Thursday, April 29

1Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread drew near, which is called Passover.

2And the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might kill Him, for they feared the people.

3Then Satan entered Judas, surnamed Iscariot, who was numbered among the twelve.

4So he went his way and conferred with the chief priests and captains, how he might betray Him to them.

5And they were glad, and agreed to give him money.

6So he promised and sought opportunity to betray Him to them in the absence of the multitude.

7Then came the Day of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover must be killed.

8And He sent Peter and John, saying, 'Go and prepare the Passover for us, that we may eat.'

9So they said to Him, 'Where do You want us to prepare?'

10And He said to them, 'Behold, when you have entered the city, a man will meet you carrying a pitcher of water; follow him into the house which he enters.

11Then you shall say to the master of the house, 'The Teacher says to you, 'Where is the guest room where I may eat the Passover with My disciples?' '

12Then he will show you a large, furnished upper room; there make ready.'

13So they went and found it just as He had said to them, and they prepared the Passover.

14The Eucharist Instituted When the hour had come, He sat down, and the twelve apostles with Him.

15Then He said to them, 'With fervent desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer;

16for I say to you, I will no longer eat of it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.'

17Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, 'Take this and divide it among yourselves;

18for I say to you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.'

19And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, 'This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.'

20Likewise He also took the cup after supper, saying, 'This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you.

21But behold, the hand of My betrayer is with Me on the table.

22And truly the Son of Man goes as it has been determined, but woe to that man by whom He is betrayed!'

23Then they began to question among themselves, which of them it was who would do this thing.

24Now there was also a dispute among them, as to which of them should be considered the greatest.

25And He said to them, 'The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and those who exercise authority over them are called 'benefactors.'

26But not so among you; on the contrary, he who is greatest among you, let him be as the younger, and he who governs as he who serves.

27For who is greater, he who sits at the table, or he who serves? Is it not he who sits at the table? Yet I am among you as the One who serves.

28'But you are those who have continued with Me in My trials.

29And I bestow upon you a kingdom, just as My Father bestowed one upon Me,

30that you may eat and drink at My table in My kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.'

31And the Lord said, 'Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat.

32But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren.'

33But he said to Him, 'Lord, I am ready to go with You, both to prison and to death.'

34Then He said, 'I tell you, Peter, the rooster shall not crow this day before you will deny three times that you know Me.'

35And He said to them, 'When I sent you without money bag, knapsack, and sandals, did you lack anything?'

36Then He said to them, 'But now, he who has a money bag, let him take it, and likewise a knapsack; and he who has no sword, let him sell his garment and buy one.

37For I say to you that this which is written must still be accomplished in Me: 'And He was numbered with the transgressors.' For the things concerning Me have an end.'

38So they said, 'Lord, look, here are two swords.'

39Coming out, He went to the Mount of Olives, as He was accustomed, and His disciples also followed Him. And He said to them, 'It is enough.'

18For I did not know I was like an innocent lamb led to be sacrificed. They plotted an evil device against me, saying, 'Come, let us put wood in his bread, and destroy him root and branch from the land of the living, so his name might not be remembered any longer.'

19But, O Lord, You who judge righteously, who tests minds and hearts, let me see Your vengeance on them, for I have revealed my righteous plea to You.

20Therefore thus says the Lord against the men of Anathoth, against those who seek my life, and who say, 'Do not prophesy in the name of the Lord, lest you die by our hands'-

21'Behold, I will visit them. The young men shall die by the sword, and their sons and daughters shall die by famine.

22There shall be no remnant of them, for I will bring calamities on the inhabitants of Anathoth in the year of their visitation.'

1O Lord, You are righteous, that I may plead my case with You, to speak to You concerning judgments. Why does the way of the ungodly prosper, and all who deal treacherously flourish?

2You planted them, and they took root. They bear children and are fruitful. You are near in their mouth, but far from their mind.

3But You, O Lord, know me. You have proven my heart before You. Set them apart for the day of slaughter.

4How long will the land mourn and the grass of the field wither, because of the vices of those who dwell in it? The cattle and the birds are destroyed, because they said, 'God will not see our ways.'

5'Your feet run and grow weary. How then will you prepare yourself to run with horses? You are confident when the land is peaceful, but what will you do when the Jordan floods the land?

6But even your brothers and the house of your father dealt treacherously with you. They cried out and gathered together in pursuit of you. Do not trust them because they will speak fair words to you.

7'I forsook My house and left My inheritance. I gave My beloved inheritance into the hands of its enemies.

8For My inheritance became to Me like a lion in the forest. It raised its voice against Me; therefore, I hated it.

9Is not My inheritance the cave of a hyena to Me, or a cave it walks around? Gather together all the wild beasts of the field and let them come to devour her.

10Many shepherds destroyed My vineyard and defiled My portion. They turned My pleasant portion into an impassable desert.

11It was made a complete ruin. The whole land was utterly destroyed for My sake, because there was no man who took it to heart.

12The tormentors come to every passage in the desert, because the sword of the Lord will devour from one end of the land to the other. No flesh has any peace.

13Sow fires and reap thorns. Their portions will not profit them. Be ashamed of your boasting because of your disgrace before the Lord.'

14For thus says the Lord: 'Concerning all the evil neighbors who touch My inheritance, which I divided to My people Israel—behold, I shall draw them away from their land and will cast out Judah from their midst.

15Then it shall come to pass, after I cast them out, that I will return them and have mercy on them. I will settle them, each in his inheritance and each in his land.

10Again the Lord said to Moses, 'Go down and solemnly charge the people and sanctify them today and tomorrow, and let them wash their clothes.

11Let them be ready for the third day, for on the third day the Lord will descend upon Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people.

12You shall set bounds for the people all around, saying, 'Take heed to yourselves that you do not go up to the mountain or touch its base. Whoever touches the mountain shall surely die.

13Not a hand shall touch him, but he shall surely be stoned or shot with an arrow; whether man or beast, he shall not live.' When the thunders, the trumpets, and the cloud depart from the mountain, they shall ascend the mountain.'

14So Moses went down from the mountain to the people and sanctified them, and they washed their clothes.

15Then he said to the people, 'Be ready for the third day; do not come near your wives.'

16So it was that on the third day in the morning, there were thunderings and lightnings and a dark cloud on Mount Sinai; and the sound of the trumpet was very loud, and all the people in the camp trembled.

17And Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain.

18Now Mount Sinai was completely enveloped in smoke, because God descended upon it in fire. Its smoke ascended like the smoke of a furnace, and the people were exceedingly amazed.

19And when the blast of the trumpet sounded long and became louder and louder, Moses spoke, and God answered him by voice.

1After Elihu had ceased from speaking, then the Lord spoke to Job out of the whirlwind and clouds, saying:

2'Who is this who hides counsel from Me, And holds words in his heart And thinks to conceal them from Me?

3Gird your waist like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer Me.

4'Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding.

5Who determined its measurements? Surely you know. Or who stretched the line upon it?

6To what were its foundations fastened, Or who laid its cornerstone,

7When the stars were made And all My angels praised Me in a loud voice?

8'I shut up the sea with doors When it burst forth and issued from the womb.

9I made the clouds its garment and wrapped it in mist.

10I fixed My limit for it and set bars and doors.

11I said, 'This far you may come, but no further, And here your waves must stop.'

12'Did I order the morning light in your time, And did the morning star see its appointed place,

13To lay hold of the ends of the earth And to shake the ungodly out of it?

14Or did you take clay of the ground and form a living creature, And set it with the power of speech upon the earth?

15Have you removed light from the ungodly And crushed the arm of the arrogant?

16'Have you come upon the fountain of the sea And walked in the tracks of the deep?

17Do the gates of death open to you for fear, And did the doorkeepers of Hades quake when they saw you?

18Have you been instructed in the breadth of the earth under heaven? Tell Me now, what is the extent of it?

19'In what kind of land does the light dwell, And what kind is the place of darkness?

20If you would bring Me to their boundaries, And also if you understand their paths,

21Then I know you were born at that time, And the number of your years is great.

22'Have you come upon the storehouses of snow? Have you seen the storehouses of hail?

23Are they stored for you against the time of your enemies, For the day of wars and battles?

24From where does the frost proceed? From where does the south wind scatter over the earth?

25'Who prepared a course for the violent rain Or a path for the thunders?

26Who causes it to rain on a land where there is no man, Or an uninhabited wilderness, where there is not a man in it,

27To satisfy the untrodden and uninhabited land And cause it to spring forth a crop of tender grass?

28Who is the rain's father, And who has begotten the drops of dew?

29From whose womb comes the ice, And who has given birth to the frost in heaven,

30Which descends like flowing water? Who made firm the face of the abyss?

31'Do you understand the band of the Pleiades, And have you opened the fence of Orion?

32Will you open up Mazzaroth in its season, And the evening star with his rays? Will you guide them?

33Do you know the movements of heaven Or the events which take place together under heaven?

34'Will you call a cloud with your voice, And will it obey you with a violent shower of much rain?

35Can you send out lightnings, and they shall go? They shall say to you, 'What do you want?'

36Who has given to women wisdom in weaving Or knowledge of embroidery?

37Who can number the clouds by wisdom, And who bowed heaven down to earth?

38And I have joined it together as one hewn stone to another. 'Will you hunt prey for the lions Or satisfy the lives of the serpents?

39For it is spread like a cloud of dust,

40They fear in their dens, And live in the forests, and lie in wait.

41Who provides food for the raven? For its young ones wander And cry to the Lord in search of food.

1'Do you know the time when the wild rock goats bear young, And do you mark when the deer gives birth?

2Do you number the full months of childbearing, And have you relieved their pangs?

3Have you reared their young without fear, And have you sent away their pangs?

4Their young ones will break forth; They will be multiplied with offspring; They depart and do not return.

5Who set the wild donkey free? Who loosed his bonds?

6I made the wilderness his dwelling And the salt lands his house.

7He scorns the great multitude of the city; He does not heed the blame of the tax collector.

8He will survey the mountains as his pasture, And he seeks out every green thing.

9Will the wild ox be willing to serve you? Will he bed by your manger?

10Can you bind his yoke with ropes, Or will he plow furrows for you in the field?

11Do you trust him because his strength is great? Or will you commit your works to him?

12Will you trust him to bring home your seed And gather it to your threshing floor?

13The wings of the falcon wave proudly, But are her wings and pinions like the kindly stork's?

14For the falcon leaves her eggs on the ground And warms them in the dust.

15She has forgotten that a foot will scatter them, Or that wild animals will trample them.

16She hardens herself against her young ones As though they were not hers. She labors in vain without concern,

17Because God deprived her of wisdom And did not endow her with understanding.

18When she lifts herself on high, She scorns the horse and its rider.

19Have you given the horse strength? Have you clothed his neck with a mane?

4'The Lord gives Me the tongue of the learned, so as to know when to speak a word at a fitting time; and He causes My ear to listen each morning.

5The Lord's instruction opens My ears, and I am not disobedient, nor do I contradict Him.

6'I gave My back to whips, and My cheeks to blows; and I turned not away My face from the shame of spitting.

7The Lord became My helper; therefore, I was not disgraced. But I made My face like a solid rock and knew I would not be ashamed.

8For He who pronounces Me righteous draws near. Who is he who judges Me? Let him oppose Me at the same time. Who is he who judges Me? Let him come near Me.

9Behold, the Lord will help Me. Who will harm Me? Behold, all of you will grow old like a garment, and old age will devour you, as a moth does a garment.

10'Who among you fears the Lord? Let him listen to the voice of His Servant. You who walk in darkness and have no light, trust in the name of the Lord and rely upon God.

11Behold, all of you kindle a fire and feed a flame. Walk in the light of your fire and the flame you kindled. This happened to you for My sake, and you shall lie down in sorrow.

23For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread;

24and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, 'Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.'

25In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, 'This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.'

26For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death till He comes.

27Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.

28But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup.

29For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord's body.

30For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep.

31For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged.

32But when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world.

2'You know that after two days is the Passover, and the Son of Man will be delivered up to be crucified.'

3Then the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders of the people assembled at the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas,

4and plotted to take Jesus by trickery and kill Him.

5But they said, 'Not during the feast, lest there be an uproar among the people.'

6And when Jesus was in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper,

7a woman came to Him having an alabaster flask of very costly fragrant oil, and she poured it on His head as He sat at the table.

8But when His disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, 'Why this waste?

9For this fragrant oil might have been sold for much and given to the poor.'

10But when Jesus was aware of it, He said to them, 'Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a good work for Me.

11For you have the poor with you always, but Me you do not have always.

12For in pouring this fragrant oil on My body, she did it for My burial.

13Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her.'

14Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests

15and said, 'What are you willing to give me if I deliver Him to you?' And they counted out to him thirty pieces of silver.

16So from that time he sought opportunity to betray Him.

17Now on the first day of the Feast of the Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying to Him, 'Where do You want us to prepare for You to eat the Passover?'

18And He said, 'Go into the city to a certain man, and say to him, 'The Teacher says, 'My time is at hand; I will keep the Passover at your house with My disciples.' ' '

19So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them; and they prepared the Passover.

20When evening had come, He sat down with the twelve.

21Now as they were eating, He said, 'Assuredly, I say to you, one of you will betray Me.'

22And they were exceedingly sorrowful, and each of them began to say to Him, 'Lord, is it I?'

23He answered and said, 'He who dipped his hand with Me in the dish will betray Me.

24The Son of Man indeed goes just as it is written of Him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been good for that man if he had not been born.'

25Then Judas, who was betraying Him, answered and said, 'Rabbi, is it I?'

26And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, 'Take, eat; this is My body.'

27Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, 'Drink from it, all of you.

28For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.

29But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father's kingdom.'

30And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

31Then Jesus said to them, 'All of you will be made to stumble because of Me this night, for it is written: 'I will strike the Shepherd, And the sheep of the flock will be scattered.'

32But after I have been raised, I will go before you to Galilee.'

33Peter answered and said to Him, 'Even if all are made to stumble because of You, I will never be made to stumble.'

34Jesus said to him, 'Assuredly, I say to you that this night, before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.'

35Peter said to Him, 'Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You!'

36Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to the disciples, 'Sit here while I go and pray over there.' And so said all the disciples.

37And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and He began to be sorrowful and deeply distressed.

38Then He said to them, 'My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch with Me.'

39He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, 'O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.'

40Then He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, 'What! Could you not watch with Me one hour?

41Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.'

42Again, a second time, He went away and prayed, saying, 'O My Father, if this cup cannot pass away from Me unless I drink it, Your will be done.'

43And He came and found them asleep again, for their eyes were heavy.

44So He left them, went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words.

45Then He came to His disciples and said to them, 'Are you still sleeping and resting? Behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners.

46Rise, let us be going. See, My betrayer is at hand.'

47And while He was still speaking, behold, Judas, one of the twelve, with a great multitude with swords and clubs, came from the chief priests and elders of the people.

48Now His betrayer had given them a sign, saying, 'Whomever I kiss, He is the One; seize Him.'

49Immediately he went up to Jesus and said, 'Greetings, Rabbi!' and kissed Him.

50But Jesus said to him, 'Friend, why have you come?'

51Then they came and laid hands on Jesus and took Him. And suddenly, one of those who were with Jesus stretched out his hand and drew his sword, struck the servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear.

52But Jesus said to him, 'Put your sword in its place, for all who take the sword will perish by the sword.

53Or do you think that I cannot now pray to My Father, and He will provide Me with more than twelve legions of angels?

54How then could the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must happen thus?'

55In that hour Jesus said to the multitudes, 'Have you come out, as against a robber, with swords and clubs to take Me? I sat daily with you, teaching in the temple, and you did not seize Me.

56But all this was done that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled.'

57Then all the disciples forsook Him and fled. And those who had laid hold of Jesus led Him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled.

58But Peter followed Him at a distance to the high priest's courtyard. And he went in and sat with the servants to see the end.

59Now the chief priests, the elders, and all the council sought false testimony against Jesus to put Him to death,

60but found none. Even though many false witnesses came forward, they found none. But at last two false witnesses came forward

61and said, 'This fellow said, 'I am able to destroy the temple of God and to build it in three days.' '

3Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come from God and was going to God,

4rose from supper and laid aside His garments, took a towel and girded Himself.

5After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded.

6Then He came to Simon Peter. And Peter said to Him, 'Lord, are You washing my feet?'

7Jesus answered and said to him, 'What I am doing you do not understand now, but you will know after this.'

8Peter said to Him, 'You shall never wash my feet!'

9Jesus answered him, 'If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me.' Simon Peter said to Him, 'Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head!'

10Jesus said to him, 'He who is bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean, but not all of you.'

11For He knew who would betray Him; therefore He said, 'You are not all clean.'

12So when He had washed their feet, taken His garments, and sat down again, He said to them, 'Do you know what I have done to you?

13You call Me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for so I am.

14If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet.

15For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you.

16Most assuredly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him.

17If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.

43Then an angel appeared to Him from heaven, strengthening Him.

44And being in agony, He prayed more earnestly. Then His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.

45When He rose up from prayer, and had come to His disciples, He found them sleeping from sorrow.

1Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that His hour had come that He should depart from this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end.

2And supper being ended, the devil having already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray Him,

3Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come from God and was going to God,

4rose from supper and laid aside His garments, took a towel and girded Himself.

5After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded.

6Then He came to Simon Peter. And Peter said to Him, 'Lord, are You washing my feet?'

7Jesus answered and said to him, 'What I am doing you do not understand now, but you will know after this.'

8Peter said to Him, 'You shall never wash my feet!'

9Jesus answered him, 'If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me.' Simon Peter said to Him, 'Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head!'

10Jesus said to him, 'He who is bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean, but not all of you.'

11For He knew who would betray Him; therefore He said, 'You are not all clean.'

12So when He had washed their feet, taken His garments, and sat down again, He said to them, 'Do you know what I have done to you?

13You call Me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for so I am.

14If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet.

15For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you.

16Most assuredly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him.

17If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.