Readings for Lent and Easter
On the Mount of Olives
39 Then[a] Jesus[b] went out and made his way,[c] as he customarily did, to the Mount of Olives,[d] and the disciples followed him. 40 When he came to the place,[e] he said to them, “Pray that you will not fall into temptation.”[f] 41 He went away from them about a stone’s throw, knelt down, and prayed, 42 “Father, if you are willing, take[g] this cup[h] away from me. Yet not my will but yours[i] be done.” 43 [Then an angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. 44 And in his anguish[j] he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.][k] 45 When[l] he got up from prayer, he came to the disciples and found them sleeping, exhausted[m] from grief. 46 So[n] he said to them, “Why are you sleeping? Get up and pray that you will not fall into temptation!”[o]
Betrayal and Arrest
47 While he was still speaking, suddenly a crowd appeared,[p] and the man named Judas, one of the twelve, was leading them. He walked up[q] to Jesus to kiss him.[r] 48 But Jesus said to him, “Judas, would you betray the Son of Man with a kiss?”[s] 49 When[t] those who were around him saw what was about to happen, they said, “Lord, should[u] we use our swords?”[v] 50 Then[w] one of them[x] struck the high priest’s slave,[y] cutting off his right ear. 51 But Jesus said,[z] “Enough of this!” And he touched the man’s[aa] ear and healed[ab] him. 52 Then[ac] Jesus said to the chief priests, the officers of the temple guard,[ad] and the elders who had come out to get him, “Have you come out with swords and clubs like you would against an outlaw?[ae] 53 Day after day when I was with you in the temple courts,[af] you did not arrest me.[ag] But this is your hour,[ah] and that of the power[ai] of darkness!”
Jesus’ Condemnation and Peter’s Denials
54 Then[aj] they arrested[ak] Jesus,[al] led him away, and brought him into the high priest’s house.[am] But Peter was following at a distance. 55 When they had made a fire in the middle of the courtyard and sat down together, Peter sat down among them. 56 Then a slave girl,[an] seeing him as he sat in the firelight, stared at him and said, “This man was with him too!” 57 But Peter[ao] denied it: “Woman,[ap] I don’t know[aq] him!” 58 Then[ar] a little later someone else[as] saw him and said, “You are one of them too.” But Peter said, “Man,[at] I am not!” 59 And after about an hour still another insisted,[au] “Certainly this man was with him, because he too is a Galilean.”[av] 60 But Peter said, “Man, I don’t know what you’re talking about!” At that moment,[aw] while he was still speaking, a rooster crowed.[ax] 61 Then[ay] the Lord turned and looked straight at Peter, and Peter remembered the word of the Lord,[az] how he had said to him, “Before a rooster crows today, you will deny me three times.” 62 And he went outside and wept bitterly.[ba]
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