Key Thought

Today's Prayer

Guide us, dear Father, into the way we should go and keep us from the blindness of our own selfishness. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Today's Verses in Context

The people who arrested Jesus led him to the house of the high priest. All the leading priests, the older Jewish leaders, and the teachers of the law were gathered there. Peter followed Jesus, but he did not come near Jesus. Peter followed Jesus to the yard of the high priest's house. Peter went into the yard. Peter was sitting there with the guards. He was warming himself by their fire. The leading priests and all the Jewish council tried to find something that Jesus had done wrong so they could kill him. But the council could find no proof that would allow them to kill Jesus. Many people came and told false things against Jesus. But the people all said different things—none of them agreed. Then some people stood and said something false against Jesus. They said, "We heard this man (Jesus) say, 'I will destroy this temple that men made. And three days later, I will build another temple—a temple not made by men.'" But also the things these people said did not agree. Then the high priest stood before all the people and said to Jesus, "These people said things against you. Do you have something to say about these charges against you? Are these people telling the truth?" But Jesus said nothing. He did not answer. The high priest asked Jesus another question: "Are you the Christ, the Son of the blessed {God}?" Jesus answered, "Yes, I am the Son of God. And in the future you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right side of the Great One (God). And you will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven." When the high priest heard this, he was very angry. He tore his clothes and said, "We don't need any more witnesses! You all heard him say these things against God. What do you think?" All the people said that Jesus was wrong. They said he was guilty and must be killed. Some of the people there spit at Jesus. They covered Jesus' eyes and hit him with their fists. They said, "Be a prophet and tell us who hit you!" Then the guards led Jesus away and beat him.

Related Scripture Readings

There is a way that people think is right. But that way leads only to death.

It was almost time for the Jewish Passover. So Jesus went to Jerusalem. In Jerusalem Jesus went to the temple. In the temple area Jesus saw men selling cattle, sheep, and doves. Jesus saw other men sitting at tables. These men were exchanging and trading people's money. Jesus made a whip with some pieces of rope. Then Jesus forced all these men and the sheep and cattle to leave the temple area. Jesus turned over the tables and scattered the money of the men that exchange money. Then Jesus said to the men that were selling pigeons, "Take these things out of here! Don't make my Father's house a place for buying and selling!" When this happened the followers of Jesus remembered what was written {in the Scriptures }: "My excitement for your house will destroy me." Some Jews said to Jesus, "Show us a miracle for a sign. Prove that you have the right to do these things." Jesus answered, "Destroy this temple and I will build it again in three days." The Jews answered, "People worked 46 years to build this temple! Do you really believe you can build it again in three days?" (But the temple Jesus meant was his own body. After Jesus was raised from death, his followers remembered that Jesus had said this. So his followers believed the Scripture {about him}, and they believed the words Jesus said.)

and said, "You said you could destroy the temple and build it again in three days. So save yourself! Come down from that cross, if you are really the Son of God!"