September 28 Daily Devotional

Matthew 26–27; Mark 14; Luke 22; John 18

When the band took Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane, “Simon Peter followed him from afar, and so did another disciple. That disciple was known unto the high priest, and went in with Jesus into the palace of the high priest. But Peter stood at the door without. Then went out that other disciple … and spake unto her that kept the door, and brought in Peter. Then said the damsel that kept the door unto Peter, Art not thou also one of this man’s disciples. He saith, I am not.”

“And the servants and officers stood there, who had made a fire of coals; for it was cold: and they warmed themselves and Peter stood with them and warmed himself. And when Peter was gone out into the porch, another maid saw him, and said unto them that were there, This fellow was also with Jesus of Nazareth. They said therefore unto him, Art not thou also one of his disciples? And again he denied with an oath, I do not know this man. And about the space of an hour after, one of the servants of the high priests, being his kinsman whose ear Peter cut off, saith, Did not I see thee in the garden with him? They that stood by said again to Peter, Surely thou also art one of them: for thy speech betrayeth thee. Then began he to curse, and to swear, saying, I know not the man of whom ye speak. And immediately the cock crowed the second time. And the Lord turned and looked upon Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how that he said unto him, Before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice. And Peter went out, and wept bitterly.”

“Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he (Jesus) was condemned, repenteth himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver (which he had received for the betrayal) to the chief priests and elders, saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. But they were not willing to take back the money, and said, What is that to us? See thou to that. And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself. And the chief priests took the silver pieces and said, It is not lawful for to put them into the treasury, because it is the price of blood. And they took counsel, and bought with them the potter’s field, to bury strangers in.” Many strangers came to the great festivals at Jerusalem and occasionally some of them became ill and died. For them this burial place was laid out. It was called Akeldama, that is, field of blood.