Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
Thanksgiving to God
118 Give thanks to the Lord,
for he is good;
his gracious love is eternal.
2 Let Israel now say,
“His gracious love is eternal.”
19 Open for me the righteous gates
so I may enter through them to give thanks to the Lord.
20 This is the Lord’s gate—
The righteous will enter through it.
21 I will praise you because you have answered me
and have become my deliverer.
22 The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone.
23 This is from the Lord—
it is awesome in our sight.
24 This is the day that the Lord has made;
let’s rejoice and be glad in it.
25 Please Lord, deliver us!
Please Lord, hurry[a] and bring success now!
26 Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!
Let us bless you from the Lord’s house.
27 The Lord is God—he will be our light!
Bind the festival sacrifice with ropes
to the horn at the altar.
28 You are my God, and I will praise you;
my God, and I will exalt you.
29 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good
and his gracious love is eternal.
The King Enters Jerusalem(A)
28 After Jesus[a] had said this, he traveled on and went up to Jerusalem. 29 As he approached Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples on ahead. 30 “Go into the village ahead of you,” he said. “As you enter, you will find a colt tied up that no one has ever ridden.[b] Untie it and bring it along. 31 If anyone asks you why you are untying it, say this: ‘The Lord needs it.’”
32 So those who were sent went off and found it as Jesus[c] had told them. 33 While they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, “Why are you untying the colt?”
34 The disciples[d] answered, “The Lord needs it.” 35 Then they brought the colt to Jesus and put their coats on it, and Jesus sat upon it.
36 As he was riding along, people[e] kept spreading their coats on the road. 37 He was now approaching the descent from the Mount of Olives. The whole crowd of disciples began to rejoice and to praise God with a loud voice because of all the miracles they had seen. 38 They said,
“How blessed is the king
who comes in the name of the Lord![f]
Peace in heaven,
and glory in the highest heaven!”
39 Some of the Pharisees in the crowd told Jesus,[g] “Teacher, tell your disciples to be quiet.”
40 He replied, “I tell you, if they were quiet, the stones would cry out!”
The Servant’s Obedience
4 “The Lord God has given me
a learned tongue, so that I may know
how to sustain the weary with words.
And[a] morning after morning he wakens,
and[b] he wakens my ear to
listen like those who are being taught.
5 My Lord God[c] has opened my ears,
and I did not rebel;
I did not shrink back.
6 I gave my back to those who beat me
and my cheeks to those who pulled out my beard.[d]
I did not turn away[e] my face
from insults and spitting.
7 For the Lord God helps me,
so I won’t be disgraced.
Therefore I’ve made my face like flint,
and I know that I won’t be put to shame.”
The Servant’s Vindication
8 The one who vindicates me is near.
Who, then, will bring a charge against me?
Let’s face each other!
Who has a case against me?
Let him confront me!
9 See! It is the Lord God who will help me.
Who is it that will declare me guilty?
See! They will all wear out like a garment;
moths will eat them up.
9 Be gracious to me, Lord,
for I am in distress.
My eyes have been consumed by my grief
along with my soul and my body.
10 My life is consumed by sorrow,
my years with groaning.
My strength has faltered because of my iniquity;[a]
my bones have been consumed.
11 I have become an object of reproach to all my enemies,
especially to my neighbors.
I have become an object of fear to my friends,
and whoever sees me outside runs away from me.
12 Like a dead man, I am forgotten in their thoughts[b]—
like broken pottery.
13 I have heard the slander of many;
it is like terror all around me,
as they conspire together and plot to take my life.
14 But I trust in you, Lord.
I say, “You are my God.”
15 My times are in your hands.
Deliver me from the hands of my enemies
and from those who pursue me.
16 May your face shine on your servant;
in your gracious love, deliver me.
5 Have the same attitude among yourselves[a] that was also in the Messiah[b] Jesus:[c]
6 In God’s own form existed he,
and shared with God equality,
deemed nothing needed grasping.
7 Instead, poured out in emptiness,
a servant’s form did he possess,
a mortal man becoming.
In human form he chose to be,
8 and lived in all humility,
death on a cross obeying.
9 Now lifted up by God to heaven,
a name above all others given,
this matchless name possessing.
10 And so, when Jesus’ name is called,
the knees of everyone should fall,[d]
wherever they’re residing.[e]
11 Then every tongue in one accord,
will say that Jesus the Messiah[f] is Lord,
while God the Father praising.
The Lord’s Supper(A)
14 Now when the hour came, Jesus[a] took his place at the table, along with his apostles. 15 He told them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover meal with you before I suffer, 16 because I tell all of you,[b] I will never eat it again until it finds its fulfillment in the kingdom of God.”
17 Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and said, “Take this and share it among yourselves, 18 because I tell you, from now on I will never drink the product of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.”
19 Then he took a loaf of bread, gave thanks, broke it in pieces, and handed it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Keep on doing this in memory of me.”
20 He did the same with the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant sealed[c] by my blood, which is being poured out for you. 21 Yet look! The hand of the man who is betraying me is with me on the table! 22 The Son of Man is going away, just as it has been determined, but how terrible it will be for that man by whom he is betrayed!” 23 Then they began to discuss among themselves which one of them was going to do this.
An Argument about Greatness
24 Now an argument sprang up among them as to which one of them was to be regarded as the greatest. 25 But he told them, “The kings of the unbelievers[d] lord it over them, and those who exercise authority over them are called benefactors. 26 But you are not to do so. On the contrary, the greatest among you should become like the youngest, and the one who leads should become like the one who serves. 27 Because who is greater, the one who sits at the table, or the one who serves? It is the one at the table, isn’t it? But I’m among you as one who serves.
28 “You are the ones who have always stood by me in my trials. 29 And I confer a kingdom on you, just as my Father has conferred a kingdom[e] on me, 30 so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit down on thrones to govern the twelve tribes of Israel.”
Jesus Predicts Peter’s Denial(B)
31 “Simon, Simon, listen! Satan has asked permission to sift all of you like wheat, 32 but I have prayed for you that your own faith may not fail. When you have come back, you must strengthen your brothers.”
33 Peter[f] told him, “Lord, I am ready to go even to prison and to die with you!”
34 But Jesus[g] said, “I tell you, Peter, the rooster will not crow today until you deny three times that you know me.”
Be Prepared for Trouble
35 Then Jesus[h] asked his disciples,[i] “When I sent you out without a wallet, traveling bag, or sandals, you didn’t lack anything, did you?”
They replied, “Nothing at all.”
36 Then he told them, “But now whoever has a wallet must take it along, and his traveling bag, too. And the one who has no sword must sell his coat and buy one. 37 Because I tell you, what has been written about me must be fulfilled: ‘He was counted among the criminals.’[j] Indeed, what is written about me must be fulfilled.”
38 So they said, “Lord, look! Here are two swords.”
He answered them, “Enough of that!”[k]
Jesus Prays on the Mount of Olives(C)
39 Then he left and went to the Mount of Olives, as usual. The disciples went with him. 40 When he arrived, he told them, “Keep on praying that you may not be tempted.” 41 Then he withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, knelt down, and began to pray, 42 “Father, if you are willing, take this cup away from me. Yet not my will but yours be done.”
43 Then an angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. 44 In his anguish he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat became like large drops of blood falling on the ground.[l]
45 When he got up from prayer, he went to the disciples and found them asleep from sorrow. 46 He asked them, “Why are you sleeping? Get up and keep on praying that you may not be tempted.”
Jesus is Arrested(D)
47 While Jesus[m] was still speaking, a crowd arrived. The man called Judas, one of the Twelve, was leading them, and he came close to Jesus to kiss[n] him. 48 But Jesus asked him, “Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?”
49 When those who were around Jesus[o] saw what was about to take place, they asked, “Lord, should we attack with our swords?” 50 Then one of them struck the high priest’s servant, cutting off his right ear.
51 But Jesus said, “No more of this!” So he touched the wounded man’s[p] ear and healed him.
52 Then Jesus told the high priests, the Temple police, and the elders, who had come for him, “Have you come out with swords and clubs as if I were a bandit?[q] 53 While I was with you day after day in the Temple, you didn’t lay a hand on me. But this is your hour, when darkness reigns!”[r]
Peter Denies Jesus(E)
54 Then they arrested him, led him away, and brought him to the high priest’s house. But Peter was following at a distance. 55 When they had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and had taken their seats, Peter, too, sat down among them. 56 A servant girl saw him sitting by the fire, stared at him, and said, “This man was with him, too.”
57 But he denied it, “I don’t know him, woman!” he responded.
58 A little later, a man looked at him and said, “You are one of them, too.”
But Peter said, “Mister,[s] I am not!”
59 About an hour later, another man emphatically asserted, “This man was certainly with him, because he is a Galilean!”
60 But Peter said, “Mister,[t] I don’t know what you’re talking about!” Just then, while he was still speaking, a rooster crowed.
61 Then the Lord turned and looked straight at Peter. And Peter remembered the word from the Lord, and how he had told him, “Before a rooster crows today, you will deny me three times.” 62 So he went outside and cried bitterly.
Jesus is Insulted and Beaten(F)
63 Then the men who were holding Jesus in custody began to make fun of him while they beat him. 64 They blindfolded him and asked him over and over again, “Prophesy! Who is the one who hit you?” 65 And they kept insulting[u] him in many other ways.
66 As soon as day came, the elders of the people, the high priests, and the scribes assembled and brought him before their Council.[v] 67 They said, “If you are the Messiah,[w] tell us.”
But he told them, “If I tell you, you won’t believe me, 68 and if I ask you a question, you won’t answer me. 69 But from now on the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the mighty God.”[x]
70 Then they all asked, “Are you, then, the Son of God?”
He answered them, “You said it—I AM.”
71 “Why do we need any more testimony?” they asked. “We have heard it ourselves from his own mouth!”
Jesus is Taken to Pilate(G)
23 Then the whole crowd got up and took him to Pilate. 2 They began to accuse him, “We found this man corrupting our nation, forbidding us to pay taxes to Caesar, and saying that he is the Messiah,[y] a king.”
3 Then Pilate asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?”
He answered, “You say so.”
4 Then Pilate told the high priests and crowds, “I do not find anything chargeable in this man.”
5 But they kept insisting, “He is stirring up the people with what he teaches all over Judea, from where he started in Galilee to this place.”
Jesus is Sent to Herod
6 When Pilate heard this, he asked whether the man was a Galilean. 7 When he learned with certainty that Jesus[z] came from Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent him off to Herod, who was in Jerusalem at that time. 8 Now Herod was very glad to see Jesus, because he had been wanting to see him for a long time on account of what he had heard about him. He was also hoping to see some sign done by him. 9 So he continued to question him for a long time, but Jesus[aa] gave him no answer at all. 10 Meanwhile, the high priests and the scribes stood nearby and continued to accuse him vehemently. 11 Even[ab] Herod and his soldiers treated him with contempt and made fun of him. He put a magnificent robe on Jesus[ac] and sent him back to Pilate. 12 So Herod and Pilate became friends with each other that very day. Before this they had been enemies.
Jesus is Sentenced to Death(H)
13 Then Pilate called the high priests, the other[ad] leaders, and the people together 14 and told them, “You brought this man to me as one who turns the people against the government. And here in your presence I have examined him and have found him ‘Not Guilty’ of the charges you make against him. 15 Neither does Herod, because he sent him back to us! Indeed, this man[ae] has done nothing to deserve death. 16 So I will punish him and let him go.”
17 Now he was obligated to release someone for them at the festival.[af] 18 But they all shouted out together, “Away with this man! Release Barabbas for us!” 19 (This man had been put in prison for murder and for a revolt that had taken place in the city.) 20 But Pilate wanted to let Jesus go, so he appealed to them again, 21 but they continued to shout, “Crucify him! Crucify him!”
22 Then he spoke to them a third time: “What has he done wrong? I have found nothing in him worthy of death. So I will punish him and let him go.” 23 But they kept pressing him with loud shouts, demanding that Jesus[ag] be crucified, and their shouts began to prevail.
24 Then Pilate pronounced his sentence that their demand should be carried out. 25 So he released the man who had been put in prison for revolt and murder—the man whose release[ah] they continued to demand—but he let them have their way with Jesus.[ai]
Jesus is Crucified(I)
26 As they led Jesus[aj] away, they grabbed Simon, a man from Cyrene, as he was coming in from the country, and they put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus. 27 A large crowd of people followed him, including some women who kept mourning and wailing for him.
28 But Jesus turned to them and said, “Women[ak] of Jerusalem, stop crying for me. Instead, cry for yourselves and for your children, 29 because the time is surely coming when people[al] will say, ‘How blessed are the women who couldn’t bear children and the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!’ 30 Then people[am] will begin to say to the mountains, ‘Fall on us!’, and to the hills, ‘Cover us up!’[an] 31 And if they do this when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry?”
32 Two others, who were criminals, were also led away to be executed with Jesus.[ao] 33 When they reached the place called The Skull, they crucified him there with the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. 34 Jesus kept saying, “Father, forgive them, because they don’t know what they’re doing.”[ap] Then they divided his clothes among them by throwing dice.
35 Meanwhile, the people stood looking on. The leaders were mocking him by saying, “He saved others. Let him save himself, if he is the Messiah[aq] of God, the chosen one!”
36 The soldiers also made fun of Jesus[ar] by coming up and offering him sour wine, 37 saying, “If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself!” 38 There was also an inscription over him written in Greek, Latin, and Hebrew:[as] “This is the King of the Jews.”
39 Now one of the criminals hanging there kept insulting[at] him, “You are the Messiah,[au] aren’t you? Save yourself…and us!”
40 But the other criminal rebuked him, “Aren’t you afraid of God, since you are suffering the same penalty? 41 We have been condemned justly, because we are getting what we deserve for what we have done, but this man has done nothing wrong.” 42 Then he went on to plead, “Jesus, remember me when you come into[av] your kingdom!”
43 Jesus[aw] told him, “I tell you[ax] with certainty, today you will be with me in Paradise.”
Jesus Dies on the Cross(J)
44 It was already about noon,[ay] and the whole land[az] became dark until three in the afternoon[ba] 45 because the sun had stopped shining, and the curtain[bb] in the sanctuary was torn in two. 46 Then Jesus cried out with a loud voice and said, “Father, into your hands I entrust my spirit.”[bc] After he said this, he breathed his last.
47 When the centurion[bd] saw what had taken place, he praised God and said, “This man certainly was righteous!” 48 When all the crowds who had come together for this spectacle saw what had taken place, they beat their chests and left. 49 But all his acquaintances, including the women who had followed him from Galilee, were standing at a distance watching these things.
Jesus is Buried(K)
50 Now there was a man named Joseph, a member of the Council,[be] a good and righteous man— 51 he had not voted for their plan and action—from the Jewish town of Arimathea; and he was waiting for the kingdom of God. 52 He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. 53 Then he took it down, wrapped it in a linen cloth, and laid it in a tomb cut in the rock, in which no one had yet been laid.
54 It was the Preparation Day, and the Sabbath was just beginning. 55 So the women who had come with Jesus[bf] from Galilee, following close behind, saw the tomb and how his body was laid. 56 Then they went back and prepared spices and perfumes, and on the Sabbath they rested according to the commandment.
Jesus is Taken to Pilate(A)
23 Then the whole crowd got up and took him to Pilate. 2 They began to accuse him, “We found this man corrupting our nation, forbidding us to pay taxes to Caesar, and saying that he is the Messiah,[a] a king.”
3 Then Pilate asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?”
He answered, “You say so.”
4 Then Pilate told the high priests and crowds, “I do not find anything chargeable in this man.”
5 But they kept insisting, “He is stirring up the people with what he teaches all over Judea, from where he started in Galilee to this place.”
Jesus is Sent to Herod
6 When Pilate heard this, he asked whether the man was a Galilean. 7 When he learned with certainty that Jesus[b] came from Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent him off to Herod, who was in Jerusalem at that time. 8 Now Herod was very glad to see Jesus, because he had been wanting to see him for a long time on account of what he had heard about him. He was also hoping to see some sign done by him. 9 So he continued to question him for a long time, but Jesus[c] gave him no answer at all. 10 Meanwhile, the high priests and the scribes stood nearby and continued to accuse him vehemently. 11 Even[d] Herod and his soldiers treated him with contempt and made fun of him. He put a magnificent robe on Jesus[e] and sent him back to Pilate. 12 So Herod and Pilate became friends with each other that very day. Before this they had been enemies.
Jesus is Sentenced to Death(B)
13 Then Pilate called the high priests, the other[f] leaders, and the people together 14 and told them, “You brought this man to me as one who turns the people against the government. And here in your presence I have examined him and have found him ‘Not Guilty’ of the charges you make against him. 15 Neither does Herod, because he sent him back to us! Indeed, this man[g] has done nothing to deserve death. 16 So I will punish him and let him go.”
17 Now he was obligated to release someone for them at the festival.[h] 18 But they all shouted out together, “Away with this man! Release Barabbas for us!” 19 (This man had been put in prison for murder and for a revolt that had taken place in the city.) 20 But Pilate wanted to let Jesus go, so he appealed to them again, 21 but they continued to shout, “Crucify him! Crucify him!”
22 Then he spoke to them a third time: “What has he done wrong? I have found nothing in him worthy of death. So I will punish him and let him go.” 23 But they kept pressing him with loud shouts, demanding that Jesus[i] be crucified, and their shouts began to prevail.
24 Then Pilate pronounced his sentence that their demand should be carried out. 25 So he released the man who had been put in prison for revolt and murder—the man whose release[j] they continued to demand—but he let them have their way with Jesus.[k]
Jesus is Crucified(C)
26 As they led Jesus[l] away, they grabbed Simon, a man from Cyrene, as he was coming in from the country, and they put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus. 27 A large crowd of people followed him, including some women who kept mourning and wailing for him.
28 But Jesus turned to them and said, “Women[m] of Jerusalem, stop crying for me. Instead, cry for yourselves and for your children, 29 because the time is surely coming when people[n] will say, ‘How blessed are the women who couldn’t bear children and the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!’ 30 Then people[o] will begin to say to the mountains, ‘Fall on us!’, and to the hills, ‘Cover us up!’[p] 31 And if they do this when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry?”
32 Two others, who were criminals, were also led away to be executed with Jesus.[q] 33 When they reached the place called The Skull, they crucified him there with the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. 34 Jesus kept saying, “Father, forgive them, because they don’t know what they’re doing.”[r] Then they divided his clothes among them by throwing dice.
35 Meanwhile, the people stood looking on. The leaders were mocking him by saying, “He saved others. Let him save himself, if he is the Messiah[s] of God, the chosen one!”
36 The soldiers also made fun of Jesus[t] by coming up and offering him sour wine, 37 saying, “If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself!” 38 There was also an inscription over him written in Greek, Latin, and Hebrew:[u] “This is the King of the Jews.”
39 Now one of the criminals hanging there kept insulting[v] him, “You are the Messiah,[w] aren’t you? Save yourself…and us!”
40 But the other criminal rebuked him, “Aren’t you afraid of God, since you are suffering the same penalty? 41 We have been condemned justly, because we are getting what we deserve for what we have done, but this man has done nothing wrong.” 42 Then he went on to plead, “Jesus, remember me when you come into[x] your kingdom!”
43 Jesus[y] told him, “I tell you[z] with certainty, today you will be with me in Paradise.”
Jesus Dies on the Cross(D)
44 It was already about noon,[aa] and the whole land[ab] became dark until three in the afternoon[ac] 45 because the sun had stopped shining, and the curtain[ad] in the sanctuary was torn in two. 46 Then Jesus cried out with a loud voice and said, “Father, into your hands I entrust my spirit.”[ae] After he said this, he breathed his last.
47 When the centurion[af] saw what had taken place, he praised God and said, “This man certainly was righteous!” 48 When all the crowds who had come together for this spectacle saw what had taken place, they beat their chests and left. 49 But all his acquaintances, including the women who had followed him from Galilee, were standing at a distance watching these things.
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