Why do the nations plan rebellion? Why do people make their useless plots?

"Let us free ourselves from their rule," they say; "let us throw off their control."

When King Herod heard about this, he was very upset, and so was everyone else in Jerusalem.

He called together all the chief priests and the teachers of the Law and asked them, "Where will the Messiah be born?"

When Herod realized that the visitors from the East had tricked him, he was furious. He gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its neighborhood who were two years old and younger---this was done in accordance with what he had learned from the visitors about the time when the star had appeared.

The Pharisees went off and made a plan to trap Jesus with questions.

That same day some Sadducees came to Jesus and claimed that people will not rise from death.

When the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, they came together,

and one of them, a teacher of the Law, tried to trap him with a question.

Then the chief priests and the elders met together in the palace of Caiaphas, the High Priest,

and made plans to arrest Jesus secretly and put him to death.

Early in the morning all the chief priests and the elders made their plans against Jesus to put him to death.

So the Pharisees and the chief priests met with the Council and said, "What shall we do? Look at all the miracles this man is performing!

One of them, named Caiaphas, who was High Priest that year, said, "What fools you are!

"What shall we do with these men?" they asked. "Everyone in Jerusalem knows that this extraordinary miracle has been performed by them, and we cannot deny it.

But to keep this matter from spreading any further among the people, let us warn these men never again to speak to anyone in the name of Jesus."

By means of the Holy Spirit you spoke through our ancestor David, your servant, when he said, 'Why were the Gentiles furious; why did people make their useless plots?

For indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together in this city with the Gentiles and the people of Israel against Jesus, your holy Servant, whom you made Messiah.

You love evil more than good and falsehood more than truth.

I hate and detest all lies, but I love your law.

(SEE 6:16)

Honest people hate lies, but the words of wicked people are shameful and disgraceful.

The LORD says, "People deceive the king and his officers by their evil plots.

You are the children of your father, the Devil, and you want to follow your father's desires. From the very beginning he was a murderer and has never been on the side of truth, because there is no truth in him. When he tells a lie, he is only doing what is natural to him, because he is a liar and the father of all lies.

They know that God's law says that people who live in this way deserve death. Yet, not only do they continue to do these very things, but they even approve of others who do them.

But outside the city are the perverts and those who practice magic, the immoral and the murderers, those who worship idols and those who are liars both in words and deeds.

Do not condemn me with the wicked, with those who do evil--- those whose words are friendly, but who have hatred in their hearts.

His words were smoother than cream, but there was hatred in his heart; his words were as soothing as oil, but they cut like sharp swords.

So they looked for an opportunity. They bribed some men to pretend they were sincere, and they sent them to trap Jesus with questions, so that they could hand him over to the authority and power of the Roman Governor.

What my enemies say can never be trusted; they only want to destroy. Their words are flattering and smooth, but full of deadly deceit.

Sincerity and truth are what you require; fill my mind with your wisdom.

So the Lord said to him, "Now then, you Pharisees clean the outside of your cup and plate, but inside you are full of violence and evil.

My inner being delights in the law of God.