel. 18. The construction of its wall was jasper. The city was pure gold, like pure glass. 19. The foundations of the city’s wall were adorned with all kinds of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, chalcedony; the fourth, emerald; 20. the fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolite; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, topaz; the tenth, chrysoprasus; the eleventh, jacinth; and the twelfth, amethyst. 21. The twelve gates were twelve pearls. Each one of the gates was made of one pearl. The street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass. 22. I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God, the Almighty, and the Lamb, are its temple. 23. The city has no need for the sun, neither of the moon, to shine, for the very glory of God illuminated it, and its lamp is the Lamb. 24. The nations will walk in its light. The kings of the earth bring the glory and honor of the nations into it. 25. Its gates will in no way be shut by day (for there will be no night there), 26. and they shall bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it so that they may enter. 27. There will in no way enter into it anything profane, or one who causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s book of life. 1. He showed me a river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb, 2. in the middle of its street. On this side of the river and on that was the tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruits, yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. 3. There will be no curse any more. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will serve him. 4. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. 5. There will be no night, and they need no lamp light; for the Lord God will illuminate them. They will reign forever and ever. 6. He said to me, “These words are faithful and true. The Lord God of the spirits of the prophets sent his angel to show to his bondservants the things which must happen soon.” 7. “Behold, I come quickly. Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.” 8. Now I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. When I heard and saw, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel who had shown me these things. 9. He said to me, “See you don’t do it! I am a fellow bondservant with you and with your brothers, the prophets, and with those who keep the words of this book. Worship God.” 10. He said to me, “Don’t seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is at hand. 11. He who acts unjustly, let him act unjustly still. He who is filthy, let him be filthy still. He who is righteous, let him do righteousness still. He who is holy, let him be holy still.” 12. “Behold, I come quickly. My reward is with me, to repay to each man according to his work. 13. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. 14. Blessed are those who do his commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter in by the gates into the city. 15. Outside are the dogs, the sorcerers, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood. 16. I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify these things to you for the assemblies. I am the root and the offspring of David; the Bright and Morning Star.” 17. The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” He who hears, let him say, “Come!” He who is thirsty, let him come. He who desires, let him take the water of life freely. 18. I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book, if anyone adds to them, may God add to him the plagues which are written in this book. 19. If anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, may God take away his part from the tree of life, and out of the holy city, which are written in this book. 20. He who testifies these things says, “Yes, I come quickly.” Amen! Yes, come, Lord Jesus. 21. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with all the saints. Amen.

1. Praise Yah! Praise Yahweh, my soul. 2. While I live, I will praise Yahweh. I will sing praises to my God as long as I exist. 3. Don’t put your trust in princes, each a son of man in whom there is no help. 4. His spirit departs, and he returns to the earth. In that very day, his thoughts perish. 5. Happy is he who has the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in Yahweh, his God: 6. who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them; who keeps truth forever; 7. who executes justice for the oppressed; who gives food to the hungry. Yahweh frees the prisoners. 8. Yahweh opens the eyes of the blind. Yahweh raises up those who are bowed down. Yahweh loves the righteous. 9. Yahweh preserves the foreigners. He upholds the fatherless and widow, but the way of the wicked he turns upside down. 10. Yahweh will reign forever; your God, O Zion, to all generations. Praise Yah!