Hi friends, I am Annie F. Downs. Let's read the Gospels. We say often that you don't have to be in the Gospels every day to be changed, but every day you're in the Gospels will change you. So I'm so glad you're here today today is a really fun day.

The Gospels are the first four books of the New Testament in the Bible, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. These are the stories of Jesus Christ's life on earth, the friendships, the parables, the sacrifices, the meals, the miracles.

Each month we read all four books, so go ahead and subscribe today and join us as we read the Gospels together. We'll be finishing up the book of Matthew today and starting the book of John, I think John 1 may be my favorite chapter of all of them. That's what's ending up happening.

So I'm glad we get to read it today. Here's how it works. I'll read three chapters to you, those three. You can listen or read along in your own Bible, and then I'll write, and that's it.

Today is June 15th, day 15, and I'll be reading Matthew, chapters 27 and 28, and John, chapter 1. And this month I'm reading from the NRSV, Matthew 27.

When morning came, all the chief priests and the elders of the people conferred together against Jesus in order to bring about his death, they bound him, led him away, and handed him over to pilot the governor.

When Judas, his betrayer, saw that Jesus was condemned, he repented, and brought back the 30 pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders. He said, I have sinned by betraying innocent blood, but they said, what is that to us? See to it yourself.

Throwing down the pieces of silver in the temple, he departed, and he went and hanged himself. But the chief priests taking the pieces of silver said, it is not lawful to put them into the treasury since they are blood money.

After conferring together, they used them to buy the potter's field as a place to bury foreigners. For this reason, that field has been called the field of blood to this day.

Then was fulfilled what had been spoken through the prophet Jeremiah, and they took the 30 pieces of silver, the price of the one on whom a price had been set, on whom some of the people of Israel had set a price, and they gave them for the potter's field as the Lord commanded me.

Now Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, are you the king of the Jews? And Jesus said, you say so.

But when he was accused by the chief priests and elders, he did not answer. Then Pilate said to him, do you not hear how many accusations they make against you?

But he gave him no answer, not even to a single charge, so that the governor was greatly amazed.

Now at the festival, the governor was accustomed to release a prisoner for the crowd, anyone whom they wanted, at that time they had a notorious prisoner called Jesus Barabbas.

So after they had gathered, Pilate said to them, who do you want me to release for you? Jesus Barabbas or Jesus who is called the Messiah?

For he realized that it was out of jealousy that they had handed him over. While he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent word to him, have nothing to do with that innocent man.

For today, I've suffered a great deal because of a dream about him.

Now the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus killed.

The governor again said to them, which of the two do you want me to release for you? And they said, Barabbas, Pilate said to them, then what should I do with Jesus who is called the Messiah?

All of them said, let him be crucified. Then he asked, why? What evil has he done? But they shouted all the more, let him be crucified.

So in Pilate saw that he could do nothing, but rather that a riot was beginning, he took some water and washed his hands before the crowds saying, I am innocent of this man's blood, see to it yourselves.

Then the people as a whole answered, his blood be honest and on our children. So he released Barabbas for them. And after flogging Jesus, he handed him over to be crucified.

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