JESUS’ LAST WEEK SUNDAY Jesus’ procession in Jerusalem -- Luke 19:29-44 28 After Jesus said this, he went on toward Jerusalem. 29 As Jesus came near Bethphage and Bethany, towns near the hill called the Mount of Olives, he sent out two of his followers. 30 He said, "Go to the town you can see there. When you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here to me. 31 If anyone asks you why you are untying it, say that the Master needs it." 32 The two followers went into town and found the colt just as Jesus had told them. 33 As they were untying it, its owners came out and asked the followers, "Why are you untying our colt?" 34 The followers answered, "The Master needs it." 35 So they brought it to Jesus, threw their coats on the colt's back, and put Jesus on it. 36 As Jesus rode toward Jerusalem, others spread their coats on the road before him. 37 As he was coming close to Jerusalem, on the way down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of followers began joyfully shouting praise to God for all the miracles they had seen. 38 They said, "God bless the king who comes in the name of the Lord! There is peace in heaven and glory to God!" 39 Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, "Teacher, tell your followers not to say these things." 40 But Jesus answered, "I tell you, if my followers didn't say these things, then the stones would cry out." 41 As Jesus came near Jerusalem, he saw the city and cried for it, 42 saying, "I wish you knew today what would bring you peace. But now it is hidden from you. 43 The time is coming when your enemies will build a wall around you and will hold you in on all sides. 44 They will destroy you and all your people, and not one stone will be left on another. All this will happen because you did not recognize the time when God came to save you." MONDAY Jesus in the temple -- Matthew 21:12-17 12 Jesus went into the Temple and threw out all the people who were buying and selling there. He turned over the tables of those who were exchanging different kinds of money, and he upset the benches of those who were selling doves. 13 Jesus said to all the people there, "It is written in the Scriptures, 'My Temple will be called a house for prayer.' But you are changing it into a 'hideout for robbers.' " 14 The blind and crippled people came to Jesus in the Temple, and he healed them. 15 The leading priests and the teachers of the law saw that Jesus was doing wonderful things and that the children were praising him in the Temple, saying, "Praise to the Son of David." All these things made the priests and the teachers of the law very angry. 16 They asked Jesus, "Do you hear the things these children are saying?" Jesus answered, "Yes. Haven't you read in the Scriptures, 'You have taught children and babies to sing praises'?" 17 Then Jesus left and went out of the city to Bethany, where he spent the night. TUESDAY Challenge against Jesus’ authority -- Luke 20:1-8 1 One day Jesus was in the Temple, teaching the people and telling them the Good News. The leading priests, teachers of the law, and elders came up to talk with him, 2 saying, "Tell us what authority you have to do these things? Who gave you this authority?" 3 Jesus answered, "I will also ask you a question. Tell me: 4 When John baptized people, was that authority from God or just from other people?" 5 They argued about this, saying, "If we answer, 'John's baptism was from God,' Jesus will say, 'Then why did you not believe him?' 6 But if we say, 'It was from other people,' all the people will stone us to death, because they believe John was a prophet. "7 So they answered that they didn't know where it came from. 8 Jesus said to them, "Then I won't tell you what authority I have to do these things." Questions by Jewish rulers -- Luke 20:20-40 20 So they watched Jesus and sent some spies who acted as if they were sincere. They wanted to trap Jesus in saying something wrong so they could hand him over to the authority and power of the governor. 21 So the spies asked Jesus, "Teacher, we know that what you say and teach is true. You pay no attention to who people are, and you always teach the truth about God's way. 22 Tell us, is it right for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?" 23 But Jesus, knowing they were trying to trick him, said, 24 "Show me a coin. Whose image and name are on it?" They said, "Caesar's." 25 Jesus said to them, "Then give to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and give to God the things that are God's." 26 So they were not able to trap Jesus in anything he said in the presence of the people. And being amazed at his answer, they became silent. 27 Some Sadducees, who believed people would not rise from the dead, came to Jesus. 28 They asked, "Teacher, Moses wrote that if a man's brother dies and leaves a wife but no children, then that man must marry the widow and have children for his brother. 29 Once there were seven brothers. The first brother married and died, but had no children. 30 Then the second brother married the widow, and he died. 31 And the third brother married the widow, and he died. The same thing happened with all seven brothers; they died and had no children. 32 Finally, the woman died also. 33 Since all seven brothers had married her, whose wife will she be when people rise from the dead?" 34 Jesus said to them, "On earth, people marry and are given to someone to marry. 35 But those who will be worthy to be raised from the dead and live again will not marry, nor will they be given to someone to marry. 36 In that life they are like angels and cannot die. They are children of God, because they have been raised from the dead. 37 Even Moses clearly showed that the dead are raised to life. When he wrote about the burning bush, he said that the Lord is 'the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.' 38 God is the God of the living, not the dead, because all people are alive to him." 39 Some of the teachers of the law said, "Teacher, your answer was good." 40 No one was brave enough to ask him another question. Mistakes of the scribes and Pharisees -- Matthew 23:1-39 1 Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his followers, 2 "The teachers of the law and the Pharisees have the authority to tell you what the law of Moses says. 3 So you should obey and follow whatever they tell you, but their lives are not good examples for you to follow. They tell you to do things, but they themselves don't do them. 4 They make strict rules and try to force people to obey them, but they are unwilling to help those who struggle under the weight of their rules. 5 "They do good things so that other people will see them. They enlarge the little boxes holding Scriptures that they wear, and they make their special prayer clothes very long. 6 Those Pharisees and teachers of the law love to have the most important seats at feasts and in the synagogues. 7 They love people to greet them with respect in the marketplaces, and they love to have people call them 'Teacher.' 8 "But you must not be called 'Teacher,' because you have only one Teacher, and you are all brothers and sisters together. 9 And don't call any person on earth 'Father,' because you have one Father, who is in heaven. 10 And you should not be called 'Master,' because you have only one Master, the Christ. 11 Whoever is your servant is the greatest among you. 12 Whoever makes himself great will be made humble. Whoever makes himself humble will be made great. 13 "How terrible for you, teachers of the law and Pharisees! You are hypocrites! You close the door for people to enter the kingdom of heaven. You yourselves don't enter, and you stop others who are trying to enter. 14 How terrible for you, teachers of the law and Pharisees. You are hypocrites. You take away widows' houses, and you say long prayers so that people will notice you. So you will have a worse punishment. 15 "How terrible for you, teachers of the law and Pharisees! You are hypocrites! You travel across land and sea to find one person who will change to your ways. When you find that person, you make him more fit for hell than you are. 16 "How terrible for you! You guide the people, but you are blind. You say, 'If people swear by the Temple when they make a promise, that means nothing. But if they swear by the gold that is in the Temple, they must keep that promise.' 17 You are blind fools! Which is greater: the gold or the Temple that makes that gold holy? 18 And you say, 'If people swear by the altar when they make a promise, that means nothing. But if they swear by the gift on the altar, they must keep that promise.' 19 You are blind! Which is greater: the gift or the altar that makes the gift holy? 20 The person who swears by the altar is really using the altar and also everything on the altar. 21 And the person who swears by the Temple is really using the Temple and also everything in the Temple. 22 The person who swears by heaven is also using God's throne and the One who sits on that throne. 23 "How terrible for you, teachers of the law and Pharisees! You are hypocrites! You give to God one-tenth of everything you earn—even your mint, dill, and cumin. But you don't obey the really important teachings of the law—justice, mercy, and being loyal. These are the things you should do, as well as those other things. 24 You guide the people, but you are blind! You are like a person who picks a fly out of a drink and then swallows a camel! 25 "How terrible for you, teachers of the law and Pharisees! You are hypocrites! You wash the outside of your cups and dishes, but inside they are full of things you got by cheating others and by pleasing only yourselves. 26 Pharisees, you are blind! First make the inside of the cup clean, and then the outside of the cup can be truly clean. 27 "How terrible for you, teachers of the law and Pharisees! You are hypocrites! You are like tombs that are painted white. Outside, those tombs look fine, but inside, they are full of the bones of dead people and all kinds of unclean things. 28 It is the same with you. People look at you and think you are good, but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and evil. 29 "How terrible for you, teachers of the law and Pharisees! You are hypocrites! You build tombs for the prophets, and you show honor to the graves of those who lived good lives. 30 You say, 'If we had lived during the time of our ancestors, we would not have helped them kill the prophets.' 31 But you give proof that you are descendants of those who murdered the prophets. 32 And you will complete the sin that your ancestors started. 33 "You are snakes! A family of poisonous snakes! How are you going to escape God's judgment? 34 So I tell you this: I am sending to you prophets and wise men and teachers. Some of them you will kill and crucify. Some of them you will beat in your synagogues and chase from town to town. 35 So you will be guilty for the death of all the good people who have been killed on earth—from the murder of that good man Abel to the murder of Zechariah son of Berakiah, whom you murdered between the Temple and the altar. 36 I tell you the truth, all of these things will happen to you people who are living now. 37 "Jerusalem, Jerusalem! You kill the prophets and stone to death those who are sent to you. Many times I wanted to gather your people as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you did not let me. 38 Now your house will be left completely empty. 39 I tell you, you will not see me again until that time when you will say, 'God bless the One who comes in the name of the Lord.' " Judas Iscariot’s plot -- Matthew 26:1-5, 14-16 1 After Jesus finished saying all these things, he told his followers, 2 "You know that the day after tomorrow is the day of the Passover Feast. On that day the Son of Man will be given to his enemies to be crucified." 3 Then the leading priests and the elders had a meeting at the palace of the high priest, named Caiaphas. 4 At the meeting, they planned to set a trap to arrest Jesus and kill him. 5 But they said, "We must not do it during the feast, because the people might cause a riot." 14 Then one of the twelve apostles, Judas Iscariot, went to talk to the leading priests. 15 He said, "What will you pay me for giving Jesus to you?" And they gave him thirty silver coins. 16 After that, Judas watched for the best time to turn Jesus in. WEDNESDAY Nothing was recorded. THURSDAY The last meal together -- Luke 22:7-30 7 The Day of Unleavened Bread came when the Passover lambs had to be sacrificed. 8 Jesus said to Peter and John, "Go and prepare the Passover meal for us to eat." 9 They asked, "Where do you want us to prepare it?" 10 Jesus said to them, "After you go into the city, a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him into the house that he enters, 11 and tell the owner of the house, 'The Teacher says: "Where is the guest room in which I may eat the Passover meal with my followers?" ' 12 Then he will show you a large, furnished room upstairs. Prepare the Passover meal there." 13 So Peter and John left and found everything as Jesus had said. And they prepared the Passover meal. 14 When the time came, Jesus and the apostles were sitting at the table. 15 He said to them, "I wanted very much to eat this Passover meal with you before I suffer. 16 I will not eat another Passover meal until it is given its true meaning in the kingdom of God." 17 Then Jesus took a cup, gave thanks, and said, "Take this cup and share it among yourselves. 18 I will not drink again from the fruit of the vine until God's kingdom comes." 19 Then Jesus took some bread, gave thanks, broke it, and gave it to the apostles, saying, "This is my body, which I am giving for you. Do this to remember me." 20 In the same way, after supper, Jesus took the cup and said, "This cup is the new agreement that God makes with his people. This new agreement begins with my blood which is poured out for you. 21 "But one of you will turn against me, and his hand is with mine on the table. 22 What God has planned for the Son of Man will happen, but how terrible it will be for that one who turns against the Son of Man." 23 Then the apostles asked each other which one of them would do that. 24 The apostles also began to argue about which one of them was the most important. 25 But Jesus said to them, "The kings of the non-Jewish people rule over them, and those who have authority over others like to be called 'friends of the people.' 26 But you must not be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the leader should be like the servant. 27 Who is more important: the one sitting at the table or the one serving? You think the one at the table is more important, but I am like a servant among you. 28 "You have stayed with me through my struggles. 29 Just as my Father has given me a kingdom, I also give you a kingdom 30 so you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom. And you will sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. FRIDAY Betrayal and arrest -- John 18:1-12 1 When Jesus finished praying, he went with his followers across the Kidron Valley. On the other side there was a garden, and Jesus and his followers went into it. 2 Judas knew where this place was, because Jesus met there often with his followers. Judas was the one who turned against Jesus. 3 So Judas came there with a group of soldiers and some guards from the leading priests and the Pharisees. They were carrying torches, lanterns, and weapons. 4 Knowing everything that would happen to him, Jesus went out and asked, "Who is it you are looking for?" 5 They answered, "Jesus from Nazareth." "I am he," Jesus said. (Judas, the one who turned against Jesus, was standing there with them.) 6 When Jesus said, "I am he," they moved back and fell to the ground. 7 Jesus asked them again, "Who is it you are looking for?" They said, "Jesus of Nazareth." 8 "I told you that I am he," Jesus said. "So if you are looking for me, let the others go." 9 This happened so that the words Jesus said before would come true: "I have not lost any of the ones you gave me." 10 Simon Peter, who had a sword, pulled it out and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his right ear. (The servant's name was Malchus.) 11 Jesus said to Peter, "Put your sword back. Shouldn't I drink the cup the Father gave me?" 12 Then the soldiers with their commander and the guards arrested Jesus. The trial before the religious leaders -- Matthew 26:57-27:10 57 Those people who arrested Jesus led him to the house of Caiaphas, the high priest, where the teachers of the law and the elders were gathered. 58 Peter followed far behind to the courtyard of the high priest's house, and he sat down with the guards to see what would happen to Jesus. 59 The leading priests and the whole Jewish council tried to find something false against Jesus so they could kill him. 60 Many people came and told lies about him, but the council could find no real reason to kill him. Then two people came and said, 61 "This man said, 'I can destroy the Temple of God and build it again in three days.' " 62 Then the high priest stood up and said to Jesus, "Aren't you going to answer? Don't you have something to say about their charges against you?" 63 But Jesus said nothing. Again the high priest said to Jesus, "I command you by the power of the living God: Tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God." 64 Jesus answered, "Those are your words. But I tell you, in the future you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of God, the Powerful One, and coming on clouds in the sky." 65 When the high priest heard this, he tore his clothes and said, "This man has said things that are against God! We don't need any more witnesses; you all heard him say these things against God. 66 What do you think?" The people answered, "He should die." 67 Then the people there spat in Jesus' face and beat him with their fists. Others slapped him. 68 They said, "Prove to us that you are a prophet, you Christ! Tell us who hit you!" 69 At that time, as Peter was sitting in the courtyard, a servant girl came to him and said, "You also were with Jesus of Galilee." 70 But Peter said to all the people there that he was never with Jesus. He said, "I don't know what you are talking about." 71 When he left the courtyard and was at the gate, another girl saw him. She said to the people there, "This man was with Jesus of Nazareth." 72 Again, Peter said he was never with him, saying, "I swear I don't know this man Jesus!" 73 A short time later, some people standing there went to Peter and said, "Surely you are one of those who followed Jesus. The way you talk shows it." 74 Then Peter began to place a curse on himself and swear, "I don't know the man." At once, a rooster crowed. 75 And Peter remembered what Jesus had told him: "Before the rooster crows, you will say three times that you don't know me." Then Peter went outside and cried painfully. 1 Early the next morning, all the leading priests and elders of the people decided that Jesus should die. 2 They tied him, led him away, and turned him over to Pilate, the governor. 3 Judas, the one who had given Jesus to his enemies, saw that they had decided to kill Jesus. Then he was very sorry for what he had done. So he took the thirty silver coins back to the priests and the leaders, 4 saying, "I sinned; I handed over to you an innocent man." The leaders answered, "What is that to us? That's your problem, not ours." 5 So Judas threw the money into the Temple. Then he went off and hanged himself. 6 The leading priests picked up the silver coins in the Temple and said, "Our law does not allow us to keep this money with the Temple money, because it has paid for a man's death." 7 So they decided to use the coins to buy Potter's Field as a place to bury strangers who died in Jerusalem. 8 That is why that field is still called the Field of Blood. 9 So what Jeremiah the prophet had said came true: "They took thirty silver coins. That is how little the Israelites thought he was worth. 10 They used those thirty silver coins to buy the potter's field, as the Lord commanded me." The trial before the Roman governor -- Matthew 27:2,11-31 2 They tied him, led him away, and turned him over to Pilate, the governor. 11 Jesus stood before Pilate the governor, and Pilate asked him, "Are you the king of the Jews?" Jesus answered, "Those are your words." 12 When the leading priests and the elders accused Jesus, he said nothing. 13 So Pilate said to Jesus, "Don't you hear them accusing you of all these things?" 14 But Jesus said nothing in answer to Pilate, and Pilate was very surprised at this. 15 Every year at the time of Passover the governor would free one prisoner whom the people chose. 16 At that time there was a man in prison, named Barabbas, who was known to be very bad. 17 When the people gathered at Pilate's house, Pilate said, "Whom do you want me to set free: Barabbas or Jesus who is called the Christ?" 18 Pilate knew that they turned Jesus in to him because they were jealous. 19 While Pilate was sitting there on the judge's seat, his wife sent this message to him: "Don't do anything to that man, because he is innocent. Today I had a dream about him, and it troubled me very much." 20 But the leading priests and elders convinced the crowd to ask for Barabbas to be freed and for Jesus to be killed. 21 Pilate said, "I have Barabbas and Jesus. Which do you want me to set free for you?" The people answered, "Barabbas." 22 Pilate asked, "So what should I do with Jesus, the one called the Christ?" They all answered, "Crucify him!" 23 Pilate asked, "Why? What wrong has he done?" But they shouted louder, "Crucify him!" 24 When Pilate saw that he could do nothing about this and that a riot was starting, he took some water and washed his hands in front of the crowd. Then he said, "I am not guilty of this man's death. You are the ones who are causing it!" 25 All the people answered, "We and our children will be responsible for his death." 26 Then he set Barabbas free. But Jesus was beaten with whips and handed over to the soldiers to be crucified. 27 The governor's soldiers took Jesus into the governor's palace, and they all gathered around him. 28 They took off his clothes and put a red robe on him. 29 Using thorny branches, they made a crown, put it on his head, and put a stick in his right hand. Then the soldiers bowed before Jesus and made fun of him, saying, "Hail, King of the Jews!" 30 They spat on Jesus. Then they took his stick and began to beat him on the head. 31 After they finished, the soldiers took off the robe and put his own clothes on him again. Then they led him away to be crucified. Jesus’ crucifixion -- Matthew 27:32-56 32 As the soldiers were going out of the city with Jesus, they forced a man from Cyrene, named Simon, to carry the cross for Jesus. 33 They all came to the place called Golgotha, which means the Place of the Skull. 34 The soldiers gave Jesus wine mixed with gall to drink. He tasted the wine but refused to drink it. 35 When the soldiers had crucified him, they threw lots to decide who would get his clothes. 36 The soldiers sat there and continued watching him. 37 They put a sign above Jesus' head with a charge against him. It said: THIS IS JESUS, THE KING OF THE JEWS. 38 Two robbers were crucified beside Jesus, one on the right and the other on the left. 39 People walked by and insulted Jesus and shook their heads, 40 saying, "You said you could destroy the Temple and build it again in three days. So save yourself! Come down from that cross if you are really the Son of God!" 41 The leading priests, the teachers of the law, and the Jewish elders were also making fun of Jesus. 42 They said, "He saved others, but he can't save himself! He says he is the king of Israel! If he is the king, let him come down now from the cross. Then we will believe in him. 43 He trusts in God, so let God save him now, if God really wants him. He himself said, 'I am the Son of God.' "44 And in the same way, the robbers who were being crucified beside Jesus also insulted him. 45 At noon the whole country became dark, and the darkness lasted for three hours. 46 About three o'clock Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?" This means, "My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?" 47 Some of the people standing there who heard this said, "He is calling Elijah." 48 Quickly one of them ran and got a sponge and filled it with vinegar and tied it to a stick and gave it to Jesus to drink. 49 But the others said, "Don't bother him. We want to see if Elijah will come to save him." 50 But Jesus cried out again in a loud voice and died. 51 Then the curtain in the Temple was torn into two pieces, from the top to the bottom. Also, the earth shook and rocks broke apart. 52 The graves opened, and many of God's people who had died were raised from the dead. 53 They came out of the graves after Jesus was raised from the dead and went into the holy city, where they appeared to many people. 54 When the army officer and the soldiers guarding Jesus saw this earthquake and everything else that happened, they were very frightened and said, "He really was the Son of God!" 55 Many women who had followed Jesus from Galilee to help him were standing at a distance from the cross, watching. 56 Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of James and John were there. Jesus’ burial -- Matthew 27:57-61 57 That evening a rich man named Joseph, a follower of Jesus from the town of Arimathea, came to Jerusalem. 58 Joseph went to Pilate and asked to have Jesus' body. So Pilate gave orders for the soldiers to give it to Joseph. 59 Then Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen cloth. 60 He put Jesus' body in a new tomb that he had cut out of a wall of rock, and he rolled a very large stone to block the entrance of the tomb. Then Joseph went away. 61 Mary Magdalene and the other woman named Mary were sitting near the tomb. SATURDAY Grave watch -- Matthew 27:62-66 62 The next day, the day after Preparation Day, the leading priests and the Pharisees went to Pilate. 63 They said, "Sir, we remember that while that liar was still alive he said, 'After three days I will rise from the dead.' 64 So give the order for the tomb to be guarded closely till the third day. Otherwise, his followers might come and steal the body and tell people that he has risen from the dead. That lie would be even worse than the first one." 65 Pilate said, "Take some soldiers and go guard the tomb the best way you know." 66 So they all went to the tomb and made it safe from thieves by sealing the stone in the entrance and putting soldiers there to guard it. SUNDAY Jesus comes back to life -- Matthew 28:1-10 1 The day after the Sabbath day was the first day of the week. At dawn on the first day, Mary Magdalene and another woman named Mary went to look at the tomb. 2 At that time there was a strong earthquake. An angel of the Lord came down from heaven, went to the tomb, and rolled the stone away from the entrance. Then he sat on the stone. 3 He was shining as bright as lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. 4 The soldiers guarding the tomb shook with fear because of the angel, and they became like dead men. 5 The angel said to the women, "Don't be afraid. I know that you are looking for Jesus, who has been crucified. 6 He is not here. He has risen from the dead as he said he would. Come and see the place where his body was. 7 And go quickly and tell his followers, 'Jesus has risen from the dead. He is going into Galilee ahead of you, and you will see him there.' " Then the angel said, "Now I have told you." 8 The women left the tomb quickly. They were afraid, but they were also very happy. They ran to tell Jesus' followers what had happened. 9 Suddenly, Jesus met them and said, "Greetings." The women came up to him, took hold of his feet, and worshiped him. 10 Then Jesus said to them, "Don't be afraid. Go and tell my followers to go on to Galilee, and they will see me there." Scripture taken from the New Century Version. Copyright © 2005 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved."