Holy Week

As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent out two disciples,

saying to them, “Go into the village ahead of you, and at once you will find a donkey tied there, with her colt beside her. Untie them and bring them to Me.

If anyone questions you, tell him that the Lord needs them, and he will send them right away.”

This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet:

“Say to the Daughter of Zion, ‘See, your King comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’”

So the disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them.

They brought the donkey and the colt and laid their cloaks on them, and Jesus sat on them.

A massive crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road.

The crowds that went ahead of Him and those that followed were shouting: “Hosanna to the Son of David!” “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Hosanna in the highest!”

When Jesus had entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, “Who is this?”

The crowds replied, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.”

Then Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those selling doves.

And He declared to them, “It is written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer.’ But you are making it ‘a den of robbers.’”

The blind and the lame came to Him at the temple, and He healed them.

But the chief priests and scribes were indignant when they saw the wonders He performed and the children shouting in the temple courts, “Hosanna to the Son of David!”

“Do You hear what these children are saying?” they asked. “Yes,” Jesus answered. “Have you never read: ‘From the mouths of children and infants You have ordained praise’?”

Then He left them and went out of the city to Bethany, where He spent the night.

In the morning, as Jesus was returning to the city, He was hungry.

Seeing a fig tree by the road, He went up to it but found nothing on it except leaves. “May you never bear fruit again!” He said. And immediately the tree withered.

When the disciples saw this, they marveled and asked, “How did the fig tree wither so quickly?”

“Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “if you have faith and do not doubt, not only will you do what was done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ it will happen.

If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.”

When Jesus returned to the temple courts and began to teach, the chief priests and elders of the people came up to Him. “By what authority are You doing these things?” they asked. “And who gave You this authority?”

“I will also ask you one question,” Jesus replied, “and if you answer Me, I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things.

What was the source of John’s baptism? Was it from heaven or from men?” They deliberated among themselves and said, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will ask, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’

But if we say, ‘From men,’ we are afraid of the people, for they all regard John as a prophet.”

So they answered, “We do not know.” And Jesus replied, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.

But what do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first one and said, ‘Son, go and work today in the vineyard.’

‘I will not,’ he replied. But later he changed his mind and went.

Then the man went to the second son and told him the same thing. ‘I will, sir,’ he said. But he did not go.

Which of the two did the will of his father?” “The first,” they answered. Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God before you.

For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and prostitutes did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent and believe him.

Listen to another parable: There was a landowner who planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a winepress in it, and built a tower. Then he rented it out to some tenants and went away on a journey.

When the harvest time drew near, he sent his servants to the tenants to collect his share of the fruit.

But the tenants seized his servants. They beat one, killed another, and stoned a third.

Again, he sent other servants, more than the first group. But the tenants did the same to them.

Finally, he sent his son to them. ‘They will respect my son,’ he said.

But when the tenants saw the son, they said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and take his inheritance.’

So they seized him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him.

Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard returns, what will he do to those tenants?”

“He will bring those wretches to a wretched end,” they replied, “and will rent out the vineyard to other tenants who will give him his share of the fruit at harvest time.”

Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures: ‘The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. This is from the Lord, and it is marvelous in our eyes’?

Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit.

He who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces, but he on whom it falls will be crushed.”

When the chief priests and Pharisees heard His parables, they knew that Jesus was speaking about them.

Although they wanted to arrest Him, they were afraid of the crowds, because the people regarded Him as a prophet.

Once again, Jesus spoke to them in parables:

“The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son.

He sent his servants to call those he had invited to the banquet, but they refused to come.

Again, he sent other servants and said, ‘Tell those who have been invited that I have prepared my dinner. My oxen and fattened cattle have been killed, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.’

But they paid no attention and went away, one to his field, another to his business.

The rest seized his servants, mistreated them, and killed them.

The king was enraged, and he sent his troops to destroy those murderers and burn their city.

Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited were not worthy.

Go therefore to the crossroads and invite to the banquet as many as you can find.’

So the servants went out into the streets and gathered everyone they could find, both evil and good, and the wedding hall was filled with guests.

But when the king came in to see the guests, he spotted a man who was not dressed in wedding clothes.

‘Friend,’ he asked, ‘how did you get in here without wedding clothes?’ But the man was speechless.

Then the king told the servants, ‘Tie him hand and foot, and throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

For many are called, but few are chosen.”

Then the Pharisees went out and conspired to trap Jesus in His words.

They sent their disciples to Him along with the Herodians. “Teacher,” they said, “we know that You are honest and that You teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. You seek favor from no one, because You pay no attention to external appearance.

So tell us what You think: Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar or not?”

But Jesus knew their evil intent and said, “You hypocrites, why are you testing Me?

Show Me the coin used for the tax.” And they brought Him a denarius.

“Whose image is this,” He asked, “and whose inscription?”

“Caesar’s,” they answered. So Jesus told them, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”

And when they heard this, they were amazed. So they left Him and went away.

That same day the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Jesus and questioned Him.

“Teacher,” they said, “Moses declared that if a man dies without having children, his brother is to marry the widow and raise up offspring for him.

Now there were seven brothers among us. The first one married and died without having children. So he left his wife to his brother.

The same thing happened to the second and third brothers, down to the seventh.

And last of all, the woman died.

In the resurrection, then, whose wife will she be of the seven? For all of them were married to her.”

Jesus answered, “You are mistaken because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God.

In the resurrection, people will neither marry nor be given in marriage. Instead, they will be like the angels in heaven.

But concerning the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what God said to you:

‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? He is not the God of the dead, but of the living.”

When the crowds heard this, they were astonished at His teaching.

And when the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, they themselves gathered together.

One of them, an expert in the law, tested Him with a question:

“Teacher, which commandment is the greatest in the Law?”

Jesus declared, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’

This is the first and greatest commandment.

And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’

All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

While the Pharisees were assembled, Jesus questioned them:

“What do you think about the Christ? Whose son is He?” “David’s,” they answered.

Jesus said to them, “How then does David in the Spirit call Him ‘Lord’? For he says:

‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand until I put Your enemies under Your feet.”’

So if David calls Him ‘Lord,’ how can He be David’s son?”

No one was able to answer a word, and from that day on no one dared to question Him any further.

Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to His disciples:

“The scribes and Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat.

So practice and observe everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach.

They tie up heavy, burdensome loads and lay them on men’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them.

All their deeds are done for men to see. They broaden their phylacteries and lengthen their tassels.

They love the places of honor at banquets, the chief seats in the synagogues,

the greetings in the marketplaces, and the title of ‘Rabbi’ by which they are addressed.

But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ for you have one Teacher, and you are all brothers.

And do not call anyone on earth your father, for you have one Father, who is in heaven.

Nor are you to be called instructors, for you have one Instructor, the Christ.

The greatest among you shall be your servant.

For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the kingdom of heaven in men’s faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let in those who wish to enter.

Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows’ houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation.

Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You traverse land and sea to win a single convert, and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as you are.

Woe to you, blind guides! You say, ‘If anyone swears by the temple, it means nothing; but if anyone swears by the gold of the temple, he is bound by his oath.’

You blind fools! Which is greater: the gold, or the temple that makes it sacred?

And you say, ‘If anyone swears by the altar, it means nothing; but if anyone swears by the gift on it, he is bound by his oath.’

You blind men! Which is greater: the gift, or the altar that makes it sacred?

So then, he who swears by the altar swears by it and by everything on it.

And he who swears by the temple swears by it and by the One who dwells in it.

And he who swears by heaven swears by God’s throne and by the One who sits on it.

Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You pay tithes of mint, dill, and cumin. But you have disregarded the weightier matters of the law: justice, mercy, and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former.

You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel.

Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence.

Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, so that the outside may become clean as well.

Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men’s bones and every kind of impurity.

In the same way, on the outside you appear to be righteous, but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.

Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You build tombs for the prophets and decorate the monuments of the righteous.

And you say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partners with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’

So you testify against yourselves that you are the sons of those who murdered the prophets.

Fill up, then, the measure of the sin of your fathers.

You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape the sentence of hell?

Because of this, I am sending you prophets and wise men and teachers. Some of them you will kill and crucify, and others you will flog in your synagogues and persecute from town to town.

And so upon you will come all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar.

Truly I tell you, all these things will come upon this generation.

O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those sent to her, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were unwilling!

Look, your house is left to you desolate.

For I tell you that you will not see Me again until you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.’”

As Jesus left the temple and was walking away, His disciples came up to Him to point out its buildings.

“Do you see all these things?” He replied. “Truly I tell you, not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.”

While Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately. “Tell us,” they said, “when will these things happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming and of the end of the age?”

Jesus answered, “See to it that no one deceives you.

For many will come in My name, claiming, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many.

You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. These things must happen, but the end is still to come.

Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places.

All these are the beginning of birth pains.

Then they will deliver you over to be persecuted and killed, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name.

At that time many will fall away and will betray and hate one another,

and many false prophets will arise and deceive many.

Because of the multiplication of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold.

But the one who perseveres to the end will be saved.

And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

So when you see standing in the holy place ‘the abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by the prophet Daniel (let the reader understand),

then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.

Let no one on the housetop come down to retrieve anything from his house.

And let no one in the field return for his cloak.

How miserable those days will be for pregnant and nursing mothers!

Pray that your flight will not occur in the winter or on the Sabbath.

For at that time there will be great tribulation, unseen from the beginning of the world until now, and never to be seen again.

If those days had not been cut short, nobody would be saved. But for the sake of the elect, those days will be cut short.

At that time, if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There He is!’ do not believe it.

For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive even the elect, if that were possible.

See, I have told you in advance.

So if they tell you, ‘There He is, in the wilderness,’ do not go out, or, ‘Here He is, in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it.

For just as the lightning comes from the east and flashes as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.

Wherever there is a carcass, there the vultures will gather.

Immediately after the tribulation of those days: ‘The sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.’

At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and all the tribes of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

And He will send out His angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather His elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.

Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its branches become tender and sprout leaves, you know that summer is near.

So also, when you see all these things, you will know that He is near, right at the door.

Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have happened.

Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will never pass away.

No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.

As it was in the days of Noah, so will it be at the coming of the Son of Man.

For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark.

And they were oblivious until the flood came and swept them all away. So will it be at the coming of the Son of Man.

Two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left.

Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left.

Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day on which your Lord will come.

But understand this: If the homeowner had known in which watch of the night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into.

For this reason, you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour you do not expect.

Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of his household, to give the others their food at the proper time?

Blessed is that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns.

Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions.

But suppose that servant is wicked and says in his heart, ‘My master will be away a long time.’

And he begins to beat his fellow servants and to eat and drink with drunkards.

The master of that servant will come on a day he does not expect and at an hour he does not anticipate.

Then he will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

“At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.

Five of them were foolish, and five were wise.

The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take along any extra oil.

But the wise ones took oil in flasks along with their lamps.

When the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep.

At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’

Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps.

The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.’

‘No,’ said the wise ones, ‘or there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’

But while they were on their way to buy it, the bridegroom arrived. Those who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet, and the door was shut.

Later the other virgins arrived and said, ‘Lord, lord, open the door for us!’

But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I do not know you.’

Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.

For it is just like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted them with his possessions.

To one he gave five talents, to another two talents, and to another one talent—each according to his own ability. And he went on his journey.

The servant who had received the five talents went at once and put them to work and gained five more.

Likewise, the one with the two talents gained two more.

But the servant who had received the one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground, and hid his master’s money.

After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them.

The servant who had received the five talents came and presented five more. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more.’

His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Enter into the joy of your master!’

The servant who had received the two talents also came and said, ‘Master, you entrusted me with two talents. See, I have gained two more.’

His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Enter into the joy of your master!’

Finally, the servant who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Master, I knew that you are a hard man, reaping where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed.

So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, you have what belongs to you.’

‘You wicked, lazy servant!’ replied his master. ‘You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed.

Then you should have deposited my money with the bankers, and on my return I would have received it back with interest.

Therefore take the talent from him and give it to the one who has ten talents.

For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. But the one who does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.

And throw that worthless servant into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, He will sit on His glorious throne.

All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate the people one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.

He will place the sheep on His right and the goats on His left.

Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.

For I was hungry and you gave Me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave Me something to drink, I was a stranger and you took Me in,

I was naked and you clothed Me, I was sick and you looked after Me, I was in prison and you visited Me.’

Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You something to drink?

When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You?

When did we see You sick or in prison and visit You?’

And the King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of Mine, you did for Me.’

Then He will say to those on His left, ‘Depart from Me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.

For I was hungry and you gave Me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave Me nothing to drink,

I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, I was naked and you did not clothe Me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after Me.’

And they too will reply, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?’

Then the King will answer, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for Me.’

And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

When Jesus had finished saying all these things, He told His disciples,

“You know that the Passover is two days away, and the Son of Man will be handed over to be crucified.”

At that time the chief priests and elders of the people assembled in the courtyard of the high priest, whose name was Caiaphas,

and they conspired to arrest Jesus covertly and kill Him.

“But not during the feast,” they said, “or there may be a riot among the people.”

Then one of the Twelve, the one called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests

and asked, “What are you willing to give me if I hand Him over to you?” And they set out for him thirty pieces of silver.

So from then on Judas looked for an opportunity to betray Jesus.

On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Where do You want us to prepare for You to eat the Passover?”

He answered, “Go into the city to a certain man and tell him that the Teacher says, ‘My time is near. I will keep the Passover with My disciples at your house.’”

So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them and prepared the Passover.

When evening came, Jesus was reclining with the twelve disciples.

And while they were eating, He said to them, “Truly I tell you, one of you will betray Me.”

They were deeply grieved and began to ask Him one after another, “Surely not I, Lord?”

Jesus answered, “The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with Me will betray Me.

The Son of Man will go just as it is written about Him, but woe to that man by whom He is betrayed. It would be better for him if he had not been born.”

Then Judas, who would betray Him, said, “Surely not I, Rabbi?” Jesus answered, “You have said it yourself.”

While they were eating, Jesus took bread, spoke a blessing and broke it, and gave it to the disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is My body.”

Then He took the cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you.

This is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.

I tell you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it anew with you in My Father’s kingdom.”

And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

Then Jesus said to them, “This very night you will all fall away on account of Me. For it is written: ‘I will strike the Shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’

But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.”

Peter said to Him, “Even if all fall away on account of You, I never will.”

“Truly I tell you,” Jesus declared, “this very night, before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.”

Peter replied, “Even if I have to die with You, I will never deny You.” And all the other disciples said the same thing.

Then Jesus went with His disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and He told them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.”

He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee and began to be sorrowful and deeply distressed.

Then He said to them, “My soul is consumed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with Me.”

Going a little farther, He fell facedown and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me. Yet not as I will, but as You will.”

Then Jesus returned to the disciples and found them sleeping. “Were you not able to keep watch with Me for one hour?” He asked Peter.

“Watch and pray so that you will not enter into temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak.”

A second time He went away and prayed, “My Father, if this cup cannot pass unless I drink it, may Your will be done.”

And again Jesus returned and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy.

So He left them and went away once more and prayed a third time, saying the same thing.

Then He returned to the disciples and said, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Look, the hour is near, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.

Rise, let us go! See, My betrayer is approaching!”

While Jesus was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived, accompanied by a large crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests and elders of the people.

Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them: “The One I kiss is the man; arrest Him.”

Going directly to Jesus, he said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” and kissed Him.

“Friend,” Jesus replied, “do what you came for.” Then the men stepped forward, seized Jesus, and arrested Him.

At this, one of Jesus’ companions drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear.

“Put your sword back in its place,” Jesus said to him. “For all who draw the sword will die by the sword.

Are you not aware that I can call on My Father, and He will at once put at My disposal more than twelve legions of angels?

But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen this way?”

At that time Jesus said to the crowd, “Have you come out with swords and clubs to arrest Me as you would an outlaw? Every day I sat teaching in the temple courts, and you did not arrest Me.

But this has all happened so that the writings of the prophets would be fulfilled.” Then all the disciples deserted Him and fled.

Those who had arrested Jesus led Him away to the house of Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and elders had gathered.

But Peter followed Him at a distance, right up to the courtyard of the high priest. And he went in and sat down with the guards to see the outcome.

Now the chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were seeking false testimony against Jesus in order to put Him to death.

But they did not find any, though many false witnesses came forward. Finally two came forward

and declared, “This man said, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God and rebuild it in three days.’”

So the high priest stood up and asked Him, “Have You no answer? What are these men testifying against You?”

But Jesus remained silent. Then the high priest said to Him, “I charge You under oath by the living God: Tell us if You are the Christ, the Son of God.”

“You have said it yourself,” Jesus answered. “But I say to all of you, from now on you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven.”

At this, the high priest tore his clothes and declared, “He has blasphemed! Why do we need any more witnesses? Look, now you have heard the blasphemy.

What do you think?” “He deserves to die,” they answered.

Then they spit in His face and struck Him. Others slapped Him

and said, “Prophesy to us, Christ! Who hit You?”

Meanwhile, Peter was sitting out in the courtyard, and a servant girl came up to him. “You also were with Jesus the Galilean,” she said.

But he denied it before them all: “I do not know what you are talking about.”

When Peter had gone out to the gateway, another servant girl saw him and said to the people there, “This man was with Jesus of Nazareth.”

And again he denied it with an oath: “I do not know the man!”

After a little while, those standing nearby came up to Peter. “Surely you are one of them,” they said, “for your accent gives you away.”

At that he began to curse and swear to them, “I do not know the man!” And immediately a rooster crowed.

Then Peter remembered the word that Jesus had spoken: “Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.” And he went outside and wept bitterly.

When morning came, all the chief priests and elders of the people conspired against Jesus to put Him to death.

They bound Him, led Him away, and handed Him over to Pilate the governor.

When Judas, who had betrayed Him, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was filled with remorse and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders.

“I have sinned by betraying innocent blood,” he said. “What is that to us?” they replied. “You bear the responsibility.”

So Judas threw the silver into the temple and left. Then he went away and hanged himself.

The chief priests picked up the pieces of silver and said, “It is unlawful to put this into the treasury, since it is blood money.”

After conferring together, they used the money to buy the potter’s field as a burial place for foreigners.

That is why it has been called the Field of Blood to this day.

Then what was spoken through Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled: “They took the thirty pieces of silver, the price set on Him by the people of Israel,

and they gave them for the potter’s field, as the Lord had commanded me.”

Meanwhile Jesus stood before the governor, who questioned Him: “Are You the King of the Jews?” “You have said so,” Jesus replied.

And when He was accused by the chief priests and elders, He gave no answer.

Then Pilate asked Him, “Do You not hear how many charges they are bringing against You?”

But Jesus gave no answer, not even to a single charge, much to the governor’s amazement.

Now it was the governor’s custom at the feast to release to the crowd a prisoner of their choosing.

At that time they were holding a notorious prisoner named Barabbas.

So when the crowd had assembled, Pilate asked them, “Which one do you want me to release to you: Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?”

For he knew it was out of envy that they had handed Jesus over to him.

While Pilate was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent him this message: “Have nothing to do with that innocent man, for I have suffered terribly in a dream today because of Him.”

But the chief priests and elders persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus put to death.

“Which of the two do you want me to release to you?” asked the governor. “Barabbas,” they replied.

“What then should I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” Pilate asked. They all answered, “Crucify Him!”

“Why?” asked Pilate. “What evil has He done?” But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify Him!”

When Pilate saw that he was accomplishing nothing, but that instead a riot was breaking out, he took water and washed his hands before the crowd. “I am innocent of this man’s blood,” he said. “You bear the responsibility.”

All the people answered, “His blood be on us and on our children!”

So Pilate released Barabbas to them. But he had Jesus flogged, and handed Him over to be crucified.

Then the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole company around Him.

They stripped Him and put a scarlet robe on Him.

And they twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on His head. They put a staff in His right hand, knelt down before Him, and mocked Him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!”

Then they spit on Him and took the staff and struck Him on the head repeatedly.

After they had mocked Him, they removed the robe and put His own clothes back on Him. Then they led Him away to crucify Him.

Along the way they found a man from Cyrene, named Simon, and they forced him to carry the cross of Jesus.

And when they came to a place called Golgotha, which means The Place of the Skull,

they offered Him wine to drink, mixed with gall; but after tasting it, He refused to drink it.

When they had crucified Him, they divided up His garments by casting lots.

And sitting down, they kept watch over Him there.

Above His head they posted the written charge against Him: THIS IS JESUS, THE KING OF THE JEWS.

Two robbers were crucified with Him, one on His right and the other on His left.

And those who passed by heaped abuse on Him, shaking their heads

and saying, “You who are going to destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save Yourself! If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross!”

In the same way, the chief priests, scribes, and elders mocked Him, saying,

“He saved others, but He cannot save Himself. He is the King of Israel! Let Him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in Him.

He trusts in God. Let God deliver Him now if He wants Him. For He said, ‘I am the Son of God.’”

In the same way, even the robbers who were crucified with Him berated Him.

From the sixth hour until the ninth hour darkness came over all the land.

About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”

When some of those standing there heard this, they said, “He is calling Elijah.”

One of them quickly ran and brought a sponge. He filled it with sour wine, put it on a reed, and held it up for Jesus to drink.

But the others said, “Leave Him alone. Let us see if Elijah comes to save Him.”

When Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, He yielded up His spirit.

At that moment the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth quaked, and the rocks were split.

The tombs broke open, and the bodies of many saints who had fallen asleep were raised.

After Jesus’ resurrection, when they had come out of the tombs, they entered the holy city and appeared to many people.

When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified and said, “Truly this was the Son of God.”

And many women were there, watching from a distance. They had followed Jesus from Galilee to minister to Him.

Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of Zebedee’s sons.

When it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea named Joseph, who himself was a disciple of Jesus.

He went to Pilate to ask for the body of Jesus, and Pilate ordered that it be given to him.

So Joseph took the body, wrapped it in a clean linen cloth,

and placed it in his own new tomb that he had cut into the rock. Then he rolled a great stone across the entrance to the tomb and went away.

Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were sitting there opposite the tomb.

The next day, the one after Preparation Day, the chief priests and Pharisees assembled before Pilate.

“Sir,” they said, “we remember that while He was alive that deceiver said, ‘After three days I will rise again.’

So give the order that the tomb be secured until the third day. Otherwise, His disciples may come and steal Him away and tell the people He has risen from the dead. And this last deception would be worse than the first.”

“You have a guard,” Pilate said. “Go, make the tomb as secure as you know how.”

So they went and secured the tomb by sealing the stone and posting the guard.

After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb.

Suddenly there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, rolled away the stone, and sat on it.

His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow.

The guards trembled in fear of him and became like dead men.

But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified.

He is not here; He has risen, just as He said! Come, see the place where He lay.

Then go quickly and tell His disciples, ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see Him.’ See, I have told you.”

So they hurried away from the tomb in fear and great joy, and ran to tell His disciples.

Suddenly Jesus met them and said, “Greetings!” They came to Him, grasped His feet, and worshiped Him.

“Do not be afraid,” said Jesus. “Go and tell My brothers to go to Galilee. There they will see Me.”

While the women were on their way, some of the guards went into the city and reported to the chief priests all that had happened.

And after the chief priests had met with the elders and formed a plan, they gave the soldiers a large sum of money

and instructed them: “You are to say, ‘His disciples came by night and stole Him away while we were asleep.’

If this report reaches the governor, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.”

So the guards took the money and did as they were instructed. And this account has been circulated among the Jews to this very day.

Meanwhile, the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain Jesus had designated.

When they saw Him, they worshiped Him, but some doubted.

Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me.

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

and teaching them to obey all that I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”