11 Then Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carried away captive (A)the rest of the people who remained in the city and the defectors who had deserted to the king of Babylon, with the rest of the multitude. 12 But the captain of the guard (B)left some of the poor of the land as vinedressers and farmers. 13 (C)The bronze (D)pillars that were in the house of the Lord, and (E)the carts and (F)the bronze Sea that were in the house of the Lord, the Chaldeans broke in pieces, and (G)carried their bronze to Babylon. 14 They also took away (H)the pots, the shovels, the trimmers, the spoons, and all the bronze utensils with which the priests ministered. 15 The firepans and the basins, the things of solid gold and solid silver, the captain of the guard took away. 16 The two pillars, one Sea, and the carts, which Solomon had made for the house of the Lord, (I)the bronze of all these articles was beyond measure. 17 (J)The height of one pillar was [a]eighteen cubits, and the capital on it was of bronze. The height of the capital was three cubits, and the network and pomegranates all around the capital were all of bronze. The second pillar was the same, with a network.

18 (K)And the captain of the guard took (L)Seraiah the chief priest, (M)Zephaniah the second priest, and the three doorkeepers. 19 He also took out of the city an officer who had charge of the men of war, (N)five men of [b]the king’s close associates who were found in the city, the chief recruiting officer of the army, who mustered the people of the land, and sixty men of the people of the land who were found in the city. 20 So Nebuzaradan, captain of the guard, took these and brought them to the king of Babylon at Riblah. 21 Then the king of Babylon struck them and put them to death at Riblah in the land of Hamath. (O)Thus Judah was carried away captive from its own land.

Gedaliah Made Governor of Judah(P)

22 Then he made Gedaliah the son of (Q)Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, governor over (R)the people who remained in the land of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had left. 23 Now when all the (S)captains of the armies, they and their men, heard that the king of Babylon had made Gedaliah governor, they came to Gedaliah at Mizpah—Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, Johanan the son of Careah, Seraiah the son of Tanhumeth the Netophathite, and [c]Jaazaniah the son of a Maachathite, they and their men. 24 And Gedaliah took an oath before them and their men, and said to them, “Do not be afraid of the servants of the Chaldeans. Dwell in the land and serve the king of Babylon, and it shall be well with you.”

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Kings 25:17 About 27 feet
  2. 2 Kings 25:19 Lit. those seeing the king’s face
  3. 2 Kings 25:23 Jezaniah, Jer. 40:8

11 Nebuzaradan the commander of the guard carried into exile(A) the people who remained in the city, along with the rest of the populace and those who had deserted to the king of Babylon.(B) 12 But the commander left behind some of the poorest people(C) of the land to work the vineyards and fields.

13 The Babylonians broke(D) up the bronze pillars, the movable stands and the bronze Sea that were at the temple of the Lord and they carried the bronze to Babylon. 14 They also took away the pots, shovels, wick trimmers, dishes(E) and all the bronze articles(F) used in the temple service. 15 The commander of the imperial guard took away the censers and sprinkling bowls—all that were made of pure gold or silver.(G)

16 The bronze from the two pillars, the Sea and the movable stands, which Solomon had made for the temple of the Lord, was more than could be weighed. 17 Each pillar(H) was eighteen cubits[a] high. The bronze capital on top of one pillar was three cubits[b] high and was decorated with a network and pomegranates of bronze all around. The other pillar, with its network, was similar.

18 The commander of the guard took as prisoners Seraiah(I) the chief priest, Zephaniah(J) the priest next in rank and the three doorkeepers.(K) 19 Of those still in the city, he took the officer in charge of the fighting men, and five royal advisers. He also took the secretary who was chief officer in charge of conscripting the people of the land and sixty of the conscripts who were found in the city. 20 Nebuzaradan the commander took them all and brought them to the king of Babylon at Riblah. 21 There at Riblah,(L) in the land of Hamath, the king had them executed.(M)

So Judah went into captivity,(N) away from her land.(O)

22 Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon appointed Gedaliah(P) son of Ahikam,(Q) the son of Shaphan, to be over the people he had left behind in Judah. 23 When all the army officers and their men heard that the king of Babylon had appointed Gedaliah as governor, they came to Gedaliah at Mizpah—Ishmael son of Nethaniah, Johanan son of Kareah, Seraiah son of Tanhumeth the Netophathite, Jaazaniah the son of the Maakathite, and their men. 24 Gedaliah took an oath to reassure them and their men. “Do not be afraid of the Babylonian officials,” he said. “Settle down in the land and serve the king of Babylon, and it will go well with you.”

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Kings 25:17 That is, about 27 feet or about 8.1 meters
  2. 2 Kings 25:17 That is, about 4 1/2 feet or about 1.4 meters

Jesus Promises Another Helper

15 (A)“If you love Me, [a]keep My commandments. 16 And I will pray the Father, and (B)He will give you another [b]Helper, that He may abide with you forever— 17 (C)the Spirit of truth, (D)whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you (E)and will be in you. 18 (F)I will not leave you orphans; (G)I will come to you.

Indwelling of the Father and the Son

19 “A little while longer and the world will see Me no more, but (H)you will see Me. (I)Because I live, you will live also. 20 At that day you will know that (J)I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you. 21 (K)He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and [c]manifest Myself to him.”

22 (L)Judas (not Iscariot) said to Him, “Lord, how is it that You will manifest Yourself to us, and not to the world?”

23 Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, (M)and We will come to him and make Our home with him. 24 He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and (N)the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father’s who sent Me.

The Gift of His Peace

25 “These things I have spoken to you while being present with you. 26 But (O)the [d]Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will (P)send in My name, (Q)He will teach you all things, and bring to your (R)remembrance all things that I said to you. 27 (S)Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. 28 You have heard Me (T)say to you, ‘I am going away and coming back to you.’ If you loved Me, you would rejoice because [e]I said, (U)‘I am going to the Father,’ for (V)My Father is greater than I.

29 “And (W)now I have told you before it comes, that when it does come to pass, you may believe. 30 I will no longer talk much with you, (X)for the ruler of this world is coming, and he has (Y)nothing in Me. 31 But that the world may know that I love the Father, and (Z)as the Father gave Me commandment, so I do. Arise, let us go from here.

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Footnotes

  1. John 14:15 NU you will keep
  2. John 14:16 Comforter, Gr. Parakletos
  3. John 14:21 reveal
  4. John 14:26 Comforter, Gr. Parakletos
  5. John 14:28 NU omits I said

Jesus Promises the Holy Spirit

15 “If you love me, keep my commands.(A) 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate(B) to help you and be with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth.(C) The world cannot accept him,(D) because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be[a] in you. 18 I will not leave you as orphans;(E) I will come to you.(F) 19 Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me.(G) Because I live, you also will live.(H) 20 On that day(I) you will realize that I am in my Father,(J) and you are in me, and I am in you.(K) 21 Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me.(L) The one who loves me will be loved by my Father,(M) and I too will love them and show myself to them.”

22 Then Judas(N) (not Judas Iscariot) said, “But, Lord, why do you intend to show yourself to us and not to the world?”(O)

23 Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching.(P) My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.(Q) 24 Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.(R)

25 “All this I have spoken while still with you. 26 But the Advocate,(S) the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name,(T) will teach you all things(U) and will remind you of everything I have said to you.(V) 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you.(W) I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled(X) and do not be afraid.

28 “You heard me say, ‘I am going away and I am coming back to you.’(Y) If you loved me, you would be glad that I am going to the Father,(Z) for the Father is greater than I.(AA) 29 I have told you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe.(AB) 30 I will not say much more to you, for the prince of this world(AC) is coming. He has no hold over me, 31 but he comes so that the world may learn that I love the Father and do exactly what my Father has commanded me.(AD)

“Come now; let us leave.

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Footnotes

  1. John 14:17 Some early manuscripts and is

God’s Final Judgment and Glory

We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is fitting, because your faith grows exceedingly, and the love of every one of you all abounds toward each other, so that (A)we ourselves boast of you among the churches of God (B)for your patience and faith (C)in all your persecutions and [a]tribulations that you endure, which is (D)manifest[b] evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, (E)for which you also suffer; (F)since it is a righteous thing with God to repay with [c]tribulation those who trouble you, and to give you who are troubled (G)rest with us when (H)the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. (I)These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and (J)from the glory of His power, 10 when He comes, in that Day, (K)to be (L)glorified in His saints and to be admired among all those who [d]believe, because our testimony among you was believed.

11 Therefore we also pray always for you that our God would (M)count you worthy of this calling, and fulfill all the good pleasure of His goodness and (N)the work of faith with power, 12 (O)that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Thessalonians 1:4 afflictions
  2. 2 Thessalonians 1:5 plain
  3. 2 Thessalonians 1:6 affliction
  4. 2 Thessalonians 1:10 NU, M have believed

Thanksgiving and Prayer

We ought always to thank God for you,(A) brothers and sisters,[a] and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love all of you have for one another is increasing.(B) Therefore, among God’s churches we boast(C) about your perseverance and faith(D) in all the persecutions and trials you are enduring.(E)

All this is evidence(F) that God’s judgment is right, and as a result you will be counted worthy(G) of the kingdom of God, for which you are suffering. God is just:(H) He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you(I) and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well. This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven(J) in blazing fire(K) with his powerful angels.(L) He will punish(M) those who do not know God(N) and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.(O) They will be punished with everlasting destruction(P) and shut out from the presence of the Lord(Q) and from the glory of his might(R) 10 on the day(S) he comes to be glorified(T) in his holy people and to be marveled at among all those who have believed. This includes you, because you believed our testimony to you.(U)

11 With this in mind, we constantly pray for you,(V) that our God may make you worthy(W) of his calling,(X) and that by his power he may bring to fruition your every desire for goodness(Y) and your every deed prompted by faith.(Z) 12 We pray this so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you,(AA) and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.[b]

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Thessalonians 1:3 The Greek word for brothers and sisters (adelphoi) refers here to believers, both men and women, as part of God’s family; also in 2:1, 13, 15; 3:1, 6, 13.
  2. 2 Thessalonians 1:12 Or God and Lord, Jesus Christ