Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
19 Open the gates of righteousness for me;
I will enter through them
and give thanks to the Lord.(A)
20 This is the Lord’s gate;
the righteous will enter through it.(B)
21 I will give thanks to you
because you have answered me
and have become my salvation.(C)
22 The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone.(D)
23 This came from the Lord;
it is wondrous in our sight.(E)
24 This is the day the Lord has made;
let’s rejoice and be glad in it.(F)
25 Lord, save us!
Lord, please grant us success!(G)
26 He who comes in the name
of the Lord is blessed.(H)
From the house of the Lord we bless you.(I)
27 The Lord is God and has given us light.
Bind the festival sacrifice with cords
to the horns of the altar.(J)
28 You are my God, and I will give you thanks.
You are my God; I will exalt you.(K)
29 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
his faithful love endures forever.(L)
The Triumphal Entry
21 When they approached Jerusalem(A) and came to Bethphage at the Mount of Olives,(B) Jesus then sent two disciples, 2 telling them, “Go into the village ahead of you. At once you will find a donkey tied there with her colt. Untie them and bring them to me. 3 If anyone says anything to you, say that the Lord needs them, and he will send them at once.”
4 This took place so that what was spoken through the prophet might be fulfilled:
5 Tell Daughter Zion,
“See, your King is coming to you,
gentle, and mounted on a donkey,
and on a colt,
the foal of a donkey.”[a](C)
6 The disciples went and did just as Jesus directed them. 7 They brought the donkey and the colt; then they laid their clothes on them, and he sat on them. 8 A very large crowd spread their clothes on the road; others were cutting branches from the trees and spreading them on the road. 9 Then the crowds who went ahead of him and those who followed shouted:
Hosannato the Son of David!
Blessed is he who comes in the name
of the Lord![b]
Hosannain the highest heaven!(D)
10 When he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was in an uproar, saying, “Who is this?” 11 The crowds were saying, “This is the prophet Jesus(E) from Nazareth in Galilee.”
The Obedient Servant
4 The Lord God has given me
the tongue of those who are instructed(A)
to know how to sustain the weary with a word.
He awakens me each morning;
he awakens my ear to listen like those being instructed.(B)
5 The Lord God has opened my ear,
and I was not rebellious;
I did not turn back.(C)
6 I gave my back to those who beat me,
and my cheeks to those who tore out my beard.
I did not hide my face from scorn and spitting.(D)
9 Be gracious to me, Lord,
because I am in distress;(A)
my eyes are worn out from frustration—
my whole being[a] as well.(B)
10 Indeed, my life is consumed with grief
and my years with groaning;(C)
my strength has failed
because of my iniquity,[b]
and my bones waste away.(D)
11 I am ridiculed by all my adversaries
and even by my neighbors.
I am dreaded by my acquaintances;
those who see me in the street run from me.(E)
12 I am forgotten: gone from memory
like a dead person—like broken pottery.(F)
13 I have heard the gossip of many;
terror is on every side.(G)
When they conspired against me,
they plotted to take my life.(H)
Christ’s Humility and Exaltation
5 Adopt the same attitude as that of Christ Jesus,
6 who, existing in the form of God,
did not consider equality with God(A)
as something to be exploited.[a]
7 Instead he emptied himself(B)
by assuming the form of a servant,(C)
taking on the likeness of humanity.(D)
And when he had come as a man,
8 he humbled himself by becoming obedient
to the point of death—
even to death on a cross.(E)
9 For this reason God highly exalted him(F)
and gave him the name
that is above every name,
10 so that at the name of Jesus
every knee will bow(G)—
in heaven(H) and on earth
and under the earth(I)—
11 and every tongue(J) will confess
that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory(K) of God the Father.
14 Then(A) one of the Twelve, the man called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests(B) 15 and said, “What are you willing to give me if I hand him over to you?” So they weighed out thirty pieces of silver for him.(C) 16 And from that time he started looking for a good opportunity to betray him.
Betrayal at the Passover
17 On the first day of Unleavened Bread(D) the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Where do you want us to make preparations for you to eat the Passover?”
18 “Go into the city to a certain man,” he said, “and tell him, ‘The Teacher says: My time is near; I am celebrating the Passover at your place[a] with my disciples.’”(E) 19 So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them and prepared the Passover. 20 When evening came, he was reclining at the table with the Twelve. 21 While they were eating, he said, “Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me.”(F)
22 Deeply distressed, each one began to say to him, “Surely not I, Lord?”
23 He replied, “The one who dipped his hand with me in the bowl—he will betray me. 24 The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him,(G) but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for him if he had not been born.”
25 Judas, his betrayer, replied, “Surely not I, Rabbi?” (H)
“You have said it,” he told him.
The First Lord’s Supper
26 As they were eating,(I) Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, gave it to the disciples,(J) and said, “Take and eat it; this is my body.”(K) 27 Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks, he gave it to them and said, “Drink from it, all of you. 28 For this is my blood of the covenant,[b] which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.(L) 29 But I tell you, I will not drink from this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.”(M) 30 After singing a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.(N)
Peter’s Denial Predicted
31 Then Jesus said to them, “Tonight all of you will fall away because of me, for it is written:
32 But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you to Galilee.”(P)
33 Peter told him, “Even if everyone falls away because of you, I will never fall away.”
34 “Truly I tell you,” Jesus said to him, “tonight, before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.”(Q)
35 “Even if I have to die with you,” Peter told him, “I will never deny you,” and all the disciples said the same thing.
The Prayer in the Garden
36 Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane,(R) and he told the disciples, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” 37 Taking along Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he began to be sorrowful and troubled.(S) 38 He said to them, “I am deeply grieved[d] to the point of death. Remain here and stay awake with me.”(T) 39 Going a little farther,[e] he fell facedown and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.”(U)
40 Then he came to the disciples and found them sleeping. He asked Peter, “So, couldn’t you stay awake with me one hour? 41 Stay awake and pray, so that you won’t enter into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
42 Again, a second time, he went away and prayed, “My Father, if this[f] cannot pass[g] unless I drink it, your will be done.”(V) 43 And he came again and found them sleeping, because they could not keep their eyes open.
44 After leaving them, he went away again and prayed a third time, saying the same thing once more. 45 Then he came to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? See, the time is near. The Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.(W) 46 Get up; let’s go. See, my betrayer is near.”
Judas’s Betrayal of Jesus
47 While he was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, suddenly arrived.(X) A large mob with swords and clubs was with him from the chief priests and elders of the people. 48 His betrayer had given them a sign: “The one I kiss, he’s the one; arrest him.” 49 So immediately he went up to Jesus and said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” and kissed him.
50 “Friend,”(Y) Jesus asked him, “why have you come?”[h]
Then they came up, took hold of Jesus, and arrested him. 51 At that moment one of those with Jesus reached out his hand and drew his sword. He struck the high priest’s servant and cut off his ear.(Z)
52 Then Jesus told him, “Put your sword back in its place because all who take up the sword will perish by the sword.(AA) 53 Or do you think that I cannot call on my Father, and he will provide me here and now with more than twelve legions of angels?(AB) 54 How, then, would the Scriptures be fulfilled(AC) that say it must happen this way?”
55 At that time Jesus said to the crowds, “Have you come out with swords and clubs, as if I were a criminal,[i] to capture me? Every day I used to sit, teaching in the temple, and you didn’t arrest me.(AD) 56 But all this has happened so that the writings of the prophets(AE) would be fulfilled.” Then all the disciples(AF) deserted him and ran away.
Jesus Faces the Sanhedrin
57 Those(AG) who had arrested Jesus led him away to Caiaphas(AH) the high priest, where the scribes and the elders had convened. 58 Peter was following him at a distance right to the high priest’s courtyard. He went in and was sitting with the servants to see the outcome.(AI)
59 The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for false testimony against Jesus so that they could put him to death,(AJ) 60 but they could not find any, even though many false witnesses(AK) came forward.[j] Finally, two[k] who came forward 61 stated, “This man said, ‘I can destroy the temple of God(AL) and rebuild it in three days.’”
62 The high priest stood up and said to him, “Don’t you have an answer to what these men are testifying against you?” 63 But(AM) Jesus kept silent.(AN) The high priest said to him, “I charge you under oath(AO) by the living God: Tell us if you are the Messiah, the Son of God.”(AP)
64 “You have said it,” Jesus told him. “But I tell you, in the future[l] you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven.”[m](AQ)
65 Then the high priest tore his robes and said, “He has blasphemed!(AR) Why do we still need witnesses? See, now you’ve heard the blasphemy.(AS) 66 What is your decision?”
They answered, “He deserves death!” (AT) 67 Then they spat in his face(AU) and beat him; others slapped him 68 and said, “Prophesy to us, Messiah! Who was it that hit you?” (AV)
Peter Denies His Lord
69 Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard.(AW) A servant girl approached him and said, “You were with Jesus the Galilean too.”
70 But he denied it in front of everyone: “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
71 When he had gone out to the gateway, another woman saw him and told those who were there, “This man was with Jesus the Nazarene!” (AX)
72 And again he denied it with an oath:(AY) “I don’t know the man!”
73 After a little while those standing there approached and said to Peter, “You really are one of them, since even your accent[n] gives you away.”
74 Then he started to curse and to swear with an oath, “I don’t know the man!” Immediately a rooster crowed, 75 and Peter remembered the words Jesus had spoken, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.”(AZ) And he went outside and wept bitterly.
Jesus Handed Over to Pilate
27 When daybreak came, all the chief priests and the elders of the people plotted against Jesus to put him to death.(BA) 2 After tying him up, they led him away and handed him over to Pilate,[o] the governor.(BB)
Judas Hangs Himself
3 Then Judas, his betrayer, seeing that Jesus had been condemned, was full of remorse and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders.(BC) 4 “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood,” he said.
“What’s that to us?” they said. “See to it yourself!” 5 So he threw the silver into the temple(BD) and departed. Then he went and hanged himself.
6 The chief priests took the silver and said, “It’s not permitted(BE) to put it into the temple treasury, since it is blood money.” 7 They conferred together and bought the potter’s field with it as a burial place for foreigners. 8 Therefore that field has been called “Field of Blood” to this day. 9 Then what was spoken through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled: They took[p] the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him whose price was set by the Israelites, 10 and they gave[q] them for the potter’s field, as the Lord directed me.[r](BF)
Jesus Faces the Governor
11 Now Jesus stood before the governor.(BG) “Are you the king of the Jews?” the governor asked him.
Jesus answered, “You say so.”(BH) 12 While he was being accused by the chief priests and elders, he didn’t answer.(BI)
13 Then Pilate said to him, “Don’t you hear how much they are testifying against you?” 14 But he didn’t answer him on even one charge, so that the governor was quite amazed.(BJ)
Jesus or Barabbas
15 At the festival(BK) the governor’s custom was to release to the crowd a prisoner they wanted. 16 At that time they had a notorious prisoner called Barabbas.[s] 17 So when they had gathered together, Pilate said to them, “Who is it you want me to release for you—Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?” (BL) 18 For he knew it was because of envy that they had handed him over.
19 While he was sitting on the judge’s bench, his wife sent word to him, “Have nothing to do with that righteous man, for today I’ve suffered terribly in a dream because of him.”(BM)
20 The chief priests and the elders, however, persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas and to execute Jesus. 21 The governor asked them, “Which of the two do you want me to release for you?”
“Barabbas!” they answered.
22 Pilate asked them, “What should I do then with Jesus, who is called Christ?”
They all answered, “Crucify him!” (BN)
23 Then he said, “Why? What has he done wrong?”
But they kept shouting all the more, “Crucify him!” (BO)
24 When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but that a riot was starting instead, he took some water, washed his hands in front of the crowd, and said, “I am innocent of this man’s blood.[t] See to it yourselves!” (BP)
25 All the people answered, “His blood be on us(BQ) and on our children!” 26 Then he released Barabbas to them and, after having Jesus flogged, handed him over to be crucified.(BR)
Mocked by the Military
27 Then(BS) the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into the governor’s residence and gathered the whole company[u] around him.(BT) 28 They stripped him and dressed him in a scarlet robe.(BU) 29 They twisted together a crown of thorns, put it on his head, and placed a staff in his right hand. And they knelt down before him and mocked him: “Hail, king of the Jews!” 30 Then they spat on him, took the staff, and kept hitting him on the head. 31 After they had mocked him, they stripped him of the robe, put his own clothes on him, and led him away to crucify him.(BV)
Crucified Between Two Criminals
32 As they were going out, they found a Cyrenian man named Simon. They forced him to carry his cross.(BW) 33 When they came to a place called Golgotha(BX) (which means Place of the Skull), 34 they gave him wine[v] mixed with gall to drink. But when he tasted it, he refused to drink it. 35 After crucifying him, they divided his clothes by casting lots.[w](BY) 36 Then they sat down and were guarding him there. 37 Above his head they put up the charge against him in writing: This Is Jesus, the King of the Jews.
38 Then two criminals[x] were crucified with him, one on the right and one on the left.(BZ) 39 Those who passed by were yelling insults at[y] him, shaking their heads(CA) 40 and saying, “You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself! If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross!” (CB) 41 In the same way the chief priests, with the scribes and elders,[z] mocked him and said, 42 “He saved others, but he cannot save himself! He is the King of Israel!(CC) Let him[aa] come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. 43 He trusts in God; let God rescue him now—if he takes pleasure in him![ab] For he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’” 44 In the same way even the criminals who were crucified with him taunted him.(CD)
The Death of Jesus
45 From noon until three in the afternoon,[ac] darkness came over the whole land.[ad](CE) 46 About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out with a loud voice, “Elí, Elí, lemá[ae] sabachtháni?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?”[af](CF)
47 When some of those standing there heard this, they said, “He’s calling for Elijah.”
48 Immediately one of them ran and got a sponge, filled it with sour wine, put it on a stick, and offered him a drink.(CG) 49 But the rest said, “Let’s see if Elijah comes to save him.”
50 But Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and gave up his spirit.(CH) 51 Suddenly, the curtain of the sanctuary(CI) was torn in two from top to bottom, the earth quaked, and the rocks were split. 52 The tombs were also opened(CJ) and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised. 53 And they came out of the tombs after his resurrection, entered the holy city, and appeared to many.
54 When the centurion and those with him, who were keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and the things that had happened, they were terrified and said, “Truly this man was the Son of God!” (CK)
55 Many women who had followed Jesus from Galilee and looked after him were there, watching from a distance.(CL) 56 Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of Zebedee’s sons.(CM)
The Burial of Jesus
57 When it was evening,(CN) a rich man from Arimathea named Joseph came, who himself had also become a disciple(CO) of Jesus. 58 He approached Pilate and asked for Jesus’s body. Then Pilate ordered that it[ag] be released. 59 So Joseph took the body, wrapped it in clean, fine linen, 60 and placed it in his new tomb, which he had cut into the rock. He left after rolling a great stone against the entrance of the tomb.(CP) 61 Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were seated there, facing the tomb.
The Closely Guarded Tomb
62 The next day, which followed the preparation day, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered before Pilate(CQ) 63 and said, “Sir, we remember that while this deceiver was still alive he said, ‘After three days I will rise again.’(CR) 64 So give orders that the tomb be made secure until the third day. Otherwise, his disciples(CS) may come, steal him, and tell the people, ‘He has been raised from the dead,’ and the last deception will be worse than the first.”
65 “Take[ah] guards,” Pilate told them. “Go and make it as secure as you know how.” 66 They went and secured the tomb by setting a seal on the stone and placing the guards.(CT)
Jesus Faces the Governor
11 Now Jesus stood before the governor.(A) “Are you the king of the Jews?” the governor asked him.
Jesus answered, “You say so.”(B) 12 While he was being accused by the chief priests and elders, he didn’t answer.(C)
13 Then Pilate said to him, “Don’t you hear how much they are testifying against you?” 14 But he didn’t answer him on even one charge, so that the governor was quite amazed.(D)
Jesus or Barabbas
15 At the festival(E) the governor’s custom was to release to the crowd a prisoner they wanted. 16 At that time they had a notorious prisoner called Barabbas.[a] 17 So when they had gathered together, Pilate said to them, “Who is it you want me to release for you—Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?” (F) 18 For he knew it was because of envy that they had handed him over.
19 While he was sitting on the judge’s bench, his wife sent word to him, “Have nothing to do with that righteous man, for today I’ve suffered terribly in a dream because of him.”(G)
20 The chief priests and the elders, however, persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas and to execute Jesus. 21 The governor asked them, “Which of the two do you want me to release for you?”
“Barabbas!” they answered.
22 Pilate asked them, “What should I do then with Jesus, who is called Christ?”
They all answered, “Crucify him!” (H)
23 Then he said, “Why? What has he done wrong?”
But they kept shouting all the more, “Crucify him!” (I)
24 When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but that a riot was starting instead, he took some water, washed his hands in front of the crowd, and said, “I am innocent of this man’s blood.[b] See to it yourselves!” (J)
25 All the people answered, “His blood be on us(K) and on our children!” 26 Then he released Barabbas to them and, after having Jesus flogged, handed him over to be crucified.(L)
Mocked by the Military
27 Then(M) the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into the governor’s residence and gathered the whole company[c] around him.(N) 28 They stripped him and dressed him in a scarlet robe.(O) 29 They twisted together a crown of thorns, put it on his head, and placed a staff in his right hand. And they knelt down before him and mocked him: “Hail, king of the Jews!” 30 Then they spat on him, took the staff, and kept hitting him on the head. 31 After they had mocked him, they stripped him of the robe, put his own clothes on him, and led him away to crucify him.(P)
Crucified Between Two Criminals
32 As they were going out, they found a Cyrenian man named Simon. They forced him to carry his cross.(Q) 33 When they came to a place called Golgotha(R) (which means Place of the Skull), 34 they gave him wine[d] mixed with gall to drink. But when he tasted it, he refused to drink it. 35 After crucifying him, they divided his clothes by casting lots.[e](S) 36 Then they sat down and were guarding him there. 37 Above his head they put up the charge against him in writing: This Is Jesus, the King of the Jews.
38 Then two criminals[f] were crucified with him, one on the right and one on the left.(T) 39 Those who passed by were yelling insults at[g] him, shaking their heads(U) 40 and saying, “You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself! If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross!” (V) 41 In the same way the chief priests, with the scribes and elders,[h] mocked him and said, 42 “He saved others, but he cannot save himself! He is the King of Israel!(W) Let him[i] come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. 43 He trusts in God; let God rescue him now—if he takes pleasure in him![j] For he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’” 44 In the same way even the criminals who were crucified with him taunted him.(X)
The Death of Jesus
45 From noon until three in the afternoon,[k] darkness came over the whole land.[l](Y) 46 About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out with a loud voice, “Elí, Elí, lemá[m] sabachtháni?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?”[n](Z)
47 When some of those standing there heard this, they said, “He’s calling for Elijah.”
48 Immediately one of them ran and got a sponge, filled it with sour wine, put it on a stick, and offered him a drink.(AA) 49 But the rest said, “Let’s see if Elijah comes to save him.”
50 But Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and gave up his spirit.(AB) 51 Suddenly, the curtain of the sanctuary(AC) was torn in two from top to bottom, the earth quaked, and the rocks were split. 52 The tombs were also opened(AD) and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised. 53 And they came out of the tombs after his resurrection, entered the holy city, and appeared to many.
54 When the centurion and those with him, who were keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and the things that had happened, they were terrified and said, “Truly this man was the Son of God!” (AE)
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