Moses' Death Foretold

⁴⁸ That very day the Lord spoke to Moses, ⁴⁹ “Go up ^(A)this mountain of the Abarim, Mount Nebo, which is in the land of Moab, opposite Jericho, and view the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the people of Israel for a possession. ⁵⁰ And die on the mountain which you go up, and be gathered to your people, as ^(B)Aaron your brother died in Mount Hor and was gathered to his people, ^51 (C)because you broke faith with me in the midst of the people of Israel at the waters of Meribah-kadesh, in the wilderness of Zin, and because you did not treat me as holy in the midst of the people of Israel. ⁵² For ^(D)you shall see the land before you, but you shall not go there, into the land that I am giving to the people of Israel.”

Esther Reveals Haman's Plot

¹⁴ While they were yet talking with him, the king's eunuchs arrived and hurried to bring Haman ^(A)to the feast that Esther had prepared.

7 So the king and Haman went in to feast with Queen Esther. ² And on the second day, as they were drinking wine after the feast, the king again said to Esther, ^(B)“What is your wish, Queen Esther? It shall be granted you. And what is your request? ^(C)Even to the half of my kingdom, it shall be fulfilled.” ³ Then Queen Esther answered, ^(D)“If I have found favor in your sight, O king, and if it please the king, let my life be granted me for my wish, and my people for my request. ^4 (E)For we have been sold, I and my people, ^(F)to be destroyed, to be killed, and to be annihilated. If we had been sold merely as slaves, men and women, I would have been silent, for our affliction is not to be compared with the loss to the king.” ⁵ Then King Ahasuerus said to Queen Esther, “Who is he, and where is he, who has dared^[a] to do this?” ⁶ And Esther said, ^(G)“A foe and enemy! This wicked Haman!” Then Haman was terrified before the king and the queen.

Haman Is Hanged

⁷ And the king arose in his wrath from the wine-drinking and went into ^(H)the palace garden, but Haman stayed to beg for his life from Queen Esther, for he saw that harm was determined against him by the king. ⁸ And the king returned from ^(I)the palace garden to the place where they were drinking wine, as Haman was falling on ^(J)the couch where Esther was. And the king said, “Will he even assault the queen in my presence, in my own house?” As the word left the mouth of the king, they covered Haman's face. ⁹ Then ^(K)Harbona, one of the eunuchs in attendance on the king, said, “Moreover, ^(L)the gallows^[b] that Haman has prepared for Mordecai, ^(M)whose word saved the king, is standing at Haman's house, fifty cubits^[c] high.” And the king said, “Hang him on that.” ^10 (N)So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. ^(O)Then the wrath of the king abated.

Esther Saves the Jews

8 On that day King Ahasuerus gave to Queen Esther the house of Haman, ^(P)the enemy of the Jews. And Mordecai came before the king, for Esther had told ^(Q)what he was to her. ^2 (R)And the king took off his signet ring, which he had taken from Haman, and gave it to Mordecai. And Esther set Mordecai over the house of Haman.

³ Then Esther spoke again to the king. She fell at his feet and wept and pleaded with him to avert the evil plan of Haman ^(S)the Agagite and the plot that he had devised against the Jews. ^4 (T)When the king held out the golden scepter to Esther, Esther rose and stood before the king. ⁵ And she said, “If it please the king, ^(U)and if I have found favor in his sight, and if the thing seems right before the king, and I am pleasing in his eyes, let an order be written to revoke ^(V)the letters devised by Haman ^(W)the Agagite, the son of Hammedatha, which he wrote to destroy the Jews who are in all the provinces of the king. ⁶ For how can I bear ^(X)to see the calamity that is coming to my people? Or how can I bear to see the destruction of my kindred?” ⁷ Then King Ahasuerus said to Queen Esther and to Mordecai the Jew, “Behold, ^(Y)I have given Esther the house of Haman, and they have hanged him on the gallows,^[d] because he intended to lay hands on the Jews. ⁸ But you may write as you please with regard to the Jews, in the name of the king, ^(Z)and seal it with the king's ring, for an edict written in the name of the king and sealed with the king's ring ^(AA)cannot be revoked.”

^9 (AB)The king's scribes were summoned at that time, in the third month, which is the month of Sivan, on the twenty-third day. And an edict was written, according to all that Mordecai commanded concerning the Jews, to ^(AC)the satraps and the governors and the officials of the provinces ^(AD)from India to Ethiopia, ^(AE)127 provinces, ^(AF)to each province in its own script and to each people in its own language, and also to the Jews in their script and their language. ^10 (AG)And he wrote in the name of King Ahasuerus ^(AH)and sealed it with the king's signet ring. Then he sent the letters by mounted couriers riding on ^(AI)swift horses that were used in the king's service, bred from the royal stud, ¹¹ saying that the king allowed the Jews who were in every city ^(AJ)to gather and defend their lives, ^(AK)to destroy, to kill, and to annihilate any armed force of any people or province that might attack them, children and women included, ^(AL)and to plunder their goods, ^12 (AM)on one day throughout all the provinces of King Ahasuerus, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar. ^13 (AN)A copy of what was written was to be issued as a decree in every province, being publicly displayed to all peoples, and the Jews were to be ready on that day to take vengeance on their enemies. ¹⁴ So the couriers, mounted on their ^(AO)swift horses that were used in the king's service, rode out hurriedly, urged by the king's command. And the decree was issued in Susa the citadel.

¹⁵ Then Mordecai went out from the presence of the king ^(AP)in royal robes of blue and white, with a great golden crown^[e] and ^(AQ)a robe of fine linen and purple, ^(AR)and the city of Susa shouted and rejoiced. ¹⁶ The Jews had ^(AS)light and gladness and joy and honor. ¹⁷ And in every province and in every city, wherever the king's command and his edict reached, there was gladness and joy among the Jews, a feast and ^(AT)a holiday. ^(AU)And many from the peoples of the country declared themselves Jews, ^(AV)for fear of the Jews had fallen on them.

The Priests' Polluted Offerings

^6 (A)“A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If then I am ^(B)a father, where is my honor? And if I am ^(C)a master, where is my fear? says the Lord of hosts to you, O priests, who despise my name. ^(D)But you say, ‘How have we despised your name?’ ^7 (E)By offering polluted food upon my altar. ^(F)But you say, ‘How have we polluted you?’ By saying that ^(G)the Lord's table may be despised. ^8 (H)When you offer blind animals in sacrifice, is that not evil? And when you offer those that are lame or sick, is that not evil? Present that to your governor; will he accept you or show you favor? says the Lord of hosts. ⁹ And now ^(I)entreat the favor of God, that he may be gracious to us. With such a gift from your hand, ^(J)will he show favor to any of you? says the Lord of hosts. ^10 (K)Oh that there were one among you who would shut the doors, that you might not kindle fire on my altar in vain! I have no pleasure in you, says the Lord of hosts, ^(L)and I will not accept an offering from your hand. ¹¹ For from the rising of the sun to its setting my name ^(M)will be^[a] great among the nations, and in every place incense will be offered to my name, and a pure offering. For my name ^(N)will be great among the nations, says the Lord of hosts. ¹² But you profane it when you say that ^(O)the Lord's table is polluted, and its fruit, that is, its food may be despised. ¹³ But you say, ^(P)‘What a weariness this is,’ and you snort at it, says the Lord of hosts. ^(Q)You bring what has been taken by violence or is lame or sick, and this you bring as your offering! Shall I accept that from your hand? says the Lord. ¹⁴ Cursed be the cheat who has ^(R)a male in his flock, and ^(S)vows it, and yet sacrifices to the Lord what is blemished. For ^(T)I am a great King, says the Lord of hosts, and my name ^(U)will be feared among the nations.

The Lord Rebukes the Priests

2 “And now, ^(V)O priests, ^(W)this command is for you. ^2 (X)If you will not listen, if you will not take it to heart to give honor to my name, says the Lord of hosts, then I will send ^(Y)the curse upon you and I will curse ^(Z)your blessings. Indeed, I have already cursed them, because you do not lay it to heart. ³ Behold, ^(AA)I will rebuke your offspring,^[b] and ^(AB)spread dung on your faces, the ^(AC)dung of your offerings, and you shall be taken away with it.^{[c] 4} So shall you know that I have sent ^(AD)this command to you, that ^(AE)my covenant with Levi may stand, says the Lord of hosts. ⁵ My covenant with him was one of life and ^(AF)peace, and I gave them to him. ^(AG)It was a covenant of fear, and he feared me. He stood in awe of my name. ^6 (AH)True instruction^[d] was in his mouth, and no wrong was found on his lips. He walked with me in peace and uprightness, and he ^(AI)turned many from iniquity. ⁷ For ^(AJ)the lips of a priest should guard knowledge, and people^[e] should seek instruction from his mouth, for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts. ⁸ But you have turned aside from the way. ^(AK)You have caused many to stumble by your instruction. You have corrupted ^(AL)the covenant of Levi, says the Lord of hosts, ⁹ and so ^(AM)I make you despised and abased before all the people, inasmuch as you do not keep my ways but ^(AN)show partiality in your instruction.”

Others

Together in the Garden of Love

She

Solomon and His Bride Delight in Each Other

He

She

Others

He

Jesus and Thomas

²⁴ Now ^(A)Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin,^[a] was not with them when Jesus came. ²⁵ So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, ^(B)“Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.”

²⁶ Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. ^(C)Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, ^(D)“Peace be with you.” ²⁷ Then he said to Thomas, ^(E)“Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.” ²⁸ Thomas answered him, ^(F)“My Lord and my God!” ²⁹ Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? ^(G)Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

The Purpose of This Book

^30 (H)Now Jesus did many other signs ^(I)in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; ^31 (J)but these are written so that you may ^(K)believe that Jesus is the Christ, ^(L)the Son of God, and that by believing ^(M)you may have life ^(N)in his name.

The New Jerusalem

⁹ Then came ^(A)one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of ^(B)the seven last plagues and spoke to me, saying, “Come, I will show you ^(C)the Bride, the wife of the Lamb.” ¹⁰ And ^(D)he carried me away in the Spirit to ^(E)a great, high mountain, and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God, ^11 (F)having the glory of God, ^(G)its radiance ^(H)like a most rare jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal. ¹² It had a great, high wall, ^(I)with twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and on the gates the names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel were inscribed— ¹³ on the east three gates, on the north three gates, on the south three gates, and on the west three gates. ¹⁴ And the wall of the city had twelve ^(J)foundations, and ^(K)on them were the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

¹⁵ And the one who spoke with me ^(L)had a measuring rod of gold to measure the city and its gates and walls. ¹⁶ The city lies foursquare, its length the same as its width. And he measured the city with his rod, 12,000 stadia.^[a] Its length and width and height are equal. ¹⁷ He also measured its wall, 144 cubits^[b] by ^(M)human measurement, which is also ^(N)an angel's measurement. ¹⁸ The wall was built of ^(O)jasper, while the city was pure gold, like ^(P)clear glass. ^19 (Q)The foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with every kind of jewel. The first was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, ²⁰ the fifth onyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, the twelfth amethyst. ²¹ And the twelve gates were twelve pearls, each of the gates made of a single pearl, and ^(R)the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass.

²² And ^(S)I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. ²³ And the city ^(T)has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for ^(U)the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb. ²⁴ By its light ^(V)will the nations walk, and the kings of the earth ^(W)will bring their glory into it, ²⁵ and ^(X)its gates will never be shut by day—and ^(Y)there will be no night there. ²⁶ They will bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations. ²⁷ But ^(Z)nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb's ^(AA)book of life.