Henry: Welcome To Immerse: The Daily Bible Reading Experience.
Day 72.
After saying these things, Jesus crossed the Kidron Valley with his disciples
and entered a grove of olive trees.
Judas the betrayer knew this place because Jesus had often
gone there with his disciples.
The leading priests and Pharisees had given Judas a contingent of Roman soldiers
and temple guards to accompany him now with blazing torches, lanterns, and
weapons, they arrived at the Olive grove.
Jesus fully realized all that was going to happen to him, so
he stepped forward to meet them.
Who were you looking for?
He asked Jesus the Nazarene, they replied.
I am he, Jesus said Judas who betrayed him was standing with
them as Jesus said, I am He.
They all drew back and fell to the ground once more.
He asked them, who are you looking for?
And again, they replied, Jesus the Nazarene, I told
you that I am He, Jesus said.
And since I am the one you want, let these others go.
He did this to fulfill his own statement.
I did not lose a single one of those you have given me.
Then Simon Peter drew a sword and slashed off the right ear of
Malus, the high priests slave.
But Jesus said to Peter, put your sword back into its sheath.
Shall I not drink from the cup of suffering the father has given me?
So the soldiers, their commanding officer and the temple guards
arrested Jesus and tied him up.
First.
They took him to Anas since he was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, the high priest
at that time, Caiaphas was the one who had told the other Jewish leaders, it's better
that one man should die for the people.
Simon Peter followed Jesus as did another of the disciples.
That other disciple was acquainted with the high priest, so he
was allowed to enter the high priest's courtyard with Jesus.
Peter had to stay outside the gate.
Then the disciple who knew the high priest, spoke to the woman watching
at the gate, and she let Peter in.
The woman asked Peter, you're not one of that man's disciples, are you?
No.
He said, I am not.
Because it was cold.
The household servants and the guards had made a charcoal fire.
They stood around it warming themselves, and Peter stood with them, warming
himself inside the high priest, began asking Jesus about his followers
and what he had been teaching them.
Jesus replied, everyone knows what I teach.
I have preached regularly in the synagogues, in the temple
where the people gather.
I have not spoken in secret.
Why are you asking me this question?
Ask those who heard me.
They know what I said.
Then one of the temple guards standing nearby slapped Jesus across the face.
Is that the way to answer the high priest?
He demanded, Jesus replied, if I said anything wrong, you must
prove it, but if I'm speaking the truth, why are you beating me?
Then honest bound Jesus and sent him to Caiaphas, the high priest.
Meanwhile, as Simon Peter was standing by the fire warming himself,
they asked him again, you're not one of his disciples, are you?
He denied it, saying, no, I am not.
But one of the household slaves of the high priest, a relative of the
man whose ear Peter had cut off, asked, didn't I see you out there
in the olive grove with Jesus again?
Peter denied it, and immediately a rooster crowed.
Jesus trial before Caiaphas ended in the early hours of the
morning, then he was taken to the headquarters of the Roman governor.
His accusers didn't go inside because it would defile them and they wouldn't
be allowed to celebrate the Passover.
So Pilate, the governor, will out to them and asked, what is
your charge against this man?
We wouldn't have handed him over to you if he weren't a criminal.
They retorted.
Then take him away and judge him by your own law.
Pilate told them Only the Romans are permitted to execute Someone, the Jewish
leaders replied, this fulfilled Jesus' prediction about the way he would die.
Then Pilate went back into his headquarters and called for
Jesus to be brought to him.
Are you the king of the Jews?
He asked him.
Jesus replied, is this your own question or did others tell you about me?
Am I a Jew?
Pilate Retorted, your own people and their leading priests
brought you to me for trial.
Why?
What have you done?
Jesus answered.
My kingdom is not an earthly kingdom.
If it were, my followers would fight to keep me from being handed
over to the Jewish leaders, but my kingdom is not of this world.
Pilate said, so you are a king.
Jesus responded.
You say, I am a king.
Actually, I was born and came into the world to testify to the
truth all who love the truth.
Recognize that what I say is true.
What is truth?
Pilate asked.
Then he went out again to the people and told them, he is not
guilty of any crime, but you have a custom of asking me to release
one prisoner each year at Passover.
Would you like me to release this King of the Jews?
But they shouted back, no, not this man.
We want Barabbas.
Barabbas was a revolutionary.
Then Pilate had Jesus flogged with a lead tipped whip.
The soldiers wove a crown of thorns and put it on his head,
and they put a purple robe on him.
Hail King of the Jews.
They mocked as they slapped him across the face.
Pilate went outside again and said to the people, I'm going to bring
him out to you now, but understand clearly that I find him not guilty.
Then Jesus came out wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe, and
Pilate said, look, here's the man.
When they saw him, the leading priests and temple guards began shouting.
Crucify him.
Take him yourselves and crucify him.
Pilate said, I find him not guilty.
The Jewish leaders replied by our law, he ought to die because he
called himself the son of God.
When Pilate heard this, he was more frightened than ever.
He took Jesus back into the headquarters again and asked him, where are you from?
But Jesus gave no answer.
Why don't you talk to me?
Pilate demanded, don't you realize that I have the power
to release you or crucify you?
Then Jesus said You would have no power over me at all unless
it were given to you from above.
So the one who handed me over to you has the greater sin.
Then Pilate tried to release him, but the Jewish leaders shouted, if you release
this man, you are no friend of Caesar.
Anyone who declares himself a king is a rebel against Caesar.
When they said this, Pilate brought Jesus out to them again.
Then Pilate sat down on the judgment seat on the platform that is called
the stone pavement in Hebrew gha.
It was now about noon on the day of preparation for the Passover, and
Pilate said to the people, look, here is your king away with him.
They yelled.
Away with him.
Crucify him.
What Crucify your king?
Pilate asked.
We have no king but Caesar, the leading priest, shouted back then Pilate turned
Jesus over to them to be crucified.
So they took Jesus away, carrying the cross by himself.
He went to the place called place of the skull in Hebrew, gha.
There, they nailed him to the cross.
Two others were crucified with him, one on either side with Jesus,
between them and Pilate posted a sign on the cross that read Jesus
of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.
The place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and the sign was
written in Hebrew, Latin, and Greek so that many people could read it.
Then the leading priests objected and said to Pilate, change it from the King of the
Jews to he said, I am King of the Jews.
Pilate replied, no.
What I have written, I have written, when the soldiers had crucified
Jesus, they divided his clothes among the four of them, they also took
his robe, but it was seamless woven in one piece from top to bottom.
So they said, rather than tearing it apart, let's throw dice for it.
This will fill the scripture that says they divided my garments among
themselves and threw dice for my clothing.
So that is what they did standing near the cross where Jesus' mother
and his mother's sister, Mary, the wife of Clo and Mary Magdalene.
When Jesus saw his mother standing there beside the disciple he loved, he said
to her, dear woman, here is your son.
And he said to this disciple, here is your mother.
And from then on, this disciple took her into his home.
Jesus knew that his mission was now finished and to fulfill
scripture, he said, I am thirsty.
A jar of sour wine was sitting there, so they soaked a sponge in it.
Put it on a hiss up branch and held it up to his lips.
When Jesus had tasted it, he said it is finished, that he bowed
his head and gave up his spirit.
It was the day of preparation and the Jewish leaders didn't want the bodies
hanging there the next day, which was the Sabbath, and a very special
Sabbath because it was Passover week.
So they asked Pilate to hasten their deaths by ordering that
their legs be broken, then their bodies could be taken down.
So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the two men crucified with Jesus.
But when they came to Jesus, they saw that he was already dead,
so they didn't break his legs.
One of the soldiers, however, pierced his side with a spear, and
immediately blood and water flowed out.
This report is from an eyewitness giving an accurate account.
He speaks the truth so that you also may continue to believe these things happened
in fulfillment of the scriptures that say not one of his bones will be broken, and
they will look on the one they pierced.
Afterward, Joseph of Arimathea, who had been a secret disciple of Jesus because
he feared the Jewish leaders asked Pilate for permission to take down Jesus' body.
When Pilate gave permission, Joseph came and took the body away
With him came Nicodemus, the man who had come to Jesus at night.
He brought about 75 pounds of perfumed ointment made from Merr and Alos.
Following Jewish burial custom, they wrapped Jesus' body with the
spices in long sheets of linen cloth.
The place of crucifixion was near a garden where there was
a new tomb never used before.
And so because it was the day of preparation for the Jewish Passover
and since the tomb was close at hand, they laid Jesus there
early on Sunday morning while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb.
And found that the stone had been rolled away from the entrance she ran
and found Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved.
She said, they have taken the Lord's body outta the tomb and we
don't know where they have put him.
Peter and the other disciples started out for the tomb.
They were both running, but the other disciple outran Peter
and reached the tomb First.
He stooped and looked in and saw the linen wrappings lying there.
But he didn't go in.
Then Simon Peter arrived and went inside.
He also noticed the lid in wrappings lying there.
While the cloth that had covered Jesus' head was folded up and lying
apart from the other wrappings.
Then the disciple who had reached the tomb first also went in
and he saw and believed for.
Until then, they still hadn't understood the scriptures that
said, Jesus must rise from the dead.
Then they went home.
Mary was standing outside the tomb crying, and as she wept,
she stooped and looked in.
She saw two white robed angels, one sitting at the head and the other
at the foot of the place where the body of Jesus had been lying.
Dear woman, why are you crying?
The angels asked her, because they have taken away my Lord.
She replied, and I don't know where they have put him.
She turned to leave and saw someone standing there.
It was Jesus, but she didn't recognize him.
Dear woman, why are you crying?
Jesus asked her, who were you looking for?
She thought he was the gardener, sir.
She said, if you have taken him away, tell me where you have put
him, and I will go and get him.
Mary Jesus said she turned to him and cried out.
Which is Hebrew for teacher.
Don't cling to me.
Jesus said, for I haven't yet ascended to the Father, but go
find my brothers and tell them I am ascending to my Father and your Father.
To my God and your God.
Mary Magdalene found the disciples and told them, I have seen the Lord.
Then she gave them his message.
That Sunday evening, the disciples were meeting behind locked doors because
they were afraid of the Jewish leaders.
Suddenly, Jesus was standing there among them.
Peace be with you.
He said as he spoke, he showed them the wounds in his hands and his side.
They were filled with joy.
When they saw the Lord again, he said, peace be with you as the Father
has sent me, so I am sending you.
Then he breathed on them and said, receive the Holy Spirit.
If you forgive anyone's sins, they are forgiven.
If you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.
One of the 12 disciples, Thomas nicknamed the twin was not with the others.
When Jesus came, they told him, we have seen the Lord, but he replied.
I won't believe it unless I see the nail wounds in his hands.
Put my fingers into them and place my hand into the wound in his side.
Eight days later, the disciples were together again, and this
time Thomas was with them.
The doors were locked, but suddenly as before, Jesus was standing among them.
Peace be with you.
He said.
Then he said to Thomas, put your finger here.
Look at my hands.
Put your hand into the wound in my side.
Don't be faithless any longer.
Believe my Lord and my God.
Thomas exclaimed.
Then Jesus told him, you believe because you have seen me.
Blessed are those who believe without seeing me.
The disciples saw Jesus do many other miraculous signs in addition to the
ones recorded in this book, but these are written so that you may continue to
believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing in him, you
will have life by the power of his name.
Later Jesus appeared again to the disciples beside the Sea of Galilee.
This is how it happened.
Several of the disciples were there.
Simon Peter Thomas, nicknamed the twin, Nathaniel from Cana in Galilee, the
sons of Zedi and two other disciples.
Simon Peter said, I'm going fishing.
We'll come too.
They all said, so they went out in the boat, but they caught nothing all night
at dawn, Jesus was standing on the beach, but the disciples couldn't see who he was.
He called out fellows.
Have you caught any fish?
No.
They replied.
Then he said, throw out your net on the right hand side of
the boat and you'll get some.
So they did and they couldn't haul in the net because there were so many fish in it.
Then the disciple Jesus loved, said to Peter, it's the Lord.
When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord he put on his tunic
for, he had stripped for work.
Jumped into the water and headed to shore.
The others stayed with the boat and pulled the loaded net to the shore for they were
only about a hundred yards from shore.
When they got there, they found breakfast waiting for them, fish cooking
over a charcoal fire and some bread.
Bring some of the fish you've just caught.
Jesus said.
So, Simon Peter went aboard and dragged the net to the shore.
There were 153 large fish, and yet the net hadn't torn.
Now come and have some breakfast.
Jesus said None of the disciples dared to ask him, who are you?
They knew it was the Lord.
Then Jesus served them the bread and the fish.
This was the third time Jesus had appeared to his disciples since he had been
raised from the dead After breakfast.
Jesus asked Simon, Peter Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?
Yes, Lord Peter replied, you know I love you.
Then feed my lambs.
Jesus told him.
Jesus repeated the question, Simon, son of John, do you love me?
Yes, Lord.
Peter said, you know I love you then take care of my sheep.
Jesus said a third time he asked him, Simon, son of John.
Do you love me?
Peter was hurt that Jesus asked the question a third time.
He said, Lord, you know everything.
You know that I love you.
Jesus said, then feed my sheep.
I tell you the truth.
When you were young, you were able to do as you liked.
You dressed yourself and went wherever you wanted to go, but when you were
old, you will stretch out your hands.
And others will dress you and take you where you don't want to go.
Jesus said this to let him know by what kind of death he would glorify God.
Then Jesus told him, follow me.
Peter turned around and saw behind them the disciple.
Jesus loved the one who had leaned over to Jesus during supper and
asked, Lord, who will betray you?
Peter asked Jesus, what about him?
Lord?
Jesus replied, if I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you?
As for you follow me.
So the rumor spread among the community of believers that this disciple wouldn't die,
but that isn't what Jesus said at all.
He only said if I want him to remain alive until I return.
What is that to you?
This disciple is the one who testifies to these events and has recorded
them here, and we know that his account of these things is accurate.
Jesus also did many other things.
If they were all written down, I suppose the whole world could not
contain the books that would be written.
This concludes today's immerse reading experience.
Thank you for joining us.