The Gold Lampstand and the Two Olive Trees

4 Then the angel who talked with me returned and woke^(A) me up, like someone awakened from sleep.^{(B) 2} He asked me, “What do you see?”^(C)

I answered, “I see a solid gold lampstand^(D) with a bowl at the top and seven lamps^(E) on it, with seven channels to the lamps. ³ Also there are two olive trees^(F) by it, one on the right of the bowl and the other on its left.”

⁴ I asked the angel who talked with me, “What are these, my lord?”

⁵ He answered, “Do you not know what these are?”

“No, my lord,” I replied.^(G)

⁶ So he said to me, “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel:^(H) ‘Not^(I) by might nor by power,^(J) but by my Spirit,’^(K) says the Lord Almighty.

⁷ “What are you, mighty mountain? Before Zerubbabel you will become level ground.^(L) Then he will bring out the capstone^(M) to shouts^(N) of ‘God bless it! God bless it!’”

⁸ Then the word of the Lord came to me: ⁹ “The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation^(O) of this temple; his hands will also complete it.^(P) Then you will know that the Lord Almighty has sent me^(Q) to you.

¹⁰ “Who dares despise the day^(R) of small things,^(S) since the seven eyes^(T) of the Lord that range throughout the earth will rejoice when they see the chosen capstone^[a] in the hand of Zerubbabel?”^(U)

¹¹ Then I asked the angel, “What are these two olive trees^(V) on the right and the left of the lampstand?”

¹² Again I asked him, “What are these two olive branches beside the two gold pipes that pour out golden oil?”

¹³ He replied, “Do you not know what these are?”

“No, my lord,” I said.

¹⁴ So he said, “These are the two who are anointed^(W) to^[b] serve the Lord of all the earth.”

The Flying Scroll

5 I looked again, and there before me was a flying scroll.^(X)

² He asked me, “What do you see?”^(Y)

I answered, “I see a flying scroll, twenty cubits long and ten cubits wide.^[c]”

³ And he said to me, “This is the curse^(Z) that is going out over the whole land; for according to what it says on one side, every thief^(AA) will be banished, and according to what it says on the other, everyone who swears falsely^(AB) will be banished. ⁴ The Lord Almighty declares, ‘I will send it out, and it will enter the house of the thief and the house of anyone who swears falsely^(AC) by my name. It will remain in that house and destroy it completely, both its timbers and its stones.^(AD)’”

The Woman in a Basket

⁵ Then the angel who was speaking to me came forward and said to me, “Look up and see what is appearing.”

⁶ I asked, “What is it?”

He replied, “It is a basket.^(AE)” And he added, “This is the iniquity^[d] of the people throughout the land.”

⁷ Then the cover of lead was raised, and there in the basket sat a woman! ⁸ He said, “This is wickedness,” and he pushed her back into the basket and pushed its lead cover down on it.^(AF)

⁹ Then I looked up—and there before me were two women, with the wind in their wings! They had wings like those of a stork,^(AG) and they lifted up the basket between heaven and earth.

¹⁰ “Where are they taking the basket?” I asked the angel who was speaking to me.

¹¹ He replied, “To the country of Babylonia^[e](AH) to build a house^(AI) for it. When the house is ready, the basket will be set there in its place.”^(AJ)

Faith in the Incarnate Son of God

5 Everyone who believes^(A) that Jesus is the Christ^(B) is born of God,^(C) and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well.^{(D) 2} This is how we know^(E) that we love the children of God:^(F) by loving God and carrying out his commands. ³ In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands.^(G) And his commands are not burdensome,^{(H) 4} for everyone born of God^(I) overcomes^(J) the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. ⁵ Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.^(K)

⁶ This is the one who came by water and blood^(L)—Jesus Christ. He did not come by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth.^{(M) 7} For there are three^(N) that testify: ⁸ the^[a] Spirit, the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement. ⁹ We accept human testimony,^(O) but God’s testimony is greater because it is the testimony of God,^(P) which he has given about his Son. ¹⁰ Whoever believes in the Son of God accepts this testimony.^(Q) Whoever does not believe God has made him out to be a liar,^(R) because they have not believed the testimony God has given about his Son. ¹¹ And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life,^(S) and this life is in his Son.^{(T) 12} Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.^(U)

Concluding Affirmations

¹³ I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God^(V) so that you may know that you have eternal life.^{(W) 14} This is the confidence^(X) we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.^{(Y) 15} And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know^(Z) that we have what we asked of him.^(AA)

¹⁶ If you see any brother or sister commit a sin that does not lead to death, you should pray and God will give them life.^(AB) I refer to those whose sin does not lead to death. There is a sin that leads to death.^(AC) I am not saying that you should pray about that.^{(AD) 17} All wrongdoing is sin,^(AE) and there is sin that does not lead to death.^(AF)

¹⁸ We know that anyone born of God^(AG) does not continue to sin; the One who was born of God keeps them safe, and the evil one^(AH) cannot harm them.^{(AI) 19} We know that we are children of God,^(AJ) and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one.^{(AK) 20} We know also that the Son of God has come^(AL) and has given us understanding,^(AM) so that we may know him who is true.^(AN) And we are in him who is true by being in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.^(AO)

²¹ Dear children,^(AP) keep yourselves from idols.^(AQ)