Tuesday of Holy Week

1Verse 1. Listen to Me, O islands; pay attention, O distant peoples: The LORD called Me from the womb; from the body of My mother He named Me. 2Verse 2. He made My mouth like a sharp sword; He hid Me in the shadow of His hand. He made Me like a polished arrow; He hid Me in His quiver. 3Verse 3. He said to Me, “You are My Servant, Israel, in whom I will display My glory.” 4Verse 4. But I said, “I have labored in vain, I have spent My strength in futility and vanity; yet My vindication is with the LORD, and My reward is with My God.” 5Verse 5. And now says the LORD, who formed Me from the womb to be His Servant, to bring Jacob back to Him, that Israel might be gathered to Him— for I am honored in the sight of the LORD, and My God is My strength— 6Verse 6. He says: “It is not enough for You to be My Servant, to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the protected ones of Israel. I will also make You a light for the nations, to bring My salvation to the ends of the earth.” 7Verse 7. Thus says the LORD, the Redeemer and Holy One of Israel, to Him who was despised and abhorred by the nation, to the Servant of rulers: “Kings will see You and rise, and princes will bow down, because of the LORD, who is faithful, the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen You.”

18Verse 18. For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19Verse 19. For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.” 20Verse 20. Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21Verse 21. For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know Him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. 22Verse 22. Jews demand signs and Greeks search for wisdom, 23Verse 23. but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, 24Verse 24. but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25Verse 25. For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength. 26Verse 26. Brothers, consider the time of your calling: Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were powerful; not many were of noble birth. 27Verse 27. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 28Verse 28. He chose the lowly and despised things of the world, and the things that are not, to nullify the things that are, 29Verse 29. so that no one may boast in His presence. 30Verse 30. It is because of Him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God: our righteousness, holiness, and redemption. 31Verse 31. Therefore, as it is written: “Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.”

20Verse 20. Now there were some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the feast. 21Verse 21. They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and requested of him, “Sir, we want to see Jesus.” 22Verse 22. Philip relayed this appeal to Andrew, and both of them went and told Jesus. 23Verse 23. But Jesus replied, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24Verse 24. Truly, truly, I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a seed. But if it dies, it bears much fruit. 25Verse 25. Whoever loves his life will lose it, but whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26Verse 26. If anyone serves Me, he must follow Me; and where I am, My servant will be as well. If anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him. 27Verse 27. Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? No, it is for this purpose that I have come to this hour. 28Verse 28. Father, glorify Your name!” Then a voice came from heaven: “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.” 29Verse 29. The crowd standing there heard it and said that it had thundered. Others said that an angel had spoken to Him. 30Verse 30. In response, Jesus said, “This voice was not for My benefit, but yours. 31Verse 31. Now judgment is upon this world; now the prince of this world will be cast out. 32Verse 32. And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw everyone to Myself.” 33Verse 33. He said this to indicate the kind of death He was going to die. 34Verse 34. The crowd replied, “We have heard from the Law that the Christ will remain forever. So how can You say that the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man?” 35Verse 35. Then Jesus told them, “For a little while longer, the Light will be among you. Walk while you have the Light, so that darkness will not overtake you. The one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going. 36Verse 36. While you have the Light, believe in the Light, so that you may become sons of light.” After Jesus had spoken these things, He went away and was hidden from them.