Reading the translation below of 11Q13 requires the explanation of a few symbols used by papyrologists when publishing fragmentary papyri (Garcia-Martinez, 1996; cf. Fitzmeyer, 1974):

• xxx[xxx] = partially preserved text
• [xxx] = text restoration
• [...] = lacuna of unspecified length
• ] ... [ = traces of illegible words or letters
• <<xxx>> = quotations or citations of a known text
• (xxx) = explanation required for the meaning of the English text

(?) = uncertain reading or translation

1 [ …] your God ... [ ... ] 

2 [ ... ] And as for what he said: Lev. 25:13 <<In this year of jubilee, [you shall return, each one, to his inheritance>>, as is written: Deut. 15:2 <<This is] 

3 the manner (of effecting) the [release: every creditor shall release what he lent [to his neighbor. He shall not coerce his neighbor or his brother when] the release for God [has been proclaimed]>>. 

4 [Its inter]pretation for the End of Days refers to the captives, about whom he said: Isa. 61: 1 <<To proclaim liberty to the captives.>> And he will make 

5 their rebels prisoners [ ... ] and of the inheritance of Melchizedeq, for [ ... ] and they are the inheri[tance of Melchi]zedeq, who 

6 will make them return. He will proclaim liberty for them, to free them from [the debt] of all their iniquities. And this will [happen] 

7 in the year of the la[st] (?) w[eek of the] jubilee which follows the ni[ne] jubilees. And the Day [of Atonem]ent is the end of the tenth jubilee allusion to Dan. 9:24-27

8 in which Atonement is made for all the sons of [light and] men [of the l]ot of Melchizedeq. [And on the heights] he will decla[re in their] favour according to their lots a possible allusion to Dan. 12:13; for 

9 it is the time of the <<year of grace>> for Melchizedeq, to exa[It in the tri]al the holy ones of God through the rule of judgment, as it is written 

10 about him in the songs of David, who said: Ps. 82:1 <<Elohim will stand up in the assem[bly of El] in the midst of the elohim he judges>>. And about him he said: Ps. 7:8-9 <<Above it 

11 return to the heights, God will judge the peoples>>. As for what he sa[id: Ps. 82:2 <<How long will yo]u judge unjustly and show partiality to the wicked? Selah.>> 

12 Its interpretation concerns Belial and the spirits of his lot, who were rebels [all of them] turning aside from the commandments of God [to commit evil.] 

13 But, Melchizedek shall exact the vengeance of the judgments of God [on this Day, and they shall be freed from the hands] of Belial and from the hands of all the sp[irits of] his [lot.] allusion to the Jubilee Day of Atonement redemption of Lev. 25

14 To his aid (shall come) all <<the gods of [justice>>; he] is the one [who will prevail on this Day over] all the sons of mi[gh]t, and he will pre[side over] this [assembly.] 

15 This is the Day of [Peace about which God] spoke [for the End of Days through Isa]iah the prophet, who sai[d: Isa. 52:7 <<How] beautiful 

16 upon the mountains are the feet of the messenger who announces peace, of the mess[enger of good who announces salvation,] saying to Zion: 'your God [reigns.’>>] 

17 Its interpretation: The mountains are the pro[phets ... ] 

18 And the messenger is [the one ano]inted (meshiach) of the Spirit about whom Dan[iel] spoke [... and the messenger of]

19 good who announces salv[ation] is the one about whom it is written that [he will send him Isa. 61:2-3 <<to comfo[rt the afflicted, to watch over the afflicted ones of Zion>>.] 

20 <<To comfo[rt the afflicted>>, its interpretation:] to instruct them in all the ages of the worl[d ... ] 

21 in truth. [ ... ] 

22 [ ... ] it has been turned away from Belial and it [ ... ] 

23 [ ... ] in the judgments of God, as is wr[itt]en about him: Isa. 52:7 <<Saying to Zion: 'your God reigns'>>. [<<Zi]on>> i[s … ]

24 [the congregation of all the sons of justice, those] who establish the covenant, those who avoid walking [on the pa]th of the people. <<Your God>> is 

25 [... Melchizedeq, 'who will fr]ee [them] from the hand of Belial. And as for what he said: Lev. 25:9 <<You shall blow the hor[n loud] in the [seventh] mo[nth … ]>>. 

Column iii 

1 [Its interpretation ... ] 

2 and you know [ ... ]

3 God [ ... ] 

4 and many 

5 [ ... ] ... [ ... ] Melchizedeq [ ... ] 

6 the law for them [ ... ] the hand [ ... ] and he will announce [ ... ] 

7 they shall devour Belial with fire [ ... ] Belial, and they shall rebel[ ... j 

8 the desires of their hearts [ ... ] ... [ ... ] 

9 the ramparts of Judah the ramparts of Je[rusalem ... ]

10-20 (minute traces)

1. An apparent ‘God of the Covenant’ reference in the context
2. Lev. 25:13: Each one returning to his respective inheritance in the year of Jubilee
3. Deut. 15:2: the manner of the release: Every creditor shall release what he lent his neighbor & not coerce his neighbor when the release for God is proclaimed; cf. ‘Lord’s prayer’ (Matt. 6:9-13 = Luke 11:2-4); ‘forgiving debtors’ (Matt. 18:21-35)
4. Interpretation: For ‘last days’ to release of captives, Isa. 61:1 (~ Luke 4:18-20); ‘last days’ cf. Heb. 1:1; Dan. 8-12; Joel 2
5. Rebels become prisoners (cf. Rev. 13:10; 12:9; 20:2); the inheritance of Melchizedeq; cf. perpetual priest-king forever (Heb. 7:3, 16-17, 21, 24-28; Ps. 110:4)
6. Melchizedeq causes the captives to return, proclaims liberty for them (Isa. 61:1) frees them of the debt of all their iniquities; debts = iniquities, cf. ‘Lord’s prayer’ (Matt. 6:9-13 = Luke 11:2-4)
7. Happens in the year of the Jubilee (i.e., 10th Jubilee) after the 9 Jubilees (cf. Dan. 9:26a); and the Day of Atonement is the end of the 10th Jubilee (Dan. 9:24, 27e).
8. On which Atonement will be made for all the sons of God and for the men of the lot of Melchizedeq, and on the heights He will declare in their favor according to their lots (declaration of justification ‘in their favor’ Ps. 110; Dan. 12:1; 7; 8:14; Rom. 3; 8:34; Hebrews; the ‘lot’ of judgment at the end; Dan. 12:13; ‘lot’ in Lev. 16:7-10; assembly of church ‘enrolled’ in heaven; Heb. 12:23; ‘written in Lamb’s book of life from foundation of the world’ Rev. 13:8)
9. ‘Year of grace’ for Melchizedeq to exalt the holy ones of God (Dan. 7-8, 12; ‘year of jubilee,’ ‘year of release,’ ‘year of redemption,’ or ‘acceptable year of the Lord’ Lev. 25:10-11, 13, 28, 30, 33, 40, 50, 52, 54; 27: 17-18, 23-24; Deut. 15:9; 31:10; Isa. 63:4; 61:2 = Luke 4:19) in the trial through rule of judgment (as written in the ‘songs of David’.…)
10. Ps. 82:1 ‘Elohim will stand up in the assembly of El, in the midst of the elohim He judges’
11. Ps. 7:8-9 also after returning ‘to the heights’ He will judge the peoples; Ps. 82:2 ‘Until when [duration]…injustice? [process]’
12. Interpretation: Concerning Belial and the spirits of his lot all of whom rebelled against God’s law (cf. ‘lot’ of judgment, Dan. 12:13; ‘lots’ for Lord’s goat and scapegoat, Lev. 16:7-10); To ‘spirits of his lot’ contrast ‘spirits of just men made perfect’ ‘enrolled in heaven’ Heb. 12:23, or ‘souls under the altar given white robes’ of Rev. 6:9-11
13. Melchizedeq will exact the vengeance of God’s judgments on this day [Jubilee Day of Atonement] cf. Christ as Melchizedek king-priest freeing or redeeming those held in bondage to the one with the power of death, i.e., the devil (Heb. 2:14-15); cf. Jesus' unanswerable argument that if He casts out devils by the ‘finger of God’ then the ‘kingdom of God has come upon you’ (Luke 11:20 = Matt. 12:28; cf. Isa. 61:1-3); cf. Jesus of Nazareth God’s Anointed of the Holy Spirit healing all oppressed by the devil (Acts 2:38).
14. Alludes first to the ‘assembly of El’ in Ps. 82; ‘Every knee bow’ (Isa. 45:23; Phil. 2:10; Rom. 14:11; cf. Ps. 47:8) and judgment is paralleled with the assembly of the righteous (Ps. 1:5).
15. Calls the last Day of Atonement the ‘Day of Peace’…
16. Messenger of peace and good who announces salvation of Isa. 52:7 = Melchizedeq
17. Interpretation: Mountains = prophets
18. Messenger = the one anointed [mashiach] of the Spirit (Isa. 61:1) about whom Daniel spoke (Daniel 8-9)
19. Messenger of good who announces salvation / redemption = One foretold to comfort and watch over the afflicted in Zion (Isa. 61:2-3)
20. Interpretation: ‘To comfort the afflicted’ = ‘to instruct them in all the ages of the world’ (‘to instruct’ cf. the Prophet of Deut. 18:15, cit. in Acts 3:22; 7:37; ‘all the ages’ cf. ‘ages’ and in these last days spoken by the Son, Heb. 1:2)
21. Instruction will be in the ‘truth’
22. ‘turn away from Belial’ cf. Redeemer coming Zion to those turning from transgression in Jacob (Isa. 59:20) and cit. in Rom. 11:26 (turning away ungodliness in Jacob)
23. Judgments of God [on Day of Atonement] = the enthronement of God (Isa. 52:7)
24. Cf. assembly of the righteous (Ps. 1:5); cf. ‘turning many to righteousness’ (Dan. 12:3)
25. Some have seen "your God" equated with Melchizedek, but this is questionable because of a lacuna; rather to be seen as a heavenly Redeemer figure. Melchizedek shall free them from the hand of Belial (cf. Christ as Melchizedek king-priest in the Jubilee Day of Atonement freeing or redeeming as those held in bondage to the one with the power of death, i.e., the devil; Heb. 2:14-15) as typified by the Jubilee blowing of the shofar in the seventh month (Lev. 25:9)

• 6. Cf. Messianic last days: Law is to go forth out of Zion (Isa. 2:3 = Mic. 4:2)
• 7. ‘they shall devour Belial with fire’ cf. Judgment to consume & destroy ‘little horn’s dominion to the end (Dan. 7:26); cf. ‘lake of fire’ of Rev. 19:20; 20:10, 14-15; 21:8 for Satan, his hosts, the beasts and all evil doers; cf. ‘everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels’ foretold in Matt. 25:41
• 9. ‘Ramparts of Judah, of Jerusalem’ cf. ‘the sanctuary, the fortress’ of Dan. 11:31 and the 'outskirts' in Dan. 9:27