Read the Gospels in 40 Days
Jesus Brought Before Pilate(A)
23 Then the whole assembly rose and led Him to Pilate. 2 And they began to accuse Him, saying, “We found this Man perverting our nation, and forbidding us to pay taxes to Caesar, and saying that He Himself is Christ a King.”
3 So Pilate asked Him, “Are You the King of the Jews?”
He answered, “You truly say so.”
4 Then Pilate said to the chief priests and to the people, “I find no fault in this Man.”
5 But they insisted, saying, “He stirs up the people, teaching throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee to here.”
Jesus Before Herod
6 When Pilate heard of Galilee, he asked whether the Man was a Galilean. 7 When he learned that He belonged to Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent Him to Herod, who was also in Jerusalem at that time.
8 When Herod saw Jesus, he greatly rejoiced, for he had desired to see Him for a long time, because he had heard many things of Him, and he was hoping to see some miracle performed by Him. 9 He questioned Him with many words, but He gave no answer. 10 The chief priests and the scribes stood by, vehemently accusing Him. 11 Then Herod with his soldiers despised Him, and mocked Him, and dressed Him in a fine robe, and sent Him back to Pilate. 12 On the same day Pilate and Herod became friends with each other, having previously been at enmity with each other.
Jesus Sentenced to Die(B)
13 Pilate called together the chief priests and the rulers and the people, 14 and said to them, “You have brought this Man to me as one who incites the people. And truly, I, having examined Him before you, have found no fault in this Man concerning those things of which you accuse Him. 15 No, neither has Herod, for he sent him back to us. Look, nothing worthy of death has been done by Him. 16 I will therefore chastise Him and release Him.” 17 For he was obligated to release one man to them at the feast.
18 But they all cried out at once saying, “Take this Man away and release Barabbas to us!” 19 This man had been thrown in prison for an insurrection in the city and for murder.
20 Therefore Pilate spoke to them again, desiring to release Jesus. 21 But they cried out, “Crucify Him! Crucify Him!”
22 He said to them a third time, “Why, what evil has He done? I have found in Him no cause worthy of death. I will therefore chastise Him and release Him.”
23 But they insisted with loud voices, asking that He be crucified. And the voices of these men and of the chief priests prevailed. 24 So Pilate gave the sentence as they demanded. 25 He released to them the man who was thrown in prison for insurrection and murder, whom they asked for. But he sentenced Jesus according to their will.
The Crucifixion(C)
26 As they led Him away, they seized Simon of Cyrene, who was coming from the country, and they laid the cross on him to carry it behind Jesus. 27 A large number of people followed Him, including women who mourned and lamented Him. 28 Jesus turned to them, saying, “Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for Me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. 29 Listen, the days are coming when they will say, ‘Blessed are the barren, who never bore and never nursed!’ 30 Then
they will begin to say to the mountains, ‘Fall on us,’
and to the hills, ‘Cover us.’
31 For if men do these things when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?”
32 Two different men, who were criminals, also were led with Him to be killed. 33 When they came to the place which is called The Skull, there they crucified Him and the criminals, one on the right and one on the left. 34 Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” And they divided His clothes by casting lots.
35 The people stood by watching. But the rulers with them scoffed, saying, “He saved others. Let Him save Himself if He is the Christ, the Chosen One of God.”
36 And the soldiers also mocked Him, coming to Him and offering Him sour wine, 37 saying, “If You are the King of the Jews, save Yourself.”
38 An inscription was written over Him in letters of Greek and Latin and Hebrew:
THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.
39 One of the criminals who were hanged blasphemed Him, saying, “If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us!”
40 But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, seeing you are under the same sentence? 41 And we indeed, justly. For we are receiving the due reward of our deeds. But this Man has done nothing amiss.”
42 Then he said to Jesus, “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.”
43 Jesus said to him, “Truly, I tell you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.”
The Death of Jesus(D)
44 It was now about the sixth hour, and darkness came over all the land until the ninth hour, 45 while the sun was darkened. And the veil of the temple was torn in the middle. 46 And Jesus cried out with a loud voice, “Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit.” Having said this, He gave up the spirit.
47 When the centurion saw what had happened, he glorified God and said, “Certainly, this was a righteous Man.” 48 All the crowds who came together to that sight, witnessing what occurred, struck their chests and returned. 49 But all those who knew Him and the women accompanying Him from Galilee stood at a distance, seeing these things.
The Burial of Jesus(E)
50 Now there was a man named Joseph, a member of the Council, who was a good and just man. 51 He had not consented to their counsel and deed. He was from Arimathea, a city of the Jews, and he himself was also waiting for the kingdom of God. 52 This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. 53 Then he took Him down, and wrapped Him in linen, and placed Him in a hewn tomb, where no one had ever been buried. 54 It was the Day of Preparation, and the Sabbath was drawing near.
55 The women who came with Him from Galilee followed, and saw the tomb and how His body was placed. 56 Then they returned and prepared spices and ointments. On the Sabbath they rested according to the commandment.
The Resurrection of Jesus(F)
24 Now on the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they, and certain other women with them, came to the tomb bringing the spices they had prepared. 2 They found the stone rolled away from the tomb. 3 But when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. 4 While they were greatly perplexed concerning this, suddenly two men stood by them in shining garments. 5 As they were afraid and bowed their faces to the ground, they said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? 6 He is not here, but has risen! Remember how He spoke to you while He was still in Galilee, 7 saying, ‘The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and on the third day rise again.’ ” 8 Then they remembered His words.
9 And they returned from the tomb and reported all these things to the eleven and to all the rest. 10 It was Mary Magdalene and Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and other women with them, who told these things to the apostles. 11 But their words seemed like fables to them, and they did not believe them. 12 But Peter rose and ran to the tomb. Stooping down, he saw the linen clothes lying by themselves. He departed, wondering in himself what had happened.
The Walk to Emmaus(G)
13 Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles[a] from Jerusalem. 14 They were talking with each other about all these things that had happened. 15 While they communed and reasoned together, Jesus Himself drew near and went with them. 16 But their eyes were kept from recognizing Him.
17 He said to them, “What kind of communication are you sharing with one another while you are walking and are sad?”
18 One of them, named Cleopas, answered Him, “Are You the only foreigner in Jerusalem who does not know what has happened there in these days?”
19 He said to them, “What things?”
They said to Him, “Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet, powerful in deed and word before God and all the people, 20 and how our chief priests and rulers handed Him over to be sentenced to death and crucified Him. 21 But we were hoping that it was He who was to redeem Israel. Moreover, today is the third day since these things happened. 22 Even some women from among us, who arrived early at the tomb, surprised us. 23 When they did not find His body, they returned saying that they had even seen a vision of angels, who said that He was alive. 24 Then some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said. But they did not see Him.”
25 He said to them, “O fools! And slow of heart to believe what the prophets have spoken! 26 Was it not necessary for the Christ to suffer these things and to enter His glory?” 27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, He explained to them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures.
28 They drew near the village where they were traveling, and He seemed to be going farther. 29 But they urged Him, saying, “Stay with us. For it is nearly evening and the day is far spent.” So He went in to stay with them.
30 As He sat at supper with them, He took the bread, blessed it and broke it, and gave it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized Him. And He vanished out of their sight. 32 They said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while He talked to us on the way and while He opened the Scriptures to us?”
33 They rose up and returned to Jerusalem at once. And they found the eleven and those who were with them assembled together, 34 saying, “The Lord has risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!” 35 Then they reported what had happened on the way, and how He was recognized by them in the breaking of the bread.
The Appearance to the Disciples(H)
36 As they were saying this, Jesus Himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be unto you.”
37 They were terrified and frightened, and supposed that they saw a spirit. 38 He said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? 39 See My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself. Feel Me and see. For a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.”
40 When He said this, He showed them His hands and His feet. 41 And while they yet disbelieved for joy and wondered, He said to them, “Do you have any food here?” 42 They gave Him a piece of broiled fish and some honeycomb. 43 And He took it and ate it before them.
44 He said to them, “These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and in the Prophets and in the Psalms concerning Me.”
45 Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures. 46 He said to them, “Thus it is written, and accordingly it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, 47 and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things. 49 And look, I am sending the promise of My Father upon you. But wait in the city of Jerusalem until you are clothed with power from on high.”
The Ascension(I)
50 Then He led them out as far as Bethany, and He lifted up His hands and blessed them. 51 While He blessed them, He parted from them and was carried up into heaven. 52 Then they worshipped Him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, 53 and were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God. Amen.
The Holy Bible, Modern English Version. Copyright © 2014 by Military Bible Association. Published and distributed by Charisma House.