Weymouth New Testament in Modern Speech, Luke Part 9

021:025 "There will be signs in sun, moon, and stars; and on earth anguish among the nations in their bewilderment at the roaring of the sea and its billows; 021:026 while men's hearts are fainting for fear, and for anxious expectation of what is coming on the world. For the forces which control the heavens will be disordered and disturbed.

021:027 And then will they see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with great power and glory.

021:028 But when all this is beginning to take place, grieve no longer.

Lift up your heads, because your deliverance is drawing near."

021:029 And He spoke a parable to them. "See," He said, "the fig-tree and all the trees.

021:030 As soon as they have shot out their leaves, you know at a glance that summer is now near.

021:031 So also, when you see these things happening, you may be sure that the Kingdom of G.o.d is near.

021:032 I tell you in solemn truth that the present generation will certainly not pa.s.s away without all these things having first taken place.

021:033 Earth and sky will pa.s.s away, but it is certain that my words will not pa.s.s away.

021:034 "But take heed to yourselves, lest your souls be weighed down with self-indulgence and drunkenness or the anxieties of this life, and that day come upon you, suddenly, like a falling trap; 021:035 for it will come on all dwellers on the face of the whole earth.

021:036 But beware of slumbering; and every moment pray that you may be fully strengthened to escape from all these coming evils, and to take your stand in the presence of the Son of Man."

021:037 His habit at this time was to teach in the Temple by day, but to go out and spend the night on the Mount called the Oliveyard.

021:038 And all the people came to Him in the Temple, early in the morning, to listen to Him.

022:001 Meanwhile the Festival of the Unleavened Bread, called the Pa.s.sover, was approaching, 022:002 and the High Priests and the Scribes were contriving how to destroy Him. But they feared the people.

022:003 Satan, however, entered into Judas (the man called Iscariot) who was one of the Twelve.

022:004 He went and conferred with the High Priests and Commanders as to how he should deliver Him up to them.

022:005 This gave them great pleasure, and they agreed to pay him.

022:006 He accepted their offer, and then looked out for an opportunity to betray Him when the people were not there.

022:007 When the day of the Unleavened Bread came--the day for the Pa.s.sover lamb to be sacrificed-- 022:008 Jesus sent Peter and John with instructions. "Go," He said, "and prepare the Pa.s.sover for us, that we may eat it."

022:009 "Where shall we prepare it?" they asked.

022:010 "You will no sooner have entered the city," He replied, "than you will meet a man carrying a pitcher of water.

Follow him into the house to which he goes, 022:011 and say to the master of the house, "'The Rabbi asks you, Where is the room where I can eat the Pa.s.sover with my disciples?'

022:012 "And he will show you a large furnished room upstairs.

There make your preparations."

022:013 So they went and found all as He had told them; and they got the Pa.s.sover ready.

022:014 When the time was come, and He had taken His place at table, and the Apostles with Him, 022:015 He said to them, "Earnestly have I longed to eat this Pa.s.sover with you before I suffer; 022:016 for I tell you that I certainly shall not eat one again till its full meaning has been brought out in the Kingdom of G.o.d."

022:017 Then, having received the cup and given thanks, He said, "Take this and share it among yourselves; 022:018 for I tell you that from this time I will never drink the produce of the vine till the Kingdom of G.o.d has come."

022:019 Then, taking a Pa.s.sover biscuit, He gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, "This is my body which is being given on your behalf: this do in remembrance of me."

022:020 He gave them the cup in like manner, when the meal was over.

"This cup," He said, "is the new Covenant ratified by my blood which is to be poured out on your behalf.

022:021 Yet the hand of him who is betraying me is at the table with me.

022:022 For indeed the Son of Man goes on His way--His pre-destined way; yet alas for that man who is betraying Him!"

022:023 Thereupon they began to discuss with one another which of them it could possibly be who was about to do this.

022:024 There arose also a dispute among them which of them should be regarded as greatest.

022:025 But He said to them, "The kings of the Gentiles are their masters, and those who exercise authority over them are called Benefactors.

022:026 With you it is not so; but let the greatest among you be as the younger, and the leader be like him who serves.

022:027 For which is the greater--he who sits at table, or he who waits on him? Is it not he who sits at table?

But my position among you is that of one who waits on others.

022:028 You however have remained with me amid my trials; 022:029 and I covenant to give you, as my Father has covenanted to give me, a Kingdom-- 022:030 so that you shall eat and drink at my table in my Kingdom, and sit on thrones as judges over the twelve tribes of Israel.

022:031 "Simon, Simon, I tell you that Satan has obtained permission to have all of you to sift as wheat is sifted.

022:032 But *I* have prayed for *you* that your faith may not fail, and you, when at last you have come back to your true self, must strengthen your brethren."

022:033 "Master," replied Peter, "with you I am ready to go both to prison and to death."

022:034 "I tell you, Peter," said Jesus, "that the c.o.c.k will not crow to-day till you have three times denied that you know me."

022:035 Then He asked them, "When I sent you out without purse or bag or shoes, was there anything you needed?"

"No, nothing," they replied.

022:036 "But now," said He, "let the one who has a purse take it, and he who has a bag must do the same. And let him who has no sword sell his outer garment and buy one.

022:037 For I tell you that those words of Scripture must yet find their fulfilment in me: 'And He was reckoned among the lawless'; for indeed that saying about me has its accomplishment."

022:038 "Master, here are two swords," they exclaimed.

"That is enough," He replied.

022:039 On going out, He proceeded as usual to the Mount of Olives, and His disciples followed Him.

022:040 But when He arrived at the place, He said to them, "Pray that you may not come into temptation."

022:041 But He Himself withdrew from them about a stone's throw, and knelt down and prayed repeatedly, saying, 022:042 "Father, if it be Thy will, take this cup away from me; yet not my will but Thine be done!"

022:043 And there appeared to Him an angel from Heaven, strengthening Him; 022:044 while He--an agony of distress having come upon Him-- prayed all the more with intense earnestness, and His sweat became like clots of blood dropping on the ground.

022:045 When He rose from his prayer and came to His disciples, He found them sleeping for sorrow.

022:046 "Why are you sleeping?" He said; "stand up; and pray that you may not come into temptation."

022:047 While He was still speaking there came a crowd with Judas, already mentioned as one of the Twelve, at their head.

He went up to Jesus to kiss Him.

022:048 "Judas," said Jesus, "are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?"

022:049 Those who were about Him, seeing what was likely to happen, asked Him, "Master, shall we strike with the sword?"

022:050 And one of them struck a blow at the High Priest's servant and cut off his right ear.

022:051 "Permit me thus far," said Jesus. And He touched the ear and healed it.

022:052 Then Jesus said to the High Priests and Commanders of the Temple and Elders, who had come to arrest Him, "Have you come out as if to fight with a robber, with swords and cudgels?

022:053 While day after day I was with you in the Temple, you did not lay hands upon me; but to you belongs this hour-- and the power of darkness."

022:054 And they arrested Him and led Him away, and brought Him to the High Priest's house, while Peter followed a good way behind.

022:055 And when they had lighted a fire in the middle of the court and had seated themselves in a group round it, Peter was sitting among them, 022:056 when a maidservant saw him sitting by the fire, and, looking fixedly at him, she said, "This man also was with him."

022:057 But he denied it, and declared, "Woman, I do not know him."

022:058 Shortly afterwards a man saw him and said, "You, too, are one of them." "No, man, I am not," said Peter.

022:059 After an interval of about an hour some one else stoutly maintained: "Certainly this fellow also was with him, for in fact he is a Galilaean."

022:060 "Man, I don't know what you mean," replied Peter.

No sooner had he spoken than a c.o.c.k crowed.

022:061 The Master turned and looked on Peter; and Peter recollected the Master's words, how He had said to him, "This very day, before the c.o.c.k crows, you will disown me three times."

022:062 And he went out and wept aloud bitterly.

022:063 Meanwhile the men who held Jesus in custody repeatedly beat Him in cruel sport, 022:064 or blindfolded Him, and then challenged Him. "Prove to us,"

they said, "that you are a prophet, by telling us who it was that struck you."

022:065 And they said many other insulting things to Him.

022:066 As soon as it was day, the whole body of the Elders, both High Priests and Scribes, a.s.sembled. Then He was brought into their Sanhedrin, and they asked Him, 022:067 "Are you the Christ? Tell us." "If I tell you," He replied, "you will certainly not believe; 022:068 and if I ask you questions, you will certainly not answer.

022:069 But from this time forward the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of G.o.d's omnipotence."

022:070 Thereupon they cried out with one voice, "You, then, are the Son of G.o.d?" "It is as you say," He answered; "I am He."

022:071 "What need have we of further evidence?" they said; "for we ourselves have heard it from his own lips."

023:001 Then the whole a.s.sembly rose and brought Him to Pilate, and began to accuse Him.

023:002 "We have found this man," they said, "an agitator among our nation, forbidding the payment of tribute to Caesar, and claiming to be himself an anointed king."

023:003 Then Pilate asked Him, "You, then, are the King of the Jews?" "It is as you say," He replied.

023:004 Pilate said to the High Priests and to the crowd, "I can find no crime in this man."

023:005 But they violently insisted. "He stirs up the people," they said, "throughout all Judaea with His teaching--even from Galilee (where He first started) to this city."

023:006 On hearing this, Pilate inquired, "Is this man a Galilaean?"

023:007 And learning that He belonged to Herod's jurisdiction he sent Him to Herod, for he too was in Jerusalem at that time.

023:008 To Herod the sight of Jesus was a great gratification, for, for a long time, he had been wanting to see Him, because he had heard so much about Him. He hoped also to see some miracle performed by Him.

023:009 So he put a number of questions to Him, but Jesus gave him no reply.

023:010 Meanwhile the High Priests and the Scribes were standing there and vehemently accusing Him.

023:011 Then, laughing to scorn the claims of Jesus, Herod (and his soldiers with him) made sport of Him, dressed Him in a gorgeous costume, and sent Him back to Pilate.

023:012 And on that very day Herod and Pilate became friends again, for they had been for some time at enmity.

023:013 Then calling together the High Priests and the Rulers and the people, Pilate said, 023:014 "You have brought this man to me on a charge of corrupting the loyalty of the people. But, you see, I have examined him in your presence and have discovered in the man no ground for the accusations which you bring against him.

023:015 No, nor does Herod; for he has sent him back to us; and, you see, there is nothing he has done that deserves death.

023:016 I will therefore give him a light punishment and release him."

023:017 []

023:018 Then the whole mult.i.tude burst out into a shout.

"Away with this man," they said, "and release Barabbas to us"

023:019 --Barabbas! who had been lodged in jail for some time in connexion with a riot which had occurred in the city, and for murder.

023:020 But Pilate once more addressed them, wis.h.i.+ng to set Jesus free.

023:021 They, however, persistently shouted, "Crucify, crucify him!"