Day 22 of 365

¹Now when morning had come, all the chief priests and the elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death:

²and they bound him, and led him away, and delivered him up to Pilate, the governor.

³Then Judas, who betrayed him, when he saw that Jesus was condemned, felt remorse, and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders,

⁴saying, "I have sinned in that I betrayed innocent blood." But they said, "What is that to us? You see to it."

⁵He threw down the pieces of silver in the sanctuary, and departed. He went away and hanged himself.

⁶The chief priests took the pieces of silver, and said, "It's not lawful to put them into the treasury, since it is the price of blood."

⁷They took counsel, and bought the potter's field with them, to bury strangers in.

⁸Therefore that field was called "The Field of Blood" to this day.

⁹Then that which was spoken through Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled, saying, "They took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him upon whom a price had been set, whom some of the sons of Israel priced,

¹⁰and they gave them for the potter's field, as the Lord commanded me."

¹¹Now Jesus stood before the governor: and the governor asked him, saying, "Are you the King of the Jews?" Jesus said to him, "So you say."

¹²When he was accused by the chief priests and elders, he answered nothing.

¹³Then Pilate said to him, "Do you not hear how many things they testify against you?"

¹⁴He gave him no answer, not even one word, so that the governor marveled greatly.

¹⁵Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to release to the multitude one prisoner, whom they desired.

¹⁶They had then a notable prisoner, called Barabbas.

¹⁷When therefore they were gathered together, Pilate said to them, "Whom do you want me to release to you? Barabbas, or Jesus, who is called the Messiah?"

¹⁸For he knew that because of envy they had delivered him up.

¹⁹While he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent to him, saying, "Have nothing to do with that righteous man, for I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of him."

²⁰Now the chief priests and the elders persuaded the multitudes to ask for Barabbas, and destroy Jesus.

²¹But the governor answered them, "Which of the two do you want me to release to you?" They said, "Barabbas!"

²²Pilate said to them, "What then shall I do to Jesus, who is called the Messiah?" They all said, "Let him be crucified!"

²³But he said, "Why? What evil has he done?" But they shouted all the louder, saying, "Let him be crucified!"

²⁴So when Pilate saw that nothing was being gained, but rather that a disturbance was starting, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, "I am innocent of the blood of this man. You see to it."

²⁵All the people answered, "May his blood be on us, and on our children!"

²⁶Then he released to them Barabbas, but Jesus he flogged and delivered to be crucified.

²⁷Then the governor's soldiers took Jesus into the Praetorium, and gathered the whole garrison together against him.

²⁸They stripped him, and put a scarlet robe on him.

²⁹They braided a crown of thorns and put it on his head, and a reed in his right hand; and they kneeled down before him, and mocked him, saying, "Hail, King of the Jews!"

³⁰They spat on him, and took the reed and struck him on the head.

³¹When they had mocked him, they took the robe off of him, and put his clothes on him, and led him away to crucify him.

³²As they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name, and they compelled him to go with them, that he might carry his cross.

³³They came to a place called "Golgotha," that is to say, "The place of a skull."

³⁴They gave him wine to drink mixed with gall. When he had tasted it, he would not drink.

³⁵When they had crucified him, they divided his clothing among them, casting lots,

³⁶and they sat and watched him there.

³⁷They set up over his head the accusation against him written, "THIS IS JESUS, THE KING OF THE JEWS."

³⁸Then there were two robbers crucified with him, one on his right hand and one on the left.

³⁹Those who passed by blasphemed him, wagging their heads,

⁴⁰and saying, "You who destroy the temple, and build it in three days, save yourself! If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross!"

⁴¹Likewise the chief priests also mocking, with the scribes, and the elders, said,

⁴²"He saved others, but he cannot save himself. If he is the King of Israel, let him come down from the cross now, and we will believe in him.

⁴³He trusts in God. Let God deliver him now, if he wants him; for he said, 'I am the Son of God.'"

⁴⁴The robbers also who were crucified with him cast on him the same reproach.

⁴⁵Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour.

⁴⁶About the ninth hour Jesus called out with a loud voice, saying, "Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?" That is, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"

⁴⁷Some of them who stood there, when they heard it, said, "This man is calling Elijah."

⁴⁸Immediately one of them ran, and took a sponge, and filled it with vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him a drink.

⁴⁹The rest said, "Let him be. Let us see whether Elijah comes to save him."

⁵⁰Jesus shouted again with a loud voice, and yielded up his spirit.

⁵¹Behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from the top to the bottom. The earth quaked and the rocks were split.

⁵²The tombs were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised;

⁵³and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection, they entered into the holy city and appeared to many.

⁵⁴Now the centurion, and those who were with him watching Jesus, when they saw the earthquake, and the things that were done, feared exceedingly, saying, "Truly this was the Son of God."

⁵⁵Many women were there watching from afar, who had followed Jesus from Galilee, serving him.

⁵⁶Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of Jacob and Joseph, and the mother of the sons of Zebedee.

⁵⁷When evening had come, a rich man from Arimathaea, named Joseph, who himself was also Jesus' disciple came.

⁵⁸This man went to Pilate, and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be given up.

⁵⁹Joseph took the body, and wrapped it in a clean linen cloth,

⁶⁰and placed it in his own new tomb, which he had cut out in the rock, and he rolled a great stone to the door of the tomb, and departed.

⁶¹Mary Magdalene was there, and the other Mary, sitting opposite the tomb.

⁶²Now on the next day, which was the day after the Preparation Day, the chief priests and the Pharisees were gathered together to Pilate,

⁶³saying, "Sir, we remember what that deceiver said while he was still alive: 'After three days I will rise again.'

⁶⁴Command therefore that the tomb be made secure until the third day, lest perhaps his disciples come and steal him away, and tell the people, 'He is risen from the dead;' and the last deception will be worse than the first."

⁶⁵Pilate said to them, "You have a guard. Go, make it as secure as you can."

⁶⁶So they went with the guard and made the tomb secure, sealing the stone.

¹Now after the Sabbath, as it began to dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb.

²Behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from the sky, and came and rolled away the stone, and sat on it.

³His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow.

⁴For fear of him, the guards shook, and became like dead men.

⁵The angel answered the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus, who has been crucified.

⁶He is not here, for he has risen, just like he said. Come, see the place where he was lying.

⁷Go quickly and tell his disciples, 'He has risen from the dead, and behold, he goes before you into Galilee; there you will see him.' Behold, I have told you."

⁸They departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to bring his disciples word.

⁹And behold, Jesus met them, saying, "Rejoice!" They came and took hold of his feet, and worshiped him.

¹⁰Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid. Go tell my brothers that they should go into Galilee, and there they will see me."

¹¹Now while they were going, behold, some of the guards came into the city, and told the chief priests all the things that had happened.

¹²When they were assembled with the elders, and had taken counsel, they gave a large amount of silver to the soldiers,

¹³saying, "Say that his disciples came by night, and stole him away while we slept.

¹⁴If this comes to the governor's ears, we will persuade him and make you free of worry."

¹⁵So they took the money and did as they were told. This saying was spread abroad among the Jewish people, and continues until this day.

¹⁶But the eleven disciples went into Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had sent them.

¹⁷When they saw him, they bowed down to him, but some doubted.

¹⁸Jesus came to them and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth.

¹⁹Therefore go, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

²⁰teaching them to observe all things that I commanded you. Behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."

¹Since many have undertaken to set in order a narrative concerning those matters which have been fulfilled among us,

²even as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the word delivered them to us,

³it seemed good to me also, having traced the course of all things accurately from the first, to write to you in order, most excellent Theophilus;

⁴that you might know the certainty concerning the things in which you were instructed.

⁵There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zechariah, of the priestly division of Abijah. He had a wife of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth.

⁶They were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord.

⁷But they had no child, because Elisabeth was barren, and they both were well advanced in years.

⁸Now it happened, while he executed the priest's office before God in the order of his division,

⁹according to the custom of the priest's office, his lot was to enter into the temple of the Lord and burn incense.

¹⁰The whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of incense.

¹¹An angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right side of the altar of incense.

¹²Zechariah was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him.

¹³But the angel said to him, "Do not be afraid, Zechariah, because your request has been heard, and your wife, Elisabeth, will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John.

¹⁴You will have joy and gladness; and many will rejoice at his birth.

¹⁵For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and he will drink no wine nor strong drink. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb.

¹⁶He will turn many of the sons of Israel to the Lord, their God.

¹⁷He will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, 'to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,' and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord."

¹⁸Zechariah said to the angel, "How can I be sure of this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years."

¹⁹The angel answered him, "I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God. I was sent to speak to you, and to bring you this good news.

²⁰Behold, you will be silent and not able to speak, until the day that these things will happen, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their proper time."

²¹The people were waiting for Zechariah, and they marveled that he delayed in the temple.

²²When he came out, he could not speak to them, and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple. He continued making signs to them, and remained mute.

²³It happened, when the days of his service were fulfilled, he departed to his house.

²⁴After these days Elisabeth, his wife, conceived, and she hid herself five months, saying,

²⁵"Thus has the Lord done to me in the days in which he looked at me, to take away my reproach among people."

²⁶Now in the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee, named Nazareth,

²⁷to a virgin pledged to be married to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin's name was Mary.

²⁸Having come in, the angel said to her, "Rejoice, you highly favored one! The Lord is with you!"

²⁹But when she saw him, she was greatly troubled at the saying, and considered what kind of salutation this might be.

³⁰The angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.

³¹Behold, you will conceive in your womb, and bring forth a son, and will call his name 'Jesus.'

³²He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father, David,

³³and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever. There will be no end to his Kingdom."

³⁴Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, seeing I am a virgin?"

³⁵The angel answered her, "The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore also the holy one who is born will be called the Son of God.

³⁶Behold, Elisabeth, your relative, also has conceived a son in her old age; and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren.

³⁷For everything spoken by God is possible."

³⁸Mary said, "Behold, the handmaid of the Lord; be it to me according to your word." The angel departed from her.

³⁹Mary arose in those days and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Judah,

⁴⁰and entered into the house of Zechariah and greeted Elisabeth.

⁴¹It happened, when Elisabeth heard Mary's greeting, that the baby leaped in her womb, and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.

⁴²She called out with a loud voice, and said, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!

⁴³Why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?

⁴⁴For behold, when the voice of your greeting came into my ears, the baby leaped in my womb for joy!

⁴⁵Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of the things which have been spoken to her from the Lord!"

⁴⁶Mary said, "My soul magnifies the Lord.

⁴⁷My spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior,

⁴⁸for he has looked at the humble state of his handmaid. For behold, from now on, all generations will call me blessed.

⁴⁹For he who is mighty has done great things for me. Holy is his name.

⁵⁰His mercy is for generations of generations on those who fear him.

⁵¹He has shown strength with his arm. He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.

⁵²He has put down princes from their thrones. And has exalted the lowly.

⁵³He has filled the hungry with good things. He has sent the rich away empty.

⁵⁴He has given help to Israel, his servant, that he might remember mercy,

⁵⁵As he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and his seed forever."

⁵⁶Mary stayed with her about three months, and then returned to her house.

⁵⁷Now the time that Elisabeth should give birth was fulfilled, and she brought forth a son.

⁵⁸Her neighbors and her relatives heard that the Lord had magnified his mercy towards her, and they rejoiced with her.

⁵⁹It happened on the eighth day, that they came to circumcise the child; and they would have called him Zechariah, after the name of the father.

⁶⁰His mother answered, "Not so; but he will be called John."

⁶¹They said to her, "There is no one among your relatives who is called by this name."

⁶²They made signs to his father, what he would have him called.

⁶³He asked for a writing tablet, and wrote, "His name is John." They all marveled.

⁶⁴His mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue freed, and he spoke, blessing God.

⁶⁵Fear came on all who lived around them, and all these sayings were talked about throughout all the hill country of Judea.

⁶⁶All who heard them laid them up in their heart, saying, "What then will this child be?" The hand of the Lord was with him.

⁶⁷His father, Zechariah, was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying,

⁶⁸"Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, for he has visited and worked redemption for his people;

⁶⁹and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David

⁷⁰(as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets who have been from of old),

⁷¹salvation from our enemies, and from the hand of all who hate us;

⁷²to show mercy towards our fathers, to remember his holy covenant,

⁷³the oath which he spoke to Abraham, our father,

⁷⁴to grant to us that we, being delivered out of the hand of our enemies, should serve him without fear,

⁷⁵In holiness and righteousness before him all the days of our life.

⁷⁶And you, child, will be called a prophet of the Most High, for you will go before the Lord to make ready his ways,

⁷⁷to give knowledge of salvation to his people by the remission of their sins,

⁷⁸because of the tender mercy of our God, whereby the dawn from on high will visit us,

⁷⁹to shine on those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death; to guide our feet into the way of peace."

⁸⁰The child was growing, and becoming strong in spirit, and was in the desert until the day of his public appearance to Israel.

¹My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from helping me, and from the words of my groaning?

²My God, I cry in the daytime, but you do not answer; in the night season, and am not silent.

³But you are holy, you who inhabit the praises of Israel.

⁴Our fathers trusted in you. They trusted, and you delivered them.

⁵They cried to you, and were delivered. They trusted in you, and were not disappointed.

⁶But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised by the people.

⁷All those who see me mock me. They insult me with their lips. They shake their heads, saying,

⁸"He trusts in the Lord; let him deliver him. Let him rescue him, since he delights in him."

⁹But you brought me out of the womb. You made me trust at my mother's breasts.

¹⁰I was thrown on you from my mother's womb. You are my God since my mother bore me.

¹¹Do not be far from me, for trouble is near. For there is none to help.

¹²Many bulls have surrounded me. Strong bulls of Bashan have encircled me.

¹³They open their mouths wide against me, lions tearing prey and roaring.

¹⁴I am poured out like water. All my bones are out of joint. My heart is like wax; it is melted within me.

¹⁵My strength is dried up like a potsherd. My tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth. You have brought me into the dust of death.

¹⁶For dogs have surrounded me. A company of evildoers have enclosed me. They have pierced my hands and feet.

¹⁷I can count all of my bones. They look and stare at me.

¹⁸They divide my garments among them. They cast lots for my clothing.

¹⁹But do not be far off, Lord. You are my help: hurry to help me.

²⁰Deliver my soul from the sword, my precious life from the power of the dog.

²¹Save me from the lion's mouth! Yes, from the horns of the wild oxen, you have answered me.

²²I will declare your name to my brothers. In the midst of the assembly, I will praise you.

²³You who fear the Lord, praise him! All you descendants of Jacob, glorify him! Stand in awe of him, all you descendants of Israel!

²⁴For he has not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted, Neither has he hidden his face from him; but when he cried to him, he heard.

²⁵Of you comes my praise in the great assembly. I will pay my vows before those who fear him.

²⁶The humble shall eat and be satisfied. They shall praise the Lord who seek after him. Let your hearts live forever.

²⁷All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the Lord. All the relatives of the nations shall worship before you.

²⁸For the kingdom is the Lord's. He is the ruler over the nations.

²⁹All the rich ones of the earth shall eat and worship. All those who go down to the dust shall bow before him, even he who can't keep his soul alive.

³⁰Posterity shall serve him. Future generations shall be told about the Lord.

³¹They shall come and shall declare his righteousness to a people that shall be born, for he has done it.

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.