31st March

¹ And all the congregation lifted up their voice, and cried; and the people wept that night.² And all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron: and the whole congregation said unto them, Would God that we had died in the land of Egypt! or would God we had died in this wilderness!³ And wherefore hath the LORD brought us unto this land, to fall by the sword, that our wives and our children should be a prey? were it not better for us to return into Egypt?⁴ And they said one to another, Let us make a captain, and let us return into Egypt.⁵ Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before all the assembly of the congregation of the children of Israel.⁶ And Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, which were of them that searched the land, rent their clothes:⁷ And they spake unto all the company of the children of Israel, saying, The land, which we passed through to search it, is an exceeding good land.⁸ If the LORD delight in us, then he will bring us into this land, and give it us; a land which floweth with milk and honey.⁹ Only rebel not ye against the LORD, neither fear ye the people of the land; for they are bread for us: their defence is departed from them, and the LORD is with us: fear them not.¹⁰ But all the congregation bade stone them with stones. And the glory of the LORD appeared in the tabernacle of the congregation before all the children of Israel.¹¹ And the LORD said unto Moses, How long will this people provoke me? and how long will it be ere they believe me, for all the signs which I have shewed among them?¹² I will smite them with the pestilence, and disinherit them, and will make of thee a greater nation and mightier than they.¹³ And Moses said unto the LORD, Then the Egyptians shall hear it, (for thou broughtest up this people in thy might from among them;)¹⁴ And they will tell it to the inhabitants of this land: for they have heard that thou LORD art among this people, that thou LORD art seen face to face, and that thy cloud standeth over them, and that thou goest before them, by day time in a pillar of a cloud, and in a pillar of fire by night.¹⁵ Now if thou shalt kill all this people as one man, then the nations which have heard the fame of thee will speak, saying,¹⁶ Because the LORD was not able to bring this people into the land which he sware unto them, therefore he hath slain them in the wilderness.¹⁷ And now, I beseech thee, let the power of my LORD be great, according as thou hast spoken, saying,¹⁸ The LORD is longsuffering, and of great mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression, and by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation.¹⁹ Pardon, I beseech thee, the iniquity of this people according unto the greatness of thy mercy, and as thou hast forgiven this people, from Egypt even until now.²⁰ And the LORD said, I have pardoned according to thy word:²¹ But as truly as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the LORD.²² Because all those men which have seen my glory, and my miracles, which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and have tempted me now these ten times, and have not hearkened to my voice;²³ Surely they shall not see the land which I sware unto their fathers, neither shall any of them that provoked me see it:²⁴ But my servant Caleb, because he had another spirit with him, and hath followed me fully, him will I bring into the land whereinto he went; and his seed shall possess it.²⁵ (Now the Amalekites and the Canaanites dwelt in the valley.) Tomorrow turn you, and get you into the wilderness by the way of the Red sea.²⁶ And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying,²⁷ How long shall I bear with this evil congregation, which murmur against me? I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel, which they murmur against me.²⁸ Say unto them, As truly as I live, saith the LORD, as ye have spoken in mine ears, so will I do to you:²⁹ Your carcases shall fall in this wilderness; and all that were numbered of you, according to your whole number, from twenty years old and upward which have murmured against me.³⁰ Doubtless ye shall not come into the land, concerning which I sware to make you dwell therein, save Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun.³¹ But your little ones, which ye said should be a prey, them will I bring in, and they shall know the land which ye have despised.³² But as for you, your carcases, they shall fall in this wilderness.³³ And your children shall wander in the wilderness forty years, and bear your whoredoms, until your carcases be wasted in the wilderness.³⁴ After the number of the days in which ye searched the land, even forty days, each day for a year, shall ye bear your iniquities, even forty years, and ye shall know my breach of promise.³⁵ I the LORD have said, I will surely do it unto all this evil congregation, that are gathered together against me: in this wilderness they shall be consumed, and there they shall die.³⁶ And the men, which Moses sent to search the land, who returned, and made all the congregation to murmur against him, by bringing up a slander upon the land,³⁷ Even those men that did bring up the evil report upon the land, died by the plague before the LORD.³⁸ But Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, which were of the men that went to search the land, lived still.³⁹ And Moses told these sayings unto all the children of Israel: and the people mourned greatly.⁴⁰ And they rose up early in the morning, and gat them up into the top of the mountain, saying, Lo, we be here, and will go up unto the place which the LORD hath promised: for we have sinned.⁴¹ And Moses said, Wherefore now do ye transgress the commandment of the LORD? but it shall not prosper.⁴² Go not up, for the LORD is not among you; that ye be not smitten before your enemies.⁴³ For the Amalekites and the Canaanites are there before you, and ye shall fall by the sword: because ye are turned away from the LORD, therefore the LORD will not be with you.⁴⁴ But they presumed to go up unto the hill top: nevertheless the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and Moses, departed not out of the camp.⁴⁵ Then the Amalekites came down, and the Canaanites which dwelt in that hill, and smote them, and discomfited them, even unto Hormah.

¹ The proverbs of Solomon. A wise son maketh a glad father: but a foolish son is the heaviness of his mother.² Treasures of wickedness profit nothing: but righteousness delivereth from death.³ The LORD will not suffer the soul of the righteous to famish: but he casteth away the substance of the wicked.⁴ He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand: but the hand of the diligent maketh rich.⁵ He that gathereth in summer is a wise son: but he that sleepeth in harvest is a son that causeth shame.⁶ Blessings are upon the head of the just: but violence covereth the mouth of the wicked.⁷ The memory of the just is blessed: but the name of the wicked shall rot.⁸ The wise in heart will receive commandments: but a prating fool shall fall.⁹ He that walketh uprightly walketh surely: but he that perverteth his ways shall be known.¹⁰ He that winketh with the eye causeth sorrow: but a prating fool shall fall.¹¹ The mouth of a righteous man is a well of life: but violence covereth the mouth of the wicked.¹² Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins.¹³ In the lips of him that hath understanding wisdom is found: but a rod is for the back of him that is void of understanding.¹⁴ Wise men lay up knowledge: but the mouth of the foolish is near destruction.¹⁵ The rich man's wealth is his strong city: the destruction of the poor is their poverty.¹⁶ The labour of the righteous tendeth to life: the fruit of the wicked to sin.¹⁷ He is in the way of life that keepeth instruction: but he that refuseth reproof erreth.¹⁸ He that hideth hatred with lying lips, and he that uttereth a slander, is a fool.¹⁹ In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: but he that refraineth his lips is wise.²⁰ The tongue of the just is as choice silver: the heart of the wicked is little worth.²¹ The lips of the righteous feed many: but fools die for want of wisdom.²² The blessing of the LORD, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it.²³ It is as sport to a fool to do mischief: but a man of understanding hath wisdom.²⁴ The fear of the wicked, it shall come upon him: but the desire of the righteous shall be granted.²⁵ As the whirlwind passeth, so is the wicked no more: but the righteous is an everlasting foundation.²⁶ As vinegar to the teeth, and as smoke to the eyes, so is the sluggard to them that send him.²⁷ The fear of the LORD prolongeth days: but the years of the wicked shall be shortened.²⁸ The hope of the righteous shall be gladness: but the expectation of the wicked shall perish.²⁹ The way of the LORD is strength to the upright: but destruction shall be to the workers of iniquity.³⁰ The righteous shall never be removed: but the wicked shall not inhabit the earth.³¹ The mouth of the just bringeth forth wisdom: but the froward tongue shall be cut out.³² The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable: but the mouth of the wicked speaketh frowardness.

¹ And the whole multitude of them arose, and led him unto Pilate.² And they began to accuse him, saying, We found this fellow perverting the nation, and forbidding to give tribute to Caesar, saying that he himself is Christ a King.³ And Pilate asked him, saying, Art thou the King of the Jews? And he answered him and said, Thou sayest it.⁴ Then said Pilate to the chief priests and to the people, I find no fault in this man.⁵ And they were the more fierce, saying, He stirreth up the people, teaching throughout all Jewry, beginning from Galilee to this place.⁶ When Pilate heard of Galilee, he asked whether the man were a Galilaean.⁷ And as soon as he knew that he belonged unto Herod's jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod, who himself also was at Jerusalem at that time.⁸ And when Herod saw Jesus, he was exceeding glad: for he was desirous to see him of a long season, because he had heard many things of him; and he hoped to have seen some miracle done by him.⁹ Then he questioned with him in many words; but he answered him nothing.¹⁰ And the chief priests and scribes stood and vehemently accused him.¹¹ And Herod with his men of war set him at nought, and mocked him, and arrayed him in a gorgeous robe, and sent him again to Pilate.¹² And the same day Pilate and Herod were made friends together: for before they were at enmity between themselves.¹³ And Pilate, when he had called together the chief priests and the rulers and the people,¹⁴ Said unto them, Ye have brought this man unto me, as one that perverteth the people: and, behold, I, having examined him before you, have found no fault in this man touching those things whereof ye accuse him:¹⁵ No, nor yet Herod: for I sent you to him; and, lo, nothing worthy of death is done unto him.¹⁶ I will therefore chastise him, and release him.¹⁷ (For of necessity he must release one unto them at the feast.)¹⁸ And they cried out all at once, saying, Away with this man, and release unto us Barabbas:¹⁹ (Who for a certain sedition made in the city, and for murder, was cast into prison.)²⁰ Pilate therefore, willing to release Jesus, spake again to them.²¹ But they cried, saying, Crucify him, crucify him.²² And he said unto them the third time, Why, what evil hath he done? I have found no cause of death in him: I will therefore chastise him, and let him go.²³ And they were instant with loud voices, requiring that he might be crucified. And the voices of them and of the chief priests prevailed.²⁴ And Pilate gave sentence that it should be as they required.²⁵ And he released unto them him that for sedition and murder was cast into prison, whom they had desired; but he delivered Jesus to their will.²⁶ And as they led him away, they laid hold upon one Simon, a Cyrenian, coming out of the country, and on him they laid the cross, that he might bear it after Jesus.²⁷ And there followed him a great company of people, and of women, which also bewailed and lamented him.²⁸ But Jesus turning unto them said, Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children.²⁹ For, behold, the days are coming, in the which they shall say, Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bare, and the paps which never gave suck.³⁰ Then shall they begin to say to the mountains, Fall on us; and to the hills, Cover us.³¹ For if they do these things in a green tree, what shall be done in the dry?³² And there were also two other, malefactors, led with him to be put to death.³³ And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left.³⁴ Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.³⁵ And the people stood beholding. And the rulers also with them derided him, saying, He saved others; let him save himself, if he be Christ, the chosen of God.³⁶ And the soldiers also mocked him, coming to him, and offering him vinegar,³⁷ And saying, If thou be the king of the Jews, save thyself.³⁸ And a superscription also was written over him in letters of Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew, THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.³⁹ And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us.⁴⁰ But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation?⁴¹ And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss.⁴² And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.⁴³ And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.⁴⁴ And it was about the sixth hour, and there was a darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour.⁴⁵ And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst.⁴⁶ And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost.⁴⁷ Now when the centurion saw what was done, he glorified God, saying, Certainly this was a righteous man.⁴⁸ And all the people that came together to that sight, beholding the things which were done, smote their breasts, and returned.⁴⁹ And all his acquaintance, and the women that followed him from Galilee, stood afar off, beholding these things.⁵⁰ And, behold, there was a man named Joseph, a counseller; and he was a good man, and a just:⁵¹ (The same had not consented to the counsel and deed of them;) he was of Arimathaea, a city of the Jews: who also himself waited for the kingdom of God.⁵² This man went unto Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus.⁵³ And he took it down, and wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a sepulchre that was hewn in stone, wherein never man before was laid.⁵⁴ And that day was the preparation, and the sabbath drew on.⁵⁵ And the women also, which came with him from Galilee, followed after, and beheld the sepulchre, and how his body was laid.⁵⁶ And they returned, and prepared spices and ointments; and rested the sabbath day according to the commandment.