Psalm 40^[a](A)

For the director of music. Of David. A psalm.

Psalm 54^[a]

For the director of music. With stringed instruments. A maskil^[b] of David. When the Ziphites^(A) had gone to Saul and said, “Is not David hiding among us?”

Abraham Tested

22 Some time later God tested^(A) Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham!”

“Here I am,”^(B) he replied.

² Then God said, “Take your son^(C), your only son, whom you love—Isaac—and go to the region of Moriah.^(D) Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering^(E) on a mountain I will show you.^(F)”

³ Early the next morning^(G) Abraham got up and loaded his donkey. He took with him two of his servants and his son Isaac. When he had cut enough wood for the burnt offering, he set out for the place God had told him about. ⁴ On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance. ⁵ He said to his servants, “Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there. We will worship and then we will come back to you.^(H)”

⁶ Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and placed it on his son Isaac,^(I) and he himself carried the fire and the knife.^(J) As the two of them went on together, ⁷ Isaac spoke up and said to his father Abraham, “Father?”

“Yes, my son?” Abraham replied.

“The fire and wood are here,” Isaac said, “but where is the lamb^(K) for the burnt offering?”

⁸ Abraham answered, “God himself will provide^(L) the lamb^(M) for the burnt offering, my son.” And the two of them went on together.

⁹ When they reached the place God had told him about,^(N) Abraham built an altar^(O) there and arranged the wood^(P) on it. He bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar,^(Q) on top of the wood. ¹⁰ Then he reached out his hand and took the knife^(R) to slay his son.^{(S) 11} But the angel of the Lord^(T) called out to him from heaven,^(U) “Abraham! Abraham!”^(V)

“Here I am,”^(W) he replied.

¹² “Do not lay a hand on the boy,” he said. “Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God,^(X) because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son.^(Y)”

¹³ Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram^[a] caught by its horns.^(Z) He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son.^{(AA) 14} So Abraham called^(AB) that place The Lord^(AC) Will Provide. And to this day it is said, “On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided.^(AD)”

¹⁰ Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke^(A) of the grace that was to come to you,^(B) searched intently and with the greatest care,^{(C) 11} trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ^(D) in them was pointing when he predicted^(E) the sufferings of the Messiah and the glories that would follow. ¹² It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you,^(F) when they spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who have preached the gospel to you^(G) by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven.^(H) Even angels long to look into these things.

Be Holy

¹³ Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober,^(I) set your hope^(J) on the grace to be brought to you^(K) when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming.^{(L) 14} As obedient^(M) children, do not conform^(N) to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance.^{(O) 15} But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do;^{(P) 16} for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”^[a](Q)

¹⁷ Since you call on a Father^(R) who judges each person’s work^(S) impartially,^(T) live out your time as foreigners^(U) here in reverent fear.^{(V) 18} For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed^(W) from the empty way of life^(X) handed down to you from your ancestors, ¹⁹ but with the precious blood^(Y) of Christ, a lamb^(Z) without blemish or defect.^{(AA) 20} He was chosen before the creation of the world,^(AB) but was revealed in these last times^(AC) for your sake.

³⁶ Simon Peter asked him, “Lord, where are you going?”^(A)

Jesus replied, “Where I am going, you cannot follow now,^(B) but you will follow later.”^(C)

³⁷ Peter asked, “Lord, why can’t I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.”

³⁸ Then Jesus answered, “Will you really lay down your life for me? Very truly I tell you, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times!^(D)

The Burial of Jesus^(A)

³⁸ Later, Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate for the body of Jesus. Now Joseph was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly because he feared the Jewish leaders.^(B) With Pilate’s permission, he came and took the body away. ³⁹ He was accompanied by Nicodemus,^(C) the man who earlier had visited Jesus at night. Nicodemus brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds.^{[a] 40} Taking Jesus’ body, the two of them wrapped it, with the spices, in strips of linen.^(D) This was in accordance with Jewish burial customs.^{(E) 41} At the place where Jesus was crucified, there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb, in which no one had ever been laid. ⁴² Because it was the Jewish day of Preparation^(F) and since the tomb was nearby,^(G) they laid Jesus there.