Jesus Before Pilate

23 ^bThen the whole company of them arose and brought him before Pilate. 2 ^cAnd they began to accuse him, saying, “We found this man misleading our nation and ^dforbidding us to give tribute to Caesar, and saying that he himself is Christ, a ^eking.” 3 And Pilate asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” And he answered him, “You have said so.” 4 Then Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowds, “I find ^fno guilt in this man.” 5 But they were urgent, saying, “He stirs up the people, teaching throughout all Judea, from Galilee even to this place.”

Jesus Before Herod

6 When Pilate heard this, he asked whether the man was a Galilean. 7 And when he learned that he belonged to Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent him over to Herod, who was himself in Jerusalem at that time. 8 When Herod saw Jesus, he was very glad, for he had ^glong desired to see him, because he had heard about him, and he was hoping to see some sign done by him. 9 So he questioned him at some length, but he ^hmade no answer. 10 The chief priests and the scribes stood by, vehemently accusing him. 11 And Herod with his soldiers treated him with contempt and mocked him. Then, arraying him in splendid clothing, he sent him back to Pilate. 12 And ⁱHerod and Pilate became friends with each other that very day, for before this they had been at enmity with each other.

13 Pilate then called together the chief priests and the rulers and the people, 14 and said to them, “You brought me this man as one who was ^jmisleading the people. And after examining him before you, behold, I did not find this man guilty of any of your charges against him. 15 Neither did Herod, for he sent him back to us. Look, ^knothing deserving death has been done by him. 16 I will therefore punish and release him.”¹

Pilate Delivers Jesus to Be Crucified

18 ^lBut they all cried out together, “Away with this man, and release to us Barabbas”— 19 a man who had been thrown into prison for an insurrection started in the city and for murder. 20 Pilate addressed them once more, desiring to release Jesus, 21 but they kept shouting, “Crucify, crucify him!” 22 A third time he said to them, “Why? What evil has he done? I have found in him no guilt deserving death. I will therefore punish and release him.” 23 But they were urgent, demanding with loud cries that he should be crucified. And their voices prevailed. 24 So Pilate decided that their demand should be granted. 25 He released the man who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, for whom they asked, but he delivered Jesus over to their will.

The Crucifixion

26 ^mAnd as they led him away, they seized one Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country, and laid on him the cross, to carry it behind Jesus. 27 And there followed him a great multitude of the people and of women who were mourning and lamenting for him. 28 But turning to them Jesus said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but ⁿweep for yourselves and for your children. 29 For behold, the days are coming when they will say, ^o‘Blessed are the barren and the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!’ 30 Then they will begin to ^psay to the mountains, ‘Fall on us,’ and to the hills, ‘Cover us.’ 31 For if they do these things when the wood is ^qgreen, what will happen when it is dry?”

32 ^rTwo others, who were criminals, were led away to be put to death with him. 33 And when they came to the place that is called The Skull, there they crucified him, and the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. 34 And Jesus said, ^s“Father, forgive them, for they ^tknow not what they do.”² And ^uthey cast lots to divide his garments. 35 And the people stood by, watching, but the rulers scoffed at him, saying, “He saved others; let him save himself, if he is the ^vChrist of God, his ^wChosen One!” 36 The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and ^xoffering him ^ysour wine 37 and saying, “If you are the King of the Jews, ^zsave yourself!” 38 There was also an inscription over him,³ “This is the King of the Jews.”

39 One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him,⁴ saying, “Are you not the ^aChrist? Save yourself and us!” 40 But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not ^bfear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? 41 And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” 42 And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” 43 And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

The Death of Jesus

44 ^cIt was now about the sixth hour,⁵ and there was ^ddarkness over the whole land until the ninth hour,⁶ 45 while the sun’s light failed. And the ^ecurtain of the temple was torn in two. 46 Then Jesus, calling out with a loud voice, ^fsaid, “Father, ^ginto your hands I commit my spirit!” And having said this he breathed his last. 47 ^hNow when the centurion saw what had taken place, he ⁱpraised God, saying, “Certainly this man was innocent!” 48 And all the crowds that had assembled for this spectacle, when they saw what had taken place, returned home beating their breasts. 49 And all his acquaintances and the ^jwomen who had followed him from Galilee stood ^kat a distance watching these things.

Jesus Is Buried

50 ^lNow there was a man named Joseph, from the Jewish town of Arimathea. He was a member of the council, a good and righteous man, 51 who had not consented to their decision and action; and he was ^mlooking for the kingdom of God. 52 This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. 53 Then he took it down and wrapped it in a linen shroud and laid him in ⁿa tomb cut in stone, where no one had ever yet been laid. 54 It was the day of Preparation, and the Sabbath was beginning.⁷ 55 The women who had come with him from Galilee followed and saw the tomb and how his body was laid. 56 Then they returned and prepared spices and ointments.

On the Sabbath they rested ^oaccording to the commandment.

The Resurrection

24 ^pBut on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. 2 And they found the ^qstone rolled away from the tomb, 3 but when they went in they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. 4 While they were perplexed about this, behold, ^rtwo men stood by them in dazzling apparel. 5 And as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, “Why do you seek the ^sliving among the dead? 6 He is not here, but has risen. ^tRemember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, 7 that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the ^uthird day rise.” 8 And they ^vremembered his words, 9 and returning from the tomb they told all these things to the eleven and to all the rest. 10 Now it was Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James and the other women with them who told these things to the apostles, 11 but these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did ^wnot believe them. 12 But Peter rose and ^xran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; and he went home marveling at what had happened.

On the Road to Emmaus

13 ^yThat very day two of them were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles¹ from Jerusalem, 14 and they were talking with each other about all these things that had happened. 15 While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them. 16 But their eyes were kept from recognizing him. 17 And he said to them, “What is this conversation that you are holding with each other as you walk?” And they stood still, looking sad. 18 Then one of them, named Cleopas, answered him, “Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?” 19 And he said to them, “What things?” And they said to him, “Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, a man who was a ^zprophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, 20 and how our chief priests and rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death, and crucified him. 21 But we had hoped that he was the one to ^aredeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things happened. 22 Moreover, some women of our company amazed us. They were at the tomb early in the morning, 23 and when they did not find his body, they came back saying that they had even seen a vision of angels, who said that he was alive. 24 Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see.” 25 And he said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Was it not necessary that the Christ should ^bsuffer these things and enter into his ^cglory?” 27 And beginning with ^dMoses and all the ^eProphets, he interpreted to them ^fin all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.

28 So they drew near to the village to which they were going. He acted as if he were going farther, 29 but they urged him strongly, saying, “Stay with us, for it is toward evening and the day is now far spent.” So he went in to stay with them. 30 When he was at table with them, he ^gtook the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them. 31 And their eyes were opened, and they ^hrecognized him. And he vanished from their sight. 32 They said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?” 33 And they rose that same hour and returned to Jerusalem. And they found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together, 34 saying, “The Lord has risen indeed, and has ⁱappeared to Simon!” 35 Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he was known to them in the breaking of the bread.

Jesus Appears to His Disciples

36 ^jAs they were talking about these things, Jesus himself stood among them, and said to them, “Peace to you!” 37 But they were startled and frightened and thought they saw a spirit. 38 And he said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do ^kdoubts arise in your hearts? 39 See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. ^lTouch me, and see. For a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.” 40 And when he had said this, he ^mshowed them his hands and his feet. 41 And while they still disbelieved for ⁿjoy and were marveling, he said to them, ^o“Have you anything here to eat?” 42 They gave him a piece of broiled fish,² 43 and he took it and ate before them.

44 Then he said to them, ^p“These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of ^qMoses and the ^rProphets and the ^sPsalms must be fulfilled.” 45 Then he ^topened their minds to understand the Scriptures, 46 and said to them, “Thus it is ^uwritten, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, 47 and that repentance for³ the forgiveness of sins should be ^vproclaimed in his name to all nations, ^wbeginning from Jerusalem. 48 You are ^xwitnesses of these things. 49 And behold, I am ^ysending the ^zpromise of my Father upon you. But ^astay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.”

The Ascension

50 ^bAnd he led them out as far as Bethany, and lifting up his hands he blessed them. 51 While he blessed them, he parted from them and was ^ccarried up into heaven. 52 And they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, 53 and were continually in the temple blessing God.

John

The Word Became Flesh

1 ^aIn the beginning ^bwas ^cthe Word, and the Word was ^dwith God, and ^ethe Word was God. 2 ^fHe was in the beginning with God. 3 ^gAll things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 ^hIn him was life,¹ and the life was the ⁱlight of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

6 ^jThere was a man ^ksent from God, whose name was John. 7 He came as a ^lwitness, ^mto bear witness about the light, ⁿthat all might believe through him. 8 ^oHe was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light.

9 The true ^plight, which gives light ^qto everyone, was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. 11 He came to his own,² and ^rhis own people³ did not ^sreceive him. 12 But to all who did receive him, ^twho believed ^uin his name, he gave the right to become ^vchildren of God, 13 who were ^wborn, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

14 And the Word ^xbecame flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his ^yglory, glory as of the only ^zSon⁴ from the Father, full of ^agrace and truth. 15 (John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ^b‘He who comes after me ranks ^cbefore me, because he was ^dbefore me.’”) 16 For from his ^efullness we have all received, grace upon grace.⁵ 17 For the law was given ^fthrough Moses; ^ggrace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 ^hNo one has ever seen God; God the only Son, who⁶ is ⁱat the Father’s side,^{7 j}he has made him known.

The Testimony of John the Baptist

19 ^kAnd this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” 20 He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, ^l“I am not the Christ.” 21 And they asked him, “What then? ^mAre you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you ⁿthe Prophet?” And he answered, “No.” 22 So they said to him, “Who are you? We need to give an answer to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?” 23 He said, “I am ^othe voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight⁸ the way of the Lord,’ as the prophet Isaiah said.”

24 (Now they had been sent from the Pharisees.) 25 They asked him, “Then why are you baptizing, if you are neither the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?” 26 John answered them, “I baptize with water, but among you stands one you do not know, 27 even he who comes after me, the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.” 28 These things took place in Bethany across the Jordan, where John was baptizing.

Behold, the Lamb of God

29 ^pThe next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, ^qthe Lamb of God, who ^rtakes away the sin of the world! 30 This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks ^sbefore me, because he was before me.’ 31 I myself did not know him, but for this purpose I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel.” 32 And John ^tbore witness: ^u“I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. 33 I myself did not know him, but he who sent me to baptize ^vwith water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes ^wwith the Holy Spirit.’ 34 And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the ^xSon⁹ of God.”

Jesus Calls the First Disciples

35 ^yThe next day again John was standing with two of his disciples, 36 and he looked at Jesus as he walked by and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!” 37 The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. 38 Jesus turned and saw them following and said to them, “What are you seeking?” And they said to him, ^z“Rabbi” (which means Teacher), “where are you staying?” 39 He said to them, “Come and you will see.” So they came and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day, for it was about the tenth hour.¹⁰ 40 One of the two who heard John speak and followed Jesus¹¹ was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. 41 He first found his own brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the ^aMessiah” (which means ^bChrist). 42 He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon the son of John. ^cYou shall be called Cephas” (which means Peter¹²).

Jesus Calls Philip and Nathanael

43 The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, ^d“Follow me.” 44 Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. 45 Philip found ^eNathanael and said to him, “We have found him of whom ^fMoses in the Law and also the ^gprophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, ^hthe son of Joseph.” 46 Nathanael said to him, ⁱ“Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.” 47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, ^jin whom there is no deceit!” 48 Nathanael said to him, “How do you know me?” Jesus answered him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.” 49 Nathanael answered him, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” 50 Jesus answered him, “Because I said to you, ‘I saw you under the fig tree,’ do you believe? You will see ^kgreater things than these.” 51 And he said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you,¹³ you will see ^lheaven opened, and ^mthe angels of God ascending and descending on the ⁿSon of Man.”

The Wedding at Cana

2 ^oOn the third day there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. 2 Jesus also was invited to the wedding with his disciples. 3 When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” 4 And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does this have to do with me? ^pMy hour has not yet come.” 5 His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”

6 Now there were six stone water jars there for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons.¹ 7 Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. 8 And he said to them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the feast.” So they took it. 9 When the master of the feast tasted the water now become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom 10 and said to him, “Everyone serves the good wine first, and when people have drunk freely, then the poor wine. But you have kept the good wine until now.” 11 This, the first of his ^qsigns, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his ^rglory. And his disciples believed in him.

12 After this he went down to Capernaum, with his mother and his brothers² and his disciples, and they stayed there for a few days.

Jesus Cleanses the Temple

13 ^sThe Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus ^twent up to Jerusalem. 14 In the temple he found those who were selling oxen and sheep and ^upigeons, and the ^vmoney-changers sitting there. 15 And making a whip of cords, he drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and oxen. And he poured out the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables. 16 And he told those who sold the pigeons, “Take these things away; do not make ^wmy Father’s house a house of trade.” 17 His disciples ^xremembered that it was written, ^y“Zeal for your house will consume me.”