Hezekiah Organizes the Priests

31 Now when all this was finished, all Israel who were present went out to the cities of Judah and ^(A)broke in pieces the ^(B)pillars and cut down ^(C)the Asherim and broke down the high places and the altars throughout all Judah and Benjamin, and in Ephraim and Manasseh, until they had destroyed them all. Then all the people of Israel returned to their cities, every man to his possession.

² And Hezekiah appointed ^(D)the divisions of the priests and of the Levites, division by division, each according to his service, the priests and the Levites, ^(E)for burnt offerings and peace offerings, to minister in the gates of the camp of the Lord and to give thanks and praise. ^3 (F)The contribution of the king from his own possessions was for the burnt offerings: the burnt offerings of morning and evening, and the burnt offerings for the Sabbaths, the new moons, and the appointed feasts, ^(G)as it is written in the Law of the Lord. ⁴ And he commanded the people who lived in Jerusalem to give ^(H)the portion due to the priests and the Levites, that they might give themselves to the Law of the Lord. ⁵ As soon as the command was spread abroad, the people of Israel gave in abundance the firstfruits of grain, wine, oil, honey, and of all the produce of the field. And they brought in abundantly ^(I)the tithe of everything. ⁶ And the people of Israel and Judah who lived in the cities of Judah also brought in the tithe of cattle and sheep, and ^(J)the tithe of the dedicated things that had been dedicated to the Lord their God, and laid them in heaps. ⁷ In the third month they began to pile up the heaps, and finished them in the seventh month. ⁸ When Hezekiah and the princes came and saw the heaps, they blessed the Lord and his people Israel. ⁹ And Hezekiah questioned the priests and the Levites about the heaps. ¹⁰ Azariah the chief priest, who was ^(K)of the house of Zadok, answered him, “Since they began to bring the contributions into the house of the Lord, we have eaten and had enough and have plenty left, ^(L)for the Lord has blessed his people, so that we have this large amount left.”

¹¹ Then Hezekiah commanded them to prepare ^(M)chambers in the house of the Lord, and they prepared them. ¹² And they faithfully brought in the contributions, the tithes, and the dedicated things. The chief officer ^(N)in charge of them was Conaniah the Levite, with ^(O)Shimei his brother as second, ^13 (P)while Jehiel, Azaziah, Nahath, Asahel, Jerimoth, Jozabad, Eliel, Ismachiah, ^(Q)Mahath, and Benaiah were overseers assisting Conaniah and Shimei his brother, by the appointment of Hezekiah the king and ^(R)Azariah the chief officer of the house of God. ¹⁴ And Kore the son of Imnah the Levite, keeper of the east gate, was over the freewill offerings to God, to apportion the contribution reserved for the Lord and the most holy offerings. ^15 (S)Eden, Miniamin, Jeshua, Shemaiah, Amariah, and Shecaniah were faithfully assisting him in ^(T)the cities of the priests, to distribute the portions to their brothers, old and young alike, by divisions, ¹⁶ except those enrolled by genealogy, males from three years old and upward—all who entered the house of the Lord ^(U)as the duty of each day required—for their service according to their offices, by their divisions. ¹⁷ The enrollment of the priests was according to their fathers' houses; that of the Levites ^(V)from twenty years old and upward was according to their offices, by their divisions. ¹⁸ They were enrolled with all their little children, their wives, their sons, and their daughters, the whole assembly, for they were faithful in keeping themselves holy. ¹⁹ And for the sons of Aaron, the priests, who were in the fields of common land belonging to their cities, there were men in the several cities who were ^(W)designated by name to distribute portions to every male among the priests and to everyone among the Levites who was enrolled.

²⁰ Thus Hezekiah did throughout all Judah, ^(X)and he did what was good and right and faithful before the Lord his God. ²¹ And every work that he undertook in the service of the house of God and in accordance with the law and the commandments, seeking his God, he did with all his heart, and prospered.

Sennacherib Invades Judah

32 ^(Y)After these things and these acts of faithfulness, Sennacherib king of Assyria came and invaded Judah and encamped against the fortified cities, thinking to win them for himself. ² And when Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib had come and intended to fight against Jerusalem, ³ he planned with his officers and his mighty men to stop the water of the springs that were outside the city; and they helped him. ⁴ A great many people were gathered, and they stopped all the springs and ^(Z)the brook that flowed through the land, saying, “Why should the kings of Assyria come and find much water?” ⁵ He set to work resolutely and built up ^(AA)all the wall that was broken down and raised towers upon it,^[a] and outside it he built another wall, and he strengthened the ^(AB)Millo in the city of David. He also made weapons and shields in abundance. ⁶ And he set combat commanders over the people and gathered them together to him in the square at the gate of the city and spoke ^(AC)encouragingly to them, saying, ^7 (AD)“Be strong and courageous. ^(AE)Do not be afraid or dismayed before the king of Assyria and all the horde that is with him, ^(AF)for there are more with us than with him. ⁸ With him is ^(AG)an arm of flesh, ^(AH)but with us is the Lord our God, to help us and to fight our battles.” And the people took confidence from the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.

My Soul Longs for the Courts of the Lord

To the choirmaster: according to ^(A)The Gittith.^[a] A Psalm of ^(B)the Sons of Korah.

The Parable of the Ten Virgins

25 “Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ^(A)ten virgins who took their lamps^[a] and went to meet ^(B)the bridegroom.^{[b] 2} Five of them were foolish, and five were ^(C)wise. ³ For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, ⁴ but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. ⁵ As the bridegroom ^(D)was delayed, they all became drowsy and slept. ⁶ But ^(E)at midnight there was a cry, ‘Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ ⁷ Then all those virgins rose and ^(F)trimmed their lamps. ⁸ And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ ⁹ But the wise answered, saying, ‘Since there will not be enough for us and for you, go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves.’ ¹⁰ And while they were going to buy, the bridegroom came, and ^(G)those who were ready went in with him to ^(H)the marriage feast, and ^(I)the door was shut. ¹¹ Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ^(J)‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ ^12 (K)But he answered, ‘Truly, I say to you, ^(L)I do not know you.’ ^13 (M)Watch therefore, for you ^(N)know neither the day nor the hour.

The Parable of the Talents

^14 (O)“For ^(P)it will be like a man ^(Q)going on a journey, who called his servants^[c] and entrusted to them his property. ¹⁵ To one he gave five ^(R)talents,^[d] to another two, to another one, ^(S)to each according to his ability. Then he ^(T)went away. ¹⁶ He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more. ¹⁷ So also he who had the two talents made two talents more. ¹⁸ But he who had received the one talent went and ^(U)dug in the ground and hid his master's money. ¹⁹ Now ^(V)after a long time the master of those servants came and ^(W)settled accounts with them. ²⁰ And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me five talents; here, I have made five talents more.’ ²¹ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and ^(X)faithful servant.^{[e] (Y)}You have been faithful over a little; ^(Z)I will set you over much. Enter into ^(AA)the joy of your master.’ ²² And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me two talents; here, I have made two talents more.’ ²³ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ ²⁴ He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew you to be ^(AB)a hard man, reaping ^(AC)where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, ²⁵ so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here, ^(AD)you have what is yours.’ ²⁶ But his master answered him, ‘You ^(AE)wicked and ^(AF)slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed? ²⁷ Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. ²⁸ So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents. ^29 (AG)For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. ³⁰ And ^(AH)cast ^(AI)the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place ^(AJ)there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

The Final Judgment

^31 (AK)“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, ^(AL)then he will sit on his glorious throne. ³² Before him ^(AM)will be gathered ^(AN)all the nations, and ^(AO)he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates ^(AP)the sheep from the goats. ³³ And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. ³⁴ Then ^(AQ)the King will say to ^(AR)those on his right, ‘Come, you ^(AS)who are blessed by my Father, ^(AT)inherit ^(AU)the kingdom ^(AV)prepared for you ^(AW)from the foundation of the world. ³⁵ For ^(AX)I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you ^(AY)gave me drink, ^(AZ)I was a stranger and you welcomed me, ^36 (BA)I was naked and you clothed me, ^(BB)I was sick and you ^(BC)visited me, ^(BD)I was in prison and you came to me.’ ³⁷ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? ³⁸ And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? ³⁹ And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ ⁴⁰ And ^(BE)the King will answer them, ^(BF)‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these ^(BG)my brothers,^[f] you did it to me.’

⁴¹ “Then he will say to those on his left, ^(BH)‘Depart from me, you ^(BI)cursed, into ^(BJ)the eternal fire prepared for ^(BK)the devil and his angels. ⁴² For ^(BL)I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, ⁴³ I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ ⁴⁴ Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’ ⁴⁵ Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, ^(BM)you did not do it to me.’ ⁴⁶ And these will go away ^(BN)into eternal punishment, but the righteous ^(BO)into ^(BP)eternal life.”

The Plot to Kill Jesus

26 When Jesus had finished all these sayings, he said to his disciples, ^2 (BQ)“You know that after two days ^(BR)the Passover is coming, and ^(BS)the Son of Man ^(BT)will be delivered up to be crucified.”

^3 (BU)Then the chief priests and the elders of the people gathered in ^(BV)the palace of the high priest, whose name was ^(BW)Caiaphas, ^4 (BX)and plotted together in order to arrest Jesus by stealth and kill him. ⁵ But they said, “Not during the feast, ^(BY)lest there be an uproar among the people.”

Jesus Anointed at Bethany

^6 (BZ)Now when Jesus was at ^(CA)Bethany in the house of Simon the leper,^{[g] 7} a woman came up to him with an alabaster flask of very expensive ointment, and she poured it on his head as he reclined at table. ⁸ And when the disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, “Why this waste? ⁹ For this could have been sold for a large sum and ^(CB)given to the poor.” ¹⁰ But ^(CC)Jesus, aware of this, said to them, “Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a beautiful thing to me. ¹¹ For ^(CD)you always have the poor with you, but ^(CE)you will not always have me. ¹² In pouring this ointment on my body, she has done it ^(CF)to prepare me for burial. ¹³ Truly, I say to you, wherever ^(CG)this gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will also be told ^(CH)in memory of her.”

Judas to Betray Jesus

^14 (CI)Then one of the twelve, whose name was ^(CJ)Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests ¹⁵ and said, “What will you give me if I deliver him over to you?” And they ^(CK)paid him ^(CL)thirty pieces of silver. ¹⁶ And from that moment he sought an opportunity ^(CM)to betray him.

The Passover with the Disciples

^17 (CN)Now on ^(CO)the first day of Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Where will you have us prepare for you to eat the Passover?” ¹⁸ He said, “Go into the city to a certain man and say to him, ^(CP)‘The Teacher says, ^(CQ)My time is at hand. I will keep the Passover at your house with my disciples.’” ¹⁹ And the disciples did as Jesus had directed them, and they prepared the Passover.

^20 (CR)When it was evening, he reclined at table with the twelve.^{[h] 21} And as they were eating, ^(CS)he said, “Truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me.” ²² And they were very sorrowful and began to say to him one after another, “Is it I, Lord?” ²³ He answered, ^(CT)“He who has dipped his hand in the dish with me will betray me. ²⁴ The Son of Man goes ^(CU)as it is written of him, but ^(CV)woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! ^(CW)It would have been better for that man if he had not been born.” ²⁵ Judas, who would betray him, answered, “Is it I, ^(CX)Rabbi?” He said to him, ^(CY)“You have said so.”

Institution of the Lord's Supper

^26 (CZ)Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and ^(DA)after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; ^(DB)this is my body.” ²⁷ And he took a cup, and when he ^(DC)had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you, ²⁸ for ^(DD)this is my ^(DE)blood of the^[i] covenant, which is poured out for ^(DF)many ^(DG)for the forgiveness of sins. ²⁹ I tell you I will not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you ^(DH)in my Father's kingdom.”

Jesus Foretells Peter's Denial

^30 (DI)And when they had sung a hymn, ^(DJ)they went out to ^(DK)the Mount of Olives. ³¹ Then Jesus said to them, “You will all fall away because of me this night. For it is written, ‘I will ^(DL)strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’ ³² But after I am raised up, ^(DM)I will go before you to Galilee.” ^33 (DN)Peter answered him, “Though they all fall away because of you, I will never fall away.” ^34 (DO)Jesus said to him, “Truly, I tell you, this very night, ^(DP)before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” ^35 (DQ)Peter said to him, “Even if I must die with you, I will not deny you!” And all the disciples said the same.

Jesus Prays in Gethsemane

^36 (DR)Then Jesus went with them ^(DS)to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, “Sit here, while I go over there and pray.” ³⁷ And taking with him ^(DT)Peter and ^(DU)the two sons of Zebedee, he began to be sorrowful and troubled. ³⁸ Then he said to them, ^(DV)“My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and ^(DW)watch^[j] with me.” ³⁹ And going a little farther he fell on his face ^(DX)and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let ^(DY)this cup pass from me; ^(DZ)nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.” ⁴⁰ And he came to the disciples and found them sleeping. And he said to Peter, “So, could you not watch with me one hour? ^41 (EA)Watch and ^(EB)pray that you ^(EC)may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” ⁴² Again, for the second time, he went away and prayed, “My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, ^(ED)your will be done.” ⁴³ And again he came and found them sleeping, for ^(EE)their eyes were heavy. ⁴⁴ So, leaving them again, he went away and prayed for ^(EF)the third time, saying the same words again. ⁴⁵ Then he came to the disciples and said to them, “Sleep and take your rest later on.^[k] See, ^(EG)the hour is at hand, and ^(EH)the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. ⁴⁶ Rise, let us be going; see, my betrayer is at hand.”

Betrayal and Arrest of Jesus

^47 (EI)While he was still speaking, ^(EJ)Judas came, one of the twelve, and with him a great crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and the elders of the people. ⁴⁸ Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying, “The one I will kiss is the man; seize him.” ⁴⁹ And he came up to Jesus at once and said, “Greetings, ^(EK)Rabbi!” And he kissed him. ⁵⁰ Jesus said to him, ^(EL)“Friend, ^(EM)do what you came to do.”^[l] Then they came up and laid hands on Jesus and seized him. ⁵¹ And behold, one of those who were with Jesus stretched out his hand and drew his ^(EN)sword and struck the servant^[m] of the high priest and cut off his ear. ⁵² Then Jesus said to him, “Put your sword back into its place. For ^(EO)all who take the sword will perish by the sword. ^53 (EP)Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me ^(EQ)more than twelve ^(ER)legions of angels? ^54 (ES)But how then should the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must be so?” ⁵⁵ At that hour Jesus said to the crowds, “Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs to capture me? Day after day ^(ET)I sat in the temple ^(EU)teaching, and you did not seize me. ⁵⁶ But ^(EV)all this has taken place that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled.” ^(EW)Then all the disciples left him and fled.

Jesus Before Caiaphas and the Council

^57 (EX)Then ^(EY)those who had seized Jesus led him to ^(EZ)Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders had gathered. ⁵⁸ And ^(FA)Peter was following him at a distance, as far as ^(FB)the courtyard of the high priest, and going inside he sat with ^(FC)the guards to see the end. ⁵⁹ Now the chief priests and the whole council^{[n] (FD)}were seeking false testimony against Jesus that they might put him to death, ⁶⁰ but they found none, ^(FE)though many false witnesses came forward. At last ^(FF)two came forward ⁶¹ and said, “This man said, ^(FG)‘I am able to ^(FH)destroy the temple of God, and to rebuild it in three days.’” ⁶² And the high priest stood up and said, “Have you no answer to make? What is it that these men testify against you?”^{[o] 63 (FI)}But Jesus remained silent. ^(FJ)And the high priest said to him, ^(FK)“I adjure you by ^(FL)the living God, ^(FM)tell us if you are ^(FN)the Christ, ^(FO)the Son of God.” ⁶⁴ Jesus said to him, ^(FP)“You have said so. But I tell you, from now on ^(FQ)you will see the Son of Man ^(FR)seated at the right hand of Power and ^(FS)coming on the clouds of heaven.” ⁶⁵ Then the high priest ^(FT)tore his robes and said, ^(FU)“He has uttered blasphemy. What further witnesses do we need? You have now heard his blasphemy. ⁶⁶ What is your judgment?” They answered, ^(FV)“He deserves death.” ⁶⁷ Then ^(FW)they spit in his face ^(FX)and ^(FY)struck him. And some slapped him, ⁶⁸ saying, “Prophesy to us, you ^(FZ)Christ! Who is it that struck you?”

Peter Denies Jesus

^69 (GA)Now Peter was sitting outside ^(GB)in the courtyard. And a servant girl came up to him and said, “You also were with Jesus the Galilean.” ⁷⁰ But he denied it before them all, saying, “I do not know what you mean.” ⁷¹ And when he went out to the entrance, another servant girl saw him, and she said to the bystanders, “This man was with Jesus ^(GC)of Nazareth.” ⁷² And again he denied it with an oath: “I do not know the man.” ⁷³ After a little while the bystanders came up and said to Peter, “Certainly you too are one of them, for ^(GD)your accent betrays you.” ⁷⁴ Then he began to invoke a curse on himself and to swear, “I do not know the man.” And immediately the rooster crowed. ⁷⁵ And Peter remembered the saying of Jesus, ^(GE)“Before the rooster crows, you will ^(GF)deny me three times.” And he went out and wept bitterly.