Jesus Appears to Thomas

24 Now Thomas(A) (also known as Didymus[a]), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!”

But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side,(B) I will not believe.”(C)

26 A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace(D) be with you!”(E) 27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.”(F)

28 Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!”

29 Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed;(G) blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”(H)

The Purpose of John’s Gospel

30 Jesus performed many other signs(I) in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book.(J) 31 But these are written that you may believe[b](K) that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God,(L) and that by believing you may have life in his name.(M)

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Footnotes

  1. John 20:24 Thomas (Aramaic) and Didymus (Greek) both mean twin.
  2. John 20:31 Or may continue to believe

The Thousand Years

20 And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven,(A) having the key(B) to the Abyss(C) and holding in his hand a great chain. He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan,(D) and bound him for a thousand years.(E) He threw him into the Abyss,(F) and locked and sealed(G) it over him, to keep him from deceiving the nations(H) anymore until the thousand years were ended. After that, he must be set free for a short time.

I saw thrones(I) on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge.(J) And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded(K) because of their testimony about Jesus(L) and because of the word of God.(M) They[a] had not worshiped the beast(N) or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands.(O) They came to life and reigned(P) with Christ a thousand years. (The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended.) This is the first resurrection.(Q) Blessed(R) and holy are those who share in the first resurrection. The second death(S) has no power over them, but they will be priests(T) of God and of Christ and will reign with him(U) for a thousand years.

The Judgment of Satan

When the thousand years are over,(V) Satan will be released from his prison and will go out to deceive the nations(W) in the four corners of the earth(X)—Gog and Magog(Y)—and to gather them for battle.(Z) In number they are like the sand on the seashore.(AA) They marched across the breadth of the earth and surrounded(AB) the camp of God’s people, the city he loves.(AC) But fire came down from heaven(AD) and devoured them. 10 And the devil, who deceived them,(AE) was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur,(AF) where the beast(AG) and the false prophet(AH) had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.(AI)

The Judgment of the Dead

11 Then I saw a great white throne(AJ) and him who was seated on it. The earth and the heavens fled from his presence,(AK) and there was no place for them. 12 And I saw the dead, great and small,(AL) standing before the throne, and books were opened.(AM) Another book was opened, which is the book of life.(AN) The dead were judged(AO) according to what they had done(AP) as recorded in the books. 13 The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades(AQ) gave up the dead(AR) that were in them, and each person was judged according to what they had done.(AS) 14 Then death(AT) and Hades(AU) were thrown into the lake of fire.(AV) The lake of fire is the second death.(AW) 15 Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life(AX) was thrown into the lake of fire.

Footnotes

  1. Revelation 20:4 Or God; I also saw those who

41 [a]“Can you pull in Leviathan(A) with a fishhook(B)
    or tie down its tongue with a rope?
Can you put a cord through its nose(C)
    or pierce its jaw with a hook?(D)
Will it keep begging you for mercy?(E)
    Will it speak to you with gentle words?
Will it make an agreement with you
    for you to take it as your slave for life?(F)
Can you make a pet of it like a bird
    or put it on a leash for the young women in your house?
Will traders barter for it?
    Will they divide it up among the merchants?
Can you fill its hide with harpoons
    or its head with fishing spears?(G)
If you lay a hand on it,
    you will remember the struggle and never do it again!(H)
Any hope of subduing it is false;
    the mere sight of it is overpowering.(I)
10 No one is fierce enough to rouse it.(J)
    Who then is able to stand against me?(K)
11 Who has a claim against me that I must pay?(L)
    Everything under heaven belongs to me.(M)

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Footnotes

  1. Job 41:1 In Hebrew texts 41:1-8 is numbered 40:25-32, and 41:9-34 is numbered 41:1-26.

Four Chariots

I looked up again, and there before me were four chariots(A) coming out from between two mountains—mountains of bronze. The first chariot had red horses, the second black,(B) the third white,(C) and the fourth dappled—all of them powerful. I asked the angel who was speaking to me, “What are these, my lord?”

The angel answered me, “These are the four spirits[a](D) of heaven, going out from standing in the presence of the Lord of the whole world.(E) The one with the black horses is going toward the north country, the one with the white horses toward the west,[b] and the one with the dappled horses toward the south.”

When the powerful horses went out, they were straining to go throughout the earth.(F) And he said, “Go throughout the earth!” So they went throughout the earth.

Then he called to me, “Look, those going toward the north country have given my Spirit[c] rest(G) in the land of the north.”(H)

A Crown for Joshua

The word of the Lord came to me: 10 “Take silver and gold from the exiles Heldai, Tobijah and Jedaiah, who have arrived from Babylon.(I) Go the same day to the house of Josiah son of Zephaniah. 11 Take the silver and gold and make a crown,(J) and set it on the head of the high priest, Joshua(K) son of Jozadak.[d](L) 12 Tell him this is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘Here is the man whose name is the Branch,(M) and he will branch out from his place and build the temple of the Lord.(N) 13 It is he who will build the temple of the Lord, and he will be clothed with majesty and will sit and rule on his throne. And he[e] will be a priest(O) on his throne. And there will be harmony between the two.’ 14 The crown will be given to Heldai,[f] Tobijah, Jedaiah and Hen[g] son of Zephaniah as a memorial(P) in the temple of the Lord. 15 Those who are far away will come and help to build the temple of the Lord,(Q) and you will know that the Lord Almighty has sent me to you.(R) This will happen if you diligently obey(S) the Lord your God.”

Justice and Mercy, Not Fasting

In the fourth year of King Darius, the word of the Lord came to Zechariah(T) on the fourth day of the ninth month, the month of Kislev.(U) The people of Bethel had sent Sharezer and Regem-Melek, together with their men, to entreat(V) the Lord(W) by asking the priests of the house of the Lord Almighty and the prophets, “Should I mourn(X) and fast in the fifth(Y) month, as I have done for so many years?”

Then the word of the Lord Almighty came to me: “Ask all the people of the land and the priests, ‘When you fasted(Z) and mourned in the fifth and seventh(AA) months for the past seventy years,(AB) was it really for me that you fasted? And when you were eating and drinking, were you not just feasting for yourselves?(AC) Are these not the words the Lord proclaimed through the earlier prophets(AD) when Jerusalem and its surrounding towns were at rest(AE) and prosperous, and the Negev and the western foothills(AF) were settled?’”(AG)

And the word of the Lord came again to Zechariah: “This is what the Lord Almighty said: ‘Administer true justice;(AH) show mercy and compassion to one another.(AI) 10 Do not oppress the widow(AJ) or the fatherless, the foreigner(AK) or the poor.(AL) Do not plot evil against each other.’(AM)

11 “But they refused to pay attention; stubbornly(AN) they turned their backs(AO) and covered their ears.(AP) 12 They made their hearts as hard as flint(AQ) and would not listen to the law or to the words that the Lord Almighty had sent by his Spirit through the earlier prophets.(AR) So the Lord Almighty was very angry.(AS)

13 “‘When I called, they did not listen;(AT) so when they called, I would not listen,’(AU) says the Lord Almighty.(AV) 14 ‘I scattered(AW) them with a whirlwind(AX) among all the nations, where they were strangers. The land they left behind them was so desolate that no one traveled through it.(AY) This is how they made the pleasant land desolate.(AZ)’”

The Lord Promises to Bless Jerusalem

The word of the Lord Almighty came to me.

This is what the Lord Almighty says: “I am very jealous(BA) for Zion; I am burning with jealousy for her.”

This is what the Lord says: “I will return(BB) to Zion(BC) and dwell in Jerusalem.(BD) Then Jerusalem will be called the Faithful City,(BE) and the mountain(BF) of the Lord Almighty will be called the Holy Mountain.(BG)

This is what the Lord Almighty says: “Once again men and women of ripe old age will sit in the streets of Jerusalem,(BH) each of them with cane in hand because of their age. The city streets will be filled with boys and girls playing there.(BI)

This is what the Lord Almighty says: “It may seem marvelous to the remnant of this people at that time,(BJ) but will it seem marvelous to me?(BK)” declares the Lord Almighty.

This is what the Lord Almighty says: “I will save my people from the countries of the east and the west.(BL) I will bring them back(BM) to live(BN) in Jerusalem; they will be my people,(BO) and I will be faithful and righteous to them as their God.(BP)

This is what the Lord Almighty says: “Now hear these words, ‘Let your hands be strong(BQ) so that the temple may be built.’ This is also what the prophets(BR) said who were present when the foundation(BS) was laid for the house of the Lord Almighty. 10 Before that time there were no wages(BT) for people or hire for animals. No one could go about their business safely(BU) because of their enemies, since I had turned everyone against their neighbor. 11 But now I will not deal with the remnant of this people as I did in the past,”(BV) declares the Lord Almighty.

12 “The seed will grow well, the vine will yield its fruit,(BW) the ground will produce its crops,(BX) and the heavens will drop their dew.(BY) I will give all these things as an inheritance(BZ) to the remnant of this people.(CA) 13 Just as you, Judah and Israel, have been a curse[h](CB) among the nations, so I will save(CC) you, and you will be a blessing.[i](CD) Do not be afraid,(CE) but let your hands be strong.(CF)

14 This is what the Lord Almighty says: “Just as I had determined to bring disaster(CG) on you and showed no pity when your ancestors angered me,” says the Lord Almighty, 15 “so now I have determined to do good(CH) again to Jerusalem and Judah.(CI) Do not be afraid. 16 These are the things you are to do: Speak the truth(CJ) to each other, and render true and sound judgment(CK) in your courts;(CL) 17 do not plot evil(CM) against each other, and do not love to swear falsely.(CN) I hate all this,” declares the Lord.

18 The word of the Lord Almighty came to me.

19 This is what the Lord Almighty says: “The fasts of the fourth,(CO) fifth,(CP) seventh(CQ) and tenth(CR) months will become joyful(CS) and glad occasions and happy festivals for Judah. Therefore love truth(CT) and peace.”

20 This is what the Lord Almighty says: “Many peoples and the inhabitants of many cities will yet come, 21 and the inhabitants of one city will go to another and say, ‘Let us go at once to entreat(CU) the Lord and seek(CV) the Lord Almighty. I myself am going.’ 22 And many peoples and powerful nations will come to Jerusalem to seek the Lord Almighty and to entreat him.”(CW)

23 This is what the Lord Almighty says: “In those days ten people from all languages and nations will take firm hold of one Jew by the hem of his robe and say, ‘Let us go with you, because we have heard that God is with you.’”(CX)

Judgment on Israel’s Enemies

A prophecy:(CY)

The word of the Lord is against the land of Hadrak
    and will come to rest on Damascus(CZ)
for the eyes of all people and all the tribes of Israel
    are on the Lord[j]
and on Hamath(DA) too, which borders on it,
    and on Tyre(DB) and Sidon,(DC) though they are very skillful.
Tyre has built herself a stronghold;
    she has heaped up silver like dust,
    and gold like the dirt of the streets.(DD)
But the Lord will take away her possessions
    and destroy(DE) her power on the sea,
    and she will be consumed by fire.(DF)
Ashkelon(DG) will see it and fear;
    Gaza will writhe in agony,
    and Ekron too, for her hope will wither.
Gaza will lose her king
    and Ashkelon will be deserted.
A mongrel people will occupy Ashdod,
    and I will put an end(DH) to the pride of the Philistines.
I will take the blood from their mouths,
    the forbidden food from between their teeth.
Those who are left will belong to our God(DI)
    and become a clan in Judah,
    and Ekron will be like the Jebusites.(DJ)
But I will encamp(DK) at my temple
    to guard it against marauding forces.(DL)
Never again will an oppressor overrun my people,
    for now I am keeping watch.(DM)

The Coming of Zion’s King

Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion!(DN)
    Shout,(DO) Daughter Jerusalem!
See, your king comes to you,(DP)
    righteous and victorious,(DQ)
lowly and riding on a donkey,(DR)
    on a colt, the foal of a donkey.(DS)
10 I will take away the chariots from Ephraim
    and the warhorses from Jerusalem,
    and the battle bow will be broken.(DT)
He will proclaim peace(DU) to the nations.
    His rule will extend from sea to sea
    and from the River[k] to the ends of the earth.(DV)
11 As for you, because of the blood of my covenant(DW) with you,
    I will free your prisoners(DX) from the waterless pit.(DY)
12 Return to your fortress,(DZ) you prisoners of hope;
    even now I announce that I will restore twice(EA) as much to you.
13 I will bend Judah as I bend my bow(EB)
    and fill it with Ephraim.(EC)
I will rouse your sons, Zion,
    against your sons, Greece,(ED)
    and make you like a warrior’s sword.(EE)

The Lord Will Appear

14 Then the Lord will appear over them;(EF)
    his arrow will flash like lightning.(EG)
The Sovereign Lord will sound the trumpet;(EH)
    he will march in the storms(EI) of the south,
15     and the Lord Almighty will shield(EJ) them.
They will destroy
    and overcome with slingstones.(EK)
They will drink and roar as with wine;(EL)
    they will be full like a bowl(EM)
    used for sprinkling[l] the corners(EN) of the altar.
16 The Lord their God will save his people on that day(EO)
    as a shepherd saves his flock.
They will sparkle in his land
    like jewels in a crown.(EP)
17 How attractive and beautiful they will be!
    Grain will make the young men thrive,
    and new wine the young women.

Footnotes

  1. Zechariah 6:5 Or winds
  2. Zechariah 6:6 Or horses after them
  3. Zechariah 6:8 Or spirit
  4. Zechariah 6:11 Hebrew Jehozadak, a variant of Jozadak
  5. Zechariah 6:13 Or there
  6. Zechariah 6:14 Syriac; Hebrew Helem
  7. Zechariah 6:14 Or and the gracious one, the
  8. Zechariah 8:13 That is, your name has been used in cursing (see Jer. 29:22); or, you have been regarded as under a curse.
  9. Zechariah 8:13 Or and your name will be used in blessings (see Gen. 48:20); or and you will be seen as blessed
  10. Zechariah 9:1 Or Damascus. / For the eye of the Lord is on all people, / as well as on the tribes of Israel,
  11. Zechariah 9:10 That is, the Euphrates
  12. Zechariah 9:15 Or bowl, / like

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