Weymouth New Testament in Modern Speech, Mark Part 5

013:028 "Learn from the fig-tree the lesson it teaches. As soon as its branch has become soft and it is bursting into leaf, you know that summer is near.

013:029 So also do you, when you see these things happening, be sure that He is near, at your very door.

013:030 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.

013:031 Earth and sky will pa.s.s away, but it is certain that my words will not pa.s.s away.

013:032 "But as to that day or the exact time no one knows--not even the angels in Heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone.

013:033 Take care, be on the alert, and pray; for you do not know when it will happen.

013:034 It is like a man living abroad who has left his house, and given the management to his servants--to each one his special duty-- and has ordered the porter to keep awake.

013:035 Be wakeful therefore, for you know not when the master of the house is coming--in the evening, at midnight, at c.o.c.k-crow, or at dawn.

013:036 Beware lest He should arrive unexpectedly and find you asleep.

013:037 Moreover, what I say to you I say to all--Be wakeful!"

014:001 It was now two days before the Pa.s.sover and the feast of Unleavened Bread, and the High Priests and Scribes were bent on finding how to seize Him by stratagem and put Him to death.

014:002 But they said, "Not on the Festival-day, for fear there should be a riot among the people."

014:003 Now when He was at Bethany, in the house of Simon the Leper, while He was at table, there came a woman with a jar of pure, sweet-scented ointment very costly: she broke the jar and poured the ointment over His head.

014:004 But there were some who said indignantly among themselves, "Why has the ointment been thus wasted?

014:005 For that ointment might have been sold for fifteen pounds or more, and the money have been given to the poor."

And they were exceedingly angry with her.

014:006 But Jesus said, "Leave her alone: why are you troubling her?

She has done a most gracious act towards me.

014:007 For you always have the poor among you, and whenever you choose you can do acts of kindness to them; but me you have not always.

014:008 What she could she did: she has perfumed my body in preparation for my burial.

014:009 And I solemnly tell you that wherever in the whole world the Good News shall be proclaimed, this which she has done shall also be told in remembrance of her."

014:010 But Judas Iscariot, already mentioned as one of the Twelve, went to the High Priests to betray Jesus to them.

014:011 They gladly listened to his proposal, and promised to give him a sum of money. So he looked out for an opportunity to betray Him.

014:012 On the first day of the feast of Unleavened Bread--the day for killing the Pa.s.sover lamb--His disciples asked Him, "Where shall we go and prepare for you to eat the Pa.s.sover?"

014:013 So He sent two of His disciples with instructions, saying, "Go into the city, and you will meet a man carrying a pitcher of water: follow him, 014:014 and whatever house he enters, tell the master of the house, 'The Rabbi asks, Where is my room where I can eat the Pa.s.sover with my disciples?'

014:015 Then he will himself show you a large room upstairs, ready furnished: there make preparation for us."

014:016 So the disciples went out and came to the city, and found everything just as He had told them; and they got the Pa.s.sover ready.

014:017 When it was evening, He came with the Twelve.

014:018 And while they were at table Jesus said, "I solemnly tell you that one of you will betray me--one who is eating with me."

014:019 They were filled with sorrow, and began asking Him, one by one, "Not I, is it?"

014:020 "It is one of the Twelve," He replied; "he who is dipping his fingers in the dish with me.

014:021 For the Son of Man is going His way as it is written about Him; but alas for the man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed!

It had been a happy thing for that man, had he never been born."

014:022 Also during the meal He took a Pa.s.sover biscuit, blessed it, and broke it. He then gave it to them, saying, "Take this, it is my body."

014:023 Then He took the cup, gave thanks, and handed it to them, and they all of them drank from it.

014:024 "This is my blood," He said, "which is to be poured out on behalf of many--the blood which makes the Covenant sure.

014:025 I solemnly tell you that never again will I taste the produce of the vine till I shall drink the new wine in the Kingdom of G.o.d."

014:026 After singing a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

014:027 Then said Jesus to them, "All of you are about to stumble and fall, for it is written, 'I will strike down the Shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered in all directions.'

014:028 But after I have risen to life again I will go before you into Galilee."

014:029 "All may stumble and fall," said Peter, "yet I never will."

014:030 "I solemnly tell you," replied Jesus, "that to-day--this night-- before the c.o.c.k crows twice, you yourself will three times disown me."

014:031 "Even if I must die with you," declared Peter again and again, "I will never disown you." In like manner protested also all the disciples.

014:032 So they came to a place called Gethsemane. There He said to His disciples, "Sit down here till I have prayed."

014:033 Then He took with Him Peter and James and John, and began to be full of terror and distress, 014:034 and He said to them, "My heart is oppressed with anguish to the very point of death: wait here and keep awake."

014:035 Going forward a short distance He threw Himself upon His face and prayed repeatedly that, if it was possible, He might be spared that time of agony; 014:036 and He said, "Abba! my Father! all things are possible for Thee: take this cup of suffering away from me: and yet not what I desire, but what Thou desirest."

014:037 Then He came and found them asleep, and He said to Peter, "Simon, are you asleep? Had you not strength to keep awake a single hour?

014:038 Be wakeful, all of you, and keep on praying, that you may not come into temptation: the spirit is right willing, but the body is frail."

014:039 He again went away and prayed, using the very same words.

014:040 When He returned He again found them asleep, for they were very tired; and they knew not how to answer Him.

014:041 A third time He came, and then He said, "Sleep on and rest.

Enough! the hour has come. Even now they are betraying the Son of Man into the hands of sinful men.

014:042 Rouse yourselves, let us be going: my betrayer is close at hand."

014:043 Immediately, while He was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, came and with him a crowd of men armed with swords and cudgels, sent by the High Priests and Scribes and Elders.

014:044 Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them.

"The one I kiss," he said, "is the man: lay hold of him, and take him safely away."

014:045 So he came, and going straight to Jesus he said, "Rabbi!"

and kissed Him with seeming affection; 014:046 whereupon they laid hands on Him and held Him firmly.

014:047 But one of those who stood by drew his sword and struck a blow at the High Priest's servant, cutting off his ear.

014:048 "Have you come out," said Jesus, "with swords and cudgels to arrest me, as if you had to fight with a robber?

014:049 Day after day I used to be among you in the Temple teaching, and you never seized me. But this is happening in order that the Scriptures may be fulfilled.'

014:050 Then His friends all forsook Him and fled.

014:051 One youth indeed did follow Him, wearing only a linen cloth round his bare body. Of him they laid hold, 014:052 but he left the linen cloth in their hands and fled without it.

014:053 So they led Jesus away to the High Priest, and with him there a.s.sembled all the High Priests, Elders, and Scribes.

014:054 Peter followed Jesus at a distance, as far as the outer court of the High Priest's palace. But there he remained sitting among the officers, and warming himself by the fire.

014:055 Meanwhile the High Priests and the entire Sanhedrin were endeavouring to get evidence against Jesus in order to put Him to death, but could find none; 014:056 for though many gave false testimony against Him, their statements did not tally.

014:057 Then some came forward as witnesses and falsely declared, 014:058 "We have heard him say, 'I will pull down this Sanctuary built by human hands, and three days afterwards I will erect another built without hands.'"

014:059 But not even in this shape was their testimony consistent.

014:060 At last the High Priest stood up, and advancing into the midst of them all, asked Jesus, "Have you no answer to make?

What is the meaning of all this that these witnesses allege against you?"

014:061 But He remained silent, and gave no reply. A second time the High Priest questioned Him. "Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?" he said.

014:062 "I am," replied Jesus, "and you and others will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the divine Power, and coming amid the clouds of the sky."

014:063 Rending his garments the High Priest exclaimed, "What need have we of witnesses after that?

014:064 You all heard his impious words. What is your judgement?"

Then with one voice they condemned Him as deserving of death.

014:065 Thereupon some began to spit on Him, and to blindfold Him, while striking Him with their fists and crying, "Prove that you are a prophet." The officers too struck Him with open hands as they took Him in charge.

014:066 Now while Peter was below in the quadrangle, one of the High Priest's maidservants came, 014:067 and seeing Peter warming himself she looked at him and said, "You also were with Jesus, the Nazarene."

014:068 But he denied it, and said, "I don't know--I don't understand-- What do you mean?" And then he went out into the outer court.

Just then a c.o.c.k crowed.

014:069 Again the maidservant saw him, and again began to say to the people standing by, "He is one of them."

014:070 A second time he repeatedly denied it. Soon afterwards the bystanders again accused Peter, saying, "You are surely one of them, for you too are a Galilaean."

014:071 But he broke out into curses and oaths, declaring, "I know nothing of the man you are talking about."

014:072 No sooner had he spoken than a c.o.c.k crowed for the second time, and Peter recollected the words of Jesus, "Before the c.o.c.k crows twice, you will three times disown me."

And as he thought of it, he wept aloud.

015:001 At earliest dawn, after the High Priests had held a consultation with the Elders and Scribes, they and the entire Sanhedrin bound Jesus and took Him away and handed Him over to Pilate.

015:002 So Pilate questioned Him. "Are *you* the King of the Jews?"

he asked. "I am," replied Jesus.

015:003 Then, as the High Priests went on heaping accusations on Him, 015:004 Pilate again and again asked Him, "Do you make no reply?

Listen to the many charges they are bringing against you."

015:005 But Jesus made no further answer: so that Pilate wondered.

015:006 Now at the Festival it was customary for Pilate to release to the Jews any one prisoner whom they might beg off from punishment; 015:007 and at this time a man named Barabbas was in prison among the insurgents--persons who in the insurrection had committed murder.

015:008 So the people came crowding up, asking Pilate to grant them the usual favour.

015:009 "Shall I release for you the King of the Jews?" answered Pilate.

015:010 For he could see that it was out of sheer spite that the High Priests had handed Him over.

015:011 But the High Priests urged on the crowd to obtain Barabbas's release in preference; 015:012 and when Pilate again asked them, "What then shall I do to the man you call King of the Jews?"

015:013 they once more shouted out, "Crucify Him!"

015:014 "Why, what crime has he committed?" asked Pilate.

But they vehemently shouted, "Crucify Him!"

015:015 So Pilate, wis.h.i.+ng to satisfy the mob, released Barabbas for them, and after scourging Jesus handed Him over for crucifixion.

015:016 Then the soldiers led Him away into the court of the Palace (the Praetorium), and calling together the whole battalion 015:017 they arrayed Him in crimson, placed on His head a wreath of th.o.r.n.y twigs which they had twisted, 015:018 and went on to salute Him with shouts of "Long live the King of the Jews."