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Old Testament Reading                                                                  

Daniel 3:8–28

    8 At that time certain Chaldeans came forward and maliciously accused the Jews. 9 They declared to King Nebuchadnezzar, “O king, live forever! 10 You, O king, have made a decree, that every man who hears the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, shall fall down and worship the golden image. 11 And whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast into a burning fiery furnace. 12 There are certain Jews whom you have appointed over the affairs of the province of Babylon: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. These men, O king, pay no attention to you; they do not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”

    13 Then Nebuchadnezzar in furious rage commanded that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego be brought. So they brought these men before the king. 14 Nebuchadnezzar answered and said to them, “Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the golden image that I have set up? 15 Now if you are ready when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, to fall down and worship the image that I have made, well and good. But if you do not worship, you shall immediately be cast into a burning fiery furnace. And who is the god who will deliver you out of my hands?”

    16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. 17 If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. 18 But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”

    19 Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with fury, and the expression of his face was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He ordered the furnace heated seven times more than it was usually heated. 20 And he ordered some of the mighty men of his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace. 21 Then these men were bound in their cloaks, their tunics, their hats, and their other garments, and they were thrown into the burning fiery furnace. 22 Because the king’s order was urgent and the furnace overheated, the flame of the fire killed those men who took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. 23 And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell bound into the burning fiery furnace.

    24 Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished and rose up in haste. He declared to his counselors, “Did we not cast three men bound into the fire?” They answered and said to the king, “True, O king.” 25 He answered and said, “But I see four men unbound, walking in the midst of the fire, and they are not hurt; and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods.”

    26 Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the door of the burning fiery furnace; he declared, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out, and come here!” Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out from the fire. 27 And the satraps, the prefects, the governors, and the king’s counselors gathered together and saw that the fire had not had any power over the bodies of those men. The hair of their heads was not singed, their cloaks were not harmed, and no smell of fire had come upon them. 28 Nebuchadnezzar answered and said, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent his angel and delivered his servants, who trusted in him, and set aside the king’s command, and yielded up their bodies rather than serve and worship any god except their own God.”

Reading                                                                                             

Psalm 32

1 Blessèd is the one whose transgression is forgiven,
    whose sin is covered.
2 Blessèd is the man against whom the Lord counts no iniquity,
    and in whose spirit there is no deceit.

3 For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away
    through my groaning all day long.
4 For day and night your hand was heavy upon me;
    my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer.

5 I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity;
I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,”
    and you forgave the iniquity of my sin.

6 Therefore let everyone who is godly 
    offer prayer to you at a time when you may be found;
surely in the rush of great waters, they shall not reach him.
7 You are a hiding place for me;
    you preserve me from trouble;
    you surround me with shouts of deliverance.

8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
    I will counsel you with my eye upon you.
9 Be not like a horse or a mule, without understanding,
    which must be curbed with bit and bridle, or it will not stay near you.

10 Many are the sorrows of the wicked,
    but steadfast love surrounds the one who trusts in the Lord.
11 Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, O righteous,
    and shout for joy, all you upright in heart!

The Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ

IV. The Praetorium

     When they had bound Jesus, they led him from Caiaphas to the hall of judgment and gave him over to Pontius Pilate, the governor. It was early. They themselves did not go into the judgment hall, so that they might not be defiled, but might eat the Passover.

     Pilate then went out to them, and said, “What charge do you bring against this man?”

     They answered and said to him, “If he were not a criminal, we would not have handed him over to you.”

     Then Pilate said to them, “Take him, then, and judge him according to your law.”

     The Jews said to him, “It is not lawful for us to put any man to death.” So the word of Jesus was fulfilled, signifying by what death he should die.

     The charges they brought against him were: “We found this fellow perverting the nation, and forbidding us to pay taxes to Caesar, and saying that he himself is Christ, a king.”

     Then Pilate entered into the judgment hall again, and called Jesus, and said to him, “Are you the King of the Jews?”

     Jesus answered him, “Do you say this for yourself, or did others say it to you about me?”

     Pilate answered, “Do you take me for a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have given you over to me. What have you done?”

     Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world; if my kingdom were of this world, then my servants would have fought that I should not be given over to the Jews; but now my kingdom is not of this world.”

     Pilate therefore said to him, “Are you a king then?”

     Jesus answered, “You say rightly that I am a king. I was born and I came into the world that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone that is of the truth hears my voice.”

     Pilate said to him, “What is truth?”

     After he had said this, he went out again to the Jews and said to them, “I find no fault in this man.”

     The chief priests kept laying one charge after another against him, but he answered not a word. Pilate questioned him again, saying, “Do you answer nothing? See how many charges they lay against you.” Jesus answered him not a word. Pilate was utterly amazed. He said to the chief priests and the crowd, “I find no case against this man.”

     They pressed their charges more vehemently: “He stirs up the people, teaching throughout all Judaea, beginning from Galilee to this place.”

     When Pilate heard of Galilee, he asked whether the man was a Galilean. When he learned that he belonged in Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent him on to Herod, who was also in Jerusalem for those days.

     When Herod saw Jesus, he was delighted, for he had long wished to see him because of what he had heard of him, and he hoped to see him do a miracle. He questioned Jesus repeatedly, but he gave him no answer. The chief priests and scribes stood there and vehemently accused him. Herod and his soldiers mocked him. They put a splendid robe on him and sent him back to Pilate.

     Herod and Pilate became friends with each other that same day, for before this they had been at enmity with each other.

     Pilate then called together the chief priests and the rulers and the people, and said to them, “You have brought this man before me as one subverting the people. See now, I have examined him before you and have found nothing in this man guilty of any of your charges against him, and neither did Herod, for he sent him back to us. Mark this, he has done nothing worthy of death. I will have him punished and release him.”

     Now at the feast it was the governor’s custom to release to the crowd any one prisoner whom they asked for. They had then a notorious prisoner named Barabbas. He was in prison with the rebels who had committed murder during the insurrection in the city. Pilate knew that it was out of malice that the chief priests handed Jesus over. Therefore he said to them, “Do you want me to release for you Barabbas or Jesus who is called Christ?”

     The chief priests and elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus.

     Pilate asked them again, “Which of the two do you want me to release for you?”

     And they cried out all together, saying, “Away with this man, and release for us Barabbas.”

     While Pilate was sitting in the judgment seat, his wife sent him a message: “Do not have anything to do with that man; I have suffered much over him today in a dream.”

     Again Pilate addressed them, for he wished to release Jesus. He said to them, “What shall I do then with Jesus who is called Christ? What shall I do with him whom you call the King of the Jews?”

     They all cried out, “Crucify him!”

     Pilate said to them, “Why, what evil has he done? I have found no guilt worthy of death in him; I will therefore punish him and let him go.”

     They cried out all the louder, “Crucify him! Crucify him!”

     Then Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged. The soldiers of the governor led him away into the praetorium. They gathered the whole band of soldiers around him. They stripped him and put a purple robe on him. When they had woven a crown of thorns, they put it on his head and a reed in his right hand, and they knelt before him and mocked him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” They spat on him and took the reed and struck him on the head. They knelt down and did him homage.

     Pilate went out again and said to them, “See, I bring him out to you that you may know I find him not guilty.” So Jesus came out wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. Pilate said to them, “Behold the man!”

     When the chief priests and officers saw him, they cried, “Crucify him! Crucify him!”

     Pilate said to them, “Take him yourselves and crucify him, for I do not find him guilty.”

     The Jews answered him, “We have a law, and by that law he ought to die, because he made himself the Son of God.”

     When Pilate heard this, he was more afraid and went again into the judgment hall and said to Jesus, “Where are you from?” Jesus gave him no answer. Then Pilate said to him, “Do you refuse to speak to me? Do you not know that I have power to crucify you, and I have power to release you?”

     Jesus answered, “You would not have any power at all over me, unless it had been given to you from above. For that reason he who handed me over to you has the greater sin.”

     This prompted Pilate to go on trying to release him, but the Jews cried out, “If you let this man go, you are no friend of Caesar. Everyone who makes himself a king sets himself against Caesar.”

     When Pilate heard these words, he brought Jesus out and sat down in the judgment seat in a place that is called the Pavement or, in Hebrew, Gabbatha. It was the Preparation of the Passover, about the sixth hour. He said to the Jews, “Behold your king!”

     They cried out, “Away with him, away with him, crucify him!”

     Pilate said unto them, “Shall I crucify your king?”

     The chief priests answered, “We have no king but Caesar.”

     When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but rather a riot was under way, he took water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of the blood of this man; see to it yourselves.”

     Then all the people responded, “His blood be on us and on our children.”

     Then Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, gave sentence that it should be as they demanded. He released to them Barabbas for whom they asked, the man who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder. He had Jesus flogged and then gave him over to their will to be crucified. The soldiers mocked him, stripped him of the purple robe, put his own clothes on him, and led him out to crucify him.

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Old Testament Reading                                                                  

Daniel 3:8–28

    8 At that time certain Chaldeans came forward and maliciously accused the Jews. 9 They declared to King Nebuchadnezzar, “O king, live forever! 10 You, O king, have made a decree, that every man who hears the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, shall fall down and worship the golden image. 11 And whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast into a burning fiery furnace. 12 There are certain Jews whom you have appointed over the affairs of the province of Babylon: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. These men, O king, pay no attention to you; they do not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”

    13 Then Nebuchadnezzar in furious rage commanded that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego be brought. So they brought these men before the king. 14 Nebuchadnezzar answered and said to them, “Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the golden image that I have set up? 15 Now if you are ready when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, to fall down and worship the image that I have made, well and good. But if you do not worship, you shall immediately be cast into a burning fiery furnace. And who is the god who will deliver you out of my hands?”

    16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. 17 If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. 18 But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”

    19 Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with fury, and the expression of his face was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He ordered the furnace heated seven times more than it was usually heated. 20 And he ordered some of the mighty men of his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace. 21 Then these men were bound in their cloaks, their tunics, their hats, and their other garments, and they were thrown into the burning fiery furnace. 22 Because the king’s order was urgent and the furnace overheated, the flame of the fire killed those men who took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. 23 And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell bound into the burning fiery furnace.

    24 Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished and rose up in haste. He declared to his counselors, “Did we not cast three men bound into the fire?” They answered and said to the king, “True, O king.” 25 He answered and said, “But I see four men unbound, walking in the midst of the fire, and they are not hurt; and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods.”

    26 Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the door of the burning fiery furnace; he declared, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out, and come here!” Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out from the fire. 27 And the satraps, the prefects, the governors, and the king’s counselors gathered together and saw that the fire had not had any power over the bodies of those men. The hair of their heads was not singed, their cloaks were not harmed, and no smell of fire had come upon them. 28 Nebuchadnezzar answered and said, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent his angel and delivered his servants, who trusted in him, and set aside the king’s command, and yielded up their bodies rather than serve and worship any god except their own God.”

Reading                                                                                             

Psalm 32

1 Blessèd is the one whose transgression is forgiven,
    whose sin is covered.
2 Blessèd is the man against whom the Lord counts no iniquity,
    and in whose spirit there is no deceit.

3 For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away
    through my groaning all day long.
4 For day and night your hand was heavy upon me;
    my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer.

5 I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity;
I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,”
    and you forgave the iniquity of my sin.

6 Therefore let everyone who is godly 
    offer prayer to you at a time when you may be found;
surely in the rush of great waters, they shall not reach him.
7 You are a hiding place for me;
    you preserve me from trouble;
    you surround me with shouts of deliverance.

8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
    I will counsel you with my eye upon you.
9 Be not like a horse or a mule, without understanding,
    which must be curbed with bit and bridle, or it will not stay near you.

10 Many are the sorrows of the wicked,
    but steadfast love surrounds the one who trusts in the Lord.
11 Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, O righteous,
    and shout for joy, all you upright in heart!

The Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ

IV. The Praetorium

     When they had bound Jesus, they led him from Caiaphas to the hall of judgment and gave him over to Pontius Pilate, the governor. It was early. They themselves did not go into the judgment hall, so that they might not be defiled, but might eat the Passover.

     Pilate then went out to them, and said, “What charge do you bring against this man?”

     They answered and said to him, “If he were not a criminal, we would not have handed him over to you.”

     Then Pilate said to them, “Take him, then, and judge him according to your law.”

     The Jews said to him, “It is not lawful for us to put any man to death.” So the word of Jesus was fulfilled, signifying by what death he should die.

     The charges they brought against him were: “We found this fellow perverting the nation, and forbidding us to pay taxes to Caesar, and saying that he himself is Christ, a king.”

     Then Pilate entered into the judgment hall again, and called Jesus, and said to him, “Are you the King of the Jews?”

     Jesus answered him, “Do you say this for yourself, or did others say it to you about me?”

     Pilate answered, “Do you take me for a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have given you over to me. What have you done?”

     Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world; if my kingdom were of this world, then my servants would have fought that I should not be given over to the Jews; but now my kingdom is not of this world.”

     Pilate therefore said to him, “Are you a king then?”

     Jesus answered, “You say rightly that I am a king. I was born and I came into the world that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone that is of the truth hears my voice.”

     Pilate said to him, “What is truth?”

     After he had said this, he went out again to the Jews and said to them, “I find no fault in this man.”

     The chief priests kept laying one charge after another against him, but he answered not a word. Pilate questioned him again, saying, “Do you answer nothing? See how many charges they lay against you.” Jesus answered him not a word. Pilate was utterly amazed. He said to the chief priests and the crowd, “I find no case against this man.”

     They pressed their charges more vehemently: “He stirs up the people, teaching throughout all Judaea, beginning from Galilee to this place.”

     When Pilate heard of Galilee, he asked whether the man was a Galilean. When he learned that he belonged in Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent him on to Herod, who was also in Jerusalem for those days.

     When Herod saw Jesus, he was delighted, for he had long wished to see him because of what he had heard of him, and he hoped to see him do a miracle. He questioned Jesus repeatedly, but he gave him no answer. The chief priests and scribes stood there and vehemently accused him. Herod and his soldiers mocked him. They put a splendid robe on him and sent him back to Pilate.

     Herod and Pilate became friends with each other that same day, for before this they had been at enmity with each other.

     Pilate then called together the chief priests and the rulers and the people, and said to them, “You have brought this man before me as one subverting the people. See now, I have examined him before you and have found nothing in this man guilty of any of your charges against him, and neither did Herod, for he sent him back to us. Mark this, he has done nothing worthy of death. I will have him punished and release him.”

     Now at the feast it was the governor’s custom to release to the crowd any one prisoner whom they asked for. They had then a notorious prisoner named Barabbas. He was in prison with the rebels who had committed murder during the insurrection in the city. Pilate knew that it was out of malice that the chief priests handed Jesus over. Therefore he said to them, “Do you want me to release for you Barabbas or Jesus who is called Christ?”

     The chief priests and elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus.

     Pilate asked them again, “Which of the two do you want me to release for you?”

     And they cried out all together, saying, “Away with this man, and release for us Barabbas.”

     While Pilate was sitting in the judgment seat, his wife sent him a message: “Do not have anything to do with that man; I have suffered much over him today in a dream.”

     Again Pilate addressed them, for he wished to release Jesus. He said to them, “What shall I do then with Jesus who is called Christ? What shall I do with him whom you call the King of the Jews?”

     They all cried out, “Crucify him!”

     Pilate said to them, “Why, what evil has he done? I have found no guilt worthy of death in him; I will therefore punish him and let him go.”

     They cried out all the louder, “Crucify him! Crucify him!”

     Then Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged. The soldiers of the governor led him away into the praetorium. They gathered the whole band of soldiers around him. They stripped him and put a purple robe on him. When they had woven a crown of thorns, they put it on his head and a reed in his right hand, and they knelt before him and mocked him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” They spat on him and took the reed and struck him on the head. They knelt down and did him homage.

     Pilate went out again and said to them, “See, I bring him out to you that you may know I find him not guilty.” So Jesus came out wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. Pilate said to them, “Behold the man!”

     When the chief priests and officers saw him, they cried, “Crucify him! Crucify him!”

     Pilate said to them, “Take him yourselves and crucify him, for I do not find him guilty.”

     The Jews answered him, “We have a law, and by that law he ought to die, because he made himself the Son of God.”

     When Pilate heard this, he was more afraid and went again into the judgment hall and said to Jesus, “Where are you from?” Jesus gave him no answer. Then Pilate said to him, “Do you refuse to speak to me? Do you not know that I have power to crucify you, and I have power to release you?”

     Jesus answered, “You would not have any power at all over me, unless it had been given to you from above. For that reason he who handed me over to you has the greater sin.”

     This prompted Pilate to go on trying to release him, but the Jews cried out, “If you let this man go, you are no friend of Caesar. Everyone who makes himself a king sets himself against Caesar.”

     When Pilate heard these words, he brought Jesus out and sat down in the judgment seat in a place that is called the Pavement or, in Hebrew, Gabbatha. It was the Preparation of the Passover, about the sixth hour. He said to the Jews, “Behold your king!”

     They cried out, “Away with him, away with him, crucify him!”

     Pilate said unto them, “Shall I crucify your king?”

     The chief priests answered, “We have no king but Caesar.”

     When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but rather a riot was under way, he took water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of the blood of this man; see to it yourselves.”

     Then all the people responded, “His blood be on us and on our children.”

     Then Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, gave sentence that it should be as they demanded. He released to them Barabbas for whom they asked, the man who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder. He had Jesus flogged and then gave him over to their will to be crucified. The soldiers mocked him, stripped him of the purple robe, put his own clothes on him, and led him out to crucify him.

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Old Testament

Isaiah 12:1–6

1 You will say in that day:
“I will give thanks to you, O Lord,
for though you were angry with me,
your anger turned away,
that you might comfort me.
2 “Behold, God is my salvation;
I will trust, and will not be afraid;
for the Lord God is my strength and my song,
and he has become my salvation.”

3 With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation. 4 And you will say in that day:

“Give thanks to the Lord,
call upon his name,
make known his deeds among the peoples,
proclaim that his name is exalted.
5 “Sing praises to the Lord, for he has done gloriously;
let this be made known in all the earth.
6 Shout, and sing for joy, O inhabitant of Zion,
for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel.”

Psalm

Psalm 32; antiphon: v. 11

1 Blessèd is the one whose transgression is forgiven,
whose sin is covered.
2 Blessèd is the man against whom the Lord counts no iniquity,
and in whose spirit there is no deceit.

3 For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away
through my groaning all day long.
4 For day and night your hand was heavy upon me;
my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer.

5 I acknowledged my sin to you,
and I did not cover my iniquity;
I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,”
and you forgave the iniquity of my sin.

6 Therefore let everyone who is godly
offer prayer to you at a time when you may be found;
surely in the rush of great waters,
they shall not reach him.
7 You are a hiding place for me;
you preserve me from trouble;
you surround me with shouts of deliverance.

8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
I will counsel you with my eye upon you.
9 Be not like a horse or a mule, without understanding,
which must be curbed with bit and bridle,
or it will not stay near you.

10 Many are the sorrows of the wicked,
but steadfast love surrounds the one who trusts in the Lord.
11 Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, O righteous,
and shout for joy, all you upright in heart!

Epistle

2 Corinthians 5:16–21

16 From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 18 All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. 20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

Gospel

Luke 15:1–3, 11b–32

1 Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear [Jesus]. 2 And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.”

3 So he told them this parable: . . .

“There was a man who had two sons. 12 And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.’ And he divided his property between them. 13 Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in reckless living. 14 And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need. 15 So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. 16 And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything.

17 “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! 18 I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.”’ 20 And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. 21 And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ 22 But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. 23 And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. 24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate.

25 “Now his older son was in the field, and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 And he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. 27 And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and sound.’ 28 But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him, 29 but he answered his father, ‘Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!’ 31 And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. 32 It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.’”

Introit

Psalm 51:2–6; antiphon: v. 1

Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love;
according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions.
Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,
and cleanse me from my sin!
For I know my transgressions,
and my sin is ever before me.
Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight,
so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment.
Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity,
and in sin did my mother conceive me.
Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being,
and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and will be forever. Amen.
Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love;
according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions.

Collect of the Day

Almighty God, our heavenly Father, Your mercies are new every morning; and though we deserve only punishment, You receive us as Your children and provide for all our needs of body and soul. Grant that we may heartily acknowledge Your merciful goodness, give thanks for all Your benefits, and serve You in willing obedience; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Gradual

Hebrews 12:2

[O come, let us fix our eyes on] Jesus,
the founder and perfecter of our faith,
who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame,
and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

Verse

Luke 15:22a, 24a

The father said to his servants, “This my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.”

Hymn of the Day

571 God Loved the World So That He Gave

Content from Lutheran Service Book: Altar Book copyright © 2006 Concordia Publishing House. All rights reserved. Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the ESV Bible® (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved.

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Old Testament Reading                                             

Job 19:20–27

20 My bones stick to my skin and to my flesh,
   and I have escaped by the skin of my teeth.
21 Have mercy on me, have mercy on me, O you my friends,
   for the hand of God has touched me!
22 Why do you, like God, pursue me?
   Why are you not satisfied with my flesh?
23 “Oh that my words were written!
   Oh that they were inscribed in a book!
24 Oh that with an iron pen and lead
   they were engraved in the rock forever!
25 For I know that my Redeemer lives,
   and at the last he will stand upon the earth.
26 And after my skin has been thus destroyed,
   yet in my flesh I shall see God,
27 whom I shall see for myself,
   and my eyes shall behold, and not another.
   My heart faints within me!”

Reading                                                                         

Psalm 85

1 Lord, you were favorable to your land;
   you restored the fortunes of Jacob.
2 You forgave the iniquity of your people;
   you covered all their sin.
3 You withdrew all your wrath;
   you turned from your hot anger.

4 Restore us again, O God of our salvation,
   and put away your indignation toward us!
5 Will you be angry with us forever?
   Will you prolong your anger to all generations?
6 Will you not revive us again,
   that your people may rejoice in you?
7 Show us your steadfast love, O Lord,
   and grant us your salvation.

8 Let me hear what God the Lord will speak, 
   for he will speak peace to his people, to his saints;
   but let them not turn back to folly.
9 Surely his salvation is near to those who fear him,
   that glory may dwell in our land.

10 Steadfast love and faithfulness meet;
   righteousness and peace kiss each other.
11 Faithfulness springs up from the ground,
   and righteousness looks down from the sky.
12 Yes, the Lord will give what is good,
   and our land will yield its increase.
13 Righteousness will go before him
   and make his footsteps a way.

The Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ

III. The Palace of the High Priest

     Those who had arrested Jesus brought him to the high priest’s house, where the scribes and elders were assembled. Peter followed him afar off, and so did another disciple. That disciple was known to the high priest and went in with Jesus into the palace of the high priest, but Peter stood outside at the door. So that other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out and spoke to the doorkeeper and brought Peter in. He went in and sat with the servants to see the end. He was warming himself at the fire they had kindled in the middle of the courtyard.

      Meanwhile, the chief priests and the whole council were seeking evidence that might make the case for a death sentence, but they could not find any. Many bore false witness against him, but their statements did not agree. Two stepped forward and said, “We heard him say, ‘I shall destroy this temple made with hands and after three days I shall build another, not made with hands.’” But even on this point their evidence did not agree.

      Then the high priest stood up, moved to the center, and put this question to Jesus, “Do you have no answer? What is this evidence they have given against you?” But he was silent and gave no answer.

     Again the high priest put a question to him and said, “Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?”

     Jesus said, “I am. You will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of God’s power and coming with the clouds of heaven.”

     The high priest tore his garments and said, “Do we still need any witnesses? You have heard this blasphemy. What is your opinion?” They all agreed that he was deserving of death.

      Then some of them began to spit on him; they blindfolded him, struck him, and said to him, “Prophesy to us, O Christ, who is it that struck you?” The guards beat him as they took him away.

      Meanwhile Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard. One of the maidservants of the high priest came and saw Peter warming himself. She looked at him closely as he sat in the light of the fire, and said, “You also were along with the man from Nazareth, that Jesus.”

      Peter denied it and said, “I do not know what you mean.” He went out to the forecourt.

     Another maidservant saw him there and said to those who were standing around, “This man was with Jesus of Nazareth.”

     Peter denied it again with an oath, “I do not know the man.”

     A little later those standing around said to Peter, “Surely you are one of them. You are a Galilean. Your accent gives you away.”

     Peter started calling down curses on himself and swore, “I do not know the man.”

      And immediately while he was still speaking, the cock crowed a second time, and the Lord turned and looked on Peter. Then Peter remembered that Jesus had said to him, “Before the cock crows twice, you will deny me three times.” Peter broke down, and went out, and wept bitterly.

      As soon as it was morning the chief priests with the elders and the scribes held the court session with all the Sanhedrin. Then they bound him, led him away, and turned him over to Pilate. Then Judas, who had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, was sorry and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, saying, “I have sinned. I have betrayed innocent blood.”

      They said, “What is that to us? That is your affair.” Judas threw down the pieces of silver in the temple and departed. He went and hanged himself.

      The chief priests took the silver pieces and said, “It is not lawful to put them into the treasury, because it is the price of blood.” They took counsel and bought with them the potter’s field to bury strangers in. That is why to this day that field has been called “the field of blood.”

      In this way was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying, “They took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him on whom a price had been set by the children of Israel, and gave them for the potter’s field.”

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Old Testament Reading                                             

Job 19:20–27

20My bones stick to my skin and to my flesh,
   and I have escaped by the skin of my teeth.
21Have mercy on me, have mercy on me, O you my friends,
   for the hand of God has touched me!
22Why do you, like God, pursue me?
   Why are you not satisfied with my flesh?
23“Oh that my words were written!
   Oh that they were inscribed in a book!
24Oh that with an iron pen and lead
   they were engraved in the rock forever!
25For I know that my Redeemer lives,
   and at the last he will stand upon the earth.
26And after my skin has been thus destroyed,
   yet in my flesh I shall see God,
27whom I shall see for myself,
   and my eyes shall behold, and not another.
   My heart faints within me!”

Reading                                                                         

Psalm 85

1 Lord, you were favorable to your land;
   you restored the fortunes of Jacob.
2 You forgave the iniquity of your people;
   you covered all their sin.
3 You withdrew all your wrath;
   you turned from your hot anger.

4 Restore us again, O God of our salvation,
   and put away your indignation toward us!
5 Will you be angry with us forever?
   Will you prolong your anger to all generations?
6 Will you not revive us again,
   that your people may rejoice in you?
7 Show us your steadfast love, O Lord,
   and grant us your salvation.

8 Let me hear what God the Lord will speak, 
   for he will speak peace to his people, to his saints;
   but let them not turn back to folly.
9 Surely his salvation is near to those who fear him,
   that glory may dwell in our land.

10 Steadfast love and faithfulness meet;
   righteousness and peace kiss each other.
11 Faithfulness springs up from the ground,
   and righteousness looks down from the sky.
12 Yes, the Lord will give what is good,
   and our land will yield its increase.
13 Righteousness will go before him
   and make his footsteps a way.

The Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ

III. The Palace of the High Priest

     Those who had arrested Jesus brought him to the high priest’s house, where the scribes and elders were assembled. Peter followed him afar off, and so did another disciple. That disciple was known to the high priest and went in with Jesus into the palace of the high priest, but Peter stood outside at the door. So that other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out and spoke to the doorkeeper and brought Peter in. He went in and sat with the servants to see the end. He was warming himself at the fire they had kindled in the middle of the courtyard.

      Meanwhile, the chief priests and the whole council were seeking evidence that might make the case for a death sentence, but they could not find any. Many bore false witness against him, but their statements did not agree. Two stepped forward and said, “We heard him say, ‘I shall destroy this temple made with hands and after three days I shall build another, not made with hands.’” But even on this point their evidence did not agree.

      Then the high priest stood up, moved to the center, and put this question to Jesus, “Do you have no answer? What is this evidence they have given against you?” But he was silent and gave no answer.

     Again the high priest put a question to him and said, “Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?”

     Jesus said, “I am. You will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of God’s power and coming with the clouds of heaven.”

     The high priest tore his garments and said, “Do we still need any witnesses? You have heard this blasphemy. What is your opinion?” They all agreed that he was deserving of death.

      Then some of them began to spit on him; they blindfolded him, struck him, and said to him, “Prophesy to us, O Christ, who is it that struck you?” The guards beat him as they took him away.

      Meanwhile Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard. One of the maidservants of the high priest came and saw Peter warming himself. She looked at him closely as he sat in the light of the fire, and said, “You also were along with the man from Nazareth, that Jesus.”

      Peter denied it and said, “I do not know what you mean.” He went out to the forecourt.

     Another maidservant saw him there and said to those who were standing around, “This man was with Jesus of Nazareth.”

     Peter denied it again with an oath, “I do not know the man.”

     A little later those standing around said to Peter, “Surely you are one of them. You are a Galilean. Your accent gives you away.”

     Peter started calling down curses on himself and swore, “I do not know the man.”

      And immediately while he was still speaking, the cock crowed a second time, and the Lord turned and looked on Peter. Then Peter remembered that Jesus had said to him, “Before the cock crows twice, you will deny me three times.” Peter broke down, and went out, and wept bitterly.

      As soon as it was morning the chief priests with the elders and the scribes held the court session with all the Sanhedrin. Then they bound him, led him away, and turned him over to Pilate. Then Judas, who had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, was sorry and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, saying, “I have sinned. I have betrayed innocent blood.”

      They said, “What is that to us? That is your affair.” Judas threw down the pieces of silver in the temple and departed. He went and hanged himself.

      The chief priests took the silver pieces and said, “It is not lawful to put them into the treasury, because it is the price of blood.” They took counsel and bought with them the potter’s field to bury strangers in. That is why to this day that field has been called “the field of blood.”

      In this way was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying, “They took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him on whom a price had been set by the children of Israel, and gave them for the potter’s field.”

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Old Testament

Ezekiel 33:7–20

7 “So you, son of man, I have made a watchman for the house of Israel. Whenever you hear a word from my mouth, you shall give them warning from me. 8 If I say to the wicked, O wicked one, you shall surely die, and you do not speak to warn the wicked to turn from his way, that wicked person shall die in his iniquity, but his blood I will require at your hand. 9 But if you warn the wicked to turn from his way, and he does not turn from his way, that person shall die in his iniquity, but you will have delivered your soul.

10 “And you, son of man, say to the house of Israel, Thus have you said: ‘Surely our transgressions and our sins are upon us, and we rot away because of them. How then can we live?’ 11 Say to them, As I live, declares the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live; turn back, turn back from your evil ways, for why will you die, O house of Israel?

12 “And you, son of man, say to your people, The righteousness of the righteous shall not deliver him when he transgresses, and as for the wickedness of the wicked, he shall not fall by it when he turns from his wickedness, and the righteous shall not be able to live by his righteousness when he sins. 13 Though I say to the righteous that he shall surely live, yet if he trusts in his righteousness and does injustice, none of his righteous deeds shall be remembered, but in his injustice that he has done he shall die. 14 Again, though I say to the wicked, ‘You shall surely die,’ yet if he turns from his sin and does what is just and right, 15 if the wicked restores the pledge, gives back what he has taken by robbery, and walks in the statutes of life, not doing injustice, he shall surely live; he shall not die. 16 None of the sins that he has committed shall be remembered against him. He has done what is just and right; he shall surely live.

17 “Yet your people say, ‘The way of the Lord is not just,’ when it is their own way that is not just. 18 When the righteous turns from his righteousness and does injustice, he shall die for it. 19 And when the wicked turns from his wickedness and does what is just and right, he shall live by them. 20 Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ O house of Israel, I will judge each of you according to his ways.”

Psalm

Psalm 85; antiphon: v. 8

1 Lord, you were favorable to your land;
you restored the fortunes of Jacob.
2 You forgave the iniquity of your people;
you covered all their sin.
3 You withdrew all your wrath;
you turned from your hot anger.

4 Restore us again, O God of our salvation,
and put away your indignation toward us!
5 Will you be angry with us forever?
Will you prolong your anger to all generations?
6 Will you not revive us again,
that your people may rejoice in you?
7 Show us your steadfast love, O Lord,
and grant us your salvation.

8 Let me hear what God the Lord will speak,
for he will speak peace to his people, to his saints;
but let them not turn back to folly.
9 Surely his salvation is near to those who fear him,
that glory may dwell in our land.

10 Steadfast love and faithfulness meet;
righteousness and peace kiss each other.
11 Faithfulness springs up from the ground,
and righteousness looks down from the sky.
12 Yes, the Lord will give what is good,
and our land will yield its increase.
13 Righteousness will go before him
and make his footsteps a way.

Epistle

1 Corinthians 10:1–13

1 I want you to know, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, 2 and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, 3 and all ate the same spiritual food, 4 and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ. 5 Nevertheless, with most of them God was not pleased, for they were overthrown in the wilderness.

6 Now these things took place as examples for us, that we might not desire evil as they did. 7 Do not be idolaters as some of them were; as it is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play.” 8 We must not indulge in sexual immorality as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell in a single day. 9 We must not put Christ to the test, as some of them did and were destroyed by serpents, 10 nor grumble, as some of them did and were destroyed by the Destroyer. 11 Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come. 12 Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall. 13 No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.

Gospel

Luke 13:1–9

1 There were some present at that very time who told [Jesus] about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. 2 And he answered them, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this way? 3 No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. 4 Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them: do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem? 5 No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.”

6 And he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none. 7 And he said to the vinedresser, ‘Look, for three years now I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and I find none. Cut it down. Why should it use up the ground?’ 8 And he answered him, ‘Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and put on manure. 9 Then if it should bear fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.’”

Introit

Psalm 5:4–8; antiphon: Psalm 1:6

For the Lord knows the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked will perish.
For you are not a God who delights in wickedness;
evil may not dwell with you.
The boastful shall not stand before your eyes;
you hate all evildoers.
You destroy those who speak lies;
the Lord abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful man.
But I, through the abundance of your steadfast love, will enter your house.
I will bow down toward your holy temple in the fear of you.
Lead me, O Lord, in your righteousness because of my enemies;
make your way straight before me.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and will be forever. Amen.
For the Lord knows the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked will perish.

Collect of the Day

O God, whose glory it is always to have mercy, be gracious to all who have gone astray from Your ways and bring them again with penitent hearts and steadfast faith to embrace and hold fast the unchangeable truth of Your Word; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Gradual

Hebrews 12:2

[O come, let us fix our eyes on] Jesus,
the founder and perfecter of our faith,
who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame,
and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

Verse

2 Peter 3:9b, c

[The Lord] is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.

Hymn of the Day

823 May God Bestow on Us His Grace

Content from Lutheran Service Book: Altar Book copyright © 2006 Concordia Publishing House. All rights reserved. Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the ESV Bible® (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved.

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Old Testament Reading                                                              

Ezekiel 36:22–28

    22 “Therefore say to the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord God: It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am about to act, but for the sake of my holy name, which you have profaned among the nations to which you came. 23 And I will vindicate the holiness of my great name, which has been profaned among the nations, and which you have profaned among them. And the nations will know that I am the Lord, declares the Lord God, when through you I vindicate my holiness before their eyes. 24 I will take you from the nations and gather you from all the countries and bring you into your own land. 25 I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. 26 And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my just decrees. 28 You shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers, and you shall be my people, and I will be your God.”

Reading                                                                                               

Psalm 4

1 Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness!
     You have given me relief when I was in distress.
     Be gracious to me and hear my prayer!

2 O men, how long shall my honor be turned into shame?
     How long will you love vain words and seek after lies?
3 But know that the Lord has set apart the godly for himself;
     the Lord hears when I call to him.

4 Be angry, and do not sin;
     ponder in your own hearts on your beds, and be silent.
5 Offer right sacrifices,
     and put your trust in the Lord.

6 There are many who say, “Who will show us some good?
     Lift up the light of your face upon us, O Lord!”
7 You have put more joy in my heart
     than they have when their grain and wine abound.

8 In peace I will both lie down and sleep;
     for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.

The Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ

II. Gethsemane

     When they had sung a hymn, he went out, as was his custom, to the Mount of Olives, and the disciples followed him. Then Jesus said to them, “You will all be offended because of me this night; for it is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’ But after I am risen again, I will go before you into Galilee.”

      Peter answered and said to him, “Even if all the others deny you, I will never deny you.”

     Jesus said to him, “Truly, I say to you this night, before the cock crows twice, you will deny me three times.”

     But Peter said more vehemently, “If I have to die with you, I will never deny you.” And all the others said likewise.

      They went over the brook Kidron and came to a place which was called Gethsemane. There was a garden there, and he went into it with his disciples. Judas, who betrayed him, knew the place, for Jesus often met there with his disciples. And when he was at the place, he said to them, “Sit down here, while I go on ahead and pray. Pray that you do not enter into temptation.”

      He took with him Peter and James and John and began to be full of sorrow and turmoil. Then he said to them, “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Wait here, and watch with me.” He went on a little from them, about a stone’s throw. He fell on his face and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. He said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible to you. Take this cup from me; nevertheless, not what I will, but what you will.”

      An angel appeared to him from heaven, strengthening him; and he prayed, saying, “O my Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.” In agony, he prayed more earnestly, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me; nevertheless, not my will, but yours be done.” His sweat fell on the ground like great drops of blood.

      When he got up from prayer, he came to his disciples and found them sleeping. He said to Peter, “Simon, are you asleep? Could you not watch with me one hour? Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation; the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

      He went away again the second time and prayed, saying, “O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, your will be done.” When he returned, he found them asleep again; for their eyes were heavy, and they did not know what to answer him. He left them, and went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words.

      Then he came to his disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? It is enough; the hour is come; behold, the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us be going. Look, the one who betrays me is here.”

      Even while he was saying this, Judas, one of the Twelve, came with a detachment and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees. They came to the place with lanterns and torches and weapons. Jesus therefore, knowing all things that would come upon him, went out to them and said, “Whom do you seek?”

     They answered him, “Jesus of Nazareth.”

     Jesus said to them, “I am he.”

      Judas, who betrayed him, had taken his stand with them. When Jesus said to them, “I am he,” they drew back and fell to the ground. Again he asked them, “Whom do you seek?”

     They said, “Jesus of Nazareth.”

     Jesus replied, “I told you that I am he. If I am the one you seek, then let these others go.” This was to fulfill the word he had spoken, “Of those you gave me I have lost none.”

      Now he that was betraying Jesus had given them a sign, saying, “The one whom I shall kiss, that is he; seize him and be sure to take him away securely.” He went straight up to Jesus and said, “Hail, Master,” and kissed him.

     Jesus said to him, “Friend, why have you come? Judas, do you betray the Son of Man with a kiss?”

      They came then and laid their hands on Jesus and took him. When those who were about him saw what would happen, they said to him, “Lord, shall we strike with the sword?” Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s servant and cut off his right ear. The servant’s name was Malchus.

      Jesus answered, “No more of that.” And he touched his ear and healed him. Then Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword into its sheath. All they that take the sword shall perish with the sword. Do you imagine that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he will send me more than twelve legions of angels? But how then shall the Scriptures be fulfilled that it must be so? The cup which my Father has given me, shall I not drink of it?”

      Then Jesus said to the chief priests, and the captains of the temple, and the elders who had come out against him, “Have you come out as against a thief, with swords and clubs to take me? When I was with you day after day teaching in the temple, you did not lay your hands on me; but this is your hour and the hour of the power of darkness. All this has happened that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled.” Then all the disciples forsook him and fled.

      There was a certain young man who followed along. He had only a linen cloth about his naked body. They laid hold on him, but he slipped out of the linen cloth and fled away naked.

      Then the detachment and its captain and the officers of the Jews seized Jesus, and bound him, and led him away to Annas first; for he was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, who was the high priest that year. Now Caiaphas was the one who gave counsel to the Jews that it would be expedient that one man should die for the people.