Daily Readings

[1] Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread drew near, which is called Passover. [2] And the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might kill Him, for they feared the people. [3] Then Satan entered Judas, surnamed Iscariot, who was numbered among the twelve. [4] So he went his way and conferred with the chief priests and captains, how he might betray Him to them. [5] And they were glad, and agreed to give him money. [6] So he promised and sought opportunity to betray Him to them in the absence of the multitude. [7] Then came the Day of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover must be killed. [8] And He sent Peter and John, saying, “Go and prepare the Passover for us, that we may eat.” [9] So they said to Him, “Where do You want us to prepare?” [10] And He said to them, “Behold, when you have entered the city, a man will meet you carrying a pitcher of water; follow him into the house which he enters. [11] Then you shall say to the master of the house, ‘The Teacher says to you, “Where is the guest room where I may eat the Passover with My disciples?” ’ [12] Then he will show you a large, furnished upper room; there make ready.” [13] So they went and found it just as He had said to them, and they prepared the Passover. [14] When the hour had come, He sat down, and the twelve apostles with Him. [15] Then He said to them, “With fervent desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; [16] for I say to you, I will no longer eat of it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” [17] Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, “Take this and divide it among yourselves; [18] for I say to you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” [19] And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” [20] Likewise He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you. [21] But behold, the hand of My betrayer is with Me on the table. [22] And truly the Son of Man goes as it has been determined, but woe to that man by whom He is betrayed!” [23] Then they began to question among themselves, which of them it was who would do this thing. [24] Now there was also a dispute among them, as to which of them should be considered the greatest. [25] And He said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and those who exercise authority over them are called ‘benefactors.’ [26] But not so among you; on the contrary, he who is greatest among you, let him be as the younger, and he who governs as he who serves. [27] For who is greater, he who sits at the table, or he who serves? Is it not he who sits at the table? Yet I am among you as the One who serves. [28] “But you are those who have continued with Me in My trials. [29] And I bestow upon you a kingdom, just as My Father bestowed one upon Me, [30] that you may eat and drink at My table in My kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.”

[17] And it came to pass after three days that Paul called the leaders of the Jews together. So when they had come together, he said to them: “Men and brethren, though I have done nothing against our people or the customs of our fathers, yet I was delivered as a prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans, [18] who, when they had examined me, wanted to let me go, because there was no cause for putting me to death. [19] But when the Jews spoke against it, I was compelled to appeal to Caesar, not that I had anything of which to accuse my nation. [20] For this reason therefore I have called for you, to see you and speak with you, because for the hope of Israel I am bound with this chain.” [21] Then they said to him, “We neither received letters from Judea concerning you, nor have any of the brethren who came reported or spoken any evil of you. [22] But we desire to hear from you what you think; for concerning this sect, we know that it is spoken against everywhere.” [23] So when they had appointed him a day, many came to him at his lodging, to whom he explained and solemnly testified of the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus from both the Law of Moses and the Prophets, from morning till evening. [24] And some were persuaded by the things which were spoken, and some disbelieved. [25] So when they did not agree among themselves, they departed after Paul had said one word: “The Holy Spirit spoke rightly through Isaiah the prophet to our fathers, [26] saying, ‘Go to this people and say: “Hearing you will hear, and shall not understand; And seeing you will see, and not perceive; [27] For the hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, And their eyes they have closed, Lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, So that I should heal them.” ’ [28] “Therefore let it be known to you that the salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles, and they will hear it!” [29] And when he had said these words, the Jews departed and had a great dispute among themselves. [30] Then Paul dwelt two whole years in his own rented house, and received all who came to him, [31] preaching the kingdom of God and teaching the things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ with all confidence, no one forbidding him.

[17] But you, beloved, remember the words which were spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ: [18] how they told you that there would be mockers in the last time who would walk according to their own ungodly lusts. [19] These are sensual persons, who cause divisions, not having the Spirit. [20] But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, [21] keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. [22] And on some have compassion, making a distinction; [23] but others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh. [24] Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, And to present you faultless Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, [25] To God our Savior, Who alone is wise, Be glory and majesty, Dominion and power, Both now and forever. Amen.

[31] So, when he had gone out, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man is glorified, and God is glorified in Him. [32] If God is glorified in Him, God will also glorify Him in Himself, and glorify Him immediately. [33] Little children, I shall be with you a little while longer. You will seek Me; and as I said to the Jews, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come,’ so now I say to you. [34] A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. [35] By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” [36] Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, where are You going?” Jesus answered him, “Where I am going you cannot follow Me now, but you shall follow Me afterward.” [37] Peter said to Him, “Lord, why can I not follow You now? I will lay down my life for Your sake.” [38] Jesus answered him, “Will you lay down your life for My sake? Most assuredly, I say to you, the rooster shall not crow till you have denied Me three times. [1] “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. [2] In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. [3] And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. [4] And where I go you know, and the way you know.” [5] Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?” [6] Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. [7] “If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him.” [8] Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us.” [9] Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? [10] Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works. [11] Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves. [12] “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. [13] And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

[1] Then Jesus went out and departed from the temple, and His disciples came up to show Him the buildings of the temple. [2] And Jesus said to them, “Do you not see all these things? Assuredly, I say to you, not one stone shall be left here upon another, that shall not be thrown down.” [3] Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?” [4] And Jesus answered and said to them: “Take heed that no one deceives you. [5] For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many. [6] And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. [7] For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. [8] All these are the beginning of sorrows. [9] “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake. [10] And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. [11] Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. [12] And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. [13] But he who endures to the end shall be saved. [14] And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come. [15] “Therefore when you see the ‘abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place” (whoever reads, let him understand), [16] “then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. [17] Let him who is on the housetop not go down to take anything out of his house. [18] And let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes. [19] But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! [20] And pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath. [21] For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. [22] And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened. [23] “Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There!’ do not believe it. [24] For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. [25] See, I have told you beforehand. [26] “Therefore if they say to you, ‘Look, He is in the desert!’ do not go out; or ‘Look, He is in the inner rooms!’ do not believe it. [27] For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. [28] For wherever the carcass is, there the eagles will be gathered together. [29] “Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. [30] Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. [31] And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. [32] “Now learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. [33] So you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near—at the doors! [34] Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place. [35] Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away. [36] “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only. [37] But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. [38] For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, [39] and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. [40] Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left. [41] Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left. [42] Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming. [43] But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. [44] Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect. [45] “Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master made ruler over his household, to give them food in due season? [46] Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing. [47] Assuredly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all his goods. [48] But if that evil servant says in his heart, ‘My master is delaying his coming,’ [49] and begins to beat his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunkards, [50] the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him and at an hour that he is not aware of, [51] and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. [1] “Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. [2] Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. [3] Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, [4] but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. [5] But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept. [6] “And at midnight a cry was heard: ‘Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!’ [7] Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. [8] And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ [9] But the wise answered, saying, ‘ No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.’ [10] And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut. [11] “Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’ [12] But he answered and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ [13] “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming. [14] “For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them. [15] And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey. [16] Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents. [17] And likewise he who had received two gained two more also. [18] But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid his lord’s money. [19] After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them. [20] “So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, ‘Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them.’ [21] His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’ [22] He also who had received two talents came and said, ‘Lord, you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents besides them.’ [23] His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’ [24] “Then he who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed. [25] And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours.’ [26] “But his lord answered and said to him, ‘You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed. [27] So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest. [28] Therefore take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents. [29] ‘For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. [30] And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ [31] “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. [32] All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. [33] And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. [34] Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: [35] for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; [36] I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’ [37] “Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? [38] When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? [39] Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ [40] And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’ [41] “Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels: [42] for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; [43] I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.’ [44] “Then they also will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?’ [45] Then He will answer them, saying, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ [46] And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” [1] Now it came to pass, when Jesus had finished all these sayings, that He said to His disciples, [2] “You know that after two days is the Passover, and the Son of Man will be delivered up to be crucified.”

[1] After two days it was the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. And the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might take Him by trickery and put Him to death. [2] But they said, “Not during the feast, lest there be an uproar of the people.” [3] And being in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, as He sat at the table, a woman came having an alabaster flask of very costly oil of spikenard. Then she broke the flask and poured it on His head. [4] But there were some who were indignant among themselves, and said, “Why was this fragrant oil wasted? [5] For it might have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor.” And they criticized her sharply. [6] But Jesus said, “Let her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a good work for Me. [7] For you have the poor with you always, and whenever you wish you may do them good; but Me you do not have always. [8] She has done what she could. She has come beforehand to anoint My body for burial. [9] Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her.” [10] Then Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went to the chief priests to betray Him to them. [11] And when they heard it, they were glad, and promised to give him money. So he sought how he might conveniently betray Him. [12] Now on the first day of Unleavened Bread, when they killed the Passover lamb, His disciples said to Him, “Where do You want us to go and prepare, that You may eat the Passover?” [13] And He sent out two of His disciples and said to them, “Go into the city, and a man will meet you carrying a pitcher of water; follow him. [14] Wherever he goes in, say to the master of the house, ‘The Teacher says, “Where is the guest room in which I may eat the Passover with My disciples?” ’ [15] Then he will show you a large upper room, furnished and prepared; there make ready for us.” [16] So His disciples went out, and came into the city, and found it just as He had said to them; and they prepared the Passover. [17] In the evening He came with the twelve. [18] Now as they sat and ate, Jesus said, “Assuredly, I say to you, one of you who eats with Me will betray Me.” [19] And they began to be sorrowful, and to say to Him one by one, “Is it I?” And another said, “Is it I?” [20] He answered and said to them, “ It is one of the twelve, who dips with Me in the dish. [21] The Son of Man indeed goes just as it is written of Him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been good for that man if he had never been born.” [22] And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them and said, “Take, eat; this is My body.” [23] Then He took the cup, and when He had given thanks He gave it to them, and they all drank from it. [24] And He said to them, “This is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many. [25] Assuredly, I say to you, I will no longer drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.” [26] And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.