Tuesday, February 25, 2025

^1:1Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to those who are called, sanctified by God the Father, and kept for Jesus Christ: ²May mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you. ³Beloved, while I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I was constrained to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. ⁴For there are certain men who crept in secretly, even those who were long ago written about for this condemnation: ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into indecency, and denying our only Master, God, and Lord, Jesus Christ. ⁵Now I desire to remind you, though you already know this, that the Lord, having saved a people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who didn’t believe. ⁶Angels who didn’t keep their first domain, but deserted their own dwelling place, he has kept in everlasting bonds under darkness for the judgment of the great day. ⁷Even as Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities around them, having in the same way as these given themselves over to sexual immorality and gone after strange flesh, are shown as an example, suffering the punishment of eternal fire. ⁸Yet in the same way, these also in their dreaming defile the flesh, despise authority, and slander celestial beings. ⁹But Michael, the archangel, when contending with the devil and arguing about the body of Moses, dared not bring against him an abusive condemnation, but said, “May the Lord rebuke you!” ¹⁰But these speak evil of whatever things they don’t know. They are destroyed in these things that they understand naturally, like the creatures without reason.

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^22:39He came out and went, as his custom was, to the Mount of Olives. His disciples also followed him. ⁴⁰When he was at the place, he said to them, “Pray that you don’t enter into temptation.” ⁴¹He was withdrawn from them about a stone’s throw, and he knelt down and prayed, ⁴²saying, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.” ⁴⁵When he rose up from his prayer, he came to the disciples and found them sleeping because of grief, ⁴⁶and said to them, “Why do you sleep? Rise and pray that you may not enter into temptation.” ⁴⁷While he was still speaking, a crowd appeared. He who was called Judas, one of the twelve, was leading them. He came near to Jesus to kiss him. ⁴⁸But Jesus said to him, “Judas, do you betray the Son of Man with a kiss?” ⁴⁹When those who were around him saw what was about to happen, they said to him, “Lord, shall we strike with the sword?” ⁵⁰A certain one of them struck the servant of the high priest, and cut off his right ear. ⁵¹But Jesus answered, “Let me at least do this”—and he touched his ear and healed him. ⁵²Jesus said to the chief priests, captains of the temple, and elders, who had come against him, “Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs? ⁵³When I was with you in the temple daily, you didn’t stretch out your hands against me. But this is your hour, and the power of darkness.” ⁵⁴They seized him and led him away, and brought him into the high priest’s house. But Peter followed from a distance. ⁵⁵When they had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and had sat down together, Peter sat among them. ⁵⁶A certain servant girl saw him as he sat in the light, and looking intently at him, said, “This man also was with him.” ⁵⁷He denied Jesus, saying, “Woman, I don’t know him.” ⁵⁸After a little while someone else saw him and said, “You also are one of them!” But Peter answered, “Man, I am not!” ⁵⁹After about one hour passed, another confidently affirmed, saying, “Truly this man also was with him, for he is a Galilean!” ⁶⁰But Peter said, “Man, I don’t know what you are talking about!” Immediately, while he was still speaking, a rooster crowed. ⁶¹The Lord turned and looked at Peter. Then Peter remembered the Lord’s word, how he said to him, “Before the rooster crows you will deny me three times.” ⁶²He went out, and wept bitterly. ⁶³The men who held Jesus mocked him and beat him. ⁶⁴Having blindfolded him, they struck him on the face and asked him, “Prophesy! Who is the one who struck you?” ⁶⁵They spoke many other things against him, insulting him. ⁶⁶As soon as it was day, the assembly of the elders of the people were gathered together, both chief priests and scribes, and they led him away into their council, saying, ⁶⁷“If you are the Christ, tell us.” But he said to them, “If I tell you, you won’t believe, ⁶⁸and if I ask, you will in no way answer me or let me go. ⁶⁹From now on, the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the power of God.” ⁷⁰They all said, “Are you then the Son of God?” He said to them, “You say it, because I am.” ⁷¹They said, “Why do we need any more witness? For we ourselves have heard from his own mouth!” ^23:1The whole company of them rose up and brought him before Pilate.

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