“Speak to all the people of the land and to the priests, saying, ‘When you fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh months these seventy years [that you were in exile], was it actually for Me that you fasted?

And when ye ate, and when ye drank, was it not you that were eating and drinking?

Should ye not hear the words which Jehovah cried by the former prophets, when Jerusalem was inhabited and in prosperity, and the cities thereof round about her, and the South and the lowland were inhabited?

And I brought them, and they dwelt in the midst of Jerusalem: and they were to me for a people, and I will be to them for God, in truth and in justice.

Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Let your hands be strong, ye that hear in these days these words by the mouth of the prophets, which were in the day that the foundation of the house of the LORD of hosts was laid, that the temple might be built.

For before these days there were no wages for man, nor any hire for beast; neither was there any peace to him that went out or came in because of the enemy: for I set all men every one against his neighbor.

And it shall come to pass, that as ye were a curse among the heathen, O house of Judah, and house of Israel; so will I save you, and ye shall be a blessing: fear not, but let your hands be strong.

I will take the blood from their mouths
And their detestable things from between their teeth [those repulsive, idolatrous sacrifices eaten with the blood].
Then they too will be a remnant for our God,
And be like a clan in Judah,
And Ekron will be like one of the Jebusites.

For I have bent Judah as if it were my bow, loading it with Ephraim. I raised up your sons, Zion, against your sons, Greece, wielding you like a mighty warrior's sword."

The LORD of Hosts shall defend them, they shall consume and devour, and subdue them with sling stones. They shall drink and rage, as it were through wine. They shall be filled like the basins, and as the horns of the altar.

For the idols have spoken vanity, and the diviners have seen a lie, and have told false dreams; they comfort in vain: therefore they went their way as a flock, they were troubled, because there was no shepherd.

And they were as the strong treading down in the mud of the streets in the battle: and they waged war, for Jehovah was with them, and they riding horses were ashamed.

"I will comfort the house of Judah, and preserve the house of Joseph. I will turn them also, for I pity them: and they shall be like as they were, when I had not cast them off. For I the LORD am their God, and will hear them.

And they were as the strong one of Ephraim, and their heart rejoiced as from wine: and their sons shall see, and rejoice; their heart shall exult in Jehovah.

I will whistle and gather them
because I have redeemed them;
they will be as numerous as they once were.

Howl, O fir, for fallen hath the cedar, For their honourable ones were destroyed, Howl, ye oaks of Bashan, For come down hath the fenced forest,

And in one month I put an end to the three keepers of the flock; for my soul was tired of them, and their souls were disgusted with me.

So the covenant was broken on that day, and thus the most wretched of the flock who were watching me realized that it was the word of the Lord.

And it was in that day I will set Jerusalem a stone of burden to all peoples: all loading her, being out; shall be cut; and all the nations of the earth were gathered together against her..

And I gathered all the nations against Jerusalem for war; and the city was taken, and the houses were plundered, and the women shall be ravished; and half the city shall go forth into captivity, and the people being left shall not be cut off from the city.

Even though Edom may claim, "We were crushed, but we will return and rebuild the ruins,' this is what the LORD of the Heavenly Armies says: "They may rebuild, but I'll demolish. People will call them, "The Wicked Land,' and, "The People With Whom the LORD is Forever Angry.'

Oh that there were one among you that would shut the doors, that ye might not kindle fire on mine altar in vain! I have no pleasure in you, saith Jehovah of hosts, neither will I accept an offering at your hand.

True teachings were in his mouth, and falsehood was not found on his lips. He walked with me peacefully and righteously, and he turned many from sin.

But you say, “Why [does He reject it]?” Because the Lord has been a witness between you and the wife of your youth, against whom you have dealt treacherously. Yet she is your marriage companion and the wife of your covenant [made by your vows].

And he sat melting and cleansing silver: and he cleansed the sons of Levi, and he purified them as gold and as silver, and they were to Jehovah bringing near the sacrifice in justice.

And the sacrifice of Judah and of Jerusalem shall be delicious unto the LORD as in the old time and in the years that were at the beginning.

For I am Jehovah, I changed not; and ye the sons of Jacob were not finished.

Your words were strong against me, said Jehovah. And ye said, What did we speak against thee?

And now we pronounce the proud happy; also they working injustice were built up; also they tried Jehovah and they will be delivered.

Then those who respected the Lord spoke to one another, and the Lord took notice. A scroll was prepared before him in which were recorded the names of those who respected the Lord and honored his name.

And they were to me, said Jehovah of armies, for the day which I make wealth; and I spared for them as a man will spare for the son serving him.

For behold, the day coming, burning as a furnace; and all the proud and all doing injustice were straw: and the day coming burnt them, said Jehovah of armies, that it shall not leave to them root and branch.

And ye tread down the unjust; for they were ashes under the soles of your feet in the day which I doing, said Jehovah of armies.

The son of Abraham was Isaac; and the son of Isaac was Jacob; and the sons of Jacob were Judah and his brothers;

And the sons of Judah were Perez and Zerah by Tamar; and the son of Perez was Hezron; and the son of Hezron was Ram;

And Josias begat Jechonias and his brethren, about the time they were carried away to Babylon:

And after they were brought to Babylon, Jechonias begat Salathiel; and Salathiel begat Zorobabel;

All the generations, therefore, from Abraham to David were fourteen generations; and from David until the carrying away of Babylon, fourteen generations; and from the carrying away of Babylon unto the Christ, fourteen generations.

The circumstances of the birth of Jesus Christ were these. After his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they were united in marriage, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit.

"Where is the one who was born to be king of the Jews? For we saw a star [signifying his birth while we were still] in the east, and have come here to worship him."

And when King Herod heard this, he and the entire city of Jerusalem were [very] upset.

When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy.

And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.

And having been warned [by God] in a dream not to go back to Herod, the magi left for their own country by another way.

And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.

Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently inquired of the wise men.

Then were these words, spoken by the Prophet Jeremiah, fulfilled,

“A voice was heard in Ramah,
Weeping and great mourning,
Rachel weeping for her children;
She refused to be comforted,
Because they were no more.”

saying, "Get up, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who were seeking the life of the child are dead."

and went to dwell in a town called Nazareth, so that those words of one of the prophets were fulfill'd, "He shall be called a Nazarene."

Now this same John had clothing made of camel’s hair and a [wide] leather band around his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey.

Then were going forth unto him Jerusalem, and all Judea, and all the region round about the Jordan,

And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins.

But when John saw that many of the Pharisees and Sadducees were coming for baptism, he said: "O brood of vipers! Who has warned you to flee from the wrath to come?

And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:

Then doth the Devil leave him, and lo, messengers came and were ministering to him.

The people who were dwelling in darkness have seen a brilliant light; and on those who were dwelling in the region of the shadow of death, on them light has dawned."

And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers.

Going on from there, He saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and his brother John. They were in a boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets, and He called them.

And Jesus went about in all Galilee, teaching in their Synagogues and preaching the good news of the kingdom, and making well those who were ill with any disease among the people.

And his fame went throughout all Syria: and they brought unto him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatick, and those that had the palsy; and he healed them.

Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

Therefore whoever relaxes a single one of these commands, were it even one of the least, and teaches men so, he will be ranked least in the Realm of heaven; but whoever obeys them and teaches them, he will be ranked great in the Realm of heaven.)

“You have heard that the ancients were told, ‘You shall not commit murder’ and ‘Whoever commits murder shall be liable to the court.’

"You have heard that men were told 'You shall not commit adultery.'

"They were told, 'Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.'

“Again, you have heard that the ancients were told, ‘You shall not make false vows, but shall fulfill your vows to the Lord.’

"You have heard that they were told, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.'

Whoever requires you to go one mile, [be willing to] go with him two miles. [Note: The Romans were permitted by law to require a Jew to carry their burden for one mile only].

"You have heard that they were told, 'You must love your neighbor and hate your enemy.'

For if you love [only] those who love you, what reward will you get for that? Do not even the publicans [Note: These were people with a bad reputation for their dishonest tax collecting activities] do that much?

For after all these things the heathen were seeking; for your heavenly Father knoweth that you need all these things.

A great number will say to me on that day, Lord, Lord, were we not prophets in your name, and did we not by your name send out evil spirits, and by your name do works of power?

And the rain came down and there was a rush of waters and the winds were driving against that house, but it was not moved; because it was based on the rock.

And the rain came down and there was a rush of waters and the winds were driving against that house; and it came down and great was its fall.

And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine:

Now [when] Jesus heard [this], he was astonished, and said to those who were following [him], "Truly I say to you, I have found such great faith with no one in Israel.

When the even was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick:

But the men were astonished, saying, What sort of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him?

When He had come to the other side, to the region of the Gadarenes, two demon-possessed men met Him as they came out of the tombs. They were so violent that no one could pass that way.

Now at some distance from them a vast herd of swine were feeding.

and the demons were calling on him, saying, 'If thou dost cast us forth, permit us to go away to the herd of the swine;'

And he said unto them, Go. And when they were come out, they went into the herd of swine: and, behold, the whole herd of swine ran violently down a steep place into the sea, and perished in the waters.

And they that fed them fled, and went away into the city, and told everything, and what was befallen to them that were possessed with demons.

and lo, they were bringing to him a paralytic, laid upon a couch, and Jesus having seen their faith, said to the paralytic, 'Be of good courage, child, thy sins have been forgiven thee.'

But Jesus, knowing what they were thinking, replied, "Why do you have such evil thoughts in your hearts?

But when the multitudes saw it, they were afraid, and glorified God, who had given such authority unto men.

And when Jesus was going from there, he saw a man whose name was Matthew, seated at the place where taxes were taken; and he said to him, Come after me. And he got up and went after him.

And it came to pass, he reclining (at meat) in the house, that lo, many tax-gatherers and sinners having come, were lying (at meat) with Jesus and his disciples,

Now when Jesus reached the official's house and saw the flute-players and the din the crowd were making,

he saith to them, 'Withdraw, for the damsel did not die, but doth sleep,' and they were deriding him;

But when the people were put forth, he went in, and took her by the hand, and the maid arose.

Now as Jesus moved on from there, two blind men followed Him [i.e., probably being led by sighted persons]. They were shouting, "Have pity on us, son of David!"

Then he touched their eyes, saying "According to your faith be it unto you," and their eyes were opened.

And their eyes were opened; and Jesus straitly charged them, saying, See that no man know it.

But they, when they were departed, spread abroad his fame in all that country.

But as these were going out, behold, they brought to him a dumb man possessed by a demon.

And the demon having been cast out, the dumb spake. And the crowds were astonished, saying, It has never been seen thus in Israel.

But the Pharisees were saying, "By the ruler of demons he expels the demons!"

But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd.