HAVE A HAPPY ENDING IN YOUR LIFE . PAY HEED TO THESE WARNING SYMBOLS
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OUTLINE
1.LUCIFER
2.CAIN
3.KORAH
4.ISRAELITES
5.SAUL
6.GEHAZI
7.JUDAS
INTRODUCTION
The Lord wants us to have a happy ending in our lives. The end is very important. We must follow the Lord Jesus who is the author and finisher of our faith. Job in the Old Testament had a difficult experience in life , but he had a happy ending with a double blessing on his life. The Apostle Paul started as an enemy and a persecutor of the church. But the Lord Jesus transformed his life and made him a mighty apostle . He had a happy ending in his life having finished his race. The Apostle Peter denied the Lord Jesus three times. But the Lord Jesus restored him back and on the day of Pentecost Peter preached a powerful sermon which resulted in three thousand souls getting saved. We must be careful to ensure a happy ending to our walk with God.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
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ECCLESIASTES 7:8
The end of a matter is better than its beginning, and patience is better than pride.
HEBREWS 12:1-3
Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,
looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls.
JOHN 4:34
"My food," said Jesus, "is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work.
JAMES 5:11
Indeed we count them blessed who endure. You have heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the end intended by the Lord—that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful.
JOB 42:12-17
The LORD blessed the latter part of Job’s life more than the first. He had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, a thousand yoke of oxen and a thousand donkeys.
And he also had seven sons and three daughters.
The first daughter he named Jemimah, the second Keziah and the third Keren-Happuch.
Ecclesiastes
Nowhere in all the land were there found women as beautiful as Job’s daughters, and their father granted them an inheritance along with their brothers.
After this, Job lived a hundred and forty years; he saw his children and their children to the fourth generation.
And so he died, old and full of years.
ACTS 9:1-2
Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest
and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem.
1 CORINTHIANS 15:9-10
For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.
But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.
2 TIMOTHY 4:6-8
For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time has come for my departure.
I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.
LUKE 22:31-34
"Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat.
But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers."
But he replied, "Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death."
Jesus answered, "I tell you, Peter, before the rooster crows today, you will deny three times that you know me."
ACTS 2:14-18
Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: "Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say.
These men are not drunk, as you suppose. It’s only nine in the morning! No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:
" ’In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams.
Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days,and they will prophesy.
THE MESSAGE
HAVE A HAPPY ENDING IN YOUR LIFE . PAY HEED TO THESE WARNING SYMBOLS
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1.LUCIFER
Lucifer had a good beginning as an anointed cherub in the presence of God, full of wisdom and beauty . But his pride and ambition caused him to rebel against God and was ejected from heaven and he is going to be tormented in hell for ever.
We must be careful to remain humble and not entertain unholy ambition beyond the will of God for our lives.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
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ISAIAH 14:12-15
How you have fallen from heaven, O morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations!
You said in your heart, "I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of the sacred mountain.
I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High."
But you are brought down to the grave, to the depths of the pit.
EZEKIEL 28:11-19
The word of the LORD came to me:
"Son of man, take up a lament concerning the king of Tyre and say to him: ’This is what the Sovereign LORD says: " ’You were the model of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty.
You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone adorned you: ruby, topaz and emerald, chrysolite, onyx and jasper, sapphire, turquoise and beryl. Your settings and mountings were made of gold; on the day you were created they were prepared.
You were anointed as a guardian cherub, for so I ordained you. You were on the holy mount of God; you walked among the fiery stones.
You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created till wickedness was found in you.
Through your widespread trade you were filled with violence, and you sinned. So I drove you in disgrace from the mount of God, and I expelled you, O guardian cherub, from among the fiery stones.
Your heart became proud on account of your beauty, and you corrupted your wisdom because of your splendor. So I threw you to the earth; I made a spectacle of you before kings.
By your many sins and dishonest trade you have desecrated your sanctuaries. So I made a fire come out from you, and it consumed you, and I reduced you to ashes on the ground in the sight of all who were watching.
All the nations who knew you are appalled at you; you have come to a horrible end and will be no more.’ "
REVELATION 20:10
And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.
2.CAIN
Cain had a good beginning as the first human baby full of promise and hope. But after he and his younger brother grew up , they brought offerings to the Lord. Cain in his own time brought some fruits of the soil to God . But Abel brought the first and the best of what he had to the Lord. The Lord accepted Abel ’s offering and rejected Cain’s offering. Instead of examining his faults in the presence of God , Cain became jealous of his brother Abel and killed him. As a result Cain was cursed by God and spent the rest of life as a fugitive and a vagabond.
We should not be jealous of the blessings of others and try to do evil to them. Instead we must examine our lives and remove the hindrances that prevent us from receiving the blessings of God.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
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GENESIS 4:1-16
Adam lay with his wife Eve, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Cain. She said, "With the help of the LORD I have brought forth a man."
Later she gave birth to his brother Abel. Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil.
In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the LORD.
But Abel brought fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The LORD looked with favor on Abel and his offering,
but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast.
Then the LORD said to Cain, "Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast?
If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it."
Now Cain said to his brother Abel, "Let’s go out to the field." And while they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.
Then the LORD said to Cain, "Where is your brother Abel?" "I don’t know," he replied. "Am I my brother’s keeper?"
The LORD said, "What have you done? Listen! Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground.
Now you are under a curse and driven from the ground, which opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand.
When you work the ground, it will no longer yield its crops for you. You will be a restless wanderer on the earth."
Cain said to the LORD, "My punishment is more than I can bear.
Today you are driving me from the land, and I will be hidden from your presence; I will be a restless wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me."
But the LORD said to him, "Not so ; if anyone kills Cain, he will suffer vengeance seven times over." Then the LORD put a mark on Cain so that no one who found him would kill him.
So Cain went out from the LORD’s presence and lived in the land of Nod, east of Eden.
JUDE 11
Woe to them! They have taken the way of Cain; they have rushed for profit into Balaam’s error; they have been destroyed in Korah’s rebellion.
3.KORAH
Korah had a good beginning as a well known community leader. But he and his supporters rebelled against Moses and refused to submit to his leadership. As a result they met a tragic end . They did not realise that in rising against the Lord’s chosen servant Moses , they were actually treating the Lord with contempt.
We should be careful not to rebel against God’s chosen leadership. Otherwise we would be guilty of treating God with contempt and would be in danger of serious consequences.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
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NUMBERS 16:1-3 , 28-35
Korah son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, and certain Reubenites—Dathan and Abiram, sons of Eliab, and On son of Peleth—became insolent
and rose up against Moses. With them were 250 Israelite men, well-known community leaders who had been appointed members of the council.
They came as a group to oppose Moses and Aaron and said to them, "You have gone too far! The whole community is holy, every one of them, and the LORD is with them. Why then do you set yourselves above the LORD’s assembly?"
Then Moses said, "This is how you will know that the LORD has sent me to do all these things and that it was not my idea:
If these men die a natural death and experience only what usually happens to men, then the LORD has not sent me.
But if the LORD brings about something totally new, and the earth opens its mouth and swallows them, with everything that belongs to them, and they go down alive into the grave, then you will know that these men have treated the LORD with contempt."
As soon as he finished saying all this, the ground under them split apart
and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them, with their households and all Korah’s men and all their possessions.
They went down alive into the grave, with everything they owned; the earth closed over them, and they perished and were gone from the community.
At their cries, all the Israelites around them fled, shouting, "The earth is going to swallow us too!"
And fire came out from the LORD and consumed the 250 men who were offering the incense.
4.ISRAELITES
The Israelites had a good beginning. They experienced the mighty miracles of God in coming out of Egypt. But most of them failed to enter the promised land and perished in the wilderness. Their idolatry , immorality , unbelief and murmuring led them into destruction.
We must be careful to keep our hearts pure and holy and full of faith and gratitude in order to have a happy ending in our walk with God.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
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1 CORINTHIANS 10:1-11
For I do not want you to be ignorant of the fact, brothers, that our forefathers were all under the cloud and that they all passed through the sea.
They were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea.
They all ate the same spiritual food
and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ.
Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them; their bodies were scattered over the desert.
Now these things occurred as examples to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did.
Do not be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written: "The people sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in pagan revelry."
We should not commit sexual immorality, as some of them did—and in one day twenty-three thousand of them died.
We should not test the Lord, as some of them did—and were killed by snakes.
And do not grumble, as some of them did—and were killed by the destroying angel.
These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come.
EXODUS 32:1-6
When the people saw that Moses was so long in coming down from the mountain, they gathered around Aaron and said, "Come, make us gods who will go before us. As for this fellow Moses who brought us up out of Egypt, we don’t know what has happened to him."
Aaron answered them, "Take off the gold earrings that your wives, your sons and your daughters are wearing, and bring them to me."
So all the people took off their earrings and brought them to Aaron.
He took what they handed him and made it into an idol cast in the shape of a calf, fashioning it with a tool. Then they said, "These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt."
When Aaron saw this, he built an altar in front of the calf and announced, "Tomorrow there will be a festival to the LORD."
So the next day the people rose early and sacrificed burnt offerings and presented fellowship offerings. Afterward they sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in revelry.
NUMBERS 25:1-9
While Israel was staying in Shittim, the men began to indulge in sexual immorality with Moabite women,
who invited them to the sacrifices to their gods. The people ate and bowed down before these gods.
So Israel joined in worshiping the Baal of Peor. And the LORD’s anger burned against them.
The LORD said to Moses, "Take all the leaders of these people, kill them and expose them in broad daylight before the LORD, so that the LORD’s fierce anger may turn away from Israel."
So Moses said to Israel’s judges, "Each of you must put to death those of your men who have joined in worshiping the Baal of Peor."
Then an Israelite man brought to his family a Midianite woman right before the eyes of Moses and the whole assembly of Israel while they were weeping at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting.
When Phinehas son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, the priest, saw this, he left the assembly, took a spear in his hand
and followed the Israelite into the tent. He drove the spear through both of them—through the Israelite and into the woman’s body. Then the plague against the Israelites was stopped;
but those who died in the plague numbered 24,000.
NUMBERS 21:4-9
They traveled from Mount Hor along the route to the Red Sea, to go around Edom. But the people grew impatient on the way;
they spoke against God and against Moses, and said, "Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the desert? There is no bread! There is no water! And we detest this miserable food!"
Then the LORD sent venomous snakes among them; they bit the people and many Israelites died.
The people came to Moses and said, "We sinned when we spoke against the LORD and against you. Pray that the LORD will take the snakes away from us." So Moses prayed for the people.
The LORD said to Moses, "Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live."
So Moses made a bronze snake and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, he lived.
EXODUS 17:1-7
The whole Israelite community set out from the Desert of Sin, traveling from place to place as the LORD commanded. They camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink.
So they quarreled with Moses and said, "Give us water to drink." Moses replied, "Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you put the LORD to the test?"
But the people were thirsty for water there, and they grumbled against Moses. They said, "Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to make us and our children and livestock die of thirst?"
Then Moses cried out to the LORD, "What am I to do with these people? They are almost ready to stone me."
The LORD answered Moses, "Walk on ahead of the people. Take with you some of the elders of Israel and take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go.
I will stand there before you by the rock at Horeb. Strike the rock, and water will come out of it for the people to drink." So Moses did this in the sight of the elders of Israel.
And he called the place Massah and Meribah because the Israelites quarreled and because they tested the LORD saying, "Is the LORD among us or not?"
5.SAUL
Saul had a good beginning and was chosen by God to be first King of Israel. But along the way he disobeyed God and was rejected by God. And the Lord chose David to be next King of Israel.Saul realised that the Lord had left him and was now with David and therefore Saul tried to kill David many times. But the Lord protected David. However Saul met with a tragic end on the battlefield.
We should be careful to be obedient to the Lord and not overstep the boundaries that the Lord has set for us. Otherwise we would be rejected by the Lord and we would miss our destiny.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
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1 SAMUEL 10:6-7
The Spirit of the LORD will come upon you in power, and you will prophesy with them; and you will be changed into a different person.
Once these signs are fulfilled, do whatever your hand finds to do, for God is with you.
1 SAMUEL 13:8-14
He waited seven days, the time set by Samuel; but Samuel did not come to Gilgal, and Saul’s men began to scatter.
So he said, "Bring me the burnt offering and the fellowship offerings. " And Saul offered up the burnt offering.
Just as he finished making the offering, Samuel arrived, and Saul went out to greet him.
"What have you done?" asked Samuel. Saul replied, "When I saw that the men were scattering, and that you did not come at the set time, and that the Philistines were assembling at Micmash,
I thought, ’Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal, and I have not sought the LORD’s favor.’ So I felt compelled to offer the burnt offering."
"You acted foolishly," Samuel said. "You have not kept the command the LORD your God gave you; if you had, he would have established your kingdom over Israel for all time.
But now your kingdom will not endure; the LORD has sought out a man after his own heart and appointed him leader of his people, because you have not kept the LORD’s command."
1 SAMUEL 18:12
Saul was afraid of David, because the LORD was with David but had left Saul.
1 SAMUEL 31:1-7
Now the Philistines fought against Israel; the Israelites fled before them, and many fell slain on Mount Gilboa.
The Philistines pressed hard after Saul and his sons, and they killed his sons Jonathan, Abinadab and Malki-Shua.
The fighting grew fierce around Saul, and when the archers overtook him, they wounded him critically.
Saul said to his armor-bearer, "Draw your sword and run me through, or these uncircumcised fellows will come and run me through and abuse me."
But his armor-bearer was terrified and would not do it; so Saul took his own sword and fell on it.
When the armor-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he too fell on his sword and died with him.
So Saul and his three sons and his armor-bearer and all his men died together that same day.
When the Israelites along the valley and those across the Jordan saw that the Israelite army had fled and that Saul and his sons had died, they abandoned their towns and fled. And the Philistines came and occupied them.
2 SAMUEL 1:17-27
David took up this lament concerning Saul and his son Jonathan,
and ordered that the men of Judah be taught this lament of the bow (it is written in the Book of Jashar):
"Your glory, O Israel, lies slain on your heights. How the mighty have fallen!
"Tell it not in Gath, proclaim it not in the streets of Ashkelon, lest the daughters of the Philistines be glad, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised rejoice.
"O mountains of Gilboa, may you have neither dew nor rain, nor fields that yield offerings of grain . For there the shield of the mighty was defiled, the shield of Saul—no longer rubbed with oil.
From the blood of the slain, from the flesh of the mighty, the bow of Jonathan did not turn back, the sword of Saul did not return unsatisfied.
"Saul and Jonathan— in life they were loved and gracious, and in death they were not parted. They were swifter than eagles, they were stronger than lions.
"O daughters of Israel, weep for Saul, who clothed you in scarlet and finery, who adorned your garments with ornaments of gold.
"How the mighty have fallen in battle! Jonathan lies slain on your heights.
I grieve for you, Jonathan my brother; you were very dear to me. Your love for me was wonderful, more wonderful than that of women.
"How the mighty have fallen! The weapons of war have perished!"
6.GEHAZI
Gehazi had a good beginning as a servant of the prophet Elisha. Elisha had been a servant of the prophet Elijah and received the mantle and a double portion of the anointing. Gehazi had the same opportunity to receive Elisha’s mantle and anointing. But he destroyed his future by his greed and deceit. Even though Elisha had refused to receive any gift from Naaman , Gehazi secretly ran after Naaman and requested the gifts by making false claims. When he returned Gehazi faced Elisha and was rebuked by him . Gehazi ended up as a leper and brought the curse of leprosy on his descendants . He lost the great future he could have had as a prophet.
We should be careful in our lives and be contented with what the Lord has given to us. We should not chase after those things which the Lord has not given to us because they would bring a curse on our lives.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
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2 KINGS 5:15-27
Then Naaman and all his attendants went back to the man of God. He stood before him and said, "Now I know that there is no God in all the world except in Israel. Please accept now a gift from your servant."
The prophet answered, "As surely as the LORD lives, whom I serve, I will not accept a thing." And even though Naaman urged him, he refused.
"If you will not," said Naaman, "please let me, your servant, be given as much earth as a pair of mules can carry, for your servant will never again make burnt offerings and sacrifices to any other god but the LORD.
But may the LORD forgive your servant for this one thing: When my master enters the temple of Rimmon to bow down and he is leaning on my arm and I bow there also—when I bow down in the temple of Rimmon, may the LORD forgive your servant for this."
"Go in peace," Elisha said. After Naaman had traveled some distance,
Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said to himself, "My master was too easy on Naaman, this Aramean, by not accepting from him what he brought. As surely as the LORD lives, I will run after him and get something from him."
So Gehazi hurried after Naaman. When Naaman saw him running toward him, he got down from the chariot to meet him. "Is everything all right?" he asked.
"Everything is all right," Gehazi answered. "My master sent me to say, ’Two young men from the company of the prophets have just come to me from the hill country of Ephraim. Please give them a talent of silver and two sets of clothing.’ "
"By all means, take two talents," said Naaman. He urged Gehazi to accept them, and then tied up the two talents of silver in two bags, with two sets of clothing. He gave them to two of his servants, and they carried them ahead of Gehazi.
When Gehazi came to the hill, he took the things from the servants and put them away in the house. He sent the men away and they left.
Then he went in and stood before his master Elisha. "Where have you been, Gehazi?" Elisha asked. "Your servant didn’t go anywhere," Gehazi answered.
But Elisha said to him, "Was not my spirit with you when the man got down from his chariot to meet you? Is this the time to take money, or to accept clothes, olive groves, vineyards, flocks, herds, or menservants and maidservants?
Naaman’s leprosy will cling to you and to your descendants forever." Then Gehazi went from Elisha’s presence and he was leprous, as white as snow.
7.JUDAS
Judas Iscariot had a good beginning as a chosen disciple of Jesus . He even had a part in the ministry . But along the way his greed and ambition caused him to become a traitor. He took money from the enemies of Jesus and was looking for an opportunity to betray Jesus. He was a spy and was passing on information about Jesus to his enemies.
Jesus had to be careful because of the presence of Judas. Therefore when Jesus wanted to celebrate the Last Supper he did not clearly specify the place where he would observe it. He did not want Judas to help his enemies to interupt the Last supper . Jesus asked two disciples to follow a man carrying a jar of water in order to find the place. This prevented Judas from finding out the place of the Last supper.
Judas may have felt he was very clever and smart in working with the enemies of Jesus. He did not realise the tragic end he was going to have. Jesus said it would have been better if Judas had not been born. Not only did Judas have a tragic end in this life but he had a tragic eternity seperated from God . When all the disciples are spending eternity in heaven , Judas is mourning and crying in agony in hell forever.
We should be careful to be faithful in all our relationships and responsibilities. If we follow the footsteps of Judas and involve in treachery and deceit , we will face a very tragic end and will spend the rest of our lives in regret and pain.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
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ACTS 1:16-20
and said, "Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled which the Holy Spirit spoke long ago through the mouth of David concerning Judas, who served as guide for those who arrested Jesus—
he was one of our number and shared in this ministry."
(With the reward he got for his wickedness, Judas bought a field; there he fell headlong, his body burst open and all his intestines spilled out.
Everyone in Jerusalem heard about this, so they called that field in their language Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood.)
"For," said Peter, "it is written in the book of Psalms, " ’May his place be deserted; let there be no one to dwell in it,’ and, " ’May another take his place of leadership.’
MARK 14:10-21
Then Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve, went to the chief priests to betray Jesus to them.
They were delighted to hear this and promised to give him money. So he watched for an opportunity to hand him over.
On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, when it was customary to sacrifice the Passover lamb, Jesus’ disciples asked him, "Where do you want us to go and make preparations for you to eat the Passover?"
So he sent two of his disciples, telling them, "Go into the city, and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him.
Say to the owner of the house he enters, ’The Teacher asks: Where is my guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?’
He will show you a large upper room, furnished and ready. Make preparations for us there."
The disciples left, went into the city and found things just as Jesus had told them. So they prepared the Passover.
When evening came, Jesus arrived with the Twelve.
While they were reclining at the table eating, he said, "I tell you the truth, one of you will betray me—one who is eating with me."
They were saddened, and one by one they said to him, "Surely not I?"
"It is one of the Twelve," he replied, "one who dips bread into the bowl with me.
The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born."
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