Good Friday

13Verse 13. Behold, My Servant will prosper; He will be raised and lifted up and highly exalted. 14Verse 14. Just as many were appalled at Him — His appearance was disfigured beyond that of any man, and His form was marred beyond human likeness— 15Verse 15. so He will sprinkle many nations. Kings will shut their mouths because of Him. For they will see what they have not been told, and they will understand what they have not heard. 1Verse 1. Who has believed our message? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed? 2Verse 2. He grew up before Him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no stately form or majesty to attract us, no beauty that we should desire Him. 3Verse 3. He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief. Like one from whom men hide their faces, He was despised, and we esteemed Him not. 4Verse 4. Surely He took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows; yet we considered Him stricken, struck down by God, and afflicted. 5Verse 5. But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed. 6Verse 6. We all like sheep have gone astray, each one has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid upon Him the iniquity of us all. 7Verse 7. He was oppressed and afflicted, yet He did not open His mouth. He was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so He did not open His mouth. 8Verse 8. By oppression and judgment He was taken away, and who can recount His descendants? For He was cut off from the land of the living; He was stricken for the transgression of My people. 9Verse 9. He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with a rich man in His death, although He had done no violence, nor was any deceit in His mouth. 10Verse 10. Yet it was the LORD’s will to crush Him and to cause Him to suffer; and when His soul is made a guilt offering, He will see His offspring, He will prolong His days, and the good pleasure of the LORD will prosper in His hand. 11Verse 11. After the anguish of His soul, He will see the light of life and be satisfied. By His knowledge My righteous Servant will justify many, and He will bear their iniquities. 12Verse 12. Therefore I will allot Him a portion with the great, and He will divide the spoils with the strong, because He has poured out His life unto death, and He was numbered with the transgressors. Yet He bore the sin of many and made intercession for the transgressors.

16Verse 16. “This is the covenant I will make with them after those days, declares the Lord. I will put My laws in their hearts and inscribe them on their minds.” 17Verse 17. Then He adds: “Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more.” 18Verse 18. And where these have been forgiven, an offering for sin is no longer needed. 19Verse 19. Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, 20Verse 20. by the new and living way opened for us through the curtain of His body, 21Verse 21. and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22Verse 22. let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. 23Verse 23. Let us hold resolutely to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful. 24Verse 24. And let us consider how to spur one another on to love and good deeds. 25Verse 25. Let us not neglect meeting together, as some have made a habit, but let us encourage one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

14Verse 14. Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we profess. 15Verse 15. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who was tempted in every way that we are, yet was without sin. 16Verse 16. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. 7Verse 7. During the days of Jesus’ earthly life, He offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the One who could save Him from death, and He was heard because of His reverence. 8Verse 8. Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from what He suffered. 9Verse 9. And having been made perfect, He became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey Him

1Verse 1. After Jesus had spoken these words, He went out with His disciples across the Kidron Valley, where they entered a garden. 2Verse 2. Now Judas His betrayer also knew the place, because Jesus had often met there with His disciples. 3Verse 3. So Judas brought a band of soldiers and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees. They arrived at the garden carrying lanterns, torches, and weapons. 4Verse 4. Jesus, knowing all that was coming upon Him, stepped forward and asked them, “Whom are you seeking?” 5Verse 5. “Jesus of Nazareth,” they answered. Jesus said, “I am He.” And Judas His betrayer was standing there with them. 6Verse 6. When Jesus said, “I am He,” they drew back and fell to the ground. 7Verse 7. So He asked them again, “Whom are you seeking?” “Jesus of Nazareth,” they answered. 8Verse 8. “I told you that I am He,” Jesus replied. “So if you are looking for Me, let these men go.” 9Verse 9. This was to fulfill the word He had spoken: “I have not lost one of those You have given Me.” 10Verse 10. Then Simon Peter drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his right ear. The servant’s name was Malchus. 11Verse 11. “Put your sword back in its sheath!” Jesus said to Peter. “Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given Me?” 12Verse 12. Then the band of soldiers, with its commander and the officers of the Jews, arrested Jesus and bound Him. 13Verse 13. They brought Him first to Annas, who was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, the high priest that year. 14Verse 14. Caiaphas was the one who had advised the Jews that it would be better if one man died for the people. 15Verse 15. Now Simon Peter and another disciple were following Jesus. Since that disciple was known to the high priest, he also went with Jesus into the courtyard of the high priest. 16Verse 16. But Peter stood outside at the door. Then the disciple who was known to the high priest went out and spoke to the doorkeeper, and brought Peter in. 17Verse 17. At this, the servant girl watching the door said to Peter, “Aren’t you also one of this man’s disciples?” “I am not,” he answered. 18Verse 18. Because it was cold, the servants and officers were standing around a charcoal fire they had made to keep warm. And Peter was also standing with them, warming himself. 19Verse 19. Meanwhile, the high priest questioned Jesus about His disciples and His teaching. 20Verse 20. “I have spoken openly to the world,” Jesus answered. “I always taught in the synagogues and at the temple, where all the Jews come together. I said nothing in secret. 21Verse 21. Why are you asking Me? Ask those who heard My message. Surely they know what I said.” 22Verse 22. When Jesus had said this, one of the officers standing nearby slapped Him in the face and said, “Is this how You answer the high priest?” 23Verse 23. Jesus replied, “If I said something wrong, testify as to what was wrong. But if I spoke correctly, why did you strike Me?” 24Verse 24. Then Annas sent Him, still bound, to Caiaphas the high priest. 25Verse 25. Simon Peter was still standing and warming himself. So they asked him, “Aren’t you also one of His disciples?” He denied it and said, “I am not.” 26Verse 26. One of the high priest’s servants, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, asked, “Didn’t I see you with Him in the garden?” 27Verse 27. Peter denied it once more, and immediately a rooster crowed. 28Verse 28. Then they led Jesus away from Caiaphas into the Praetorium. By now it was early morning, and the Jews did not enter the Praetorium, to avoid being defiled and unable to eat the Passover. 29Verse 29. So Pilate went out to them and asked, “What accusation are you bringing against this man?” 30Verse 30. “If He were not a criminal,” they replied, “we would not have handed Him over to you.” 31Verse 31. “You take Him and judge Him by your own law,” Pilate told them. “We are not permitted to execute anyone,” the Jews replied. 32Verse 32. This was to fulfill the word that Jesus had spoken to indicate the kind of death He was going to die. 33Verse 33. Pilate went back into the Praetorium, summoned Jesus, and asked Him, “Are You the King of the Jews?” 34Verse 34. “Are you saying this on your own,” Jesus asked, “or did others tell you about Me?” 35Verse 35. “Am I a Jew?” Pilate replied. “Your own people and chief priests handed You over to me. What have You done?” 36Verse 36. Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world; if it were, My servants would fight to prevent My arrest by the Jews. But now My kingdom is not of this realm.” 37Verse 37. “Then You are a king!” Pilate said. “You say that I am a king,” Jesus answered. “For this reason I was born and have come into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to My voice.” 38Verse 38. “What is truth?” Pilate asked. And having said this, he went out again to the Jews and told them, “I find no basis for a charge against Him. 39Verse 39. But it is your custom that I release to you one prisoner at the Passover. So then, do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?” 40Verse 40. “Not this man,” they shouted, “but Barabbas!” ( Now Barabbas was an insurrectionist. ) 1Verse 1. Then Pilate took Jesus and had Him flogged. 2Verse 2. The soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns, set it on His head, and dressed Him in a purple robe. 3Verse 3. And they went up to Him again and again, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” and slapping Him in the face. 4Verse 4. Once again Pilate came out and said to the Jews, “Look, I am bringing Him out to you to let you know that I find no basis for a charge against Him.” 5Verse 5. When Jesus came out wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe, Pilate said to them, “Here is the man!” 6Verse 6. As soon as the chief priests and officers saw Him, they shouted, “Crucify Him! Crucify Him!” “You take Him and crucify Him,” Pilate replied, “for I find no basis for a charge against Him.” 7Verse 7. “We have a law,” answered the Jews, “and according to that law He must die, because He declared Himself to be the Son of God.” 8Verse 8. When Pilate heard this statement, he was even more afraid, 9Verse 9. and he went back into the Praetorium. “Where are You from?” he asked. But Jesus gave no answer. 10Verse 10. So Pilate said to Him, “Do You refuse to speak to me? Do You not know that I have authority to release You and authority to crucify You?” 11Verse 11. Jesus answered, “You would have no authority over Me if it were not given to you from above. Therefore the one who handed Me over to you is guilty of greater sin.” 12Verse 12. From then on, Pilate tried to release Him, but the Jews kept shouting, “If you release this man, you are no friend of Caesar. Anyone who declares himself a king is defying Caesar.” 13Verse 13. When Pilate heard these words, he brought Jesus out and sat on the judgment seat at a place called the Stone Pavement, which in Hebrew is Gabbatha. 14Verse 14. It was the day of Preparation for the Passover, about the sixth hour. And Pilate said to the Jews, “Here is your King!” 15Verse 15. At this, they shouted, “Away with Him! Away with Him! Crucify Him!” “Shall I crucify your King?” Pilate asked. “We have no king but Caesar,” replied the chief priests. 16Verse 16. Then Pilate handed Jesus over to be crucified, and the soldiers took Him away. 17Verse 17. Carrying His own cross, He went out to The Place of the Skull, which in Hebrew is called Golgotha. 18Verse 18. There they crucified Him, and with Him two others, one on each side, with Jesus in the middle. 19Verse 19. Pilate also had a notice posted on the cross. It read: JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS. 20Verse 20. Many of the Jews read this sign, because the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and it was written in Hebrew, Latin, and Greek. 21Verse 21. So the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, “Do not write, ‘The King of the Jews,’ but only that He said, ‘I am the King of the Jews.’ ” 22Verse 22. Pilate answered, “What I have written, I have written.” 23Verse 23. When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they divided His garments into four parts, one for each soldier, with the tunic remaining. It was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom. 24Verse 24. So they said to one another, “Let us not tear it. Instead, let us cast lots to see who will get it.” This was to fulfill the Scripture: “They divided My garments among them, and cast lots for My clothing.” So that is what the soldiers did. 25Verse 25. Near the cross of Jesus stood His mother and her sister, as well as Mary the wife of Clopas and Mary Magdalene. 26Verse 26. When Jesus saw His mother and the disciple whom He loved standing nearby, He said to His mother, “Woman, here is your son.” 27Verse 27. Then He said to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” So from that hour, this disciple took her into his home. 28Verse 28. After this, knowing that everything had now been accomplished, and to fulfill the Scripture, Jesus said, “I am thirsty.” 29Verse 29. A jar of sour wine was sitting there. So they soaked a sponge in the wine, put it on a stalk of hyssop, and lifted it to His mouth. 30Verse 30. When Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished.” And bowing His head, He yielded up His spirit. 31Verse 31. It was the day of Preparation, and the next day was a High Sabbath. In order that the bodies would not remain on the cross during the Sabbath, the Jews asked Pilate to have the legs broken and the bodies removed. 32Verse 32. So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first man who had been crucified with Jesus, and those of the other. 33Verse 33. But when they came to Jesus and saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs. 34Verse 34. Instead, one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water flowed out. 35Verse 35. The one who saw it has testified to this, and his testimony is true. He knows that he is telling the truth, so that you also may believe. 36Verse 36. Now these things happened so that the Scripture would be fulfilled: “Not one of His bones will be broken.” 37Verse 37. And, as another Scripture says: “They will look on the One they have pierced.” 38Verse 38. Afterward, Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus (but secretly for fear of the Jews), asked Pilate to let him remove the body of Jesus. Pilate gave him permission, so he came and removed His body. 39Verse 39. Nicodemus, who had previously come to Jesus at night, also brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds. 40Verse 40. So they took the body of Jesus and wrapped it in linen cloths with the spices, according to the Jewish burial custom. 41Verse 41. Now there was a garden in the place where Jesus was crucified, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid. 42Verse 42. And because it was the Jewish day of Preparation and the tomb was nearby, they placed Jesus there.