New King James Version  
Chapter 15
Pilate Tries Jesus
1Immediately, in the morning, the chief priests held a consultation with the elders and scribes and the whole council; and they bound Jesus, led Him away, and delivered Him to Pilate.
2Then Pilate asked Him, “Are You the King of the Jews?”
He answered and said to him, “It is as you say.”
3And the chief priests accused Him of many things, but He answered nothing.
4Then Pilate asked Him again, saying, “Do You answer nothing? See how many things they testify against You!”
5But Jesus still answered nothing, so that Pilate marveled.
6Now at the feast he was accustomed to releasing one prisoner to them, whomever they requested.
7And there was one named Barabbas, who was chained with his fellow rebels; they had committed murder in the rebellion.
8Then the multitude, crying aloud, began to ask him to do just as he had always done for them.
9But Pilate answered them, saying, “Do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?”
10For he knew that the chief priests had handed Him over because of envy.
11But the chief priests stirred up the crowd, so that he should rather release Barabbas to them.
12Pilate answered and said to them again, “What then do you want me to do with Him whom you call the King of the Jews?”
13So they cried out again, “Crucify Him!”
14Then Pilate said to them, “Why, what evil has He done?”
But they cried out all the more, “Crucify Him!”
Jesus is Beaten
15So Pilate, wanting to gratify the crowd, released Barabbas to them; and he delivered Jesus, after he had scourged Him, to be crucified.
16Then the soldiers led Him away into the hall called Praetorium, and they called together the whole garrison.
17And they clothed Him with purple; and they twisted a crown of thorns, put it on His head,
18and began to salute Him, “Hail, King of the Jews!”
19Then they struck Him on the head with a reed and spat on Him; and bowing the knee, they worshiped Him.
20And when they had mocked Him, they took the purple off Him, put His own clothes on Him, and led Him out to crucify Him.
21Then they compelled a certain man, Simon a Cyrenian, the father of Alexander and Rufus, as he was coming out of the country and passing by, to bear His cross.
22And they brought Him to the place Golgotha, which is translated, Place of a Skull.
23Then they gave Him wine mingled with myrrh to drink, but He did not take it.
Jesus is Crucified
24And when they crucified Him, they divided His garments, casting lots for them to determine what every man should take.
25Now it was the third hour, and they crucified Him.
26And the inscription of His accusation was written above:
THE KING OF THE JEWS.
27With Him they also crucified two robbers, one on His right and the other on His left.
28So the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “And He was numbered with the transgressors.”
29And those who passed by blasphemed Him, wagging their heads and saying, “Aha! You who destroy the temple and build it in three days,
30save Yourself, and come down from the cross!”
31Likewise the chief priests also, mocking among themselves with the scribes, said, “He saved others; Himself He cannot save.
32Let the Christ, the King of Israel, descend now from the cross, that we may see and believe.”
Even those who were crucified with Him reviled Him.
33Now when the sixth hour had come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour.
34And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?” which is translated, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”
35Some of those who stood by, when they heard that, said, “Look, He is calling for Elijah!”
36Then someone ran and filled a sponge full of sour wine, put it on a reed, and offered it to Him to drink, saying, “Let Him alone; let us see if Elijah will come to take Him down.”
37And Jesus cried out with a loud voice, and breathed His last.
38Then the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.
39So when the centurion, who stood opposite Him, saw that He cried out like this and breathed His last, he said, “Truly this Man was the Son of God!”
40There were also women looking on from afar, among whom were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the Less and of Joses, and Salome,
41who also followed Him and ministered to Him when He was in Galilee, and many other women who came up with Him to Jerusalem.
Jesus is Buried
42Now when evening had come, because it was the Preparation Day, that is, the day before the Sabbath,
43Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent council member, who was himself waiting for the kingdom of God, coming and taking courage, went in to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.
44Pilate marveled that He was already dead; and summoning the centurion, he asked him if He had been dead for some time.
45So when he found out from the centurion, he granted the body to Joseph.
46Then he bought fine linen, took Him down, and wrapped Him in the linen. And he laid Him in a tomb which had been hewn out of the rock, and rolled a stone against the door of the tomb.
47And Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses observed where He was laid.
Chapter 16
The Resurrection of Jesus
1Now when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, that they might come and anoint Him.
2Very early in the morning, on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb when the sun had risen.
3And they said among themselves, “Who will roll away the stone from the door of the tomb for us?”
4But when they looked up, they saw that the stone had been rolled away—for it was very large.
5And entering the tomb, they saw a young man clothed in a long white robe sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed.
6But he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid Him.
7But go, tell His disciples—and Peter—that He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him, as He said to you.”
8So they went out quickly and fled from the tomb, for they trembled and were amazed. And they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.
The Appearances of Jesus
9Now when He rose early on the first day of the week, He appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom He had cast seven demons.
10She went and told those who had been with Him, as they mourned and wept.
11And when they heard that He was alive and had been seen by her, they did not believe.
12After that, He appeared in another form to two of them as they walked and went into the country.
13And they went and told it to the rest, but they did not believe them either.
14Later He appeared to the eleven as they sat at the table; and He rebuked their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who had seen Him after He had risen.
15And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.
16He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.
17And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues;
18they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”
The Ascension of Jesus
19So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God.
20And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs. Amen.
Luke
Chapter 1
The Purpose and Method of Luke's Gospel
1Inasmuch as many have taken in hand to set in order a narrative of those things which have been fulfilled among us,
2just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word delivered them to us,
3it seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write to you an orderly account, most excellent Theophilus,
4that you may know the certainty of those things in which you were instructed.
Zacharias Ministers in the Temple
5There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the division of Abijah. His wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth.
6And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.
7But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both well advanced in years.
8So it was, that while he was serving as priest before God in the order of his division,
9according to the custom of the priesthood, his lot fell to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord.
10And the whole multitude of the people was praying outside at the hour of incense.
An Angel Announces the Birth of John the Baptist
11Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right side of the altar of incense.
12And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him.
13But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John.
14And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth.
15For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will also be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb.
16And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God.
17He will also go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, ‘to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,’ and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”
Zacharias is Unable to Speak
18And Zacharias said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years.”
19And the angel answered and said to him, “I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and was sent to speak to you and bring you these glad tidings.
20But behold, you will be mute and not able to speak until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words which will be fulfilled in their own time.”
21And the people waited for Zacharias, and marveled that he lingered so long in the temple.
22But when he came out, he could not speak to them; and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple, for he beckoned to them and remained speechless.
23So it was, as soon as the days of his service were completed, that he departed to his own house.
24Now after those days his wife Elizabeth conceived; and she hid herself five months, saying,
25“Thus the Lord has dealt with me, in the days when He looked on me, to take away my reproach among people.”
Gabriel Announces Christ's Birth
26Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth,
27to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin's name was Mary.
28And having come in, the angel said to her, “Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!”
29But when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and considered what manner of greeting this was.
30Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.
31And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus.
32He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David.
33And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.”
Mary Miraculously Conceives
34Then Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I do not know a man?”
35And the angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God.
36Now indeed, Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son in her old age; and this is now the sixth month for her who was called barren.
37For with God nothing will be impossible.”
38Then Mary said, “Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.
Mary Visits Elizabeth
39Now Mary arose in those days and went into the hill country with haste, to a city of Judah,
40and entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth.
41And it happened, when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, that the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.
42Then she spoke out with a loud voice and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!
43But why is this granted to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
44For indeed, as soon as the voice of your greeting sounded in my ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy.
45Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of those things which were told her from the Lord.”
46And Mary said:
“My soul magnifies the Lord,
47And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.
48For He has regarded the lowly state of His maidservant;
For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed.
49For He who is mighty has done great things for me,
And holy is His name.
50And His mercy is on those who fear Him
From generation to generation.
51He has shown strength with His arm;
He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
52He has put down the mighty from their thrones,
And exalted the lowly.
53He has filled the hungry with good things,
And the rich He has sent away empty.
54He has helped His servant Israel,
In remembrance of His mercy,
55As He spoke to our fathers,
To Abraham and to his seed forever.”
56And Mary remained with her about three months, and returned to her house.
Elizabeth Gives Birth to John
57Now Elizabeth's full time came for her to be delivered, and she brought forth a son.
58When her neighbors and relatives heard how the Lord had shown great mercy to her, they rejoiced with her.
59So it was, on the eighth day, that they came to circumcise the child; and they would have called him by the name of his father, Zacharias.
60His mother answered and said, “No; he shall be called John.”
61But they said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who is called by this name.”
62So they made signs to his father—what he would have him called.
63And he asked for a writing tablet, and wrote, saying, “His name is John.” So they all marveled.
64Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he spoke, praising God.
65Then fear came on all who dwelt around them; and all these sayings were discussed throughout all the hill country of Judea.
66And all those who heard them kept them in their hearts, saying, “What kind of child will this be?” And the hand of the Lord was with him.
Zacharias Prophesies of John's Ministry
67Now his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying:
68“Blessed is the Lord God of Israel,
For He has visited and redeemed His people,
69And has raised up a horn of salvation for us
In the house of His servant David,
70As He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets,
Who have been since the world began,
71That we should be saved from our enemies
And from the hand of all who hate us,
72To perform the mercy promised to our fathers
And to remember His holy covenant,
73The oath which He swore to our father Abraham:
74To grant us that we,
Being delivered from the hand of our enemies,
Might serve Him without fear,
75In holiness and righteousness before Him all the days of our life.
76“And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Highest;
For you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways,
77To give knowledge of salvation to His people
By the remission of their sins,
78Through the tender mercy of our God,
With which the Dayspring from on high has visited us;
79To give light to those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death,
To guide our feet into the way of peace.”
80So the child grew and became strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his manifestation to Israel.

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