Read the Gospels in 40 Days
Jesus’ Trial in Pilate’s Court
23 The whole group of them got up and brought him before Pilate. 2 They began to accuse him, saying, “We found this fellow misleading our nation, forbidding the payment of taxes to Caesar, and saying that he himself is Christ, a king.”
3 Pilate asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?”
“It is as you say,” Jesus replied.
4 Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowds, “I find no basis for a charge against this man.”
5 But they kept insisting, “He stirs up the people, teaching all through Judea, beginning from Galilee all the way here.”
Pilate Sends Jesus to Herod
6 When Pilate heard this, he asked if the man was a Galilean. 7 When he learned that he was under Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod, who was also in Jerusalem during those days.
8 When Herod saw Jesus, he was very glad. For a long time, he had wanted to see him, because he had heard many things about him. He hoped to see some miracle performed by him. 9 He questioned him with many words, but Jesus gave him no answer. 10 The chief priests and the experts in the law stood there, vehemently accusing him. 11 Herod, along with his soldiers, treated him with contempt and ridiculed him. Dressing him in bright clothing, he sent him back to Pilate. 12 Herod and Pilate became friends with each other on that day. Before this they had been enemies of each other.
13 Pilate called together the chief priests, the rulers, and the people, 14 and said to them, “You brought this man to me as one who is misleading the people. Look, I have examined him in your presence. I have found in this man no basis for the charges you are bringing against him. 15 Herod did not either, for he sent him back to us.[a] See, he has done nothing worthy of death. 16 So I will have him flogged and release him.”
Barabbas or Jesus?
17 Pilate needed to release one prisoner to them at the Festival.[b] 18 But they all shouted together with one voice: “Take him away! Release Barabbas to us!” 19 Barabbas had been thrown in prison for a rebellion in the city and for murder.
20 Pilate addressed them again, because he wanted to release Jesus. 21 But they kept shouting, “Crucify! Crucify him!”
22 He said to them the third time, “Why? What evil has he done? I have found no grounds for sentencing him to death. So I will whip him and release him.” 23 But they kept pressuring him with loud voices, demanding that he be crucified. And their voices[c] were overwhelming. 24 So Pilate decided that what they demanded would be done. 25 He released the one they had asked for, who had been thrown in prison for rebellion and murder, but he handed Jesus over to their will.
The Crucifixion
26 As they led him away, they seized Simon of Cyrene, who was coming from the country. They placed the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus. 27 A large crowd of people was following him, including women who were mourning and wailing for him. 28 Jesus turned to them and said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, stop weeping for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. 29 Be sure of this: The days are coming when they will say, ‘Blessed are the childless women, the wombs that never gave birth, and the breasts that never nursed.’ 30 Then they will begin to say to the mountains, ‘Fall on us!’ and to the hills, ‘Cover us.’[d] 31 For if they do these things to the green wood, what will happen to the dry?”
32 Two other men, who were criminals, were led away with Jesus to be executed.
33 When they came to the place called The Skull, they crucified him there with the criminals, one on his right and the other on his left.
34 Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”
They cast lots to divide his garments among them. 35 The people stood watching. The rulers were ridiculing him, saying, “He saved others. Let him save himself, if this is the Christ of God, the Chosen One!”
36 The soldiers also made fun of him. Coming up to him, they offered him sour wine, 37 saying, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!”
38 There was also an inscription written above him: “This is the King of the Jews.”
39 One of the criminals hanging there was blaspheming him, saying, “Aren’t you the Christ? Save yourself and us!”
40 But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God, since you are under the same condemnation? 41 We are punished justly, for we are receiving what we deserve for what we have done, but this man has done nothing wrong.” 42 Then he said, “Jesus, remember me[e] when you come in[f] your kingdom.”
43 Jesus said to him, “Amen I tell you: Today you will be with me in paradise.”
Jesus’ Death
44 It was now about the sixth hour,[g] and darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour,[h] 45 while the sun was darkened. Then the curtain of the temple was torn in two. 46 Jesus cried out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!”[i] When he had said this, he breathed his last.
47 When the centurion saw what had happened, he began to glorify God, saying, “This man really was righteous.” 48 When all the groups of people who had gathered to see this spectacle saw what had happened, they returned home beating their chests. 49 All those who knew Jesus, and the women who followed him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things.
Jesus’ Burial
50 Now there was a man named Joseph, from the Jewish town of Arimathea, who was a member of the Council, a good and righteous man. 51 He had not agreed with their plan and action. He was looking forward to the kingdom of God. 52 This man went to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body. 53 He took it down, wrapped it in a linen cloth, and placed it in a tomb that was cut out of rock, where no one had yet been laid. 54 It was Preparation Day, and the Sabbath was beginning. 55 The women who had come with Jesus from Galilee followed after Joseph, and they observed the tomb and how his body was laid there. 56 Then they returned and prepared spices and perfumes. On the Sabbath they rested according to the commandment.
The Resurrection
24 On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women[j] went to the tomb, carrying the spices they had prepared. 2 They found that the stone had been rolled away from the tomb. 3 When they went in, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. 4 While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men stood by them in dazzling clothing. 5 The women were terrified and bowed down with their faces to the ground.
The men said to them, “Why are you looking for the living among the dead? 6 He is not here, but has been raised! Remember how he told you while he was still in Galilee 7 that the Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again?” 8 Then they remembered his words.
9 When they returned from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven and to all the rest. 10 It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them who told these things to the apostles. 11 Yet these words seemed to them like nonsense, and they did not believe them. 12 But Peter got up and ran to the tomb. Bending over to look in, he saw only the strips of linen cloth. He went home, amazed at what had happened.
On the Way to Emmaus
13 Now, on that same day, two of them were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles[k] from Jerusalem. 14 They were talking with each other about all of these things that had happened. 15 While they were talking and discussing this, Jesus himself approached and began to walk along with them. 16 But their eyes were kept from recognizing him. 17 He said to them, “What are you talking about as you walk along?” Saddened, they stopped.
18 One of them, named Cleopas, answered him, “Are you the only visitor in Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?”
19 “What things?” he asked them.
They replied, “The things concerning Jesus of Nazareth, a man who was a prophet, mighty in deed and word before God and all the people. 20 The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be condemned to death. And they crucified him. 21 But we were hoping that he was going to redeem Israel. Not only that, but besides all this, it is now the third day since these things happened. 22 Also some women of our group amazed us. They were at the tomb early in the morning. 23 When they did not find his body, they came back saying that they had even seen a vision of angels, who said that he was alive. 24 Some of those who were with us went to the tomb. They found it just as the women had said, but they did not see him.”
25 He said to them, “How foolish you are and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and to enter his glory?” 27 Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.
28 As they approached the village where they were going, he acted as if he were going to travel farther. 29 But they urged him strongly, saying, “Stay with us, since it is almost evening, and the day is almost over.”
So he went in to stay with them. 30 When he reclined at the table with them, he took the bread, blessed it, broke it, and began giving it to them. 31 Suddenly their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. Then he vanished from their sight. 32 They said to each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he was speaking to us along the road and while he was explaining the Scriptures to us?” 33 They got up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem. They found the Eleven and those who were with them assembled together. 34 They were saying, “The Lord really has been raised! He has appeared to Simon.” 35 They themselves described what had happened along the road, and how they recognized him when he broke the bread.
Jesus Appears to the Disciples
36 As they were talking about these things, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.”
37 But they were terrified and frightened and thought they were looking at a ghost.
38 He said to them, “Why are you troubled? Why do doubts arise in your hearts? 39 Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself. Touch me and see, because a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.” 40 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. 41 While they still did not believe it (because of their joy), and while they were still wondering, he said to them, “Do you have anything here to eat?”
42 They gave him a piece of broiled fish and some honeycomb.[l] 43 He took it and ate in front of them. 44 He said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms.”
45 Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures. 46 He said to them, “This is what is written and so it must be:[m] The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, 47 and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things. 49 Look, I am sending you what my Father promised. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.”
Jesus Ascends Into Heaven
50 He led them out as far as the vicinity of Bethany. He lifted up his hands and blessed them. 51 And while he was blessing them, he parted from them and was taken up into heaven. 52 So they worshipped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. 53 They were continually in the temple courts, praising and[n] blessing God. Amen.[o]
The Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version®, EHV®, © 2019 Wartburg Project, Inc. All rights reserved.