Read the Gospels in 40 Days
Jesus Stands in Front of Pilate (A)
23 Then all the many people got up and took Jesus to Pilate. 2 They began to tell things against Him, saying, “We have found this Man leading the people of our nation in a wrong way. He has been telling them not to pay taxes to Caesar. He has been saying He is Christ, a King.”
3 Pilate asked Jesus, “Are You the King of the Jews?” He said, “What you said is true.” 4 Then Pilate said to the religious leaders and to the people, “I find nothing wrong in this Man.” 5 They became more angry. They said, “He makes trouble among the people. He has been teaching over all the country of Judea, starting in Galilee and now here.”
Jesus Is Sent to Herod
6 When Pilate heard the word, Galilee, he asked, “Is the Man from Galilee?” 7 As soon as Pilate knew Jesus belonged in the country where Herod was king, he sent Him to Herod. Herod was in Jerusalem at that time also.
8 Herod was very glad when he saw Jesus because he had wanted to see Him for a long time. He had heard many things about Him and had hoped to see Him do some powerful work. 9 Herod talked to Jesus and asked many things. But Jesus said nothing. 10 The religious leaders and the teachers of the Law were standing there. They said many false things against Him.
11 Then Herod and his soldiers were very bad to Jesus and made fun of Him. They put a beautiful coat on Him and sent Him back to Pilate. 12 That day Pilate and Herod became friends. Before that they had worked against each other.
13 Pilate called the religious leaders and the leaders of the people and the people together. 14 He said to them, “You brought this Man to me as one that leads the people in the wrong way. I have asked Him about these things in front of you. I do not find Him guilty of the things you say against Him. 15 Herod found nothing wrong with Him because he sent Him back to us. There is no reason to have Him put to death. 16 I will punish Him and let Him go free.”
Jesus or Barabbas Is to Go Free (B)
17 *Every year at the time of the special supper, Pilate would let one person who was in prison go free. 18 They all cried out together with a loud voice, “Take this Man away! Let Barabbas go free.” 19 Barabbas had killed some people and had made trouble against the leaders of the country. He had been put in prison.
20 Pilate wanted to let Jesus go free so he talked to them again. 21 But they cried out, “Nail Him to a cross! Nail Him to a cross!” 22 Pilate said to them the third time, “Why, what bad thing has He done? I have found no reason to put Him to death. I will punish Him and let Him go free.”
23 But they kept on crying out with loud voices saying that He must be nailed to a cross. Their loud voices got what they wanted. 24 Then Pilate said that it should be done as they wanted. 25 Pilate let the man go free who had made trouble against the leaders of the country and who had killed people. He gave Jesus over to them to do with as they wanted.
Jesus on the Cross (C)
26 They led Jesus away. A man named Simon was coming in from the country of Cyrene and they made him carry the cross following behind Jesus.
27 Many people followed Jesus. There were women who cried and had sorrow for Him. 28 Jesus turned to them and said, “Daughters of Jerusalem do not cry for Me. Cry for yourselves and your children. 29 Listen! The days are coming when they will say, ‘Those who have never had children are happy. Those whose bodies have never given birth are happy. Those who have never fed babies are happy.’ 30 They will begin to say to the mountains, ‘Fall on us.’ They will say to the hills, ‘Cover us.’ 31 If they do these things to a green tree, what will they do when it is dry?”
32 Two other men were led away with Jesus to be put to death also. These men had done things making them guilty of death. 33 When they came to the place called Calvary, they nailed Jesus to a cross. The other two men were nailed to crosses also. One was on the right side of Jesus and the other was on His left side. 34 Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them. They do not know what they are doing.” And they divided His clothes by drawing names.
35 The people stood around looking on. The leaders were there with them making fun of Jesus. They said, “He saved others, let Him save Himself if He is the Christ, the Chosen One of God!” 36 The soldiers made fun of Him also. They put sour wine before Him. 37 They said, “If You are the King of the Jews, save Yourself.” 38 These words were written in the Greek and Latin and Hebrew languages above His head: “THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.”
The Two Robbers (D)
39 One of the men who was guilty of death who was on a cross beside Jesus spoke bad words to Him. He said, “If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us.” 40 But the other man on a cross spoke sharp words to the one who made fun of Jesus. He said, “Are you not afraid of God? You are also guilty and will be punished. 41 We are suffering and we should, because of the wrong we have done. But this Man has done nothing wrong.” 42 And he said to Jesus, “Lord, remember me when You come into Your holy nation.” 43 Jesus said to him, “For sure, I tell you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.”
The Death of Jesus (E)
44 It was dark over all the earth from noon until three o’clock. 45 The sun did not shine. In the house of God the curtain was torn in two pieces.
46 Then Jesus cried out with a loud voice, “Father, into Your hands I give My spirit.” When He said this, He died.
47 When the soldier saw what had happened, he thanked God. He said, “For sure, He was a good man.” 48 All the many people who came together to see the things that were done, went away beating themselves on their chests. 49 All His friends and the women who had come with Him from Galilee stood a long way off watching these things.
The Grave of Jesus (F)
50 There was a man named Joseph who belonged to the court. He was a good man and one who did right. 51 This man did not agree with what the court did. He was from Arimathea, a city of the Jews. He was looking for the holy nation of God to come. 52 Joseph went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.
53 Then he took it down and put it in linen cloth. It was laid in a grave which had been cut out in the side of a rock. This grave had never been used.
54 It was time to get ready for the Day of Rest which was about to begin. 55 The women who had come with Jesus from Galilee followed behind. They saw the grave and how His body was laid. 56 They went back and got some spices and perfumes ready. But they rested on the Day of Rest as the Law said to do.
Jesus Is Raised from the Dead (G)
24 Early in the morning on the first day of the week, the women went to the grave taking the spices they had made ready. 2 They found the stone had been pushed away from the grave. 3 They went in but they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.
4 While they wondered about what had happened, they saw two men standing by them in shining clothes. 5 They were very much afraid and got down with their faces to the ground. The men said to them, “Why do you look for the living One among those who are dead? 6 He is not here. He is risen. Do you not remember what He said to you when He was yet in Galilee? 7 He said, ‘The Son of Man must be given over into the hands of sinful men. He must be nailed to a cross. He will rise again three days later.’” 8 They remembered what He had said.
9 When they came back from the grave, they told all these things to the eleven followers and to all the others. 10 They were Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James. Other women who were with them told these things to the followers also. 11 Their words sounded like foolish talk. The followers did not believe them. 12 But Peter got up and ran to the grave. He got down to look in and saw only the linen clothes. Then he went away, surprised about what had happened.
The Followers of Jesus Do Not Believe He Is Risen (H)
13 That same day two of His followers were going to the town of Emmaus. It was about a two-hour walk from Jerusalem. 14 They talked of all these things that had happened. 15 While they were talking together, Jesus Himself came and walked along with them. 16 Something kept their eyes from seeing Who He was.
17 He said to them, “What are you talking about as you walk?” They stood still and looked sad. 18 One of them, whose name was Cleopas, said to Him, “Are you the only one visiting Jerusalem who has not heard of the things that have happened here these days?” 19 Jesus said to them, “What things?” They answered, “The things about Jesus of Nazareth. He was the great One Who spoke for God. He did powerful works and spoke powerful words in the sight of God and the people. 20 And the religious leaders and the leaders of the people gave Him over to be killed and nailed Him to a cross. 21 We were hoping He was the One Who was going to make the Jewish people free. But it was three days ago when these things happened.
22 “Some of the women of our group have surprised us and made us wonder. They went to the grave early this morning. 23 They did not find His body. They came back saying they had seen angels in a special dream who said that He was alive. 24 Some of those who were with us went to the grave and found it as the women had said. But they did not see Him.”
25 Then Jesus said to them, “You foolish men. How slow you are to believe what the early preachers have said. 26 Did not Christ have to go through these hard things to come into His shining-greatness?” 27 Jesus kept on telling them what Moses and all the early preachers had said about Him in the Holy Writings.
28 When they came to the town where they were going, Jesus acted as if He were going farther. 29 But they said to Him, “Stay with us. It will soon be evening. The day is about over.” He went in to stay with them. 30 As He sat at the table with them, He took the bread and gave thanks and broke it. Then He gave it to them. 31 And their eyes were opened and they knew Him. Then He left them and could not be seen. 32 They said to each other, “Were not our hearts filled with joy when He talked to us on the road about what the Holy Writings said?”
33 Then they got up at once and went back to Jerusalem. They found the eleven followers together and others with them. 34 They said, “For sure the Lord is risen and was seen by Simon.” 35 Then they told what had happened on the road and how they came to know Him when He broke the bread.
Jesus Is Seen by the Other Ten Followers
36 As they talked, Jesus Himself stood among them. He said, “May you have peace.” 37 But they were afraid and full of fear. They thought they saw a spirit. 38 Jesus said to them, “Why are you afraid? Why do you have doubts in your hearts? 39 Look at My hands and My feet. See! It is I, Myself! Touch Me and see for yourself. A spirit does not have flesh and bones as I have.” 40 When Jesus had said this, He showed them His hands and feet.
41 They still wondered. It was hard for them to believe it and yet it made them happy. Then He said to them, “Do you have anything here to eat?” 42 They gave Jesus a piece of fish that had been cooked and some honey. 43 He took it and ate it in front of them.
Jesus Sends His Followers to Teach (I)
44 Jesus said to them, “These are the things I told you while I was yet with you. All things written about Me in the Law of Moses and in the Books of the early preachers and in the Psalms must happen as they said they would happen.” 45 Then He opened their minds to understand the Holy Writings. 46 He said to them, “It is written that Christ should suffer and be raised from the dead after three days. 47 It must be preached that men must be sorry for their sins and turn from them. Then they will be forgiven. This must be preached in His name to all nations beginning in Jerusalem. 48 You are to tell what you have seen. 49 See! I will send you what My Father promised. But you are to stay in Jerusalem until you have received power from above.”
Jesus Goes to Be Beside His Father (J)
50 Jesus led them out as far as Bethany. Then He lifted up His hands and prayed that good would come to them. 51 And while He was praying that good would come to them, He went from them (*and was taken up to heaven and 52 they worshiped Him). Then they went back to Jerusalem with great joy. 53 They spent all their time in the house of God honoring and giving thanks to God.
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