Luke 23

1 Then they all took Jesus to Pilate2 and began to bring up charges against him. They said, “We found this man undermining our law and order, forbidding taxes to be paid to Caesar, setting himself up as Messiah-King.”

3 Pilate asked him, “Is this true that you’re ‘King of the Jews’?”
“Those are your words, not mine,” Jesus replied.4 Pilate told the high priests and the accompanying crowd, “I find nothing wrong here. He seems harmless enough to me.”5 But they were vehement. “He’s stirring up unrest among the people with his teaching, disturbing the peace everywhere, starting in Galilee and now all through Judea. He’s a dangerous man, endangering the peace.”6 When Pilate heard that, he asked, “So, he’s a Galilean?”7 Realizing that he properly came under Herod’s jurisdiction, he passed the buck to Herod, who just happened to be in Jerusalem for a few days.8 Herod was delighted when Jesus showed up. He had wanted for a long time to see him, he’d heard so much about him. He hoped to see him do something spectacular.9 He peppered him with questions. Jesus didn’t answer—not one word.10 But the high priests and religion scholars were right there, saying their piece, strident and shrill in their accusations.11 Mightily offended, Herod turned on Jesus. His soldiers joined in, taunting and jeering. Then they dressed him up in an elaborate king costume and sent him back to Pilate.12 That day Herod and Pilate became thick as thieves. Always before they had kept their distance.13 Then Pilate called in the high priests, rulers, and the others14 and said, “You brought this man to me as a disturber of the peace. I examined him in front of all of you and found there was nothing to your charge.15 And neither did Herod, for he has sent him back here with a clean bill of health. It’s clear that he’s done nothing wrong, let alone anything deserving death.16 I’m going to warn him to watch his step and let him go.”18 At that, the crowd went wild: “Kill him! Give us Barabbas!”19 (Barabbas had been thrown in prison for starting a riot in the city and for murder.)20 Pilate still wanted to let Jesus go, and so spoke out again.21 But they kept shouting back, “Crucify! Crucify him!”22 He tried a third time. “But for what crime? I’ve found nothing in him deserving death. I’m going to warn him to watch his step and let him go.”23 But they kept at it, a shouting mob, demanding that he be crucified. And finally they shouted him down.24 Pilate caved in and gave them what they wanted.

25 He released the man thrown in prison for rioting and murder, and gave them Jesus to do whatever they wanted.
Skull Hill26 As they led him off, they made Simon, a man from Cyrene who happened to be coming in from the countryside, carry the cross behind Jesus.27 A huge crowd of people followed, along with women weeping and carrying on.28 At one point Jesus turned to the women and said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, don’t cry for me. Cry for yourselves and for your children.29 The time is coming when they’ll say, ‘Lucky the women who never conceived! Lucky the wombs that never gave birth! Lucky the breasts that never gave milk!’30 Then they’ll start calling to the mountains, ‘Fall down on us!’ calling to the hills, ‘Cover us up!’31 If people do these things to a live, green tree, can you imagine what they’ll do with deadwood?”32 Two others, both criminals, were taken along with him for execution.33 When they got to the place called Skull Hill, they crucified him, along with the criminals, one on his right, the other on his left.

34 Jesus prayed, “Father, forgive them; they don’t know what they’re doing.”
Dividing up his clothes, they threw dice for them.35 The people stood there staring at Jesus, and the ringleaders made faces, taunting, “He saved others. Let’s see him save himself! The Messiah of God—ha! The Chosen—ha!”36 The soldiers also came up and poked fun at him, making a game of it. They toasted him with sour wine:37 “So you’re King of the Jews! Save yourself!”38 Printed over him was a sign: this is the king of the jews.39 One of the criminals hanging alongside cursed him: “Some Messiah you are! Save yourself! Save us!”40 But the other one made him shut up: “Have you no fear of God? You’re getting the same as him.41 We deserve this, but not him—he did nothing to deserve this.”42 Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you enter your kingdom.”43 He said, “Don’t worry, I will. Today you will join me in paradise.”44 By now it was noon. The whole earth became dark, the darkness lasting three hours—45 a total blackout. The Temple curtain split right down the middle.46 Jesus called loudly, “Father, I place my life in your hands!” Then he breathed his last.47 When the captain there saw what happened, he honored God: “This man was innocent! A good man, and innocent!”48 All who had come around as spectators to watch the show, when they saw what actually happened, were overcome with grief and headed home.49 Those who knew Jesus well, along with the women who had followed him from Galilee, stood at a respectful distance and kept vigil.50 There was a man by the name of Joseph, a member of the Jewish High Council, a man of good heart and good character.51 He had not gone along with the plans and actions of the council. His hometown was the Jewish village of Arimathea.52 He lived in alert expectation of the kingdom of God. He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.53 Taking him down, he wrapped him in a linen shroud and placed him in a tomb chiseled into the rock, a tomb never yet used.54 It was the day before Sabbath, the Sabbath just about to begin.55 The women who had been companions of Jesus from Galilee followed along. They saw the tomb where Jesus’ body was placed.

56 Then they went back to prepare burial spices and perfumes. They rested quietly on the Sabbath, as commanded.
Looking for the Living One in a Cemetery

Luke 24

1 At the crack of dawn on Sunday, the women came to the tomb carrying the burial spices they had prepared.2 They found the entrance stone rolled back from the tomb,3 so they walked in. But once inside, they couldn’t find the body of the Master Jesus.4 They were puzzled, wondering what to make of this. Then, out of nowhere it seemed, two men, light cascading over them, stood there.5 The women were awestruck and bowed down in worship. The men said, “Why are you looking for the Living One in a cemetery?6 He is not here, but raised up. Remember how he told you when you were still back in Galilee7 that he had to be handed over to sinners, be killed on a cross, and in three days rise up?”8 Then they remembered Jesus’ words.9 They left the tomb and broke the news of all this to the Eleven and the rest.10 Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them kept telling these things to the apostles,11 but the apostles didn’t believe a word of it, thought they were making it all up.

12 But Peter jumped to his feet and ran to the tomb. He stooped to look in and saw a few grave clothes, that’s all. He walked away puzzled, shaking his head.
The Road to Emmaus13 That same day two of them were walking to the village Emmaus, about seven miles out of Jerusalem.14 They were deep in conversation, going over all these things that had happened.15 In the middle of their talk and questions, Jesus came up and walked along with them.16 But they were not able to recognize who he was.

17 He asked, “What’s this you’re discussing so intently as you walk along?”
They just stood there, long-faced, like they had lost their best friend.18 Then one of them, his name was Cleopas, said, “Are you the only one in Jerusalem who hasn’t heard what’s happened during the last few days?”

19 He said, “What has happened?”
They said, “The things that happened to Jesus the Nazarene. He was a man of God, a prophet, dynamic in work and word, blessed by both God and all the people.20 Then our high priests and leaders betrayed him, got him sentenced to death, and crucified him.21 And we had our hopes up that he was the One, the One about to deliver Israel. And it is now the third day since it happened.22 But now some of our women have completely confused us. Early this morning they were at the tomb23 and couldn’t find his body. They came back with the story that they had seen a vision of angels who said he was alive.24 Some of our friends went off to the tomb to check and found it empty just as the women said, but they didn’t see Jesus.”25 Then he said to them, “So thick-headed! So slow-hearted! Why can’t you simply believe all that the prophets said?26 Don’t you see that these things had to happen, that the Messiah had to suffer and only then enter into his glory?”27 Then he started at the beginning, with the Books of Moses, and went on through all the Prophets, pointing out everything in the Scriptures that referred to him.28 They came to the edge of the village where they were headed. He acted as if he were going on29 but they pressed him: “Stay and have supper with us. It’s nearly evening; the day is done.” So he went in with them.30 And here is what happened: He sat down at the table with them. Taking the bread, he blessed and broke and gave it to them.31 At that moment, open-eyed, wide-eyed, they recognized him. And then he disappeared.

32 Back and forth they talked. “Didn’t we feel on fire as he conversed with us on the road, as he opened up the Scriptures for us?”
A Ghost Doesn’t Have Muscle and Bone33 They didn’t waste a minute. They were up and on their way back to Jerusalem. They found the Eleven and their friends gathered together,34 talking away: “It’s really happened! The Master has been raised up—Simon saw him!”35 Then the two went over everything that happened on the road and how they recognized him when he broke the bread.36 While they were saying all this, Jesus appeared to them and said, “Peace be with you.”37 They thought they were seeing a ghost and were scared half to death.38 He continued with them, “Don’t be upset, and don’t let all these doubting questions take over.39 Look at my hands; look at my feet—it’s really me. Touch me. Look me over from head to toe. A ghost doesn’t have muscle and bone like this.”40 As he said this, he showed them his hands and feet.

41 They still couldn’t believe what they were seeing. It was too much; it seemed too good to be true.
He asked, “Do you have any food here?”42 They gave him a piece of leftover fish they had cooked.

43 He took it and ate it right before their eyes.
You’re the Witnesses44 Then he said, “Everything I told you while I was with you comes to this: All the things written about me in the Law of Moses, in the Prophets, and in the Psalms have to be fulfilled.”45 He went on to open their understanding of the Word of God, showing them how to read their Bibles this way.46 He said, “You can see now how it is written that the Messiah suffers, rises from the dead on the third day,47 and then a total life-change through the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed in his name to all nations—starting from here, from Jerusalem!48 You’re the first to hear and see it. You’re the witnesses.49 What comes next is very important: I am sending what my Father promised to you, so stay here in the city until he arrives, until you’re equipped with power from on high.”50 He then led them out of the city over to Bethany. Raising his hands he blessed them,51 and while blessing them, took his leave, being carried up to heaven.52 And they were on their knees, worshiping him. They returned to Jerusalem bursting with joy.53 They spent all their time in the Temple praising God. Yes.

John 1

1 The Word was first,
the Word present to God,
God present to the Word.
The Word was God,2 in readiness for God from day one.

3 Everything was created through him;
nothing—not one thing!—
came into being without him.

4 What came into existence was Life,
and the Life was Light to live by.

5 The Life-Light blazed out of the darkness;
the darkness couldn’t put it out.6 There once was a man, his name John, sent by God7 to point out the way to the Life-Light. He came to show everyone where to look, who to believe in.8 John was not himself the Light; he was there to show the way to the Light.

9 The Life-Light was the real thing:
Every person entering Life
he brings into Light.

10 He was in the world,
the world was there through him,
and yet the world didn’t even notice.

11 He came to his own people,
but they didn’t want him.

12 But whoever did want him,
who believed he was who he claimed
and would do what he said,
He made to be their true selves,
their child-of-God selves.

13 These are the God-begotten,
not blood-begotten,
not flesh-begotten,
not sex-begotten.

14 The Word became flesh and blood,
and moved into the neighborhood.
We saw the glory with our own eyes,
the one-of-a-kind glory,
like Father, like Son,
Generous inside and out,
true from start to finish.15 John pointed him out and called, “This is the One! The One I told you was coming after me but in fact was ahead of me. He has always been ahead of me, has always had the first word.”

16 We all live off his generous bounty,
gift after gift after gift.

17 We got the basics from Moses,
and then this exuberant giving and receiving,
This endless knowing and understanding—
all this came through Jesus, the Messiah.

18 No one has ever seen God,
not so much as a glimpse.
This one-of-a-kind God-Expression,
who exists at the very heart of the Father,
has made him plain as day.
Thunder in the Desert19 When Jews from Jerusalem sent a group of priests and officials to ask John who he was, he was completely honest.20 He didn’t evade the question. He told the plain truth: “I am not the Messiah.”

21 They pressed him, “Who, then? Elijah?”
“I am not.”
“The Prophet?”
“No.”22 Exasperated, they said, “Who, then? We need an answer for those who sent us. Tell us something—anything!—about yourself.”23 “I’m thunder in the desert: ‘Make the road straight for God!’ I’m doing what the prophet Isaiah preached.”24 Those sent to question him were from the Pharisee party.25 Now they had a question of their own: “If you’re neither the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet, why do you baptize?”26 John answered, “I only baptize using water. A person you don’t recognize has taken his stand in your midst.27 He comes after me, but he is not in second place to me. I’m not even worthy to hold his coat for him.”

28 These conversations took place in Bethany on the other side of the Jordan, where John was baptizing at the time.
The God-Revealer29 The very next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and yelled out,30 “Here he is, God’s Passover Lamb! He forgives the sins of the world! This is the man I’ve been talking about, ‘the One who comes after me but is really ahead of me.’31 I knew nothing about who he was—only this: that my task has been to get Israel ready to recognize him as the God-Revealer. That is why I came here baptizing with water, giving you a good bath and scrubbing sins from your life so you can get a fresh start with God.”32 John clinched his witness with this: “I watched the Spirit, like a dove flying down out of the sky, making himself at home in him.33 I repeat, I know nothing about him except this: The One who authorized me to baptize with water told me, ‘The One on whom you see the Spirit come down and stay, this One will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’

34 That’s exactly what I saw happen, and I’m telling you, there’s no question about it: This is the Son of God.”
Come, See for Yourself35 The next day John was back at his post with two disciples, who were watching.36 He looked up, saw Jesus walking nearby, and said, “Here he is, God’s Passover Lamb.”37 The two disciples heard him and went after Jesus.

38 Jesus looked over his shoulder and said to them, “What are you after?”
They said, “Rabbi” (which means “Teacher”), “where are you staying?”

39 He replied, “Come along and see for yourself.”
They came, saw where he was living, and ended up staying with him for the day. It was late afternoon when this happened.40 Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard John’s witness and followed Jesus.41 The first thing he did after finding where Jesus lived was find his own brother, Simon, telling him, “We’ve found the Messiah” (that is, “Christ”).

42 He immediately led him to Jesus.
Jesus took one look up and said, “You’re John’s son, Simon? From now on your name is Cephas” (or Peter, which means “Rock”).43 The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. When he got there, he ran across Philip and said, “Come, follow me.”44 (Philip’s hometown was Bethsaida, the same as Andrew and Peter.)45 Philip went and found Nathanael and told him, “We’ve found the One Moses wrote of in the Law, the One preached by the prophets. It’s Jesus, Joseph’s son, the one from Nazareth!”

46 Nathanael said, “Nazareth? You’ve got to be kidding.”
But Philip said, “Come, see for yourself.”47 When Jesus saw him coming he said, “There’s a real Israelite, not a false bone in his body.”

48 Nathanael said, “Where did you get that idea? You don’t know me.”
Jesus answered, “One day, long before Philip called you here, I saw you under the fig tree.”49 Nathanael exclaimed, “Rabbi! You are the Son of God, the King of Israel!”50 Jesus said, “You’ve become a believer simply because I say I saw you one day sitting under the fig tree? You haven’t seen anything yet!

51 Before this is over you’re going to see heaven open and God’s angels descending to the Son of Man and ascending again.”
From Water to Wine