Study Desk

"For behold, the days are coming when they will say, 'Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that have not given birth, and the breasts that have never nursed.'

"For if they do these things when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?"

And Jesus was saying, "Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing." And they cast lots, dividing His clothes among themselves.

"We are suffering justly, because we are getting what we deserve for what we have done; but this Man has done nothing wrong."

All the crowds who had gathered for this spectacle, when they saw what had happened, began to return [to their homes], beating their breasts [as a sign of mourning or repentance].

(he had not consented to the Council's plan and action) a man from Arimathea, a city of the Jews, who was waiting for and expecting the kingdom of God;

this man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.

It was the day of preparation [for the Sabbath], and the Sabbath was dawning.

and as the women were terrified and were bowing their faces to the ground, the men said to them, "Why are you looking for the living One among the dead?

"Was it not necessary for the Christ to suffer these things and [only then to] enter His glory?"

Then beginning with Moses and [throughout] all the [writings of the] prophets, He explained and interpreted for them the things referring to Himself [found] in all the Scriptures.

and that repentance [necessary] for forgiveness of sins would be preached in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem.

John testified [repeatedly] about Him and has cried out [testifying officially for the record, with validity and relevance], "This was He of whom I said, 'He who comes after me has a higher rank than I and has priority over me, for He existed before me.'"

For out of His fullness [the superabundance of His grace and truth] we have all received grace upon grace [spiritual blessing upon spiritual blessing, favor upon favor, and gift heaped upon gift].

For the Law was given through Moses, but grace [the unearned, undeserved favor of God] and truth came through Jesus Christ.

"This is He on behalf of whom I said, 'After me comes a Man who has a higher rank than I and has priority over me, for He existed before me.'

John gave [further] evidence [testifying officially for the record, with validity and relevance], saying, "I have seen the Spirit descending as a dove out of heaven, and He remained upon Him.

He said to them, "Come, and you will see." So they went [with Him] and saw where He was staying; and they stayed with Him that day, for it was about the tenth hour.

He first looked for and found his own brother Simon and told him, "We have found the Messiah" (which translated means the Christ).

Now there were six stone waterpots set there for the Jewish custom of purification (ceremonial washing), containing twenty or thirty gallons each.