Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
The Suffering Servant
13 See, My servant shall deal prudently;
he shall be exalted and extolled, and be very high.
14 Just as many were astonished at you,
his visage was so marred, more than any man,
and his form more than the sons of men;
15 so he shall sprinkle many nations.
Kings shall shut their mouths at him;
for that which had not been told them they shall see,
and that which they had not heard they shall consider.
53 Who has believed our report?
And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?
2 For he grew up before Him as a tender plant
and as a root out of a dry ground.
He has no form or majesty that we should look upon him
nor appearance that we should desire him.
3 He was despised and rejected of men,
a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.
And we hid, as it were, our faces from him;
he was despised, and we did not esteem him.
4 Surely he has borne our grief
and carried our sorrows;
Yet we esteemed him stricken,
smitten of God, and afflicted.
5 But he was wounded for our transgressions,
he was bruised for our iniquities;
the chastisement of our peace was upon him,
and by his stripes we are healed.
6 All of us like sheep have gone astray;
each of us has turned to his own way,
but the Lord has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.
7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted,
yet he opened not his mouth;
he was brought as a lamb to the slaughter,
and as a sheep before its shearers is silent,
so he opened not his mouth.
8 By oppression and judgment he was taken away,
and who shall declare his generation?
For he was cut off out of the land of the living;
for the transgression of my people he was struck.
9 His grave was assigned with the wicked,
yet with the rich in his death,
because he had done no violence,
nor was any deceit in his mouth.
10 Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; He has put him to grief.
If he made himself as an offering for sin,
he shall see his offspring, he shall prolong his days,
and the good pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.
11 He shall see of the anguish of his soul
and be satisfied.
By his knowledge My righteous servant shall justify the many,
for he shall bear their iniquities.
12 Therefore, I will divide him a portion with the great,
and he shall divide the spoil with the strong,
because he poured out his soul to death,
and he was numbered with the transgressors,
thus he bore the sin of many
and made intercession for the transgressors.
Psalm 22
For the Music Director. To the melody of “The Doe of the Dawn.” A Psalm of David.
1 My God, my God, why have You forsaken me?
Why are You so far from delivering me,
and from my roaring words of distress?
2 O my God, I cry in the daytime, but You do not answer;
and at night, but I have no rest.
3 But You are holy,
O You who inhabits the praises of Israel.
4 Our fathers trusted in You;
they trusted, and You did deliver them.
5 They cried to You and were delivered;
they trusted in You and were not put to shame.
6 But I am a worm, and not a man;
a reproach of men and despised by the people.
7 All who see me laugh me to scorn;
they sneer with the lip, they shake the head, saying,
8 “Trust in the Lord,
let Him deliver him;
let Him rescue him,
seeing He delights in him.”
9 But You are He who took me out of the womb;
You caused me to trust
while I was on my mother’s breasts.
10 I was cast on You from birth;
You are my God from my mother’s womb.
11 Be not far from me
for trouble is near,
for there is none to help.
12 Many bulls encircle me;
strong bulls of Bashan surround me.
13 They open their mouths against me,
as a preying and roaring lion.
14 I am poured out like water,
and all my bones are out of joint;
my heart is like wax;
it is melted inside my body.
15 My strength is dried up like a potsherd,
and my tongue cleaves to my jaws;
and You have set me toward the dust of death.
16 For dogs have encompassed me;
the assembly of the wicked has enclosed me;
like a lion they pin my hands and my feet;
17 I can count all my bones;
they look and stare on me.
18 They part my garments among them
and cast lots for my clothes.
19 But do not be far from me, O Lord;
O my Help, hasten to my aid.
20 Rescue my soul from the sword,
my only life from the power of the dog.
21 Save me from the lion’s mouth,
and from the horns of the wild ox, answer me!
22 I will declare Your name to my community;
in the midst of the congregation I will praise You.
23 You who fear the Lord, praise Him;
all you descendants of Jacob, glorify Him,
and stand in awe of Him, all you descendants of Israel.
24 For He has not despised nor abhorred
the affliction of the afflicted;
nor has He hid His face from him;
but when he cried to Him, He heard.
25 From You my praise will be in the great congregation;
I will pay my vows before those who fear Him.
26 The meek will eat and be satisfied;
those who seek Him will praise the Lord.
May your hearts live forever.
27 All the ends of the world
will remember and turn to the Lord,
and all the families of the nations
will worship before You.
28 For kingship belongs to the Lord,
and He rules among the nations.
29 All the prosperous ones of the earth will eat and worship;
all who go down to the dust will bow before Him,
even he who cannot keep his own soul alive.
30 Posterity will serve Him;
it will be told to generations about the Lord;
31 they will come and declare His righteousness
to a people yet to be born,
that He has acted.
16 “This is the covenant that I will make with them
after those days, says the Lord:
I will put My laws into their hearts,
and in their minds I will write them,”[a]
17 then He adds,
“Their sins and lawless deeds
will I remember no more.”[b]
18 Now where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer an offering for sin.
Exhortation and Warning
19 Therefore, brothers, we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way that He has opened for us through the veil, that is to say, His flesh, 21 and since we have a High Priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse them from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us firmly hold the profession of our faith without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how to spur one another to love and to good works. 25 Let us not forsake the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but let us exhort one another, especially as you see the Day approaching.
Jesus the Great High Priest
14 Since then we have a great High Priest who has passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to our confession. 15 For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who was in every sense tempted like we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us then come with confidence to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
7 In the days of His flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications with loud cries and tears to Him who was able to save Him from death. He was heard because of His godly fear. 8 Though He was a Son, He learned obedience through the things that He suffered, 9 and being made perfect, He became the source of eternal salvation for all those who obey Him,
The Betrayal and Arrest of Jesus(A)
18 When Jesus had spoken these words, He went out with His disciples across the Kidron Valley. There was a garden which He and His disciples entered.
2 Now Judas, who betrayed Him, also knew the place, for Jesus often met there with His disciples. 3 So Judas, having taken a detachment of soldiers and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees, came there with lanterns and torches and weapons.
4 Jesus therefore, knowing everything that would happen to Him, went forward and said to them, “Whom do you seek?”
5 They answered Him, “Jesus of Nazareth.”
Jesus said to them, “I am He.” And Judas, who betrayed Him, was standing with them. 6 When He said, “I am He,” they drew back and fell to the ground.
7 Again Jesus asked them, “Whom do you seek?”
They said, “Jesus of Nazareth.”
8 Jesus answered, “I told you that I am He. So then let these go their way if you are looking for Me.” 9 This was to fulfill the word which He had spoken, “I have lost none of those whom You have given Me.”
10 Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s servant, and cut off his right ear. The servant’s name was Malchus.
11 Then Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword into the sheath. Shall I not drink the cup which My Father has given Me?”
Jesus Before the High Priest(B)
12 Then the detachment of soldiers and the commander and the officers of the Jews arrested Jesus and bound Him. 13 First they led Him to Annas, for he was the father-in-law to Caiaphas, who was the high priest that year. 14 Now it was Caiaphas who advised the Jews that it was expedient that one man should die for the people.
Peter’s Denial of Jesus(C)
15 Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple. That disciple was known to the high priest and went with Jesus into the courtyard of the high priest. 16 But Peter stood at the door outside. Then the other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out and spoke to the doorkeeper and brought Peter in.
17 Then the servant girl, being the doorkeeper, said to Peter, “Are you not also one of this Man’s disciples?”
He said, “I am not.”
18 Now the servants and officers stood there and warmed themselves, having made a fire of coals, for it was cold. Peter also stood with them and warmed himself.
The High Priest Questions Jesus(D)
19 The high priest then asked Jesus about His disciples and His teaching.
20 Jesus answered him, “I spoke openly to the world. I always taught in the synagogue and in the temple, where the Jews always meet, and I said nothing in secret. 21 Why do you ask Me? Ask those who heard Me and what I have said to them. Certainly they know what I said.”
22 When He had said this, one of the officers who stood by struck Jesus with the palm of his hand, saying, “Is that how You answer the high priest?”
23 Jesus answered him, “If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil, but if well, why do you strike me?” 24 Then Annas sent Him bound to Caiaphas the high priest.
Peter Denies Jesus Again(E)
25 Meanwhile Simon Peter was standing and warming himself. So they said to him, “Are you not also one of His disciples?”
He denied it and said, “I am not!”
26 One of the servants of the high priest, being a relative of the man whose ear Peter cut off, said, “Did I not see you in the garden with Him?” 27 Peter then denied it again, and immediately a rooster crowed.
Jesus Before Pilate(F)
28 Then they led Jesus from Caiaphas to the Praetorium. It was early. Yet they themselves did not enter the Praetorium, so that they might not be defiled, but might eat the Passover. 29 Pilate then went out to them and said, “What accusation do you bring against this Man?”
30 They answered him, “If He were not an evildoer, we would not have handed Him over to you.”
31 Then Pilate said, “Take Him and judge Him according to your law.”
The Jews said to him, “It is not lawful for us to put anyone to death,” 32 that the saying of Jesus might be fulfilled which He spoke, signifying what death He would die.
33 Again Pilate entered the Praetorium, called Jesus, and said to Him, “Are You the King of the Jews?”
34 Jesus answered him, “Are you speaking of your own accord, or did others tell you about Me?”
35 Pilate answered, “Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests handed You over to me. What have You done?”
36 Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, then My servants would fight, that I would not be handed over to the Jews. But now My kingdom is not from here.”
37 Therefore Pilate said to Him, “Then are You a king?”
Jesus answered, “You say correctly that I am a king. For this reason I was born, and for this reason I came into the world, to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.”
38 Pilate said to Him, “What is truth?” When he had said this, he went out again to the Jews and said to them, “I find no guilt in Him at all.
Jesus Sentenced to Die(G)
39 “But you have a custom, that I should release someone to you at the Passover. Do you therefore want me to release to you the King of the Jews?”
40 They all shouted again, “Not this Man, but Barabbas!” Now Barabbas was a robber.
19 Then Pilate took Jesus and flogged Him. 2 The soldiers twisted a crown of thorns and put it on His head, and they put a purple robe on Him. 3 They said, “Hail, King of the Jews!” And they hit Him with their hands.
4 Again Pilate went out and said to them, “Look, I am bringing Him out to you, that you may know that I find no guilt in Him.” 5 Then Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. Pilate said to them, “Here is the Man!”
6 When the chief priests and officers saw Him, they cried out, “Crucify Him! Crucify Him!”
Pilate said to them, “Take Him yourselves and crucify Him, for I find no guilt in Him.”
7 The Jews answered him, “We have a law, and by our law He ought to die, because He made Himself the Son of God!”
8 When Pilate heard these words, he was more afraid, 9 and entered the Praetorium again, and said to Jesus, “Where are You from?” But Jesus gave him no answer. 10 Pilate said to Him, “Are You not speaking to me? Do You not know that I have power to release You, and power to crucify You?”
11 Jesus answered, “You would have no power at all over Me, unless it were given to you from above. Therefore he who handed Me over to you has the greater sin.”
12 From then on, Pilate tried to release Him. But the Jews cried out, “If you release this Man, you are not Caesar’s friend. Whoever makes himself a king speaks against Caesar!”
13 When Pilate heard these words, he brought Jesus out and sat down on the judgment seat at a place called The Pavement (which in Hebrew is Gabbatha). 14 It was the Day of Preparation of the Passover and about the sixth hour.
He said to the Jews, “Here is your King!”
15 But they shouted, “Away with Him! Away with Him! Crucify Him!”
Pilate said to them, “Shall I crucify your King?”
The chief priests answered, “We have no king but Caesar!”
16 Then he handed Him over to them to be crucified.
The Crucifixion(H)
So they took Jesus and led Him away. 17 He went out, carrying His own cross, to a place called The Place of a Skull, which in Hebrew is called Golgotha. 18 There they crucified Him, and two others with Him, one on either side, and Jesus in the middle.
19 Pilate wrote a title and put it on the cross. The writing was:
JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS.
20 Many of the Jews read this title, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city. And it was written in Hebrew, in Greek, and in Latin. 21 The chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, “Do not write, ‘The King of the Jews,’ but ‘He said, I am King of the Jews.’ ”
22 Pilate answered, “What I have written, I have written.”
23 When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took His garments and divided them into four parts, a part for each soldier; and also His tunic. Now the tunic was seamless, woven from top to bottom.
24 So they said to one another, “Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it to decide whose it shall be.”
This happened to fulfill the Scripture which says:
“They divided My garments among them,
and for My clothing they cast lots.”[a]
Therefore the soldiers did these things.
25 But standing by the cross of Jesus were His mother, and His mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. 26 When Jesus saw His mother and the disciple whom He loved standing nearby, He said to His mother, “Woman, here is your son.” 27 Then He said to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” From that time, this disciple took her to his own home.
The Death of Jesus(I)
28 After this, Jesus, knowing that everything was now accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said, “I thirst.” 29 A bowl full of sour wine was placed there. So they put a sponge full of sour wine on hyssop and held it to His mouth. 30 When Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished.” And He bowed His head and gave up His spirit.
The Piercing of Jesus’ Side
31 Since it was the Day of Preparation, to prevent bodies from remaining on the cross on the Sabbath day (for that Sabbath day was a high day), the Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away. 32 Therefore the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first and of the other who was crucified with Him. 33 But when they came to Jesus and saw that He was dead already, they did not break His legs. 34 However, one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out. 35 He who saw it has testified, and his testimony is true. He knows that he is telling the truth, that you may believe. 36 For these things happened so that the Scripture should be fulfilled, “Not one of His bones shall be broken,”[b] 37 and again another Scripture says, “They shall look on Him whom they have pierced.”[c]
The Burial of Jesus(J)
38 After this, Joseph of Arimathea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus. Pilate gave him permission. So he came and took away His body. 39 Nicodemus, who at first came to Jesus by night, also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, weighing about seventy-five pounds.[d] 40 Then they took the body of Jesus and wrapped it in linen cloths with the spices, as is the burial custom of the Jews. 41 Now in the place where He was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden was a new tomb in which no one had ever been buried. 42 So because of the Jewish Day of Preparation, and since the tomb was nearby, they buried Jesus there.
The Holy Bible, Modern English Version. Copyright © 2014 by Military Bible Association. Published and distributed by Charisma House.