Bible Reading
February 20
The World English Bible
Feb.
20
Exodus
1
Exo
1:1 Now these are the names of the sons of Israel, who came into
Egypt (every man and his household came with Jacob):
Exo
1:2 Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah,
Exo
1:3 Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin,
Exo
1:4 Dan and Naphtali, Gad and Asher.
Exo
1:5 All the souls who came out of Jacob's body were seventy souls,
and Joseph was in Egypt already.
Exo
1:6 Joseph died, as did all his brothers, and all that generation.
Exo
1:7 The children of Israel were fruitful, and increased abundantly,
and multiplied, and grew exceedingly mighty; and the land was filled
with them.
Exo
1:8 Now there arose a new king over Egypt, who didn't know Joseph.
Exo
1:9 He said to his people, "Behold, the people of the children
of Israel are more and mightier than we.
Exo
1:10 Come, let us deal wisely with them, lest they multiply, and it
happen that when any war breaks out, they also join themselves to our
enemies, and fight against us, and escape out of the land."
Exo
1:11 Therefore they set taskmasters over them to afflict them with
their burdens. They built storage cities for Pharaoh: Pithom and
Raamses.
Exo
1:12 But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and
the more they spread out. They were grieved because of the children
of Israel.
Exo
1:13 The Egyptians ruthlessly made the children of Israel serve,
Exo
1:14 and they made their lives bitter with hard service, in mortar
and in brick, and in all manner of service in the field, all their
service, in which they ruthlessly made them serve.
Exo
1:15 The king of Egypt spoke to the Hebrew midwives, of whom the
name of the one was Shiphrah, and the name of the other Puah,
Exo
1:16 and he said, "When you perform the duty of a midwife to
the Hebrew women, and see them on the birth stool; if it is a son,
then you shall kill him; but if it is a daughter, then she shall
live."
Exo
1:17 But the midwives feared God, and didn't do what the king of
Egypt commanded them, but saved the baby boys alive.
Exo
1:18 The king of Egypt called for the midwives, and said to them,
"Why have you done this thing, and have saved the boys alive?"
Exo
1:19 The midwives said to Pharaoh, "Because the Hebrew women
aren't like the Egyptian women; for they are vigorous, and give birth
before the midwife comes to them."
Exo
1:20 God dealt well with the midwives, and the people multiplied,
and grew very mighty.
Exo
1:21 It happened, because the midwives feared God, that he gave them
families.
Exo
1:22 Pharaoh commanded all his people, saying, "You shall cast
every son who is born into the river, and every daughter you shall
save alive."
Feb. 20, 21
Matthew 26
Mat 26:1 It happened,
when Jesus had finished all these words, that he said to his
disciples,
Mat 26:2 "You know
that after two days the Passover is coming, and the Son of Man will
be delivered up to be crucified."
Mat 26:3 Then the chief
priests, the scribes, and the elders of the people were gathered
together in the court of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas.
Mat 26:4 They took
counsel together that they might take Jesus by deceit, and kill him.
Mat 26:5 But they said,
"Not during the feast, lest a riot occur among the people."
Mat 26:6 Now when Jesus
was in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper,
Mat 26:7 a woman came
to him having an alabaster jar of very expensive ointment, and she
poured it on his head as he sat at the table.
Mat 26:8 But when his
disciples saw this, they were indignant, saying, "Why this
waste?
Mat 26:9 For this
ointment might have been sold for much, and given to the poor."
Mat 26:10 However,
knowing this, Jesus said to them, "Why do you trouble the woman?
Because she has done a good work for me.
Mat 26:11 For you
always have the poor with you; but you don't always have me.
Mat 26:12 For in
pouring this ointment on my body, she did it to prepare me for
burial.
Mat 26:13 Most
certainly I tell you, wherever this Good News is preached in the
whole world, what this woman has done will also be spoken of as a
memorial of her."
Mat 26:14 Then one of
the twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests,
Mat 26:15 and said,
"What are you willing to give me, that I should deliver him to
you?" They weighed out for him thirty pieces of silver.
Mat 26:16 From that
time he sought opportunity to betray him.
Mat 26:17 Now on the
first day of unleavened bread, the disciples came to Jesus, saying to
him, "Where do you want us to prepare for you to eat the
Passover?"
Mat 26:18 He said, "Go
into the city to a certain person, and tell him, 'The Teacher says,
"My time is at hand. I will keep the Passover at your house with
my disciples." ' "
Mat 26:19 The disciples
did as Jesus commanded them, and they prepared the Passover.
Mat 26:20 Now when
evening had come, he was reclining at the table with the twelve
disciples.
Mat 26:21 As they were
eating, he said, "Most certainly I tell you that one of you will
betray me."
Mat 26:22 They were
exceedingly sorrowful, and each began to ask him, "It isn't me,
is it, Lord?"
Mat 26:23 He answered,
"He who dipped his hand with me in the dish, the same will
betray me.
Mat 26:24 The Son of
Man goes, even as it is written of him, but woe to that man through
whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would be better for that man if
he had not been born."
Mat 26:25 Judas, who
betrayed him, answered, "It isn't me, is it, Rabbi?" He
said to him, "You said it."
Mat 26:26 As they were
eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks for it, and broke it. He gave
to the disciples, and said, "Take, eat; this is my body."
Mat 26:27 He took the
cup, gave thanks, and gave to them, saying, "All of you drink
it,
Mat 26:28 for this is
my blood of the new covenant, which is poured out for many for the
remission of sins.
Mat 26:29 But I tell
you that I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on,
until that day when I drink it anew with you in my Father's Kingdom."
Mat 26:30 When they had
sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
Mat 26:31 Then Jesus
said to them, "All of you will be made to stumble because of me
tonight, for it is written, 'I will strike the shepherd, and the
sheep of the flock will be scattered.'
Mat 26:32 But after I
am raised up, I will go before you into Galilee."
Mat 26:33 But Peter
answered him, "Even if all will be made to stumble because of
you, I will never be made to stumble."
Mat 26:34 Jesus said to
him, "Most certainly I tell you that tonight, before the rooster
crows, you will deny me three times."
Mat 26:35 Peter said to
him, "Even if I must die with you, I will not deny you."
All of the disciples also said likewise.
Mat 26:36 Then Jesus
came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to his
disciples, "Sit here, while I go there and pray."
Mat 26:37 He took with
him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and
severely troubled.
Mat 26:38 Then he said
to them, "My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay
here, and watch with me."
Mat 26:39 He went
forward a little, fell on his face, and prayed, saying, "My
Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass away from me;
nevertheless, not what I desire, but what you desire."
Mat 26:40 He came to
the disciples, and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, "What,
couldn't you watch with me for one hour?
Mat 26:41 Watch and
pray, that you don't enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is
willing, but the flesh is weak."
Mat 26:42 Again, a
second time he went away, and prayed, saying, "My Father, if
this cup can't pass away from me unless I drink it, your desire be
done."
Mat 26:43 He came again
and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy.
Mat 26:44 He left them
again, went away, and prayed a third time, saying the same words.
Mat 26:45 Then he came
to his disciples, and said to them, "Sleep on now, and take your
rest. Behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is betrayed
into the hands of sinners.
Mat 26:46 Arise, let's
be going. Behold, he who betrays me is at hand."
Mat 26:47 While he was
still speaking, behold, Judas, one of the twelve, came, and with him
a great multitude with swords and clubs, from the chief priest and
elders of the people.
Mat 26:48 Now he who
betrayed him gave them a sign, saying, "Whoever I kiss, he is
the one. Seize him."
Mat 26:49 Immediately
he came to Jesus, and said, "Hail, Rabbi!" and kissed him.
Mat 26:50 Jesus said to
him, "Friend, why are you here?" Then they came and laid
hands on Jesus, and took him.
Mat 26:51 Behold, one
of those who were with Jesus stretched out his hand, and drew his
sword, and struck the servant of the high priest, and struck off his
ear.
Mat 26:52 Then Jesus
said to him, "Put your sword back into its place, for all those
who take the sword will die by the sword.
Mat 26:53 Or do you
think that I couldn't ask my Father, and he would even now send me
more than twelve legions of angels?
Mat 26:54 How then
would the Scriptures be fulfilled that it must be so?"
Mat 26:55 In that hour
Jesus said to the multitudes, "Have you come out as against a
robber with swords and clubs to seize me? I sat daily in the temple
teaching, and you didn't arrest me.
Mat 26:56 But all this
has happened, that the Scriptures of the prophets might be
fulfilled." Then all the disciples left him, and fled.
Mat 26:57 Those who had
taken Jesus led him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the
scribes and the elders were gathered together.
Mat 26:58 But Peter
followed him from a distance, to the court of the high priest, and
entered in and sat with the officers, to see the end.
Mat 26:59 Now the chief
priests, the elders, and the whole council sought false testimony
against Jesus, that they might put him to death;
Mat 26:60 and they
found none. Even though many false witnesses came forward, they found
none. But at last two false witnesses came forward,
Mat 26:61 and said,
"This man said, 'I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to
build it in three days.' "
Mat 26:62 The high
priest stood up, and said to him, "Have you no answer? What is
this that these testify against you?"
Mat 26:63 But Jesus
held his peace. The high priest answered him, "I adjure you by
the living God, that you tell us whether you are the Christ, the Son
of God."
Mat 26:64 Jesus said to
him, "You have said it. Nevertheless, I tell you, after this you
will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power, and
coming on the clouds of the sky."
Mat 26:65 Then the high
priest tore his clothing, saying, "He has spoken blasphemy! Why
do we need any more witnesses? Behold, now you have heard his
blasphemy.
Mat 26:66 What do you
think?" They answered, "He is worthy of death!"
Mat 26:67 Then they
spit in his face and beat him with their fists, and some slapped him,
Mat 26:68 saying,
"Prophesy to us, you Christ! Who hit you?"
Mat 26:69 Now Peter was
sitting outside in the court, and a maid came to him, saying, "You
were also with Jesus, the Galilean!"
Mat 26:70 But he denied
it before them all, saying, "I don't know what you are talking
about."
Mat 26:71 When he had
gone out onto the porch, someone else saw him, and said to those who
were there, "This man also was with Jesus of Nazareth."
Mat 26:72 Again he
denied it with an oath, "I don't know the man."
Mat 26:73 After a
little while those who stood by came and said to Peter, "Surely
you are also one of them, for your speech makes you known."
Mat 26:74 Then he began
to curse and to swear, "I don't know the man!" Immediately
the rooster crowed.
Mat 26:75 Peter
remembered the word which Jesus had said to him, "Before the
rooster crows, you will deny me three times." He went out and
wept bitterly.
