Bible Reading Plan

¹ Then the Lord said to Moses, ² "Tell the Israelites to turn back and encamp near Pi Hahiroth, between Migdol^(a) and the sea. They are to encamp by the sea, directly opposite Baal Zephon.^{(b) 3} Pharaoh will think, ‘The Israelites are wandering around the land in confusion, hemmed in by the desert.' ⁴ And I will harden Pharaoh's heart,^(c) and he will pursue them.^(d) But I will gain glory^(e) for myself through Pharaoh and all his army, and the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord ."^(f) So the Israelites did this.

⁵ When the king of Egypt was told that the people had fled,^(g) Pharaoh and his officials changed their minds^(h) about them and said, "What have we done? We have let the Israelites go and have lost their services!" ⁶ So he had his chariot made ready and took his army with him. ⁷ He took six hundred of the best chariots,⁽ⁱ⁾ along with all the other chariots of Egypt, with officers over all of them. ⁸ The Lord hardened the heart^(j) of Pharaoh king of Egypt, so that he pursued the Israelites, who were marching out boldly.^{(k) 9} The Egyptians—all Pharaoh's horses^(l) and chariots, horsemen^[a] and troops^(m)—pursued the Israelites and overtook⁽ⁿ⁾ them as they camped by the sea near Pi Hahiroth, opposite Baal Zephon.^(o)

¹⁰ As Pharaoh approached, the Israelites looked up, and there were the Egyptians, marching after them. They were terrified and cried^(p) out to the Lord . ¹¹ They said to Moses, "Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you brought us to the desert to die?^(q) What have you done to us by bringing us out of Egypt? ¹² Didn't we say to you in Egypt, ‘Leave us alone; let us serve the Egyptians'? It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert!"^(r)

¹³ Moses answered the people, "Do not be afraid.^(s) Stand firm and you will see^(t) the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see^(u) again. ¹⁴ The Lord will fight^(v) for you; you need only to be still."^(w)

¹⁵ Then the Lord said to Moses, "Why are you crying out to me?^(x) Tell the Israelites to move on. ¹⁶ Raise your staff^(y) and stretch out your hand over the sea to divide the water^(z) so that the Israelites can go through the sea on dry ground. ¹⁷ I will harden the hearts^(aa) of the Egyptians so that they will go in after them.^(ab) And I will gain glory through Pharaoh and all his army, through his chariots and his horsemen. ¹⁸ The Egyptians will know that I am the Lord ^(ac) when I gain glory through Pharaoh, his chariots and his horsemen."

¹⁹ Then the angel of God,^(ad) who had been traveling in front of Israel's army, withdrew and went behind them. The pillar of cloud^(ae) also moved from in front and stood behind^(af) them, ²⁰ coming between the armies of Egypt and Israel. Throughout the night the cloud brought darkness^(ag) to the one side and light to the other side; so neither went near the other all night long.

²¹ Then Moses stretched out his hand^(ah) over the sea,^(ai) and all that night the Lord drove the sea back with a strong east wind^(aj) and turned it into dry land.^(ak) The waters were divided,^{(al) 22} and the Israelites went through the sea^(am) on dry ground,^(an) with a wall^(ao) of water on their right and on their left.

²³ The Egyptians pursued them, and all Pharaoh's horses and chariots and horsemen^(ap) followed them into the sea. ²⁴ During the last watch of the night the Lord looked down from the pillar of fire and cloud^(aq) at the Egyptian army and threw it into confusion.^{(ar) 25} He jammed^[b] the wheels of their chariots so that they had difficulty driving. And the Egyptians said, "Let's get away from the Israelites! The Lord is fighting^(as) for them against Egypt."^(at)

²⁶ Then the Lord said to Moses, "Stretch out your hand over the sea so that the waters may flow back over the Egyptians and their chariots and horsemen." ²⁷ Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and at daybreak the sea went back to its place.^(au) The Egyptians were fleeing toward^[c] it, and the Lord swept them into the sea.^{(av) 28} The water flowed back and covered the chariots and horsemen—the entire army of Pharaoh that had followed the Israelites into the sea.^(aw) Not one of them survived.^(ax)

²⁹ But the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground,^(ay) with a wall^(az) of water on their right and on their left. ³⁰ That day the Lord saved^(ba) Israel from the hands of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians lying dead on the shore. ³¹ And when the Israelites saw the mighty hand^(bb) of the Lord displayed against the Egyptians, the people feared^(bc) the Lord and put their trust^(bd) in him and in Moses his servant.

Chapter 26

³⁶ Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, "Sit here while I go over there and pray." ³⁷ He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee^(an) along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. ³⁸ Then he said to them, "My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow^(ao) to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me."^(ap)

³⁹ Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, "My Father, if it is possible, may this cup^(aq) be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will."^(ar)

⁴⁰ Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. "Couldn't you men keep watch with me^(as) for one hour?" he asked Peter. ⁴¹ "Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.^(at) The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak."

⁴² He went away a second time and prayed, "My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done."^(au)

⁴³ When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. ⁴⁴ So he left them and went away once more and prayed the third time, saying the same thing.

⁴⁵ Then he returned to the disciples and said to them, "Are you still sleeping and resting? Look, the hour^(av) has come, and the Son of Man is delivered into the hands of sinners. ⁴⁶ Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer!"

Jesus Arrested^(aw)

⁴⁷ While he was still speaking, Judas,^(ax) one of the Twelve, arrived. With him was a large crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests and the elders of the people. ⁴⁸ Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them: "The one I kiss is the man; arrest him." ⁴⁹ Going at once to Jesus, Judas said, "Greetings, Rabbi!"^(ay) and kissed him.

⁵⁰ Jesus replied, "Do what you came for, friend."^[d](az)

Then the men stepped forward, seized Jesus and arrested him. ⁵¹ With that, one of Jesus' companions reached for his sword,^(ba) drew it out and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear.^(bb)

⁵² "Put your sword back in its place," Jesus said to him, "for all who draw the sword will die by the sword.^{(bc) 53} Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels?^{(bd) 54} But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled^(be) that say it must happen in this way?"

⁵⁵ In that hour Jesus said to the crowd, "Am I leading a rebellion, that you have come out with swords and clubs to capture me? Every day I sat in the temple courts teaching,^(bf) and you did not arrest me. ⁵⁶ But this has all taken place that the writings of the prophets might be fulfilled."^(bg) Then all the disciples deserted him and fled.

Jesus Before the Sanhedrin^(bh)

⁵⁷ Those who had arrested Jesus took him to Caiaphas^(bi) the high priest, where the teachers of the law and the elders had assembled. ⁵⁸ But Peter followed him at a distance, right up to the courtyard of the high priest.^(bj) He entered and sat down with the guards^(bk) to see the outcome.

⁵⁹ The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin^(bl) were looking for false evidence against Jesus so that they could put him to death. ⁶⁰ But they did not find any, though many false witnesses^(bm) came forward.

Finally two^(bn) came forward ⁶¹ and declared, "This fellow said, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God and rebuild it in three days.'"^(bo)

⁶² Then the high priest stood up and said to Jesus, "Are you not going to answer? What is this testimony that these men are bringing against you?" ⁶³ But Jesus remained silent.^(bp)

The high priest said to him, "I charge you under oath^(bq) by the living God:^(br) Tell us if you are the Messiah,^(bs) the Son of God."^(bt)

⁶⁴ "You have said so,"^(bu) Jesus replied. "But I say to all of you: From now on you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One^(bv) and coming on the clouds of heaven."^[e](bw)

⁶⁵ Then the high priest tore his clothes^(bx) and said, "He has spoken blasphemy! Why do we need any more witnesses? Look, now you have heard the blasphemy. ⁶⁶ What do you think?"

"He is worthy of death,"^(by) they answered.

⁶⁷ Then they spit in his face and struck him with their fists.^(bz) Others slapped him ⁶⁸ and said, "Prophesy to us, Messiah. Who hit you?"^(ca)

Peter Disowns Jesus^(cb)

⁶⁹ Now Peter was sitting out in the courtyard, and a servant girl came to him. "You also were with Jesus of Galilee," she said.

⁷⁰ But he denied it before them all. "I don't know what you're talking about," he said.

⁷¹ Then he went out to the gateway, where another servant girl saw him and said to the people there, "This fellow was with Jesus of Nazareth."

⁷² He denied it again, with an oath: "I don't know the man!"

⁷³ After a little while, those standing there went up to Peter and said, "Surely you are one of them; your accent gives you away."

⁷⁴ Then he began to call down curses, and he swore to them, "I don't know the man!"

Immediately a rooster crowed. ⁷⁵ Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken: "Before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times."^(cc) And he went outside and wept bitterly.