For three years the Gospel writers move quickly — a miracle here, a journey there, months passing in a sentence. Then they arrive at this week, and everything slows down. Nearly a third of the Gospel record is spent on these seven days. That alone tells you where the story has been heading all along.

What follows is the week laid out day by day, with all four accounts side by side, so you can see how they fit together. The dates are the days of the Jewish month. Remember that a Jewish day begins at sunset, not midnight — which is why the Passover meal and the arrest fall on the same day here, though we would naturally call them evening and small hours.

Sunday, the 10th

• The Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem
• Teachings on His death

Matthew 21:1–11 · Mark 11:1–11 · Luke 19:28–44 · John 12:12–50

The day before — Saturday — He had been in Bethany, where Mary anointed Him (John 12:1–11).

Monday, the 11th

• He curses the fig tree
• He drives out the moneychangers

Matthew 21:12–23 · Mark 11:12–19 · Luke 19:45–48

Tuesday, the 12th

• Teaching in the temple — on His authority, on taxes, on the resurrection, and on the signs of His return
• Judas makes his plan to betray Him

Matthew 21:23–26:16 · Mark 11:20–14:11 · Luke 20:1–22:6

Wednesday, the 13th

• The Passover meal
• Gethsemane
• The arrest
• Before the Sanhedrin
• Peter’s denial

Matthew 26:17–75 · Mark 14:12–72 · Luke 22:7–65 · John 13:1–18:28

Passover begins this evening at 6:00 p.m. John gives five chapters to the upper room alone — the washing of feet, the vine, the promise of the Comforter, and the prayer of chapter 17.

Thursday, the 14th

• Judas hangs himself
• Jesus before Pilate, then Herod, then Pilate again
• The crucifixion
• The burial

Matthew 27:1–61 · Mark 15 · Luke 22:66–23:56 · John 18–19

Tonight at 6:00 begins the Sabbath for the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread.

Friday, the 15th

• A guard is placed at the tomb

Matthew 27:62–66

Mourning.

Saturday, the 16th

Silence. Mourning.

He is dead.

Sunday, the 17th

• Early morning — the Resurrection
• He appears to Mary at the tomb
• Afternoon — He appears to the disciples on the Emmaus road
• Evening — He appears to the disciples in the upper room

Matthew 28:1–15 · Mark 16:1–13 · Luke 24:1–49 · John 20:1–23

He is risen!

Today also begins the Feast of Firstfruits — the feast He fulfills on the very day He rises.

Afterward

• One week later — Thomas sees Him (John 20:24–31)
• By the sea — “afterward” (John 21:1–25)
• Forty days later — the Ascension (Luke 24:50–53; Matthew 28:16–20)

Read this week slowly, and read it in more than one Gospel. Each writer saw the same days and kept different details — that is not a problem to solve but a gift to receive. Put them side by side and the picture fills out.