Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
Praise to God for His Loyal Love
118 Give thanks to Yahweh for he is good,
for his loyal love is forever.
2 Let Israel say,
“His loyal love is forever.”
19 Open to me the gates of righteousness,
that I may enter through them
and give thanks to Yah.[a]
20 This is the gate of Yahweh,
through which the righteous will enter.
21 I will give thanks to you for you have answered me,
and you have become my salvation.[b]
22 The stone the builders rejected
has become the chief cornerstone.
23 This is from Yahweh;
it is wonderful in our eyes.
24 This is the day Yahweh has worked;[c]
let us rejoice and be glad in him.[d]
25 O Yahweh, please save;
O Yahweh, please grant success.
26 Blessed is he who comes in the name of Yahweh.
We bless you[e] from the house[f] of Yahweh.
27 Yahweh is God, and he has given us light.[g]
Bind the festal sacrifice[h] with cords[i]
to the horns[j] of the altar.
28 You are my God, and I will give thanks to you.
You are my God; I will exalt you.
29 Give thanks to Yahweh for he is good,
for his loyal love is forever.
The Triumphal Entry
11 And when they came near to Jerusalem, to Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples 2 and said to them, “Go into the village before you, and right away as you[a] enter into it you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever sat. Untie it and bring it.[b] 3 And if anyone says to you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say[c] ‘The Lord has need of it, and will send it here again at once.’” 4 And they went away and found a colt tied at a door outside in the street, and they untied it. 5 And some of those who were standing there said to them, “What are you doing, untying the colt?” 6 So they told them, just as Jesus had said, and they allowed them to take it.[d] 7 And they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks over it, and he sat on it. 8 And many people spread their cloaks on the road, and others spread[e] leafy branches they[f] had cut from the fields. 9 And those who went ahead and those who were following were shouting,
“Hosanna!
Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord![g]
10 Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David!
Hosanna in the highest heaven!”[h]
11 And he went into Jerusalem to the temple, and after[i] looking around at everything, because[j] the hour was already late, he went out to Bethany with the twelve.
The Triumphal Entry
12 On the next day the large crowd who had come to the feast, when they[a] heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, 13 took the branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, and began crying out,
“Hosanna!
Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord,[b]
even the king of Israel!”
14 So Jesus found a young donkey and[c] sat on it, just as it is written,
15 “Do not be afraid, daughter of Zion!
Behold, your king is coming,
seated on the foal of a donkey!”[d]
16 (His disciples did not understand these things at first, but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things had been written about him and they did these things to him.)
The Servant’s Vindication
4 The Lord Yahweh has given me the tongue of a pupil,
to know how to help the weary with a word.
He awakens morning by morning,[a]
awakens an ear for me to listen as do the pupils.
5 The Lord Yahweh has opened an ear for me,
and I, I was not rebellious.
I did not turn backwards;
6 I gave my back to those who struck me,
and my cheeks to those who pulled out my beard;[b]
I did not hide my face from insults and spittle.
7 And the Lord Yahweh helps me,
therefore I have not been put to shame;
therefore I have set my face like flint.
And I know that I shall not be ashamed;
8 he who obtains rights for me is near.
Who will contend with me? Let us stand together.
Who is the master of my judgment? Let him approach me.
9 Look! The Lord Yahweh helps me.
Who is the one who will declare me guilty?
Look! All of them will be worn out like a garment;
the moth will eat them.
9 Be gracious to me, O Yahweh,
because I have distress.
My eye wastes away because of vexation,
along with my soul and my body.[a]
10 For my life is at an end with sorrow,
and my years with sighing.
My strength stumbles because of my iniquity,
and my bones waste away.
11 Because of all my adversaries I have become a disgrace,
especially to my neighbors,
and a dread to my acquaintances.
Those who see me in the street flee from me.
12 I have become forgotten like one dead, out of mind.[b]
I am like a destroyed vessel.
13 For I hear the rumor of many,
“Terror on every side!”
When conspiring together against me,
they have plotted to take my life.
14 But as for me, I trust you, O Yahweh.
I say, “You are my God.”
15 My times[c] are in your hand.
Deliver me from the hand of my enemies
and from those who pursue me.
16 Shine your face upon your servant.
Save me by your loyal love.
Christ’s Humiliation and Exaltation
5 Think this in[a] yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus,
6 who, existing in the form of God,
did not consider being equal with God something to be grasped,
7 but emptied himself
by[b] taking the form of a slave,
by[c] becoming in the likeness of people.
And being found in appearance like a man,
8 he humbled himself
by[d] becoming obedient to the point of death,
that is, death on a cross.
9 Therefore also God exalted him
and graciously granted him the name above every name,
10 so that at the name of Jesus
every knee should bow,
of those in heaven and of those on earth and of those under the earth,
11 and every tongue confess
that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
The Chief Priests and Scribes Plot to Kill Jesus
14 Now after two days it was the Passover and the feast of Unleavened Bread, and the chief priests and the scribes were seeking how, after[a] arresting him by stealth, they could kill him.[b] 2 For they said, “Not at the feast, lest there be an uproar by the people.”
Jesus’ Anointing at Bethany
3 And while[c] he was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as[d] he was reclining for a meal, a woman came holding an alabaster flask of very costly perfumed oil of genuine nard. After[e] breaking the alabaster flask, she poured it[f] out on his head. 4 But some were expressing indignation to one another:[g] “Why has there been this waste of perfumed oil? 5 For this perfumed oil could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor!” And they began to scold[h] her. 6 But Jesus said, “Leave her alone. Why do you cause trouble for her? She has done a good deed to me. 7 For the poor you always have with you, and you can do good for them whenever you want, but you do not always have me. 8 She has done what she could; she has anointed my body beforehand[i] for burial. 9 And truly I say to you, wherever the gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will also be told in memory of her.
Judas Arranges to Betray Jesus
10 And Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve, went to the chief priests in order to betray him to them. 11 And when[j] they heard this,[k] they were delighted, and promised to give him money. And he began seeking[l] how he could betray him conveniently.
Jesus’ Final Passover with the Disciples
12 And on the first day of the feast of Unleavened Bread, when they sacrificed the Passover lamb, his disciples said to him, “Where do you want us to go and[m] prepare, so that you can eat the Passover?” 13 And he sent two of his disciples and said to them, “Go into the city and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him, 14 and wherever he enters, say to the master of the house, ‘The Teacher says, “Where is my guest room where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?”’ 15 And he will show you a large upstairs room furnished[n] and[o] ready, and prepare for us there.” 16 And the disciples went out and came into the city and found everything[p] just as he had told them, and they prepared the Passover.
17 And when it[q] was evening, he arrived with the twelve. 18 And while[r] they were reclining at table and eating, Jesus said, “Truly I say to you, that one of you who is eating with me will betray me.” 19 They began to be distressed and to say to him one by one, “Surely not I?”[s] 20 But he said to them, “It is one of the twelve—the one who is dipping bread[t] into the bowl with me. 21 For the Son of Man is going just as it is written about him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would be better for him if that man had not been born.”
The Lord’s Supper
22 And while[u] they were eating, he took bread and,[v] after[w] giving thanks, he broke it[x] and gave it[y] to them and said, “Take it,[z] this is my body.” 23 And after[aa] taking the cup and[ab] giving thanks, he gave it[ac] to them, and they all drank from it. 24 And he said to them, “This is my blood of the covenant which is poured out for many. 25 Truly I say to you that I will never drink of the fruit of the vine any longer until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.” 26 And after they[ad] had sung the hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
Jesus Predicts Peter’s Denial
27 And Jesus said to them, “You will all fall away, because it is written,
‘I will strike the shepherd
and the sheep will be scattered.’[ae]
28 But after I am raised, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.” 29 But Peter said to him, “Even if they all fall away, certainly I will not!” 30 And Jesus said to him, “Truly I say to you that today—this night—before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times!” 31 But he kept saying emphatically, “If it is necessary for me to die with you, I will never deny you!” And they all were saying the same thing also.
The Prayer in Gethsemane
32 And they came to a place named[af] Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.” 33 And he took along Peter and James and John with him, and he began to be distressed and troubled. 34 And he said to them, “My soul is deeply grieved, to the point of death. Remain here and stay awake.” 35 And going forward a little he fell to the ground and began to pray[ag] that, if it were possible, the hour would pass from him. 36 And he said, “Abba,[ah] Father, all things are possible for you! Take away this cup from me! Yet not what I will, but what you will.”[ai] 37 And he came and found them sleeping, and he said to Peter, “Simon, are you sleeping? Were you not able to stay awake one hour? 38 Stay awake and pray that you will not enter into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak!” 39 And again he went away and[aj] prayed, saying the same thing. 40 And again he came and[ak] found them sleeping, for they could not keep their eyes open,[al] and they did not know what to reply to him. 41 And he came the third time and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? It is enough! The hour has come. Behold, the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners. 42 Get up, let us go! Behold, the one who is betraying me is approaching!”
The Betrayal and Arrest of Jesus
43 And immediately, while[am] he was still speaking, Judas—one of the twelve—arrived, and with him a crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders. 44 Now the one who was betraying him had given them a sign, saying, “The one whom I kiss—he is the one.[an] Arrest him and lead him[ao] away under guard!” 45 And when he[ap] arrived, he came up to him immediately and[aq] said, “Rabbi,” and kissed him. 46 So they laid hands on him and arrested him.
47 But a certain one of the bystanders, drawing his[ar] sword, struck the slave of the high priest and cut off his ear. 48 And Jesus answered and[as] said to them, “Have you come out with swords and clubs, as against a robber, to arrest me? 49 Every day I was with you in the temple courts[at] teaching, and you did not arrest me! But this has happened[au] in order that the scriptures would be fulfilled. 50 And they all abandoned him and[av] fled.
51 And a certain young man was following him, clothed only in a linen cloth on his naked body. And they attempted to seize[aw] him, 52 but he left behind the linen cloth and[ax] fled naked.
Jesus Before the Sanhedrin
53 And they led Jesus away to the high priest, and all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes came together. 54 And Peter followed him from a distance, right inside, into the courtyard of the high priest. And he was sitting with the officers and warming himself by the fire. 55 Now the chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for testimony against Jesus in order to put him to death, and they did not find it.[ay] 56 For many gave false testimony against him, and their[az] testimony was not consistent. 57 And some stood up and[ba] began to give false testimony[bb] against him, saying, 58 “We heard him saying, ‘I will destroy this temple made by hands, and within three days I will build another not made by hands.” 59 And their testimony was not even consistent about this. 60 And the high priest stood up in the midst of them and[bc] asked Jesus, saying, “Do you not reply anything? What are these people testifying against you?” 61 But he was silent and did not reply anything. Again the high priest asked him and said to him, “Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?” 62 And Jesus said, “I am, and you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power[bd] and coming with the clouds of heaven.” 63 And the high priest tore his clothes and[be] said, “What further need do we have of witnesses? 64 You have heard the blasphemy! What do you think?”[bf] And they all condemned him as deserving death.[bg] 65 And some began to spit on him and to cover his face and to strike him with their fists, and to say to him “Prophesy!” And the officers received him with slaps in the face.[bh]
Peter Denies Jesus Three Times
66 And while[bi] Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the female slaves of the high priest came up 67 And when[bj] she saw Peter warming himself, she looked intently at him and[bk] said, “You also were with the Nazarene, Jesus.” 68 But he denied it,[bl] saying, “I neither know nor understand what you mean!” And he went out into the gateway, and a rooster crowed.[bm] 69 And the female slave, when she[bn] saw him, began to say again to the bystanders, “This man is one of them!” 70 But he denied it[bo] again. And after a little while, again the bystanders began to say[bp] to Peter, “You really are one of them, because you also are a Galilean, and your accent shows it!”[bq][br] 71 And he began to curse and to swear with an oath, “I do not know this man whom you are talking about!” 72 And immediately a rooster crowed for the second time. And Peter remembered the statement, how Jesus had said to him, “Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times,” and throwing himself down, he began to weep.[bs]
Jesus Taken to Pilate
15 And as soon as morning came, after[bt] formulating a plan, the chief priests, with the elders and scribes and the whole Sanhedrin, tied up Jesus, led him[bu] away, and handed him[bv] over to Pilate. 2 And Pilate asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?” And he answered him and[bw] said, “You say so.” 3 And the chief priests began to accuse[bx] him of many things. 4 So Pilate asked him again, saying, “Do you not answer anything? See how many charges[by] they are bringing against you!” 5 But Jesus did not answer anything further, so that Pilate was astonished.
Pilate Releases Barabbas
6 Now at each feast he customarily released[bz] for them one prisoner whom they requested. 7 And the one named Barabbas[ca] was imprisoned with the rebels who had committed murder in the rebellion. 8 And the crowd came up and[cb] began to ask him to do as he customarily did[cc] for them. 9 So Pilate answered them, saying, “Do you want me to release for you the king of the Jews?” 10 (For he realized that the chief priests had handed him over because of envy.) 11 But the chief priests incited the crowd so that he would release for them Barabbas[cd] instead. 12 So Pilate answered and said to them again, “Then what do you want me to do with the one whom you call the king of the Jews?” 13 And they shouted again, “Crucify him!” 14 And Pilate said to them, “Why? What evil has he done?” But they shouted even louder, “Crucify him!”
15 So Pilate, because he[ce] wanted to satisfy[cf] the crowd, released for them Barabbas. And after[cg] he had Jesus flogged, he handed him[ch] over so that he could be crucified.
Jesus Is Mocked
16 So the soldiers led him away into the palace (that is, the governor’s residence) and called together the whole cohort. 17 And they put a purple cloak on him, and after[ci] weaving a crown of thorns they placed it[cj] on him. 18 And they began to greet him, “Hail, king of the Jews!” 19 And they repeatedly struck[ck] him on the head with a reed, and were spitting on him, and they knelt down[cl] and[cm] did obeisance to him. 20 And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the purple cloak and put his own clothes[cn] on him, and they led him out so that they could crucify him.
Jesus Is Crucified
21 And they forced a certain man who was passing by, Simon of Cyrene (the father of Alexander and Rufus), who was coming from the country, to carry his cross. 22 And they brought him to the place Golgotha (which is translated “Place of a Skull”). 23 And they attempted to give[co] him wine mixed with myrrh, but he did not take it. 24 And they crucified him and divided his clothes among themselves[cp] by[cq] casting lots for them to see who should take what. 25 Now it was the third hour when they crucified him. 26 And the inscription of the charge against him was written, “The king of the Jews.” 27 And with him they crucified two robbers, one on his right and one on his left.[cr] 29 And those who passed by reviled him, shaking their heads and saying, “Aha! The one who would destroy the temple and rebuild it[cs] in three days, 30 save yourself by[ct] coming down from the cross!” 31 In the same way also the chief priests, along with the scribes, were mocking him[cu] to one another, saying, “He saved others; he is not able to save himself! 32 Let the Christ, the king of Israel, come down now from the cross, so that we may see and believe! Even those who were crucified with him were reviling him.
Jesus Dies on the Cross
33 And when[cv] the sixth hour came, darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour. 34 And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” (which is translated, “My God, my God, why[cw] have you forsaken me?”)[cx] 35 And some of the bystanders, when they[cy] heard it,[cz] said, “Behold, he is summoning Elijah!” 36 And someone ran and filled a sponge with sour wine, put it[da] on a reed, and[db] gave it[dc] to him to drink, saying, “Leave him[dd] alone! Let us see if Elijah is coming to take him down.” 37 But Jesus uttered a loud cry and[de] expired. 38 And the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. 39 And when[df] the centurion who was standing opposite him saw that he expired like this, he said, “Truly this man was God’s Son!” 40 And there were also women observing from a distance, among whom were Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the younger[dg] and Joses,[dh] and Salome, 41 who used to follow[di] him and serve him when he was in Galilee, and many other women who went up with him to Jerusalem.
Jesus Is Buried
42 And when it[dj] was already evening, since it was the day of preparation (that is, the day before the Sabbath), 43 Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent member of the council who was also himself looking forward to[dk] the kingdom of God, came acting courageously and[dl] went in to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. 44 And Pilate was surprised that he was already dead, and summoning the centurion, asked him whether he had died already. 45 And when he[dm] learned of it[dn] from the centurion, he granted the corpse to Joseph. 46 And after[do] purchasing a linen cloth and[dp] taking him down, he wrapped him[dq] in the linen cloth and placed him in a tomb that had been cut from the rock. And he rolled a stone over the entrance of the tomb. 47 Now Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses saw where he was placed.
Jesus Taken to Pilate
15 And as soon as morning came, after[a] formulating a plan, the chief priests, with the elders and scribes and the whole Sanhedrin, tied up Jesus, led him[b] away, and handed him[c] over to Pilate. 2 And Pilate asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?” And he answered him and[d] said, “You say so.” 3 And the chief priests began to accuse[e] him of many things. 4 So Pilate asked him again, saying, “Do you not answer anything? See how many charges[f] they are bringing against you!” 5 But Jesus did not answer anything further, so that Pilate was astonished.
Pilate Releases Barabbas
6 Now at each feast he customarily released[g] for them one prisoner whom they requested. 7 And the one named Barabbas[h] was imprisoned with the rebels who had committed murder in the rebellion. 8 And the crowd came up and[i] began to ask him to do as he customarily did[j] for them. 9 So Pilate answered them, saying, “Do you want me to release for you the king of the Jews?” 10 (For he realized that the chief priests had handed him over because of envy.) 11 But the chief priests incited the crowd so that he would release for them Barabbas[k] instead. 12 So Pilate answered and said to them again, “Then what do you want me to do with the one whom you call the king of the Jews?” 13 And they shouted again, “Crucify him!” 14 And Pilate said to them, “Why? What evil has he done?” But they shouted even louder, “Crucify him!”
15 So Pilate, because he[l] wanted to satisfy[m] the crowd, released for them Barabbas. And after[n] he had Jesus flogged, he handed him[o] over so that he could be crucified.
Jesus Is Mocked
16 So the soldiers led him away into the palace (that is, the governor’s residence) and called together the whole cohort. 17 And they put a purple cloak on him, and after[p] weaving a crown of thorns they placed it[q] on him. 18 And they began to greet him, “Hail, king of the Jews!” 19 And they repeatedly struck[r] him on the head with a reed, and were spitting on him, and they knelt down[s] and[t] did obeisance to him. 20 And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the purple cloak and put his own clothes[u] on him, and they led him out so that they could crucify him.
Jesus Is Crucified
21 And they forced a certain man who was passing by, Simon of Cyrene (the father of Alexander and Rufus), who was coming from the country, to carry his cross. 22 And they brought him to the place Golgotha (which is translated “Place of a Skull”). 23 And they attempted to give[v] him wine mixed with myrrh, but he did not take it. 24 And they crucified him and divided his clothes among themselves[w] by[x] casting lots for them to see who should take what. 25 Now it was the third hour when they crucified him. 26 And the inscription of the charge against him was written, “The king of the Jews.” 27 And with him they crucified two robbers, one on his right and one on his left.[y] 29 And those who passed by reviled him, shaking their heads and saying, “Aha! The one who would destroy the temple and rebuild it[z] in three days, 30 save yourself by[aa] coming down from the cross!” 31 In the same way also the chief priests, along with the scribes, were mocking him[ab] to one another, saying, “He saved others; he is not able to save himself! 32 Let the Christ, the king of Israel, come down now from the cross, so that we may see and believe! Even those who were crucified with him were reviling him.
Jesus Dies on the Cross
33 And when[ac] the sixth hour came, darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour. 34 And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” (which is translated, “My God, my God, why[ad] have you forsaken me?”)[ae] 35 And some of the bystanders, when they[af] heard it,[ag] said, “Behold, he is summoning Elijah!” 36 And someone ran and filled a sponge with sour wine, put it[ah] on a reed, and[ai] gave it[aj] to him to drink, saying, “Leave him[ak] alone! Let us see if Elijah is coming to take him down.” 37 But Jesus uttered a loud cry and[al] expired. 38 And the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. 39 And when[am] the centurion who was standing opposite him saw that he expired like this, he said, “Truly this man was God’s Son!”
40 And there were also women observing from a distance, among whom were Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the younger[a] and Joses,[b] and Salome, 41 who used to follow[c] him and serve him when he was in Galilee, and many other women who went up with him to Jerusalem.
Jesus Is Buried
42 And when it[d] was already evening, since it was the day of preparation (that is, the day before the Sabbath), 43 Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent member of the council who was also himself looking forward to[e] the kingdom of God, came acting courageously and[f] went in to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. 44 And Pilate was surprised that he was already dead, and summoning the centurion, asked him whether he had died already. 45 And when he[g] learned of it[h] from the centurion, he granted the corpse to Joseph. 46 And after[i] purchasing a linen cloth and[j] taking him down, he wrapped him[k] in the linen cloth and placed him in a tomb that had been cut from the rock. And he rolled a stone over the entrance of the tomb. 47 Now Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses saw where he was placed.
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