Two Baskets of Figs

24 After Jehoiachin^[a](A) son of Jehoiakim king of Judah and the officials, the skilled workers and the artisans of Judah were carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, the Lord showed me two baskets of figs^(B) placed in front of the temple of the Lord. ² One basket had very good figs, like those that ripen early;^(C) the other basket had very bad^(D) figs, so bad they could not be eaten.

³ Then the Lord asked me, “What do you see,^(E) Jeremiah?”

“Figs,” I answered. “The good ones are very good, but the bad ones are so bad they cannot be eaten.”

⁴ Then the word of the Lord came to me: ⁵ “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘Like these good figs, I regard as good the exiles from Judah, whom I sent^(F) away from this place to the land of the Babylonians.^{[b] 6} My eyes will watch over them for their good, and I will bring them back^(G) to this land. I will build^(H) them up and not tear them down; I will plant^(I) them and not uproot them. ⁷ I will give them a heart to know^(J) me, that I am the Lord. They will be my people,^(K) and I will be their God, for they will return^(L) to me with all their heart.^(M)

⁸ “‘But like the bad^(N) figs, which are so bad they cannot be eaten,’ says the Lord, ‘so will I deal with Zedekiah^(O) king of Judah, his officials^(P) and the survivors^(Q) from Jerusalem, whether they remain in this land or live in Egypt.^{(R) 9} I will make them abhorrent^(S) and an offense to all the kingdoms of the earth, a reproach and a byword,^(T) a curse^[c](U) and an object of ridicule, wherever I banish^(V) them. ¹⁰ I will send the sword,^(W) famine^(X) and plague^(Y) against them until they are destroyed from the land I gave to them and their ancestors.^(Z)’”

Jesus Has Risen^(A)

28 After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene^(B) and the other Mary^(C) went to look at the tomb.

² There was a violent earthquake,^(D) for an angel^(E) of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone^(F) and sat on it. ³ His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow.^{(G) 4} The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.

⁵ The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid,^(H) for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. ⁶ He is not here; he has risen, just as he said.^(I) Come and see the place where he lay. ⁷ Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee.^(J) There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.”

⁸ So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. ⁹ Suddenly Jesus met them.^(K) “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. ¹⁰ Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers^(L) to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”

The Guards’ Report

¹¹ While the women were on their way, some of the guards^(M) went into the city and reported to the chief priests everything that had happened. ¹² When the chief priests had met with the elders and devised a plan, they gave the soldiers a large sum of money, ¹³ telling them, “You are to say, ‘His disciples came during the night and stole him away^(N) while we were asleep.’ ¹⁴ If this report gets to the governor,^(O) we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.” ¹⁵ So the soldiers took the money and did as they were instructed. And this story has been widely circulated among the Jews to this very day.

The Great Commission

¹⁶ Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go.^{(P) 17} When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. ¹⁸ Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.^{(Q) 19} Therefore go and make disciples of all nations,^(R) baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,^{(S) 20} and teaching^(T) them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you^(U) always, to the very end of the age.”^(V)