Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
1 ¶ O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good because his mercy endures for ever.
2 Let Israel now say that his mercy endures for ever.
19 ¶ Open unto me the gates of righteousness; I will go in through them; I will praise JAH.
20 This gate is of the LORD; the righteous shall enter in.
21 I will praise thee; for thou hast heard me and art become my saving health.
22 The stone which the builders rejected is become the head of the corner.
23 This is the LORD’s doing; it is marvellous in our eyes.
24 This is the day which the LORD has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.
25 Save now, I beseech thee, O LORD; O LORD, I beseech thee, cause us now to prosper.
26 Blessed be he that comes in the name of the LORD; from the house of the LORD we bless you.
27 God is the LORD, who has shined on us; bind the sacrifice with cords, even unto the horns of the altar.
28 Thou art my God, and I will praise thee; thou art my God, I will exalt thee.
29 O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good, for his mercy endures for ever.
21 ¶ And when they drew near unto Jerusalem and were come to Bethphage unto the mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples,
2 saying unto them, Go into the village over against you, and straightway ye shall find an ass tied and a colt with her; loose them and bring them unto me.
3 And if anyone says anything unto you, ye shall say, The Lord has need of them; and straightway he will send them.
4 All this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying,
5 Say unto the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King comes unto thee, meek and sitting upon an ass and a colt the foal of a beast under yoke.
6 And the disciples went and did as Jesus commanded them
7 and brought the ass and the colt and put on them their clothes, and he sat upon them.
8 And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way; others cut down branches from the trees and spread them in the way.
9 And the people that went before and that followed, cried out, saying, Hosanna to the Son of David; Blessed is he that comes in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest.
10 And when he was come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, Who is this?
11 And the multitude said, This is Jesus the prophet of Nazareth of Galilee.
4 ¶ The Lord GOD has given me the tongue of the wise that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary; he wakes up early, early shall he awaken my ear, that I might hear, as the wise.
5 The Lord GOD has opened my ear, and I was not rebellious, neither turned away back.
6 I gave my back to the smiters and my cheeks to those that plucked off the hair: I did not hide my face from shame and spitting.
7 For the Lord GOD will help me; therefore, I was not ashamed; therefore, I have set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed.
8 He is near that justifies me; who will contend with me? let us stand together; who is my adversary? let him come near to me.
9 Behold, the Lord GOD will help me; who is he that shall condemn me? behold, they all shall wax old as a garment; the moth shall eat them up.
9 ¶ Have mercy upon me, O LORD, for I am in trouble: my eye is consumed with grief, yea, my soul and my belly.
10 For my life is spent with grief and my years with sighing: my strength fails because of my iniquity, and my bones are consumed.
11 I was a reproach among all my enemies, but especially among my neighbours, and a fear to my acquaintances: those that see me without flee from me.
12 I am forgotten as a dead man out of mind: I have become like a lost vessel.
13 For I have heard the slander of many; fear was on every side; while they took counsel together against me, they devised to take away my life.
14 But I trusted in thee, O LORD; I said, Thou art my God.
15 My times are in thy hand: deliver me from the hand of my enemies and from those that persecute me.
16 Make thy face to shine upon thy slave; save me for thy mercies’ sake.
5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus,
6 who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God,
7 but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, made in the likeness of men,
8 and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. {Gr. stauros – stake}
9 Therefore, God also has highly exalted him and given him a name which is above every name,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven and things in earth and things under the earth,
11 and that every tongue should confess that the Lord Jesus Christ is Lord in the glory of God the Father.
14 ¶ Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the princes of the priests
15 and said unto them, What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you? And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver.
16 And from that time he sought opportunity to betray him.
17 ¶ Now the first day of the feast of unleavened bread, the disciples came to Jesus, saying unto him, Where wilt thou that we prepare for thee to eat the passover?
18 And he said, Go into the city to a certain man and say unto him, The Master saith, My time is at hand; I will keep the passover at thy house with my disciples.
19 And the disciples did as Jesus had appointed them, and they made ready the passover.
20 Now when the evening was come, he sat down at the table with the twelve.
21 And as they ate, he said, Verily I say unto you that one of you shall betray me.
22 And they were exceeding sorrowful and began every one of them to say unto him, Lord, is it I?
23 And he answered and said, He that dips his hand with me in the dish, the same shall betray me.
24 The Son of man goes as it is written of him, but woe unto that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! It had been good for that man if he had not been born.
25 Then Judas, who was betraying him, answered and said, Master, is it I? He said unto him, Thou hast said.
26 ¶ And as they were eating, Jesus took the bread, and, having blessed it, broke it and gave it to the disciples and said, Take, eat; this is my body.
27 And taking the cup and having given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it;
28 for this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.
29 But I say unto you, I will not drink from now on of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.
30 And when they had sung a hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives.
31 ¶ Then Jesus said unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night; for it is written, I will smite the Shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad.
32 But after I am risen again, I will go before you into Galilee.
33 Peter answered and said unto him, Though all men shall be offended in thee, yet I will never be offended.
34 Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this night before the cock crows, thou shalt deny me three times.
35 Peter said unto him, Though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee. Likewise also said all the disciples.
36 ¶ Then Jesus came with them unto a place called Gethsemane and said unto the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder.
37 And taking with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he began to be sorrowful and very heavy.
38 Then he said unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death; tarry ye here and watch with me.
39 And he went a little further and fell on his face, praying and saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.
40 And he came unto the disciples and found them asleep and said unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour?
41 Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation; the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.
42 He went away again the second time and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me except I drink it, thy will be done.
43 And he came and found them asleep again, for their eyes were heavy.
44 And leaving them, he went away again and prayed the third time, saying the same words.
45 Then he came unto his disciples and said unto them, Sleep on now and take your rest; behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.
46 Rise, let us be going; behold, he is at hand that doth betray me.
47 ¶ And while he yet spoke, behold, Judas, one of the twelve, came, and with him a great multitude with swords and staves, from the princes of the priests and elders of the people.
48 Now he that betrayed him had given them a sign, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he; hold him fast.
49 And forthwith he came to Jesus and said, Receive joy, master; and kissed him.
50 And Jesus said unto him, Friend, why art thou come? Then they came and laid hands on Jesus and took him.
51 And, behold, one of those who was with Jesus stretched out his hand and drew his sword and struck a slave of the high priest and smote off his ear.
52 Then Jesus said unto him, Put up again thy sword into its place, for all those that take the sword shall perish by the sword.
53 Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?
54 But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled that thus it must be?
55 In that same hour Jesus said to the multitude, Are ye come out as against a thief with swords and staves to take me? I sat daily with you teaching in the temple, and ye laid no hold on me.
56 But all this was done that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled. Then all the disciples forsook him and fled.
57 ¶ And those that had laid hold on Jesus led him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled.
58 But Peter followed him afar off unto the patio of the high priest and went in and sat with the servants to see the end.
59 Now the princes of the priests and the elders and all the council sought false witness against Jesus, to put him to death;
60 but found none; though many false witnesses came, yet found they none. At the last came two false witnesses
61 who said, This fellow said, I am able to destroy the temple of God and to build it in three days.
62 And the high priest arose and said unto him, Answerest thou nothing to what these witness against thee?
63 But Jesus remained silent. And the high priest answered and said unto him, I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou art the Christ, the Son of God.
64 Jesus said unto him, Thou hast said it; nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power and coming in the clouds of heaven.
65 Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying, He has spoken blasphemy; what further need have we of witnesses? Behold, now ye have heard his blasphemy.
66 What think ye? They answered and said, He is guilty of death.
67 Then they spit in his face and buffeted him, and others smote him with the staves,
68 saying, Prophesy unto us, thou Christ; who is he that smote thee?
69 ¶ Now Peter sat outside in the patio; and a damsel came unto him, saying, Thou also wast with Jesus of Galilee.
70 But he denied before them all, saying, I know not what thou sayest.
71 And when he was gone out into the porch, another maid saw him and said unto those that were there, This fellow was also with Jesus of Nazareth.
72 And again he denied with an oath, I do not know the man.
73 And after a while those that stood by came unto him and said to Peter, Surely thou also art one of them, for thy speech makes thee manifest.
74 Then he began to curse and to swear, saying, I know not the man. And immediately a cock crew.
75 And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, who said unto him, Before the cock crows, thou shalt deny me three times. And he went out and wept bitterly.
27 ¶ When the morning was come, all the princes of the priests and the elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death,
2 and when they had bound him, they led him away and delivered him to Pontius Pilate the governor.
3 Then Judas, who had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the princes of the priests and the elders,
4 saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. And they said, What is that to us? Thou shalt see to it.
5 And casting down the pieces of silver in the temple, he departed and went and hanged himself.
6 And the princes of the priests taking the silver pieces, said, It is not lawful to put them into the treasury because it is the price of blood.
7 And they took counsel and bought with them the potter’s field to bury strangers in.
8 Therefore that field was called, The field of blood, unto this day.
9 Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying, And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him that was valued, whom they of the sons of Israel did value,
10 and gave them for the potter’s field, as the Lord appointed me.
11 ¶ And Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, saying, Art thou the King of the Jews? And Jesus said unto him, Thou sayest.
12 And being accused by the princes of the priests and the elders, he answered nothing.
13 Then Pilate said unto him, Hearest thou not how many things they witness against thee?
14 And he did not answer him even a word; insomuch that the governor marvelled greatly.
15 Now at that feast the governor was accustomed to release unto the people a prisoner, whoever they desired.
16 And they had then a notable prisoner, called Barabbas.
17 Therefore when they were gathered together, Pilate said unto them, Whom desire ye that I release unto you? Barabbas or Jesus who is called Christ?
18 For he knew that for envy they had delivered him.
19 When he was seated upon the judgment seat, his wife sent unto him, saying, Have thou nothing to do with that just man, for I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of him.
20 But the princes of the priests and the elders persuaded the multitude that they should ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus.
21 The governor answered and said unto them, Which of the two desire ye that I release unto you? They said, Barabbas.
22 Pilate said unto them, What shall I do then with Jesus who is called Christ? They all say unto him, Let him be crucified.
23 And the governor said, Why, what evil has he done? But they cried out the more, saying, Let him be crucified.
24 When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but that rather a tumult was made, he took water and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just person; see ye to it.
25 Then all the people answered and said, His blood be on us and on our children.
26 ¶ Then he released Barabbas unto them; and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified.
27 Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the common hall and gathered unto him the whole band of soldiers.
28 And they stripped him and put on him a scarlet robe.
29 And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head and a reed in his right hand; and they bowed the knee before him and mocked him, saying, Receive joy, King of the Jews!
30 And they spit upon him and took the reed and smote him on the head.
31 And after they had mocked him, they took the robe off from him and put his own raiment on him and led him away to crucify {Gr. stauroo – Hang on a stake} him.
32 And as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name; him they compelled to bear his cross. {Gr. stauros -stake}
33 ¶ And when they were come unto a place called Golgotha, that is to say, the place of a skull,
34 they gave him vinegar to drink mingled with gall; and when he had tasted of it, he would not drink.
35 And they crucified him and parted his garments, casting lots, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, They parted my garments among them, and upon my raiment did they cast lots.
36 And sitting down they watched him there
37 and set up over his head his accusation written, THIS IS JESUS, THE KING OF THE JEWS.
38 Then there were two thieves crucified with him, one on the right hand and another on the left.
39 And they that passed by reviled him, wagging their heads
40 and saying, Thou that wouldst destroy the temple and build it in three days, save thyself. If thou art the Son of God, come down from the cross. {Gr. stauros -stake}
41 Likewise also the princes of the priests mocking him, with the scribes and elders, said,
42 He saved others; he cannot save himself. If he is the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, {Gr. stauros -stake} and we will believe him.
43 He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him, for he said, I am the Son of God.
44 The thieves also, who were crucified with him, reproached him with the same.
45 Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour.
46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? That is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?
47 Some of those that stood there, when they heard that, said, This man calls for Elijah.
48 And straightway one of them ran and took a sponge and filled it with vinegar and put it on a reed and gave him to drink.
49 The rest said, Let be, let us see whether Elijah will come to save him.
50 ¶ But Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, gave up the spirit.
51 And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in two from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;
52 and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints who slept arose
53 and came out of the graves after his resurrection and went into the holy city and appeared unto many.
54 Now when the centurion and those that were with him, guarding Jesus, saw the earthquake and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was God’s Son.
55 And many women were there beholding afar off, who followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering unto him;
56 among whom was Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James and Joses and the mother of the sons of Zebedee.
57 ¶ When the evening was come, there came a rich man of Arimathaea, named Joseph, who also had been a disciple of Jesus;
58 he went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be delivered.
59 And when Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth
60 and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock, and he rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre and departed.
61 And there was Mary Magdalene and the other Mary, sitting over against the sepulchre.
62 Now the next day, that followed the day of the preparation, the princes of the priests and the Pharisees came together unto Pilate,
63 saying, Lord, we remember that that deceiver said, while he was yet alive, After three days I will rise again.
64 Command therefore that the sepulchre be made secure until the third day, lest his disciples come by night and steal him away and say unto the people, He is risen from the dead; so the last error shall be worse than the first.
65 Pilate said unto them, Ye have a watch; go your way; make it as secure as ye can.
66 So they went and made the sepulchre secure, sealing the stone and setting a watch.
11 ¶ And Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, saying, Art thou the King of the Jews? And Jesus said unto him, Thou sayest.
12 And being accused by the princes of the priests and the elders, he answered nothing.
13 Then Pilate said unto him, Hearest thou not how many things they witness against thee?
14 And he did not answer him even a word; insomuch that the governor marvelled greatly.
15 Now at that feast the governor was accustomed to release unto the people a prisoner, whoever they desired.
16 And they had then a notable prisoner, called Barabbas.
17 Therefore when they were gathered together, Pilate said unto them, Whom desire ye that I release unto you? Barabbas or Jesus who is called Christ?
18 For he knew that for envy they had delivered him.
19 When he was seated upon the judgment seat, his wife sent unto him, saying, Have thou nothing to do with that just man, for I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of him.
20 But the princes of the priests and the elders persuaded the multitude that they should ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus.
21 The governor answered and said unto them, Which of the two desire ye that I release unto you? They said, Barabbas.
22 Pilate said unto them, What shall I do then with Jesus who is called Christ? They all say unto him, Let him be crucified.
23 And the governor said, Why, what evil has he done? But they cried out the more, saying, Let him be crucified.
24 When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but that rather a tumult was made, he took water and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just person; see ye to it.
25 Then all the people answered and said, His blood be on us and on our children.
26 ¶ Then he released Barabbas unto them; and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified.
27 Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the common hall and gathered unto him the whole band of soldiers.
28 And they stripped him and put on him a scarlet robe.
29 And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head and a reed in his right hand; and they bowed the knee before him and mocked him, saying, Receive joy, King of the Jews!
30 And they spit upon him and took the reed and smote him on the head.
31 And after they had mocked him, they took the robe off from him and put his own raiment on him and led him away to crucify {Gr. stauroo – Hang on a stake} him.
32 And as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name; him they compelled to bear his cross. {Gr. stauros -stake}
33 ¶ And when they were come unto a place called Golgotha, that is to say, the place of a skull,
34 they gave him vinegar to drink mingled with gall; and when he had tasted of it, he would not drink.
35 And they crucified him and parted his garments, casting lots, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, They parted my garments among them, and upon my raiment did they cast lots.
36 And sitting down they watched him there
37 and set up over his head his accusation written, THIS IS JESUS, THE KING OF THE JEWS.
38 Then there were two thieves crucified with him, one on the right hand and another on the left.
39 And they that passed by reviled him, wagging their heads
40 and saying, Thou that wouldst destroy the temple and build it in three days, save thyself. If thou art the Son of God, come down from the cross. {Gr. stauros -stake}
41 Likewise also the princes of the priests mocking him, with the scribes and elders, said,
42 He saved others; he cannot save himself. If he is the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, {Gr. stauros -stake} and we will believe him.
43 He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him, for he said, I am the Son of God.
44 The thieves also, who were crucified with him, reproached him with the same.
45 Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour.
46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? That is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?
47 Some of those that stood there, when they heard that, said, This man calls for Elijah.
48 And straightway one of them ran and took a sponge and filled it with vinegar and put it on a reed and gave him to drink.
49 The rest said, Let be, let us see whether Elijah will come to save him.
50 ¶ But Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, gave up the spirit.
51 And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in two from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;
52 and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints who slept arose
53 and came out of the graves after his resurrection and went into the holy city and appeared unto many.
54 Now when the centurion and those that were with him, guarding Jesus, saw the earthquake and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was God’s Son.
Copyright © 2013, 2020 by Ransom Press International