2 Chronicles 20:4 From every city of Judah people hurried to Jerusalem to ask the LORD for guidance,
5 and they and the people of Jerusalem gathered in the new courtyard of the Temple. King Jehoshaphat went and stood before them
6 and prayed aloud, "O LORD God of our ancestors, you rule in heaven over all the nations of the world. You are powerful and mighty, and no one can oppose you.
7 You are our God. When your people Israel moved into this land, you drove out the people who were living here and gave the land to the descendants of Abraham, your friend, to be theirs for ever.
8 They have lived here and have built a temple to honour you, knowing
9 that if any disaster struck them to punish them — a war, an epidemic, or a famine — then they could come and stand in front of this Temple where you are worshipped. They could pray to you in their trouble, and you would hear them and rescue them.
10 Now the people of Ammon, Moab, and Edom have attacked us. When our ancestors came out of Egypt, you did not allow them to enter those lands, so our ancestors went round them and did not destroy them.
11 This is how they repay us — they come to drive us out of the land that you gave us.
12 You are our God! Punish them, for we are helpless in the face of this large army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but we look to you for help."
13 All the men of Judah, with their wives and children, were standing there at the Temple.
14 The spirit of the LORD came upon a Levite who was present in the crowd. His name was Jahaziel son of Zechariah; he was a member of the clan of Asaph and was descended from Asaph through Mattahiah, Jeiel, and Benaiah.
15 Jahaziel said, "Your Majesty and all you people of Judah and Jerusalem, the LORD says that you must not be discouraged or be afraid to face this large army. The battle depends on God, not on you.
16 Attack them tomorrow as them come up the pass at Ziz. You will meet them at the end of the valley that leads to the wild country near Jeruel.
17 You will not have to fight this battle. Just take up your positions and wait; you will see the LORD give you victory. People of Judah and Jerusalem, do not hesitate or be afraid. Go out to battle, and the LORD will be with you!"
18 Then King Jehoshaphat bowed low, with his face touching the ground, and all the people bowed with him and worshipped the LORD.
19 The members of the Levite clans of Kohath and Korah stood up and with a loud shout praised the LORD, the God of Israel.
20 Early the next morning the people went out to the wild country near Tekoa. As they were starting out, Jehoshaphat addressed them with these words: "Men of Judah and Jerusalem! Put your trust in the LORD your God, and you will stand firm. Believe what his prophets tell you, and you will succeed."
21 After consulting with the people, the king ordered some musicians to put on the robes they wore on sacred occasions and to march ahead of the army, singing: "Praise the LORD! His love is eternal!"
22 When they began to sing, the LORD threw the invading armies into a panic.
23 The Ammonites and the Moabites attacked the Edomite army and completely destroyed it, and then they turned on each other in savage fighting.
24 When the Judaean army reached a tower that was in the desert, they looked towards the enemy and saw that they were all lying on the ground, dead. Not one had escaped.
25 Jehoshaphat and his troops moved in to take the loot, and they found many cattle, supplies, clothing, and other valuable objects. They spent three days gathering the loot, but there was so much that they could not take everything.
26 On the fourth day they assembled in the Valley of Beracah and praised the LORD for all he had done. That is why the valley is called "Beracah."
27 Jehoshaphat led his troops back to Jerusalem in triumph, because the LORD had defeated their enemies.
28 When they reached the city, they marched to the Temple, to the music of harps and trumpets.
29 Every nation that heard how the LORD had defeated Israel's enemies was terrified,
30 so Jehoshaphat ruled in peace, and God gave him security on every side. (GNT)
[Psalms 91:7 At your side one thousand people may die, or even ten thousand right beside you, but you will not be hurt.
8 You will only watch and see the wicked punished.
9 The LORD is your protection; you have made God Most High your place of safety. (NCV™)]
2 Chronicles 24:17 Now after the death of Jehoiada the leaders of Judah came and bowed down to the king. And the king listened to them.
18 Therefore they left the house of the LORD God of their fathers, and served wooden images and idols; and wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem because of their trespass.
19 Yet He sent prophets to them, to bring them back to the LORD; and they testified against them, but they would not listen.
20 Then the Spirit of God came upon Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest, who stood above the people, and said to them, "Thus says God: 'Why do you transgress the commandments of the LORD, so that you cannot prosper? Because you have forsaken the LORD, He also has forsaken you.' "
21 So they conspired against him, and at the commandment of the king they stoned him with stones in the court of the house of the LORD.
22 Thus Joash the king did not remember the kindness which Jehoiada his father had done to him, but killed his son; and as he died, he said, "The LORD look on it, and repay [RSV: avenge; GNT: punish]!"
23 So it happened in the spring of the year that the army of Syria came up against him; and they came to Judah and Jerusalem, and destroyed all the leaders of the people from among the people, and sent all their spoil to the king of Damascus.
24 For the army of the Syrians came with a small company of men; but the LORD delivered a very great army into their hand, because they had forsaken the LORD God of their fathers. So they executed judgment against Joash.
25 And when they had withdrawn from him (for they left him severely wounded), his own servants conspired against him because of the blood of the sons of Jehoiada the priest, and killed him on his bed. So he died. And they buried him in the City of David, but they did not bury him in the tombs of the kings. (NKVJ)
Psalms 10:11 The wicked think, "God has forgotten us. He doesn't see what is happening."
12 LORD, rise up and punish the wicked. Don't forget those who need help.
13 Why do wicked people hate God? They say to themselves, "God won't punish us."
14 LORD, surely you see these cruel and evil things; look at them and do something. People in trouble look to you for help. You are the one who helps the orphans.
15 Break the power of the wicked people. Punish them for the evil they have done. (NCV™)
Psalms 54:2 Hear my prayer, God; listen to what I say.
3 Strangers turn against me, and cruel people want to kill me. They do not care about God.
4 See, God will help me; the Lord will support me.
5 Let my enemies be punished with their own evil. Destroy them because you are loyal to me.
6 I will offer a sacrifice as a special gift to you. I will thank you, LORD, because you are good.
7 You have saved me from all my troubles, and I have seen my enemies defeated. (NCV™)
Psalms 55:12 It was not an enemy insulting me. I could stand that. It was not someone who hated me. I could hide from him.
13 But it is you, a person like me, my companion and good friend.
14 We had a good friendship and walked together to God's Temple.
15 Let death take away my enemies. Let them die while they are still young because evil lives with them.
16 But I will call to God for help, and the LORD will save me.
17 Morning, noon, and night I am troubled and upset, but he will listen to me.
18 Many are against me, but he keeps me safe in battle.
19 God who lives forever will hear me and punish them. But they will not change; they do not fear God.
20 The one who was my friend attacks his friends and breaks his promises.
21 His words are slippery like butter, but war is in his heart. His words are smoother than oil, but they cut like knives.
22 Give your worries to the LORD, and he will take care of you. He will never let good people down.
23 But, God, you will bring down the wicked to the grave. Murderers and liars will live only half a lifetime. But I will trust in you. (NCV™)
Psalms 56:5 My enemies make trouble for me all day long; they are always planning how to hurt me!
6 They gather in hiding-places and watch everything I do, hoping to kill me.
7 Punish them, O God, for their evil; defeat those people in your anger!
8 You know how troubled I am; you have kept a record of my tears. Aren't they listed in your book?
9 The day I call to you, my enemies will be turned back. I know this: God is on my side —
10 the LORD, whose promises I praise.
11 In him I trust, and I will not be afraid. What can a mere human being do to me? (GNT)
Psalms 59:1 Deliver me from my enemies, O my God, protect me from those who rise up against me,
2 deliver me from those who work evil, and save me from bloodthirsty men.
3 For, lo, they lie in wait for my life; fierce men band themselves against me. For no transgression or sin of mine, O LORD,
4 for no fault of mine, they run and make ready. Rouse thyself, come to my help, and see!
5 Thou, LORD God of hosts, art God of Israel. Awake to punish all the nations; spare none of those who treacherously plot evil. Selah (RSV)
Psalms 94:1 O LORD God, to whom vengeance belongs — O God, to whom vengeance belongs, shine forth!
2 Rise up, O Judge of the earth; render punishment to the proud.
3 LORD, how long will the wicked, how long will the wicked triumph?
4 They utter speech, and speak insolent things; all the workers of iniquity boast in themselves. [GNT: How much longer will criminals be proud and boast about their crimes?] (NKJV)
Jeremiah 11:18 The LORD showed me that people were making plans against me. Because he showed what they were doing, I knew they were against me.
19 Before this, I was like a gentle lamb waiting to be butchered. I did not know they had made plans against me, saying: "Let us destroy the tree and its fruit. Let's kill him so people will forget him."
20 But, LORD All-Powerful, you are a fair judge. You know how to test peoples' hearts and minds. I have told you what I have against them. So let me see you give them the punishment they deserve [KJV: let me see thy vengeance on them].
21 So the LORD speaks about the people from Anathoth who plan to kill Jeremiah and say, "Don't prophesy in the name of the LORD, or we will kill you!"
22 So this is what the LORD All-Powerful says: "I will soon punish the men from Anathoth. Their young men will die in war. Their sons and daughters will die from hunger.
23 No one from the city of Anathoth will be left alive, because I will cause a disaster to happen to them that year." (NCV™)
Jeremiah 15:15 You understand, O LORD; remember me and care for me. Avenge me on my persecutors [NCV™: Punish for me those who are hurting me]. You are long-suffering — do not take me away; think of how I suffer reproach for your sake.
16 When your words came, I ate them; they were my joy and my heart's delight [KJV: the joy and rejoicing of my heart], for I bear your name, O LORD God Almighty.
17 I never sat in the company of revelers, never made merry with them; I sat alone because your hand was on me and you had filled me with indignation.
18 Why is my pain unending and my wound grievous and incurable? Will you be to me like a deceptive brook, like a spring that fails?
19 Therefore this is what the LORD says: "If you repent, I will restore you that you may serve me; if you utter worthy, not worthless, words, you will be my spokesman. Let this people turn to you, but you must not turn to them.
20 I will make you a wall to this people, a fortified wall of bronze; they will fight against you but will not overcome you, for I am with you to rescue and save you," declares the LORD.
21 "I will save you from the hands of the wicked and redeem you from the grasp of the cruel." (NIV)
Jeremiah 20:10 I hear many whispering, "Terror on every side! Report him! Let's report him!" All my friends are waiting for me to slip, saying, "Perhaps he will be deceived [NCV™: Maybe we can trick him]; then we will prevail over him and take our revenge on him."
11 But the LORD is with me like a mighty warrior; so my persecutors will stumble and not prevail. They will fail and be thoroughly disgraced; their dishonor will never be forgotten.
12 O LORD Almighty, you who examine the righteous and probe the heart and mind, let me see your vengeance upon them, for to you I have committed my cause [NCV™: I have told you my arguments against these people, so let me see you give them the punishment they deserve].
13 Sing to the LORD! Give praise to the LORD! He rescues the life of the needy from the hands of the wicked [GNT: He rescues the oppressed from the power of evil men]. (NIV)
Jeremiah 51:35 "Babylon did terrible things to hurt us. Now let those things happen to Babylon," say the people of Jerusalem. "The people of Babylon killed our people. Now let them be punished for what they did," says Jerusalem.
36 So this is what the LORD says: "I will soon defend you, Judah, and make sure that Babylon is punished. I will dry up Babylon's sea and make her springs become dry." (NCV™)
Luke 18:1 Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart,
2 saying: "There was in a certain city a judge who did not fear God nor regard man.
3 Now there was a widow in that city; and she came to him, saying, 'Avenge me of my adversary.'
4 And he would not for a while; but afterward he said within himself, 'Though I do not fear God nor regard man,
5 yet because this widow troubles me I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.'"
6 Then the Lord said, "Hear what the unjust judge said.
7 And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them? [NIV: Will he keep putting them off?] [NCV™: God will always give what is right to his people who cry to him night and day, and he will not be slow to answer them.]
8 I tell you that He will avenge them speedily [NIV: I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly]. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?" (NKJV)
2 Timothy 4:14 Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil: the Lord reward him according to his works [NIV: repay him for what he has done; NCV™: punish him for what he did]:
15 Of whom be thou ware also; for he hath greatly withstood our words.
16 At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me: I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge.
17 Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion [RSV: rescued from the lion's mouth].
18 And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work [NIV: will rescue me from every evil attack; NCV™: will save me when anyone tries to hurt me], and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
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