Day 425 of 730

¹It was now two days before the feast of the Passover and the unleavened bread, and the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might seize him by deception, and kill him.

²For they said, "Not during the feast, because there might be a riot of the people."

³While he was at Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at the table, a woman came having an alabaster jar of ointment of pure nard-very costly. She broke the jar, and poured it over his head.

⁴But there were some who were indignant among themselves, "Why has this ointment been wasted?

⁵For this ointment might have been sold for more than three hundred denarii, and given to the poor." They grumbled against her.

⁶But Jesus said, "Leave her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a good work for me.

⁷For you always have the poor with you, and whenever you want to, you can do them good; but you will not always have me.

⁸She has done what she could. She has anointed my body beforehand for the burying.

⁹Truly I tell you, wherever this Good News may be preached throughout the whole world, that which this woman has done will also be spoken of for a memorial of her."

¹⁰Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve, went away to the chief priests, that he might deliver him to them.

¹¹They, when they heard it, were glad, and promised to give him money. He sought how he might conveniently deliver him.

¹²On the first day of unleavened bread, when they sacrificed the Passover, his disciples asked him, "Where do you want us to go and make ready that you may eat the Passover?"

¹³He sent two of his disciples, and said to them, "Go into the city, and there you will meet a man carrying a pitcher of water. Follow him,

¹⁴and wherever he enters in, tell the master of the house, 'The Teacher says, "Where is my guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?"'

¹⁵He will himself show you a large upper room furnished and ready. Make ready for us there."

¹⁶The disciples went out, and came into the city, and found things as he had said to them, and they prepared the Passover.

¹⁷When it was evening he came with the twelve.

¹⁸As they sat and were eating, Jesus said, "Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me-he who eats with me."

¹⁹They began to be sorrowful, and to ask him one by one, "Surely not I?"

²⁰He said to them, "It is one of the twelve, he who dips with me in the dish.

²¹For the Son of Man goes, even as it is written about him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would be better for that man if he had not been born."

²²As they were eating, he took bread, and when he had blessed, he broke it, and gave to them, and said, "Take; this is my body."

²³He took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave to them. They all drank of it.

²⁴He said to them, "This is my blood of the New Covenant, which is poured out for many.

²⁵Truly I tell you, I will no more drink of the fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it anew in the Kingdom of God."

²⁶When they had sung the hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

²⁷Jesus said to them, "All of you will fall away, for it is written, 'I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.'

²⁸However, after I am raised up, I will go before you into Galilee."

²⁹But Peter said to him, "Although all will be offended, yet I will not."

³⁰Jesus said to him, "Truly I tell you, that you today, even this night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times."

³¹But he insisted, "If I must die with you, I will not deny you." They all said the same thing.

³²They came to a place which was named Gethsemane. He said to his disciples, "Sit here, while I pray."

³³He took with him Peter, Jacob, and John, and began to be greatly troubled and distressed.

³⁴He said to them, "My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here, and watch."

³⁵He went forward a little, and fell on the ground, and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass away from him.

³⁶He said, "Abba, Father, all things are possible to you. Please remove this cup from me. However, not what I desire, but what you desire."

³⁷He came and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, "Simon, are you sleeping? Could not you watch one hour?

³⁸Watch and pray, that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak."

³⁹Again he went away, and prayed, saying the same words.

⁴⁰Again he came and found them sleeping again, for their eyes were very heavy, and they did not know what to answer him.

⁴¹He came the third time, and said to them, "Sleep on now, and take your rest. It is enough. The hour has come. Behold, the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.

⁴²Arise, let us be going. Behold, he who betrays me is near."

⁴³Immediately, while he was still speaking, Judas, one of the twelve, came-and with him a multitude with swords and clubs, from the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders.

⁴⁴Now he who betrayed him had given them a sign, saying, "Whomever I will kiss, that is he. Seize him, and lead him away safely."

⁴⁵When he had come, immediately he came to him, and said, "Rabbi!" and kissed him.

⁴⁶They laid hands on him, and seized him.

⁴⁷But a certain one of those who stood by drew his sword, and struck the servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear.

⁴⁸Jesus answered them, "Have you come out, as against a robber, with swords and clubs to seize me?

⁴⁹I was daily with you in the temple teaching, and you did not arrest me. But this is so that the Scriptures might be fulfilled."

⁵⁰They all left him, and fled.

⁵¹And a certain young man followed him, having a linen cloth thrown around himself, over his naked body. And they grabbed him,

⁵²but he left the linen cloth, and fled naked.

⁵³They led Jesus away to the high priest. All the chief priests, the elders, and the scribes came together.

⁵⁴Peter had followed him from a distance, until he came into the court of the high priest. He was sitting with the officers, and warming himself in the light of the fire.

⁵⁵Now the chief priests and the whole council sought witnesses against Jesus to put him to death, and found none.

⁵⁶For many gave false testimony against him, and their testimony did not agree with each other.

⁵⁷Some stood up, and gave false testimony against him, saying,

⁵⁸"We heard him say, 'I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and in three days I will build another made without hands.'"

⁵⁹Even so, their testimony did not agree.

⁶⁰The high priest stood up in the midst, and asked Jesus, "Have you no answer? What is it which these testify against you?"

⁶¹But he stayed quiet, and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked him, "Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?"

⁶²Jesus said, "I am. You will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of the sky."

⁶³The high priest tore his clothes, and said, "What further need have we of witnesses?

⁶⁴You have heard the blasphemy! What do you think?" They all condemned him to be worthy of death.

⁶⁵Some began to spit on him, and to cover his face, and to beat him with fists, and to tell him, "Prophesy!" The officers struck him with the palms of their hands.

⁶⁶As Peter was in the courtyard below, one of the maids of the high priest came,

⁶⁷and seeing Peter warming himself, she looked at him, and said, "You were also with the Nazarene, Jesus!"

⁶⁸But he denied it, saying, "I neither know, nor understand what you are saying." He went out on the porch, and a rooster crowed.

⁶⁹The maid saw him, and began again to tell those who stood by, "This is one of them."

⁷⁰But he again denied it. After a little while again those who stood by said to Peter, "You truly are one of them, for you are a Galilean."

⁷¹But he began to curse, and to swear, "I do not know this man of whom you speak!"

⁷²And immediately the rooster crowed the second time. Peter remembered the word, how that Jesus said to him, "Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times." When he thought about that, he wept.

¹Those who trust in the Lord are as Mount Zion, which can't be moved, but remains forever.

²As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds his people from this time forth and forevermore.

³For the scepter of wickedness won't remain over the allotment of the righteous; so that the righteous won't use their hands to do evil.

⁴Do good, Lord, to those who are good, to those who are upright in their hearts.

⁵But as for those who turn aside to their crooked ways, The Lord will lead them away with the workers of iniquity. Peace be on Israel.

¹A good name is more desirable than great riches, and loving favor is better than silver and gold.

²The rich and the poor have this in common: The Lord is the maker of them all.

³A prudent man sees danger, and hides himself; but the simple pass on, and suffer for it.

⁴The result of humility and the fear of the Lord is wealth, honor, and life.

⁵Thorns and snares are in the path of the wicked: whoever guards his soul stays from them.

⁶Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.

⁷The rich rule over the poor. The borrower is servant to the lender.

⁸He who sows wickedness reaps trouble, and the rod of his fury will be destroyed.

⁹He who has a generous eye will be blessed; for he shares his food with the poor.

¹⁰Drive out the mocker, and strife will go out; yes, quarrels and insults will stop.

¹¹He who loves purity of heart and speaks gracefully is the king's friend.

¹²The eyes of the Lord watch over knowledge; but he frustrates the words of the unfaithful.

¹³The sluggard says, "There is a lion outside! I will be killed in the streets!"

¹⁴The mouth of an adulteress is a deep pit: he who is under the Lord's wrath will fall into it.

¹⁵Folly is bound up in the heart of a child: the rod of discipline drives it far from him.

¹⁶Whoever oppresses the poor for his own increase and whoever gives to the rich, both come to poverty.

¹⁷Turn your ear, and listen to the words of the wise. Apply your heart to my teaching.

¹⁸For it is a pleasant thing if you keep them within you, if all of them are ready on your lips.

¹⁹That your trust may be in the Lord, I teach you today, even you.

²⁰Haven't I written to you thirty excellent things of counsel and knowledge,

²¹To teach you truth, reliable words, to give sound answers to the ones who sent you?

²²Do not exploit the poor, because he is poor; and do not crush the needy in court;

²³for the Lord will plead their case, and plunder the life of those who plunder them.

²⁴Do not befriend a hot-tempered man, and do not associate with one who harbors anger:

²⁵lest you learn his ways, and ensnare your soul.

²⁶Do not be one of those who strike hands, of those who are collateral for debts.

²⁷If you do not have means to pay, why should he take away your bed from under you?

²⁸Do not move the ancient boundary stone, which your fathers have set up.

²⁹Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will serve kings. He won't serve obscure men.