Key Thought

Today's Prayer

O Father, thank you for the godly women in my life that shaped my faith, taught me your truth, served those in my family, and were examples of courage and faith to me. Use me to encourage women of faith and to affirm their importance to your Kingdom. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Today's Verses in Context

At noon the whole country became dark. This darkness continued until three o'clock. At three o'clock Jesus cried with a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani." This means, "My God, my God, why have you left me alone?" Some of the people standing there heard this. The people said, "Listen! He is calling Elijah." One man there ran and got a sponge. The man filled the sponge with vinegar and tied the sponge to a stick. Then he used the stick to give the sponge to Jesus to drink from it. The man said, "We should wait now and see if Elijah will come to take him down from the cross." Then Jesus cried with a loud voice and died. When Jesus died, the curtain in the temple was torn into two pieces. The tear started at the top and tore all the way to the bottom. The army officer that was standing there before the cross saw what happened when Jesus died. The officer said, "This man really was the Son of God!" Some women were standing away from the cross, watching. Some of these women were Mary from the town of Magdala, Salome, and Mary the mother of James and Joses. (James was her youngest son.) These were the women that followed Jesus in Galilee and cared for him. Many other women were also there. These women had come with Jesus to Jerusalem.

Related Scripture Readings

While Jesus was still speaking, Judas came there. He was one of the twelve apostles. Judas had many people with him. These people were sent from the leading priests, the teachers of the law, and the older Jewish leaders. These people with Judas had swords and clubs. Judas planned to do something to show the people which man was Jesus. Judas said, "The man I kiss is Jesus. Arrest him and guard him while you lead him away." So Judas went to Jesus and said, "Teacher!" Then Judas kissed Jesus. Then the men grabbed Jesus and arrested him. One of the followers standing near Jesus grabbed his sword and pulled it out. This follower hit the servant of the high priest with the sword and cut off his ear. Then Jesus said, "You came to get me with swords and clubs like I am a criminal. Every day I was with you teaching in the temple area. You did not arrest me there. But all these things have happened so that it will be like the Scriptures said." Then all of Jesus' followers left him and ran away.

The next day after the Sabbath day, Mary from Magdala, Salome, and Mary the mother of James bought some sweet-smelling spices. They wanted to put the spices on Jesus' body. Very early on that day, the first day of the week, the women were going to the tomb. It was very early after sunrise. The women said to each other, "There is a large stone covering the entrance of the tomb. Who will move the stone for us?" Then the women looked and saw that the stone was moved. The stone was very large, but it was moved away from the entrance. The women walked into the tomb. They saw a young man there wearing a white robe. The man was sitting on the right side of the tomb. The women were afraid. But the man said, "Don't be afraid. You are looking for Jesus from Nazareth, the one that was killed on a cross. He has risen from death! He is not here. Look, here is the place they put him when he was dead. Now go and tell his followers. And {be sure to} tell Peter. Tell them, 'Jesus is going into Galilee. He will be there before you. You will see him there like he told you before.'"

After Jesus told the apostles these things, he was lifted up into the sky. While the apostles were watching, Jesus went into a cloud, and they could not see him. Jesus was going away, and the apostles were looking into the sky. Suddenly, two men (angels) wearing white clothes stood beside them. The two men said to the apostles, "Men from Galilee, why are you standing here looking into the sky? You saw Jesus carried away from you into heaven. He will come back in the same way you saw him go." Then the apostles went back to Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives. (This mountain is about one-half mile from Jerusalem.) The apostles entered the city. They went to the place where they were staying; this was in a room upstairs. The apostles were: Peter, John, James, Andrew, Philip, Thomas, Bartholomew, Matthew, James (the son of Alphaeus), Simon (known as the Zealot ), and Judas (the son of James). The apostles were all together. They were constantly praying with the same purpose. Some women, Mary, the mother of Jesus, and his brothers were there with the apostles.