One Year Bible.

Pharaoh’s First Refusal

¹After that, Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said, “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘Let My people go, so that they may hold a feast to Me in the wilderness.’”

²But Pharaoh replied, “Who is the LORD that I should obey His voice and let Israel go? I do not know the LORD, and I will not let Israel go.”

³“The God of the Hebrews has met with us,” they answered. “Please let us go on a three-day journey into the wilderness to sacrifice to the LORD our God, or He may strike us with plagues or with the sword.”

⁴But the king of Egypt said to them, “Moses and Aaron, why do you draw the people away from their work? Get back to your labor!” ⁵Pharaoh also said, “Look, the people of the land are now numerous, and you would be stopping them from their labor.”

Bricks and Straw

⁶That same day Pharaoh commanded the taskmasters of the people and their foremen: ⁷“You shall no longer supply the people with straw for making bricks. They must go and gather their own straw. ⁸But require of them the same quota of bricks as before; do not reduce it. For they are lazy; that is why they are crying out, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to our God.’ ⁹Make the work harder on the men so they will be occupied and pay no attention to these lies.”

¹⁰So the taskmasters and foremen of the people went out and said to them, “This is what Pharaoh says: ‘I am no longer giving you straw. ¹¹Go and get your own straw wherever you can find it; but your workload will in no way be reduced.’”

¹²So the people scattered all over the land of Egypt to gather stubble for straw. ¹³The taskmasters kept pressing them, saying, “Fulfill your quota each day, just as you did when straw was provided.”

¹⁴Then the Israelite foremen, whom Pharaoh’s taskmasters had set over the people, were beaten and asked, “Why have you not fulfilled your quota of bricks yesterday or today, as you did before?”

The Cry of the Israelites

¹⁵So the Israelite foremen went and appealed to Pharaoh: “Why are you treating your servants this way? ¹⁶No straw has been given to your servants, yet we are told, ‘Make bricks!’ Look, your servants are being beaten, but the fault is with your own people.”

¹⁷“You are slackers!” Pharaoh replied. “Slackers! That is why you keep saying, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to the LORD.’ ¹⁸Now get to work. You will be given no straw, yet you must deliver the full quota of bricks.”

¹⁹The Israelite foremen realized they were in trouble when they were told, “You must not reduce your daily quota of bricks.” ²⁰When they left Pharaoh, they confronted Moses and Aaron, who stood waiting to meet them.

²¹“May the LORD look upon you and judge you,” the foremen said, “for you have made us a stench before Pharaoh and his officials; you have placed in their hand a sword to kill us!”

²²So Moses returned to the LORD and asked, “Lord, why have You brought trouble upon this people? Is this why You sent me? ²³Ever since I went to Pharaoh to speak in Your name, he has brought trouble on this people, and You have not delivered Your people in any way.”

The Plot to Kill Jesus

¹Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread, called the Passover, was approaching, ²and the chief priests and scribes were looking for a way to put Jesus to death, for they feared the people.

Judas Agrees to Betray Jesus

³Then Satan entered Judas Iscariot, who was one of the Twelve. ⁴And Judas went to discuss with the chief priests and temple officers how he might betray Jesus to them. ⁵They were delighted and agreed to give him money. ⁶Judas consented, and began to look for an opportunity to betray Jesus to them in the absence of a crowd.

Preparing the Passover

⁷Then came the day of Unleavened Bread on which the Passover lamb was to be sacrificed. ⁸Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, “Go and make preparations for us to eat the Passover.”

⁹“Where do You want us to prepare it?” they asked.

¹⁰He answered, “When you enter the city, a man carrying a jug of water will meet you. Follow him to the house he enters, ¹¹and say to the owner of that house, ‘The Teacher asks: Where is the guest room, where I may eat the Passover with My disciples?’ ¹²And he will show you a large upper room, already furnished. Make preparations there.”

¹³So they went and found it just as Jesus had told them. And they prepared the Passover.

The Last Supper

¹⁴When the hour had come, Jesus reclined at the table with His apostles. ¹⁵And He said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before My suffering. ¹⁶For I tell you that I will not eat it again until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.”

¹⁷After taking the cup, He gave thanks and said, “Take this and divide it among yourselves. ¹⁸For I tell you that I will not drink of the fruit of the vine from now on until the kingdom of God comes.”

¹⁹And He took the bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body, given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.”

²⁰In the same way, after supper He took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is poured out for you.

²¹Look! The hand of My betrayer is with Mine on the table. ²²Indeed, the Son of Man will go as it has been determined, but woe to that man who betrays Him.”

²³Then they began to question among themselves which of them was going to do this.

Who Is the Greatest?

²⁴A dispute also arose among the disciples as to which of them should be considered the greatest. ²⁵So Jesus declared, “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those in authority over them call themselves benefactors. ²⁶But you shall not be like them. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who leads like the one who serves. ²⁷For who is greater, the one who reclines at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines? But I am among you as one who serves.

²⁸You are the ones who have stood by Me in My trials. ²⁹And I bestow on you a kingdom, just as My Father has bestowed one on Me, ³⁰so that you may eat and drink at My table in My kingdom and sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

Jesus Predicts Peter’s Denial

³¹Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you like wheat. ³²But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith will not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”

³³“Lord,” said Peter, “I am ready to go with You even to prison and to death.”

³⁴But Jesus replied, “I tell you, Peter, the rooster will not crow today until you have denied three times that you know Me.”

³⁵Then Jesus asked them, “When I sent you out without purse or bag or sandals, did you lack anything?”

“Nothing,” they answered.

³⁶“Now, however,” He told them, “the one with a purse should take it, and likewise a bag; and the one without a sword should sell his cloak and buy one. ³⁷For I tell you that this Scripture must be fulfilled in Me: ‘And He was numbered with the transgressors.’ For what is written about Me is reaching its fulfillment.”

³⁸So they said, “Look, Lord, here are two swords.”

“That is enough,” He answered.

Jesus Prays on the Mount of Olives

³⁹Jesus went out as usual to the Mount of Olives, and the disciples followed Him. ⁴⁰When He came to the place, He told them, “Pray that you will not enter into temptation.”

⁴¹And He withdrew about a stone’s throw beyond them, where He knelt down and prayed, ⁴²“Father, if You are willing, take this cup from Me. Yet not My will, but Yours be done.”

⁴³Then an angel from heaven appeared to Him and strengthened Him. ⁴⁴And in His anguish, He prayed more earnestly, and His sweat became like drops of blood falling to the ground.

⁴⁵When Jesus rose from prayer and returned to the disciples, He found them asleep, exhausted from sorrow. ⁴⁶“Why are you sleeping?” He asked. “Get up and pray so that you will not enter into temptation.”

The Betrayal of Jesus

⁴⁷While He was still speaking, a crowd arrived, led by the man called Judas, one of the Twelve. He approached Jesus to kiss Him. ⁴⁸But Jesus asked him, “Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?”

⁴⁹Those around Jesus saw what was about to happen and said, “Lord, should we strike with our swords?” ⁵⁰And one of them struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his right ear.

⁵¹But Jesus answered, “No more of this!” And He touched the man’s ear and healed him.

⁵²Then Jesus said to the chief priests, temple officers, and elders who had come for Him, “Have you come out with swords and clubs as you would against an outlaw? ⁵³Every day I was with you in the temple courts, and you did not lay a hand on Me. But this hour belongs to you and to the power of darkness.”

Peter Denies Jesus

⁵⁴Then they seized Jesus, led Him away, and took Him into the house of the high priest. And Peter followed at a distance.

⁵⁵When those present had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and sat down together, Peter sat down among them. ⁵⁶A servant girl saw him seated in the firelight and looked intently at him. “This man also was with Him,” she said.

⁵⁷But Peter denied it. “Woman, I do not know Him,” he said.

⁵⁸A short time later, someone else saw him and said, “You also are one of them.”

But Peter said, “Man, I am not.”

⁵⁹About an hour later, another man insisted, “Certainly this man was with Him, for he too is a Galilean.”

⁶⁰“Man, I do not know what you are talking about,” Peter replied.

And immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed. ⁶¹And the Lord turned and looked at Peter.

Then Peter remembered the word that the Lord had spoken to him: “Before the rooster crows today, you will deny Me three times.” ⁶²And he went outside and wept bitterly.

The Soldiers Mock Jesus

⁶³The men who were holding Jesus began to mock Him and beat Him. ⁶⁴They blindfolded Him and kept demanding, “Prophesy! Who hit You?” ⁶⁵And they said many other blasphemous things against Him.

Jesus before the Sanhedrin

⁶⁶At daybreak the council of the elders of the people, both the chief priests and scribes, met together. They led Jesus into their Sanhedrin and said, ⁶⁷“If You are the Christ, tell us.”

Jesus answered, “If I tell you, you will not believe. ⁶⁸And if I ask you a question, you will not answer. ⁶⁹But from now on the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the power of God.”

⁷⁰So they all asked, “Are You then the Son of God?”

He replied, “You say that I am.”

⁷¹“Why do we need any more testimony?” they declared. “We have heard it for ourselves from His own lips.”

Babylon’s Idols

¹Bel crouches; Nebo cowers.

Their idols weigh down beasts and cattle.

The images you carry are burdensome,

a load to the weary animal.

²The gods cower; they crouch together,

unable to relieve the burden;

but they themselves go into captivity.

³“Listen to Me, O house of Jacob,

all the remnant of the house of Israel,

who have been sustained from the womb,

carried along since birth.

⁴Even to your old age, I will be the same,

and I will bear you up when you turn gray.

I have made you, and I will carry you;

I will sustain you and deliver you.

⁵To whom will you liken Me or count Me equal?

To whom will you compare Me, that we should be alike?

⁶They pour out their bags of gold

and weigh out silver on scales;

they hire a goldsmith to fashion it into a god,

so they can bow down and worship.

⁷They lift it to their shoulder

and carry it along;

they set it in its place, and there it stands,

not budging from that spot.

They cry out to it, but it does not answer;

it saves no one from his troubles.

⁸Remember this and be brave;

take it to heart, you transgressors!

⁹Remember what happened long ago,

for I am God, and there is no other;

I am God, and there is none like Me.

¹⁰I declare the end from the beginning,

and from ancient times what is still to come.

I say, ‘My purpose will stand,

and all My good pleasure I will accomplish.’

¹¹I summon a bird of prey from the east,

a man for My purpose from a far-off land.

Truly I have spoken,

and truly I will bring it to pass.

I have planned it,

and I will surely do it.

¹²Listen to Me, you stubborn people,

far removed from righteousness:

¹³I am bringing My righteousness near;

it is not far away, and My salvation will not be delayed.

I will grant salvation to Zion

and adorn Israel with My splendor.[’’]

The Humiliation of Babylon

¹“Go down and sit in the dust,

O Virgin Daughter of Babylon.

Sit on the ground without a throne,

O Daughter of the Chaldeans!

For you will no longer be called

tender or delicate.

²Take millstones and grind flour;

remove your veil;

strip off your skirt, bare your thigh,

and wade through the streams.

³Your nakedness will be uncovered

and your shame will be exposed.

I will take vengeance;

I will spare no one.”

⁴Our Redeemer — the LORD of Hosts is His name —

is the Holy One of Israel.

⁵“Sit in silence and go into darkness,

O Daughter of the Chaldeans.

For you will no longer be called

the queen of kingdoms.

⁶I was angry with My people;

I profaned My heritage,

and I placed them under your control.

You showed them no mercy;

even on the elderly you laid a most heavy yoke.

⁷You said, ‘I will be queen forever.’

You did not take these things to heart

or consider their outcome.

⁸So now hear this,

O lover of luxury who sits securely,

who says to herself,

‘I am, and there is none besides me.

I will never be a widow

or know the loss of children.’

⁹These two things will overtake you in a moment,

in a single day:

loss of children, and widowhood.

They will come upon you in full measure,

in spite of your many sorceries

and the potency of your spells.

¹⁰You were secure in your wickedness;

you said, ‘No one sees me.’

Your wisdom and knowledge led you astray;

you told yourself, ‘I am, and there is none besides me.’

¹¹But disaster will come upon you;

you will not know how to charm it away.

A calamity will befall you

that you will be unable to ward off.

Devastation will happen to you

suddenly and unexpectedly.

¹²So take your stand with your spells

and with your many sorceries,

with which you have wearied yourself

from your youth.

Perhaps you will succeed;

perhaps you will inspire terror!

¹³You are wearied by your many counselors;

let them come forward now and save you—

your astrologers who observe the stars,

who monthly predict your fate.

¹⁴Surely they are like stubble;

the fire will burn them up.

They cannot deliver themselves

from the power of the flame.

There will be no coals to warm them

or fire to sit beside.

¹⁵This is what they are to you —

those with whom you have labored and traded from youth—

each one strays in his own direction;

not one of them can save you.[’’]

Israel’s Stubbornness

¹“Listen to this, O house of Jacob,

you who are called by the name of Israel,

who have descended from the line of Judah,

who swear by the name of the LORD,

who invoke the God of Israel —

but not in truth or righteousness —

²who indeed call yourselves after the holy city

and lean on the God of Israel;

the LORD of Hosts is His name.

³I foretold the former things long ago;

they came out of My mouth and I proclaimed them.

Suddenly I acted, and they came to pass.

⁴For I knew that you are stubborn;

your neck is iron and your forehead is bronze.

⁵Therefore I declared it to you long ago;

I announced it before it came to pass,

so that you could not claim, ‘My idol has done this;

my carved image and molten god has ordained it.’

⁶You have heard these things; look at them all.

Will you not acknowledge them?

From now on I will tell you of new things,

hidden things unknown to you.

⁷They are created now, and not long ago;

you have not heard of them before today.

So you cannot claim,

‘I already knew them!’

⁸You have never heard; you have never understood;

for a long time your ears have not been open.

For I knew how deceitful you are;

you have been called a rebel from birth.

⁹For the sake of My name I will delay My wrath;

for the sake of My praise I will restrain it,

so that you will not be cut off.

¹⁰See, I have refined you, but not as silver;

I have tested you in the furnace of affliction.

¹¹For My own sake, My very own sake, I will act;

for how can I let Myself be defamed?

I will not yield My glory to another.

Deliverance Promised to Israel

¹²Listen to Me, O Jacob,

and Israel, whom I have called:

I am He; I am the first,

and I am the last.

¹³Surely My own hand founded the earth,

and My right hand spread out the heavens;

when I summon them,

they stand up together.

¹⁴Come together, all of you, and listen:

Which of the idols has foretold these things?

The LORD’s chosen ally will carry out His desire against Babylon,

and His arm will be against the Chaldeans.

¹⁵I, even I, have spoken;

yes, I have called him.

I have brought him,

and he will succeed in his mission.

¹⁶Come near to Me and listen to this:

From the beginning I have not spoken in secret;

from the time it happened, I was there.”

And now the Lord GOD has sent me,

accompanied by His Spirit.

¹⁷Thus says the LORD your Redeemer,

the Holy One of Israel:

“I am the LORD your God,

who teaches you for your benefit,

who directs you in the way you should go.

¹⁸If only you had paid attention to My commandments,

your peace would have been like a river,

and your righteousness like waves of the sea.

¹⁹Your descendants would have been as countless as the sand,

and your offspring as numerous as its grains;

their name would never be cut off

or eliminated from My presence.”

²⁰Leave Babylon!

Flee from the Chaldeans!

Declare it with a shout of joy,

proclaim it,

let it go out to the ends of the earth, saying,

“The LORD has redeemed His servant Jacob!”

²¹They did not thirst when He led them through the deserts;

He made water flow for them from the rock;

He split the rock, and water gushed out.

²²“There is no peace,” says the LORD,

“for the wicked.”