— — — —

Gospel Reading:
Jesus Before the Sanhedrin

They took Jesus to the high priest,
and all the chief priests,
the elders and the teachers of the law came together.
 Peter followed him at a distance,
right into the courtyard of the high priest.
There he sat with the guards and warmed himself at the fire.

The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for evidence against Jesus
so that they could put him to death, but they did not find any.
Many testified falsely against him,
but their statements did not agree.

Then some stood up and gave this false testimony against him:
 “We heard him say,
‘I will destroy this temple made with human hands
and in three days will build another, not made with hands.’”
Yet even then their testimony did not agree.

Then the high priest stood up before them and asked Jesus,
“Are you not going to answer?
What is this testimony that these men are bringing against you?”
But Jesus remained silent and gave no answer.

Again the high priest asked him,
“Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?”

 “I am,” said Jesus.
“And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One
and coming on the clouds of heaven.”

The high priest tore his clothes.
“Why do we need any more witnesses?” he asked.
 “You have heard the blasphemy. What do you think?”

They all condemned him as worthy of death.
 Then some began to spit at him; they blindfolded him,
struck him with their fists, and said, “Prophesy!”
And the guards took him and beat him.
(Mark 14:53-65).

* * *

God sent his Son to be the Savior of the world.
We saw his son and are now telling others about him.
(1 John 4:14 NIV)

   — — — —

Gospel Reading:
Jesus Arrested

Just as he was speaking,
Judas, one of the Twelve, appeared.
With him was a crowd armed with swords and clubs,
sent from the chief priests,
the teachers of the law, and the elders.

Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them:
“The one I kiss is the man;
arrest him and lead him away under guard.”
 Going at once to Jesus, Judas said, “Rabbi!” and kissed him.
 The men seized Jesus and arrested him.
Then one of those standing near drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest,
cutting off his ear.

“Am I leading a rebellion,” said Jesus,
“that you have come out with swords and clubs to capture me?
 Every day I was with you,
teaching in the temple courts,
and you did not arrest me. But the Scriptures must be fulfilled.”
 Then everyone deserted him and fled.

A young man, wearing nothing but a linen garment,
was following Jesus. When they seized him,
he fled naked, leaving his garment behind.
(Mark 14:43-52).

* * *

God sent his Son to be the Savior of the world.
We saw his son and are now telling others about him.
(1 John 4:14 NIV)

   — — — —

Gospel Reading:
Gethsemane

They went to a place called Gethsemane,
and Jesus said to his disciples,
“Sit here while I pray.”
 He took Peter, James and John along with him,
and he began to be deeply distressed and troubled.
 “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death,”
he said to them. “Stay here and keep watch.”

 Going a little farther,
he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him.
 “Abba, Father,” he said, “everything is possible for you.
Take this cup from me.
Yet not what I will, but what you will.”

 Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping.
“Simon,” he said to Peter, “are you asleep?
Couldn’t you keep watch for one hour?
Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.
The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

Once more he went away and prayed the same thing.
 When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy.
They did not know what to say to him.

 Returning the third time, he said to them,
“Are you still sleeping and resting?
Enough! The hour has come.
Look, the Son of Man is delivered into the hands of sinners.
 Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer!”
(Mark 14:32-42).

* * *

God sent his Son to be the Savior of the world.
We saw his son and are now telling others about him.
(1 John 4:14 NIV)

   — — — —

Gospel Reading:
Jesus Predicts Peter’s Denial

“You will all fall away,”
Jesus told them, “for it is written:

“‘I will strike the shepherd,
    and the sheep will be scattered.’

But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.”

 Peter declared, “Even if all fall away, I will not.”

 “Truly I tell you,” Jesus answered,
“today—yes, tonight—before the rooster crows twice
 you yourself will disown me three times.”

 But Peter insisted emphatically,
“Even if I have to die with you,
I will never disown you.”
And all the others said the same.
(Mark 14:27-31).

* * *

God sent his Son to be the Savior of the world.
We saw his son and are now telling others about him.
(1 John 4:14 NIV)

   — — — —

Gospel Reading:
Jesus Anointed at Bethany

Now the Passover and the Festival of Unleavened Bread were only two days away,
and the chief priests
and the teachers of the law were scheming to arrest Jesus secretly and kill him.
“But not during the festival,” they said, “or the people may riot.”

While he was in Bethany, reclining at the table in the home of Simon the Leper,
a woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume,
made of pure nard.
She broke the jar and poured the perfume on his head.

 Some of those present were saying indignantly to one another,
“Why this waste of perfume?
It could have been sold for more than a year’s wages
and the money given to the poor.”
And they rebuked her harshly.

 “Leave her alone,” said Jesus.
“Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me.
 The poor you will always have with you,
 and you can help them any time you want.
But you will not always have me.
 She did what she could.
She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial.
 Truly I tell you, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world,
what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.”

Then Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve,
went to the chief priests to betray Jesus to them.
 They were delighted to hear this and promised to give him money.
So he watched for an opportunity to hand him over.
(Mark 14:1-11).

* * *

God sent his Son to be the Savior of the world.
We saw his son and are now telling others about him.
(1 John 4:14 NIV)