Bible in 90 Days
Jesus Heals a Boy with a Demon(A)
14 As they approached the other[a] disciples, they saw a large crowd around them and some scribes arguing with them. 15 The whole crowd was very surprised to see Jesus[b] and ran to welcome him.
16 He asked the scribes,[c] “What are you arguing about with them?”
17 A man in the crowd answered him, “Teacher, I brought my son to you. He has a spirit that won’t let him talk. 18 Whenever it brings on a seizure, it throws him to the ground. Then he foams at the mouth, grinds his teeth, and becomes stiff. So I asked your disciples to drive the spirit[d] out, but they didn’t have the power.”
19 Jesus[e] told them, “You unbelieving generation! How long must I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring him to me!”
20 So they brought the boy[f] to him. When the spirit saw Jesus,[g] it immediately threw the boy[h] into convulsions. He fell on the ground and kept rolling around and foaming at the mouth. 21 Then Jesus[i] asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?” He said, “Since he was a child. 22 The spirit[j] has often thrown him into fire and into water to destroy him. But if you are able to do anything, have pity on us and help us!”
23 Jesus told him, “‘If you are able?’ Everything is possible for the person who believes!”
24 With tears flowing,[k] the child’s father at once cried out, “I do believe! Help my unbelief!”
25 When Jesus saw that a crowd was running to the scene, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “You spirit that won’t let him talk or hear—I command you to come out of him and never enter him again!” 26 The spirit[l] screamed, shook the child[m] violently, and came out. The boy was like a corpse, and many said that he was dead. 27 But Jesus took his hand and helped him up, and he stood up.
28 When Jesus[n] came home, his disciples asked him privately, “Why couldn’t we drive the spirit[o] out?”
29 He told them, “This kind can come out only by prayer and fasting.”[p]
Jesus Again Predicts His Death and Resurrection(B)
30 Then they left that place and passed through Galilee. Jesus[q] didn’t want anyone to find out about it, 31 because he was teaching his disciples, “The Son of Man will be betrayed into human hands. They will kill him, but after being dead for three days he will be raised.” 32 They didn’t understand what this statement meant, and they were afraid to ask him.
True Greatness(C)
33 Then they came to Capernaum. While Jesus[r] was at home, he asked the disciples,[s] “What were you arguing about on the road?” 34 But they kept silent, because they had argued on the road with one another about who was the greatest.
35 So he sat down, called the Twelve, and told them, “If anyone wants to be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.” 36 Then he took a little child and had him stand among them. He took him in his arms and told them, 37 “Whoever welcomes a child like this in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes not me but the one who sent me.”
The True Follower of Jesus(D)
38 John told Jesus,[t] “Teacher, we saw someone driving out demons in your name. We tried to stop him, because he wasn’t a follower like us.”
39 But Jesus said, “Don’t stop him, because no one who works a miracle in my name can slander me soon afterwards. 40 Whoever is not against us is for us. 41 I tell all of you[u] with certainty, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to the Messiah[v] will never lose his reward.”
Causing Others to Sin(E)
42 “If anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a large millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea. 43 So if your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It’s better for you to enter life injured than to have two hands and go to hell,[w] to the fire that cannot be put out. 44 In that place, worms never die, and the fire is never put out.[x]
45 And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It’s better for you to enter life crippled than to have two feet and be thrown into hell.[y] 46 In that place, worms never die, and the fire is never put out.[z]
47 And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out. It’s better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell.[aa] 48 In that place, worms never die, and the fire is never put out.
49 Because everyone will be salted with fire, and every sacrifice will be salted with salt.[ab] 50 Salt is good. But if salt loses its taste, how can you restore its flavor? Keep on having salt among yourselves, and live in peace with one another.”
Teaching about Divorce(F)
10 Then Jesus[ac] left that place and went into the territory of Judea on the other side[ad] of the Jordan. Crowds gathered around him as usual, and he began to teach them again as was his custom. 2 Some Pharisees came to test him. They asked, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?”
3 “What did Moses command you?” he responded.
4 They said, “Moses allowed a man to write a certificate of divorce and to divorce her.”[ae]
5 But Jesus told them, “It was because of your hardness of heart that he wrote this command for you. 6 But from the beginning of creation, ‘God[af] made them male and female.’[ag] 7 That’s why ‘a man will leave his father and mother and be united with his wife, 8 and the two will become one flesh.’[ah] So they’re no longer two, but one flesh. 9 Therefore, what God has joined together, man must never separate.”
10 Back in the house, the disciples asked him about this again. 11 So he told them, “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery against her. 12 And if a woman[ai] divorces her husband and marries another man, she commits adultery.”
Jesus Blesses the Little Children(G)
13 Some people[aj] were bringing little children to Jesus[ak] to have him touch them. But the disciples rebuked those who brought[al] them. 14 When Jesus saw this, he became furious and told them, “Let the little children come to me, and stop keeping them away, because the kingdom of God belongs to people like these. 15 I tell all of you[am] with certainty, whoever doesn’t receive the kingdom of God as a little child will never enter it.” 16 Then after he had hugged the children,[an] he tenderly blessed them as he laid his hands on them.
A Rich Man Comes to Jesus(H)
17 As Jesus[ao] was setting out again,[ap] a man ran up to him, knelt down in front of him, and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
18 “Why do you call me good?” Jesus asked him. “Nobody is good except for one—God. 19 You know the commandments: ‘Never murder.’[aq] ‘Never commit adultery.’[ar] ‘Never steal.’[as] ‘Never give false testimony.’[at] ‘Never cheat.’ ‘Honor your father and mother.’”[au]
20 The man[av] replied to him, “Teacher, I have obeyed all of these since I was a young man.”
21 Jesus looked at him and loved him. Then he told him, “You’re missing one thing. Go and sell everything you own, give the money[aw] to the destitute, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come back and follow me.” 22 Shocked at this statement, the man[ax] went away sad, because he had many possessions.
Salvation and Reward(I)
23 Then Jesus looked around and told his disciples, “How hard it will be for those who are wealthy to enter the kingdom of God!” 24 The disciples were startled by these words, but Jesus told them again, “Children, how hard it is for those who trust in their wealth[ay] to get into the kingdom of God! 25 It’s easier for a camel to squeeze through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to get into the kingdom of God.”
26 The disciples[az] were utterly amazed and asked one another,[ba] “Then who can be saved?”
27 Jesus looked at them intently and said, “For humans it’s impossible, but not for God. All things are possible for God.”
28 Then Peter began to say to him, “See, we have left everything and followed you.” 29 Jesus said, “I tell all of you[bb] with certainty, there is no one who has left his home, brothers, sisters, mother, father, children, or fields because of me and the gospel 30 who will not receive a hundred times as much here in this world—homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and fields, along with persecution—as well as eternal life in the age to come. 31 But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first.”
32 Now Jesus and his disciples[bc] had been on the road going up to Jerusalem, with Jesus walking ahead of them. They were astonished, and the others who followed were afraid.
Jesus Predicts His Death and Resurrection a Third Time(J)
Once again, Jesus[bd] took the Twelve aside and began to tell them what was going to happen to him. 33 “Pay attention! We’re going up to Jerusalem. The Son of Man will be handed over to the high priests and the scribes, and they’ll condemn him to death. Then they’ll hand him over to the unbelievers,[be] 34 and they’ll make fun of him, spit on him, whip him, and kill him. But after three days he’ll be raised.”
The Request of James and John(K)
35 James and John, the sons of Zebedee, went to Jesus[bf] and told him, “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask you.”
36 He asked them, “What do you want me to do for you?”
37 They asked him, “Let us sit in your glory, one on your right and one on your left.”
38 But Jesus told them, “You don’t realize what you’re asking. Can you drink from the cup that I’m going to drink from or be baptized with the baptism with which I’m going to be baptized?”
39 They told him, “We can.”
Jesus told them, “You will drink from the cup that I’m going to drink and be baptized with the baptism with which I’m going to be baptized. 40 But it’s not up to me to grant you a seat at my right or my left. Those positions have already been prepared for others.”
41 When the ten other disciples[bg] heard this, they began to be furious with James and John. 42 Jesus called his disciples[bh] and told them, “You know that those who are recognized as rulers among the unbelievers[bi] lord it over them, and their superiors act like tyrants over them. 43 That’s not the way it should be among you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 44 and whoever wants to be first among you must be a slave to everyone, 45 because even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many people.”
Jesus Heals Blind Bartimaeus(L)
46 Then they came to Jericho. As Jesus,[bj] his disciples, and a large crowd were leaving Jericho, a blind beggar named Bartimaeus (that is, the son of Timaeus) was sitting by the road. 47 When he heard that Jesus of Nazareth was there, he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” 48 Many people sternly told him to be quiet, but he started shouting even louder, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”
49 So Jesus stopped and said, “Call him!”
So they called the blind man and told him, “Have courage! Get up. He’s calling you.” 50 He threw off his coat, jumped up, and went to Jesus.
51 Then Jesus asked him, “What do you want me to do for you?”
The blind man told him, “Rabbouni,[bk] I want to see again.”
52 Jesus told him, “Go. Your faith has made you well.” At once the man[bl] could see again, and he began to follow Jesus[bm] down the road.
The King Enters Jerusalem(M)
11 When they came near Jerusalem, at Bethphage and Bethany, near the Mount of Olives, Jesus[bn] sent two of his disciples on ahead 2 and told them, “Go into the village ahead of you. As soon as you go into it, you will find a colt tied up that no one has ever ridden. Untie it, and bring it along. 3 If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you doing this?,’ say, ‘The Lord needs it,’ and he will send it back here at once.”
4 So they went and found the colt outside in the street tied up next to a doorway. While they were untying it, 5 some men standing there asked them, “What are you doing untying that colt?” 6 The disciples[bo] told them what Jesus had said, and the men[bp] let them go.
7 They brought the colt to Jesus, threw their coats on it, and he sat on it. 8 Many people spread their coats on the road, while others spread leafy branches that they had cut in the fields. 9 Those who went ahead and those who followed him were shouting,
“Hosanna![bq]
How blessed is the one who comes
in the name of the Lord![br]
10 How blessed is the coming kingdom[bs]
of our ancestor David!
Hosanna in the highest heaven!”[bt]
11 Then Jesus went into Jerusalem and into the Temple and looked around at everything. Since it was already late, he went out with the Twelve to Bethany.
Jesus Curses a Fig Tree(N)
12 The next day, as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus[bu] became hungry. 13 Seeing in the distance a fig tree covered with leaves, he went to see if he could find anything on it. When he came to it, he found nothing except leaves because it wasn’t the season for figs. 14 So he told it, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again!” Now his disciples were listening to this.
Confrontation in the Temple over Money(O)
15 When they came to Jerusalem, he went into the Temple and began to throw out those who were selling and those who were buying in the Temple. He overturned the moneychangers’ tables and the chairs of those who sold doves. 16 He wouldn’t even let anyone carry a vessel through the Temple. 17 Then he began to teach them: “It is written, is it not, ‘My house is to be called a house of prayer for all nations’?[bv] But you’ve turned it into a hideout[bw] for bandits!” 18 When the high priests and elders heard this, they began to look for a way to kill him, because they were afraid of him, since the whole crowd was amazed at his teaching. 19 When evening came, Jesus and his disciples[bx] would leave the city.
The Lesson from the Dried Fig Tree(P)
20 While they were walking along early the next morning, they saw the fig tree dried up to its roots. 21 Remembering what Jesus had said,[by] Peter pointed out to him, “Rabbi,[bz] look! The fig tree you cursed has dried up!”
22 Jesus told his disciples,[ca] “Have faith in God! 23 I tell all of you[cb] with certainty, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ if he doesn’t doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. 24 That is why I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received[cc] it and it will be yours.
25 “Whenever you stand up to pray, forgive whatever you have against anyone, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your sins. 26 But if you do not forgive, your Father in heaven will not forgive your sins.”[cd]
Jesus’ Authority is Challenged(Q)
27 Then they went into Jerusalem again. While Jesus[ce] was walking in the Temple, the high priests, the scribes, and the elders came to him 28 and asked him, “By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority to do them?”
29 Jesus told them, “I’ll ask you one question.[cf] Answer me, and then I’ll tell you by what authority I’m doing these things. 30 Was John’s authority to baptize[cg] from heaven or from humans? Answer me.”
31 They began discussing this among themselves. “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he’ll say, ‘Then why didn’t you believe him?’ 32 But if we say, ‘From humans’…?” They were afraid of the crowd, because everyone really thought John was a prophet.
33 So they answered Jesus, “We don’t know.”
Then Jesus told them, “Then I won’t tell you by what authority I’m doing these things.”
The Parable about the Tenant Farmers(R)
12 Then Jesus[ch] began to speak to them in parables. “A man planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a pit for the wine press, and built a watchtower. Then he leased it to tenant farmers and went abroad. 2 At the right time, he sent a servant to the farmers to collect from them a share of the produce from the vineyard. 3 But the farmers[ci] grabbed the servant,[cj] beat him, and sent him back empty-handed. 4 Again, the man[ck] sent another servant to them. They beat the servant[cl] over the head and treated him shamefully. 5 Then the man[cm] sent another, and that one they killed. So it was with many other servants.[cn] Some of these they beat, and others they killed. 6 He still had one more person to send,[co] a son whom he loved. Finally, he sent him to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ 7 But those farmers told one another, ‘This is the heir. Come on, let’s kill him, and the inheritance will be ours!’ 8 So they grabbed him, killed him, and threw him out of the vineyard.
9 “Now what will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come, execute the farmers, and give the vineyard to others. 10 Haven’t you ever read this Scripture:
‘The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone.[cp]
11 This was the Lord’s[cq] doing,
and it is amazing in our eyes’?”[cr]
12 They were trying to arrest him but were afraid of the crowd. Realizing that he had spoken this parable against them, they left him alone and went away.
A Question about Paying Taxes(S)
13 Then they sent some Pharisees and some Herodians[cs] to him, intending to trap him in what he said. 14 They came and told him, “Teacher, we know that you are sincere. You don’t favor any individual, because you pay no attention to external appearance. Instead, you teach the way of God truthfully. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar or not? Should we pay them or shouldn’t we?”
15 Seeing through their hypocrisy, Jesus[ct] replied to them, “Why are you testing me? Bring me a denarius and let me look at it.”
16 So they brought one. Then he asked them, “Whose face and name are on this?”
They told him, “Caesar’s.”
17 So Jesus told them, “Give back to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” And they were utterly amazed at him.
A Question about the Resurrection(T)
18 Then some Sadducees, who claim there is no resurrection, came to Jesus[cu] and asked him, 19 “Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies and leaves a wife but no child, he should marry the widow and have children for his brother.[cv] 20 There were seven brothers. The first one married and died without having children. 21 Then the second married her and died without having children, and so did the third. 22 None of the seven left any children. Last of all, the woman died, too. 23 In the resurrection, whose wife will she be, since all seven had married her?”[cw]
24 Jesus answered them, “Aren’t you mistaken because you don’t know the Scriptures or God’s power? 25 When people[cx] rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage but are like the angels in heaven. 26 As for the dead being raised, haven’t you read in the book of Moses, in the story about the bush, how God said, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’?[cy] 27 He is not the God of the dead, but of the living. You are badly mistaken!”
The Greatest Commandment(U)
28 Then one of the scribes came near and heard the Sadducees[cz] arguing with one another. He saw how well Jesus[da] answered them, so he asked him, “Which commandment is the most important of them all?”
29 Jesus answered, “The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord[db] our God is one Lord,[dc] 30 and you must love the Lord[dd] your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’[de] 31 The second is this: ‘You must love your neighbor as yourself.’[df] No other commandment is greater than these.”
32 Then the scribe told him, “Well said,[dg] Teacher! You have told the truth that ‘God[dh] is one, and there is no other besides him.’[di] 33 To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding, and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all the burnt offerings and sacrifices.”
34 When Jesus saw how wisely the man[dj] answered, he told him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” After that, no one dared to ask him another question.
A Question about David’s Son(V)
35 While Jesus was teaching in the Temple, he asked, “How can the scribes say that the Messiah[dk] is David’s son? 36 David himself said by the Holy Spirit,
37 David himself calls him ‘Lord,’ so how can he be his son?” And the large crowd kept listening to him with delight.
Jesus Denounces the Scribes(W)
38 As he taught, he said, “Beware of the scribes! They like to walk around in long robes, to be greeted in the marketplaces, 39 and to have the best seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets. 40 They devour widows’ houses[dn] and say long prayers to cover it up. They will receive greater condemnation!”
The Widow’s Offering(X)
41 As Jesus[do] sat facing the offering box, he watched how the crowd was dropping their money into it.[dp] Many rich people were dropping in large amounts. 42 Then a destitute widow came and dropped in two small copper coins,[dq] worth about a cent.[dr] 43 He called his disciples and told them, “I tell all of you[ds] with certainty, this destitute widow has dropped in more than everyone who is contributing to the offering box, 44 because all of them contributed out of their surplus, but out of her poverty she has given everything she had to live on.”
Jesus Predicts the Destruction of the Temple(Y)
13 While Jesus[dt] was leaving the Temple, one of his disciples told him, “Look, Teacher! What stones! And what buildings!”
2 “Do you see these large buildings?” Jesus responded. “Not even a single stone here will be left on top of another that won’t be demolished.”
Cults, Revolutions, Famines, and Earthquakes(Z)
3 As Jesus[du] was sitting on the Mount of Olives facing the Temple, Peter, James, John, and Andrew were asking him privately, 4 “Tell us, when will these things happen, and what is to be the sign when these things will be put into effect?”
5 Jesus began by telling them, “See to it that no one deceives you. 6 Many will come in my name, proclaiming, ‘I AM,’ and they will deceive many people.[dv] 7 But when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, don’t panic. These things must take place, but the end won’t have come yet, 8 because nation will rise up in arms against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. Furthermore, there will be earthquakes and famines in various places. These things are only a beginning of agonies.”
Future Persecution and Evangelism(AA)
9 “As for yourselves, be on your guard! People[dw] will hand you over to local councils, and you will be beaten in their synagogues. You will stand before governors and kings in order to testify to them because of me. 10 But first, the gospel must be proclaimed to all nations.[dx] 11 When they take you away and hand you over for trial, don’t worry ahead of time about what you will say. Instead, say whatever is given to you at that time, because it won’t be you speaking, but the Holy Spirit. 12 Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child. Children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death. 13 You will be hated continuously by everyone on account of my name. But the person who endures to the end will be saved.”
Signs of the End(AB)
14 “So when you see the destructive desecration standing where it should not be (let the reader take note),[dy] then those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains. 15 Anyone who’s on his housetop must not come down and go into his house to take anything out of it, 16 and the one who’s in the field must not turn back to get his coat.
17 “How terrible it will be for women who are pregnant or who are nursing babies in those days! 18 Pray that it may not be in winter, 19 because those days will be a time of suffering,[dz] a kind that has not happened from the beginning of creation—which God himself created—until now, and certainly will never happen again. 20 If the Lord had not shortened those days, no one[ea] would survive. But for the sake of the elect whom he has chosen, he has shortened those days.
21 “At that time, if anyone says to you, ‘Look here! The Messiah!’,[eb] or, ‘Look there!’ don’t believe it, 22 because false messiahs[ec] and false prophets will have arisen and will produce signs and omens intending to deceive, if possible, the elect. 23 So be on your guard! I’ve told you everything beforehand.”
The Coming of the Son of Man(AC)
24 “But after the troubles[ed] of those days,
‘The sun will be darkened,
the moon will not reflect its light,
25 the stars will be falling out of the sky,
and the powers that are in the heavens will be disrupted.’[ee]
26 Then people[ef] will see ‘the Son of Man coming in clouds’[eg] with great power and glory. 27 He’ll send out the angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the most remote part of earth to the most remote part of heaven.”
The Lesson from the Fig Tree(AD)
28 “Now learn a lesson[eh] from the fig tree. When its branches become tender and it produces leaves, you know that summer is approaching. 29 In the same way, when you see these things taking place, you will know that the Son of Man[ei] is near, right at the door. 30 I tell all of you[ej] with certainty, this generation won’t disappear until all these things take place. 31 Heaven and earth will disappear, but my words will never disappear.”
The Unknown Day and Hour of the Messiah’s Return(AE)
32 “No one knows when that day or hour will come[ek]—neither the angels in heaven nor the Son, but only the Father. 33 Be careful! Watch out! Because you don’t know when the time will come. 34 It’s like a man who went on a trip. As he left home, he put his servants in charge, each with his own work, and he ordered the doorkeeper to be alert. 35 So keep on watching, because you don’t know when the master of the house is coming—whether in the middle of the night, at the time the cock crows,[el] or at daybreak. 36 Otherwise, he may come suddenly and find you asleep. 37 I’m telling you what I’m telling everyone: Be alert!”
The Plot to Kill Jesus(AF)
14 Now it was two days before the Passover and the Festival of Unleavened Bread. The high priests and the scribes were looking for a way to arrest Jesus secretly and to have him put to death, 2 because they kept saying, “This must not happen during the festival. Otherwise, there’ll be a riot among the people.”
A Woman Anoints Jesus(AG)
3 While Jesus[em] was in Bethany sitting at the table in the home of Simon the leper, a woman arrived with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume made from pure nard. She broke open the jar and poured the perfume on his head. 4 Irritated, some who were there asked one another, “Why was the perfume wasted like this? 5 This perfume could have been sold for more than 300 denarii[en] and the money[eo] given to the destitute.” So they got extremely angry with her.
6 But Jesus said, “Leave her alone. Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing for me, 7 because you’ll always have the destitute with you and can help them whenever you want, but you won’t always have me. 8 She has done what she could. She poured perfume on my body in preparation for my burial. 9 I tell all of you[ep] with certainty, wherever the gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will also be told as a memorial to her.”
Judas Agrees to Betray Jesus(AH)
10 Then Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve, went to the high priests to betray Jesus[eq] to them. 11 After they had listened to him,[er] they were delighted and promised to give him money. So he began to look for a good opportunity to betray him.
The Passover with the Disciples(AI)
12 On the first day of the Festival[es] of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover lamb is sacrificed, Jesus’[et] disciples asked him, “Where do you want us to go and make preparations for you to eat the Passover meal?”
13 He sent two of his disciples, telling them, “Go into the city, and you will meet a man carrying a jug of water. Follow him. 14 When he goes into a house,[eu] say to its owner that the Teacher asks, ‘Where is my room where I can eat the Passover meal with my disciples?’ 15 Then he will show you a large upstairs room that is furnished and ready. Get everything ready for us there.” 16 So the disciples left and went into the city. They found everything just as Jesus[ev] had told them, and they prepared the Passover meal.
17 When evening came, Jesus[ew] arrived with the Twelve. 18 While they were at the table eating, Jesus said, “I tell all of you[ex] with certainty, one of you is going to betray me, one who is eating with me.”
19 They began to be very sad and asked him, one after the other, “Surely I am not the one, am I?”
20 He told them, “It’s one of you Twelve, the one who is dipping his bread into the bowl with me. 21 For the Son of Man is going away, just as it has been written about him, but how terrible it will be for that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for him if he had never been born.”
The Lord’s Supper(AJ)
22 While they were eating, Jesus[ey] took a loaf of bread and blessed it. Then he broke it in pieces and handed it to them, saying, “Take some. This is my body.” 23 Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, and they all drank from it. 24 He told them, “This is my blood of the covenant that is being poured out for many people. 25 I tell all of you[ez] with certainty, I’ll never again drink the product of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.”
26 After singing a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
Jesus Predicts Peter’s Denial(AK)
27 Then Jesus told them, “All of you will turn against me, because it is written,
‘I will strike the shepherd,
and the sheep will be scattered.’[fa]
28 However, after I’ve been raised, I’ll go to Galilee ahead of you.”
29 But Peter told him, “Even if everyone else turns against you, I certainly won’t.”
30 Jesus told him, “I tell you[fb] with certainty, today, this very night, before a rooster crows twice, you’ll deny me three times.”
31 But Peter[fc] kept saying emphatically, “Even if I have to die with you, I’ll never deny you!” And all the others kept saying the same thing.
Jesus Prays in the Garden of Gethsemane(AL)
32 Then they came to a place called Gethsemane, and he told his disciples, “Sit down here while I pray.” 33 He took Peter, James, and John along with him, and he began to feel distressed and troubled. 34 So he told them, “I’m deeply grieved, even to the point of death. Wait here and stay awake.”
35 Going on a little farther, he fell to the ground and kept praying that if it were possible the hour might pass from him. 36 He kept repeating, “Abba![fd] Father! All things are possible for you. Take this cup away from me. Yet not what I want but what you want.”
37 When he went back, he found his disciples[fe] asleep. “Simon, are you asleep?” he asked Peter. “You couldn’t stay awake for one hour, could you? 38 All of you must stay awake and pray that you won’t be tempted. The spirit is indeed willing, but the body[ff] is weak.”
39 He went away again and prayed the same prayer as before.[fg] 40 Again he came back and found them asleep, because they could not keep their eyes open. They didn’t even know what they should say to him.
41 He came back a third time. “Are you still sleeping and resting?”[fh] he asked. “Enough of that! The time has come. Look! The Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners. 42 Get up! Let’s go! See, the one who is betraying me is near!”
Jesus is Arrested(AM)
43 Just then, while Jesus[fi] was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived. A crowd armed with swords and clubs was with him. They were from the high priests, the scribes, and the elders. 44 Now the betrayer personally had given them a signal, saying, “The one I kiss[fj] is the man. Arrest him, and lead him safely away.” 45 So Judas[fk] immediately went up to Jesus[fl] and said, “Rabbi,”[fm] and kissed him tenderly.
46 Then the men[fn] took hold of Jesus[fo] and arrested him. 47 But one of those standing there drew his sword and struck the high priest’s servant, cutting off his ear. 48 Jesus asked them, “Have you come out with swords and clubs to arrest me as if I were a bandit?[fp] 49 Day after day I was with you in the Temple teaching, yet you didn’t arrest me. But the Scriptures must be fulfilled.” 50 Then all the disciples[fq] deserted Jesus[fr] and ran away.
The Young Man who Ran Away
51 A certain young man, who was wearing nothing but a linen sheet, was following Jesus.[fs] When the men[ft] grabbed him, 52 he left the linen sheet behind and ran away naked.
Jesus is Tried before the High Priest(AN)
53 Then they took Jesus to the high priest. All the high priests, elders, and scribes had gathered together. 54 Peter followed Jesus[fu] at a distance as far as the high priest’s courtyard. He was sitting with the servants and warming himself at the fire. 55 Meanwhile, the high priests and the whole Council[fv] were looking for some testimony against Jesus in order to have him put to death, but they couldn’t find any. 56 Although many people gave false testimony against him, their testimony didn’t agree.
57 Then some men stood up and gave false testimony against him, saying, 58 “We ourselves heard him say, ‘I will destroy this sanctuary made by human[fw] hands, and in three days I will build another one not made by human[fx] hands.’” 59 But even on this point their testimony didn’t agree.
60 Then the high priest stood up before them[fy] and asked Jesus, “Don’t you have any answer to what these men are testifying against you?” 61 But he kept silent and didn’t answer at all. The high priest asked him again, “Are you the Messiah,[fz] the Son of the Blessed One?”
62 Jesus said, “I AM, and
‘you will see the Son of Man
seated at the right hand of the Power’[ga]
and ‘coming with the clouds of heaven.’”[gb]
63 Then the high priest tore his clothes. “Why do we still need witnesses?” he asked. 64 “You have heard his blasphemy! What is your verdict?” All of them condemned him as deserving death.
65 Some of them began to spit on him. They blindfolded him and kept hitting him with their fists and telling him, “Prophesy!” Even the servants took him and slapped him around.
Peter Denies Jesus(AO)
66 While Peter was down in the courtyard, one of the high priest’s servant girls came by. 67 When she saw Peter warming himself, she glared at him and said, “You, too, were with Jesus from Nazareth.”
68 But he denied it, saying, “I don’t know—or even understand—what you’re talking about!” Then he went out into the entryway. Just then a rooster crowed.[gc]
69 The servant girl saw him and again told those who were standing around, “This man is one of them!” 70 Again he denied it.
After a little while, the people who were standing there began to say to Peter again, “Obviously you’re one of them, because you are a Galilean!”
71 Then he began to invoke a divine curse and to swear with an oath, “I don’t know this man you’re talking about!” 72 Just then a rooster crowed a second time.
Peter remembered that Jesus told him, “Before a rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.” Then he broke down and cried.
Jesus is Taken to Pilate(AP)
15 As soon as it was morning, the high priests convened a meeting with the elders and scribes and the whole Council.[gd] They bound Jesus with chains, led him away, and handed him over to Pilate. 2 Pilate asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?”
Jesus[ge] answered him, “You say so.”
3 The high priests kept accusing him of many things. 4 So Pilate asked him again, “Don’t you have any answer? Look how many accusations they’re bringing against you!” 5 But since Jesus no longer answered, Pilate was astonished.
Jesus is Sentenced to Death(AQ)
6 At every festival,[gf] Pilate[gg] would release any one prisoner whom the people[gh] requested. 7 Now there was a man in prison named Barabbas. He had been with the insurgents who had committed murder during the rebellion. 8 So the crowd came and began to request that Pilate[gi] do for them what he always did.[gj] 9 Pilate answered them, “Do you want me to release the king of the Jews for you?” 10 because he knew that the high priests had handed him over due to jealousy.
11 But the high priests stirred up the crowd to get him to release Barabbas for them instead. 12 So Pilate asked them again, “Then what should I do with the man you call[gk] ‘the King of the Jews’?”
13 “Crucify him!” they shouted back.
14 “Why?” Pilate asked them. “What has he done wrong?”
But they shouted even louder, “Crucify him!”
15 So Pilate, wanting to satisfy the crowd, released Barabbas for them, but he had Jesus whipped and handed over to be crucified.
The Soldiers Make Fun of Jesus(AR)
16 The soldiers led Jesus[gl] into the courtyard of the palace (that is, the governor’s headquarters)[gm] and called out the whole guard. 17 They dressed him in a purple robe, twisted some thorns into a victor’s crown, and placed it on his head.[gn] 18 They began to greet him, “Long live the king of the Jews!” 19 They kept hitting him on the head with a stick, spitting on him, kneeling in front of him, and worshiping him. 20 When they had finished making fun of him, they stripped him of the purple robe, put his own clothes back on him, and led him away to crucify him.
Jesus is Crucified(AS)
21 They forced a certain passer-by named[go] Simon of Cyrene, the father of Alexander and Rufus, who happened to be coming in from the country, to carry Jesus’[gp] cross. 22 They took Jesus[gq] to a place called Golgotha, which means Skull Place. 23 They tried to give him wine mixed with myrrh, but he wouldn’t accept it. 24 Then they crucified him. They divided his clothes among themselves by throwing dice to see what each one would get. 25 It was nine in the morning[gr] when they crucified him. 26 The written notice of the charge against him read, “The king of the Jews.” 27 They crucified two bandits[gs] with him, one on his right and the other on his left.[gt] 29 Those who passed by kept insulting[gu] him, shaking their heads, and saying, “Ha! You who were going to destroy the sanctuary and rebuild it in three days— 30 save yourself and come down from the cross!”
31 In the same way, the high priests, along with the scribes, were also making fun of him among themselves. They kept saying, “He saved others, but can’t save himself! 32 Let the Messiah,[gv] the king of Israel, come down from the cross now, since seeing is believing!” Even the men who were crucified with him kept insulting him.
Jesus Dies on the Cross(AT)
33 At noon,[gw] darkness came over the whole land[gx] until three in the afternoon.[gy] 34 At three o’clock,[gz] Jesus cried out with a loud voice, “Eloi, eloi,[ha] lema sabachthani?”[hb] (which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”)[hc]
35 When some of the people standing there heard this, they said, “Listen! He’s calling for Elijah!”[hd]
36 So someone ran and soaked a sponge in some sour wine. Then he put it on a stick and offered Jesus[he] a drink, saying, “Wait! Let’s see if Elijah comes to take him down!”
37 Then Jesus gave a loud cry and breathed his last. 38 The curtain[hf] in the sanctuary was torn in two from top to bottom. 39 When the centurion[hg] who stood facing Jesus[hh] saw how he had cried out and[hi] breathed his last, he said, “This man certainly was the Son of God!”
40 Now there were women watching from a distance. Among them were Mary Magdalene,[hj] Mary the mother of young James and Joseph, and Salome. 41 They used to accompany him and care for him while he was in Galilee. Many other women who had come up to Jerusalem with him were there, too.
Jesus is Buried(AU)
42 It was the Day of Preparation, that is, the day before the Sabbath. Since it was already evening, 43 Joseph of Arimathea, a highly respected member of the Council,[hk] who was waiting for the kingdom of God, went boldly to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. 44 Pilate was amazed to hear[hl] that Jesus[hm] had already died, so he summoned the centurion to ask him if he was in fact dead. 45 When he learned from the centurion that he was dead, he let Joseph have the corpse. 46 Joseph[hn] bought some linen cloth, took the body[ho] down, wrapped it in the cloth, laid it in a tomb that had been cut out of the rock, and rolled a stone against the door of the tomb. 47 Now Mary Magdalene[hp] and Mary the mother of Joseph observed where the body[hq] had been laid.
Jesus is Raised from the Dead(AV)
16 When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene,[hr] Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices to go and anoint Jesus.[hs] 2 Very early on the first day of the week,[ht] when the sun had just come up, they were going to the tomb. 3 They kept saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?” 4 Then they looked up and saw that the stone had been rolled away. (It was a very large stone.)
5 As they went into the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were utterly astonished. 6 But he told them, “Stop being astonished! You are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has been raised. He is not here. Look at the place where they laid him. 7 But go and tell his disciples—especially Peter—that Jesus[hu] is going ahead of you to Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.”
8 So they left the tomb and ran away, overwhelmed by shock and astonishment. They didn’t say a thing to anyone, because they were afraid.[hv]
Jesus Appears to Mary Magdalene(AW)
9 After Jesus[hw] had risen early on the first day of that week,[hx] he appeared first to Mary Magdalene,[hy] from whom he had driven out seven demons. 10 She went and told those who had been with Jesus[hz] and who now were grieving and crying. 11 When they heard that he was alive and that he had been seen by her, they refused to believe Mary.[ia]
Jesus Appears to Two Disciples(AX)
12 After this, Jesus[ib] appeared in a different form to two disciples[ic] as they were walking into the country. 13 They went back and told the others, who didn’t believe them, either.
Jesus Commissions His Disciples(AY)
14 Finally he appeared to his eleven disciples[id] while they were eating. He rebuked them for their unbelief and stubbornness, because they had not believed those who had seen him after he had risen. 15 Then he told them, “As you go into the entire world, proclaim the gospel to everyone.[ie] 16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever doesn’t believe will be condemned. 17 These are the signs that will accompany those who believe: In my name they’ll drive out demons. they’ll speak in new languages,[if] 18 and they’ll pick up snakes with their hands.[ig] Even if they drink any deadly poison, it won’t hurt them, and they’ll place their hands on the sick, and they’ll recover.”
Jesus is Taken Up to Heaven(AZ)
19 So the Lord Jesus,[ih] after talking with his disciples,[ii] was taken up to heaven and sat down at the right hand of God. 20 Then his disciples[ij] went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord kept working with them and confirming the message by the signs that accompanied it.
Luke’s Dedication to Theophilus
1 Since many people have attempted to write an orderly account of the events that have transpired among us, 2 just as they were passed down to us by those who had been eyewitnesses and servants of the word from the beginning, 3 I, too, have carefully investigated everything from the beginning and have decided to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, 4 so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.
The Birth of John the Baptist is Foretold
5 During the reign[ik] of King Herod of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly order of Abijah. His wife was a descendant of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. 6 Both of them were righteous before God, having lived blamelessly according to all of the commandments and regulations of the Lord. 7 They had no children because Elizabeth was barren and because both of them were getting old.[il]
8 When Zechariah[im] was serving with his division of priests in God’s presence, 9 he was chosen by lot to go into the sanctuary of the Lord and burn incense, according to the custom of the priests. 10 And the entire congregation of people was praying outside at the time when the incense was burned.
11 An angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the incense altar. 12 When Zechariah saw him, he was startled, and fear overwhelmed him. 13 But the angel told him, “Stop being afraid, Zechariah, because your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to name him John. 14 You will have great joy,[in] and many people will rejoice at his birth, 15 because he will be great in the Lord’s presence. He will never drink wine or any strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he is born. 16 He will bring many of Israel’s descendants back to the Lord their God. 17 He is the one who will go before the Lord[io] with the spirit and power of Elijah to turn the hearts of parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous, and to prepare the people to be ready for the Lord.”
18 Then Zechariah asked the angel, “How can I be sure of this, since I am an old man, and my wife is getting older?”[ip]
19 The angel answered him, “I am Gabriel! I stand in the very presence of God. I have been sent to speak to you and to announce this good news to you. 20 But because you did not believe my announcement, which will be fulfilled at its proper time,[iq] you will become silent and unable to speak until the day this happens.”
21 Meanwhile, the people kept waiting for Zechariah and wondering why he stayed in the sanctuary so long. 22 But when he did come out, he was unable to speak to them. Then they realized that he had seen a vision in the sanctuary. He kept motioning to them but remained unable to speak. 23 When the days of his service were over, he went home.
24 After this,[ir] his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and remained in seclusion for five months. She said, 25 “This is what the Lord did for me when he looked favorably on me and took away my public disgrace.”
The Birth of Jesus is Foretold
26 Now in the sixth month of her pregnancy,[is] the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city in Galilee called Nazareth, 27 to a virgin engaged to a man named Joseph, a descendant[it] of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 The angel[iu] came to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you!”[iv] 29 Startled by his statement, she tried to figure out what his greeting meant.
30 Then the angel told her, “Stop being afraid, Mary, because you have found favor with God. 31 Listen! You will become pregnant and give birth to a son, and you are to name him Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. 33 He will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and his kingdom will never end.”
34 Mary asked the angel, “How can this happen, since I have not had relations with[iw] a man?”
35 The angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come over you, and the power of the Most High will surround you. Therefore, the child will be holy and will be called the Son of God. 36 And listen! Elizabeth, your relative, has herself conceived a son in her old age, this woman who was rumored to be barren is in her sixth month. 37 Nothing is impossible with respect to any of God’s promises.”
38 Then Mary said, “Truly I am the Lord’s servant. Let everything you have said happen to me.” Then the angel left her.
Mary Visits Elizabeth
39 Later on,[ix] Mary set out for a Judean city in the hill country. 40 She went into Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby jumped in her womb. Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit 42 and she loudly exclaimed, “How blessed are you among women, and how blessed is the infant in[iy] your womb! 43 Why should this happen to me, to have the mother of my Lord visit me? 44 As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb jumped for joy. 45 How blessed is this woman who believed that what the Lord told her would be fulfilled!”
Mary’s Song of Praise
46 Then Mary said,
“My soul praises the greatness of the Lord!
47 My spirit exults in God, my Savior,
48 because he has looked favorably on his humble servant.
From now on, all generations will call me blessed,
49 because the Almighty has done great things for me.
His name is holy.
50 His mercy lasts from generation to generation
for those who fear him.
51 He displayed his mighty power with his arm.
He scattered people who were proud in mind and heart.[iz]
52 He pulled powerful rulers from their thrones
and lifted up humble people.
53 He filled hungry people with good things
and sent rich people away with nothing.
54 He helped his servant Israel,
remembering to be merciful,
55 according to the promise he made[ja] to our ancestors—
to Abraham and his descendants forever.”
56 Now Mary stayed with Elizabeth[jb] about three months and then went back home.
The Birth of John the Baptist
57 When the time came for Elizabeth to have her child, she gave birth to a son. 58 Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown his great mercy to her, and they rejoiced with her.
59 On the eighth day they went to circumcise the child. They were going to name him Zechariah after his father, 60 but his mother said, “Absolutely not! He must be named John.”
61 Their friends[jc] told her, “None of your relatives has that name.”
62 So they motioned to the baby’s[jd] father to see what he wanted to name him. 63 He asked for a writing tablet and wrote, “His name is John.” And everyone was amazed.
64 Suddenly, Zechariah could open his mouth,[je] his tongue was set free, and he began to speak and to praise God. 65 Fear came over all their neighbors, and throughout the hill country of Judea all these things were being discussed. 66 Everyone who heard about it kept thinking what had happened and asked, “What will this child become?” because it was obvious that the hand of the Lord was with him.
The Prophecy of Zechariah
67 Then his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied:
68 “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel!
He has taken care of his people and has set them free.
69 He has raised up a mighty Savior[jf] for us
from the family of his servant David,
70 just as he promised long ago
through the mouth of his holy prophets
71 that he would save us from our enemies
and from the grip of all who hate us.
72 He has shown mercy to our ancestors
and remembered his holy covenant,
73 the oath that he swore to our ancestor Abraham.
He granted us 74 deliverance from our enemies’ grip
so that we could serve him without fear
75 and be holy and righteous before him all of our days.
76 And you, child, will be called a prophet of the Most High,
because you will go ahead of the Lord to prepare his way
77 and to give his people knowledge of salvation
through forgiveness of their sins.
78 Because of the tender mercy of our God,
his light[jg] from on high has visited us,
79 to shine on those who sit in darkness and in death’s shadow,
and to guide our feet into the way of peace.”
80 Now the child continued to grow and to become spiritually strong.[jh] He lived in the wilderness until the day he appeared in Israel.
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