Wednesday, March 3, 2027

^3:21Beloved, if our hearts don’t condemn us, we have boldness toward God; ²²so whatever we ask, we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do the things that are pleasing in his sight. ²³This is his commandment, that we should believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another, even as he commanded. ²⁴He who keeps his commandments remains in him, and he in him. By this we know that he remains in us, by the Spirit which he gave us. ^4:1Beloved, don’t believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. ²By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit who confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, ³and every spirit who doesn’t confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God; and this is the spirit of the Antichrist, of whom you have heard that it comes. Now it is in the world already. ⁴You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because greater is he who is in you than he who is in the world. ⁵They are of the world. Therefore they speak of the world, and the world hears them. ⁶We are of God. He who knows God listens to us. He who is not of God doesn’t listen to us. By this we know the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.

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^14:43Immediately, while he was still speaking, Judas, one of the twelve, came—and with him a multitude with swords and clubs, from the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders. ⁴⁴Now he who betrayed him had given them a sign, saying, “Whomever I will kiss, that is he. Seize him, and lead him away safely.” ⁴⁵When he had come, immediately he came to him and said, “Rabbi! Rabbi!” and kissed him. ⁴⁶They laid their hands on him and seized him. ⁴⁷But a certain one of those who stood by drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear. ⁴⁸Jesus answered them, “Have you come out, as against a robber, with swords and clubs to seize me? ⁴⁹I was daily with you in the temple teaching, and you didn’t arrest me. But this is so that the Scriptures might be fulfilled.” ⁵⁰They all left him, and fled. ⁵¹A certain young man followed him, having a linen cloth thrown around himself over his naked body. The young men grabbed him, ⁵²but he left the linen cloth and fled from them naked. ⁵³They led Jesus away to the high priest. All the chief priests, the elders, and the scribes came together with him. ⁵⁴Peter had followed him from a distance, until he came into the court of the high priest. He was sitting with the officers, and warming himself in the light of the fire. ⁵⁵Now the chief priests and the whole council sought witnesses against Jesus to put him to death, and found none. ⁵⁶For many gave false testimony against him, and their testimony didn’t agree with each other. ⁵⁷Some stood up and gave false testimony against him, saying, ⁵⁸“We heard him say, ‘I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and in three days I will build another made without hands.’” ⁵⁹Even so, their testimony didn’t agree. ⁶⁰The high priest stood up in the middle, and asked Jesus, “Have you no answer? What is it which these testify against you?” ⁶¹But he stayed quiet, and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked him, “Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?” ⁶²Jesus said, “I am. You will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of the sky.” ⁶³The high priest tore his clothes and said, “What further need have we of witnesses? ⁶⁴You have heard the blasphemy! What do you think?” They all condemned him to be worthy of death. ⁶⁵Some began to spit on him, and to cover his face, and to beat him with fists, and to tell him, “Prophesy!” The officers struck him with the palms of their hands. ⁶⁶As Peter was in the courtyard below, one of the maids of the high priest came, ⁶⁷and seeing Peter warming himself, she looked at him and said, “You were also with the Nazarene, Jesus!” ⁶⁸But he denied it, saying, “I neither know nor understand what you are saying.” He went out on the porch, and the rooster crowed. ⁶⁹The maid saw him and began again to tell those who stood by, “This is one of them.” ⁷⁰But he again denied it. After a little while again those who stood by said to Peter, “You truly are one of them, for you are a Galilean, and your speech shows it.” ⁷¹But he began to curse and to swear, “I don’t know this man of whom you speak!” ⁷²The rooster crowed the second time. Peter remembered the words that Jesus said to him, “Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.” When he thought about that, he wept. ^15:1Immediately in the morning the chief priests, with the elders, scribes, and the whole council, held a consultation, bound Jesus, carried him away, and delivered him up to Pilate.

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