Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
16 First he said, `This is the agreement that I will make with them after those days, says the Lord. I will put my laws in their hearts. I will write them in their minds.'
17 Then he also said, `I will never remember the wrong things they have done and the times they did not obey.'
18 When these wrong things have been forgiven, a sacrifice is not needed for them again.
19 So, my brothers, we can go into the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus.
20 He made a new and living way for us. He opened up God's way specially for us. It lets us through the big curtain or cloth which hides God from us. This happened when Jesus gave his body as a sacrifice.
21 Also, we have a high priest who has charge of God's people.
22 So let us come to him with a true heart. Let us come because we believe all these things. Let us come with our hearts washed clean from our wrong ways. Let us come with our bodies washed with clean water.
23 We must hold on to God's promise that we have said we believed. And we must never let go. He has promised and he will do it.
24 Let us think of one another and help one another to love and to do good things.
25 Do not stop going to church meetings. Some people do stop. But help each other to be strong. You must do it all the more as you see the Great Day coming closer.
14 We have a great high priest who has gone into heaven. He is Jesus, the Son of God. Because we have such a great high priest, let us hold on to the things we believe.
15 We have a high priest who can feel with us when we are weak. He has been tested in every way, just as we are. But he did not do anything wrong.
16 So let us trust him when we come to worship God. He is so good. He will be kind to us and help us when we need it.
7 When Jesus was a man, he talked to God who was able to save him from death. He called loudly to him with tears. God heard him because he honoured and respected God.
8 Even though Jesus was his Son, he learned to obey God in the troubles he had.
9 When he became perfect, he saved for ever all who obeyed him.
18 When Jesus had finished saying this, he and his disciples went through the valley called Kidron. There was a garden with trees. He and his disciples went into the garden.
2 Jesus had gone to this place often with his disciples, so Judas knew where the place was. He was the one who gave Jesus over to the people who hated him.
3 The chief priests and the Pharisees sent soldiers and guards with Judas. They had lamps, and torches, and things to fight with.
4 Jesus knew everything that was going to happen to him. So he went out and said to them, `Who are you looking for?'
5 They answered, `Jesus from Nazareth.' Jesus said to them, `I am he.' Judas, who had given Jesus over to them, was standing with them.
6 When Jesus said to them, `I am he,' they all drew back suddenly and fell down.
7 So Jesus asked them again, `Who are you looking for?' And they said, `Jesus from Nazareth.'
8 Then Jesus answered, `I have already told you that I am he. If you are looking for me, let these men go.'
9 So his words came true. He had said, `I did not lose one of those you gave me.'
10 Simon Peter had a long knife or sword. He took it out and hit the servant of the high priest and cut off his right ear. The servant's name was Malchus.
11 Jesus said to Peter, `Put your sword back in its place. Must I not drink the cup that my Father has given me?'
12 Then the soldiers, and the captain, and the guards caught Jesus and tied him up.
13 First they took him to Annas. He was the father of Caiaphas' wife. Caiaphas was the high priest that year.
14 This was the same Caiaphas that had talked to the leaders of the Jews. He had said, `It is better for one man to die for the people.'
15 Simon Peter and one other disciple went after Jesus. The other disciple knew the high priest, so he went right in with Jesus through the gate of the high priest's large house.
16 But Peter stood by the gate outside. The other disciple who knew the high priest talked to the servant at the door and brought in Peter.
17 The servant at the door said to Peter, `Are you one of this man's disciples too?' Peter said, `No, I am not!'
18 It was cold there. The servants and the officers had made a small fire. They stood by it and warmed themselves. Peter stood by the fire also and warmed himself.
19 The high priest then asked Jesus about his disciples, and about his teaching.
20 Jesus answered him, `I have talked so that anyone who wanted to could hear me. I have always taught in the meeting houses and in the temple. That is where the Jews always go. I have not said anything in a secret way.
21 Why do you ask me? The people heard me talk. Ask them what I told them. They know what I said.'
22 When he had said this, one of the officers who stood there hit Jesus. He said, `Is that the way you answer the high priest?'
23 Jesus answered him, `If I have said anything bad, tell me plainly what wrong thing I have said. If I have told the truth, why do you hit me?'
24 Jesus was still tied up. Annas sent him over to Caiaphas the high priest.
25 Simon Peter stayed by the fire and stood warming himself. So the people said to him, `Are you not one of his disciples also?' He said, `No, I am not!'
26 A servant was there. He was of the same family as the one whose ear Peter had cut off. He said, `Did I not see you in the garden with him? `
27 Again Peter said, `No!' And just then a cock called out.
28 Then the Jewish leaders took Jesus from Caiaphas to the court house. It was early in the day. They themselves did not go into the court house. They did not want to become unclean. They wanted to eat the Passover Feast.
29 Pilate went out to the Jewish leaders and said, `What complaint do you bring against this man?'
30 They said to him, `If he were not a very bad man, then we would not have brought him to you.'
31 Pilate said, `Take him and judge him by your own law.' The leaders of the Jews said, `But we are not allowed to kill anyone.'
32 So this is the way the words of Jesus came true. He had said how he was going to die.
33 Then Pilate went back into the court house again. He called for Jesus and asked him, `Are you the King of the Jews?'
34 Jesus answered, `Do you ask me because you yourself think I am, or do you ask me because others said I am?'
35 Pilate answered, `Am I a Jew? Your own people and the chief priests have brought you here to me. Tell me, what have you done?'
36 Jesus answered him, `I am not a king in this world. If I were, my people would fight so that I would not be given to the Jews. But I am not a king in this world.'
37 So Pilate said, `So you really are a king then? ` Jesus answered, `You say that I am a king. The reason that I was born was that I should tell what is true. That is why I came into the world. Everyone who likes what is true listens to what I say.'
38 Pilate said, `What is truth?' When he had said this, he went out to the Jews again. He told them, `I find nothing wrong in this man.
39 But at the Passover Feast you always want me to let one prisoner go free for you. Do you want me to let the King of the Jews go free?'
40 Then they all shouted again, `Not this man, but Barabbas!' Barabbas was a man who had stolen things.
19 Pilate took Jesus and had him beaten.
2 The soldiers made a big ring of thorns like a crown and put it on Jesus' head. They put a red gown on him.
3 They said, `Greetings, King of the Jews!' They beat him with their hands.
4 Then Pilate went out to the people again and said to them, `See, I bring the man before you. This is to show you that I find nothing wrong in him.'
5 Then Jesus came out. He had the crown of thorns on his head and had the red gown on him. Pilate said, `Here is the man!'
6 When the chief priests and the officers saw Jesus, they shouted, `Nail him to a cross! Nail him to a cross!' Pilate said to them, `You take him and nail him to a cross. I find nothing wrong in him.'
7-8 he leaders of the Jews answered him, `We have a law. That law says he should die, because he calls himself the Son of God.' When Pilate heard what they said, he was very much afraid.
9 He went into the court house again and said to Jesus, `Where do you come from?' But Jesus did not answer him.
10 Then Pilate said, `Do you not answer me? Do you not know that I have power to nail you to a cross, or to let you go free?'
11 Jesus said, `You would have no power over me if God did not give you power. So then, the man who gave me up to you has done something worse than you.'
12 After that Pilate tried to let Jesus go free. But the Jews shouted, `If you let this man free, you are not Caesar's friend! Anyone who makes himself a king is fighting against Caesar!'
13 When Pilate heard this, he brought Jesus out. Then Pilate sat on the bench where the judge sits. The place was called the Street of Stone. The Jews called it Gabbatha.
14 It was about the middle of the day before the Passover Feast. Pilate said to the Jews, `See, here is your King!'
15 But they shouted, `Take him away! Take him away! Nail him to a cross!' Pilate said to them, `Shall I nail your King to a cross?' The chief priests answered, `Caesar is the only king we have.'
16 Then Pilate gave them Jesus to be nailed to a cross.
17 They took Jesus and led him away. Jesus went out carrying his own cross. They went to a place which the Jews called Golgotha. That means `the place of the skull bone'.
18 There they nailed Jesus to the cross. Two other people were also nailed to crosses. One was put on each side of Jesus. Jesus was put in the centre.
19 Pilate wrote a sign and put it on the cross. He wrote, `Jesus from Nazareth, the King of the Jews.'
20 Many of the Jews read this sign. The place where Jesus was nailed to a cross was near the city. The sign was written in the Jewish, Greek, and Latin languages.
21 Then the chief priests among the Jews said to Pilate, `Do not write, "The King of the Jews," but write, "This man said he is King of the Jews." '
22 Pilate answered, `What I have written I have written!'
23 When the soldiers had nailed Jesus to the cross, they took his clothes. They divided them into four parts and gave each soldier one part. Then they took his coat. It was not sewn together but the cloth was all made in one piece from the top to the bottom.
24 So the soldiers said to one another, `We will not tear this. But let us gamble for it.' What the holy writings say came true. They say, `They divided my clothes among them. They gambled for my coat.' That is what the soldiers did.
25 Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene.
26 Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing near. He said to his mother, `Woman, see your son!'
27 And he said to the disciple, `See your mother!' From that time on, that disciple took her to live in his own home.
28 Jesus now knew that everything had happened that the holy writings said. He said, `I am thirsty.'
29 A bowl of bad wine was there. They took something called a sponge and made it wet with the wine. Then they put it on a stick and put it to Jesus' mouth.
30 Jesus took the wine. Then he said, `It is finished.' And he bowed his head and died.
31 It was the day before the Sabbath day. The Jewish leaders did not want the bodies to stay on the cross on the Sabbath day because it was a big day. So they begged Pilate to break the legs of those who had been nailed to crosses. Then they could be taken away.
32 The soldiers came and broke the legs of the one nailed to the cross on one side of Jesus. Then they broke the legs of the one on the other side of him.
33 When they came to Jesus, they saw that he was dead already. So they did not break his legs.
34 One of the soldiers stuck a spear into the side of Jesus' body. Right away, blood and water came out.
35 The man who saw it told what he saw, so that you may believe. What he said is true and he knows that it is true.
36 What the holy writings say came true. They say, `Not one of his bones shall be broken.'
37 They also say, `They shall look at the one into whom they stuck the spear.'
38 A man named Joseph, from the town of Arimathea, was a disciple of Jesus. But he did not say so because he was afraid of the leaders of the Jews. After all this had happened, he went to Pilate. He asked him to let him take Jesus' body away. Pilate let him. So he came and took his body.
39 Nicodemus also came. He was the one who had come to Jesus at night. He brought with him a heavy bag of sweet-smelling spices called myrrh and aloes. It was mixed together.
40 They wrapped linen cloth around the body of Jesus and put the myrrh and aloes in with the cloth. That is how Jews bury a person.
41 There was a garden at the place where Jesus was nailed to the cross. In the garden was a new grave cut in the rock. No one had ever been laid in it.
42 They laid Jesus' body there because it was the day before the Sabbath day, and the grave was near.
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