THE LORD Comes and Reigns

       A day of THE LORD is coming when your plunder will be divided among you.

       I will gather all the nations to Jerusalem to fight against it; the city will be captured, the houses ransacked, and the women raped. Half of the city will go into exile, but the rest of the people will not be taken from the city.

       Then THE LORD will go out and fight against those nations, as HE fights in the day of battle. On that day HIS feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem, and the Mount of Olives will be split in two from east to west, forming a great valley, with half of the mountain moving north and half moving south. You will flee by MY mountain valley, for it will extend to Azel. You will flee as you fled from the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. Then THE LORD my GOD will come, and all the holy ones with HIM.

       On that day there will be no light, no cold or frost. It will be a unique day, without daytime or nighttime--a day known to THE LORD. When evening comes, there will be light.

       On that day living water will flow out from Jerusalem, half to the eastern sea and half to the western sea, in summer and in winter.

       THE LORD will be king over the whole earth. On that day there will be one LORD, and HIS name the only name.

       The whole land, from Geba to Rimmon, south of Jerusalem, will become like the Arabah. But Jerusalem will be raised up and remain in its place, from the Benjamin Gate to the site of the First Gate, to the Corner Gate, and from the Tower of Hananel to the royal winepress. It will be inhabited; never again will it be destroyed. Jerusalem will be secure.

       This is the plague with which THE LORD will strike all the nations that fought against Jerusalem: Their flesh will rot while they are still standing on their feet, their eyes will rot in their sockets, and their tongues will rot in their mouths. On that day men will be stricken by THE LORD with great panic. Each man will seize the hand of another, and they will attack each other. Judah too will fight at Jerusalem. The wealth of all the surrounding nations will be collected--great quantities of gold and silver and clothing. A similar plague will strike the horses and mules, the camels and donkeys, and all the animals in those camps.

       Then the survivors from all the nations that have attacked Jerusalem will go up year after year to worship THE KING, THE LORD ALMIGHTY, and to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles. If any of the peoples of the earth do not go up to Jerusalem to worship THE KING, THE LORD ALMIGHTY, they will have no rain. If the Egyptian people do not go up and take part, they will have no rain. THE LORD will bring on them the plague HE inflicts on the nations that do not go up to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles. This will be the punishment of Egypt and the punishment of all the nations that do not go up to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles.

       On that day HOLY TO THE LORD will be inscribed on the bells of the horses, and the cooking pots in THE LORD'S house will be like the sacred bowls in front of the altar. Every pot in Jerusalem and Judah will be holy to THE LORD ALMIGHTY, and all who come to sacrifice will take some of the pots and cook in them. And on that day there will no longer be a Canaanite in the house of THE LORD ALMIGHTY.

Zechariah: chapter 14

The Triumphal Entry

       As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives, JESUS sent two of HIS disciples, saying to them, "Go to the village ahead of you, and just as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks you, 'Why are you doing this?' tell him, 'THE LORD needs it and will send it back here shortly.' "

       They went and found a colt outside in the street, tied at a doorway. As they untied it, some people standing there asked, "What are you doing, untying that colt?" They answered as JESUS had told them to, and the people let them go. When they brought the colt to JESUS and threw their cloaks over it, HE sat on it. Many people spread their cloaks on the road, while others spread branches they had cut in the fields. Those who went ahead and those who followed shouted,

       "Hosanna!"

       "Blessed is HE who comes in the name of THE LORD!"

       "Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David!"

       "Hosanna in the highest!"

       JESUS entered Jerusalem and went to the temple. HE looked around at everything, but since it was already late, HE went out to Bethany with the Twelve.

Gospel of Mark: chapter 11, verses 1 - 11

JESUS Clears the Temple

       The next day as they were leaving Bethany, JESUS was hungry. Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, HE went to find out if it had any fruit. When HE reached it, HE found nothing but leaves, because it was not the season for figs. Then HE said to the tree, "May no one ever eat fruit from you again." And HIS disciples heard HIM say it.

       On reaching Jerusalem, JESUS entered the temple area and began driving out those who were buying and selling there. HE overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves, and would not allow anyone to carry merchandise through the temple courts. And as HE taught them, HE said, "Is it not written:

       " 'MY house will be called

          a house of prayer for all nations'?

But you have made it 'a den of robbers.' "

       The chief priests and the teachers of the law heard this and began looking for a way to kill HIM, for they feared HIM, because the whole crowd was amazed at HIS teaching.

       When evening came, they went out of the city.

Gospel of Mark: chapter 11, verses 12 - 19

JESUS Anointed at Bethany

       Now the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread were only two days away, and the chief priests and the teachers of the law were looking for some sly way to arrest JESUS and kill HIM. "But not during the Feast," they said, "or the people may riot."

       While HE was in Bethany reclining at the table in the home of a man known as 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. I tell you the truth, 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.

Gospel of Mark: chapter 14, verses 1 - 11

THE LORD'S Supper

       On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, when it was customary to sacrifice the Passover lamb, JESUS' disciples asked HIM, "Where do YOU want us to go and make preparations for YOU to eat the Passover?"

       So HE sent two of HIS disciples, telling them, "Go into the city, and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him. Say to the owner of the house he enters, 'THE TEACHER asks: Where is MY guest room, where I may eat the Passover with MY disciples?' He will show you a large upper room, furnished and ready. Make preparations for us there."

       The disciples left, went into the city and found things just as JESUS had told them. So they prepared the Passover.

       When evening came, JESUS arrived with the Twelve. While they were reclining at the table eating, HE said, "I tell you the truth, one of you will betray ME--one who is eating with ME."

       They were saddened, and one by one they said to HIM, "Surely not I?"

       "It is one of the Twelve," HE replied, "one who dips bread into the bowl with ME. THE SON OF MAN will go just as it is written about HIM. But woe to that man who betrays THE SON OF MAN! It would be better for him if he had not been born."

       While they were eating, JESUS took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to HIS disciples, saying, "Take it; this is MY body."

       Then HE took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, and they all drank from it.

       "This is MY blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many," HE said to them. "I tell you the truth, I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it anew in the kingdom of GOD."

       When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

Gospel of Mark: chapter 14, verses 12 - 26

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."

       "I tell you the truth," 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.

Gospel of Mark: chapter 14, verses 27 - 31

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? Could you not keep watch for one hour? Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body 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 betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise! Let us go! Here comes MY betrayer!"

Gospel of Mark: chapter 14, verses 32 - 42

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.

Gospel of Mark: chapter 14, verses 43 - 52

Before the Sanhedrin

       They took JESUS to the high priest, and all the chief priests, elders and 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 man-made temple and in three days will build another, not made by man.' " 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 Christ, 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.

Gospel of Mark: chapter 14, verses 53 - 65

Peter Disowns JESUS

       While Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the servant girls of the high priest came by. When she saw Peter warming himself, she looked closely at him.

       "You also were with that Nazarene, Jesus," she said.

       But he denied it. "I don't know or understand what you're talking about," he said, and went out into the entryway.

       When the servant girl saw him there, she said again to those standing around, "This fellow is one of them." Again he denied it.

       After a little while, those standing near said to Peter, "Surely you are one of them, for you are a Galilean."

       He began to call down curses on himself, and he swore to them, "I don't know this man you're talking about."

       Immediately the rooster crowed the second time. Then Peter remembered the word JESUS had spoken to him: "Before the rooster crows twice you will disown ME three times." And he broke down and wept.

Gospel of Mark: chapter 14, verses 66 - 72