9 j Then was fulfilled what had been spoken by the prophet Jeremiah, saying, k “ And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him on whom a price had been set by some of the sons of Israel, 10 and they gave them for the potter’s field, as the Lord directed me. 8 Therefore h that field has been called the Field of Blood i to this day. ” 7 So they took counsel and bought with them the potter’s field as a burial place for strangers. 6 But the chief priests, taking the pieces of silver, said, “ It is not lawful to put them into g the treasury, since it is blood money.

” 5 And throwing down the pieces of silver into the temple, f he departed, and he went and hanged himself. ” They said, “ What is that to us ? e See to it yourself. Judas Hangs Himselfģ Then when b Judas, his betrayer, saw that Jesus 1 was condemned, c he changed his mind and brought back d the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders, 4 saying, “ I have sinned by betraying innocent blood. 2 And they bound him and y led him away and z delivered him over to a Pilate the governor. Spending time with God keeps our focus on Him and off ourselves.27 w When morning came, all the chief priests and the elders of the people x took counsel against Jesus to put him to death. Doing ministry on our own power will likely lead to fatigue and burn-out or pride and a sinful fall from grace. Everyone who claims to follow Christ should take the time alone to recharge, talk to God, read Scripture, and consider what God has for us next. We cannot do the ministry God gives us to do if we are not filled with Him. His example is important for every believer. Later, He will spend some time alone praying in the Garden of Gethsemane before His most difficult ministry of all: His sacrifice on the cross. Here, Jesus spends time alone in prayer as He prepares to move to a new area to serve others in ministry. Jesus spent time alone in the desert when He was tempted before He began His ministry (Mark 1:12–13). Somewhat of a pattern appears here early in the ministry of Christ in Mark's Gospel.

The Greek word used here, eremos, means a solitary, lonely, uninhabited place, which may be in a desert or wilderness. Instead of sleeping in, He recharges by finding a 'desolate place' to spend quiet time with God the Father. The previous day, Jesus had taught in the synagogue at Capernaum, healed a demon-possessed man who interrupted His teaching, healed Simon Peter's mother-in-law of a fever, and then seen to the needs of as many of the people of Capernaum as could get to Him.

Mark 1 bible in tamil