John – Gospel 2 – Jesus Turns Water into Wine

Two days after this there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and Jesus’ mother was there. 2 Jesus himself, too, with his disciples, was invited to the wedding. 3 And, when the wine ran short, his mother said to him: “They have no wine left.” 4 “What do you want with me?” answered Jesus. “My time has not come yet.” 5 His mother said to the servants: “Do whatever he tells you.”

6 There were standing there six stone water-jars, in accordance with the Jewish rule of ‘purification,’ each holding twenty or thirty gallons. 7 Jesus said to the servants: “Fill the water-jars with water;” 8 And, when they had filled them to the brim, he added: “Now take some out, and carry it to the master of the feast.” The servants did so.

9 And, when the master of the feast had tasted the water which had now become wine, not knowing where it had come from—although the servants who had taken out the water knew—10 He called the bridegroom and said to him: “Everyone puts good wine on the table first, and inferior wine afterwards, when his guests have drunk freely; but you have kept back the good wine till now!”

11 This, the first sign of his mission, Jesus gave at Cana in Galilee, and by it revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him. 12 After this, Jesus went down to Capernaum with his mother, his brothers, and his disciples; but they stayed there only a few days. 13 Then, as the Jewish Passover was near, Jesus went up to Jerusalem.

14 In the temple courts he found people who were selling bullocks, sheep, and pigeons, and the money-changers at their counters. 15 So he made a whip of cords, and drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep and bullocks as well; he scattered the money of the money-changers, and overturned their tables, 16 And said to the pigeon-dealers: “Take these things away. Do not turn my Father’s house into a market-house.”

17 His disciples remembered that scripture said: ‘The zeal of thy house hath consumed me.’ 18 Upon this the Jews asked Jesus: “What sign are you going to show us, since you act in this way?” 19 “Destroy this temple,” was his answer, “and I will raise it in three days.”

20 “This temple,” replied the Jews, “has been forty-six years in building, and are you going to ‘raise it in three days’?” 21 But Jesus was speaking of his body as a temple. 22 Afterwards, when he had risen from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this; and they believed the passage of scripture, and the words which Jesus had spoken.

23 While Jesus was in Jerusalem, during the Passover festival, many came to trust in him, when they saw the signs of his mission that he was giving. 24 But Jesus did not trust himself to them, since he could read every heart, 25 And because he did not need that others should tell him what people were; for he could of himself read what was in them.

To read the next chapter of the Book of John, please go to The Gospel of John – 3.

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 6 – Christ is the Life Giving Bread

After this, Jesus crossed the Sea of Galilee—otherwise called the Lake of Tiberias. 2 A great crowd of people, however, followed him, because they saw the signs of his mission in his work among those who were afflicted. 3 Jesus went up the hill, and sat down there with his disciples. :4 It was near the time of the Jewish festival of the Passover. 5 Looking up, and noticing that a great crowd was coming towards him, Jesus said to Philip: “Where are we to buy bread for these people to eat?” 6 He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he meant to do.

7 “Twenty pounds’ worth of bread,” answered Philip, “would not be enough for each of them to have a little.” 8 “There is a boy here,” said Andrew, another of his disciples, Simon Peter’s brother, 9 “Who has five barley loaves and two fishes; but what is that for so many?”

10 “Make the people sit down,” said Jesus. It was a grassy spot; so the men, who numbered about five thousand, sat down, 11 And then Jesus took the loaves, and, after saying the thanksgiving, distributed them to those who were sitting down; and the same with the fish, giving the people as much as they wanted.

12 When they were satisfied, Jesus said to his disciples: “Collect the broken pieces that are left, so that nothing may be wasted.” 13 The disciples did so, and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves, which were left after all had eaten.

14 When the people saw the signs which Jesus gave, they said: “This is certainly the prophet who was to come into the world.” 15 But Jesus, having discovered that they were intending to come and carry him off to make him king, retired again up the hill, quite alone.

16 When evening fell, his disciples went down to the sea, 17 And, getting into a boat, began to cross to Capernaum. By this time darkness had set in, and Jesus had not yet come back to them; 18 The sea, too, was getting rough, for a strong wind was blowing. 19 When they had rowed three or four miles, they caught sight of him walking on the water and approaching the boat, and they were frightened.

20 But Jesus said to them: “It is I; do not be afraid!” 21 And after this they were glad to take him into the boat; and the boat at once arrived off the shore, for which they had been making.

22 The people who remained on the further side of the sea had seen that only one boat had been there, and that Jesus had not gone into it with his disciples, but that they had left without him. 23 Some boats, however, had come from Tiberias, from near the spot where they had eaten the bread after the Master had said the thanksgiving.

24 So, on the next day, when the people saw that Jesus was not there, or his disciples either, they themselves got into the boats, and went to Capernaum to look for him. 25 And, when they found him on the other side of the sea, they said: “When did you get here, Rabbi?”

26 “In truth I tell you,” answered Jesus, “it is not on account of the signs which you saw that you are looking for me, but because you had the bread to eat and were satisfied. 27 Work, not for the food that perishes, but for the food that lasts unto life everlasting, which the Son of Man will give you; for upon him the Father—God himself—has set the seal of his approval.”

28 “How,” they asked, “are we to do the work that God would have us do?” 29 “The work that God would have you do,” answered Jesus, “is to believe in him whom God sent as his messenger.” 30 “What sign, then,” they asked, “are you giving, which we may see, and so believe you? What is the work that you are doing? 31 Our ancestors had the manna to eat in the desert; as scripture says: ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’”

32 “In truth I tell you,” replied Jesus, “Moses did not give you the bread from heaven, but my Father does give you the true bread from heaven; 33 For the bread that God gives is that which comes down from heaven, and gives life to the world.”

34 “Master,” they exclaimed, “give us that bread always!” 35 “I am the life-giving bread,” Jesus said to them; “he that comes to me shall never be hungry, and he that believes in me shall never thirst again. 36 But, as I have said already, you have seen me, and yet you do not believe in me.”

37 “All those whom the Father gives me will come to me; and no one who comes to me will I ever turn away. 38 For I have come down from heaven, to do, not my own will, but the will of him who sent me; 39 And his will is this: that I should not lose one of all those whom he has given me, but should raise them up at the last day. 40 For it is the will of my Father that everyone who sees the Son, and believes in him, should have eternal life; and I myself will raise them up at the last day.”

41 Upon this, the Jews began murmuring against Jesus for saying, ‘I am the bread which came down from heaven.’ 42 “Is not this Jesus, Joseph’s son,” they asked, “whose father and mother we know? How is it that he now says that he has come down from heaven?” 43 “Do not murmur among yourselves,” said Jesus in reply.

44 “No one can come to me, unless the Father who sent me draws them to me; and I will raise them up at the last day. 45 It is said by the prophets: ‘And they shall all be taught by God.’ Everyone who is taught by the Father and learns from him comes to me. 46 Not that anyone has seen the Father, except him that is from God—He has seen the Father.”

47 “In truth I tell you, those who believe in me have eternal life. 48 I am the life-giving bread. 49 Your ancestors ate the manna in the desert, and yet died. 50 The bread that comes down from heaven is such that whoever eats of it will never die. 51 I am the living bread that has come down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, they will live for ever; and the bread that I shall give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.”

52 Upon this the Jews began disputing with one another: “How is it possible for this man to give us his flesh to eat?” 53 “In truth I tell you,” answered Jesus, “unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man, and drink his blood, you have not life within you. 54 You who take my flesh for your food, and drink my blood, has eternal life; and I will raise you up at the last day. 55 For my flesh is true food, and my blood true drink. 56 You who take my flesh for your food, and drink my blood, remain united to me, and I to you.”

57 “As the living Father sent me as his messenger, and as I live because the Father lives, so are you who take me for your food shall live because I live. 58 That is the bread which has come down from heaven—not such as your ancestors ate, and yet died; you who take this bread for his food shall live for ever.”

59 All this Jesus said in a synagogue, when he was teaching in Capernaum. 60 On hearing it, many of his disciples said: “This is harsh doctrine! Who can bear to listen to it?” 61 But Jesus, aware that his disciples were murmuring about it, said to them: 62 “Does this offend you? What, then, if you should see the Son of Man ascending where he was before?”

63 “It is the spirit that gives life; mere flesh is of no avail. In the teaching that I have been giving you there is spirit and there is life. 64 Yet there are some of you who do not believe in me.” For Jesus knew from the first who they were that did not believe in him, and who it was that would betray him; 65 And he added: “This is why I told you that no one can come to me, unless enabled by the Father.”

66 After this many of his disciples drew back, and did not go about with him any longer. 67 So Jesus said to the twelve: “Do you also wish to leave me?” 68 But Simon Peter answered: “Master, to whom shall we go? The words of eternal life are in your teaching; 69 And we have learned to believe and to know that you are that Christ, the Son of the living God.”

70 “Did not I myself choose you to be the twelve?” replied Jesus; “And one is playing the devil’s part.” 71 He meant Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, who was about to betray him, though he was one of the twelve.

To read the next chapter of the Book of John, please go to The Gospel of John – 7.

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.

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.