Read the Gospels in 40 Days

The destruction of Jerusalem and the temple. The end of the world; the day and the hour is unknown.

13 And as he went out of the temple, one of his disciples said to him, Teacher, see what stones and what buildings are here! ² And Jesus answered and said to him, Do you see these great buildings? There will not be left one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.

³ And as he sat on the Mount of Olives across from the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew asked him privately, ⁴ Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign when all these things are going to be fulfilled?

⁵ And Jesus answered them and began, saying, Take heed, lest anyone deceive you. ⁶ For many will come in my name saying, I am Christ, and will deceive many.

⁷ When you hear of war and reports of war, do not be troubled. For such things must be. But the end is not yet. ⁸ For nation will arise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be earthquakes in all quarters, and famines and troubles. These are the beginning of sorrows.

⁹ But take heed to yourselves. For they will bring you up before the councils and into the synagogues, and you will be beaten; yea, and will be brought before rulers and kings for my sake, for a testimony to them. ¹⁰ And the gospel must first be preached among all nations. ¹¹ But when they lead you and present you, do not be anxious about what you will say, nor prepare ahead. But whatever is given you at that same time, that speak. For it will not be you who speak, but the Holy Spirit.

¹² Yea and brother will deliver brother to death, and the father the son; and the children will rise against their fathers and mothers, and will put them to death. ¹³ And you will be hated by all men for my name’s sake. But whosoever endures to the end, the same shall be saved.

¹⁴ Moreover, when you see the abomination that betokens desolation, of which Daniel the prophet has spoken, standing where it ought not, let him who reads, understand. Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. ¹⁵ And let him who is on the housetop not descend down into the house, neither enter in to fetch anything out of his house. ¹⁶ And let him who is in the field not turn back again to those things that he left behind him, to take his clothes with him. ¹⁷ Woe shall be then to women that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days. ¹⁸ But pray that your flight be not in the winter. ¹⁹ For there shall be in those days such tribulation as was not from the beginning of creatures that God created to this time, nor will be again. ²⁰ And if the Lord did not shorten those days, no one would be saved. But for the sake of the elect, whom he has chosen, he has shortened those days.

²¹ And then if anyone says to you, Lo, here is Christ! Lo, he is there! –  believe it not. ²² For false Christs will arise, and false prophets, and they will show miracles and wonders, to deceive if it were possible even the elect. ²³ But take heed: behold, I have told you all things beforehand.

²⁴ Moreover in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will grow dark, and the moon will not give her light, ²⁵ and the stars of heaven will fall; and the powers which are in heaven shall move. ²⁶ And then will they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory. ²⁷ And then he will send his angels, and will gather together his elect from the four winds, and from one end of the world to the other.

²⁸ Learn from a similitude of the fig tree. When its branches are yet tender and it has brought forth leaves, you know that summer is near. ²⁹ So also in like manner, when you see these things come to pass, understand that it is near, even at the doors. ³⁰ Truly I say to you that this generation will not pass till all these things be done.

³¹ Heaven and earth shall pass, but my words will not pass. ³² But of that day and hour no one knows, no, not the angels who are in heaven, nor the Son himself, but the Father only. ³³ Take heed. Watch and pray, for you know not when the time is. ³⁴ It is as a man who has gone into a far country, and has left his house, and given authority to his servants, and to each his work, and instructed the porter to watch.

³⁵ Watch therefore. For you know not when the master of the house will come – whether at evening or midnight, whether at the cock-crowing or in the dawning – ³⁶ lest, if he come suddenly, he should find you sleeping. ³⁷ And what I say to you, I say to all: Watch!

Mary Magdalene anoints Christ. The Passover lamb is eaten. Christ is taken. Peter denies him, with many other things that were demanded of Christ.

14 After two days followed Passover, and the days of sweet bread. And the high priests and the scribes were seeking means to apprehend Jesus by craft and put him to death. ² But, they said, not in the feast day, lest any uproar arise among the people.

³ When he was in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper, even as he sat at food, there came a woman having an alabaster jar of anointing oil called nard, which was pure and costly. And she broke the jar and poured it on his head. ⁴ And there were some who were displeased in themselves and said, Why this waste of oyntment? ⁵ For it could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii, and the money given to the poor. And they grudged against her.

⁶ And Jesus said, Let her be in rest. Why do you trouble her? She has done a good work on me. ⁷ For you will have the poor with you always, and whenever you wish, you may do them good. But me you will not have always. ⁸ She has done what she could: she came beforehand to anoint my body for the burial. ⁹ Truly I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached throughout the whole world, this also that she has done will be told, in remembrance of her.

¹⁰ And Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went away to the high priests, to betray him to them. ¹¹ When they heard that, they were glad, and promised that they would give him money. And he sought an opportune way to betray him.

¹² And the first day of sweet bread, when people offer the Passover lamb, Jesus’ disciples said to him, Where would you like us to go and prepare for you to eat the Passover lamb? ¹³ And he sent forth two of his disciples and said to them, Go into the city, and there a man will meet you bearing a pitcher of water. Follow him. ¹⁴ And wherever he goes in, say to the head of the house, The Teacher asks, Where is the guest chamber where I may eat the Passover lamb with my disciples? ¹⁵ And he will show you a large upper room furnished and prepared: there make ready for us.

¹⁶ And his disciples went forth, and came to the city, and found things as he had said to them, and made ready the Passover lamb.

¹⁷ And in the evening, he came with the twelve. ¹⁸ And as they sat at the table and ate, Jesus said, Truly I say to you that one of you who eats with me will betray me. ¹⁹ And they began to mourn, and to say to him one by one, Is it I? And another said, Is it I?

²⁰ He answered and said to them, It is one of the twelve, and the same dips with me in the platter. ²¹ The Son of man goes as it is written of him. But woe is to that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed. It would have been good for that man if he had never been born.

²² And as they ate, Jesus took bread, blessed, and broke, and gave to them and said, Take, eat; this is my body. ²³ And he took the cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, and they all drank of it. ²⁴ And he said to them, This is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many. ²⁵ Truly I say to you, I will drink no more of this fruit of the vine until that day that I drink it new in the kingdom of God.

²⁶ And when they had sung praises, they went out to the Mount of Olives. ²⁷ And Jesus said to them, All of you will fall away because of me this night. For it is written: I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered. ²⁸ But after I am risen up again, I will go into Galilee ahead of you. ²⁹ But Peter said to him, Even if all were to fall away, yet I would not. ³⁰ And Jesus said to him, Truly I say to you, this day – even this night, before the cock crows twice – you will deny me three times. ³¹ And Peter spoke more boldly: No; if I must die with you, I will not deny you. Likewise also said all the others.

³² And they came to a place named Gethsemane. And he said to his disciples, Sit here, while I go apart and pray. ³³ And he took with him Peter, James, and John. And he began to be horrified, and to be in an agony, ³⁴ and said to them, My soul is very heavy, even to the death. You stay here and watch. ³⁵ And he went forward a little, and fell down on the ground and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. ³⁶ And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible to you; take away this cup from me. Nevertheless, not what I will, but what you will, be done.

³⁷ And he came and found them sleeping and said to Peter, Simon, are you sleeping? Could not you watch with me one hour? ³⁸ Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit is ready, but the flesh is weak.

³⁹ And again he went away and prayed, and spoke the same words. ⁴⁰ And he returned and found them asleep again, for their eyes were heavy; neither did they know what to answer him. ⁴¹ And he came the third time, and said to them, Sleep on now, and take your ease! It is enough. The hour has come. Behold, the Son of man will be delivered into the hands of sinners. ⁴² Rise up, let us go. Lo, he who betrays me is at hand.

⁴³ And immediately, while he yet spoke, came Judas, one of the twelve. With him was a large band of people with swords and clubs, sent from the high priests and scribes and elders. ⁴⁴ And he who betrayed him had arranged a sign, saying, Whomever I kiss, he it is; take him and lead him away warily.

⁴⁵ And as soon as Judas had come, he went straightaway to Jesus and said to him, Master, Master! and kissed him. ⁴⁶ And they laid their hands on him and took him. ⁴⁷ And one of those who stood by drew out a sword and struck a servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear.

⁴⁸ And Jesus spoke and said to them, You have come out as if to a thief, with swords and with clubs to capture me. ⁴⁹ I was daily with you in the temple teaching, and you did not take me. But the scriptures must be fulfilled.

⁵⁰ And they all forsook him, and ran away. ⁵¹ And he had a follower, a certain young man clothed in linen upon the bare. And the young men caught him, ⁵² but he left his linen cloth and fled from them naked.

⁵³ And they led Jesus away to the highest priest of all, and to him came all the high priests and the elders and the scribes. ⁵⁴ And Peter followed him a great way off, right into the palace courtyard of the high priest, and sat with the servants, and warmed himself at the fire.

⁵⁵ And the high priests and all the council sought for witness against Jesus, to put him to death, and found none. ⁵⁶ Yet many bore false witness against him, but their testimonies did not agree together. ⁵⁷ And certain men arose and brought false witness against him, saying, ⁵⁸ We heard him say, I will destroy this temple made with hands, and within three days I will build another made without hands. ⁵⁹ But their testimonies did not agree together.

⁶⁰ And the highest priest stood up amongst them and asked Jesus, saying, Do you answer nothing? How is it that these men bear witness against you? ⁶¹ And he held his peace and answered nothing. Again the highest priest asked him and said to him, Are you Christ, the Son of the Blessed? ⁶² And Jesus said, I am; and you will see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power and coming in the clouds of heaven.

⁶³ Then the highest priest tore his clothes and said, Why do we need any further witnesses? ⁶⁴ You have heard the blasphemy. What do you think?

And they all gave sentence that he was worthy of death. ⁶⁵ And some began to spit at him, and to cover his face, and to beat him with fists, and to say to him, Prophesy to us! And the servants struck him on the face.

⁶⁶ And as Peter was below in the interior courtyard, there came one of the servant girls of the highest priest. ⁶⁷ When she saw Peter warming himself, she looked on him and said, Were you not also with Jesus of Nazareth? ⁶⁸ And he denied it, saying, I do not know him, or understand what you are saying. And he went out into the porch, and the cock crew. ⁶⁹ And a maidservant saw him and again began to say to those who stood by, This is one of them. ⁷⁰ And he denied it again. And soon after, those standing by said again to Peter, Surely you are one of them, for you are from Galilee and your speech is the same. ⁷¹ And he began to curse and to swear, saying, I do not know this man of whom you speak. ⁷² And again the cock crew. And Peter remembered the word that Jesus had said to him – Before the cock crows twice, you will deny me three times – and he began to weep.