Judgment Day and the Word Made Flesh

1. Yahweh’s word which came to Zephaniah, the son of Cushi, the son of Gedaliah, the son of Amariah, the son of Hezekiah, in the days of Josiah, the son of Amon, king of Judah. 2. I will utterly sweep away everything from the surface of the earth, says Yahweh. 3. I will sweep away man and animal. I will sweep away the birds of the sky, the fish of the sea, and the heaps of rubble with the wicked. I will cut off man from the surface of the earth, says Yahweh. 4. I will stretch out my hand against Judah, and against all the inhabitants of Jerusalem. I will cut off the remnant of Baal from this place: the name of the idolatrous and pagan priests, 5. those who worship the army of the sky on the housetops, those who worship and swear by Yahweh and also swear by Malcam, 6. those who have turned back from following Yahweh, and those who haven’t sought Yahweh nor inquired after him. 7. Be silent at the presence of the Lord Yahweh, for the day of Yahweh is at hand. For Yahweh has prepared a sacrifice. He has consecrated his guests. 8. It will happen in the day of Yahweh’s sacrifice, that I will punish the princes, the king’s sons, and all those who are clothed with foreign clothing. 9. In that day, I will punish all those who leap over the threshold, who fill their master’s house with violence and deceit. 10. In that day, says Yahweh, there will be the noise of a cry from the fish gate, a wailing from the second quarter, and a great crashing from the hills. 11. Wail, you inhabitants of Maktesh, for all the people of Canaan are undone! All those who were loaded with silver are cut off. 12. It will happen at that time, that I will search Jerusalem with lamps, and I will punish the men who are settled on their dregs, who say in their heart, “Yahweh will not do good, neither will he do evil.” 13. Their wealth will become a plunder, and their houses a desolation. Yes, they will build houses, but won’t inhabit them. They will plant vineyards, but won’t drink their wine. 14. The great day of Yahweh is near. It is near, and hurries greatly, the voice of the day of Yahweh. The mighty man cries there bitterly. 15. That day is a day of wrath, a day of distress and anguish, a day of trouble and ruin, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and blackness, 16. a day of the trumpet and alarm, against the fortified cities, and against the high battlements. 17. I will bring distress on men, that they will walk like blind men, because they have sinned against Yahweh, and their blood will be poured out like dust, and their flesh like dung. 18. Neither their silver nor their gold will be able to deliver them in the day of Yahweh’s wrath, but the whole land will be devoured by the fire of his jealousy; for he will make an end, yes, a terrible end, of all those who dwell in the land. 1. Gather yourselves together, yes, gather together, you nation that has no shame, 2. before the appointed time when the day passes as the chaff, before the fierce anger of Yahweh comes on you, before the day of Yahweh’s anger comes on you. 3. Seek Yahweh, all you humble of the land, who have kept his ordinances. Seek righteousness. Seek humility. It may be that you will be hidden in the day of Yahweh’s anger. 4. For Gaza will be forsaken, and Ashkelon a desolation. They will drive out Ashdod at noonday, and Ekron will be rooted up. 5. Woe to the inhabitants of the sea coast, the nation of the Cherethites! Yahweh’s word is against you, Canaan, the land of the Philistines. I will destroy you, that there will be no inhabitant. 6. The sea coast will be pastures, with cottages for shepherds and folds for flocks. 7. The coast will be for the remnant of the house of Judah. They will find pasture. In the houses of Ashkelon, they will lie down in the evening, for Yahweh, their God, will visit them, and restore them. 8. I have heard the reproach of Moab, and the insults of the children of Ammon, with which they have reproached my people, and magnified themselves against their border. 9. Therefore as I live, says Yahweh of Armies, the God of Israel, surely Moab will be as Sodom, and the children of Ammon as Gomorrah, a possession of nettles, and salt pits, and a perpetual desolation. The remnant of my people will plunder them, and the survivors of my nation will inherit them. 10. This they will have for their pride, because they have reproached and magnified themselves against the people of Yahweh of Armies. 11. Yahweh will be awesome to them, for he will famish all the gods of the land. Men will worship him, everyone from his place, even all the shores of the nations. 12. You Cushites also, you will be killed by my sword. 13. He will stretch out his hand against the north, destroy Assyria, and will make Nineveh a desolation, as dry as the wilderness. 14. Herds will lie down in the middle of her, all the animals of the nations. Both the pelican and the porcupine will lodge in its capitals. Their calls will echo through the windows. Desolation will be in the thresholds, for he has laid bare the cedar beams. 15. This is the joyous city that lived carelessly, that said in her heart, “I am, and there is no one besides me.” How she has become a desolation, a place for animals to lie down in! Everyone who passes by her will hiss, and shake their fists. 1. Woe to her who is rebellious and polluted, the oppressing city! 2. She didn’t obey the voice. She didn’t receive correction. She didn’t trust in Yahweh. She didn’t draw near to her God. 3. Her princes within her are roaring lions. Her judges are evening wolves. They leave nothing until the next day. 4. Her prophets are arrogant and treacherous people. Her priests have profaned the sanctuary. They have done violence to the law. 5. Yahweh, within her, is righteous. He will do no wrong. Every morning he brings his justice to light. He doesn’t fail, but the unjust know no shame. 6. I have cut off nations. Their battlements are desolate. I have made their streets waste, so that no one passes by. Their cities are destroyed, so that there is no man, so that there is no inhabitant. 7. I said, “Just fear me. Receive correction, so that her dwelling won’t be cut off, according to all that I have appointed concerning her.” But they rose early and corrupted all their doings. 8. “Therefore wait for me”, says Yahweh, “until the day that I rise up to the prey, for my determination is to gather the nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms, to pour on them my indignation, even all my fierce anger, for all the earth will be devoured with the fire of my jealousy. 9. For then I will purify the lips of the peoples, that they may all call on Yahweh’s name, to serve him shoulder to shoulder. 10. From beyond the rivers of Cush, my worshipers, even the daughter of my dispersed people, will bring my offering. 11. In that day you will not be disappointed for all your doings, in which you have transgressed against me; for then I will take away out from among you your proudly exulting ones, and you will no more be haughty in my holy mountain. 12. But I will leave among you an afflicted and poor people, and they will take refuge in Yahweh’s name. 13. The remnant of Israel will not do iniquity, nor speak lies, neither will a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth, for they will feed and lie down, and no one will make them afraid.” 14. Sing, daughter of Zion! Shout, Israel! Be glad and rejoice with all your heart, daughter of Jerusalem. 15. Yahweh has taken away your judgments. He has thrown out your enemy. The King of Israel, Yahweh, is among you. You will not be afraid of evil any more. 16. In that day, it will be said to Jerusalem, “Don’t be afraid, Zion. Don’t let your hands be weak.” 17. Yahweh, your God, is among you, a mighty one who will save. He will rejoice over you with joy. He will calm you in his love. He will rejoice over you with singing. 18. I will remove those who grieve about the appointed feasts from you. They are a burden and a reproach to you. 19. Behold, at that time I will deal with all those who afflict you, and I will save those who are lame, and gather those who were driven away. I will give them praise and honor, whose shame has been in all the earth. 20. At that time will I bring you in, and at that time will I gather you; for I will give you honor and praise among all the peoples of the earth, when I restore your fortunes before your eyes, says Yahweh.

1. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2. The same was in the beginning with God. 3. All things were made through him. Without him was not anything made that has been made. 4. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness hasn’t overcome it. 6. There came a man, sent from God, whose name was John. 7. The same came as a witness, that he might testify about the light, that all might believe through him. 8. He was not the light, but was sent that he might testify about the light. 9. The true light that enlightens everyone was coming into the world. 10. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, and the world didn’t recognize him. 11. He came to his own, and those who were his own didn’t receive him. 12. But as many as received him, to them he gave the right to become God’s children, to those who believe in his name: 13. who were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. 14. The Word became flesh, and lived among us. We saw his glory, such glory as of the one and only Son of the Father, full of grace and truth. 15. John testified about him. He cried out, saying, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me, for he was before me.’” 16. From his fullness we all received grace upon grace. 17. For the law was given through Moses. Grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ. 18. No one has seen God at any time. The one and only Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he has declared him. 19. This is John’s testimony, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” 20. He declared, and didn’t deny, but he declared, “I am not the Christ.” 21. They asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the prophet?” He answered, “No.” 22. They said therefore to him, “Who are you? Give us an answer to take back to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?” 23. He said, “I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as Isaiah the prophet said.” 24. The ones who had been sent were from the Pharisees. 25. They asked him, “Why then do you baptize, if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the prophet?” 26. John answered them, “I baptize in water, but among you stands one whom you don’t know. 27. He is the one who comes after me, who is preferred before me, whose sandal strap I’m not worthy to loosen.” 28. These things were done in Bethany beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing. 29. The next day, he saw Jesus coming to him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! 30. This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who is preferred before me, for he was before me.’ 31. I didn’t know him, but for this reason I came baptizing in water: that he would be revealed to Israel.” 32. John testified, saying, “I have seen the Spirit descending like a dove out of heaven, and it remained on him. 33. I didn’t recognize him, but he who sent me to baptize in water, he said to me, ‘On whomever you will see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he who baptizes in the Holy Spirit.’ 34. I have seen, and have testified that this is the Son of God.” 35. Again, the next day, John was standing with two of his disciples, 36. and he looked at Jesus as he walked, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!” 37. The two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus. 38. Jesus turned, and saw them following, and said to them, “What are you looking for?” They said to him, “Rabbi” (which is to say, being interpreted, Teacher), “where are you staying?” 39. He said to them, “Come, and see.” They came and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day. It was about the tenth hour. 40. One of the two who heard John, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. 41. He first found his own brother, Simon, and said to him, “We have found the Messiah!” (which is, being interpreted, Christ). 42. He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him, and said, “You are Simon the son of Jonah. You shall be called Cephas” (which is by interpretation, Peter). 43. On the next day, he was determined to go out into Galilee, and he found Philip. Jesus said to him, “Follow me.” 44. Now Philip was from Bethsaida, of the city of Andrew and Peter. 45. Philip found Nathanael, and said to him, “We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, wrote: Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” 46. Nathanael said to him, “Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.” 47. Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and said about him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit!” 48. Nathanael said to him, “How do you know me?” Jesus answered him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.” 49. Nathanael answered him, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are King of Israel!” 50. Jesus answered him, “Because I told you, ‘I saw you underneath the fig tree,’ do you believe? You will see greater things than these!” 51. He said to him, “Most certainly, I tell you all, hereafter you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.” 1. The third day, there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there. 2. Jesus also was invited, with his disciples, to the marriage. 3. When the wine ran out, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no wine.” 4. Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does that have to do with you and me? My hour has not yet come.” 5. His mother said to the servants, “Whatever he says to you, do it.” 6. Now there were six water pots of stone set there after the Jews’ way of purifying, containing two or three metretes apiece. 7. Jesus said to them, “Fill the water pots with water.” They filled them up to the brim. 8. He said to them, “Now draw some out, and take it to the ruler of the feast.” So they took it. 9. When the ruler of the feast tasted the water now become wine, and didn’t know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the ruler of the feast called the bridegroom, 10. and said to him, “Everyone serves the good wine first, and when the guests have drunk freely, then that which is worse. You have kept the good wine until now!” 11. This beginning of his signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him. 12. After this, he went down to Capernaum, he, and his mother, his brothers, and his disciples; and they stayed there a few days. 13. The Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14. He found in the temple those who sold oxen, sheep, and doves, and the changers of money sitting. 15. He made a whip of cords, and threw all out of the temple, both the sheep and the oxen; and he poured out the changers’ money, and overthrew their tables. 16. To those who sold the doves, he said, “Take these things out of here! Don’t make my Father’s house a marketplace!” 17. His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for your house will eat me up.” 18. The Jews therefore answered him, “What sign do you show us, seeing that you do these things?” 19. Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” 20. The Jews therefore said, “It took forty-six years to build this temple! Will you raise it up in three days?” 21. But he spoke of the temple of his body. 22. When therefore he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he said this, and they believed the Scripture, and the word which Jesus had said. 23. Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in his name, observing his signs which he did. 24. But Jesus didn’t entrust himself to them, because he knew everyone, 25. and because he didn’t need for anyone to testify concerning man; for he himself knew what was in man. 1. Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 2. The same came to him by night, and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do, unless God is with him.” 3. Jesus answered him, “Most certainly, I tell you, unless one is born anew, he can’t see God’s Kingdom.” 4. Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?” 5. Jesus answered, “Most certainly I tell you, unless one is born of water and spirit, he can’t enter into God’s Kingdom. 6. That which is born of the flesh is flesh. That which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7. Don’t marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born anew.’ 8. The wind blows where it wants to, and you hear its sound, but don’t know where it comes from and where it is going. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.” 9. Nicodemus answered him, “How can these things be?” 10. Jesus answered him, “Are you the teacher of Israel, and don’t understand these things? 11. Most certainly I tell you, we speak that which we know, and testify of that which we have seen, and you don’t receive our witness. 12. If I told you earthly things and you don’t believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things? 13. No one has ascended into heaven, but he who descended out of heaven, the Son of Man, who is in heaven. 14. As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15. that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life. 16. For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life. 17. For God didn’t send his Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world should be saved through him. 18. He who believes in him is not judged. He who doesn’t believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the one and only Son of God. 19. This is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the light; for their works were evil. 20. For everyone who does evil hates the light, and doesn’t come to the light, lest his works would be exposed. 21. But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his works may be revealed, that they have been done in God.” 22. After these things, Jesus came with his disciples into the land of Judea. He stayed there with them, and baptized. 23. John also was baptizing in Enon near Salim, because there was much water there. They came, and were baptized. 24. For John was not yet thrown into prison. 25. There arose therefore a questioning on the part of John’s disciples with some Jews about purification. 26. They came to John, and said to him, “Rabbi, he who was with you beyond the Jordan, to whom you have testified, behold, the same baptizes, and everyone is coming to him.” 27. John answered, “A man can receive nothing, unless it has been given him from heaven. 28. You yourselves testify that I said, ‘I am not the Christ,’ but, ‘I have been sent before him.’ 29. He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice. This, my joy, therefore is made full. 30. He must increase, but I must decrease. 31. He who comes from above is above all. He who is from the earth belongs to the earth, and speaks of the earth. He who comes from heaven is above all. 32. What he has seen and heard, of that he testifies; and no one receives his witness. 33. He who has received his witness has set his seal to this, that God is true. 34. For he whom God has sent speaks the words of God; for God gives the Spirit without measure. 35. The Father loves the Son, and has given all things into his hand. 36. One who believes in the Son has eternal life, but one who disobeys the Son won’t see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.”

1. We have heard with our ears, God; our fathers have told us, what work you did in their days, in the days of old. 2. You drove out the nations with your hand, but you planted them. You afflicted the peoples, but you spread them abroad. 3. For they didn’t get the land in possession by their own sword, neither did their own arm save them; but your right hand, and your arm, and the light of your face, because you were favorable to them. 4. You are my King, God. Command victories for Jacob! 5. Through you, will we push down our adversaries. Through your name, will we tread them under who rise up against us. 6. For I will not trust in my bow, neither shall my sword save me. 7. But you have saved us from our adversaries, and have shamed those who hate us. 8. In God we have made our boast all day long, we will give thanks to your name forever. Selah. 9. But now you rejected us, and brought us to dishonor, and don’t go out with our armies. 10. You make us turn back from the adversary. Those who hate us take plunder for themselves. 11. You have made us like sheep for food, and have scattered us among the nations. 12. You sell your people for nothing, and have gained nothing from their sale. 13. You make us a reproach to our neighbors, a scoffing and a derision to those who are around us. 14. You make us a byword among the nations, a shaking of the head among the peoples. 15. All day long my dishonor is before me, and shame covers my face, 16. At the taunt of one who reproaches and verbally abuses, because of the enemy and the avenger. 17. All this has come on us, yet have we not forgotten you, Neither have we been false to your covenant. 18. Our heart has not turned back, neither have our steps strayed from your path, 19. Though you have crushed us in the haunt of jackals, and covered us with the shadow of death. 20. If we have forgotten the name of our God, or spread out our hands to a strange god; 21. won’t God search this out? For he knows the secrets of the heart. 22. Yes, for your sake we are killed all day long. We are regarded as sheep for the slaughter. 23. Wake up! Why do you sleep, Lord? Arise! Don’t reject us forever. 24. Why do you hide your face, and forget our affliction and our oppression? 25. For our soul is bowed down to the dust. Our body clings to the earth. 26. Rise up to help us. Redeem us for your loving kindness’ sake.