The Final Word: Justice Meets Grace

1. A revelation, Yahweh’s word to Israel by Malachi. 2. “I have loved you,” says Yahweh. Yet you say, “How have you loved us?” “Wasn’t Esau Jacob’s brother?” says Yahweh, “Yet I loved Jacob; 3. but Esau I hated, and made his mountains a desolation, and gave his heritage to the jackals of the wilderness.” 4. Whereas Edom says, “We are beaten down, but we will return and build the waste places”; Yahweh of Armies says, “They shall build, but I will throw down; and men will call them ‘The Wicked Land,’ even the people against whom Yahweh shows wrath forever.” 5. Your eyes will see, and you will say, “Yahweh is great—even beyond the border of Israel!” 6. “A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If I am a father, then where is my honor? And if I am a master, where is the respect due me? Says Yahweh of Armies to you, priests, who despise my name. You say, ‘How have we despised your name?’ 7. You offer polluted bread on my altar. You say, ‘How have we polluted you?’ In that you say, ‘Yahweh’s table is contemptible.’ 8. When you offer the blind for sacrifice, isn’t that evil? And when you offer the lame and sick, isn’t that evil? Present it now to your governor! Will he be pleased with you? Or will he accept your person?” says Yahweh of Armies. 9. “Now, please entreat the favor of God, that he may be gracious to us. With this, will he accept any of you?” says Yahweh of Armies. 10. “Oh that there were one among you who would shut the doors, that you might not kindle fire on my altar in vain! I have no pleasure in you,” says Yahweh of Armies, “neither will I accept an offering at your hand. 11. For from the rising of the sun even to the going down of the same, my name is great among the nations, and in every place incense will be offered to my name, and a pure offering: for my name is great among the nations,” says Yahweh of Armies. 12. “But you profane it, in that you say, ‘Yahweh’s table is polluted, and its fruit, even its food, is contemptible.’ 13. You say also, ‘Behold, what a weariness it is!’ and you have sniffed at it”, says Yahweh of Armies; “and you have brought that which was taken by violence, the lame, and the sick; thus you bring the offering. Should I accept this at your hand?” says Yahweh. 14. “But the deceiver is cursed, who has in his flock a male, and vows, and sacrifices to the Lord a defective thing; for I am a great King,” says Yahweh of Armies, “and my name is awesome among the nations.” 1. “Now, you priests, this commandment is for you. 2. If you will not listen, and if you will not take it to heart, to give glory to my name,” says Yahweh of Armies, “then will I send the curse on you, and I will curse your blessings. Indeed, I have cursed them already, because you do not take it to heart. 3. Behold, I will rebuke your offspring, and will spread dung on your faces, even the dung of your feasts; and you will be taken away with it. 4. You will know that I have sent this commandment to you, that my covenant may be with Levi,” says Yahweh of Armies. 5. “My covenant was with him of life and peace; and I gave them to him that he might be reverent toward me; and he was reverent toward me, and stood in awe of my name. 6. The law of truth was in his mouth, and unrighteousness was not found in his lips. He walked with me in peace and uprightness, and turned many away from iniquity. 7. For the priest’s lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth; for he is the messenger of Yahweh of Armies. 8. But you have turned away from the path. You have caused many to stumble in the law. You have corrupted the covenant of Levi,” says Yahweh of Armies. 9. “Therefore I have also made you contemptible and wicked before all the people, according to the way you have not kept my ways, but have had respect for persons in the law. 10. Don’t we all have one father? Hasn’t one God created us? Why do we deal treacherously every man against his brother, profaning the covenant of our fathers? 11. Judah has dealt treacherously, and an abomination is committed in Israel and in Jerusalem; for Judah has profaned the holiness of Yahweh which he loves, and has married the daughter of a foreign god. 12. Yahweh will cut off, to the man who does this, him who wakes and him who answers, out of the tents of Jacob, and him who offers an offering to Yahweh of Armies. 13. This again you do: you cover Yahweh’s altar with tears, with weeping, and with sighing, because he doesn’t regard the offering any more, neither receives it with good will at your hand. 14. Yet you say, ‘Why?’ Because Yahweh has been witness between you and the wife of your youth, against whom you have dealt treacherously, though she is your companion, and the wife of your covenant. 15. Did he not make you one, although he had the residue of the Spirit? Why one? He sought godly offspring. Therefore take heed to your spirit, and let no one deal treacherously against the wife of his youth. 16. For I hate divorce”, says Yahweh, the God of Israel, “and him who covers his garment with violence!” says Yahweh of Armies. “Therefore take heed to your spirit, that you don’t deal treacherously. 17. You have wearied Yahweh with your words. Yet you say, ‘How have we wearied him?’ In that you say, ‘Everyone who does evil is good in Yahweh’s sight, and he delights in them;’ or ‘Where is the God of justice?’ 1. “Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me; and the Lord, whom you seek, will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, behold, he comes!” says Yahweh of Armies. 2. “But who can endure the day of his coming? And who will stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner’s fire, and like launderers’ soap; 3. and he will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi, and refine them as gold and silver; and they shall offer to Yahweh offerings in righteousness. 4. Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasant to Yahweh, as in the days of old, and as in ancient years. 5. I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against the perjurers, and against those who oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and who deprive the foreigner of justice, and don’t fear me,” says Yahweh of Armies. 6. “For I, Yahweh, don’t change; therefore you, sons of Jacob, are not consumed. 7. From the days of your fathers you have turned away from my ordinances, and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you,” says Yahweh of Armies. “But you say, ‘How shall we return?’ 8. Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me! But you say, ‘How have we robbed you?’ In tithes and offerings. 9. You are cursed with the curse; for you rob me, even this whole nation. 10. Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house, and test me now in this,” says Yahweh of Armies, “if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there will not be room enough for. 11. I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast its fruit before its time in the field,” says Yahweh of Armies. 12. “All nations shall call you blessed, for you will be a delightful land,” says Yahweh of Armies. 13. “Your words have been stout against me,” says Yahweh. “Yet you say, ‘What have we spoken against you?’ 14. You have said, ‘It is vain to serve God;’ and ‘What profit is it that we have followed his instructions, and that we have walked mournfully before Yahweh of Armies? 15. Now we call the proud happy; yes, those who work wickedness are built up; yes, they tempt God, and escape.’ 16. Then those who feared Yahweh spoke one with another; and Yahweh listened, and heard, and a book of memory was written before him, for those who feared Yahweh, and who honored his name. 17. They shall be mine,” says Yahweh of Armies, “my own possession in the day that I make, and I will spare them, as a man spares his own son who serves him. 18. Then you shall return and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him who serves God and him who doesn’t serve him. 1. “For, behold, the day comes, it burns as a furnace; and all the proud, and all who work wickedness, will be stubble; and the day that comes will burn them up,” says Yahweh of Armies, “that it shall leave them neither root nor branch. 2. But to you who fear my name shall the sun of righteousness arise with healing in its wings. You will go out, and leap like calves of the stall. 3. You shall tread down the wicked; for they will be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I make,” says Yahweh of Armies. 4. “Remember the law of Moses my servant, which I commanded to him in Horeb for all Israel, even statutes and ordinances. 5. Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and terrible day of Yahweh comes. 6. He will turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the earth with a curse.”

1. So Pilate then took Jesus, and flogged him. 2. The soldiers twisted thorns into a crown, and put it on his head, and dressed him in a purple garment. 3. They kept saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” and they kept slapping him. 4. Then Pilate went out again, and said to them, “Behold, I bring him out to you, that you may know that I find no basis for a charge against him.” 5. Jesus therefore came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple garment. Pilate said to them, “Behold, the man!” 6. When therefore the chief priests and the officers saw him, they shouted, saying, “Crucify! Crucify!” Pilate said to them, “Take him yourselves, and crucify him, for I find no basis for a charge against him.” 7. The Jews answered him, “We have a law, and by our law he ought to die, because he made himself the Son of God.” 8. When therefore Pilate heard this saying, he was more afraid. 9. He entered into the Praetorium again, and said to Jesus, “Where are you from?” But Jesus gave him no answer. 10. Pilate therefore said to him, “Aren’t you speaking to me? Don’t you know that I have power to release you, and have power to crucify you?” 11. Jesus answered, “You would have no power at all against me, unless it were given to you from above. Therefore he who delivered me to you has greater sin.” 12. At this, Pilate was seeking to release him, but the Jews cried out, saying, “If you release this man, you aren’t Caesar’s friend! Everyone who makes himself a king speaks against Caesar!” 13. When Pilate therefore heard these words, he brought Jesus out, and sat down on the judgment seat at a place called “The Pavement”, but in Hebrew, “Gabbatha.” 14. Now it was the Preparation Day of the Passover, at about the sixth hour. He said to the Jews, “Behold, your King!” 15. They cried out, “Away with him! Away with him! Crucify him!” Pilate said to them, “Shall I crucify your King?” The chief priests answered, “We have no king but Caesar!” 16. So then he delivered him to them to be crucified. So they took Jesus and led him away. 17. He went out, bearing his cross, to the place called “The Place of a Skull”, which is called in Hebrew, “Golgotha”, 18. where they crucified him, and with him two others, on either side one, and Jesus in the middle. 19. Pilate wrote a title also, and put it on the cross. There was written, “JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS.” 20. Therefore many of the Jews read this title, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city; and it was written in Hebrew, in Latin, and in Greek. 21. The chief priests of the Jews therefore said to Pilate, “Don’t write, ‘The King of the Jews,’ but, ‘he said, “I am King of the Jews.”’” 22. Pilate answered, “What I have written, I have written.” 23. Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took his garments and made four parts, to every soldier a part; and also the coat. Now the coat was without seam, woven from the top throughout. 24. Then they said to one another, “Let’s not tear it, but cast lots for it to decide whose it will be,” that the Scripture might be fulfilled, which says, “They parted my garments among them. For my cloak they cast lots.” Therefore the soldiers did these things. 25. But there were standing by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. 26. Therefore when Jesus saw his mother, and the disciple whom he loved standing there, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son!” 27. Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” From that hour, the disciple took her to his own home. 28. After this, Jesus, seeing that all things were now finished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said, “I am thirsty.” 29. Now a vessel full of vinegar was set there; so they put a sponge full of the vinegar on hyssop, and held it at his mouth. 30. When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, “It is finished.” He bowed his head, and gave up his spirit. 31. Therefore the Jews, because it was the Preparation Day, so that the bodies wouldn’t remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a special one), asked of Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away. 32. Therefore the soldiers came, and broke the legs of the first, and of the other who was crucified with him; 33. but when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was already dead, they didn’t break his legs. 34. However one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out. 35. He who has seen has testified, and his testimony is true. He knows that he tells the truth, that you may believe. 36. For these things happened, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, “A bone of him will not be broken.” 37. Again another Scripture says, “They will look on him whom they pierced.” 38. After these things, Joseph of Arimathaea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, asked of Pilate that he might take away Jesus’ body. Pilate gave him permission. He came therefore and took away his body. 39. Nicodemus, who at first came to Jesus by night, also came bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred Roman pounds. 40. So they took Jesus’ body, and bound it in linen cloths with the spices, as the custom of the Jews is to bury. 41. Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden. In the garden was a new tomb in which no man had ever yet been laid. 42. Then because of the Jews’ Preparation Day (for the tomb was near at hand) they laid Jesus there. 1. Now on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene went early, while it was still dark, to the tomb, and saw the stone taken away from the tomb. 2. Therefore she ran and came to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have laid him!” 3. Therefore Peter and the other disciple went out, and they went toward the tomb. 4. They both ran together. The other disciple outran Peter, and came to the tomb first. 5. Stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths lying, yet he didn’t enter in. 6. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and entered into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying, 7. and the cloth that had been on his head, not lying with the linen cloths, but rolled up in a place by itself. 8. So then the other disciple who came first to the tomb also entered in, and he saw and believed. 9. For as yet they didn’t know the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead. 10. So the disciples went away again to their own homes. 11. But Mary was standing outside at the tomb weeping. So, as she wept, she stooped and looked into the tomb, 12. and she saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head, and one at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. 13. They told her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I don’t know where they have laid him.” 14. When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, and didn’t know that it was Jesus. 15. Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Who are you looking for?” She, supposing him to be the gardener, said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” 16. Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to him, “Rabboni!” which is to say, “Teacher!” 17. Jesus said to her, “Don’t hold me, for I haven’t yet ascended to my Father; but go to my brothers, and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” 18. Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that he had said these things to her. 19. When therefore it was evening, on that day, the first day of the week, and when the doors were locked where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the middle, and said to them, “Peace be to you.” 20. When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples therefore were glad when they saw the Lord. 21. Jesus therefore said to them again, “Peace be to you. As the Father has sent me, even so I send you.” 22. When he had said this, he breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit! 23. If you forgive anyone’s sins, they have been forgiven them. If you retain anyone’s sins, they have been retained.” 24. But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, wasn’t with them when Jesus came. 25. The other disciples therefore said to him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “Unless I see in his hands the print of the nails, put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.” 26. After eight days again his disciples were inside, and Thomas was with them. Jesus came, the doors being locked, and stood in the middle, and said, “Peace be to you.” 27. Then he said to Thomas, “Reach here your finger, and see my hands. Reach here your hand, and put it into my side. Don’t be unbelieving, but believing.” 28. Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” 29. Jesus said to him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen, and have believed.” 30. Therefore Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book; 31. but these are written, that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in his name. 1. After these things, Jesus revealed himself again to the disciples at the sea of Tiberias. He revealed himself this way. 2. Simon Peter, Thomas called Didymus, Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples were together. 3. Simon Peter said to them, “I’m going fishing.” They told him, “We are also coming with you.” They immediately went out, and entered into the boat. That night, they caught nothing. 4. But when day had already come, Jesus stood on the beach, yet the disciples didn’t know that it was Jesus. 5. Jesus therefore said to them, “Children, have you anything to eat?” They answered him, “No.” 6. He said to them, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” They cast it therefore, and now they weren’t able to draw it in for the multitude of fish. 7. That disciple therefore whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It’s the Lord!” So when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he wrapped his coat around him (for he was naked), and threw himself into the sea. 8. But the other disciples came in the little boat (for they were not far from the land, but about two hundred cubits away), dragging the net full of fish. 9. So when they got out on the land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid on it, and bread. 10. Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish which you have just caught.” 11. Simon Peter went up, and drew the net to land, full of great fish, one hundred fifty-three; and even though there were so many, the net wasn’t torn. 12. Jesus said to them, “Come and eat breakfast.” None of the disciples dared inquire of him, “Who are you?” knowing that it was the Lord. 13. Then Jesus came and took the bread, gave it to them, and the fish likewise. 14. This is now the third time that Jesus was revealed to his disciples, after he had risen from the dead. 15. So when they had eaten their breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I have affection for you.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.” 16. He said to him again a second time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I have affection for you.” He said to him, “Tend my sheep.” 17. He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you have affection for me?” Peter was grieved because he asked him the third time, “Do you have affection for me?” He said to him, “Lord, you know everything. You know that I have affection for you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep. 18. Most certainly I tell you, when you were young, you dressed yourself, and walked where you wanted to. But when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you, and carry you where you don’t want to go.” 19. Now he said this, signifying by what kind of death he would glorify God. When he had said this, he said to him, “Follow me.” 20. Then Peter, turning around, saw a disciple following. This was the disciple whom Jesus loved, the one who had also leaned on Jesus’ breast at the supper and asked, “Lord, who is going to betray You?” 21. Peter seeing him, said to Jesus, “Lord, what about this man?” 22. Jesus said to him, “If I desire that he stay until I come, what is that to you? You follow me.” 23. This saying therefore went out among the brothers, that this disciple wouldn’t die. Yet Jesus didn’t say to him that he wouldn’t die, but, “If I desire that he stay until I come, what is that to you?” 24. This is the disciple who testifies about these things, and wrote these things. We know that his witness is true. 25. There are also many other things which Jesus did, which if they would all be written, I suppose that even the world itself wouldn’t have room for the books that would be written.

1. The Mighty One, God, Yahweh, speaks, and calls the earth from sunrise to sunset. 2. Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God shines out. 3. Our God comes, and does not keep silent. A fire devours before him. It is very stormy around him. 4. He calls to the heavens above, to the earth, that he may judge his people: 5. “Gather my saints together to me, those who have made a covenant with me by sacrifice.” 6. The heavens shall declare his righteousness, for God himself is judge. Selah. 7. “Hear, my people, and I will speak; Israel, and I will testify against you. I am God, your God. 8. I don’t rebuke you for your sacrifices. Your burnt offerings are continually before me. 9. I have no need for a bull from your stall, nor male goats from your pens. 10. For every animal of the forest is mine, and the livestock on a thousand hills. 11. I know all the birds of the mountains. The wild animals of the field are mine. 12. If I were hungry, I would not tell you, for the world is mine, and all that is in it. 13. Will I eat the meat of bulls, or drink the blood of goats? 14. Offer to God the sacrifice of thanksgiving. Pay your vows to the Most High. 15. Call on me in the day of trouble. I will deliver you, and you will honor me.” 16. But to the wicked God says, “What right do you have to declare my statutes, that you have taken my covenant on your lips, 17. since you hate instruction, and throw my words behind you? 18. When you saw a thief, you consented with him, and have participated with adulterers. 19. “You give your mouth to evil. Your tongue frames deceit. 20. You sit and speak against your brother. You slander your own mother’s son. 21. You have done these things, and I kept silent. You thought that I was just like you. I will rebuke you, and accuse you in front of your eyes. 22. “Now consider this, you who forget God, lest I tear you into pieces, and there be no one to deliver. 23. Whoever offers the sacrifice of thanksgiving glorifies me, and prepares his way so that I will show God’s salvation to him.”