Manasseh King of Judah^(A)(B)

33 Manasseh^(C) was twelve years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem fifty-five years. ² He did evil in the eyes of the Lord,^(D) following the detestable^(E) practices of the nations the Lord had driven out before the Israelites. ³ He rebuilt the high places his father Hezekiah had demolished; he also erected altars to the Baals and made Asherah poles.^(F) He bowed down^(G) to all the starry hosts and worshiped them. ⁴ He built altars in the temple of the Lord, of which the Lord had said, “My Name^(H) will remain in Jerusalem forever.” ⁵ In both courts of the temple of the Lord,^(I) he built altars to all the starry hosts. ⁶ He sacrificed his children^(J) in the fire in the Valley of Ben Hinnom, practiced divination and witchcraft, sought omens, and consulted mediums^(K) and spiritists.^(L) He did much evil in the eyes of the Lord, arousing his anger.

⁷ He took the image he had made and put it in God’s temple,^(M) of which God had said to David and to his son Solomon, “In this temple and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, I will put my Name forever. ⁸ I will not again make the feet of the Israelites leave the land^(N) I assigned to your ancestors, if only they will be careful to do everything I commanded them concerning all the laws, decrees and regulations given through Moses.” ⁹ But Manasseh led Judah and the people of Jerusalem astray, so that they did more evil than the nations the Lord had destroyed before the Israelites.^(O)

¹⁰ The Lord spoke to Manasseh and his people, but they paid no attention. ¹¹ So the Lord brought against them the army commanders of the king of Assyria, who took Manasseh prisoner,^(P) put a hook^(Q) in his nose, bound him with bronze shackles^(R) and took him to Babylon. ¹² In his distress he sought the favor of the Lord his God and humbled^(S) himself greatly before the God of his ancestors. ¹³ And when he prayed to him, the Lord was moved by his entreaty and listened to his plea; so he brought him back to Jerusalem and to his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the Lord is God.

¹⁴ Afterward he rebuilt the outer wall of the City of David, west of the Gihon^(T) spring in the valley, as far as the entrance of the Fish Gate^(U) and encircling the hill of Ophel;^(V) he also made it much higher. He stationed military commanders in all the fortified cities in Judah.

¹⁵ He got rid of the foreign gods and removed^(W) the image from the temple of the Lord, as well as all the altars he had built on the temple hill and in Jerusalem; and he threw them out of the city. ¹⁶ Then he restored the altar of the Lord and sacrificed fellowship offerings and thank offerings^(X) on it, and told Judah to serve the Lord, the God of Israel. ¹⁷ The people, however, continued to sacrifice at the high places, but only to the Lord their God.

¹⁸ The other events of Manasseh’s reign, including his prayer to his God and the words the seers spoke to him in the name of the Lord, the God of Israel, are written in the annals of the kings of Israel.^{[a] 19} His prayer and how God was moved by his entreaty, as well as all his sins and unfaithfulness, and the sites where he built high places and set up Asherah poles and idols before he humbled^(Y) himself—all these are written in the records of the seers.^{[b](Z) 20} Manasseh rested with his ancestors and was buried^(AA) in his palace. And Amon his son succeeded him as king.

Amon King of Judah^(AB)

²¹ Amon^(AC) was twenty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem two years. ²² He did evil in the eyes of the Lord, as his father Manasseh had done. Amon worshiped and offered sacrifices to all the idols Manasseh had made. ²³ But unlike his father Manasseh, he did not humble^(AD) himself before the Lord; Amon increased his guilt.

²⁴ Amon’s officials conspired against him and assassinated him in his palace. ²⁵ Then the people^(AE) of the land killed all who had plotted against King Amon, and they made Josiah his son king in his place.

11 ¹ And in the first year of Darius^(A) the Mede, I took my stand to support and protect him.)

The Kings of the South and the North

² “Now then, I tell you the truth:^(B) Three more kings will arise in Persia, and then a fourth, who will be far richer than all the others. When he has gained power by his wealth, he will stir up everyone against the kingdom of Greece.^{(C) 3} Then a mighty king will arise, who will rule with great power and do as he pleases.^{(D) 4} After he has arisen, his empire will be broken up and parceled out toward the four winds of heaven.^(E) It will not go to his descendants, nor will it have the power he exercised, because his empire will be uprooted^(F) and given to others.

⁵ “The king of the South will become strong, but one of his commanders will become even stronger than he and will rule his own kingdom with great power. ⁶ After some years, they will become allies. The daughter of the king of the South will go to the king of the North to make an alliance, but she will not retain her power, and he and his power^[a] will not last. In those days she will be betrayed, together with her royal escort and her father^[b] and the one who supported her.

⁷ “One from her family line will arise to take her place. He will attack the forces of the king of the North^(G) and enter his fortress; he will fight against them and be victorious. ⁸ He will also seize their gods,^(H) their metal images and their valuable articles of silver and gold and carry them off to Egypt.^(I) For some years he will leave the king of the North alone. ⁹ Then the king of the North will invade the realm of the king of the South but will retreat to his own country. ¹⁰ His sons will prepare for war and assemble a great army, which will sweep on like an irresistible flood^(J) and carry the battle as far as his fortress.

¹¹ “Then the king of the South will march out in a rage and fight against the king of the North, who will raise a large army, but it will be defeated.^{(K) 12} When the army is carried off, the king of the South will be filled with pride and will slaughter many thousands, yet he will not remain triumphant. ¹³ For the king of the North will muster another army, larger than the first; and after several years, he will advance with a huge army fully equipped.

¹⁴ “In those times many will rise against the king of the South. Those who are violent among your own people will rebel in fulfillment of the vision, but without success. ¹⁵ Then the king of the North will come and build up siege ramps^(L) and will capture a fortified city. The forces of the South will be powerless to resist; even their best troops will not have the strength to stand. ¹⁶ The invader will do as he pleases;^(M) no one will be able to stand against him.^(N) He will establish himself in the Beautiful Land and will have the power to destroy it.^{(O) 17} He will determine to come with the might of his entire kingdom and will make an alliance with the king of the South. And he will give him a daughter in marriage in order to overthrow the kingdom, but his plans^[c] will not succeed^(P) or help him. ¹⁸ Then he will turn his attention to the coastlands^(Q) and will take many of them, but a commander will put an end to his insolence and will turn his insolence back on him.^{(R) 19} After this, he will turn back toward the fortresses of his own country but will stumble and fall,^(S) to be seen no more.^(T)

²⁰ “His successor will send out a tax collector to maintain the royal splendor.^(U) In a few years, however, he will be destroyed, yet not in anger or in battle.

²¹ “He will be succeeded by a contemptible^(V) person who has not been given the honor of royalty.^(W) He will invade the kingdom when its people feel secure, and he will seize it through intrigue. ²² Then an overwhelming army will be swept away^(X) before him; both it and a prince of the covenant will be destroyed.^{(Y) 23} After coming to an agreement with him, he will act deceitfully,^(Z) and with only a few people he will rise to power. ²⁴ When the richest provinces feel secure, he will invade them and will achieve what neither his fathers nor his forefathers did. He will distribute plunder, loot and wealth among his followers.^(AA) He will plot the overthrow of fortresses—but only for a time.

²⁵ “With a large army he will stir up his strength and courage against the king of the South. The king of the South will wage war with a large and very powerful army, but he will not be able to stand because of the plots devised against him. ²⁶ Those who eat from the king’s provisions will try to destroy him; his army will be swept away, and many will fall in battle. ²⁷ The two kings, with their hearts bent on evil,^(AB) will sit at the same table and lie^(AC) to each other, but to no avail, because an end will still come at the appointed time.^{(AD) 28} The king of the North will return to his own country with great wealth, but his heart will be set against the holy covenant. He will take action against it and then return to his own country.

²⁹ “At the appointed time he will invade the South again, but this time the outcome will be different from what it was before. ³⁰ Ships of the western coastlands^(AE) will oppose him, and he will lose heart.^(AF) Then he will turn back and vent his fury^(AG) against the holy covenant. He will return and show favor to those who forsake the holy covenant.

³¹ “His armed forces will rise up to desecrate the temple fortress and will abolish the daily sacrifice.^(AH) Then they will set up the abomination that causes desolation.^{(AI) 32} With flattery he will corrupt those who have violated the covenant, but the people who know their God will firmly resist^(AJ) him.

³³ “Those who are wise will instruct^(AK) many, though for a time they will fall by the sword or be burned or captured or plundered.^{(AL) 34} When they fall, they will receive a little help, and many who are not sincere^(AM) will join them. ³⁵ Some of the wise will stumble, so that they may be refined,^(AN) purified and made spotless until the time of the end, for it will still come at the appointed time.

The King Who Exalts Himself

³⁶ “The king will do as he pleases. He will exalt and magnify himself^(AO) above every god and will say unheard-of things^(AP) against the God of gods.^(AQ) He will be successful until the time of wrath^(AR) is completed, for what has been determined must take place.^{(AS) 37} He will show no regard for the gods of his ancestors or for the one desired by women, nor will he regard any god, but will exalt himself above them all. ³⁸ Instead of them, he will honor a god of fortresses; a god unknown to his ancestors he will honor with gold and silver, with precious stones and costly gifts. ³⁹ He will attack the mightiest fortresses with the help of a foreign god and will greatly honor those who acknowledge him. He will make them rulers over many people and will distribute the land at a price.^[d]

⁴⁰ “At the time of the end the king of the South^(AT) will engage him in battle, and the king of the North will storm^(AU) out against him with chariots and cavalry and a great fleet of ships. He will invade many countries and sweep through them like a flood.^{(AV) 41} He will also invade the Beautiful Land.^(AW) Many countries will fall, but Edom,^(AX) Moab^(AY) and the leaders of Ammon will be delivered from his hand. ⁴² He will extend his power over many countries; Egypt will not escape. ⁴³ He will gain control of the treasures of gold and silver and all the riches of Egypt,^(AZ) with the Libyans^(BA) and Cushites^[e] in submission. ⁴⁴ But reports from the east and the north will alarm him, and he will set out in a great rage to destroy and annihilate many. ⁴⁵ He will pitch his royal tents between the seas at^[f] the beautiful holy mountain.^(BB) Yet he will come to his end, and no one will help him.

The End Times

12 “At that time Michael,^(BC) the great prince who protects your people, will arise. There will be a time of distress^(BD) such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then. But at that time your people—everyone whose name is found written in the book^(BE)—will be delivered.^{(BF) 2} Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake:^(BG) some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt.^{(BH) 3} Those who are wise^[g](BI) will shine^(BJ) like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness,^(BK) like the stars for ever and ever.^{(BL) 4} But you, Daniel, roll up and seal^(BM) the words of the scroll until the time of the end.^(BN) Many will go here and there^(BO) to increase knowledge.”

⁵ Then I, Daniel, looked, and there before me stood two others, one on this bank of the river and one on the opposite bank.^{(BP) 6} One of them said to the man clothed in linen,^(BQ) who was above the waters of the river, “How long will it be before these astonishing things are fulfilled?”^(BR)

⁷ The man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, lifted his right hand^(BS) and his left hand toward heaven, and I heard him swear by him who lives forever,^(BT) saying, “It will be for a time, times and half a time.^[h](BU) When the power of the holy people^(BV) has been finally broken, all these things will be completed.^(BW)”

⁸ I heard, but I did not understand. So I asked, “My lord, what will the outcome of all this be?”

⁹ He replied, “Go your way, Daniel, because the words are rolled up and sealed^(BX) until the time of the end.^{(BY) 10} Many will be purified, made spotless and refined,^(BZ) but the wicked will continue to be wicked.^(CA) None of the wicked will understand, but those who are wise will understand.^(CB)

¹¹ “From the time that the daily sacrifice^(CC) is abolished and the abomination that causes desolation^(CD) is set up, there will be 1,290 days.^{(CE) 12} Blessed is the one who waits^(CF) for and reaches the end of the 1,335 days.^(CG)

¹³ “As for you, go your way till the end.^(CH) You will rest,^(CI) and then at the end of the days you will rise to receive your allotted inheritance.^(CJ)”

Paul Sails for Rome

27 When it was decided that we^(A) would sail for Italy,^(B) Paul and some other prisoners were handed over to a centurion named Julius, who belonged to the Imperial Regiment.^{(C) 2} We boarded a ship from Adramyttium about to sail for ports along the coast of the province of Asia,^(D) and we put out to sea. Aristarchus,^(E) a Macedonian^(F) from Thessalonica,^(G) was with us.

³ The next day we landed at Sidon;^(H) and Julius, in kindness to Paul,^(I) allowed him to go to his friends so they might provide for his needs.^{(J) 4} From there we put out to sea again and passed to the lee of Cyprus because the winds were against us.^{(K) 5} When we had sailed across the open sea off the coast of Cilicia^(L) and Pamphylia,^(M) we landed at Myra in Lycia. ⁶ There the centurion found an Alexandrian ship^(N) sailing for Italy^(O) and put us on board. ⁷ We made slow headway for many days and had difficulty arriving off Cnidus. When the wind did not allow us to hold our course,^(P) we sailed to the lee of Crete,^(Q) opposite Salmone. ⁸ We moved along the coast with difficulty and came to a place called Fair Havens, near the town of Lasea.

⁹ Much time had been lost, and sailing had already become dangerous because by now it was after the Day of Atonement.^[a](R) So Paul warned them, ¹⁰ “Men, I can see that our voyage is going to be disastrous and bring great loss to ship and cargo, and to our own lives also.”^{(S) 11} But the centurion, instead of listening to what Paul said, followed the advice of the pilot and of the owner of the ship. ¹² Since the harbor was unsuitable to winter in, the majority decided that we should sail on, hoping to reach Phoenix and winter there. This was a harbor in Crete,^(T) facing both southwest and northwest.

The Storm

¹³ When a gentle south wind began to blow, they saw their opportunity; so they weighed anchor and sailed along the shore of Crete. ¹⁴ Before very long, a wind of hurricane force,^(U) called the Northeaster, swept down from the island. ¹⁵ The ship was caught by the storm and could not head into the wind; so we gave way to it and were driven along. ¹⁶ As we passed to the lee of a small island called Cauda, we were hardly able to make the lifeboat^(V) secure, ¹⁷ so the men hoisted it aboard. Then they passed ropes under the ship itself to hold it together. Because they were afraid they would run aground^(W) on the sandbars of Syrtis, they lowered the sea anchor^[b] and let the ship be driven along. ¹⁸ We took such a violent battering from the storm that the next day they began to throw the cargo overboard.^{(X) 19} On the third day, they threw the ship’s tackle overboard with their own hands. ²⁰ When neither sun nor stars appeared for many days and the storm continued raging, we finally gave up all hope of being saved.

²¹ After they had gone a long time without food, Paul stood up before them and said: “Men, you should have taken my advice^(Y) not to sail from Crete;^(Z) then you would have spared yourselves this damage and loss. ²² But now I urge you to keep up your courage,^(AA) because not one of you will be lost; only the ship will be destroyed. ²³ Last night an angel^(AB) of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve^(AC) stood beside me^{(AD) 24} and said, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul. You must stand trial before Caesar;^(AE) and God has graciously given you the lives of all who sail with you.’^{(AF) 25} So keep up your courage,^(AG) men, for I have faith in God that it will happen just as he told me.^{(AH) 26} Nevertheless, we must run aground^(AI) on some island.”^(AJ)

The Shipwreck

²⁷ On the fourteenth night we were still being driven across the Adriatic^[c] Sea, when about midnight the sailors sensed they were approaching land. ²⁸ They took soundings and found that the water was a hundred and twenty feet^[d] deep. A short time later they took soundings again and found it was ninety feet^[e] deep. ²⁹ Fearing that we would be dashed against the rocks, they dropped four anchors from the stern and prayed for daylight. ³⁰ In an attempt to escape from the ship, the sailors let the lifeboat^(AK) down into the sea, pretending they were going to lower some anchors from the bow. ³¹ Then Paul said to the centurion and the soldiers, “Unless these men stay with the ship, you cannot be saved.”^{(AL) 32} So the soldiers cut the ropes that held the lifeboat and let it drift away.

³³ Just before dawn Paul urged them all to eat. “For the last fourteen days,” he said, “you have been in constant suspense and have gone without food—you haven’t eaten anything. ³⁴ Now I urge you to take some food. You need it to survive. Not one of you will lose a single hair from his head.”^{(AM) 35} After he said this, he took some bread and gave thanks to God in front of them all. Then he broke it^(AN) and began to eat. ³⁶ They were all encouraged^(AO) and ate some food themselves. ³⁷ Altogether there were 276 of us on board. ³⁸ When they had eaten as much as they wanted, they lightened the ship by throwing the grain into the sea.^(AP)

³⁹ When daylight came, they did not recognize the land, but they saw a bay with a sandy beach,^(AQ) where they decided to run the ship aground if they could. ⁴⁰ Cutting loose the anchors,^(AR) they left them in the sea and at the same time untied the ropes that held the rudders. Then they hoisted the foresail to the wind and made for the beach. ⁴¹ But the ship struck a sandbar and ran aground. The bow stuck fast and would not move, and the stern was broken to pieces by the pounding of the surf.^(AS)

⁴² The soldiers planned to kill the prisoners to prevent any of them from swimming away and escaping. ⁴³ But the centurion wanted to spare Paul’s life^(AT) and kept them from carrying out their plan. He ordered those who could swim to jump overboard first and get to land. ⁴⁴ The rest were to get there on planks or on other pieces of the ship. In this way everyone reached land safely.^(AU)