Bible Reading February 21, 22
(World English Bible)
Exodus
2
Exo
2:1 A man of the house of Levi went and took a daughter of Levi as
his wife.
Exo
2:2 The woman conceived, and bore a son. When she saw that he was a
fine child, she hid him three months.
Exo
2:3 When she could no longer hide him, she took a papyrus basket for
him, and coated it with tar and with pitch. She put the child in it,
and laid it in the reeds by the river's bank.
Exo
2:4 His sister stood far off, to see what would be done to him.
Exo
2:5 Pharaoh's daughter came down to bathe at the river. Her maidens
walked along by the riverside. She saw the basket among the reeds,
and sent her handmaid to get it.
Exo
2:6 She opened it, and saw the child, and behold, the baby cried.
She had compassion on him, and said, "This is one of the
Hebrews' children."
Exo
2:7 Then his sister said to Pharaoh's daughter, "Should I go
and call a nurse for you from the Hebrew women, that she may nurse
the child for you?"
Exo
2:8 Pharaoh's daughter said to her, "Go." The maiden went
and called the child's mother.
Exo
2:9 Pharaoh's daughter said to her, "Take this child away, and
nurse him for me, and I will give you your wages." The woman
took the child, and nursed it.
Exo
2:10 The child grew, and she brought him to Pharaoh's daughter, and
he became her son. She named him Moses, and said, "Because I
drew him out of the water."
Exo
2:11 It happened in those days, when Moses had grown up, that he
went out to his brothers, and looked at their burdens. He saw an
Egyptian striking a Hebrew, one of his brothers.
Exo
2:12 He looked this way and that way, and when he saw that there was
no one, he killed the Egyptian, and hid him in the sand.
Exo
2:13 He went out the second day, and behold, two men of the Hebrews
were fighting with each other. He said to him who did the wrong, "Why
do you strike your fellow?"
Exo
2:14 He said, "Who made you a prince and a judge over us? Do
you plan to kill me, as you killed the Egyptian?" Moses was
afraid, and said, "Surely this thing is known."
Exo
2:15 Now when Pharaoh heard this thing, he sought to kill Moses. But
Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh, and lived in the land of Midian,
and he sat down by a well.
Exo
2:16 Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters. They came and
drew water, and filled the troughs to water their father's flock.
Exo
2:17 The shepherds came and drove them away; but Moses stood up and
helped them, and watered their flock.
Exo
2:18 When they came to Reuel, their father, he said, "How is it
that you have returned so early today?"
Exo
2:19 They said, "An Egyptian delivered us out of the hand of
the shepherds, and moreover he drew water for us, and watered the
flock."
Exo
2:20 He said to his daughters, "Where is he? Why is it that you
have left the man? Call him, that he may eat bread."
Exo
2:21 Moses was content to dwell with the man. He gave Moses
Zipporah, his daughter.
Exo
2:22 She bore a son, and he named him Gershom, for he said, "I
have lived as a foreigner in a foreign land."
Exo
2:23 It happened in the course of those many days, that the king of
Egypt died, and the children of Israel sighed because of the bondage,
and they cried, and their cry came up to God because of the bondage.
Exo
2:24 God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with
Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob.
Exo
2:25 God saw the children of Israel, and God was concerned about
them.
Exodus
3
Exo
3:1 Now Moses was keeping the flock of Jethro, his father-in-law,
the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the back of the
wilderness, and came to God's mountain, to Horeb.
Exo
3:2 The angel of Yahweh appeared to him in a flame of fire out of
the midst of a bush. He looked, and behold, the bush burned with
fire, and the bush was not consumed.
Exo
3:3 Moses said, "I will turn aside now, and see this great
sight, why the bush is not burnt."
Exo
3:4 When Yahweh saw that he turned aside to see, God called to him
out of the midst of the bush, and said, "Moses! Moses!" He
said, "Here I am."
Exo
3:5 He said, "Don't come close. Take your sandals off of your
feet, for the place you are standing on is holy ground."
Exo
3:6 Moreover he said, "I am the God of your father, the God of
Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." Moses hid his
face; for he was afraid to look at God.
Exo
3:7 Yahweh said, "I have surely seen the affliction of my
people who are in Egypt, and have heard their cry because of their
taskmasters, for I know their sorrows.
Exo
3:8 I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the
Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land to a good and large
land, to a land flowing with milk and honey; to the place of the
Canaanite, the Hittite, the Amorite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and
the Jebusite.
Exo
3:9 Now, behold, the cry of the children of Israel has come to me.
Moreover I have seen the oppression with which the Egyptians oppress
them.
Exo
3:10 Come now therefore, and I will send you to Pharaoh, that you
may bring forth my people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt."
Exo
3:11 Moses said to God, "Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh,
and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?"
Exo
3:12 He said, "Certainly I will be with you. This will be the
token to you, that I have sent you: when you have brought forth the
people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain."
Exo
3:13 Moses said to God, "Behold, when I come to the children of
Israel, and tell them, 'The God of your fathers has sent me to you;'
and they ask me, 'What is his name?' What should I tell them?"
Exo
3:14 God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM," and he said, "You
shall tell the children of Israel this: 'I AM has sent me to you.' "
Exo
3:15 God said moreover to Moses, "You shall tell the children
of Israel this, 'Yahweh, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham,
the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.' This is
my name forever, and this is my memorial to all generations.
Exo
3:16 Go, and gather the elders of Israel together, and tell them,
'Yahweh, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and
of Jacob, has appeared to me, saying, "I have surely visited
you, and seen that which is done to you in Egypt;
Exo
3:17 and I have said, I will bring you up out of the affliction of
Egypt to the land of the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Amorite, the
Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite, to a land flowing with milk
and honey." '
Exo
3:18 They will listen to your voice, and you shall come, you and the
elders of Israel, to the king of Egypt, and you shall tell him,
'Yahweh, the God of the Hebrews, has met with us. Now please let us
go three days' journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to
Yahweh, our God.'
Exo
3:19 I know that the king of Egypt won't give you permission to go,
no, not by a mighty hand.
Exo
3:20 I will put forth my hand and strike Egypt with all my wonders
which I will do in its midst, and after that he will let you go.
Exo
3:21 I will give this people favor in the sight of the Egyptians,
and it will happen that when you go, you shall not go empty-handed.
Exo
3:22 But every woman shall ask of her neighbor, and of her who
visits her house, jewels of silver, jewels of gold, and clothing; and
you shall put them on your sons, and on your daughters. You shall
despoil the Egyptians.
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.
Matthew 27
Mat 27:1
Now when morning had come, all the chief priests and the elders of
the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death:
Mat 27:2
and they bound him, and led him away, and delivered him up to Pontius
Pilate, the governor.
Mat 27:3
Then Judas, who betrayed him, when he saw that Jesus was condemned,
felt remorse, and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the
chief priests and elders,
Mat 27:4
saying, "I have sinned in that I betrayed innocent blood."
But they said, "What is that to us? You see to it."
Mat 27:5
He threw down the pieces of silver in the sanctuary, and departed. He
went away and hanged himself.
Mat 27:6
The chief priests took the pieces of silver, and said, "It's not
lawful to put them into the treasury, since it is the price of
blood."
Mat 27:7
They took counsel, and bought the potter's field with them, to bury
strangers in.
Mat 27:8
Therefore that field was called "The Field of Blood" to
this day.
Mat 27:9
Then that which was spoken through Jeremiah the prophet was
fulfilled, saying, "They took the thirty pieces of silver, the
price of him upon whom a price had been set, whom some of the
children of Israel priced,
Mat 27:10
and they gave them for the potter's field, as the Lord commanded me."
Mat 27:11
Now Jesus stood before the governor: and the governor asked him,
saying, "Are you the King of the Jews?" Jesus said to him,
"So you say."
Mat 27:12
When he was accused by the chief priests and elders, he answered
nothing.
Mat 27:13
Then Pilate said to him, "Don't you hear how many things they
testify against you?"
Mat 27:14
He gave him no answer, not even one word, so that the governor
marveled greatly.
Mat 27:15
Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to release to the
multitude one prisoner, whom they desired.
Mat 27:16
They had then a notable prisoner, called Barabbas.
Mat 27:17
When therefore they were gathered together, Pilate said to them,
"Whom do you want me to release to you? Barabbas, or Jesus, who
is called Christ?"
Mat 27:18
For he knew that because of envy they had delivered him up.
Mat 27:19
While he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent to him,
saying, "Have nothing to do with that righteous man, for I have
suffered many things this day in a dream because of him."
Mat 27:20
Now the chief priests and the elders persuaded the multitudes to ask
for Barabbas, and destroy Jesus.
Mat 27:21
But the governor answered them, "Which of the two do you want me
to release to you?" They said, "Barabbas!"
Mat 27:22
Pilate said to them, "What then shall I do to Jesus, who is
called Christ?" They all said to him, "Let him be
crucified!"
Mat 27:23
But the governor said, "Why? What evil has he done?" But
they cried out exceedingly, saying, "Let him be crucified!"
Mat 27:24
So when Pilate saw that nothing was being gained, but rather that a
disturbance was starting, he took water, and washed his hands before
the multitude, saying, "I am innocent of the blood of this
righteous person. You see to it."
Mat 27:25
All the people answered, "May his blood be on us, and on our
children!"
Mat 27:26
Then he released to them Barabbas, but Jesus he flogged and delivered
to be crucified.
Mat 27:27
Then the governor's soldiers took Jesus into the Praetorium, and
gathered the whole garrison together against him.
Mat 27:28
They stripped him, and put a scarlet robe on him.
Mat 27:29
They braided a crown of thorns and put it on his head, and a reed in
his right hand; and they kneeled down before him, and mocked him,
saying, "Hail, King of the Jews!"
Mat 27:30
They spat on him, and took the reed and struck him on the head.
Mat 27:31
When they had mocked him, they took the robe off of him, and put his
clothes on him, and led him away to crucify him.
Mat 27:32
As they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name, and they
compelled him to go with them, that he might carry his cross.
Mat 27:33
They came to a place called "Golgotha," that is to say,
"The place of a skull."
Mat 27:34
They gave him sour wine to drink mixed with gall. When he had tasted
it, he would not drink.
Mat 27:35
When they had crucified him, they divided his clothing among them,
casting lots,
Mat 27:36
and they sat and watched him there.
Mat 27:37
They set up over his head the accusation against him written, "THIS
IS JESUS, THE KING OF THE JEWS."
Mat 27:38
Then there were two robbers crucified with him, one on his right hand
and one on the left.
Mat 27:39
Those who passed by blasphemed him, wagging their heads,
Mat 27:40
and saying, "You who destroy the temple, and build it in three
days, save yourself! If you are the Son of God, come down from the
cross!"
Mat 27:41
Likewise the chief priests also mocking, with the scribes, the
Pharisees, and the elders, said,
Mat 27:42
"He saved others, but he can't save himself. If he is the King
of Israel, let him come down from the cross now, and we will believe
in him.
Mat 27:43
He trusts in God. Let God deliver him now, if he wants him; for he
said, 'I am the Son of God.' "
Mat 27:44
The robbers also who were crucified with him cast on him the same
reproach.
Mat 27:45
Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land until
the ninth hour.
Mat 27:46
About the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, "Eli,
Eli, lima sabachthani?" That is, "My God, my God, why have
you forsaken me?"
Mat 27:47
Some of them who stood there, when they heard it, said, "This
man is calling Elijah."
Mat 27:48
Immediately one of them ran, and took a sponge, and filled it with
vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him a drink.
Mat 27:49
The rest said, "Let him be. Let's see whether Elijah comes to
save him."
Mat 27:50
Jesus cried again with a loud voice, and yielded up his spirit.
Mat 27:51
Behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from the top to the
bottom. The earth quaked and the rocks were split.
Mat 27:52
The tombs were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen
asleep were raised;
Mat 27:53
and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection, they entered into
the holy city and appeared to many.
Mat 27:54
Now the centurion, and those who were with him watching Jesus, when
they saw the earthquake, and the things that were done, feared
exceedingly, saying, "Truly this was the Son of God."
Mat 27:55
Many women were there watching from afar, who had followed Jesus from
Galilee, serving him.
Mat 27:56
Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joses,
and the mother of the sons of Zebedee.
Mat 27:57
When evening had come, a rich man from Arimathaea, named Joseph, who
himself was also Jesus' disciple came.
Mat 27:58
This man went to Pilate, and asked for Jesus' body. Then Pilate
commanded the body to be given up.
Mat 27:59
Joseph took the body, and wrapped it in a clean linen cloth,
Mat 27:60
and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had cut out in the rock,
and he rolled a great stone to the door of the tomb, and departed.
Mat 27:61
Mary Magdalene was there, and the other Mary, sitting opposite the
tomb.
Mat 27:62
Now on the next day, which was the day after the Preparation Day, the
chief priests and the Pharisees were gathered together to Pilate,
Mat 27:63
saying, "Sir, we remember what that deceiver said while he was
still alive: 'After three days I will rise again.'
Mat 27:64
Command therefore that the tomb be made secure until the third day,
lest perhaps his disciples come at night and steal him away, and tell
the people, 'He is risen from the dead;' and the last deception will
be worse than the first."
Mat 27:65
Pilate said to them, "You have a guard. Go, make it as secure as
you can."
Mat 27:66
So they went with the guard and made the tomb secure, sealing the
stone.
