Chapter 24

  See, the Lord is making the earth waste and unpeopled, he is turning it upside down, and sending the people in all directions.  

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  And it will be the same for the people as for the priest; for the servant as for his master; and for the woman-servant as for her owner; the same for the one offering goods for a price as for him who takes them; the same for him who gives money at interest and for him who takes it; the same for him who lets others have the use of his property as for those who make use of it.  

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  The earth will be completely waste and without men; for this is the word of the Lord.  

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  The earth is sorrowing and wasting away, the world is full of grief and wasting away, the high ones of the earth come to nothing.  

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  The earth has been made unclean by those living in it; because the laws have not been kept by them, the orders have been changed, and the eternal agreement has been broken.  

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  For this cause the earth is given up to the curse, and those in it are judged as sinners: for this cause those living on the earth are burned up, and the rest are small in number.  

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  The new wine is thin, the vine is feeble, and all the glad-hearted make sounds of grief.  

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  The pleasing sound of all instruments of music has come to an end, and the voices of those who are glad.  

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  There is no more drinking of wine with a song; strong drink will be bitter to those who take it.  

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  The town is waste and broken down: every house is shut up, so that no man may come in.  

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  There is a crying in the streets because of the wine; there is an end of all delight, the joy of the land is gone.  

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  In the town all is waste, and in the public place is destruction.  

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  For it will be in the heart of the earth among the peoples, like the shaking of an olive-tree, as the last of the grapes after the getting-in is done.  

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  But those will be making sounds of joy; they will be crying loudly from the sea for the glory of the Lord.  

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  Give praise to the Lord in the east, to the name of the Lord, the God of Israel, in the sea-lands.  

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  From the farthest part of the earth comes the sound of songs, glory to the upright. But I said, I am wasting away, wasting away, the curse is on me! The false ones go on in their false way, yes, they go on acting falsely.  

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  Fear, and death, and the net, are come on you, O people of the earth.  

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  And it will be that he who goes in flight from the sound of fear will be overtaken by death; and he who gets free from death will be taken in the net: for the windows on high are open, and the bases of the earth are shaking.  

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  The earth is completely broken, it is parted in two, it is violently moved.  

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  The earth will be moving uncertainly, like a man overcome by drink; it will be shaking like a tent; and the weight of its sin will be on it, crushing it down so that it will not get up again.  

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  And in that day the Lord will send punishment on the army of the high ones on high, and on the kings of the earth on the earth.  

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  And they will be got together, like prisoners in the prison-house; and after a long time they will have their punishment.  

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  Then the moon will be veiled, and the sun put to shame; for the Lord of armies will be ruling in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem, and before his judges he will let his glory be seen.  

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