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Giovedi, 28 marzo 2024 - San Castore di Tarso ( Letture di oggi)

Luke 22


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1The feast of Unleavened Bread, cal ed the Passover, was now drawing near,2and the chief priests and the scribes were looking for some way of doing away with him, because theywere afraid of the people.3Then Satan entered into Judas, surnamed Iscariot, who was one of the Twelve.4He approached the chief priests and the officers of the guard to discuss some way of handing Jesusover to them.5They were delighted and agreed to give him money.6He accepted and began to look for an opportunity to betray him to them without people knowing aboutit.7The day of Unleavened Bread came round, on which the Passover had to be sacrificed,8and he sent Peter and John, saying, 'Go and make the preparations for us to eat the Passover.'9They asked him, 'Where do you want us to prepare it?'10He said to them, 'Look, as you go into the city you wil meet a man carrying a pitcher of water. Fol owhim into the house he enters11and tel the owner of the house, "The Master says this to you: Where is the room for me to eat thePassover with my disciples?"12The man wil show you a large upper room furnished with couches. Make the preparations there.'13They set off and found everything as he had told them and prepared the Passover.14When the time came he took his place at table, and the apostles with him.15And he said to them, 'I have ardently longed to eat this Passover with you before I suffer;16because, I tel you, I shal not eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.'17Then, taking a cup, he gave thanks and said, 'Take this and share it among you,18because from now on, I tel you, I shall never again drink wine until the kingdom of God comes.'19Then he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, 'This ismy body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.'20He did the same with the cup after supper, and said, 'This cup is the new covenant in my bloodpoured out for you.21'But look, here with me on the table is the hand of the man who is betraying me.22The Son of man is indeed on the path which was decreed, but alas for that man by whom he isbetrayed!'23And they began to ask one another which of them it could be who was to do this.24An argument also began between them about who should be reckoned the greatest;25but he said to them, 'Among the gentiles it is the kings who lord it over them, and those who haveauthority over them are given the title Benefactor.26With you this must not happen. No; the greatest among you must behave as if he were the youngest,the leader as if he were the one who serves.27For who is the greater: the one at table or the one who serves? The one at table, surely? Yet here amI among you as one who serves!28'You are the men who have stood by me faithful y in my trials;29and now I confer a kingdom on you, just as my Father conferred one on me:30you wil eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and you wil sit on thrones to judge the twelve tribesof Israel.31'Simon, Simon! Look, Satan has got his wish to sift you al like wheat;32but I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail, and once you have recovered, you inyour turn must strengthen your brothers.'33'Lord,' he answered, 'I would be ready to go to prison with you, and to death.'34Jesus replied, 'I tell you, Peter, by the time the cock crows today you wil have denied three times thatyou know me.'35He said to them, 'When I sent you out without purse or haversack or sandals, were you short ofanything?'36'No, nothing,' they said. He said to them, 'But now if you have a purse, take it, and the same with ahaversack; if you have no sword, sell your cloak and buy one,37because I tell you these words of scripture are destined to be fulfil ed in me: He was counted as oneof the rebel ious. Yes, what it says about me is even now reaching its fulfilment.'38They said, 'Lord, here are two swords.' He said to them, 'That is enough!'39He then left to make his way as usual to the Mount of Olives, with the disciples fol owing.40When he reached the place he said to them, 'Pray not to be put to the test.'41Then he withdrew from them, about a stone's throw away, and knelt down and prayed.42'Father,' he said, 'if you are wil ing, take this cup away from me. Nevertheless, let your will be done,not mine.'43Then an angel appeared to him, coming from heaven to give him strength.44In his anguish he prayed even more earnestly, and his sweat fell to the ground like great drops ofblood.45When he rose from prayer he went to the disciples and found them sleeping for sheer grief.46And he said to them, 'Why are you asleep? Get up and pray not to be put to the test.'47Suddenly, while he was still speaking, a number of men appeared, and at the head of them the mancal ed Judas, one of the Twelve, who went up to Jesus to kiss him.48Jesus said, 'Judas, are you betraying the Son of man with a kiss?'49His followers, seeing what was about to happen, said, 'Lord, shal we use our swords?'50And one of them struck the high priest's servant and cut off his right ear.51But at this Jesus said, 'That is enough.' And touching the man's ear he healed him.52Then Jesus said to the chief priests and captains of the Temple guard and elders who had come forhim, 'Am I a bandit, that you had to set out with swords and clubs?53When I was among you in the Temple day after day you never made a move to lay hands on me. Butthis is your hour; this is the reign of darkness.'54They seized him then and led him away, and they took him to the high priest's house. Peter fol owedat a distance.55They had lit a fire in the middle of the courtyard and Peter sat down among them,56and as he was sitting there by the blaze a servant-girl saw him, peered at him, and said, 'This manwas with him too.'57But he denied it. 'Woman, I do not know him,' he said.58Shortly afterwards someone else saw him and said, 'You are one of them too.' But Peter replied, 'I amnot, my friend.'59About an hour later another man insisted, saying, 'This fel ow was certainly with him. Why, he is aGalilean.'60Peter said, 'My friend, I do not know what you are talking about.' At that instant, while he was stilspeaking, the cock crowed,61and the Lord turned and looked straight at Peter, and Peter remembered the Lord's words when hehad said to him, 'Before the cock crows today, you will have disowned me three times.'62And he went outside and wept bitterly.63Meanwhile the men who guarded Jesus were mocking and beating him.64They blindfolded him and questioned him, saying, 'Prophesy! Who hit you then?'65And they heaped many other insults on him.66When day broke there was a meeting of the elders of the people, the chief priests and scribes. Hewas brought before their council,67and they said to him, 'If you are the Christ, tel us.' He replied, 'If I tel you, you wil not believe,68and if I question you, you will not answer.69But from now on, the Son of man wil be seated at the right hand of the Power of God.'70They all said, 'So you are the Son of God then?' He answered, 'It is you who say I am.'71Then they said, 'Why do we need any evidence? We have heard it for ourselves from his own lips.'