One Year Bible.

Send Out Your Light

¹Vindicate me, O God, and plead my case

against an ungodly nation;

deliver me from deceitful and unjust men.

²For You are the God of my refuge.

Why have You rejected me?

Why must I walk in sorrow

because of the enemy’s oppression?

³Send out Your light and Your truth;

let them lead me.

Let them bring me to Your holy mountain

and to the place where You dwell.

⁴Then I will go to the altar of God,

to God, my greatest joy.

I will praise You with the harp,

O God, my God.

⁵Why are you downcast, O my soul?

Why the unease within me?

Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him,

my Savior and my God.

The Plot to Kill Jesus

¹Now the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread were two days away, and the chief priests and scribes were looking for a covert way to arrest Jesus and kill Him. ²“But not during the feast,” they said, “or there may be a riot among the people.”

Jesus Anointed at Bethany

³While Jesus was in Bethany reclining at the table in the home of Simon the Leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She broke open the jar and poured it on Jesus’ head.

⁴Some of those present, however, expressed their indignation to one another: “Why this waste of perfume? ⁵It could have been sold for over three hundred denarii and the money given to the poor.” And they scolded her.

⁶But Jesus said, “Leave her alone; why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful deed to Me. ⁷The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them whenever you want. But you will not always have Me. ⁸She has done what she could to anoint My body in advance of My burial. ⁹And truly I tell you, wherever the gospel is preached in all the world, what she has done will also be told in memory of her.”

Judas Agrees to Betray Jesus

¹⁰Then Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve, went to the chief priests to betray Jesus to them. ¹¹They were delighted to hear this, and they promised to give him money.

So Judas began to look for an opportunity to betray Jesus.

Preparing the Passover

¹²On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover lamb was to be sacrificed, Jesus’ disciples asked Him, “Where do You want us to prepare for You to eat the Passover?”

¹³So He sent two of His disciples and told them, “Go into the city, and a man carrying a jug of water will meet you. Follow him, ¹⁴and whichever house he enters, say to the owner, ‘The Teacher asks: Where is My guest room, where I may eat the Passover with My disciples?’ ¹⁵And he will show you a large upper room, furnished and ready. Make preparations for us there.”

¹⁶So the disciples left and went into the city, where they found everything as Jesus had described. And they prepared the Passover.

The Last Supper

¹⁷When evening came, Jesus arrived with the Twelve. ¹⁸And while they were reclining and eating, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, one of you who is eating with Me will betray Me.”

¹⁹They began to be grieved and to ask Him one after another, “Surely not I?”

²⁰He answered, “It is one of the Twelve — the one who is dipping his hand into the bowl with Me. ²¹The Son of Man will go just as it is written about Him, but woe to that man by whom He is betrayed! It would be better for him if he had not been born.”

²²While they were eating, Jesus took bread, spoke a blessing and broke it, and gave it to the disciples, saying, “Take it; this is My body.”

²³Then He took the cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, and they all drank from it. ²⁴He said to them, “This is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many. ²⁵Truly I tell you, I will no longer drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it anew in the kingdom of God.”

²⁶And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

Jesus Predicts Peter’s Denial

²⁷Then Jesus said to them, “You will all fall away, for it is written:

‘I will strike the Shepherd,

and the sheep will be scattered.’

²⁸But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.”

²⁹Peter declared, “Even if all fall away, I never will.”

³⁰“Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “this very night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny Me three times.”

³¹But Peter kept insisting, “Even if I have to die with You, I will never deny You.” And all the others said the same thing.

Jesus Prays at Gethsemane

³²Then they came to a place called Gethsemane, and Jesus told His disciples, “Sit here while I pray.”

³³He took with Him Peter, James, and John, and began to be deeply troubled and distressed. ³⁴Then He said to them, “My soul is consumed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch.”

³⁵Going a little farther, He fell to the ground and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour would pass from Him. ³⁶“Abba, Father,” He said, “all things are possible for You. Take this cup from Me. Yet not what I will, but what You will.”

³⁷Then Jesus returned and found them sleeping. “Simon, are you asleep?” He asked. “Were you not able to keep watch for one hour? ³⁸Watch and pray so that you will not enter into temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak.”

³⁹Again He went away and prayed, saying the same thing. ⁴⁰And again Jesus returned and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy. And they did not know what to answer Him.

⁴¹When Jesus returned the third time, He said, “Are you still sleeping and resting? That is enough! The hour has come. Look, the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. ⁴²Rise, let us go. See, My betrayer is approaching!”

The Betrayal of Jesus

⁴³While Jesus was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived, accompanied by a crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests, scribes, and elders.

⁴⁴Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them: “The One I kiss is the man; arrest Him and lead Him away securely.” ⁴⁵Going directly to Jesus, he said, “Rabbi!” and kissed Him.

⁴⁶Then the men seized Jesus and arrested Him. ⁴⁷And one of the bystanders drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear.

⁴⁸Jesus asked the crowd, “Have you come out with swords and clubs to arrest Me as you would an outlaw? ⁴⁹Every day I was with you, teaching in the temple courts, and you did not arrest Me. But this has happened that the Scriptures would be fulfilled.”

⁵⁰Then everyone deserted Him and fled. ⁵¹One young man who had been following Jesus was wearing a linen cloth around his body. They caught hold of him, ⁵²but he pulled free of the linen cloth and ran away naked.

Jesus before the Sanhedrin

⁵³They led Jesus away to the high priest, and all the chief priests, elders, and scribes assembled. ⁵⁴Peter followed Him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest. And he sat with the officers and warmed himself by the fire.

⁵⁵Now the chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were seeking testimony against Jesus to put Him to death, but they did not find any. ⁵⁶For many bore false witness against Jesus, but their testimony was inconsistent.

⁵⁷Then some men stood up and testified falsely against Him: ⁵⁸“We heard Him say, ‘I will destroy this man-made temple, and in three days I will build another that is made without hands.’” ⁵⁹But even their testimony was inconsistent.

⁶⁰So the high priest stood up before them and questioned Jesus, “Have You no answer? What are these men testifying against You?”

⁶¹But Jesus remained silent and made no reply.

Again the high priest questioned Him, “Are You the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?”

⁶²“I am,” said Jesus, “and you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power and coming with the clouds of heaven.”

⁶³At this, the high priest tore his clothes and declared, “Why do we need any more witnesses? ⁶⁴You have heard the blasphemy. What is your verdict?”

And they all condemned Him as deserving of death.

⁶⁵Then some of them began to spit on Him. They blindfolded Him, struck Him with their fists, and said to Him, “Prophesy!” And the officers received Him with slaps in His face.

Peter Denies Jesus

⁶⁶While Peter was in the courtyard below, one of the servant girls of the high priest came down ⁶⁷and saw him warming himself there. She looked at Peter and said, “You also were with Jesus the Nazarene.”

⁶⁸But he denied it. “I do not know or even understand what you are talking about,” he said. Then he went out to the gateway, and the rooster crowed.

⁶⁹There the servant girl saw him and again said to those standing nearby, “This man is one of them.”

⁷⁰But he denied it again.

After a little while, those standing nearby said once more to Peter, “Surely you are one of them, for you too are a Galilean.”

⁷¹But he began to curse and swear, “I do not know this man of whom you speak!” ⁷²And immediately the rooster crowed a second time.

Then Peter remembered the word that Jesus had spoken to him: “Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny Me three times.” And he broke down and wept.

Nebuchadnezzar’s Golden Statue

¹King Nebuchadnezzar made a golden statue sixty cubits high and six cubits wide, and he set it up on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon. ²Then King Nebuchadnezzar sent word to assemble the satraps, prefects, governors, advisers, treasurers, judges, magistrates, and all the other officials of the provinces to attend the dedication of the statue he had set up.

³So the satraps, prefects, governors, advisers, treasurers, judges, magistrates, and all the rulers of the provinces assembled for the dedication of the statue that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up, and they stood before it.

⁴Then the herald loudly proclaimed, “O people of every nation and language, this is what you are commanded: ⁵As soon as you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes, and all kinds of music, you must fall down and worship the golden statue that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up. ⁶And whoever does not fall down and worship will immediately be thrown into the blazing fiery furnace.”

⁷Therefore, as soon as all the people heard the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, and all kinds of music, the people of every nation and language would fall down and worship the golden statue that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego Accused

⁸At this time some astrologers came forward and maliciously accused the Jews, ⁹saying to King Nebuchadnezzar, “O king, may you live forever! ¹⁰You, O king, have issued a decree that everyone who hears the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes, and all kinds of music must fall down and worship the golden statue, ¹¹and that whoever does not fall down and worship will be thrown into the blazing fiery furnace. ¹²But there are some Jews you have appointed to manage the province of Babylon — Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego — who have ignored you, O king, and have refused to serve your gods or worship the golden statue you have set up.”

¹³Then Nebuchadnezzar, furious with rage, summoned Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. So these men were brought before the king, ¹⁴and Nebuchadnezzar said to them, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, is it true that you do not serve my gods or worship the golden statue I have set up? ¹⁵Now when you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes, and all kinds of music, if you are ready to fall down and worship the statue I have made, very good. But if you refuse to worship, you will be thrown at once into the blazing fiery furnace. Then what god will be able to deliver you from my hands?”

¹⁶Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. ¹⁷If the God whom we serve exists, then He is able to deliver us from the blazing fiery furnace and from your hand, O king. ¹⁸But even if He does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden statue you have set up.”

The Fiery Furnace

¹⁹At this, Nebuchadnezzar was filled with rage, and the expression on his face changed toward Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He gave orders to heat the furnace seven times hotter than usual, ²⁰and he commanded some mighty men of valor in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and throw them into the blazing fiery furnace.

²¹So they were tied up, wearing robes, trousers, turbans, and other clothes, and they were thrown into the blazing fiery furnace.

²²The king’s command was so urgent and the furnace so hot that the fiery flames killed the men who carried up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. ²³And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, firmly bound, fell into the blazing fiery furnace.

²⁴Suddenly King Nebuchadnezzar jumped up in amazement and asked his advisers, “Did we not throw three men, firmly bound, into the fire?”

“Certainly, O king,” they replied.

²⁵“Look!” he exclaimed. “I see four men, unbound and unharmed, walking around in the fire — and the fourth looks like a son of the gods!”

²⁶Then Nebuchadnezzar approached the door of the blazing fiery furnace and called out, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out!”

So Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out of the fire, ²⁷and when the satraps, prefects, governors, and royal advisers had gathered around, they saw that the fire had no effect on the bodies of these men. Not a hair of their heads was singed, their robes were unaffected, and there was no smell of fire on them.

²⁸Nebuchadnezzar declared, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent His angel and delivered His servants who trusted in Him. They violated the king’s command and risked their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God. ²⁹Therefore I decree that the people of any nation or language who say anything offensive against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego will be cut into pieces and their houses reduced to rubble. For there is no other god who can deliver in this way.”

³⁰Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the province of Babylon.

Nebuchadnezzar Confesses God’s Kingdom

¹King Nebuchadnezzar,

To the people of every nation and language who dwell in all the earth:

May your prosperity be multiplied. ²I am pleased to declare the signs and wonders that the Most High God has performed for me.

³How great are His signs,

how mighty His wonders!

His kingdom is an eternal kingdom;

His dominion endures from generation to generation.

Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream of a Great Tree

⁴I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at ease in my house and flourishing in my palace. ⁵I had a dream, and it frightened me; while I was in my bed, the images and visions in my mind alarmed me. ⁶So I issued a decree that all the wise men of Babylon be brought before me to interpret the dream for me. ⁷When the magicians, enchanters, astrologers, and diviners came in, I told them the dream, but they could not interpret it for me.

⁸But at last, into my presence came Daniel (whose name is Belteshazzar after the name of my god, and in whom is the spirit of the holy gods). And I told him the dream: ⁹“O Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in you and that no mystery baffles you. So explain to me the visions I saw in my dream, and their interpretation. ¹⁰In these visions of my mind as I was lying in bed, I saw this come to pass:

There was a tree in the midst of the land,

and its height was great.

¹¹The tree grew large and strong;

its top reached the sky,

and it was visible

to the ends of the earth.

¹²Its leaves were beautiful,

its fruit was abundant,

and upon it was food for all.

Under it the beasts of the field found shelter,

in its branches the birds of the air nested,

and from it every creature was fed.

¹³As I lay on my bed, I also saw in the visions of my mind a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven. ¹⁴He called out in a loud voice:

‘Cut down the tree and chop off its branches;

strip off its leaves and scatter its fruit.

Let the beasts flee from under it,

and the birds from its branches.

¹⁵But leave the stump with its roots in the ground,

with a band of iron and bronze around it,

in the tender grass of the field.

Let him be drenched with the dew of heaven

and graze with the beasts on the grass of the earth.

¹⁶Let his mind be changed from that of a man,

and let him be given the mind of a beast

till seven times pass him by.

¹⁷This decision is the decree of the watchers,

the verdict declared by the holy ones,

so that the living will know

that the Most High rules over the kingdom of mankind

and gives it to whom He wishes,

setting over it the lowliest of men.’

¹⁸This is the dream that I, King Nebuchadnezzar, saw. Now, Belteshazzar, tell me the interpretation, because none of the wise men of my kingdom can interpret it for me. But you are able, because the spirit of the holy gods is in you.”

Daniel Interprets the Second Dream

¹⁹For a time, Daniel, who was also known as Belteshazzar, was perplexed, and his thoughts alarmed him.

So the king said, “Belteshazzar, do not let the dream or its interpretation alarm you.”

“My lord,” replied Belteshazzar, “may the dream apply to those who hate you, and its interpretation to your enemies!

²⁰The tree you saw that grew large and strong, whose top reached the sky and was visible to all the earth, ²¹whose foliage was beautiful and whose fruit was abundant, providing food for all, under which the beasts of the field lived, and in whose branches the birds of the air nested— ²²you, O king, are that tree! For you have become great and strong; your greatness has grown to reach the sky, and your dominion extends to the ends of the earth.

²³And you, O king, saw a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven and saying:

‘Cut down the tree and destroy it,

but leave the stump with its roots in the ground,

with a band of iron and bronze around it,

in the tender grass of the field.

Let him be drenched with the dew of heaven,

and graze with the beasts of the field

till seven times pass him by.’

²⁴This is the interpretation, O king, and this is the decree that the Most High has issued against my lord the king:

²⁵You will be driven away from mankind, and your dwelling will be with the beasts of the field. You will feed on grass like an ox and be drenched with the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass you by, until you acknowledge that the Most High rules over the kingdom of mankind and gives it to whom He wishes.

²⁶As for the command to leave the stump of the tree with its roots, your kingdom will be restored to you as soon as you acknowledge that Heaven rules. ²⁷Therefore, may my advice be pleasing to you, O king. Break away from your sins by doing what is right, and from your iniquities by showing mercy to the oppressed. Perhaps there will be an extension of your prosperity.”

The Second Dream Fulfilled

²⁸All this happened to King Nebuchadnezzar. ²⁹Twelve months later, as he was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon, ³⁰the king exclaimed, “Is this not Babylon the Great, which I myself have built as a royal residence by the might of my power and for the glory of my majesty?”

³¹While the words were still in the king’s mouth, a voice came from heaven: “It is decreed to you, King Nebuchadnezzar, that the kingdom has departed from you. ³²You will be driven away from mankind to live with the beasts of the field, and you will feed on grass like an ox. And seven times will pass you by, until you acknowledge that the Most High rules over the kingdom of mankind and gives it to whom He wishes.”

³³At that moment the sentence against Nebuchadnezzar was fulfilled. He was driven away from mankind. He ate grass like an ox, and his body was drenched with the dew of heaven, until his hair grew like the feathers of an eagle and his nails like the claws of a bird.

Nebuchadnezzar Restored

³⁴But at the end of those days I, Nebuchadnezzar, looked up to heaven, and my sanity was restored to me. Then I praised the Most High, and I honored and glorified Him who lives forever:

“For His dominion is an everlasting dominion,

and His kingdom endures from generation to generation.

³⁵All the peoples of the earth

are counted as nothing,

and He does as He pleases

with the army of heaven

and the peoples of the earth.

There is no one who can restrain His hand

or say to Him, ‘What have You done?’”

³⁶At the same time my sanity was restored, my honor and splendor returned to me for the glory of my kingdom. My advisers and nobles sought me out, and I was restored to my throne, and surpassing greatness was added to me. ³⁷Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven, for all His works are true and all His ways are just. And He is able to humble those who walk in pride.