Memorial Bible reading: (Events on Nisan 13 and 14)

Matthew 26:17-56; Luke 22:7-13

17On the first day of the unfermented cakes the disciples came up to Jesus, saying: “Where do you want us to prepare for you to eat the passover?” 18He said: “Go into the city to So-and-so and say to him, The Teacher says, ‘My appointed time is near; I will celebrate the passover with my disciples at your home.’” 19And the disciples did as Jesus ordered them, and they got things ready for the passover.

20When, now, it had become evening, he was reclining at the table with the twelve disciples. 21While they were eating, he said: “Truly I say to YOU, One of YOU will betray me.” 22Being very much grieved at this, they commenced each and every one to say to him: “Lord, it is not I, is it?” 23In reply he said: “He that dips his hand with me in the bowl is the one that will betray me. 24True, the Son of man is going away, just as it is written concerning him, but woe to that man through whom the Son of man is betrayed! It would have been finer for him if that man had not been born.” 25By way of reply Judas, who was about to betray him, said: “It is not I, is it, Rabbi?” He said to him: “You yourself said [it].”

26As they continued eating, Jesus took a loaf and, after saying a blessing, he broke it and, giving it to the disciples, he said: “TAKE, eat. This means my body.” 27Also, he took a cup and, having given thanks, he gave it to them, saying: “Drink out of it, all of YOU; 28for this means my ‘blood of the covenant,’ which is to be poured out in behalf of many for forgiveness of sins. 29But I tell YOU, I will by no means drink henceforth any of this product of the vine until that day when I drink it new with YOU in the kingdom of my Father.” 30Finally, after singing praises, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

31Then Jesus said to them: “All of YOU will be stumbled in connection with me on this night, for it is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered about.’ 32But after I have been raised up, I will go ahead of YOU into Gal´i·lee.” 33But Peter, in answer, said to him: “Although all the others are stumbled in connection with you, never will I be stumbled!” 34Jesus said to him: “Truly I say to you, On this night, before a cock crows, you will disown me three times.” 35Peter said to him: “Even if I should have to die with you, I will by no means disown you.” All the other disciples also said the same thing.

36Then Jesus came with them to the spot called Geth·sem´a·ne, and he said to the disciples: “Sit down here while I go over there and pray.” 37And taking along Peter and the two sons of Zeb´e·dee, he started to be grieved and to be sorely troubled. 38Then he said to them: “My soul is deeply grieved, even to death. Stay here and keep on the watch with me.” 39And going a little way forward, he fell upon his face, praying and saying: “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass away from me. Yet, not as I will, but as you will.”

40And he came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and he said to Peter: “Could YOU men not so much as watch one hour with me? 41Keep on the watch and pray continually, that YOU may not enter into temptation. The spirit, of course, is eager, but the flesh is weak.” 42Again, for the second time, he went off and prayed, saying: “My Father, if it is not possible for this to pass away except I drink it, let your will take place.” 43And he came again and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy. 44So leaving them, he again went off and prayed for the third time, saying once more the same word. 45Then he came to the disciples and said to them: “At such a time as this YOU are sleeping and taking YOUR rest! Look! The hour has drawn near for the Son of man to be betrayed into the hands of sinners. 46Get up, let us go. Look! My betrayer has drawn near.” 47And while he was yet speaking, look! Judas, one of the twelve, came and with him a great crowd with swords and clubs from the chief priests and older men of the people.
48Now his betrayer had given them a sign, saying: “Whoever it is I kiss, this is he; take him into custody.” 49And going straight up to Jesus he said: “Good day, Rabbi!” and kissed him very tenderly. 50But Jesus said to him: “Fellow, for what purpose are you present?” Then they came forward and laid hands on Jesus and took him into custody. 51But, look! one of those with Jesus reached out his hand and drew his sword and struck the slave of the high priest and took off his ear. 52Then Jesus said to him: “Return your sword to its place, for all those who take the sword will perish by the sword. 53Or do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father to supply me at this moment more than twelve legions of angels? 54In that case, how would the Scriptures be fulfilled that it must take place this way?” 55In that hour Jesus said to the crowds: “Have YOU come out with swords and clubs as against a robber to arrest me? Day after day I used to sit in the temple teaching, and yet YOU did not take me into custody. 56But all this has taken place for the scriptures of the prophets to be fulfilled.” Then all the disciples abandoned him and fled.

7The day of the unfermented cakes now arrived, on which the passover [victim] must be sacrificed; 8and he dispatched Peter and John, saying: “Go and get the passover ready for us to eat.” 9They said to him: “Where do you want us to get [it] ready?” 10He said to them: “Look! When YOU enter into the city a man carrying an earthenware vessel of water will meet YOU. Follow him into the house into which he enters. 11And YOU must say to the landlord of the house, ‘The Teacher says to you: “Where is the guest room in which I may eat the passover with my disciples?”’ 12And that [man] will show YOU a large upper room furnished. Get [it] ready there.” 13So they departed and found it just as he had said to them, and they got the passover ready.

Memorial Date After Sundown Sunday, April 17, 2011

Memorial Bible reading: (Events on Nisan 12)

Matthew 26:1-5, 14-16; Luke 22:1-6

1 Now when Jesus had finished all these sayings, he said to his disciples: 2 “YOU know that two days from now the passover occurs, and the Son of man is to be delivered up to be impaled.”
3 Then the chief priests and the older men of the people gathered together in the courtyard of the high priest who was called Ca´ia·phas, 4 and took counsel together to seize Jesus by crafty device and kill him. 5 However, they kept saying: “Not at the festival, in order that no uproar may arise among the people.”

14 Then one of the twelve, the one called Judas Is·car´i·ot, went to the chief priests 15 and said: “What will YOU give me to betray him to YOU?” They stipulated to him thirty silver pieces. 16 So from then on he kept seeking a good opportunity to betray him.

1 Now the festival of the unfermented cakes, the so-called Passover, was getting near. 2 Also, the chief priests and the scribes were seeking the effective way for them to get rid of him, for they were in fear of the people. 3 But Satan entered into Judas, the one called Is·car´i·ot, who was numbered among the twelve; 4 and he went off and talked with the chief priests and [temple] captains about the effective way to betray him to them. 5 Well, they rejoiced and agreed to give him silver money. 6 So he consented, and he began to seek a good opportunity to betray him to them without a crowd around.

Memorial Bible reading: (Events on Nisan 11)

Matthew 21:33-41; 22:15-22; 23:1-12; 24:1-3

3 3“Hear another illustration: There was a man, a householder, who planted a vineyard and put a fence around it and dug a winepress in it and erected a tower, and let it out to cultivators, and traveled abroad. 34 When the season of the fruits came around, he dispatched his slaves to the cultivators to get his fruits. 35 However, the cultivators took his slaves, and one they beat up, another they killed, another they stoned. 36 Again he dispatched other slaves, more than the first, but they did the same to these. 37 Lastly he dispatched his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ 38 On seeing the son the cultivators said among themselves, ‘This is the heir; come, let us kill him and get his inheritance!’ 39 So they took him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. 40 Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those cultivators?” 41 They said to him: “Because they are evil, he will bring an evil destruction upon them and will let out the vineyard to other cultivators, who will render him the fruits when they become due.”

15 Then the Pharisees went their way and took counsel together in order to trap him in his speech. 16 So they dispatched to him their disciples, together with party followers of Herod, saying: “Teacher, we know you are truthful and teach the way of God in truth, and you do not care for anybody, for you do not look upon men’s outward appearance. 17 Tell us, therefore, What do you think? Is it lawful to pay head tax to Caesar or not?” 18 But Jesus, knowing their wickedness, said: “Why do YOU put me to the test, hypocrites? 19 Show me the head tax coin.” They brought him a de·nar´i·us. 20 And he said to them: “Whose image and inscription is this?” 21 They said: “Caesar’s.” Then he said to them: “Pay back, therefore, Caesar’s things to Caesar, but God’s things to God.” 22 Well, when they heard [that], they marveled, and leaving him they went off.

1 Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to his disciples, saying: 2 “The scribes and the Pharisees have seated themselves in the seat of Moses. 3 Therefore all the things they tell YOU, do and observe, but do not do according to their deeds, for they say but do not perform. 4 They bind up heavy loads and put them upon the shoulders of men, but they themselves are not willing to budge them with their finger. 5 All the works they do they do to be viewed by men; for they broaden the [scripture-containing] cases that they wear as safeguards, and enlarge the fringes [of their garments]. 6 They like the most prominent place at evening meals and the front seats in the synagogues, 7 and the greetings in the marketplaces and to be called Rabbi by men. 8 But YOU, do not YOU be called Rabbi, for one is YOUR teacher, whereas all YOU are brothers. 9 Moreover, do not call anyone YOUR father on earth, for one is YOUR Father, the heavenly One. 10 Neither be called ‘leaders,’ for YOUR Leader is one, the Christ. 11 But the greatest one among YOU must be YOUR minister. 12 Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

1 Departing now, Jesus was on his way from the temple, but his disciples approached to show him the buildings of the temple. 2 In response he said to them: “Do YOU not behold all these things? Truly I say to YOU, By no means will a stone be left here upon a stone and not be thrown down.”
3 While he was sitting upon the Mount of Olives, the disciples approached him privately, saying: “Tell us, When will these things be, and what will be the sign of your presence and of the conclusion of the system of things?”

Memorial Bible reading: (Events on Nisan 10)

Matthew 21:18, 19; 21:12, 13; John 12:20-50

18 While returning to the city early in the morning, he got hungry. 19 And he caught sight of a fig tree by the road and went to it, but he found nothing on it except leaves only, and he said to it: “Let no fruit come from you anymore forever.” And the fig tree withered instantly.

12 And Jesus entered into the temple and threw out all those selling and buying in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. 13 And he said to them: “It is written, ‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’ but YOU are making it a cave of robbers.”


20 Now there were some Greeks among those that came up to worship at the festival. 21 These, therefore, approached Philip who was from Beth·sa´i·da of Gal´i·lee, and they began to request him, saying: “Sir, we want to see Jesus.” 22 Philip came and told Andrew. Andrew and Philip came and told Jesus.

23 But Jesus answered them, saying: “The hour has come for the Son of man to be glorified. 24 Most truly I say to YOU, Unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains just one [grain]; but if it dies, it then bears much fruit. 25 He that is fond of his soul destroys it, but he that hates his soul in this world will safeguard it for everlasting life. 26 If anyone would minister to me, let him follow me, and where I am there my minister will be also. If anyone would minister to me, the Father will honor him. 27 Now my soul is troubled, and what shall I say? Father, save me out of this hour. Nevertheless, this is why I have come to this hour. 28 Father, glorify your name.” Therefore a voice came out of heaven: “I both glorified [it] and will glorify [it] again.”

29 Hence the crowd that stood about and heard it began to say that it had thundered. Others began to say: “An angel has spoken to him.” 30 In answer Jesus said: “This voice has occurred, not for my sake, but for YOUR sakes. 31 Now there is a judging of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out. 32 And yet I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw men of all sorts to me.” 33 This he was really saying to signify what sort of death he was about to die. 34 Therefore the crowd answered him: “We heard from the Law that the Christ remains forever; and how is it you say that the Son of man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of man?” 35 Jesus therefore said to them: “The light will be among YOU a little while longer. Walk while YOU have the light, so that darkness does not overpower YOU; and he that walks in the darkness does not know where he is going. 36 While YOU have the light, exercise faith in the light, in order to become sons of light.”

Jesus spoke these things and went off and hid from them. 37 But although he had performed so many signs before them, they were not putting faith in him, 38 so that the word of Isaiah the prophet was fulfilled which he said: “Jehovah, who has put faith in the thing heard by us? And as for the arm of Jehovah, to whom has it been revealed?” 39 The reason why they were not able to believe is that again Isaiah said: 40 “He has blinded their eyes and he has made their hearts hard, that they should not see with their eyes and get the thought with their hearts and turn around and I should heal them.” 41 Isaiah said these things because he saw his glory, and he spoke about him. 42 All the same, many even of the rulers actually put faith in him, but because of the Pharisees they would not confess [him], in order not to be expelled from the synagogue; 43 for they loved the glory of men more than even the glory of God.

44 However, Jesus cried out and said: “He that puts faith in me puts faith, not in me [only], but in him [also] that sent me; 45 and he that beholds me beholds [also] him that sent me. 46 I have come as a light into the world, in order that everyone putting faith in me may not remain in the darkness. 47 But if anyone hears my sayings and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I came, not to judge the world, but to save the world. 48 He that disregards me and does not receive my sayings has one to judge him. The word that I have spoken is what will judge him in the last day; 49 because I have not spoken out of my own impulse, but the Father himself who sent me has given me a commandment as to what to tell and what to speak. 50 Also, I know that his commandment means everlasting life. Therefore the things I speak, just as the Father has told me [them], so I speak [them].”
Memorial Date After Sundown Sunday, April 17, 2011

Memorial Bible reading: (Events on Nisan 9)

Matthew 21:1-11, 14-17

1 Well, when they got close to Jerusalem and arrived at Beth´pha·ge on the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent forth two disciples, 2 saying to them: “Be on YOUR way into the village that is within sight of YOU, and YOU will at once find an ass tied, and a colt with her; untie them and bring them to me. 3 And if someone says anything to YOU, YOU must say, ‘The Lord needs them.’ At that he will immediately send them forth.”

4 This actually took place that there might be fulfilled what was spoken through the prophet, saying: 5 “TELL the daughter of Zion, ‘Look! Your King is coming to you, mild-tempered, and mounted upon an ass, yes, upon a colt, the offspring of a beast of burden.’”
 
6So the disciples got on their way and did just as Jesus ordered them. 7 And they brought the ass and its colt, and they put upon these their outer garments, and he seated himself upon them. 8 Most of the crowd spread their outer garments on the road, while others began cutting down branches from the trees and spreading them on the road. 9 As for the crowds, those going ahead of him and those following kept crying out: “Save, we pray, the Son of David! Blessed is he that comes in Jehovah’s name! Save him, we pray, in the heights above!”

10 Now when he entered into Jerusalem, the whole city was set in commotion, saying: “Who is this?” 11 The crowds kept telling: “This is the prophet Jesus, from Naz´a·reth of Gal´i·lee!”

14 Also, blind and lame persons came up to him in the temple, and he cured them.
15 When the chief priests and the scribes saw the marvelous things he did and the boys that were crying out in the temple and saying: “Save, we pray, the Son of David!” they became indignant 16 and said to him: “Do you hear what these are saying?” Jesus said to them: “Yes. Did YOU never read this, ‘Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings you have furnished praise’?” 17 And leaving them behind he went outside the city to Beth´a·ny and passed the night there.

Memorial Bible reading: (Events on Nisan 9)

Matthew 26:6-13

6 YOU are going to hear of wars and reports of wars; see that YOU are not terrified. For these things must take place, but the end is not yet.
7 “For nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be food shortages and earthquakes in one place after another. 8 All these things are a beginning of pangs of distress.
9 “Then people will deliver YOU up to tribulation and will kill YOU, and YOU will be objects of hatred by all the nations on account of my name. 10 Then, also, many will be stumbled and will betray one another and will hate one another. 11 And many false prophets will arise and mislead many; 12 and because of the increasing of lawlessness the love of the greater number will cool off. 13 But he that has endured to the end is the one that will be saved.