25“There will also be signs in the sun, moon, and stars, and on the earth the nations will tremble with fear. Panic and confusion will grow strong when they hear the sea roar and see the waves swell. 26The people will shake with fear, and hearts will fall to the ground when they see what is happening to the world around them. Even the powers of the spirit-world above will tremble and shake.
27“Then they will look up and see the True Human Being coming with power, riding on the clouds, and showing his shining-greatness!54
28“When you see all these things begin to happen, stand strong, my followers. Lift up your heads! For the time of your captivity will soon come to an end!”
STORY ABOUT THE FIG TREE
29Then he told them a wisdom-story: “Look at this fig tree or any tree, and see what it is saying to you. 30When the branches of a tree grow soft and buds appear, you know that it is nearly summer. 31In the same way when you see these things happening, you will know that Creator’s good road is about to come into full bloom.
32“I speak from my heart! All of this will happen to this generation, during the lifetime of the people who live today. 33What I have told you is sure, for my words will last longer than the sky above and the earth below.
34“So keep your eyes straight. Do not let your hearts fall to the ground. Do not give yourselves to drinking or worrying about your life’s possessions, or that day will take you by surprise. 35For it will come without warning, to all who live on the land, like a beaver that is snared in a trap. 36So stay on guard, praying that you will find a safe path through this time and stand strong before the True Human Being.”
37During the day Creator Sets Free (Jesus) would teach and tell his stories at the sacred lodge. Then at night he would go to where he was lodging on Olive Mountain. 38Then, in the morning, all the people would gather again at the lodge to listen to him.
THE BETRAYER MAKES HIS MOVE
1It was time once again for the traditional feast of Bread Without Yeast, called Passover. 2The head holy men and the scroll keepers were looking for a way to capture Creator Sets Free (Jesus) and have him put to death, for they feared his influence over the people.
3During that time, Accuser (Satan) wrapped himself around the heart of Speaks Well Of (Judas), also called Village Man (Iscariot), who was one of the twelve followers of Creator Sets Free (Jesus).
4He went to the head holy men and the lodge guards and told them of his plan to turn against Creator Sets Free (Jesus). 5With glad hearts they agreed to pay him. 6He agreed to the amount and began to wait for the right time to betray Creator Sets Free (Jesus) when there were no crowds around him.
PREPARING FOR THE CEREMONIAL MEAL
7It was now the day of Bread Without Yeast, when the ceremonial Passover lamb would be sacrificed and eaten.
8Creator Sets Free (Jesus) chose Stands on the Rock (Peter) and He Shows Goodwill (John). “Go and prepare a place for us to eat the ceremonial meal,” he instructed them.
9“Where should we go?” they asked him.
10“Go into the village,” he instructed them, “and look for a man carrying a pouch of water. He will take you to a lodge. Go in with him 11and say to the headman of the house, ‘Our Wisdomkeeper wants to know where the room is to eat the Passover meal with his followers.’ 12He will then take you to a large upper room that will be ready for you. There you can prepare the meal.”
13They did as he said and found everything was just as he told them, so they prepared the ceremonial meal.
THE CEREMONIAL MEAL BEGINS
14When it was time for the ceremonial meal to begin, Creator Sets Free (Jesus) and his twelve message bearers sat down around a table.
Creator Sets Free (Jesus) looked into the faces of his followers.
15“How I have longed to sit and eat this Passover meal with you before I suffer,” he said.
16-18He then lifted up a cup of wine, gave thanks for it, and said, “Take this and share it with one another.”
The cup was then passed from Creator Sets Free (Jesus) to each of them, and one by one they all drank from it.
Creator Sets Free (Jesus) said to them, “Listen to me closely, I will not drink from the fruit of this vine again until it finds its full meaning in the Land of Creator’s good road.”
During the meal 19Creator Sets Free (Jesus) took some of the frybread, lifted it up, and gave thanks. He broke it into pieces, gave some to each of his followers, and said, “This is my body, my gift to you. Take it and eat it. Do this to remember me.”
They all passed the frybread around the table and ate it with wondering hearts, because this was something new. Creator Sets Free (Jesus) was showing his followers that this ancient ceremony was finding its full meaning in him.
20In the same way, after the meal was over, he took a cup of wine, lifted it up, and gave thanks. He gave it to his followers and said, “This cup of wine is for the new peace treaty. It is my lifeblood poured out for you.”
21“But look and see!” he said to the surprise of all. “The one who has turned against me is sitting at this table. 22The True Human Being will walk the path that has been chosen for him, but it will not go well for the one who betrays him.”
23His message bearers looked around at one another, asking who among them would do such a thing.
WHO IS THE GREATEST?
24This led to an argument about which one of them was to be seen as the first and greatest among them.
25So Creator Sets Free (Jesus) reminded them, “Rulers from the Nations show their power by forcing their way upon people and then call it ‘helping them.’ 26This will not be the way of the ones who walk my road. The greatest among you will be least, like a child, and the rulers will be like household servants.”
He let his words sink into their hearts.
27“Who is the greater one?” he asked. “The one who is being served, or the one who serves?”
They all hung their heads and would not look him in the eye.
“Is it not the one being served?” he responded. “But here I am serving you.”
The voice of Creator Sets Free (Jesus) became full of compassion and love. His followers lifted their heads up and looked at their Wisdomkeeper.
28“You have stood with me even in my time of sorrow and testing. 29My Father has made me the Chief of the good road. As Chief, I give you the right to walk this road with me 30and share my table. There you will sit in twelve council seats and decide all things for the tribes of Wrestles with Creator (Israel).”
ALL OF YOU WILL TURN AWAY
The Passover meal was coming to an end. It was time to close the ceremony and face the dark night ahead. Turning to Stands on the Rock (Peter), Creator Sets Free (Jesus) spoke to him using his family name.
31“One Who Hears (Simon), hear me!” he said. “Accuser (Satan) has asked to put you all to the test, like one who separates the grain from the husks. 32But I have prayed for you that your failure will not turn you from the good road. When you turn back once again, then help the others to do the same.”
33But One Who Hears (Simon) could not hear, so he said, “Wisdomkeeper, I am ready to go with you to both prison and death!”
34Creator Sets Free (Jesus) looked at him with sad eyes and said, “Stands on the Rock (Peter), listen to me! Before the rooster crows, this very night, you will deny that you know who I am. Not once, not twice, but three times.”
TROUBLE AHEAD
Creator Sets Free (Jesus) knew that trouble was coming, 35so he said, “When I sent you out to tell the good story to the villages, you took no money pouch, no traveling bundle, not even extra moccasins. Did you need anything?”
“Nothing,” they answered.
36“That is good,” he said, “but now take your money pouch and your traveling bundle with you.”
Then he spoke of what they would need to face that very night.
“Also, if you have no long knife, then trade your outer garment for one, 37for there is another prophecy in the Sacred
Teachings that tells what will happen to me. It says, ‘He was numbered with the rebels.’55 This also must find its full meaning and come to an end in me.”
38“Wisdomkeeper!” they said, “Look, here are two long knives.”
“That will be enough,” he answered.
PRAYER OF SUFFERING
39Creator Sets Free (Jesus) and his followers left from there and went to the place where he often prayed at Olive Mountain. 40When they arrived, he said to them, “Pray that you will have the strength to face this time of testing ahead of you.”
41-42He went from them about as far as one can throw a stone. He lowered himself to the ground, fell on his face, and sent his voice to Creator, “If you want, my Father, you can take this bitter road of pain and sorrow away from me, but even so I want to walk your path, not my own.”
The night was silent and cold as Creator Sets Free (Jesus) trembled and prayed. The powers of darkness were pressing in hard.
43While he prayed, a spirit-messenger from the spirit-world above appeared, giving him strength. 44In great agony he prayed with renewed strength, until his sweat began to fall like great drops of blood watering the ground.
45When he had finished sending his voice to the Great Spirit, he got up and found his followers sleeping. 46“Why are you sleeping?” he asked. “Wake up and pray for strength to face this time of testing!”
THE FIERY TRIAL BEGINS
47While Creator Sets Free (Jesus) was speaking, suddenly a crowd stormed in led by Speaks Well Of (Judas), one of the twelve. He walked up to Creator Sets Free (Jesus) to greet him.
48“Will you betray the True Human Being with a kiss?” he said to him.
49When his followers saw what was happening, they said, “Wisdomkeeper, should we strike with our long knives?”
50Before he could answer them, one of them drew his long knife from its sheath and cut off the right ear of the servant of the chief holy man.
51“Stop! No more fighting!” Creator Sets Free (Jesus) cried out. Then he touched the man’s ear and healed it. 52He then turned to the head holy men, the lodge soldiers, and the council elders, who had come to take him.
“Why do you come at me with clubs and long knives as if I were a thief?” he asked them. 53“Did I not sit with you every day in the sacred lodge? Why did you not take me then? This is your time, and you have given the powers of darkness their day.”
54The lodge soldiers grabbed hold of him, dragged him away, and took him to the house of the chief holy man. Watching from a distance, Stands on the Rock (Peter) followed them.
STANDS ON THE ROCK DENIES HIM
55Some of the men built a fire in the courtyard and sat down to warm themselves. Stands on the Rock (Peter) sat down with them. 56When a servant girl noticed him sitting by the fire, she looked closely into his face and said, “This man was with Creator Sets Free (Jesus)!”
57“Woman,” he denied, “I do not know the man.”
58A short time later someone else noticed him, and said, “You are one of his followers.”
“I am not!” he argued back.
59About one hour later another man accused him, “He must be one of his followers, for he is also from Circle of Nations (Galilee).”
60“Man!” Stands on the Rock (Peter) defended himself, “I do not know what you are talking about.”
Before he could get the words out of his mouth, a rooster crowed. 61Then Creator Sets Free (Jesus) turned and looked at him from a distance.
Stands on the Rock (Peter) remembered what he had been told earlier, “Before the rooster crows today, you will deny three times that you know me.”
62Then Stands on the Rock (Peter) ran out of the gate, at the first light of dawn, and wept bitter tears as he stumbled down the road.
THE GRAND COUNCIL QUESTIONS HIM
63The soldiers who were guarding Creator Sets Free (Jesus) began to mock and beat him with their fists. 64They put a blindfold over his eyes. “Prophesy to us! Tell us who struck you!” 65they laughed, insulting him with cruel words and twisted faces.
66As the sun began to rise, the Grand Council56 of elders, along with the head holy men and the scroll keepers, all came together. They brought Creator Sets Free (Jesus) into the council house.
67“If you are the Chosen One, then tell us!” they demanded.
“If I say that I am, you will not believe me, 68and if I ask for your answer, you will not tell me.” 69And then he said, “But from now on the True Human Being will be seated at the right hand of the Great Power.”57
70Then with one voice they asked, “Are you then the Son of the Great Spirit?”
“You have said it,” he answered them. “I am.”
71“Why question any more witnesses?” the council ruled. “We have heard it ourselves from his own mouth.”
QUESTIONED BY THE PEOPLE OF IRON
1When they were done, they tied ropes around him again. All the ones who had gathered there got up and followed as they took Creator Sets Free (Jesus) to Spear of the Great Waters (Pilate), the governor of the People of Iron (Romans).
Spear of the Great Waters (Pilate) represented the People of Iron (Romans). His job was to keep the “peace” and make sure there were no uprisings among the tribes. He came out of his lodge to hear the charges against Creator Sets Free (Jesus).
2So they began to accuse him, “We caught this man misleading our nation and telling people not to pay taxes to the government of the People of Iron (Romans). He tells the people that he is the Chosen One, a Great Chief.”
3Spear of the Great Waters (Pilate) turned to Creator Sets Free (Jesus) and asked him, “Do you say that you are chief of the tribes of Wrestles with Creator (Israel)?”
“It is you who have said it,” he replied.
4Spear of the Great Waters (Pilate) turned to the head holy men and said in front of all the people, “I see no reason to find this man guilty.”
5But they kept accusing him and saying, “He is making trouble with the people of the Land of Promise (Judea), spreading his teachings from Circle of Nations (Galilee) to Village of Peace (Jerusalem).”
6After hearing this and finding out Creator Sets Free (Jesus) was from Circle of Nations (Galilee), 7he decided to send him to Looks Brave (Herod), who was in Village of Peace (Jerusalem) for the festival, for Looks Brave (Herod) was chief of the territory of Circle of Nations (Galilee).
QUESTIONED BY CHIEF LOOKS BRAVE
8Chief Looks Brave (Herod) was happy to see him. He had waited a long time for this, for he had heard much about Creator Sets Free (Jesus). He was hoping to see some powerful medicine come from him.
9-10The head holy men and scroll keepers made strong accusations against him, so Looks Brave (Herod) dug deep with many questions.
But Creator Sets Free (Jesus) stood silent and gave no answer.
11Chief Looks Brave (Herod) mocked him along with his soldiers. They dressed him in a fancy robe and sent him back to the People of Iron (Romans). 12Looks Brave (Herod) and Spear of the Great Waters (Pilate) had been enemies, but on that day they became friends.
BACK TO THE PEOPLE OF IRON
13When they brought Creator Sets Free (Jesus) back to Spear of the Great Waters (Pilate), he then gathered the head holy men, the spiritual leaders, and the people together 14and said to them, “You told me this man was a troublemaker, but I questioned him and found him not guilty of your accusations. 15Looks Brave (Herod), one of your own people, also questioned him and found nothing wrong with him. Can you not see that this man has done nothing that deserves death? 16I will have him whipped and release him.”
17By tradition the People of Iron (Romans) would release one criminal during the festival. 18But they all shouted, “No! Not Creator Sets Free (Jesus)! Instead release Son of His Father (Barabbas)!” 19Now this man was a troublemaker who had caused an uprising and had been imprisoned for murder.
20Spear of the Great Waters (Pilate) wanted to release Creator Sets Free (Jesus), so he asked again what they wanted to
do with Creator Sets Free (Jesus). 21The crowd began to roar, “Death! Death on the cross!”
22Spear of the Great Waters (Pilate) quieted the crowd and a third time said, “Why! What evil has he done? I have not found him guilty or worthy of death. I will have him beaten and then set him free.”
23The crowd would not back down. Louder and louder they demanded his death on the cross again and again, 24until Spear of the Great Waters (Pilate) finally gave them what they wanted. He made his official decision, 25released Son of His Father (Barabbas), a man of violence, guilty of uprising and murder, and he turned Creator Sets Free (Jesus), the man of peace, over to what the people wanted.
The cross was used by the People of Iron (Romans) as an instrument of torture to strike fear into criminals or anyone who dared to rise up against their empire. Iron nails would be used to pierce the hands and feet of the victims, fastening them to the tree-pole and its crossbeam. They would then hang there until dead. It was one of the most painful and cruel ways to die ever created by human beings. Often the victim was forced to carry the large wooden crossbeam to the place where they would be executed.
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