Barclay Newman, a translator on the teams for both the Good News Bible and the Contemporary English Version, translated passages of the New Testament into English and published them in 2014, “in a publication brief enough to be non-threatening, yet long enough to be taken seriously, and interesting enough to appeal to believers and un-believers alike.” The following is the translation of Luke 22:66-71:

At dawn the politicians, priests, and professors of religion
called a meeting and had Jesus brought in for questioning.
       “Are you God’s Chosen One?” they demanded.

“If I told you, you wouldn’t believe me,” replied Jesus.
       “And if I asked you a question, you wouldn’t answer.
Soon, however, you’ll see me
       at the right side of God All-Powerful.”

“Are you the Son of God?” was their next question.

“You say I am,” answered Jesus.

“He’s said enough to hang himself!” they judged.

Barclay Newman, a translator on the teams for both the Good News Bible and the Contemporary English Version, translated passages of the New Testament into English and published them in 2014, “in a publication brief enough to be non-threatening, yet long enough to be taken seriously, and interesting enough to appeal to believers and un-believers alike.” The following is the translation of Luke 22:54-65:

Peter kept his distance after Jesus was arrested
       and led away to the house of the high priest.
Some people were sitting around a fire
in the courtyard of the house, and Peter joined them.
       “This man was with Jesus!” blurted out a servant girl.

“I don’t even know the guy!” insisted Peter.

“You’re one of them!” someone said with a smirk.

“Not me!” denied Peter.

An hour or so later, another man swore,
       “This man was with Jesus—they’re both from Galilee.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about!”
       came Peter’s denial.
At that very moment, while Peter was still speaking,
       he heard the sound of a rooster crowing.

The Lord looked in Peter’s direction,
and Peter remembered those solemn words,
       “Before a rooster crows tomorrow morning,
       you’ll say three times you don’t even know me.”

Peter left and wept bitterly.

Meanwhile, the guards insulted and struck Jesus.
They put a blindfold on him and sneered as they said,
       “Tell us who hit you?”
And this was not the worst they did to him.

Barclay Newman, a translator on the teams for both the Good News Bible and the Contemporary English Version, translated passages of the New Testament into English and published them in 2014, “in a publication brief enough to be non-threatening, yet long enough to be taken seriously, and interesting enough to appeal to believers and un-believers alike.” The following is the translation of Luke 22:47-53:

Before Jesus stopped speaking, a crowd came up,
       led by Judas, one of his closest followers.
Judas walked over and greeted Jesus with a kiss,
       and Jesus asked, “Is this kiss an act of betrayal?”
The other followers realized what was happening,
       and they shouted, “Lord, should we attack with a sword?”
One of them even drew a sword and cut off
       the right ear of the high priest’s servant.

“Enough of this!” shouted Jesus.
              Then he touched and healed the severed ear.
To the chief priests and the other religious authorities
       who had come to arrest him, Jesus said:
              “Why have you come out with swords and clubs,
                     as though I were a criminal?
              Day after day I was with you in the temple,
                     and you didn’t arrest me then.
              But for the moment,
                     you and the power of darkness are in control.”

Barclay Newman, a translator on the teams for both the Good News Bible and the Contemporary English Version, translated passages of the New Testament into English and published them in 2014, “in a publication brief enough to be non-threatening, yet long enough to be taken seriously, and interesting enough to appeal to believers and un-believers alike.” The following is the translation of Luke 22:39-46:

Jesus went out to the Mount of Olives, as he often did, #
       and his followers went along with him.
When he got there, he told them,
       “Pray that you won’t be put to the test!”

After Jesus had walked a little way, he knelt and prayed,
“Father, please save me from this terrible suffering!
       But I’m willing to do whatever you want.”

At that moment, an angel descended to help Jesus,
because he was in such pain
       that his sweat poured down like drops of blood.

Jesus stood up and went back to his followers,
weary from sadness and sound asleep.
       “Why are you sleeping?” asked Jesus.
       “Wake up and pray not to be put to the test.”

Barclay Newman, a translator on the teams for both the Good News Bible and the Contemporary English Version, translated passages of the New Testament into English and published them in 2014, “in a publication brief enough to be non-threatening, yet long enough to be taken seriously, and interesting enough to appeal to believers and un-believers alike.” The following is the translation of Luke 22:31-38:

Jesus said, “Peter, listen carefully!
Satan has demanded the right
       to severely test each of you.
But I’ve prayed for your faith to be strong,
and when you’ve endured the testing,
       then turn and help the others endure.”

Peter replied, “Lord, I’m willing to face prison
       ;or even death with you!”

“Before a rooster crows tomorrow morning,” said Jesus,
       “you’ll say three times you don’t even know me.”

Then Jesus spoke to all his followers,
       “When I sent you out on your first mission,
       I told you not to take along a traveling bag
              or extra clothes and sandals.
       But now I tell you to take all these
              and possibly even a sword,
       because I’ll be treated like a criminal,
              just as the Bible says.”

“We have two swords!” shouted his followers.
       “Enough of this!” replied Jesus.

Barclay Newman, a translator on the teams for both the Good News Bible and the Contemporary English Version, translated passages of the New Testament into English and published them in 2014, “in a publication brief enough to be non-threatening, yet long enough to be taken seriously, and interesting enough to appeal to believers and un-believers alike.” The following is the translation of Luke 22:24-30:

A heated debate broke out among the followers of Jesus —
       each of them saying, “I’m the greatest!”

But Jesus interrupted and said:
       “Foreign kings order their subjects around,
              while claiming to be everyone’s friend.
       Don’t be like that! I’ve come as your servant,
       and if you want to be truly great,               then become a servant yourself.
       You may think a king is superior to a servant,
              but I’ve been a servant to you.

       “You’ve been faithful friends in all my troubles,
       so I’ll let each of you rule as a king,
              just as my Father has promised.
Not only will you eat and drink with me        in the Ultimate Kingdom —
              you’ll each have authority of your own.”

Barclay Newman, a translator on the teams for both the Good News Bible and the Contemporary English Version, translated passages of the New Testament into English and published them in 2014, “in a publication brief enough to be non-threatening, yet long enough to be taken seriously, and interesting enough to appeal to believers and un-believers alike.” The following is the translation of Luke 22:14-23:

The time had now come to slaughter lambs for Passover,
so Jesus sent Peter and John
       to make preparations for the meal.

“Where do you want us to do this?” they asked.

Jesus replied:
       “As you enter the city, you’ll meet a man
              carrying a jug of water.
       Follow him into the house and say to the owner,
              ‘Our teacher sent us to find out where he can eat
              the Passover meal with his closest friends.’
       The owner will take you upstairs and show you
              a large room ready for you to use.
       Prepare the meal there.”

Peter and John left, and they found everything
precisely as Jesus had indicated,
       so they did exactly as he had instructed.

When it was supper time, Jesus said,
“I’ve really wanted to eat this Passover meal
       with you before I suffer.
It will be the last one I eat
before the Celebration Supper
       in the Ultimate Kingdom.”

Jesus took a cup of wine in his hands,
and after giving thanks to God, he said,
       “Take this wine and share it with each other.
I’ll drink no more wine before the Celebration Supper
       in the Ultimate Kingdom.”

Jesus then took some bread in his hands,
and after giving thanks to God,
       he broke the bread and passed it around.
Then he said, “This is my body offered for you.
       Eat this and remember me!”

After the meal, Jesus took another cup of wine
in his hands and said, “This is my blood
       poured out for you, and with it
       God makes his new agreement.
Here at the table is the one who will betray me!
I’ll die as God intends,
       but it will be terrible for my betrayer.”

The followers started arguing
       about who would do such a thing.