There appeared an angel from heaven to strengthen Him because He was in agony. He prayed more earnestly, and His sweat was like great drops of blood falling on the ground. When He rose up from prayer and returned to His disciples, He found them sleeping. Jesus said to them, Why sleep? Rise and pray lest you enter into temptation.

And while He yet spoke, a crowd appeared, and he that was called Judas, one of the twelve, went before them and drew near to Jesus to kiss Him.

But Jesus said to him, Judas, do you betray the Son of man with a kiss?

When the disciples saw what was going to happen, they said to Him, Lord, shall we strike with the sword? And one of them smote the servant of the high priest and cut off his right ear. But Jesus said, Enough.

No more of this. He touched the servant's ear and healed him.

Then Jesus said to the chief priests, and captains of the temple, and the elders in the crowd, Why do you come out armed with staves and swords as against a thief when I was daily with you in the temple and you could have stretched forth your hands against me? But this is your hour, and the power of darkness. Then they took Him, and led Him into the high priest's house.

Peter followed from afar. As they had kindled a fire in the midst of the hall and warmed themselves, Peter sat down among them. But a certain maid noticed him. She looked closely at him and said, This man was also with Him. Peter denied Him, saying, Woman, I know Him not.

After a little while another saw him and said, Thou art one of them.

Peter said, No, I am not.

About an hour later, another person said, Of a truth, this fellow was with Him for he is a Galilaean. Peter said, I know not what thou sayest. And immediately, while he was still speaking, the c.o.c.k crowed.

The Lord turned and looked upon Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how He said to him, Before the c.o.c.k crows, thou shalt deny me three times. Peter went out and wept bitterly.

The men that held Jesus mocked Him, and smote Him. and when they had blindfolded Him, they struck Him in the face, and said, Prophesy, who is it that smote thee? And they said many other blasphemies against Him.

As soon as it was day, the elders and the chief priests and scribes came together. They led Him into their council, saying, Art thou the Christ? Tell us. Jesus said, If I tell you, you will not believe, and if I also ask you, you will not answer me or let me go. Hereafter shall the Son of man sit on the right hand of the power of G.o.d. Then they all said, Art thou then the Son of G.o.d? And He said to them, Ye say that I am. Then they said, What need we of any further witness? We ourselves have heard it from His own mouth.

23 The whole mult.i.tude arose and led Him to Pilate. They began to accuse Him, saying, We found this man misleading the people, opposing the tribute tax to Caesar, saying that He is Christ, a king.

Pilate asked Him, Art thou the King of the Jews? Jesus answered, Thou sayest it. Then Pilate said to the chief priests and the people, I find no fault in this man. They became fierce, saying, He stirs up the people, teaching throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee to this place. When Pilate heard of Galilee, he asked whether the man was a Galilaean. As soon as he knew that He belonged to Herod's jurisdiction, he sent Him to Herod, who was in Jerusalem at that time.

When Herod saw Jesus, he was exceedingly glad. Herod had wanted to see Him for a long time because he had heard many things about Him. Herod hoped to see some miracle done by Him. Then he asked Jesus many questions but He answered nothing. The chief priests and scribes stood and vehemently accused Him. Herod and his soldiers treated Him spitefully and mocked Him. They arrayed Him in a gorgeous robe, and sent Him back to Pilate.

Pilate and Herod, who had been bitter enemies, became friends that day.

When he had called together the chief priests and the rulers and the people, Pilate said to them, You have brought this man to me as one who stirs up the people, and, having examined Him before you, I have found no fault in this man regarding those things of which you accuse Him, nor did Herod for he sent Him back. I will, therefore, chastise Him and release Him. (For of necessity he must release one to them at the feast.)

They cried out all at once, saying, Away with this man. Release Barabbas to us. Pilate therefore, wanting to release Jesus, spoke again to them. But they cried louder, saying, Crucify Him, crucify Him.

Pilate said to them the third time, Why, what evil has He done? I have found no cause to put Him to death. I will chastise Him and let Him go.

Immediately and with loud voices, they demanded that He be crucified.

The voices of the chief priests prevailed and Pilate gave sentence that it be as they demanded. He released to them Barabbas, who was in prison for sedition and murder, and turned Jesus over to them. And as they led Him away, they laid hold upon a man named Simon, a Cyrenian, who was coming out of the country. They laid the cross on him to carry for Jesus.

Many women followed Jesus, crying and lamenting. Jesus turned to them and said, Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves and your children. The days are coming, in which they shall say, Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bore, and the b.r.e.a.s.t.s that never nursed. Then they shall say to the mountains, Fall on us; and to the hills, Cover us. For if these things happen when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry? There were also two others, both criminals, who were led with Him to be put to death.

When they came to the place called Calvary, they crucified Him and the two criminals, one on the right hand, and the other on the left. Then Jesus said, Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. They divided His garments by casting lots. The people who stood looking on, and the rulers with them, derided Him, saying, He saved others. Let Him save Himself, if He is Christ, the chosen of G.o.d. And the soldiers mocked Him, coming to Him and offering Him vinegar. They said, If thou be the king of the Jews, save thyself. Over Him, they hung a sign written in letters of Greek, Latin, and Hebrew: THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.

One of the criminals said to Him, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. But the other criminal rebuked him, saying, Have you no fear of G.o.d for you are in the same condemnation? We have been justly condemned for our deeds but this man has done nothing. He said to Jesus, Lord, remember me when you come into your kingdom. And Jesus said to him, Today you will be with me in paradise.

It was about the sixth hour. There was a darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour. The sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was torn in the middle when Jesus cried out with a loud voice, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit, and He took His last breath.

When the centurion saw what was done, he glorified G.o.d, saying, Certainly this was a righteous man. All the people that came together to that sight, beholding the things which were done, returned home beating their b.r.e.a.s.t.s. And the women that followed Him from Galilee, stood far off and watched these things.

There was a just and good man named Joseph, a member of the council who did not consent to this deed. He was from the Jewish city of Arimathaea and was awaiting the kingdom of G.o.d. He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Joseph took the body down, wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a new sepulchre that was hewn in stone. It was the day of preparation and the sabbath was about to begin. The women who came with Jesus from Galilee followed along. They beheld the sepulchre and how His body was laid. They returned and prepared spices and ointments, then rested on the sabbath day according to the commandment.

24 On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they went to the sepulchre with the spices they had prepared, and certain others were with them. They found the stone rolled away and they went in, but did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. The women were perplexed and, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments. In fear, they bowed down their heads. Then the two said to them, Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen.

Remember how He spoke to you when He was yet in Galilee, saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified, and the third day rise again? And they remembered His words.

They left the sepulchre and told all these things to the eleven, and to all the rest. It was Mary Magdalene; Joanna; Mary, the mother of James; and other women that were with them who told these things to the apostles. Their words seemed like idle tales and they did not believe them.

Then Peter arose and ran to the sepulchre. Stooping down, he saw the linen clothes laid by themselves and he left, wondering about what could have happened.

That same day two of them went to a village called Emmaus, which was a few miles from Jerusalem. They talked over the things that had happened. And, while they were talking, Jesus drew near and walked with them. But their eyes were prevented from recognizing Him. Jesus said to them, What were you discussing as you walked along that made you look so sad? One of them, whose name was Cleopas, said to Him, Are you a stranger in Jerusalem and do not know the things that have come to pa.s.s these days? He said to them, What things?

They said, About Jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before G.o.d and all the people, and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered Him to be condemned to death and crucified Him. We trusted that He would redeem Israel and, besides all this, today is the third day after these things were done. Some of the women of our group astonished us. They went early to the sepulchre and, when they did not find His body, they came back and said they had also seen a vision of angels who said that He was alive. Then some of those who were with us went to the sepulchre and found it was as the women said, but they did not see Him.

Then He said to them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken. Should the Messiah not have suffered these things and not enter into His glory? Beginning with Moses and all the prophets, He pointed out to them all the things in the scriptures concerning Himself.

They drew near the village where they were going and He made as though He would have gone further. But they said, Stay with us. It is almost evening and the day is far spent. Jesus went in with them. As He sat with them, He took bread, blessed it, and broke it, and gave it to them. Their eyes were opened and they knew Him; and He vanished out of their sight. They said to eachother, Did our hearts not burn within us while He talked with us along the way and while He opened the scriptures to us?

They rose up right away and returned to Jerusalem. They found the eleven and those who were with them, saying, The Lord is risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon. Then they told what happened to them and how they recognized Him by the breaking of the bread.

Then, as they spoke, Jesus stood in the midst of them and said, Peace be to you. But they were terrified and supposed they saw a spirit. But He said to them, Why are you troubled? And why do doubts arise in your hearts? Behold my hands and my feet. Touch me and see me; for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have.

When He had thus spoken, He showed them His hands and His feet. And while they were still astonished, He said to them, Have you anything to eat? They gave Him a piece of broiled fish and a piece of a honeycomb.

He took it and ate it before them. He said, These are the words I spoke to you while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the law of Moses and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.

Then He opened their understanding, that they might know the scriptures. He said to them, Thus it is written that the Messiah would suffer and rise from the dead on the third day and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be preached in His name among all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.

You are witnesses to these things. Behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you. Stay in the city of Jerusalem until you are filled with power from on high. He led them out as far as Bethany, and He lifted up His hands, and blessed them.

While He blessed them, He was parted from them and taken up into heaven. They worshipped Him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and were continually in the temple, praising and blessing G.o.d.

Amen.

The Gospel of John

1. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with G.o.d, and the Word was G.o.d. He was in the beginning with G.o.d. All things were made by Him. Without Him nothing was made. In Him was life; and the life was the light of men. The light shines in darkness; and the darkness cannot overtake it.

There was a man sent from G.o.d whose name was John. He came to bear witness of the light that all men through Him might believe. John was not that light, but was sent to bear witness of that light. That was the true light, which enlightens everyone who comes into the world.

He was in the world, and the world was made by Him, and the world knew Him not. He came to His own, and His own received Him not. But as many as received Him, to them He gave power to become the children of G.o.d, even to those who believe in His name; those who were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of G.o.d. And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us. And we beheld His glory, the glory of the only son of the Father, full of grace and truth.

John bore witness of Him and cried, saying, This is He of whom I spoke.

He who comes after me is above me because He existed before me. We have all received of His fullness, grace for grace. For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. No man has seen G.o.d at any time. The only Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, has revealed Him.

And this is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who art thou? He confessed and did not deny, I am not the Christ. They asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? He said, I am not. Art thou that prophet? He answered, No. Then they said to him, Who art thou that we may give an answer to those who sent us?

What sayest thou of thyself? He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as was said by the prophet Isaiah. Those sent by the Pharisees asked him, Then why do you baptize if you are not the Messiah or Elias or that prophet?

John answered, I baptize with water, but one stands among you whom you do not know. It is He who, coming after me, is above me and whose foot straps I am not worthy to unloose. These things were done in Bethabara beyond Jordan where John was baptizing.

When John saw Jesus coming toward him, he said, Behold the Lamb of G.o.d who takes away the sin of the world. This is He of whom I said, After me comes a man who is above me because He was before me. I knew Him not, only that He would be made manifest to Israel. Therefore I came baptizing with water.

John bore record saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove and remain on Him. I knew Him not except the one who sent me to baptize told me, On whomever you see the Spirit descending and remaining, this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit. I saw Him, and now witness that this is the Son of G.o.d.