Celebration of the Passover

30 Then Hezekiah sent word throughout all Israel and Judah, and he also wrote letters to Ephraim and Manasseh to come to the Lord’s temple in Jerusalem to observe the Passover of the Lord, the God of Israel.^{(A) 2} For the king and his officials and the entire congregation in Jerusalem decided to observe the Passover of the Lord in the second month,^{(B) 3} because they were not able to observe it at the appropriate time. Not enough of the priests had consecrated themselves,^(C) and the people hadn’t been gathered together in Jerusalem. ⁴ The proposal pleased the king and the congregation, ⁵ so they affirmed the proposal and spread the message throughout all Israel, from Beer-sheba to Dan,^(D) to come to observe the Passover of the Lord, the God of Israel in Jerusalem, for they hadn’t observed it often,^[a] as prescribed.^[b]

⁶ So the couriers^(E) went throughout Israel and Judah with letters from the hand of the king and his officials, and according to the king’s command, saying, “Israelites, return to the Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel so that he may return to those of you who remain, who have escaped the grasp of the kings of Assyria.^{(F) 7} Don’t be like your ancestors and your brothers who were unfaithful to the Lord, the God of their ancestors^(G) so that he made them an object of horror^(H) as you yourselves see. ⁸ Don’t become obstinate^[c](I) now like your ancestors did. Give your allegiance^[d] to the Lord, and come to his sanctuary that he has consecrated forever. Serve the Lord your God so that he may turn his burning anger away from you,^{(J) 9} for when you return to the Lord, your brothers and your sons will receive mercy in the presence of their captors and will return to this land.^(K) For the Lord your God is gracious and merciful;^(L) he will not turn his face away from you if you return to him.”

¹⁰ The couriers traveled from city to city in the land of Ephraim and Manasseh as far as Zebulun, but the inhabitants^[e] laughed at them and mocked them.^{(M) 11} But some from Asher, Manasseh, and Zebulun humbled themselves and came to Jerusalem.^{(N) 12} Also, the power of God was at work in Judah to unite them^[f] to carry out the command of the king and his officials by the word of the Lord.

¹³ A very large assembly of people was gathered in Jerusalem to observe the Festival of Unleavened Bread in the second month. ¹⁴ They proceeded to take away the altars that were in Jerusalem,^(O) and they took away the incense altars and threw them into the Kidron Valley.^{(P) 15} They slaughtered the Passover lamb^(Q) on the fourteenth day of the second month. The priests and Levites were ashamed, and they consecrated themselves and brought burnt offerings to the Lord’s temple. ¹⁶ They stood at their prescribed posts,^(R) according to the law of Moses, the man of God. The priests splattered the blood received from the Levites, ¹⁷ for there were many in the assembly who had not consecrated themselves, and so the Levites were in charge of slaughtering the Passover lambs for every unclean person to consecrate the lambs to the Lord.^{(S) 18} A large number of the people—many from Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun—were ritually unclean, yet they had eaten the Passover^(T) contrary to what was written.^(U) But Hezekiah had interceded for them, saying, “May the good Lord provide atonement on behalf of ¹⁹ whoever sets his whole heart on seeking God,^(V) the Lord, the God of his ancestors, even though not according to the purification rules of the sanctuary.” ²⁰ So the Lord heard Hezekiah and healed the people.^{(W) 21} The Israelites who were present in Jerusalem observed the Festival of Unleavened Bread seven days with great joy,^(X) and the Levites and the priests praised the Lord day after day with loud instruments. ²² Then Hezekiah encouraged^[g](Y) all the Levites who performed skillfully before the Lord. They ate at the appointed festival for seven days, sacrificing fellowship offerings and giving thanks to the Lord, the God of their ancestors.^(Z)

²³ The whole congregation decided to observe^(AA) seven more days, so they observed seven days with joy, ²⁴ for King Hezekiah of Judah contributed one thousand bulls and seven thousand sheep for the congregation. Also, the officials contributed one thousand bulls and ten thousand sheep for the congregation,^(AB) and many priests consecrated themselves.^{(AC) 25} Then the whole assembly of Judah with the priests and Levites, the whole assembly that came from Israel, the resident aliens who came from the land of Israel, and those who were living in Judah, rejoiced. ²⁶ There was great rejoicing in Jerusalem, for nothing like this was known since the days of Solomon son of David, the king of Israel.^(AD)

²⁷ Then the priests and the Levites^(AE) stood to bless the people,^(AF) and God heard them, and their prayer came into his holy dwelling place^(AG) in heaven.

The First Bowl

16 Then I heard a loud voice from the temple saying to the seven angels,^(A) “Go and pour out the seven^[a] bowls^(B) of God’s wrath on the earth.” ² The first went and poured out his bowl on the earth, and severely painful sores^(C) broke out on the people who had the mark of the beast and who worshiped its image.

The Second Bowl

³ The second^[b] poured out his bowl into the sea. It turned to blood like that of a dead person, and all life in the sea died.^(D)

The Third Bowl

⁴ The third^[c] poured out his bowl into the rivers and the springs of water, and they became blood.^{(E) 5} I heard the angel of the waters say,

⁷ I heard the altar say,

The Fourth Bowl

⁸ The fourth^[d] poured out his bowl on the sun. It was allowed to scorch people with fire, ⁹ and people were scorched by the intense heat. So they blasphemed the name of God,^(K) who has the power^[e] over these plagues, and they did not repent and give him glory.^(L)

The Fifth Bowl

¹⁰ The fifth^[f] poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast,^(M) and its kingdom was plunged into darkness.^(N) People^[g] gnawed their tongues because of their pain ¹¹ and blasphemed the God of heaven^(O) because of their pains and their sores, but they did not repent of their works.

The Sixth Bowl

¹² The sixth^[h] poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates,^(P) and its water was dried up^(Q) to prepare the way for the kings from the east. ¹³ Then I saw three unclean spirits like frogs^(R) coming from the dragon’s mouth,^(S) from the beast’s mouth,^(T) and from the mouth of the false prophet.^{(U) 14} For they are demonic spirits performing signs,^(V) who travel to the kings of the whole world to assemble them^(W) for the battle on the great day of God, the Almighty.^{(X) 15} “Look, I am coming like a thief. Blessed^(Y) is the one who is alert and remains clothed^[i](Z) so that he may not go around naked and people see his shame.”^{(AA) 16} So they assembled the kings at the place called in Hebrew, Armageddon.^[j](AB)

The Seventh Bowl

¹⁷ Then the seventh^[k] poured out his bowl into the air,^[l] and a loud voice came out of the temple^[m](AC) from the throne, saying, “It is done!” ¹⁸ There were flashes of lightning, rumblings, and peals of thunder. And a severe earthquake occurred like no other since people have been on the earth, so great was the quake.^{(AD) 19} The great city^(AE) split into three parts, and the cities of the nations^[n] fell. Babylon the Great was remembered in God’s presence; he gave her the cup filled with the wine of his fierce anger.^{(AF) 20} Every island fled, and the mountains disappeared.^{(AG) 21} Enormous hailstones, each weighing about a hundred pounds,^[o] fell from the sky on people, and they blasphemed God^(AH) for the plague of hail because that plague was extremely severe.^(AI)

Judah’s Security

12 A pronouncement:

² “Look, I will make Jerusalem a cup that causes staggering^(C) for the peoples who surround the city. The siege against Jerusalem will also involve Judah.^{(D) 3} On that day I will make Jerusalem a heavy stone for all the peoples; all who try to lift it will injure themselves severely when all the nations of the earth gather against her.^{(E) 4} On that day”—this is the Lord’s declaration—“I will strike every horse with panic and its rider with madness.^(F) I will keep a watchful eye on^(G) the house of Judah but strike all the horses of the nations with blindness. ⁵ Then each of the leaders of Judah will think to himself: The residents of Jerusalem are my strength through the Lord of Armies, their God. ⁶ On that day I will make the leaders of Judah like a firepot in a woodpile,^(H) like a flaming torch among sheaves; they will consume all the peoples around them on the right and the left, while Jerusalem continues to be inhabited on its site, in Jerusalem. ⁷ The Lord will save the tents of Judah first, so that the glory of David’s house and the glory of Jerusalem’s residents may not be greater than that of Judah. ⁸ On that day the Lord will defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem,^(I) so that on that day the one who is weakest among them will be like David on that day, and the house of David will be like God, like the angel of the Lord, before them.^{(J) 9} On that day I will set out to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.

Mourning for the Pierced One

¹⁰ “Then I will pour out a spirit^[a](K) of grace and prayer on the house of David and the residents of Jerusalem, and they will look at^[b] me whom they pierced. They will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child and weep bitterly for him as one weeps for a firstborn.^{(L) 11} On that day the mourning in Jerusalem will be as great as the mourning of Hadad-rimmon in the plain of Megiddo. ¹² The land will mourn, every family by itself: the family of David’s house by itself and their women by themselves; the family of Nathan’s^[c](M) house by itself and their women by themselves; ¹³ the family of Levi’s house by itself and their women by themselves; the family of Shimei^[d](N) by itself and their women by themselves; ¹⁴ all the remaining families, every family by itself, and their women by themselves.

God’s People Cleansed

13 “On that day a fountain^(O) will be opened for the house of David and for the residents of Jerusalem, to wash away sin and impurity.^(P)

The Vine and the Branches

15 “I am^(A) the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. ² Every branch in me that does not produce fruit he removes,^(B) and he prunes every branch that produces fruit so that it will produce more fruit. ³ You are already clean^(C) because of the word I have spoken to you. ⁴ Remain in me, and I in you. Just as a branch is unable to produce fruit by itself unless it remains on the vine, neither can you unless you remain in me.^{(D) 5} I am the vine; ^(E) you are the branches. The one who remains in me and I in him produces much fruit,^(F) because you can do nothing without me. ⁶ If anyone does not remain in me, he is thrown aside^(G) like a branch and he withers. They gather them, throw them into the fire,^(H) and they are burned.^{(I) 7} If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you want and it will be done for you.^{(J) 8} My Father is glorified^(K) by this: that you produce much fruit and prove to be^[a] my disciples.

Christlike Love

⁹ “As the Father has loved me, I have also loved you. Remain in my love.^{(L) 10} If you keep my commands you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love.^(M)

¹¹ “I have told you these things so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete.^(N)

¹² “This is my command: Love one another as I have loved^(O) you. ¹³ No one has greater love than this: to lay down his life^(P) for his friends. ¹⁴ You are my friends if you do what I command you. ¹⁵ I do not call you servants anymore, because a servant doesn’t know what his master^[b](Q) is doing. I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything I have heard from my Father. ¹⁶ You did not choose me, but I chose you.^(R) I appointed you to go and produce fruit and that your fruit should remain, so that whatever you ask^(S) the Father in my name,^(T) he will give you.^(U)

¹⁷ “This is what I command you: Love one another.

Persecutions Predicted

¹⁸ “If the world hates^(V) you, understand that it hated me before it hated you. ¹⁹ If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own. However, because you are not of the world, but I have chosen^(W) you out of it, the world hates you. ²⁰ Remember the word I spoke to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’^(X) If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word,^(Y) they will also keep yours. ²¹ But they will do all these things to you on account of my name,^(Z) because they don’t know^(AA) the one who sent me. ²² If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin.^(AB) Now they have no excuse for their sin. ²³ The one who hates me also hates my Father.^{(AC) 24} If I had not done the works^(AD) among them that no one else has done,^(AE) they would not be guilty of sin.^(AF) Now they have seen and hated both me and my Father. ²⁵ But this happened so that the statement written in their law might be fulfilled:^(AG) They hated me for no reason.^[c](AH)

The Counselor’s Ministry

²⁶ “When the Counselor^(AI) comes, the one I will send to you from the Father^(AJ) —the Spirit of truth^(AK) who proceeds from the Father—he will testify about me. ²⁷ You also will testify,^(AL) because you have been with me from the beginning.