The High Priest Questions Jesus^(A)

¹⁹ Meanwhile, the high priest questioned Jesus about his disciples and his teaching.

²⁰ “I have spoken openly to the world,” Jesus replied. “I always taught in synagogues^(B) or at the temple,^(C) where all the Jews come together. I said nothing in secret.^{(D) 21} Why question me? Ask those who heard me. Surely they know what I said.”

²² When Jesus said this, one of the officials^(E) nearby slapped him in the face.^(F) “Is this the way you answer the high priest?” he demanded.

²³ “If I said something wrong,” Jesus replied, “testify as to what is wrong. But if I spoke the truth, why did you strike me?”^{(G) 24} Then Annas sent him bound to Caiaphas^(H) the high priest.

Peter’s Second and Third Denials^(I)

²⁵ Meanwhile, Simon Peter was still standing there warming himself.^(J) So they asked him, “You aren’t one of his disciples too, are you?”

He denied it, saying, “I am not.”^(K)

²⁶ One of the high priest’s servants, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off,^(L) challenged him, “Didn’t I see you with him in the garden?”^{(M) 27} Again Peter denied it, and at that moment a rooster began to crow.^(N)

Jesus Before Pilate^(O)

²⁸ Then the Jewish leaders took Jesus from Caiaphas to the palace of the Roman governor.^(P) By now it was early morning, and to avoid ceremonial uncleanness they did not enter the palace,^(Q) because they wanted to be able to eat the Passover.^{(R) 29} So Pilate came out to them and asked, “What charges are you bringing against this man?”

³⁰ “If he were not a criminal,” they replied, “we would not have handed him over to you.”

³¹ Pilate said, “Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law.”

“But we have no right to execute anyone,” they objected. ³² This took place to fulfill what Jesus had said about the kind of death he was going to die.^(S)

³³ Pilate then went back inside the palace,^(T) summoned Jesus and asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?”^(U)

³⁴ “Is that your own idea,” Jesus asked, “or did others talk to you about me?”

³⁵ “Am I a Jew?” Pilate replied. “Your own people and chief priests handed you over to me. What is it you have done?”

³⁶ Jesus said, “My kingdom^(V) is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders.^(W) But now my kingdom is from another place.”^(X)

³⁷ “You are a king, then!” said Pilate.

Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth.^(Y) Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.”^(Z)

³⁸ “What is truth?” retorted Pilate. With this he went out again to the Jews gathered there and said, “I find no basis for a charge against him.^(AA)

Jotham King of Judah^(A)

27 Jotham^(B) was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem sixteen years. His mother’s name was Jerusha daughter of Zadok. ² He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, just as his father Uzziah had done, but unlike him he did not enter the temple of the Lord. The people, however, continued their corrupt practices. ³ Jotham rebuilt the Upper Gate of the temple of the Lord and did extensive work on the wall at the hill of Ophel.^{(C) 4} He built towns in the hill country of Judah and forts and towers in the wooded areas.

⁵ Jotham waged war against the king of the Ammonites^(D) and conquered them. That year the Ammonites paid him a hundred talents^[a] of silver, ten thousand cors^[b] of wheat and ten thousand cors^[c] of barley. The Ammonites brought him the same amount also in the second and third years.

⁶ Jotham grew powerful^(E) because he walked steadfastly before the Lord his God.

⁷ The other events in Jotham’s reign, including all his wars and the other things he did, are written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah. ⁸ He was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem sixteen years. ⁹ Jotham rested with his ancestors and was buried in the City of David. And Ahaz his son succeeded him as king.

Ahaz King of Judah^(F)

28 Ahaz^(G) was twenty years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem sixteen years. Unlike David his father, he did not do what was right in the eyes of the Lord. ² He followed the ways of the kings of Israel and also made idols^(H) for worshiping the Baals. ³ He burned sacrifices in the Valley of Ben Hinnom^(I) and sacrificed his children^(J) in the fire, engaging in the detestable^(K) practices of the nations the Lord had driven out before the Israelites. ⁴ He offered sacrifices and burned incense at the high places, on the hilltops and under every spreading tree.

⁵ Therefore the Lord his God delivered him into the hands of the king of Aram.^(L) The Arameans defeated him and took many of his people as prisoners and brought them to Damascus.

He was also given into the hands of the king of Israel, who inflicted heavy casualties on him. ⁶ In one day Pekah^(M) son of Remaliah killed a hundred and twenty thousand soldiers in Judah^(N)—because Judah had forsaken the Lord, the God of their ancestors. ⁷ Zikri, an Ephraimite warrior, killed Maaseiah the king’s son, Azrikam the officer in charge of the palace, and Elkanah, second to the king. ⁸ The men of Israel took captive from their fellow Israelites who were from Judah^(O) two hundred thousand wives, sons and daughters. They also took a great deal of plunder, which they carried back to Samaria.^(P)

⁹ But a prophet of the Lord named Oded was there, and he went out to meet the army when it returned to Samaria. He said to them, “Because the Lord, the God of your ancestors, was angry^(Q) with Judah, he gave them into your hand. But you have slaughtered them in a rage that reaches to heaven.^{(R) 10} And now you intend to make the men and women of Judah and Jerusalem your slaves.^(S) But aren’t you also guilty of sins against the Lord your God? ¹¹ Now listen to me! Send back your fellow Israelites you have taken as prisoners, for the Lord’s fierce anger rests on you.^(T)”

¹² Then some of the leaders in Ephraim—Azariah son of Jehohanan, Berekiah son of Meshillemoth, Jehizkiah son of Shallum, and Amasa son of Hadlai—confronted those who were arriving from the war. ¹³ “You must not bring those prisoners here,” they said, “or we will be guilty before the Lord. Do you intend to add to our sin and guilt? For our guilt is already great, and his fierce anger rests on Israel.”

¹⁴ So the soldiers gave up the prisoners and plunder in the presence of the officials and all the assembly. ¹⁵ The men designated by name took the prisoners, and from the plunder they clothed all who were naked. They provided them with clothes and sandals, food and drink,^(U) and healing balm. All those who were weak they put on donkeys. So they took them back to their fellow Israelites at Jericho, the City of Palms,^(V) and returned to Samaria.^(W)

¹⁶ At that time King Ahaz sent to the kings^[d] of Assyria^(X) for help. ¹⁷ The Edomites^(Y) had again come and attacked Judah and carried away prisoners,^{(Z) 18} while the Philistines^(AA) had raided towns in the foothills and in the Negev of Judah. They captured and occupied Beth Shemesh, Aijalon^(AB) and Gederoth,^(AC) as well as Soko,^(AD) Timnah^(AE) and Gimzo, with their surrounding villages. ¹⁹ The Lord had humbled Judah because of Ahaz king of Israel,^[e] for he had promoted wickedness in Judah and had been most unfaithful^(AF) to the Lord. ²⁰ Tiglath-Pileser^[f](AG) king of Assyria^(AH) came to him, but he gave him trouble^(AI) instead of help.^{(AJ) 21} Ahaz^(AK) took some of the things from the temple of the Lord and from the royal palace and from the officials and presented them to the king of Assyria, but that did not help him.^(AL)

²² In his time of trouble King Ahaz became even more unfaithful^(AM) to the Lord. ²³ He offered sacrifices to the gods^(AN) of Damascus, who had defeated him; for he thought, “Since the gods of the kings of Aram have helped them, I will sacrifice to them so they will help me.”^(AO) But they were his downfall and the downfall of all Israel.^(AP)

²⁴ Ahaz gathered together the furnishings^(AQ) from the temple of God^(AR) and cut them in pieces. He shut the doors^(AS) of the Lord’s temple and set up altars^(AT) at every street corner in Jerusalem. ²⁵ In every town in Judah he built high places to burn sacrifices to other gods and aroused the anger of the Lord, the God of his ancestors.

²⁶ The other events of his reign and all his ways, from beginning to end, are written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel. ²⁷ Ahaz rested^(AU) with his ancestors and was buried^(AV) in the city of Jerusalem, but he was not placed in the tombs of the kings of Israel. And Hezekiah his son succeeded him as king.

Psalm 84^[a]

For the director of music. According to gittith.^[b] Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm.