Joel 2 NLT ISV Parallel

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1Sound the trumpet in Jerusalem ! Raise the alarm on my holy mountain! Let everyone tremble in fear because the day of the LORD is upon us.

1"Sound the ram's horn in Zion! Sound an alarm on my holy mountain! Tremble, all of you inhabitants of the land, because the Day of the LORD is coming. Oh, how near it is!

2It is a day of darkness and gloom, a day of thick clouds and deep blackness. Suddenly, like dawn spreading across the mountains, a great and mighty army appears. Nothing like it has been seen before or will ever be seen again.

2A day of doom and gloom, a day of clouds and shadows like the dawn spreads out to cover the mountains— a people strong and robust. Never has there been anything like it, neither will anything follow to compare with it, even through the lifetime of generation upon generation."

3Fire burns in front of them, and flames follow after them. Ahead of them the land lies as beautiful as the Garden of Eden. Behind them is nothing but desolation; not one thing escapes.

3"A fire blazes in their presence, and behind them a conflagration rages. Before they come, the land is like the garden in Eden; after they leave, there is only a barren wasteland. Indeed, nothing escapes them.

4They look like horses; they charge forward like warhorses.

4As to their form, they're like horses; and like chariot horses, how they can run!

5Look at them as they leap along the mountaintops. Listen to the noise they make—like the rumbling of chariots, like the roar of fire sweeping across a field of stubble, or like a mighty army moving into battle.

5They leap like the rumbling of chariots echoing from mountain tops, like the roar of wild fire that devours the chaff, as an army firmly established in battle array.

6Fear grips all the people; every face grows pale with terror.

6The people are terrified in their presence; every face grows pale.

7The attackers march like warriors and scale city walls like soldiers. Straight forward they march, never breaking rank.

7They run like elite soldiers, climbing ramparts like men trained for war. Each man advances in proper order, never breaking rank.

8They never jostle each other; each moves in exactly the right position. They break through defenses without missing a step.

8Neither does a man crowd his fellow soldier; each one marches in his own path. When they fall by the sword they are not injured.

9They swarm over the city and run along its walls. They enter all the houses, climbing like thieves through the windows.

9They swarm through the city, running upon its ramparts. Climbing atop the houses, they enter through windows like a thief."

10The earth quakes as they advance, and the heavens tremble. The sun and moon grow dark, and the stars no longer shine.

10"The land quivers in their presence; even the heavens shake. The sun and moon will grow dark, and the stars will stop shining.

11The LORD is at the head of the column. He leads them with a shout. This is his mighty army, and they follow his orders. The day of the LORD is an awesome, terrible thing. Who can possibly survive? A Call to Repentance

11The LORD will shout in the presence of his forces, because his encampment is very great; for powerful is he who carries out his message. Truly the Day of the LORD is great, and very terrifying. Who will be able to survive it?"

12That is why the LORD says, “Turn to me now, while there is time. Give me your hearts. Come with fasting, weeping, and mourning.

12"Yet even now," declares the LORD, "Turn back to me with your whole heart, with fasting, tears, and mourning.

13Don’t tear your clothing in your grief, but tear your hearts instead.” Return to the LORD your God, for he is merciful and compassionate, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. He is eager to relent and not punish.

13Tear your hearts, not your garments; and turn back to the LORD your God. For he is gracious and compassionate, slow to become angry, overflowing in gracious love, and grieves about this evil.

14Who knows? Perhaps he will give you a reprieve, sending you a blessing instead of this curse. Perhaps you will be able to offer grain and wine to the LORD your God as before.

14Who knows? He will turn back and relent, will he not, leaving behind a blessing, even a grain offering and drink offering for the LORD your God?"

15Blow the ram’s horn in Jerusalem! Announce a time of fasting; call the people together for a solemn meeting.

15"Sound the ram's horn in Zion! Dedicate a fast and call for a solemn assembly!

16Gather all the people— the elders, the children, and even the babies. Call the bridegroom from his quarters and the bride from her private room.

16Gather the people! Dedicate the congregation! Bring in the elders. Gather the youngsters and even the nursing infants. Call the bridegroom from his wedding preparations, and the bride from her dressing room.

17Let the priests, who minister in the LORD’s presence, stand and weep between the entry room to the Temple and the altar. Let them pray, “Spare your people, LORD! Don’t let your special possession become an object of mockery. Don’t let them become a joke for unbelieving foreigners who say, ‘Has the God of Israel left them?’” The LORD’s Promise of Restoration

17As they serve between the porch and the altar, let the priests and ministers of the LORD weep and pray: 'Spare your people, LORD, and do not make your heritage a disgrace so that nations ridicule them. Why should they say among the people, "Where is their God?"'"

18Then the LORD will pity his people and jealously guard the honor of his land.

18Then the LORD will show great concern for his land, and will have compassion on his people.

19The LORD will reply, “Look! I am sending you grain and new wine and olive oil, enough to satisfy your needs. You will no longer be an object of mockery among the surrounding nations.

19The LORD will say to his people, "Look! I will send you grain, new wine, and oil, and you will be content with them. I will no longer cause you to be a disgrace among the nations."

20I will drive away these armies from the north. I will send them into the parched wastelands. Those in the front will be driven into the Dead Sea, and those at the rear into the Mediterranean. The stench of their rotting bodies will rise over the land.” Surely the LORD has done great things!

20"I will remove the northerners from you, driving them to a barren and desolate land— the front toward the Dead Sea and the back toward the Mediterranean. Their stench will rise, and their stinking odor will ascend, because they have done great things."

21Don’t be afraid, O land. Be glad now and rejoice, for the LORD has done great things.

21"Stop being afraid, land! Rejoice and be glad, because the LORD will do great things.

22Don’t be afraid, you animals of the field, for the wilderness pastures will soon be green. The trees will again be filled with fruit; fig trees and grapevines will be loaded down once more.

22Stop being afraid, beasts of the field, because the desert pastures will bloom, the trees will bear their fruit, and the fig tree and vine will deliver their wealth.

23Rejoice, you people of Jerusalem! Rejoice in the LORD your God! For the rain he sends demonstrates his faithfulness. Once more the autumn rains will come, as well as the rains of spring.

23And so be glad, children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God, because he has given you the right amount of early rain, and he will cause the rain to fall for you, both the early rain and the later rain as before.

24The threshing floors will again be piled high with grain, and the presses will overflow with new wine and olive oil.

24The threshing floors will be smothered in grain, and the vats will overflow with wine and oil.

25The LORD says, “I will give you back what you lost to the swarming locusts, the hopping locusts, the stripping locusts, and the cutting locusts. It was I who sent this great destroying army against you.

25"Then I will restore to you the years that the locust swarm devoured, as did the young locust, the other locusts, and the ravaging locust, that great army of mine that I sent among you.

26Once again you will have all the food you want, and you will praise the LORD your God, who does these miracles for you. Never again will my people be disgraced.

26You will have plenty to eat, and will be fully satisfied. You will praise the name of the LORD your God, who has performed wonders specifically for you. And my people will never be ashamed.

27Then you will know that I am among my people Israel, that I am the LORD your God, and there is no other. Never again will my people be disgraced. The LORD’s Promise of His Spirit

27As a result, you will know that I am in the midst of Israel; that I myself am the LORD your God— and there is none other! And my people will never be ashamed."

28 “Then, after doing all those things, I will pour out my Spirit upon all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy. Your old men will dream dreams, and your young men will see visions.

28 "Then it will come about at a later time that I will pour out my Spirit on every person. Your sons and your daughters will prophesy. Your elderly people will dream dreams, and your young people will see visions.

29In those days I will pour out my Spirit even on servants—men and women alike.

29Also at that time I will pour out my Spirit upon men and women servants.

30And I will cause wonders in the heavens and on the earth— blood and fire and columns of smoke.

30I will display warnings in the heavens, and on the earth blood, fire, and columns of smoke.

31The sun will become dark, and the moon will turn blood red before that great and terrible day of the LORD arrives.

31The sun will be given over to darkness, and the moon to blood, before the coming of the great and terrifying Day of the LORD.

32But everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved, for some on Mount Zion in Jerusalem will escape, just as the LORD has said. These will be among the survivors whom the LORD has called.

32And everyone who calls upon the name of the LORD will be delivered. For as the LORD has said, 'In Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be those who escape, the survivors whom the LORD is calling.'"

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