Mark 15-16; Luke 1

1Early in the morning, the chief priests, elders, scribes, and the whole Sanhedrin devised a plan. They bound Jesus, led Him away, and handed Him over to Pilate.

2So Pilate questioned Him, “Are You the King of the Jews?” “You have said so,” Jesus replied.

3And the chief priests began to accuse Him of many things.

4Then Pilate questioned Him again, “Have You no answer? Look how many charges they are bringing against You!”

5But to Pilate’s amazement, Jesus made no further reply.

6Now it was Pilate’s custom at the feast to release to the people a prisoner of their choosing.

7And a man named Barabbas was imprisoned with the rebels who had committed murder during the insurrection.

8So the crowd went up and began asking Pilate to keep his custom.

9“Do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?” Pilate asked.

10For he knew it was out of envy that the chief priests had handed Jesus over.

11But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have him release Barabbas to them instead.

12So Pilate asked them again, “What then do you want me to do with the One you call the King of the Jews?”

13And they shouted back, “Crucify Him!”

14“Why?” asked Pilate. “What evil has He done?” But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify Him!”

15And wishing to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas to them. But he had Jesus flogged, and handed Him over to be crucified.

16Then the soldiers led Jesus away into the palace (that is, the Praetorium) and called the whole company together.

17They dressed Him in a purple robe, twisted together a crown of thorns, and set it on His head.

18And they began to salute Him: “Hail, King of the Jews!”

19They kept striking His head with a staff and spitting on Him. And they knelt down and bowed before Him.

20After they had mocked Him, they removed the purple robe and put His own clothes back on Him. Then they led Him out to crucify Him.

21Now Simon of Cyrene, the father of Alexander and Rufus, was passing by on his way in from the country, and the soldiers forced him to carry the cross of Jesus.

22They brought Jesus to a place called Golgotha, which means The Place of the Skull.

23There they offered Him wine mixed with myrrh, but He did not take it.

24And they crucified Him. They also divided His garments by casting lots to decide what each of them would take.

25It was the third hour when they crucified Him.

26And the charge inscribed against Him read: THE KING OF THE JEWS.

27Along with Jesus, they crucified two robbers, one on His right and one on His left.

29And those who passed by heaped abuse on Him, shaking their heads and saying, “Aha! You who are going to destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days,

30come down from the cross and save Yourself!”

31In the same way, the chief priests and scribes mocked Him among themselves, saying, “He saved others, but He cannot save Himself!

32Let the Christ, the King of Israel, come down now from the cross, so that we may see and believe!” And even those who were crucified with Him berated Him.

33From the sixth hour until the ninth hour darkness came over all the land.

34At the ninth hour, Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”

35When some of those standing nearby heard this, they said, “Behold, He is calling Elijah.”

36And someone ran and filled a sponge with sour wine. He put it on a reed and held it up for Jesus to drink, saying, “Leave Him alone. Let us see if Elijah comes to take Him down.”

37But Jesus let out a loud cry and breathed His last.

38And the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.

39When the centurion standing there in front of Jesus saw how He had breathed His last, he said, “Truly this man was the Son of God!”

40And there were also women watching from a distance. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joses, and Salome.

41These women had followed Jesus and ministered to Him while He was in Galilee, and there were many other women who had come up to Jerusalem with Him.

42Now it was already evening. Since it was Preparation Day (that is, the day before the Sabbath),

43Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent Council member who himself was waiting for the kingdom of God, boldly went to Pilate to ask for the body of Jesus.

44Pilate was surprised to hear that Jesus was already dead, so he summoned the centurion to ask if this was so.

45When Pilate had confirmed it with the centurion, he granted the body to Joseph.

46So Joseph bought a linen cloth, took down the body of Jesus, wrapped it in the cloth, and placed it in a tomb that had been cut out of the rock. Then he rolled a stone against the entrance to the tomb.

47Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joseph saw where His body was placed.

1When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so they could go and anoint the body of Jesus.

2Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they went to the tomb.

3They were asking one another, “Who will roll away the stone from the entrance of the tomb?”

4But when they looked up, they saw that the stone had been rolled away, even though it was extremely large.

5When they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed.

6But he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here! See the place where they put Him.

7But go, tell His disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see Him, just as He told you.’”

8So the women left the tomb and ran away, trembling and bewildered. And in their fear they did not say a word to anyone.

9Early on the first day of the week, after Jesus had risen, He appeared first to Mary Magdalene, from whom He had driven out seven demons.

10She went and told those who had been with Him, who were mourning and weeping.

11And when they heard that Jesus was alive and she had seen Him, they did not believe it.

12After this, Jesus appeared in a different form to two of them as they walked along in the country.

13And they went back and reported it to the rest, but they did not believe them either.

14Later, as they were eating, Jesus appeared to the Eleven and rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who had seen Him after He had risen.

15And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.

16Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.

17And these signs will accompany those who believe: In My name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues;

18they will pick up snakes with their hands, and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not harm them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will be made well.”

19After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, He was taken up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God.

20And they went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked through them, confirming His word by the signs that accompanied it.

1Many have undertaken to compose an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us,

2just as they were handed down to us by the initial eyewitnesses and servants of the word.

3Therefore, having carefully investigated everything from the beginning, it seemed good also to me to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus,

4so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.

5In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah, and whose wife Elizabeth was a descendant of Aaron.

6Both of them were righteous in the sight of God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and decrees of the Lord.

7But they had no children, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both well along in years.

8One day while Zechariah’s division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God,

9he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense.

10And at the hour of the incense offering, the whole congregation was praying outside.

11Just then an angel of the Lord appeared to Zechariah, standing at the right side of the altar of incense.

12When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and gripped with fear.

13But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, because your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to give him the name John.

14He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice at his birth,

15for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He shall never take wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother’s womb.

16Many of the sons of Israel he will turn back to the Lord their God.

17And he will go on before the Lord in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”

18“How can I be sure of this?” Zechariah asked the angel. “I am an old man, and my wife is well along in years.”

19“I am Gabriel,” replied the angel. “I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news.

20And now you will be silent and unable to speak until the day this comes to pass, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled at their proper time.”

21Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah and wondering why he took so long in the temple.

22When he came out and was unable to speak to them, they realized he had seen a vision in the temple. He kept making signs to them but remained unable to speak.

23And when the days of his service were complete, he returned home.

24After these days, his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and for five months remained in seclusion. She declared,

25“The Lord has done this for me. In these days He has shown me favor and taken away my disgrace among the people.”

26In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to a town in Galilee called Nazareth,

27to a virgin pledged in marriage to a man named Joseph, who was of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary.

28The angel appeared to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”

29Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be.

30So the angel told her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.

31Behold, you will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus.

32He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David,

33and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever. His kingdom will never end!”

34“How can this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”

35The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the Holy One to be born will be called the Son of God.

36Look, even Elizabeth your relative has conceived a son in her old age, and she who was called barren is in her sixth month.

37For no word from God will ever fail.”

38“I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May it happen to me according to your word.” Then the angel left her.

39In those days Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judah,

40where she entered the home of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth.

41When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.

42In a loud voice she exclaimed, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!

43And why am I so honored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?

44For as soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy.

45Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord’s word to her will be fulfilled.”

46Then Mary said: “My soul magnifies the Lord,

47and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior!

48For He has looked with favor on the humble state of His servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed.

49For the Mighty One has done great things for me. Holy is His name.

50His mercy extends to those who fear Him, from generation to generation.

51He has performed mighty deeds with His arm; He has scattered those who are proud in the thoughts of their hearts.

52He has brought down rulers from their thrones, but has exalted the humble.

53He has filled the hungry with good things, but has sent the rich away empty.

54He has helped His servant Israel, remembering to be merciful,

55as He promised to our fathers, to Abraham and his descendants forever.”

56Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home.

57When the time came for Elizabeth to have her child, she gave birth to a son.

58Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they rejoiced with her.

59On the eighth day, when they came to circumcise the child, they were going to name him after his father Zechariah.

60But his mother replied, “No! He shall be called John.”

61They said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who bears this name.”

62So they made signs to his father to find out what he wanted to name the child.

63Zechariah asked for a tablet and wrote, “His name is John.” And they were all amazed.

64Immediately Zechariah’s mouth was opened and his tongue was released, and he began to speak, praising God.

65All their neighbors were filled with awe, and people throughout the hill country of Judea were talking about these events.

66And all who heard this wondered in their hearts and asked, “What then will this child become?” For the Lord’s hand was with him.

67Then his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied:

68“Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, because He has visited and redeemed His people.

69He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of His servant David,

70as He spoke through His holy prophets, those of ages past,

71salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us,

72to show mercy to our fathers and to remember His holy covenant,

73the oath He swore to our father Abraham, to grant us

74deliverance from hostile hands, that we may serve Him without fear,

75in holiness and righteousness before Him all the days of our lives.

76And you, child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for Him,

77to give to His people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins,

78because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the Dawn will visit us from on high,

79to shine on those who live in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace.”

80And the child grew and became strong in spirit; and he lived in the wilderness until the time of his public appearance to Israel.