Looking up, Jesus saw the rich throwing into the treasury, but a widow, a needy one, threw in a thither of two mites, and He said, “Truly I say to you that this poor widow has thrown in more than they all. All those gave out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has thrown in all the living that she had.”
Some were speaking of the temple that was adorned with godly stones and offerings, He said, “As to these things that you see, days will come in which there will not be left a stone upon a stone.”
They asked Him, “Teacher, when will these things happen? What are the signs when these things will be accomplished?” He said, “Take heed that you are not deceived. Many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he, and the time is at hand.’ Go not after them.
“When you hear of wars and ruckuses, be not alarmed. These things must take place first, but this is not the end. Nation will rise against nation, kingdom against kingdom, great earthquakes will there be, famines and pestilences, fearful sights will there be, and there will be great signs from heaven.
“Before all of this, they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons, be brought before kings and governors for the sake of my name, and it will happen to you for testimony.
“Resolve in your hearts that you meditate not beforehand to make a defense. I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries will not be able to resist.
“You will be delivered up both by parents, brothers, relatives, and friends, and some of you will be put to death, and you will be hated by all because of my name. Yet a hair from your head will not be lost, in your endurance, preserve your souls.
“When you see Jerusalem encompassed by armies, then know that the desolation of it is near. Then let those in Judea flee to the mountains, and those in the midst of it go out, and those in the country not enter into it. Days of vengeance are these for the fulfilling of all things that are written.
“Woe for them that are with child and them that give suck...
The feast of unleavened bread, called Passover, drew near, and the chief priests and scribes sought how they might destroy Jesus, but they feared the people.
Satan entered Judas Iscariot. He conferred with the chief priests how he might deliver Him up. They were glad and agreed to give him money. He consented and sought an opportunity to deliver Him up to them in the absence of the crowd.
The day of unleavened bread came, and He sent Peter and John, saying, “Go and prepare for us the Passover, that we may eat.” They said to Him, “Where will you have us make ready?”
He said to them, “After you have gone into the city, there will be a man carrying a pitcher of water. Follow him into the house that he enters. You will say to the master of the house, the Teacher says to you, ‘Where is the guest-chamber where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?’ He will show you a large upper room furnished, there make ready.” They went and found as He had said to them and prepared the Passover.
When the hour had come, He and the apostles sat at the table. He said to them, “I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. I say to you that I will not eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.”
Taking a cup and giving thanks, He said, “Take this and divide it among yourselves. I say to you that I will not drink henceforth of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God will have come.”
After taking bread and given thanks, He broke and gave to them, saying, “This is my body, that is given for you, this do in remembrance of me.”
In like manner, after sipping from the cup He said, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, that is poured out for you. Behold, the hand of him that delivers me up is with me at the table. Indeed the Son of man goes according to that which is determined, but woe for that man by whom he is delivered up.”
They began to inquire among themselves which of them it might be that was about to do this thing. There was also a contention amongst them as to which of them was greatest. He said to them, “The kings of the nations, exercise lordship over them, and those that have authority over them are called benefactors. You, however, will not be so, but he that is the greatest among you, let him become as the youngest, and he that leads as he that serves.
“Which is greater, he that sits at the table or serves? Is it not he that sits at the table? I am as he that serves. You have continued steadily with me in my trials. I appoint to you as my Father has appointed to me a kingdom, that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
“Simon, behold, Satan has greatly desired you that he may sift you as wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith fails not. You, when you have turned to me, strengthen your brethren.”
He said to Him, “Lord, with you, I am ready to go both to prison and to death.” He said, “I say to you, Peter, a cock will not crow this day until you have three times denied that you know me.”
He said to them, “When I sent you forth without a purse, bag, and sandals did you need anything?” They said, “Nothing.”
He said to them, “He that has a purse let him take it. In like manner, also a bag. He that has no sword, let him sell his garment and buy one. I say to you that what is written must be fulfilled. This, and with the lawless was numbered. That concerning me has an end.”
They said, “Lord, behold, here are two swords.” He said to them, “It is enough.”
Going out, He went according to custom to the Mount of Olives. The disciples followed Him. When He had come to the place, He said to them, “Pray that you enter not into temptation.”
He walked about a stone’s throw from them, knelt and prayed, “Father, if you are willing to remove this cup from me, yet, not my will, but yours, be done.”
There appeared to Him an angel from heaven, strengthening Him. Being in agony, He prayed more earnestly. His sweat became like great drops of blood falling to the ground. He rose from prayer, came to the disciples, and found them sleeping because of grief, and said to them, “Why sleep? Rise and pray that you may not enter into temptation.”
While He was still speaking Judas and a crowd came, and he went to Jesus to kiss Him. Jesus said to him, “Judas, do you deliver up the Son of man with a kiss?”
Those with Him said, “Lord, should we smite with the sword?” One of them struck the servant of the chief priest and cut off his right ear. Jesus answered, “Let me alone until this, and he touched his ear and healed him.”
Jesus said to the crowd that came for Him, “As against a robber, you have come forth, with swords and clubs. You stretched not forth your hands against me in the temple, but this is your hour and the authority of darkness....
The crowd rose and led Jesus to Pilate. They began to accuse Him, “We found this man turning our nation away, forbidding to pay tribute to Caesar, and saying that He Himself is the Anointed One, a king.”
Pilate asked Him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” He answered, “You say it.”
Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowds, “I find no fault in this man.” They were vehemently saying, “He excites the people, teaching throughout the whole of Judea, even beginning from Galilee to this place.”
Pilate, hearing, inquired if the man were a Galilean. Learning that He was from Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent Him up to Herod, who was also in Jerusalem in those days.
Herod, when he saw Jesus, was exceedingly glad. He had for a long time desired to see Him and hoped to see some sign done by Him. He questioned Him, but He answered him nothing.
The chief priests and scribes stood by, vehemently accusing Him, but Herod and his men of war also mocked Him, put on Him a splendid robe, and sent Him back to Pilate. On this day, Herod and Pilate became friends. There had been enmity between them.
Pilate, having called together the chief priests and people, said to them, “You have brought me this man that He turns the people away. I have examined Him in your presence, have found no fault against Him. No, not even Herod, for he has sent Him back to us. Nothing worthy of death has been done by Him. I will chastise and release Him.”
They cried out all at once, “Away with this man, and release to us Barabbas.” Who for a certain insurrection made in the city and for murder had been cast into prison.
Again, however, Pilate called to them, wishing to release Jesus, but they cried against it, “Crucify, crucify Him.”
He spoke to them a third time, “What evil has He done? I have found no cause of death in Him I will chastise and release Him.”
They were urgent with loud cries, demanding that He should be crucified. Their cries prevailed. Pilate gave sentence that their demand should go into effect. He released Barabbas, whom they chose, but Jesus was delivered up to their will.
As they led Him away, laying hold on Simon, a Cyrenian, they laid on him the cross that he might bear it for Jesus. There followed Him a great crowd of the people, and women that cried and lamented Him. Jesus turned to them and said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. Behold, there are coming days in which they will say, ‘Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bore, and the breasts that did not give suck.’ Then will they begin to say to the mountains, ‘Fall on us, and to the hills, cover us.’ If they do these things in the green tree, what will be done in the dry?”
They led two evildoers to be crucified with Him. When they came to the place that is called Skull, there they crucified Him and the evildoers, one on the right and left. Jesus said, “Father, forgive them. They know not what they do.” Dividing His clothing among them, they cast lots.
The people stood looking on, but the rulers scoffed, “Others He saved, let Him save Himself if He is the Anointed One, the chosen of God.”
The soldiers also mocked Him, offering Him...
Very early on the first of the week, the women who had followed Jesus out of Galilee came to the sepulcher, bringing the spices that they had prepared. They found the stone rolled away from the sepulcher.
Entering, they found not the body of the Lord Jesus. They were perplexed about this. Two angels stood by them in bright clothing, and the women bowed their faces to the earth. The angels said to them, “Why search among the dead for Him that lives? He is not here but has risen. Remember how He spoke to you while He was yet in Galilee, saying He must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified, and rise on the third day.”
They remembered His words and returned from the sepulcher and told the eleven and those with them what had happened. They were Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and Mary, the mother of James.
Their words appeared as idle tales, and they didn’t believe them, but Peter rose and ran to the sepulcher, and stooping down, he saw the linen clothes lying by themselves. He departed, wondering what had come to pass.
Two of them were going on the same day to a village named Emmaus, distant from Jerusalem, sixty furlongs. They were conversing about all the things that had happened.
As they were talking, Jesus came near and walked with them, but their eyes were held so that they did not know Him. He said to them, “What matters are these that you speak of as you walk?”
They stood still with sad countenances, but one, whose name was Cleopas, said to Him, “Do you dwell as a stranger in Jerusalem and have not known the things that have come to pass in these days?” He said to them, “What things?”
They said to Him, “The things concerning Jesus the Nazarene, who became a man, a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, and how the chief priests and rulers delivered Him up to the condemnation of death and crucified Him.
“We were hoping that it had been He that was about to redeem Israel. Yet even with all this, this is the third day since these things were done.
“Also, some women in our company amazed us. Having been early at the sepulcher, and not finding His body, they came, saying that they had also seen a vision of angels, who said that He was alive. Some of those with us went to the sepulcher and found it so even as the women had said, but Him they saw not.”
He said, “O without understanding and slow to believe in all things that the prophets have spoken. Was it not necessary that the Anointed One should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” Beginning from Moses and from all the prophets, He explained to them in all the scriptures the things concerning Himself.
They drew near to the village where they were going, and He made a show of going further. They constrained Him, saying, “Stay with us. It is near evening, and the day has now declined.” He went in to stay with them.
As He sat at the table with them, He took bread, blessed it, broke it and gave it to them. Their eyes were opened, and they recognized Him, but He vanished out of their sight. They said one to another, “Was not our heart burning within us, as He spoke to us on the way, as He opened to us the scriptures?”
They left the same hour and returned...