Six Days of Creation and the Sabbath

1 When God began to create^[a] the heavens and the earth,^{(A) 2} the earth was complete chaos, and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from God^[b] swept over the face of the waters.^{(B) 3} Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.^{(C) 4} And God saw that the light was good, and God separated the light from the darkness.^{(D) 5} God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.^(E)

⁶ And God said, “Let there be a dome in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters.”^{(F) 7} So God made the dome and separated the waters that were under the dome from the waters that were above the dome. And it was so.^{(G) 8} God called the dome Sky. And there was evening and there was morning, the second day.

⁹ And God said, “Let the waters under the sky be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear.” And it was so.^{(H) 10} God called the dry land Earth, and the waters that were gathered together he called Seas. And God saw that it was good.^{(I) 11} Then God said, “Let the earth put forth vegetation: plants yielding seed and fruit trees of every kind on earth that bear fruit with the seed in it.” And it was so.^{(J) 12} The earth brought forth vegetation: plants yielding seed of every kind and trees of every kind bearing fruit with the seed in it. And God saw that it was good. ¹³ And there was evening and there was morning, the third day.

¹⁴ And God said, “Let there be lights in the dome of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them be for signs and for seasons and for days and years,^{(K) 15} and let them be lights in the dome of the sky to give light upon the earth.” And it was so. ¹⁶ God made the two great lights—the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night—and the stars.^{(L) 17} God set them in the dome of the sky to give light upon the earth, ¹⁸ to rule over the day and over the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good.^{(M) 19} And there was evening and there was morning, the fourth day.

²⁰ And God said, “Let the waters bring forth swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the dome of the sky.” ²¹ So God created the great sea monsters and every living creature that moves, of every kind, with which the waters swarm and every winged bird of every kind. And God saw that it was good.^{(N) 22} God blessed them, saying, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.”^{(O) 23} And there was evening and there was morning, the fifth day.

²⁴ And God said, “Let the earth bring forth living creatures of every kind: cattle and creeping things and wild animals of the earth of every kind.” And it was so. ²⁵ God made the wild animals of the earth of every kind and the cattle of every kind and everything that creeps upon the ground of every kind. And God saw that it was good.^(P)

²⁶ Then God said, “Let us make humans^[c] in our image, according to our likeness, and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over the cattle and over all the wild animals of the earth^[d] and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth.”^(Q)

²⁸ God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth.”^{(S) 29} God said, “See, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is upon the face of all the earth and every tree with seed in its fruit; you shall have them for food.^{(T) 30} And to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the air and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.” And it was so.^{(U) 31} God saw everything that he had made, and indeed, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.^(V)

The Plot to Kill Jesus

22 Now the Festival of Unleavened Bread, which is called the Passover, was near.^{(A) 2} The chief priests and the scribes were looking for a way to put Jesus^[a] to death, for they were afraid of the people.^(B)

³ Then Satan entered into Judas called Iscariot, who was one of the twelve;^{(C) 4} he went away and conferred with the chief priests and officers of the temple police about how he might betray him to them. ⁵ They were greatly pleased and agreed to give him money.^{(D) 6} So he consented and began to look for an opportunity to betray him to them when no crowd was present.

The Preparation of the Passover

⁷ Then came the day of Unleavened Bread, on which the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed.^{(E) 8} So Jesus^[b] sent Peter and John, saying, “Go and prepare the Passover meal for us that we may eat it.”^{(F) 9} They asked him, “Where do you want us to make preparations for it?” ¹⁰ “Listen,” he said to them, “when you have entered the city, a man carrying a jar of water will meet you; follow him into the house he enters ¹¹ and say to the owner of the house, ‘The teacher asks you, “Where is the guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?” ’ ¹² He will show you a large room upstairs, already furnished. Make preparations for us there.” ¹³ So they went and found everything as he had told them, and they prepared the Passover meal.

The Institution of the Lord’s Supper

¹⁴ When the hour came, he took his place at the table, and the apostles with him. ¹⁵ He said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer, ¹⁶ for I tell you, I will not eat it^[c] until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.”^{(G) 17} Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks he said, “Take this and divide it among yourselves, ¹⁸ for I tell you that from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” ¹⁹ Then he took a loaf of bread, and when he had given thanks he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” ²⁰ And he did the same with the cup after supper, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.^{[d] 21} But see, the one who betrays me is with me, and his hand is on the table.^{(H) 22} For the Son of Man is going as it has been determined, but woe to that one by whom he is betrayed!”^{(I) 23} Then they began to ask one another which one of them it could be who would do this.

The Dispute about Greatness

²⁴ A dispute also arose among them as to which one of them was to be regarded as the greatest.^{(J) 25} But he said to them, “The kings of the gentiles lord it over them, and those in authority over them are called benefactors.^{(K) 26} But not so with you; rather, the greatest among you must become like the youngest and the leader like one who serves.^{(L) 27} For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one at the table? But I am among you as one who serves.^(M)

²⁸ “You are those who have stood by me in my trials,^{(N) 29} and I confer on you, just as my Father has conferred on me, a kingdom,^{(O) 30} so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and you will sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.^(P)

Jesus Predicts Peter’s Denial

³¹ “Simon, Simon, listen! Satan has demanded^[e] to sift all of you like wheat,^{(Q) 32} but I have prayed for you that your own faith may not fail, and you, when once you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”^{(R) 33} And he said to him, “Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death!” ³⁴ Jesus^[f] said, “I tell you, Peter, the cock will not crow this day until you have denied three times that you know me.”

Purse, Bag, and Sword

³⁵ He said to them, “When I sent you out without a purse, bag, or sandals, did you lack anything?” They said, “No, not a thing.”^{(S) 36} He said to them, “But now, the one who has a purse must take it, and likewise a bag. And the one who has no sword must sell his cloak and buy one. ³⁷ For I tell you, this scripture must be fulfilled in me, ‘And he was counted among the lawless,’ and indeed what is written about me is being fulfilled.”^{(T) 38} They said, “Lord, look, here are two swords.” He replied, “It is enough.”

Jesus Prays on the Mount of Olives

³⁹ He came out and went, as was his custom, to the Mount of Olives, and the disciples followed him.^{(U) 40} When he reached the place, he said to them, “Pray that you may not come into the time of trial.”^{[g](V) 41} Then he withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, knelt down, and prayed, ⁴² “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me, yet not my will but yours be done.”^(W) [[⁴³ Then an angel from heaven appeared to him and gave him strength.^{(X) 44} In his anguish he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down on the ground.]]^{[h](Y) 45} When he got up from prayer, he came to the disciples and found them sleeping because of grief, ⁴⁶ and he said to them, “Why are you sleeping? Get up and pray that you may not come into the time of trial.”^[i](Z)

The Betrayal and Arrest of Jesus

⁴⁷ While he was still speaking, suddenly a crowd came, and the one called Judas, one of the twelve, was leading them. He approached Jesus to kiss him, ⁴⁸ but Jesus said to him, “Judas, is it with a kiss that you are betraying the Son of Man?” ⁴⁹ When those who were around him saw what was coming, they asked, “Lord, should we strike with the sword?”^{(AA) 50} Then one of them struck the slave of the high priest and cut off his right ear. ⁵¹ But Jesus said, “No more of this!” And he touched his ear and healed him. ⁵² Then Jesus said to the chief priests, the officers of the temple police, and the elders who had come for him, “Have you come out with swords and clubs as though I were a rebel?^{(AB) 53} When I was with you day after day in the temple, you did not lay hands on me. But this is your hour and the power of darkness!”^(AC)

Peter Denies Jesus

⁵⁴ Then they seized him and led him away, bringing him into the high priest’s house. But Peter was following at a distance.^{(AD) 55} When they had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and sat down together, Peter sat among them. ⁵⁶ Then a female servant, seeing him in the firelight, stared at him and said, “This man also was with him.” ⁵⁷ But he denied it, saying, “Woman, I do not know him.” ⁵⁸ A little later someone else, on seeing him, said, “You also are one of them.” But Peter said, “Man, I am not!” ⁵⁹ Then about an hour later still another kept insisting, “Surely this man also was with him, for he is a Galilean.” ⁶⁰ But Peter said, “Man, I do not know what you are talking about!” At that moment, while he was still speaking, the cock crowed. ⁶¹ The Lord turned and looked at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said to him, “Before the cock crows today, you will deny me three times.”^{(AE) 62} And he went out and wept bitterly.

The Mocking and Beating of Jesus

⁶³ Now the men who were holding Jesus^[j] began to mock him and beat him;^{(AF) 64} they also blindfolded him and kept asking him, “Prophesy! Who is it who struck you?” ⁶⁵ They kept heaping many other insults on him.

Jesus before the Council

⁶⁶ When day came, the assembly of the elders of the people, both chief priests and scribes, gathered together, and they brought him to their council.^{(AG) 67} They said, “If you are the Messiah,^[k] tell us.” He replied, “If I tell you, you will not believe,^{(AH) 68} and if I question you, you will not answer.^{[l] 69} But from now on the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the power of God.” ⁷⁰ All of them asked, “Are you, then, the Son of God?” He said to them, “You say that I am.”^{(AI) 71} Then they said, “What further testimony do we need? We have heard it ourselves from his own lips!”