Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

The Lord's Servant

David wrote this song for the music leader, to ask God to help him.

A prayer for help^[a]

Be strong as servants of God

12 So we have learned about many people who trusted God long ago. They are like a very big crowd all round us and we should copy their example. We must be like people who run in a race.^[a] We must throw away everything that stops us from running well. The sins that we do make us fall down very easily. We must not let those sins rule us. God has prepared the way that is in front of us. We must continue to be strong while we run along that way. We must choose to run that race well. ² As we run, we must always look towards Jesus. He is the one who trusted God completely. Our faith starts with him, and he will help us to trust God all the way to the end. Jesus accepted punishment on the cross. He chose to receive much pain. He did not think about being ashamed to die like that. He knew that God had prepared something very good for him that would make him happy. Now he has sat down at the right side of God to rule with him in heaven.

³ So think carefully about how Jesus lived on earth. Bad people did very bad things against him, but he continued to be strong. Think about him, and then you will not become weak as Christians. You will not stop trusting God.

Jesus tells the disciples what will happen to him

²¹ After Jesus had said this, he felt very upset. He said to the disciples very seriously, ‘I tell you this: One of you will help my enemies to take hold of me.’ ²² The disciples looked at each other. They did not know which of them Jesus was speaking about. ²³ The disciple that Jesus loved was sitting very near to Jesus. ²⁴ Simon Peter looked towards that disciple and said to him, ‘Ask Jesus who he is speaking about.’ ²⁵ So that disciple moved even nearer to Jesus and he asked, ‘Who is it, Lord?’ ²⁶ Jesus answered, ‘I will put a piece of bread in the dish of food. Then I will give the bread to him. That is the man.’ So he put a piece of bread in the dish. Then he gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot.

²⁷ When Judas had taken the bread, Satan came into him. Then Jesus said to Judas, ‘Do quickly what you want to do.’ ²⁸ None of the other disciples who were sitting at the meal understood this. They did not know why Jesus said this to Judas. ²⁹ Judas kept the bag of money on behalf of the group of disciples. So some of them thought that Jesus had asked Judas to buy some things. Maybe he should buy what they needed for the festival. Or maybe he should go and give some money to the poor people.

³⁰ Judas took the bread and he ate it. Then he went out immediately. By now it was night.

Jesus' new rule

³¹ When Judas had left, Jesus said, ‘Now people will see how great the Son of Man is. Because of him, they will also see how great God is. ³² The Son will show how great God is. Then God will take the Son to himself and he will show how great the Son is. He will do that very soon.