Psalm 146

¹⁹ On the tenth day of the first month the people went up from the Jordan and camped at Gilgal^(A) on the eastern border of Jericho. ²⁰ And Joshua set up at Gilgal the twelve stones^(B) they had taken out of the Jordan. ²¹ He said to the Israelites, “In the future when your descendants ask their parents, ‘What do these stones mean?’^{(C) 22} tell them, ‘Israel crossed the Jordan on dry ground.’^{(D) 23} For the Lord your God dried up the Jordan before you until you had crossed over. The Lord your God did to the Jordan what he had done to the Red Sea^[a] when he dried it up before us until we had crossed over.^{(E) 24} He did this so that all the peoples of the earth might know^(F) that the hand of the Lord is powerful^(G) and so that you might always fear the Lord your God.^(H)”

5 Now when all the Amorite kings west of the Jordan and all the Canaanite kings along the coast^(I) heard how the Lord had dried up the Jordan before the Israelites until they^[b] had crossed over, their hearts melted in fear^(J) and they no longer had the courage to face the Israelites.

¹⁰ On the evening of the fourteenth day of the month,^(A) while camped at Gilgal on the plains of Jericho, the Israelites celebrated the Passover.^{(B) 11} The day after the Passover, that very day, they ate some of the produce of the land:^(C) unleavened bread^(D) and roasted grain.^{(E) 12} The manna stopped the day after^[a] they ate this food from the land; there was no longer any manna for the Israelites, but that year they ate the produce of Canaan.^(F)

The Fall of Jericho

¹³ Now when Joshua was near Jericho, he looked up and saw a man^(G) standing in front of him with a drawn sword^(H) in his hand. Joshua went up to him and asked, “Are you for us or for our enemies?”

¹⁴ “Neither,” he replied, “but as commander of the army of the Lord I have now come.” Then Joshua fell facedown^(I) to the ground^(J) in reverence, and asked him, “What message does my Lord^[b] have for his servant?”

¹⁵ The commander of the Lord’s army replied, “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy.”^(K) And Joshua did so.

Love in Action

⁹ Love must be sincere.^(A) Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.^{(B) 10} Be devoted to one another in love.^(C) Honor one another above yourselves.^{(D) 11} Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor,^(E) serving the Lord. ¹² Be joyful in hope,^(F) patient in affliction,^(G) faithful in prayer.^{(H) 13} Share with the Lord’s people who are in need.^(I) Practice hospitality.^(J)

¹⁴ Bless those who persecute you;^(K) bless and do not curse. ¹⁵ Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.^{(L) 16} Live in harmony with one another.^(M) Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position.^[a] Do not be conceited.^(N)

¹⁷ Do not repay anyone evil for evil.^(O) Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone.^{(P) 18} If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.^{(Q) 19} Do not take revenge,^(R) my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,”^[b](S) says the Lord. ²⁰ On the contrary:

²¹ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

The Last Supper^(A)(B)(C)

¹⁷ On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread,^(D) the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Where do you want us to make preparations for you to eat the Passover?”^(E)

¹⁸ He replied, “Go into the city to a certain man and tell him, ‘The Teacher says: My appointed time^(F) is near. I am going to celebrate the Passover with my disciples at your house.’” ¹⁹ So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them and prepared the Passover.

²⁰ When evening came, Jesus was reclining at the table with the Twelve. ²¹ And while they were eating, he said, “Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me.”^(G)

²² They were very sad and began to say to him one after the other, “Surely you don’t mean me, Lord?”

²³ Jesus replied, “The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray me.^{(H) 24} The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him.^(I) But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born.”

²⁵ Then Judas, the one who would betray him,^(J) said, “Surely you don’t mean me, Rabbi?”^(K)

Jesus answered, “You have said so.”