Bible in 90 Days

The Secret of Prayer

¹⁴ When they came to the disciples, they saw a big crowd around them and the Torah scholars arguing with them. ¹⁵ Suddenly, when the whole crowd saw Yeshua, they were amazed and began running to greet Him. ¹⁶ He questioned them, “What are you arguing about with them?”

¹⁷ And a man from the crowd answered Him, “Teacher, I brought You my son, who has a spirit that makes him mute. ¹⁸ Whenever it seizes him, it throws him down; he foams at the mouth, grinds his teeth, and becomes stiff. I told Your disciples to drive it out, but they couldn’t!”

¹⁹ And answering them, He said, “Oh faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring him to Me.”

²⁰ They brought the boy to Yeshua. When the spirit saw Him, immediately it threw the boy into a convulsion. The boy fell to the ground and began rolling around and foaming at the mouth. ²¹ Yeshua asked the father, “How long has this been happening to him?”

“Since he was a child,” the man answered. ²² “It has often thrown him into fire or water to destroy him. But if You can do anything, have compassion and help us!”

²³ “‘If You can’?” Yeshua said to him. “All things are possible for one who believes!”

²⁴ Immediately the boy’s father cried out, “I believe! Help my unbelief!”

²⁵ When Yeshua saw that a crowd was gathering fast, He rebuked the unclean spirit, telling it, “I command you, deaf and mute spirit, come out of him and do not ever enter him again!”

²⁶ After howling and shaking the boy wildly, it came out. The boy became so much like a corpse that many were saying, “He’s dead!” ²⁷ But Yeshua took him by the hand and lifted him, and the boy stood up.

²⁸ After Yeshua came into the house, His disciples began questioning Him in private, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?”

²⁹ And He said to them, “This kind cannot come out except by prayer.”^[a]

³⁰ They left from there and passed through the Galilee. Yeshua didn’t want anyone to know, ³¹ for He was teaching His disciples and telling them, “The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill Him. And after He is killed, three days later He will rise up.” ³² But the disciples didn’t understand this statement, and they were afraid to question Him about it.

The Secret of Childlike Humility

³³ Then they came to Capernaum. And when Yeshua was in the house, He began to ask the disciples, “What were you discussing on the way?” ³⁴ But they kept quiet, because on the way they had argued with one another about who was the greatest.

³⁵ Sitting down, He called the Twelve and said to them, “If any man wants to be first, he shall be least of all and the servant of everyone.” ³⁶ Taking a small child, He set him in the midst of them. And taking him in His arms, He said to them, ³⁷ “Whoever welcomes one of these children in My name, welcomes Me; and whoever welcomes Me, welcomes not Me but the One who sent Me.”

³⁸ John said to Him, “Teacher, we saw someone driving out demons in Your name, and we tried to stop him because he wasn’t following us.”

³⁹ But Yeshua responded, “Don’t stop him! No one who does a miracle in My name will be able soon afterward to speak evil about Me. ⁴⁰ He who is not against us is for us. ⁴¹ For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink in My name because you belong to Messiah, amen I tell you, he will never lose his reward.”

⁴² “But whoever causes one of these little ones who trust in Me to stumble, it would be better for him to have a heavy millstone put around his neck and to be thrown into the sea!”

The Secret of Salt

⁴³ “And if your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off! It is better for you to enter into life crippled than, having two hands, to go to Gehenna,^[b] into the unquenchable fire. ^{(44)  [c] 45} And if your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off! It’s better for you to enter life lame than, having your two feet, to be thrown into Gehenna. ^{(46)  47} If your eye causes you to stumble, tear it out! It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than, having two eyes, to be thrown into Gehenna, ⁴⁸ where

⁴⁹ “For everyone will be salted with fire. ⁵⁰ Salt is good; but if the salt becomes unsalty, with what will you flavor it? Have salt in yourselves, and keep shalom with one another.”

Abide in Marriage

10 Then getting up from there, Yeshua goes to the region of Judea beyond the Jordan. Again crowds gather around Him, and, as was His custom, He began to teach them once more.

² Pharisees came up, and to test Him they began asking, “Is it permitted for a man to divorce his wife?”

³ And He replied to them, “What did Moses command you?”

⁴ The Pharisees said, “Moses permitted a man to write a bill of divorce and to put her away.”^[e]

⁵ But Yeshua said to them, “Because of your hardness of heart he wrote you this commandment! ⁶ But from the beginning of creation, God ‘made them male and female. ⁷ For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, ⁸ and the two shall become one flesh.’^[f] So they are no longer two, but one flesh. ⁹ Therefore what God has joined together, let no man separate!”

¹⁰ In the house, the disciples began questioning Him about this again. ¹¹ And He said to them, “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her. ¹² And if she divorces her husband and marries another, she is committing adultery.”

Let the Little Ones Come!

¹³ Now people were bringing little children to Yeshua so He might touch them, but the disciples rebuked those who brought them. ¹⁴ But when Yeshua saw this, He got angry. He told them, “Let the little children come to Me! Do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. ¹⁵ Amen, I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it!” ¹⁶ And He took them in His arms and began blessing them, laying His hands on them.

The Cost of Discipleship

¹⁷ As Yeshua was setting out on His way, a man ran up to Him, fell on his knees before Him, and asked, “Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?”

¹⁸ “Why do you call Me good?” Yeshua said to him. “No one is good except One—that is God. ¹⁹ You know the commandments, ‘Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony,’ do not cheat, ‘honor your father and mother.’”^[g]

²⁰ The man responded, “Teacher, all these I have kept since my youth!”

²¹ Looking at him, Yeshua loved him and said, “One thing you lack. Go, sell as much as you have, and give to the poor; and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow Me.” ²² But at this statement, the man became sad and went away grieving, for he had much property.

²³ Then looking around, Yeshua says to His disciples, “How hard it will be for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!” ²⁴ The disciples were amazed at His words. But Yeshua answers again and says to them, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! ²⁵ It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”

²⁶ The disciples were even more astonished, saying among themselves, “Then who can be saved?”

²⁷ Looking at them, Yeshua said, “With men it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God!”^[h]

²⁸ Peter began to say to Him, “Look, we’ve left everything to follow You!”

²⁹ “Amen, I tell you,” Yeshua replied, “there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or property, for My sake and for the sake of the Good News, ³⁰ who will not receive a hundred times as much now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and property, along with persecutions; and in the olam ha-ba, eternal life. ³¹ But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”

Death and Resurrection Revealed

³² They were on the way going up to Jerusalem, and Yeshua was going ahead of them. And they were amazed, while those who followed were fearful. Again Yeshua took the Twelve aside and began to tell them what was going to happen to Him.

³³ He said, “Look, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be handed over to the ruling kohanim and the Torah scholars. They will condemn Him to death and hand Him over to the Gentiles. ^{[i] 34} They will mock Him and spit on Him, scourge Him and kill Him. Yet after three days, He will rise again!”

³⁵ Then Jacob and John, the sons of Zebedee, come up to Him, saying, “Teacher, we want You to do for us whatever we ask of You.”

³⁶ And He said to them, “What do you want Me to do for you?”

³⁷ They said to Him, “Let us sit, one on Your right and one on Your left, in Your glory.”

³⁸ But Yeshua answered them, “You don’t know what you’re asking! Are you able to drink the cup I drink, or endure the immersion I must endure?”

³⁹ They said to Him, “We are able.”

And Yeshua said to them, “You will drink the cup I drink, and you will endure the immersion I must endure. ⁴⁰ But to sit on My right or left is not Mine to grant—it is for those for whom it has been prepared.”

⁴¹ Now when the ten heard, they started to get angry with Jacob and John. ⁴² And calling them over, Yeshua said to them, “You know those recognized as rulers of the nations lord it over them, and their great ones play the tyrant over them. ⁴³ Yet it is not this way among you. But whoever wants to be great among you shall be your servant, ⁴⁴ and whoever wants to be first among you shall be slave of all. ⁴⁵ For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.”

Ben-David Heals the Blind

⁴⁶ Then they came to Jericho. Now as Yeshua was leaving Jericho with His disciples and a large crowd, Bartimaeus the son of Timaeus, a blind beggar, was sitting by the roadside. ⁴⁷ When he heard that it was Yeshua of Natzeret, he began to cry out, “Ben-David, Yeshua! Have mercy on me!” ⁴⁸ Many were warning him to be quiet; but he kept crying out all the more, “Ben-David, have mercy on me!”^[j]

⁴⁹ Yeshua stopped and said, “Call him over.”

So they call the blind man, saying, “Take heart! Get up, He’s calling you!” ⁵⁰ Throwing off his cloak, he jumped up and came to Yeshua.

⁵¹ And answering him, Yeshua said, “What do you want Me to do for you?”

The blind man said, “Rabboni, I want to see again!”

⁵² Yeshua said to him, “Go! Your faith has made you well.” Instantly he regained his sight and began following Yeshua down the road.

Ben-David Enters Jerusalem

11 Now as they draw near to Jerusalem, to Bethphage and Bethany, to the Mount of Olives, Yeshua sends two of His disciples ² and says to them, “Go into the village ahead of you. Right away as you enter it, you will find a colt tied up that no one has ever sat upon.^[k] Untie it and bring it. ³ If anyone says to you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Master needs it.’ And right away he will send it back here.”^[l]

⁴ They went and found a colt outside in the street, tied at a door. And they untied it. ⁵ Some people standing there began saying to them, “What are you doing, untying the colt?”

⁶ They answered just as Yeshua had told them, and the people let them go. ⁷ And they brought the colt to Yeshua and laid their cloaks on it, and He sat on it. ⁸ Many spread their cloaks on the road, and others spread branches cut from the fields. ^{[m] 9} Those going before and those following kept shouting,

¹¹ And He entered Jerusalem and went into the Temple. After looking around at everything, He went out to Bethany with the Twelve, since it was already late.

The Fruit of the Faithful

¹² The next day, when they had left Bethany, He became hungry. ¹³ Seeing from a distance a fig tree in leaf, He went to see if He would find any fruit on it. When He came up to it, He found nothing except leaves, because it wasn’t the season for figs. ¹⁴ And He said to it, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again!” And His disciples were listening.

¹⁵ Then they came to Jerusalem. And He entered the Temple and started to drive out those selling and buying in the Temple. He overturned the tables of the moneychangers and the seats of those selling doves, ¹⁶ and He wouldn’t let anyone carry goods through the Temple. ¹⁷ And He began to teach them, saying, “Is it not written,

¹⁸ The ruling kohanim and Torah scholars heard this and began looking for a way to destroy Him; for they were afraid of Him, because the whole crowd was astonished at His teaching. ¹⁹ Whenever evening came, Yeshua and His disciples would leave the city.

²⁰ As they were passing by in the morning, they saw the fig tree shriveled from the roots. ²¹ Peter remembered and said to Yeshua, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree You cursed has shriveled up!”

²² And Yeshua answered, saying to them, “Have faith in God! ²³ Amen, I tell you, if someone says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart but trusts that what he says is happening, so shall it be for him. ²⁴ For this reason I say to you, whatever you pray and ask, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. ²⁵ Whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your transgressions.” ^(26) [q]

A Question for a Question

²⁷ Again they come to Jerusalem. While Yeshua was walking in the Temple, the ruling kohanim, Torah scholars, and elders come up to Him. ²⁸ And they start saying to Him, “By what authority are You doing these things? Who gave You this authority to do these things?”

²⁹ Yeshua said to them, “I will put one question to you. Answer Me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things. ³⁰ The immersion of John—was it from heaven or from men? Answer Me!”

³¹ They began to dialogue among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say, ‘Then why didn’t you believe him?’ ³² But if we say, ‘From men’. . .?” They were afraid of the crowd, for all held that John really was a prophet. ³³ So answering Yeshua, they say, “We don’t know.”

And Yeshua tells them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.”

Taking the Kingdom by Force

12 Yeshua began to speak to them in parables: “A man planted a vineyard. He put a hedge around it, dug a pit for the winepress, and built a tower. He leased it to some tenant farmers and went on a journey. ² And at the season, he sent a servant to collect from the tenants part of the vineyard’s fruit. ³ But grabbing him, they beat him up and sent him away empty-handed. ⁴ And again the man sent another servant to them, and they wounded his head and treated him shamefully. ⁵ He sent another, and that one they killed; and so on with many others, beating some and killing some. ⁶ He had yet one, a well-loved son. He sent him to them last of all, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’

⁷ “But those tenants said to one another, ‘This is the heir! Come on, let’s kill him and the inheritance will be ours!’ ⁸ So grabbing the son, they killed him and threw him out of the vineyard.

⁹ “What then will the master of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy the tenants and give the vineyard to others. ¹⁰ Haven’t you read this Scripture?

¹² They were trying to seize Yeshua, because they realized that He spoke the parable against them. But they feared the crowd, so they left Him and went away.

A Test of Loyalty

¹³ Then they send some of the Pharisees and Herodians to Yeshua in order to trap Him with a word. ¹⁴ They come and say to Him, “Teacher, we know that You are honest, and what others think doesn’t concern You. You don’t look at men’s appearance, but teach the way of God according to the truth. Is it permitted to pay taxes to Caesar, or not? ¹⁵ Should we pay, or shouldn’t we?”

But Yeshua saw through their hypocrisy and said to them, “Why are you testing Me? Bring Me a denarius so I may see it.”

¹⁶ They brought one. And He said to them, “Whose image is this? And whose inscription?”

“Caesar’s,” they said to Him.

¹⁷ Then Yeshua said to them, “Give to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” And they were completely amazed at Him.

The Challenge of the Sadducees

¹⁸ Then Sadducees (who say there is no resurrection) came and began questioning Yeshua, saying, ¹⁹ “Teacher, Moses wrote for us that ‘if a man’s brother dies and leaves a wife but no children, then his brother should take the widow and father children for his brother.’ ^{[s] 20} There were seven brothers; and the first took a wife and, when he died, left no offspring. ²¹ And the second took her and died, leaving no offspring, and the third likewise. ²² Now the seven left no offspring. Last of all, the woman died, too. ²³ In the resurrection, when they rise up, whose wife will she be? For all seven had married her.”

²⁴ Yeshua said to them, “Isn’t this the reason you’ve gone astray, because you don’t understand the Scriptures or the power of God? ²⁵ For when they rise up from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. ²⁶ But concerning the dead being raised, haven’t you read in the book of Moses about the burning bush? How God said to him, ‘I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? ^{[t] 27} He’s not the God of the dead, but of the living. You have gone far astray!”

Love Ends the Argument

²⁸ One of the Torah scholars came and heard them debating. Seeing that Yeshua had answered them well, he asked Him, “Which commandment is first of all?”

²⁹ Yeshua answered, “The first is, ‘Shema Yisrael, Adonai Eloheinu, Adonai echad. Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is One. ³⁰ And you shall love Adonai your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ ^{[u] 31} The second is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’^[v] There is no other commandment greater than these.”

³² “Well said, Teacher,” the Torah scholar said to Him. “You have spoken the truth, that He is echad, and besides Him there is no other! ^{[w] 33} And ‘to love Him with all the heart, with all the understanding, and with all the strength,’^[x] and ‘to love the neighbor as oneself,’^[y] is much more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.”

³⁴ When Yeshua saw that he had answered wisely, He said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And no one dared any longer to question Him.

Who Is King David’s Lord?

³⁵ While Yeshua was teaching in the Temple, He said, “How is it that the Torah scholars say that the Messiah is Ben-David? ³⁶ David himself, through the Ruach ha-Kodesh, said,

³⁷ If David himself calls Him ‘Lord,’ in what way is He his son?” And the large crowd was listening to Him with delight.

³⁸ In His teaching He said, “Watch out for the Torah scholars, who like to walk around in long robes. They like greetings in the marketplaces, ³⁹ the best seats in the synagogues, and places of honor at feasts. ⁴⁰ They devour widows’ houses and make long prayers as a show. These men will receive greater condemnation!”

⁴¹ He sat down opposite the treasury and began watching how the people were putting money into the offering box. Many rich people were putting in a lot. ⁴² Then a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, worth less than a penny. ⁴³ Calling His disciples over, He said to them, “Amen, I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all those contributing to the box! ⁴⁴ For they all put in from their surplus; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything she had, her whole living.”

Signs of the End

13 As Yeshua was going out of the Temple, one of His disciples said to Him, “Teacher, look! What stones and what buildings!”

² Yeshua said to him, “You see these great buildings? Not one stone here will be left upon another. Every one will be torn down!”

³ As He was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the Temple, Peter, Jacob, John, and Andrew were questioning Him privately, ⁴ “Tell us, when will these things happen? What will be the sign that all these things are about to be accomplished?”

⁵ Yeshua began to tell them, “Watch out that no one leads you astray! ⁶ Many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am He,’ and they will lead many astray. ⁷ When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed, for this must happen but it is not yet the end. ⁸ For nation will rise up against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places, and there will be famines. These things are only the beginning of birth pains.

⁹ “Watch out for yourselves! They will hand you over to the courts, and you will be beaten in the synagogues. You will stand before governors and kings because of Me, as a witness to them. ¹⁰ The Good News must first be proclaimed to all the nations. ¹¹ When they arrest you and hand you over, do not worry beforehand about what to say. Say whatever is given to you in that hour, for it is not you who speaks but the Ruach ha-Kodesh. ¹² Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child. And children will rise up against parents and have them put to death. ¹³ And you will be hated by all because of My name, but the one who endures to the end will be saved.”

Birth Pangs Before Deliverance

¹⁴ “But when you see ‘the abomination of desolation’^[aa] standing where it should not be (let the reader understand), then those in Judea must flee to the mountains. ¹⁵ The one on the roof must not go down, nor enter to take anything out of his house. ¹⁶ And the one in the field must not turn back to get his cloak. ¹⁷ Woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! ¹⁸ Pray that it will not happen in winter.

¹⁹ “For in those days there will be trouble such as has never happened,^[ab] not since the beginning of the creation which God created until now, and never will. ²⁰ And unless Adonai had cut short those days, no one would be saved. But for the sake of the elect, whom He chose, He cut short the days.

²¹ “And then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here’s the Messiah!’ or, ‘Look, there He is!’ do not believe it. ²² For false messiahs and false prophets will rise up^[ac] and show signs and wonders to lead astray, if possible, the chosen. ²³ So be careful! See, I have told you everything beforehand.”

Messianic Victory

²⁴ “But in those days, after that trouble,

and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.’^[ad]

²⁶ And then they will see ‘the Son of Man coming in clouds’^[ae] with great power and glory. ²⁷ Then He will send out the angels and will gather together His chosen from the four winds, from the end of the earth, to the end of heaven.”

Keep Watch

²⁸ “Now learn the parable from the fig tree. When its branch becomes tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. ²⁹ So also, when you see all these things happening, know that it is near, at the door. ³⁰ Amen, I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things happen. ³¹ Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will never pass away. ³² But of that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven nor the Son, except the Father.

³³ “Keep on the lookout! Stay alert! For you do not know when the time is. ³⁴ It is like a man away on a journey. After leaving his house and putting his servants in charge and giving each his task, he also commanded the doorkeeper to watch. ³⁵ Therefore stay alert, for you do not know when the master of the house is coming, whether in the evening, at midnight, when the rooster crows, or in the early morning. ³⁶ So watch in case, coming suddenly, he finds you asleep. ³⁷ What I say to you I say to all: ‘Stay alert!’”

Anointed for Burial

14 Now it was two days before Passover and the Feast of Matzah. The ruling kohanim and Torah scholars were searching for a way to grab Yeshua by stealth and kill Him. ² “But not during the festival,” they were saying, “so there won’t be a riot among the people.”

³ And while Yeshua was in Bethany at the house of Simon ha-Metzora, reclining at the table, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive oil of pure nard. Breaking open the jar, she poured it over His head. ⁴ But some got angry and said among themselves, “Why was this fragrant oil wasted? ⁵ It could have been sold for over three hundred denarii, and the money given to the poor!” And they kept scolding her.

⁶ But Yeshua said, “Leave her alone. Why do you cause trouble for her? She’s done Me a mitzvah. ⁷ For you always have the poor with you, and you can do good for them whenever you want; but you won’t always have Me. ⁸ She did what she could—she came beforehand to anoint My body for burial. ⁹ Amen, I tell you, wherever the Good News is proclaimed in all the world, what she has done will also be told in memory of her.”

¹⁰ Then Judah from Kriot, one of the Twelve, went out to the ruling kohanim to betray Yeshua to them. ¹¹ They were delighted when they heard this and promised to give him money. And Judah began looking for a chance to hand Him over.

New Covenant at the Last Seder

¹² Now on the first day of matzah, when they were slaughtering the Passover lamb, Yeshua’s disciples say to Him, “Where do You want us to go and prepare for You to eat the Passover?”

¹³ He sends two of His disciples and tells them, “Go into the city, and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him, ¹⁴ and wherever he enters, tell the homeowner, ‘The Teacher says, “Where is My guest room, where I may eat the Passover with My disciples?”’ ¹⁵ He will show you a large upper room, furnished and ready. Make preparations for us there.”

¹⁶ The disciples went out, came to the city, and found just what Yeshua had told them. And they prepared the Passover. ¹⁷ When it was evening, He came with the Twelve. ¹⁸ As they were reclining and eating, Yeshua said, “Amen, I tell you, one of you who is eating with Me will betray Me.”

¹⁹ They began to be sorrowful and to say to Him one by one, “I’m not the one, am I?”

²⁰ He said to them, “It’s one of the Twelve, one who dips with Me in the bowl. ^{[af] 21} For the Son of Man indeed goes, just as it is written about Him; but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that man if he had not been born!”

²² And while they were eating, He took matzah;^[ag] and after He offered the bracha, He broke it and gave it to them and said, “Take; this is My body.” ²³ And He took a cup; and after giving thanks, He gave to them and they all drank from it. ²⁴ And He said to them, “This is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many. ^{[ah] 25} Amen, I tell you, I will never again drink of the fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it anew in the kingdom of God.”

Denial Predicted

²⁶ After singing the Hallel,^[ai] they went out to the Mount of Olives. ²⁷ And Yeshua said to them, “You will all fall away, for it is written,

²⁸ But after I’m raised up, I will go before you to the Galilee.”

²⁹ Peter said to Him, “Even though all fall away, I won’t!”

³⁰ And Yeshua said to him, “Amen, I tell you, today—this very night—before a rooster crows twice, you will deny Me three times.”

³¹ But Peter kept insisting exceedingly, “Even if I must die with You, I’ll never deny You!” And they all were saying the same.

A Night of Painful Prayer

³² Then they come to a place whose name is Gethsemane; and Yeshua says to His disciples, “Sit here while I pray.” ³³ He takes with Him Peter, Jacob, and John; and He began to be deeply distressed and troubled. ³⁴ And He tells them, “My soul is deeply grieved, even to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch.”

³⁵ Going a little farther, He fell to the ground and began praying that if possible this hour might pass Him by. ³⁶ And He was saying, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for You! Take this cup from Me! Yet not what I will, but what You will.”

³⁷ Then He comes and finds them sleeping; and He tells Peter, “Simon, you’re asleep? Couldn’t you keep watch for one hour? ³⁸ Keep watching and praying, so that you do not enter into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” ³⁹ Again He went away and prayed, saying the same words. ⁴⁰ And again He came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were very heavy. They didn’t know what to answer Him. ⁴¹ And He comes the third time and says to them, “Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? Enough! The hour has come. Look, the Son of Man is being delivered into the hands of sinners. ⁴² Get up, let’s go! Look, My betrayer is near.”

Betrayed and Abandoned

⁴³ Right away, while Yeshua was still speaking, Judah comes up, one of the Twelve, and with him a crowd with swords and clubs, from the ruling kohanim, Torah scholars, and elders. ⁴⁴ Now His betrayer had given them a signal, saying, “The One I kiss, He’s the One! Seize Him and lead Him away under guard.”

⁴⁵ As soon as Judah came, he drew near^[ak] to Yeshua and said, “Rabbi!” and kissed Him. ⁴⁶ Then they threw their hands on Yeshua and seized Him. ⁴⁷ But one of the bystanders, drawing his sword, struck the servant of the kohen gadol and cut off his ear.

⁴⁸ Yeshua said to them, “Have you come out with swords and clubs, to capture Me as you would against a revolutionary? ⁴⁹ Every day I was with you in the Temple teaching, and you didn’t seize Me. But this is so that the Scriptures^[al] would be fulfilled.” ⁵⁰ And all fled, abandoning Him. ^{[am] 51} A certain young man was following Him, with nothing but a linen cloth around his body, and they grabbed him. ⁵² But he ran away naked, leaving behind the linen cloth.

Falsely Charged

⁵³ Then they led Yeshua away to the kohen gadol. And all the ruling kohanim, elders, and Torah scholars gathered. ⁵⁴ Peter had followed Him from a distance, right into the courtyard of the kohen gadol. He was sitting with the guards, warming himself by the fire.

⁵⁵ Now the ruling kohanim and all the Sanhedrin kept trying to get evidence against Yeshua so they could put Him to death, but they weren’t finding any. ⁵⁶ Many were giving false testimony against Him, but their testimony wasn’t consistent. ⁵⁷ Some stood up and began to give false testimony against Him, saying, ⁵⁸ “We heard Him say, ‘I will destroy this Temple made with hands, and in three days I will build another made without hands.’” ⁵⁹ Yet even then, their testimony didn’t agree.

⁶⁰ The kohen gadol stood up in the middle and questioned Yeshua, saying, “Do You have no answer? What is this they’re testifying against You?”

⁶¹ But keeping silent, Yeshua did not answer. Again the kohen gadol questioned Him, “Are you Mashiach, Son of the Blessed One?”^[an]

⁶² “I am,” said Yeshua, “and you shall see ‘the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Powerful One,’ and ‘coming with the clouds of heaven’!”^[ao]

⁶³ Tearing his clothes, the kohen gadol says, “Why do we still need witnesses? ⁶⁴ You’ve heard the blasphemy. What seems right to you?”

Then all condemned Him as deserving death. ⁶⁵ Some began to spit on Him, to blindfold Him, and to beat Him with their fists, saying, “Prophesy!” Also the guards slapped Him around.

The Rooster Crows

⁶⁶ As Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the servant girls of the kohen gadol comes by. ⁶⁷ Seeing Peter warming himself, she looked straight at him. “You also were with Yeshua of Natzeret,” she says.

⁶⁸ But he denied it, saying, “I don’t know or understand what you’re talking about!” Then he went outside to the gateway, and a rooster crowed.

⁶⁹ Seeing him, the servant girl began again to tell the bystanders, “This is one of them.”

⁷⁰ But again he denied it. And a little while later, the bystanders were again saying to Peter, “Surely you’re one of them, for you’re also a Galilean.”

⁷¹ But he began to curse himself and to swear an oath: “I do not know this Man you’re talking about!” ⁷² Right then, a rooster crowed a second time. Then Peter called to mind the word Yeshua had said to him: “Before a rooster crows twice, you will deny Me three times.” And he broke down and began to weep.

Handed Over to the Romans

15 Right at daybreak, the ruling kohanim held a meeting to consult with the elders and Torah scholars and the whole Sanhedrin. They tied up Yeshua, led Him away, and handed Him over to Pilate. ² Pilate interrogated Him, “Are You the King of the Jews?”

Yeshua answers him, “As you say.”

³ The ruling kohanim began to accuse Him of many things. ⁴ Again, Pilate asked Him, “Aren’t you going to answer? Look how many charges they’re bringing against You!” ⁵ But Yeshua did not answer, so Pilate was amazed.

⁶ Now during the feast, he used to release to them one prisoner, anyone they were asking for. ⁷ Now a man named Bar-Abba^[ap] had been in jail with the rebels who had committed murder during the rebellion. ⁸ The crowd came up and began to request what he was accustomed to do for them. ⁹ But Pilate answered them, saying, “Do you want me to release for you the King of the Jews?” ¹⁰ For he knew that out of envy the ruling kohanim had handed Him over. ¹¹ But the ruling kohanim stirred up the crowd, so he would release Bar-Abba to them instead.

¹² Then answering again, Pilate said to them, “So what do you want me to do with the One you call the King of the Jews?”

¹³ They shouted back, “Execute Him!”

¹⁴ Pilate responded, “Why? What evil has He done?”

But they shouted all the more, “Execute Him!”

¹⁵ Wanting to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Bar-Abba for them. And after he had Yeshua scourged, he handed Him over to be crucified.

¹⁶ The soldiers took Him away, into the palace, the governor’s mansion called the Praetorium. And they call together the cohort^[aq] of soldiers. ¹⁷ They dress Him up in purple. After braiding a crown of thorns, they put it on Him. ¹⁸ And they began to salute Him, “Hail, King of the Jews!” ¹⁹ Over and over, they kept hitting Him on the head with a staff and spitting on Him; and kneeling down, they worshiped Him. ²⁰ When they finished mocking Him, they stripped the purple off Him and put His own clothes back on Him. And they led Him out to crucify Him.

Crucified as King of the Jews

²¹ Now Simon of Cyrene, the father of Alexander and Rufus, was coming in from the countryside. The soldiers force this passerby to carry Yeshua’s cross-beam. ^{[ar] 22} They bring Yeshua to the place called Golgotha (which is translated, Place of a Skull). ²³ They were offering Him wine mixed with myrrh, but He didn’t take it. ²⁴ Then they crucify Him and divide up His clothing among themselves, casting lots for them^[as] to see who should take what.

²⁵ Now it was the third hour^[at] when they nailed Him on the stake. ²⁶ And the inscription of the charge against Him was written above: “THE KING OF THE JEWS.” ²⁷ And with Him they execute two outlaws, one on His right and one on His left. (²⁸ )^[au]

²⁹ Those passing by were jeering at Him, shaking their heads and saying, “Ha! You who are going to destroy the Temple and rebuild it in three days, ³⁰ save Yourself by coming down from the stake!”

³¹ Likewise the ruling kohanim, along with the Torah scholars, were also mocking Him among themselves. “He saved others,” they were saying, “but He can’t save Himself? ³² Let the Messiah, the King of Israel, come down now from the stake, so we may see and believe!” Even those executed with Him were ridiculing Him.

Death and Burial

³³ When the sixth hour had come, darkness fell over the whole land until the ninth hour. ^{[av] 34} At the ninth hour Yeshua cried out with a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?”^[aw] which is translated, “My God, My God, why have You abandoned Me?”^[ax]

³⁵ When some of the bystanders heard it, they began saying, “Look, He’s calling for Elijah.” ³⁶ Then someone ran and filled a sponge with sour wine. He put it on a stick and was offering it to Yeshua to drink, saying, “Wait, let’s see if Elijah comes to take Him down.” ³⁷ But letting out a loud cry, Yeshua breathed His last.

³⁸ Then the curtain^[ay] of the Temple was split in two, from top to bottom. ³⁹ When the centurion, who was standing in front of Him, saw the way Yeshua breathed His last, he said, “This Man really was the Son of God!”

⁴⁰ There were also women watching from a distance. Among them were Miriam from Magdala, Miriam the mother of Jacob the younger and of Joses,^[az] and Salome. ⁴¹ They would follow Him and serve Him when He was in the Galilee. Many other women who had gone up together with Him to Jerusalem were there also.

⁴² Now evening had already come. Since it was the Day of Preparation, that is, the day before Shabbat, ⁴³ Joseph of Arimathea, a respected council member who himself was waiting for the kingdom of God, went boldly to Pilate and asked for Yeshua’s body.

⁴⁴ Pilate was surprised that He was already dead. Summoning the centurion, he asked him whether Yeshua had been dead for long. ⁴⁵ When Pilate learned this from the centurion, he granted the body to Joseph. ⁴⁶ Joseph bought a linen cloth, took Him down, wrapped Him in the linen, and laid Him in a tomb that had been cut out of the rock. Then he rolled a stone against the door of the tomb. ⁴⁷ Miriam from Magdala and Miriam the mother of Joses were watching where Yeshua’s body was placed.

The Empty Tomb

16 When Shabbat was over, Miriam of Magdala, Miriam the mother of Jacob, and Salome bought spices, so that they might come and anoint Yeshua’s body. ² Very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they come to the tomb. ³ They were saying to each other, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?”

⁴ Looking up, they see that the stone (it was really huge) had been rolled away. ⁵ As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe; and they were startled. ⁶ But he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You are looking for Yeshua of Natzeret, who was crucified. He is risen! He is not here! See the place where they put Him. ⁷ But go, tell His disciples and Peter, ‘He is going before you to the Galilee. There you will see Him, just as He told you.’”

⁸ And going outside, they fled from the tomb, gripped by trembling and amazement. They didn’t say anything to anybody, for they were afraid.

He Is Risen^[ba]

⁹ After He had risen early on the first day of the week, He appeared first to Miriam of Magdala, from whom He had driven out seven demons. ¹⁰ She went and brought word to those who had been with Him, while they were mourning and weeping. ¹¹ When they heard that He was alive and had been seen by her, they refused to believe.

¹² After that, He appeared in a different form to two of them as they were walking on their way to the country. ¹³ They went and reported it to the rest, but they did not believe them either. ¹⁴ Later He appeared to them, the eleven, as they were reclining at the table. He rebuked them for their unbelief and hardheartedness, because they did not believe those who had seen Him after He had been raised.

Tell the World!

¹⁵ He told them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the Good News to every creature. ¹⁶ He who believes and is immersed shall be saved, but he who does not believe shall be condemned. ¹⁷ These signs will accompany those who believe: in My name they will drive out demons; they will speak new languages; ¹⁸ they will handle snakes; and if they drink anything deadly, it will not harm them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will get well.”

¹⁹ Then the Lord Yeshua, after He had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God. ²⁰ And they went out and proclaimed everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word by the signs that follow.

A Doctor Charts the Facts

1 Now many have undertaken to organize an account of the events fulfilled among us, ² just as they were handed down to us from the start by the eyewitnesses and reporters of the word. ³ Therefore it seemed best to me also, because I have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, to write for you an orderly record, most excellent Theophilus, ⁴ so you may know for sure the truth of the words you have been taught.

Prophecy of Birth to the Barren

⁵ In the days of Herod, King of Judah, there was a kohen named Zechariah from the priestly division of Abijah.^[bb] Elizabeth, his wife, was from the daughters of Aaron. ⁶ Together they were righteous before Adonai, walking without fault in all His commandments and instructions. ⁷ But they were childless, because Elizabeth was barren and both of them were elderly.

⁸ Now it happened to be Zechariah’s time to serve as kohen before Adonai in the order of his division. ⁹ According to the custom of the priestly office, it became his lot to enter the Holy Place of Adonai to burn incense. ^{[bc] 10} And the whole crowd of people was praying outside at the hour of incense burning. ¹¹ An angel of Adonai appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. ¹² Zechariah was in turmoil when he saw the angel, and fear fell upon him. ¹³ But the angel said, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, because your prayer has been heard. Your wife, Elizabeth, will give birth to your son, and you will name him John. ¹⁴ And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth. ¹⁵ He will be great before Adonai; and he should not drink wine and intoxicating beverage,^[bd] but he will be filled with the Ruach ha-Kodesh just out of his mother’s womb. ¹⁶ Many of Bnei-Yisrael will turn to Adonai their God. ¹⁷ And he will go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of fathers to the children^[be] and the disobedient ones to the wisdom of the righteous, to make ready for Adonai a prepared people.

¹⁸ Zechariah said to the angel, “How will I know this for certain? I’m an old man, and my wife is well-advanced in age.”

¹⁹ And speaking to him, the angel declared, “I am Gabriel, the one standing in God’s presence. I was commissioned to tell you and proclaim to you this good news. ²⁰ So look, you will be silent and powerless to speak until the day these things happen, since you did not believe my words which will be fulfilled in their time.”

²¹ The people were waiting for Zechariah and wondering about his long delay in the Holy Place. ²² But when he came out, he couldn’t speak to them. Then they realized that he had seen a vision in the Holy Place. He was making signs to them but remained mute. ²³ When the days of his priestly service had been completed, he went home. ²⁴ After these days, his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and hid herself for five months, saying, ²⁵ “Adonai has done this for me! In these days He looked upon me, to take away my disgrace among the people.”^[bf]

Prophecy of Birth to the Virgin

²⁶ Then in the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent by Adonai into a town in the Galilee named Natzeret ²⁷ and to a virgin engaged to a man named Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Miriam. ²⁸ And coming to her, the angel said, “Shalom, favored one! Adonai is with you.^[bg]” ²⁹ But at the message, she was perplexed and kept wondering what kind of greeting this might be. ³⁰ The angel spoke to her, “Do not be afraid, Miriam, for you have found favor with God. ³¹ Behold, you will become pregnant and give birth to a son, and you shall call His name Yeshua. ^{[bh] 32} He will be great and will be called Ben-Elyon. Adonai Elohim will give Him the throne of David,^[bi] His father. ³³ He shall reign over the house of Jacob for all eternity, and His kingdom will be without end.”^[bj]

³⁴ Miriam said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am not intimate with a man?”^[bk]

³⁵ And responding, the angel said to her, “The Ruach ha-Kodesh will come upon you, and the power of Elyon will overshadow you. Therefore, the Holy One being born will be called Ben-Elohim. ³⁶ Behold, even your relative Elizabeth has conceived a son in her old age; and the one who was called barren is six months pregnant. ³⁷ For nothing will be impossible with God.”^[bl]

³⁸ So Miriam said, “Behold, the servant of Adonai. Let it be done to me according to your word.” And the angel left her.

Elizabeth Greets Miriam with Joy

³⁹ Now in those days, Miriam got up and quickly traveled into the hill country, to a town in Judah. ⁴⁰ She entered Zechariah’s home and happily greeted Elizabeth. ⁴¹ When Elizabeth heard Miriam’s greeting, the unborn child leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was completely filled with the Ruach ha-Kodesh. ⁴² She then cried out with a great shout, saying, “You are blessed among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. ⁴³ Who am I, that the mother of my Master should come to me? ⁴⁴ For even when I just heard the sound of your greeting in my ear, the unborn child leaped with joy in my womb. ⁴⁵ Blessed is she who trusted that there would be a fulfillment of those things spoken to her by Adonai.”

⁴⁶ Then Miriam said,

Zechariah Breaks His Silence

⁵⁶ Miriam stayed with her for three months and then returned to her home. ⁵⁷ Upon Elizabeth’s full term to deliver, she gave birth to a son. ⁵⁸ Her neighbors and relatives heard how Adonai had shown her His great mercy, and they began to rejoice with her.

⁵⁹ Now on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child,^[bo] and they kept trying to call him by his father’s name, Zechariah. ⁶⁰ But his mother declared, “No, he will be called John.”

⁶¹ But they said to her, “No one among your relatives is called by this name.” ⁶² So they began making signs to his father, as to what he wanted him named.

⁶³ Asking for a small tablet, he wrote, “John is his name.” They were all astonished! ⁶⁴ And his mouth was immediately unlocked as well as his tongue, and he began to speak, praising God. ⁶⁵ Fear came on all those who lived around them, and all these matters were talked about throughout the hill country of Judah. ⁶⁶ Everyone who heard pondered these things in their hearts, saying, “What then will this child become?” For the hand of Adonai was on him.

The Kohen’s Song of Prophecy

⁶⁷ His father Zechariah was filled with the Ruach ha-Kodesh and prophesied, saying,

⁸⁰ And the child kept growing and became strong in spirit; and he lived in the wilderness until the day of his public appearance to Israel.