A House Divided Against Itself

Gospel of Mark 3

On another occasion Jesus went in to a synagogue, where there was a man whose hand was withered. 2 And they watched Jesus closely, to see if he would cure the man on the Sabbath, so that they might have a charge to bring against him.

3 “Stand out in the middle,” Jesus said to the man with the withered hand; 4 And to the people he said: “Is it allowable to do good on the Sabbath? Or harm? To save a life, or destroy it?” 5 As they remained silent, Jesus looked round at them in anger, grieving at the hardness of their hearts, and said to the man: “Stretch out your hand.” The man stretched it out; and his hand had become sound. 6 Immediately on leaving the Synagogue, the Pharisees and the Herodians united in laying a plot against Jesus, to put him to death.

7 Then Jesus went away with his disciples to the sea, followed by a great number of people from Galilee. 8 And a great number, hearing of all that he was doing, came to him from Judea, from Jerusalem, from Edom, from beyond the Jordan, and from the country round Tyre and Sidon. 9 So Jesus told his disciples to keep a small boat close by, for fear the crowd should crush him. 10 For he had cured many of them, and so people kept crowding upon him, that all who were afflicted might touch him.

11 The foul spirits, too, whenever they caught sight of him, flung themselves down before him, and screamed out: “You are the Son of God”! 12 But he repeatedly warned them not to make him known. 13 And Jesus made his way up the hill, and called those whom he wished; and they went to him. 14 And he appointed twelve, whom he also named ‘apostles,’ that they might be with him, and that he might send them out as his messengers, to preach, 15 And with power to drive out demons.

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16 So he appointed the twelve: Peter (which was the name that Jesus gave to Simon), 17 James, the son of Zebediah, and his brother John (whom he surnamed Boanerges, meaning the sons of thunder), 18 Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot, 19 And Judas Iscariot, the man that betrayed him. 20 Jesus went into a house; and again a crowd collected, so that they were not able even to eat their food.

21 When his relations heard of it, they went to take charge of him, for they said that he was out of his mind. 22 And the teachers of the law, who had come down from Jerusalem, said: “He has the devil in him, and he drives the demons out by the help of Beelzebub, their chief.” 23 So Jesus called them to him, and answered them in parables: “How can Satan drive out Satan? 24 When a kingdom is divided against itself, it cannot last; 25 And a house divided against itself will not last. 26 So, if Satan is in revolt against himself and is divided, he cannot last; his end has come!

27 No one who has got into a strong man’s house can carry off his goods, without first securing him; and not till then will they plunder his house. 28 I tell you that men will be forgiven everything: their sins, and all the slanders that they utter; 29 but whoever slanders the Holy Spirit remains unforgiven to the end; he has to answer for an enduring sin.” 30 This was said in reply to the charge that he had a foul spirit in him.

31 And his mother and his brothers came, and stood outside, and sent to ask him to come to them. 32 There was a crowd sitting round Jesus, and some of them said to him: “Look, your mother and your brothers are outside, asking for you.” 33 “Who is my mother? and my brothers?” was his reply. 34 Then he looked around on the people sitting in a circle round him, and said: “Here are my mother and my brothers! 35 Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.”

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To read Chapter 4 of the Book of Mark, please go to:  The Kingdom of God is Like

Browse the entire Book of Mark here: Gospel of Mark

John – Gospel 12 – The World Is On Trial

Six days before the Passover Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead, was living. 2 There a supper was given in honor at which Martha waited, while Lazarus was one of those present at the table. 3 So Mary took a pound of choice spikenard ointment of great value, and anointed the feet of Jesus with it, and then wiped them with her hair. The whole house was filled with the scent of the ointment.

4 One of the disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was about to betray Jesus, asked: 5 “Why was not this perfume sold for thirty pounds, and the money given to poor people?” 6 He said this, not because he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and, being in charge of the purse, used to take what was put in it.

7 “Let her alone,” said Jesus, “that she may keep it till the day when my body is being prepared for burial. 8 The poor you always have with you, but you will not always have me.”

9 Now great numbers of the Jews found out that Jesus was at Bethany; and they came there, not solely on his account, but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. 10 The chief priests, however, plotted to put Lazarus, as well as Jesus, to death, 11 Because it was owing to him that many of the Jews had left them, and were becoming believers in Jesus.

12 On the following day great numbers of people who had come to the festival, hearing that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem, took palm-branches, 13 And went out to meet him, shouting as they went: “‘God save Him! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord: the King of Israel!”
14 Having found a young ass, Jesus seated himself on it, in accordance with the passage of scripture: 15 ‘Fear not, daughter of Zion; behold, thy king is coming to thee, sitting on the foal of an ass.’ 16 His disciples did not understand all this at first; but, when Jesus had been exalted, then they remembered that these things had been said of him in scripture, and that they had done these things unto him.

17 Meanwhile the people who were with him, when he called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead, were telling what they had seen. 18 This, indeed, was why the crowd met him, because people had heard that he had given this sign of his mission. 19 So the Pharisees said to one another: “You see that you are gaining nothing! Why, all the world has run after him!”

20 Among those who were going up to worship at the festival were some Greeks, 21 Who went to Philip of Bethsaida in Galilee, and said: “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.” 22 Philip went and told Andrew, and then together they went and told Jesus.

23 This was his reply: “The time has come for the Son of Man to be exalted. 24 In truth I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains solitary; but, if it dies, it becomes fruitful. 25 Those who love their life lose it; while those who hate their life in the present world shall preserve it in eternal life.”

26 “If you are ready to serve me, then follow me; and where I am, there my servant shall be also. If you are ready to serve me, my Father will honor you. 27 Now I am distressed at heart and what can I say? Father, bring me safe through this hour—yet it was for this very reason that I came to this hour—28 Father, honor thine own name.” At this there came a voice from heaven, which said: “I have already honored it, and I will honor it again.”

29 The crowd of bystanders, who heard the sound, said that it was thundering. Others said: “An angel has been speaking to him.” 30 “It was not for my sake that the voice came,” said Jesus, “but for yours. 31 Now this world is on its trial. Now the spirit that is ruling this world shall be driven out; 32 And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, shall draw all people to myself.” 33 By these words he indicated what death he was destined to die.

34 “We,” replied the people, “have learned from the law that the Christ is to remain for ever; how is it, then, that you say that the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this ‘Son of Man’?” 35 “Only a little while longer,” answered Jesus, “will you have the light among you. Travel on while you have the light, so that darkness may not overtake you; you who travel in the darkness do not know where you are going. 36 While you still have the light, believe in the light, that you may be the children of light.” After he had said this, Jesus went away, and hid himself from them.

37 But, though Jesus had given so many signs of his mission before their eyes, they still did not believe in him, 38 In fulfillment of the words of the prophet Isaiah, where he says: ‘Lord, who has believed our teaching? And to whom has the might of the Lord been revealed?’

39 The reason why they were unable to believe is given by Isaiah elsewhere, in these words: 40 ‘He has blinded their eyes, and blunted their mind, so that they should not see with their eyes, and perceive with their mind, and turn—and I should heal them.’ 41 Isaiah said this, because he saw Christ’s glory; and it was of him that he spoke.

42 Yet for all this, even among the leading men there were many who came to believe in Jesus; but, on account of the Pharisees, they did not acknowledge it, for fear that they should be expelled from their synagogues; 43 For they valued honor from men more than honor from God.

44 But Jesus had proclaimed: “You who believe in me believe not in me, but in him who sent me; 45 And you who see me sees him who sent me. 46 I have come as a light into the world, that no one who believes in me should remain in the darkness. 47 When anyone hears my teaching and pays no heed to it, I am not their judge; for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world.”

48 “You who reject me, and disregard my teaching, has a judge already—the very message which I have delivered will itself be your judge at the last day. 49 For I have not delivered it on my own authority; but the Father, who sent me, has himself given me his command as to what I should say, and what message I should deliver. 50 And I know that immortal life lies in keeping his command. Therefore, whatever I say, I say only what the Father has taught me.”

To read the next chapter of the Book of John, please go to The Gospel of John – 13.

This Online New Testament Gospel of John is excerpted from the book The Living Hour: The Lord’s Prayer for Daily Life (with New Century Gospels). Including over 200 bookmarked citations from the canonical Gospels, this Progressive Christian book appeals to the Unitarian spirit at the heart of all faiths.

Challenge your perceptions on the Gospel of Christ, Jesus’s parables, and the Kingdom of God by purchasing The Lord’s Prayer book today. Produced by LivingHour.org, a Thailand-based small press dedicated to publishing unique Learning Easy Thai Language Books, as well as works on progressive spirituality.

John – Gospel 13 – Jesus Washes Feet

Before the Passover festival began, Jesus knew that the time had come for him to leave the world and go to the Father. He had loved those who were his own in the world, and he loved them to the last. 2 The devil had already put the thought of betraying Jesus into the mind of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon;

3 And at supper, Jesus—although knowing that the Father had put everything into his hands, and that he had come from God, and was to return to God—4 Rose from his place, and, taking off his upper garments, tied a towel round his waist. 5 He then poured some water into the basin, and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel which was tied round him.

6 When he came to Simon Peter, Peter said: “You, Master! Are you going to wash my feet?” 7 “You do not understand now what I am doing,” replied Jesus, “but you will learn by and by.” 8 “You shall never wash my feet!” exclaimed Peter.

“Unless I wash you,” answered Jesus, “you have nothing in common with me.” 9 “Then, Master, not my feet only,” exclaimed Simon Peter, “but also my hands and my head.” 10 “He who has bathed,” replied Jesus, “has no need to wash, unless it be his feet, but is altogether clean; and you,” he said to the disciples, “are clean, yet not all of you.”

11 For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said: ‘You are not all clean.’ 12 When he had washed their feet, and had put on his upper garments and taken his place, he spoke to them again. “Do you understand what I have been doing to you?” he asked. 13 “You yourselves call me ‘the Teacher’ and ‘the Master’, and you are right, for I am both. 14 If I, then—’the Master’ and ‘the Teacher’—have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet; 15 For I have given you an example, so that you may do just as I have done to you.”

16 “In truth I tell you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor yet a messenger than the man who sends him. 17 Now that you know these things, happy are you if you do them. 18 I am not speaking about all of you. I know whom I have chosen; but this is in fulfillment of the words of scripture: ‘He that is eating my bread has lifted his heel against me.’ 19 For the future I shall tell you of things before they take place, so that, when they take place, you may believe that I am what I am.”

20 “In truth I say that you who receives anyone that I send receives me; and you who receives me receives him who sent me.” 21 After saying this, Jesus was much troubled, and said solemnly: “In truth I tell you that it is one of you who will betray me.” 22 The disciples looked at one another, wondering whom he meant.

23 Next to Jesus, in the place on his right hand, was one of his disciples, whom he loved. 24 So Simon Peter made signs to that disciple, and whispered: “Tell me who it is that he means.” 25 Being in this position, that disciple leant back on Jesus’ shoulder, and asked him: “Who is it, Master?”

26 “It is the one,” answered Jesus, “to whom I shall give a piece of bread after dipping it in the dish.” And, when Jesus had dipped the bread, he took it and gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot; 27 And it was then, after he had received it, that Satan took possession of him. So Jesus said to him: “Do at once what you are going to do.” 28 But no one at table understood why he said this to Judas. 29 Some thought that, as Judas kept the purse, Jesus meant that he was to buy some things needed for the festival, or to give something to the poor.

30 After taking the piece of bread, Judas went out immediately; and it was night. 31 When Judas had gone out, Jesus said: “Now the Son of Man has been exalted, and God has been exalted through him; 32 And God will exalt him with himself—yes, he will exalt him forthwith.”

33 “My children, I am to be with you but a little while longer. You will look for me; and what I said to the Jews—’You cannot come where I am going’—I now say to you. 34 I give you a new commandment: love one another; love one another as I have loved you. 35 It is by this that everyone will recognize you as my disciples—by your loving one another.”

36 “Where are you going, Master?” asked Peter. “I am going where you cannot now follow me,” answered Jesus, “but you shall follow me later.” 37 “Why cannot I follow you now, Master?” asked Peter. “I will lay down my life for you.” 38 “Will you lay down your life for me?” replied Jesus. “In truth I tell you, the cock will not crow till you have disowned me three times.”

To read the next chapter of the Book of John, please go to The Gospel of John – 14.

This Online New Testament Gospel of John is excerpted from the book The Living Hour: The Lord’s Prayer for Daily Life (with New Century Gospels). Including over 200 bookmarked citations from the canonical Gospels, this Progressive Christian book appeals to the Unitarian spirit at the heart of all faiths.

Challenge your perceptions on the Gospel of Christ, Jesus’s parables, and the Kingdom of God by purchasing The Lord’s Prayer book today. Produced by LivingHour.org, a Thailand-based small press dedicated to publishing unique Learning Easy Thai Language Books, as well as works on progressive spirituality.

John – Gospel 14 – Christ Is The Way

“Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. 2 In my Father’s home there are many dwellings. If it had not been so, I should have told you, for I am going to prepare a place for you. 3 And, since I go and prepare a place for you, I shall return and take you to be with me, so that you may be where I am; 4 And you know the way to the place where I am going.” 5 “We do not know where you are going, Master,” said Thomas; “so how can we know the way?”

6 Jesus answered: “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one ever comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you had recognized me, you would have known my Father also; for the future you will recognize him, indeed you have already seen him.”
8 “Master, show us the Father,” said Philip, “and we shall be satisfied.” 9 “Have I been all this time among you,” said Jesus, “and yet you, Philip, have not recognized me? Those who has seen me have seen the Father, so how can you say then: ‘Show us the Father’?

10 Do not you believe that I am in union with the Father, and the Father with me? In giving you my teaching I am not speaking on my own authority; but the Father himself, always in union with me, does his own work. 11 Believe me,” he said to them all, “when I say that I am in union with the Father and the Father with me, or else believe me on account of the work itself. 12 In truth I tell you, those who believe in me will themselves do the work that I am doing; and they will do greater work still, because I am going to the Father.

13 Whatever you ask, in my name, I will do, that the Father may be honored in the Son. 14 If you ask anything, in my name, I will do it. 15 If you love me, you will lay my commands to heart, 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you always—the Spirit of Truth. 17 The world cannot receive this Spirit, because it does not see him or recognize him, but you recognize him, because he is always with you, and is within you.”

18 “I will not leave you bereaved; I will come to you. 19 In a little while the world will see me no more, but you will still see me; because I am living, you will be living also. 20 At that time you will recognize that I am in union with the Father, and you with me, and I with you. 21 It are those who have my commands and lay them to heart that love me; and those who love me will be loved by my Father, and I will love them, and will reveal myself to them.”

22 “What has happened, Master,” said Judas (not Judas Iscariot), “that you are going to reveal yourself to us, and not to the world?” 23 “Whoever loves me,” Jesus answered,” will lay my message to heart; and my Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our dwelling with them. 24 Those who do not love me will not lay my message to heart; and the message to which you are listening is not my own, but that of the Father who sent me.”

25 “I have told you all this while still with you, 26 But the Helper—the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in my name—he will teach you all things, and will recall to your minds all that I have said to you.”

27 “Peace be with you! My own peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, or dismayed. 28 You heard me say that I was going away and would return to you. Had you loved me, you would have been glad that I was going to the Father, because the Father is greater than I. 29 And this I have told you now before it happens, that, when it does happen, you may still believe in me.”

30 “I shall not talk with you much more, for the spirit that is ruling the world is coming. He has nothing in common with me; 31 But he is coming that the world may see that I love the Father, and that I do as the Father commanded me. Come, let us be going.”

To read the next chapter of the Book of John, please go to The Gospel of John – 15.

This Online New Testament Gospel of John is excerpted from the book The Living Hour: The Lord’s Prayer for Daily Life (with New Century Gospels). Including over 200 bookmarked citations from the canonical Gospels, this Progressive Christian book appeals to the Unitarian spirit at the heart of all faiths.

Challenge your perceptions on the Gospel of Christ, Jesus’s parables, and the Kingdom of God by purchasing The Lord’s Prayer book today. Produced by LivingHour.org, a Thailand-based small press dedicated to publishing unique Learning Easy Thai Language Books, as well as works on progressive spirituality.

Thirty Pieces of Silver

Gospel of Matthew 26

When Jesus had finished all this teaching, he said to his disciples: 2 “You know that in two days time, the festival of the Passover will be here; and that the Son of Man is to be given up to be crucified.” 3 Then the chief priests and the councilors of the nation met in the house of the high priest, named Caiaphas, 4 And plotted together to arrest Jesus by stealth and put him to death; 5 But they said: “Not during the festival, for fear of causing a riot.”

6 After Jesus had reached Bethany, and while he was in the house of Simon the leper, 7 A woman came up to him with an alabaster jar of very costly ointment, and poured the ointment upon his head as he was at a table. 8 The disciples were indignant at seeing this. “What is this waste for?” they exclaimed. 9 “It could have been sold for a large sum, and the money given to poor people.” 10 “Why are you troubling the woman?” Jesus said, when he noticed it, “For this is a beautiful deed that she has done to me.”

11 “You always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me. 12 In pouring this perfume on my body, she has done it for my burial. 13 I tell you, wherever in the whole world this gospel is proclaimed, what this woman has done will be told in memory of her.” 14 It was then that one of the twelve, named Judas Iscariot, made his way to the chief priests, 15 And said “What are you willing to give me, if I betray Jesus to you?” The priests ‘weighed him out thirty pieces of silver‘ as payment. 16 So from that time Judas looked for an opportunity to betray Jesus.

17 On the first day of the festival of the unleavened bread, the disciples came up to Jesus, and said: “Where do you wish us to make preparations for you to eat the Passover?” 18 “Go into the city to a certain man,” he answered, “and say to him: ‘The Teacher says: My time is at hand. I will keep the Passover with my disciples at your house.’” 19 The disciples did as Jesus directed them, and prepared the Passover.

20 In the evening Jesus took his place with the twelve disciples, 21 And, while they were eating, he said: “I tell you that one of you will betray me.” 22 In great grief they began to say to him, one by one: “Can it be I, Master?” 23 “The one who dipped his bread beside me in the dish,” replied Jesus, “is the one who will betray me. 24 True, the Son of Man must go, as scripture says of him, yet woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is being betrayed! For that man ‘it would be better never to have been born!’” 25 And Judas, who was betraying him, turned to him and said: “Can it be I, Rabbi?” “You have said it,” answered Jesus.

26 While they were eating, Jesus took some bread, and, after saying the blessing, broke it and, as he gave it to his disciples, said: “Take it and eat it; this is my body.” 27 Then he took a cup, and, after saying the thanksgiving, gave it to them, with the words: “Drink from it, all of you; 28 For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the forgiveness of sins. 29 And I tell you that I shall never, after this, drink of this juice of the grape, until that day when I shall drink it new with you in the kingdom of my Father.” 30 They then sang a hymn, and went out to the Mount of Olives.

31 Then Jesus said to them: “Even you will fall away from me tonight. Scripture says: ‘I will strike down the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’ 32 But, after I have risen, I shall go before you into Galilee.” 33 “If everyone else falls away from you,” Peter answered, “I shall never fall away!” 34 “I tell you,” replied Jesus, “that this very night, before the cock crows, you will disown me three times!” 35 “Even if I must die with you,” Peter exclaimed, “I shall never disown you!” All the disciples spoke in the same way.

36 Then Jesus came with them to a garden called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples: “Sit down here while I go and pray yonder.” 37 Taking with him Peter, and the two sons of Zebediah, he began to show signs of sadness and deep distress of mind. 38 “I am sad at heart,” he said, “sad even to death; wait here and watch with me.” 39 Going on a little further, he threw himself on his face in prayer. “My Father,” he said, “if it is possible, let me be spared this cup; only, not as I will, but as thou willest.”

40 Then he came to his disciples, and found them asleep. “What!” he said to Peter, “could none of you watch with me for one hour? 41 Watch and pray, that you may not fall into temptation. True, the spirit is eager, but human nature is weak.” 42 Again, a second time, he went away, and prayed. “My Father,” he said, “if I cannot be spared this cup, but must drink it, thy will be done!”

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To continue reading Chapter 26 of the Gospel of Matthew, please click on page 2 below.

Luke – Gospel 22 – Peter Denies Jesus Three Times

The feast of the unleavened bread, known as the Passover, was near. 2 The chief priest and the teachers of the law were looking for an opportunity of destroying Jesus, for they were afraid of the people. 3 Now Satan took possession of Judas, who was known as Iscariot, and who belonged to the twelve; 4 And he went and discussed with the chief priests and officers in charge at the temple the best way of betraying Jesus to them. 5 They were glad of this, and agreed to pay him.

6 So Judas assented and looked for an opportunity to betray Jesus to them, in the absence of a crowd. 7 When the day of the festival of the unleavened bread came, on which the Passover lambs had to be killed, 8 Jesus sent forward Peter and John, saying to them: “Go and make preparations for our eating the Passover.” 9 “Where do you wish us to make preparations?” they asked.

10 “Listen,” he answered, “when you have got into the city, a man carrying a pitcher of water will meet you; follow him into whatever house he enters; 11 And you shall say to the owner of the house: ‘The Teacher asks you where is the room where I am to eat the Passover with my disciples?’12 The man will show you a large upstairs room, already furnished; there make preparations.”

13 So Peter and John went on, and found everything just as Jesus had told them, and they prepared the Passover. 14 When the time came, Jesus took his place at table, the apostles with him. 15 “I have most earnestly wished,” he said, “to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. 16 For I tell you that I shall not eat it again, until it has had its fulfillment in the kingdom of God.” 17 Then, on receiving a cup, after saying the thanksgiving, he said: 18 “Take this and share it among you. For I tell you that, after today, I shall not drink the juice of the grape, until the kingdom of God has come.”

19 Then Jesus took some bread, and, after saying the thanksgiving, broke it and gave to them, with the words: “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 20 And in the same way with the cup, after supper, saying: “This cup is the new testament in my blood which is shed for you. 21 Yet see! The hand of the man that is betraying me is beside me upon the table! 22 True, the Son of Man is passing, as it was ordained for him, yet alas for that man by whom he is being betrayed!”

23 Then they began questioning one another which of them it could be that was going to do this. 24 And a dispute arose among them as to which of them was to be regarded the greatest. 25 Jesus, however, said: “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their oppressors are styled as benefactors. 26 But with you it must not be so. No, let the greatest among you become like the youngest, and him who leads like him who serves. 27 Which is the greater: the master at the table or his servant? Is it not the master at the table? Yet I myself am among you as one who serves.”

28 You are the men who have stood by me in my trials; 29 And, just as my Father has assigned me a kingdom, I assign you places, 30 So that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and be seated upon twelve thrones as judges of the twelve tribes of Israel. 31 Simon! Simon! Listen. Satan desires to sift you all like wheat, 32 But I prayed for you, Simon, that your faith should not fail. And you, when you have returned to me, are to strengthen your brothers.”

33 “Master,” said Peter, “with you I am ready to go both to prison and to death.” 34 “I tell you, Peter,” replied Jesus, “the cock will not crow today until you have disowned all knowledge of me three times.” 35 Then he said to them all: “When I sent you out as my messengers, without either purse, or bag, or sandals, were you in need of anything?” “No; nothing,” they answered.

36 “Now, however,” he said, “he who has a purse must take it and his bag as well; and he who has not must sell his cloak and buy a sword. 37 For I tell you that passage of scripture must be fulfilled in me which says: ‘He was counted among the godless’; indeed all that refers to me is finding its fulfillment.”

8 “Master,” they exclaimed, “look, here are two swords!” “Enough!” said Jesus. 39 Jesus then went out, and made his way, as usual, to the Mount of Olives, followed by his disciples. 40 And, when he reached the spot, he said to them: “Pray that you may not fall into temptation.” 41 Then he withdrew about a stone’s throw, and knelt down and began to pray.

42 “Father,” he said, “if it is thy pleasure, spare me this cup; only, not my will but yours be done.” 43 Presently there appeared to him an angel from heaven, who strengthened him. 44 And, as his anguish became intense, he prayed still more earnestly, while his sweat was like great drops of blood falling on the ground. 45 Then he rose from praying, and came to the disciples, and found them sleeping for sorrow.

46 “Why are you asleep?” he asked them. “Rise and pray, that you may not fall into temptation.” 47 While he was still speaking, a crowd appeared in sight, led by the man called Judas, who was one of the twelve. Judas approached Jesus, to kiss him; 48 On which Jesus said to him: “Judas, is it by a kiss that you betray the Son of Man?”

49 But when those who were round Jesus saw what was going to happen, they exclaimed: “Master, shall we use our swords?” 50 And one of them struck the high priest’s servant and cut off his right ear; 51 On which Jesus said: “Let me at least do this”; and touching his ear, he healed the wound.

52 Then, turning to the chief priests, and officers in charge at the temple, and councilors, who had come for him, he said: “Have you come out, as if after a robber, with swords and clubs? 53 When I was with you day after day in the temple courts, you did not lay hands on me; but this is your hour, and the power of darkness.” 54 Those who had taken Jesus prisoner took him away into the house of the high priest. Peter followed at a distance.

55 But, when they had lit a fire in the center of the court-yard and had all sat down there, Peter seated himself in the middle of them. 56 Presently a maidservant saw him sitting near the blaze of the fire. Fixing her eyes on him, she said: “Why, this man was one of his companions!” 57 But Peter denied it. “I do not know him,” he replied. 58 A little while afterwards someone else—a man—saw him and said: “Why, you are one of them!” “No,” Peter said, “I am not.”

59 About an hour later another man declared positively: “This man also was certainly with him. Why, he is a Galilean!” 60 But Peter said: “I do not know what you are speaking about.” Instantly, while he was still speaking, a cock crowed. 61 And the Master turned and looked at Peter; and Peter remembered the words that the Master had said to him: “Before a cock has crowed today, you will disown me three times“; 62 And he went outside and wept bitterly.

63 The men that held Jesus kept making sport of him and beating him. 64 They blindfolded him and then questioned him. “Now play the prophet,” they said; “who was it that struck you?” 65 And they heaped many other insults on him. 66 At daybreak the national council met—both the chief priests and the teachers of the law—and took Jesus before their high council.

67 “If you are the Christ,” they said, “tell us so.” “If I tell you,” replied Jesus, “you will not believe me. 68 And, if I question you, you will not answer. 69 But from this hour ‘the Son of Man will be seated on the right hand of God Almighty.’” 70 “Are you, then, the Son of God?” they all asked. And Jesus said: “You say that I am” 71 At this they replied: “Why do we any further witnesses? For we have heard ourselves from his own mouth.”

To read the next chapter from the Book of Luke, please go to The Gospel of Luke – 23.

This Online New Testament Gospel of Luke is excerpted from the book The Living Hour: The Lord’s Prayer for Daily Life (with New Century Gospels). Including over 200 bookmarked citations from the canonical Gospels, this Progressive Christian book appeals to the Unitarian spirit at the heart of all faiths.

Challenge your perceptions on the Gospel of Christ, Jesus’s parables, and the Kingdom of God by purchasing The Lord’s Prayer book today. Produced by LivingHour.org, a Thailand-based small press dedicated to publishing unique Learning Easy Thai Language Books, as well as works on progressive spirituality.

Judas Betrays Jesus

Gospel of Mark 14

It was now two days before the festival of the Passover and the unleavened bread. The chief priests and teachers of the law were looking for an opportunity to arrest Jesus by stealth and put him to death; 2 For they said: “Not during the festival, for fear of a riot.”

3 When Jesus was still at Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper, while he was at table, a woman came with an alabaster jar of choice spikenard perfume of great value. She broke the jar, and poured the perfume on his head. 4 Some of those who were present said to one another indignantly: “Why has the perfume been wasted like this? 5 This perfume could have been sold for more than thirty pounds, and the money given to the poor.”

6 “Let her alone,” said Jesus, as they began to find fault with her, “Why are you troubling her? This is a beautiful deed that she has done for me. 7 You always have the poor with you, and whenever you wish you can do good to them; but you will not always have me. 8 She has done what she could; she has perfumed my body beforehand for my burial. 9 And I tell you, wherever, in the whole world, the gospel is proclaimed, what this woman has done will be told in memory of her.”

10 After this, Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went to the chief priests, to betray Jesus to them. 11 They were glad to hear what he said, and promised to pay him. So he looked for a convenient way to betray Jesus. 12 On the first day of the festival of the unleavened bread, when it was customary to kill the Passover lambs, his disciples said to Jesus: “Where do you wish us to go and make preparations for your eating the Passover?”

13 Jesus sent forward two of his disciples and said to them: “Go into the city, and there a man carrying a pitcher of water will meet you; follow him; 14 And, wherever he goes in, say to the owner of the house: ‘The teacher asks, where is my room; where I am to eat the Passover with my disciples?’ 15 He will himself show you a large upstairs room, set out ready; and there make preparations for us.” 16 So the disciples set out and went into the city, and found everything just as Jesus had told them; and they prepared the Passover.

17 In the evening he went there with the twelve, 18 And when they had taken their places and were eating, Jesus said: “I tell you that one of you is going to betray me, one who is eating with me.” 19 They were grieved at this, and began to say to him, one after another: “Can it be I?” 20 “It is one of you twelve,” said Jesus, “the one who is dipping his bread beside me into the dish. 21 True, the Son of Man must go, as scripture says of him, yet woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is being betrayed! For that man ‘it would be better never to have been born!’”

22 While they were eating, Jesus took some bread, and, after saying the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them, and said: “Take it; this is my body.” 23 Then he took a cup, and, after saying the thanksgiving, gave it to them, and they all drank from it. 24 “This is my blood of the new testament,” he said, “which is poured out on behalf of many. 25 I tell you that I shall never again drink of the juice of the grape, until that day when I shall drink it new in the kingdom of God.” 26 They then sang a hymn, and went out up the Mount of Olives;

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To continue reading Chapter 14 of the Gospel of Mark, please click on page 2 below.