Read the Gospels in 40 Days

Wise Bridesmaids Will Keep Watch And Stay Prepared For The Coming of The Groom

25 “At-that-time^[a], the kingdom of the heavens will be-like ten virgins, who, having taken their lamps^[b], went out to meet the bridegroom. ² Now five of them were foolish, and five were wise. ³ For the foolish ones, having taken their lamps, did not take oil with them. ⁴ But the wise ones took oil in jars with their lamps. ⁵ And while the bridegroom was delaying, they all became drowsy and were sleeping. ⁶ And in the middle of the night, a shout has come— ‘Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’ ⁷ Then all those virgins arose and put their lamps in-order. ⁸ And the foolish ones said to the wise ones, ‘Give us from your oil, because our lamps are going-out^[c]’. ⁹ But the wise ones responded, saying, ‘There will not by any means ever^[d] be enough for us and for you. Go instead to the ones selling and buy for yourselves’. ¹⁰ And while they were going away to buy, the bridegroom came. And the prepared ones entered with him into the wedding-celebrations. And the door was shut. ¹¹ And later, the other virgins also come, saying, ‘Sir, sir, open for us’. ¹² But the one, having responded, said, ‘Truly I say to you, I do not know^[e] you’. ¹³ Therefore, keep-watching, because you do not know the day nor the hour.

Wise Servants Will Put Their Talents To Work For The Master While He Is Gone

¹⁴ “For it ^[f] is just like a man going-on-a-journey— he called his own slaves and handed over his possessions to them. ¹⁵ And he gave five talents^[g] to one, and two to another, and one to another— to each according to his own ability. And he went on his journey. ¹⁶ Immediately^[h] having gone, the one having received the five talents worked with them and gained another five. ¹⁷ Similarly, the one having received the two talents gained another two. ¹⁸ But the one having received the one talent, having gone, dug [a hole in] the ground and hid his master’s silver talent. ¹⁹ Now after much time, the master of those slaves comes and settles the account with them. ²⁰ And having come to him, the one having received the five talents brought another five talents, saying, ‘Master, you handed-over five talents to me. Look, I gained another five talents’. ²¹ His master said to him, ‘Well^[i] done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful over a few things. I will put you in charge over many things. Enter into the joy of your master’. ²² And also having come to him, the one having received the two talents said, ‘Master, you handed over two talents to me. Look, I gained another two talents’. ²³ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful over a few things. I will put you in charge over many things. Enter into the joy of your master’. ²⁴ And also having come to him, the one having received^[j] the one talent said, ‘Master, I knew you— that you are a hard man, reaping where you did not sow and gathering from where you did not scatter^[k] [threshings]. ²⁵ And having become afraid, having gone, I hid your talent in the ground. Look, you have what is yours’. ²⁶ But having responded, his master said to him, ‘Evil and lazy slave! You knew that I reap where I did not sow and gather from where I did not scatter^[l]! ²⁷ Therefore you should-have put my money with the bankers. And having come, I would have received-back what was mine with interest. ²⁸ Therefore take the talent away from him, and give it to the one having the ten talents. ²⁹ For to everyone having, it will be given, and he will be caused-to-abound. But from the one not having, even what he has will be taken away from him. ³⁰ And throw-out the unprofitable^[m] slave into the outer darkness’. In that place, there will be the weeping and the grinding of teeth.

When The King Comes In Glory, Mankind Will Be Sent To Their Eternal Destinies

³¹ “Now when^[n] the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, at-that-time He will sit on the throne^[o] of His glory, ³² and all the nations will be gathered in front of Him. And He will separate them^[p] from one another, just as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. ³³ And He will make the sheep stand^[q] on His right side, and the goats on the left side. ³⁴ Then the King will say to the ones on His right side, ‘Come, the ones having been blessed of ^[r] My Father— inherit the kingdom having been prepared for you since the foundation of the world. ³⁵ For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat. I thirsted, and you gave-a-drink-to Me. I was a stranger, and you brought^[s] Me in; ³⁶ naked^[t], and you clothed Me. I was sick, and you looked-after Me. I was in prison, and you came to Me’. ³⁷ Then the righteous ones will respond to Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungering and we fed You, or thirsting and we gave-a-drink? ³⁸ And when did we see You a stranger and we brought You in, or naked and we clothed You? ³⁹ And when did we see You being sick or in prison and we came to You?’ ⁴⁰ And having responded, the King will say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, in-as-much-as^[u] you did it to one of the least of these My brothers^[v], you did it to Me’. ⁴¹ Then He will also say to the ones on the left side, ‘Depart from Me, the ones having been cursed, into the eternal fire having been prepared for the devil and his angels. ⁴² For I was hungry, and you did not give Me something to eat. I thirsted, and you did not give-a-drink-to Me. ⁴³ I was a stranger, and you did not bring Me in; naked, and you did not clothe Me; sick, and in prison, and you did not look after Me’. ⁴⁴ Then they also will respond, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungering, or thirsting, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and we did not serve You?’ ⁴⁵ Then He will respond to them, saying, ‘Truly I say to you, in as much as you did not do it to one of the least of these, neither did you do it to Me’. ⁴⁶ And these will go to eternal punishment, but the righteous ones to eternal life”.

The King Is Put To Death

26 And it came about that when Jesus finished all^[w] these words, He said to His disciples, ² “You know that after two days the Passover [Feast] comes^[x], and the Son of Man is handed-over so as to be crucified”.

The Priests Plot To Seize And Kill Jesus

³ Then the chief priests and the elders of the people were gathered together in the courtyard^[y] of the high priest, the one being called Caiaphas. ⁴ And they plotted in order that they might seize Jesus by deceit^[z] and kill Him. ⁵ But they were saying, “Not during the Feast, in order that no uproar may take place among the people”.

Jesus Is Anointed With Oil In Preparation For His Burial

⁶ Now Jesus having come-to-be in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, ⁷ a woman came to Him having an alabaster-jar of very-expensive perfume^[aa]. And she poured it down upon His head while He was reclining-back [to eat]. ⁸ But having seen it, the disciples were indignant, saying, “For what purpose is this waste? ⁹ For this could have been sold for much and given to poor ones”. ¹⁰ But having known it, Jesus said to them, “Why are you causing troubles for the woman? For she worked a good work^[ab] for^[ac] Me. ¹¹ For you always have the poor with you, but you do not always have Me. ¹² For this one having put this perfume on My body did it so as to^[ad] prepare Me for burial. ¹³ Truly I say to you, wherever this good-news is proclaimed in the whole world, what this one did will also be spoken for a memorial of her”.

Jesus Is Betrayed By One of The Twelve

¹⁴ Then one of the twelve, the one being called Judas Iscariot, having gone to the chief priests, ¹⁵ said, “What are you willing to give me, and I will hand Him over to you?” And the ones set^[ae] thirty silver-coins for him. ¹⁶ And from that time on, he was seeking a favorable-opportunity in order that he might hand Him over.

Jesus Celebrates Passover With The Twelve

¹⁷ Now on the first day of the Feast of Unleavened-Bread, the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Where do You want us to prepare for You to eat the Passover [meal]?” ¹⁸ And the One said, “Go into the city to so-and-so^[af], and say to him, ‘The Teacher says, “My time is near. I am doing^[ag] the Passover [meal] with you, along-with My disciples”’” ¹⁹ And the disciples did as Jesus directed them. And they prepared the Passover [meal]. ²⁰ And having become evening, He was reclining back [to eat] with the twelve.

The Betrayer Is Exposed

²¹ And while they were eating, He said, “Truly I say to you that one of you will hand Me over”. ²² And while being extremely grieved, each one began to say to Him, “I am not the one, am I, Lord?” ²³ And the One, having responded, said, “The one having dipped his hand with^[ah] Me in the bowl— this one will hand Me over. ²⁴ The Son of Man is going just as it has been written about Him— but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is being handed-over! It would have been better for him if that man had not been born”. ²⁵ And having responded, Judas, the one handing Him over, said, “I am not^[ai] the one, am I, Rabbi?” He says to him, “You said^[aj] it ”.

The Bread And The Wine Are Given a New Meaning

²⁶ And while they were eating, having taken bread and having blessed it ^[ak], Jesus broke it. And having given it to the disciples, He said, “Take, eat. This is My body”. ²⁷ And having taken a cup and given-thanks, He gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, everyone. ²⁸ For this is My blood of ^[al] the covenant— the blood being poured-out for many for forgiveness of sins. ²⁹ And I say to you, I will by-no-means drink of this fruit of the grapevine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in the kingdom of My Father”.

You Will All Be Scattered In Fulfillment of Zechariah. Peter’s Denial Is Predicted

³⁰ And having sung-a-hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. ³¹ Then Jesus says to them, “You all will be caused-to-fall in-connection-with Me^[am] during this night. For it has been written [in Zech 13:7]: ‘I will strike the Shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered’. ³² But after I am raised, I will go ahead of you to Galilee”. ³³ But having responded, Peter said to Him, “If all^[an] will be caused-to-fall in connection with You, I will never be caused to fall”. ³⁴ Jesus said to him, “Truly I say to you that during this night, before a rooster crows, you will deny Me three-times”. ³⁵ Peter says to Him, “Even if I have-to die with You, I will never deny You”. All the disciples also spoke likewise.

Jesus Waits And Prays In The Garden of Gethsemane

³⁶ Then Jesus comes with them to a place being called Gethsemane. And He says to the disciples, “Sit here while^[ao] I pray, having gone there”. ³⁷ And having taken-along Peter and the two sons^[ap] of Zebedee, He began to be grieved and distressed. ³⁸ Then He says to them, “My soul is deeply-grieved, to the point of death. Stay here and keep-watching with Me”. ³⁹ And having gone ahead a little, He fell on His face while praying and saying, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me. Yet not as I want^[aq], but as You want ”. ⁴⁰ And He comes to the disciples and finds them sleeping. And He says to Peter, “So were you^[ar] [three] not strong-enough^[as] to keep watch with Me for one hour? ⁴¹ Keep watching, and be praying that^[at] you may not enter into temptation^[au]. The spirit is willing^[av], but the flesh is weak”. ⁴² Again having gone away for a second time, He prayed, saying, “My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, let Your will be done”. ⁴³ And having come, He again found them sleeping. For their eyes had been weighed-down. ⁴⁴ And having left them again, having gone away, He prayed for a third time, having spoken the same thing^[aw] again. ⁴⁵ Then He comes to the disciples and says to them, “Are you sleeping and resting^[ax] from-now-on^[ay]? Behold— the hour has drawn-near, and the Son of Man is being handed-over into the hands of sinners. ⁴⁶ Arise, let us be going. Behold— the one handing Me over has drawn near”.

Jesus Is Betrayed With a Kiss And Arrested

⁴⁷ And while He was still speaking, behold— Judas, one of the twelve, came. And with him was a large crowd from the chief priests and elders of the people with swords and clubs. ⁴⁸ Now the one handing Him over gave them a sign, saying, “Whomever I kiss is He. Seize Him”. ⁴⁹ And immediately having gone to Jesus, he said, “Greetings, Rabbi”, and kissed Him. ⁵⁰ And Jesus said to him, “Friend, it is for what^[az] you are here”. Then, having come to Him, they put their hands on Jesus and seized Him. ⁵¹ And behold— one of the ones with Jesus, having stretched-out his hand, withdrew his sword. And having struck the slave of the high priest, he took-off his ear. ⁵² Then Jesus says to him, “Return your sword into its place. For all the ones having taken the sword will perish by the sword. ⁵³ Or do you think^[ba] that I am not able to appeal-to My Father, and He will provide^[bb] Me right-now more than twelve legions^[bc] of angels? ⁵⁴ How then would the Scriptures saying that it must take place in this manner be fulfilled?” ⁵⁵ At that hour, Jesus said to the crowds, “Did you come out to arrest Me with swords and clubs as-if against a robber? Daily I was sitting in the temple teaching, and you did not seize Me. ⁵⁶ But this entire thing has taken place in order that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled”. Then all the disciples, having left^[bd] Him, fled.

Jesus Is Led Before The High Priest And The Sanhedrin. Peter Follows

⁵⁷ Now the ones having seized Jesus led Him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were gathered together. ⁵⁸ And Peter was following Him at a distance, as far as the courtyard of the high priest. And having entered inside, he was sitting with the officers^[be] to see the outcome.

Jesus Swears Under Oath That He Is The Messiah, The Son of God

⁵⁹ Now the chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were seeking false-testimony against Jesus, so that they might put Him to death. ⁶⁰ And they did not find it, many false-witnesses having come-forward. But finally, two having come-forward ⁶¹ said, “This One said, ‘I am able to tear-down the temple of God, and to build it in three days’”. ⁶² And having stood up, the high priest said to Him, “Are You answering nothing? What is it these^[bf] ones are testifying against You?” ⁶³ But Jesus was being silent. And the high priest said to Him, “I am putting You under oath^[bg] by the living God that You tell us if You are the Christ, the Son of God”. ⁶⁴ Jesus says to him, “You said^[bh] it. Nevertheless, I say to you— from-now-on^[bi] you will see the Son of Man sitting on the right side of the Power^[bj], and coming on the clouds^[bk] of heaven”. ⁶⁵ Then the high priest tore his garments, saying, “He blasphemed! What further need do we have of witnesses? See— now you heard the blasphemy. ⁶⁶ What seems right to you?” And the ones, having responded, said, “He is subject-to^[bl] death!” ⁶⁷ Then they spat in His face and beat Him. And the^[bm] ones slapped Him, ⁶⁸ saying, “Prophesy to us, Christ— who is the one having hit You?”

Peter Denies That He Even Knows Jesus

⁶⁹ Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard. And one servant-girl came to him, saying, “You also were with Jesus the Galilean”. ⁷⁰ But the one denied it in front of everyone, saying, “I do not know what you are saying”. ⁷¹ And he having gone out to the gate^[bn], another saw him. And she says to the ones there, “This one was with Jesus the Nazarene”. ⁷² And again he denied it with an oath that “I do not know the man”. ⁷³ And having come to him after a little while, the ones standing there said to Peter, “Truly you also are one of them, for even your speaking^[bo] makes you evident”. ⁷⁴ Then he began to curse^[bp], and to swear-with-an-oath^[bq] that “I do not know the man”. And immediately a rooster crowed. ⁷⁵ And Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken^[br]— that “Before a rooster crows, you will deny Me three-times”. And having gone outside, he wept bitterly.