Holy Week readings: from Palm Sunday to Easter morning
A day-by-day route through the last week of Jesus, with the text for each moment and suggested readings for Good Friday, Holy Saturday and Easter Sunday.
By Daniel Mercer · Theological reviewer, ThM in Biblical Studies · Reviewed by Ruth Callaway
Published · Updated
Key takeaways
- The Gospels devote a huge share of their text to Jesus' final week.
- All four Gospels record the entry into Jerusalem on the Sunday before Passover.
- Isaiah 53 and Psalm 22 are the traditional Good Friday readings.
- The four resurrection accounts differ in detail and agree on the essentials.
- One passage a day takes under ten minutes.
In this article
The Gospels do not distribute space in proportion to time. Jesus' public ministry lasted around three years, but the final week takes up almost a third of Mark and similar proportions elsewhere. The route below follows that week, one passage a day.
Sunday: the entry into Jerusalem
Reading: Mark 11:1-11 (or Matthew 21:1-11, Luke 19:28-40, John 12:12-19).
All four Gospels record the scene. The detail that usually slips by is the animal. A king entering on a horse comes for war; a king entering on a donkey comes in peace. Zechariah 9:9 had described exactly that.
Monday: the temple
Reading: Mark 11:12-25.
Jesus drives out the money changers and quotes two prophets: "a house of prayer for all the nations" (Isaiah) and "a den of robbers" (Jeremiah). This is the episode that accelerates the authorities' decision against him.
Tuesday: the questions
Reading: Mark 12:13-34.
A full day of loaded questions: taxes to Caesar, the resurrection, the greatest commandment. The answer about the greatest commandment is the most quoted: love God and love your neighbor, "there is no other commandment greater than these".
Wednesday: the silence and the betrayal
Readings: Mark 14:1-11, Matthew 26:14-16.
Two scenes in contrast: a woman pours very expensive perfume over Jesus and is criticized for it; Judas negotiates thirty pieces of silver.
Verse of the day
Start the day with a verse and carry it with you
One verse chosen for today, with the full chapter, a short reflection and an image ready to share.
- Complete Bible text
- Shareable image
- Free, no sign-up
Thursday: the last supper
Readings: John 13:1-17 (the foot washing), Luke 22:14-23 (the supper), Mark 14:32-42 (Gethsemane).
John is the only one who narrates the foot washing and does not describe the institution of the supper; the other three do the reverse. Gethsemane is the most human text in the Gospels: "my soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death".
Practical suggestion: read 1 Corinthians 11:23-26, the oldest surviving account of the Supper, written before the Gospels.
Good Friday: the cross
Readings: Isaiah 53, Psalm 22, Luke 23:26-49.
Isaiah 53 describes a servant pierced for the transgressions of others, centuries earlier. Psalm 22 opens with the line Jesus quotes from the cross — "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" — and is worth reading in full, because it ends in praise.
This is the day to read slowly and explain little. Silence afterwards is appropriate.
Saturday: the waiting
Reading: Lamentations 3:1-33 or Psalm 88.
Saturday is the day with no news. Christian tradition calls it the day of silence. Psalm 88 is the only psalm that ends in the dark, with no turn — which makes it the most honest reading for this day.
Easter Sunday: the empty tomb
Readings: Matthew 28:1-10, John 20:1-18.
The first witnesses are women, in a setting where women's testimony carried little legal weight — a detail all four Gospels keep.
If you have time during the following week, read all four accounts and compare them: they differ in detail (how many women, how many angels, the order of events) and agree on the essentials. That is how independent testimony usually behaves.
Reading as a family
Hand out the passages, one per person per day, and close each reading with a one-sentence prayer. Ten minutes a day covers the whole week.
Sources
Frequently asked questions
What should I read during Holy Week?
One passage a day: Mark 11 (Sunday), Mark 11:12-25 (Monday), Mark 12 (Tuesday), Mark 14:1-11 (Wednesday), John 13 and Luke 22 (Thursday), Isaiah 53 and Luke 23 (Friday), Psalm 88 (Saturday) and Matthew 28 or John 20 (Sunday).
What is read on Good Friday?
Isaiah 53, Psalm 22 and a crucifixion account from one of the Gospels — Luke 23:26-49 is the most used in services.
Why do the four resurrection accounts differ?
They differ in secondary details (number of women, of angels, order of events) and agree on the essentials: the empty tomb, the announcement and the appearances. That is typical of independent testimony.
What is the traditional Easter Sunday reading?
Matthew 28:1-10 or John 20:1-18. Many churches also read 1 Corinthians 15:3-8, the oldest summary of the resurrection message.
Scripture text: World English Bible (WEB), public domain. Prayers, introductions and reflections: original text by this site, not affiliated with any denomination. Devotional content; it does not replace medical, psychological or legal advice.
Read next
Bible Study
How to start reading the Bible: where to begin and what to skip
Starting at Genesis is the most common mistake. Here is a reading order that works, how much time to set aside, what to do with the hard passages and how not to stall in Leviticus.
Ruth Callaway ·
Bible Study
Bible reading plans compared: which one to choose and how to finish it
The Bible in a year, the New Testament in 90 days, the Gospels and Psalms in 30: what each plan asks of you, how long it takes daily and the three reasons most people quit.
Ruth Callaway ·
Bible Study
How to memorize Bible verses: five methods that actually work
Spaced repetition, handwriting, first-letter drills and three more tested techniques for memorizing verses — and still remembering them months later.
Ruth Callaway ·