Psalm 26

Of David.

Jesus Predicts His Death^(A)

²¹ From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem^(B) and suffer many things^(C) at the hands of the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law,^(D) and that he must be killed^(E) and on the third day^(F) be raised to life.^(G)

²² Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. “Never, Lord!” he said. “This shall never happen to you!”

²³ Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan!^(H) You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”

²⁴ Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.^{(I) 25} For whoever wants to save their life^[a] will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it.^{(J) 26} What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? ²⁷ For the Son of Man^(K) is going to come^(L) in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what they have done.^(M)

²⁸ “Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”

The Riot in Ephesus

²³ About that time there arose a great disturbance about the Way.^{(A) 24} A silversmith named Demetrius, who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought in a lot of business for the craftsmen there. ²⁵ He called them together, along with the workers in related trades, and said: “You know, my friends, that we receive a good income from this business.^{(B) 26} And you see and hear how this fellow Paul has convinced and led astray large numbers of people here in Ephesus^(C) and in practically the whole province of Asia.^(D) He says that gods made by human hands are no gods at all.^{(E) 27} There is danger not only that our trade will lose its good name, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will be discredited; and the goddess herself, who is worshiped throughout the province of Asia and the world, will be robbed of her divine majesty.”

²⁸ When they heard this, they were furious and began shouting: “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”^{(F) 29} Soon the whole city was in an uproar. The people seized Gaius^(G) and Aristarchus,^(H) Paul’s traveling companions from Macedonia,^(I) and all of them rushed into the theater together. ³⁰ Paul wanted to appear before the crowd, but the disciples^(J) would not let him. ³¹ Even some of the officials of the province, friends of Paul, sent him a message begging him not to venture into the theater.