Disciples of Isaiah

¹⁶ Bind up the testimony; seal the teaching among my disciples.^{(A) 17} I will wait for the Lord, who is hiding his face from the house of Jacob, and I will hope in him.^{(B) 18} See, I and the children whom the Lord has given me are signs and portents in Israel from the Lord of hosts, who dwells on Mount Zion.^{(C) 19} Now if people say to you, “Consult the ghosts and the familiar spirits that chirp and mutter; should not a people consult their gods, the dead on behalf of the living,^{(D) 20} for teaching and for instruction?” surely those who speak like this will have no dawn!^{(E) 21} They will pass through the land,^[a] greatly distressed and hungry; when they are hungry, they will be enraged and will curse^[b] their king and their gods. They will turn their faces upward,^{(F) 22} or they will look to the earth, but they will see only distress and darkness, the gloom of anguish, and they will be thrust into thick darkness.^[c](G)

The Righteous Reign of the Coming King

9 ^[d]But there will be no gloom for those who were in anguish. In the former time he brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time he will make glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations.^(H)

Salutation

1 Simeon^[a] Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ,

To those who have received a faith as equally honorable as ours through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ:

² May grace and peace be yours in abundance in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.

The Christian’s Call and Election

³ His divine power has given us everything needed for life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us by^[b] his own glory and excellence.^{(A) 4} Thus he has given us, through these things, his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may escape from the corruption that is in the world because of lust and may become participants of the divine nature.^{(B) 5} For this very reason, you must make every effort to support your faith with excellence, and excellence with knowledge,^{(C) 6} and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with endurance, and endurance with godliness, ⁷ and godliness with mutual affection, and mutual affection with love. ⁸ For if these things are yours and are increasing among you, they keep you from being ineffective and unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.^{(D) 9} For anyone who lacks these things is blind, suffering from eye disease, forgetful of the cleansing of past sins.^{(E) 10} Therefore, brothers and sisters, be all the more eager to confirm your call and election, for if you do this, you will never stumble. ¹¹ For in this way, entry into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be richly provided for you.

Jesus Prays on the Mount of Olives

³⁹ He came out and went, as was his custom, to the Mount of Olives, and the disciples followed him.^{(A) 40} When he reached the place, he said to them, “Pray that you may not come into the time of trial.”^{[a](B) 41} Then he withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, knelt down, and prayed, ⁴² “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me, yet not my will but yours be done.”^(C) [[⁴³ Then an angel from heaven appeared to him and gave him strength.^{(D) 44} In his anguish he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down on the ground.]]^{[b](E) 45} When he got up from prayer, he came to the disciples and found them sleeping because of grief, ⁴⁶ and he said to them, “Why are you sleeping? Get up and pray that you may not come into the time of trial.”^[c](F)

The Betrayal and Arrest of Jesus

⁴⁷ While he was still speaking, suddenly a crowd came, and the one called Judas, one of the twelve, was leading them. He approached Jesus to kiss him, ⁴⁸ but Jesus said to him, “Judas, is it with a kiss that you are betraying the Son of Man?” ⁴⁹ When those who were around him saw what was coming, they asked, “Lord, should we strike with the sword?”^{(G) 50} Then one of them struck the slave of the high priest and cut off his right ear. ⁵¹ But Jesus said, “No more of this!” And he touched his ear and healed him. ⁵² Then Jesus said to the chief priests, the officers of the temple police, and the elders who had come for him, “Have you come out with swords and clubs as though I were a rebel?^{(H) 53} When I was with you day after day in the temple, you did not lay hands on me. But this is your hour and the power of darkness!”^(I)