Holy Week
Eight days, Sunday to Sunday. Each day reads what the Gospels place on that day of the week, as near as anyone can tell. Start on Palm Sunday and you'll be reading about the empty tomb on Easter morning. If you're late, start anyway; it still works out of sync.
The Gospels don't agree on every detail of the order, and this plan doesn't pretend they do. It uses Mark's outline for the first days, John for Thursday night, Luke for the trial and crucifixion, and John and Luke for Sunday. Friday is the longest reading, about fifteen minutes, and it should be.
Saturday has almost nothing in the Gospels because nothing happened. There's a psalm for it. Sit in that day if you can.
The schedule
Tap a passage to open that book. Read in any translation you like; the app shows each day in Gen Z beside the original.
| Day | Read | What to notice |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Palm Sunday. A borrowed donkey, cloaks on the road, 'Hosanna'. Then in Luke, at the top of the hill with the crowd still shouting, Jesus looks at the city and weeps. | Palm Sunday. A borrowed donkey, cloaks on the road, 'Hosanna'. Then in Luke, at the top of the hill with the crowd still shouting, Jesus looks at the city and weeps. |
| 2 | Monday. A fig tree with leaves and no fruit, and a temple full of trade and no prayer, told as one story. The chief priests decide to kill him here, in verse 18. | Monday. A fig tree with leaves and no fruit, and a temple full of trade and no prayer, told as one story. The chief priests decide to kill him here, in verse 18. |
| 3 | Tuesday. A parable about tenants who kill the owner's son, told to the men who are about to. Then the greatest commandment, and a widow's two coins, which Jesus says is more than everyone. | Tuesday. A parable about tenants who kill the owner's son, told to the men who are about to. Then the greatest commandment, and a widow's two coins, which Jesus says is more than everyone. |
| 4 | Wednesday. A woman breaks a jar worth a year's wages over Jesus, and he says she's anointing him for burial. The next verse is Judas going to the priests. | Wednesday. A woman breaks a jar worth a year's wages over Jesus, and he says she's anointing him for burial. The next verse is Judas going to the priests. |
| 5 | Thursday. Jesus washes feet, including Judas's. Bread and cup, 'do this in memory of me'. Then the garden: 'remove this cup from me', and the friends who fall asleep. | Thursday. Jesus washes feet, including Judas's. Bread and cup, 'do this in memory of me'. Then the garden: 'remove this cup from me', and the friends who fall asleep. |
| 6 | Friday. Pilate says three times he finds no fault. The crowd chooses Barabbas. On the cross: 'Father, forgive them', a criminal promised paradise, darkness at noon, the curtain torn, and 'into your hands'. | Friday. Pilate says three times he finds no fault. The crowd chooses Barabbas. On the cross: 'Father, forgive them', a criminal promised paradise, darkness at noon, the curtain torn, and 'into your hands'. |
| 7 | Saturday. Joseph of Arimathaea gives up his own tomb. The women sit opposite it. The authorities post a guard. Nothing else happens. 'Out of the depths I have cried' is the day's prayer. | Saturday. Joseph of Arimathaea gives up his own tomb. The women sit opposite it. The authorities post a guard. Nothing else happens. 'Out of the depths I have cried' is the day's prayer. |
| 8 | Sunday. Mary stands crying at the tomb and mistakes him for the gardener until he says her name. In Luke, the women tell the apostles and it 'seemed to them to be nonsense'. The first Easter was believed slowly. | Sunday. Mary stands crying at the tomb and mistakes him for the gardener until he says her name. In Luke, the women tell the apostles and it 'seemed to them to be nonsense'. The first Easter was believed slowly. |