Judah’s King Jotham

27 Jotham was twenty-five years old^(A) when he became king, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem.^(B) His mother’s name was Jerushah daughter of Zadok. ² He did what was right in the Lord’s sight just as his father Uzziah had done. In addition, he didn’t enter the Lord’s sanctuary,^(C) but the people still behaved corruptly.

³ Jotham built the Upper Gate of the Lord’s temple, and he built extensively on the wall of Ophel.^{(D) 4} He also built cities in the hill country of Judah and fortresses and towers in the forests.^{(E) 5} He waged war against the king of the Ammonites. He overpowered the Ammonites, and that year they gave him 7,500 pounds^[a] of silver, 60,000 bushels^[b] of wheat, and 60,000 bushels of barley. They paid him the same in the second and third years. ⁶ So Jotham strengthened his position because he did not waver in obeying^[c] the Lord his God.^(F)

⁷ As for the rest of the events^(G) of Jotham’s reign, along with all his wars and his ways, note that they are written in the Book of the Kings of Israel and Judah. ⁸ He was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. ⁹ Jotham rested with his ancestors and was buried in the city of David. His son Ahaz became king in his place.

Judah’s King Ahaz

28 Ahaz was twenty years old^(H) when he became king, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. He did not do what was right in the Lord’s sight^(I) like his ancestor David, ² for he walked in the ways of the kings of Israel^(J) and made cast images of the Baals.^{(K) 3} He burned incense in Ben Hinnom Valley^(L) and burned his children in^[d](M) the fire, imitating the detestable practices of the nations the Lord had dispossessed before the Israelites.^{(N) 4} He sacrificed and burned incense on the high places,^(O) on the hills, and under every green tree.

⁵ So the Lord his God handed Ahaz over^(P) to the king of Aram. He attacked him and took many captives to Damascus.

Ahaz was also handed over to the king of Israel, who struck him with great force: ⁶ Pekah son of Remaliah killed one hundred twenty thousand in Judah in one day—all brave men—because they had abandoned the Lord God of their ancestors. ⁷ An Ephraimite warrior named Zichri killed the king’s son Maaseiah, Azrikam governor of the palace, and Elkanah who was second to the king. ⁸ Then the Israelites took two hundred thousand captives from their brothers—women, sons, and daughters.^(Q) They also took a great deal of plunder from them and brought it to Samaria.

⁹ A prophet of the Lord named Oded was there. He went out to meet the army that came to Samaria and said to them, “Look, the Lord God of your ancestors handed them over to you because of his wrath against Judah,^(R) but you slaughtered them in a rage that has reached heaven.^{(S) 10} Now you plan to reduce the people of Judah and Jerusalem, male and female, to slavery. Are you not also guilty before the Lord your God? ¹¹ Listen to me and return the captives you took from your brothers,^(T) for the Lord’s burning anger is on you.”

¹² So some men who were leaders of the Ephraimites—Azariah son of Jehohanan, Berechiah son of Meshillemoth, Jehizkiah son of Shallum, and Amasa son of Hadlai—stood in opposition to those coming from the war. ¹³ They said to them, “You must not bring the captives here, for you plan to bring guilt on us from the Lord to add to our sins and our guilt. For we have much guilt, and burning anger is on Israel.”

¹⁴ The army left the captives and the plunder in the presence of the officers and the congregation. ¹⁵ Then the men who were designated by name^(U) took charge of the captives and provided clothes for their naked ones from the plunder. They clothed them, gave them sandals, food and drink,^(V) dressed their wounds, and provided donkeys for all the feeble. The Israelites brought them to Jericho, the City of Palms,^(W) among their brothers. Then they returned to Samaria.

¹⁶ At that time King Ahaz asked the king of Assyria for help.^{(X) 17} The Edomites came again, attacked Judah, and took captives.^{(Y) 18} The Philistines also raided the cities of the Judean foothills^[e] and the Negev of Judah.^(Z) They captured and occupied Beth-shemesh, Aijalon, and Gederoth, as well as Soco, Timnah, and Gimzo with their surrounding villages. ¹⁹ For the Lord humbled Judah because of King Ahaz of Judah,^[f] who threw off restraint in Judah and was unfaithful to the Lord. ²⁰ Then King Tiglath-pileser^[g](AA) of Assyria came against Ahaz; he oppressed him and did not give him support.^{(AB) 21} Although Ahaz plundered the Lord’s temple and the palace of the king and of the rulers and gave the plunder to the king of Assyria, it did not help him.

²² At the time of his distress, King Ahaz himself became more unfaithful to the Lord. ²³ He sacrificed to the gods of Damascus which had defeated him; he said, “Since the gods of the kings of Aram are helping them, I will sacrifice to them so that they will help me.”^(AC) But they were the downfall of him and of all Israel.

²⁴ Then Ahaz gathered up the utensils of God’s temple, cut them into pieces,^(AD) shut the doors of the Lord’s temple,^(AE) and made himself altars on every street corner in Jerusalem.^{(AF) 25} He made high places in every city of Judah to offer incense to other gods, and he angered the Lord, the God of his ancestors.

Ahaz’s Death

²⁶ As for the rest of his deeds^(AG) and all his ways, from beginning to end, they are written in the Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel. ²⁷ Ahaz rested with his ancestors and was buried in the city, in Jerusalem, but they did not bring him into the tombs of the kings of Israel. His son Hezekiah became king in his place.

The Lamb and the 144,000

14 Then I looked, and there was the Lamb, standing on Mount Zion,^(A) and with him were 144,000 who had his name and his Father’s name written on their foreheads.^{(B) 2} I heard a sound^[a] from heaven like the sound of cascading waters^(C) and like the rumbling of loud thunder. The sound I heard was like harpists playing on their harps.^{(D) 3} They sang^[b] a new song^(E) before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders,^(F) but no one could learn the song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth. ⁴ These are the ones who have not defiled themselves with women, since they remained virgins.^(G) These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever he goes. They were redeemed^[c] from humanity as the firstfruits^(H) for God and the Lamb. ⁵ No lie was found in their mouths; they are blameless.^(I)

The Proclamation of Three Angels

⁶ Then I saw another angel^(J) flying high overhead,^(K) with the eternal gospel to announce to the inhabitants of the earth—to every nation, tribe, language, and people.^{(L) 7} He spoke with a loud voice:^(M) “Fear God^(N) and give him glory,^(O) because the hour of his judgment has come.^(P) Worship the one who made heaven and earth,^(Q) the sea and the springs of water.”

⁸ And another, a second angel, followed, saying, “It has fallen, Babylon the Great^(R) has fallen.^[d] She made all the nations drink the wine of her sexual immorality,^[e] which brings wrath.”^(S)

⁹ And another, a third angel, followed them and spoke with a loud voice: “If anyone worships the beast and its image and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, ¹⁰ he will also drink the wine of God’s wrath, which is poured full strength into the cup of his anger.^(T) He will be tormented with fire and sulfur^(U) in the sight of the holy angels and in the sight of the Lamb, ¹¹ and the smoke of their torment will go up forever and ever.^(V) There is no rest^[f](W) day or night for those who worship the beast and its image, or anyone who receives the mark^(X) of its name. ¹² This calls for endurance from the saints,^(Y) who keep God’s commands and their faith in Jesus.”^[g]

¹³ Then I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Write: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.”^(Z)

“Yes,” says the Spirit, “so they will rest from their labors, since their works follow them.”

Reaping the Earth’s Harvest

¹⁴ Then I looked, and there was a white cloud, and one like the Son of Man^[h](AA) was seated on the cloud, with a golden crown on his head and a sharp sickle in his hand. ¹⁵ Another angel came out of the temple, crying out in a loud voice to the one who was seated on the cloud, “Use your sickle and reap, for the time to reap has come, since the harvest of the earth is ripe.”^{(AB) 16} So the one seated on the cloud swung his sickle over the earth, and the earth was harvested.

¹⁷ Then another angel who also had a sharp sickle came out of the temple in heaven. ¹⁸ Yet another angel, who had authority over fire, came from the altar, and he called with a loud voice to the one who had the sharp sickle, “Use your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of grapes from the vineyard of the earth, because its grapes have ripened.” ¹⁹ So the angel swung his sickle at the earth and gathered the grapes from the vineyard of the earth, and he threw them into the great winepress of God’s wrath.^{(AC) 20} Then the press was trampled outside the city, and blood flowed out of the press up to the horses’ bridles for about 180 miles.^[i](AD)

The Lord Restores His People

this is the Lord’s declaration.

Jesus Washes His Disciples’ Feet

13 Before the Passover Festival, Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart from this world to the Father.^(A) Having loved his own who were in the world,^(B) he loved them to the end.

² Now when it was time for supper, the devil^(C) had already put it into the heart of Judas,^(D) Simon Iscariot’s son,^[a] to betray^(E) him. ³ Jesus knew that the Father had given everything into his hands,^(F) that he had come from God,^(G) and that he was going back to God.^{(H) 4} So he got up from supper, laid aside his outer clothing,^(I) took a towel, and tied it around himself.^{(J) 5} Next, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet and to dry them with the towel tied around him.

⁶ He came to Simon Peter,^(K) who asked him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”

⁷ Jesus answered him, “What I’m doing you don’t realize now, but afterward you will understand.”^(L)

⁸ “You will never wash my feet,” Peter said.

Jesus replied, “If I don’t wash you, you have no part with me.”

⁹ Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not only my feet, but also my hands and my head.”

¹⁰ “One who has bathed,” Jesus told him, “doesn’t need to wash anything except his feet, but he is completely clean. You are clean, but not all of you.” ¹¹ For he knew who would betray him. This is why he said, “Not all of you are clean.”

The Meaning of Foot Washing

¹² When Jesus had washed their feet and put on his outer clothing, he reclined again and said to them, “Do you know what I have done for you? ¹³ You call me Teacher and Lord—and you are speaking rightly, since that is what I am. ¹⁴ So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.^{(M) 15} For I have given you an example,^(N) that you also should do just as I have done for you.

¹⁶ “Truly I tell you, a servant is not greater than his master,^[b](O) and a messenger is not greater than the one who sent him. ¹⁷ If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them.^(P)

¹⁸ “I’m not speaking about all of you; I know those I have chosen.^(Q) But the Scripture^(R) must be fulfilled: ^(S) The one who eats my bread^[c] has raised his heel against me.^{[d](T) 19} I am telling you now before it happens,^(U) so that when it does happen you will believe^(V) that I am he.^{(W) 20} Truly I tell you, whoever receives anyone I send receives me, and the one who receives^(X) me receives him who sent me.”

Judas’s Betrayal Predicted

²¹ When^(Y) Jesus had said this, he was troubled in his spirit^(Z) and testified,^(AA) “Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me.”

²² The disciples started looking at one another—uncertain which one he was speaking about. ²³ One of his disciples, the one Jesus loved,^(AB) was reclining close beside Jesus.^{[e] 24} Simon Peter motioned to him to find out who it was he was talking about. ²⁵ So he leaned back against Jesus and asked him, “Lord, who is it?”

²⁶ Jesus replied, “He’s the one I give the piece of bread to after I have dipped it.”^(AC) When he had dipped the bread,^(AD) he gave it to Judas, Simon Iscariot’s son.^{[f] 27} After Judas ate the piece of bread, Satan^(AE) entered him. So Jesus told him, “What you’re doing, do quickly.”

²⁸ None of those reclining at the table knew why he said this to him. ²⁹ Since Judas^(AF) kept the money-bag, some thought that Jesus was telling him, “Buy what we need for the festival,”^(AG) or that he should give something to the poor. ³⁰ After receiving the piece of bread, he immediately left. And it was night.^(AH)

The New Command

³¹ When^(AI) he had left, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man^(AJ) is glorified, and God is glorified^(AK) in him.^{(AL) 32} If God is glorified in him,^[g] God will also glorify him in himself and will glorify him at once. ³³ Little children, I am with you a little while longer.^(AM) You will look for me, and just as I told the Jews, so now I tell you, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come.’^(AN)

³⁴ “I give you a new command: Love one another. Just as I have loved you, you are also to love one another. ³⁵ By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love^(AO) one another.”

Peter’s Denials Predicted

³⁶ “Lord,” Simon Peter said to him, “where are you going?”

Jesus answered, “Where I am going^(AP) you cannot follow me now, but you will follow later.”

³⁷ “Lord,” Peter asked, “why can’t I follow you now? I will lay down my life^(AQ) for you.”^(AR)

³⁸ Jesus replied, “Will you lay down your life for me? Truly I tell you, a rooster will not crow until you have denied me three times.