36 ¹ And the people^(A) of the land took Jehoahaz son of Josiah and made him king in Jerusalem in place of his father.

Jehoahaz King of Judah^(B)

² Jehoahaz^[a] was twenty-three years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem three months. ³ The king of Egypt dethroned him in Jerusalem and imposed on Judah a levy of a hundred talents^[b] of silver and a talent^[c] of gold. ⁴ The king of Egypt made Eliakim, a brother of Jehoahaz, king over Judah and Jerusalem and changed Eliakim’s name to Jehoiakim. But Necho^(C) took Eliakim’s brother Jehoahaz and carried him off to Egypt.^(D)

Jehoiakim King of Judah^(E)

⁵ Jehoiakim^(F) was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem eleven years. He did evil in the eyes of the Lord his God. ⁶ Nebuchadnezzar^(G) king of Babylon attacked him and bound him with bronze shackles to take him to Babylon.^{(H) 7} Nebuchadnezzar also took to Babylon articles from the temple of the Lord and put them in his temple^[d] there.^(I)

⁸ The other events of Jehoiakim’s reign, the detestable things he did and all that was found against him, are written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah. And Jehoiachin his son succeeded him as king.

Jehoiachin King of Judah^(J)

⁹ Jehoiachin^(K) was eighteen^[e] years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem three months and ten days. He did evil in the eyes of the Lord. ¹⁰ In the spring, King Nebuchadnezzar sent for him and brought him to Babylon,^(L) together with articles of value from the temple of the Lord, and he made Jehoiachin’s uncle,^[f] Zedekiah, king over Judah and Jerusalem.

Zedekiah King of Judah^(M)

¹¹ Zedekiah^(N) was twenty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem eleven years. ¹² He did evil in the eyes of the Lord^(O) his God and did not humble^(P) himself before Jeremiah the prophet, who spoke the word of the Lord. ¹³ He also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him take an oath^(Q) in God’s name. He became stiff-necked^(R) and hardened his heart and would not turn to the Lord, the God of Israel. ¹⁴ Furthermore, all the leaders of the priests and the people became more and more unfaithful,^(S) following all the detestable practices of the nations and defiling the temple of the Lord, which he had consecrated in Jerusalem.

The Fall of Jerusalem^(T)(U)

¹⁵ The Lord, the God of their ancestors, sent word to them through his messengers^(V) again and again,^(W) because he had pity on his people and on his dwelling place. ¹⁶ But they mocked God’s messengers, despised his words and scoffed^(X) at his prophets until the wrath^(Y) of the Lord was aroused against his people and there was no remedy.^{(Z) 17} He brought up against them the king of the Babylonians,^[g](AA) who killed their young men with the sword in the sanctuary, and did not spare young men^(AB) or young women, the elderly or the infirm.^(AC) God gave them all into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar.^{(AD) 18} He carried to Babylon all the articles^(AE) from the temple of God, both large and small, and the treasures of the Lord’s temple and the treasures of the king and his officials. ¹⁹ They set fire^(AF) to God’s temple^(AG) and broke down the wall^(AH) of Jerusalem; they burned all the palaces and destroyed^(AI) everything of value there.^(AJ)

²⁰ He carried into exile^(AK) to Babylon the remnant, who escaped from the sword, and they became servants^(AL) to him and his successors until the kingdom of Persia came to power. ²¹ The land enjoyed its sabbath rests;^(AM) all the time of its desolation it rested,^(AN) until the seventy years^(AO) were completed in fulfillment of the word of the Lord spoken by Jeremiah.

²² In the first year of Cyrus^(AP) king of Persia, in order to fulfill the word of the Lord spoken by Jeremiah, the Lord moved the heart of Cyrus king of Persia to make a proclamation throughout his realm and also to put it in writing:

²³ “This is what Cyrus king of Persia says:

Cyrus Helps the Exiles to Return^(AR)

1 In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, in order to fulfill the word of the Lord spoken by Jeremiah,^(AS) the Lord moved the heart^(AT) of Cyrus king of Persia to make a proclamation throughout his realm and also to put it in writing:

⁵ Then the family heads of Judah and Benjamin,^(BB) and the priests and Levites—everyone whose heart God had moved^(BC)—prepared to go up and build the house^(BD) of the Lord in Jerusalem. ⁶ All their neighbors assisted them with articles of silver and gold,^(BE) with goods and livestock, and with valuable gifts, in addition to all the freewill offerings.

⁷ Moreover, King Cyrus brought out the articles belonging to the temple of the Lord, which Nebuchadnezzar had carried away from Jerusalem and had placed in the temple of his god.^{[h](BF) 8} Cyrus king of Persia had them brought by Mithredath the treasurer, who counted them out to Sheshbazzar^(BG) the prince of Judah.

⁹ This was the inventory:

¹¹ In all, there were 5,400 articles of gold and of silver. Sheshbazzar brought all these along with the exiles when they came up from Babylon to Jerusalem.

The Parable of the Sower^(A)

8 After this, Jesus traveled about from one town and village to another, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God.^(B) The Twelve were with him, ² and also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (called Magdalene)^(C) from whom seven demons had come out; ³ Joanna the wife of Chuza, the manager of Herod’s^(D) household; Susanna; and many others. These women were helping to support them out of their own means.

⁴ While a large crowd was gathering and people were coming to Jesus from town after town, he told this parable: ⁵ “A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path; it was trampled on, and the birds ate it up. ⁶ Some fell on rocky ground, and when it came up, the plants withered because they had no moisture. ⁷ Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up with it and choked the plants. ⁸ Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up and yielded a crop, a hundred times more than was sown.”

When he said this, he called out, “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.”^(E)

⁹ His disciples asked him what this parable meant. ¹⁰ He said, “The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of God has been given to you,^(F) but to others I speak in parables, so that,

¹¹ “This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God.^{(H) 12} Those along the path are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. ¹³ Those on the rocky ground are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away.^{(I) 14} The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life’s worries, riches^(J) and pleasures, and they do not mature. ¹⁵ But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.

A Lamp on a Stand

¹⁶ “No one lights a lamp and hides it in a clay jar or puts it under a bed. Instead, they put it on a stand, so that those who come in can see the light.^{(K) 17} For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be known or brought out into the open.^{(L) 18} Therefore consider carefully how you listen. Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what they think they have will be taken from them.”^(M)

Jesus’ Mother and Brothers^(N)

¹⁹ Now Jesus’ mother and brothers came to see him, but they were not able to get near him because of the crowd. ²⁰ Someone told him, “Your mother and brothers^(O) are standing outside, wanting to see you.”

²¹ He replied, “My mother and brothers are those who hear God’s word and put it into practice.”^(P)

Jesus Calms the Storm^(Q)(R)

²² One day Jesus said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side of the lake.” So they got into a boat and set out. ²³ As they sailed, he fell asleep. A squall came down on the lake, so that the boat was being swamped, and they were in great danger.

²⁴ The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Master, Master,^(S) we’re going to drown!”

He got up and rebuked^(T) the wind and the raging waters; the storm subsided, and all was calm.^{(U) 25} “Where is your faith?” he asked his disciples.

In fear and amazement they asked one another, “Who is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him.”

Jesus Restores a Demon-Possessed Man^(V)(W)

²⁶ They sailed to the region of the Gerasenes,^[b] which is across the lake from Galilee. ²⁷ When Jesus stepped ashore, he was met by a demon-possessed man from the town. For a long time this man had not worn clothes or lived in a house, but had lived in the tombs. ²⁸ When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell at his feet, shouting at the top of his voice, “What do you want with me,^(X) Jesus, Son of the Most High God?^(Y) I beg you, don’t torture me!” ²⁹ For Jesus had commanded the impure spirit to come out of the man. Many times it had seized him, and though he was chained hand and foot and kept under guard, he had broken his chains and had been driven by the demon into solitary places.

³⁰ Jesus asked him, “What is your name?”

“Legion,” he replied, because many demons had gone into him. ³¹ And they begged Jesus repeatedly not to order them to go into the Abyss.^(Z)

³² A large herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside. The demons begged Jesus to let them go into the pigs, and he gave them permission. ³³ When the demons came out of the man, they went into the pigs, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake^(AA) and was drowned.

³⁴ When those tending the pigs saw what had happened, they ran off and reported this in the town and countryside, ³⁵ and the people went out to see what had happened. When they came to Jesus, they found the man from whom the demons had gone out, sitting at Jesus’ feet,^(AB) dressed and in his right mind; and they were afraid. ³⁶ Those who had seen it told the people how the demon-possessed^(AC) man had been cured. ³⁷ Then all the people of the region of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them,^(AD) because they were overcome with fear. So he got into the boat and left.

³⁸ The man from whom the demons had gone out begged to go with him, but Jesus sent him away, saying, ³⁹ “Return home and tell how much God has done for you.” So the man went away and told all over town how much Jesus had done for him.

Jesus Raises a Dead Girl and Heals a Sick Woman^(AE)

⁴⁰ Now when Jesus returned, a crowd welcomed him, for they were all expecting him. ⁴¹ Then a man named Jairus, a synagogue leader,^(AF) came and fell at Jesus’ feet, pleading with him to come to his house ⁴² because his only daughter, a girl of about twelve, was dying.

As Jesus was on his way, the crowds almost crushed him. ⁴³ And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding^(AG) for twelve years,^[c] but no one could heal her. ⁴⁴ She came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak,^(AH) and immediately her bleeding stopped.

⁴⁵ “Who touched me?” Jesus asked.

When they all denied it, Peter said, “Master,^(AI) the people are crowding and pressing against you.”

⁴⁶ But Jesus said, “Someone touched me;^(AJ) I know that power has gone out from me.”^(AK)

⁴⁷ Then the woman, seeing that she could not go unnoticed, came trembling and fell at his feet. In the presence of all the people, she told why she had touched him and how she had been instantly healed. ⁴⁸ Then he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you.^(AL) Go in peace.”^(AM)

⁴⁹ While Jesus was still speaking, someone came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue leader.^(AN) “Your daughter is dead,” he said. “Don’t bother the teacher anymore.”

⁵⁰ Hearing this, Jesus said to Jairus, “Don’t be afraid; just believe, and she will be healed.”

⁵¹ When he arrived at the house of Jairus, he did not let anyone go in with him except Peter, John and James,^(AO) and the child’s father and mother. ⁵² Meanwhile, all the people were wailing and mourning^(AP) for her. “Stop wailing,” Jesus said. “She is not dead but asleep.”^(AQ)

⁵³ They laughed at him, knowing that she was dead. ⁵⁴ But he took her by the hand and said, “My child, get up!”^{(AR) 55} Her spirit returned, and at once she stood up. Then Jesus told them to give her something to eat. ⁵⁶ Her parents were astonished, but he ordered them not to tell anyone what had happened.^(AS)