A Walk Through The Word

¹¹ King David sent word to the priests Zadok and Abiathar:^(A) “Say to the elders of Judah, ‘Why should you be the last to restore the king to his palace? The talk of all Israel has reached the king at his house. ¹² You are my brothers, my flesh and blood.^[a](B) So why should you be the last to restore the king?’ ¹³ And tell Amasa,^(C) ‘Aren’t you my flesh and blood?^[b] May God punish me and do so severely if you don’t become commander of my army from now on instead of Joab!’”

¹⁴ So he won over^[c] all the men of Judah, and they unanimously sent word to the king: “Come back, you and all your servants.” ¹⁵ Then the king returned. When he arrived at the Jordan, Judah came to Gilgal to meet the king and escort him across the Jordan.

¹⁶ Shimei son of Gera,^(D) the Benjaminite from Bahurim, hurried down with the men of Judah to meet King David. ¹⁷ There were a thousand men from Benjamin with him. Ziba, an attendant from the house of Saul,^(E) with his fifteen sons and twenty servants also rushed down to the Jordan ahead of the king. ¹⁸ They forded the Jordan to bring the king’s household across and do whatever the king desired.^[d]

When Shimei son of Gera crossed the Jordan, he fell facedown before the king ¹⁹ and said to him, “My lord, don’t hold me guilty, and don’t remember your servant’s wrongdoing on the day my lord the king left Jerusalem.^(F) May the king not take it to heart. ²⁰ For your servant knows that I have sinned. But look! Today I am the first one of the entire house of Joseph to come down to meet my lord the king.”

²¹ Abishai son of Zeruiah asked, “Shouldn’t Shimei be put to death for this, because he cursed the Lord’s anointed?” ^(G)

²² David answered, “Sons of Zeruiah, do we agree on anything?^(H) Have you become my adversary today? Should any man be killed in Israel today? Am I not aware that today I’m king over Israel?” ²³ So the king said to Shimei, “You will not die.” Then the king gave him his oath.^(I)

²⁴ Mephibosheth,^(J) Saul’s grandson, also went down to meet the king. He had not taken care of his feet, trimmed his mustache, or washed his clothes from the day the king left until the day he returned safely. ²⁵ When he came from Jerusalem to meet the king, the king asked him, “Mephibosheth, why didn’t you come with me?”

²⁶ “My lord the king,” he replied, “my servant Ziba betrayed me. Actually your servant said, ‘I’ll saddle the donkey for myself^[e] so that I may ride it and go with the king’—for your servant is lame.^{(K) 27} Ziba slandered your servant to my lord the king.^(L) But my lord the king is like the angel of God,^(M) so do whatever you think best.^{[f] 28} For my grandfather’s entire family deserves death from my lord the king, but you set your servant among those who eat at your table.^(N) So what further right do I have to keep on making appeals to the king?”

²⁹ The king said to him, “Why keep on speaking about these matters of yours? I hereby declare: you and Ziba are to divide the land.”^(O)

³⁰ Mephibosheth said to the king, “Instead, since my lord the king has come to his palace safely, let Ziba take it all!”

³¹ Barzillai the Gileadite^(P) had come down from Rogelim and accompanied the king to the Jordan River to see him off at the Jordan. ³² Barzillai was a very old man—eighty years old—and since he was a very wealthy man, he had provided for the needs of the king while he stayed in Mahanaim.^(Q)

³³ The king said to Barzillai, “Cross over with me, and I’ll provide for you^[g] at my side in Jerusalem.”

³⁴ Barzillai replied to the king, “How many years of my life are left that I should go up to Jerusalem with the king? ³⁵ I’m now eighty years old.^(R) Can I discern what is pleasant and what is not? Can your servant taste what he eats or drinks? Can I still hear the voice of male and female singers? Why should your servant be an added burden to my lord the king?^{(S) 36} Since your servant is only going with the king a little way across the Jordan, why should the king repay me with such a reward? ³⁷ Please let your servant return so that I may die in my own city near the tomb of my father and mother. But here is your servant Chimham;^(T) let him cross over with my lord the king. Do for him what seems good to you.”^[h]

³⁸ The king replied, “Chimham will cross over with me, and I will do for him what seems good to you, and whatever you desire from me I will do for you.” ³⁹ So all the people crossed the Jordan, and then the king crossed. The king kissed Barzillai and blessed him, and Barzillai returned to his home.

⁴⁰ The king went on to Gilgal, and Chimham went with him. All the troops of Judah and half of Israel’s escorted the king. ⁴¹ Suddenly, all the men of Israel came to the king. They asked him, “Why did our brothers, the men of Judah, take you away secretly and transport the king and his household across the Jordan, along with all of David’s men?”

⁴² All the men of Judah responded to the men of Israel, “Because the king is our relative. Why does this make you angry? Have we ever eaten anything of the king’s or been honored at all?” ^[i]

⁴³ The men of Israel answered the men of Judah, “We have ten shares in the king,^(U) so we have a greater claim to David than you. Why then do you despise us? Weren’t we the first to speak of restoring our king?” ^(V) But the words of the men of Judah were harsher than those of the men of Israel.

Sheba’s Revolt

20 Now a wicked man, a Benjaminite named Sheba son of Bichri, happened to be there. He blew the ram’s horn and shouted:

² So all the men of Israel deserted David and followed Sheba son of Bichri, but the men of Judah from the Jordan all the way to Jerusalem remained loyal to their king.^(W)

³ When David came to his palace in Jerusalem, he took the ten concubines he had left to take care of the palace and placed them under guard.^(X) He provided for them, but he was not intimate with them. They were confined until the day of their death, living as widows.

⁴ The king said to Amasa, “Summon the men of Judah to me within three days and be here yourself.” ⁵ Amasa went to summon Judah, but he took longer than the time allotted him. ⁶ So David said to Abishai, “Sheba son of Bichri will do more harm to us than Absalom. Take your lord’s soldiers and pursue him, or he will find fortified cities and elude us.”^[k]

⁷ So Joab’s men, the Cherethites, the Pelethites, and all the warriors marched out under Abishai’s command;^[l] they left Jerusalem to pursue Sheba son of Bichri. ⁸ They were at the great stone in Gibeon when Amasa joined them. Joab was wearing his uniform and over it was a belt around his waist with a sword in its sheath. As he approached, the sword fell out. ⁹ Joab asked Amasa, “Are you well, my brother?” Then with his right hand Joab grabbed Amasa by the beard to kiss him.^{(Y) 10} Amasa was not on guard against the sword in Joab’s hand, and Joab stabbed him in the stomach with it and spilled his intestines out on the ground. Joab did not stab him again, and Amasa died.^(Z)

Joab and his brother Abishai pursued Sheba son of Bichri. ¹¹ One of Joab’s young men had stood over Amasa saying, “Whoever favors Joab and whoever is for David, follow Joab!” ¹² Now Amasa had been writhing in his blood in the middle of the highway, and the man had seen that all the troops stopped. So he moved Amasa from the highway to the field and threw a garment over him because he realized that all those who encountered Amasa were stopping.^{(AA) 13} When he was removed from the highway, all the men passed by and followed Joab to pursue Sheba son of Bichri.

Jesus’s Third Appearance to the Disciples

21 After this, Jesus revealed^(A) himself again to his disciples by the Sea of Tiberias.^[a](B) He revealed himself in this way:

² Simon Peter,^(C) Thomas^(D) (called “Twin”^[b]), Nathanael^(E) from Cana of Galilee,^(F) Zebedee’s^(G) sons, and two others of his disciples were together.

³ “I’m going fishing,” Simon Peter said to them.

“We’re coming with you,” they told him. They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.^(H)

⁴ When daybreak came, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not know it was Jesus.^{(I) 5} “Friends,”^[c] Jesus called to them, “you don’t have any fish, do you?”

“No,” they answered.

⁶ “Cast the net on the right side of the boat,” he told them, “and you’ll find some.” So they did,^[d] and they were unable to haul it in because of the large number of fish. ⁷ The disciple, the one Jesus loved, said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” ^(J)

When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he tied his outer clothing around him (for he had taken it off) and plunged into the sea. ⁸ Since they were not far from land (about a hundred yards^[e](K) away), the other disciples came in the boat,^(L) dragging the net full of fish.

⁹ When they got out on land, they saw a charcoal fire there, with fish lying on it, and bread. ¹⁰ “Bring some of the fish you’ve just caught,” Jesus told them. ¹¹ So Simon Peter climbed up and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish—153 of them. Even though there were so many, the net was not torn.^(M)

¹² “Come and have breakfast,” Jesus told them. None of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are you?” because they knew it was the Lord. ¹³ Jesus came, took the bread, and gave it to them. He did the same with the fish. ¹⁴ This was now the third time^(N) Jesus appeared^[f](O) to the disciples after he was raised from the dead.

Jesus’s Threefold Restoration of Peter

¹⁵ When they had eaten breakfast, Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John,^[g] do you love me more than these?”

“Yes, Lord,” he said to him, “you know that I love you.”

“Feed my lambs,” he told him. ¹⁶ A second time he asked him, “Simon, son of John, do you love^(P) me?”^(Q)

“Yes, Lord,” he said to him, “you know that I love you.”

“Shepherd^(R) my sheep,”^(S) he told him.

¹⁷ He asked him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love^(T) me?”

Peter was grieved^(U) that he asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know everything;^(V) you know that I love you.”

“Feed^(W) my sheep,” Jesus said. ¹⁸ “Truly I tell you,^(X) when you were younger, you would tie your belt and walk wherever you wanted. But when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands and someone else will tie you and carry you where you don’t want to go.” ¹⁹ He said this to indicate by what kind of death^(Y) Peter would glorify God.^(Z) After saying this, he told him, “Follow me.”^(AA)

Correcting a False Report

²⁰ So Peter turned around and saw the disciple Jesus loved^(AB) following them, the one who had leaned back against Jesus at the supper and asked, “Lord, who is the one that’s going to betray you?” ^{(AC) 21} When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, “Lord, what about him?”

²² “If I want him to remain until I come,”^(AD) Jesus answered, “what is that to you? As for you, follow me.”

²³ So this rumor^[h] spread to the brothers and sisters^(AE) that this disciple would not die.^(AF) Yet Jesus did not tell him that he would not die, but, “If I want him to remain until I come, what is that to you?”

Epilogue

²⁴ This is the disciple who testifies to these things and who wrote them down. We know that his testimony is true.

²⁵ And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which, if every one of them were written down, I suppose not even the world itself could contain the books^[i] that would be written.^(AG)

Psalm 120

A Cry for Truth and Peace

A song of ascents.

Absalom’s Defeat

18 David reviewed his troops and appointed commanders of thousands and of hundreds over them. ² He then sent out the troops, a third under Joab, a third under Joab’s brother Abishai son of Zeruiah, and a third under Ittai of Gath. The king said to the troops, “I must also march out with you.”

³ “You must not go!” ^(A) the people pleaded. “If we have to flee, they will not pay any attention to us. Even if half of us die, they will not pay any attention to us because you are worth^[a] ten thousand of us. Therefore, it is better if you support us from the city.”

⁴ “I will do whatever you think is best,” the king replied to them. So he stood beside the city gate while all the troops marched out by hundreds and thousands. ⁵ The king commanded Joab, Abishai, and Ittai, “Treat the young man Absalom gently for my sake.” All the people heard the king’s orders to all the commanders about Absalom.

⁶ Then David’s forces marched into the field to engage Israel in battle, which took place in the forest of Ephraim. ⁷ Israel’s army was defeated by David’s soldiers, and the slaughter there was vast that day—twenty thousand dead. ⁸ The battle spread over the entire area, and that day the forest claimed more people than the sword.

Absalom’s Death

⁹ Absalom was riding on his mule when he happened to meet David’s soldiers. When the mule went under the tangled branches of a large oak tree, Absalom’s head was caught fast in the tree. The mule under him kept going, so he was suspended in midair.^{[b] 10} One of the men saw him and informed Joab. He said, “I just saw Absalom hanging in an oak tree!”

¹¹ “You just saw him!” Joab exclaimed.^[c] “Why didn’t you strike him to the ground right there? I would have given you ten silver pieces^[d] and a belt!”

¹² The man replied to Joab, “Even if I had the weight of a thousand pieces of silver^[e] in my hand, I would not raise my hand against the king’s son. For we heard the king command you, Abishai, and Ittai, ‘Protect the young man Absalom for me.’^{[f](B) 13} If I had jeopardized my own^[g] life—and nothing is hidden from the king—you would have abandoned me.”

¹⁴ Joab said, “I’m not going to waste time with you!” He then took three spears^[h] in his hand and thrust them into Absalom’s chest. While Absalom was still alive in the oak tree, ¹⁵ ten young men who were Joab’s armor-bearers surrounded Absalom, struck him, and killed him. ¹⁶ Joab blew the ram’s horn, and the troops broke off their pursuit of Israel because Joab restrained them. ¹⁷ They took Absalom, threw him into a large pit in the forest, and raised up a huge mound of stones over him.^(C) And all Israel fled, each to his tent.^(D)

¹⁸ When he was alive, Absalom had taken a pillar and raised it up^(E) for himself in the King’s Valley,^(F) since he thought, “I have no son^(G) to preserve the memory of my name.” So he named the pillar after himself. It is still called Absalom’s Monument today.

¹⁹ Ahimaaz son of Zadok^(H) said, “Please let me run and tell the king the good news that the Lord has vindicated him by freeing him from his enemies.”

²⁰ Joab replied to him, “You are not the man to take good news today. You may do it another day, but today you aren’t taking good news, because the king’s son is dead.” ²¹ Joab then said to a Cushite, “Go tell the king what you have seen.” The Cushite bowed to Joab and took off running.

²² However, Ahimaaz son of Zadok persisted and said to Joab, “No matter what, please let me also run behind the Cushite!”

Joab replied, “My son, why do you want to run since you won’t get a reward?” ^[i]

²³ “No matter what, I want to run!”

“Then run!” Joab said to him. So Ahimaaz ran by way of the plain and outran the Cushite.

²⁴ David was sitting between the city gates^(I) when the watchman went up to the roof of the city gate and over to the wall.^(J) The watchman looked out and saw a man running alone. ²⁵ He called out and told the king.

The king said, “If he’s alone, he bears good news.”

As the first runner came closer, ²⁶ the watchman saw another man running. He called out to the gatekeeper, “Look! Another man is running alone!”

“This one is also bringing good news,” said the king.

²⁷ The watchman said, “The way the first man runs looks to me like the way Ahimaaz son of Zadok runs.”^(K)

“This is a good man; he comes with good news,”^(L) the king commented.

²⁸ Ahimaaz called out to the king, “All is well,” and paid homage to the king with his face to the ground. He continued, “Blessed be the Lord your God! He delivered up the men who rebelled against my lord the king.”

²⁹ The king asked, “Is the young man Absalom all right?”

Ahimaaz replied, “When Joab sent the king’s servant and your servant, I saw a big disturbance, but I don’t know what it was.”

³⁰ The king said, “Move aside and stand here.” So he stood to one side.

³¹ Just then the Cushite came and said, “May my lord the king hear the good news: The Lord has vindicated you today by freeing you from all who rise against you!”

³² The king asked the Cushite, “Is the young man Absalom all right?”

The Cushite replied, “I wish that the enemies of my lord the king, along with all who rise up against you with evil intent, would become like that young man.”^(M)

³³ The king was deeply moved and went up to the chamber above the city gate and wept. As he walked, he cried, “My son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom! If only I had died instead of you, Absalom, my son, my son!” ^(N)

David’s Kingdom Restored

19 It was reported to Joab, “The king is weeping. He’s mourning over Absalom.” ² That day’s victory was turned into mourning for all the troops because on that day the troops heard, “The king is grieving over his son.” ³ So they returned to the city quietly that day like troops come in when they are humiliated after fleeing in battle. ⁴ But the king covered his face^(O) and cried loudly, “My son Absalom! Absalom, my son, my son!”

⁵ Then Joab went into the house to the king and said, “Today you have shamed all your soldiers—those who saved your life as well as your sons, your wives, and your concubines— ⁶ by loving your enemies and hating those who love you! Today you have made it clear that the commanders and soldiers mean nothing to you. In fact, today I know that if Absalom were alive and all of us were dead, it would be fine with you!^[j]

⁷ “Now get up! Go out and encourage^[k] your soldiers, for I swear by the Lord that if you don’t go out, not a man will remain with you tonight.^(P) This will be worse for you than all the trouble that has come to you from your youth until now!”

⁸ So the king got up and sat in the city gate,^(Q) and all the people were told, “Look, the king is sitting in the city gate.” Then they all came into the king’s presence.

Meanwhile, each Israelite had fled to his tent.^{(R) 9} People throughout all the tribes of Israel were arguing among themselves, saying, “The king rescued us from the grasp of our enemies,^(S) and he saved us from the grasp of the Philistines,^(T) but now he has fled from the land because of Absalom.^{(U) 10} But Absalom, the man we anointed over us, has died in battle. So why do you say nothing about restoring the king?”

The Empty Tomb

20 On^(A) the first day of the week^(B) Mary Magdalene^(C) came to the tomb^(D) early, while it was still dark. She saw that the stone^(E) had been removed from the tomb. ² So she went running to Simon Peter^(F) and to the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said to them, “They’ve taken the Lord out of the tomb,^(G) and we don’t know where they’ve put him!”

³ At that, Peter and the other disciple went out, heading for the tomb. ⁴ The two were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and got to the tomb first. ⁵ Stooping down, he saw the linen cloths^(H) lying there, but he did not go in. ⁶ Then, following him, Simon Peter also came. He entered the tomb and saw the linen cloths lying there. ⁷ The wrapping^(I) that had been on his head was not lying with the linen cloths^(J) but was folded up in a separate place by itself. ⁸ The other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, then also went in, saw, and believed. ⁹ For they did not yet understand the Scripture^(K) that he must rise^(L) from the dead.^{(M) 10} Then the disciples returned to the place where they were staying.

Mary Magdalene Sees the Risen Lord

¹¹ But^(N) Mary stood outside the tomb,^(O) crying. As she was crying, she stooped to look into the tomb. ¹² She saw two angels^(P) in white sitting where Jesus’s body^(Q) had been lying, one at the head and the other at the feet. ¹³ They said to her, “Woman, why are you crying?”

“Because they’ve taken away my Lord,”^(R) she told them, “and I don’t know where they’ve put him.”

¹⁴ Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know it was Jesus.^{(S) 15} “Woman,” Jesus said to her, “why are you crying? Who is it that you’re seeking?”

Supposing he was the gardener, she replied, “Sir, if you’ve carried him away, tell me where you’ve put him, and I will take him away.”

¹⁶ Jesus said to her, “Mary.”

Turning around, she said to him in Aramaic,^[a] “Rabboni!”—which means “Teacher.”^(T)

¹⁷ “Don’t cling to me,” Jesus told her, “since I have not yet ascended^(U) to the Father.^(V) But go to my brothers^(W) and tell them that I am ascending to my Father^(X) and your Father, to my God^(Y) and your God.”

¹⁸ Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord!” ^(Z) And she told them what^[b] he had said to her.

The Disciples Commissioned

¹⁹ When it was evening on that first day of the week,^(AA) the disciples were gathered together with the doors locked because they feared the Jews. Jesus came, stood among them, and said to them, “Peace be with you.”^(AB)

²⁰ Having said this, he showed them his hands and his side.^(AC) So the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord.

²¹ Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me,^(AD) I also send you.”^{(AE) 22} After saying this, he breathed on them^(AF) and said,^[c] “Receive the Holy Spirit.^{(AG) 23} If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”^(AH)

Thomas Sees and Believes

²⁴ But Thomas^(AI) (called “Twin”^[d]), one of the Twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. ²⁵ So the other disciples were telling him, “We’ve seen the Lord!”

But he said to them, “If I don’t see the mark of the nails in his hands, put my finger into the mark of the nails,^(AJ) and put my hand into his side,^(AK) I will never believe.”^(AL)

²⁶ A week later his disciples were indoors again, and Thomas was with them. Even though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.”

²⁷ Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and look at my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Don’t be faithless, but believe.”^(AM)

²⁸ Thomas responded to him, “My Lord and my God!”

²⁹ Jesus said, “Because you have seen me, you have believed.^[e] Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe.”^(AN)

The Purpose of This Gospel

³⁰ Jesus performed many other signs^(AO) in the presence of his disciples that are not written^(AP) in this book.^{(AQ) 31} But these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah,^(AR) the Son^(AS) of God,^[f](AT) and that by believing you may have life in his name.^(AU)

ר Resh

שׂ Sin

ת Taw

17 Ahithophel said to Absalom, “Let me choose twelve thousand men, and I will set out in pursuit of David tonight. ² I will attack him while he is weary and discouraged,^[a] throw him into a panic, and all the people with him will scatter. I will strike down only the king^{(A) 3} and bring all the people back to you. When everyone returns except the man you’re looking for, all^[b] the people will be at peace.” ⁴ This proposal seemed right to Absalom and all the elders of Israel.

⁵ Then Absalom said, “Summon Hushai the Archite also. Let’s hear what he has to say as well.”

⁶ So Hushai came to Absalom, and Absalom told him, “Ahithophel offered this proposal. Should we carry out his proposal? If not, what do you say?”

⁷ Hushai replied to Absalom, “The advice Ahithophel has given this time is not good.” ⁸ Hushai continued, “You know your father and his men. They are warriors and are desperate like a wild bear robbed of her cubs.^(B) Your father is an experienced soldier who won’t spend the night with the people. ⁹ He’s probably already hiding in one of the caves^[c] or some other place. If some of our troops fall^[d] first, someone is sure to hear and say, ‘There’s been a slaughter among the people who follow Absalom.’ ¹⁰ Then, even a brave man with the heart of a lion^(C) will lose heart^[e] because all Israel knows that your father and the valiant men with him are warriors. ¹¹ Instead, I advise that all Israel from Dan to Beer-sheba—as numerous as the sand by the sea^(D)—be gathered to you and that you personally go into battle. ¹² Then we will attack David wherever we find him, and we will descend on him like dew on the ground. Not even one will be left—neither he nor any of the men with him. ¹³ If he retreats to some city, all Israel will bring ropes to that city, and we will drag its stones^[f] into the valley until not even a pebble can be found there.” ¹⁴ Since the Lord had decreed^(E) that Ahithophel’s good advice be undermined^(F) in order to bring about Absalom’s ruin, Absalom and all the men of Israel said, “The advice of Hushai the Archite is better than Ahithophel’s advice.”

David Informed of Absalom’s Plans

¹⁵ Hushai then told the priests Zadok and Abiathar, “This is what^[g] Ahithophel advised Absalom and the elders of Israel, and this is what^[h] I advised. ¹⁶ Now send someone quickly and tell David, ‘Don’t spend the night at the wilderness ford,^[i] but be sure to cross over the Jordan,^[j](G) or the king and all the people with him will be devoured.’”

¹⁷ Jonathan and Ahimaaz were staying at En-rogel, where a servant girl would come and pass along information to them. They in turn would go and inform King David, because they dared not be seen entering the city. ¹⁸ However, a young man did see them and informed Absalom. So the two left quickly and came to the house of a man in Bahurim. He had a well in his courtyard, and they climbed down into it. ¹⁹ Then his wife took the cover, placed it over the mouth of the well, and scattered grain on it so nobody would know anything.

²⁰ Absalom’s servants came to the woman at the house and asked, “Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan?”

“They passed by toward the water,”^[k] the woman replied to them. The men searched but did not find them, so they returned to Jerusalem.

²¹ After they had gone, Ahimaaz and Jonathan climbed out of the well and went and informed King David. They told him, “Get up and immediately ford the river, for Ahithophel has given this advice against you.” ²² So David and all the people with him got up and crossed the Jordan. By daybreak, there was no one who had not crossed the Jordan.

²³ When Ahithophel realized that his advice had not been followed, he saddled his donkey and set out for his house in his hometown. He set his house in order and hanged himself.^(H) So he died and was buried in his father’s tomb.

²⁴ David had arrived at Mahanaim by the time Absalom crossed the Jordan with all the men of Israel. ²⁵ Now Absalom had appointed Amasa^(I) over the army in Joab’s place. Amasa was the son of a man named Ithra^[l] the Israelite;^[m](J) Ithra had married Abigail daughter of Nahash.^[n] Abigail was a sister to Zeruiah, Joab’s mother. ²⁶ And Israel and Absalom camped in the land of Gilead. ²⁷ When David came to Mahanaim, Shobi son of Nahash^(K) from Rabbah^(L) of the Ammonites, Machir son of Ammiel from Lo-debar,^(M) and Barzillai the Gileadite from Rogelim^{(N) 28} brought beds, basins,^[o] and pottery items. They also brought wheat, barley, flour, roasted grain, beans, lentils,^{[p] 29} honey, curds, sheep, goats, and cheese^[q] from the herd for David and the people with him to eat. They had reasoned, “The people must be hungry, exhausted, and thirsty in the wilderness.”

²³ When the soldiers crucified Jesus, they took his clothes and divided them into four parts, a part for each soldier. They also took the tunic, which was seamless, woven in one piece from the top. ²⁴ So they said to one another, “Let’s not tear it, but cast lots for it, to see who gets it.” This happened that the Scripture^(A) might be fulfilled^(B) that says: They divided my clothes among themselves, and they cast lots for my clothing.^[a](C) This is what the soldiers did.

Jesus’s Provision for His Mother

²⁵ Standing^(D) by the cross^(E) of Jesus were his mother,^(F) his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene.^{(G) 26} When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple he loved^(H) standing there, he said to his mother, “Woman, here is your son.” ²⁷ Then he said to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” And from that hour the disciple took her into his home.

The Finished Work of Jesus

²⁸ After^(I) this, when Jesus knew that everything was now finished^(J) that the Scripture might be fulfilled, he said, “I’m thirsty.”^{(K) 29} A jar full of sour wine was sitting there; so they fixed a sponge full of sour wine on a hyssop branch^(L) and held it up to his mouth.

³⁰ When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished.”^(M) Then bowing his head, he gave up his spirit.^(N)

Jesus’s Side Pierced

³¹ Since it was the preparation day,^(O) the Jews did not want the bodies^(P) to remain on the cross^(Q) on the Sabbath^(R) (for that Sabbath was a special^[b] day). They requested that Pilate have the men’s legs broken and that their bodies be taken away.^{(S) 32} So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first man and of the other one who had been crucified with him. ³³ When they came to Jesus, they did not break his legs since they saw that he was already dead.^{(T) 34} But one of the soldiers pierced^(U) his side^(V) with a spear, and at once blood and water^(W) came out. ³⁵ He who saw this has testified^(X) so that you also may believe. His testimony is true, and he knows he is telling the truth.^{(Y) 36} For these things happened so that the Scripture would be fulfilled:^(Z) Not one of his bones will be broken.^{[c](AA) 37} Also, another Scripture says: They will look at the one they pierced.^[d](AB)

Jesus’s Burial

³⁸ After^(AC) this, Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus—but secretly because of his fear of the Jews—asked Pilate that he might remove Jesus’s body.^(AD) Pilate gave him permission; so he came and took his body away. ³⁹ Nicodemus^(AE) (who had previously come to him at night) also came, bringing a mixture of about seventy-five pounds^[e] of myrrh and aloes. ⁴⁰ They took Jesus’s body^(AF) and wrapped it in linen cloths^(AG) with the fragrant spices, according to the burial^(AH) custom of the Jews. ⁴¹ There was a garden in the place where he was crucified. A new tomb was in the garden; no one had yet been placed in it. ⁴² They placed Jesus there because of the Jewish day of preparation and since the tomb was nearby.

פ Pe

צ Tsade

ק Qoph

²³ Everyone in the countryside was weeping loudly while all the people were marching out of the city. As the king was crossing the Kidron Valley, all the people were marching past on the road that leads to the wilderness.

²⁴ Zadok was also there, and all the Levites with him were carrying the ark of the covenant of God. They set the ark of God down, and Abiathar offered sacrifices^[a] until the people had finished marching past.^{(A) 25} Then the king instructed Zadok, “Return the ark of God to the city.^(B) If I find favor with the Lord, he will bring me back and allow me to see both it and its^[b] dwelling place.^{(C) 26} However, if he should say, ‘I do not delight in you,’ then here I am—he can do with me whatever pleases him.”^[c](D)

²⁷ The king also said to the priest Zadok,^(E) “Look,^[d] return to the city in peace and your two sons with you: your son Ahimaaz and Abiathar’s son Jonathan. ²⁸ Remember, I’ll wait at the fords^[e] of the wilderness until word comes from you to inform me.” ²⁹ So Zadok and Abiathar returned the ark of God to Jerusalem and stayed there.

³⁰ David was climbing the slope of the Mount of Olives,^(F) weeping as he ascended. His head was covered,^(G) and he was walking barefoot.^(H) All of the people with him covered their heads and went up, weeping as they ascended.

³¹ Then someone reported to David, “Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom.”

“Lord,” David pleaded, “please turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness!” ^(I)

³² When David came to the summit where he used to worship God, Hushai the Archite^(J) was there to meet him with his robe torn and dust on his head. ³³ David said to him, “If you go away with me, you’ll be a burden to me, ³⁴ but if you return to the city and tell Absalom, ‘I will be your servant, Your Majesty! Previously, I was your father’s servant, but now I will be your servant,’ then you can counteract Ahithophel’s counsel for me. ³⁵ Won’t the priests Zadok and Abiathar be there with you? Report everything you hear from the palace to the priests Zadok and Abiathar. ³⁶ Take note: their two sons are there with them—Zadok’s son Ahimaaz and Abiathar’s son Jonathan. Send them to tell me everything you hear.” ³⁷ So Hushai,^(K) David’s personal adviser, entered Jerusalem just as Absalom was entering the city.

Ziba Helps David

16 When David had gone a little beyond the summit,^[f] Ziba, Mephibosheth’s servant,^(L) was right there to meet him. He had a pair of saddled donkeys loaded with two hundred loaves of bread, one hundred clusters of raisins, one hundred bunches of summer fruit, and a clay jar of wine. ² The king said to Ziba, “Why do you have these?”

Ziba answered, “The donkeys are for the king’s household to ride, the bread and summer fruit are for the young men to eat, and the wine is for those to drink who become exhausted in the wilderness.”

³ “Where is your master’s grandson?” the king asked.

“Why, he’s staying in Jerusalem,” Ziba replied to the king, “for he said, ‘Today, the house of Israel will restore my grandfather’s kingdom to me.’”^(M)

⁴ The king said to Ziba, “All that belongs to Mephibosheth is now yours!” ^(N)

“I bow before you,” Ziba said. “May I find favor with you, my lord the king!”

Shimei Curses David

⁵ When King David got to Bahurim, a man belonging to the family of the house of Saul was just coming out.^(O) His name was Shimei son of Gera,^(P) and he was yelling curses as he approached. ⁶ He threw stones at David and at all the royal^[g] servants, the people and the warriors on David’s right and left. ⁷ Shimei said as he cursed, “Get out, get out, you man of bloodshed, you wicked man!^{(Q) 8} The Lord has paid you back for all the blood of the house of Saul in whose place you became king, and the Lord has handed the kingdom over to your son Absalom. Look, you are in trouble because you’re a man of bloodshed!”

⁹ Then Abishai son of Zeruiah said to the king, “Why should this dead dog^(R) curse my lord the king?^(S) Let me go over and remove his head!”

¹⁰ The king replied, “Sons of Zeruiah, do we agree on anything?^(T) He curses^(U) me this way because the Lord^[h] told him, ‘Curse David!’ ^(V) Therefore, who can say, ‘Why did you do that?’” ¹¹ Then David said to Abishai and all his servants, “Look, my own son, my own flesh and blood,^[i] intends to take my life^(W)—how much more now this Benjaminite! Leave him alone and let him curse me; the Lord has told him to. ¹² Perhaps the Lord will see my affliction^[j] and restore goodness to me instead of Shimei’s curses today.” ¹³ So David and his men proceeded along the road as Shimei was going along the ridge of the hill opposite him. As Shimei went, he cursed David, threw stones at him, and kicked up dust. ¹⁴ Finally, the king and all the people with him arrived^[k] exhausted, so they rested there.

Absalom’s Advisers

¹⁵ Now Absalom and all the Israelites came to Jerusalem. Ahithophel was also with him. ¹⁶ When David’s friend Hushai the Archite came to Absalom, Hushai said to Absalom, “Long live the king! Long live the king!” ^(X)

¹⁷ “Is this your loyalty to your friend?” Absalom asked Hushai. “Why didn’t you go with your friend?”

¹⁸ “Not at all,” Hushai answered Absalom. “I am on the side of the one that the Lord, this people, and all the men of Israel have chosen. I will stay with him. ¹⁹ Furthermore, whom will I serve if not his son? As I served in your father’s presence, I will also serve in yours.”^(Y)

²⁰ Then Absalom said to Ahithophel, “Give me your advice. What should we do?”

²¹ Ahithophel replied to Absalom, “Sleep with your father’s concubines whom he left to take care of the palace.^(Z) When all Israel hears that you have become repulsive to your father, everyone with you will be encouraged.”^{[l] 22} So they pitched a tent for Absalom on the roof, and he slept with his father’s concubines in the sight of all Israel.^(AA)

²³ Now the advice Ahithophel gave in those days was like someone asking about a word from God^(AB)—such was the regard that both David and Absalom had for Ahithophel’s advice.

Peter Denies Jesus Twice More

²⁵ Now Simon Peter was standing and warming himself. They said to him, “You aren’t one of his disciples too, are you?”

He denied it and said, “I am not.”

²⁶ One of the high priest’s servants, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, said, “Didn’t I see you with him in the garden?” ²⁷ Peter denied it again. Immediately a rooster crowed.^(A)

Jesus before Pilate

²⁸ Then^(B) they led Jesus from Caiaphas to the governor’s headquarters.^(C) It was early morning. They did not enter the headquarters themselves; otherwise they would be defiled and unable to eat the Passover.

²⁹ So Pilate^(D) came out to them and said, “What charge^(E) do you bring against this man?”

³⁰ They answered him, “If this man weren’t a criminal,^[a] we wouldn’t have handed him over to you.”

³¹ Pilate told them, “You take him and judge him according to your law.”

“It’s not legal for us to put anyone to death,” the Jews declared. ³² They said this so that Jesus’s words might be fulfilled indicating what kind of death he was going to die.^(F)

³³ Then Pilate went back into the headquarters, summoned Jesus, and said to him, “Are you the king of the Jews?” ^(G)

³⁴ Jesus answered, “Are you asking this on your own, or have others told you about me?”

³⁵ “I’m not a Jew, am I?” Pilate replied. “Your own nation and the chief priests handed you over to me. What have you done?”

³⁶ “My kingdom^(H) is not of this world,” said Jesus. “If my kingdom were of this world,^(I) my servants^(J) would fight, so that I wouldn’t be handed over to the Jews. But as it is,^[b] my kingdom is not from here.”^(K)

³⁷ “You are a king then?” Pilate asked.

“You say that I’m a king,” Jesus replied. “I was born for this, and I have come into the world^(L) for this: to testify^(M) to the truth.^(N) Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.”

³⁸ “What is truth?” said Pilate.

Jesus or Barabbas

After he had said this, he went out to the Jews again and told them, “I find no grounds^(O) for charging him. ³⁹ You^(P) have a custom that I release one prisoner to you at the Passover. So, do you want me to release to you the king of the Jews?”

⁴⁰ They shouted back, “Not this man, but Barabbas!” ^(Q) Now Barabbas was a revolutionary.^[c](R)

Jesus Flogged and Mocked

19 Then Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged. ² The soldiers also twisted together a crown^(S) of thorns, put it on his head, and clothed him in a purple robe. ³ And they kept coming up to him^(T) and saying, “Hail, king of the Jews!” and were slapping his face.

⁴ Pilate went outside again and said to them, “Look, I’m bringing him out to you to let you know I find no grounds^(U) for charging him.” ⁵ Then Jesus came out wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe.^(V) Pilate said to them, “Here is the man!” ^(W)

Pilate Sentences Jesus to Death

⁶ When the chief priests and the temple servants^[d] saw him, they shouted, “Crucify! Crucify!”

Pilate responded, “Take him and crucify him yourselves, since I find no grounds for charging him.”

⁷ “We have a law,” the Jews replied to him, “and according to that law he ought to die,^(X) because he made himself the Son of God.”^(Y)

⁸ When Pilate heard this statement, he was more afraid than ever. ⁹ He went back into the headquarters^(Z) and asked Jesus, “Where are you from?” But Jesus did not give him an answer.^{(AA) 10} So Pilate said to him, “Do you refuse to speak to me? Don’t you know that I have the authority to release you and the authority to crucify you?”

¹¹ “You would have no authority over me at all,” Jesus answered him, “if it hadn’t been given you from above. This is why the one who handed me over to you has the greater sin.”^(AB)

¹² From that moment Pilate kept trying^[e] to release him. But the Jews shouted, “If you release this man, you are not Caesar’s friend. Anyone who makes himself a king opposes Caesar!”

¹³ When Pilate heard these words, he brought Jesus outside. He sat down on the judge’s seat in a place called the Stone Pavement (but in Aramaic,^[f] Gabbatha). ¹⁴ It was the preparation day for the Passover, and it was about noon.^[g] Then he told the Jews, “Here is your king!”

¹⁵ They shouted, “Take him away! Take him away! Crucify him!”

Pilate said to them, “Should I crucify your king?”

“We have no king but Caesar!” the chief priests answered.

¹⁶ Then he handed him over to be crucified.

The Crucifixion

Then they took Jesus away.^{[h] 17} Carrying^(AC) the cross by himself,^(AD) he went out to what is called Place of the Skull, which in Aramaic is called Golgotha. ¹⁸ There they crucified him and two others with him, one on either side, with Jesus in the middle. ¹⁹ Pilate also had a sign made and put on the cross. It said: Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews. ²⁰ Many of the Jews read this sign, because the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city,^(AE) and it was written in Aramaic, Latin, and Greek. ²¹ So the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, “Don’t write, ‘The king of the Jews,’^(AF) but that he said, ‘I am the king of the Jews.’”

²² Pilate replied, “What I have written, I have written.”

ס Samek

ע Ayin

14 Joab son of Zeruiah knew that the heart of the king was attached to Absalom. ² So Joab sent to Tekoa and brought a wise woman from there. He said to her, “Please act like a mourner and wear mourning clothes. Do not anoint yourself with lotion. Make it look as if you are a woman who has been mourning for the dead for a long time. ³ Go to the king and tell him whatever I tell you to say.” Then Joab put the words in her mouth.

⁴ The woman from Tekoa spoke to the king. She fell down with her face to the ground. She bowed down and said, “Help me, O King.”

⁵ The king said to her, “What is wrong?”

She said, “It’s terrible. I am a widow. My husband is dead. ⁶ Your servant had two sons. The two of them had a fight out in the field, and there was no one there to separate them. The one struck the other and killed him. ⁷ Now the entire family has risen up against your servant. They are saying, ‘Turn over the one who struck down his brother, so we can put him to death because of the life of his brother whom he killed. In this way we will destroy the heir also.’ They will put out the fire of the one burning coal that is left for me. My husband will not have a name or anything left on the face of the earth.”

⁸ The king said to the woman, “Go to your house. I will issue orders on your behalf.”

⁹ The woman from Tekoa said to the king, “On me, my lord the king—let the guilt be on me and on the house of my father. The king and his throne will be guiltless.”

¹⁰ The king said, “Bring to me anyone who speaks against you about this, and he will not contact you again.”

¹¹ She said, “Please, the king should remember the Lord your God and stop the avenger of blood from multiplying the killing, so that they do not destroy my son.”

David said, “As the Lord lives, not one hair of your son will fall to the ground.”

¹² The woman said, “Please allow your servant to speak a word to my lord the king.”

He said, “Speak up.”

¹³ The woman said, “Why have you planned something like this against the people of God? By his own words the king convicts himself for not returning his own banished one. ¹⁴ We will certainly die. We are like water spilled onto the ground that cannot be gathered up again. But God does not take life. He devises means to restore to himself the one who has been banished. ¹⁵ Now I have come to say this to my lord the king, because the people have made me afraid. Your servant said, ‘I will speak to the king. Perhaps the king will fulfill the request of his servant, ¹⁶ for the king will listen and deliver his servant from the hand of the man who is trying to destroy both me and my son, to remove us from our inheritance from God.’ ¹⁷ Your servant said, ‘Please let the word of my lord the king give me rest, because he is like the angel of God—that is what my lord the king is like. He is able to distinguish good and evil.’ The Lord your God will be with you.”

¹⁸ The king answered the woman, “Please, do not withhold the answer to what I am about to ask you.”

The woman said, “My lord the king, please speak.”

¹⁹ The king said, “Is the hand of Joab with you in all this?”

The woman answered, “As your soul lives, my lord the king, nothing veers off to the right or to the left from everything my lord the king has said, for your servant Joab is the one who gave me orders. He also put all these words into the mouth of your servant. ²⁰ Your servant Joab did this in order to change the way things were going. My lord has wisdom, like the wisdom of the Angel of God. He knows everything that goes on in the land.”

²¹ The king said to Joab, “All right! I will do this. Go and bring back the young man Absalom.”

²² Joab fell down with his face to the ground. He bowed down and blessed the king and said, “Today your servant has become aware that I have found favor in your sight, my lord the king, because the king has carried out the request of his servant.”

²³ So Joab got up and went to Geshur and brought Absalom back to Jerusalem.

²⁴ But the king said, “He must go to his own house. He is not to see me face-to-face.” So Absalom went to his own house, and he did not see the face of the king.

²⁵ There was not a man in all Israel as handsome as Absalom and so greatly praised. From the sole of his foot to the top of his head there was not a blemish on him. ²⁶ When he shaved the hair on his head (periodically he cut it off because it became too heavy for him), the hair weighed five pounds.^[a]

²⁷ Three sons and one daughter were born to Absalom. The daughter’s name was Tamar. She was an attractive woman.

²⁸ Absalom lived in Jerusalem for two years, but he did not see the king face-to-face. ²⁹ Absalom sent to Joab in order to ask him to go to the king on his behalf, but Joab was not willing to come to him. Absalom sent again, a second time, but Joab was still not willing to come. ³⁰ So Absalom said to his servants, “See that field of Joab next to mine, where he has barley. Go and set it on fire.” So Absalom’s servants set the field on fire. ⎣Joab’s servants came to him with their clothing torn and said to him, “The servants of Absalom have set your field on fire.”⎦^[b]

³¹ Joab got up and went to Absalom’s house. He said to him, “Why have your servants set my field on fire?”

³² Absalom said to Joab, “I sent this message to you: Come here. I want to send you to speak to the king and to say for me, ‘Why did I come from Geshur? It would be better for me to still be there.’ Now I want to see the king face-to-face. If I am guilty of anything, let him put me to death.” ³³ So Joab went to the king and gave him the message.

Then the king summoned Absalom, and he came to the king. He bowed down to the king with his face to the ground, and the king kissed Absalom.

Absalom’s Rebellion

15 After this, Absalom acquired for himself a chariot, horses, and fifty men to run in front of him. ² Absalom would get up early and stand beside the road by the gatehouse. Absalom would call out to every man who had a legal issue to bring before the king for judgment, and he would say, “What city are you from?” The person would say, “Your servant is from such-and-such of the tribes of Israel.” ³ Absalom would say to him, “Your claims are good and valid, but there is no one from the king to listen to you.” ⁴ Then Absalom would say, “I wish someone would make me a judge in the land. Then everyone who has a legal issue or needs a judgment could come to me, and I would give him justice.”

⁵ Whenever someone approached to bow down to him, he would reach out, take hold of him, and kiss him. ⁶ Absalom acted this way to everyone of Israel who came to the king for judgment. In this way Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.

⁷ After four^[c] years Absalom said to the king, “Please let me go to Hebron and fulfill my vow, which I have made to the Lord, ⁸ because when I was at Geshur in Aram, your servant vowed, ‘If the Lord will really return me to Jerusalem, I will serve the Lord.’”

⁹ The king said to him, “Go in peace.” So he set out and went to Hebron.

¹⁰ But Absalom sent agents throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, “When you hear the sound of the ram’s horn, you are to say, ‘Absalom is king in Hebron.’” ¹¹ Two hundred men from Jerusalem who had been invited went along with Absalom. They went innocently, since they did not know what was going on.

¹² While he was offering sacrifices, Absalom summoned David’s advisor, Ahithophel of Giloh, to come from Giloh, his hometown. The conspiracy gained strength as more and more people were going over to Absalom.

¹³ A messenger came to David and said, “The hearts of the men of Israel are following Absalom.”

¹⁴ So David said to all his servants who were with him at Jerusalem, “Get ready. We must flee, or we will not escape from Absalom. Hurry up and go, so that he does not come quickly, overtake us, bring down disaster on us, and strike the city with the edge of the sword.”

¹⁵ The officials of the king said to him, “Here we are. We, your servants, will do everything our lord the king decides.” ¹⁶ So the king set out with his entire household, but he left ten concubines^[d] to watch over the house. ¹⁷ The king and all his people set out. They stopped at a house some distance away.

David’s Flight

¹⁸ All his troops were passing by in front of David. All the Kerethites, Pelethites, and Gittites—six hundred men from Gath who had come under his command—were passing by in front of the king. ¹⁹ The king said to Ittai from Gath, “Why are you going with us? Go back and stay with King Absalom, because you are a foreigner and an exile from your home. ²⁰ You arrived just yesterday. Today should I cause you to wander with us, when I myself do not have a plan as to where I am going? Go back and take your fellow soldiers with you. May the Lord’s mercy and faithfulness be with you.”^[e]

²¹ Ittai answered the king, “As the Lord lives and as my lord the king lives, wherever my lord the king will be, whether it leads to death or life, there your servant will be.”

²² David said to Ittai, “Go ahead then. March on.” So Ittai from Gath and all his men and all the dependents who were with them marched by.

The Arrest

18 After saying these things, Jesus went out with his disciples across the Kidron Valley,^[a] where there was a garden. He and his disciples went into it.

² Now Judas, who was betraying him, also knew the place, because Jesus often met there with his disciples. ³ So Judas took the company of soldiers and some guards from the chief priests and the Pharisees, and came there with lanterns, torches, and weapons.

⁴ Jesus, knowing everything that was going to happen to him, went out and asked them, “Who are you looking for?”

⁵ “Jesus the Nazarene,” they replied.

“I am he,” Jesus told them.

Judas, the betrayer, was standing with them. ⁶ When Jesus told them, “I am he,” they backed away and fell to the ground.

⁷ Then Jesus asked them again, “Who are you looking for?”

“Jesus the Nazarene,” they said.

⁸ “I told you that I am he,” Jesus replied. “So if you are looking for me, let these men go.” ⁹ This was to fulfill the statement he had spoken: “I did not lose any of those you have given me.”

¹⁰ Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it, struck the high priest’s servant, and cut off his right ear. The servant’s name was Malchus.

¹¹ So Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword into its sheath. Shall I not drink the cup my Father has given me?”

¹² Then the company of soldiers, their commander, and the Jewish guards arrested Jesus and bound him. ¹³ First they led him to Annas, because he was father-in-law to Caiaphas, who was the high priest that year. ¹⁴ Now it was Caiaphas who had advised the Jews, “It is better that one man die for the people.”

Peter Denies Jesus

¹⁵ Simon Peter and another disciple kept following Jesus. That disciple was known to the high priest, so he went into the high priest’s courtyard with Jesus. ¹⁶ But Peter stood outside by the door. So the other disciple, the one known to the high priest, went out and talked to the girl watching the door and brought Peter in.

¹⁷ “You are not one of this man’s disciples too, are you?” the girl at the door asked Peter.

“I am not!” he said.

¹⁸ The servants and guards were standing around a fire of coals that they had made because it was cold. While they warmed themselves, Peter was standing with them, warming himself too.

Jesus Before Annas

¹⁹ The high priest questioned Jesus about his disciples and his teaching.

²⁰ Jesus answered him, “I have spoken openly to the world. I always taught in a synagogue or at the temple, where all the Jews gather. I said nothing in secret. ²¹ Why are you questioning me? Ask those who heard what I told them. Look, they know what I said.”

²² When he said this, one of the guards standing there hit Jesus in the face. “Is that how you answer the high priest?” he demanded.

²³ “If I said something wrong,” Jesus answered, “testify about what was wrong. But if I was right, why did you hit me?”

²⁴ Then Annas sent him bound to Caiaphas the high priest.

Mem: Sweeter Than Honey

Nun: A Lamp for My Feet

Wisdom for a King and His Subjects