Pilate therefore said to him, ‘Are you a king then? Jesus answered, ‘You say that I am a king. For this reason I have been born, and for this reason I have come into the world, that I should testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.’ John 18:37
2 Samuel 16
2 Samuel 16
David and Ziba
1 When David was a little past the summit of the Mount of Olives, Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth met him with a couple of donkeys saddled, and on them 200 loaves of bread, 100 clusters of raisins, 100 summer fruits, and a container of wine. 2 The king said to Ziba, “What do you mean by these?”
Ziba said, “The donkeys are for the king’s household to ride on, and the bread and summer fruit for the young men to eat, and the wine, that those who are faint in the wilderness may drink.”
3 The king said, “Where is your master’s son?”
Ziba said to the king, “He is staying in Jerusalem, for he said, ‘Today the house of Israel will restore to me the kingdom of my father.’ ”
4 Then the king said to Ziba, “All that belongs to Mephibosheth is yours.”
Ziba said, “I bow down. Let me find favor in your sight, my lord, O king.”
Shimei Curses David
5 When king David came to Bahurim, a man of the family of Saul’s house came out, whose name was Shimei, the son of Gera. He came out and cursed as he came. 6 He cast stones at David, and at all the servants of king David, and all the people and all the mighty men were on his right hand and on his left. 7 Shimei said when he cursed, “Be gone, be gone, you man of blood, and worthless man! 8 The Lord has returned on you all the blood of Saul’s house, in whose place you have reigned! The Lord has delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom your son! You are caught by your own mischief, because you are a man of blood!”
9 Then Abishai the son of Zeruiah said to the king, “Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Please let me go over and take off his head.” 10 The king said, “What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah? Because he curses and because the Lord has said to him, ‘Curse David,’ who then shall say, ‘Why have you done so?’ ”
11 David said to Abishai and to all his servants, “My son, who came from my own body, is seeking my life. How much more this Benjamite, now? Leave him alone and let him curse, for the Lord has invited him. 12 It may be that the Lord will look on the wrong done to me, and that the Lord will repay me good for the cursing of me today.” 13 So David and his men went by the way, and Shimei went along on the hillside opposite him and cursed as he went, threw stones at him and threw dust. 14 The king and all the people who were with him arrived weary, and he refreshed himself there.
The Counsel of Ahithophel and Hushai
15 Absalom and all the people, the men of Israel, came to Jerusalem, and Ahithophel with him. 16 When Hushai the Archite, David’s friend, had come to Absalom, Hushai said to Absalom, “Long live the king! Long live the king!”
17 Absalom said to Hushai, “Is this your kindness to your friend? Why didn’t you go with your friend?”
18 Hushai said to Absalom, “No, but whomever the Lord and this people and all the men of Israel have chosen, I will be his, and I will stay with him. 19 Again, whom should I serve? Shouldn’t I serve in the presence of his son? As I have served in your father’s presence, so I will be in your presence.”
20 Then Absalom said to Ahithophel, “Give your counsel, what we shall do.”
21 Ahithophel said to Absalom, “Go in to your father’s concubines that he has left to keep the house. Then all Israel will hear that you are abhorred by your father. Then the hands of all who are with you will be strong.”
22 So they spread a tent for Absalom on the top of the house, and Absalom went in to his father’s concubines in the sight of all Israel. 23 The counsel of Ahithophel, which he gave in those days, was as if a man inquired at the inner sanctuary of God. All the counsel of Ahithophel was like this both with David and with Absalom.
John 18:25-19:22
John 18
Peter’s Second and Third Denials
25 Now Simon Peter was standing and warming himself. They said therefore to him, “You aren’t also one of his disciples, are you?”
He denied it and said, “I am not.”
26 One of the servants of the high priest, being a relative of him whose ear Peter had cut off, said, “Didn’t I see you in the garden with him?”
27 Peter therefore denied it again, and immediately the rooster crowed.
Jesus Before Pilate
28 They led Jesus therefore from Caiaphas into the Praetorium. It was early, and they themselves did not enter into the Praetorium, that they might not be defiled, but might eat the Passover. 29 Pilate therefore went out to them and said, “What accusation do you bring against this man?”
30 They answered him, “If this man weren’t an evildoer, we wouldn’t have delivered him up to you.”
31 Pilate therefore said to them, “Take him yourselves and judge him according to your law.”
Therefore the Jews said to him, “It is illegal for us to put anyone to death,” 32 that the word of Jesus might be fulfilled, which he spoke, signifying by what kind of death he should die.
33 Pilate therefore entered again into the Praetorium, called Jesus, and said to him, “Are you the King of the Jews?”
34 Jesus answered him, “Do you say this by yourself, or did others tell you about me?”
35 Pilate answered, “I’m not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests delivered you to me. What have you done?”
36 Jesus answered, “My Kingdom is not of this world. If my Kingdom were of this world, then my servants would fight, that I would not be delivered to the Jews. But now my Kingdom is not from here.”
37 Pilate therefore said to him, “Are you a king then?”
Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this reason I have been born, and for this reason I have come into the world, that I should testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.”
38 Pilate said to him, “What is truth?”
When he had said this, he went out again to the Jews, and said to them, “I find no basis for a charge against him. 39 But you have a custom, that I should release someone to you at the Passover. Therefore, do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?”
40 Then they all shouted again, saying, “Not this man, but Barabbas!” Now Barabbas was a robber.
John 19
The Soldiers Mock Jesus
1 So Pilate then took Jesus and flogged him. 2 The soldiers twisted thorns into a crown, and put it on his head, and dressed him in a purple garment. 3 They kept saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” and they kept slapping him.
4 Then Pilate went out again and said to them, “I am bringing him out to you, that you may know that I find no basis for a charge against him.”
5 Jesus therefore came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple garment. Pilate said to them, “Here is the man!”
6 When therefore the chief priests and the officers saw him, they shouted, “Crucify! Crucify!”
Pilate said to them, “Take him yourselves and crucify him, for I find no basis for a charge against him.”
7 The Jews answered him, “We have a law, and by our law he ought to die because he made himself the Son of God.”
8 When Pilate heard this, he was more afraid. 9 He entered into the Praetorium again and said to Jesus, “Where are you from?” But Jesus gave him no answer. 10 Pilate therefore said to him, “Are you not speaking to me? Do you not know that I have power to release you and have power to crucify you?”
11 Jesus answered, “You would have no power at all against me unless it were given to you from above. Therefore he who delivered me to you has the greater sin.”
12 At this, Pilate was seeking to release him, but the Jews cried out, “If you release this man, you are not Caesar’s friend! Everyone who makes himself a king speaks against Caesar!”
13 When Pilate heard these words, he brought Jesus out and sat down on the judgment seat at a place called “The Pavement” but in Hebrew, “Gabbatha.” 14 Now it was the Preparation Day of the Passover, at about the sixth hour. He said to the Jews, “Here, you’re King!”
15 They cried out, “Away with him! Away with him! Crucify him!”
Pilate said to them, “Shall I crucify your King?”
The chief priests answered, “We have no king but Caesar!”
The Crucifixion
16 So then he delivered him to them to be crucified. So they took Jesus and led him away. 17 He went out, bearing his cross, to the place called “The Place of a Skull” which is called in Hebrew, “Golgotha”, 18 where they crucified him, and with him two others, one on either side and Jesus in the middle. 19 Pilate wrote a title also and put it on the cross. There was written, “JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS.” 20 Therefore many of the Jews read this title, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and it was written in Hebrew, Latin, and Greek. 21 The chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, “Don’t write, ‘The King of the Jews’ but ‘He said: I am King of the Jews.’ ”
22 Pilate answered, “What I have written, I have written.”
Psalm 119:113-128
SAMEKH
113 I hate double-minded men,
but I love your law.
114 You are my hiding place and my shield.
I hope in your word.
115 Depart from me, you evildoers,
that I may keep the commandments of my God.
116 Uphold me according to your word, that I may live.
Let me not be ashamed of my hope.
117 Hold me up, and I will be safe,
and will have respect for your statutes continually.
118 You reject all those who stray from your statutes,
for their deceit is in vain.
119 You put away all the wicked of the earth like dross.
Therefore I love your testimonies.
120 My flesh trembles for fear of you.
I am afraid of your judgments.
AYIN
121 I have done what is just and righteous.
Do not leave me to my oppressors.
122 Ensure your servant’s well-being.
Do not let the proud oppress me.
123 My eyes fail looking for your salvation,
for your righteous word.
124 Deal with your servant according to your loving kindness.
Teach me your statutes.
125 I am your servant. Give me understanding,
that I may know your testimonies.
126 It is time to act, Lord,
for they break your law.
127 Therefore I love your commandments more than gold,
yes, more than pure gold.
128 Therefore I consider all of your precepts to be right.
I hate every false way.
Proverbs 16:10-11
10 Inspired judgments are on the lips of the king.
He shall not betray his mouth.
11 Honest balances and scales are the Lord’s.
All the weights in the bag are his work.