John 17:1 After saying all these things, Jesus looked up to heaven and said, "Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son so He can give glory back to You.
2 For You have given Him authority over everyone. He gives eternal life to each one You have given Him.
3 And this is the way to have eternal life-to know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the One You sent to earth.
4 I brought glory to You here on earth by completing the work You gave Me to do.
5 Now, Father, bring Me into the glory We shared before the world began.
6 "I have revealed You to the ones You gave Me from this world. They were always Yours. You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word.
7 Now they know that everything I have is a gift from You,
8 for I have passed on to them the message You gave Me. They accepted it and know that I came from You, and they believe You sent Me.
9 "My prayer is not for the world, but for those You have given Me, because they belong to You.
10 All who are Mine belong to You, and You have given them to Me, so they bring Me glory.
11 Now I am departing from the world; they are staying in this world, but I am coming to You. Holy Father, You have given Me Your name; now protect them by the power of Your name so that they will be united just as We are.
12 During My time here, I protected them by the power of the name You gave Me. I guarded them so that not one was lost, except the one headed for destruction, as the Scriptures foretold.
13 "Now I am coming to You. I told them many things while I was with them in this world so they would be filled with My joy.
14 I have given them Your word. And the world hates them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world.
15 I'm not asking You to take them out of the world, but to keep them safe from the evil one.
16 They do not belong to this world any more than I do.
17 Make them holy by Your truth; teach them Your word, which is truth.
18 Just as You sent Me into the world, I am sending them into the world.
19 And I give Myself as a holy sacrifice for them so they can be made holy by Your truth.
20 "I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in Me through their message.
21 I pray that they will all be one, just as You and I are one-as You are in Me, Father, and I am in You. And may they be in Us so that the world will believe You sent Me.
22 "I have given them the glory You gave Me, so they may be one as We are one.
23 I am in them and You are in Me. May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that You sent Me and that You love them as much as You love Me.
24 Father, I want these whom You have given Me to be with Me where I am. Then they can see all the glory You gave Me because You loved Me even before the world began!
25 "O righteous Father, the world doesn't know You, but I do; and these disciples know You sent Me.
26 I have revealed You to them, and I will continue to do so. Then Your love for Me will be in them, and I will be in them."
Jn. 18:1 After saying these things, Jesus crossed the Kidron Valley with His disciples and entered a grove of olive trees.
2 Judas, the betrayer, knew this place, because Jesus had often gone there with His disciples.
3 The leading priests and Pharisees had given Judas a contingent of Roman soldiers and Temple guards to accompany him. Now with blazing torches, lanterns, and weapons, they arrived at the olive grove.
4 Jesus fully realized all that was going to happen to Him, so He stepped forward to meet them. "Who are you looking for?" He asked.
5 "Jesus the Nazarene," they replied. "I AM He," Jesus said. (Judas, who betrayed Him, was standing with them.)
6 As Jesus said "I AM He," they all drew back and fell to the ground!
7 Once more He asked them, "Who are you looking for?" And again they replied, "Jesus the Nazarene."
8 "I told you that I AM He," Jesus said. "And since I am the One you want, let these others go."
9 He did this to fulfill His own statement: "I did not lose a single one of those You have given Me."
10 Then Simon Peter drew a sword and slashed off the right ear of Malchus, the high priest's slave.
11 But Jesus said to Peter, "Put your sword back into its sheath. Shall I not drink from the cup of suffering the Father has given Me?"
12 So the soldiers, their commanding officer, and the Temple guards arrested Jesus and tied Him up.
13 First they took Him to Annas, the father-in-law of Caiaphas, the high priest at that time.
14 Caiaphas was the one who had told the other Jewish leaders, "It's better that one man should die for the people."
15 Simon Peter followed Jesus, as did another of the disciples. That other disciple was acquainted with the high priest, so he was allowed to enter the high priest's courtyard with Jesus.
16 Peter had to stay outside the gate. Then the disciple who knew the high priest spoke to the woman watching at the gate, and she let Peter in.
17 The woman asked Peter, "You're not one of that man's disciples, are you?" "No," he said, "I am not."
18 Because it was cold, the household servants and the guards had made a charcoal fire. They stood around it, warming themselves, and Peter stood with them, warming himself.
19 Inside, the high priest began asking Jesus about His followers and what He had been teaching them.
20 Jesus replied, "Everyone knows what I teach. I have preached regularly in the synagogues and the Temple, where the people gather. I have not spoken in secret.
21 Why are you asking Me this question? Ask those who heard Me. They know what I said."
22 Then one of the Temple guards standing nearby slapped Jesus across the face. "Is that the way to answer the high priest?" he demanded.
23 Jesus replied, "If I said anything wrong, you must prove it. But if I'm speaking the truth, why are you beating Me?"
24 Then Annas bound Jesus and sent Him to Caiaphas, the high priest.
25 Meanwhile, as Simon Peter was standing by the fire warming himself, they asked Him again, "You're not one of His disciples, are you?" He denied it, saying, "No, I am not."
26 But one of the household slaves of the high priest, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, asked, "Didn't I see you out there in the olive grove with Jesus?"
27 Again Peter denied it. And immediately a rooster crowed.
28 Jesus' trial before Caiaphas ended in the early hours of the morning. Then He was taken to the headquarters of the Roman governor. His accusers didn't go inside because it would defile them, and they wouldn't be allowed to celebrate the Passover.
29 So Pilate, the governor, went out to them and asked, "What is your charge against this man?"
30 "We wouldn't have handed Him over to you if He weren't a criminal!" they retorted.
31 "Then take Him away and judge Him by your own law," Pilate told them. "Only the Romans are permitted to execute someone," the Jewish leaders replied.
32 (This fulfilled Jesus' prediction about the way He would die.)
33 Then Pilate went back into his headquarters and called for Jesus to be brought to him. "Are You the king of the Jews?" he asked Him.
34 Jesus replied, "Is this your own question, or did others tell you about Me?"
35 "Am I a Jew?" Pilate retorted. "Your own people and their leading priests brought You to me for trial. Why? What have You done?"
36 Jesus answered, "My Kingdom is not an earthly kingdom. If it were, My followers would fight to keep Me from being handed over to the Jewish leaders. But My Kingdom is not of this world."
37 Pilate said, "So You are a king?" Jesus responded, "You say I am a king. Actually, I was born and came into the world to testify to the truth. All who love the truth recognize that what I say is true."
38 "What is truth?" Pilate asked. Then he went out again to the people and told them, "He is not guilty of any crime.
39 But you have a custom of asking me to release one prisoner each year at Passover. Would you like me to release this 'King of the Jews'?"
40 But they shouted back, "No! Not this man. We want Barabbas!" (Barabbas was a revolutionary.)
______________________________________________________________________
Psa 17:1 A prayer of David. O LORD, hear my plea for justice. Listen to my cry for help. Pay attention to my prayer, for it comes from honest lips.
2 Declare me innocent, for You see those who do right.
3 You have tested my thoughts and examined my heart in the night. You have scrutinized me and found nothing wrong. I am determined not to sin in what I say.
4 I have followed Your commands, which keep me from following cruel and evil people.
5 My steps have stayed on Your path; I have not wavered from following You.
6 I am praying to You because I know You will answer, O God. Bend down and listen as I pray.
7 Show me Your unfailing love in wonderful ways. By Your mighty power You rescue those who seek refuge from their enemies.
8 Guard me as You would guard Your own eyes. Hide me in the shadow of Your wings.
9 Protect me from wicked people who attack me, from murderous enemies who surround me.
10 They are without pity. Listen to their boasting!
11 They track me down and surround me, watching for the chance to throw me to the ground.
12 They are like hungry lions, eager to tear me apart-like young lions hiding in ambush.
13 Arise, O LORD! Stand against them, and bring them to their knees! Rescue me from the wicked with Your sword!
14 By the power of Your hand, O LORD, destroy those who look to this world for their reward. But satisfy the hunger of Your treasured ones. May their children have plenty, leaving an inheritance for their descendants.
15 Because I am righteous, I will see You. When I awake, I will see You face to face and be satisfied.
Ps 18:1 For the choir director: A psalm of David, the servant of the LORD. He sang this song to the LORD on the day the LORD rescued him from all his enemies and from Saul. He sang: I love You, LORD; You are my strength.
2 The LORD is my rock, my fortress, and my savior; my God is my rock, in whom I find protection. He is my shield, the power that saves me, and my place of safety.
3 I called on the LORD, who is worthy of praise, and He saved me from my enemies.
4 The ropes of death entangled me; floods of destruction swept over me.
5 The grave wrapped its ropes around me; death laid a trap in my path.
6 But in my distress I cried out to the LORD; yes, I prayed to my God for help. He heard me from His sanctuary; my cry to Him reached His ears.
7 Then the earth quaked and trembled. The foundations of the mountains shook; they quaked because of His anger.
8 Smoke poured from His nostrils; fierce flames leaped from His mouth. Glowing coals blazed forth from Him.
9 He opened the heavens and came down; dark storm clouds were beneath His feet.
10 Mounted on a mighty angelic being, He flew, soaring on the wings of the wind.
11 He shrouded Himself in darkness, veiling His approach with dark rain clouds.
12 Thick clouds shielded the brightness around Him and rained down hail and burning coals.
13 The LORD thundered from heaven; the voice of the Most High resounded amid the hail and burning coals.
14 He shot His arrows and scattered His enemies; His lightning flashed, and they were greatly confused.
15 Then at Your command, O LORD, at the blast of Your breath, the bottom of the sea could be seen, and the foundations of the earth were laid bare.
16 He reached down from heaven and rescued me; He drew me out of deep waters.
17 He rescued me from my powerful enemies, from those who hated me and were too strong for me.
18 They attacked me at a moment when I was in distress, but the LORD supported me.
19 He led me to a place of safety; He rescued me because He delights in me.
20 The LORD rewarded me for doing right; He restored me because of my innocence.
21 For I have kept the ways of the LORD; I have not turned from my God to follow evil.
22 I have followed all His regulations; I have never abandoned His decrees.
23 I am blameless before God; I have kept myself from sin.
24 The LORD rewarded me for doing right. He has seen my innocence.
25 To the faithful You show Yourself faithful; to those with integrity You show integrity.
26 To the pure You show Yourself pure, but to the wicked You show Yourself hostile.
27 You rescue the humble, but You humiliate the proud.
28 You light a lamp for me. The LORD, my God, lights up my darkness.
29 In Your strength I can crush an army; with my God I can scale any wall.
30 God's way is perfect. All the LORD's promises prove true. He is a shield for all who look to Him for protection.
31 For who is God except the LORD? Who but our God is a solid rock?
32 God arms me with strength, and He makes my way perfect.
33 He makes me as surefooted as a deer, enabling me to stand on mountain heights.
34 He trains my hands for battle; He strengthens my arm to draw a bronze bow.
35 You have given me Your shield of victory. Your right hand supports me; Your help has made me great.
36 You have made a wide path for my feet to keep them from slipping.
37 I chased my enemies and caught them; I did not stop until they were conquered.
38 I struck them down so they could not get up; they fell beneath my feet.
39 You have armed me with strength for the battle; You have subdued my enemies under my feet.
40 You placed my foot on their necks. I have destroyed all who hated me.
41 They called for help, but no one came to their rescue. They even cried to the LORD, but He refused to answer.
42 I ground them as fine as dust in the wind. I swept them into the gutter like dirt.
43 You gave me victory over my accusers. You appointed me ruler over nations; people I don't even know now serve me.
44 As soon as they hear of me, they submit; foreign nations cringe before me.
46 The LORD lives! Praise to my Rock! May the God of my salvation be exalted!
47 He is the God who pays back those who harm me; He subdues the nations under me
48 and rescues me from my enemies. You hold me safe beyond the reach of my enemies; You save me from violent opponents.
49 For this, O LORD, I will praise You among the nations; I will sing praises to Your name.
50 You give great victories to Your king; You show unfailing love to Your anointed, to David and all his descendants forever.
.
