Is. 52:13–53:12

52:13 Look, my servant will succeed!

He will be elevated, lifted high, and greatly exalted—

14(just as many were horrified by the sight of you)

he was so disfigured he no longer looked like a man;

his form was so marred he no longer looked human—

15so now he will startle many nations.

Kings will be shocked by his exaltation,

for they will witness something unannounced to them,

and they will understand something they had not heard about.

53:1 Who would have believed what we just heard?

When was the Lord’s power revealed through him?

2He sprouted up like a twig before God,

like a root out of parched soil;

he had no stately form or majesty that might catch our attention,

no special appearance that we should want to follow him.

3He was despised and rejected by people,

one who experienced pain and was acquainted with illness;

people hid their faces from him;

he was despised, and we considered him insignificant.

4But he lifted up our illnesses,

he carried our pain;

even though we thought he was being punished,

attacked by God, and afflicted for something he had done.

5He was wounded because of our rebellious deeds,

crushed because of our sins;

he endured punishment that made us well;

because of his wounds we have been healed.

6All of us had wandered off like sheep;

each of us had strayed off on his own path,

but the Lord caused the sin of all of us to attack him.

7He was treated harshly and afflicted,

but he did not even open his mouth.

Like a lamb led to the slaughtering block,

like a sheep silent before her shearers,

he did not even open his mouth.

8He was led away after an unjust trial—

but who even cared?

Indeed, he was cut off from the land of the living;

because of the rebellion of his own people he was wounded.

9They intended to bury him with criminals,

but he ended up in a rich man’s tomb

because he had committed no violent deeds,

nor had he spoken deceitfully.

10Though the Lord desired to crush him and make him ill,

once restitution is made,

he will see descendants and enjoy long life,

and the Lord’s purpose will be accomplished through him.

11Having suffered, he will reflect on his work,

he will be satisfied when he understands what he has done.

“My servant will acquit many,

for he carried their sins.

12So I will assign him a portion with the multitudes,

he will divide the spoils of victory with the powerful,

because he willingly submitted to death

and was numbered with the rebels,

when he lifted up the sin of many

and intervened on behalf of the rebels.”

Ps. 39

39:1 For the music director, Jeduthun; a psalm of David.

I decided, “I will watch what I say

and make sure I do not sin with my tongue.

I will put a muzzle over my mouth

while in the presence of an evil person.”

2I was stone silent;

I held back the urge to speak.

My frustration grew;

3my anxiety intensified.

As I thought about it, I became impatient.

Finally I spoke these words:

4“O Lord, help me understand my mortality

and the brevity of life.

Let me realize how quickly my life will pass.

5Look, you make my days short lived,

and my life span is nothing from your perspective.

Surely all people, even those who seem secure, are nothing but vapor. (Selah)

6Surely people go through life as mere ghosts.

Surely they accumulate worthless wealth

without knowing who will eventually haul it away.”

7But now, O Lord, upon what am I relying?

You are my only hope!

8Deliver me from all my sins of rebellion.

Do not make me the object of fools’ insults.

9I am silent and cannot open my mouth

because of what you have done.

10Please stop wounding me.

You have almost beaten me to death.

11You severely discipline people for their sins;

like a moth you slowly devour their strength.

Surely all people are a mere vapor. (Selah)

12Hear my prayer, O Lord.

Listen to my cry for help.

Do not ignore my sobbing.

For I am a resident foreigner with you,

a temporary settler, just as all my ancestors were.

13Turn your angry gaze away from me, so I can be happy

before I pass away.

John 18:1–18

18:1 When he had said these things, Jesus went out with his disciples across the Kidron Valley. There was an orchard there, and he and his disciples went into it. 2(Now Judas, the one who betrayed him, knew the place too, because Jesus had met there many times with his disciples.) 3So Judas obtained a squad of soldiers and some officers of the chief priests and Pharisees. They came to the orchard with lanterns and torches and weapons.

4Then Jesus, because he knew everything that was going to happen to him, came and asked them, “Who are you looking for?” 5They replied, “Jesus the Nazarene.” He told them, “I am he.” (Now Judas, the one who betrayed him, was standing there with them.) 6So when Jesus said to them, “I am he,” they retreated and fell to the ground. 7Then Jesus asked them again, “Who are you looking for?” And they said, “Jesus the Nazarene.” 8Jesus replied, “I told you that I am he. If you are looking for me, let these men go.” 9He said this to fulfill the word he had spoken, “I have not lost a single one of those whom you gave me.”

10Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, pulled it out and struck the high priest’s slave, cutting off his right ear. (Now the slave’s name was Malchus.) 11But Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword back into its sheath! Am I not to drink the cup that the Father has given me?”

12Then the squad of soldiers with their commanding officer and the officers of the Jewish leaders arrested Jesus and tied him up. 13They brought him first to Annas, for he was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, who was high priest that year. 14(Now it was Caiaphas who had advised the Jewish leaders that it was to their advantage that one man die for the people.)

15Simon Peter and another disciple followed them as they brought Jesus to Annas. (Now the other disciple was acquainted with the high priest, and he went with Jesus into the high priest’s courtyard.) 16But Peter was left standing outside by the door. So the other disciple who was acquainted with the high priest came out and spoke to the slave girl who watched the door, and brought Peter inside. 17The girl who was the doorkeeper said to Peter, “You’re not one of this man’s disciples too, are you?” He replied, “I am not.” 18(Now the slaves and the guards were standing around a charcoal fire they had made, warming themselves because it was cold. Peter also was standing with them, warming himself.)