Jesus Prays on the Mount of Olives^(A)

³⁹ Jesus went out as usual^(B) to the Mount of Olives,^(C) and his disciples followed him. ⁴⁰ On reaching the place, he said to them, “Pray that you will not fall into temptation.”^{(D) 41} He withdrew about a stone’s throw beyond them, knelt down^(E) and prayed, ⁴² “Father, if you are willing, take this cup^(F) from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.”^{(G) 43} An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him.^(H)

Jesus Prays in a Solitary Place^(A)

³⁵ Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.^(B)

¹⁶ But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.^(A)

Daniel in the Den of Lions

6 ^[a]It pleased Darius^(A) to appoint 120 satraps^(B) to rule throughout the kingdom, ² with three administrators over them, one of whom was Daniel.^(C) The satraps were made accountable^(D) to them so that the king might not suffer loss. ³ Now Daniel so distinguished himself among the administrators and the satraps by his exceptional qualities that the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom.^{(E) 4} At this, the administrators and the satraps tried to find grounds for charges^(F) against Daniel in his conduct of government affairs, but they were unable to do so. They could find no corruption in him, because he was trustworthy and neither corrupt nor negligent. ⁵ Finally these men said, “We will never find any basis for charges against this man Daniel unless it has something to do with the law of his God.”^(G)

⁶ So these administrators and satraps went as a group to the king and said: “May King Darius live forever!^{(H) 7} The royal administrators, prefects, satraps, advisers and governors^(I) have all agreed that the king should issue an edict and enforce the decree that anyone who prays to any god or human being during the next thirty days, except to you, Your Majesty, shall be thrown into the lions’ den.^{(J) 8} Now, Your Majesty, issue the decree and put it in writing so that it cannot be altered—in accordance with the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be repealed.”^{(K) 9} So King Darius put the decree in writing.

¹⁰ Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward^(L) Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees^(M) and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before.^{(N) 11} Then these men went as a group and found Daniel praying and asking God for help.^{(O) 12} So they went to the king and spoke to him about his royal decree: “Did you not publish a decree that during the next thirty days anyone who prays to any god or human being except to you, Your Majesty, would be thrown into the lions’ den?”

The king answered, “The decree stands—in accordance with the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be repealed.”^(P)

¹³ Then they said to the king, “Daniel, who is one of the exiles from Judah,^(Q) pays no attention^(R) to you, Your Majesty, or to the decree you put in writing. He still prays three times a day.” ¹⁴ When the king heard this, he was greatly distressed;^(S) he was determined to rescue Daniel and made every effort until sundown to save him.

¹⁵ Then the men went as a group to King Darius and said to him, “Remember, Your Majesty, that according to the law of the Medes and Persians no decree or edict that the king issues can be changed.”^(T)

¹⁶ So the king gave the order, and they brought Daniel and threw him into the lions’ den.^(U) The king said to Daniel, “May your God, whom you serve continually, rescue^(V) you!”

¹⁷ A stone was brought and placed over the mouth of the den, and the king sealed^(W) it with his own signet ring and with the rings of his nobles, so that Daniel’s situation might not be changed. ¹⁸ Then the king returned to his palace and spent the night without eating^(X) and without any entertainment being brought to him. And he could not sleep.^(Y)

¹⁹ At the first light of dawn, the king got up and hurried to the lions’ den. ²⁰ When he came near the den, he called to Daniel in an anguished voice, “Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to rescue you from the lions?”^(Z)

²¹ Daniel answered, “May the king live forever!^{(AA) 22} My God sent his angel,^(AB) and he shut the mouths of the lions.^(AC) They have not hurt me, because I was found innocent in his sight.^(AD) Nor have I ever done any wrong before you, Your Majesty.”

²³ The king was overjoyed and gave orders to lift Daniel out of the den. And when Daniel was lifted from the den, no wound^(AE) was found on him, because he had trusted^(AF) in his God.

Jesus Arrested^(A)

18 When he had finished praying, Jesus left with his disciples and crossed the Kidron Valley.^(B) On the other side there was a garden,^(C) and he and his disciples went into it.^(D)

² Now Judas, who betrayed him, knew the place, because Jesus had often met there with his disciples.^(E)

⁴⁹ For I did not speak on my own, but the Father who sent me commanded me^(A) to say all that I have spoken.

¹⁹ Jesus gave them this answer: “Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself;^(A) he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does.

Jesus Is Tested in the Wilderness^(A)

4 Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit,^(B) left the Jordan^(C) and was led by the Spirit^(D) into the wilderness, ² where for forty days^(E) he was tempted^[a] by the devil.^(F) He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them he was hungry.

³ The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God,^(G) tell this stone to become bread.”

⁴ Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone.’^[b]”^(H)

⁵ The devil led him up to a high place and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world.^{(I) 6} And he said to him, “I will give you all their authority and splendor; it has been given to me,^(J) and I can give it to anyone I want to. ⁷ If you worship me, it will all be yours.”

⁸ Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.’^[c]”^(K)

⁹ The devil led him to Jerusalem and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down from here. ¹⁰ For it is written:

¹² Jesus answered, “It is said: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’^[e]”^(M)