Paul quotes Isaiah's prophecy that the Lord will 'cut short' his word on earth, executing swift and decisive judgment. Classical usage includes cutting expenses or abridging speeches; the prophetic citation retains the violent truncation sense—God's reckoning won't linger but will conclude swiftly. Spanish 'abreviando' and German 'verkürzen' preserve the temporal compression, framing divine action as both merciful (not drawn-out suffering) and terrifying (unavoidable speed).